JPH10315474A - Ink jet recording method and recorder employing that method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent polymers, and the like, from being gelated or rendered more viscous by controlling the temperature on the periphery of the ink jet port of a recording head within a specified temperature range in order to prevent the jetting state is damaged through temperature rise due to heat radiated from a recording material subjected to heating control. SOLUTION: A recording sheet is heated by a recording sheet heating means 67 in response to a record start command and the temperature is detected by a recording sheet temperature detecting means 68. An allowable existing time of recording head is then set depending on the characteristics of ink to be used by reading out from a table, for example. Subsequently, recording is performed during main scanning by driving a carriage and the time when a recording head part 41 is disposed opposite to a heated recording sheet is measured by a head existing time measuring means 69. When the measured existing time reaches a set time, the carriage is driven to introduce the recording head to a position facing a cap member and the ink jet port face is covered with the cap member before the peripheral part of the ink jet port is cooled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method and a recording apparatus to which the method is applied, and more particularly, to an ink jet recording method using an ink capable of contributing to improved color expression of a recorded image and a recording apparatus to which the method is applied. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording method is a non-contact type method in which ink as a recording liquid is formed into flying droplets by various methods and landed on a recording material such as paper to perform dot recording. Low-noise, high-density, high-speed recording, and no special processing such as development and fixing, especially for recording materials such as plain paper In recent years, its use has been spreading widely. In particular, on-demand type ink jet recording apparatuses are promising for future demand because they can be easily made into color and the apparatus itself can be reduced in size and simplified. Further, with the widespread use of the above-described colorization, the color representation of an image recorded on a recording material (hereinafter, referred to as a recording sheet) has been increasingly required.

[0003]

Therefore, the present inventors have previously disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-259023 a coloring material such as a dye or a pigment used in a recording liquid (hereinafter referred to as ink) and a liquid. Propose a medium, a substance that has a viscosity increasing when heated, more narrowly, a thermosensitive polymer that gels thermoreversibly above the transition temperature, that is,
It gels at the transition temperature or higher, returns to a liquid state when it returns below the transition temperature, and is a thermosensitive polymer that enables the use of ink,
By using an ink containing a substance having a cloud point, the viscosity is sharply increased on a recording sheet, and the color expression is improved by performing stable surface fixing. In addition, as one method for rapidly increasing the viscosity, heating control of a recording sheet was proposed.

However, since the distance between the recording head for ejecting ink and the recording sheet is extremely small, that is, several millimeters or less, the use of the above-described recording sheet heating control means alone prevents the heated recording sheet from being heated. The radiant heat is transmitted to the periphery of the ink ejection port of the recording head facing the recording operation in a facing manner, and the temperature in the periphery of the ejection port and in the ink liquid path is likely to increase. In particular, if the print head has been performing a printing operation for a long time at the position opposite to the heating-controlled print sheet, the temperature around the discharge port may increase the viscosity of the substance or the cloud point when receiving the heat in the ink. By increasing the reaction temperature of the substance having the substance, the substance having the increased viscosity gels and precipitates when receiving the above-mentioned heat in the periphery of the ejection port or in the ink liquid path, or a substance having a cloud point Formed an emulsion to increase the viscosity of the ink and hindered ink ejection.

An object of the present invention is to pay attention to the above-described problem, and in a case where a recording sheet is heated at a recording position for use of the above-described ink, a temperature rise around an ink discharge port of a recording head is reduced. An ink jet that makes it possible to obtain a better recorded image with the above-described ink by performing an operation based on the time that the recording head is present on the heated recording sheet and lowering the temperature before the ejection function is hindered. It is to propose and provide a recording method and a recording apparatus to which the method is applied.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a conveying means for guiding a recording material to a recording position, discharging the recording material after recording, and a recording means for guiding the recording material to the recording position. Recording medium heating means for controlling the heating of the recording material in a predetermined temperature range, a recording head for performing recording by discharging ink from an ink discharge port, and a recording medium for which the recording head is heat-controlled for recording. Head presence timing means for timing the time existing at a position facing the material,
When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head exceeds the temperature at which the viscosity of the substance having a thickening property and / or the substance having a cloud point rises sharply when receiving the heat in the ink, the ejection of the recording head is stopped. Control means for controlling a time during which the recording head is present at a position opposed to the heating-controlled recording material so as to prevent the function from being impaired; and
It is characterized by having.

Further, in the ink jet recording method using the apparatus, the recording material fed to the recording apparatus is controlled to be heated to a predetermined temperature range, and the ink is supplied to the recording apparatus from the ink discharge port of the recording head. Recording is performed by discharging toward the recording material, and the temperature around the ink discharge ports of the recording head is controlled to prevent damage to the discharge state of the recording head due to temperature rise due to radiant heat from the recording material. In this case, the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head is controlled within a predetermined range.

In this method, the temperature around the ink discharge port of the recording head is controlled within a predetermined range by controlling the time during which the recording head is present at a position facing the heated recording material. can do. However, for example, if the recording head is cooled by a cooling fan or a Peltier element, even if the recording head continues to be located at a position facing the heated recording material, the recording head around the ink discharge port of the recording head can be used. It is possible to control the temperature within a predetermined range.

According to the present invention, when recording is performed by ejecting ink onto a heated recording material, the temperature of the recording material is detected while the time during which the recording head is present in the recording area is measured. Since the recording is performed by cooling the peripheral portion of the ink discharge port before the temperature of the peripheral portion of the ink discharge port of the recording head hinders the discharge function, it is possible to obtain a stable and high-color representation print image.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail and concretely. Prior to the description, characteristics of ink applied to the present invention will be described. The ink applied to the present invention is preferably an ink containing a substance having a viscosity increasing when heated in a predetermined temperature range and / or a substance having a cloud point. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a case where an ink containing a general combination of a colorant and a solvent is used.

The substance having a viscosity increasing when heated and the substance having a cloud point used in the present invention will be described. First, a substance having a viscosity increasing when heated is typically a polymer, and a water-soluble polymer that is dissolved and dissociated in an ink at a transition temperature or lower becomes a polymer when the temperature exceeds the transition temperature. It is a substance that increases the viscosity of the ink by associating with each other, that is, forming a bond like a single molecule, and when the temperature falls below the transition temperature again, the association is released and the viscosity of the ink is reduced. Since the association ratio of the polymer at this time changes depending on the temperature, the viscosity of the ink above the transition temperature changes according to the temperature change. When the ink containing the associated polymer lands on a recording material sheet heated to a predetermined temperature range, the ink stays on the surface of the recording sheet because the viscosity of the associated polymer is increased. become. Also, unassociated macromolecules are
Since it is dissolved in the aqueous ink, the viscosity becomes low and the ink permeates into the recording sheet.

Therefore, as the proportion of the associated polymer increases, the amount of the polymer remaining on the surface of the recording sheet increases, and the coloring material is bonded to the associated polymer to increase the density of the surface of the recording sheet. A color material layer can be formed.

Further, by changing the amount of the polymer remaining on the recording sheet by changing the temperature and changing the thickness of the color material layer on the surface of the recording sheet, the ability to form an intermediate color is enhanced and the color reproducibility is improved. It becomes possible.

Further, by using the substance having the increased viscosity, it is possible to control the degree to which the ink permeates the recording material, so that the coloring material of the ink remains on the recording material so that the coloring property is improved. Can be increased.

On the other hand, a substance having a cloud point is a surfactant which has a thermoreversible thickening itself, has a relatively low weight-average molecular weight, and has a fast change in behavior. Also,
The cloud point here means a temperature at which a transparent solution becomes cloudy due to a change in temperature. Thus, above the cloud point, the viscosity of the ink changes according to the temperature change. Utilizing this property, the ink containing this surfactant uses the same recording method as the ink containing the thermo-reversible thickening polymer, thereby providing a high density coloring material on the surface of the recording sheet. Layers can be formed.

Hereinafter, a thermoreversible thickening polymer will be described as a typical example of a substance having a viscosity increasing when heated, which is suitable for the ink used in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

As described above, a thermoreversible thickening polymer thickens when its aqueous solution or aqueous suspension is at or above a certain temperature (transition temperature), and its temperature-viscosity relationship is reversible. A preferred specific example of the polymer used in the present invention is a vinyl carboxylic acid ester (a) of an alkylene oxide adduct of an active hydrogen compound having a nitrogen-containing ring as a structural unit, And a water-soluble vinyl polymer (A) containing at least 50% by weight of the vinyl carboxylic acid ester (a). More preferably, the vinyl carboxylic acid ester (a) is (substituted) ) Compounds which are methacrylic acid esters or acrylic acid esters of 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide and / or propylene oxide adducts of morpholine.

The active hydrogen compound having a nitrogen-containing ring is a compound having a nitrogen-containing ring and an active hydrogen for adding an alkylene oxide to the nitrogen-containing ring. Examples thereof include a nitrogen-containing alicyclic compound such as aziridine. Those having a ring (aziridine, 2-methylaziridine, etc.), those having a pyrrolidine ring (pyrrolidine, 2-methylpyrrolidine, 2-pyrrolidone, succinimide, etc.), those having a piperidine ring (piperidine, 2-methylpiperidine, 3, 5-dimethylpiperidine, 2-ethylpiperidine, 4-piperidinopiperidine, 4-pyrrolidinopiperidine, ethylpipercolinate, etc., those having a piperazine ring (1-methylpiperazine, 1-methyl-3-ethylpiperazine, Having a morpholine ring; morpholine, 2-methylmol Phosphorus, 3,5-dimethylmorpholine, etc.) and ε-caprolactam, nitrogen-containing unsaturated cyclic compounds (3-pyrroline, 2,5-dimethyl-3-pyrroline, 2-hydroxypyridine, 4-pyridylcarbinol, 2- Hydroxypyrimidine, etc.).

Of these, preferred are nitrogen-containing alicyclic compounds, and more preferred are those having a piperidine ring and those having a morpholine ring,
Most preferred are those having a monophorin ring.

Further, as the alkylene oxide in the present invention, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide are preferred.

Further, the transition temperature of such a thermoreversible thickening polymer can be easily adjusted by adjusting the type of alkylene oxide and the number of moles added.
In the case of ethylene oxide, the transition temperature increases with an increase in the number of moles added, and in the case of propylene oxide or butylene oxide, the transition temperature decreases with an increase in the number of moles added. The addition mole number of the alkylene oxide is preferably from 1 to 20 mol, more preferably from 1 to 5 mol.

The above vinyl carboxylic acid ester (a)
Is a mixed ester of the above-described alkylene oxide adduct and a vinyl carboxylic acid. Examples of the vinyl carboxylic acid include methacrylic acid, acrylic acid (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as (meth) acrylic acid), acrylic Acids, maleic acid, vinylbenzoic acid, and derivatives thereof are preferred, and particularly preferred are (meth) acrylic acid and (meth) acrylic acid derivatives.

Further, the above-mentioned water-soluble vinyl polymer (A) is one of the above-mentioned vinyl carboxylic esters (a).
A copolymer of at least one polymer or at least one vinyl carboxylate (a) and another vinyl monomer (b);
What is necessary is just to contain 50 weight% or more as a structural unit in more than one kind.

Other vinyl polymers (b) include, for example, hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate, polyethylene glycol mono (meth) acrylate, (meth) acrylamide, N-hydroxymethyl (meth) acrylamide, N-vinyl-2- Pyrrolidone, (meth) acrylic acid, (anhydride) maleic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, N,
N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth) acrylate, N,
N-diethylaminopropyl (meth) acrylate, methyl (meth) acrylate, butyl (meth) acrylate, glycidyl (meth) acrylate, N-butyl (meth) acrylamide, N-cyclohexyl (meth) acrylamide, (meth) acrylonitrile, styrene , Vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, butadiene, isoprene and the like are preferred.

The monomers constituting the water-soluble vinyl polymer (A) include vinyl carboxylate (a)
The temperature range of the thickening changes depending on the composition ratio. Therefore, in order to make this temperature range as small as possible, the composition ratio of the vinyl carboxylic acid ester (a) is preferably at least 50% by weight, more preferably at least 70% by weight of the whole water-soluble vinyl polymer (A). % Is desirable.

When the polymer is used as an aqueous solution, the viscosity decreases as the temperature rises up to a certain transition temperature, but the viscosity rises with a high gradient when the temperature exceeds the transition temperature.
In addition, the temperature-viscosity relationship has almost no hysteresis.

Further, as described above, the transition temperature can be easily set by changing the type and the number of moles of the alkylene oxide in the vinyl carboxylate (a) constituting the thermoreversible thickening polymer. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to various recording heads in which the temperature rise characteristic changes depending on the head form, the recording method, and the like.

However, the transition temperature of the thermoreversible thickening polymer changes depending on the type and amount of the added components such as salt, surfactant, solvent and the like in the ink. It is necessary to use a transition temperature.

