Ink Jet Head Nozzle Clogging Prevention via Local Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printing methods using aqueous inks and treatment liquids face nozzle clogging issues due to the risk of ink nozzles being clogged by treatment liquid mist during serial printing on poorly or non-absorbent media.
Innovation Solution
The method employs an ink jet head with first and second ink nozzles of different compositions, where the first ink nozzles are closest to the treatment liquid nozzles and have a viscosity increase of 6.0 or less when mixed with a calcium acetate solution, while the second ink nozzles have a higher viscosity increase, arranged to prevent clogging by positioning and composition differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a treatment liquid is used to flocculate ink constituents for high rub fastness and image quality, then image quality and rub fastness are improved, but ink nozzles are at risk of being clogged by treatment liquid mist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using two different ink compositions with distinct viscosity characteristics at different nozzle positions. The first ink composition (lower viscosity increase) is placed in nozzles closest to the treatment liquid to resist clogging, while the second ink composition (higher viscosity increase) is placed in nozzles farther away, optimizing each location's performance for its specific environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of ink compositions to solve the clogging problem. By selecting inks with different viscosity responses to calcium acetate (a component of the treatment liquid), the system adjusts the flow characteristics of ink at different positions to prevent mist-induced clogging while maintaining image quality.
2Productivity
If ink nozzles are arranged close to treatment liquid nozzles for efficient printing, then printing efficiency is improved, but the risk of nozzle clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different ink compositions to nozzles based on their spatial relationship with treatment liquid nozzles. Nozzles in the scanning direction closest to treatment liquid nozzles receive ink composition 1 (lower viscosity increase), while other nozzles receive ink composition 2 (higher viscosity increase), allowing efficient close positioning without uniform clogging risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of ink as a function of nozzle position relative to treatment liquid nozzles. This spatial variation in ink properties allows the system to maintain high printing efficiency through close nozzle arrangement while differentially managing clogging risk at each position.
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 configuration reduces nozzle clogging and maintains high-quality image printing on poorly or non-absorbent media by controlling the interaction between inks and treatment liquids, ensuring efficient and reliable printing.
Implementation Method 1
a treatment liquid acting to flocculate one or more constituents of the inks
Implementation Method 2
When the ink of the first ink nozzles is mixed with a solution of 5% by mass of calcium acetate in water in a ratio of 2:1, the viscosity thereof increases by a factor of 6.0 or less relative to the viscosity before being mixed
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet printing method includes scanning a printing medium in a scanning direction a plurality of times with an ink jet head from which inks and a treatment liquid acting to flocculate constituents of the inks are ejected. The ink jet head includes first ink nozzles filled with a first ink and arranged in a sub-scanning direction, second ink nozzles filled with a second ink having a different composition from the first ink and arranged in the sub-scanning direction, and treatment liquid nozzles filled with the treatment liquid and arranged in the sub-scanning direction. At least some of the treatment liquid nozzles are coincident in the sub-scanning direction with the first and second ink nozzles. The first ink nozzles are closest to the treatment liquid nozzles in the scanning direction, and the first ink exhibits a viscosity increase by a factor of 6.0 or less.