Patent ID: 7762647

Claim:
A printing apparatus for delivering a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material and depositing the marking material in a pattern onto a substrate, comprising: a high pressure source of a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material; a micro-machined manifold including a plurality of micro-nozzles, a fluid chamber, an entrance port, the micro-machined manifold including a first surface and a second surface, portions of the first surface defining the entrance port, the entrance port being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, each of the micro-nozzles having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, the outlet being located on the second surface, each micro-nozzle being shaped to produce a directed beam of the mixture of compressed fluid and marking material beyond the outlet of the micro-nozzle; and a housing connected in fluid communication with the high pressure source and the entrance port of the micro-machined manifold, the connection between the housing and the micro-machined manifold being a sealed connection.