Inkjet Recording Medium Friction Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet recording media face challenges with high coefficient of friction under high temperature and high humidity conditions, leading to issues like multi-feeding and empty feeding in line-head high-speed feeding printers, which affect printing efficiency and quality.

Innovation Solution

An inkjet recording medium with an ink-receiving layer containing inorganic pigment, cationic compound, organic spherical particles, polyvinyl alcohol, and water-soluble metal salt, optimized to adjust the coefficient of friction by controlling the particle size and composition of these components, ensuring proper sliding and conveyance properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the coefficient of friction among inkjet recording media is increased to improve ink-receiving properties, then ink absorption and color development are improved, but multi-feeding and empty feeding occur more easily under high temperature and high humidity conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveink-receiving propertyVSAvoidconveyance property
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the ink-receiving layer by controlling the particle size distribution of inorganic pigment (D50: 3-10 μm, D90: 15 μm or less) and using specific binders (carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, starch derivative) to achieve optimal friction characteristics that prevent both ink-receiving degradation and conveyance failures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite ink-receiving layer combining inorganic pigment particles with specific organic binders (carboxymethyl cellulose sodium and starch derivative) in defined ratios, forming a material with balanced surface properties that maintain reliable ink reception while preventing excessive friction-induced conveyance failures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If high-speed printing is implemented to increase productivity, then processing time is significantly reduced, but the requirements for recording medium conveyance properties become more stringent and multi-feeding occurs more easily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting speedVSAvoidconveyance property
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the surface friction parameters of the recording medium by controlling inorganic pigment particle size (D50: 3-10 μm) and binder composition, creating a surface that provides sufficient grip for ink reception while maintaining low enough friction to prevent multi-feeding during high-speed conveyance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Shape

If the particle size of inorganic pigment is reduced to improve ink-receiving layer smoothness, then surface quality is improved, but the coefficient of friction increases and conveyance problems occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface smoothnessVSAvoidconveyance property
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies and controls critical particle size parameters (D50: 3-10 μm, D90: 15 μm or less) of inorganic pigment to achieve the optimal balance between surface smoothness for ink reception and friction control for reliable conveyance during high-speed printing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11511557B2Inkjet recording medium
Publication Date: 2022.11.29 NIPPON PAPER IND CO LTD

AI summary

An inkjet recording medium, comprising an ink-receiving layer containing an inorganic pigment, a binder, an inkjet ink-fixing agent comprising a cationic compound, and organic spherical particles disposed on at least one surface of a base paper, wherein the ink-receiving layer further contains a water-soluble metal salt and 5 parts by weight or more to 15 parts by weight or less of polyvinyl alcohol (A) with a polymerization degree of 700 or less and 20 parts by weight or more to 40 parts by weight or less of polyvinyl alcohol (B) with a polymerization degree of 1200 or more as the binder with respect to 100 parts by weight of the ink-receiving layer; and a volume 50% average particle diameter (D50) as measured by a laser diffraction/scattering method of the organic spherical particles is 15.0 μm or more.