Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-03
2004-06-08
Meier, Stephen D. (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
C347S101000, C347S095000, C106S031130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink set, a process for forming a colored portion and an ink-jet recording apparatus, and particularly to an ink set which can form excellent ink-jet recorded articles that have a wide color reproduction range, are excellent in color uniformity, do not cause bleeding between inks of different colors, have little stripe irregularity at solid printed areas and also have good weather resistance (light fastness, gas (ozone) fastness and water fastness) and rub-off resistance on plain paper, a process for forming a colored portion and an ink-jet recording apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
The conventional inks used in ink-jet recording methods generally comprise water as a principal component and a water-soluble high-boiling solvent such as a glycol for the purpose of preventing drying of the inks and clogging of orifices. When such an ink is used to conduct recording on a recording medium, therefore, such problems that sufficient fixing ability is not achieved, and an uneven image occurs, which is considered to be attributable to uneven distribution of a filler and/or a size on recording paper as a recording medium, may arise in some cases.
On the other hand, in recent years, there has been a strong demand for requiring high image quality of the same level as that of a silver salt photograph for ink-jet recorded articles. There have hence been very high technical demands for heightening the optical density of ink-jet recorded images, widening a color reproduction range and improving the color evenness of the recorded articles.
Under such circumstances, various proposals have heretofore been made for the purpose of stabilizing an ink-jet recording process and improving the quality of recorded articles by the ink-jet recording process. As one of proposals as to recording media, has proposed a method of coating the surface of a paper substrate of a recording medium with a filler and/or a size. For example, disclosed herein are techniques in which porous fine particles, which adsorb a coloring material, are coated as the filler on the paper substrate to form an ink-receiving layer by the porous fine particles. Coated paper for ink-jet, and the like are sold as recording media using these technique. Some of other representative proposals are described below.
(1) Methods of Adding a Volatile Solvent or Penetrable Solvent into an Ink:
As a means for improving the fixing ability of an ink to a recording medium, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-65269 discloses a method of adding a compound capable of enhancing penetrability, such as a surfactant, to an ink. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-66976 discloses the use of an ink comprising a volatile solvent as a main component.
(2) Methods of Mixing an Ink and a Liquid Composition, which Reacts with the Ink, on a Recording Medium:
In order to improve an optical density and water fastness of an image, and prevent bleeding, there have been proposed methods of applying a liquid composition, which can improve the image, to a recording medium prior to jetting of an ink or after the jetting.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-60783 discloses a method in which a liquid composition containing a basic polymer is applied to a recording medium, and recording is then conducted with an ink containing an anionic dye. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-22681 discloses a recording method in which a first liquid composition containing a reactive chemical species and a second liquid composition containing a compound capable of reacting with the reactive chemical species are mixed on a recording medium. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-299971 discloses a method in which a liquid composition containing an organic compound having two or more cationic groups per molecule is applied to a recording medium, and recording is then conducted with an ink containing an anionic dye. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-9279 discloses a method in which an acidic liquid composition containing succinic acid or the like is applied to a recording medium, and recording is then conducted with an ink containing an anionic dye.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-63185 discloses a method in which a liquid composition, which insolubilizes dyes, is applied to a recording medium prior to application of an ink. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-224955 discloses a method in which a liquid composition containing cationic substances different in molecular weight distribution range from each other is used together with an ink containing anionic compound. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-72393 discloses a method in which a liquid composition containing a cationic substance and finely ground cellulose is used together with an ink. In both publications, it is described that an image high in optical density and good in image quality and water fastness and also in color reproducibility and resistance to bleeding is obtained. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-150396 discloses a method in which recording is conducted with a dye ink on a recording medium, and a water-proofing agent, which forms lake with a dye, is then applied, to propose that water fastness is imparted to the resulting recorded image.
(3) Methods of Mixing an Ink with a Liquid Composition Containing Fine Particles on a Recording Medium:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-259590 discloses a method in which a colorless liquid containing colorless fine particles composed of an inorganic substance is applied to a recording medium, and an non-aqueous recording liquid is then applied. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-92010 discloses a method in which a solution containing fine particles or a solution containing fine particles and a polymeric binder is applied to a recording medium, and an ink containing a pigment, a water-soluble resin, a water-soluble solvent and water is then applied. In both publications, it is described that an image good in image quality and coloring properties is obtained irrespective of the kind of recording paper.
(Background Art)
The present inventors have repeatedly carried out investigations as to such various ink-jet recording techniques as described above. As a result, it has been found that although excellent effects can be recognized with respect to their respective technical objects, other ink-jet recording properties may be deteriorated in some cases in exchange for it. For example, the above-described recording medium (hereinafter referred to as coated paper) obtained by coating the surface of a paper substrate of a recording medium with a filler and/or a sizing agent is recognized as a technique with which a high-quality image can be formed.
In general, in order to obtain an image high in saturation, it has been known that a coloring material is preferably retained on the surface of a recording medium in a monomolecular state without being aggregated. Porous fine particles on the coated paper have such that function. In order to achieve high optical density and saturation of the image by a coloring material in an ink applied, however, it is indispensable to form such a thick ink-receiving layer that the paper substrate is covered with a great amount of the porous fine particles. As a result, there has been offered a problem that the texture of the paper substrate is lost. The present inventors have inferred that the necessity of such a thick ink-receiving layer that the texture of the paper substrate is lost is attributable to the fact that the coloring material is not effectively adsorbed on the porous fine particles.
Assuming coated paper having an ink-receiving layer, it will be explained in the following description.
FIG. 9
typically illustrates a section of the coated paper in the vicinity of the surface thereof. In
FIG. 9
, reference numerals
901
and
903
indicate a paper substrate and an ink-receiving layer, respectively. The i
Kurabayashi Yutaka
Ogasawara Masashi
Takahashi Katsuhiko
Tochihara Shin-ichi
Tomioka Hiroshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Meier Stephen D.
Shah Manish
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