Ink jet recording method and ink jet recording apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water-based ink compositions used in ink jet recording often react too vigorously with reaction solutions, leading to improper ejection and low-quality recordings on non-absorbent media, with issues such as in-plane color differences and nozzle clogging, especially when applied to synthetic fiber-containing sheets with raised patterns.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording method involving a treatment liquid with a flocculant and a water-based ink composition that includes a pigment and organic solvents like glycol ethers and alkanediols, where the recording medium is heated to a controlled temperature and supported to maintain uniform surface temperature, reducing reactivity and enhancing ink attachment and drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water-based ink composition reacts vigorously with reaction solution to accelerate fixation, then image quality improves, but nozzle ejection becomes improper and recording quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink composition by controlling the carboxyl group content (0.1-10 mmol/L) and using specific organic solvents (glycol ethers and alkanediols) to adjust reactivity. This modifies the interaction between ink and reaction solution to prevent excessive aggregation that would clog nozzles, while still achieving adequate fixation on the recording medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces specific organic solvents (glycol ethers and alkanediols) as intermediary substances that mediate between the ink composition and the reaction solution. These solvents control the reaction rate and aggregation behavior, preventing direct vigorous interaction that would cause nozzle clogging while maintaining effective image fixation.
2Ease of operation
If reactivity of water-based ink composition is reduced to prevent nozzle clogging, then ejection reliability improves, but in-plane color differences increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully balances the reactivity parameters by controlling carboxyl group concentration (0.1-10 mmol/L) and selecting specific organic solvents. This optimization allows the ink to react sufficiently with the reaction solution to maintain uniform color distribution across the recording medium, preventing in-plane color differences while avoiding excessive reactivity that would clog nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite ink compositions containing multiple components: water, pigment, resin emulsion, and specific organic solvents (glycol ethers and alkanediols). This composite structure provides both controlled reactivity for uniform color distribution and adequate reaction capability for proper fixation, resolving the contradiction between ejection reliability and color uniformity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If water-based ink is attached to synthetic fiber-containing sheet with raised pattern, then recording on rough medium is achieved, but image quality and coating uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the ink composition by adjusting viscosity through specific organic solvents (glycol ethers and alkanediols). This viscosity control allows the ink to flow uniformly across raised patterns on synthetic fiber sheets, filling in the irregularities and creating a uniform coating that maintains high image quality while enabling recording on rough media.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies ink composition designed with specific local properties: the organic solvents provide localized flow enhancement in the valleys of raised patterns while maintaining appropriate viscosity on the peaks. This local quality adjustment ensures uniform coating thickness and consistent image quality across the entire rough surface of synthetic fiber-containing sheets.
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 method improves ink jet recording quality by reducing in-plane color differences, enhancing nozzle recovery, and achieving better abrasion resistance and gloss on non-absorbent media, including synthetic fiber-containing sheets with raised patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a heating mechanism that heats the recording medium support... the recording medium is heated so that a surface thereof reaches a maximum temperature of 28.0° C. or more and 45.0° C. or less
Implementation Method 2
a treatment liquid containing a flocculant... causes component(s) of the water-based ink composition to aggregate and thereby to accelerate the fixation of the ink composition
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording method includes a treatment liquid attachment step, in which a treatment liquid is attached to a recording medium, and an ink attachment step, in which a water-based ink composition is attached to the recording medium. An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording medium support and a heating mechanism that heats the recording medium support. The ink attachment step is carried out with the recording medium supported and heated by the recording medium support. In the ink attachment step, the recording medium is heated so that a surface thereof reaches a maximum temperature of 28.0° C. or more and 45.0° C. or less. The ratio between absorbances A and B (A/B) is 0.5 or more and 0.95 or less, where absorbance A is that of a 0.1% by mass mixture of the water-based ink composition in the treatment liquid, and absorbance B is that of a 0.1% by mass mixture of the water-based ink composition in purified water. The recording medium support has a flat support surface for supporting the recording medium.