| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet printer which realizes an integral cleaning function by a simple structure. SOLUTION: The ink jet printer includes an ink droplet forming mechanism formed from a printing head having at least one nozzle for ejecting a stream of ink droplets of different volumes, and a pneumatic droplet deflector for producing a flow of gas that transversely impinges the droplet stream of the printing head and separating ink droplets of different volumes from one another. The droplet deflector includes a pressurized gas source (which may be an air blower) and a plenum for guiding the gas flow generated by the pressurized gas source. A cleaning station is formed at least in part from the plenum of the droplet deflector, and generates both a flow of a liquid cleaning agent and a flow of gas to periodically clean the printing head of the ink droplet forming mechanism. |
