Laminated charge plate for an ink jet printing device and method of

Abstract

A charge plate is provided having a plurality of alternately sandwiched conductive and nonconductive elements with an end portion of each conductive element forming a charge surface which is positioned to correspond to an orifice position in an ink jet printing head with adjacent conductive elements being separated by the nonconductive elements. In one embodiment the nonconductive elements extend beyond the end portions of the conductive elements between positions of adjacent orifices and can be provided with additional spacer members opposite the charging surface on the opposite side of each orifice to form a series of tunnels associated with the orifices. A preferred form of fabrication includes photo-fabricating a series of members of nonconductive elements with thin lead-like conductive portions which extend from the charge surface to a remote terminus area where they are connected to a control device for providing an electrical charge individually to the charging surfaces. The conductive portions can be positioned asymetrically with regard to a central, longitudinal axis through each element extending perpendicular to the charging surfaces and are so formed that adjacent elements can be positioned with the thin lead-like portions on opposite sides of the centerlines of the elongated elements in order to reduce inter element capacitance which could result from high frequency switching during printing operations.