JP2005225115A - Inkjet recording method, inkjet recording apparatus and printer driver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recording method whereby stable recording can be carried out for a long time by effectively preventing piling of an agglomerated solidified object between ink and a reaction liquid as a result of flushing, and to provide an inkjet recording apparatus and a printer driver. <P>SOLUTION: The inkjet recording method uses the inkjet recording apparatus equipped with both an ink discharging head for discharging the ink and a reaction liquid discharging head for discharging the reaction liquid with properties to agglomerate the ink. While each head is moved back and forth between a recording region and a non recording region, the ink and the reaction liquid are discharged on the basis of recording data, whereby recording is carried out. In the method, flushing of the ink discharging head is carried out at the non recording region, and flushing of the reaction liquid discharging head is carried out at the recording region. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method, an ink jet recording apparatus, and a printer driver that use a reaction liquid having ink aggregating ability.

  The ink jet recording method is a printing method that records an image by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles of a recording head and attaching the ink to a recording medium such as paper. Conventionally, as an ink jet recording method for obtaining a high-quality color image having high image density and no bleeding, a reaction liquid (treatment liquid, treatment liquid) containing ink and a substance that instantaneously aggregates the ink (ink flocculant) There is known a method using two liquids such as a printability improving liquid. The method using these two liquids is particularly effective for so-called plain paper such as general office paper and offset coated printing paper not imparted with characteristics suitable for the ink jet recording method. According to this method, A high-quality color image can be obtained with relatively inexpensive plain paper without using expensive and special ink-jet paper. Known reaction liquids include those using polyvalent metal salts such as magnesium salts as ink flocculants, and those containing cationic polymers such as polyallylamine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .

  By the way, in a recording apparatus (inkjet recording apparatus) of an ink jet recording system, ejection failure caused by an increase in ink viscosity due to evaporation of an ink solvent or the like in a nozzle that is not used frequently among a plurality of nozzles of a recording head. In order to prevent this, so-called flushing (empty ejection) in which ink is periodically ejected from the nozzles regardless of image recording is appropriately performed during the recording operation.

  Since the ink ejected by flushing is irrelevant to image recording and cannot be ejected to the recording medium, flushing is usually located on both outer sides of the conveyance path of the recording medium. Performed in non-recording area. In this non-recording area, as a receiving member for receiving ink droplets ejected by flushing, for example, an absorber such as a sponge having good ink absorbability, or an opening leading to a waste ink tank having such an absorber Etc. are provided.

  However, when the flushing is repeated, a dried ink agglomerated solidified product may accumulate on the surface of the absorber. As the number of flushing increases, the agglomerated solidified product gradually grows, and finally the agglomerated solidified product comes into contact with the nozzle forming surface of the recording head. There is a risk of inconvenience such as defective discharge or damage. For this reason, in the ink jet recording apparatus, a contrivance is made to increase the distance between the recording head and the absorber as much as possible. For example, in an ink jet recording apparatus having a configuration in which a flushing opening leading to the absorber is provided in a non-recording area. In many cases, the absorber is not disposed near the top of the opening but at the bottom of the recording apparatus.

Further, in Patent Document 2, when the recording head performs flushing with respect to the opening (preliminary discharge receiving means) provided in the non-recording area, the carriage (recording head) immediately moves into the opening. In view of the problem that the mist of the ink droplets ejected into the opening rises due to the rising airflow generated instantaneously, and the head and the recording medium are contaminated, the ink droplets ejected into the opening are further in the back. A method for controlling the operation of the carriage immediately after flushing is disclosed so as to generate a downward airflow to be directed.
JP-A-10-120956 JP 10-2226090 A

