Compositions: coating or plastic – Coating or plastic compositions – Marking
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-20
2004-07-06
Bell, Mark L. (Department: 1755)
Compositions: coating or plastic
Coating or plastic compositions
Marking
C106S031750
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758889
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording ink for an ink-jet printer, and specifically the recording ink with which color bleed and feathering can be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ink discharge system, which has been hitherto known for the ink-jet recording system, includes, for example, the electrostatic attraction system, the system in which mechanical vibration or displacement is applied to the ink by using a piezoelectric element or the like, and the method in which bubbles are generated by heating the ink to utilize the pressure generated thereby. Ink droplets are formed by means of the discharge system as described above, and all or a part of the droplets are adhered to a recording objective such as paper to perform the recording. Those known and used as the ink to be employed for the ink-jet recording system as described above include those in which a variety of water-soluble dyes or pigments are dissolved or dispersed in liquid media each comprising water or a combination of water and water-soluble organic solvent.
In order to adequately perform the recording for a long period of time by using the ink as described above, for example, the following conditions are required. That is, the characteristic values including, for example, the viscosity, the surface tension, the electric conductivity, and the density of the ink to be used are appropriate values. In order to avoid any clog-up at the nozzle or the orifice of the recording apparatus, no deposited matter is generated and no physical property value is changed by the influence of heat or the like. Further, the recorded image is excellent, for example, in water resistance and light resistance. A large number of suggestions have been made in order to satisfy the conditions as described above.
However, in recent years, it is more demanded to perform the recording on the regular paper rather than on the exclusive ink-jet paper in view of the cost and the consideration of the environment. In the case of most of the conventional inks, when the recording is performed on the regular paper, then the blur (feathering) is apt to occur at the ink edge, and the color bleed is apt to occur, which is caused such that the inks of different colors are mixed with each other at portions at which the different colors are adjacent to one another. As a result, a problem arises in that the printing quality is deteriorated.
In order to avoid the occurrence of the feathering and the color bleed, a method may be employed, in which the surface tension of the ink is lowered to increase the permeation speed of the ink. As for such a method, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-293976, a method has been suggested, in which acetylene glycol is used. However, when this substance is added in an adequate amount, the surface tension of the ink is consequently adjusted to be not more than 30 mN/m. In the case of such an ink in which the surface tension is too low, the blur on the paper is increased. Further, the performance such as the landing accuracy is consequently lowered when the ink is discharged from the head. The reliability of the discharge mechanism may be possibly lowered as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the problem as described above, an object of which is to provide an ink for ink-jet recording with which the color bleed is successfully reduced while suppressing the feathering even when the ink is used for recording on the regular paper.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink for ink-jet recording comprising:
water;
a coloring agent;
a water-soluble organic solvent; and
a compound represented by the following general formula (1):
wherein R represents an alkyl group having a number of carbons of 8 to 18, and x+y≦10 is satisfied. The ink of the present invention may include a variety of compounds each of which is represented by the formula (1). The compound may be contained by 0.01 to 5% by weight in the ink. It is preferable that the compound is contained in an amount so that the surface tension of the ink is 31 to 35 mN/m. The surface tension referred to herein resides in a value measured at 25° C.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink set for ink-jet recording having a combination of inks of different colors, comprising:
a first ink including water, a first coloring agent, and a water-soluble organic solvent; and
a second ink including water, a second coloring agent, and a water-soluble organic solvent;
each of the first and second inks containing a compound represented by the following general formula (1):
wherein R represents an alkyl group having a number of carbons of 8 to 18, and x+y≦10 is satisfied.
The ink for ink-jet recording of the present invention contains at least water, the coloring agent, and the water-soluble organic solvent. The water to be used in the present invention is not specifically limited. However, it is preferable to use water having high purity such as ion exchange water and distilled water excluding, for example, tap water.
The content of the water may be determined depending on the type and the composition of the coloring agent and the water-soluble organic solvent or the characteristics of the desired ink. However, in general, it is preferable that the content is 10 to 98% by weight with respect to the total weight of the ink. If the content is less than 10% by weight, then the viscosity of the ink is too high, and it is difficult to discharge the ink from the head. If the content exceeds 98% by weight, the ink is apt to be dried. The content is more preferably 30 to 97% by weight, and much more preferably 40 to 95% by weight.
Those usable as the coloring agent to be used in the present invention include, for example, dyes and pigments.
Those usable as the dye include, for example, water-soluble dyes represented by direct dye, acidic dye, basic dye, and reactive dye. The water-soluble dye is not specifically limited. However, it is preferable to use those which are adequate for the ink to be used for the ink-jet recording system and which satisfy required performance such as vividness, water solubility, stability, light resistance, and other required performance, including, for example, C. I. Direct Black 17, 19, 32, 51, 71, 108, 146, 154, 168; C. I. Direct Blue 6, 22, 25, 71, 86, 90, 106, 199; C. I. Direct Red 1, 4, 17, 28, 83, 227; C. I. Direct Yellow 12, 24, 26, 86, 98, 132, 142; C. I. Direct Orange 34, 39, 44, 46, 60; C. I. Direct Violet 47, 48; C. I. Direct Brown 109; C. I. Direct Green 59; C. I. Acid Black 2, 7, 24, 26, 31, 52, 63, 112, 118; C. I. Acid Blue 9, 22, 40, 59, 93, 102, 104, 113, 117, 120, 167, 229, 234; C. I. Acid Red 1, 6, 32, 37, 51, 52, 80, 85, 87, 92, 94, 115, 181, 256, 289, 315, 317; C. I. Acid Yellow 11, 17, 23, 25, 29, 42, 61, 71; C. I. Acid Orange 7, 19; C. I. Acid Violet 49; C. I. Basic Black 2; C. I. Basic Blue 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29; C. I. Basic Red 1, 2, 9, 12, 13, 14, 37; C. I. Basic Violet 7, 14, 27; and C. I. Food Black 1, 2.
The pigment is not specifically limited provided that the pigment is capable of being dispersed in the aqueous phase. The pigment includes, for example, azo pigment such as azo lake, insoluble azo pigment, condensed azo pigment, and chelate azo pigment; polycyclic pigment such as phthalocyanine pigment, perylene, perynone pigment, anthraquinone pigment, quinacridone pigment, dioxazine pigment, thioindigo pigment, isoindolinone pigment, and quinophthalone pigment; dye lake such as basic dye type lake and acidic dye type lake; organic pigment such as nitro pigment, nitroso pigment, and aniline black daylight fluorescent pigment; and inorganic pigment such as titanium oxide, iron oxide-based pigment, and carbon black-based pigment. For example, those obtained by applying a surface treatment to the various pigments described above, for example, with a surfactant or a macromolecular dispersing agent c
Aoyama Michiko
Fujioka Masaya
Goto Kazuma
Higashiyama Shunichi
Kobayashi Naomichi
Bell Mark L.
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Faison Veronica F.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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