In the present invention, the molecular weight and the amount of the thermoreversible thickening polymer to be added to the ink are set within the allowable range of the ink viscosity for ink jet recording (20 mP).
a · s or less), the weight average molecular weight of the polymer is preferably in the range of 2,000 to 500,000.
However, when the weight average molecular weight exceeds 500,000, the molecular chain becomes too long, the re-dissolution rate is lowered, and the spinning property is undesirably obtained. Therefore, when the weight-average molecular weight is in a relatively low molecular weight range, for example, when the weight-average molecular weight is about 2,000, the thickening effect is weak. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the addition amount. % By weight. When the weight-average molecular weight is in a relatively high molecular weight range, for example, when the weight-average molecular weight is close to 500,000, a small amount of the additive exhibits a sufficient thickening effect. 005 to 5% by weight. In other words, the preferable addition amount of the thermoreversible thickening polymer is such that the thermoreversible thickening effect is maximized and the viscosity of the entire ink does not exceed the allowable range of the ink viscosity for inkjet recording. That is. In the present invention, the effects of the present invention can be sufficiently obtained even if a thermoreversible thickening polymer having a different weight average molecular weight is used.

The substance having a cloud point used in the present invention is typically a surfactant, and an aqueous solution or an aqueous suspension containing the surfactant has a certain temperature (cloud point T).
c) The viscosity increases at the above, clouding occurs, and the viscosity maximum point temperature Tp
And has a characteristic that the viscosity decreases at a temperature equal to or higher than the maximum point temperature Tp, and the temperature-viscosity relationship is a reversible surfactant. As the surfactant, the following compounds are suitable for use. (A) The following general formula (1)
Higher alcohol-ethylene oxide addition type surfactant shown in

[0031]

Embedded image RO-(— CH ₂ —CH ₂ —O—) _n —H (1) (R is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, n is an integer of 6 to 20) (B) Represented by the general formula (2):
Propylene glycol-ethylene oxide addition type surfactant

[0032]

Embedded image

(Where m is an integer of 20 or more and 80 or less, n
Is an integer of 5 or more and 200 or more) When the above surfactant is used as an aqueous solution, the viscosity hardly changes with temperature rise until the cloud point Tc, and remains constant. When the surfactant exceeds the cloud point Tc, the viscosity increases with a high gradient. However, when the temperature is further increased, there is a maximum point temperature Tp of the viscosity, and at the temperature Tp or more at that time, the viscosity decreases, and the decreasing speed of the viscosity, that is, the re-dissolution speed is substantially equal to the thickening speed. -It has a characteristic that the viscosity relation has almost no hysteresis.

The cloud point Tc can be easily adjusted to an arbitrary temperature by changing the type of alkylene oxide constituting the surfactant molecule and the number of moles added. It can be applied to various recording heads that change.

However, since the cloud point Tc varies depending on the type and amount of the additional components such as the polymer used in combination, the salt in the ink, other surfactants and the solvent, the cloud point Tc according to the ink composition to be applied is used. To do it.

In the present invention, as the constituent functional group of the surfactant to be added, the viscosity of the ink for inkjet recording in the molecular structure must be within an allowable range (20 mPa · s or less). In the activator, as described above, R is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, and n is 6
Those having an integer in the range of 20 to 20 are preferred.

Further, in the surfactant of the general formula (2), the propylene glycol part functions as a hydrophobic part, and m is 20
N is an integer of not less than 80 and not more than 80, and n is 5 or more and 200 or less (10 to 80 w
(t%) is preferable.

Since the cloud point Tc increases as the ratio of ethylene oxide in all molecules increases, the cloud point Tc can be freely set by changing the ethylene oxide ratio and the propylene oxide ratio.

The amount of the surfactant to be added to the ink can be set in a wide range because the molecular weight thereof is relatively small, but is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10% by weight.

When the weight is less than 0.1 weight, the thickening effect is weak, and
When the content is 0% by weight or more, the viscosity of the ink becomes too high, and the permeability to the paper or the like becomes too high, so that the coloring property is deteriorated.

Even when different surfactants represented by the general formulas (1) and (2) are mixed and used, the effects of the present invention can be sufficiently obtained as long as the respective cloud points are close to each other.

The compounds described above may be used alone or in combination, without affecting the effect.

The coloring material used in the ink of the present invention may be a known one, such as direct dyes, acid dyes, basic dyes, reactive dyes, water-soluble dyes for food coloring, pigments described below.
Alternatively, an insoluble dye of a disperse dye can be used.

For example, water-soluble dyes include C.I. I. Direct Black, -17, -19, -22, -32,
−38, −51, −62, −71, −108, −14
6, -154; I. Direct yellow, -12,
-24, -26, -44, -86, -87, -98,-
C. 100, -130, -142; I. Direct Red, -1, -4, -13, -17, -23, -28,-
31, -62, -79, -81, -83, -89, -2
27, -240, -242, -243; I. Direct blue, -6, -22, -25, -71, -78,
-86, -90, -106, -199; I. Direct orange, -34, -39, -44, -46, -6
0; I. Direct violet, -47, -4
8; I. Direct brown, -109; I.
Direct green, direct dyes such as -59, C.I. I. Acid Black, -2, -7, -24, -26, -3
1, -52, -63, -112, -118, -168,
-172, -208; I. Acid Yellow, -1
1, -17, -23, -25, -29, -42, -4
9, -61, -71; I. Acid Red, -1,
−6, −8, −32, −37, −51, −52, −8
0, -85, -87, -92, -94, -115, -1
80, -254, -256, -289, -315, -3
17; I. Acid Blue, -9, -22, -4
0, -59, -93, -102, -104, -113,
-117, -120, -167, -229, -234,
-254; I. Acid orange, -7, -19;
C. I. Acid violet, acid dyes such as -49,
C. I. Reactive Black, -1, -5, -8,-
13, -14, -23, -31, -34, -39;
I. Reactive Yellow, -2, -3, -13, -1
5, -17, -18, -23, -24, -37, -4
2, -57, -58, -64, -75, -76, -7
7, -79, -81, -84, -85, -87, -8
8, -91, -92, -93, -95, -102, -1
11, -115, -116, -130, -131, -1
32, -133, -135, -137, -139, -1
40, -142, -143, -144, -145, -1
46, -147, -148, -151, -162, -1
63; I. Reactive Red, -3, -13,-
16, -21, -22, -23, -24, -29, -3
1, -33, -35, -45, -49, -55, -6
3, -85, -106, -109, -111, -11
2, -113, -114, -118, -126, -12
8, -130, -131, -141, -151, -17
0, -171, -174, -176, -177, -18
3, -184, -186, -187, -188, -19
0, -193, -194, -195, -196, -20
0, -201, -202, -204, -206, -21
8, -221; I. Reactive Blue, -2,-
3, -5, -8, -10, -13, -14, -15,-
18, -19, -21, -25, -27, -28, -3
8, -39, -40, -41, -49, -52, -6
3, -71, -72, -74, -75, -77, -7
8, -79, -89, -100, -101, -104,
−105, −119, −122, −147, −158,
-160, -162, -166, -169, -170,
-171, -172, -173, -174, -176,
-179, -184, -190, -191, -194,
−195, −198, −204, −211, −216,
-217; I. Reactive Orange, -5,-
7, -11, -12, -13, -15, -16, -3
5, -45, -46, -56, -62, -70, -7
2, -74, -82, -84, -87, -91, -9
C. 2, -93, -95, -97, -99; I. Reactive Violet, -1, -4, -5, -6, -2
2, -24, -33, -36, -38; I. Reactive Green, -5, -8, -12, -15, -1
9, -23; I. Reactive Brown, -2,-
7, -8, -9, -11, -16, -17, -18,-
Reactive dyes such as 21, 21, 24, -26, -31, -32, and -33; I. Basic black, -2; C.I. I.
Basic Red, -1, -2, -9, -12, -1
3, -14, -27; I. Basic blue,-
1, -3, -5, -7, -9, -24, -25, -2
6, -28, -29; I. Basic violet, -7, -14, -27; I. Food black,
-1, -2 and the like.

Although the above-mentioned examples of the coloring materials are particularly preferable for the ink of the present invention, the coloring materials used in the ink of the present invention are not particularly limited to the above-mentioned coloring materials.

The following pigments can be used because they do not affect the effects of the present invention.

That is, carbon black (No. 2300, No. 900, MCF88, No.
33, no. 40, no. 45, no. 52, MA7,
MA8, # 2200B, MA-100, Raven 1255, Raven 1060, manufactured by Colombia Carbon Co., Ltd., Regal 3300R, Regal 660, manufactured by Cabot Corporation.
R, Mogul L, Color manufactured by DEGUSSA
Black FW18, Printex35, Prin
tex U), the surface of carbon black having been subjected to oxidation treatment and plasma treatment, insoluble azo pigments, soluble azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, isoindolinone high-grade pigments, quinacridone high-grade pigments, dioxane violet, perinone. Organic pigments such as perylene-based high-grade pigments, and inorganic pigments such as ultramarine (ultramarine), navy blue (Prussian blue), titanium yellow, and molybdenum red.

Further, as a coloring material classified into the above-mentioned pigments, a so-called dyeing lake in which a dye is dyed on an extender can also be used as the coloring material of the present invention.

In general, it is preferable to use such a coloring material in the ink at a ratio of about 0.1 to 25% by weight based on the total amount of the ink.

As a liquid medium, water and, if necessary, a water-soluble organic solvent are used.

As the water-soluble organic solvent, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-
Butyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, alkyl alcohols having 1 to 5 carbon atoms such as n-pentanol,
Amides such as dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide; ketones or ketols such as acetone and diacetone alcohol; ethers such as tetrahydrofuran and dioxane; polyalkylene glycols such as polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol; ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and butylene glycol , Triethylene glycol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, thiodiglycol, hexylene glycol,
Alkylene glycols such as diethylene glycol, lower alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, and triethylene glycol monomethyl ether; and glycerin, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and 1,3-dimethyl- 2-imidazolidinone, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine, sulfolane,
Dimethyl sulfoxide, urea, 1,3-bis (β-
(Hydroxyethyl) urea and the like.

The proportion of these water-soluble organic solvents in the ink is not particularly limited, but is generally 1 to 1 of the total amount of the ink.
A preferred range is 80% by weight, preferably 2-60% by weight.

The content of water in the ink is determined in a wide range depending on the type and composition of the solvent, but is generally 10.0 to 98.0% by weight based on the total amount of the ink. %, Preferably in the range of 35.0 to 95.0% by weight.

In addition, the ink of the present invention may contain a dispersing agent, a viscosity controlling agent, a pH controlling agent, a preservative, an antioxidant, a wetting agent, other interfaces if necessary without impairing the properties of the ink. Additives such as activators can be included, but need not be used if production cost is important. In addition, as the above additives, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, celluloses, viscosity modifiers such as water-soluble resins, diethanolamine, surface tension regulators such as triethanolamines,
Examples include a pH adjuster using a buffer solution, a fungicide, and the like.

Further, the ink of the present invention has a viscosity at 25 ° C. of 1 to 20 mPa · s and a surface tension of 20 mN / m 2.
As described above, it is preferable to have physical properties of about 6 to 10 pH.

The inks described above are effective for improving the color reproducibility when used in the ink jet recording according to the present invention.

