JP2000280462A - Ink pellet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink pellet of a hot melt ink with a hole formed through between opposite surfaces so as to allow breathing of an infant, who has inadvertently swallowed the pellet, without choking. SOLUTION: Characters or graphics are printed on a recording medium by heating and melting a hot melt ink by an ink melting part provided with a heating means, and jetting the ink from a nozzle of a recording head. An ink pellet 11 used in such an ink-jet recording device is made of a solid hot melt ink with the ink amount set at an amount capable of printing one or more pages. A pellet main body 14 is formed in a shape with a grade difference part 13 produced in both of an upper surface 12 and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface 12. Furthermore, a through hole 18 is formed through between a front surface 16 and a rear surface 17 facing each other so as to allow breathing of a child by preventing choking of the throat of him even in the case where he inadvertently swallow the pellet 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink pellet made of a hot melt ink in a solid state at room temperature, which is used in an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording apparatus using a hot melt ink heats and melts the hot melt ink in an ink melting section provided with a heating means, and performs main scanning of a recording head having a large number of nozzles, and ink from the nozzles. By jetting and spraying droplets, characters and figures are printed on a recording medium. As described in JP-A-10-34957 or JP-A-10-34960, the ink pellet used in such an ink jet recording apparatus may have a shape that can be stably supplied when used in the apparatus. is necessary. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink pellets used in such an ink-jet apparatus are similar in size and shape to confectionery such as caramel at first glance. Further, since the ink pellets have a peculiar odor, a fragrance may be blended in order to mask the odor, and in some cases, a fragrance used for food may be used. If such an ink pellet is left in a house or office where an infant is located, there is a risk that the infant may put it in their mouth and play, and furthermore, they may accidentally swallow the ink pellet for any reason. sell.
At this time, depending on the conditions, there is a risk that the ink pellets may block the airway and cause suffocation, and such an accident is of concern.

[0003]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a shape that prevents infants from swallowing and suffocating, or puts them in the mouth. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink pellet with less occurrence.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink pellet comprising a hot melt ink, wherein the ink pellet has a hole penetrating between opposing surfaces. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The ink pellet of the present invention has a hole penetrating between opposing surfaces. The combination of the opposing surfaces may be any of the top and bottom surfaces, both side surfaces, and the front and back surfaces. The through hole preferably has a diameter of 2 to 10 mm, more preferably 5 to 8 mm. Thereby, even when the infant accidentally swallows the ink pellet and clogs the throat, minimal ventilation is possible, so that treatment by a doctor or the like can be awaited. The hole penetrating between the opposing surfaces may be single or plural, and a plurality of holes may be formed on the opposing surfaces in different combinations.

FIG. 3 shows a throat passage model used according to the ST standard determined by the Japan Toy Association (ST standard, issued by the Japan Toy Association). The throat passage model shown in FIG. Simulates the size of the airway. It is preferable that the ink pellet of the present invention has a size and shape that cannot be accommodated at any position in the throat passage model shown in FIG. If the ink pellets are sized and shaped as described above, even if a child accidentally includes the ink pellets in their mouth, they cannot be swallowed, and there is no danger of suffocation.

The ink pellet of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 showing one embodiment of the present invention. An ink pellet 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the ink is made of a solid hot melt ink, has an ink amount capable of printing one or more pages, and has a residence time in a liquid state under normal use conditions that does not cause ink deterioration. It is set to be the ink amount. And the ink pellet 11 is, as shown in FIG.
It comprises an upper surface 12 and a pellet body 14 formed so as to form a step 13 on both sides of the lower surface of the upper surface 12. The pellet body 14 is inclined symmetrically so that the lateral widths of the both side surfaces 15 become narrower from the upper surface to the lower surface. The cross section of the pellet body 14 is rectangular.

The ink pellet 11 of the present invention has a through hole 18 penetrating between the front surface 16 and the back surface 17. Thereby, even when the infant accidentally swallows the ink pellet and gets stuck in the throat, minimal ventilation is possible, so that a doctor or the like can wait for treatment.

It is preferable that the ink pellet 11 has a size and a shape that cannot be accommodated at any position in the throat passage model shown in FIG. If the ink pellets are sized and shaped as described above, even if a child accidentally includes the ink pellets in their mouth, they cannot be swallowed, and there is no danger of suffocation. Ink pellet 11
Is heated and melted at 100 to 140 ° C. during use, and is kept in a liquid state in a storage container in a printer (not shown). In addition, the ink pellet of the present invention is not limited to FIG. 1 which is one embodiment of the present invention, and the shape of the pellet main body, the number of through holes, the installation position of the through holes, and the like can be appropriately changed.