  When an inkjet recording method using two liquids of an ink and a reaction liquid is performed using a conventional inkjet recording apparatus that performs flushing in a non-recording area, a normal inkjet recording method that uses only ink is performed using the recording apparatus. Compared to the case, the accumulation of agglomerated solidified material is more likely to occur at the flushing position, and the growth of the deposit is faster, so the problems such as image quality deterioration and ejection failure or damage of the head caused by the deposit are more serious. is there. However, in the ink jet recording method using two liquids of ink and reaction liquid, the above-described adverse effect caused by flushing necessary to maintain and restore the recording characteristics of the recording head is eliminated, and a high-quality image is obtained over a long period of time. No method has yet been provided.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording method, an ink jet recording apparatus, and a printer driver capable of preventing the accumulation of agglomerated solidified product of ink and reaction liquid caused by flushing and performing stable recording over a long period of time. Is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ink jet recording method of the present invention includes an ink discharge head for discharging ink, and a reaction liquid discharge head for discharging a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink. In the ink jet recording method using an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting the ink and the reaction liquid based on recording data while reciprocating between a recording area and a non-recording area, the ink ejection head The flushing is performed in the non-recording area, and the flushing of the reaction liquid discharge head is performed in the recording area.

  The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes an ink discharge head that discharges ink and a reaction liquid discharge head that discharges a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink. In an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting the ink and the reaction liquid based on recording data while reciprocating between the areas, flushing of the ink ejection head is performed in the non-recording area, and the reaction is performed. Flushing of the liquid discharge head is performed in the recording area.

  The printer driver of the present invention includes an ink ejection head that ejects ink and a reaction liquid ejection head that ejects a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink, and each head includes a recording area and a non-recording area. A computer connected to or built in an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting the ink and the reaction liquid based on the recording data while reciprocating between the ink and the reaction liquid recording data. The reaction liquid ejection head that is predetermined when the data liquid generation means to be generated and the reaction liquid ejection head perform a recording operation based on the reaction liquid recording data generated by the data generation means. It is determined whether or not a predetermined condition relating to the number of ejections during the printing operation can be cleared, and the condition can be cleared according to the determination result By operating as a device, in which a data correction means for correcting the recording data for the reaction liquid flushing of the reaction liquid jetting head is characterized in that so as to perform the above non-recording area.

  According to the present invention, the head flushing (empty ejection) necessary for maintaining and recovering the recording characteristics is performed in the non-recording area for the ink ejection head and in the recording area for the reaction liquid ejection head. As a result, there is no accumulation of agglomerated solidified ink and reaction liquid at the flushing position as in the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, and the image quality deteriorates due to the scattering of the deposit, and the contact and collision between the deposit and the head. Inconveniences such as ejection failure or breakage of the head due to this can be avoided, and stable recording can be performed over a long period of time. Further, since the flushing of the reaction liquid discharge head is performed in the recording area, there is no need to provide a flushing member for the reaction liquid ejection head in the non-recording area unlike the conventional ink jet recording apparatus. Can be reduced in size and cost. The reaction solution is almost colorless and transparent, and even if an amount of the reaction solution that is usually flushed is added to the recording area, the image quality is hardly affected.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. An ink jet recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 winds a recording medium M from a paper stacker 3 by a paper feed roller 2 driven by a paper feed motor (not shown) and conveys it to a platen 4 position. After recording is performed by the recording head 6 attached to the recording medium 6, the recording medium M is conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow Y (sub-scanning direction). The carriage 5 is connected to a timing belt 8 that is driven by a carriage motor 7, and is indicated by an arrow X ₁ or X ₂ in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction Y of the recording medium M (shown by arrows X ₁ or X ₂ ). It is guided and supported so that it can reciprocate in the main scanning direction. An ink cartridge 10 that supplies ink and reaction liquid to the recording head 6 is mounted on the upper surface of the carriage 5. The ink cartridge 10 is partitioned into six ink chambers, and four of the water pigment inks of yellow (Y), black (K), magenta (M), and cyan (C) are accommodated in four ink chambers, respectively. The remaining two ink chambers contain reaction liquids, respectively.

  In the main scanning (reciprocating operation) of the carriage 5, an image is recorded by ejecting ink and reaction liquid from the recording head 6. An area on the platen 4 where the recording is performed is referred to as a “recording area”. Call it. On the other hand, an area where no recording is performed is called a “non-recording area”. In this embodiment, similarly to this type of ink jet recording apparatus, there is a recording area having the same width as that of the platen 4 at the center of the area where the carriage 5 can move, and non-recording is performed on both sides of the recording area. There is an area.

