Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head, including: a droplet generator (32, 32?, 32?) for generating ink droplets (64); a charging electrode (22, 22?, 22?) having a passageway (74, 74?, 74?) through which the ink droplets travel to receive a charge; a deflection electrode (60, 60?, 60?) for deflecting the charged ink droplets; a gutter (50, 50?, 50?, 50??) having a gutter entrance (52, 52?, 52?, 52??); wherein the passageway is aligned with the gutter entrance through which uncharged droplets enter; and a mounting deck (10, 10?, 10?) configured to secure the gutter entrance into a fixed, nonadjustable gutter entrance position (56, 56?, 56?, 56??) and to secure the charging electrode into a fixed, nonadjustable charging electrode position (24, 24?, 24?) relative to the gutter entrance.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head (10), including: an ink droplet generator (116) configured to emit an ink droplet (158) along an undeflected droplet flight path (30); a charge electrode (118) configured to impart a charge to the ink droplet; deflector plates (120A, 120B) adjacent the undeflected droplet flight path, downstream from the charge electrode, and configured to deflect the ink droplet to a deflected droplet flight path that lies within a range of deflected flight paths bounded by at least deflected droplet flight path and a most deflected droplet flight path; a gutter (122) configured to receive an ink droplet traveling along the undeflected droplet flight path; and an ink buildup sensor (102) configured to detect an accumulation of ink (140) relative to a droplet flight path disposed within the range of deflected flight paths.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head (10), including: an ink droplet generator (116) configured to emit an ink droplet (158) along an undeflected droplet flight path (30); a charge electrode (118) configured to impart a charge to the ink droplet; deflector plates (120A, 120B) adjacent the undeflected droplet flight path, downstream from the charge electrode, and configured to deflect the ink droplet to a deflected droplet flight path that lies within a range of deflected flight paths bounded by at least deflected droplet flight path and a most deflected droplet flight path; a gutter (122) configured to receive an ink droplet traveling along the undeflected droplet flight path; and an ink buildup sensor (102) configured to detect an accumulation of ink (140) relative to a droplet flight path disposed within the range of deflected flight paths.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head, including: a droplet generator (32, 32?, 32?) for generating ink droplets (64); a charging electrode (22, 22?, 22?) having a passageway (74, 74?, 74?) through which the ink droplets travel to receive a charge; a deflection electrode (60, 60?, 60?) for deflecting the charged ink droplets; a gutter (50, 50?, 50?, 50??) having a gutter entrance (52, 52?, 52?, 52??); wherein the passageway is aligned with the gutter entrance through which uncharged droplets enter; and a mounting deck (10, 10?, 10?) configured to secure the gutter entrance into a fixed, nonadjustable gutter entrance position (56, 56?, 56?, 56??) and to secure the charging electrode into a fixed, nonadjustable charging electrode position (24, 24?, 24?) relative to the gutter entrance.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head (10), including: an ink droplet generator (116) configured to emit an ink droplet (158) along an undeflected droplet flight path (30); a charge electrode (118) configured to impart a charge to the ink droplet; deflector plates (120A, 120B) adjacent the undeflected droplet flight path, downstream from the charge electrode, and configured to deflect the ink droplet to a deflected droplet flight path that lies within a range of deflected flight paths bounded by at least deflected droplet flight path and a most deflected droplet flight path; a gutter (122) configured to receive an ink droplet traveling along the undeflected droplet flight path; and an ink buildup sensor (102) configured to detect an accumulation of ink (140) relative to a droplet flight path disposed within the range of deflected flight paths.