Clear Ink Composition for High-Gloss Printing on Low-Absorbency Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ink compositions fail to produce high-quality images with excellent gloss and color development on recording media with low water absorbability, such as synthetic paper and actual printing paper, due to issues like ink blur and aggregation spots.
Innovation Solution
A clear ink composition containing a water-insoluble alkanediol, a water-soluble alcohol as a dissolution aid, water, fine polymer particles with polyolefin, and a fluorene resin, without a colorant, which enhances fixability, gloss, and printing stability over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If aqueous pigment ink is used on actual printing paper with low ink absorbability, then printing cost is reduced, but ink blur and aggregation spots occur due to poor permeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink composition by incorporating specific surfactants (polysiloxane compounds) and dissolution aids (alkanediols) to modify the ink's permeability characteristics, enabling it to penetrate low-absorbability media effectively without causing blur or aggregation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite ink formulation combining multiple components: polysiloxane surfactant, alkanediol dissolution aid, pigment, and water, creating a synergistic mixture that achieves both cost-effectiveness and high image quality on actual printing paper
2Manufacturing precision
If specialty paper is used to achieve gloss and color equivalent to silver halide photography, then image quality is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a substitute solution by developing an ink formulation that replicates the visual quality characteristics of specialty paper printing on ordinary actual printing paper, eliminating the need for expensive specialty papers while maintaining equivalent gloss and color properties
3Manufacturing precision
If ink composition is optimized for high gloss and color development, then image quality is improved, but printing stability after passage of time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration ratios and chemical structures of surfactants and dissolution aids to achieve a balance between immediate image quality (gloss and color) and long-term printing stability, preventing degradation over time while maintaining high visual quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ink composition effectively suppresses ink aggregation, achieves high-quality images with improved gloss and color development, and ensures excellent printing stability on various recording media, including those with low water absorbability.
Implementation Method 1
a water-soluble alcohol as a dissolution aid for dissolving the water-insoluble alkanediol
Implementation Method 2
enables a record with excellent gloss and color development to be produced
Implementation Method 3
an ink composition and a clear ink composition not containing a colorant are brought into adhering to a recording medium to perform printing
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a clear ink composition containing a water-insoluble alkanediol having at least seven carbon atoms, a water-soluble alcohol that functions as a dissolution aid for dissolving the water-insoluble alkanediol, water, a fine polymer particle at least containing polyolefin, and a fluorene resin. A colorant is not used.