Ink jet printing paper and methods for producing and using...

Details Ink jet printing paper and methods for producing and using... Ink jet printing paper and methods for producing and using...

2003-04-03

2004-11-30

Shewareged, B. (Department: 1774)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Ink jet stock for printing

Paper support composition specified

C428S032230, C427S391000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06824840

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to paper and methods for producing and using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved ink jet print paper and methods for producing and using the same to enhance ink print quality.
Ink jet technology has revolutionized modern printing processes by providing an inexpensive method for yielding high quality color or black and white text and images. Although this technology is applicable to any suitable print paper, the highest quality ink jet printing requires specially coated and treated print paper, due to the operability of the ink jet printers.
In ink jet printing, technologically-advanced spray nozzles are utilized to deposit microscopic droplets of a liquid ink onto the print or printer paper. Higher print qualities are obtained by increasing the number of droplets deposited. On plain printer paper, however, a large portion of the pigmented particles of the ink absorb into the sheet along with the liquid carrier. This result causes poor print density and an overall “muddy” appearance to colored images.
Further, at higher resolutions, the carrier liquid cannot absorb rapidly enough into the printer paper thereby spreading across the surface of the printer paper. The text and graphics can thus appear blurry and uneven. Moreover, a printer paper that is overly wet due to the unabsorbed carrier liquid can be problematic with subsequent printed pages.
To address this problem, high quality ink jet printer papers utilize a “conductive polymer” applied to a silica coating. The silica layer provides a white, smooth surface for printing but more importantly wicks away the carrier liquid, i.e., absorbs the carrier liquid, down into the sheet before it can spread onto the surface of the printer paper. The term “conductive polymer” is a misnomer in the sense that the polymer has no electrostatic charge to dissipate. Rather, the “conductive polymer” is a cationic polymer, which functions as a dye or pigment fixative for adhering the anionic pigment particles onto the printer paper, preferably onto the surface of the printer paper.
However, commonly known and used “conductive polymers” do not effectively form a film layer on the surface of the printer paper. Although known “conductive polymers” act as an ink fixative to minimally enhance print quality, these known “conductive polymers” are poor film formers and thus tend to absorb into the printer paper rather than adhere to its surface. This results in an overall loss in detail, that is, resulting in a “muddy” appearance. In addition, the known “conductive polymers” act as humectants, thereby resulting in undesirable properties, such as, inefficient drying of printer paper, sticking of printer paper within a roll or sheet fed stack, and backmarking from previously printed sheets of printer paper. Examples of known “conductive polymers” include, for example, polyamines and poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (“pDADMAC”).
A need, therefore exists, to provide print paper, particularly ink jet print paper, having improved print density, sharper print detail, improved depth and vibrancy of color, and better drying properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improved ink print paper and methods for using and producing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to improved ink jet print paper including a cationic dispersion polymer layer having an effective amount of a hydrophobic cationic monomer component to enhance ink print qualities such as, print density, print detail, depth and vibrancy of color, and drying properties.
To this end, an embodiment of the present invention includes printer paper for an ink printing device which comprises a print medium and a cationic dispersion polymer applied to a surface of the print medium, the cationic dispersion polymer including an amount of nonionic monomers and cationic monomers at least including a hydrophobic cationic monomer having the following formula:
wherein A
2
is O or NH; B
2
is C
2
-C
4
alkylene or hydroxypropylene; R
5
is H or CH
3
; R
6
and R
8
are C
1
-C
2
alkyl; R
7
is C
6
-C
20
alkyl or arylalkyl; and X
2
is an anionic counterion.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a method for producing printer paper which comprises the steps of: providing a print medium having a surface; and applying an amount of a cationic dispersion polymer to the print medium, the cationic dispersion polymer including an amount of nonionic monomers and cationic monomers at least including a hydrophobic cationic monomer having the following formula:
wherein A
2
is O or NH; B
2
is C
2
-C
4
alkylene or hydroxypropylene; R
5
is H or CH
3
; R
6
and R
8
are C
1
-C
2
alkyl; R
7
is C
6
-C
20
alkyl or arylalkyl; and X
2
is an anionic counterion.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention includes a method of ink printing which comprises the steps of: providing an ink printing device; providing at least one sheet of printer paper, the printer paper including a cationic dispersion polymer applied to a surface of the printer paper wherein the cationic dispersion polymer includes an amount of nonionic monomers and cationic monomers at least including an amount of hydrophobic cationic monomers having the formula:
wherein A
2
is O or NH, B
2
is C
2
-C
4
alkylene or hydroxypropylene, R
5
is H or CH
3
, R
6
and R
8
are C
1
-C
2
alkyl, R
7
is C
6
-C
20
alkyl or arylalkyl, and X
2
is an anionic counterion; inserting at least one sheet of printer paper into the printing device; and applying ink to the at least one sheet of printer paper.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide printer paper capable of ink printing and methods for producing and using the same.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide printer paper capable of ink jet printing and methods for producing and using the same.
Moreover, an advantage of the present invention is to provide printer paper for ink printing that enhances ink print density, detail, depth, color, and drying properties.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent in the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to improved printer paper for ink printing and methods for using and producing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to improved printer paper for ink jet printing. The printer paper has a film layer of a cationic dispersion polymer applied to a surface of the printer paper. The cationic dispersion polymer includes an amount of nonionic monomers and cationic monomers at least including an effective amount of hydrophobic cationic monomers to enhance ink print quality such as, print density, print detail, depth and vibrancy of color, and drying properties.
As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings.
“Alkyl” means a monovalent group derived from a straight or branched chain saturated hydrocarbon by the removal of a single hydrogen atom. Representative alkyl groups include methyl, ethyl, n- and iso-propyl, cetyl, and the like.
“Alkoxy” and “alkoxyl” mean an alkyl-O-group wherein alkyl is defined herein. Representative alkoxy groups include methoxyl, ethoxyl, propoxyl, butoxyl, and the like.
“Alkylene” means a divalent group derived from a straight or branched chain saturated hydrocarbon by the removal of two hydrogen atoms. Representative alkylene groups include methylene, ethylene, propylene, and the like.
“Hydroxypropylene” means a propylene group substituted with hydroxy.
“Aryl” means an aromatic monocyclic or multicyclic ring system of about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably of about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms. The aryl is optionally substituted with one or more alkyl, alkoxy, halogen or haloalkyl groups. Representative aryl groups include phenyl or naphthyl, or substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl. A preferred sub

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