Ink Set Specific Gravity Control for Color Mixing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording systems experience a color mixing phenomenon where different inks enter the ink channels of a recording head, leading to incorrect ink ejection and image quality issues, particularly when ink cartridges are brought into a hermetically-closed state during cleaning operations.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an ink set where the difference in specific gravity between the inks is minimized, specifically ensuring that the difference between the ink with the largest and smallest specific gravity is less than 0.020, to prevent ink residue from being drawn into the ink channels, thereby preventing the color mixing phenomenon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ink cartridges are brought into a hermetically-closed state during cleaning operations, then ink leakage is prevented and storage stability is improved, but color mixing phenomenon occurs where different inks enter ink channels
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameter of specific gravity by formulating inks with closely matched specific gravities (difference of 0.020 or less). This parameter matching prevents the color mixing phenomenon that occurs in hermetically-closed systems during cleaning operations, while maintaining the storage stability benefits of hermetic sealing.
2Loss of substance
If ink storage portion is hermetically closed, then pigment sedimentation is prevented and ink remaining amount is reduced, but ink residue is drawn into ink channels causing color mixing
Solution Approach 1:
By controlling the specific gravity parameter of inks to have a difference of 0.020 or less, the invention prevents ink residue from being drawn into ink channels during cleaning operations. This allows hermetic closure to be maintained, achieving both reduced ink remaining amount and prevention of pigment sedimentation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If different inks are stored in hermetically-closed ink cartridges, then storage stability is improved, but specific gravity difference causes ink residue to enter ink channels
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies that inks for multi-color cartridges must have specific gravity differences of 0.020 or less. This parameter control enables stable storage of multiple ink types in hermetically-closed cartridges while preventing color mixing and maintaining precise ink ejection accuracy.
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 the color mixing phenomenon, allowing for reliable ink ejection and maintaining image quality by ensuring that the ink with the largest specific gravity and the ink with the smallest specific gravity have a difference of less than 0.020, reducing the occurrence of ink residue entering the ink channels.
Implementation Method 1
the ink adhered to the surface of the recording head or the ink present inside the cap (such ink is hereinafter referred to as 'ink residue') comes into ink channels due to capillary force exerted by the ink channels
Data Source
AI summary
An ink set is provided which can prevent the occurrence of a new color mixing phenomenon in which a different ink comes into the insides of particular ink channels. The ink set is constituted of plurality of inks. The plurality of inks constituting the ink set is stored respectively in ink cartridges each having an ink storage portion which is brought into a hermetically-closed state. The difference in specific gravity between a first ink having the largest specific gravity and a second ink having the smallest specific gravity among the inks constituting the ink set is less than 0.020.