  A capping device 11 is provided in one of the non-recording areas on both sides of the recording area. The capping device 11 prevents the nozzles from drying as much as possible by sealing the nozzles of the recording head 6 during the recording pause. In addition, a suction pump (not shown) is connected to the lower portion of the capping device 11 to apply a negative pressure to the nozzles of the recording head 6 during the cleaning operation so that foreign matters such as ink and dust, bubbles, etc. are discharged from the nozzles. Forced to suck. The sucked ink or the like is stored in a waste liquid tank (not shown) provided at the lower part of the apparatus.

  Further, the capping device 11 also functions as a container that receives ink droplets ejected from the recording head 6 by flushing. However, as will be described later, in the present invention, since the flushing of the reaction liquid ejection head is not performed in the non-recording area but in the recording area (on the recording medium), the droplets of the reaction liquid ejected by the flushing are capped. Will not receive. In the cleaning operation during the recording pause, the capping device 11 sucks the reaction liquid from the reaction liquid discharge head.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a nozzle forming surface (a surface facing the recording medium M) of the recording head 6. The recording head 6 includes four ink ejection heads 6Y, 6K, 6M, and 6C that eject four colors of YKMC, respectively, and two reaction liquid ejection heads that eject a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the inks. 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ are so-called multi-heads having a configuration in which the recording head 6 is integrated and arranged in a line in the main scanning direction. Each head has a plurality of nozzles Nz provided along the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, and discharges ink or reaction liquid from each nozzle Nz.

  Each of the six heads is basically configured in the same manner as a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus of this type, and includes an ink supply path, an energy action portion provided in a part of the ink supply path, and the energy action portion. And energy generating means (not shown) for generating droplet formation energy to be applied to the ink or reaction liquid. In this embodiment, an electro-mechanical conversion element is provided as the energy generating means. An electro-mechanical conversion type recording head is particularly suitable for ink jet recording using a pigment ink because it is superior in ejection stability of the pigment ink as compared to other types of recording heads. A piezoelectric element is preferably used as the electro-mechanical conversion element. As is well known, a piezo element is an element (piezoelectric element) that transforms electro-mechanical energy at an extremely high speed because its crystal structure is distorted by application of a voltage. By applying a voltage having a predetermined time width to the piezoelectric element arranged at an appropriate position inside each head, the piezoelectric element expands for the voltage application time, thereby shrinking the volume of the ink supply path. Then, the ink or the reaction liquid corresponding to this contraction is discharged as a droplet from the nozzle Nz at high speed.

The order of arrangement of the heads constituting the recording head 6 is not particularly limited, but the ink ejection head that ejects ink that is easily aggregated by the reaction liquid is separated from the reaction liquid ejection head. It is preferable that they are arranged as described above. By arranging the heads in this order, the mist generated from each head during the recording operation (the minute droplets that fly following the main droplets) and the ejected droplets rebound from the recording medium, etc. It is possible to effectively prevent the nozzles from being soiled and to perform highly reliable ink jet recording. For example, when using a water-soluble polyvalent metal salt-containing type reaction liquid described later, in the case of four-color aqueous pigment inks of Y, K, M, and C, the reaction liquid is usually in the order of C, M, K, and Y. As shown in FIG. 2, the order of arrangement of the heads in this case is such that the reaction liquid discharge heads (6R ₁ , 6R ₂₎ arranged on one end side in the main scanning direction of the recording head 6 are arranged as shown in FIG. ), 6Y, 6K, 6M, and 6C are preferable in this order.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the recording system according to the present embodiment. This recording system 50 uses the inkjet recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 and includes the inkjet recording apparatus 1 and a host device 30 such as a personal computer electrically connected to the inkjet recording apparatus 1. .

  The host device 30 functions as a device that generates print data suitable for processing in the ink jet printing apparatus 1 in accordance with the installed program code of the printer driver of the present invention. Prepare.

  The data generation means 31 generates ink recording data and reaction liquid recording data, respectively, based on input image data such as image data obtained by photographing with a digital camera, for example. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, a recording data generation process in the data generation unit 31 will be described.

