US 7,413,293 B2
Deflected drop liquid pattern deposition apparatus and methods
David L. Jeanmaire, Brockport, N.Y. (US)
Assigned to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y. (US)
Filed on May 04, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/417,458.
Prior Publication US 2007/0257971 A1, Nov. 08, 2007
Int. Cl. B41J 2/09 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 347—77 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drop deflector apparatus for a continuous drop emission system that deposits a liquid pattern on a receiver, comprising:
(a) a plurality of drop nozzles emitting a plurality of continuous streams of a liquid that breaks up into streams of drops of substantially uniform drop volume having nominal flight paths that are substantially parallel and substantially within a nominal flight plane;
(b) a plurality of path selection elements corresponding to the plurality of continuous streams of drops operable to firstly deflect individual drops from the corresponding continuous stream of drops along a first deflection flight path diverging from the nominal flight path based on liquid pattern data; and
(c) a plurality of gas nozzles which generate a plurality of localized gas flows, positioned along one of the first deflection flight paths or the nominal flight paths, wherein the localized gas flows are oriented so as to cause a substantial second deflection of one of the firstly deflected drops or the nominal drops in a direction perpendicular to the nominal flight plane without causing a substantial deflection of drops following the other of the first deflection flight paths or the nominal flight paths.