The ink pellet of the present invention preferably contains a taste stimulant. The taste stimulant used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a bitterness-imparting agent, an acidity-imparting agent, and a pungency-imparting agent. Examples of the bittering agent include, for example, isoalpha-bitter acid, caffeine, agaric extract, kina extract, quinoidin extract, yellowfin extract, quasher extract, gentian extract, daidai extract, deobromine, naringin, nigaki extract object,
Examples include bittersweet extract, sprouts extract, Himematsutake extract, methylthioadenosine, mugwort extract, Reishi extract (Mannentake extract), denatonium benzoate, denatonium saccharide and the like. Of these, denatonium benzoate and denatonium saccharide are preferred. Denatonium benzoate and denatonium saccharide can impart strong bitterness to ink with only a small addition, and can stimulate taste without changing the properties of the ink. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The added amount of these taste stimulants is preferably 50 to 200 ppm in the ink composition. Since the taste stimulant only needs to express bitterness in a solid state, when it is put into a printer and held at the ink melting temperature,
Even if the taste stimulant is denatured and loses bitterness, it does not affect the effect of the present invention at all. In addition, even if the taste stimulant is denatured and maintained as a by-product by being maintained at the ink melting temperature, it has a very small amount and does not affect the physical properties of the ink.

Since the ink pellets of the present invention contain a taste stimulant, even if an infant puts the ink pellets in the mouth, the infant feels strong irritation and immediately ejects the ink pellets. Can be greatly reduced.

The hot melt ink used in the present invention is an ink which solidifies at room temperature and liquefies by heating, and has a softening point of 40 to 140 ° C. and a melting point of 50 to 1 for example.
At 50 ° C., the ink viscosity when ejected from the nozzle of the printer is 10 to 40 mPa · s, preferably 30 to 40 mPa · s.
90% by weight of wax, 5 to 70% by weight of resin,
0.1 to 10% by weight of a coloring material and other additives (thickener, surfactant, solubilizer, etc.). The hot melt ink is a polyamide resin, a terpene resin,
It is preferable that a colorant, a surfactant, and various additives are mainly contained in a heat-meltable solid such as wax.

The above polyamide resin is obtained by polycondensation of an amine and an acid. Examples of the amine include hexamethylenediamine and the like. Examples of the acid include adipic acid and Sebacic acid, trimellitic anhydride, dimer acid and the like can be mentioned. Further, as having both an amine and an acid, 11
-Aminoundecanoic acid, 12-aminododecanoic acid and the like. By combining these,
A polyamide resin having desired properties (amine value, acid value) can be prepared. Examples of the polyamide resin include tomide 90, tomide 92, and tomide 39
1, tomide 394, tomide 394N, tomide 395, tomide 397, tomide 509, tomide 535, tomide 558, tomide 560,
Tomide 575, Tomide 1310, Tomide 1
350 (all manufactured by Fuji Kasei), Polyimide S-40H
A, Polyimide S-40E, Polyimide S-150, Polyimide S-52, Polyimide S-185, Polyimide S-1510, Polyimide S-1525, Polyimide S
-1635, Polyimide S-1962, Polyimide S-
2007, Polyamide S-2153 (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.), Versamide 335, Versamide 725, Versamide 744, Versamide 756, Versamide 930,
Versamide 940 (all manufactured by Henkel Hakusui) can be used. In the present invention, these may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the present invention, the amount of the polyamide resin is preferably 5 to 50% by weight based on the total weight of the ink. When the content of the polyamide resin in the ink is less than 5% by weight, not only a melt viscosity sufficient for discharging by an ink jet recording method cannot be obtained, but also
Neither the transparency of the ink nor the adhesion to the print medium is obtained. On the other hand, if the content of the polyamide resin in the ink exceeds 50% by weight, the melt viscosity of the ink becomes too high,
It becomes difficult to discharge good ink at the operating temperature of the printer head used for ink-jet recording, and the ink penetrates into the paper when attached to paper etc. Cannot be maintained in a good print quality due to peeling off from paper or the like. More preferably, it is 10 to 30% by weight.