Next, an example of the configuration of an ink jet recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, in which the above-described ink is used to supply discharge energy to the ink to discharge ink droplets and perform recording, is shown in FIGS. This will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, as exemplified below, the recording head of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not only a recording head configured to discharge ink using thermal energy, but also a recording head configured to discharge ink using kinetic energy of a piezo element. Heads can also be used.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus. Here, 1 is a recording head unit, 2 is a carriage on which the recording head unit 1 is mounted, and a carriage that moves and scans along the side axis 3, 4 is a timing belt that is connected to the carriage 2 and moves the carriage 2,
Reference numeral 5 denotes the carriage drive motor. A recording sheet (not shown) is fed from a feeding unit 6 by a feeding roller 7, guided to a position facing the ink ejection surface of the printing head unit 1, where the printing is performed, and a single main operation by the carriage 2 is performed. The sheet is fed by a conveying means (not shown) for each scan, and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus by a discharge roller 8.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an ejection recovery section for maintaining and recovering the ejection function of the recording head in relation to the recording head ink ejection surface of the recording head unit 1; 11 a blade member for wiping the ink ejection surface; Reference numeral 12 denotes an ink absorber that absorbs and holds the ink wiped off by the blade member 11, and 13 contacts the ink ejection surface to suppress evaporation of the ink and to remove heat around the ejection port of the heated recording head. And a cap member for receiving ink discharged from the ink discharge port by a suction unit (not shown). Note that the cap member 13 is desirably formed of a material having a high heat absorbing property so as to be suitable for head cooling, as described later. In this way, the ink recovery unit 10 constituted by the blade member 11, the ink absorber 12, and the cap member 13 cleans and removes ink or dust adhering to the ink discharge port surface of the recording head and the like, which obstructs the subsequent recording. In addition, a recovery operation is performed by suctioning the thickened ink, and also contributes to cooling of the periphery of the ink discharge port as described later.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a platen for holding a recording sheet at a recording position. In this example, the thickness of the coloring material layer is changed by heating the recording sheet at the recording position to associate the polymers contained in the ink ejected on the recording sheet with each other and evaporate the permeating solvent. , To improve the color expression. Therefore, the heating temperature is maintained at a temperature not lower than the transition temperature of the thermoreversible thickening polymer and / or surfactant having a cloud point in the ink or lower than the temperature at which the recording material is deteriorated. There is a need to. The temperature at which the recording material deteriorates as described herein is the temperature at which the recording material turns yellow or deforms due to heat. As such a heating unit, for example, by providing a sheet heating unit (not shown here) on the platen 20 itself or on the back side thereof, the sheet heating unit is activated at the same time as the recording start command, and the recording sheet is set to a predetermined temperature range. Heat. Note that such a sheet heating unit may have any form as long as it can appropriately control the temperature, such as a thermal head, an infrared heater, a lamp heater, and a heater coil. The predetermined temperature range is, for example, when a ceramic heater is provided on a platen and a recording sheet is directly heated, for example, 25 ° C. to 200 ° C., and when a recording medium is heated by a far-infrared heater through air, for example, , 25 ° C to 80 ° C.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the ink cartridge 31 incorporated in the recording head unit 1. The ink cartridge 31 has a housing 32 in which a flexible material such as a polyolefin, preferably polyethylene or the like, which is in direct contact with the ink, is formed inside, and an ink bag 3 containing the ink therein.
Contrary to 3, a waste ink absorber 34 for holding ink discharged from the recording head side is held. Also, 3
A plug 5 is formed integrally with the ink bag 33 and supplies ink from the ink bag 33 to the recording head side. The plug 5 is formed of, for example, an elastic body, and a needle-shaped supply port ( (Not shown) is connected to the recording head side to supply ink. Note that the ink cartridge is not limited to this, and there is also an ink cartridge as shown in FIG. 3 in which the recording head unit 41 and the ink storage unit (ink tank unit) 42 are integrally formed. In the recording head unit 1 shown in this figure, reference numeral 43 denotes an atmosphere communication port which communicates with the ink tank section 42 therein.

Next, the configuration of the recording head unit 41 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, (B) is A of (A).
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ′, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, the recording head unit 41 includes a liquid path 45 provided on the heat generating element substrate 44, a heating element 47 for generating heat energy as ejection energy for ink 46 in the liquid path 45, The top plate 48 covers the path 45. Reference numeral 49 denotes an ink ejection port, and reference numeral 46A denotes an ink droplet ejected from the ink ejection port 49 and flying toward the recording sheet P. The heating element substrate 44 is formed of a protective layer 44 made of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or the like.
A, an electrode 44B formed of aluminum, gold, an aluminum-copper alloy, etc., a heating resistor layer 44C formed of a high melting point material such as HfB2, TaN, TaAl, and a heat storage formed of thermally oxidized silicon, aluminum oxide, etc. It is composed of a layer 44D and a substrate material 44E formed of a material having good heat dissipation properties, such as silicon, aluminum, and aluminum nitride.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a recording head unit 41 using a piezoelectric element as a mechanical ejection energy generating element.
Here, 50 is a piezoelectric element, 51 is a vibrating plate that vibrates according to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 50, 52 is a base, and 53 is formed on the base 52 to allow displacement of the vibration plate 51 due to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 50. The space 54 is an orifice plate in which the ink discharge ports 46 are formed. The orifice plate 54 is formed of a metal material such as stainless steel or nickel, and has a plurality of ink discharge ports 46 formed therein. The diaphragm 51 is formed of a metal film such as stainless steel, nickel, or titanium, or a highly elastic resin film. On the other hand, the piezoelectric element 50 is formed of a dielectric material such as barium titanate or PZT. The liquid passage 45 communicates with a common liquid chamber (not shown), and these are manufactured by a known semiconductor technology using a photosensitive resin material or the like.

In the recording head section 41 having such a configuration, the piezoelectric element 50 disposed at the position facing the discharge port 46 of each liquid path 45 is selectively driven by a driving signal of a pulse voltage to generate The diaphragm 51 is displaced by the applied strain stress. Then, the ink in the liquid path 45 is pressurized by the displacement, and is ejected from the ink ejection port 46 as an ink droplet.

In the ink jet recording apparatus described above, only the basic configuration is described, and the configuration relating to color recording is not described. However, it can be configured as a known color recording apparatus.

FIG. 6 shows a circuit configuration for recording control according to the present invention. Reference numeral 61 denotes a control unit, 62 denotes a recording device ROM in which various control programs including the control according to the present invention are stored, and 63 denotes a refreshable recording device RAM in which recording data and the like are temporarily stored. Also,
The control unit 61 drives motors 65 such as the carriage drive motor 5 and the transport motor via a driver 64 and drives the recording head unit 41 via a head driver 66,
Make a record.

Reference numeral 67 denotes a recording sheet P held at a recording position.
Sheet heating means for heating the recording sheet to a predetermined temperature range, 68
Is a recording sheet temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the heated recording sheet, and 69 is a time during which recording is continued along the recording sheet P in a state where the recording head unit 41 is heated by the recording sheet heating means 67 ( (Existence time) (hereinafter referred to as head existence time counting means). It should be noted that the head presence timing means 69 may be any means as long as it measures the time during which recording is continuously performed by the recording head along the installation area of the recording sheet heating means 67.

Numeral 70 is a head cooling means. The head cooling means 70 may use the ink absorbing operation of the head recovery unit 10 shown in FIG. 1, and the cooling operation will be described later in detail. The recording sheet heating means 6
Numeral 7 is, for example, disposed on the platen 20 itself for holding the recording sheet or on the back side thereof as described in the description of FIG.

[0069]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Tables 1 and 2 below show examples of the polymer having the thermoreversible thickening property and the surfactant having a cloud point enabling effective thickening in the inks applied in the examples. Show.

