JP2019051714A - Recording method and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an inkjet recording method that suppresses an ink solid content from intruding into a porous body during liquid absorption and can combine maintenance of performance of the porous body and an improvement of the durability.SOLUTION: An inkjet recording method in which reaction liquid application S1 on a subject to be recorded, formation of a first image by ink application S2, liquid absorption S3 by a porous body of a liquid absorption member from the first image, cleaning S4 of the porous body, and liquid recovery S5 from the porous body are repeated, in which when the first image and the porous body come into contact, a first chemical species that contributes to ink-thickening in the reaction liquid than a second chemical species that contributes to ink-thickening in the ink on the subject to be recorded and in the porous body is contained a lot by a mole equivalent per unit area, and in the liquid recovery S5, the liquid is recovered such that the liquid remains on a contact surface side with the first image of the porous body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording method and a recording apparatus.

  In the ink jet recording method, an image is formed by directly or indirectly applying a liquid composition (ink) containing a color material onto a recording medium such as paper. At this time, the recording medium may curl or cockling due to excessive absorption of the liquid component in the ink.

  Therefore, in order to quickly remove the liquid component in the ink, there is a method of drying the recording medium using means such as warm air or infrared rays. In addition, there is a method in which an image is formed on a transfer body, and then a liquid component contained in the image on the transfer body is dried by heat energy, and then the image is transferred to a recording medium such as paper.

  Furthermore, as a means for removing the liquid component contained in the image on the transfer body, a method of removing the liquid component from the ink image by contacting the roller-like porous body with the ink image without using thermal energy. Has been proposed (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, a treatment liquid having a function of aggregating solvent-insoluble components (coloring materials, etc.) in ink is applied onto a transfer body by a treatment liquid application unit, for example, an application roller, and then ink is applied. The configuration to do is also shown.

  Further, it has been proposed to provide a mechanism for collecting the liquid absorbed by the absorber. Patent Document 2 proposes a method of providing a throttle mechanism that squeezes out the liquid absorbed by the absorber. In Patent Document 3, it is proposed to provide a liquid recovery means for sucking and recovering the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing member.

JP 2009-45851 A JP 2001-179959 A JP 2007-268975 A

  When a liquid component is absorbed from an ink image using a porous body, a part of solid components such as coloring material and resin fine particles contained in the ink image may be taken not only into the surface of the porous body but also into the inside. . The solid component that has entered the inside of the porous body clogs the pores of the porous body, clogging the performance of the porous body as an absorbent member, and the function as a means for removing the liquid component cannot be maintained. . In order to recover the performance of the porous body, it is conceivable to remove a solid component that causes clogging. If a solid component that has penetrated to the inside of the porous body is to be removed by the suction and recovery method as in Patent Document 3, the porous body is inevitably deteriorated. In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 3 proposes that a difference is provided between the surface of the solvent absorbing roller and the internal surface energy to prevent the coloring material and the like from entering the pores of the porous body. (Sixth embodiment). Specifically, the internal surface energy γ2 is made smaller than the surface energy γ1 of the surface of the porous body. However, in this method, the liquid absorption capacity (capillary force) of the porous body is reduced, so that it is difficult to quickly absorb the liquid in the ink image, and the high-speed printing cannot be sufficiently handled. When trying to cope with high-speed printing, it is necessary to increase the contact pressure of the porous body to the ink image so that the liquid in the ink image is pushed into the porous body. There is a fear of invading the inside of the porous body.

  Therefore, the present invention suppresses the intrusion of the ink solids into the porous body during liquid absorption as described above, and makes it possible to simultaneously maintain the performance of the porous body and improve the durability. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, an ink jet recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (1) a step of applying a reaction liquid containing an ink thickening component for increasing the viscosity of ink to a recording medium; 2) a step of forming a first image by applying ink to the recording medium to which the reaction liquid is applied; and (3) a liquid absorbing member having a porous body is brought into contact with the first image. A liquid absorption step of absorbing liquid from the first image by the porous body, and (4) a cleaning member in contact with the first surface of the porous body that contacts the first image, A recording method comprising: a step of cleaning one surface; and (5) a liquid recovery step of recovering the liquid absorbed in the porous body,
When the porous body contacts the first image, the ink height is higher than the second chemical species in the ink that reacts with the ink thickening component on the recording medium and in the porous body. The first chemical species contributing to the reaction of the viscosity component is contained in a large molar equivalent per unit area, and the liquid is recovered so that the liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body in the liquid recovery step. It is characterized by doing.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, ink solids can be retained on the surface of the porous body, and the probability of entering the inside of the porous body can be reduced. As a result, the ink solid content on the surface of the porous body can be removed by a cleaning method having little influence on the porous body, and it is possible to simultaneously maintain the liquid absorption performance of the porous body and improve the durability.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a transfer type inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of a structure of the direct drawing type inkjet recording device in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the whole apparatus in the inkjet recording device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer control unit in the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printer control unit in the direct drawing type inkjet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 2. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cleaning device 14. FIG. It is an image figure explaining the liquid absorption mechanism of this invention. It is an image figure explaining the liquid absorption mechanism outside this invention. It is a flowchart of the sequence of the inkjet recording method of this invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the sequence of the ink jet recording method in Example 1. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the sequence of an ink jet recording method in Example 3.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments.
An ink jet recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (1) a step of applying a reaction liquid containing an ink thickening component for increasing the viscosity of ink to a recording medium, and (2) a recording target to which the reaction liquid is applied. A step of forming a first image by applying ink to the body; and (3) a liquid absorbing member having a porous body is brought into contact with the first image, and the first image is contacted with the porous body. (4) a step of bringing a cleaning member into contact with the first surface of the porous body that contacts the first image, and cleaning the first surface; and (5) And a liquid recovery step for recovering the liquid absorbed in the porous body, and at least the steps (1) to (4) are repeated, and the step (5) is the above (1) to (4). Inkjet recording method that is performed multiple times less than the number of cycles There is,
When the porous body abuts on the first image, the ink height is higher than the second chemical species in the ink that reacts with the ink thickening component on the recording medium and in the porous body. The first chemical species contributing to the reaction of the viscosity component is contained in a large molar equivalent per unit area, and the liquid is recovered so that the liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body in the liquid recovery step. It is characterized by doing.
The first image is an ink image before liquid removal before being subjected to a liquid absorption process described later, and the second image is a liquid absorption process and the content of the aqueous liquid component is This is a reduced ink image after liquid removal.

<Reaction solution applying step (1)>
For applying the reaction liquid, any apparatus capable of applying the reaction liquid onto the recording medium may be used, and various conventionally known apparatuses can be appropriately used. Specific examples include a gravure offset roller, an inkjet head, a die coating device (die coater), a blade coating device (blade coater), and the like. In particular, an apparatus that can uniformly apply the reaction liquid to all areas on the recording medium that can be applied by an ink applying apparatus described later is preferable. By applying the reaction liquid before applying the ink, at the time of image recording by the ink jet method, bleeding in which adjacently applied inks are mixed together, or the ink that has landed first is attracted to the ink that has landed later. Ding can be suppressed.

<Reaction solution>
The reaction liquid contains a component for increasing the viscosity of the ink (ink viscosity increasing component). Increasing the viscosity of ink means that a color material or resin, which is a part of the components constituting the ink, reacts chemically or physically adsorbs by contacting with the ink viscosity increasing component. Thus, an increase in the viscosity of the entire ink is recognized. This increase in the viscosity of the ink includes not only a case where an increase in the ink viscosity is recognized, but also a case where the viscosity is locally increased by agglomeration of a part of the components constituting the ink such as a coloring material. This ink viscosity-increasing component reduces the fluidity of a part of the ink and / or the component constituting the ink on the recording medium, thereby suppressing bleeding and beading during the first image formation. effective. In the present invention, increasing the viscosity of the ink is also referred to as “viscosity of the ink”. As such an ink viscosity increasing component, known ones such as polyvalent metal ions, organic acids, cationic polymers, and porous fine particles can be used. Of these, polyvalent metal ions and organic acids are particularly suitable. It is also preferable to include a plurality of types of ink thickening components. The content of the ink viscosity increasing component in the reaction liquid is preferably 5% by mass or more based on the total mass of the reaction liquid.

Examples of the polyvalent metal ions include divalent metal ions such as Ca ²⁺ , Cu ²⁺ , Ni ²⁺ , Mg ²⁺ , Sr ²⁺ , Ba ²⁺ and Zn ²⁺ , Fe ³⁺ , Cr ³⁺ , Y ³⁺ and Al ^3+. Of the trivalent metal ions.
Examples of organic acids include oxalic acid, polyacrylic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, malonic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, ascorbic acid, levulinic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, glutamic acid, and fumaric acid. Citric acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, pyrone carboxylic acid, pyrrole carboxylic acid, furan carboxylic acid, pyridine carboxylic acid, coumaric acid, thiophene carboxylic acid, nicotinic acid, oxysuccinic acid, dioxysuccinic acid and the like.
The reaction solution can contain an appropriate amount of water or a low-volatile organic solvent. The water used in this case is preferably water deionized by ion exchange or the like. Moreover, it does not specifically limit as an organic solvent which can be used for the reaction liquid in this embodiment, A well-known organic solvent can be used.

  The reaction liquid can be used by appropriately adjusting the surface tension and viscosity by adding a surfactant or a viscosity modifier. The material used is not particularly limited as long as it can coexist with the ink thickening component. Specifically used surfactants include acetylene glycol ethylene oxide adduct (“acetylenol E100”, trade name of Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.), perfluoroalkylethylene oxide adduct (“Megafac F444”, product of DIC Corporation). Name).

  In this embodiment, in order to improve the cleaning properties of the liquid absorbing member, the liquid that the porous body of the liquid absorbing member absorbs from the first image includes the ink viscosity increasing component contained in the reaction liquid. It is characterized by. In order to realize this state, the amount of the reaction liquid applied by the reaction liquid applying device 104 is applied more than the amount necessary for increasing the maximum ink amount of the ink to be applied next. Since the liquid component absorbed from the image contains the thickening component in the reaction liquid, the chemical species that contribute to the high viscosity in the ink and the unreacted ink thickening component are the liquid species. It will be included in the porous body of the absorbent member. A chemical species that contributes to increasing the viscosity in the reaction liquid is referred to as a first chemical species, and a chemical species that contributes to increasing the viscosity in the ink is referred to as a second chemical species. Examples of the first chemical species include cation components such as polyvalent metal ions and proton ions or hydronium ions generated from organic acids as described above. Examples of the second chemical species in the ink include an anion component that reacts with the cation component of the first chemical species, and examples include acid anions such as a carboxylic acid anion, a sulfonic acid anion, and a phosphoric acid anion.

The application amount of the reaction liquid may be an application amount that can form a substantially uniform layer when applying the reaction liquid to all areas on the recording medium that can be applied by the ink application device. Thereby, the fall of the roundness of an ink dot can be suppressed. In addition, application of an excessive reaction liquid may shrink more than necessary in the process of agglomerating ink solids, and image quality may be impaired. From this point of view, the application amount of the reaction liquid in the present embodiment is preferably from 0.05 g / ^{m 2} or more 2 g / ^{m 2} or less, 0.1 g / ^{m 2} or more 1.3 g / ^{m 2} or less is more preferable.

<Ink application process (2)>
An ink jet head is used as an ink application device for applying ink. As an inkjet head, for example, an ink is ejected by forming a bubble by causing film boiling in the ink by an electro-thermal converter, a form in which the ink is ejected by an electro-mechanical converter, and an ink using static electricity. The form etc. which discharge are mentioned. In the embodiment, a known inkjet head can be used. Among these, those using an electro-thermal converter are preferably used from the viewpoint of high-speed and high-density printing. Drawing receives an image signal and applies a necessary ink amount to each position.

The ink application amount can be expressed by image density (duty) and ink thickness. In the embodiment, the average value obtained by multiplying the mass of each ink dot by the number of application and dividing by the printing area is the ink application amount (g / m ^2). ). Note that the maximum ink application amount in the image area is an ink application amount applied in an area of at least 5 mm ² in an area used as information on a recording medium from the viewpoint of removing liquid components in the ink. Show.

  The ink jet recording apparatus of the embodiment may have a plurality of ink jet heads in order to apply ink of each color on the recording medium. For example, when each color image is formed using yellow ink, magenta ink, cyan ink, and black ink, the ink jet recording apparatus has four ink jet heads that eject the four types of ink onto a recording medium, respectively.

  Further, the ink application member may include an inkjet head that ejects ink (clear ink) that does not contain a color material.

<Ink>
Each component of the ink applied to the embodiment will be described.
(Color material)
As the color material contained in the ink applied to the embodiment, a pigment or a mixture of a dye and a pigment can be used. The kind of pigment that can be used as the color material is not particularly limited. Specific examples of the pigment include inorganic pigments such as carbon black; organic pigments such as azo, phthalocyanine, quinacridone, isoindolinone, imidazolone, diketopyrrolopyrrole, and dioxazine. These pigments can be used alone or in combination of two or more as required.
The kind of dye that can be used as the color material is not particularly limited. Specific examples of the dye include direct dyes, acid dyes, basic dyes, disperse dyes, food dyes, and the like, and dyes having an anionic group can be used. Specific examples of the dye skeleton include an azo skeleton, a triphenylmethane skeleton, a phthalocyanine skeleton, an azaphthalocyanine skeleton, a xanthene skeleton, and an anthrapyridone skeleton.

  The content of the pigment in the ink is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 15.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 10.0% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the ink. .

(Dispersant)
As the dispersing agent for dispersing the pigment, a known dispersing agent used for ink jet inks can be used. In particular, in the embodiment, it is preferable to use a water-soluble dispersant having both a hydrophilic part and a hydrophobic part in the structure. In particular, a pigment dispersant made of a resin obtained by copolymerizing at least a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer is preferably used. There is no restriction | limiting in particular about each monomer used here, A well-known thing is used suitably. Specifically, examples of the hydrophobic monomer include styrene and other styrene derivatives, alkyl (meth) acrylate, and benzyl (meth) acrylate. Examples of the hydrophilic monomer include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid and the like.
The acid value of the dispersant is preferably 50 mgKOH / g or more and 550 mgKOH / g or less. Moreover, it is preferable that the weight average molecular weights of this dispersing agent are 1000 or more and 50000 or less. The mass ratio of pigment to dispersant (pigment: dispersant) is preferably in the range of 1: 0.1 to 1: 3.
It is also preferable to use a so-called self-dispersing pigment that does not use a dispersant, but that can be dispersed by surface modification of the pigment itself.

(Resin fine particles)
The ink used in the embodiment can be used by containing various fine particles having no color material. Among these, resin fine particles are preferable because they may be effective in improving image quality and fixability.
The material of the resin fine particles that can be used in the embodiment is not particularly limited, and a known resin can be appropriately used. Specifically, a homopolymer such as polyolefin, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyurea, polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol, poly (meth) acrylic acid and its salt, poly (meth) acrylate alkyl, polydiene, or the like And a copolymer obtained by polymerizing a plurality of monomers for producing these homopolymers. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the resin is preferably in the range of 1,000 to 2,000,000. Further, the amount of the resin fine particles in the ink is preferably 1% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the ink.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, it is preferable to use the resin fine particle dispersion in which the resin fine particles are dispersed in a liquid. A dispersion method is not particularly limited, but a so-called self-dispersing resin fine particle dispersion in which a monomer having a dissociable group is homopolymerized or a resin obtained by copolymerizing a plurality of types is preferably used. Here, examples of the dissociable group include a carboxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, and a phosphoric acid group, and examples of the monomer having this dissociable group include acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. A so-called emulsified dispersion type resin fine particle dispersion in which resin fine particles are dispersed with an emulsifier can also be suitably used in the embodiment. As the emulsifier, a known surfactant is preferable regardless of the low molecular weight or high molecular weight. The surfactant is preferably a nonionic surfactant or a surfactant having the same charge as the resin fine particles.
It is preferable that the resin fine particle dispersion used in the aspect of the embodiment has a dispersed particle diameter of 10 nm or more and 1000 nm or less, more preferably 100 nm or more and 500 nm or less.

  Moreover, when preparing the resin fine particle dispersion used in the embodiment, it is also preferable to add various additives for stabilization. Examples of the additive include n-hexadecane, dodecyl methacrylate, stearyl methacrylate, chlorobenzene, dodecyl mercaptan, blue dye (bluing agent), and polymethyl methacrylate.

(Surfactant)
The ink that can be used in the embodiment may include a surfactant. Specific examples of the surfactant include acetylene glycol ethylene oxide adducts (acetylene E100, manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.). The amount of the surfactant in the ink is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the ink.

(Water and water-soluble organic solvents)
The ink used in the embodiment can contain water and / or a water-soluble organic solvent as a solvent. The water is preferably water deionized by ion exchange or the like. The water content in the ink is preferably 30% by mass to 97% by mass with respect to the total mass of the ink, and more preferably 50% by mass to 95% by mass with respect to the total mass of the ink. preferable.
Moreover, the kind of water-soluble organic solvent to be used is not particularly limited, and any known organic solvent can be used. Specifically, glycerin, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, triethylene glycol, thiodiglycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, 2-pyrrolidone, ethanol , Methanol, and the like. Of course, it is also possible to use a mixture of two or more selected from these. The content of the water-soluble organic solvent in the ink is preferably 3% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the ink.

(Other additives)
The ink that can be used in the embodiment includes, in addition to the above components, a pH adjuster, a rust inhibitor, a preservative, an antifungal agent, an antioxidant, a reduction agent, a water-soluble resin, and a neutralizer thereof. In addition, various additives such as a viscosity modifier may be contained.

<Liquid absorption step (3)>
In the embodiment, the first image is absorbed by bringing it into contact with a liquid absorbing member having a porous body, and the amount of liquid in the first image is reduced. A contact surface with the first image of the liquid absorbing member is a first surface, and a porous body is disposed on the first surface. The liquid absorbing member having such a porous body moves in conjunction with the movement of the recording medium, contacts the first image, and then recirculates to another first image at a predetermined cycle. Thus, those having a shape capable of absorbing liquid are preferable. Examples of the shape include an endless belt shape and a drum shape.

