Inkjet Head Nozzle Maintenance for Polymer Ink Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording methods face challenges in maintaining the performance of inkjet heads with polymer particles, especially when using heated nozzle plates, as the volatile solvents vaporize, causing nozzle clogging and making maintenance difficult due to the adhesion and drying of polymer components.
Innovation Solution
The method involves jetting an ink composition containing pigments, volatile water-soluble organic solvents, and polymer particles onto a recording medium from a heated nozzle plate, followed by applying a maintenance liquid to the nozzle surface to soften and dissolve dried ink, ensuring stable jetting performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heated nozzle plate is used to jet ink containing volatile solvent and polymer particles, then image formation quality is improved, but nozzle clogging occurs due to solvent vaporization and polymer adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies maintenance liquid to the nozzle surface before clogging occurs, preventing polymer particle adhesion and nozzle blockage. This preliminary maintenance action ensures continuous reliable operation while maintaining image quality through consistent nozzle performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical environment of the nozzle surface by applying maintenance liquid, which alters the surface properties to prevent polymer particle adhesion. This parameter change in surface chemistry prevents clogging while preserving the heated nozzle plate's image formation capability
2Manufacturing precision
If volatile water-soluble organic solvent is used in ink composition, then polymer particles can be effectively deposited on recording medium, but maintenance becomes difficult due to solvent vaporization and polymer drying at nozzle surface
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance liquid acts as an intermediary substance that softens and dissolves dried polymer particles on the nozzle surface. This intermediary chemical agent enables easy removal of polymer deposits without affecting the ink composition's ability to deposit polymer particles quality on the recording medium
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance liquid changes the physical state of dried polymer particles from solid and adherent to softened and soluble. This parameter change in the polymer's physical state enables easy maintenance while preserving the ink composition's effectiveness in depositing polymer particles during normal operation
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 nozzle clogging and maintains inkjet head performance by facilitating the removal of dried ink, allowing for continuous and high-quality image formation even with polymer particles in the ink composition.
Implementation Method 1
if the temperature of the atmosphere for image formation is high, and the nozzle plate that ejects ink is in a heated state, a circumstance is created in which the organic solvent vaporizes due to the volatility of the organic solvent
Implementation Method 2
it is made easier to remove any dried-up ink by softening, redispersing, dissolving or the like
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an image forming method including jetting an ink composition containing a pigment, a volatile water-soluble organic solvent, polymer particles and water, from a heated nozzle plate of an inkjet head onto a recording medium; and applying a maintenance liquid on a nozzle surface of the nozzle plate after jetting.