[0070]

[Table 1]

[0071]

[Table 2]

The ink was prepared in the following manner by preparing polymer ion-exchanged aqueous solutions having appropriate concentrations (10 to 40%) in advance. That is, the ion-exchanged water, the solvent, the aqueous dye solution, and the surfactant having a cloud point are added to the aqueous polymer solution while stirring them in that order, adjusted to a predetermined concentration of each composition, and stirred for 3 hours. , Pore size 0.45μm
Example 1 shown in Table 3 by filtration through a membrane filter of
Ink No. 7 was produced.

[0073]

[Table 3]

First, as a comparative example, FIG. 7 shows a conventional procedure for performing recording by heating a recording sheet using the inks shown in Table 3 above. Conventionally, as shown in this flow, a recording start signal is heated by a recording sheet heating means 67 in step S101 according to a recording start signal, and whether or not continuous recording on the recording sheet has been completed in step S102. Only by judging whether or not the recording was continued by the recording head until the recording was completed. But,
As described above, in some cases, such a method cannot sufficiently realize stable color expression of the ink applied to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows the procedure of the control operation according to this embodiment. First, the sheet is heated by the recording sheet heating means 67 in step S1 in response to a recording start command (or power-on), and the temperature of the recording sheet is detected by the temperature detection means 68 in step S2. Instead of detecting the temperature of the recording sheet itself, the heating temperature of the recording sheet heating means 67 itself may be detected. Thus, the recording material has a transition temperature of the substance having a viscosity increasing when the recording sheet is heated by the heat in the ink (thermo-reversible thickening polymer) and / or a surfactant having a cloud point or a cloud point or more, and Is maintained in a temperature range lower than the temperature at which
The printhead existence time allowed according to the characteristics of the ink used in the present embodiment is read out from, for example, a table and set. Thus, in step S4, the carriage 3 is driven to perform printing during the main scan, and the time during which the print head unit 1 is at the position facing the heated print sheet 49 is counted by the head presence time counting means 69.

At the time of counting, the number of continuous scans can be calculated based on the carriage speed and acceleration during scanning. However, in general, continuous recording is performed including the waiting time at the time of switching the scanning direction. The time may be measured by a timer including the time during which a plurality of sheet feedings are performed, and any means may be used as the time measuring means without departing from the gist of the present invention. .

Then, in the next step S5, it is determined whether or not the presence time counted by the head presence timing means 69 has reached the time set in step S3. If the determination is negative, scanning is performed until the arrival is reached. continue. Further, when it is determined that the existence time has reached the set time, if the recording by the recording head is continued any more, the temperature-sensitive gelling polymer precipitates around the ink ejection port of the recording head and hinders the recording. Since there is a possibility that the recording head unit 1 proceeds to step S6, the carriage 3 is driven to guide the recording head unit 1 to a position facing the cap member 13. Thus, the ink discharge port peripheral portion is cooled by covering the ink discharge port surface with the cap member 13. Alternatively, a new ink may be guided to each liquid path by performing an ink suction recovery operation by the suction means, and the peripheral portion of the ink discharge port may be cooled.

In step S6, the recording head unit 41 is driven in place of the ink suction recovery operation to perform a preliminary ejection for ejecting ink from all the ink ejection ports 49, and the heated ink is recorded by the ejection. The area around the ink ejection port may be cooled by discharging the ink from the head. Thus, the process proceeds to step S7, where it is determined whether or not the temperature around the ink ejection port has reached an allowable value, that is, a temperature at which the polymer in the ink does not precipitate, and waits for the temperature drop. However, from step S6 to step S8
It is necessary to interrupt the heating of the recording material during the operation of, or to perform the operation time from step S6 to step S8 in a short time. If these operations are not performed, heat is accumulated in the recording material, and the recording material may be deteriorated. In step S8, it is determined whether or not the recording has been completed. If the recording has not been completed, the process returns to step S2 and the following steps are repeated. If it is determined in step S8 that the recording is to be ended, the control flow ends.

Table 4 shows the performance evaluation when printing was performed using the above-described ink and according to the above-described procedure. In the evaluation, a panel test was conducted by 10 subjects, and all of the 10 subjects evaluated that there was no loss of the recording quality from the start to the end of the recording.
When even one out of ten people evaluated that the recording quality was slightly reduced, it was evaluated as “Δ”. The temperature of the recording sheet heating means was adjusted so that the surface temperature of the recording sheet reached the cloud point Tc of the surfactant contained in each of the inks of Examples 1 to 7. The distance between the heating means incorporated in the platen 20 and the surface of the recording sheet is 0.5 mm, and the recording sheet is an electrophotographic NP paper (Canon Sales Co., Ltd .: Catalog No. OK No. 10). )
It was used.

[0080]

[Table 4]

In the above-described embodiment, the case where an ink containing a substance having a viscosity increasing and / or a substance having a cloud point when heated in a predetermined temperature range is used has been described. The present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a case where an ink containing a general combination of a colorant and a solvent is used. That is, even when such a general ink is used, according to the present invention, it is possible to control so as to suppress the temperature rise around the ink ejection port before the ejection function is hindered. Therefore, even if there is an ejection port in which ink is not ejected for a long time, evaporation of the solvent in the ink is promoted by increasing the temperature, the viscosity increases, the fluidity of the ink decreases, and the ejection becomes difficult. Can be reduced.

(Others) It should be noted that the present invention includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for discharging ink, particularly in an ink jet recording system. An excellent effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which the state of ink is changed by the thermal energy. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any type of continuous type, in particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it can be applied to a sheet holding liquid (ink) or an electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and film boiling occurs on the heat acting surface of the recording head. Liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis.
This is effective because air bubbles inside can be formed. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (linear liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 44,558 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
A configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 59600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection with the apparatus main body and the ink from the apparatus main body when attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the printhead, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like provided as a configuration of the printing apparatus in the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. . If these are specifically mentioned, capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof, Performing a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing is also effective for performing stable printing.

The type and number of recording heads to be mounted are, for example, not only one provided for single color ink, but also a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. A plurality may be provided. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also extremely effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full colors by color mixture.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature, or an ink jet system In general, the temperature of the ink itself is controlled within a range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Anything can be used. In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy can be positively prevented by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or ink that solidifies in a standing state to prevent evaporation of the ink can be used. In any case, the ink is liquefied by the application of the thermal energy according to the recording signal, and the ink is liquefied, and the liquid ink is discharged. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink that liquefies for the first time by energy is used. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60
As described in JP-A-71260, a configuration may be adopted in which a liquid or solid substance is held in a concave portion or through hole of a porous sheet and opposed to an electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, as a form of a recording apparatus provided with a recording mechanism using the liquid jet recording head of the present invention, in addition to the one used as an image output terminal of an information processing device such as a computer, a combination with a reader or the like is provided. Copier,
Further, a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function may be used.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration when the recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to an information processing apparatus having functions as a word processor, a personal computer, a facsimile apparatus, and a copying apparatus.

