# US 10,308,058 B2 · Printing system, printing apparatus, and printed-matter production method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,058 B2 - Document ID: US10308058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/645,628 - Filed: 2017-07-10 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-31 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroyoshi Matsumoto; Junji Nakai; Masakazu Yoshida; Toshitaka Osanai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308058B2 ## CPC - B41M 7/0045: {using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics, cured by electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, or cured by magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma} - B41J 11/0015: {for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114)} - B41M 5/0011: {Pre-treatment or treatment during printing of the recording material, e.g. heating, irradiating (after-treatment of prints B41M7/00; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015)} - B41M 5/0017: {Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying} - B41M 7/0072: {using mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics; using magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma} - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract According to an aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus includes a plasma treatment unit configured to acidify at least a surface of a print medium by applying plasma treatment to the surface of the print medium, a first primer applying unit configured to apply primer treatment by applying treatment liquid to the surface of the print medium having undergone the plasma treatment, and a first recording unit configured to perform recording by inkjet recording on the print medium having undergone the primer treatment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inkjet apparatus, comprising: a plasma generator to apply plasma onto a surface of a print medium to reduce a pH value of the surface of the print medium; a roller to apply treatment substance in a form of a liquid to the surface of the print medium to which the plasma has been applied; an ejector to eject liquid on the print medium; a detector to determine wettability of the print medium from an image of the liquid ejected by the ejector on the print medium; and a nozzle to directly discharge ink on the treatment substance on the surface of the print medium, wherein the treatment substance increases a dot density of the ink on the surface of the print medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the ink discharged by the nozzle on the treatment substance applied on the print medium includes water-based ink, and is improved fixation thereof by the treatment substance on the print medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the print medium comprises a film. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: another roller to also apply the treatment substance to the print medium, after the print medium has the plasma applied thereto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the plasma generator includes an electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the electrode contacts the print medium when the plasma generator is generating the plasma. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the electrode of the plasma generator generates a corona discharge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the electrode does not contact the print medium when the plasma generator is generating the plasma. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the plasma generator applies the plasma onto the print medium to increase hydrophilicity of a surface of the print medium, the roller applies on the print medium of which the surface has increased hydrophilicity the treatment substance that improves fixation of ink, and the nozzle directly discharges the ink on the treatment substance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the treatment substance which is applied by the roller lowers the pH at a surface of the print medium to be acidic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the treatment substance and the plasma treatment lower the pH at the surface of the print medium by at least 0.8. ### Claim 12 An inkjet printing method, comprising: applying plasma treatment onto a surface of a print medium to reduce a pH value of the surface of the print medium; applying, using a roller, treatment substance that improves fixation of ink to at least the surface of the print medium having undergone the plasma treatment; ejecting liquid on the print medium using an ejector; detecting wettability of the print medium based on an image of the liquid ejected by the ejector on the print medium; and performing inkjet recording by discharging ink directly on the treatment substance which is on the print medium having undergone the plasma treatment, wherein the treatment substance increases a dot density of the ink on the surface of the print medium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The inkjet printing method according to claim 12, wherein: the ink discharged by the inkjet recording on the treatment substance applied on the print medium includes water-based ink, and is improved fixation thereof by the treatment substance on the print medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The inkjet printing method according to claim 12, wherein: the print medium comprises a film. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The inkjet printing method according to claim 12, wherein: the applying the treatment substance applies the treatment substance by sequentially using said roller and a second roller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The inkjet printing method according to claim 12, wherein: the applying plasma treatment applies the plasma onto the print medium to increase hydrophilicity of a surface of the print medium, the applying the treatment substance applied the applies on the print medium of which the surface has the increased hydrophilicity, and the performing inkjet recording directly discharges the ink on the treatment substance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The inkjet printing method according to claim 12, wherein: the treatment substance which is applied by the roller lowers the pH at a surface of the print medium to be acidic. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The inkjet printing method according to claim 17, wherein: the treatment substance and the plasma treatment lower the pH at the surface of the print medium by at least 0.8. ### Claim 19 An inkjet apparatus, comprising: a plasma generator to apply plasma onto a surface of a print medium to reduce a pH value of the surface of the print medium; a roller to apply treatment substance in a form of a liquid to the surface of the print medium to which the plasma has been applied; an ejector to eject liquid on the print medium; a detector to determine wettability of the print medium from an image of the liquid elected by the ejector on the print medium; and a nozzle to directly discharge ink on the treatment substance on the surface of the print medium, wherein the wettability of the print medium is determined by a contact angle between the surface of the print medium and the liquid; and wherein the treatment substance increases a dot density of the ink on the surface of the print medium. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment substance in a form of a liquid is hydrophilic, and the plasma treatment reduces a contact angle between the surface of the print medium and the liquid.