Ink jet printing method, ink jet head used for practicing the latter, ink jet cartridge and ink jet printing apparatus

Claim 2

An ink jet printing method of printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium, said method comprising the steps of: providing ink and printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink; ejecting said ink to a first position on the printing medium; and ejecting said printability improvement liquid to a second position on the printing medium different from the first position, with the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink coming into contact with one another, wherein the ejected printability improvement liquid partially overlaps the ejected ink on said printing medium, when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other, each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, and a part of the plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other are overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink and the printability improvement liquid come in contact with each other.

Claim 3

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein printing of said image onto said printing medium is performed along a main scanning direction, and the position where the ejected printability improvement liquid is applied and the position where the ejected ink is applied are different along the main scanning direction.

Claim 4

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said printing medium is intermittently conveyed in an auxiliary scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction along which printing of said image is performed, and the position where the ejected printability improvement liquid is applied and the position where the ejected ink is applied are different along the main scanning direction.

Claim 5

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein printing of said image onto said printing medium is performed in a main scanning direction, and said printing medium is intermittently conveyed in an auxiliary scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction along which said image is printed, and the position where the ejected printability improvement liquid is applied and the position where the ejected ink is applied are different in the main scanning direction as well as in the auxiliary scanning direction.

Claim 6

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an ejecting timing of said printability improvement liquid is different from an ejecting timing of said ink.

Claim 7

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a quantity of ejection of said printability improvement liquid per unit area of the printing medium is equal to or less than a quantity of ejection of said ink per unit area of the printing medium.

Claim 8

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an anion based dyestuff.

Claim 9

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff or at least an anion based compound and a pigment.

Claim 10

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein thermal energy is used as energy of ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 11

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 12

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 13

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 10, further comprising energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 14

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: a plurality of ink ejecting portions, each for ejecting ink therefrom; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image formed of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and a distance between two of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction is different from a distance between said liquid ejecting portion and one of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to said liquid ejecting portion in the main scanning direction such that said liquid ejecting portion is staggered in the main scanning direction from said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion wherein only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 15

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: a plurality of ink ejecting portions, each for ejecting ink therefrom; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image formed of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and a distance between two of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction is different from a distance between said liquid ejecting portion and one of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to said liquid ejecting portion in the main scanning direction such that said liquid ejecting portion is staggered in the main scanning direction from said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion wherein only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 16

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 12, further comprising energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 17

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of ink ejecting portions are ink ejecting portions each corresponding to color printing.

Claim 18

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are not arranged on a same straight line extending along the main scanning direction, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 19

An ink jet head used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said head comprising: an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom; and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, wherein said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are not arranged on a same straight line extending along the main scanning direction, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 20

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 15, further comprising energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improving liquid.

Claim 21

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of ink dots onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, said ink jet head including an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, and printing an image onto said printing medium in a main scanning direction, wherein said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected at positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 22

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of ink dots onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, said ink jet head including an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, and printing an image onto said printing medium in a main scanning direction, wherein said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected at positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 23

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said ink jet head comprises energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 24

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising controlling means for controlling ejecting of said printability improvement liquid under a condition that a quantity of ejection of said printability improving liquid per unit area of the printing medium is equal to or less than a quantity of ejection of said ink per unit area of the printing medium.

Claim 25

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff.

Claim 26

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff or an anion based dyestuff and a pigment.

Claim 27

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes a plurality of ink ejecting portions each for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, and said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto said printing medium in a main scanning direction, and a distance between two of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to each other along the main scanning direction is different from a distance between said liquid ejecting portion and one of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to said liquid ejecting portion along the main scanning direction such that said liquid ejecting portion is staggered in the main scanning direction from said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 28

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes a plurality of ink ejecting portions each for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, and said ink jet head prints an image of ink dots onto said printing medium in a main scanning direction, and a distance between two of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to each other along the main scanning direction is different from a distance between said liquid ejecting portion and one of said ink ejecting portions located adjacent to said liquid ejecting portion along the main scanning direction such that said liquid ejecting portion is staggered in the main scanning direction from said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 29

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said ink jet head comprises energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 30

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said plurality of ink ejecting portions are ink ejecting portions each corresponding to color printing.

Claim 31

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, further comprising controlling means for controlling ejecting of said printability improvement liquid under a condition that a quantity of ejection of said printability improvement liquid per unit area of the printing medium is equal to or less than a quantity of ejection of said ink per unit area of the printing medium.

Claim 32

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an anion based dyestuff.

Claim 33

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first compound of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff or at least an anion based compound and a pigment.

Claim 34

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, said ink jet head printing an image of ink dots on said printing medium along a main scanning direction, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are not arranged on a same straight line extending along the main scanning direction, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 35

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image onto a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, said ink jet head printing an image of ink dots on said printing medium along a main scanning direction, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are not arranged on a same straight line extending along the main scanning direction, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 36

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said ink jet head comprises energy generating sections for generating thermal energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 37

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, further comprising controlling means for controlling ejecting of said printability improvement liquid under a condition that a quantity of ejection of said printability improvement liquid per unit area of the printing medium is equal to or less than a quantity of ejection of said ink per unit area of the printing medium.

Claim 38

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an anion based dyestuff.

Claim 39

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first compound of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff or at least an anion based compound and a pigment.

Claim 40

An ink cartridge used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said cartridge comprising: an ink jet head; and an ink tank detachably connectable to said ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, said ink jet head printing an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 41

An ink cartridge used with an ink jet printing apparatus, said cartridge comprising: an ink jet head; and an ink tank detachably connectable to said ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink, said ink jet head printing an image of ink dots onto a printing medium along a main scanning direction while being mounted on the ink jet printing apparatus, and said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion are staggered in at least one of the main scanning direction and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction such that an ejected ink dot and an ejected printability improvement liquid dot are mixed together on said printing medium and said ink and said printability improvement liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot do not coincide with each other and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided at the time that the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 42

An ink jet printing method of forming an image of ink dots, said method comprising the steps of: providing colored ink applied from an ejecting portion of an ink jet head onto a printing medium and a printability improvement liquid containing at least a printability improvement substance applied to said printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing; arranging a droplet of said printability improvement liquid at a first shot lattice point; and arranging a droplet of said colored ink at a second shot lattice point different from the first shot lattice point, with the printability improvement liquid and the ink coming into contact with one another, wherein the printability improvement liquid droplet partially overlaps the colored ink droplet when the printability improvement liquid droplet and the colored ink droplet come in contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the colored ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single droplet of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink droplets and the printability improvement liquid droplets come into contact with each other.

Claim 43

An ink jet printing method of forming an image of ink dots, said method comprising the steps of: providing colored ink applied from an ejecting portion of an ink jet head onto a printing medium and a printability improvement liquid containing at least a printability improvement substance applied to said printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing; arranging a droplet of said printability improvement liquid at a first shot lattice point; and arranging a droplet of said colored ink at a second shot lattice point different from the first shot lattice point, with the printability improvement liquid and the ink coming into contact with one another, wherein the printability improvement liquid droplet partially overlaps the colored ink droplet when the printability improvement liquid droplet and the colored ink droplet come in contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the colored ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single droplet of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink droplets and the printability improvement liquid droplets come into contact with each other.

Claim 44

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein printing of said image onto said printing medium is performed along a main scanning direction, and the shot lattice point of the printability improvement liquid and the shot lattice point of the colored ink are different from each other along the main scanning direction.

Claim 45

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 35, wherein a positional deviation between the shot lattice points in the main scanning direction is achieved by changing an ejecting timing of said ejecting portion.

Claim 46

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said printing medium is intermittently conveyed in an auxiliary scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction along which printing of said image is performed, and a shot lattice point of the printability improvement liquid and a shot lattice point of the colored ink are different from each other in the main scanning direction.

Claim 47

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 37, wherein a positional deviation between the lattice points in the auxiliary scanning direction is achieved by performing scannings several times while a quantity of feeding of said printing medium is changed.

Claim 48

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein printing of said image onto said printing medium is achieved along a main scanning direction, and said printing medium is intermittently conveyed in an auxiliary scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction along which printing of said image is performed, and a shot lattice point of the printability improvement liquid and a shot lattice point of the colored ink are different from each other in the main scanning direction as well as in the auxiliary scanning direction.

Claim 49

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 39, wherein a positional deviation of lattice points in the main scanning direction is achieved by changing an ejecting timing of said ejecting portion, and positional deviation of the lattice points in the auxiliary scanning direction is achieved by performing scannings several times while a quantity of feeding of said printing medium is changed.

Claim 50

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein an ejecting timing of said printability improvement liquid and an ejecting timing of said ejecting head portion are different from each other.

Claim 51

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein a quantity of ejection of said printability improvement liquid per unit area of the printing medium is equal to or less than a quantity of ejection of said colored ink per unit area of the printing medium.

Claim 52

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an anion based dyestuff.

Claim 53

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said printability improvement liquid contains a cationic substance consisting of a first component of a first molecular weight and a cationic substance consisting of a second component having a second molecular weight higher than the first molecular weight, and said ink contains an ion based dyestuff or at least an anion based compound and a pigment.

Claim 54

An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein thermal energy is used as energy for ejecting said ink and said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 55

An ink jet head for forming an image of ink dots, said head comprising: ink ejecting head portions for ejecting ink therefrom; and liquid ejecting head portions for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, wherein at least one of said liquid ejecting head portions has a head structure that is deviated relatively to at least one of said ink ejecting head portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting head portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting head portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on a printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 56

An ink jet head for forming an image of ink dots, said head comprising: ink ejecting head portions for ejecting ink therefrom; and liquid ejecting head portions for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, wherein at least one of said liquid ejecting head portions has a head structure that is deviated relatively to at least one of said ink ejecting head portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting head portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting head portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on a printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 57

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 46, wherein said head structure is deviated in a main scanning direction of a printed image.

