# US 10,479,112 B2 · Printing device and printing method

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- Number: US 10,479,112 B2
- Document ID: US10479112B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/114,260
- Filed: 2018-08-28
- Published: 2019-03-07
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-05
- Assignees: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masaru Ohnishi; Toshiya Otsuka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479112B2

## CPC

- B41J 11/00216: {using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves}
- B41J 2/165: Prevention {or detection} of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
- B41J 2/2107: {characterised by the ink properties (supplying ink in a solid state B41J2/17593)}
- C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)

## Abstract

There is provided a printing device that carries out printing with respect to a medium; the printing device including inkjet heads, which are ejection heads that eject an ink to the medium; and an infrared irradiating portion that irradiates an infrared light in which a wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 μm with respect to the ink on the medium; where the inkjet heads eject the ink containing a solvent that generates heat by absorbing the infrared light; and the infrared irradiating portion volatilizes and removes at least one part of the solvent in the ink by irradiating the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing device that carries out printing with respect to a medium, the printing device comprising:
an ejection head that ejects an ink to the medium; and
an infrared irradiating portion that irradiates an infrared light in which a wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 μm with respect to the ink on the medium;
wherein the ejection head ejects the ink containing a solvent that generates heat by absorbing the infrared light; and
the infrared irradiating portion volatilizes and removes at least one part of the solvent in the ink by irradiating the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium,
wherein the infrared irradiating portion generates the infrared light in which a peak wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 μm, and an intensity of a component in which a wavelength is 4 μm is smaller than or equal to 1/10 of an intensity at the peak wavelength.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the infrared irradiating portion includes a semiconductor light source that generates the infrared light.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the infrared irradiating portion irradiates the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium to heat the ink, so that a temperature of the ink on the medium becomes higher than a temperature of the medium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the infrared irradiating portion irradiates the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium to heat the ink, so that a temperature of the ink becomes higher than 50° C. while suppressing a temperature of the medium to lower than or equal to 50° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the infrared irradiating portion irradiates the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium to heat the ink on the medium up to a temperature that the solvent contained in the ink on the medium boils.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the solvent is water; and
the infrared irradiating portion generates the infrared light of a wavelength range that causes water to generate heat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The printing device according to claim 6, wherein
the medium is a medium in which a proportion of water is smaller than or equal to 15% by weight.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the solvent is a liquid containing a hydroxyl group; and
the infrared irradiating portion generates the infrared light in which a peak wavelength is in a range of 2.5 μm to 3.0 μm.

### Claim 9

A printing method that carries out printing with respect to a medium, the printing method comprising:
providing an ejection head that ejects an ink to the medium;
providing an infrared irradiating portion that irradiates an infrared light in which a wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 μm with respect to the ink on the medium;
ejecting the ink containing a solvent that generates heat by absorbing the infrared light by the ejection head; and
volatilizing and removing at least one part of the solvent in the ink by irradiating the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium from the infrared irradiating portion;
wherein the infrared irradiating portion generates the infrared light in which a peak wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 and an intensity of a component in which a wavelength is 4 μm is smaller than or equal to 1/10 of an intensity at the peak wavelength.