JP2002210947A - Apparatus and method for ink jet recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a recorder which has an ease of use and enables recording in a recording mode fit for a medium to be recorded by using as the medium to be recorded, a medium which can leave many color materials close to a surface thereof and can let an ink solvent quickly penetrate therethrough. SOLUTION: A recording mode for the medium to be recorded is set to a mode having a small placing amount of ink per pixel. In this case alike, recording with a full density and high-speed recording with a high ink-absorbing efficiency are enabled. Although the same recording mode having the small placing amount of ink is set also when recording is to be carried out to plain papers, recording with the full density and high-speed recording are similarly enabled because a process solution for insolubilizing the ink is used in the recording mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink jet recording method.
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording method capable of performing recording in a recording mode in consideration of recording characteristics of a recording medium such as recording paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink jet recording systems are capable of low noise, low running cost, high speed recording,
This method has various advantages such as easy downsizing and colorization of the apparatus, and is widely used in printers and copiers.

In such a recording apparatus of the ink jet system, in particular, compatibility between high-speed recording and high-density recording has been a major problem. For example, in an ink jet printer, a mode called a draft mode for performing relatively high-speed printing is known, but this is at the expense of printing quality to some extent. In particular,
The recording dots are thinned out at a predetermined ratio, and accordingly, the scanning speed of the recording head or the transport speed of the recording medium with respect to the recording head is increased. In such high-speed recording by thinning, the area occupied by the ink dots on the recording medium is reduced as a whole, and the density realized is not so high.

On the other hand, from the viewpoint of recording characteristics of a recording medium used for recording, various proposals have been made for the above-described high-speed recording and high-density recording. Generally, in order to achieve a high density, it is important to fix a coloring material such as an ink dye to a shallow portion as close to the surface of the recording medium as possible. On the other hand, for high-speed recording, high absorptivity is required to promote quick ink fixing. However, in this case, the color material of the ink easily penetrates deeply in the thickness direction of the recording medium, and the color material remaining on the surface is reduced, and it is difficult to achieve high density. As described above, in terms of the recording characteristics of the recording medium, there is a problem that high-density recording and high-speed recording are hardly compatible.

[0005]

As apparent from the above, as a recording medium, a recording medium capable of retaining many coloring materials near its surface and having a good fixability by rapidly penetrating an ink solvent is described as follows. This is one of the requirements for solving the above-mentioned major problems.

Further, a recording mode suitable for such a special recording medium is executed to realize both high-density recording and high-speed recording, and in the recording mode, the recording medium is used for other commonly used recording media. On the other hand, the fact that high-density printing and high-speed printing can achieve printing that is not so inferior is also preferable in terms of improving the usability of the printing apparatus. For example, when a user intentionally selects plain paper that is normally used instead of the special recording medium described above in an attempt to record a document mainly composed of characters, or uses plain paper by mistake in selecting a recording medium. Even in this case, if high-density and high-speed recording can be realized, it is possible to respond to various users such as a user regardless of the type of recording medium and a user who actively selects an image to be recorded and a recording medium suitable for it. Good recording can always be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium in which a large number of coloring materials can be kept close to the surface thereof and an ink solvent is used. The present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink jet recording method capable of performing recording in a recording mode suitable for the recording medium using a recording medium capable of promptly penetrating the recording medium, and realizing an easy-to-use recording apparatus. It is in.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a recording medium and a recording head are moved relative to each other, and at least ink is ejected from the recording head to the recording medium during the relative movement. In the ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording in a recording mode selected from a plurality of recording modes corresponding to a plurality of different recording media and having different relative movement speeds, the relative movement speed is high. In the recording mode, the relative speed is lower than that in the high-speed recording mode.
A recording head driving means for reducing the amount of ink applied per pixel and for discharging at least black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink from the recording head for at least black recording.

Preferably, in the high-speed recording mode, a recording medium containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles is used.

Alternatively, in the high-speed recording mode, the permeability of the ink to the PPC paper is one where the Ka value is one.
When an ink having a value of less than ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 is used, a recording medium having a Ka value of 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 or more is used.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in an ink-jet recording apparatus, the permeability of a recording medium or ink containing alumina particles substantially free of a sizing agent to PPC paper has a Ka value of 1 ml · m. ^-2 · msec
^When using ink less than ^-1/2 , the Ka value is 5 ml
A control means capable of executing a high-speed absorbing paper recording mode using a recording medium having a speed of at least m ^-2 .msec ^-1/2 and a plain paper recording mode using plain paper; The paper recording mode is characterized in that the amount of ink applied per pixel is reduced as compared with the plain paper mode.

Further, the recording medium is moved relative to the recording head, and at least ink is ejected from the recording head to the recording medium during the relative movement to perform recording. In an ink jet recording method corresponding to a medium and performing recording in a recording mode selected from a plurality of recording modes having different relative movement speeds, in the recording mode in which the relative movement speed is high, the high-speed recording mode is used. A step of discharging a black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink from the recording head in at least black recording, in comparison with the recording mode in which the relative speed is slower. It is characterized by the following.

Preferably, in the high-speed recording mode, a recording medium containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles is used.

Alternatively, in the high-speed recording mode, the permeability of the ink to the PPC paper is one where the Ka value is one.
When an ink having a value of less than ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 is used, a recording medium having a Ka value of 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 or more is used.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in an ink jet recording method, the permeability of a recording medium or ink containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles to PPC paper has a Ka value of 1 ml · m. ^-2 · msec
^When using ink less than ^-1/2 , the Ka value is 5 ml
A high-speed absorbing paper recording mode using a recording medium that is ^{equal to} or more than m ^-2 .msec ^-1/2 , and a plain paper recording mode using plain paper. It is characterized in that the ink ejection amount per pixel is reduced as compared with the mode.

According to the above configuration, when a plurality of recording modes having different relative movement speeds are executed, one pixel is required in the recording mode in which the relative movement speed is higher than in the recording mode in which the relative movement speed is lower. Per ink ejection amount, and at least in black recording, eject the black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink from the recording head, preferably in a recording mode in which the relative movement speed is faster, Recording medium containing substantially no agent and containing alumina particles, or PPC
Ink permeability to paper is as low as Ka value is 1ml ・ m ^-2
-When ink less than msec- ^{1 / 2} is used, Ka
Since a recording medium having a value of 5 ^{mlm- 2} msec- ^{1 / 2} or more, that is, a high-speed absorbing paper, is used, even if the ink ejection amount is small, a large amount of the ink color material remains on the surface layer of the recording medium, and The ink solvent penetrates relatively quickly. Thus, in the recording mode, high-density and high-speed recording can be performed. On the other hand, even when a recording medium such as plain paper is used instead of the high-speed absorbing paper described above, since the processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink is used, a large amount of the coloring material is similarly retained on the surface layer of the recording medium. And high density recording can be performed.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

A feature of one embodiment of the present invention resides first in the recording characteristics of recording paper as a recording medium. That is, a recording paper is used which has an absorptivity that can quickly absorb the ink solvent and has a property that a large amount of pigments or dyes, which are coloring materials of the ink, can be retained in relatively shallow portions. Specifically, when this recording paper is used, the ink spreads relatively along the surface of the recording paper, so that the ratio of the diameter of the dot formed by the ink to the amount of the ink droplet is relatively large. At the same time, the coloring material does not penetrate in the thickness direction of the recording medium, but stays in a shallow portion of the surface layer, thereby realizing a high density. On the other hand, the ink solvent quickly penetrates in the thickness direction of the recording paper, and exhibits high fixability.

A recording paper capable of realizing this recording characteristic (hereinafter also referred to as "high-speed absorbing paper") has been proposed by the present inventor, and has a schematic structure as shown in FIG. Is a shallow portion impregnated with alumina. In FIG. 1, the recording paper is applied to both sides of the recording paper. However, the impregnation with alumina may be applied to at least the surface from which the ink is ejected.

As will be described in detail later, the structure of the high-speed absorbing paper is a structure in which alumina particles are adsorbed on the surface of a fiber constituting a normal recording paper. No sizing agent is used at all or only a very small amount is used. In this case, the ink easily penetrates in all directions due to the absence or small amount of the sizing agent. As a result, the ink spreads along the surface of the recording paper, and large dots can be formed in comparison with the amount of the ink.However, since the alumina particles are present on the surface layer, the pigment or dye of the ink passes through the fiber to form fibers. This makes it possible that a large amount of these coloring materials remain on the surface layer of the recording paper.

On the other hand, no sizing agent is used at all, or a much smaller amount is used as compared with ordinary recording paper. The ink solvent remains as a space, and the ink solvent can penetrate through the space in the thickness direction of the recording paper. As a result, this high-speed absorbing paper also enables high ink absorption or ink fixability. As will be described later, in the measurement by the Bristow method, even when using a so-called additional ink, which is an ink having low permeability to recording paper used for ordinary copying or the like, the high-speed absorbing paper of the present embodiment is , And a Ka value of 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 or more.

(Embodiment of High Speed Absorbing Paper) Details of the high speed absorbing paper according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
The high-speed absorbing paper of the present embodiment has the characteristics that the paper surface has the texture of plain paper, the ink solvent absorption is good, and the optical density of the recording area by ink is high as described above. are doing. Further, it is a recording medium excellent in water resistance with less so-called powder drop and curl.

The inventors of the present invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 2714350 to 2714352, and
JP-A-99627 and JP-A-2000-212250 have proposed a recording medium in which alumina hydrate is internally added to a fibrous substance. Patent Nos. 2714350 to 271
Nos. 4352 and 9-99627 disclose a recording medium to which alumina hydrate exhibiting specific physical properties is added, and the alumina hydrate is a fibrous substance. It is internally added throughout. In the present invention, it has been found that good color development can be obtained even with uncoated paper. further,
The recording medium disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-212250 is a multi-layered medium composed of a surface layer and a base layer, and a recording medium in which alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure is internally added only to the surface layer. It is. In the present invention, the recording medium to which alumina hydrate is internally added is formed into a multilayer structure, and alumina hydrate is internally added only to the surface layer, and the base layer is formed of a material having a good liquid absorbability. It was found that coloring and resolution during recording were excellent.

The recording medium of the present embodiment is an improvement of those inventions. The recording medium having alumina hydrate added therein is improved so that even if the recording medium has a single-layer structure, the filler is not filled. By making non-size paper using fibrous material that does not contain water, and by having alumina hydrate and cationic resin at least near the surface of the fibrous material, good ink absorption, coloring and dot reproducibility It was obtained by finding that the compound can be obtained. This is particularly effective when recording is performed by an ultra high-speed recording machine using a so-called full line head. A more preferred form is a form in which alumina hydrate and a cationic resin are applied on-machine to the non-size paper.

The recording medium of the present embodiment has the above-described single-layer structure, and can be easily manufactured on a normal paper machine because the alumina hydrate and the cationic resin are applied on-machine. Is also an advantage.
In particular, there is an advantage that double-side coating can be easily performed. In the application of the present invention, the fibrous substance does not need to be limited to paper, but applies to all forms using fibrous materials such as synthetic paper using synthetic pulp and the like, cloth and nonwoven fabric. Here, the non-size paper indicates that the measurement of the Stöckicht sizing degree is 0 second. The measurement of the degree of Steckhito size can be performed according to the method of JIS P-8122.

That is, the recording medium of the present embodiment is mainly composed of a single-layered cellulose fiber containing no filler, and contains alumina hydrate and cationic resin at least near the surface of a non-sized fibrous substance. This is the recording medium that was present. In this recording medium, the coloring material in the ejected ink is adsorbed near the surface, and the solvent component in the ink is absorbed inside the recording medium. A good ink absorption speed can be obtained by using non-size paper containing no filler.

In this embodiment, a fibrous substance containing no filler is used. Fillers, pigments, resins, and the like do not exist in the gaps between the fibers of the fibrous substance. This is for maximizing the ink absorption by leaving a gap between fibrous substances as much as possible. For this reason, in the present embodiment, ordinary resin components such as a size press used for ordinary paper or cloth are not applied. Alumina hydrate and a cationic resin are present on the surface of each fiber of the fibrous substance.

As shown in FIG. 2, specifically, the alumina hydrate 3 and the cationic resin 4 are present so as to cover the surface of each fiber 1 of the recording medium. Here, the alumina hydrate or the cationic resin needs to be present so as not to fill the gaps 2 between the fibers of the fibrous substance.

In the present embodiment, alumina hydrate and cationic resin are present in the fibrous substance at least near the surface. As a method for adding the alumina hydrate and the cationic resin, it is preferable to coat the fibrous substance. By coating the alumina hydrate and the cationic resin, more alumina hydrate and the cationic resin can be present in the vicinity of the surface to improve the color development and the like. A more preferable method is a method in which alumina hydrate and a cationic resin are applied on-machine. When the on-machine coating is performed, the alumina hydrate and the cationic resin can be present only near the surface of the fibrous substance. Although the reason is not clear, in the case of on-machine coating, alumina hydrate or cationic resin, which has high chemical and physical activity of fibrous substances, comes in contact with paper etc. It is presumed that the time for attachment to the fibrous material after attachment is short.