  For example, when there is RGB input image data composed of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), first, the color conversion unit 301 converts the data into YMCK input image data composed of Y, M, C, and K. The In this conversion, the conversion table 51 shown in FIG. 5A and the ink amount correction table 52 shown in FIG. 5B are referred to. The conversion table 51 is a table in which YMCK values are associated with RGB values. The conversion component value in the ink amount correction table 52 corresponds to each component value of the CMYK image. This ink amount correction table 52 is displayed when correction index values for each ink are transmitted from the inkjet recording apparatus 1 to the host apparatus 30 before the print data generation process (when the printer driver is activated). The content is updated according to the correction index value. The updated table is used for the recording data generation process.

  Next, the YMCK input image data is converted by the discharge amount determination unit 302 into discharge amount optimized image data in which the ink droplet discharge amount of each color of YMCK is optimized. In this conversion, the distribution information table 53 shown in FIG. The distribution information table 53 is a table from which three types of values relating to small, medium, and large ink droplets that can be ejected by the recording head 6 can be read. Based on the three types of values read from the distribution information table 53 and errors relating to other pixels, the ejection amount determination unit 302 determines the ink droplet size that is most suitable for recording the pixel.

  Next, the discharge amount optimized image data is binarized by the binarization processing unit 303. As a general binarization method, there are a dither method, an error diffusion method, a density pattern method, and the like, but the binarization method is not particularly limited in the present invention.

  The ink recording data for each YMCK color ink generated in this way is divided into two. One of the divided data is transferred to the reaction liquid data providing unit 304, and the other is transferred to the recording data generating unit 306.

  The reaction liquid data providing unit 304 generates reaction liquid recording data based on the received ink recording data for each color ink of YMCK. A procedure for generating the recording data for the reaction solution will be described with reference to FIG.

  The reaction liquid data providing unit 304 calculates (OR process) the logical sum of the transferred ink recording data of each color ink of YMCK to obtain the ink recording data 60 as shown in FIG. In this recording data 60, the recording area is divided into 8 × 8 cells, numerals 1 to 8 in the figure indicate recording positions in the main scanning direction of the recording head, and A to H indicate recording in the sub-scanning direction. Indicates the position. The cells with white circles in the figure are cells from which ink is ejected.

  Then, the above-described ink recording data 60 is ANDed with a mask pattern 70 as shown in FIG. 6B (the logical product of the ink recording data and the mask pattern is calculated). The mask pattern 70 is stored in advance in the mask storage unit 305. The hatched cells in the figure are cells from which the reaction solution is discharged. By this AND processing, data is thinned out from the mask pattern 70, and reaction liquid recording data 80 as shown in FIG. 6C is generated. The recording data 80 is configured to selectively discharge the reaction liquid only to the ink discharge area, and the usage amount of the reaction liquid is the total amount of each color ink discharged to the entire predetermined area (ink recording). The number of white circles in the data 60) is 50%.

The reaction liquid recording data generated by the reaction liquid data providing unit 304 in this way is transferred to the recording data generation unit 306. The recording data generation unit 306 uses the conversion table 54 for the reaction liquid recording data and the ink recording data transferred from the binarization processing unit 303 to use the heads 6R ₁ , 6R ₂ , 6Y. , 6K, 6M, and 6C are subjected to a process for optimizing the drive voltage, thereby generating print data suitable for the process in the ink jet printing apparatus 1.

The ink and reaction liquid recording data generated by the data generating means 31 as described above corresponds to the input image data, and is necessary and sufficient data for outputting an image of good image quality on the recording medium. However, in the present invention, flushing (empty ejection) of the reaction liquid ejection heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ is performed in the recording area as necessary for the reaction liquid recording data. Make corrections. This correction process is performed by the data correction means 32.

The data correction means 32 performs a recording operation (reaction liquid ejection operation for image recording) on the reaction liquid ejection heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ based on the reaction liquid recording data generated by the data generation means 31. In this case, it is determined whether or not the “predetermined condition regarding the number of ejections during the recording operation” can be cleared for each of the heads 6R ₁ and 6R _2. The record data for the reaction solution is corrected so that the conditions can be cleared.