(Porous body)
The porous body of the liquid absorbing member according to the embodiment preferably uses a material having an average pore diameter on the first surface side smaller than the average pore diameter on the second surface side facing the first surface. In order to suppress ink solid matter adhesion to the porous body, the pore diameter is preferably small, and the average pore diameter of the porous body on the first surface at least in contact with the image is preferably 10 μm or less. If it is 5 μm or less, the filterability of the ink is further increased. Furthermore, the average pore diameter can be 0.2 μm or less. Although the minimum of this average hole diameter is not specifically limited, For example, it can be 0.02 micrometer or more. In the embodiment, the average pore diameter means an average diameter on the surface of the first surface or the second surface, and can be measured by a known means such as a mercury intrusion method, a nitrogen adsorption method, or an SEM image observation. . If the diameter is kept small, the filterability can be increased. Color material that aggregates after the ink used reacts with the reaction liquid, or a color material that is set to a diameter that does not allow high-viscosity ink to pass through. It is good to suppress adhesion.
Further, it is preferable to reduce the thickness of the porous body in order to obtain a uniform high air permeability. The air permeability can be indicated by a Gurley value defined by JIS P8117, and the Gurley value is preferably 10 seconds or less.
However, if the porous body is thinned, it may be difficult to secure a sufficient capacity for absorbing the liquid component, and thus the porous body can have a multilayer structure.

  Next, an embodiment in which the porous body has a multilayer structure will be described. Here, the first layer on the side in contact with the first image and the layer laminated on the surface of the first layer opposite to the contact surface with the first image will be described as the second layer. Further, the multilayer structure is also expressed in the order of stacking from the first layer. In the present specification, the first layer may be referred to as an “absorbing layer” and the second and subsequent layers may be referred to as a “support layer”.

[First layer]
In the embodiment, the material of the first layer is not particularly limited, and either a hydrophilic material having a contact angle with respect to water of less than 90 ° or a water repellent material having a contact angle of 90 ° or more is used. Can do.
The hydrophilic material is preferably selected from a single material such as cellulose or polyacrylamide, or a composite material thereof. Moreover, the surface of the following water-repellent material can also be used after being hydrophilized. Examples of the hydrophilic treatment include a sputter etching method, irradiation with radiation and H ₂ O ions, and excimer (ultraviolet) laser light irradiation.
In the case of a hydrophilic material, the contact angle with water is more preferably 60 ° or less. In the case of a hydrophilic material, there is an effect of sucking up liquid, particularly water, by capillary force.

  On the other hand, the material of the first layer is preferably a water-repellent material having a low surface free energy, particularly a fluororesin, in order to suppress coloring material adhesion and to improve cleaning properties. Specific examples of the fluororesin include polytetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter PTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), perfluoroalkoxy fluororesin (PFA), Examples thereof include tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), ethylene / tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), and ethylene / chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE). These resins can be used singly or in combination of two or more as required, and may have a structure in which a plurality of films are laminated in the first layer. In the case of a water-repellent material, there is almost no effect of sucking up the liquid by capillary force, and it may take time to suck up the liquid when contacting the image for the first time. For this reason, it is preferable to impregnate the first layer with a liquid having a contact angle with the first layer of less than 90 °. The liquid that is soaked in the first layer with respect to the liquid in the first image may be referred to as a preliminary permeation liquid. A reaction solution can also be used as the preliminary permeation solution. By applying from the first surface of the liquid absorbing member, it can be soaked in the first layer. The preliminary osmotic solution is preferably prepared by mixing the first liquid (water) with a liquid having a low contact angle with the surfactant or the first layer.

  In the embodiment, the thickness of the first layer is preferably 50 μm or less, more preferably 35 μm or less, and further preferably 30 μm or less. For example, even if the hole diameter is 0.2 μm or less, when the thickness is 35 μm or less, an increase in flow resistance can be suppressed, and image flow can be suppressed. In the examples described below, the film thickness was obtained by measuring the film thickness at any 10 points with a straight-forward micrometer OMV — 25 (manufactured by Mitutoyo) and calculating the average value.

  The first layer can be produced by a known method for producing a thin film porous membrane. For example, it can be obtained by obtaining a sheet-like material of a resin material by a method such as extrusion molding and then stretching it to a predetermined thickness. Further, a porous film can be obtained by adding a plasticizer such as paraffin to the material at the time of extrusion molding and removing the plasticizer by heating at the time of stretching. The pore diameter can be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the amount of plasticizer to be added, the draw ratio, and the like.

[Second layer]
The second layer is preferably a breathable layer. Such a layer may be a non-woven fabric of resin fibers or a woven fabric. The material of the second layer is not particularly limited, but the contact angle with the first liquid is equal to or greater than that of the first layer so that the liquid absorbed toward the first layer does not flow backward. A low material is preferred. Specifically, a single material such as polyolefin (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), etc.), polyurethane, nylon, etc., polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc.), polysulfone (PSF), or the like The composite material is preferably selected. The second layer is preferably a layer having a larger pore size than the first layer.

[Third layer]
The porous body having a multilayer structure may have three or more layers, and is not limited. The layer after the third layer (also referred to as the third layer) is preferably a nonwoven fabric from the viewpoint of rigidity. The same material as the second layer is used.

[Other materials]
The liquid absorbing member may include a reinforcing member that reinforces the side surface of the liquid absorbing member in addition to the porous body having the above-described laminated structure. Moreover, you may have a joining member at the time of connecting the longitudinal direction edge part of a elongate sheet-shaped porous body to make a belt-shaped member. As such a material, a non-porous tape material or the like can be used, and it may be arranged at a position or a period not in contact with the image.

[Method for producing porous body]
The method for forming the porous body by laminating the first layer and the second layer is not particularly limited. They may be simply overlapped or may be bonded together using a method such as adhesive lamination or heat lamination. From the viewpoint of air permeability, thermal lamination is preferred in the embodiment. Further, for example, a part of the first layer or the second layer may be melted and laminated by heating. Alternatively, a fusing material such as hot melt powder may be interposed between the first layer and the second layer and bonded together by heating. When the third layer or more are stacked, they may be stacked at once or sequentially, and the stacking order is appropriately selected.
In the heating step, a laminating method is preferred in which the porous body is heated while sandwiching and pressing the porous body with a heated roller.

<Liquid absorbing member cleaning step (4)>
The cleaning step (4) is performed by bringing the cleaning member into contact with the first surface where the porous body is in contact with the first image, and separating the solid ink content on the first surface from the first surface. . Here, a method that has less influence on the first surface of the porous body can be selected, and in particular, a cleaning member having a surface energy larger than that of the first surface of the porous body is brought into contact with the surface of the cleaning member. It is preferable to separate the solid content by dislocation adsorption. When the liquid absorbing member rotates, such as in a belt shape or a roll shape, the cleaning member preferably has a roll shape or a belt shape in which the contact surface moves in conjunction with the liquid absorbing member.
<Liquid recovery step (5) of liquid absorbing member>
In the liquid recovery step (5), the liquid absorbed in the porous body is recovered so as to remain on the first surface side of the porous body. Liquid recovery can be performed by any known means such as liquid extrusion using pressurized gas by an air knife or the like, pressing of an absorbing member such as a sponge, suction or throttling by applying negative pressure, etc. Means with little deterioration are preferred. The liquid recovery may be performed from either the first surface or the second surface as long as the liquid absorbed by the porous material can remain on the first surface side of the porous material. Among these methods, a method of spraying a pressurized gas with an air knife or the like on the second surface of the porous body and extruding and recovering from the second surface by pressure is preferable because the liquid tends to remain on the first surface side. At this time, the pressure of the pressurized gas is adjusted and recovered so that the absorbed liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body. Moreover, it is preferable to use a porous body having an average pore diameter on the surface of the first surface smaller than the average pore diameter on the surface of the second surface, particularly a porous body having a laminated structure.
The liquid recovery step (5) can be performed simultaneously with the cleaning step (4). For example, by using a porous member as the cleaning member, it is possible to collect and clean the liquid component from the first surface of the liquid absorbing member. In this case as well, if liquid recovery is performed in which a part of the liquid absorbed in the porous body remains, the liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body.

<Description of mechanism>
In the embodiment, when the porous body of the liquid absorbing member comes into contact with the first image, the ink is more than the second chemical species in the ink that reacts with the ink thickening component on the recording medium and in the porous body. A large amount of the first chemical species contributing to the reaction of the thickening component is contained in molar equivalents per unit area. In order to realize the above state, (i) the liquid that has been absorbed by bringing the liquid absorbing member into contact with the first image contains the ink viscosity increasing component, and (ii) the liquid that has been absorbed by the porous body. In the liquid recovery process for recovery, the liquid containing the ink thickening component is recovered so as to remain on the first surface side of the porous body.

  The inventor presumes that the effects of the two configurations described above are due to the following mechanism. First, FIGS. 7A to 7D show images when the ink thickening component is excessively contained in the liquid absorbed from the recording medium, and images when the excessive ink thickening component is not contained. It shows to Fig.8 (a)-(c).

  The state before liquid absorption of the liquid component is shown in FIGS. 7A and 8A, respectively. When liquid absorption is performed in the state shown in FIG. 8A in which no excessive ink viscosity increasing component is contained on the recording medium, the ink solid content contained in the first image 3 as shown in FIG. 8B. (Coloring material 3a, resin fine particles 3b, etc.) may enter along with the liquid 5 absorbed inside the porous body 4. In this case, the ink solid matter that has entered clogs the pores of the porous body 4, and the liquid absorption performance deteriorates. In order to suppress the deterioration of the liquid absorbing performance, it is necessary to clean the liquid absorbing member and remove the ink solid content in the liquid absorbing member. However, powerful cleaning 6S is required to remove the ink solid content in the liquid absorbing member. Is required, and the durability of the liquid absorbing member is deteriorated (FIG. 8C). The clogging of the pores of the porous body gradually progresses due to the ink solids that enter each time the liquid absorption is repeated, and becomes prominent as the liquid absorption performance deteriorates as the number of cycles increases.

On the other hand, in FIG. 7A, since the ink thickening component 2 is excessively contained on the recording medium 1, the porous body 4 and the first image 3 are in contact with each other. Then, a coating 2A of the ink thickening component is formed on the contact surface of the porous body 4 (FIG. 7B), and the ink solid content contained in the first image 3 is on the surface of the porous body 4. When the viscosity of the ink is further increased by reacting with the ink thickening component, and the ink can be partially retained on the surface of the porous body 4 without entering the porous body 4 as shown in FIG. I guess. At this time, on the surface of the porous body 4, the ink thickening component is composed of the chemical species remaining on the porous body 4 side and the chemical species moving from the recording medium 1 side to the porous body 4 side as a population. If the surplus on the molar equivalent is established, it is considered that the above-described effect of retaining the ink solid content on the surface of the porous body 4 is exhibited. It is assumed that there is no need to have an excessive ink viscosity increasing component on the surface of the porous body 4 as compared with what remains on the recording medium 1 side without moving to the porous body 4 side.
As a result, the cleaning only needs to remove the thickened ink solids remaining on the surface of the porous body 4, and the cleaning 6m having a low burden on the porous body of the liquid absorbing member such as adsorption peeling is selected. (FIG. 7D). However, on the recording medium, an image area where ink is applied and an image is formed, and a non-image area where ink is not applied and only the reaction liquid is applied are formed. For this reason, the excess amount of the ink thickening component is different between the image area and the non-image area, and the ink thickening component may not be sufficiently absorbed by the porous body in the image area. Therefore, in the first liquid absorption step, the ink solid content may permeate into the porous body. If a large amount of reaction liquid is applied, a surplus in the image area can be secured sufficiently, but the amount of liquid to be absorbed increases accordingly, and the target curl and cockling cannot be suppressed due to insufficient liquid absorption. . Further, if the applied amount of the reaction liquid is too large, an “image flow” in which the image is washed away during liquid absorption may occur, and the image quality may deteriorate. If the concentration of the ink thickening component in the reaction liquid is increased more than necessary, the viscosity of the reaction liquid increases and it becomes difficult to apply a uniform reaction liquid. Since the amount of the reaction liquid applied is limited in this way, the ink solid content may not be retained on the surface of the porous body in the image region.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a main sequence of the ink jet recording method according to the embodiment. As described above, when recording is started, reaction liquid application (S1), ink application (S2), liquid absorption (S3), and cleaning (S4) are performed, and liquid recovery is performed from the liquid absorption member at this stage. Whether or not is necessary is determined. When it is determined that liquid recovery is necessary, the liquid recovery (S5) step is performed, and the process returns to S1 (cycle C2). Usually, the liquid absorbing member has a liquid volume larger than the amount of liquid absorbed in one cycle of steps S1 to S4, and it is not always necessary to perform the next step of liquid recovery (S5) every cycle. . Therefore, it is possible to implement the cycle C1 in which the steps S1 to S4 are repeated until a predetermined liquid volume is reached. Note that the recording is ended without returning to the C2 cycle after S5. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the steps S1 to S5 similar to the sequence of FIG. 9 may be performed as one cycle without determining whether or not liquid recovery is necessary. By repeating the cycles C1 and C2 in this manner, the porous body contains the liquid containing the absorbed ink thickening component, and the density difference is reduced by the movement of the ink thickening component. . In step S5, the liquid is recovered so that the liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body. If all the liquid containing the ink thickening component inside the porous body is collected every time the liquid is collected, the decrease in the concentration difference of the ink thickening component is reset for each cycle C2, and the image area as described above. In this case, the deposit cannot be retained on the surface of the porous body, and the probability that the ink solid content penetrates into the inside of the porous body increases, so that the liquid absorption performance and durability cannot be satisfied. The main point of the mechanism in the embodiment is to reduce clogging of the porous body over a long period of time and to facilitate cleaning by reducing the probability that the ink solid content penetrates into the porous body.
In the reaction liquid application (S1), the molar equivalent of the first chemical species such as proton ion (H ⁺ ) or hydronium ion (H ₃ O ⁺ ) that contributes to increasing the viscosity of the ink in the reaction liquid to be applied, It is preferable that the molar equivalent of the second chemical species such as carboxylate ion (—COO ⁻ ) in the ink when the maximum amount of ink is applied is twice or more. As a result, the ink thickening component in the reaction liquid is applied in an amount sufficiently larger than the amount necessary to increase the viscosity even with respect to the maximum ink amount to be applied. The probability of ink solids penetrating into the material is reduced. From the second time onward, the molar equivalent of the first chemical species contained on the recording medium and in the porous body is also increased, and the effect of keeping the ink solid content on the surface of the porous body is enhanced, and the cleaning performance is further improved. To do. The upper limit of the molar equivalent ratio between the first chemical species and the second chemical species (the molar equivalent of the first chemical species / the molar equivalent of the second chemical species) is not particularly limited. It may be within a range in which a reaction liquid having a concentration that can be applied substantially uniformly can be prepared within the application amount of the reaction liquid that satisfies the absorbable liquid amount.

  In this way, (i) the liquid absorbed in the porous body in the step of contacting the liquid absorbing member with the image contains the ink thickening component, and (ii) in the liquid recovery step, the liquid is the liquid absorbing member. It is possible to achieve both performance maintenance and high durability of the porous body of the liquid absorbing member only when the two conditions of collecting so as to remain on the first surface side of the porous body are satisfied. Become.

  In addition, before the start of the above cycle, for example, at the time of starting up the apparatus, in order to ensure that the high viscosity component is sufficiently present in the porous body of the liquid absorbing member from the beginning, the liquid absorbing member as shown in FIG. By performing the reaction liquid filling sequences PS1 and PS2, the ink thickening component is filled in the porous body, and the effect of the embodiment can be enhanced from the beginning. In this sequence, after the PS2 reaction liquid is absorbed, the flow is the same as the cycle shown in FIG.

  In this sequence, first, a reaction liquid containing an ink thickening component is applied on a recording medium such as a transfer medium in PS1. Next, in PS2, ink is applied onto the recording medium by ink application (S2) in the normal print sequence, but ink application is not performed in this sequence, and only the reaction liquid is absorbed by the liquid absorbing member. . As a result, it is possible to fill the liquid absorbing member with the ink thickening component substantially uniformly when the apparatus is started up, and a good ink thickening film 2A is formed from the first printing attempt. As a result, the effect of keeping the ink solid content on the surface of the porous body can be realized.

In addition, the above filling sequence of the embodiment is not applied only when the apparatus is started up. In a situation where the printing operation is performed in a state where the liquid absorbing member is not filled with the reaction liquid, the filling sequence is performed immediately before the printing operation. It is desirable. For example, it is conceivable to perform the filling sequence before the above cycle such as when the printing is not performed for a long time from the previous printing after the replacement of the liquid absorbing member.
In the PS1 process and the PS2 process, the reaction liquid may be filled from the first surface of the porous body of the liquid absorbing member, and the reaction liquid may be directly applied to the liquid absorbing member. Thereafter, the sequence is the same as in FIG. 9 or FIG.

Next, specific embodiments of an ink jet recording apparatus capable of performing the ink jet recording method of the above-described embodiment will be described.
The ink jet recording apparatus of the embodiment includes an ink jet recording apparatus that forms a first image on a transfer body as a recording medium, and transfers the second image after liquid absorption by the liquid absorbing member to a recording medium; And an ink jet recording apparatus that forms a first image on a recording medium as a recording medium. The former ink jet recording apparatus is hereinafter referred to as a transfer type ink jet recording apparatus for convenience, and the latter ink jet recording apparatus is hereinafter referred to as a direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus for convenience.
Each ink jet recording apparatus will be described below.

(Transfer type inkjet recording device)
In the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus, the recording medium is a transfer body that temporarily holds a first image and a second image in which the first liquid is absorbed from the first image. The transfer type ink jet recording apparatus includes a transfer unit including a transfer member that transfers the second image onto a recording medium on which the image is to be formed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a transfer type inkjet recording apparatus of the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus 100 of the embodiment includes a transfer body 101 supported by a support member 102, a reaction liquid applying device 103 that applies a reaction liquid onto the transfer body 101, and a reaction liquid. An ink applying device 104 that applies ink to the applied transfer member 101 to form a first image on the transfer member; a liquid absorbing device 105 that absorbs a liquid component from the first image on the transfer member; and a liquid A transfer pressing member 106 is provided for transferring the second image on the transfer body from which the components have been removed onto a recording medium 108 such as paper. Further, the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus 100 may include a transfer body cleaning member 109 that cleans the surface of the transfer body 101 after the transfer as necessary.

  The support member 102 rotates about the rotation shaft 102a in the direction of arrow A in FIG. The transfer body 101 is moved by the rotation of the support member 102. On the transferred transfer body 101, the reaction liquid by the reaction liquid applying device 103 and the ink application by the ink application device 104 are sequentially performed, and a first image is formed on the transfer body 101. The first image formed on the transfer body 101 is moved to a position in contact with the liquid absorbing member 105 a included in the liquid absorbing device 105 by the movement of the transfer body 101.

The liquid absorbing member 105 a of the liquid absorbing device 105 moves in synchronization with the rotation of the transfer body 101. The first image formed on the transfer body 101 is in contact with the moving liquid absorbing member 105a. During this time, the liquid absorbing member 105a removes the liquid component from the image.
Note that the liquid component is removed from the image after passing through the state in contact with the liquid absorbing member 105a. At this time, it is particularly preferable that the image and the liquid absorbing member 105a are in contact with each other with a predetermined pressing force from the viewpoint of effectively functioning the liquid absorbing member 105a.
If the removal of the liquid component is described from a different viewpoint, it can also be expressed as concentrating the ink constituting the first image formed on the transfer body. Concentrating the ink means that the content ratio of the solid component such as a coloring material or resin contained in the ink increases as the liquid component contained in the ink decreases.
Then, the second image from which the liquid component has been removed is moved to the transfer unit in contact with the recording medium by the movement of the transfer body 101, and contacts the recording medium 108 conveyed to the transfer unit by the recording medium conveying device 107. As a result, an image is formed on the recording medium 108. The post-transfer ink image transferred onto the recording medium 108 is a reverse image of the second image, and in the following description, the first image (ink image before liquid removal) and the second image (after liquid removal) described above. In contrast to the ink image, this post-transfer ink image may be referred to as a third image.
In addition, since the ink is applied after the reaction liquid is applied on the transfer body to form an image, the reaction liquid remains in the non-image area without reacting with the ink. In this apparatus, the liquid absorbing member 105a is in contact with not only the image but also the unreacted reaction liquid, and also removes the liquid components of the reaction liquid.
Therefore, in the above, it is expressed and described that the liquid component is removed from the image, but this is not a limited meaning of removing the liquid component only from the image, and at least the liquid component is removed from the image on the transfer body. It is used in the sense that it should be. For example, it is also possible to remove the liquid component in the reaction solution applied to the outer region of the first image together with the first image.
The liquid component is not particularly limited as long as it does not have a certain shape, has fluidity, and has a substantially constant volume.
For example, water, an organic solvent, or the like contained in ink or a reaction liquid can be used as the liquid component.
Even when the above-described clear ink is included in the first image, the ink can be concentrated by the liquid absorption process. For example, when the clear ink is applied on the color ink containing the color material applied on the transfer body 101, the clear ink is entirely present on the surface of the first image, or the first The clear ink partially exists at one or a plurality of locations on the surface of one image, and the others are color inks. When the clear ink is entirely present on the surface of the first image, the porous body absorbs the liquid component of the clear ink on the surface of the first image, and the liquid component of the clear ink moves. Along with this, the liquid component in the color ink moves to the porous body side, so that the aqueous liquid component in the color ink is absorbed. On the other hand, in areas where the clear ink area and the color ink area exist on the surface of the first image, the liquid components of the color ink and the clear ink move to the porous body side to absorb the aqueous liquid component. Is done. The clear ink may contain many components for improving the transferability of the image from the transfer body 101 to the recording medium. For example, the content rate of the component which becomes more adhesive to the recording medium by heating than the color ink is increased.

Each configuration of the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.
<Transfer>
The transfer body 101 has a surface layer including an image forming surface. As the member for the surface layer, various materials such as resin and ceramic can be used as appropriate, but a material having a high compression elastic modulus is preferable in terms of durability and the like. Specific examples include condensates obtained by condensing acrylic resins, acrylic silicone resins, fluorine-containing resins, and hydrolyzable organosilicon compounds. In order to improve the wettability and transferability of the reaction solution, surface treatment may be performed. Examples of the surface treatment include flame treatment, corona treatment, plasma treatment, polishing treatment, roughening treatment, active energy ray irradiation treatment, ozone treatment, surfactant treatment, and silane coupling treatment. A plurality of these may be combined. Moreover, arbitrary surface shapes can also be provided in the surface layer.

  The transfer body preferably has a compression layer having a function of absorbing pressure fluctuation. By providing the compression layer, the compression layer absorbs deformation, disperses the fluctuation with respect to the local pressure fluctuation, and can maintain good transferability even during high-speed printing. Examples of the member of the compression layer include acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, acrylic rubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, and silicone rubber. In molding the rubber material, a predetermined amount of a vulcanizing agent, a vulcanization accelerator, and the like are blended, and a filler such as a foaming agent, hollow fine particles, or salt is blended as necessary to make it porous. Thereby, since the bubble part is compressed with a volume change with respect to various pressure fluctuations, deformation in the direction other than the compression direction is small, and more stable transferability and durability can be obtained. The porous rubber material includes a continuous pore structure in which the pores are continuous with each other and an independent pore structure in which the pores are independent from each other. In this embodiment, any structure may be used, and these structures may be used in combination.

  Further, the transfer body preferably has an elastic layer between the surface layer and the compression layer. As the member of the elastic layer, various materials such as resin and ceramic can be used as appropriate. Various elastomer materials and rubber materials are preferably used in terms of processing characteristics and the like. Specifically, for example, fluorosilicone rubber, phenyl silicone rubber, fluoro rubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, natural rubber, styrene rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, ethylene / propylene / butadiene copolymer, A nitrile butadiene rubber etc. are mentioned. In particular, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, and phenyl silicone rubber are preferable in terms of dimensional stability and durability because they have a small compression set. Further, the change in elastic modulus with temperature is small, which is preferable in terms of transferability.

Various adhesives and double-sided tapes may be used between each layer (surface layer, elastic layer, compression layer) constituting the transfer body in order to fix and hold them. Moreover, you may provide the reinforcement layer with a high compression elastic modulus in order to suppress lateral elongation at the time of mounting | wearing with an apparatus, and to maintain a firmness. A woven fabric may be used as the reinforcing layer. The transfer body can be produced by arbitrarily combining the layers made of the above materials.
The size of the transfer body can be freely selected according to the target print image size. The shape of the transfer body is not particularly limited, and specific examples include a sheet shape, a roller shape, a belt shape, and an endless web shape.

<Supporting member>
The transfer body 101 is supported on a support member 102. Various adhesives and double-sided tapes may be used as a method for supporting the transfer body. Alternatively, the transfer member may be supported on the support member 102 using the installation member by attaching an installation member made of metal, ceramic, resin, or the like to the transfer member.
The support member 102 is required to have a certain degree of structural strength from the viewpoint of conveyance accuracy and durability. For the material of the support member, metal, ceramic, resin or the like is preferably used. In particular, in addition to rigidity and dimensional accuracy that can withstand pressure during transfer, and to reduce control inertia and improve control responsiveness, aluminum, iron, stainless steel, acetal resin, epoxy resin, polyimide, Polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polyurethane, silica ceramics, and alumina ceramics are preferably used. It is also preferable to use these in combination.

<Reaction solution applying apparatus>
The ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a reaction liquid applying device 103 that applies a reaction liquid to the transfer body 101. 1 is a gravure offset having a reaction solution storage unit 103a that stores a reaction solution, and reaction solution application members 103b and 103c that apply the reaction solution in the reaction solution storage unit 103a onto the transfer body 101. The case of a roller is shown.

<Ink application device>
The ink jet recording apparatus according to this embodiment includes an ink applying device 104 that applies ink to the transfer body 101 to which the reaction liquid is applied. The reaction liquid and the ink are mixed to form a first image, and the liquid component is absorbed from the first image by the next liquid absorption device 105.

<Liquid absorption device>
In the present embodiment, the liquid absorbing device 105 includes a liquid absorbing member 105 a and a pressing member 105 b that presses the liquid absorbing member 105 a against the first image on the transfer body 101. In addition, there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the shape of the liquid absorption member 105a and the press member 105b. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressing member 105b has a cylindrical shape, the liquid absorbing member 105a has a belt shape, and the belt-shaped liquid absorbing member 105a is pressed against the transfer body 101 by the cylindrical pressing member 105b. It may be a configuration. The pressing member 105b has a columnar shape, and the liquid absorbing member 105a has a cylindrical shape formed on the peripheral surface of the columnar pressing member 105b. The cylindrical pressing member 105b is a cylindrical liquid absorbing member 105a. May be configured to be pressed against the transfer body.
In the present embodiment, the liquid absorbing member 105a is preferably belt-shaped in consideration of the space in the ink jet recording apparatus.
Further, the liquid absorbing device 105 having such a belt-shaped liquid absorbing member 105a may have a stretching member that stretches the liquid absorbing member 105a. In FIG. 1, 105c, 105d, and 105e are tension rollers as tension members. In FIG. 1, the pressing member 105b is also a roller member that rotates in the same manner as the stretching roller, but is not limited to this.
In the liquid absorbing device 105, the liquid absorbing member 105a having a porous body is brought into contact with the first image by the pressing member 105b, so that the liquid absorbing member 105a absorbs the liquid component contained in the first image, and the first A second image in which the liquid component is reduced from the image of. As a method of reducing the liquid component in the first image, in addition to this method of contacting the liquid absorbing member, various other conventionally used methods such as a method using heating, a method of blowing low-humidity air, and a method of reducing pressure Etc. may be combined. Further, the liquid component may be further reduced by applying these methods to the second image in which the liquid component is reduced.

