Ink Set Composition for Deep-Light Droplet Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet recording methods face issues with landing deviation and insufficient image quality when using deep and light inks on low-absorbing or non-absorbing recording media, particularly due to differences in ejection characteristics and reactivity with treatment liquids.
Innovation Solution
An ink set comprising a treatment liquid, a deep ink composition, and a light ink composition, where the light ink contains an organic solvent condensate of alkanediol with 2 or 3 carbon atoms and two hydroxy groups, and the deep ink contains an alkanediol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms, to enhance viscosity and align ejection characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a treatment liquid and deep ink/light ink are used to improve image quality on low- or non-absorbing recording media, then image quality is improved, but landing deviation between deep ink and light ink droplets occurs due to different ejection characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the light ink by incorporating specific organic solvents (cyclic carbonate esters and/or cyclic carboxylic acid esters) to adjust its ejection characteristics. This parameter modification enables the light ink to achieve ejection properties similar to deep ink, thereby reducing landing deviation while maintaining improved image quality on low- or non-absorbing recording media.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different organic solvent components specifically to the light ink formulation rather than uniformly to all inks. By locally modifying the light ink's composition with cyclic carbonate esters and/or cyclic carboxylic acid esters, the invention creates targeted ejection characteristic matching between deep and light inks without altering the overall ink system architecture.
2Manufacturing precision
If the light ink image quality is improved using treatment liquid, then image quality improves, but ejection characteristics of light ink become difficult to coincide with deep ink
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the ejection characteristics parameter of the light ink by introducing specific organic solvents (cyclic carbonate esters and/or cyclic carboxylic acid esters) into its formulation. This parameter change enables the light ink to achieve ejection properties that coincide with deep ink, making simultaneous ejection of both inks feasible without landing deviation while preserving the improved image quality enabled by the treatment liquid system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation for light ink by combining multiple components including water, colorant, treatment liquid, and specifically cyclic carbonate esters and/or cyclic carboxylic acid esters. This composite material approach allows the light ink to simultaneously achieve improved image quality through treatment liquid interaction and matched ejection characteristics through the specific organic solvent composition.
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 ink set achieves improved image quality and significantly reduces landing deviation by stabilizing ink droplets on the recording medium, ensuring consistent ejection characteristics between deep and light inks.
Implementation Method 1
increasing the viscosity of light ink droplets and aligning the ejection characteristics
Implementation Method 2
an organic solvent which is a condensate of an alkanediol having 2 or 3 carbon atoms and which has two hydroxy groups
Data Source
AI summary
An ink set according to the present disclosure includes: a treatment liquid containing an aggregating agent; a deep ink composition; and a light ink composition, the ink compositions containing colorants, belonging to the same color system, and each being a water-based ink jet ink, the light ink composition contains an organic solvent which is a condensate of an alkanediol having 2 or 3 carbon atoms and which has two hydroxy groups, and the deep ink composition contains an organic solvent which is an alkanediol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms.