Patent US3356094A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0580449A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0580449A1
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EP
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Ink jet recording method employing inks of different characteristics and apparatus therefor
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-07-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-07-23
Abstract
Abstract There are provided a color image forming method with liquids, capable of ensuring sharpness and high density in basically all the color images, and a recording apparatus therefor. This invention employs a black ink of relatively superior diffusibility and color inks of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from the black ink, and is featured by forming the boundary area of a black image area with the color inks instead of the black ink.
Inventors
- 👤 Miyuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Matsubara
- 👤 Takayuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Fujita
- 👤 Hiromitsu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Hirabayashi
- 👤 Tetsurou c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Inoue
- 👤 Makoto C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Aoki
- 👤 Masaya C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kikuta
- 👤 Jiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Moriyama
- 👤 Shigeyasu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nagoshi
- 👤 Mayumi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yamamoto
- 👤 Noribumi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Koitabashi
- 👤 Yoshihisa c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Takizawa
- 👤 Toshiharu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Inui
- 👤 Hideto C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yokoi
- 👤 Hitoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sugimoto
- 👤 Fumihiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Gotoh
- 👤 Masaya C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Uetuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:49
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2107; B41M; B41M1/00; B41M1/14; B41M1/18; C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/30; C09D11/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A color image forming method with liquids, for forming a color image on a recording medium by means of liquids of different colors, comprising steps of: forming an image with a black liquid with relatively superior diffusibility; and forming an image with a color liquid of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from said black liquid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
A color image forming method according to claim 1, wherein said black liquid contains urea, and said color liquid contains acetylenol.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A color image forming method according to claim 2, wherein said acetylenol constitutes at least 3 wt.% of said color liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A color image forming method with liquids, for forming a color image on a recording medium by means of liquids of different colors, comprising steps of: forming an image with a black liquid of relatively superior surface active characteristics; and forming an image with a color liquid of relatively inferior surface active characteristics, different in color from said black liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
A color image forming method with liquids, for forming a color image on a recording medium by means of liquids of different colors, comprising steps of: forming an image with a black liquid of relatively superior surface tension characteristics; and forming an image with plural color liquids of relatively inferior surface tension characteristics, different in color from said black liquid; wherein said latter step is adapted to form an image of a black image area at the boundary of said black liquid and one of said color liquids, with said plural color liquids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A color image forming method according to claim 5, wherein the image of said boundary black image area is formed including said black liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
A color image recording apparatus comprising: liquid jet recording means for discharging liquids of different colors onto a recording medium; and means for supplying said recording means with recording signals; wherein said recording signal supplying means is adapted to supply said recording means with a signal for causing discharge of a black liquid of relatively superior diffusibility alone in a character area of black color only, a signal for causing discharge of a color liquid of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from said black liquid, in an independent color area different in color from said black liquid, and a signal for causing discharge of plural color liquids different in color, in a black color area at the boundary between said black liquid and said color liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said recording signal supplying means is adapted to supply said recording means with a signal for causing discharge of said black liquid in said black image area at the boundary.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
133 words
A color image recording apparatus comprising: liquid jet recording means for discharging liquids of different colors onto a recording medium; and means for supplying said recording means with recording signals; wherein said recording signal supplying means is adapted to supply said recording means with a signal for causing discharge of a black liquid of relatively superior surface tension characteristics and relatively superior diffusibility alone in a character area of black color only, a signal for causing discharge of a color liquid of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from said black liquid, in an independent color area different in color from said black liquid, and a signal for causing discharge of plural color liquids different in color, in a black color area at the boundary between said black liquid and said color liquid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said recording signal supplying means is adapted to supply said recording means with a signal for causing discharged of said black liquid in said black color area at the boundary.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
A color image forming method with liquids, for forming a color image on a recording medium by means of liquids of different colors, comprising steps of: forming an image with a first color liquid of which penetration time, from the deposition onto the recording medium to the abrupt change in the amount of surface reflected light is in the order of 100 msec; and forming an image with a second color liquid of which luminocity is lower than that of said first color liquid and of which penetration time is in the order of a second.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A color image forming method according to claim 11, wherein said first color liquid has cyan, magenta and yellow colors, and said second color liquid has black color.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