Hereinafter, various conditions and configurations in the liquid absorbing device 105 will be described in detail.
(Preprocessing)
In this embodiment, before the liquid absorbing member 105a having a porous body is brought into contact with the first image, preprocessing is performed by preprocessing means (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for applying a processing liquid to the liquid absorbing member. It is preferable to apply. The treatment liquid used in this embodiment preferably contains water and a water-soluble organic solvent. The water is preferably water deionized by ion exchange or the like. The type of the water-soluble organic solvent is not particularly limited, and any known organic solvent such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol can be used. In the pretreatment of the liquid absorbing member used in the present embodiment, the application method is not particularly limited, but immersion or droplet dropping is preferable. As this pretreatment, PS1 and PS2 shown in FIG. 11 may be implemented to make the reaction solution a pretreatment solution.

(Pressure condition)
If the pressure of the liquid absorbing member in contact with the first image on the transfer body is 2.9 N / cm ² (0.3 kgf / cm ² ) or more, the liquid in the first image can be discharged in a shorter time. It is preferable because solid-liquid separation can be performed and a liquid component can be removed from the first image. The pressure of the liquid absorbing member in the present specification indicates the nip pressure between the recording medium and the liquid absorbing member, and is measured by a surface pressure distribution measuring instrument (I-SCAN manufactured by Nitta Corporation). The pressure is measured, the weight in the pressurizing region is divided by the area, and the value is calculated.

(Action time)
The working time for bringing the liquid absorbing member 105a into contact with the first image is preferably within 50 ms in order to further suppress the color material in the first image from adhering to the liquid absorbing member. The operation time in this specification is calculated by dividing the pressure sensing width in the moving direction of the recording medium in the surface pressure measurement described above by the moving speed of the recording medium. Hereinafter, this action time is referred to as a liquid absorption nip time.
In this way, the liquid component is absorbed from the first image on the transfer body 101, and a second image in which the liquid component is reduced is formed. The second image is then transferred onto the recording medium 108 at the transfer portion. The apparatus configuration and conditions during transfer will be described.
<Pressing member for transfer>
In this embodiment, there is provided means for transferring the second image on the transfer body 101 onto the recording medium 108 conveyed by the recording medium conveying apparatus 107 by bringing the second image on the transfer body 101 into contact with the recording medium 108 by the pressing member 106. By removing the liquid component contained in the first image on the transfer body 101 and then transferring it to the recording medium 108, it is possible to obtain a recorded image in which curling, cockling, and the like are suppressed.

  The pressing member 106 is required to have a certain degree of structural strength from the viewpoint of conveyance accuracy and durability of the recording medium 108. The material of the pressing member 106 is preferably metal, ceramic, resin, or the like. In particular, in addition to rigidity and dimensional accuracy that can withstand pressure during transfer, and to reduce control inertia and improve control responsiveness, aluminum, iron, stainless steel, acetal resin, epoxy resin, polyimide, Polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polyurethane, silica ceramics, and alumina ceramics are preferably used. Moreover, you may use combining these.

  There is no particular limitation on the time for which the second image on the transfer body 101 is brought into contact with the recording medium 108, but in order to perform transfer well and not impair the durability of the transfer body, the time is 5 ms or more and 100 ms. The following is preferable. The contact time in the present embodiment indicates the time during which the recording medium 108 and the transfer body 101 are in contact with each other, and the surface pressure is measured by a surface pressure distribution measuring instrument (I-SCAN manufactured by Nitta Corporation). The measurement is performed, and the length in the conveyance direction of the pressurizing region is divided by the conveyance speed to calculate a value.

Further, there is no particular limitation on the pressure when the second image on the transfer body 101 is brought into contact with the recording medium 108, but the transfer is performed satisfactorily and the durability of the transfer body is not impaired. For this, it is preferable that the pressure is less than ^{9.8N / cm 2 (1kg / cm} 2) or more ^{294.2N / cm 2 (30kg / cm} 2). The pressure in the present embodiment indicates the nip pressure between the recording medium 108 and the transfer body 101. The surface pressure is measured by a surface pressure distribution measuring device, and the weight in the pressurizing region is divided by the area. Is calculated.

The temperature at which the second image on the transfer body 101 is brought into contact with the recording medium 108 is not particularly limited, but is preferably at least the glass transition point or the softening point of the resin component contained in the ink. In addition, it is preferable that the heating includes a heating unit that heats the second image on the transfer body 101, the transfer body 101, and the recording medium 108.
The shape of the pressing member 106 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a roller shape.

<Recording medium and recording medium conveying apparatus>
In the present embodiment, the recording medium 108 is not particularly limited, and any known recording medium can be used. Examples of the recording medium include a long product wound in a roll shape, or a single sheet cut into a predetermined size. Examples of the material include paper, plastic film, wood board, cardboard, and metal film.
In FIG. 1, the recording medium conveying device 107 for conveying the recording medium 108 is constituted by a recording medium feeding roller 107a and a recording medium take-up roller 107b. It is not limited to.

<Control system>
The transfer type inkjet recording apparatus in the present embodiment has a control system that controls each apparatus. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the entire apparatus in the transfer type ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, 301 is a recording data generation unit such as an external print server, 302 is an operation control unit such as an operation panel, 303 is a printer control unit for executing a recording process, and 304 is a recording medium for conveying the recording medium. A conveyance control unit 305 is an inkjet device for printing.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a printer control unit in the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus of FIG.
A CPU 401 controls the entire printer, a ROM 402 stores a control program for the CPU, and a RAM 403 executes the program. Reference numeral 404 denotes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that includes a network controller, a serial IF controller, a head data generation controller, a motor controller, and the like. Reference numeral 405 denotes a liquid absorption member conveyance control unit for driving the liquid absorption member conveyance motor 406, which is command-controlled from the ASIC 404 via the serial IF. Reference numeral 407 denotes a transfer body drive control unit for driving the transfer body drive motor 408, which is similarly command-controlled from the ASIC 404 via the serial IF. Reference numeral 409 denotes a head controller that performs final ejection data generation, drive voltage generation, and the like of the inkjet device 305.

<Cleaning device>
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a liquid absorbing member cleaning device 14 is provided. In the cleaning device 14, when the member 14 a comes into contact with the first surface of the liquid absorbing member 105 a, ink solids such as coloring materials and resin particles attached to the first surface of the liquid absorbing member are removed. The cleaning device 14 includes a cleaning member 14a and, if necessary, a cleaning blade 14b as shown in FIG. The cleaning member 14a may be made of any material such as resin, metal, rubber, etc., as long as it has the ability to contact the liquid absorbing member 105a and remove the ink solid matter adhering to the first surface. Absent. In addition, although a roller shape is shown in FIG. 1, a web shape, a belt shape, or the like may be used. In FIG. 1, the cleaning member 14 a is disposed to face the stretching roller 105 c, but the cleaning device 14 having the cleaning member 14 a can be disposed at an arbitrary position between the stretching rollers.

<Liquid recovery device>
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a liquid recovery module 15 is used as a liquid recovery apparatus. The liquid recovery module 15 is configured to spray a pressurized air from the second surface (inside) of the liquid absorbing member 105a by a pressurized gas ejection member such as an air knife 11 provided in the liquid recovery chamber 12, thereby allowing a liquid absorbing unit to The liquid component that has penetrated into the interior of 105a is pushed out and blown off as droplets 13 (b) spaced from the second surface of the porous body. The droplet 13 (b) blown off is stored as the recovered liquid 13 (a) at the bottom of the liquid recovery chamber 12. A backup roller 16 as shown in FIG. 1 is arranged on the first surface (front surface) side of the liquid absorbing member 105a facing the liquid recovery module 15, and the liquid absorbing member 105a is placed outside by applying a pressurized gas. It is possible to prevent the droplet 13 (b) that has been blown away from reattaching to the liquid absorbing portion 105a. The air knife 11 is provided inside the liquid recovery chamber 12, and pressurized air is supplied by a pressurized air supply tube (not shown). The air knife 11 is provided with a slit for blowing out air, and the air blown out from the slit is blown onto the second surface of the liquid absorbing member 105 (a) and pushed out from the liquid absorbing member 105 (a). Are discharged as droplets 13 (b) and fly. The flying droplet 13 (b) is trapped inside the liquid recovery chamber 12 and stored as the recovered liquid 13 (a) at the bottom thereof. The stored recovered liquid 13 (a) is discharged to the outside through a drain tube (not shown) as appropriate. The liquid pushed out from the second surface may be collected by being dispersed as droplets as shown in the figure, or may be collected by absorbing it once with an absorbent member such as a sponge and further collecting it. May be. In this embodiment, the air knife 11 is applied from below the liquid absorbing member 105a so that the recovered liquid does not reattach to the liquid absorbing member 105a and collects at the bottom of the liquid collecting chamber 12. In order to obtain a good liquid recovery amount, the air knife 11 is applied to the liquid absorbing member 105a in a counter direction rather than a forward direction with respect to the conveying direction of the liquid absorbing member 105a. The closest distance between the gas ejection part and the liquid absorbing member 105a is set to be close to 5 mm or less. Further, in the present invention, the meniscus force of the first layer is particularly obtained by configuring the liquid absorbing member 105a as a laminated body having a laminated structure having a first layer having a small pore size and a second layer having a large pore size. This is preferable because the liquid tends to remain in the absorption layer even after the liquid is collected by the air knife 11. Since the liquid remains in the first layer, when the liquid absorbing member 105a is used repeatedly, the liquid component including the ink thickening component is already held on the surface of the porous body that is in contact with the image. It will be.