That is, the data correction means 32 refers to the ink recording data in addition to the reaction liquid recording data, and also refers to various information such as the scanning speed of the carriage 5 (recording head 6), from the start to the end of recording. The operation of the recording head 6 is simulated. In this simulation, the recording operation based on the reaction liquid recording data of the reaction liquid ejection heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ is checked, so that each of the heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ clears the above condition during the recording operation. Determine whether or not.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the discharge reference table 55 used for this determination. The discharge reference table 55 is a table in which the number of discharges per unit time during the recording operation is associated with each of the reaction liquid discharge heads (6R ₁ , 6R ₂ ). In the present embodiment, the discharge conditions are set so that both 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ discharge at least 100 times in 10 seconds during the recording operation for all of the nozzles. That is, each of the heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ has a predetermined interval from the start to the end of recording [from the time when the recording head 6 starts scanning from the standby position (non-recording area) to the recording area upon receiving a recording start command. During the period from the end of the recording operation to the return to the standby position], the reaction solution must always be discharged 100 times or more in 10 seconds from all nozzles. This condition is set from the viewpoint of preventing discharge failure due to a decrease in the usage frequency of the nozzle, and the content of the condition can be determined as appropriate in consideration of the characteristics of the reaction solution and the usage environment of the apparatus. Good. When the reaction liquid has a plurality of heads as in this embodiment, it is possible to apply different conditions for each head.

If the data correction means 32 determines that the reaction liquid discharge heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ have cleared the discharge condition “discharge at least 100 times in 10 seconds for all nozzles” during the recording operation as a result of the simulation. The record data for the reaction solution is not corrected. In this case, the reaction liquid recording data generated by the data generation means 31 is transferred to the ink jet recording apparatus 1 via the data correction means 32 as it is.

On the other hand, when it is determined as a result of the simulation by the data correction means 32 that the reaction liquid discharge heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ have not cleared the discharge condition “discharge at least 100 times in 10 seconds for all nozzles” during the recording operation. The data correction means 32 corrects the recording data for the reaction liquid so that the discharge conditions can be cleared.

  The data correction is performed so as to minimize the influence on the image quality due to the correction, that is, to maintain the image quality obtained when each recording data generated by the data generation means 31 is used as it is. The reaction solution is almost colorless and transparent, and even if an amount of the reaction solution that is usually flushed is added to the recording area, the image quality is hardly affected. Therefore, basically, flushing of the reaction liquid can be performed at an arbitrary position in the recording area.

  The recording data generated by the host device 30 as described above is transferred to the inkjet recording device 1 via the input / output buffer 33.

  Note that the control configuration of the host device 30 in FIG. 3 described above is realized by a control processor centered on the CPU. The control processor includes a ROM and a RAM. The ROM stores fixed information necessary for the execution of the above-described series of control procedures by the CPU, thereby enabling various types of operations such as color conversion, optimization of discharge amount, generation of reaction liquid recording data, and correction thereof. Processing can be performed. The RAM is used as a work area for the CPU to execute various processes, and is used as a temporary storage for controlling each component.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 includes an input / output buffer 15, a head driver 16, a carriage driver 17, and a control unit 18.

  The input / output buffer 15 temporarily stores various information such as the recording data transferred from the host device 30 and the type information of the recording medium. Data indicating the operating status of the device is transmitted.

  The head driver 16 applies a driving voltage to the energy generating means (piezoelectric element) of each of the six heads constituting the recording head 6 in response to the ink and reaction liquid recording data from the input / output buffer 15. A recording operation is performed to eject ink or reaction liquid droplets. Further, when the flushing timing comes, a driving voltage unrelated to the recording signal is applied to the piezoelectric element of each head, and flushing is performed to eject ink or reaction liquid droplets from each nozzle Nz.

The carriage driver 17 scans the recording head 6 by moving the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction indicated by the arrow X ₁ or X ₂ by the carriage motor 7 during image recording, and also performs capping at the time of flushing operation or completion of the recording operation. Control is performed so that the carriage 5 is moved to a position where the apparatus 11 and the recording head 6 face each other. Note that only the ink ejection head uses the capping device 11 during flushing, and the reaction liquid ejection head performs flushing as appropriate in parallel with image recording in the recording area as described above. The capping device 11 is not used.