A color image forming method with liquids, for forming a color image on a recording medium by means of liquids of different colors, comprising steps of: forming a deposition area employing a black liquid only; and forming a deposition area with a color liquid different in color from said black liquid, in at least a part of the boundary of said deposition area to be formed with said black liquid only.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
148 words
A color image recording apparatus comprising: ink jet recording means provided with plural color ink discharge units arranged at a predetermined pitch in the scanning direction, wherein the recording interval of the adjacent discharge units is in the order of 10 msec; and means for forming deposition areas utilizing a first color liquid of which penetration time from the deposition onto the recording medium to the abrupt change in the amount of surface reflected light is in the order of 100 msec and a second color liquid of which luminocity is lower than that of said first color liquid and of which penetration time is in the order of a second, and forming a deposition area with the color liquid only, different in color from the black liquid, in at least a part of the boundary of the deposition area to be formed with said black liquid only.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
A color ink jet recording method forming a color image on a recording medium, utilizing a black ink and color inks of plural colors different from said black ink, comprising steps of: discriminating whether a color image is present adjacent to a black image; determining whether said black image is formed with said black ink or with said color inks of plural colors according to the result of said discrimination; and forming said black image according to said determination.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
75 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 15, wherein said determining step is adapted to determine that said black image is formed with said black ink in case the periphery of said black image is not adjacent to a color image, but said black image is formed with said color inks of plural colors in case at least a part of the periphery of said black image is adjacent to a color image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 15, wherein said determining step is adapted to determine that said black image is formed with said black ink in case the periphery of said black image is not adjacent to a color image or in case at least a part of said periphery is adjacent to a color image, but said black image is formed with said color inks of plural colors in case the entire periphery of said black image is adjacent to a color image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 15, wherein said determining step is adapted to determine that a part of said black image is formed with the black ink and the remainer is formed with said color inks of plural colors in case at least a part of the periphery of said black image is adjacent to a color image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
121 words
A color ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a black ink recording head for discharging black ink; color ink recording heads of plural colors, for discharging color inks different in color from said black ink; means for supplying said black ink recording head and said color ink recording heads with recording signals; and discrimination means for discriminating whether a black image is adjacent to a color image; wherein said supply means is adapted to determine, for said black image, whether to supply a recording signal for discharging the black ink to said black ink recording head, or to supply recording signals for discharging the color inks to said color ink recording heads, according to the result of discrimination by said discrimination means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a buffer for storing black image data for forming said black image, wherein, among said black image data, character code data are stored in a buffer for the black ink, while the bit image data are stored in buffers for the color inks of plural colors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said supply means is adapted, in the printing of character code data, to supply said black ink recording head with a recording signal for discharging the black ink, in case data of another color are absent, in said buffers of color inks, in the pixels same as or adjacent to the print position of said character code data, but to supply the color ink recording heads with recording signals for discharging the color inks in case such data are present.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said supply means is adapted, in the printing of said bit image data, to supply said color ink recording heads with recording signals for discharging color inks in case the data, stored in the buffers for the color inks of plural colors, are mutually different among different colors, but to supply said black ink recording head with a recording signal for discharging the black ink in case said data are mutually equal.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 15 to 22, wherein said color inks of plural colors are of yellow, magenta and cyan colors.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
A color ink jet recording method for forming a color image on a recording medium by discharging inks thereon, comprising steps of: forming an image with a black ink; and forming an image with color inks of plural colors, different from said black ink; wherein the penetration speed of said black ink into said recording medium is lower than that of the color inks of said plural colors.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 24, further comprising steps of: discriminating whether a color image area is present adjacent to a black image area; and determining whether said black image area is formed with said black ink, or with the color inks of said plural colors, according to the result of said discrimination.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
79 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 25, wherein said determining step is adapted to determine that said black image area is formed with said black ink in case said black image area is not adjacent to a color image area, and said black image area is formed with the color inks of said plural colors in case at least a part of the periphery of said black image area is adjacent to a color image area.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
