Patent ID: 6364457
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A nozzle assembly for mounting in a continuous ink jet printer system designed for printing legible patterns, comprising the combination ofthe nozzle assembly having separate ink driver and orifice subassemblies adapted when in assembled association to define an internal ink flow path; said orifice subassembly having a downstream side with a jewel outlet opening communicating with said ink flow path and operable for directing an ink discharge along a specific and precise downstream substantially cylindrical stream relative to and away from said orifice subassembly; said ink driver subassembly having a sonic oscillator mounted thereon proximate the ink flow path operable for imparting sonic vibrations to ink contained in the flow path and having exposed downstream side surfaces contoured to define a cavity open axially and in the direction downstream of the sonic oscillator and the ink flow path and said orifice subassembly having exterior surfaces suited to cooperate snugly and telescopically with said cavity surfaces, operable upon relative axial movement without any rotation of the subassemblies toward one another to provide an aligned assembled association of said subassemblies, whereby said ink discharge stream will be in proper alignment without manual realignment efforts of the orifice subassembly and/or the ink driver subassembly; seal means between the cooperating surfaces of the aligned subassemblies for precluding ink leakage therepast; and means accessible from the exterior of said nozzle and driver subassemblies and operable directly between the subassemblies for releasibly holding the subassemblies in said assembled association, operable to accommodate field replacement of the nozzle subassembly without disturbing the driver subassembly even while yet mounted in the printer system.