Patent ID: 7273270

Claim:
An ink jet printing system comprising: a printhead comprising a plurality of continuous ink jets, wherein the continuous ink jets are disposed in a row and directed toward a print receiving medium, wherein the printhead comprises: i. a stimulating device associated with a drop generator adapted to provide a first signal to a first group of ink jets to produce first group of synchronous drop breakoffs, and then provide a second signal to a second group of ink jets to produce a second group of synchronous drop breakoffs, wherein the first group of ink jets provides the first group of synchronous drop breakoffs in a phased relationship to the second group of synchronous drop breakoffs of the second group of ink jets such that respective breakoff phases for the first and second groups of synchronous drop breakoffs are different; ii. a charge plate disposed opposite the drop generator, wherein the charge plate comprises a plurality of drop charging electrodes, each drop charging electrode positioned adjacent an ink jet; and iii. a controller in communication with each drop charging electrode, wherein the controller supplies a plurality of synchronized controlled drop selection pulses to the drop charging electrodes, wherein the synchronized controlled drop selection pulses are applied to the drop charging electrodes associated with the first group of ink jets in a phased relationship to the drop selection pulses applied to the drop charging electrodes associated with the second group of ink jets such that the respective drop selection pulses applied to the drop charging electrodes associated with the first and second groups of ink jets are synchronized with respective breakoff times for the first and second groups of synchronous drop breakoffs, and wherein the drop selection pulses applied to the drop charging electrodes associated with the first group of ink jets controls drop charging of ink jets in the first group of ink jets without controlling drop charging of ink jets in the second group of ink jets.