Impact-valve printhead for ink jet printing

摘要

An ink jet chamber communicates with an ink reservoir through an opening in a diaphragm plate. The chamber also includes a nozzle through which ink may be ejected on demand. A mass, such as a ball, is reciprocally driven into the diaphragm plate. The ball, upon striking the diaphragm, closes the chamber opening, pressurizing the ink in the chamber to eject a droplet from the nozzle. The ball is driven by a printer driver wire to which it may be attached. Large arrays may be constructed.