Patent ID: 7637592

Claim:
A drop ejection device, comprising: three or more orifices disposed in a two-dimensional pattern in a nozzle plate, wherein the three or more orifices form a nozzle; a fluid conduit coupled to the three or more orifices; a single actuator corresponding to the nozzle and configured to actuate fluid in the fluid conduit to eject separate fluid drops out of the three or more orifices, the fluid drops remaining separate in flight; and a controller configured to apply a first waveform to the actuator, the first waveform causing the fluid to be ejected from the nozzle but from less than all of the three or more orifices of the nozzle, and to apply a second waveform to the actuator, the second waveform causing the fluid to be ejected from all of the three or more orifices of the nozzle.