Patent ID: 7033003

Claim:
A continuous stream binary array ink jet print head, comprising: a) an elongate cavity for containing ink; b) an array of nozzle orifices extending through a wall of the cavity for passing the ink from the cavity to form jets, said nozzle orifices extending along a length of the cavity, said cavity being divided up along its length by at least one internal wall thereby to create a plurality of sub-cavities substantially acoustically isolated from one another, and to divide up the array of nozzle orifices between the sub-cavities such that each sub-cavity communicates with at least one of the nozzle orifices of the array; c) at least one actuator means associated with each said sub-cavity for cyclically varying dimensions of the sub-cavity thereby to cause at least one jet emanating from said at least one nozzle orifice of that sub-cavity to break up into ink droplets at a predetermined distance therefrom; d) charging means for selectively electrically charging the droplets of said at least one jet; e) deflecting means for deflecting the charged droplets; and f) a gutter for collecting droplets not used in printing, the droplets of said at least one jet used in printing traveling along a same path to print; g) each said sub-cavity being dimensioned so as to be non-resonant in operation.