The wax has a melting point of 50 to 200.
Those having a temperature of ° C and being stable to heat are preferred. As the wax, for example, petroleum wax, preferably paraffin wax or microcrystalline wax;
Vegetable waxes, preferably candelilla wax, carnauba wax, rice wax or jojoba solid wax; animal waxes, preferably beeswax, lanolin or whale wax; mineral waxes, preferably montan wax; synthetic hydrocarbons Hydrogenated wax, preferably hydrogenated castor oil, or hydrogenated castor oil derivative; modified wax, preferably montan wax derivative, paraffin wax derivative, microcrystalline wax derivative, or polyethylene Wax derivatives; synthetic fatty waxes such as higher fatty acids, preferably behenic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid,
Or lauric acid; ketone wax, preferably distearyl ketone; higher alcohol, preferably stearyl alcohol, or behenyl alcohol; hydroxystearic acid, preferably 12-hydroxystearic acid, or 12-hydroxystearic acid derivative, fatty acid amide Lauric acid amide, stearic acid amide, oleic acid amide, erucic acid amide, ricinoleic acid amide, stearic acid ester amide, palmitic acid amide, behenic acid amide, brassic acid amide, N-oleyl stearic acid amide, N-stearyl stearic acid amide , N-oleyl palmitic acid amide, N-stearyl erucic acid amide and the like. A ketone, preferably stearone or laurone; an amine, preferably dodecylamine, tetradecylamine,
Or octadecylamine; ester, preferably methyl stearate, octadecyl stearate, glycerin fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, ethylene glycol fatty acid ester, or polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester; polymerized wax, preferably α- Olefin maleic anhydride copolymer wax and the like can be mentioned. These waxes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The amount of the wax added is preferably 20 to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the ink. 20
If the amount is less than the percentage by weight, the characteristics of other additives appear, so that the melting point of the ink increases and the ink does not melt sharply at the inkjet discharge temperature. On the other hand, if the content exceeds 90% by weight, the ink loses transparency and the melt viscosity becomes too low, so that a melt viscosity sufficient to function as an ink for inkjet recording cannot be obtained. Of the ink becomes low.

Examples of the terpene-based resin include polyterpenes and terpene-phenol copolymers. As the polyterpene, for example, Y
S resin PX1250, YS resin PX1150, YS
Resin PX1000, YS Resin TO125, YS Resin TO115, YS Resin TO105, Clearon P1
25, Clearon P115, Clearon P105, Clearon M115, Clearon M105 (all manufactured by Yashara Chemical Co., Ltd.). Examples of the terpene-phenol copolymer include YP-90L and YP-90L.
S polystar 2130, YS polystar 2115, YS
Polystar 2100, YS Polystar T145, YS Polystar T130, YS Polystar T115, YS Polystar T100 (all manufactured by Yashara Chemical Co., Ltd.) and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the present invention, the addition amount of the terpene resin is preferably 1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ink. If the amount is less than 1% by weight, the ink tends to discolor in a heated and melted state, and the sufficient effect of the present invention is not exhibited. If the amount exceeds 10% by weight, the transparency of the ink deteriorates and the melt viscosity increases. And the original performance of the ink cannot be exhibited. In consideration of the printing quality at the time of printing by the printer, it is more preferably 2 to 10% by weight, and 3 to 8% by weight.
It is particularly preferred that the amount is by weight.

The coloring material is not particularly limited as long as it is a dye or pigment conventionally used in oil-based ink compositions. Pigments that are generally used in the technical field of printing, whether organic or inorganic, can be used. For example, carbon black, cadmium red, molybdenum red, chrome yellow, cadmium yellow, titanium yellow, chromium oxide, viridian, titanium cobalt green, ultramarine blue, Prussian blue,
Cobalt blue, azo pigment, phthalocyanine pigment,
Quinacridone pigments, isoindolinone pigments, dioxazine pigments, threne pigments, perylene pigments, perinone pigments, thioindigo pigments, quinophthalone pigments,
The primary particle size of the metal complex pigment or the like is 10 to 100.
nm. These pigments may be used in combination.

The dye is not particularly limited as long as it is a dye conventionally used in oil-based ink compositions. Examples thereof include azo dyes, disazo dyes, metal complex dyes, naphthol dyes, anthraquinone dyes, indigo dyes, and carbonium dyes. , Quinone imine dye, cyanine dye, quinoline dye, nitro dye, nitroso dye, benzoquinone dye,
Examples include naphthoquinone dyes, xanthene dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, metal phthalocyanine dyes, and the like.
These dyes may be used in combination. In the present invention, any of a dye and a pigment can be used as a coloring material, but a soluble dye having excellent heat stability and solubility with other components is preferable. The amount of the coloring material added is preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight in the ink. 0.1-1
If it is 0% by weight, the ink has a sufficient color-forming ability. It is more preferably from 0.5 to 8% by weight, particularly preferably from 1 to 5% by weight. If the amount is 1 to 5% by weight, the dye does not precipitate from the ink due to the heat change during the operation of the printer, and the pigment does not aggregate.

