Maintenance Liquid For Ink Jet Apparatus Using Low Boiling Polyol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing maintenance liquids for ink jet recording apparatuses are inadequate in cleaning properties, anti-clogging properties, and rubbing resistance due to high viscosity and evaporation issues, leading to inefficient maintenance and potential clogging.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous maintenance liquid containing an organic amine and Polyol A with a normal boiling point of 250°C or lower, which improves moisture retention and reduces viscosity, preventing evaporation and enhancing cleaning and clogging properties while maintaining rubbing resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the maintenance liquid contains conventional organic solvents with high boiling points, then moisture retention is improved, but viscosity increases and cleaning properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the boiling point parameter of the organic solvent from conventional high boiling point solvents (>250°C) to a specific range (200-250°C). This parameter change allows the maintenance liquid to retain moisture effectively while maintaining lower viscosity for better cleaning properties and ink jet ejection performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite solvent system by combining water with specific organic solvents having controlled boiling points in the 200-250°C range. This composite material approach balances the moisture retention benefits of high boiling point solvents with the cleaning and flow benefits of lower viscosity components.
2Productivity
If the content of organic solvent is increased to improve cleaning properties, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but evaporation issues and clogging worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the organic solvent content parameter to a specific range (5-30% by mass) rather than using high concentrations. This parameter optimization achieves effective cleaning properties while preventing excessive evaporation that would cause clogging and operational issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different solvent concentration levels to different functional requirements: sufficient organic solvent (5-30%) is provided locally for cleaning effectiveness, while the overall formulation maintains lower total solvent content to prevent evaporation-related clogging.
3Device complexity
If conventional maintenance liquids are used, then formulation simplicity is maintained, but rubbing resistance of recorded products deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the boiling point parameter of the organic solvent to the 200-250°C range, which directly improves rubbing resistance of recorded products. This parameter change maintains formulation simplicity by still using conventional organic solvent types, just with controlled volatility characteristics.
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 solution effectively reduces the amount of organic solvent, improving cleaning and clogging properties, and maintaining rubbing resistance, thus enhancing the maintenance and operational efficiency of ink jet recording apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
Polyol A with a normal boiling point of 250° C. or lower... improves moisture retention and reduces viscosity, preventing evaporation
Implementation Method 2
The maintenance liquid contains an organic amine and an organic solvent other than the organic amine... improving cleaning and clogging properties
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an aqueous maintenance liquid for use in maintenance of an ink jet recording apparatus ejecting an ink composition. The ink composition is an aqueous ink composition containing a coloring material. The maintenance liquid contains an organic amine and an organic solvent other than the organic amine. The organic solvent contains Polyol A with a normal boiling point of 250° C. or lower. The content of Polyol A is greater than 20.0% by mass with respect to the total amount of the maintenance liquid. The content of the organic amine is 0.3% by mass or more with respect to the total amount of the maintenance liquid. The total content of the organic solvent is less than 30.0% by mass with respect to the total amount of the maintenance liquid. The organic solvent does not contain Polyol B with a normal boiling point of higher than 250° C. in an amount of greater than 1.0% by mass with respect to the total amount of the maintenance liquid.