In the figure, reference numeral 1801 denotes a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus, such as a CPU such as a microprocessor and various I / Os.
Ports are provided to output control signals, data signals, and the like to each unit, and to control by inputting control signals and data signals from each unit. A display unit 1802 displays various menus, document information, image data read by the image reader 1807, and the like on the display screen. Reference numeral 1803 denotes a transparent pressure-sensitive touch panel provided on the display unit 1802. By pressing the surface of the touch panel with a finger or the like, it is possible to input items, coordinate positions, and the like on the display unit 1802.

Reference numeral 1804 denotes FM (Frequency M).
music information created by a music editor or the like in the memory unit 1810 or the external storage device 18.
Digital data is stored in the memory 12 and read out from the memory or the like to perform FM modulation. FM
The electric signal from the sound source unit 2804 is converted into an audible sound by the speaker unit 1805. The printer unit 1806 is the one to which the recording apparatus of the present invention is applied as an output terminal of a word processor, a personal computer, a facsimile machine, and a copying machine.

Reference numeral 1807 denotes an image reader unit which photoelectrically reads and inputs document data. The image reader unit is provided in the middle of the document transport path, and reads various documents such as facsimile documents and copy documents. 1808 is the image reader unit 18
A facsimile transmission / reception unit for facsimile transmission of original data read in step 07 and reception / decoding of the transmitted facsimile signal, and has an external interface function. Reference numeral 1809 denotes a telephone unit having various telephone functions such as a normal telephone function and an answering machine function.

A ROM 1810 stores a system program, a manager program, other application programs, a character font, a dictionary, and the like.
A memory unit including an application program and document information loaded from the external storage device 1812 and a video RAM.

Reference numeral 1811 denotes a keyboard for inputting document information and various commands.

An external storage device using a floppy disk or a hard disk as a storage medium.
Reference numeral 12 stores document information, music or audio information, user application programs, and the like.

FIG. 10 is a schematic external view of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1901 denotes a flat panel display using a liquid crystal or the like, which displays various menus, graphic information, document information and the like. By pressing the surface of the touch panel 1803 on the display 1901 with a finger or the like, coordinate input and item designation input can be performed.
1902 is a handset used when the device functions as a telephone. The keyboard 1903 is detachably connected to the main body via a cord, and can input various document information and various data. The keyboard 1903 is provided with various function keys 1904 and the like. Reference numeral 1905 denotes a slot for inserting a floppies disk into the external storage device 212.

[0100] Reference numeral 1906 denotes a sheet placing portion for placing a document to be read by the image reader portion 1807, and the read document is discharged from the rear of the apparatus. In the case of facsimile reception or the like, recording is performed by the inkjet printer 1907.

Note that the display unit 1802 is C
Although RT may be used, a flat panel such as a liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal is desirable. This is because the weight can be reduced in addition to the reduction in size and thickness.

When the information processing apparatus functions as a personal computer or a word processor, various information input from the keyboard unit 211 is processed by the control unit 1801 according to a predetermined program.
06 is output as an image.

When functioning as a receiver of a facsimile apparatus, facsimile information input from a facsimile transmission / reception unit 1808 via a communication line is received and processed by a control unit 1801 according to a predetermined program.
Is output as a received image.

When functioning as a copier, a document is read by an image reader 1807, and the read document data is sent to a printer 18 via a controller 1801.
06 is output as a copy image. When functioning as a facsimile receiver, the image reader unit 1
The original data read by 807 is transmitted to control unit 180.
After transmission processing according to a predetermined program by 1
The data is transmitted to the communication line via the facsimile transmission / reception unit 1808.

The information processing apparatus described above may be of an integrated type in which an ink jet printer is built in the main body as shown in FIG. 11. In this case, portability can be further improved. In the figure, parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 10 are denoted by the corresponding reference numerals.

By applying the recording apparatus of the present invention to the multifunctional information processing apparatus described above, a high-quality recorded image can be obtained at high speed and with low noise, so that the function of the information processing apparatus is further improved. It is possible to do.

[0107]

As described above, according to the ink jet recording method of the present invention and the recording apparatus to which the method is applied, the recording material fed to the recording apparatus is increased when it receives the heat of the ink. The recording material is heated to a temperature range equal to or higher than the transition temperature or the cloud point of the viscous substance and / or the substance having the cloud point and lower than the temperature at which the recording material is deteriorated. Recording is performed by ejecting an ink containing a substance having a cloud point and / or a substance having a cloud point from an ink ejection port of the recording head toward a recording material fed to the recording apparatus. Due to the temperature rise due to the radiant heat from the recording material whose temperature is controlled to be heated, the ejection state of the recording head is
Since the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head is controlled within a predetermined range so as to suppress damage, a polymer or the like gels due to excessive temperature rise around the ink ejection port of the recording head. Thus, it is possible to prevent the ink from precipitating or thickening and adhering, and sufficiently exhibit the characteristics of the ink according to the present invention to obtain a recording with high color expression.

In particular, by using ordinary office paper such as electrophotographic paper, high color development can be obtained, and feathering and color mixing can be prevented.

Further, it is possible to perform recording on a recording material other than plain paper so as to obtain a sufficient fixing without being affected by the surface roughness.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration example of an inkjet recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration example of an ink cartridge to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration example of a recording head unit to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a configuration example of a recording head unit to which the present invention can be applied, with reference to a cross-sectional view (A), a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. It is.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another configuration example of a recording head unit to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a control operation at the time of recording according to a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a control operation at the time of recording according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration when the recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to an information processing apparatus.

10 is a schematic external view showing an example of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG.

11 is a schematic external view of a configuration example in which an ink jet printer of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 9 is built in a main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head unit 2 Carriage 5 Carriage drive motor 10 Discharge recovery part 11 Blade member 13 Cap member 20 Platen 41 Recording head part 47 Heat generating element 49 Ink ejection port P Recording material (recording sheet) 50 Piezoelectric element 51 Vibration plate 61 Control part 62 ROM 63 RAM 67 Recording sheet heating means 68 Recording sheet temperature detecting means 69 Head existence timing means 70 Head cooling means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI C09D 133/14 B41J 3/04 101Z 171/02 101Y 102Z (72) Inventor Isao Kimura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc.