86 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 26, wherein said discriminating step is adapted to identify that the periphery of said black image area is adjacent to a color image area, in case at least a color recording pixel, constituting the color image area, is present in a recording position within X·P (4√2 ≧ X ≧ 1), with respect to at least a black recording pixel constituting the black image area on the recording medium, wherein P is the minimum pixel pitch in recording.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 27, wherein X = 1.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 27, wherein X = √2.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 27, wherein X = 2.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 27, wherein X = 2√2.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
60 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 25, wherein said discriminating step is adapted to effect the discrimination only on the character code data within the black image area, and said determining step is adapted to determine that the black image area composed of bit image data etc. is formed with the color inks of said plural colors.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 25, wherein said discriminating step is adapted to effect the discrimination only within an extent of the black image area stored in a memory, and said determining step is adapted to determine that other black image areas are formed with the color inks of said plural colors.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 24, wherein the color inks of said plural colors are of yellow, magenta and cyan colors or of green, red and blue colors.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
A color ink jet recording method according to any of claims 24 to 34, wherein said inks are discharged by thermal energy.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
A material recorded by a recording method according to any of claims 24 to 34.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
93 words
A color ink jet recording method for forming a desired color image on a recording medium by discharging inks thereon, comprising steps of: forming an image with a black ink; and forming an image with color inks of plural colors, different from said black ink; wherein the blotting rate, represented by the following formula: A = B/C wherein A: blotting rate; B: diameter (µm) of a single dot formed on quality paper; and C: diameter (µm) of a discharged single ink droplet, is smaller in said black ink than in said color inks.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 37, comprising steps of: discriminating whether a color image area is present adjacent to a black image area; and determining whether said black image area is formed with said black ink or with the color inks of said plural colors, according to the result of said discrimination.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
74 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 38, wherein said black image area is formed with said black ink in case the periphery of said black image area is not adjacent to a color image area, and said black image area is formed with the color inks of said plural colors in case at least a part of the periphery of said black image area is adjacent to a color image area.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
81 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 39, wherein the periphery of said black image area is discriminated to be adjacent to a color image area, in case at least a color recording pixel, constituting said color image area, is present in a position within a range X·P (4√2 ≧ X ≧ 1) with respect to at least a black recording pixel constituting the black image area on the recording medium, wherein P is the minimum pixel recording pitch.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 40, wherein X = 1.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 40, wherein X = √2.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 40, wherein X = 2.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
14 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 40, wherein X = 2√2.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
38 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 37, wherein the blotting rate is within a range of 1.2 to 2.5 for the black ink and within a range of 1.8 to 3.5 for the color inks.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 45, wherein said ink contains at least one of a surfactant and a penetrating solvent.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
35 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 46, wherein the surfactant added to said ink is an ionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant or a mixture of at least two thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
21 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 47, wherein the surfactant added to said ink is a nonionic surfactant.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
45 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 48, wherein the surfactant added to said ink is at least one selected from ethylene oxide adducts of higher alcohols, ethylene oxide adducts of alkylphenols, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymer, and ethylene oxide adducts of acetylene glycol.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
35 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 46, wherein the penetrating solvent added to said ink is at least one compound selected from ethers, lower alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols, and monohydric alcohols.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
60 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 38, wherein said discriminating step is adapted to effect the discrimination only on the character code data within the black image area, and said determining step is adapted to determine that the black image area composed of bit image data etc. is formed with the color inks of said plural colors.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 38, wherein said discriminating step is adapted to effect the discrimination only within an extent of the black image area stored in a memory, and said determining step is adapted to determine that other black image areas are formed with the color inks of said plural colors.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
32 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 37, wherein the color inks of said plural colors are of yellow, magenta and cyan colors or of green, red and blue colors.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
26 words
A color ink jet recording method according to claim 37, wherein the fixing time for said black ink is longer than that for said color inks.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
22 words
A color ink jet recording method according to any of claims 37 to 54, wherein said inks are discharge by thermal energy.
Claim 56
Independent Claim
35 words
A method of image recording using black and plural coloured inks, wherein for the recording of black image features, the use of black or plural coloured inks is selected adaptively according to neighbouring image features.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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