US5997136A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ink jet recording method and apparatus therefor
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1995-04-12
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Granted: 1999-12-07
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Expires: 2015-04-12
Abstract
Abstract An ink jet recording method which can inhibit feathering or bleeding in a print and provide a sharp color image is disclosed. The ink jet recording method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: ejecting a droplet of an ink composition, comprising a colorant, a thermoplastic resin, and water, onto a recording medium to deposit the ink droplet on the recording medium, and heating the recording medium with the ink droplet deposited thereon at the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin or higher temperature so as to effectively inhibit feathering or bleeding of the ink.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazutoshi Fujisawa
- 👤 Michinari Tsukahara
- 👤 Yoshie Kumagai
- 👤 Fumie Uehara
- 👤 Hiroto Nakamura
- 👤 Hideo Yamazaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:45
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/30; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41M; B41M7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one ink composition comprising a colorant, a thermoplastic resin and water, said thermoplastic resin having a temperature at which the thermoplastic resin softens when heated; (b) ejecting a plurality of droplets of the at least one ink composition onto the recording medium to deposit on the recording medium a plurality of ink dots that are spaced apart whereby the deposited dots have a resolution which is a reciprocal of a pitch of the dots; and (c) heating the recording medium with the deposited dots at the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin or higher so as effectively to inhibit feathering of the ink composition, said heating being controlled such that the feathering, as measured by a length that an outermost portion of a deposited droplet extends from a circle of maximum size inscribable in the deposited droplet, does not exceed about 10% of a value obtained by multiplying the pitch by 1.5 √2/2, said heating resulting in formation of at least a first print on the recording medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one ink composition comprising a colorant, a thermoplastic resin and water, said thermoplastic resin having a temperature at which the thermoplastic resin softens when heated; (b) ejecting a plurality of droplets of the at least one ink composition onto the recording medium to deposit on the recording medium a plurality of ink dots that are spaced apart whereby the deposited dots have a resolution which is a reciprocal of a pitch of the dots; and (c) heating the recording medium with the deposited dots at the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin or higher so as effectively to inhibit feathering of the ink composition, said heating being controlled such that the feathering, as measured by a length that an outermost portion of a deposited droplet extends from a circle of maximum size inscribable in the deposited droplet, does not exceed about 10% of a value obtained by multiplying the pitch by 1.5 √2/2, said heating resulting in formation of at least a first print on the recording medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the resolution is not less than 600 dpi and, in the step of heating, the recording medium is heated so that the feathering is not more than 5 μm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the ink composition comprises 5 to 40% by weight of the thermoplastic resin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is present in the form of a resin emulsion in the ink composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the ink composition further comprises a water-soluble polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein the amount of the water-soluble polymer in the ink composition is such that the water-soluble polymer to thermoplastic resin weight ratio is 1:10 to 1:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the ink composition further comprises a saccharide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the amount of the saccharide in the ink composition is such that the saccharide to thermoplastic resin weight ratio is 1:5 to 1:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein the ink composition further comprises a nonionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein the amount of the nonionic surfactant in the ink composition is 0.05 to 10% by weight based on the ink composition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 9, wherein the ratio of a solid content of the resin emulsion to the saccharide in the ink composition is 3:1 to 1:1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein the ink composition further comprises an anionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the ratio of a solid content of the resin emulsion to the anionic surfactant in the ink composition is 1000:1 to 2:1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein the ink composition further comprises an organic acid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 14, wherein the organic acid is an amino acid, its salt, or its derivative.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of the amino acid, its salt, or its derivative in the ink composition is 0.01 to 0.5% by weight based on the ink composition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium comprises means for fixation of an ink composition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium has fibers into which the ink composition penetrates to form an ink dot.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 18, wherein the recording medium is a recording paper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method according to claim 1 comprising providing a second ink composition comprising a second colorant, a second thermoplastic resin and water, and ejecting a plurality of droplets of the second ink composition onto or adjacent the first print after step (c), the heating in step (c) being controlled such that the ejection of the second ink composition forms a second print that does not bleed with the first print.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said heating in step (c) is controlled such that the feathering does not exceed about 10% of a value obtained by multiplying the pitch by √2/2.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-12-06 | 2003-06-07 | 2003-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-12-06 | 2007-06-07 | 2007-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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