Ink composition, recording method and recorded image utilizing the same, ink set and ink head

• US 20040099182A1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kamoto, Takanori, Nakaya, Hiroaki, Morimoto, Kiyofumi, Nakatsu, Hiromi, Kinomoto, Masanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,264,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 106/31.59
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14209 of finger type, chamber walls consisting integrally of piezoelectric material
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/40 Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing

Abstract

An ink composition is manufactured to contain a surfactant having difference d1 (σ₁₀−γ) which is difference between dynamic surface tension (σ₁₀) of the solution obtained by making 0.1 wt % solution dissolved in purified water to be measured by using a maximum bubble pressure method at the bubble frequency of 10 Hz at a temperature from 24° C. to 26° C. and static surface tension (γ) to be measured at a temperature from 24° C. to 26° C. and which satisfies 0 mN/m≦d1≦15 mN/m. An image is recorded by applying a voltage to partitions made of a piezoelectric material thereby applying a pressure to the ink composition supplied from an ink tank to an ink chamber of an ink head to discharge a liquid droplet of the ink composition, and depositing the liquid droplet onto a recording material.

Claims

1. An ink composition comprising:

a coloring agent;

an organic solvent;

water; and

a surfactant having difference d1 (σ

₁₀−

γ

) which is difference between dynamic surface tension (σ

₁₀) of the solution obtained by making 0.1 wt % solution dissolved in purified water to be measured by using a maximum bubble pressure method at the bubble frequency of 10 Hz at a temperature from 24°

C. to 26°

C. and static surface tension (γ

) to be measured at a temperature from 24°

C. to 26°

C. and which satisfies the following expression (1).

0 mN/m≦

d1≦

15 mN/m 

 

(1)

2. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the dynamic surface tension (σ

₁₀) at the bubble frequency of 10 Hz and the static surface tension (γ

) are within a range from 20 to 70 mN/m.

3. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the medium contains at least either of a glycol ether and a polyhydric alcohol.

4. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the coloring agent includes a dye.

5. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the coloring agent includes a pigment.

6. The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the pigment has a hydrophilic group.

7. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant includes a nonionic surfactant.

8. The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is contained at a critical micelle concentration or higher.

9. The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the pigment includes at least either of C.I. Pigment blue 15:

3 and C.I. Pigment blue 15;

4.

10. The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the pigment includes at least one selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment red 122, C.I. Pigment red 209 and C.I. Pigment violet 19.

11. The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the pigment includes at least one selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment yellow 74, C.I. Pigment yellow 138, C.I. Pigment yellow 150 and C.I. Pigment yellow 180.

12. The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the pigment includes carbon black.

13. A recording method for recording an image comprising:

depositing an ink composition on a recording material,

wherein the ink composition of claim 1 is used as the ink composition.

14. A recording method for recording an image comprising:

pressurizing an ink composition to discharge a liquid droplet of the ink composition; and

depositing the liquid droplet on a recording material,

wherein the ink composition of claim 1 is used as the ink composition.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

and the ink composition of claim 11.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

and the ink composition of claim 11.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

the ink composition of claim 11;

and the ink composition of claim 12.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

the ink composition of claim 11;

and the ink composition of claim 12.

19. A recorded image recorded by the recording method of claim 13.

20. A recorded image recorded by the recording method of claim 14.

21. An ink set comprising:

the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

and

the ink composition of claim 11.

22. An ink set comprising:

the ink composition of claim 9;

the ink composition of claim 10;

the ink composition of claim 11;

and

the ink composition of claim 12.

23. An ink head comprising:

an ink tank for storing the ink composition of claim 1;

an ink chamber having a discharge port for discharging a liquid droplet of the ink composition and receiving a supply of the ink composition from the ink tank;

a piezoelectric element generating a strain in response to an applied voltage and provided at least in a part of the ink chamber thereby applying a pressure to the ink composition contained in the ink chamber; and

an electrode provided for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element.

24. An ink head comprising:

an ink tank for storing the ink composition of claim 1;

an ink chamber having a discharge port for discharging a liquid droplet of the ink composition and receiving a supply of the ink composition from the ink tank;

a heat generating member provided in at least a part of the ink chamber and adapted to heat the ink composition contained in the ink chamber to generate a bubble therein thereby applying a pressure to the ink composition; and

an electrode provided for applying a voltage to the heat generating member.