(Direct drawing type inkjet recording device)
Another embodiment of the present invention is a direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus. In the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus, the recording medium is a recording medium on which an image is to be formed.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of the direct drawing type inkjet recording apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. Compared with the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus described above, the direct drawing type inkjet recording apparatus does not have the transfer body 101, the support member 102, and the transfer body cleaning member 109, except that an image is formed on the recording medium 208. Means similar to those of the transfer type ink jet recording apparatus are included.

Accordingly, the reaction liquid applying device 203 for applying the reaction liquid to the recording medium 208, the ink applying device 204 for applying ink to the recording medium 208, and the liquid absorbing member 205a that contacts the first image on the recording medium 208, The liquid absorbing device 205 that absorbs the liquid component contained in the first image has the same configuration as that of the transfer type inkjet recording device, and a description thereof will be omitted.
In the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment, the liquid absorbing device 205 includes a liquid absorbing member 205 a and a pressing member 205 b that presses the liquid absorbing member 205 a against the first image on the recording medium 208. Moreover, there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the shape of the liquid absorption member 205a and the press member 205b, The thing of the shape similar to the liquid absorption member and press member which can be used with a transfer type inkjet recording device can be used. Further, the liquid absorbing device 205 may have a stretching member that stretches the liquid absorbing member. In FIG. 2, 205c, 205d, 205e, 205f, and 205g are stretching rollers as stretching members. Since the tension roller 205c is in contact with the first surface of the liquid absorbing member 205a, it may be used as the cleaning member 14a. The number of tension rollers is not limited to five in FIG. 2, and a necessary number may be arranged according to the device design. In addition, the printing unit for applying ink to the recording medium 208 by the ink applying device 204 and the liquid component removing unit for removing the liquid component by contacting the liquid absorbing member 205a with the first image on the recording medium A recording medium support member (not shown) that supports the medium from below may be provided. Further, the liquid recovery device 15 of the present embodiment shows an example in which a support member 17 is arranged instead of the configuration having the backup roller 16 shown in FIG.

<Recording medium transport device>
In the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the recording medium conveying device 207 is not particularly limited, and a conveying unit in a known direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus can be used. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a recording medium conveying apparatus having a recording medium feeding roller 207a, a recording medium winding roller 207b, and recording medium conveying rollers 207c, 207d, 207e, and 207f.

<Control system>
The direct drawing type inkjet recording apparatus in the present embodiment has a control system for controlling each apparatus. A block diagram showing a control system of the entire apparatus of the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is as shown in FIG. 3 as in the case of the transfer type ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a printer control unit in the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. Except for not having the transfer body drive control unit 407 and the transfer body drive motor 408, it is the same as the block diagram of the printer control unit in the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus in FIG. That is, a CPU 501 controls the entire printer, 502 a ROM for storing a control program for the CPU, and 503 a RAM for executing the program. Reference numeral 504 denotes an ASIC including a network controller, a serial IF controller, a head data generation controller, a motor controller, and the like. Reference numeral 505 denotes a liquid absorption member conveyance control unit for driving the liquid absorption member conveyance motor 506, and is command-controlled from the ASIC 504 via the serial IF. Reference numeral 509 denotes a head controller that performs final ejection data generation, drive voltage generation, and the like of the inkjet device 305.
When the sequence shown in FIG. 11 is performed in the direct drawing type ink jet recording apparatus, a sheet having a low liquid absorbency may be used as the recording medium 208 to which the reaction liquid is applied with PS1.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail using examples and comparative examples. The present invention is not limited in any way by the following examples as long as the gist thereof is not exceeded. In the description of the following examples, “part” is based on mass unless otherwise specified.

Example 1
In this embodiment, the transfer type inkjet recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is used.
As described above, the image formation on the recording medium in the present embodiment is started by applying the reaction liquid on the transfer body 101 supported by the support member 102 according to the sequence shown in FIG. The reaction liquid applied at this time contains an ink thickening component as described above.

In this example, a 0.5 mm thick PET sheet coated with a silicone rubber (KE12 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) to a thickness of 0.3 mm was used as the elastic layer of the transfer body 101. Further, glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane were mixed at a molar ratio of 1: 1 to prepare a mixture of a condensate obtained by heating under reflux and a photocationic polymerization initiator (SP150 manufactured by ADEKA). An atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is performed so that the contact angle of water on the elastic layer surface is 10 degrees or less, the mixture is applied onto the elastic layer, UV irradiation (high pressure mercury lamp, accumulated exposure 5000 mJ / cm ² ), heat A transfer body 101 was formed by forming a film by curing (150 ° C. for 2 hours) and forming a surface layer having a thickness of 0.5 μm on the elastic layer.
In this configuration, although not shown for simplicity of explanation, a double-sided tape is used to hold the transfer body 101 between the transfer body 101 and the support member 102. In this configuration, the surface of the transfer body 101 is set to 60 ° C. by a heating means (not shown). Moreover, in the following examples and comparative examples, the application amount of the reaction liquid was changed by changing the reaction liquid application members 103b and 103c.

The reaction liquid applied by the reaction liquid applying apparatus 103 in the present example has the following composition, and the applied amount was 0.3 g / m ² .
・ Glutaric acid 21.0 parts ・ Glycerin 5.0 parts ・ Potassium hydroxide 0.9 parts ・ Surfactant (Product name: Megafak F444, manufactured by DIC Corporation) 5.0 parts ・ Ion-exchanged water remaining

In this example, when 0.3 g / m ² of reaction solution was applied, the molar amount of proton ions in the reaction solution acting as the ink thickening component was about 0.9 mmol / m ² . Ink is then applied to the transfer body 101 to which the reaction liquid has been applied as described above by the ink application device 104. The ink in this example was prepared as follows.

<Preparation of pigment dispersion>
10 parts of carbon black (product name: Monac 1100, manufactured by Cabot), aqueous resin solution (styrene-ethyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymer, acid value 150, weight average molecular weight (Mw) 8,000, resin content 20 0.05% by weight aqueous solution neutralized with potassium hydroxide aqueous solution) 15 parts and 75 parts of pure water were mixed and charged into a batch type vertical sand mill (manufactured by IMEX), and 200 parts of 0.3 mm diameter zirconia beads were added. Filling and water-cooling were carried out for 5 hours. This dispersion was centrifuged to remove coarse particles, and then a black pigment dispersion having a pigment content of 10.0% by mass was obtained.

<Preparation of resin particle dispersion>
20 parts of ethyl methacrylate, 3 parts of 2,2′-azobis- (2-methylbutyronitrile) and 2 parts of n-hexadecane were mixed and stirred for 0.5 hour. This mixture was added dropwise to 75 parts of an 8% aqueous solution of a styrene-butyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymer (acid value: 130 mgKOH / g, weight average molecular weight (Mw): 7,000) and stirred for 0.5 hour. did. Next, the ultrasonic wave was irradiated for 3 hours with the ultrasonic irradiation machine. Subsequently, a polymerization reaction was performed in a nitrogen atmosphere at 80 ° C. for 4 hours, and after cooling at room temperature, filtration was performed to prepare a resin particle dispersion having a resin content of 25.0% by mass.

<Preparation of ink>
The resin particle dispersion and the pigment dispersion obtained above were mixed with the following components. The balance of ion-exchanged water is such that the total of all components constituting the ink is 100.0% by mass.
Pigment dispersion (coloring material content is 10.0% by mass) 40.0% by mass
・ Resin particle dispersion 20.0% by mass
・ Glycerin 7.0% by mass
Polyethylene glycol (number average molecular weight (Mn): 1,000) 3.0% by mass
・ Surfactant 0.5% by mass
(Acetylenol E100, manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.)
・ Ion exchange water balance

After sufficiently stirring and dispersing this, pressure filtration was performed with a micro filter (manufactured by Fuji Film Co., Ltd.) having a pore size of 3.0 μm to prepare a black ink.
The ink applicator 104 uses an ink jet head that discharges ink in an on-demand system using an electro-thermal conversion element, and a maximum applied amount of prepared ink is 26 g / m ² on the photoreceptor 101 to which the reaction liquid has been applied. To form a first image. At this time, the molar amount of the carboxylate ion in the ink that reacts with the proton ion acting as the ink viscosity increasing component in the reaction liquid was 0.6 mmol / m ² .

In this embodiment, the molar amount of proton ions that contribute to increasing the viscosity of the ink in the reaction liquid applied for image formation reacts with the proton ions in the reaction liquid when the maximum amount of ink is applied. It was about 1.5 times the molar amount of carboxylate ions in the ink that contributed to higher viscosity. Since both proton ions and carboxylate ions are monovalent, the molar equivalent ratio (H ⁺ / COO ⁻ ) is also about 1.5.

