JP2020019199A - Recording device and recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress deterioration in mage quality of a black image while reducing unevenness of gloss caused in forming an image on a glossy recording medium using aqueous pigment ink.SOLUTION: Image formation is performed using first black pigment ink and second black pigment ink. Glossiness of an area where a prescribed image is formed in a case that the prescribed image is formed on a glossy recording medium using only the first pigment ink is higher than glossiness of an area where the prescribed image is formed in a case that the prescribed image is formed on the recording medium using only the second pigment ink. Recording is performed so that an application amount of the first pigment ink for forming an achromatic image on a prescribed area of the recording medium is more than an application amount of the second pigment ink and so that an amount of the second pigment ink applied onto the first pigment ink is more than an amount of the second pigment ink applied to below the first pigment ink.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for applying an aqueous pigment ink on a recording medium and recording an image.

  2. Description of the Related Art A water-based inkjet image recording apparatus has been able to form high-definition images on various recording media due to the progress of recording technology. As the recording medium, various ink jet recording media are used according to the intended use, from conventional paper-based media to film-based media. 2. Description of the Related Art In an inkjet recording apparatus for producing a recorded matter that can be used in a severe environment such as outdoors, an aqueous pigment ink excellent in water resistance and weather resistance is mainly used. Patent Document 1 describes a recording apparatus that performs recording with black ink and color ink of pigments.

  Since the aqueous pigment ink has a property that the ink dots are more easily fixed near the surface of the recording medium than the dye ink, the fixing state of the ink dots affects the image quality. For example, when an image is formed on a glossy paper for inkjet using an aqueous pigment ink, the ink dots are fixed on the surface of the recording medium, so that the image quality characteristics such as glossiness and bronze characteristics change depending on the ink color and the amount of ink applied. It has been known.

JP 2018-39228 A

  When color recording is performed on glossy paper, a pigment color material having a high refractive index may be used for a black pigment ink having high suitability for glossy paper, and the gloss may be too high. For this reason, uneven gloss is visually recognized on glossy paper due to the difference in glossiness between the black image area and glossy paper or between the black image area and other color areas. Then, the inventor tried to adjust the gloss of the black image area by using a color ink of a basic color in addition to the black ink to form a black image, and mixing these basic colors to form black.

  However, since the color pigment ink has a lower density than the black pigment ink, the blackness of the obtained black image is not sufficient.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to form a black image having a sufficient blackness while reducing gloss unevenness that occurs when an image is formed on a glossy recording medium with a pigment ink.

The present invention provides a recording head for discharging black first pigment ink and a black second pigment ink, moving means for performing relative movement between the recording head and a recording medium, Control means for controlling the ejection of ink from the recording head so as to apply the first pigment ink and the second pigment ink from the recording head to a recording medium during a typical movement. When the predetermined image is formed only on the glossy recording medium with the first pigment ink, the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image is determined only on the recording medium with the second pigment ink. Higher than the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image when the predetermined image is formed,
The control unit may be configured such that an application amount of the first pigment ink for forming an achromatic image on a predetermined area of the recording medium is larger than an application amount of the second pigment ink, and Ink from the recording head so that the amount of the second pigment ink applied above the pigment ink is greater than the amount of the second pigment ink applied below the first pigment ink It is characterized in that discharge control is performed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to form a black image while reducing gloss unevenness that occurs when an image is formed on a glossy recording medium with an aqueous pigment ink.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the inside of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of recording control of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. 6 is a flowchart for generating ejection data according to the embodiment. It is an example schematic diagram of the mask pattern of embodiment. It is an example schematic diagram of the mask pattern of embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the anticipation mechanism by which the phenomenon that a white haze is hung in a black image is visually recognized. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ink layer according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ink layer of a comparative embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an ink usage amount based on a lightness gradation in an achromatic region according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a nozzle array arrangement of the recording head according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the inside of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a nozzle array arrangement of the recording head according to the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the characteristic configuration of the inkjet recording apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

(Configuration of recording device)
Hereinafter, an embodiment for forming an image by an inkjet method will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the inside of a serial type ink jet recording apparatus. This ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage 11 on which a recording head 2 in which recording heads of respective color inks are integrated is removably mounted. The carriage 11 optically reads the position of the carriage 11 and a carriage motor 12 that reciprocates in the main scanning direction (X direction) along the guide shaft 6, the belt 5 that transmits the driving force of the carriage motor 12 to the carriage 11. And an encoder sensor 13.

  The recording apparatus includes an ink tank (not shown) that stores black 1 (K1), black 2 (K2), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) pigment inks. Are supplied to the liquid chambers provided for the respective inks of the recording head 2 via the. The ink supplied into the liquid chamber is discharged from a discharge port located at an end of the liquid path via a nozzle constituting a liquid path. The recording head 2 has a nozzle (ejection port) capable of ejecting a plurality of inks. The recording head 2 has a nozzle array formed by arranging a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the same ink in the sub-scanning direction (Y direction). In the main scanning direction (X direction), nozzle rows for ejecting inks of different colors are arranged. In the nozzle, an unillustrated electrothermal conversion element (heating element) for generating thermal energy as an ink ejection unit for ejecting the supplied ink, and an unillustrated electrode wiring for supplying power thereto are provided. Have been. Here, an example is shown in which an electrothermal conversion element is used as the ink discharging means, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a piezoelectric element that is an electromechanical conversion element may be used. In addition, other means may be used, and all ink discharging means capable of performing recording by an ink jet method can be used.

  A recovery device 7 is provided to maintain the ejection performance of the print head. The recovery device 7 includes a cap (not shown) capable of covering an ejection port surface on which the ejection port of the recording head is formed, a blade 8 for wiping ink attached to the ejection port surface, and the like. When printing is not performed, the carriage 11 returns to the home position where the cap is provided and waits, and the cap covers the ejection port surface.

  An example of a printing operation of a serial type ink jet printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The recording medium 1 is supplied one by one to a recording operation area by a paper feed roller (not shown). In the recording operation area, the recording medium 1 is transported between the recording head 2 and the platen 21 in the Y direction (sub scanning direction) by a pair of transport rollers (not shown). The recording head 2 performs recording by discharging ink onto the recording medium 1 according to the discharge data while scanning in the X direction (scanning direction). When printing for one scan is completed, the print medium 1 is conveyed in the Y direction by a predetermined amount by the conveying rollers, and the print head 2 scans in the X direction to perform printing. As described above, the recording medium and the recording head are relatively moved, and the recording operation for one scan and the conveyance operation for a predetermined amount are repeated, whereby the recording is performed on the recording medium by a predetermined amount.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of recording control of the inkjet recording apparatus. Multivalued image data from an image input device 301 such as a scanner or a digital camera or multivalued image data stored in various storage media such as a hard disk is input to an image input unit 302. The image input unit 302 is a host computer, and transfers image information to be recorded to the image output unit 303. The form of the host computer may be a computer as an information processing device, or may be an image reader.

  The reception buffer 304 is an area for temporarily storing data from the image input unit 302, and stores received data until data is read from the system controller 305. Inside the system controller 305, a microprocessor, a ROM storing a control program, a dot pattern, a mask pattern, and the like, and a RAM serving as a work area when performing various image processing are arranged. The dot pattern is a pattern for generating binary data from multi-valued data, and the mask pattern is a pattern for determining the nozzles to be used in each scan in the multi-pass printing scan and their frequencies.

  An image processing unit 310 is an area where image processing for generating ejection data for printing a plurality of types of ink in each printing scan based on the multi-valued image data from the image input unit 302 is performed. Further, the above-described image processing can be appropriately divided and performed by the image input unit 302 and the system controller 305.

  The system controller 305 also controls the carriage motor 12 for driving the recording head 2 in the main scanning direction and the transport motor 308 for transporting the recording medium in the sub-scanning direction via the motor control unit 306. Based on the generated ejection data, the recording control unit 309 ejects ink dots of each color ink to a predetermined position on a recording medium to form an image.

(Discharge data generation flow)
Hereinafter, a data generation flow in which ink ejection data of each color is determined from input image data input to the system controller 305 from the image input unit 302 via the reception buffer 304 will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart until the system controller 305 generates ejection data for ejecting ink from the head based on the input image data. Here, a multi-pass printing method for forming an image with ink for each predetermined area by a plurality of printing scans will be described.

  RGB format multi-value image data is input from the host computer (image input unit 302) to the system controller 305 via the reception buffer 304. The multi-value image data in the RGB format is subjected to ink data generation processing S801 for each color, and a plurality of types of ink used for image formation, for example, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black 1 (K1), black 2 (K2) is converted to multi-valued image data corresponding to each of them.

  In the binarization process of S802, the multi-value data generated in the process S801 is converted into binary image data of each color ink according to a pattern stored in the ROM of the system controller 305 in advance.

  S803 is an ejection data generation process in each print scan. First, the binary image data of each color generated in S802 is sorted so that printing can be performed a plurality of times by a print head, and a mask pattern for generating ejection data for ejecting ink in each scan is selected. I do. In this selection, a mask pattern for each color is selected.

  Then, by performing a logical product process (AND process) between the binary image data of each color generated in S802 and the selected mask pattern, ink ejection data in each print scan is determined. The print head 22 prints an image at a predetermined position on a print medium in accordance with the ejection data in each print scan generated in S803.

  Here, multi-pass printing according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the nozzle arrays 40 and the nozzles 41 and the mask pattern in the 8-pass multi-pass printing in which an image is completed in a unit area of the printing medium by eight printing scans of the printing medium. The corresponding mask pattern is shown on the right side of each area of the nozzle row. The nozzle array 40 of one color of the print head is equally divided into eight nozzle groups, and the unit area of the print medium is scanned eight times from the scan of the nozzle area 1 to the scan of the area 8. Recording is performed so that image recording of the unit area is completed.

  Specifically, the printing head is first scanned in one unit area of the printing medium to perform printing in the area 1 of the nozzle row 40. The first printing is performed by the area 1 of the nozzle row 40 using the mask pattern shown on the right side of the area 1. The mask pattern indicates print-permitted pixels that are permitted to print in each scan of the unit area. In the mask pattern shown in FIG. 4, pixels that are blacked out are printable pixels that can be printed during scanning. If the generated binary image data indicates ejection for these print permitting pixels, ejection data is generated such that the ejection data of the pixel indicates ejection of ink. Since ejection of ink is not permitted for white pixels, ejection data is generated such that ejection data indicates non-ejection of ink regardless of whether the binary image data is ejection or non-ejection of ink. Next, the print medium is conveyed in the Y direction by a distance corresponding to the unit area, the print head is scanned, and based on the ejection data generated by the mask pattern shown on the right side of the area 2, the area 2 of the nozzle row is used. Make a record. An image is completed by performing printing by scanning from the nozzle area 1 to the area 8 in the unit area by repeating printing and transporting by scanning with such a print head. The length of the unit area in the Y direction corresponds to the length of the equally divided nozzle area, and the length in the X direction corresponds to the width of the print medium or the length of the scan range of the print head in the X direction.

  The mask pattern in FIG. 4 is a pattern in which the same number of pixels are recorded in all scans from the first area (area 1) to the eighth area (area 8), and is uniform from the first print scan to the eighth print scan. Image recording is performed at the usage ratio (recording ratio). On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows another form of the mask pattern. In the rearward shift mask pattern as shown in FIG. 5, the use ratio of the fifth to eighth regions in the latter half is high, and the number of ink dots recorded in the latter half increases. As described above, by selecting the mask pattern using the ink, it is possible to control the ejection amount of the ink dot in each recording scan with each ink.

  As a method of generating the ejection data in each printing scan, a method other than the mask pattern can be used. For example, first, the multi-value data of each pixel generated in S801 of FIG. 3 is divided into eight scans. At this time, the second half of the printing scan is divided into larger pixel values than the first half of the printing scan, and the divided multi-value data is binarized by the processing of S802 to generate ejection data of each printing scan. I do. Since the multi-value data has already been divided into the data for each scan by dividing, the step of dividing the ejection data by the mask pattern in S803 is omitted. When an image is printed with the ejection data generated as described above, the ejection amount is larger in the latter half of the scanning.

(Ink composition)
Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the ink configuration will be described.

  The ink used in the present embodiment is an aqueous ink, and is composed of a coloring material pigment and a resin, a water-soluble organic solvent, and an additive component such as a surfactant.

  Examples of the colorant pigment used are shown below. Specific examples of the black colorant pigment include carbon black such as furnace black, lamp black, acetylene black, and channel black. An example of a commercially available carbon black pigment is shown below.

Color black: FW1, FW2, FW2V, FW18, FW200, S150, S160, S170, Printex: 35, 80, 85, 90, 95, U, V, 140U, 140V (all manufactured by Orion Engineered Carbons Co., Ltd.) )
No. 25, no. 33, no. 40, no. 45, no. 47, no. 52, no. 900, NO. No. 2200B, No. 2300, MCF-88, MA7, MA8, MA77, MA100, MA600 (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation)
It is known that carbon black has different coloring properties when formed into an ink and recorded on a recording medium, depending on characteristics such as a particle diameter of the pigment and a structure structure formed between the pigment particles. The term “structure” refers to a secondary particle structure formed by combining primary pigment particles, and the higher the structure, the more the carbon black particles tend to be dispersed as bulky carbon black particles in the ink. On the other hand, carbon black having a low structure is easily dispersed in ink as particles having low bulk. When such low-bulk carbon black is used as an ink, it forms a dense recording surface with high surface smoothness. When recording is performed on a recording medium having excellent surface smoothness such as glossy paper, the recording surface can also maintain smoothness, and light is regularly reflected, which is advantageous from the viewpoint of optical density. On the other hand, when the structure is low, the refractive index is high because the density of the particles is high. Therefore, when recording is performed on a recording medium having excellent smoothness, a recording area having high glossiness is obtained.

  An ink using carbon black having a high structure is advantageous from the viewpoint of optical density because pigment particles easily adhere to the vicinity of the surface of a recording medium such as plain paper having low surface smoothness. However, when an ink using carbon black having a high structure is recorded on a recording medium having high smoothness such as glossy paper, the surface smoothness of the recording surface is deteriorated due to large particles, and scattered light increases. . Therefore, the optical density is often lower than that of carbon black having a low structure. Further, since particles having a high structure have a low density, the refractive index is lower than that of carbon black having a low structure. Therefore, when recording is performed on a recording medium having excellent smoothness, a recording area having low gloss is obtained.

  As a measure of the size of the structure of carbon black, DBP oil absorption is generally used. The larger the value, the higher the bulk of the pigment particles. The DBP oil absorption can be measured by a method based on JIS K6221 or ASTM D2414. In these methods, dibutyl phthalate is dropped into 100 g of carbon black with stirring, and the amount of dibutyl phthalate added at the time when the torque is maximized is measured.

  Since the various carbon blacks mentioned above have structures of different sizes, they are appropriately selected and used according to the recording medium to be used.

  Organic pigments are mainly used as color pigments, and specifically, for example, the following can be used. Water-insoluble azo pigments such as Toluidine Red, Hansa Yellow, Benzidine Yellow, and Pyrazolone Red. Water-soluble azo pigments such as Litol Red, Pigment Scarlet, and Permanent Red 2B. Derivatives from vat dyes such as alizarin, indanthrone and thioindigo maroon. In addition, phthalocyanine-based pigments, quinacridone-based pigments, perylene-based pigments, isoindolinone-based pigments, and the like can be used, and the present invention may be performed using other organic pigments.

In addition, when an organic pigment is represented by a color index (CI) number, for example, the following may be mentioned. C. I. Pigment Yellow: 1, 12, 24, 74, 95, 125, 138, 150, 151, 153, 154, 166, 185 and the like.
C. I. Pigment Red: 5, 48 (Ca), 48 (Mn), 57 (Ca), 97, 149, 177207 and the like.
C. I. Pigment Red: 215, 224, 238, 272 and the like.
C. I. Pigment Blue: 1, 15, 15: 1, 15: 6, 60, 64 and the like.
C. I. Bat Blue: 4, 6, 19, 23, 42, etc.

  The pigment colorant alone is not sufficiently dispersible in an aqueous solvent, and is used after being subjected to a dispersion treatment. Depending on the difference in the dispersion treatment of the pigment color material, it is classified into a resin dispersion type and a self-dispersion type, and both of them can be used in the present invention. In the resin dispersion type, a coloring material pigment is stably finely dispersed in an aqueous solvent using a dispersant such as a water-soluble polymer compound. In the self-dispersion type, pigment particles are stably dispersed in an aqueous solvent without using a dispersant such as a water-soluble polymer compound as described above. Such pigments have been previously subjected to a modification treatment on the pigment surface, and for example, an anionic or cationic functional group is bonded to the pigment surface directly or via another atomic group. By subjecting the pigment surface to a modification treatment for imparting ionicity, the affinity for a polar solvent such as water is increased, so that the pigment particles can be stably dispersed.

  Specific examples of the aqueous organic solvent used in the ink of the present invention are shown below. For example, alkyl alcohols having 1 to 6 carbon atoms such as ethanol, pentanediol and hexanediol, and alkylene glycols having an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms such as ethylene glycol and triethylene glycol can be used. Further, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and polyalkylene glycols may be used. In addition, lower alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols such as 2-pyrrolidone and lower alkyl ether acetates such as polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate can also be used.

  The content of the aqueous organic solvent in the ink is 3% by weight to 50% by weight based on the total amount of the ink. Among the above-mentioned aqueous organic solvents, when the content of a high-boiling solvent such as a polyhydric alcohol is reduced, the fixability due to drying of the ink is increased, and a problem such as clogging in the nozzle of the inkjet recording head occurs stably. Difficult to use. In addition, when the amount of the aqueous organic solvent is large, the ink viscosity is increased, causing a discharge failure from a nozzle, and a problem such as slow drying of a recorded image and poor handling of a recorded material occurs. The aqueous organic solvent to be used must be appropriately selected in consideration of these characteristics.

  As components other than the aqueous organic solvent, the ink contains a surfactant, an aqueous resin, a pH adjuster, an antifoaming agent, a rust inhibitor, a preservative, a fungicide, an antioxidant, a reduction inhibitor, and an evaporation promoter. Various additives are optionally included. Among them, the surfactant greatly affects the surface tension of the ink, and therefore is an important material component for the ink used for the recording medium having low absorbency, which is the subject of the present invention. Since ink having a high surface tension is unlikely to spread on the surface of a recording medium, ink overflow occurs more remarkably on a recording medium having poor absorbency.

  Specific examples of the surfactant include an ethylene oxide adduct of alkyl phenyl ether and a polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymer. In addition, nonionic surfactants such as ethylene oxide adduct of acetylene glycol, sulfate and sulfonate type anionic surfactants, polyether-modified siloxane-based surfactants, perfluoroalkyl ether-based fluorine-based surfactants Surfactants and the like. The surface tension of the ink can be adjusted by using one or more of the above components.

  Furthermore, as an additive component, in order to maintain the storability as an ink and ink jet aptitude, a pH adjuster, an antifoaming agent, a rust inhibitor, a preservative, a fungicide, an antioxidant, an antioxidant, and an evaporation promoter Various additives such as are included as needed.

(Image forming method of black image)
An image forming method of a black image which is a characteristic configuration of the present invention will be described below. The glossy paper according to the present embodiment is a glossy paper having a glossiness of 60 degrees (reflection) measured by a glossmeter (product name: Micro Take Gloss; manufactured by BYK Gardner Co., Ltd.) using JIS Z8741 “Specular glossiness-measurement method”. Angle of 60 degrees) indicates a recording medium of 10 or more.

  According to the study of the inventor, white haze may be visually recognized in a black image formed by a conventional method. The mechanism expected for the appearance of the haze that looks white will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a color pigment ink when a black image is formed by process black including a black pigment ink and a color pigment ink. In the black image shown in FIG. 6, there are a portion S1 where the area of the process black region made of the color ink is large and a portion S2 where the area is small. The reason for such a difference in the area is that the dot diameter of the pigment ink on the glossy paper changes depending on the droplet landing position. The ink deposited on the surface of the glossy paper instantly loses its fluidity due to the speed of ink absorption of the glossy paper, so that the dot diameter does not increase. On the other hand, ink that has landed on the pigment ink layer has a large dot diameter because the ink in the pigment ink layer has a low absorbency, and the ink bleeds. In ink-jet image recording in which an image is formed by a plurality of recording scans, portions (S1, S2) having different areas occur because the recording order of the ink dots is changed by the recording scan. The process black area composed of color ink is an area having a lower density than a black image composed of black ink, which is a black pigment ink, because the inks do not mix properly when recording, or the ink materials are different. . Particularly, in the S1 region, since color ink exists on the outermost surface of the image, it is conspicuous that the region is different from the surrounding black ink region. Further, it has been found that the S1 region has a size of 100 μm or more, which is a region that can be visually recognized by humans, depending on the amount of ink discharged. For the above reasons, it is presumed that the black image is visually perceived as if a white haze was applied.

  In the present embodiment, the pigment black ink having a high suitability for a recording medium having a high smoothness such as glossy paper is a pigment black having a high suitability for a recording medium having a low surface smoothness such as plain paper. An image is formed by combining inks. In the present embodiment, high suitability for a recording medium means having a high characteristic in optical density, that is, when recorded on a highly suitable recording medium, it looks blacker than when recorded on another recording medium. ing. Hereinafter, black ink 1 is a pigment black ink having a high suitability for a recording medium having a high smoothness such as glossy paper, and black ink 2 is a pigment black ink having a high suitability for a recording medium having a low surface smoothness such as plain paper. It is described. When a predetermined image is formed only with black ink 1 on a glossy recording medium, the glossiness of the predetermined image forming area is the same as that of the predetermined image when the predetermined image is formed only with black ink 2 on the same recording medium. It is higher than the glossiness of the formation area. The pigment black ink 2 is an ink having a higher surface tension than the pigment black ink 1 so that the pigment black ink 2 is fixed on the surface of a recording medium such as plain paper having a low surface smoothness and is more suitable for a recording medium having a low surface smoothness. ing.

  An effective image formation using the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic sectional views of the ink layer formed on the recording medium. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the black ink 2 is recorded after an image is formed with the black ink 1 and the outermost surface is partially covered with the black ink 2. In FIG. 8, the recording order of the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 is not controlled, and the recording order of the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 differs depending on the area. According to the study by the inventor, it has been clarified that the image forming method shown in FIG. 7 is effective from the viewpoint of the image quality of the black image and the reduction of the gloss unevenness described above.

  The mechanism in which the state of FIG. 7 is suitable is presumed as follows. The black hue and density of the black ink 2 formed on the surface are close to those of the black ink 1, so that a white haze is hard to be visually recognized. Further, since the black ink 2 formed on the outermost surface is composed of bulky carbon black having a large structure, it is expected that surface gloss is suppressed and gloss unevenness is reduced. The reason why gloss can be suppressed by using bulky carbon black having a large structure is considered to be that the amount of light reflection decreases due to a decrease in the refractive index of the surface of the ink layer due to the bulky structure.

The black image in the state shown in FIG. 8 is not as dark black as the case shown in FIG. The reason is considered as follows. Since the same amount of black ink 2 as in FIG. 7 is formed on the surface without controlling the printing order, the amount of black ink 2 applied to black ink 1 becomes larger than in FIG. Black ink 2 is formed. As described above, when the black ink 2 is recorded on a recording medium having high smoothness, the surface smoothness of the recording surface deteriorates. It is considered that when the black ink 1 having a high refractive index is formed thereon, scattering of light on the outermost surface increases, and the optical density decreases.
Here, the black ink 2 applied on the black ink 1 has a function of reducing the amount of light reflection on the surface layer as described above. It is considered that the amount of scattered light generated due to the deterioration in smoothness can also be reduced. With this operation, the black ink 2 applied on the black ink 1 can suppress a decrease in the optical density of black. If the amount of the black ink 2 applied on the black ink 1 is larger than that of the black ink 2 formed below the black ink 1, it is considered that the gloss of the black ink 1 can be suppressed and the decrease in the gloss density can be suppressed. Can be It is preferable that the applied amount of the black ink 2 applied below the black ink 1 is less than 10% (based on weight percent) of the black ink 1 because the scattered light described above can be further reduced.

  It is considered that even if the black ink 2 is slightly formed on the surface as shown in FIG. 7, there is an effect of reducing uneven gloss. It is preferable that the surface has an amount of about 2% or more of the amount of the black ink 1 so that the gloss unevenness reducing effect can be further exhibited. However, it is considered that it is not preferable that the amount of the black ink 2 to be applied is too large to cover the entire image formed by the black ink 1 so that the black ink 1 cannot be seen from the surface. It is only necessary that the black ink 1 be seen on the surface at least a little, but preferably, the applied amount of the black ink 2 is half or less (based on weight percent) of the applied amount of the black ink 1.

  FIG. 7 shows a case where an image is formed with the black ink 2 after the recording of the black ink 1 is completely completed. However, the effect is not necessarily obtained unless all the black inks 2 are formed on the black ink 1, and the effect can be obtained by recording the black ink 2 later than the black ink 1. The control of the printing order of the black ink 1 and the black 2 can be controlled by adjusting the mask pattern described in the flow of generating the ejection data. The black ink 2 can be recorded rearward by using a mask pattern for recording the black ink 2 rearward, or by recording using a mask pattern for recording the black ink 1 rearward.

  It is preferable that the above-described image formation using the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 is performed on a dark area of the achromatic image area. This is because white haze is hard to be visually recognized in an area other than the dark area of the color gamut, and glossiness is greatly reduced by using the black ink 2. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an amount (implantation amount) ejected per unit area of each color in each gradation of the achromatic area in the printing apparatus of the present embodiment. The horizontal axis represents the RGB gradation values input to the image input unit 302, and the vertical axis represents the ejection amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, black ink 1, and black ink 2 with respect to the input RGB gradation. ing. The smaller the gradation value on the horizontal axis, the higher the lightness of the achromatic image. The left end corresponds to a white background of the recording medium. In the outermost shell color gamut of the dark part (the left end in FIG. 9), only the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 are used without using the color ink as the chromatic pigment ink, and the image is formed by the above-described recording method. In the achromatic region which enters inside from the outermost shell (darkest portion) of the dark portion, black ink 1, black ink 2, and color ink are used from the viewpoint of lightness and hue adjustment. The black ink 2 is applied so that the amount of ink formed last on the outermost surface, that is, in a certain pixel region, is larger than the amount of ink formed below the black ink 1 or the color ink. Further, in an achromatic region higher than a predetermined brightness, an image is formed from the black ink 1 and the color ink. In the present embodiment, the black ink 2 is used at 230 to 255 on the horizontal axis of the graph. Here, an achromatic image is formed using a plurality of color inks, but an image may be formed using only one color ink.

<Example>
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples. The following examples are specific examples provided for a deeper understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. In the examples, “parts” and “%” are based on mass unless otherwise specified.

  The specific structure of the ink used in this embodiment is shown below.

(Black ink 1: K1)
Preparation of Dispersion: An AB type block polymer having an acid value of 250 and a number average molecular weight of 3,000 is prepared by a conventional method using benzyl acrylate and methacrylic acid as raw materials, further neutralized with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution, and diluted with ion-exchanged water. As a result, a homogeneous 50% by mass aqueous polymer solution was prepared. The above polymer solution, carbon black (trade name: PRINTEX 85, DBP oil absorption = 54 cm3 / 100 g, manufactured by Orion Engineered Carbons Co., Ltd.) and ion-exchanged water were mixed and mechanically stirred for 0.5 hour. . The mixture was then processed using a microfluidizer by passing it 5 times into the interaction chamber under a liquid pressure of about 70 MPa. Further, the dispersion obtained above was subjected to a centrifugal separation treatment (12,000 rpm, 20 minutes) to remove non-dispersed matter containing coarse particles, thereby obtaining a black dispersion 1. The resulting dispersion had a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 6% by mass.

Preparation of Ink: For the preparation of the ink, the above-mentioned black dispersion liquid 1 is used. The following components were added thereto to obtain a predetermined concentration, and after sufficiently mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was pressure-filtered with a micro filter having a pore size of 2.5 μm to obtain a pigment concentration of 4% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 3% by mass. Was prepared.
-40 parts of the above black dispersion liquid-10 parts of glycerin-10 parts of triethylene glycol-1 part of acetylene glycol EO adduct (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.)-1 part of ion-exchanged water (black ink 2: K2-1)
Preparation of Dispersion: Liquid phase oxidation treatment using ordinary sodium hypochlorite using carbon black (trade name: Color Black FW200, DBP oil absorption = 160 cm3 / 100 g, manufactured by Orion Engineered Carbons Co., Ltd.) went. The reaction was carried out by appropriately adjusting the reaction time and the reaction temperature, and the obtained slurry was filtered to sufficiently wash the pigment particles with water. This pigment wet cake was redispersed in water and desalted with a reverse osmosis membrane until the electric conductivity reached 0.2 μs. Further, this pigment dispersion (pH = 8 to 10) was concentrated so that the pigment concentration became 10% by mass, to obtain a black dispersion 2.

Preparation of Ink: For the preparation of the ink, the above-mentioned black dispersion liquid is used. The following components were added thereto to obtain a predetermined concentration, and after sufficiently mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was filtered under pressure with a microfilter having a pore size of 2.5 μm to prepare a pigment ink having a pigment concentration of 4% by mass.
-40 parts of the above black dispersion liquid-10 parts of glycerin-10 parts of triethylene glycol-0.1 part of acetylene glycol EO adduct (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.)-0.1 part of ion-exchanged water (black ink 2: K2-2)
Dispersion: A commercially available carbon black dispersion CAB-O-JET400 (manufactured by Cabot Corporation) was used. CAB-O-JET400 is a self-dispersing black pigment dispersion having a carbon black concentration of 15%.

Preparation of Ink: The following components were added to a predetermined concentration, these components were sufficiently mixed and stirred, and then filtered under pressure through a micro filter having a pore size of 2.5 μm to obtain a pigment ink having a pigment concentration of 4.5% by mass. Was prepared.
・ 30 parts CAB-O-JET400 (manufactured by Cabot Corporation) ・ 10 parts glycerin ・ 10 parts triethylene glycol ・ 0.1 part acetylene glycol EO adduct (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) ・ 0.1 part ion-exchanged water (cyan ink: C)
Preparation of Dispersion: The pigment of the dispersion used in Black Ink 1 was C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3, and a cyan dispersion having a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 5% by mass was obtained by the same preparation method.

Preparation of Ink: For the preparation of the ink, the above-described cyan dispersion liquid is used, and the following components are added thereto to obtain a predetermined concentration. After sufficiently mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was filtered under pressure with a micro filter having a pore size of 2.5 μm (manufactured by FUJIFILM Corporation) to prepare a pigment ink having a pigment concentration of 2% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 2% by mass. .
・ 40 parts of the above-mentioned cyan dispersion liquid ・ 10 parts of glycerin ・ 10 parts of diethylene glycol ・ 1 part of acetylene glycol EO adduct (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) ・ 1 part of ion-exchanged water (magenta ink: M)
Preparation of Dispersion: The pigment of the dispersion used in Black Ink 1 was C.I. I. Pigment Red 122, and a magenta dispersion having a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 5% by mass was obtained by the same preparation method.

Preparation of Ink: For the preparation of the ink, the above-mentioned magenta dispersion liquid is used, and the following components are added thereto to obtain a predetermined concentration. After sufficiently mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was filtered under pressure through a micro filter having a pore size of 2.5 μm (manufactured by FUJIFILM Corporation) to prepare a pigment ink having a pigment concentration of 4% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 2% by mass. .
-40 parts of the above cyan dispersion-10 parts of glycerin-10 parts of diethylene glycol-1 part of acetylene glycol EO adduct (manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.)-1 part of ion-exchanged water (yellow ink: Y)
Preparation of Dispersion: Pigment [C. I. Pigment Yellow 74 (product name: Hansa Brilliant Yellow 5GX (manufactured by Clariant))], 10 parts of anionic polymer P-1 [styrene / butyl acrylate / acrylic acid copolymer (copolymerization ratio (weight ratio) = 30 / 40/30), an acid value of 202, an aqueous solution having a weight average molecular weight of 6,500 and a solid content of 10%, a neutralizing agent: potassium hydroxide] of 30 parts, and pure water of 60 parts are mixed. Then, the following materials were charged into a batch-type vertical sand mill (manufactured by Imex Co., Ltd.), and 150 parts of zirconia beads having a diameter of 0.3 mm were filled therein and subjected to a dispersion treatment for 12 hours while cooling with water. Further, this dispersion was centrifuged to remove coarse particles. Then, as a final preparation, a yellow dispersion having a solid content of about 12.5% and a weight average particle size of 120 nm was obtained. Using the obtained pigment dispersion, an ink was prepared as follows.

Preparation of Ink: The following components were mixed, sufficiently stirred to dissolve and disperse, and then pressure-filtered with a micro filter having a pore size of 1.0 μm (manufactured by Fuji Film Co., Ltd.) to prepare an ink.
-40 parts of the pigment dispersion obtained above-9 parts of glycerin-6 parts of ethylene glycol-1 part of acetylene glycol ethylene oxide adduct (trade name: acetylenol EH)
1,2-hexanediol: 3 parts Polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 1000) 4 parts / ion-exchanged water balance

(Evaluation of optical density characteristics of black ink)
The pigment ink adjusted as described above was set in an ink jet recording apparatus, and a solid image (20 mm square) with a recording duty of 100% was recorded on glossy paper and plain paper with black ink, and the optical density characteristics were evaluated. Here, recording duty = 100% corresponds to a state in which four ink dots are recorded at a resolution of 1200 dpi in the vertical and horizontal directions in an image unit area of 600 dpi (a 1/600 inch square area). A recording head having an average ejection amount of 4 pl was used. For glossy paper, an image was formed by an 8-pass reciprocal printing scan in which ink was ejected in both the forward and backward directions of the print head to perform printing, and for plain paper, an image was formed by a one-pass printing scan. Premium glossy paper 2 (thick mouth) manufactured by Canon Inc. was used as glossy paper, and standard plain paper 2 was used as plain paper.

  The black density was measured using a reflection densitometer X-Rite500 series (manufactured by VideoJet X-Rite Co., Ltd.) on the recorded matter left in a room temperature environment for one day after image formation.

  The average value of black density was calculated for glossy paper and plain paper, and evaluated according to the following criteria according to the medium. Table 1 shows the results.

[Glossy paper]
High: Average black density is 2.5 or more Low: Average black density is less than 2.2 [plain paper]
High: Average black density is 1.3 or more Low: Average black density is less than 1.2

(Image formation)
The pigment ink adjusted as described above was set in an ink jet recording apparatus, and solid images of a predetermined size (50 mm square) used in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were formed under the conditions shown in Table 2. Here, recording duty = 100% corresponds to a state in which four ink dots are recorded at a resolution of 1200 dpi in the vertical and horizontal directions in an image unit area of 600 dpi (a 1/600 inch square area). A print head having an average discharge amount of 4 pl discharged from one discharge port in one discharge is used, and the arrangement of the nozzle rows of the print head is black ink 1 and black ink 2 in order from the -X direction. An image was formed by an 8-pass one-way print scan in which printing was performed by discharging ink only when the print head scanned in the −X direction. The printing order is such that the black ink 2 is printed after the black ink 1 in one scan. Premium glossy paper 2 (thick mouth) manufactured by Canon Inc. was used as a recording medium. The gloss is 46.6 at 60 degree gloss. The glossiness of the recording medium was measured with a glossmeter (product name: Micro-take gloss; manufactured by BYK Gardner Co., Ltd.) using JIS Z8741 "Specular glossiness-measurement method".

  In the following Examples and Comparative Examples, a solid image was formed by mixing black ink 2 or color ink under predetermined conditions with black ink K1 having excellent optical density on glossy paper. The printing order of each ink was controlled by the mask pattern described above. The mask patterns MP1 and MP2 are patterns in which ink is ejected at a uniform rate from the first print scan to the eighth print scan as shown in FIG. 4, and MP1 and MP2 print different pixels in the same scan. As shown in FIG. 5, the mask pattern MP3 is a pattern in which the printing ratio becomes higher toward the later printing scan. When scanning is performed in combination with MP1, about 70% of the ink recorded by MP3 has a recording order later than the ink recorded by MP1. The mask pattern MP4 is a pattern in which all pixels in the areas 1 to 7 are off and all pixels in the area 8 are on, and ink printing is performed only by the eighth printing scan.

[Image evaluation]
(Visual evaluation)
With respect to the solid images created in the example and the comparative example, the image quality of a black image in an indoor fluorescent light environment was visually evaluated according to the following criteria.
：: The uniformity of the image is good and the blackness is sufficient.
Δ: Image homogeneity is not sufficiently good, or blackness is not sufficient.

(Evaluation of gloss unevenness)
In order to evaluate gloss unevenness, the mixing ratio of black ink 1, black ink 2, cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink was adjusted, and images with different lightness were created. From chromaticity values (L * value, a * value, b * value) of a reflection densitometer (RD-19I; manufactured by VideoJet X-Rite Co., Ltd.) using JIS Z8741 "Specular gloss-measuring method", * Three types of solid images having values of 20, 50 and 70 were created.

The surface gloss (20-degree reflection) of the created solid images having L * values of 20, 50 and 70 was measured with a gloss meter (product name: Micro Haze Plus; manufactured by BYK Gardner Co., Ltd.), and the following criteria were used. The gloss unevenness was evaluated as follows. Here, the variation in the glossiness is a difference between the lowest glossiness and the highest glossiness among the measured glossiness.
◎: Variation in gloss is smaller than 20 ○: Variation in gloss is 20 or more and 30 or less Δ: Variation in gloss is greater than 30

  In the first and second embodiments, K2-1 is used as the black ink 2 having high suitability for plain paper, and in the third embodiment, K2-2 is used. Since the conditions other than the black ink 2 are the same in the second embodiment and the third embodiment, the gloss unevenness is suppressed even if either K2-1 or K2-2 having high suitability for plain paper is used as the black ink 2, and the black image is reduced. It can be seen that the image quality can be improved.

  In Examples 1 to 3, the evaluation of gloss unevenness is ◎, and in Example 4, the evaluation of gloss unevenness is ○. In the first and fourth embodiments, since MP4 is used as a mask for the black ink 2, all the black inks 2 are formed on the black ink 1. Example 1 has a smaller degree of gloss unevenness. This is presumably because the amount of black ink 2 in Example 1 was smaller than that in Example 4, and the degree of gloss reduction was more appropriate.

  In Comparative Example 1, a black image was formed using only the black ink 1. In this case, although the image quality of the black image is good, gloss unevenness is visually recognized because the gloss of the black ink 1 is high.

  In Comparative Examples 2 and 3, the glossiness of the black image is suppressed by the black formed by the color ink, so that the gloss unevenness caused by the black ink 1 is reduced. However, white haze was visually recognized on the image surface due to a difference in density between the black ink and the color ink, and the image quality of the black image was not good as compared with the example.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a part of an image when an image is formed under the conditions of Comparative Example 4. In Comparative Example 4, the black ink 2 was recorded using the mask pattern of MP2. Since both the black ink 1 and the black ink 2 are recorded using a mask pattern that discharges ink at an equal rate in each scan, the amount of the black ink 2 formed below the black ink 1 is equal to the amount of the black ink 2 applied. 1 is a half of the applied amount of the black ink 2 formed on the first ink.

  On the other hand, in the second embodiment, since the black ink 2 is recorded by the rearward mask pattern MP3, the applied amount of the black ink 2 formed below the black ink 1 is formed on the black ink 1. Less than the amount of black ink 2 applied. Of the black ink 2, 70% of the black ink 2 is formed on the black ink 1.

(Other embodiments)
In the embodiment described above, the recording head has one nozzle array of black ink 1 and one nozzle array of black ink 2, but a plurality of nozzle arrays may be arranged. FIG. 10 shows a diagram having two nozzle rows for black ink 1 and two nozzle rows for black ink 2 and symmetrically arranged in the X direction with respect to the nozzle row for yellow (Y). In the case of such an arrangement, when scanning in the + X direction, the black ink 2 can be recorded after the black ink 1 by ejecting ink from the nozzle rows A1 and A2. Further, when scanning in the −X direction, the black ink 2 can be recorded after the black ink 1 by ejecting ink from the nozzle arrays B1 and B2. As described above, in both scans in the reciprocating direction, the black ink 2 can be always printed after the black ink 1 is printed. For example, when printing is performed on one print area by one scan, all the black inks 2 are printed. Can be formed on the black ink 1.

  Up to this point, the description has been given of the serial type printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink while scanning the print medium provided with the nozzle rows in the Y direction on the print medium in the scan direction. In addition, a full-line type recording apparatus in which nozzles are provided corresponding to the width of the recording medium and recording is performed by transporting the recording medium may be used. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a full-line type recording apparatus. The recording head 22 has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the same ink in the X direction, and nozzle rows of different colors are arranged in the Y direction. The recording medium is fed one by one to the recording operation area by the paper feed roller 23, and the recording medium is conveyed under the recording head 22 by the feed roller 23 and the conveyance roller 24 in the cross direction (Y direction) crossing the nozzle row. When the recording medium passes under the recording head 22, the recording is performed on the recording medium by ejecting ink from each ejection port.

  FIG. 12 is a view of the ejection port surface of the recording head 22. The nozzle row that discharges the black ink 2 ink is arranged in the + Y direction (downstream) than the nozzle row that discharges the black ink 1 ink. In FIG. 12, the cyan, magenta, and yellow nozzle rows are arranged in the −Y direction from the black ink 2, but may be arranged in the + Y direction. With the configuration described above, the recording of the black ink 2 is started after the recording of the black ink 1 is completed.

Reference Signs List 1 recording medium 2 recording head 11 carriage 21 platen

Claims (14)

A recording head for ejecting black first pigment ink and black second pigment ink,
Moving means for performing relative movement between the recording head and a recording medium;
Control means for controlling discharge of ink from the recording head so as to apply the first pigment ink and the second pigment ink from the recording head to a recording medium in the relative movement;
A recording device having
When a predetermined image is formed only on the first pigment ink on a glossy recording medium, the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image is determined by the second pigment ink only on the recording medium. Is higher than the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image when is formed,
The control unit may be configured such that an application amount of the first pigment ink for forming an achromatic image on a predetermined area of the recording medium is larger than an application amount of the second pigment ink, and Ink from the recording head so that the amount of the second pigment ink applied above the pigment ink is greater than the amount of the second pigment ink applied below the first pigment ink A recording apparatus for controlling the ejection of ink.   The control means may be configured such that the achromatic image is an image of a grayscale color of an achromatic darkest portion, and uses the first pigment ink and the second pigment ink to form a chromatic ink. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control is performed so that the predetermined achromatic image is recorded without using the recording apparatus.   The control unit may control the case where the applied amount of the first pigment ink applied to the predetermined area is a second amount larger than the first amount, as compared with the case where the applied amount is the first amount. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control is performed such that an application amount of the second pigment ink applied to a predetermined area increases. The recording head ejects at least one chromatic pigment ink,
The control means may control the case where the applied amount of the second pigment ink applied to the predetermined area is a fourth amount larger than the third amount, as compared with the case where the applied amount is the third amount. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control is performed such that the amount of the chromatic pigment ink applied to a predetermined area is reduced. 5.   The control means may be configured such that an application amount of the second pigment ink applied on the first pigment ink to form an achromatic image in the predetermined area is equal to the first amount applied to the predetermined area. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control is performed so that the amount of the applied pigment ink is half or less. 6. The recording head performs recording in the predetermined area by scanning a plurality of times,
The control means may be configured such that, of the plurality of scans, the amount of the second pigment ink applied in the second half of the scan is greater than the amount of the second pigment ink applied in the first half of the scan. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control is performed on the recording medium. The control unit generates ejection data of each scan by dividing the image data by a mask pattern that divides each scan, and causes the recording head to eject ink according to the generated ejection data.
In the mask pattern for recording the second pigment ink, the number of pixels recorded in the second half of the plurality of scans is larger than the number of pixels recorded in the first half of the scan. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein pixels for which printing is permitted are determined. The control unit generates ejection data of each scan by dividing the image data by a mask pattern that divides each scan, and causes the recording head to eject ink according to the generated ejection data.
In the mask pattern for recording the first pigment ink, the number of pixels recorded in the second half of the plurality of scans is not greater than the number of pixels recorded in the first half of the scan. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein pixels for which printing is permitted are determined.   The control means performs the control so that printing using the second pigment ink is started after printing using the first pigment ink on the predetermined area is completed. Item 9. The recording device according to any one of Items 1 to 8. In the recording head, a nozzle row for discharging the first pigment ink and a nozzle row for discharging the second pigment ink discharge the other first pigment ink with reference to a certain position of the recording head. The nozzle array and the nozzle array that ejects the second pigment ink are arranged so as to be arranged symmetrically with respect to the scanning direction,
The control means selects, in each scan, a nozzle row for discharging ink from a plurality of symmetrically arranged nozzle rows for discharging the first pigment ink and a nozzle row for discharging the second pigment ink. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an order of applying the first pigment ink and the second pigment ink to the predetermined area is controlled by the control unit.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface tension of the first pigment ink is lower than a surface tension of the second pigment ink.   12. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glossy recording medium is a medium having a surface glossiness of 10 or more at a reflection angle of 60 degrees. Moving means for moving the recording medium in a predetermined direction;
A first nozzle row in which nozzles for ejecting black first pigment ink are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects the predetermined direction, and are arranged downstream of the first nozzle row in the predetermined direction, A recording head having a second nozzle row in which nozzles for ejecting black second pigment ink are arranged in the cross direction; and the first pigment ink with respect to a recording medium moved by the moving unit. Control means for controlling the ejection of ink from the recording head so as to apply the second pigment ink,
When a predetermined image is formed only on the first pigment ink on a glossy recording medium, the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image is determined by the second pigment ink only on the recording medium. Is higher than the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image when is formed,
The control unit may be configured such that an application amount of the first pigment ink for forming an achromatic image on a predetermined area of the recording medium is larger than an application amount of the second pigment ink, and A recording apparatus that performs the control so as to apply the second pigment ink to the predetermined area where the application of the pigment ink has been completed. A recording head for ejecting black first pigment ink and black second pigment ink,
Moving means for performing relative movement between the recording head and a recording medium;
A recording method for applying the first pigment ink and the second pigment ink to a recording medium from the recording head in the relative movement to perform recording on the recording medium,
When a predetermined image is formed only on the first pigment ink on a glossy recording medium, the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image is determined by the second pigment ink only on the recording medium. Is higher than the glossiness of the formation area of the predetermined image when is formed,
The applied amount of the first pigment ink for forming a predetermined achromatic image in a predetermined area of the recording medium is larger than the applied amount of the second pigment ink, and The first pigment ink and the second pigment ink are arranged such that the amount of the second pigment ink applied above is larger than the amount of the second pigment ink applied below the first pigment ink. 2. A recording method comprising applying the pigment ink of No. 2.

Images