The preferred coating amount is 1 to 1 on each side.
5g / m^TwoIt is. In the present embodiment, the size coating
Both sides are coated at the same time because the machine is coated. So
In both cases, the coating amount of alumina hydrate and cationic resin
2 to 10 g / m in surface ^TwoIt is. On-machine coating
By doing so, the amount of coating is small and the texture of plain paper remains.
Good color development can be obtained even when the color is kept. Here
With paper passing style, the cellulose fibers are exposed on the surface and
If the particles do not feel like coated with fine particles,
U. In addition, on-machine coating is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-141783.
And Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-174718.
As described in the papermaking process, size
Alumina hydrate and cationic resin instead of coating
Is continuously applied on-machine. This place
In this case, there is no size press layer on the paper surface.

JP-A-1-141783 discloses a coating liquid containing amorphous silica and alumina hydrate having an average particle diameter of 5 to 200 nm in a weight ratio of 100: 5 to 100: 35 on a support. Discloses an ink jet recording paper obtained by on-machine coating. In the present invention, alumina sol is used as a binder of amorphous silica to be applied for the purpose of improving productivity in on-machine coating on a paper machine. Although the point of performing on-machine coating is the same as the recording medium of the present embodiment,
This is different from the configuration in which alumina hydrate and a cationic resin are applied on-machine to non-size paper containing no filler as in the present embodiment.

JP-A-11-174718 discloses a paper coated with a pigment size of ³ to 8 g / m ² per one side of a base paper and having a finishing density of 0.75 to 0.75 g / m ^2.
0.90 g / cm ³ range, fiber orientation ratio 1.05
An information sheet having a range of 1.25, a range of smoothness of 50 to 120 seconds, and a formation index of 20 or more is disclosed.
In the present invention, the rigidity is maintained while maintaining the color image of the full-color copying machine in good condition, and in order to prevent the toner fixed when the density of the paper is reduced in order to reduce the grammage, the toner is prevented from entering the gap between the papers. Pigment size coating. The recording medium of the present embodiment is in agreement with a specific range of paper in that pigment size coating is performed, but can satisfy characteristics such as ink absorbency, color development, and texture of plain paper as in the present embodiment. The idea of applying on-machine alumina hydrate and a cationic resin to a filler-free paper having such characteristics is not described.

Alumina hydrate has a positive charge, so that a coloring material such as a dye in the ink can be fixed well, and an image having excellent color developability can be obtained. Since it does not cause any problems, it is preferable as a material used for a recording medium for inkjet recording.

As the alumina hydrate present in the recording medium of the present embodiment, an alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure by X-ray diffraction is considered to have an ink absorption property, a coloring material adsorption property, and a coloring property. Most preferred because it is good. Alumina hydrate is defined by the following general formula. Al ₂ O _3-n (OH) _2n · mH ₂ O In the formula, n represents one of integers from 0 to 3, and m represents 0 to 1
It shows a value of 0, preferably 0 to 5. The expression mH ₂ O describes a detachable aqueous phase which often does not participate in the formation of a crystal lattice, so that m can also take on non-integer values. However, m and n do not become zero at the same time.

Generally, the crystal of alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure is a layered compound whose (020) plane forms a giant plane, and shows a diffraction peak specific to an X-ray diffraction pattern. As the boehmite structure, a structure containing excess water between layers on the (020) plane, called pseudo-boehmite, in addition to complete boehmite, may be employed. The X-ray diffraction pattern of this pseudo-boehmite shows a broader diffraction peak than perfect boehmite. Since complete boehmite and pseudo-boehmite cannot be clearly distinguished, in the present invention, unless otherwise specified, they are referred to as an alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure (hereinafter referred to as alumina hydrate).

As the alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure used in the present embodiment, those exhibiting a boehmite structure by an X-ray diffraction method are preferable because of good color density, resolution and ink absorbency. Furthermore, as long as the alumina hydrate has a boehmite structure, an alumina hydrate containing a metal oxide such as titanium dioxide or silica can be used.

The method for producing alumina hydrate used in the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but any method capable of producing alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure may be used.
For example, it can be produced by a known method such as hydrolysis of aluminum alkoxide and hydrolysis of sodium aluminate. Further, as disclosed in JP-A-56-120508, a boehmite structure is obtained by heat-treating an amorphous alumina hydrate by X-ray diffraction at 50 ° C. or more in the presence of water. It can be changed and used.

The sizeless paper cellulose pulp of the present embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, chemical pulp such as sulfite pulp (SP), alkali pulp (AP) and kraft pulp (KP) obtained from hardwood and softwood, semi-chemical pulp, semi-mechanical pulp, mechanical pulp, etc. Waste paper pulp, which is the next fiber, can be used. The pulp can be used without distinction between unbleached pulp, bleached pulp, beaten, and unbeaten.
Further, as the cellulose pulp, non-wood pulp such as grass, leaves, bast, fibers such as seed hair, for example, straw, bamboo, hemp,
Pulp such as bagasse, kenaf, honey and cotton linter can also be used. In this embodiment, it is necessary that no filler is included. Further, it is necessary not to contain a water-absorbing resin such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylamide. By not including a filler and a water-absorbing resin, good reproducibility of recording dots can be obtained.

The basis weight of the entire recording medium is not particularly limited as long as the basis weight is small and the recording medium is not extremely thin, but the range of 40 to 300 g / m ² when the recording is performed by a printer or the like. It is preferable in terms of properties. A more preferred range is from 45 to 200 g / m ² , and the opacity can be increased without increasing the folding strength of the paper.
Furthermore, sticking is less likely to occur when a large number of recording samples are stacked.

In the recording medium of the present embodiment, in addition to the above-described cellulose pulp, fine fibrillated cellulose, crystallized cellulose, sulfate pulp, sulfite pulp, soda pulp, hemicellulase-treated pulp using hardwood or softwood as raw materials, It is preferred to add enzyme-treated chemical pulp. The addition of these pulp has the effect of improving the smoothness of the surface of the recording medium and improving the texture, and also has the effect of eliminating tack and swelling deformation on the surface of the recording medium immediately after recording.

In this embodiment, bulky cellulose fibers, mercerized cellulose, fluffed cellulose, and mechanical pulp such as thermomechanical pulp may be added to the above-described cellulose pulp. By adding these pulp, the ink absorption speed and the ink absorption amount of the recording medium can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the ink absorption rate of the recording medium can be measured by a known dynamic scanning absorptiometer. The recording medium of the present embodiment preferably has an absorption amount of 50 ml / m ² or more when the contact time with the liquid is 25 milliseconds. Within this range, there is an effect that beading can be prevented regardless of the ink composition. Further, it is preferable that the absorption amount is 100 ml / m ² or more when the contact time is 100 milliseconds. Within this range, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of bleeding, bleeding and beading even when performing multiplex recording at high speed.

The liquid absorption rate and absorption amount can be controlled to desired values by the type of cellulose pulp used and the degree of beating. In the recording medium of the present embodiment, the absorbability can be particularly improved by adding the bulky cellulose, mercerized cellulose, fluffed cellulose, and mechanical pulp. Furthermore, the surface properties of the recording medium can be improved by adding fibrillated cellulose, crystallized cellulose, sulfate pulp, sulfite pulp, soda pulp, hemicellulase-treated pulp, and enzyme-treated chemical pulp.

As a method for manufacturing a recording medium of the present embodiment, a generally used paper manufacturing method can be used. As the papermaking apparatus, a conventional fourdrinier paper machine, a round net paper machine, a cylinder, a twin wire, or the like can be used.

In the present embodiment, the coating of starch or the like is not performed in the size press step performed in the usual paper manufacturing method. Instead, alumina hydrate and a cationic resin are applied on-machine. As an on-machine coating method, a general coating method can be selected and used. For example, gate roll coater, size press, bar coater,
A coating technique using a blade coater, an air knife coater, a roll coater, a brush coater, a curtain coater, a gravure coater, a spray device, or the like can be employed. Alumina hydrate and the cationic resin can be freely selected from a method of applying by mixing and a method of independently applying on-machine coating.

In this embodiment, the surface of the recording medium coated with the on-machine can be smoothed by performing a calendar process or a super calendar process as necessary.

The alumina hydrate used in this embodiment is an alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure. If it has a boehmite structure by X-ray diffraction, it contains a metal oxide such as titanium dioxide or silica. Alumina hydrate can also be used. As the alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure containing titanium dioxide, for example, Japanese Patent No. 27143
No. 51 can be used. As the alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure containing silica, for example, those described in JP-A-2000-79755 can be used. In another form, magnesium, calcium,
Strontium, barium, zinc, boron, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, zirconium, indium, phosphorus,
Vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum,
An oxide such as tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, or ruthenium may be contained and used.

The shape of alumina hydrate (particle shape, particle size,
(Aspect ratio) is made by dispersing alumina hydrate in ion-exchanged water and dropping it on the collodion membrane to make a sample for measurement.
It can be measured by observing this sample with a transmission electron microscope. Among the alumina hydrates, pseudoboehmite is described in the literature (Rosek J., et al, A
applied Catalysis, vol. 74, 29-3
6, 1991), it is generally known that there are cilia and other shapes. In the present invention, either cilia-shaped or plate-shaped alumina hydrate can be used.

The aspect ratio of the tabular grains can be determined, for example, by the method defined in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-16015. The aspect ratio indicates the ratio of the diameter to the thickness of a particle. Here, the diameter indicates the diameter of a circle having an area equal to the projected area of the particles when the alumina hydrate is observed with a microscope or an electron microscope. The aspect ratio is the ratio of the diameter indicating the minimum value to the diameter indicating the maximum value of the flat surface, observed in the same manner as the aspect ratio. In the case of the hair bundle shape, the method of determining the aspect ratio is to obtain the diameter and length of the upper and lower circles as individual cylindrical particles of alumina hydrate forming the hair bundle, respectively, It can be determined by taking the ratio of length to diameter. The most preferred shape of the alumina hydrate is a flat plate having an average aspect ratio in the range of 3 to 10 and an average particle diameter of 1 to 50 nm.
The average aspect ratio of the hairy bundle is 3 to
In the range of 10, the average particle length is preferably in the range of 1 to 50 nm. When the average aspect ratio is within the above range, a gap is formed between the particles when the ink receiving layer is formed or internally added to the fibrous substance, so that a porous structure having a wide pore radius distribution can be easily formed. be able to. When the average particle diameter or the average particle length is within the above range, a porous structure having a large pore volume can be similarly formed.

The BET specific surface area of the alumina hydrate of this embodiment is preferably in the range of 70 to 300 m ² / g. BET
When the specific surface area is smaller than the above range, the recorded image becomes cloudy or the water resistance of the image becomes insufficient. BE
If the T specific surface area is larger than the above range, powder falling easily occurs. The BET specific surface area, pore radius distribution, and pore volume of alumina hydrate can be determined by a nitrogen adsorption / desorption method.

The crystal structure of the alumina hydrate in the recording medium can be measured by a general X-ray diffraction method.
The recording medium containing alumina hydrate was attached to the measurement cell, and the diffraction angle 2θ appeared at 14 to 15 ° (020).
The peak of the plane was measured, and from the diffraction angle 2θ of the peak and the half width B, the plane interval of the (020) plane was determined by Bragg.
g), and the crystal thickness in the direction perpendicular to the (010) plane can be obtained using Scherrer's equation.

The alumina hydrate of the recording medium (02
0) The plane spacing exceeds 0.617 nm and 0.620 n
m or less is preferable. In this range, the range of selection of coloring materials such as dyes to be used is widened, and even when recording is performed using either hydrophobic or hydrophilic coloring materials, the optical density of the recording portion is increased, and bleeding and beading, The occurrence of repelling is reduced. Further, even when recording is performed by using both hydrophobic and hydrophilic coloring materials, the optical density and the dot diameter become uniform regardless of the type of the coloring materials. Also, even if the ink contains a hydrophilic or hydrophobic material, there is no change in the optical density or dot diameter of the recording section,
The occurrence of bleeding, beading, and repelling is reduced. (0
10) The crystal thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane is 6.0 to 10.0 nm.
Is preferable. Within this range, the ink absorption of the recording medium and the adsorbability of the coloring material are good, and powder fall is reduced. A method for setting the interplanar spacing of the (020) plane and the crystal thickness in the direction perpendicular to the (010) plane of the alumina hydrate in the recording medium within the above ranges is described in, for example, JP-A-9-99627. Can be used.

The crystallinity of the alumina hydrate in the recording medium can be similarly determined by the X-ray diffraction method. The recording medium to which alumina hydrate was internally added was powdered and attached to a measurement cell.
Is measured at 14 to 15 °, and the crystallinity can be determined from the peak intensity of the (020) plane with respect to the peak intensity at 2θ = 10 °. The crystallinity of the alumina hydrate in the recording medium is preferably in the range of 15 to 80. Within this range, the ink absorbency is improved and the water resistance of the recorded image is improved. As a method for controlling the crystallinity of the alumina hydrate in the recording medium within the above range, for example, a method described in JP-A-8-132731 can be used.

