Abstract There is disclosed a catcher for an array-type fluid jet recorder. The catcher has a catching face upon which intercepted droplets impinge and a series of facial channels for carrying away the intercepted liquid in discrete rivulets. The channels communicate with an internal liquid collection cavity to which the intercepted liquid is delivered. There are disclosed two embodiments of the catcher. In one embodiment the rivulet guiding channels are cut into the drop catching face. In the other embodiment a wire is wound in closely spaced turns around the body of the catcher. In this latter embodiment the spaces between the windings serve as liquid conveying channels. In both embodiments of the invention the channels are mutually parallel and have a spacing equal to the spacing of the jets to be caught. The catcher is mounted in the recording head with the rivuletguiding channels in alignment with the fluid jets so that each jet has its own channel for collection.
In an ink jet recorder comprising means for generating a row of parallel selectively charged drop streams, improved drop catching apparatus comprising: an elongated support member having an electrically conductive drop catching face provided with a series of parallel liquid directing channels therein, means secured to said support member for defining a liquid collecting cavity in communication with said channels, and means for creating an electrical deflection field directed across the paths of said streams and toward said face; said channels each corresponding to one of said streams and being in alignment therewith whereby said field causes impingement of charged drops against said face and said channels carry said drops as discrete rivulets into said cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
In an ink jet recorder comprising means for generating a row of parallel selectively charged drop streams, improved drop catching apparatus comprising: an elongated support member having an electrically conductive drop catching face provided with a series of parallel liquid directing channels therein, means secured to said support member for defining a liquid collecting cavity in communication with said channels, and means for creating an electrical deflection field directed across the paths of said streams and toward said face; said channels each corresponding to one of said streams and being in alignment therewith whereby said field causes impingement of charged drops against said face and said channels carry said drops as discrete rivulets into said cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for evacuating collected liquid from said cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 said catching face comprising a wire wound upon said supporting member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, said catching face being smooth along the line of drop impingement and said channels extending from said cavity to points just short of the line of said impingement.