Next, the liquid absorbing member 105a is brought into contact with the first image formed on the transfer body 101 by the ink applying device 104, so that excess liquid in the first image is absorbed by the liquid absorbing member 105a.
The liquid absorbing member 105a is adjusted by the liquid absorbing member conveying rollers 105c, 105d, and 105e so as to be equal to the moving speed of the transfer body 101. Similarly, the recording medium 108 is also conveyed by the recording medium feeding roller 107a and the recording medium take-up roller 107b so that the recording medium 108 has the same moving speed as the transfer body 101.
As the liquid absorbing member 105a in Example 1, a belt having porous PTFE having an average pore diameter of 3 μm and a thickness of 100 μm as a porous body was used.
With such a configuration, the liquid absorbing member 105a is brought into contact with the first image formed on the transfer body 101 to absorb the liquid in the first image. The nip pressure between the transfer member 101 and the liquid absorbing member 105a is applied to the pressing member 105b so that the average pressure is 9.8 N / cm ² (1 kg / cm ² ). Thereafter, the second image in which the liquid component is reduced is transferred to the recording medium 108. In this example, aurora-coated paper (manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd., basis weight 104 g / m ² ) was used as the recording medium 108.

On the other hand, the liquid absorbing member 105a that has absorbed the liquid is attached to a contact surface (first surface) with the first image by the cleaning roller 14a facing the liquid absorbing member conveying roller 105c. Remove the cleaning. The cleaning roller 14a was brought into contact with the liquid absorbing member 105a at 9.8 N / cm ² (1 kg / cm ² ) using EPDM rubber having a rubber hardness of 40 °. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning device 14 scrapes off deposits adhering to the cleaning roller 14a with the cleaning blade 14b.

  Thereafter, the air knife 11 provided in the liquid recovery chamber 12 permeates the liquid absorbing member 105a by blowing pressurized air from the second surface facing the first surface of the liquid absorbing member 105a. The liquid component thus obtained is blown off as droplets 13 (b) and collected as the recovered liquid 13 (a) in the liquid recovery chamber 12. At this time, recovery was performed by controlling the air pressure so that a part of the liquid component remained in the porous body of the liquid absorbing member 105a.

  Under the above conditions, the reaction liquid application, ink application, liquid absorption, cleaning, and liquid recovery cycles were repeated. One rotation of the belt-shaped liquid absorbing member 105a was counted as one time.

(Example 2)
The cycle was repeated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the porous body of the liquid absorbing member 105a of Example 1 was changed to a two-layered porous body. In the porous body, the first layer is PTFE having an average pore diameter of 0.2 μm and a thickness of 25 μm, and the second layer is composed of two layers of nonwoven fabric having an average pore diameter of 15 μm and a thickness of 100 μm. The layer was brought into contact with the first image on the transfer body as the surface (first surface) of the liquid absorbing member 105a.

(Example 3)
In Example 1, the PS1 and PS2 reaction liquid filling sequence shown in FIG. 11 was changed to a sequence for performing the printing sequence first.

Example 4
Compared to Example 1, the amount of reaction solution applied was changed to 0.5 g / m ² . At this time, the molar amount of proton ions in the reaction solution is about 1.4 mmol / m ^2, which is relative to the molar amount of carboxylate ions that contribute to increasing the viscosity of the ink in the ink when the maximum amount of ink is applied. About 2.4 times.

(Example 5)
Compared to Example 2, the amount of reaction solution applied was changed to 0.5 g / m ² . At this time, the molar amount of proton ions in the reaction solution is about 1.4 mmol / m ^2, which is relative to the molar amount of carboxylate ions that contribute to increasing the viscosity of the ink in the ink when the maximum amount of ink is applied. About 2.4 times.

(Comparative Example 1)
Compared to Example 1, the amount of reaction solution applied was changed to 0.15 g / m ² . The molar amount of proton ions in the reaction solution at this time is about 0.4 mmol / m ² , and the molar amount of carboxylate ions contributing to the increase in the viscosity of the ink in the ink when the maximum amount of ink is applied. About 0.7 times.

(Comparative Example 2)
In contrast to Comparative Example 1, a means for ultrasonic cleaning with an alkaline detergent was used as the cleaning means.

(Comparative Example 3)
In contrast to Example 1, by adjusting the pressure of the air knife, the liquid absorbing member 105a was almost completely free of liquid after every liquid recovery.

  Evaluation was performed by the following evaluation method under the conditions of Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 described above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation criteria AA to B of the following evaluation items were set as acceptable levels, and C was set as an unacceptable level.

<Liquid absorption performance>
The liquid absorption performance was evaluated by visually confirming the curl of the recording medium 108 after transfer.
AA: Even when the evaluation was repeated 10,000 times, the liquid absorption performance was not deteriorated.
A: Even when the evaluation was repeated 1000 times, the liquid absorption performance was not deteriorated.
B: In the case where the evaluation was repeated 1000 times, the liquid absorption performance was slightly deteriorated, but it was a level having no practical problem.
C: When repeatedly evaluated 1000 times, the liquid absorption performance was greatly deteriorated, resulting in a practical problem.

<Durability of liquid absorbing member>
The durability of the liquid absorbing member was evaluated by visually confirming the surface state of the liquid absorbing member after durability.
B: In the case of repeated evaluation 1000 times, even if there is damage, it is extremely small and does not cause a practical problem.
C: When repeatedly evaluated 1000 times, some scratches were observed on the visual level.

1 Recording medium 2 Reaction liquid (ink viscosity increasing component)
3 First image 3a Color material 3b Resin fine particle 4 Porous body 41 First layer 42 Second layer 5 Liquid 6m, 6s Cleaning 11 Air knife 12 Liquid recovery chamber 13 (a) Recovery liquid 13 (b) Liquid droplet 14 Cleaning device 14a Cleaning member 15 Liquid recovery device 16 Backup roller 17 Support member 100 Transfer type inkjet recording device 101 Transfer body 102 Support member 102a Rotating shaft 103 of the support member Reaction liquid application device 103a Reaction liquid storage portion 103b, c Reaction liquid application member 104 Ink Applicator 105 Liquid Absorbing Device 105a Liquid Absorbing Member 105b Pressing Members 105c, d, e Stretch Roller 106 Pressing Member 107 Recording Medium Conveying Device 107a Recording Medium Feeding Roller 107b Recording Medium Winding Roller 108 Recording Medium 109 Transfer Member Cleaning Member

Claims (12)

(1) a step of applying a reaction liquid containing an ink thickening component for increasing the viscosity of the ink to the recording medium;
(2) forming a first image by applying ink to the recording medium to which the reaction liquid has been applied;
(3) a liquid absorption step of bringing a liquid absorbing member having a porous body into contact with the first image and absorbing the liquid from the first image by the porous body;
(4) a step of bringing a cleaning member into contact with the first surface of the porous body that contacts the first image, and cleaning the first surface;
(5) a liquid recovery step of recovering the liquid absorbed in the porous body, and a recording method comprising:
When the porous body contacts the first image, the ink height is higher than the second chemical species in the ink that reacts with the ink thickening component on the recording medium and in the porous body. The first chemical species contributing to the reaction of the viscosity component is contained in a large molar equivalent per unit area, and the liquid is recovered so that the liquid remains on the first surface side of the porous body in the liquid recovery step. An ink jet recording method comprising:   2. The recording method according to claim 1, wherein the step (1) applies a reaction liquid more than an amount necessary for increasing the maximum ink amount applied in the step (2). .   The molar equivalent of the first chemical species in the reaction solution applied in the step (1) is twice the molar equivalent of the second chemical species in the maximum ink amount applied in the step (2). The recording method according to claim 2, wherein the recording method is as described above.   4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: (6) filling the reaction liquid from the first surface of the porous body separately from the contact with the first image. The recording method according to item.   5. The step (6) is a step of applying the reaction liquid onto a recording medium before the cycle is started and bringing the porous body into contact with only the reaction liquid. The recording method described.   The recording method according to claim 4, wherein the step (6) is performed before the first cycle after the replacement of the liquid absorbing member.   In the porous body, the average pore diameter of the surface of the first surface is smaller than the average pore diameter of the surface of the second surface facing the first surface, and in the step (5), the porous material The recording method according to claim 1, wherein a pressurized gas is applied to the second surface of the body.   The porous body is a laminated structure of a first layer having a first average pore size and a second layer having a second average pore size larger than the first average pore size, and the first layer is The recording method according to claim 7, wherein the first surface and the second layer constitute the second surface.   The recording method according to claim 1, wherein the step (5) is performed every cycle of the steps (1) to (4).   The recording medium is a transfer body that temporarily holds the first image and a second image in which the liquid is absorbed from the first image, and the second image is placed on a recording medium. The recording method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of transferring to form a third image.   The recording method according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium is a recording medium on which an image is to be formed. A reaction liquid applying means for applying a reaction liquid containing an ink thickening component for increasing the viscosity of the ink to the recording medium;
A forming means for forming a first image by applying ink to the recording medium to which the reaction liquid has been applied, and a liquid absorbing member having a porous body in contact with the first image, thereby bringing the porous Liquid absorbing means for absorbing liquid from the first image by the body;
A cleaning member is brought into contact with the first surface of the porous body that is in contact with the first image, and the first surface is cleaned,
A liquid recovery means for recovering the liquid absorbed in the porous body, and a recording apparatus comprising:
When the porous body contacts the first image, the ink height is higher than the second chemical species in the ink that reacts with the ink thickening component on the recording medium and in the porous body. A large amount of the first chemical species contributing to the reaction of the viscosity-imparting component is contained in a molar equivalent per unit area, and the liquid recovery means recovers the liquid so that it remains on the first surface side of the porous body. A recording apparatus.

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