The preferred pore structure of the alumina hydrate used is the following three types, and one or more types can be selected and used as needed.

In the first pore structure, the alumina hydrate has an average pore radius of 2.0 to 20.0 nm and a half width of the pore radius distribution of 2.0 to 15.0 nm. . Here, the average pore radius is disclosed in JP-A-51-38298, JP-A-4-202011 and the like.
Further, the half width of the pore radius distribution indicates the width of the pore radius which is half the frequency of the average pore radius in the measurement results of the pore diameter distribution.

When the average pore radius and half width are within the above ranges, the range of color materials that can be used is widened, and even when a hydrophobic or hydrophilic color material is used, almost no bleeding, beading, or repelling occurs. And the optical density and the dot diameter become uniform. The alumina hydrate having the above pore structure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 271
It can be produced by the method described in Japanese Patent No. 4352.

In the second pore structure, the alumina hydrate has a radius of 10.0 nm or less and a radius of 1 nm in the pore radius distribution.
Each has a maximum in the range of 0.0 to 20.0 nm. The relatively large pores having a radius of 10.0 to 20.0 nm absorb the solvent component in the ink and have a radius of 10.0 to 20.0 nm.
The coloring material component such as the coloring material in the ink is adsorbed by the relatively small pores of nm or less. Therefore, both the absorption of the coloring material and the absorption of the solvent are accelerated. The maximum at a radius of 10.0 nm or less is more preferably at a radius of 1.0 to 6.0 nm, and within this range, adsorption of the coloring material is accelerated. Porous radius 10.0n
The maximum pore volume ratio (maximum 2 volume ratio) of m or less is
It is preferable that the content is 0.1 to 10% of the total pore volume in order to satisfy both the ink absorbing property and the color material fixing property, and more preferably it is in the range of 1 to 5%. The coloring material adsorption speed is increased. The alumina hydrate having the above pore structure can be produced, for example, by the method described in Japanese Patent No. 2,714,350. As another method, a method in which an alumina hydrate having a peak at a radius of 10.0 nm and an alumina hydrate having a peak between a radius of 10.0 and 20.0 can be used in combination.

The third pore structure is such that the alumina hydrate has a maximum peak in a range of a radius of 2.0 to 20.0 nm in a pore radius distribution. Having a peak in this range satisfies both ink absorption and coloring material adsorption, improves the transparency of alumina hydrate, and can prevent the image from becoming cloudy. More preferred range of maximum peak 6.0
When the recording is performed with any of an ink using a pigment as a coloring material, an ink using a dye, a combined ink of a dye ink and a pigment ink, or a mixed ink within this range, bleeding occurs. , Repelling and uneven color can be prevented. The most preferred range is a radius of 6.0 to 16.0.
nm range. Within this range, even when three or more types of inks having different color material densities are used, there is no difference in tint due to the densities. The alumina hydrate having the above pore structure can be prepared, for example, by the method described in JP-A-9-6664.

The total pore volume of alumina hydrate is 0.4 to
A range of 1.0 cm ³ / g is preferred. Within this range, the ink absorbency is good and the color tone is not impaired even when performing multi-color recording. Furthermore, 0.4-0.6 cm ³ /
It is preferable that the ratio is within the range of g because powder falling and blurring of an image hardly occur. Further, it is more preferable that the pore volume in the range of radius 2.0 to 20.0 nm of the alumina hydrate be 80% or more of the total pore volume, since no turbidity occurs in the recorded image. As another form, it is also possible to use alumina hydrate by aggregating it. Particle size 0.5
BET specific surface area / pore volume value of 50 to 5 μm
A range of 00 m ² / ml is preferred. Within this range, since many adsorption points of the alumina particles are exposed, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of beading regardless of the recording environment (temperature and humidity). For the aggregated particles having the above pore structure, for example, a method described in JP-A-8-174993 can be used.

In this embodiment, an alumina hydrate treated with a coupling agent can be used. As coupling agents to be used, silane-based, titanate-based,
One or more of aluminum-based and zirconium-based coupling agents can be selected and used. It is preferable that the alumina hydrate is hydrophobized by the coupling agent, since the color density of the image is high and a clear image can be obtained.
When the coupling agent treatment is performed within the range of 0.1 to 30% in terms of the surface area of the entire alumina hydrate, the color developability can be enhanced without impairing the ink absorbency. The above-mentioned coupling agent treatment method is described in, for example, JP-A-9-76628.
Can be performed by the method described in the above item.

Further, in this embodiment, it is also possible to add a metal alkoxide or a substance capable of crosslinking a hydroxyl group to alumina hydrate. The metal alkoxide can be freely selected and used from commonly used materials such as tetraethoxysilane and tetramethoxysilane. As a material capable of crosslinking a hydroxyl group, for example, boric acid, a boric acid compound, a formalin compound, or the like can be freely selected and used. As a processing method, for example, a method described in JP-A-9-86035 can be used. By adding these materials, it is possible to prevent bleeding and beading from occurring even when recording is performed using an ink having a high surfactant content and good permeability.

The cationic resin used in the present embodiment includes a quaternary ammonium salt, a polyamine, an alkylamine, a halogenated quaternary ammonium salt, a cationic urethane resin, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride. It can be freely selected from materials such as objects.

The recording medium as the high-speed absorbing paper used in this embodiment may contain an inorganic salt. In this case, it is more preferable to use a pigment ink as the ink, since color development and the like are good.

As the inorganic salt, a water-soluble cerium compound is particularly preferred. Any water-soluble cerium compound can be used.

When recording is performed on this recording medium with aqueous ink, when the ink droplets reach the recording medium, the water-soluble cerium compound dissolves and mixes with the ink droplets.
Then, the color material is fixed by acting on the pigment color material in the ink droplet, the water-soluble polymer or emulsion present in the ink, or the microencapsulated color material. The fixing speed of coloring materials such as water-soluble cerium compounds is extremely fast, and it is possible to fix sufficiently with recent high-speed recording printers and printers with full-line heads. There is an advantage that unevenness of the solid recording portion is less likely to occur. This effect cannot be obtained by the conventional addition of a cationic resin or the addition of another metal salt. In particular, when recording is performed by a printer using an all-color pigment ink, the effect is remarkably exhibited. In a case where characters are recorded on a white background and a case where characters are recorded on a solid recording portion, sharpness of a character outline cannot be obtained on a solid recording portion on a general recording medium. In the recording medium of the present embodiment, even a fine line such as a character on a solid recording portion can obtain the same sharpness as a white background. Also, an image with good fidelity can be obtained even for an image in which the color tone or density such as the sea wave or skin color is slightly changed.

In the present embodiment, among the water-soluble cerium compounds, cerium halides such as cerium chloride are more preferable. The cerium halide has an effect that the speed of diffusion into the ink liquid at the time of recording is high and that the recording medium is hardly sticky or colored when stored. A more preferred water-soluble cerium compound is crude rare earth chloride. Coarse rare earth chloride is a residue obtained by extracting a desired rare earth from a rare earth mineral extracted as a mineral resource. The main component is cerium chloride. Since the crude rare earth chloride is a natural product, it has high safety such as low oral toxicity and has the effect that the material itself is inexpensive. Further, there is an effect that the light stability of an image recorded using the dye ink is improved.

The amount of the water-soluble cerium compound of the present embodiment added to the recording medium is not particularly limited from the viewpoint of images.
The preferred amount is configured with an ink-receiving layer, 0.01 g / m ² or more 10.0 g / m ² is preferable to configure both of the substrate alone. Within this range, high-density color development is selected when recording with aqueous ink. A more preferred range is 0.
It is 1 g / m ² or more and 7.0 g / m ² . Within this range, uniformity of the solid recording portion and prevention of blurring of fine lines can be achieved.

One example of a method for producing the above-described high-speed absorbent paper is as follows.
This is performed by providing a step of impregnating a paper with an alumina dispersant or the like in place of the step of impregnating the paper with a sizing agent in the process of manufacturing ordinary recording paper. That is, the paper is immersed in the alumina dispersant solution, and the amount of alumina impregnation is adjusted by controlling the temperature and the immersion time of the dispersant solution. As shown in FIG. 1, the distribution of alumina particles on both sides of the paper is due to the impregnation process described above. This step increases the density of the alumina particles particularly in the vicinity of the surface layer of the paper, but does not form a layer structure, so that even if a large amount of ink is injected, it can permeate at high speed.

(Embodiment of Ink Amount) In the case of performing ink-jet recording using the above-described high-speed absorbing paper,
The ejection amount (ejection amount) per pixel can be reduced. Here, the term “ink ejection amount per pixel” when the ejection amount control is performed means the maximum ejection amount for a certain color ink. That is,
For example, when printing a pattern of a uniform gradation with cyan (C) ink, when printing a pattern of a gradation at which the maximum density is measured, the amount of ink injected into the pattern is determined by the area of the pattern. It can be said that divided by. Therefore, this implantation amount is, for example, 8 pl per pixel.
With a configuration of a recording device that can eject up to two droplets of
Sometimes expressed as a decimal number, such as 1.5 drops.

With reference to FIG. 9, an example of this driving amount control in the printing apparatus will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of a gamma table for performing gamma correction.

When the input value of 8-bit data becomes 255 and the output value becomes 255 by gamma correction using this table, in a recording apparatus capable of ejecting a maximum of two drops per pixel, the ejection amount control is performed. As input value 2
The gamma table shown in FIG. 9 is used so that the output value becomes 55 for 55. Then, the output value is quantized by an error diffusion process or the like to obtain print data, and when printing is performed by ink ejection based on this data, a pattern to be printed when the density data input to the gamma table is the maximum of 255 In the above, the ejection amount defined as described above can be set to 1.5 drops (average) per pixel. Further, the ink ejection amount can be achieved by modulating an appropriate amount of one drop. However, the present invention is not limited to the above. For example, two droplets of ink may be ejected to one pixel instead of one droplet. By doing this,
There is no loss of image data, and a higher quality image can be obtained.

According to the study of the present inventors, in the case of high-speed absorbing paper, a sufficient dot diameter and density can be obtained with an amount of 5 pl to 15 pl for one pixel having an ink ejection amount of 600 dpi. That is, about 2.8 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ² to about 8.4 × 10 ⁻³ p / unit area of the recording paper.
A sufficient image density can be obtained with an amount of 1 / μm ² . Conversely, if the amount of ejection is too large, the ejected ink tends to bleed around the dots and appears easily, so that the sharpness of the edge, which is the outline of the recorded image, may be degraded. In particular, in the case of a color dye ink, the amount of shot on high-speed absorbing paper is
4 pl to 10 pl is sufficient. That is, 2.2 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ^{2 to} 5.6 × per unit area of the recording paper.
10 ⁻³ pl / μm ² is sufficient.

For example, when recording at 8 pl per pixel, the dot diameter is about 60 μm for black (Bk) ink containing pigment and about 80 μm for color dye ink.
In this case, the bleeding rate is about 2.3 for the pigment Bk ink and about 3.1 for the color dye ink. As described above, the high-speed absorbing paper can increase the bleeding rate regardless of the type of ink, and this enables the coloring material to remain in the shallow portion of the surface layer with a relatively small amount of ink applied. High density recorded images are possible.

Here, the bleeding rate is defined as the diameter of a spherical ink droplet converted from its volume, and the magnification of the dot diameter on the recording medium relative to the diameter. Is equivalent to the magnification when.

When a pigment ink is used, the dot diameter is not so large as compared to the dye, probably because the pigment is less likely to diffuse on the surface of the recording paper than the ink solvent. Reacts and aggregates and adsorbs, thereby improving the density and the edge sharpness. Further, it is preferable to add a cationic polymer, an inorganic salt, or the like to the high-speed absorbing paper from the viewpoint of improving the density. Also in the case of the dye ink, since the dye is adsorbed on the alumina particles, the density of the solid recording portion can be particularly increased. The density value varies somewhat depending on the type of ink and the density of the dye, but in any case, the density is high.

In the high-speed absorbing paper of the present embodiment, the bleeding rate is preferably adjusted to 2.5 or more in the case of the dye ink, and is preferably adjusted to 2.0 or more in the case of the pigment ink.

On the other hand, plain paper, such as copy paper, which is usually used, does not have so large a bleeding rate and is about twice as high with a so-called additional dye ink having low permeability.
2.6 times higher with highly permeable inks.

(Embodiment of Dot Formation) FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (d)
Is that the coloring material, which is a feature of the high-speed absorbing paper described above, is fixed to a relatively surface layer portion, and that relatively large dots can be formed by ink penetration along the surface layer, and the thickness of the recording medium of the ink solvent is reduced. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining that the permeation in the direction is performed promptly in comparison with plain paper. FIG. 3 shows a process of forming ink dots when various inks are ejected on high-speed absorbing paper and plain paper.

As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (d), ink droplets ejected from the recording head on high-speed absorbing paper and plain paper land on these recording media (at the time of landing:
At t ₀ ), a columnar ink droplet having a diameter approximately twice as large as the diameter of the ejected ink droplet is formed.

[0080] For fast absorbent paper, or a sizing agent as described above is not contained essentially, because be contained is very small, a predetermined time (t ₁₎ has elapsed, and FIG. 3 (b)
And 3 (d), the ink penetrates relatively quickly in all directions of the paper. This mechanism is the same even in a so-called additional system in which the ink does not have good permeability to plain paper. Also on the surface of the paper, in combination with the high wettability of the ink on the paper, the ink penetrates quickly also in the horizontal direction along the paper surface layer, and the dot diameter increases. On the other hand, in the case of plain paper, FIG.
As shown in (c), when the ink is an additional system,
The spread in the horizontal direction is small, and the dot diameter is not so large.

When the time further elapses (t ₂ ), the penetration of the ink proceeds, but in the case of the high-speed absorbing paper, the coloring material in the ink is adsorbed by the alumina particles because the surface layer contains the alumina particles. 3 (b) and 3 (d), the coloring material is fixed in a very shallow region of the paper. At the same time, the aqueous solvent in the ink separates from the coloring material such as a dye and penetrates into the paper through the space between the fibers. On the other hand, in the case of plain paper, the coloring material of the ink permeates with the solvent in the depth direction of the recording paper as shown in FIG. The amount of material remaining on the surface of the paper is reduced.

[0082] In the above dot formation mechanism, the dot diameter finally obtained, the diameter D ₂ and is substantially equal illustrated in diameter D ₁ and 3 shown in FIG. 3 (a) (b), the diameter D ₁ FIG. 3 (c) to greater than the diameter D ₃ showing further diameter D ₂ is related of greater diameter D ₄ shown in Figure 3 (d).

As described above, when a high-speed absorbing paper contains a cationic polymer, an inorganic salt, or the like, the above-mentioned degree becomes more remarkable, particularly when a pigment ink is used, and the density and the edge sharpness are increased. Is preferred.

(Embodiment 1 of Apparatus Configuration) A recording head serving as a discharge unit is composed of black (hereinafter, also simply referred to as Bk) and cyan.
(Hereinafter simply referred to as C), magenta (hereinafter simply referred to as M), yellow (hereinafter simply referred to as Y) ink and a processing liquid (hereinafter simply referred to as S) are respectively discharged.

When recording on plain paper, at least an image of Bk is formed by mixing and reacting a Bk ink and a processing liquid on a recording medium. Specifically, there are a case where the Bk ink is applied to the recording medium and the processing liquid is subsequently applied, and a case where the processing liquid is applied first and then the Bk ink is applied. As a result, the Bk image has high density and good quality. Further, it is preferable to use a pigment as the Bk ink because the concentration is high.

As for the color ink, the reaction with the processing liquid or the ink alone is used. By using a treatment liquid and a color ink having high permeability, both the Bk image and the color image can have high fixability, and high-speed recording is possible, which is preferable.

When recording on high-speed absorbing paper,
As described above, the ejection amount of droplets for one pixel is reduced as compared with the recording mode of plain paper for each ink and processing liquid. For example, for one pixel of 600 DPI,
Two shots of Bk ink are ejected in the plain paper mode, and one shot in the high-speed absorbing paper mode.

Similarly, the processing liquid is used in the plain paper recording mode.
In the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode, the number is set to 0.5.

As described above, in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode, although the number of droplets to be ejected is smaller than that in the plain paper recording mode, the dots are larger in the high-speed absorbing paper than in the plain paper. Since the density is high, a high quality image can be obtained.

Further, since an image can be formed with a small number of dots as described above, it is possible to set a high driving frequency of the recording head, or to increase a scanning speed or a conveying speed of the recording paper. High-speed recording becomes possible.

On the other hand, since the image recorded fast by the recording apparatus is quickly absorbed and fixed on the recording paper, there is no fear that the ink is transferred from the discharged sheet to another. Therefore, essentially high-speed recording becomes possible.

Further, by making the amount of ink ejected smaller than that of plain paper, the coloring material is easily trapped on the surface of the high-speed absorbing paper, and the density on the back side of the recording surface of the paper is reduced. It is hard to cause so-called strike-through. Further, since the ink ejection amount is small, cockling accompanying the swelling of the paper by the ink becomes small, and furthermore, the ink penetrates the paper at a high speed, so that it is easy to perform double-sided recording.

Here, the ink recorded on the high-speed absorbing paper has high water resistance because it is adsorbed by the alumina particles.
The reaction between the k ink and the processing liquid is performed for the following two reasons.

That is, first, when the high-speed absorbent paper is out of stock, or when the user makes a mistake or dares,
Plain paper may be set in a paper cassette or the like. Even in such a case, a high-density, high-quality image is obtained by the reaction between the processing liquid and the ink, and the processing liquid is made highly permeable, so that the ink image is fixed at high speed, and substantially High-speed recording becomes possible.

In particular, when a so-called additional ink containing a pigment is used as the Bk ink, the quality of black characters can be improved. However, when the ink is recorded on plain paper,
When k reacts with the processing solution, the fixing property becomes more preferable. It is also very preferable in preventing bleeding of Bk and color.

Also, when the color ink is used alone without a processing liquid having a high permeability, if the permeability of the color ink is high, the image is fixed at a high speed, and substantially high-speed recording becomes possible.

The second reason is that, for example, if Bk dots are formed on a high-speed absorbing paper by mixing Bk ink and a processing liquid, an image with a higher density can be obtained. This is particularly noticeable when the ink contains a pigment.

(Embodiment 2 of Apparatus Configuration) Another embodiment of the apparatus configuration has two or more high-speed absorbing paper or high-speed recording modes of the above embodiment. That is,
A mode in which the processing liquid is not recorded is provided in the recording mode of the high-speed absorbing paper.

One method is to change the recording mode to a recording mode that does not use a processing liquid after the user confirms that the paper is high-speed absorbent paper with a printer driver or the like. For example, when the high-speed recording mode is selected on the printer driver, the dot formation is recorded so that the ink and the processing liquid are mixed.However, if the high-speed absorbing paper is selected as the recording medium with further settings on the driver, The processing is performed so that the recording mode is not set by mixing the ink and the processing liquid.

As another method, when the high-speed recording mode is simply set, the apparatus main body detects plain paper or high-speed absorbing paper, and if the high-speed absorbing paper is set, the processing liquid is not recorded. There is a method such as doing. In this case, the recording method can be changed depending on the recording medium depending on whether or not high-speed recording is performed, without the user having to worry about the type of paper.

(Embodiment 3 of Apparatus Configuration) In this embodiment, four recording heads serving as ejection units are provided, and Bk, C, M,
Each of the Y inks is ejected. When recording on plain paper, the Bk image has a portion where an image is formed by mixing and reacting Bk ink and color ink on a recording medium. Specifically, there is a case where the Bk ink is applied to the recording medium and subsequently the color ink is applied, and a case where the color ink is applied first and then the Bk ink is applied. Such a recording method is preferable for improving the fixing property when the Bk image has a relatively high recording duty or a large image area. Further, it is preferable that the recording data of the color ink is thinned out from the data of Bk. As a result, the Bk image has high density and good quality. That is, here, the pigment is used as the Bk ink, and thus the concentration is high, which is preferable. However, by further adding a polyvalent metal salt or the like to the color ink, the Bk pigment ink reacts with the polyvalent metal ion. By doing so, the pigment particles agglomerate and tend to remain on the paper surface, so that the concentration increases.

Here, as the Bk ink, it is preferable to use a so-called additional ink having low permeability in order to improve the character quality (especially the recording density and the sharpness of the image edge). Since the bleeding rate is small and the dot diameter does not increase, it is preferable that the amount of ink applied per pixel is about twice as large as that of the permeable color ink. For example, the ejection volume (ejection amount) of one drop of ink can be doubled.

As described above, by using a color ink having a high permeability, both the Bk image and the color image can have high fixability, and high-speed recording can be performed, which is preferable.

On the other hand, when printing is performed on high-speed absorbing paper, the ejection amount of droplets for each pixel is smaller for each ink than in the printing mode of plain paper. For example, 60
For one pixel of 0 DPI, two shots of Bk ink are shot in the plain paper mode, and one shot in the high-speed absorption paper mode.

Here, if two shots are made on the high-speed absorbing paper, as in the case of plain paper, the dot diameter becomes too large, and conversely characters may be crushed, which is not preferable.

Further, as in the case of recording on plain paper, it is preferable to perform recording in which color ink is mixed with Bk, since the density can be further improved.

As described above, in the printing on the high-speed absorbing paper, although the number of recording dots is reduced as compared with the printing on the plain paper, the dots are larger and the density is higher than in the case of the plain paper. Image can be obtained.

Regarding the permeable color ink, the dot diameter is not particularly large on the high-speed absorbing paper as compared with the plain paper, but the color material remains near the paper surface.
Since it does not penetrate deeply, the recording density increases.

Further, since the bleeding rate of the permeable ink is large, the amount of ink applied on plain paper is sufficient to satisfy the so-called area factor, but on the other hand, the color material also penetrates in the depth direction. The recording density is assured by increasing the amount of shots since the density is not obtained due to this. Therefore, with a high-speed absorbing paper, an image having a sufficient recording density can be formed even with a driving amount of about half that of plain paper.

As described above, since an image can be formed with a small number of dots, the driving frequency of the head can be set high, and high-speed recording can be performed as a recording apparatus.

On the other hand, since a recording apparatus which has been recorded earlier as described above is quickly absorbed and fixed on the recording paper, there is no concern that the ink is transferred from the discharged sheet to the recording apparatus. High-speed recording becomes possible.

Further, by reducing the amount of ink applied as compared with plain paper, the coloring material is easily trapped on the surface of the high-speed absorbing paper, and the density behind the recording surface of the paper is reduced. That is, it is difficult to break through. Since the amount of ink ejection is small, cockling due to swelling of the ink on the paper is also small, and the ink permeates the paper at a high speed, so that it is easy to perform double-sided recording.

(Embodiment 4 of Apparatus Configuration) The apparatus configuration of this embodiment has four recording heads serving as ejection units,
The k, C, M, and Y inks are respectively ejected.

When recording on plain paper, the image of Bk
An image is formed only with k ink. By this, Bk
The image has high density and good quality. That is, since the pigment is used as the Bk ink, the density is high, which is preferable.

It is preferable to use a color ink having a high permeability so that the fixability of a color image can be increased and high-speed recording can be performed.

On the other hand, when printing on high-speed absorbing paper, the amount of ink to be applied to one pixel is reduced for each ink in the printing mode of plain paper. For example, 600D
For one pixel of PI, two shots of Bk ink are ejected in the plain paper mode, but one shot in the high-speed absorbing paper mode.

As described above, in recording on high-speed absorbing paper,
In spite of the reduced number of recording dots compared to recording on plain paper, very high-quality images can be obtained on high-speed absorbing paper because the dots are larger and the density is higher than on plain paper. .

Further, since an image can be formed with a small number of dots as described above, it is possible to set a high drive frequency of the head, and it is possible to perform high-speed recording as a recording apparatus.

On the other hand, since the ink recorded quickly by the recording apparatus is quickly absorbed and fixed on the recording paper, there is no danger that the discharged ink is transferred to another recording medium. Therefore, essentially high-speed recording becomes possible.

(Embodiment of Recording Mode) Here, in particular,
An example of a recording mode in Embodiments 1 and 2 of the above-described apparatus configuration will be described.

[0121]

[Table 1]

Table 1 shows the ejection amounts of ink and the like in each of the recording modes described below.

Normal recording mode: high-quality recording mode of plain paper In this recording mode, Bk ink is ejected as droplets of about 8 pl into 2.5 pixels per pixel of 600 DPI. As a result, about 20 pl is injected into one pixel. In addition,
As described above, this method can be performed by setting a gamma table of an appropriate maximum density and performing gamma correction of print data. In this case, since one or more shots are generated per pixel, one shot is performed by the same head. A plurality of shots can be performed by performing a plurality of ejections on a pixel or preparing a plurality of heads for the same ink. B above
After the ejection of the k ink, a processing liquid of about 8 pl is applied to the pixel so as to overlap one shot.

The color ink ejects two droplets of about 8 pl to one pixel of 600 DPI. Here, the color ink and the processing liquid are not reacted in the recording paper, but may be reacted.

The reason why the number of droplets emitted is not a natural number is because the ejection amount is processed as print data as described above, and it is needless to say that the number is an average amount.

By recording as described above, a Bk image having a high density can be obtained. The ink contains a pigment, as will be described later, and a high-permeability processing liquid is used to achieve both high image quality and high-speed fixing.

A high-quality image with high color density can be obtained. The processing liquid may be applied to the color ink first, or the color ink having high permeability may be recorded without the processing liquid.

High-speed recording mode 1: high-speed absorbing paper recording mode
In the single recording mode, the Bk ink is used as a droplet of about 8 pl.
Approximately 12 pl by driving 1.5 shots into one pixel of 00 DPI
Is assigned to one pixel. Then, about 8p for that pixel
1 treatment liquid is applied so as to overlap 0.5 shots.

The color ink discharges one droplet of about 8 pl into one pixel of 600 DPI.

The relative speed between the recording head and the recording paper is set to twice that in the normal recording mode. This enables high-speed recording, but since the driving frequency of the head itself does not change, it is not necessary to particularly increase the refill frequency of the head.

By recording in this manner, a Bk image having a high density and sharp edges can be obtained on a high-speed absorbing paper. Also, high-speed recording including color images is possible.

As is clear from the above description, according to this recording mode in which the relative moving speed between the recording head and the recording paper is increased and the high-speed absorbing paper is used, the ink spreads on the paper and the dot diameter increases. . Although the dot diameter increases with the penetration of the liquid, the coloring material is trapped by the alumina particles localized near the surface and hardly sinks in the depth direction of the paper, so that the image density is high. The ink ejection amount per pixel can be reduced, and as a result, high speed, high image quality and low running cost can be achieved, cockling is reduced, and double-sided recording can be sufficiently performed.

In particular, regarding Bk, Bk
By preventing the dots from spreading more than necessary by reacting with the ink, the sharpness of the edge can be improved without distorting the shape of the dots.

Even if recording is performed using plain paper in this recording mode, the amount of ink applied to the paper per unit area is small, and since a permeable treatment liquid is used, the fixability is high. Also, problems such as show-through can be reduced.

High-speed recording mode 2: high-speed absorbing paper recording mode
In the two- recording mode, Bk ink is used as droplets of about 8 pl.
Approximately 12 pl by driving 1.5 shots into one pixel of 00 DPI
Is assigned to one pixel. In this mode, the processing liquid is not applied to the portion where the Bk ink is recorded. The color ink ejects one droplet of about 8 pl into one pixel of 600 DPI.

As described above, even when the processing liquid is not used, there is no particular reduction in image quality, and recording can be performed on high-speed absorbing paper at a low running cost.

(Embodiment of Ink) Next, an ink used in ink jet recording according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The ink of the present embodiment includes the first pigment and the second pigment.
And an ink containing: After the ink is applied to the recording medium, or substantially simultaneously, the processing liquid that reacts with the ink is applied to the recording medium, and the ink and the processing liquid are brought into contact with each other in a liquid state on the recording medium to react. Used to form image dots.

Examples of inks that can be used in the above embodiment include, for example, a first pigment and a second pigment as coloring materials.
An ink containing a pigment in an aqueous medium in a dispersed state,
The first pigment is a self-dispersible pigment in which at least one anionic group is bonded directly or through another atomic group to the surface of the first pigment, or at least one cationic group is directly bonded to the surface of the first pigment. Or a self-dispersible pigment bonded to the surface of the first pigment through another atomic group, wherein the second pigment is a polymer dispersant or a nonionic polymer dispersant. The ink further includes at least one of a polymer dispersant having the same polarity as a group bonded to the surface of the first pigment and a nonionic polymer dispersant. No.

Hereinafter, this ink will be sequentially described.

The first pigment self-dispersion type pigment is a pigment that can stably disperse in water, a water-soluble organic solvent or a liquid obtained by mixing them without using a dispersant such as a water-soluble polymer compound. It refers to a pigment that is maintained and does not form aggregates of pigments in the liquid that would interfere with normal ink ejection from the orifice using ink jet recording technology.

Anionic self-dispersion type carbon black:
As such a pigment, for example, a pigment in which at least one anionic group is bonded to the pigment surface directly or via another atomic group is suitably used. A specific example is that at least one anionic group has at least one anionic group. It includes carbon black bonded to the surface directly or through another atomic group.

Examples of such an anionic group bonded to carbon black include, for example, -COOM,
—SO ₃ M, —PO ₃ HM, —PO ₃ M _{2 and the} like (where M is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium, or
Represents an organic ammonium, and R represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group). When R is a phenyl group having a substituent or a naphthyl group having a substituent, examples of the substituent include a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Examples of the alkali metal "M" include lithium, sodium, potassium and the like. Examples of the organic ammonium "M" include mono- to trimethylammonium, mono-triethylammonium and
Mono to trimethanol ammonium and the like can be mentioned.

Among these anionic groups, particularly, -CO
OM or -SO ₃ M because a large effect of stabilizing the dispersion state of the carbon black preferred.

Incidentally, it is preferable to use the above-mentioned various anionic groups bonded to the surface of carbon black via other atomic groups. Examples of the other atomic group include a linear or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, and a substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene group. Here, examples of the substituent that may be bonded to the phenylene group or the naphthylene group include a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Specific examples of the anionic group bonded to the surface of carbon black via another atomic group include, for example, -C ₂ H ₄ COOM, -PhSO ₃ M, -PhCOO
M and the like (provided that Ph represents a phenyl group), but of course is not limited thereto.

As described above, carbon black having an anionic group bonded to the surface directly or via another atomic group can be produced, for example, by the following method.

That is, -COON is applied to the carbon black surface.
As a method for introducing a, for example, a method of oxidizing commercially available carbon black with sodium hypochlorite may be mentioned.

Further, for example, -A
r-COONa group (however, Ar represents an aryl group)
Can be bonded to the surface of carbon black by using a diazonium salt in which nitrous acid acts on an NH ₂ —Ar—COONa group, but of course, the present invention is not limited to this.

By the way, various hydrophilic groups as described above are
It may be directly bonded to the surface of carbon black. Alternatively, another atomic group may be interposed between the carbon black surface and the hydrophilic group, and the hydrophilic group may be indirectly bonded to the carbon black surface. Here, specific examples of the other atomic groups include a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, and a substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene group.
Here, examples of the substituent of the phenylene group and the naphthylene group include a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Specific examples of the combination of another atomic group and a hydrophilic group include, for example, -C ₂ H ₄ -COOM, -Ph-SO ₃ M, -Ph-C
OOM and the like (where Ph represents a phenyl group).

By the way, 80% or more of the self-dispersion type pigment to be contained in the ink according to the present embodiment is 0.05 to 0.05%.
It is preferable that the particles have a particle size of 0.3 μm, particularly 0.1 to 0.25 μm. Such an ink adjustment method is as described in detail in the embodiments described later.

Second Pigment The second pigment that can be used in the ink of the present embodiment can be dispersed in a dispersion medium of the ink, specifically, for example, an aqueous medium by the action of a polymer dispersant. Pigments. That is, a pigment that can be stably dispersed in an aqueous medium only as a result of the adsorption of the polymer dispersant on the surface of the pigment particles is suitably used. Examples of such a pigment include carbon black pigments such as furnace black, lamp black, acetylene black, and channel black. As specific examples of such a carbon black pigment, for example, the following can be used alone or in an appropriate combination.

Carbon black pigments : Raven 7000, Rayvan 57
50, Ray-Van 5250, Ray-Van 5000ULT
RA, Ray-Van 3500, Ray-Van 2000, Ray-Van 1500, Ray-Van 1250, Ray-Van 12
00, Ray-Van 1190ULTRA-II, Ray-Van 1170, Ray-Van 1255 (all manufactured by Columbia), Black Pearls L, Regal (Re
gal) 400R, legal 330R, legal 660
R, Mogul L, Monarch 700,
Monak 800, Monak 880, Monak 900, Monak 1
000, Monak 1100, Monak 1300, Monak 14
00, Valcan XC-72R (above manufactured by Cabot) ・ Color Black FW1, Color Black
FW2, Color Black FW2V, Color Black 18, Color Black FW200, Color Black S150, Color Black S160, Color Black S170, Printtex (Printe
x) 35, PRINTEX U, PRINTEX V, PRINTEX 140U, PRINTEX 140V, Special Black 6, Special Black 5, Special Black 4A, Special Black 4
No. 25, No. 33, No. 40, No. 47, No. 52, No. 25
900, No. 2300, MCF-88, MA600, M
A7, MA8, MA100 (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation).

Examples of other black pigments include magnetic fine particles such as magnetite and ferrite, and titanium black.

In addition to the above-mentioned black pigments, blue pigments, red pigments and the like can be used.

The amount of the color material including the first and second pigments is 0.1 to 15% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, based on the total amount of the ink. The first pigment and the second
Is preferably in the range of 5/95 to 97/3, more preferably 10/90 to 95/5. More preferably, first pigment / second pigment = 9/1 to 4/6.

Another more preferable range is a range in which the first pigment is high. When the amount of the first pigment is large, not only the dispersion stability as the ink but also the ejection stability of the head, especially the stability including the ejection efficiency and the reliability due to the small wetting of the ejection port surface are exhibited. Is done.

The behavior of the ink on the paper is such that the ink is effectively spread on the surface of the paper with the ink having a small amount of the second pigment to which the polymer dispersant is adsorbed. It is presumed to be formed, and the scratch resistance of the image is also improved by the effect.

The polymer dispersant for dispersing the second pigment in the aqueous medium has a function of adsorbing on the surface of the second pigment and stably dispersing the second pigment in the aqueous medium. Those having are preferably used. Examples of such polymer dispersants include anionic polymer dispersants and 3-nonionic polymer dispersants.

Anionic high molecular dispersants include polymers of monomers as hydrophilic groups and monomers as hydrophobic groups, and salts thereof. Specific examples of the monomer as the hydrophilic group include, for example, styrene sulfonic acid, α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative, acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivative, methacrylic acid Methacrylic acid derivatives, maleic acid, maleic acid derivatives, itaconic acid, itaconic acid derivatives, fumaric acid and fumaric acid derivatives.

Specific examples of the monomer as the hydrophobic component include styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl toluene, vinyl toluene derivatives, vinyl naphthalene, vinyl naphthalene derivatives, butadiene, butadiene derivatives, isoprene, isoprene derivatives, ethylene, and ethylene derivatives. , Propylene, propylene derivatives, alkyl esters of acrylic acid, alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, and the like.

Here, the salt specifically includes onium compounds such as hydrogen, alkali metal, ammonium ion, organic ammonium ion, phosphonium ion, sulfonium ion, oxonium ion, stibonium ion, stannonium, iodonium and the like. But are not limited to these. In addition, the polymer or a salt thereof, polyoxyethylene group, hydroxyl group, acrylamide, acrylamide derivative, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, ethoxyethyl methacrylate, butoxyethyl methacrylate, ethoxytriethylene methacrylate, methoxypolyethylene glycol methacrylate, vinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyridine, Vinyl alcohol, alkyl ether and the like may be appropriately added.

Examples of [0164] nonionic polymer dispersant nonionic polymer dispersant include polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polypropylene glycol, vinylpyrrolidone - containing vinyl acetate copolymer.

The ink of the present embodiment can be obtained by appropriately selecting a combination of the above-mentioned first pigment, second pigment and polymer dispersant and dispersing and dissolving the same in an aqueous medium. In the case where a self-dispersible pigment in which at least one anionic group is bonded directly or via another atomic group to the surface of the pigment is used as one pigment, an anionic high-dispersing agent is used as a polymer dispersant. It is preferable to combine at least one selected from a molecular dispersant and a nonionic polymer dispersant from the viewpoint of ink stability.

The ratio of the second pigment and the polymer dispersant for dispersing the second pigment in the ink was 5: 0.5 to 5: 5 by weight.
2 is preferred.

Aqueous Medium Examples of the aqueous medium serving as a dispersion medium for the first and second pigments include:
A water-soluble organic solvent is used. As the water-soluble organic solvent, for example, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol,
n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n
-Butyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, te
rt-butyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, n-
C1-5 alkyl alcohols such as pentanol; amides such as dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide; ketones or ketoalcohols such as acetone and diacetone alcohol; ethers such as tetrahydrofuran and dioxane; diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol Or oxyethylene or oxypropylene copolymers such as tetraethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol; ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,2,6-hexane Alkylene glycols in which an alkylene group such as triol contains 2 to 6 carbon atoms; glycerin; ethylene glycol monomethyl (or Lower alkyl ethers such as tyl) ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl (or ethyl) ether, and triethylene glycol monomethyl (or ethyl) ether; and many others such as triethylene glycol dimethyl (or ethyl) ether and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl (or ethyl) ether. Lower dialkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols; monoethanolamine,
Alkanolamines such as diethanolamine and triethanolamine; and sulfolane, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-pyrrolidone, and 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone. These water-soluble organic solvents can be used alone or as a mixture.

Penetration of Ink into Recording Medium The ink of this embodiment containing the various components described above has a Ka value of 1 (ml · m ^{− When} adjusted to less than ² · msec ^−1/2 ), by using in combination with a processing solution described later, it has an extremely uniform concentration, sharp edges, and excellent fixing speed and fixability to a recording medium. Image dots can be obtained. Hereinafter, the permeability of the ink into the recording medium will be described.

When the ink permeability is represented by the ink amount V per m ^2, the ink permeation amount V at the time t after the ink droplet is ejected (unit: milliliter / m ² = μm)
Is known by the following Bristow method. V = Vr + Ka (t−tw) ^1/2 (where t> tw)

Immediately after the ink droplet is dropped on the surface of the recording medium, the ink droplet is mostly absorbed in the uneven portion on the surface (the surface roughness of the recording medium). Almost no penetration. The time during that time is tw (wet time), and the amount of absorption into the uneven portion during that time is Vr. When the elapsed time after the drop of the ink droplet exceeds tw, the permeation amount V increases by an amount proportional to the half power of the exceeded time (t-tw). Ka is a proportional coefficient of this increase, and shows a value corresponding to the permeation speed.

