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Abstract

Transducer arrays for use in multi-jet, drop-on-demand ink jet printers are formed of one or more thin plate-shaped layers of piezoelectric material. Electrodes are electrically coupled to the opposite facing flat plate surfaces of each layer, so as to provide an electric field in the direction orthogonal to the flat plate surfaces. The electric field causes the layer(s) of piezoelectric material to selectively contract or expand in the direction of the electric field. The selective expansion and contraction of the transducer is communicated, through a foot, to selectively contract and expand the volume of an ink-jet chamber. Contraction of the ink-jet chamber causes ink to be expelled through an orifice provided in communication with the ink-jet chamber. A plurality of transducers are arranged in a linear array corresponding to a linear array of ink-jet chambers and orifices. Each foot is elongated in a direction transverse to the direction of the linear array, so as to increase the amount of expansion and contraction of the volume of the ink-jet chamber per unit length of expansion or contraction of the transducer associated with the foot.

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First Claim