Ink Jet Recording Method Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording methods struggle to achieve high-density, uniform images on low-absorbent and non-absorbent recording media due to ink droplet blurring and unevenness, as well as issues with image stickiness, especially when using aqueous inks with low absorbency.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording method that uses an aqueous ink and reaction liquid with a polyvalent metal salt, where the reaction liquid is applied at a lower temperature than the ink, ensuring the reactant remains dissolved and preventing premature precipitation, allowing for partial overlap of the ink and reaction liquid on the recording medium during a one-pass system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a reaction liquid containing a polyvalent metal salt is applied to a low-absorbent or non-absorbent recording medium with an aqueous ink in a one-pass system, then image density can be improved, but image uniformity deteriorates due to stickiness and blurring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies temperature control as a parameter change to resolve the contradiction. Specifically, the reaction liquid is heated to 40°C or higher before application, which maintains the polyvalent metal salt in dissolved state and prevents premature precipitation. This temperature parameter adjustment enables the reaction liquid to remain stable during transport and application, achieving both high image density and uniformity without stickiness or blurring on low-absorbent recording media.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the reaction liquid is applied at a lower temperature than the ink, then reactant solubility is maintained, but premature precipitation occurs leading to image non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary heating action to the reaction liquid before it is applied to the recording medium. By heating the reaction liquid to 40°C or higher in advance, the polyvalent metal salt is kept in a fully dissolved state during the one-pass application process. This preliminary temperature adjustment prevents premature precipitation that would otherwise occur at lower temperatures, ensuring both reactant solubility and image uniformity are maintained simultaneously.
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 enhances image uniformity and suppresses stickiness on low-absorbent and non-absorbent media by maintaining reactant solubility and reactivity, resulting in high-quality, high-density images with improved durability.
Implementation Method 1
a reaction liquid containing a polyvalent metal salt as a reactant that reacts with a component such as a pigment in an ink to cause aggregation and thickening
Implementation Method 2
the reaction liquid is applied at a lower temperature than the ink, ensuring the reactant remains dissolved and preventing premature precipitation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an ink jet recording method capable of recording an image having satisfactory uniformity and suppressed stickiness on a low-absorbent or non-absorbent recording medium. The ink jet recording method includes recording an image on a low-absorbent or non-absorbent recording medium with an aqueous ink and an aqueous reaction liquid containing a reactant that reacts with the ink by applying the ink and the reaction liquid to the recording medium by a one-pass system. A step of applying the reaction liquid to the recording medium by ejecting the reaction liquid from a first ejection head and a step of applying the ink to the recording medium by ejecting the ink from a second ejection head so that a region to which the aqueous ink is applied and a region to which the reaction liquid is applied are at least partially overlap on the recording medium.