JPH082648B2 - Inkjet recording method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method in which an ink having a melting point higher than room temperature is heated and melted, and then ink is ejected from an ink ejection port to perform recording and writing on a recording medium. Regarding

[Conventional technology]

About the ink jet recording device that records by ejecting the ink from the ink ejection port after heating and melting the ink having a melting point higher than room temperature (hereinafter called the ink jet ink recording device, the ink is called hot melt ink) JP-A-59-7052 and hot-melt inks are described in JP-A-58-108271 and JP-A-59-22973, but no means for melting the ink is mentioned.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Generally, the hot melt ink has a large volume expansion at the transition from the solid phase to the liquid phase, and if the flow of the ink is disturbed at this time, the pressure rises excessively and the life of the device is shortened or damaged. . Therefore, the present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating means capable of reducing the pressure rise by ordering the order of melting the ink even if the ink has a volume expansion. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus using a hot-melt type ink that is hard to break and has a long life by including the ink.

[Means for solving problems]

The ink jet recording method of the present invention includes an ink supply port for introducing ink from an ink tank, an ink channel communicating with the ink supply port and having an operating element for ejecting ink, and an ink communicating with the ink channel. In an ink jet recording method using an ink having a melting point higher than room temperature in an ink jet head having an ink ejection port for ejecting, the solid state filled in the ink supply port, the ink flow path and the ink ejection port in the state before the start. Among the inks, a step of heating and melting a solid ink of the ink discharge port or the ink supply port by a first heating element provided in the vicinity thereof to make the ink flowable; After the solid ink near the ink supply port is melted, the unmelted ink in the ink flow path is completely melted by the second heating element. A step of, characterized by and a step of discharging the completely melted ink from the ink discharge port.

[Action]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, even if there is volume expansion when the ink is melted, the ink flows, so the pressure in the ink flow path does not rise so much, the life of the device is lengthened, and there is no fear of damage. Absent.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which ink is supplied from an ink tank to an ink supply path 107 and an ink flow path 10.
6, the operating element 10 for ejecting ink from the ejection port 101
5 is discharged.

When the ink is solid at the time of start-up, first, the heating element 102 melts the ink in the vicinity of the ejection port 101 so that the ink can flow. Next, another heating element 104 melts all the ink in the flow path and the supply port. At this time, there is volume expansion of the ink due to the phase change, but since the ink is pushed out from the ejection port, the pressure in the flow path 106 does not rise so much,
No strain on the device. Further, there is another effect that it is possible to push out even minute bubbles together with the ink from the ejection port. Although the heating elements 102, 104 are in contact with the device in FIG. 1, the heating elements may be integrated into the device, may be remote, or may cause the device itself to generate heat.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, which has substantially the same structure as that of FIG. 1, except that the ink in the supply port 207 is first melted by using the heating element 203 when the ink is heated and melted at the time of starting. This is an example in which after heating, the other heating element 204 melts all the ink in the flow path and in the ejection port. In this case, supply port 20
Ink flows to the 7 side to prevent pressure increase in the flow path 206. or,
Another effect is that the ink is not wasted because it is not pushed out from the ejection port.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment. In this example the heating element 302
Although only one is used, the ink is allowed to flow in the order of melting the ink by making a difference in the distance from the apparatus main body. Even if the heating element is not inclined in this manner, the difference in thermal conductivity, specific heat, shape or the like may be used.
Both have the same effects as those of the above-described second embodiment, and further have the effect that there is no need to control the order and time of operating the heating elements.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the inkjet recording method of the present invention, an ink supply port for introducing the ink from the ink tank, an ink flow path having an operating element for communicating with the ink supply port and discharging ink, and In an ink jet recording method using an ink having a melting point higher than room temperature in an ink jet head having an ink ejection port that communicates with the ink flow channel and ejects ink, the ink supply port, the ink flow channel, and the ink before the start. Of the solid ink filled in the ejection port, the solid ink at the ink ejection port or the ink supply port is heated and melted by the first heating element provided in the vicinity thereof to make the ink flowable. After the process and the solid ink near the ink discharge port or the ink supply port is melted, unmelted ink such as the ink flow path is removed. When the volume expansion occurs in the ink melting in the inkjet head at the time of start-up by having the step of completely melting with the second heating element and the step of discharging the completely melted ink from the ink discharge port. However, since the ink flows into either the ink inflow port or the ink ejection port, it is possible to prevent fatigue and damage of the ink flow path and the head due to the volume expansion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment showing a head portion of a hot melt ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show other embodiments. 101,201,301,401 …… Ink ejection port 102,104,203,204,305,404 …… Heating element 105,205,305 …… Operating element for ink ejection 106,206,306,406 …… Ink flow path 107,207,307,407 …… Ink supply port 308 …… Filling material 409 …… Heating element

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ink supply port for introducing ink from an ink tank, an ink channel communicating with the ink supply port and having an operating element for ejecting ink, and ejecting ink in communication with the ink channel. In an inkjet recording method using an ink having a melting point higher than room temperature in an inkjet head having an ink ejection port, among the solid ink filled in the ink supply port, the ink flow path and the ink ejection port in the state before the start-up. A step of heating and melting the solid ink in the ink discharge port or the ink supply port by a first heating element provided in the vicinity of the solid ink to make the ink flowable; and the ink discharge port or the ink supply port After the solid ink in the vicinity is melted, the unmelted ink in the ink flow path is
And a step of ejecting the completely melted ink from the ink ejection port, the inkjet recording method comprising: