US6440203B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink composition capable of realizing images possessing excellent color development and fixation
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 2001-01-08
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Granted: 2002-08-27
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Expires: 2021-01-08
Abstract
Abstract An ink composition is provided which, when printed on recording media, can exhibit excellent color development and fixation, can be stably ejected, and can realize good images. This ink composition comprises a first colorant, a second colorant, a penetrating agent, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. The first colorant is a pigment which is dispersible and/or dissolvable in water without any dispersant, and the second colorant is a pigment dispersion comprising a pigment and a dispersant for dispersing the pigment.
Inventors
- 👤 Shinichi Kato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:48
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/30; C09D11/32; C09D11/322; C09D11/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
An ink composition comprising: a first colorant; a second colorant; a penetrating agent; water; and a water-soluble organic solvent, said first colorant being a pigment which is dispersible and/or dissolvable in water without any dispersant, said second colorant being a pigment dispersion comprising a pigment and a dispersant for dispersing the pigment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
An ink composition comprising: a first colorant; a second colorant; a penetrating agent; water; and a water-soluble organic solvent, said first colorant being a pigment which is dispersible and/or dissolvable in water without any dispersant, said second colorant being a pigment dispersion comprising a pigment and a dispersant for dispersing the pigment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ink composition according to claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the first colorant to the pigment contained in the second colorant is 1:3 to 7:1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ink composition according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the first colorant and the pigment contained in the second colorant each have an average particle diameter in the range of 1 to 300 nm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the total amount of the first colorant and the pigment contained in the second colorant is not more than 15% by weight based on the total amount of the ink composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the first colorant has been rendered dispersible and/or dissolvable in water without any dispersant by treating a pigment on its surface so as to bond at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, and sulfone groups, or a salt thereof, onto the surface of the pigment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the dispersant contained in the second colorant is a polymeric dispersant or a surfactant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ink composition according to claim 6 , wherein the polymeric dispersant is a water-soluble resin derived from acrylic acid or a polymeric compound containing an anionic group.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ink composition according to claim 7 , wherein the water-soluble resin derived from acrylic acid is a resin composed mainly of acrylic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ink composition according to claim 8 , wherein the water-soluble resin derived from acrylic acid has a molecular weight in the range of 5,000 to 50,000.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 7 to 9 , wherein the water-soluble resin derived from acrylic acid is a member selected from the group consisting of block copolymers, graft copolymers, random copolymers, and a mixture of two or more of said copolymers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the penetrating agent is a glycol ether and/or an acetylene glycol surfactant.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The ink composition according to claim 11 , wherein the acetylene glycol surfactant is a compound represented by formula (I): wherein 0≦m+n≦50; and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 each independently represent an alkyl group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , which is used in an ink jet recording method.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ink composition according to claim 13 , wherein the ink jet recording method comprises the steps of ejecting droplets of the ink composition and depositing the droplets onto a recording medium to perform printing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
A print produced by the recording method according to claim 14 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A color ink set comprising two or more ink compositions selected from the group consisting of black ink, yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink compositions, said ink compositions each being an ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
An ink set comprising a first ink composition and a second ink composition, wherein said first ink composition and said second ink composition each are an ink composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , and when the first ink composition and the second ink composition are printed on a recording medium under identical printing conditions, the OD value of a print produced by printing the first ink composition on the recording medium is higher than the OD value of a print produced by printing the second ink composition on the recording medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
117 words
An ink set comprising a first ink composition and a second ink composition, wherein said first ink composition and said second ink composition each are an ink composition according to any one of claims 1 and 3 to 12 , and when the content of the colorant in the first ink composition is larger than the content of the colorant in the second ink composition, the weight ratio of the first colorant to the pigment contained in the second colorant in the first ink composition is 1 exclusive: 1 to 3:1 while the weight ratio of the first colorant to the pigment contained in the second colorant in the second ink composition is 1:1 exclusive to 1:3.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The ink set according to claim 17 or 18 , wherein the first ink composition is a yellow ink composition, a magenta ink composition, or a cyan ink composition, while the second ink composition is a light yellow ink composition, a light magenta ink composition, or a light cyan ink composition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ink set according to any one of claims 16 to 19 , which is used in an ink jet recording method.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-26 | 2006-02-25 | 2006-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-02-25 | 2010-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-26 | 2014-02-25 | 2014-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |