ES2277411T3 - FLUID DELIVERY DEVICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INVENTION, A PRINT SYSTEM FOR INK JET AND A FLUID SUPPLY CONFIGURATION THAT USE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE REACTIVE FLUIDS ARE PRESENTED WHILE ALLOWING A MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN THE DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE SYSTEM BY IMPRESSION SYSTEM INK. THE PRINTING SYSTEM FOR INK JET INCLUDES A PART OF PRINT HEAD THAT HAS AT LEAST ONE INTEGRAL HEAD OF PRINT HEAD, THE PART OF THE PRINT HEAD HAS AT LEAST TWO EJECTORS; AND AT LEAST A DEPOSIT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRINT HEAD, THE DEPOSIT HAS AT LEAST TWO CHAMBERS EACH OF WHICH IT IS USED TO SUPPLY FLUID TO ONE OF THE TWO EJECTORS, ONE OF THE CAMERAS INCLUDES A REACTIVE FLUID AND THE OTHER CAMERA INCLUDES AT LEAST AN INK THAT DOES NOT REACT WITH THE REACTIVE FLUID.

Description

Fluid delivery device.

Field of the invention

This invention relates to jet printers of ink and the like and, more particularly, to a system of Compact inkjet printing with high speed impression, which offers improved behavior.

Background of the invention

Inkjet printing is a impactless printing procedure in which ink droplets are  deposited on a print medium in a particular order to form alphanumeric characters, inked areas and others designs. The low cost and high quality of the printed output, in combined with relatively quiet operation, they have made inkjet printers stand in a popular alternative to other types of printers used with computers.

The impactless printing procedure by inkjet it carries the projection of fine ink droplets on a printing medium such as paper, transparent film, or textiles, in response to signals Electrical generated by a microprocessor. It is currently It has two basic ways to achieve the projection of ink droplets when printing with inkjet: thermally and piezoelectrically In piezoelectric printing with jet ink, ink droplets are projected under the vibrations of piezoelectric crystals, too, in response to electrical signals generated by the microprocessor.

In thermal inkjet printing, form an image by inkjet when precise design of points is ejected from a drop generating device known as "print head", on a medium of Print. The typical inkjet printhead has a matrix of nozzles (or ejector parts) precisely formed attached to a thermal jet print substrate of ink, such as silicon, nickel or polyimide, or a combination of they. The substrate incorporates an array of shooting cameras or drop ejector parts, which receive liquid ink (dyes dissolved or dispersed in a solvent) thanks to a communication of fluid with one or more ink tanks. Each shooting camera It has a thin film resistance, known as "firing resistance", located in front of the nozzle, of so that the ink can be collected between the resistance of shot and the nozzle. The printhead is mounted on a carriage that travels across the width of the printer (depending on what, also, it is called "sweeping axis").

Thermal inkjet printers commercially available, such as Deskjet® printers available from Hewlett-Packard Company, employ inks of different colors, namely magenta, yellow and cyan and, optionally black. The particular set of dyes, by example, dyes, used to make the inks, is called "set of primary dyes". Using different combinations of the set of primary dyes, a color spectrum, for example, secondary colors.

A category of inkjet printers uses disposable printheads in which deposits of ink are mounted on the car; of it the expression "built-in" or "on the shaft". Deposits can be formed in one piece with the printhead parts or can connect to them detachably.

Other category of inkjet printers use ink tanks that are not located in the car; from it is the expression "external" or "off-axis". In a case, the tank intermittently fills the printhead with ink when the head periodically moves to a stationary deposit to be refilled. Another type makes use of a replaceable ink tank connected to the printhead through a conduit for fluid. The print head is filled with ink through this fluid conduit.

Deposits can be replaced individually (separately from other deposits) or they can either be formed as a part of integral deposit, which must be replaced as a whole.

Different head configurations of Printing / ink tank address different needs of the clients. For example, built-in designs offer Easy to use. Printers that use external designs have fewer interruptions during print jobs than require larger volumes of ink, for example, when printing on large formats

In general, a satisfactory set of inks To print in inkjet colors, you must have the following properties: good scale resistance, good stability, proper viscosity, surface tension appropriate, good relief of shifting between colors, bright colors, defined edges, short drying time, absence of reactions vehicle negatives, consumer safety, good weather  of permanence (for example, resistance to running, to light, water) and low penetration. When incorporated into a system thermal inkjet, the ink set must also be resistant to carbonization.

Regardless of whether an ink is based on dye or pigment-based inkjet printing inks ink commonly face the challenge of controlling shift between colors or between black and another color. The term "shift", as used herein, defines the invasion of one color in another, once the ink has deposited on the printing medium, what is evident when a irregular border between them. The shift occurs when mix colors, both on the surface of the paper substrate as within the substrate itself. The occurrence of creep It is especially problematic between a black ink and a color ink printed next to it, because it is the most visible. Therefore, to get a good print quality, the shift should be substantially reduced or eliminated by complete, so that the boundaries between colors are clean and free from the invasion of one color in another. They have tested various solutions to control the bleed between  printed images, many of which make use of mechanisms of reagent ink

A solution used to control the shift between printed images, as described in the patent North American No. 5,428,383, entitled "Method and apparatus for avoid color shifting in a printing system with multiple inks ", presented by Shields and others, and assigned to same assignee of the present invention, consists in employing a precipitation agent (for example, a multivalent metal salt) in an ink and a dye, preferably in dye form organic with at least one and preferably two or more groups carboxy and / or carboxylate, in another ink, preferably the ink black When printing with inks in the print medium, next to each other, the ink that contains the precipitating agent get the dye precipitation with the group carboxy / carboxylate, thus preventing migration of the dye to the other ink, thereby reducing the bleed between the two adjacent printed areas.

Another method to reduce the shift between inkjet printing inks, supposes the use of dyes pH sensitive, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,181,945, entitled "Reduction of shifting using pH sensitive dyes / inks ", presented by Shields and others and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In it she describes that an ink with a pH sensitive dye would be prevented, the "pH sensitive ink" was run by entering an ink adjacent with an appropriate pH, the "target ink". Plus particularly, the migration of the ink with the dye sensitive to pH is avoided by making the dye insoluble on the page at contact with the adjacent ink with the appropriate pH. Thus, the Bleed is reduced or eliminated by using both ink "pH sensitive" as the "target" ink. Typically, as the invasion of a black dye in a colored ink creates more problems that on the contrary, due to its greater visibility, the ink black would incorporate the pH-sensitive dye and the pH of the ink of color would be controlled by practicing the invention, such so that black ink would be prevented from running by entering the color ink The method of US Patent No. 5,181,045 requires a pH difference of approximately 4 (or, even, 5) units to control the shift completely.

U.S. Patent No. 5,785,743 (entitled "Reduction of bleed in inks for printing by inkjet thanks to the use of organic acids ", presented by Adamic and others on December 6, 1995, and assigned to it assignee than the present invention) and US Patent No. 5,679,143 (entitled "Reduction of bleed inks for inkjet printing thanks to the use of acids that they contain a basic functional group ", presented by Looman and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention) describe, In addition, methods to control the shift by forcing the precipitation of a pH sensitive dye in an ink (the ink pH sensitive) in the printing medium by contacting the pH sensitive dye with a second ink (the target ink) that It has an appropriate pH (higher or lower than that of the first ink). Upon contact with the printing medium, the sensitive dye at the pH of the first ink, it becomes insoluble, achieving that run less. U.S. Patent No. 5,785,743 describes the use of organic acids to reduce the necessary pH difference to achieve the precipitation of a dye with sensitive dye at pH compared to what is described in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 5,181,045. US patent 5,679,143 makes use of an organic acid without functional groups basic and a pH regulating organic compound that contains functional groups, both acidic and basic, specifically at at least one acid functional group and at least one functional group basic, the number of basic functional groups being equal or greater than the number of acid functional groups. The presence of organic acid in the inkjet printing composition of ink, reduces the difference in pH required for the dye pH sensitive of a second printing ink composition with invasive inkjet, be insoluble, as described in the U.S. Patent No. 5,785,743 cited above. The presence of pH regulating compound with double function further increases the concentration of an acid functional group in the composition of ink for inkjet printing, while also Increase the pH of the ink composition for jet printing of ink, up to acceptable levels. Therefore, the compound Dual function pH regulator increases the reduction of bleed that is achieved by an organic acid only, according to the mechanism described in the US patent no. 5,785,743.

In order to avoid that there is a shift of the primary colors (for example, cyan, magenta and yellow) and the secondary (for example, red, blue and green) with black, all three Primary colors are designed to be reactive with the black ink according to reaction mechanisms such as described above (multivalent metal salt, dye pH sensitive).

U.S. Patent No. 4,694,302 describes a method to increase water resistance the print quality of an ink used in jet printers from ink. The method involves providing a reactive species that reacts with a component of the substrate to form a polymer that bind the ink dye to the polymer lattice. Alternatively, a separate reactive component may be deposited on the substrate,  in the same place as the reactive species, which causes a polymer reaction In this case, the ink can be found in one or other, or in both, reactive components. It also describes a Inkjet printer in unwanted holes.

The previous solutions that make use of reactive inks, although they have merit, do not exploit the maximum design flexibility of the inks or the printing system in They are used. For example, the use of reactive ink systems it can lead to unwanted mixing of the reactive inks, thus contributing to the emergence of reliability problems of the printing system, particularly in head layouts of compact printing or compact delivery arrangements of ink.

US patent application serial number 09/069717, entitled "Set of reactive inks for inkjet printing", filed on April 29, 1998 by Askeland et al., Of which the present application claims priority, describes a set of inks and a method for printing using it, wherein the set of inks comprises inks comprising an aqueous vehicle and a dye, the set of inks comprising at least two mutually reactive inks and a non-reactive ink with said at least two inks mutually reactive The set of inks takes advantage of the reactive inks while allowing flexibility in the design of the inks and in the architecture of the inkjet printing systems in which
use

The US patent application number of 09/069616 series, entitled "Ink supply with multiple cameras ", presented on April 29, 1998 by Askeland and others, of which the present application also claims priority, describes an inkjet printing system and a ink supply settings that can take advantage of advantages of reactive inks while allowing maximum flexibility in the design and architecture of the system inkjet printing. The jet printing device ink comprises a printhead part that has, at less, three parts of ejector; a deposit part comprising at least three ink chambers, each of them to provide ink to one of said at least three ejector parts, including two of the ink chambers, each one, one of the first or a second mutually reactive inks and including the other chamber of non reactive ink with the first nor with the second inks mutually reactive

US patent applications serial numbers 09/069717 and 09/069616 treat undesirable mixing  of colors (for example, shifting) and / or other attributes of Image quality When the ink set includes a non reactive ink with the first ink, a method of printing (the background printing method) to reduce the shift between the first ink and the non-reactive ink or for improve other attributes of the printing system. When applying the "background printing" method, in an area (referred to as which follows first area) in which it is to be printed with the first ink (for example, black), is also printed, at least partially, with said at least one reactive ink (for example, magenta or yellow) with the first ink, thus reducing to a minimum the mixture of colors between the first area and a second area to be printed with non-reactive ink.

Therefore, there is a need for a system of inkjet printing and supply configuration of ink, which can take advantage of reactive inks while allowing maximum flexibility in design and architecture of the inkjet printing system.

Exhibition of the invention

In accordance with the present invention, provides an apparatus for fluid delivery, to provide fluid to an inkjet printing system, comprising the apparatus for fluid delivery: a plurality of chambers of reservoir containing, each, a fluid, including the fluid from a reagent fluid storage chamber and characterized in that the fluid from at least one of the other deposit chambers includes an ink that is not reactive with the reactive fluid.

The present invention also provides a inkjet printing apparatus, comprising: a part printhead that has at least a head portion of full print, having the printhead part at minus two ejector parts; and that also has at least one fluid delivery apparatus associated with the head part of printing, in which each deposit chamber is intended for providing fluid to one of said at least two ejector parts. The fluid delivery apparatus is as defined. previously and, in addition, it comprises a deposit part that has, at least one part of the entire deposit, having the part of deposit, at least two of the deposit chambers, serving each reservoir chamber to provide fluid to the printing system by inkjet, including one of the deposit chambers the reactive fluid, including at least one of the other chambers of Deposit the non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid.

The inkjet printing system and the fluid delivery apparatus of the present invention, take advantage of the advantages of reactive fluids while allowing to have maximum flexibility in system design and architecture Inkjet printing.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic representation, not to scale, of an inkjet printing system that represents an inkjet printhead, a reservoir of fluid and control electronics.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation, not to scale, partially in section, of a printhead by full inkjet.

Figure 3 (a) is a representation schematic, not to scale, partially in section, of a head of inkjet printing with multiple printheads you know

Figure 3 (b) is a representation schematic, not to scale, partially in section, of another head of  inkjet printing with multiple printhead you know

Figure 3 (c) is a representation schematic, not to scale, partially in section, of another head of  inkjet printing with multiple printhead you know

Figure 3 (d) is a representation schematic, not to scale, partially in section, of another head of  inkjet printing with multiple printhead you know

Figure 3 (e) is a representation schematic, not to scale, partially in section, of another head of  inkjet printing with multiple printhead you know

Figure 4 is a schematic representation, not to scale, of a built-in fluid delivery system, in the that the fluid reservoir can be replaced regardless of Print head

Figure 5 is a schematic representation, not to scale, of an external fluid delivery system, in which the fluid reservoir is connected to the printhead through a conduit for fluid.

Detailed Description of the Invention Definitions

Fluid - includes the reactive fluid and / or the ink compositions

Reaction - When the solubility is changed or state of one or more dyes in at least one of two fluids reactive with each other, to immobilize the displacement of said to less a dye in the print medium in case the fluids come into contact with each other.

Reactive fluid - A substantially fluid devoid of color (i.e. the reactive fluid may not contain  dyes (e.g. dye or pigment) at all or may contain a dye that does not absorb visible light but can absorb infrared radiation and / or ultraviolet radiation). He reactive fluid comprises a component (a molecule or complex or a functional group of a molecule or complex) that is reactive with a component (a molecule or complex or a functional group of a molecule or complex) of an ink, thus providing a enhanced image integrity of printed areas created with the ink, such as an improved residence time (for example, water resistance or creep resistance) or relieve the shift more vivid colors, definition with greater definition of the edges or a reduced drying time; in the case that print with the reactive fluid and ink, at least partially, on the same default zone in a print medium, or in zones predetermined, adjacent to each other, in a medium of Print.

Reactive fluid - a fluid that is reactive with other fluid

Mutually reactive fluids - Fluids that They react with each other.

Full print head - A head of impression that has an array of droplet ejection parts that They are permanently attached to a rigid structure. The parts of Ejection are made of materials that include silicon, nickel, polyimide or a combination thereof. Such techniques of formation of a monolithic printhead are known in this field and are described in publications such as those of the US patents no. 4,438,191 and 4,922,265, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Print head part - A head of print comprising one or more printhead parts you know

Full deposit part - A part of deposit comprising a plurality of deposit chambers in the that the plurality of deposit chambers are permanently fixed with respect to each other.

Full-length print cartridge - A part of the inkjet printhead and at least one camera deposit, or a part of integral deposit, that form a cartridge Full print.

Built-in (on the axis) - A category of inkjet printers that use printheads disposables in which fluid deposits are found incorporated in the car. Deposits may be formed of one piece with the printhead parts or be connected separable with them.

External (off-axis) - A category of inkjet printers that use fluid reservoirs that They are not located in the car. In one case, the deposit filled with fluid, intermittently, the printhead when it periodically travels to a stationary deposit for purposes of filling. Another type makes use of a replaceable ink tank connected to the printhead through a conduit to fluid. The print head is filled with fluid through This fluid conduit.

Sweep axis - Movement defined axis of a car associated with the printing system.

Description

Referring now to Figure 1, it illustrates a schematic representation, not to scale, of a system 100 inkjet printing that includes a 105 system of delivery of multi-color inks of the present invention, which employs at least two fluids, including the fluids a fluid reagent and a non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid. The fluids may also include at least one reactive ink with the reactive fluid to improve any one of several attributes of the printing system, such as shifting reduction, the smudge resistance, reduced drying time. He printing system 100 includes a head part 110 of print receiving signals from electronics 130 of printing system control via electronic link 140, to deposit, in response to them, selectively, fluid droplets available from a reservoir part 120 of fluid, on a printing medium 90.

The print head 110 comprises a plurality of ejection parts 115 for projecting fluids different. In an illustrative embodiment. Part 115 of Ejection comprises ejection parts 115K, 115C, 115M, 115Y and 115F to eject black, cyan, magenta and yellow and fluid inks reagent, respectively. However, they can be used more or less inks and reactive fluids, with the same or different composition, depending on the printing application and grade desired for print quality, color gamut and others desired printing attributes.