  The control unit 18 controls various components of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 including the various drivers described above, and includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like with a CPU at the center. The ROM stores fixed information regarding various processes executed by the CPU, for example, a table in which each nozzle of the ink ejection head is associated with the number of ejections during flushing. The RAM is used as a work area for the CPU to execute various processes.

  In the inkjet recording apparatus 1 having such a configuration, when a predetermined flushing timing has arrived for the ink ejection heads 6Y, 6K, 6M, and 6C, the control unit 18 transmits a control signal to the carriage driver 17 to The carriage 5 is moved by the motor 7 to the flushing position (on the capping device 11) in the non-recording area. Further, based on a predetermined table stored in the ROM, data for specifying the nozzle to perform flushing (for example, the nozzle row of the ink ejection head 6Y), and the number of times of ejection of the nozzle (for example, for the 6Y nozzle row) 10 times) and a trigger signal for starting flushing is transmitted to the head driver 16. The head driver 16 that has received them applies a driving voltage to the piezoelectric element of the head to be flushed to repeatedly expand and contract the piezoelectric element to vibrate, thereby ejecting ink droplets from the nozzle Nz a predetermined number of times. The flushing timing for the ink ejection head is the time from when printing is started (when the control signal is transmitted to the carriage driver 17 and the head driver 18 by the control unit 18), and the number of times the carriage is scanned. A timer for measuring the above is used and controlled by the control unit 18 based on information from the timer.

On the other hand, the reaction liquid discharge heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ execute a recording operation according to the reaction liquid recording data transferred from the host device 30, thereby discharging images for recording an image in the recording area (on the recording medium). And two types of ejection operations, that is, flushing (empty ejection) unrelated to image recording. Accordingly, the reaction liquid ejection heads 6R ₁ and 6R ₂ do not perform any flushing in the non-recording area.

  Hereinafter, the ink and the reaction liquid according to the present invention will be described.

  The ink according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a water-based ink that can be used in ink jet recording, but water-based pigment ink is preferable from the viewpoint of maximizing the image quality improvement effect by the reaction liquid. In general, water-based pigment inks for ink-jet recording include acetylene glycol surfactants, acetylene alcohol surfactants, silicon, in addition to pigments (coloring materials) and water, in order to improve printing quality and prevent drying. A surfactant such as a system surfactant, various organic solvents such as glycols and glycol ethers, a pH adjuster, a dissolution aid, and an antioxidant are contained. The content of the pigment is usually about 0.5 to 30% by weight with respect to the aqueous ink.

  Examples of the pigment (coloring material) include inorganic pigments such as carbon black produced by a known method such as titanium oxide and iron oxide, contact method, furnace method, thermal method; azo pigment (azo lake, insoluble azo pigment) , Condensed azo pigments, chelate azo pigments, etc.), polycyclic pigments (for example, phthalocyanine pigments, perylene pigments, perinone pigments, anthraquinone pigments, quinacridone pigments, dioxazine pigments, thioindigo pigments, isoindolinone pigments, quinofullerone pigments, etc.) Examples include dye chelates (for example, basic dye type chelates, acidic dye type chelates), organic pigments such as nitro pigments, nitroso pigments, and aniline black. As the organic pigment, conventionally known organic pigments having a chromatic color tone such as cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, and blue can be used without any distinction. These chromatic organic pigments may be used in combination.

The pigment may be a so-called self-dispersing pigment (also called a surface-modified pigment) that can be dispersed and / or dissolved in an aqueous medium to which a dispersant such as a water-soluble resin is not added or added in a very small amount. Non-type pigments (resin dispersed pigments) may be used. The self-dispersing pigment preferably has an anionic group bonded to the pigment particle surface. As this anionic group, for example, —COOM, —SO ₃ M, —PO ₃ HM, —PO ₃ M ₂ (wherein, M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium, or organic ammonium), etc. Can be mentioned. On the other hand, when using a resin-dispersed pigment, an anionic polymer such as a higher fatty acid salt or higher alcohol sulfate, or an anionic polymer such as polyacrylate is used as a dispersant together with the resin-dispersed pigment. It is preferable to use an anionic group-containing substance such as When a dispersant having no anionic group is used, an anionic compound is preferably contained in the ink. Of course, an anionic group-containing substance may be used as a dispersant, and an anionic compound other than this may be further contained.

