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The illustrated ink jet (19) includes a chamber (22) containing a quantity of ink (54) discharged through a nozzle orifice (28) in the form of droplets (84). The ink is discharged in response to movement of an actuator positioned over a chamber (22) opening. The actuator (50) includes a piezoceramic

The illustrated ink jet (19) includes a chamber (22) containing a quantity of ink (54) discharged through a nozzle orifice (28) in the form of droplets (84). The ink is discharged in response to movement of an actuator positioned over a chamber (22) opening. The actuator (50) includes a piezoceramic plate (60), the surfaces of which are covered by electrodes (62, 64). Soldered to the electrode (62) is a bending plate (56) which is secured by adhesive (58) to a flexible sheet of insulating material (52). Control signals are fed through conductors (72, 59) to the electrodes (62, 64).

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An actuator (50) for the print head of an ink jet printer (10) in which droplets of ink (84) are discharged through a nozzle orifice (28) in a wall of a chamber (22) for containing a small quantity of ink (54), the actuator (50) comprising: a piezoelectric crystal plate (60) having first and second

An actuator (50) for the print head of an ink jet printer (10) in which droplets of ink (84) are discharged through a nozzle orifice (28) in a wall of a chamber (22) for containing a small quantity of ink (54), the actuator (50) comprising: a piezoelectric crystal plate (60) having first and second opposing surfaces, said piezoelectric plate (60) experiencing a dimensional change when placed in an electrical field; first and second electrodes (62, 64) covering portions of said first and second opposing surfaces of said piezoelectric crystal plate (60); a bending plate (56) with a first surface bonded to the surface of said first conductive electrode (62); a thin flexible sheet of insulating material (52) having first and second surfaces; a first surface of said sheet of insulating material (52) bonded to a second surface of said bending plate (56), said bending plate (56) resisting deformation by said piezoelectric crystal plate (60) in response to an electrical potential difference applied to said electrodes (62, 64); said sheet of insulating material (52) being positioned so that said second surface of said sheet of insulating material (52) is disposed over an opening in the wall of said chamber (22); and means (82) for securing said second surface of said sheet of insulating material (52) to the wall of said chamber (22) around the periphery of said opening whereby the actuator (50) decreases the volume of the chamber (22) in response to an electrical potential difference applied across said first and second electrodes (62, 64) causing the discharge of droplets of ink (84) through said nozzle orifice (28).