Patent ID: 6536881
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A continuous stream ink jet print head comprising:a droplet generator including an elongate cavity for containing the ink; nozzle orifices in a wall of said cavity for passing ink from the cavity to form jets, said nozzle orifices being disposed at spaced positions along the length of said cavity; actuator means for vibrating the ink in said cavity such that each said jet breaks up into ink droplets at the same predetermined distance from said wall of the cavity, said actuator means being disposed on the opposite side of said cavity to said wall, vibrating relative to said wall, and comprising vibration means which is divided up along the length of said cavity at least partially into at least two parts, characterized in that said actuator means further comprises a backing member disposed further from said cavity than said vibration means and secured to and bridging said parts into which said vibration means is at least partially divided, said vibration means being interposed in line between said backing member and said cavity; and charge and deflection electrodes for selectively charging and deflecting the droplets generated by said droplet generator depending on which droplets are to be used to print.