The reaction liquid according to the present invention has a property of aggregating ink (ink aggregating ability), and this ink aggregating ability is expressed by an aggregating agent. As the aggregating agent, a water-soluble substance capable of forming an aggregate instantaneously by ionic interaction with an anionic group contained in a resin component such as a coloring material or a dispersing agent in the ink is preferable. For example, a polyvalent metal salt, Polymer compounds having a cationic group, oligomers, surfactants and the like are used. Of these, polyvalent metal salts are preferred from the viewpoint of ejection stability from the head, and in particular, magnesium sulfate (MgSO ₄ ) is the quality of the obtained recorded matter, the influence on the recording head (corrosiveness), and the safety (toxicity). ) And is preferably used in the present invention from the four viewpoints of cost.

  What is necessary is just to adjust suitably content of the said flocculant (polyvalent metal salt) so that a predetermined effect may be acquired, Preferably it is 0.5 to 20 weight% with respect to the said reaction liquid. If the content of the polyvalent metal salt is less than 0.5% by weight, the effect of improving the image quality such as image density is poor, and if it exceeds 20% by weight, the storage stability and ejection stability are lowered, and the components of the recording head There is a risk of corrosion.

  In the above reaction solution, surfactants such as acetylene glycol surfactants, acetylene alcohol surfactants, silicon surfactants, and glycols are used as necessary for the purpose of improving printing quality and preventing drying. In addition, various organic solvents such as glycol ethers, pH adjusters such as triethanolamine, dissolution aids, antioxidants and the like can be appropriately contained.

  The above-described ink and reaction liquid each have a surface tension of 20 to 45 mN / m, a pH of 6.5 to 10, and a viscosity of 2 to 20 ° C. from the two viewpoints of appropriate wettability to the recording medium and ejection stability. It is preferably 10 mPa · s. These physical property values can be adjusted by adjusting the type and content of each component described above.

  In the present invention, as a recording medium, not only a known inkjet special paper having an ink receiving layer mainly composed of porous particles such as silica, but also a plain paper not imparted with characteristics suitable for the inkjet recording method. It can be preferably used. Examples of plain paper that can be used in the present invention include high-quality paper, recycled paper, copy paper, bond paper, art paper, coated paper, cast coated paper, resin-coated paper (resin coated paper), baryta paper, paperboard, and Japanese paper. And non-woven fabrics and resin films such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The present invention can achieve good image quality without disturbing the dot formation position, shape, size, etc., even for these plain papers that have poor ink absorbability.

  The ink jet recording method of the present invention is not limited to the case where the host device computer (CPU or MPU) connected to the ink jet recording apparatus reads and executes the program code of the printer driver of the present invention as in the above embodiment. It can also be implemented by reading and executing the program code by a computer built in the ink jet recording apparatus. Further, not only when the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer, but also an OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code Needless to say, the present invention also includes a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.

  The printer driver according to the present invention may be any device that operates a computer connected to or built in the ink jet recording apparatus as an apparatus including the data generation unit and the data correction unit. For example, FIG. 4 can be configured from a program code corresponding to the control configuration shown in FIG. Specifically, a color conversion module that converts RGB input image data into YMCK input image data, a discharge amount determination module that determines a discharge amount (recording duty), a binarization processing module that performs binarization processing, and a reaction solution The printer driver of the present invention can be configured from a reaction liquid recording data generation module that generates recording data, a data correction module that corrects data, and the like. A printer driver composed of such elements is stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-R, CD-ROM, or downloaded via the Internet. Provided to users. The user may install the provided printer driver in the recording system or the ink jet recording apparatus before performing the printing operation.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the configuration of the recording head, the nozzle arrangement pattern, the type and number of inks used can be changed as appropriate. The recording head is not limited to the electro-mechanical conversion type as in the above embodiment, but may use an electrostatic force generating means such as an electrode, or an electro-thermal conversion element such as a heater (electric -Thermal conversion method). The latter electro-thermal conversion method is an ink discharge method in which a gas (bubble) is generated in a liquid by an electro-thermal conversion element, and the liquid is discharged by this force. As a recording head of this method, for example, A bubble jet (registered trademark) head manufactured by Canon Inc. can be mentioned.

