Image forming method and image forming system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet methods for forming images on cloth materials face challenges with titanium oxide particles, which have high specific gravity and tend to precipitate, leading to poor whiteness and increased risk of discharge failures and image cracking due to their large particle size, and existing methods struggle to maintain optimal ink penetration and evaporation conditions.
Innovation Solution
An image forming method involving a pretreatment liquid application followed by heating, where the residual pretreatment liquid is less than 30 mg/cm2, and using white ink with titanium oxide particles of 10 nm to 200 nm in diameter to prevent precipitation and ensure good whiteness without image cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If titanium oxide particles with large particle size are used in white ink, then the ink has good stability and resistance to precipitation, but the image whiteness deteriorates and image cracking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of titanium oxide from conventional large sizes to a specific range of 10 nm to 200 nm. This parameter change simultaneously improves image whiteness and prevents cracking while maintaining sufficient ink stability through controlled particle size distribution
2Manufacturing precision
If titanium oxide particles with small particle size are used in white ink, then the image whiteness improves and cracking is prevented, but the particles tend to precipitate due to high specific gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameter to a specific range (10 nm to 200 nm) that balances two opposing requirements: small enough to prevent precipitation and ensure good whiteness, but large enough to maintain adequate ink stability. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction between image quality and ink stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite titanium oxide particles with controlled size distribution in the range of 10 nm to 200 nm, creating a composite ink formulation that combines the benefits of fine particles (good whiteness, no cracking) while maintaining sufficient stability against precipitation
3Ease of manufacture
If pretreatment liquid is applied in large amount to cloth material, then the ink penetration is improved, but the residual pretreatment liquid causes image cracking after heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pretreatment liquid to the cloth material before ink jetting to prepare the surface for better ink penetration and bonding. This preliminary action modifies the cloth surface properties to facilitate subsequent ink application while controlling the amount to prevent cracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the amount of residual pretreatment liquid as a critical parameter, maintaining it below 30 mg/cm² after heating. This parameter control ensures sufficient ink penetration during the process while preventing image cracking in the final product
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
This approach effectively prevents titanium oxide particle precipitation, maintains image whiteness, and reduces the occurrence of cracks in the formed image, while also slowing down precipitation and preventing ink head clogging.
Implementation Method 1
heating the applied pretreatment liquid
Implementation Method 2
The ink includes a white ink containing titanium oxide particles having an average particle diameter of more than 10 nm and 200 nm or less
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming method includes: applying a pretreatment liquid, which is an aqueous solution, to a cloth material; heating the applied pretreatment liquid; and applying an ink onto the cloth material, after heating, to form an image on the cloth material by an ink jet method. After heating, the cloth material includes the pretreatment liquid and an amount of the pretreatment liquid per unit area of the cloth material is less than 30 mg/cm2. The ink includes a white ink containing titanium oxide particles having an average particle diameter of more than 10 nm and 200 nm or less.