The Ka value was measured using a liquid dynamic permeability tester S (manufactured by Toyo Seiki Seisakusho) by the Bristow method. In this experiment, the applicant's Canon Inc.
Paper B was used as a recording medium (recording paper). This PB
The paper is a recording paper that can be used for both a copying machine and an LBP using an electrophotographic method and recording using an ink jet recording method.

Similar results were obtained with PPC paper, which is an electrophotographic paper from Canon Inc.

The Ka value is determined by the type of surfactant, the amount added, and the like. For example, ethylene oxide
2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-
Diol (ethylene oxide-2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decy
By adding a non-ionic surfactant called en-4,7-diol (trade name "acetylenol"; manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.), the permeability increases.

In the case of an ink in which acetylenol is not mixed (content is 0%), the ink has low permeability and has properties as an additional ink defined later. When acetylenol is mixed at a content of 1%, it has the property of penetrating into the recording paper in a short time, and has the property of a highly permeable ink which will be specified later. An ink in which acetylenol is mixed at a content of 0.35% has a property as a semi-permeable ink that is intermediate between the two. Table 2 Ka value Acetylenol content Surface tension (ml / (m ² · msec ^1/2 )) (%) (dyne / cm) Additional ink less than 1 0 or more less than 0.2 40 or more Semi-permeable ink 1 or more 5.0 Less than 0.2 to less than 0.7 35 to less than 40 High penetrable ink 5.0 or more 0.7 to less than 35

Table 2 shows the Ka value, the acetylenol content (%), and the surface tension (dyne / cm) for each of the “addition type ink”, “semi-permeable ink”, and “highly permeable ink”. Is shown. The greater the Ka value, the higher the permeability of each ink to the recording paper as the recording medium. That is, the smaller the surface tension, the higher the surface tension.

The Ka values in Table 2 were measured using the liquid dynamic permeability tester S (manufactured by Toyo Seiki Seisakusho) by the Bristow method as described above. In the experiment, the above-mentioned PB paper from Canon Inc. was used as the recording paper. Similar results were obtained with the above-described Canon PPC paper.

Here, the ink of the system defined as “highly permeable ink” has an acetylenol content of 0.7% or more, and is in a range in which good results are obtained in terms of permeability. As a criterion of the permeability to be carried by the ink of the present embodiment, the Ka value of the “additional ink”, that is, less than 1.0 (ml · m ⁻² .msec ^−1/2 ) is preferable. Is 0.4 (ml ・ m ^-2・ mse
c ^-1/2 ) or less is preferred.

Addition of Dye A dye may be further added to the ink of the above embodiment. That is, the ink in which the dye is further added to the ink containing the dispersant for dispersing the first pigment, the second pigment, and the second pigment in the aqueous medium is more excellent when used in combination with the processing liquid described later. Image dots can be formed on a recording medium in a short fixing time. The cohesive force of the second pigment is the first
Is reduced by the presence of the pigment, but the cohesive force of the second pigment is further reduced by the addition of the dye, and the "crack" which is likely to occur on a recording medium having poor ink absorbency compared to plain paper or the like. It is considered that the nonuniformity of the recorded image such as the above can be effectively suppressed. Examples of the dye that can be used here include an anionic dye, and it is preferable to employ a dye having the same polarity as the polarity of the group bonded to the surface of the first pigment.

Anionic dyes: As the anionic dyes soluble in the aqueous medium that can be used in the present embodiment as described above, known acid dyes, direct dyes, and reactive dyes are suitably used. Further, it is particularly preferable to use a dye having a disazo or trisazo structure as a skeleton structure. It is also preferable to use two or more dyes having different skeleton structures. As a dye to be used, a dye such as cyan, magenta, and yellow may be used as long as the color tone does not largely differ from the dye other than the black dye.

The amount of the dye to be added and the amount of the dye to be added may range from 5% by weight to 60% by weight of the entire coloring material.
Although it may be by weight%, it is preferably less than 50% by weight in consideration of effectively utilizing the effect of mixing the first and second pigments. Further, in the case where the ink has an emphasis on the recording characteristics on plain paper, the content is preferably 5% by weight to 30% by weight.

(Embodiment of Treatment Liquid) Next, as an example of a treatment liquid that can be used in one embodiment of the present invention, for example, the group bonded to the surface of the first pigment in the ink is anionic. If so, a treatment solution containing a compound having a cationic group that reacts with the anionic group is preferably used.

For example, as the cationic compound, a relatively low molecular weight cationic compound having about one cationic group in a molecule and a relatively high molecular weight cationic compound having a plurality of cationic groups in one molecule are exemplified. No. As the relatively low molecular weight cationic compound, for example, primary to secondary to tertiary amine salt type compounds, specifically, hydrochloride such as laurylamine, cocoamine, stearylamine, rosinamine, acetate, and the like, There are quaternary ammonium salt type compounds, specifically, lauryl trimethyl ammonium chloride, lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, benzyl tributyl ammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and the like, and further pyridinium salt type compounds, specifically Include cetylpyridinium chloride, cetylpyridinium bromide, etc .; further, imidazoline-type cationic compounds, specifically, 2-heptadecenyl-hydroxyethylimidazoline, etc .; Oxide adducts, specifically dihydroxyethyl stearylamine, and the like as a preferable example.

Further, in the present embodiment, an amphoteric surfactant exhibiting cationicity in a certain pH range can also be used, and specifically, an amino acid type amphoteric surfactant, RNHCH ₂ -C
There are H ₂ COOH type compounds, betaine type compounds,
For example, stearyl dimethyl betaine, lauryl dihydroxyethyl betaine and the like can be mentioned. Of course, when these amphoteric surfactants are used, the liquid composition is adjusted to have a pH below their isoelectric point, or when mixed with ink on a recording medium, the liquid composition has a pH below the isoelectric point. It is preferable to adopt any method of adjusting the pH to be adjusted. Next, examples of the polymer component of the cationic substance include polyallylamine, polyamine sulfone, polyvinylamine, chitosan, and neutralized or partially neutralized products thereof with acids such as hydrochloric acid and acetic acid.

Other components constituting the above-mentioned processing solution may include water, a water-soluble organic solvent, and other additives in addition to the above-described chaotic substance. Examples of the water-soluble organic solvent include amides such as dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide, ketones such as acetone, ethers such as tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, polyalkylene glycols such as polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and butylene. Glycol, triethylene glycol,
1,2,6-hexanetriol, thiodiglycol,
Hexylene glycol, alkylene glycols such as diethylene glycol, lower alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether and triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol and the like In addition to monohydric alcohols, glycerin, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethylimidazolidinone, triethanolamine, sulfolane, dimethyl sulfoxide and the like are used. The content of the water-soluble organic solvent is not particularly limited, but is 5 to 60% of the total weight of the liquid.
% By weight, more preferably 5 to 40% by weight is a suitable range.

In the present embodiment, it is necessary to adjust the processing liquid so as to have high permeability to the recording medium by improving the fixing speed of the image dots to the recording medium and improving the fixing property. This is preferable for achieving the following.

In this way, high-speed and high-quality images can be achieved in the plain paper recording mode. Also, the case of recording on high-speed absorbing paper and the like are as described above.

(Permeability of High-Speed Absorbing Paper) In the above description, PPC paper was used as a recording medium for the description of ink permeability, but the high-speed absorbing paper of this embodiment is different from PPC paper in size. Since the agent is not contained or is in a trace amount, even if it is a top-up type ink, it penetrates into the paper very quickly, and the Ka value becomes 5 ^{mlm- 2} msec- ^{1 / 2} or more. .

Hereinafter, a recording apparatus according to a specific example of the above-described embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Example 1) This example is a specific example of Embodiment 1 or 2 of the above-described apparatus configuration.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a full-line type recording apparatus according to this embodiment.

The recording apparatus 100 includes a plurality of full-line type recording heads (ejection units) arranged at predetermined positions along a conveying direction of recording paper as a recording medium (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 17). It employs an ink jet recording system for performing recording by discharging ink or a processing liquid, and operates under the control of a control circuit shown in FIG. The recording head according to the present embodiment is of a type in which bubbles are generated in the ink or the processing liquid by using thermal energy, and the ink or the processing liquid is discharged by the pressure of the bubbles.

Each recording head 101B of the head group 101g
Each of k1, 101Bk2, 101S, 101C, 101M, and 101Y has a width of about 72 in the width direction of recording paper 103 conveyed in the direction A in the drawing (the direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet).
By arranging 00 ink ejection ports, recording can be performed on a recording sheet having a maximum size of A3.

Recording paper 10 which is plain paper or high-speed absorbing paper
3 is conveyed in the direction A by the rotation of a pair of registration rollers 114 driven by a conveying motor, guided by a pair of guide plates 115, the registration of which is performed at the tip, and then conveyed by a conveyor belt 111. You. The transport belt 111, which is an endless belt, is held by two rollers 112 and 113, and the vertical deviation of the upper portion thereof is regulated by the platen 104. The rotation of the roller 113 causes the recording paper 10
3 is conveyed. The recording paper 113 is attracted to the transport belt 111 by electrostatic attraction. Roller 1
Reference numeral 13 denotes a driving source such as a motor (not shown) which is driven to rotate in a direction in which the recording paper 103 is transported in the direction of arrow A. The recording paper 103 that has been conveyed on the conveyance belt 111 and on which recording has been performed by the recording head group 101g during this time is transferred to a stocker 116.
Discharged up.

Each recording head of the recording head group 101g has:
The two heads 101Bk1, 101Bk2 for discharging black ink described in the first embodiment of the above-described apparatus configuration,
The processing liquid head 101S that discharges the processing liquid and the color ink heads (cyan head 101C, magenta head 101M, and yellow head 101Y) are formed of recording paper
Are arranged as shown in FIG. By discharging each color ink and processing liquid from each recording head, black characters and color images can be recorded.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the full-line type recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG.

The system controller 201 includes a microprocessor, a ROM for storing a control program to be executed by the apparatus, a RAM used as a work area when the microprocessor performs processing, and the like. Execute The motor 204 is the driver 20
The driving of the roller 11 is controlled through the roller 11 shown in FIG.
3 is rotated to convey the recording paper. As previously mentioned,
It is necessary to change the relative speed between the recording head and the recording paper in accordance with the recording mode. In this example, the transport speed of the recording paper is changed in two steps, 170 mm / sec and 340 mm / sec. Specifically, the system controller 20
1 changes the rotational speed of the motor 204 to change the moving speed of the transport belt 111 by sending a control signal corresponding to the recording mode to the driver 202.

The host computer 206 transfers information to be recorded to the recording apparatus 100 of this embodiment, and controls the recording operation. The reception buffer 207 temporarily stores data from the host computer 206, and accumulates data until data is read by the system controller 201. Frame memory 208
Is a memory for expanding data to be recorded into image data, and has a memory size necessary for recording. In this embodiment, the frame memory 208 is described as being capable of storing one sheet of recording paper, but the present invention is not limited by the capacity of the frame memory.

The buffers 209S and 209P temporarily store data to be recorded, and their storage capacities vary depending on the number of ejection ports of the recording head. Recording control unit 2
Reference numeral 10 denotes a system controller which drives the recording head.
For proper control according to the command from
In addition to controlling the driving frequency, the number of recording data, and the like, data for discharging the processing liquid is also created. The driver 211 is a recording head 1 for discharging the processing liquid.
01S and recording heads 101Bk1, 101Bk2, 101C, 101 for discharging the respective inks.
M and 101Y are driven for ejection, and are controlled by a signal from the print control unit 210.

In the above configuration, the recording data is transferred from the host computer 206 to the reception buffer 207 and is temporarily stored. Next, the stored recording data is read out by the system controller 201 and expanded in the buffers 209S and 209P. Further, paper jam, out of ink, out of paper, and the like can be detected by various detection signals from the abnormality sensor 222.

The recording control unit 210 includes a buffer 209S ^,
Processing liquid data for discharging the processing liquid is created based on the image data developed on 209P. And
The ejection operation of each print head is controlled based on the print data and the processing liquid data in each of the buffers 209S and 209P.

By switching between the normal recording mode and the high-speed recording mode on the printer driver as described above, it is possible to control the transport speed of the recording paper and the ejection amount of the ink and the processing liquid.

[Example 1 of high-speed absorbing paper] A specific example of the high-speed absorbing paper used in this embodiment is as follows.

As a raw pulp, commercially available LBKP was beaten with a double disc refiner to obtain 300 ml of Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) beaten raw material (A). Similarly, commercially available LBKP was beaten with the same apparatus as the base layer to obtain 450 ml of the beaten raw material (B). The beating raw material (A) and the beating raw material (B) were mixed at a dry weight ratio of 9: 1 to prepare a papermaking raw material.

An alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure described in Example 1 of JP-A-9-99627 was dispersed in ion-exchanged water to prepare an alumina hydrate dispersion having a solid concentration of 10% by weight. . As a cationic resin, WISTEX H-90 (trade name, manufactured by Nagase Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd., active ingredient 45%) was mixed with ion-exchanged water to prepare a cationic resin dispersion having an active ingredient amount of 10% by weight. The on-machine coating liquid was prepared by mixing the alumina hydrate dispersion and the cationic resin dispersion at a ratio of 1: 1.