  In the above embodiment, both flushing and cleaning operations of the ink ejection head are performed by a common device (capping device 11). However, separate devices may be used for flushing and cleaning. . In addition, the mode of flushing of the ink ejection head is not particularly limited. For example, the mode is such that ejection is performed inside the opening that leads to the waste ink tank having the absorber, or the flushing box provided in the platen is ejected. Alternatively, the ink may be soaked in the ink.

  In the above embodiment, the reaction liquid recording data is generated by ANDing a predetermined mask pattern to the ink recording data. However, in the present invention, the method of generating the reaction liquid recording data is not particularly limited. The predetermined mask pattern may be generated by ORing the recording data for ink, or may be generated by copying the same recording data as the recording data for ink.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a nozzle formation surface of the recording head illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the recording system which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram functionally showing recording data generation processing in the recording system shown in FIG. 3. It is explanatory drawing which showed typically the table used for the production | generation of recording data in the recording system shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the production | generation procedure of the recording data for reaction liquid in the recording system shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed typically the table which defined the discharge conditions of the reaction liquid discharge head used in the recording system shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... ink jet recording apparatus, 2 ... paper feed roller, 3 ... paper stacker, 4 ... platen, 5 ... carriage, 6 ... recording head, 6Y, 6K, 6M, 6C ... ink ejection heads, 6R _1, 6R ₂ ... reaction Liquid ejecting head, 7 ... carriage motor, 8 ... timing belt, 9 ... guide rail, 10 ... ink cartridge, 11 ... capping device, 30 ... host device, 50 ... recording system, Nz ... nozzle, M ... recording medium

Claims (6)

An ink ejection head for ejecting ink and a reaction liquid ejection head for ejecting a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink are provided, and recording is performed while reciprocating each head between a recording area and a non-recording area. In an inkjet recording method using an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging the ink and the reaction liquid based on data,
An ink jet recording method, wherein the flushing of the ink ejection head is performed in the non-recording area, and the flushing of the reaction liquid ejection head is performed in the recording area.   By setting a predetermined condition regarding the number of ejections during the recording operation of the reaction liquid ejection head, and using the recording data that can clear the condition as the recording data, the flushing of the reaction liquid ejection head is performed on the recording area. The inkjet recording method according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet recording method is performed.   3. The ink jet recording method according to claim 1, wherein the ink is a water-based ink containing at least a pigment as a coloring material, and the reaction liquid contains at least a water-soluble polyvalent metal salt and water. An ink ejection head for ejecting ink and a reaction liquid ejection head for ejecting a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink are provided, and recording is performed while reciprocating each head between a recording area and a non-recording area. In an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging the ink and the reaction liquid based on data,
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein flushing of the ink ejection head is performed in the non-recording area, and flushing of the reaction liquid ejection head is performed in the recording area.   As the recording data, by using recording data that can clear a predetermined condition relating to the number of ejections during the recording operation of the reaction liquid ejection head, the flushing of the reaction liquid ejection head is performed in the non-recording area. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein An ink ejection head for ejecting ink and a reaction liquid ejection head for ejecting a reaction liquid having a property of aggregating the ink are provided, and recording is performed while reciprocating each head between a recording area and a non-recording area. A computer connected to or built in an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging the ink and the reaction liquid based on data;
Data generating means for generating recording data for the ink and the reaction liquid;
When the reaction liquid ejection head performs a recording operation based on the reaction liquid recording data generated by the data generation means, a predetermined number of ejections during the recording operation of the reaction liquid ejection head An apparatus comprising data correction means for determining whether or not a predetermined condition can be cleared, and correcting the reaction liquid recording data so that the condition can be cleared according to the determination result;
The printer driver according to claim 1, wherein the flushing of the reaction liquid discharge head is performed in the non-recording area.

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