Ink Jet Recording Method Using Polymer Barrier for Sharp Images
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording methods face challenges in achieving high-quality images on non-water absorbing media due to slow drying of ink solvents, leading to image blurring, uneven line widths, and color unevenness, as adjacent droplets tend to coalesce and mix, compromising image sharpness and resolution.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a first liquid with a polymerizable or crosslinkable material and a second liquid with a solubility parameter value of 35 or less, applied to the recording medium before jetting the first liquid, to inhibit coalescence of overlapped droplets, ensuring high image density and sharpness by maintaining droplet separation and preventing mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ink droplets are continuously ejected to form images on non-water absorbing media, then high-speed printing is achieved, but the droplets take too long to dry causing image blurring and uneven line width
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid containing a basic polymer is applied to the recording medium before jetting the ink droplets. This preliminary application creates a barrier layer that prevents droplet coalescence and migration, allowing high-speed printing without image blurring or uneven line width.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid with basic polymer acts as an intermediary substance between the recording medium and the ink droplets. It modifies the surface properties of the medium to prevent direct contact and coalescence between adjacent droplets, thereby maintaining image sharpness at high printing speeds.
2Stability of the object's composition
If aqueous solvents are used in ink jet recording, then good storage stability is achieved, but drying is slow causing droplet mixing and image quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the liquid applied to the recording medium by using a basic polymer solution with specific solubility parameters (sp value of 35 or less). This parameter change creates a barrier that prevents droplet mixing while maintaining storage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a composite approach by combining the basic polymer liquid with the ink droplets in a controlled manner. The polymer layer acts as a matrix that holds the droplets in place, preventing mixing while allowing the ink to dry properly.
3Quantity of substance
If adjacent ink droplets are jetted close together to form continuous lines, then high image density is achieved, but the droplets coalesce and migrate causing blurred images
Solution Approach 1:
The basic polymer liquid serves as an intermediary barrier between adjacent ink droplets. It allows the droplets to be positioned close together for high image density while preventing them from coalescing, thus maintaining uniform line width and sharp image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying the basic polymer liquid beforehand, the invention creates a preventive barrier that stops droplet coalescence before it can occur. This allows high-density droplet placement without sacrificing line width uniformity or image sharpness.
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 image blurring and uneven line widths, allowing for the formation of sharp, high-density images with excellent rubbing resistance and low stickiness on impermeable or slowly-permeable recording media.
Implementation Method 1
the second liquid B, having a solubility parameter value of 35 or less and a difference of the solubility parameter value of 10 or less from the solubility parameter value of the first liquid A
Implementation Method 2
a first liquid A for forming the image containing a polymerizable or crosslinkable material
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording method for recording an image on a recording medium using a first liquid A for forming the image containing a polymerizable or crosslinkable material, and a second liquid B having a different composition from the composition of the first liquid A, the method including: applying the second liquid B, having a solubility parameter value of 35 or less and a difference of the solubility parameter value of 10 or less from the solubility parameter value of the first liquid A, onto the same area at which the image is to be formed by the first liquid A or a wider area than the area at which the image is to be formed by the first liquid A, of the recording medium which is impermeable or slowly-permeable; and jetting the first liquid A onto the recording medium where the second liquid B has been applied so that at least a droplet a1 and a droplet a2 of the first liquid A have an overlap portion.