Ink and underprinting fluid combinations with improved inkjet print image color and stability

• US 20040189775A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexey S. Kabalnov, Amiya K. Chatterjee, David M Schut, Gary W. Byers, Keshava A. Prasad, Mark H. Kowalski, Shirley Lee
• Original Assignee: Alexey S. Kabalnov, Amiya K. Chatterjee, David M Schut, Gary W. Byers, Keshava A. Prasad, Mark H. Kowalski, Shirley Lee
• Inventors: Byers, Gary W., Kowalski, Mark H., Lee, Shirley, Kabalnov, Alexey S., Schut, David M., Prasad, Keshava A., Chatterjee, Amiya K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/102
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0017 Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/54 Inks based on two liquids, one liquid being the ink, the other liquid being a reaction solution, a fixer or a treatment solution for the ink

Abstract

Combinations of cationic underprinting fluids and anionic ink compositions that together achieve improved color quality and image stability in ink-jet printed images.

Claims

1. An ink-jet printing apparatus, comprising:

at least one printhead portion including an underprinting fixer fluid comprising at least one cationic component and at least one printhead portion including an ink composition comprising at least one anionic component;

wherein, when the ink composition is printed on a medium over the fixer fluid printed on the medium, the ink composition and fixer fluid together form an amorphous viscous fluid, the viscous fluid having a viscosity greater than the ink composition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anionic component comprises at least one anionic binder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one anionic binder comprises polymers having at least one complexing group.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one complexing group is selected from the group consisting of Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid, Acetyl Acetonate Maleic Anhydride, an Acrylate and combinations thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the polymers comprise styrene.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the anionic binder comprises hydrolyzed styrene maleic anhydride.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anionic component comprises dye having anionic functional groups.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the dyes having anionic functional groups are selected from the group consisting of sulfonated dyes with non-polar groups, dyes with protonatable groups, dyes with carboxylate groups and dyes with phosphonate groups.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ink composition further comprises low-molecular weight hydrophilic compounds.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the low-molecular weight hydrophilic compounds are selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts and lower alcohols.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one cationic component comprises cationic polymers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cationic polymers are polyelectrolytes selected from the group consisting of R₁R₂R₃R₄N⁺;

R₁R₂R₃R₄P⁺ and R₁R₂R₃R₄As⁺, where R can be H, alkyl or other organic substituent.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the polyelectrolytes comprise branched or linear polymer chains.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cationic polymers are in solution with non-polymeric cations selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, aluminum ions, barium ions, strontium ions, zinc ions, magnesium ions and titanium ions.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cationic polymers are tetrasubstituted ammonium salts.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one cationic component comprises non-polymeric cations selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, aluminum ions, barium ions, strontium ions, zinc ions, magnesium ions and titanium ions.

17-33. -33. (Canceled)

34. A method of ink-jet printing, the method comprising the steps of:

a) ejecting at a location on a medium an underprinting fixer fluid comprising at least one cationic component;

b) ejecting at the location on the medium an ink composition comprising at least one anionic component;

wherein the ink composition and the fixer fluid together form an amorphous viscous fluid, the viscous fluid having a viscosity greater than the ink composition.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the anionic component comprises at least one anionic binder.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one anionic binder comprises polymers having at least one complexing group.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one complexing group is selected from the group consisting of Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid, Acetyl Acetonate, Maleic Anhydride, Acrylate and combinations thereof.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the [branched] polymers comprise styrene.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the anionic binder comprises hydrolyzed styrene maleic anhydride.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the at least one anionic component comprises dye having anionic functional groups.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the dyes having anionic functional groups are selected from the group consisting of sulfonated dyes with non-polar groups, dyes with protonatable groups, dyes with carboxylate groups and dyes with phosphonate groups.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the ink composition further comprises low-molecular weight hydrophilic compounds.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the low-molecular weight hydrophilic compounds are selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts and lower alcohols.