The invention describes a number of methods and apparatus for shortening the inter-message gap on a continuous inkjet printer. Included is a novel phase testing methodology.

There is provided a charge electrode for charging ink droplets for continuous ink jet printing. The charge electrode has a generally cylindrical main body defining a generally cylindrical passage for the ink droplets, said passage extending along a travel axis that represents, in use, the position of an ink jet in ingress to the electrode and a direction of travel of the ink droplets once these have detached from the ink jet. The charge electrode comprises two distinct axially disposed regions: a first region for charging the droplets as required; and, a second region for screening the charged droplets from any electric fields which could undesirably affect the trajectory of the ink jet and/or the droplets. The second region may fully surround at least a portion of the travel axis. The invention therefore provides improved screening for the ink jet and/or the droplets. This may in turn enable better control of the charge applied to the charged droplets, and/or of their travel trajectory.

There is provided a charge electrode for charging ink droplets for continuous ink jet printing. The charge electrode has a generally cylindrical main body defining a generally cylindrical passage for the ink droplets, said passage extending along a travel axis that represents, in use, the position of an ink jet in ingress to the electrode and a direction of travel of the ink droplets once these have detached from the ink jet. The charge electrode comprises two distinct axially disposed regions: a first region for charging the droplets as required; and, a second region for screening the charged droplets from any electric fields which could undesirably affect the trajectory of the ink jet and/or the droplets. The second region may fully surround at least a portion of the travel axis. The invention therefore provides improved screening for the ink jet and/or the droplets. This may in turn enable better control of the charge applied to the charged droplets, and/or of their travel trajectory.

A print head of an ink jet printer comprising: a cavity for the circulation of jets, delimited laterally by side walls, at least one nozzle for producing at least one ink jet in the cavity, at least one generator applying a charge to at least one ink jet, at least one electrode for sorting drops or segments of one or several of the jets intended for printing from drops or segments that are not used for printing, a slot, open onto the exterior of the cavity, a 1.sup.st gutter for recovering drops or segments not intended for printing, a 2.sup.nd gutter for recovering drops or segments that are not deflected and not intended for printing, this 2.sup.nd gutter comprising an input slot and at least one suction channel, an actuator in order to actuate the 2.sup.nd gutter, a 1.sup.st detector to detect an electrical charge of drops recovered in the 2.sup.nd gutter for recovering when the latter is in a closed position and/or a detector to detect, without contact, the passing of charged drops when the 2.sup.nd gutter is in an open position.

The purpose of the present invention is to prevent the flow of air flowing from the outside of a cover part into the cover part via an ink droplet passing hole as air accompanying printing droplets outflows. An inkjet recording device is provided with: a recording mechanism (printing mechanism) having an ink room 101 that ejects an ink column 107, charging electrodes 103A and 103B that charge ink droplets 106 generated from the ink column 107, and deflection electrodes 105A and 105B that deflect charged ink droplets 106A; and a cover part 118 that has an ink droplet passing hole 117 through which the ink droplets 106A deflected by the deflection electrodes 105A and 105B pass and covers the recording mechanism. The inkjet recording device causes the ink droplets 106A to land onto a recording object 116 that moves relative to a recording head 100 to perform recording. A vent hole 130 is provided in a lateral surface of the cover part 118.

The purpose of the present invention is to prevent the flow of air flowing from the outside of a cover part into the cover part via an ink droplet passing hole as air accompanying printing droplets outflows. An inkjet recording device is provided with: a recording mechanism (printing mechanism) having an ink room 101 that ejects an ink column 107, charging electrodes 103A and 103B that charge ink droplets 106 generated from the ink column 107, and deflection electrodes 105A and 105B that deflect charged ink droplets 106A; and a cover part 118 that has an ink droplet passing hole 117 through which the ink droplets 106A deflected by the deflection electrodes 105A and 105B pass and covers the recording mechanism. The inkjet recording device causes the ink droplets 106A to land onto a recording object 116 that moves relative to a recording head 100 to perform recording. A vent hole 130 is provided in a lateral surface of the cover part 118.

The present invention relates to an inkjet print head device for continuous inkjet printing, comprising a transducer; a charge electrode; a deflection plate; a gutter; and a holster; provided that the holster is receiving at least the aforementioned components, wherein the holster comprises an opening for a dedicated outlet for the ink in a printing mode, and wherein the holster further comprises an ink leakage detection area. Further the invention relates to a method and a system for detecting ink leakage in a print head.

In order to suppress adherence of ink splash to an electrode and ink contamination of surrounding environment, in a printing system, there is provided a continuous type ink jet printer having a nozzle for jetting ink in the form of particles, a charging electrode for electrically charging the jetted ink particles, and a deflection electrode for deflecting the charged ink particles. The system includes a printing section for printing an object to be printed with the ink particles jetted from the nozzle and a charging section configured to charge at least one of the printing object prior to its printing by the printing section and surrounding atmosphere in which the printing on the printing object is to be effected by the printing section with a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charge provided to the ink particles by the charging electrode.

In order to suppress adherence of ink splash to an electrode and ink contamination of surrounding environment, in a printing system, there is provided a continuous type ink jet printer having a nozzle for jetting ink in the form of particles, a charging electrode for electrically charging the jetted ink particles, and a deflection electrode for deflecting the charged ink particles. The system includes a printing section for printing an object to be printed with the ink particles jetted from the nozzle and a charging section configured to charge at least one of the printing object prior to its printing by the printing section and surrounding atmosphere in which the printing on the printing object is to be effected by the printing section with a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charge provided to the ink particles by the charging electrode.

In an existing service points granting method, service points are changed according to whether the ink ejection amount is corrected. However, changing the service points according to a user's purchases or purchase frequency for components or services has not been considered. A display unit displays products or services relevant to an ink jet recording apparatus, points corresponding to the products or services, and cumulative points possessed by each customer.