Steering fluid device and method for increasing the angle of deflection of ink droplets generated by an asymmetric heat-type inkjet printer

摘要

An asymmetric heat-type inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead (16) having at least one nozzle (45) for continuously ejecting a stream of ink that forms a train of ink droplets, a heater (50) disposed adjacent to the nozzle for selectively thermally deflecting the droplet forming stream (60) of ink either toward a printing medium, or an ink gutter (17) that captures and recirculates the ink (70). To increase the angle of deflection that the intermittently operated heater imposes on the droplet-forming stream of ink, a steering fluid assembly (75) is provided in communication with the inkjet nozzle for co-extruding a thin film of fluid around the ink which has a lower thermal diffusivity than the liquid forming the ink. <IMAGE>