Each ejector part receives fluid from a separate deposit chamber (although in some embodiments it is possible to have more than one deposit chamber, including for supply the same fluid to an ejector part). In a illustrative embodiment, the reservoir part 120 includes cameras 120K, 120C, 120M and 120Y tank to contain black inks, cyan, magenta and yellow and 120Y to contain reactive fluid "F", respectively. Deposit chambers can be formed integrally with the print head part 110 or they can be detachably connected to the head part printing, as in the case of an external system or a system Incorporated. For example, there may be a separation part 160 optional between the deposit part and the head part of Print. Each deposit chamber can be replaced so individual. In a preferred embodiment, to simplify the fluid delivery system, the reservoir chambers are formed as a part 120 of integral deposit, to be replaced as a unit (i.e. a deposit part full).

In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of ejector portions 115 are arranged along an axis geometric to simplify and achieve maximum efficiency in the use of space. This axis will be called the "A" axis of the grouping To achieve maximum efficiency in the use of space, the "A" axis of the grouping is parallel to the "S" axis of scanning, in relation to the direction of displacement of the printhead part over the middle of printing during a printing operation.

In the rest of the exhibition, by way of example, unless otherwise indicated, the expression will be used "image integrity" to describe the desired effect obtained as a result of the reaction between reactive fluids, by example, between a reactive ink with the reactive fluid or between two mutually reactive inks and expressions will be used "black", "cyan", "magenta" and "yellow" for refer to the inks, from the first to the fourth. Besides, the expression "image integrity" will encompass attributes of impression such as shifting reduction, a time of reduced drying, smudge resistance and resistance to water, which may be affected as a result of the reaction between two reactive fluids. In addition, when reference is made to a reactive ink with the reactive fluid, the ink can be reactive or not reactive with other ink.

As an example, Figure 1 represents a inkjet printing system that employs five cameras different tank, 120K, 120C, 120M and 120Y, to contain four different inks, the first to fourth inks; and 120F for contain the reactive fluid F, respectively, in which the fluid reagent is reactive with at least one ink. In one embodiment, the reactive fluid and said at least one reactive ink with the reactive fluid are used in a printhead part full. In another embodiment, the fluid assembly comprises, in addition, an ink not reactive with the reagent. In the realization that employs a full print head, the fluid assembly preferably includes a nonreactive ink with the fluid reagent. In a preferred embodiment, the reactive fluid and said at least one reactive ink with the reactive fluid are used in a full print head part. In one embodiment preferred, the reactive fluid is reactive with at least one of the black, cyan and magenta inks, more preferably with inks black, cyan and magenta, and not reactive with yellow ink. further that the reactive fluid is reactive with at least one ink and not reactive with at least one ink, at least two of the inks they are reactive with each other (also called "inks mutually reactive "), for example, black ink is reactive with, at less, magenta ink or yellow ink and, preferably, with the magenta and yellow inks; and more preferably, cyan ink It is not reactive with black ink. Those skilled in the art they will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to a fixed number of inks and reactive fluids and that in the set of fluids can used more or less fluids, these having the same or Different compositions

In one embodiment, the inks are nonreactive. between them but are reactive with the reactive fluid, except of the ink associated with the droplet ejection portion positioned next to the droplet ejection part associated with the fluid reactive, also the exceptional ink, not reactive with the reactive fluid

It is not uncommon for fluids (including inks and reactive fluids) are plugged into the nozzle plate of the inkjet print head. This waterlogged, in turn, it can lead to fluids mixing, for example, during The cleaning process. This mixing of fluids, especially when reactive fluids are used in association with a head of full printing, may result in the appearance of problems related to the reliability of cameras Shooting. Therefore, when solutions are used in which reactive fluids are involved, (regardless of whether the reaction it is between two inks or between an ink and the reactive fluid) such as described above (or any other approach of reactive type in that matter), it is preferable to separate the parts of ejector associated with fluids that are reactive with each other (i.e. mutually reactive fluids). Thus, it is preferred that mutually reactive fluids are separated by at least one ejector part associated with a fluid not reactive with the fluids mutually reactive, in order to provide a buffer zone of separation between mutually reactive fluids. In others words, in a full print head configuration, two non-mutually reactive fluids are associated with parts of ejector that are adjacent to each other. This preference regarding separation of adjacent ejector parts associated with inks mutually reactive exists in all embodiments that are will describe in the rest of the description of the present invention. In A preferred embodiment, the reactive fluid is non-reactive with the minus an ink associated with the ejector portion adjacent to the ejector part associated with the reactive fluid. In a embodiment, the reactive fluid and said at least one ink not reactive with the reactive fluid, they are contained in a part of full deposit. In another embodiment, the reactive fluid and said at least one ink not reactive with the reactive fluid, are used in a full print head part. In one embodiment preferred, the reactive fluid is non-reactive with the fourth ink; the first ink is mutually reactive with the third ink and, preferably, with the third and fourth inks; and the First ink is not reactive with the second ink. In a preferred embodiment, the first, the second, the third and the Fourth inks are, respectively, black, cyan, magenta and yellow.

The reaction between mutually reactive fluids you can make use of any of the well known mechanisms of the art such as the use of a pH sensitive dye, or the use of a precipitation agent, as described in the applications and in the aforementioned patents. The present invention can be used in any reactive system, with independence of the purpose of the reaction, when the fluid reagent is reactive with at least one ink and also when at least two of the inks are reactive with each other, such as when the first ink is designed to be reactive with the third and, optionally, the fourth ink. The reaction (s) they can serve to improve any one of several attributes desired relative to the integrity of the image. In addition, the scheme reaction, between any two reactive fluids (for example, the fluids one and two) can be the same or different than the reaction schemes between any other two reactive fluids (for example, fluids three and four or fluids one and four) including reactions between inks and between fluid reagent and an ink; and each reaction scheme can comprise one or more reaction mechanisms (for example, metal salts multivalent, crosslinking reaction).

