Fluid assisted ion projection printing head

Claim 1

An improved fluid flow assisted ion projection printing head characterized by comprising a body defining an elongated cavity therein, a conductive wire supported on said body and extending in the direction of said elongated cavity, said wire being enclosed on three sides by the walls of said elongated cavity, a first one of said walls being electrically conductive, an entrance channel defined in said body, through one of said walls, for introducing a transport fluid into said cavity, a substantially planar, electrically conductive plate forming a closure for the major portion of the open side of said cavity, thereby forming a first portion of an exit channel between the end of said plate and said first one of said walls for providing a path for the removal of transport fluid from said cavity, a substantially planar member supporting electronic control elements, said planar member being held against said planar conductive plate and separated therefrom by an intermediate dielectric member, said planar member including a cantilevered portion spaced from said body for defining an extension of said exit channel, and wherein said wire is located closer to said first one of said walls and to said planar conductive plate than to any of the other walls of said cavity.