Ink Jet Recording Corona Treatment Brightness Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording methods face challenges with the post-bullet buried problem, where succeeding ink droplets are buried in the preceding ink, leading to impaired color developability due to juxtaposition color mixture.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording apparatus and method that includes a conveying unit, a pretreatment unit for corona treatment of the recording medium, an ink image forming unit using ink with an anionic pigment, a brightness measuring unit, and a corona treatment intensity changing unit to optimize corona treatment based on measured brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If corona treatment is applied to improve ink cohesiveness and fixability, then the post-bullet buried problem is suppressed, but the apparatus size and control complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
A reaction liquid is applied to the recording medium in advance to serve as an intermediary substance. This reaction liquid contains components that react with the ink to improve cohesiveness and fixability, thereby suppressing the post-bullet buried problem without requiring complex corona treatment apparatus or control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple, inexpensive reaction liquid that can be easily applied and discarded, replacing the need for expensive and complex corona treatment equipment. The reaction liquid provides the necessary chemical reaction to improve ink fixability without requiring sophisticated apparatus
2Manufacturing precision
If corona treatment intensity is increased to improve ink dot circularity and suppress pigment movement, then image quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the recording medium by applying a reaction liquid, which modifies the surface properties to improve ink dot circularity and suppress pigment movement. This chemical approach replaces the need for high-energy corona treatment, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes the mechanical/physical corona treatment system with a chemical system using reaction liquid. The reaction liquid chemically modifies the recording medium surface to achieve the same effects as corona treatment (improved dot circularity and pigment fixation) without requiring high energy input
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 effectively improves the post-bullet buried problem by preventing the preceding and succeeding inks from being in a juxtaposition color mixture state, enhancing color developability and image quality without requiring large apparatuses or complex control systems.
Implementation Method 1
a method has been proposed in which a surface of a recording medium is treated by a plasma treatment unit to change wettability, a pH value, and permeability of the recording medium
Implementation Method 2
a method has been proposed in which the surface of the recording medium is treated by a corona treatment unit to improve wettability of the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention includes: a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium; a pretreatment unit that performs corona treatment on a surface of the recording medium; an ink image forming unit configured to be able to form an ink image by applying an ink of at least two colors, the ink containing an anionic pigment; a brightness measuring unit that measures brightness of the ink image; and a corona treatment intensity changing unit configured to change a corona treatment intensity of the pretreatment unit based on a result of the brightness measuring unit.