Claim 58

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 46, wherein said head structure is deviated in an auxiliary scanning direction of a printed image.

Claim 59

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 46, wherein said head structure is deviated in a main scanning direction as well as in an auxiliary scanning direction of a printed image.

Claim 60

An ink jet head as claimed in claim 46, further comprising electrothermal transducers as energy generating elements for generating thermal energy for causing a phenomenon of film boiling to appear in said ink or in said printability improvement liquid.

Claim 61

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes ink ejecting portions for ejecting ink and liquid ejecting portions for ejecting a printability improvement liquid including at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, and at least one of the liquid ejecting portions is deviated relatively to at least one of the ink ejecting portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 62

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes ink ejecting portions for ejecting ink and liquid ejecting portions for ejecting a printability improvement liquid including at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, and at least one of the liquid ejecting portions is deviated relatively to at least one of the ink ejecting portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 63

An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 51, further comprising a main body, wherein said ink jet head is detachably arranged on said main body.

Claim 64

An ink jet cartridge for forming an image of ink dots, said cartridge comprising: an ink jet head; and an ink tank detachably connected to said ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes ink ejecting portions for ejecting ink and liquid ejecting portions for ejecting a printability improving liquid including at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, and at least one of the liquid ejecting portions is deviated relatively to at least one of the ink ejecting portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 65

An ink jet cartridge for forming an image of ink dots, said cartridge comprising: an ink jet head; and an ink tank detachably connected to said ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes ink ejecting portions for ejecting ink and liquid ejecting portions for ejecting a printability improving liquid including at least a printability improvement substance to be applied to a printing medium for improving printability in ink jet printing, and at least one of the liquid ejecting portions is deviated relatively to at least one of the ink ejecting portions such that said at least one of said liquid ejecting portions is staggered in at least one direction from said at least one of said ink ejecting portions, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 66

An ink jet printing method of printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium by applying ink and printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink to said printing medium, comprising the steps of: applying a dot of said printability improvement liquid to said printing medium; and applying a dot of said ink to said printing medium, wherein the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are combined together on said printing medium and the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are applied to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the applied ink dot and the applied printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 67

An ink jet printing method of printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium by applying ink and printability improvement liquid containing a substance for improving printability of said ink to said printing medium, comprising the steps of: applying a dot of said printability improvement liquid to said printing medium; and applying a dot of said ink to said printing medium, wherein the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are combined together on said printing medium and the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are applied to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the applied ink dot and the applied printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 68

An ink jet printing method of printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium by applying ink and a printability improvement liquid containing a component having a function of making a coloring material in the ink insoluble or aggregating said coloring material by bringing said liquid in contact with said ink, comprising the steps of: applying a dot of said printability improvement liquid to said printing medium; and applying a dot of said ink to said printing medium, wherein the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are combined together on said printing medium and the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are applied to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the applied ink dot and the applied printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 69

An ink jet printing method of printing an image of ink dots on a printing medium by applying ink and a printability improvement liquid containing a component having a function of making a coloring material in the ink insoluble or aggregating said coloring material by bringing said liquid in contact with said ink, comprising the steps of: applying a dot of said printability improvement liquid to said printing medium; and applying a dot of said ink to said printing medium, wherein the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are combined together on said printing medium and the dot of said printability improvement liquid and the dot of said ink are applied to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the applied ink dot and the applied printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the printability improvement liquid and the ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 70

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of dots on a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing a substance having a function of making a coloring material in the ink insoluble or aggregating said coloring material by bringing said printability improvement liquid into contact with said ink, and forms said image on said printing medium along a main scanning direction, said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion being staggered in at least one direction, and a dot of said ink ejected from said ink ejecting portion and a dot of said printability improvement liquid ejected from said liquid ejecting portion are combined together on said printing medium, and said ink and said liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.

Claim 71

An ink jet printing apparatus for printing an image of dots on a printing medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink jet head, wherein said ink jet head includes an ink ejecting portion for ejecting ink therefrom and a liquid ejecting portion for ejecting a printability improvement liquid containing a substance having a function of making a coloring material in the ink insoluble or aggregating said coloring material by bringing said printability improvement liquid into contact with said ink, and forms said image on said printing medium along a main scanning direction, said ink ejecting portion and said liquid ejecting portion being staggered in at least one direction, and a dot of said ink ejected from said ink ejecting portion and a dot of said printability improvement liquid ejected from said liquid ejecting portion are combined together on said printing medium, and said ink and said liquid are ejected to positions where centers of the dot of said ink and the dot of said printability improvement liquid do not coincide with each other, and the ejected ink dot and the ejected printability improvement liquid dot partially overlap at a time of coming into contact with each other, and each ink dot consists of a portion where the printability improvement liquid and the ink are overlapped and a portion where only the ink is provided when the ejected printability improvement liquid and the ejected ink come into contact with each other on the printing medium, a part of plural ink dots that are provided so as to be adjacent to each other is overlapped by a single dot of the printability improvement liquid at the time that the ink dots and the printability improvement liquid come into contact with each other.