The means for preparing the hot melt ink used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, the following method can be used. When each of the above-mentioned raw material components is used in the above-described ratio, and when other components and additives are used, they are put in a container at a ratio that does not impair the performance of the hot melt ink used in the present invention, and the raw materials are added. A temperature higher than the highest melting temperature of the melting temperatures of components and additives,
Usually, the mixture is heated and melted at a temperature of about 70 to 250 ° C, preferably about 100 to 200 ° C, and then a coloring material is introduced. When the entire composition of the raw material components and additives is melted, a stirring means such as a propeller is rotated at a rotation speed and time sufficient to obtain a uniform mixture, for example, 200 to 10,000 RPM, preferably 500 to 5,000 RPM. Then, the mixture is rotated for tens of minutes to several hours, preferably for about one to two hours, and the mixture is sufficiently stirred and mixed. The stirring and mixing are carried out until one drop of the mixture is taken on a slide glass and it is confirmed by an optical microscope (about 200 times) that there is no aggregate. After the completion of the stirring and mixing, the obtained mixture is filtered in a molten state through a filtration device to filter out heterogeneous substances, and then passed through a filter to obtain a final hot melt ink.

The viscosity of the ink at the time of hot melting is 100 to 140 ° C. in order to prevent ejection failure and clogging of the ink jet.
Is preferably 10 to 60 mPa · s. 6
If the pressure exceeds 0 mPa · s, even if a pressure wave or the like is generated in the ink nozzle, the ink behaves as a semi-solid instead of a fluid, so that a good amount of ink is not ejected.
Or, it is not ejected at all. In addition, even if the pressure is less than 10 mPa · s, the ink is not discharged well. More preferably, 10
40 mPa · s.

The ink pellets of the present invention can be produced by pouring a molten hot melt ink of each color after preparation into a predetermined mold by a known method such as injection molding, cooling, and solidifying.

[0024]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Example 1 YP-90L (manufactured by Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a terpene-phenol copolymer, Versamide 335 (manufactured by Henkel Hakusui) as a polyamide resin, Nikkaamide S (stearic amide: manufactured by Nippon Kasei Co., Ltd.) as a fatty acid amide, and Ketone wax T-1 (manufactured by Kao Corporation) was charged into the apparatus in the following amount as a wax, and dissolved by heating at a temperature of 130 ° C., and then Neopen Yellow 075
(Manufactured by BASF) and denatonium benzoate. This is 1,000 rpm with a dissolver.
Stir and mix for about an hour. One drop of the mixture was taken on a slide glass, and it was confirmed by an optical microscope (200 times) that there was no aggregate. The resulting mixture was filtered with a 0.8 μm glass fiber filter GA2 using a heating filter manufactured by Toyo Roshi Kaisha.
Filtration was performed using 00 (manufactured by Toyo Roshi Kaisha, Ltd.), and the mixture passed through the filter was used as a hot melt ink to obtain ink pellets. Ink composition YP-90L 5 parts by weight Versamide 335 37 parts by weight Nikka amide S 13 parts by weight T-1 43 parts by weight Neopen Yellow 075 2 parts by weight Denatonium benzoate 0.01 part by weight

Example 2 A hot melt ink having the following composition was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and an ink pellet was obtained. Ink composition YP-90L 10 parts by weight Versamide 335 32 parts by weight Nikka amide S 16 parts by weight T-1 40 parts by weight Neopen Yellow 075 2 parts by weight Denatonium saccharide 0.005 parts by weight

When the ink pellets obtained in Examples 1 and 2 were mounted on an ink jet printer and printing was performed, there was no clogging of the printer head, good adhesion on recording paper, and sharpness. Print was obtained. Also, after printing on a light-transmissive printing medium such as an OHP sheet that does not penetrate the ink, the back side of the printing surface may be rubbed, or the printing medium may be peeled off from the printing medium even if the printing medium is distorted by stress such as bending. In addition, the ink had sufficient adhesiveness to a print medium, had sufficient light transmittance, and satisfied various properties required for a hot melt ink. Furthermore, the obtained ink pellets had sufficient bitterness and were very difficult to contain in the mouth.

[0027]

According to the ink pellets of the present invention, even if the infant accidentally swallows the ink pellets and gets stuck in the throat, minimal ventilation is possible, and the doctor or the like can wait for treatment. . Further, even if the infant puts the ink pellet in the mouth, he or she feels strong bitterness and immediately puts it out of the mouth, so that the possibility of accidentally swallowing the ink pellet can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an ink pellet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional ink pellet.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a throat passage model.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 ink pellet 12 top surface 13 step portion 14 pellet body 15 side surface 16 front surface 17 back surface 18 through hole

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ink pellet comprising a hot melt ink, wherein the ink pellet has a hole penetrating between opposing surfaces. 2. The ink pellet according to claim 1, further comprising a taste stimulant.