25. A recorded image recorded by a deposition of a liquid droplet of an ink composition, discharged by the ink head of claim 23, onto a recording material.

26. A recorded image recorded by a deposition of a liquid droplet of an ink composition, discharged by the ink head of claim 24, onto a recording material.

27. An ink composition comprising:

a coloring agent;

an organic solvent;

water; and

a surfactant having difference d2 (σ

₁₀−

σ

₁) which is difference between dynamic surface tension (σ

₁₀) measured at the bubble frequency of 10 Hz among dynamic surface tensions of the solution obtained by making 0.1 wt % solution dissolved in purified water to be measured by using a maximum bubble pressure method at a temperature from 24°

C. to 26°

C. and dynamic surface tension (σ

₁) to be measured at the bubble frequency of 1 Hz and which satisfies the following expression (2).

0 mN/m≦

d2≦

15 mN/m 

 

(2)

28. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein the dynamic surface tension (σ

₁₀) at the bubble frequency of 10 Hz and the dynamic surface tension (σ

₁) at the bubble frequency of 1 Hz are within a range from 20 to 70 mN/m.

29. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein the medium includes at least either of a glycol ether and a polyhydric alcohol.

30. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein the coloring agent includes a dye.

31. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein that the coloring agent includes a pigment.

32. The ink composition of claim 31, wherein a pigment has a hydrophilic group.

33. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein the surfactant includes a nonionic surfactant.

34. The ink composition of claim 27, wherein the surfactant is contained by a critical micelle concentration or higher.

35. The ink composition of claim 31, wherein the pigment includes at least either of C.I. Pigment blue 15:

3 and C.I. Pigment blue 15;

4.

36. The ink composition of claim 31, wherein the pigment includes at least one selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment red 122, C.I. Pigment red 209 and C.I. Pigment violet 19.

37. The ink composition of claim 31, wherein the pigment includes at least one selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment yellow 74, C.I. Pigment yellow 138, C.I. Pigment yellow 150 and C.I. Pigment yellow 180.

38. The ink composition of claim 31, wherein the pigment includes carbon black.

39. A recording method for recording an image comprising:

depositing an ink composition on a recording material,

wherein the ink composition of claim 27 is used as the ink composition.

40. A recording method for recording an image comprising:

pressurizing an ink composition to discharge a liquid droplet of the ink composition; and

depositing the liquid droplet on a recording material,

wherein the ink composition of claim 27 is used as the ink composition.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

and the ink composition of claim 37.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

and the ink composition of claim 37.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

the ink composition of claim 37;

and the ink composition of claim 38.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the ink composition employs at least the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

the ink composition of claim 37;

and the ink composition of claim 38.

45. A recorded image recorded by the recording method of claim 39.

46. A recorded image recorded by the recording method of claim 40.

47. An ink set comprising:

the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

and

the ink composition of claim 37.

48. An ink set comprising:

the ink composition of claim 35;

the ink composition of claim 36;

the ink composition of claim 37;

and

the ink composition of claim 38.

49. An ink head comprising:

an ink tank for storing the ink composition of claim 27;

an ink chamber having a discharge port for discharging a liquid droplet of the ink composition and receiving a supply of the ink composition from the ink tank;

a piezoelectric element generating a strain in response to an applied voltage and provided at least in a part of the ink chamber thereby applying a pressure to the ink composition contained in the ink chamber; and

an electrode provided for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element.

50. An ink head comprising:

an ink tank for storing the ink composition of claim 27;

an ink chamber having a discharge port for discharging a liquid droplet of the ink composition and receiving a supply of the ink composition from the ink tank;

a heat generating member provided in at least a part of the ink chamber and adapted to heat the ink composition contained in the ink chamber to generate a bubble therein thereby applying a pressure to the ink composition; and

an electrode provided for applying a voltage to the heat generating member.

51. A recorded image recorded by a deposition of a liquid droplet of an ink composition, discharged by the ink head of claim 49, onto a recording material.

52. A recorded image recorded by a deposition of a liquid droplet of an ink composition, discharged by the ink head of claim 50, onto a recording material.