Ink, and ink-jet recording method and instrument using the same

Claim 2

An ink comprising a coloring material and a liquid medium dissolving or dispersing the coloring material therein, wherein the ink contains in combination a compound of the general formula ##STR10## wherein R 1 denotes hydrogen, a nitro group or an amino group, and R 2 denotes a carboxyl group, a sulfonic group, a phosphoric group or a salt thereof, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of primary to tertiary amines, derivatives thereof, and complexes thereof.

Claim 3

The ink according to claim 1, wherein R 1 in the general formula (I) is a nitro group or an amino group.

Claim 4

The ink according to claim 1, wherein R 2 in the general formula (I) is a salt of a carboxyl group or a sulfonic group.

Claim 5

The ink according to claim 1, wherein R 2 in the general formula (I) is a salt of a carboxyl group or a sulfonic group with a volatile nitrogen-containing compound.

Claim 6

The ink according to claim 1, wherein said at least one compound selected from the group consisting of the primary to tertiary amines, derivatives thereof, and complexes thereof has at least one group selected from an alkyl group, a carboxyl group, a salt of the carboxyl group, a sulfonic group and a salt of the sulfonic group.

Claim 7

The ink according to claim 1, wherein said at least one compound selected from the group consisting of the primary to tertiary amines, derivatives thereof, and complexes thereof is a compound of the general formula ##STR11## wherein R 3 denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 48 carbon atoms, or hydrogen, R 4 denotes (CH 2 ) a --X 1 or hydrogen, in which a is an integer of 1 to 4, R 5 denotes (CH 2 ) b --X 2 , R 6 --Y or hydrogen, in which b is an integer of 1 to 4, R 6 denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 48 carbon atoms, or hydrogen, Z denotes (NR 7 C l H 2l ) c (NHC n H 2n ) d , in which l and n are independently an integer of 2 to 4, and c+d is an integer of 0 to 50, Y denotes (NR 8 C m H 2m ) e (NHC p H 2p ) f , in which m and p are independently an integer of 2 to 4, and e+f is an integer of 0 to 50, R 7 denotes (CH 2 ) g 13 X 3 , in which g is an integer of 1 to 4, R 8 denotes (CH 2 ) h --X 4 , in which h is an integer of 1 to 4, and X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a salt of the carboxyl group, a sulfonic group, a salt of the sulfonic group and a hydrogen atom, with a proviso that when R 4 and R 5 are both hydrogen, c and e are not 0 at the same time, and X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 do not denote hydrogen at the same time.

Claim 8

The ink according to claim 6, wherein in the compound represented by the general formula (II), X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of salts of carboxyl and sulfonic groups, and a hydrogen atom.

Claim 9

The ink according to claim 6, wherein in the compound represented by the general formula (II), X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are independently a salt of a carboxyl group or a sulfonic group with a volatile nitrogen-containing compound.

Claim 10

The ink according to claim 6, wherein in the compound represented by the general formula (II), R 3 and R 6 are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 32 carbon atoms, c+d and e+f are independently an integer of 0 to 16, and a, b, g and h are independently an integer of 1 or 2.

Claim 11

The ink according to claim 1, wherein the coloring material is a direct dye.

Claim 12

The ink according to claim 1, wherein the coloring material is a dye having at least one sulfonic group.

Claim 13

The ink according to claim 1, wherein the coloring material is a dye having a nitrogen atom on a site other than a divalent organic linking group.

Claim 14

The ink according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the ink is adjusted to 9 or higher.

Claim 15

An ink-jet recording method comprising ejecting droplets of an ink out of an orifice of a recording head in accordance with a recording signal to conduct recording on a recording material, wherein said ink is the ink as set forth in claim 1.

Claim 16

The ink-jet recording method according to claim 14, wherein the ink is ejected in the form of droplets by applying thermal energy to the ink.

Claim 17

A recording unit comprising an ink container portion with an ink held therein and a head from which the ink is ejected in the form of ink droplets, wherein said ink is the ink as set forth in claim 1.

Claim 18

The recording unit according to claim 16, wherein the head is a head which applies thermal energy to the ink to eject the ink in the form of droplets.

Claim 19

An ink cartridge comprising an ink container portion with an ink held therein, wherein said ink is the ink as set forth in claim 1.

Claim 20

An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising a recording unit having an ink container portion with an ink held therein and a head from which the ink is ejected in the form of ink droplets, wherein said ink is the ink as set forth in claim 1.

Claim 21

The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the head is a head which applies thermal energy to the ink to eject the ink in the form of droplets.

Claim 22

An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising a recording unit for ejecting an ink in the form of droplets, an ink cartridge having an ink container portion with the ink held therein, and an ink feeder for feeding the ink from the ink cartridge to the recording unit, wherein said ink is the ink as set forth in claim 1.

Claim 23

The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the recording unit has a head which applies thermal energy to the ink to eject the ink in the form of droplets.