Ink jet apparatus having an amplified asymmetric heating drop deflection

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved continuous ink jet printer.;SOLUTION: In a continuous ink jet printer, an ink controller comprises an ink ejection channel 40, a pressurized ink source coupled with the ink ejection channel 40, a nozzle hole 42 communicating with the interior of the ink ejection channel 40 to establish a continuous flow in an ink stream while defining the outer side of a nozzle hole, a droplet generator for separating a stream into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced apart from an ink stream generator, and an ink droplet deflection amplifying system 32. The droplet generator comprises a heater 50 having a part associated only partially with the outer side of the nozzle hole and being actuated selectively wherein actuation of the heating part causes asymmetric application of heat to the stream thus enabling partial control in the stream direction. The ink droplet deflection amplifying system 32 comprises a gas source 66 for controlling the stream furthermore between the print direction (path A) and the nonprint direction (path B or path C).;COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO