Matthew B Dolan

US Patent:

62702041, Aug 7, 2001

Filed:

Mar 13, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/042031

Inventors:

Douglas J. Barrett - Westford MA
Matthew Dolan - Westford MA
Carlos A. Gomez - Framingham MA
Thomas Hagerty - Somerville MA

Assignee:

Iris Graphics, Inc. - Billerica MA

International Classification:

B41J 207

US Classification:

347 74

Abstract:

An ink pen assembly of a continuous ink jet printer includes a printhead nest and an ink pen cartridge removably received within the nest. The cartridge includes a pen body in electrical communication with the printhead nest, and a nozzle body in fluid communication with the printhead nest. A charge electrode charges ink drops breaking off from ink jetted from an outlet of the nozzle body. A deflection electrode deflects the charged ink drops along an axis substantially transverse to a direction of travel of a substrate being printed. An ink block mount includes an ink blocking element for diverting deflected ink drops. An ink block actuator pivots with respect to the pen body to adjust the position of the ink blocking element. The printhead nest defines at least four ink outlets for delivering different colored inks, and at least four ink pen cartridges are removably received by the printhead nest.