The fluid assemblies used by the present invention will improve the integrity of the image (for example, the shift) between adjacent printed areas when one of the areas Adjacent is printed, at least partially, with at least one first reactive fluid and the other area is printed with at least one other second reactive fluid that is with the first reactive fluid or, in an alternative embodiment, one of the adjacent areas printed (or to be printed) with a reactive ink with the reactive fluid is also printed, at least partially, with the reactive fluid, and the other printed area is printed with another ink which may or may not be reactive with any of the two fluids with that has been printed in the first adjacent printed area. The present fluid sets can also improve others image integrity attributes, such as resistance to blurring and water resistance, when in an area that has if printed with a reactive ink with the reactive fluid, it also prints, at least partially, with the reactive fluid, since either before, after or substantially simultaneously with the reactive ink In an alternative embodiment, the set of Fluids comprise at least two mutually reactive inks. In other embodiment that employs at least two mutually reactive inks, a non-reactive ink can be used (for example, the second ink) with mutually reactive inks, such that the ink not reactive associate with the ejector part located between ejector parts associated with the two inks mutually reactive

When an area adjacent to another is to be printed area printed with a non-reactive ink with any other fluid, it is preferred that the non-reactive ink (for example, the fourth ink) have a color, preferably yellow, which presents the less objectionable dissemination in its adjacent printed areas.

In the aforementioned descriptions such as inks, reactive, non-reactive fluid arrangements; he tank, printhead and cartridge arrangements of printing will also be applicable to the figures in what follow.

Referring now to Figure 2, it shows, with start-up, a 500 part printhead integral comprising a plurality of parts 550; 550K, 550C, 550M and 550Y ejector, to project a plurality of inks, and 550F to project a reactive fluid with only the parts illustrated Ejector In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of inks includes black, cyan, magenta and yellow inks. Every part of ejector of the printhead part 500 includes at least a row of nozzles or holes to project an associated ink with the ejector part and preferably arranged along an axis geometric "P" of the paper, perpendicular to the scan axis "S". The reactive fluid is reactive with at least one of the inks and, preferably, non-reactive with the ink associated with the ejector part adjacent to the ejector part associated with the reactive fluid In an alternative embodiment, at least two of the inks, for example the first and third inks, are mutually reactive In a preferred embodiment, the first ink is black

Referring now to Figure 3 (a), the 600 printhead part has been divided into two heads of full print 600I and 600II. In a preferred embodiment, the 600I printhead comprises ejector parts 660K and 600C, and the 600II printhead comprises ejector parts 600M, 600Y and 600F. Each of the ejector parts, such as the 600K, can comprise one or more corresponding ejector parts (for For example, there may be two ejector parts associated with a fluid, such as black ink, being the association with one or more cameras of Deposit. In one embodiment, ejector parts 600K and 600C are associated with black and cyan inks, and parts of 600M, 600Y and 600F ejector are associated with magenta and inks yellow and the reactive fluid, respectively, the inks being magenta and yellow reactive with black ink and ink being non-reactive cyan with black ink and preferably ink yellow is not reactive with reactive fluid or ink magenta.

Referring now to Figure 3 (b), the printhead part 610 has been divided into two heads of full print 610I and 610II. In a preferred embodiment, the 610I printhead comprises ejector parts 610K, 610C and 610M; and the printhead 610II comprises ejector parts 610Y and 610F. In one embodiment, ejector parts 610K, 610C and 610M are associated with black, cyan and magenta inks; and the ejector parts 610Y and 610F are associated with yellow ink and the reactive fluid, respectively, the inks being magenta and yellow reactive with black ink and non-reactive cyan ink with black and magenta inks.

Referring now to Figure 3 (c), the printhead part 620 has been divided into two heads of full print 620I and 620II. In a preferred embodiment, the 620I printhead comprises ejector parts 620K1, 620K2 and 620C; and print head 620II It comprises ejector parts 620M, 620Y and 620 F. How can you observe, more than one part of ejector, for example, 620K_ {1}, 620K2, are associated with a single fluid, for example, ink black In one embodiment, ejector parts 620K_ {1,} 620K_ {2} are associated with black ink and 620C is associated with cyan ink; and ejector parts 620M, 620Y and 620F are associated with magenta and yellow inks and fluid reagent, respectively, being the magenta and yellow inks reactive with black ink and being cyan ink not reactive with black ink

Referring now to Figure 3 (d) the printhead part 630 has been divided into two heads of 630I and 630II full print. In a preferred embodiment, the 630I printhead comprises the 630K ejector parts, 630C, 630M and 630Y; and the printhead 630II comprises the part of ejector 630F. In one embodiment, the ejector parts 630K, 630C, 630M and 630Y are associated with black, cyan, magenta and yellow; and the ejector part 630F is associated with the reactive fluid, respectively, the inks being magenta and yellow reactive with black ink and cyan ink being not Reactive with black ink. In another embodiment, the inks are not reactive with each other but are reactive with the reactive fluid.

Referring to Figure 3 (e), the part of 640 printhead has been divided into three heads of full print, 640I, 640II and 640III. In one embodiment preferred, the print head 640I comprises the parts of ejector 640F1, 640Y1 and 640C1; print head 640II comprises ejector parts 640M, 640K and 640M2; and the 640III print head comprises ejector parts 640C2, 640Y2 and 640F2. In one embodiment, the parts of ejector 640K, 640C 1 and 640 C 2, 640 M 1 and 640 M 2 and 640Y_ {1} and 640Y_ {2}, are associated with black, cyan, magenta and yellow; and ejector parts 640F_ {1} and 640F_ {2} they are associated with the reactive fluid, respectively. In a embodiment, the cyan and yellow inks are reactive with the ink black and magenta ink is not reactive with black ink.

