Moveable ink jet thermal printing head

Claim 1

An ink jet thermal printing head for spraying ink onto a printing surface comprising: (a) a thermal head having a plurality of thermal dot elements for creating heat, said thermal head having a recessed portion defining an ink gathering portion; (b) a guide member slideably mounted for reciprocal movement on said thermal head so as to be in operative engagement with said thermal dot elements, said guide member defining a plurality of grooves in proximity to said thermal dot elements, said plurality of grooves being of greater number than said plurality of thermal dot elements, said reciprocal movement being in a direction substantially perpendicular to said grooves, whereby said reciprocal movement of said guide member relative to said thermal head substantially prevents said grooves from becoming blocked and for maintaining a flow of said ink during operation, wherein said guide member and said thermal printing head form channels therebetween to carry ink from said ink gathering portion of said thermal head to said thermal dot elements, wherein the ink can be heated and caused to bubble and spray the ink out of said channels and onto the printing surface; and, (c) an ink supplying means for supplying said channels with ink operatively engaged to said guide member so as to supply ink to said ink gathering portion of said thermal head.