Water-based pigment ink, and ink-jet recording method and instruments using the same

• US 5,976,233 A
• Filed: 11/10/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Katsuragi, Ryuji, Osumi, Koichi, Takizawa, Yoshihisa, Teraoka, Hisashi, Hattori, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): KLEMANSKI, HELENE G
• Application Number:
  US08/966,521
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 106/31.86, 106/31.75, 106/31.77
• US Class Current: 106/31.86
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/324 containing carbon black

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a water-based pigment ink comprising a coloring material composed of self-dispersing carbon black obtained by bonding at least one hydrophilic group directly or through another atomic group to the surface of carbon black, a humectant of the general formula

H--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --C--((CH.sub.2).sub.n OH).sub.3

wherein m and n are independently an integer of from 1 to 5, and an aqueous medium composed of water and a water-soluble organic solvent.

Claims

1. A water-based pigment ink comprising a coloring material composed of self-dispersing carbon black obtained by bonding at least one hydrophilic group through another atomic group to the surface of carbon black, a humectant of the general formula

View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)

3. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic group is at least one selected from the group consisting of the residues:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">--COOM, --SO.sub.3 M, --SO.sub.2 NH.sub.2, --PO.sub.3 HM, --PO.sub.3 M.sub.2, --SO.sub.2 NHCOR, --NH.sub.3.sup.+, --NR.sub.3.sup.+, ##STR15## wherein M is hydrogen, alkali metal, ammonium or organic ammonium, R is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group which may be substituted, or a naphthyl group which may be substituted.

5. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic group is a basic group.

7. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the coloring material is contained in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 15% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

9. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the coloring material is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

11. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the humectant is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

12. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, wherein the humectant is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

15. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 1, which further comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of surfactants of the formulae (1) to (4)

17. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 15, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

19. An ink-jet recording method comprising applying an ink by an ink-jet system to a recording medium to conduct recording, wherein the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is used as said ink.

20. The ink-jet recording method according to claim 19, wherein the ink-jet system is an ink-jet system in which thermal energy is applied to the ink to eject the ink.

21. The ink-jet recording method according to claim 19, wherein the ink-jet system is an ink-jet system in which mechanical energy is applied to the ink to eject the ink.

22. A recording unit comprising an ink container portion with an ink held therein and a head from which the ink is ejected, wherein the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is used as said ink.

23. An ink cartridge comprising an ink container portion with an ink held therein, wherein the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is used as said ink.

24. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising a recording unit having an ink container portion with an ink held therein and a head from which the ink is ejected, wherein the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is used as said ink.

25. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising an ink cartridge having an ink container portion with an ink held therein and a head from which the ink is ejected, wherein the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is used as said ink.

26. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 25, which further comprises an ink feeder for feeding the ink contained in the ink cartridge to the head.

27. A method of improving the impact accuracy of an ink ejected, which comprises the step of applying the water-based pigment ink according to any one of claims 1 to 18 to a recording medium by an ink-jet system.

2. A water-based pigment ink comprising a coloring material composed of self-dispersing carbon black obtained by bonding at least one hydrophilic group through an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a phenylene group which may be substituted, or a naphthylene group which may be substituted, to the surface of carbon black, trimethylolpropane, and an aqueous medium composed of water and a water-soluble organic solvent.

4. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophilic group is at least one selected from the group consisting of the residues:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">--COOM, --SO.sub.3 M, --SO.sub.2 NH.sub.2, --PO.sub.3 HM, --PO.sub.3 M.sub.2, --SO.sub.2 NHCOR, --NH.sub.3.sup.+, --NR.sub.3.sup.+, ##STR16## wherein M is hydrogen, alkali metal, ammonium or organic ammonium, R is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group which may be substituted, or a naphthyl group which may be substituted.

6. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophilic group is a basic group.

8. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the coloring material is contained in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 15% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

10. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the coloring material is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

13. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the trimethylolpropane is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

14. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, wherein the trimethylolpropane is contained in an amount ranging from 1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.

16. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 2, which further comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of surfactants of the formulae (1) to (4)

18. The water-based pigment ink according to claim 16, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight based on the total weight of the ink.