Referring now to Figure 4, it is schematically shows an embodiment of the system 105 'of ink delivery The 105 'ink delivery system includes a print head part 110 'comprising a plurality of 115 'ejector parts for projecting different fluids, and a tank part 120 'for supplying fluids to part 110' of printhead via 150 'fluid outlets and inlets 130 'of fluid. When each 150 'fluid outlet is connected to each fluid inlet 130 ', a fluid connection is formed that couples in fluid communication a reservoir chamber containing a particular fluid with a corresponding ejector part of a printhead part that uses the same fluid.

In preferred embodiments, outputs 150 'of fluid, including outputs 150'K, 150'C, 150'M, 150'Y and 150'F are configured to connect with 130'K fluid inlets, 130'C, 130'M, 130'Y and 130'F respectively, providing this black, cyan, magenta and yellow inks mode from their corresponding cameras 120'K, 120'C, 120'M and 120'Y of deposit fluid, and the 120'F chamber of reactive fluid reservoir at ejector parts 115'K, 115'C, 115'M, 115'Y, and 115'F, respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, for reasons of design compactness, fluid outlets 150 ', inlets 130' of fluid, reservoir chambers 120 'and ejector parts 115' are arranged along a geometric axis of grouping that, preferably, it is parallel to the "S" scan axis.

The reactive fluid is reactive with at least one ink, preferably with three inks. In one embodiment, at At least two of the inks are mutually reactive. In one embodiment Preferred, the first ink is black. Preferably, the first ink is mutually reactive with the third ink and, preferably, with both third and fourth inks, and it is not reactive with the second ink, and the reactive fluid is non-reactive With the fourth ink. In the preferred embodiment, the inks first, second, third and fourth are black, cyan, magenta and yellow.

In a preferred embodiment, the 120'K cameras, 120'C, 120'M and 120'Y deposit and their corresponding outputs 150'K, 150'C, 150'M, 150'Y and 150'F fluid are located according to the "S" scan axis, with a positioning order default same as for its corresponding ejector parts 115'K, 115'C, 115'M, 115'Y and 115'F and their corresponding inputs of fluid 130'K, 130'C, 130'M, 130'Y and 130'F, respectively. This similar positioning order, as shown in Figure 4, allows to maintain a maximum distance between the connections of fluid that connect mutually reactive fluids, minimizing therefore unwanted contamination between fluids mutually reagents, in particular in the case of a possible leakage of the fluid connections

Figure 5 illustrates a representation of a realization of a 100 '' printing system. System 100 '' print includes a 230''A print media input and 230''B output, trays for storing print media (no shown) both before and after, respectively, that the medium Printing be fed through a printing area 232``. A carriage 234 '' supports a 110 '' printhead part and moves over the print zone 232 '' in a direction of "S" scan to allow ejector parts (not shown) associated with the 110 '' printhead parts selectively deposit one or more fluids on the medium of Print. The 110 '' printhead part is connected to fluid communication relationship with a reservoir part 120 '' through a duct 216 ''. The deposit part 120 '' can be located in a place that moves with car 234 '' or in a place that does not move with it, to allow configurations car variables. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the 110 '' printhead part comprising five parts of Ejector 115''K, 115''C, 115''M, 115''Y and 115''F (not shown) is separated from the 120 '' part of the tank comprising five chambers 120''K, 120''C, 120''M, 120''Y and 120''F deposit, to allow that the deposit part 120 '' be placed at a point where it is not ride with the expensive 234 ''. 110 '' print head receives ink and reactive fluid from the 120 '' reservoir parts through the 216 '' duct.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number and color of the ink set and reactive fluid of the set  of fluids is not limited by the examples above and that may use a greater or lesser number of inks with the same colors or different. It should also be noted that the designation of inks first to fourth is not limited to black, cyan, magenta and yellow and also that when a subset is used no reagent, any one of the inks can define the subset not reactive. As an example, the ink set could understand: black, cyan1, cyan2, magenta1, magenta2 and yellow, referring to the designations "1" and "2" inks with the same color but with different dye concentrations or the same ink composition, or black, cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, blue and white, to provide a wider range of colors. In addition, the reagent fluid reservoir and its corresponding ejector part may be located in any one or more locations consistent with the present invention, for example in one or on both sides of the inks as illustrated, for example, in the configuration depicted in Figure 3 (e). Preferably,  consistent with the present invention, any two fluids associated with ejector parts placed together are mutually non reactive.

Fluids

The present set of fluids comprises, at less, a reactive fluid and at least one reactive ink with the reactive fluid and, preferably, at least one non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid. The fluids comprise an aqueous vehicle. The inks further comprise at least one dye. The fluid reagent further comprises at least one component to react with at least one component of said at least one ink with which The reactive fluid is reactive. At least one ink, from preference all and, most preferably all but one, is reactive with the reactive fluid. In one embodiment, at least two of inks are mutually reactive (for example, inks first and third). In another embodiment, the ink set It comprises at least one non-reactive ink (for example, the second ink) with at least two mutually reactive inks.

The reaction between the reactive fluids can follow any one of the mechanisms, well known in the technique, such as the use of a pH sensitive dye, or the use of a precipitation agent, as described in the applications and in the aforementioned patents. The present invention can be used in any reactive system when the reactive fluid Be reactive with at least one ink. As established at In principle, the reaction between the reactive fluids can serve to improve any of several printing system attributes such as bleed relief, resistance to blurring, reduced drying time, or any other desirable attribute. In addition, the reaction scheme between two fluids any reagents (for example, fluid one and fluid two) it may be the same or different as the reaction schemes between two other reactive fluids. (for example, the fluid three and fluid four or fluid one and fluid four); and every reaction scheme may comprise one or more mechanisms of reaction, such as those described in the patent application American serial number 09/064643, entitled "Set of inks for improved print quality "by Ma y collaborators, filed on April 22, 1998 and assigned to assignee of the present invention, and which is incorporated in its entirety to this memory as a reference.