Using the above-mentioned papermaking raw material, a basis weight of 8
The paper was adjusted to 0 g / m ² , and the amount of the on-machine coating solution was 4 g / m ² (alumina hydrate 2 g / m ² , cationic resin 2 g / m ² ) per one side using a two-roll size press. And the surface was smoothed with a super calender to obtain a recording medium. The feel was the same as plain paper.

[Other Examples of High-Speed Absorbing Paper] Commercially available LBKP as a raw material pulp was beaten with a double disc refiner to obtain 300 ml of Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) beaten raw material (A).
Similarly, beating commercially available LBKP with the same device as the base layer
50 ml of the beating raw material (B) were obtained. The beating raw material (A) and the beating raw material (B) were mixed at a dry weight ratio of 9: 1 to prepare a papermaking raw material.

An alumina hydrate having a boehmite structure described in Example 1 of JP-A-9-99627 was dispersed in ion-exchanged water to prepare an alumina hydrate dispersion having a solid content of 10% by weight. . As a cationic resin, WISTEX H-90 (trade name, manufactured by Nagase Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd., active ingredient 45%) was mixed with ion-exchanged water to prepare a cationic resin dispersion having an active ingredient amount of 10% by weight. This alumina hydrate dispersion and the cationic resin dispersion were mixed at a ratio of 1: 1 to prepare a mixed coating liquid.

A commercially available crude rare earth chloride was dispersed in ion-exchanged water to prepare an aqueous dispersion having a solid content of 3% by weight.

Using the above-mentioned papermaking raw material, a basis weight of 8 was
The paper was adjusted to 0 g / m ² , and the mixed coating liquid of the alumina hydrate and the cationic resin was converted to a dry solid content of 4 g / m ² (alumina hydrate 2 g / m ^2, the amount in and coated, then the crude salt of rare earth dispersions per side 0.5 g / m ² coating on a dry solid basis of a size press apparatus of the second stage cationic resin 2 g / m ²⁾ Worked. Further, the surface was smoothed with a super calender to obtain a recording medium.

In this embodiment, as for the black ink ejected from the heads 101Bk1 and 101Bk2, ink having a low permeation speed (also referred to as an additional ink in this specification) is used, and the heads 101S, 101C, and 101Bk1 are used.
The processing liquids and inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow ejected from 01M and 101Y, respectively, used processing liquids and inks having high penetration rates (hereinafter, referred to as highly permeable inks in this embodiment).

The composition of the processing liquid and each ink used in this embodiment is as follows. In addition, the ratio of each component is shown by weight part. Processing Liquid] 7 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 2 parts of glycerin (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals) polyallylamine 4 ^parts. (Molecular weight: 1500 or less, an average value of about 1000) acetic acid 4 parts benzalkonium chloride 0 5 parts of triethylene glycocholic Monobutyl ether 3 parts Water balance [Yellow (Y) ink] C.I. I. Direct Yellow 86 3 parts Glycerin 5 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 1 part (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical) Water balance [Magenta (M) ink] C.I. I. Acid Red 289 3 parts Glycerin 5 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 1 part (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical) Water balance [Cyan (C) ink] C.I. I. Direct Blue 199 3 parts Glycerin 5 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 1 part (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals) Water Remaining [Black (Bk) ink] Pigment dispersion 1 25 parts Pigment dispersion 2 25 parts Glycerin 6 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH ^0. 1 part (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical) water balance Note, Ka value of this black ink was 0.33. The pigment dispersions 1 and 2 are as follows.

[Pigment Dispersion Liquid 1] Surface area of 230 m ² / g
And 10 g of carbon black having a DBP oil absorption of 70 ml / 100 g and 3.41 g of p-aminobenzoic acid in 72 g of water.
After mixing well, 1.62 g of nitric acid was added dropwise to
Stirred at 0 ° C. A few minutes later, a solution of 1.07 g of sodium nitrite dissolved in 5 g of water was added, and the mixture was further stirred for 1 hour. The obtained slurry was applied to Toyo Filter Paper No. 2 (manufactured by Advantis), and the pigment particles are sufficiently washed with water,
After drying in an oven, water was added to the pigment to prepare an aqueous pigment solution having a pigment concentration of 10% by weight. By the above method, a pigment dispersion having an anionic charged self-dispersible carbon black having a hydrophilic group bonded through a phenyl group on the surface as shown in the following formula was obtained.

[0213]

Embedded image

[Pigment dispersion liquid 2] Pigment dispersion liquid 2 was prepared as follows. 14 parts of a styrene-acrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer (acid value 180, average molecular weight 12000) as a dispersant, 4 parts of monoethanolamine and 72 parts of water were mixed, and heated to 70 ° C. in a water bath. Dissolve the resin completely. At this time, if the concentration of the resin to be dissolved is low, the resin may not be completely dissolved. Therefore, when dissolving the resin, a high-concentration solution may be prepared in advance and diluted to prepare a desired resin solution. Carbon black (trade name: MCF-88, pH 8.30) that can be dispersed in an aqueous medium for the first time by the action of a dispersant in this solution.
0, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), and premixed for 30 minutes under the following conditions. Next, the following operation was performed to obtain a pigment dispersion liquid 2 in which carbon black (MCF-88) was dispersed in an aqueous medium with a dispersant. Dispersing machine: Side grinder (made by Igarashi Kikai) Grinding media: 1 mm diameter zirconia beads Filling ratio of grinding media: 50% (volume) Grinding time: 3 hours Centrifugation (12000 RPM, 20 minutes)

By using the black ink according to the present embodiment described above, the self-dispersible carbon black, the carbon black dispersible with the polymer dispersant, and the polymer dispersant are mixed and dispersed. On the other hand, a reaction solution containing two kinds of cationic compounds of different polarities (polyallylamine, benzalkonium chloride) reacts.

In this embodiment, the ink ejection ports of each recording head are arranged at a density of 600 dpi, and recording is performed at a dot density of 600 dpi in the recording paper transport direction. As a result, the dot density of an image or the like recorded in this embodiment is 600 dp in both the row direction and the column direction.
i. The ejection frequency of each head was 8 KHz, and two ejections were possible for one pixel of 600 DPI. Therefore, the transport speed of the recording paper in the normal recording mode is about 170 mm / sec.

In the high-speed recording mode, the ejection frequency of the head remains at 8 KHz, but one ejection can be performed for one pixel of 600 DPI, and the recording paper transport speed is about 3 kHz.
It is 40 mm / sec.

Note that the ejection amount of each recording head is 8 pl.
(Picoliter).

The total amount of ink applied per pixel of 600 DPI when using two heads Bk1 and Bk2 in the normal recording mode assuming plain paper is about 20 pl. The color is about 16 pl per pixel at 600 DPI. On the other hand, in the high-speed recording mode, Bk1
DP using two heads Bk2 and Bk2
The average total amount of applied ink per pixel of I is about 12 pl
It is. Color is about 8 pl per pixel of 600 DPI
It is.

The full multi-type recording apparatus described above is used in a state where the recording head is fixed in the recording operation, and the time required for transporting the recording paper is almost the time required for recording. It is a thing. Therefore, by applying the present invention to such a high-speed recording apparatus, its high-speed recording function can be further improved, and high-quality recording without a high OD value and no bleeding or haze can be realized.

The recording apparatus of the present embodiment is most generally used as a printer, but is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the recording apparatus can be configured as a recording unit such as a copying apparatus or a facsimile.

[Examples of Other Inks (Facial Dye Inks)] The compositions of the treatment liquid and the Bk ink according to another example used in the present invention are as follows. In addition, the ratio of each component is shown by weight part. [Treatment liquid] Glycerin 7 parts Diethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 0.7 parts (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical) Polyallylamine 4 parts (molecular weight: 1500 or less, average value about 1000) Acetic acid 4 parts Benzalkonium chloride 0.5 part Triethylene Glycochol monobutyl ether 3 parts Water balance [Black (Bk) mixed ink] Pigment dispersion 25 parts Food black 2 2 parts Glycerin 6 parts Triethylene glycol 5 parts Acetylenol EH 0.1 parts (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical) Water balance Note The Ka value of this black mixed ink was 0.33. The pigment dispersion is as follows.

[Pigment Dispersion] Anthranilic acid (1.58 g) was added to a solution of 5 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid in 5.3 g of water at 5 ° C.
g was added. This solution was constantly kept at 10 ° C. or lower by stirring in an ice bath, and a solution obtained by adding 1.78 g of anthorium nitrite to 8.7 g of water at 5 ° C. was added. After further stirring for 15 minutes, the surface area is 320 m ² / g and the DB
Carbon black 20 with P oil absorption of 120 ml / 100 g
g was added as mixed. Thereafter, the mixture was further stirred for 15 minutes. The obtained slurry was filtered with Toyo Filter Paper No. 2 (manufactured by Advantis), and the pigment particles were sufficiently washed with water.
After drying in an oven at 110 ° C., the pigment was dripped with water to prepare an aqueous pigment solution having a pigment concentration of 10% by weight. According to the above method, as represented by the following formula, a pigment dispersion in which anionic charged self-dispersible carbon black having a hydrophilic group bonded through a phenyl group was dispersed on the surface was obtained.

[0224]

Embedded image

As is apparent from the above compositions, depending on the acetylenol content, the pigment and dye inks of black were added to the processing ink and C,
Each of the M and Y inks is set to a highly permeable ink.

(Example 2) This example is another specific example of Embodiment 1 or 2 of the above-described apparatus configuration.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a serial type recording apparatus 5 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In other words, it is obvious that the recording apparatus that applies the ink to the recording medium and then reacts by discharging the processing liquid is not limited to the above-described full line type, but can be applied to a serial type apparatus. The same elements as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The recording paper 103 as a recording medium is inserted from the paper supply unit 105 and discharged through the recording unit 126. In this embodiment, inexpensive plain paper and high-speed absorbing paper, which are generally widely used, are used as the recording paper 103. Recording unit 1
At 26, the carriage 107 is
Bk, 101S, 101C, 101M and 101Y are mounted, and are configured to be able to reciprocate along the guide rail 109 by the driving force of a motor (not shown). The recording head 101Bk discharges the black mixed ink described in the above embodiment. Also, the recording head 101S,
101C, 101M, and 101Y discharge the processing liquid, cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, respectively, and are driven to discharge the ink or the processing liquid onto the recording paper 103 in this order.

Each head has a corresponding ink tank 108Bk, 108S, 108C, 108M, 108
The ink or the processing liquid is supplied from Y, and at the time of ink discharge, a drive signal is supplied to an electrothermal converter, that is, a heater provided for each discharge port of each head, thereby applying thermal energy to the ink or the processing liquid. Then, bubbles are generated, and the ink or the processing liquid is discharged using the pressure at the time of the bubble generation. Each of the heads is provided with 64 ejection ports at a density of 360 dpi.
03 are arranged in substantially the same direction as the transport direction Y, that is, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of each head.

The head is provided with two heaters, large and small, for one nozzle, and discharges 10 pl by driving only the small heater and 25 pl by driving both the large and small heaters. Therefore, the discharge amount for each discharge port is 10 to 25 pl.

The recording density in the scanning direction is 720 DPI, and discharge is performed at 25 pl in the normal print mode and 10 pl in the high-speed print mode.

When recording at 25 pl, the ejection frequency (driving frequency) is 7.2 KHz, and at 10 pl for high-speed recording, the ejection frequency is 14.4 KHz, and the scanning speed of the recording head is set to twice the normal recording mode. Perform high-speed recording. The ink ejection amount and the like are the same as those described in the example of the recording mode, and are achieved by changing the ejection amount of one droplet by the above method according to the recording mode.

(Example 3) This example relates to a specific example of Embodiment 3 of the above-described apparatus configuration.

This embodiment does not use the processing liquid head in the serial type recording apparatus shown in FIG. 6, and is an example in which a total of four heads are used. That is, it is apparent that the recording apparatus that applies the Bk ink to the recording medium and ejects and reacts with the color ink is not limited to the full-line type, but can be applied to a serial-type apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 6, the recording paper 103 as the recording medium is inserted from the paper supply unit 105 and discharged through the recording unit 126. Also in this embodiment, inexpensive plain paper and high-speed absorbing paper that are generally widely used are used as the recording paper 103. In the recording unit 126, the carriage 107 includes the recording heads 101Bk, 101C, and 1B.
01M and 101Y are mounted, and are configured to be able to reciprocate along the guide rail 109 by the driving force of a motor (not shown). The recording head 101Bk discharges pigment ink. Further, recording heads 101C, 101M,
101Y discharges cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, respectively, and is driven to discharge ink on the recording paper 103 in this order.

