Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas
Ink jet recording head
 An ink jet recording head, in which a vibrating element includes electrodes disposed on both surfaces of at least one of its edge portions at a dot forming pitch. A gap forming member is disposed so as to form a gap suitable for producing ink mist on a surface confronting a vibrating surface of the vibrating element. Since the ink is retained in this gap by surface tension, upon application of an alternate voltage to the vibrating element to produce an edge-mode vibration, the vibration produced at a piezoelectric body substrate is transmitted to the ink, propagating through the ink. The vibration propagated up to an interface between the ink and the air is transformed into a surface wave, thereby misting the ink. The thus produced ink mist, having vibrational kinetic energy, splashes in the air and thus forms a dot on a recording sheet. Since the amount of ink adhering to the recording sheet is proportional to an ink mist producing time, the optical density of a dot can be adjusted by controlling the alternate voltage application time. 
Seiko Epson Corporation
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Hajime Tsutomu Masanori Kaoru
Mizutani Nishiwaki Tanizaki Momose