Aqueous vehicle

The aqueous vehicle is water or a mixture of water and at least one water soluble organic solvent, as is well known in the art. The selection of a suitable mixture depends of the needs of the specific application, such as the desired surface tension and viscosity, the chosen dye, the drying time of the fluid that forms the inkjet and the type of printing medium on which the fluid will be printed.

Reactive components

Depending on the reaction mechanism used, reactive fluids may have additional ingredients. By example, when the reaction mechanism to reduce the shift is the precipitation of a pH sensitive dye in the first ink, reactive fluid and / or third and fourth reactive inks, they comprise an organic acid in sufficient quantity to make the pH sensitive dye of the first ink is insoluble by contact, as described in US Patent 5,679,143 and in the US application 08/567974, previously mentioned. Similarly, when the section mechanism is based on the use of a precipitation agent, such as salts of multi-valent metals, as described in the aforementioned patents, reactive fluid and / or inks third and fourth contain a precipitation agent, for example, a multi-valent metal salt.

Alternatively, when there are multiple reaction schemes such as those described by Ma, all the desired reactive components mutually compatible in a given fluid composition may be present in the fluid reagent and in any other reactive ink. For example, Ma describes a set of printing liquids comprising: a first anionic printing liquid comprising a vehicle aqueous, at least a first dye and at least a first anionic polymer; a second liquid for anionic printing that comprises an aqueous vehicle, at least a second dye, at minus a second anionic polymer, and an acid additive that has a pKa of up to pKa of said at least one first polymer of the first printing liquid; a third liquid for cationic printing comprising an aqueous vehicle, at least a third dye, at minus a third cationic polymer and a pH in the range of from about 2 to about 5; and a fourth liquid for anionic impression comprising an aqueous vehicle, at least one fourth anionic dye and a precipitation agent. By way of example, and without this implying a limitation of the present invention, Ma provides the set of inks and schemes of following reaction:

Used carbon black pigment as a dye in the first ink. He first black ink smoke pigment, black (K), se stabilizes by a carboxylated polymer dispersing agent (anionic) and the ink has a pH of approximately 8.

Pigment Magenta of the second ink, Magenta (M), is stabilized by a sulfonated or phosphonated (anionic) polymer dispersing agent. The Magenta ink has a carboxylic acid additive and a pH of approximately 3.

Pigment third ink yellow, yellow (Y), is stabilized by a cationic polymer dispersing agent and the ink has a pH of, approximately 3.

Dye Cyan of the fourth ink, Cyan (C), is an anionic dye soluble in Water. Cyan ink also contains a precipitation agent, in this case a multi-valent metal salt and, optionally, a carboxylic acid additive. The ink has a pH of approximately 3.

The reaction between black and magenta inks is caused by the difference in pH between both and the hydrogen ions in excess of the magenta ink. Black ink and yellow ink react under load opposite between the dispersing agents for black pigments and yellow. Black ink and cyan ink react due to the precipitation of black pigment dispersed by metal ions multi-valent (precipitation agent). Further, when the fourth ink (for example, cyan) contains the acid optional, the pH difference between cyan and black inks improves, additionally, the precipitation of the ink dye black

The reaction between magenta and yellow inks is caused by loading opposite between the dispersing agents for the magenta pigments and yellow. Magenta and Cyan inks react under metal multi-valent precipitating magenta pigment scattered

And finally, yellow ink and cyan ink react due to loading opposite between the dispersed yellow pigment and the dye cyan

In the present invention, the reactive fluid can contain all the aforementioned reactive components mutually compatible, in order to provide the mechanisms of appropriate reaction between the reactive fluid and a reactive ink with the reactive fluid or between two mutually reactive inks. It is also within the scope of the present invention to have a set of inks in which the reactive fluid may have to react with more than one ink to achieve the desired result (that is, the reactive fluid can provide such a component that, in the event that the reactive fluid and two inks enter contact each other in a print medium, take place a desirable reaction).

In addition, the reactive fluid may contain polymeric or crosslinkable components to make images Be more permanent. For example, reactive fluids (for example, the reactive fluid and an ink reactive with the fluid reagent) may each contain a component that reacts with the component of the other reactive fluid, such that, at react, make the printed image more permanent.

Dyes

The dyes can be based on dyes or pigment base As used in this document, the term "pigment" refers to a dye insoluble in the aqueous vehicle, and includes dispersed dyes, as well as pigments that have been dispersed with the help of a dispersant that disperse for themselves.

The dyes used in the inks can be based on dyes or pigments. The choice of dyes It depends on the particular printing application. As in the case of the dye for the first ink, the choice of the dye it also depends on the reaction mechanism chosen, for example - use of pH sensitive dye or use of an agent precipitation (e.g., multivalent metal salt) or any Another suitable reaction mechanism.

Examples of suitable dyes used in the First ink include organic dyes with at least one, and of preferably two or more, carboxyl and / or carboxylate groups, examples of which are listed in U.S. Patent No. 4,963,189 (presented by Hindagolla and assigned to the same assignee of the present invention and which is incorporated herein by reference), and dispersions of carboxylated pigments having a dye insoluble in water (e.g. pigment) dispersed with a dispersant preferably containing solubilizing groups of carboxylate, such as those described in US Pat. no. 5,085,698 and in US Patent 5,555,008, both incorporated herein as references; or pigments self-dispensed obtained under the trade name Cabojet ™ of the Cabot Company.

The dyes for use in the other inks, is that is, the second, third and fourth inks are well known in the technique and are, for example, as described in the patents and requests mentioned above.

