Abstract: In a continuous ink jet printer of the type in which drops can be deflected to a plurality of print positions, the path of undeflected drops is angled relative to the substrate 23 which is printed onto, so as to shorten the path of the most deflected drops. Since the most deflected drops are the least stable, this tends to increase print quality or allow greater printing speed. The plane of deflection of ink drops may be parallel to a circuit board 1 on which components of the print head are mounted, enabling a deflection electrode 15 and other electrodes to be formed directly on the circuit board, thereby reducing the number of components which have to be mounted separately onto the circuit board 1.

Abstract: A deflection arrangement for deflecting charged particles, e.g. ink drops in an ink jet printer, is arranged so that the potential dropped across an air gap between deflection electrodes varies with position along the air gap. This may be achieved by providing a varying thickness of dielectric material 31 on one deflection electrode 29, extending towards the other deflection electrode 27. Preferably, the width of the air gap varies to follow the fanning out of the paths of differently deflected particles (e.g. ink drops), and the variation in the potential across the air gap allows advantage to be taken of the fact that the dielectric strength (breakdown field strength) of air varies with the width of the air gap.