Continuous ink jet printer with asymmetric heating drop deflection

摘要

A method for controlling a terminal flow of ink droplets from the nozzle of an ink jet printer at the end of a printing operation is provided. The printer has a first heating element disposed on one side of the nozzle that is selectively actuated to direct ink droplets away from a recording medium and into an ink gutter during a printing operation. The printer also has a second heating element disposed on the side of the nozzle opposite from the first heating element. After the first heating element applies its last operational heat pulse to the printing nozzle at the end of a printing operation, the second heating element applies at least one deflection correcting heat pulse of the same duration, magnitude and period as the last operational heat pumps. The method prevents ink droplets generated after the end of a printing operation from erroneously striking the printing medium.