UV Curable Ink Set with Pre-treatment Fixing Fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing technologies face challenges in achieving high-quality, durable prints with efficient printing processes, particularly in high-speed web-based printing, as they often require additional steps for binder application and pigment immobilization, which can slow down production and affect image quality.
Innovation Solution
A fixable, ultraviolet (UV) curable ink set is introduced, comprising a pre-treatment fixing fluid and a UV curable ink with a low molecular weight, cross-linkable polyurethane polymer, which allows for wet-on-wet application and eliminates the need for extra binding steps, using metal salts to immobilize pigments and ensure high image quality and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional binder fluid and pigment immobilization steps are used, then image quality and durability are improved, but printing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the binder fluid and pigment immobilization functions into a single pre-treatment fixing fluid application step. The fixing fluid contains both binder components and metal salts that simultaneously provide binding and pigment immobilization, eliminating the need for separate steps and thereby maintaining print durability while improving printing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a pre-treatment fixing fluid to the substrate before the actual inkjet printing occurs. This preliminary application of the fixing fluid (containing binder and metal salt components) prepares the substrate in advance, allowing the subsequent printing process to proceed faster without compromising the final image quality or durability requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple processing steps are implemented, then image quality is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional components (binder fluid and pigment immobilization agents) into a single pre-treatment fixing fluid formulation. This consolidation reduces the number of separate processing steps and equipment requirements while maintaining the image quality benefits of multiple functions, thereby reducing process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-treatment fixing fluid is designed as a multi-functional solution that simultaneously provides binding, pigment immobilization, and substrate preparation functions. This universal approach eliminates the need for multiple specialized reagents and steps, simplifying the overall process while achieving high image quality.
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 solution enables the production of high-quality, durable prints with improved optical density and faster printing speeds by streamlining the process, making it suitable for high-speed web-based printing without the need for additional binder fluids or pigment immobilization steps.
Implementation Method 1
metal salts in the pre-treatment fixing fluid immobilize the pigments in the ink to achieve high image quality
Implementation Method 2
ultraviolet curable ink that is fixable by the pre-treatment fixing fluid
Implementation Method 3
one or more photoinitiators
Implementation Method 4
thermal inkjet printers include resistors that create heat, which vaporizes ink in an ink nozzle on a cartridge to create a bubble
Implementation Method 5
resistors that create heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
An ink set includes a pre-treatment fixing fluid including at least two metal salts and a fixable, ultraviolet (UV) curable ink. The UV curable ink includes an aqueous ink vehicle, a pigment dispersed in the aqueous ink vehicle, and a dispersant. A polyurethane polymer dispersion is suspended as droplets within the aqueous ink vehicle. The polyurethane polymer dispersion includes a polyurethane polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyether-based polyurethane, a polyester-based polyurethane, a polycarbonate-based polyurethane, and mixtures thereof. The polyurethane polymer has i) an acid number ranging from 0 mg/g to less than 20 mg/g and ii) a glass transition temperature of less than 0C. A water soluble or water dispersible photoinitiator is present in the pre-treatment fixing fluid or in the fixable, UV curable ink.