Each head is supplied with ink from the corresponding ink tank 108Bk, 108C, 108M, 108Y, and at the time of ink ejection, a drive signal is supplied to an electrothermal transducer provided for each ejection port of each head, that is, a heater. The ink is supplied, thereby applying thermal energy to the ink to generate bubbles, and the ink is ejected using the pressure at the time of the bubble generation. Each head has 600
64 outlets are provided at a density of dpi,
The recording papers 103 are arranged in substantially the same direction as the transport direction Y, that is, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of each head.

The character Bk is recorded independently by the Bk head,
The solid image of Bk is recorded by superimposing color ink reactive with Bk ink. The amount of ink applied to the paper is substantially the same as that described in the embodiment of the recording mode except that the amount of the color ink to be reacted with the Bk ink is considerably thinned out, for example, to 15% or less. It is.

That is, in the normal recording mode, 60
For one pixel of 0 DPI, 2.5 droplets of 8 pl are ejected, and when overlapping color ink, 0.1 droplets (10%) of 8 pl droplets are ejected. On the other hand, in the high-speed recording mode (high-speed absorption paper recording mode), the Bk ink ejects 1.5 drops of 8 pl droplets to one pixel of 600 DPI.
The color ink is the same as in the recording mode embodiment.

(Example 4) In this example, the head configuration may be the same as that of Example 3 described above. In this case, the head configuration is the same as that of BJF850 manufactured by Canon Inc. The configuration shown in FIG.

In the following, referring to FIG. 6, the recording paper 103 as the recording medium is inserted from the paper supply unit 105 and discharged through the recording unit 126. Also in this embodiment, inexpensive plain paper and high-speed absorbing paper that are generally widely used are used as the recording paper 103. In the recording unit 126, the carriage 107 includes the recording heads 101Bk, 101C, and 1B.
01M and 101Y are mounted, and are configured to be able to reciprocate along the guide rail 109 by the driving force of a motor (not shown). The recording head 101Bk discharges the black ink described in the above embodiment. The recording heads 101C, 101M, and 101Y eject cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, respectively, and are driven to eject ink onto the recording paper 103 in this order.

[0241] Each head is supplied with ink from the corresponding ink tank 108Bk, 108C, 108M, 108Y, and at the time of ink ejection, a drive signal is supplied to an electrothermal converter provided for each ejection port of each head, that is, a heater. The ink is supplied, thereby applying thermal energy to the ink to generate bubbles, and the ink is ejected using the pressure at the time of the bubble generation. Each head has 120
At a density of 0 dpi, 128 ejection ports are provided for color, and 128 ejection ports are provided for the Bk head.
These are arranged in substantially the same direction as the transport direction Y of the recording paper 103, that is, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of each head.

When the head configuration shown in FIG.
The k head is longer than the color head, and when printing an image of Bk alone, printing is performed using all nozzles. Bk
In the case of printing an image in which color and color are mixed, by using the upper half nozzles of the Bk head 101Bk in FIG. 7, a time difference is provided between the color ink printing and the Bk ink printing. Therefore, even if there is no reactivity between the Bk ink and the color ink, the bleed between the Bk ink and the color ink is slight.

The amount of ink applied to the paper is as follows. The ejection amount is 4 pl for both Bk and color. In the normal recording mode, both Bk and color are 120
One shot per pixel of 0 DPI, ie, 1 shot of 600 DPI
When converted per pixel, it becomes 4 shots and 16 pl. On the other hand, in the high-speed recording mode, Bk is set to 3 shots per pixel of 600 DPI, that is, 12 pl.
Two shots per pixel of 600 DPI, that is, 8 pl.

FIG. 8 shows a full multi-type recording apparatus using four recording heads C, M, Y and Bk shown in FIG.

[0245]

As is apparent from the above description, according to each embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of recording modes having different relative movement speeds are executed, in the recording mode in which the relative movement speed is higher. Is smaller than the recording mode in which the relative speed is slower, the amount of ink applied per pixel is reduced, and, at least in black recording, black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink are ejected from the recording head, preferably, In the recording mode in which the relative movement speed is higher, the ink permeability to a recording medium or PPC paper containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles has a Ka value of 1 ml · m ^−2.・ Mse
When an ink less than c- ^{1 / 2} is used, the Ka value is 5 m.
Since a recording medium having a speed of l · m ^-2 · msec ^-1/2 or more, that is, high-speed absorbing paper, is used, a large amount of the ink color material remains on the surface layer of the recording medium even when the ink ejection amount is small. Solvents permeate relatively quickly. This allows
In the recording mode, high-density and high-speed recording can be performed. On the other hand, even when a recording medium such as plain paper is used instead of the high-speed absorbing paper described above, since the processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink is used, a large amount of the coloring material is similarly retained on the surface layer of the recording medium. And high density recording can be performed.

As a result, an easy-to-use recording apparatus capable of high-speed recording at high density can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a distribution of impregnation of alumina in a surface layer of a recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which alumina or the like is attached to fibers constituting the recording medium.

FIGS. 3A to 3D are diagrams illustrating differences in ink dot formation between plain paper and the high-speed absorbing paper according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a full multi-type recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a serial type recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a configuration of a recording head of a serial type recording apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a configuration of a full multi-type recording apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relationship between input values and output values of a gamma table.

[Explanation of symbols]

v ₁ Penetration speed of the pigment ink into the recording medium v ₂ Penetration speed of the dye ink into the recording medium v ₃ Penetration speed of the treatment liquid into the recording medium Ka Proportional coefficient t Elapsed time V Penetration amount tw Wet time D _I Pigment ink Distance between head and processing liquid head 5,100 Recording device 101g Head group 101Bk1, 100Bk2, 100S, 100C, 1
00M, 100Y recording head (ejection unit) 103 recording paper 104 platen 105 paper feeding unit 107 carriage 108Bk, 108S, 108C, 108M, 108Y
Ink tank 109 Guide rail 111 Conveyor belt 112, 113 Roller 114 Registration roller 115 Guide plate 116 Stocker 126 Recording unit 201 System controller 202 Driver 204 Motor 206 Host computer 207 Receive buffer 208 Frame memory 209S, 209P Buffer 210 Recording control unit 211 Driver 222 Abnormal sensor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hitoshi Yoshino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Ogino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Incorporated F term (reference) 2C056 EA01 EC11 EC31 EC72 EC80 FA03 FA10 HA42 2H086 BA33 BA51 BA60

Claims (30)

[Claims] A relative movement between a recording medium and a recording head, and recording by ejecting at least ink from the recording head to the recording medium during the relative movement;
In an ink jet recording apparatus corresponding to a plurality of different recording media and performing recording in a recording mode selected from a plurality of recording modes in which the relative movement speed is different, in a recording mode in which the relative movement speed is high, Compared with the recording mode in which the relative speed is lower than the high-speed recording mode, the ink ejection amount per pixel is reduced,
In addition, at least for black recording, an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a recording head driving unit for discharging black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink from the recording head. 2. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the high-speed recording mode, a recording medium containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles is used. 3. In the high-speed recording mode, the permeability of the ink to PPC paper is determined by a Ka value of 1 ml · m.
^-2 · msec-When ink less than ^-1/2 is used, K
2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording medium having an a value of 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^−1/2 or more is used. 4. In an ink jet recording apparatus, the permeability of a recording medium or ink containing alumina particles which is substantially free of a sizing agent into PPC paper has a Ka value of 1 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^{−1. When the} ink less than ^{/ 2} is used, the Ka value is 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec.
A control unit capable of executing a high-speed absorbing paper recording mode using a recording medium that is ^-1/2 or more, and a plain paper recording mode using plain paper; An ink jet recording apparatus characterized in that the amount of ink applied per pixel is reduced as compared with the mode. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode, the relative movement speed between the recording head and the recording medium when performing recording is higher than in the plain paper recording mode. 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode, the black image is formed by mixing black ink and another liquid that reacts with the black ink. . 7. The high-speed absorbing paper recording mode includes at least two or more modes, one of which forms a black image by mixing a black ink and another liquid that reacts with the black ink ink, and the other forms a black image. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a black image is formed only by black ink. 8. The ink-jet recording according to claim 5, wherein the Ka value of the black ink according to the Bristow method on plain paper is less than 1 ml · m ⁻² .msec ^−1/2. apparatus. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the black ink contains a pigment. 10. The printing method according to claim 5, wherein the recording is performed with ink droplets of a predetermined size in the plain paper recording mode, and the recording is performed with ink droplets smaller than the predetermined size in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode. 10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of items 9. 11. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a recording head capable of relatively ejecting the same ink as large droplets and small droplets is used. 12. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head uses thermal energy to generate bubbles in the ink, and discharges the ink by the pressure of the bubbles.
The inkjet recording device according to any one of the above. 13. Recording is performed by discharging ink onto a recording medium.
In the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink permeability to the PPC paper is 1 ml.
・ M^-2・ Msec^-1/2When using ink less than
Has a Ka value of 5 ml · m^-2・ Msec^-1/2That is more than
Amount of ink applied per pixel to recording medium
Is 2.8 × 10 ^-3pl / μm^Two~ 8.4 × 10^-3pl /
μm^TwoInk jet recording apparatus characterized by being
Place. 14. 14. In an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium, the amount of ink to be applied per pixel to a recording medium that is substantially free of a sizing agent and contains alumina particles 2.8 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ^{2 to} 8.4
× 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ² . 15. The amount of color ink applied per pixel to the recording medium is 2.2 × 10 ⁻³ p.
The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the value is 1 / μm ^{2 to} 5.6 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ² . 16. A method for performing relative movement between a recording medium and a recording head, performing recording by ejecting at least ink from the recording head to the recording medium during the relative movement, and performing a plurality of different recording operations. In an ink jet recording method corresponding to a medium and performing recording in a recording mode selected from a plurality of recording modes having different relative movement speeds, in a recording mode in which the relative movement speed is high, the high-speed recording mode In comparison with the recording mode in which the relative speed is slower, the ink ejection amount per pixel is reduced,
In addition, at least in black printing, the ink jet printing method includes a step of discharging black ink and a processing liquid for insolubilizing the ink from the print head. 17. The ink jet recording method according to claim 16, wherein in the high-speed recording mode, a recording medium containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles is used. 18. In the high-speed recording mode, the permeability of ink to PPC paper is determined by a Ka value of 1 ml ·
When an ink less than m ^-2 · msec ^-1/2 is used,
17. The ink jet recording method according to claim 16, wherein a recording medium having a Ka value of 5 ^{mlm- 2} msec- ^{1 / 2} or more is used. 19. The ink-jet recording method, wherein the permeability of a recording medium or ink containing substantially no sizing agent and containing alumina particles to PPC paper has a Ka value of 1 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^{−1. When the} ink less than ^{/ 2} is used, the Ka value is 5 ml · m ⁻² · msec.
^A high-speed absorbing paper recording mode using a recording medium that is ^-1/2 or more, and a plain paper recording mode using plain paper.
An ink jet recording method characterized by reducing the amount of ink applied per pixel. 20. The ink jet recording method according to claim 19, wherein the relative movement speed of the recording head and the recording medium when performing recording in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode is higher than in the plain paper recording mode. 21. The ink jet recording method according to claim 20, wherein in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode, the black image is formed by mixing black ink and another liquid that reacts with the black ink. . 22. The high-speed absorbing paper recording mode includes at least two or more modes, one of which forms a black image by mixing a black ink and another liquid that reacts with the black ink ink, and the other forms a black image. 22. The ink jet recording method according to claim 20, wherein a black image is formed using only black ink. 23. The black ink has a Ka value by the Bristow method for plain paper of 1 ml · m ⁻² · msec ^-1/2.
23. The ink jet recording method according to claim 20, wherein 24. The ink jet recording method according to claim 20, wherein the black ink contains a pigment. 25. The printing method according to claim 19, wherein the recording is performed with ink droplets of a predetermined size in the plain paper recording mode, and the recording is performed with ink droplets smaller than the predetermined size in the high-speed absorbing paper recording mode. 24. The ink jet recording method according to any one of 23. 26. The ink jet recording method according to claim 25, wherein a recording head capable of relatively ejecting the same ink as large droplets and small droplets is used. 27. The recording head according to claim 16, wherein bubbles are generated in the ink by using thermal energy, and the ink is ejected by the pressure of the bubbles.
7. The inkjet recording method according to any one of 6. 28. Recording is performed by discharging ink onto a recording medium.
In the ink jet recording method to be performed, the permeability of the ink to the PPC paper is 1 ml.
・ M^-2・ Msec^-1/2When using ink less than
Has a Ka value of 5 ml · m^-2・ Msec^-1/2That is more than
Amount of ink applied per pixel to recording medium
Is 2.8 × 10 ^-3pl / μm^Two~ 8.4 × 10^-3pl /
μm^TwoInkjet recording method characterized by being
Law. 29. An ink jet recording method in which ink is ejected onto a recording medium to perform recording, the recording medium being substantially free of a sizing agent and containing alumina particles. Is 2.8 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ^{2 to} 8.4
× 10 ^-3 pl / μm ² . 30. The amount of color ink applied per pixel to the recording medium is 2.2 × 10 ⁻³ p.
30. The ink jet recording method according to claim 28, wherein the amount is 1 / μm ^{2 to} 5.6 × 10 ⁻³ pl / μm ² .