Additional components

The fluids may also comprise additional components such as bircida, surfactants and the like, all of which are additives commonly used in Inkjet printing.

Printing method

The fluid assemblies in which the The present invention will improve the integrity of the images (by example, shifting) between adjacent printed areas when a of the adjacent areas is printed, at least partially, with by at least one reactive fluid and the other adjacent area is printed, at less partially, with at least one other reactive fluid with said at least one reactive fluid. The present sets of fluids can also improve the integrity of the images (by example, smudge resistance and resistance to water) when an area to be printed with a reactive ink is printed, also, at least partially, with the reactive fluid, before, after or substantially simultaneously, with the ink reactive

The printing method comprises:

provide a set of fluids to inkjet printing comprising at least three fluids, the fluid set comprising at least two fluids mutually reagents, wherein said at least two reactive fluids they comprise at least one reactive fluid and at least one ink reactive with the reactive fluid, and at least one non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid;

select a first default zone in a printing medium;

print at least one drop of a reactive fluid over the first default print zone to create a first printed item;

print at least one drop of the other fluid reagent on the printing medium to create a second element printed, such that the second printed element overlaps, at least partially, with the first element printed, thus causing a reaction between said at least one drop of said reactive fluid and the other reactive fluid in the printing medium, thereby improving a print attribute

In another embodiment, separate or complementary of the printing method described above, the printing method understands:

provide a fluid set for inkjet printing, the set of fluids comprising at least three fluids, the fluid set comprising at least two fluids mutually reagents, wherein said at least two reactive fluids they comprise at least one reactive fluid and at least one ink reactive with the reactive fluid, and at least one non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid;

select one first default zone in a print medium;

select one second default print zone in the print media adjacent to the first predetermined printing zone;

print to minus one drop of a reactive fluid in the first printing zone default to create a first printed item;

print to minus one drop of the other reactive fluid on the printing medium to create a second printed element, such that the second element printed overlaps, at least partially, with the first element printed, thereby causing a reaction between said at least one drop of the first reactive fluid and the other reactive fluid in the printing medium;

print to minus one drop of the non-reactive ink on the second zone of default print;

reducing by minimally mixing said at least one drop of ink reactive with the reactive fluid with said at least one drop of the non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid in the printing medium, thereby reducing the shift between printing areas adjacent.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the reaction between the reactive fluid and the reactive ink with the fluid reagent can take place regardless of the order in which it deposit fluid droplets on the print medium reagent and reactive ink with the reactive fluid. For example, the reactive fluid may be deposited first, then or in a manner substantially simultaneous with the ink reactive with the fluid reagent, such as black ink, as may be required to Get the desired result. Similarly, the ink with which it You have to print in the second print zone can be deposited first, followed by the deposition of the reactive fluid and the ink reactive with the reactive fluid in the first printer, respectively.

Industrial Field of Application

The present apparatus for printing is expected by inkjet and the present fluid delivery apparatus find a commercial use in inkjet printing.

Thus, a printing apparatus has been described by inkjet and a fluid delivery device. To the experts in the art it will be readily apparent that they can various changes and modifications be made, of an obvious nature, without going beyond the scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims.

Claims (11)

1. An apparatus (105) for ink delivery, for provide fluid to a jet printing system (100) of ink, whose fluid delivery apparatus comprises: a plurality of reservoir chambers (120C, 120K, 120M, 120Y, 120F), each of which contains a fluid, including the fluid of a reservoir chamber a reactive fluid and characterized in that: the fluid of at least one of the other deposit chambers includes a non-reactive ink with the reactive fluid. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deposit chambers form a part (120) of full deposit. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or of the claim 2, further comprising: a deposit part that has at least one deposit part (120) integral, having the deposit part, at least two deposit chambers, each chamber being destined tank to provide fluid to the printing system by ink-jet. 4. A jet printing apparatus (100) of ink, comprising: at least one part (600) of printhead which has at least one part (600I, 600II) of head of full print, having the print head part (600) at least two ejector parts (600K, 600C, 600M, 600Y, 600F) and that, in addition, has a fluid delivery apparatus (105) according to claim 3, associated with the head part (600) of impression, in which each reservoir chamber provides fluid to one of said at least two ejector parts. 5. The fluid delivery device of the claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: Each deposit chamber contains one of one plurality of fluids, including the plurality of fluids at least two mutually reactive fluids and at least one non-reactive ink with said at least two mutually reactive fluids, in which one of said at least two mutually reactive fluids is a reactive fluid and the other is an ink that reacts with the fluid reagent. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the storage chambers that include at least the reactive fluid and the ink not reactive with the reactive fluid, form a part (120) full deposit. 7. The fluid delivery device of the claim 3, wherein: the deposit part has at least three of the deposit chambers and at least one of the respective chambers, It includes an ink that is reactive with the reactive fluid. 8. The apparatus of claim 3 or of the claim 5 or claim 7, wherein the chambers of tank containing the reactive fluid and the reactive ink with the reactive fluid, they form integral deposit parts, different. 9. An apparatus (100) for jet printing of ink, comprising: at least one part (600) of printhead which has at least one part (600I, 600II) of head of full print, having the print head part (600) at least three ejector parts (600K, 600C, 600M, 600Y, 600F) and which also has at least one device (105) for fluid delivery according to claim 7, associated with the head part (600) of impression, in which each reservoir chamber provides fluid to one of those cited at least three parts of ejector. 10. The apparatus of claim 4 or of the claim 9, wherein said at least one part (600I, 600II) of integral print head and said at least a part (120) of deposit associated with said at least one part (600I, 600II) of full print head, form a print cartridge of a single piece 11. The apparatus of claim 4 or of the claim 9, wherein said at least a portion (120) of tank is intended to be removably mounted on said at minus one part (600I, 600II) of full print head associated with said at least one deposit part.