Claims (25)

[Claims] 1. A recording material fed to a recording apparatus is controlled to be heated to a predetermined temperature range, and ink is discharged from an ink discharge port of a recording head toward the recording material fed to the recording apparatus. In the recording method, the temperature of the periphery of the ink ejection port of the recording head is suppressed by a temperature rise due to radiant heat from the heating-controlled recording material, so that the ejection state of the recording head is prevented from being impaired. An ink jet recording method comprising: controlling a temperature of a peripheral portion of an ink discharge port of a recording head within a predetermined range. 2. The ink jet recording method according to claim 1, wherein the ink contains a substance having a viscosity increasing when heated in the predetermined temperature range and / or a substance having a cloud point. . 3. A recording head having a structure in which the recording head is driven to discharge by using thermal energy, wherein the temperature around an ink discharge port of the recording head is also increased by the heat generated by the driving of discharging the ink. 3. The ink jet recording method according to claim 1, wherein: 4. Controlling the temperature around the ink ejection ports of the recording head within a predetermined range by controlling the time during which the recording head is located at a position facing the heated recording material. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
4. The ink-jet recording method according to any one of the above-described items. 5. A material having a viscosity increasing when receiving heat in the ink and / or a cloud point, wherein a time when the recording head is located at a position facing the recording material whose heating is controlled during recording is performed. When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head reaches the temperature at which the viscosity of the substance having the rapid rise increases, the ink ejection port surface of the recording head is capped with a material having a high heat absorption property. 5. The ink jet recording method according to claim 2, wherein cooling is performed. 6. A material having a viscosity increasing when receiving heat in the ink and / or a cloud point, wherein a time when the recording head is located at a position facing the recording material whose heating is controlled during recording is performed. When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head reaches the temperature at which the viscosity of the substance having the sharp rise suddenly rises, the temperature does not increase after capping the ink ejection port surface of the recording head. 5. The ink jet recording method according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral portion of the ink ejection port is cooled by sucking and / or ejecting the ink from the ink ejection port. 7. The ink jet recording method according to claim 1, wherein the ink contains a coloring material such as a dye or a pigment and a liquid medium. 8. A heat-sensitive substance whose viscosity is increased when it receives heat, when the aqueous solution or aqueous suspension thereof is thicker than a certain temperature, and the relationship between temperature and viscosity is reversible. 3. A reversible thickening polymer.
8. The ink jet recording method according to any one of items 1 to 7. 9. A water-soluble vinyl polymer containing at least 50% by weight of a vinyl carboxylic acid ester which is an alkylene oxide adduct of an active hydrogen compound having a nitrogen-containing ring, wherein the thermoreversible thickening polymer is used. The ink jet recording method according to claim 8, wherein 10. The ink jet recording method according to claim 2, wherein the substance having a cloud point is a nonionic surfactant. 11. The predetermined temperature range in which the recording material is controlled to be heated is equal to or higher than a transition temperature or a cloud point of a substance having a viscosity increasing and / or having a cloud point when receiving the heat. The inkjet recording method according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the temperature is lower than a temperature at which the recording material deteriorates. 12. A temperature of the ink is lower than a transition temperature or a cloud point of a substance having a viscosity increasing and / or a substance having a cloud point when receiving the heat until the ink is ejected from the recording head. The ink jet recording method according to claim 11, wherein: 13. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head ejects the ink as ink droplets from the ink ejection port by applying mechanical energy. Ink jet recording method. 14. A conveying means for guiding a recording material to a recording position and discharging after recording, and a recording material heating control means for heating the recording material guided to the recording position by the conveying means to a predetermined temperature range. A recording head that performs recording by discharging ink from an ink discharge port; and a head existence timing unit that measures the time during which the recording head exists at a position facing the recording material that has been heated and controlled for recording. When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head exceeds the temperature at which the viscosity of the ink sharply rises when receiving the heat in the ink, the ejection function of the recording head is prevented from being impaired. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a control unit for controlling a time during which the recording head is present at a position facing the recording material whose heating is controlled. 15. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the ink includes a substance having a viscosity increasing when heated toward the recording material and / or a substance having a cloud point. . 16. A substance having a viscosity increasing when receiving heat in the ink and / or a cloud point, the time during which the recording head is present at a position facing the recording material whose heating is controlled during recording. When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head reaches the temperature at which the viscosity of the substance having the rapid rise increases, the ink ejection port surface of the recording head is capped with a material having a high heat absorption property. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein cooling is performed. 17. A material having a viscosity increasing when receiving heat in the ink and / or a cloud point, wherein a time that exists at a position of the recording head facing the recording material whose heating is controlled during recording is performed. When the temperature around the ink ejection port of the recording head reaches the temperature at which the viscosity of the substance having the rapid rise increases, the temperature does not increase after capping the ink ejection port surface of the recording head. 16. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a portion around the ink discharge port is cooled by sucking and / or discharging the ink from the ink discharge port. 18. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the ink contains a coloring material such as a dye or a pigment and a liquid medium. 19. A heat-sensitive substance whose viscosity is increased when it receives heat, when the aqueous solution or suspension of the substance is heated to a certain temperature or higher, and the relationship between temperature and viscosity is reversible. 19. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 15, which is a reversible thickening polymer. 20. The thermoreversible thickening polymer is a water-soluble vinyl polymer containing 50% by weight or more of a vinyl carboxylic acid ester which is an alkylene oxide adduct of an active hydrogen compound having a nitrogen-containing ring. 20. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 19, wherein: 21. The substance having a cloud point which is a nonionic surfactant.
0. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of 0. 22. The predetermined temperature range in which the recording material is controlled to be heated is equal to or higher than the transition temperature or cloud point of a substance having a viscosity increasing and / or having a cloud point when receiving the heat, and 22. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the temperature is lower than a temperature at which the recording material deteriorates. 23. A temperature of the ink is lower than a transition temperature or a cloud point of a substance having a viscosity increasing and / or a substance having a cloud point when receiving the heat until the ink is ejected from the recording head. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 22, wherein: 24. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the recording head discharges the ink as ink droplets from the ink discharge port using thermal energy. 25. The recording head according to claim 14, wherein the recording head ejects the ink as ink droplets from the ink ejection port by applying mechanical energy.
The inkjet recording device according to any one of the above.