# US 10,766,275 B2 · Image forming method and ink-jet recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,275 B2 - Document ID: US10766275B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/743,321 - Filed: 2020-01-15 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-29 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yasuhiro Taga; Keisuke Yuhara; Mitsunori Maeda; Shinpei Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766275B2 ## CPC - 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)} - B41J 2/2107: {characterised by the ink properties (supplying ink in a solid state B41J2/17593)} - B41J 3/4078: {Printing on textile} - 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} - D06P 1/44: using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders - D06P 1/5285: {Polyurethanes; Polyurea; Polyguanides} - D06P 5/002: {Locally enhancing dye affinity of a textile material by chemical means} - D06P 5/225: {Aminalization of cellulose; introducing aminogroups into cellulose} - D06P 5/30: Ink jet printing - B41M 5/0047: {by ink-jet printing} - B41M 7/0018: {using ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, after printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying} - B41M 7/009: {using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - 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) - D06P: DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM ## Abstract An image forming method uses an apparatus for forming an image on both recording media of fabric and recording paper. The image forming method includes: applying a treatment agent to the fabric, the treatment agent coagulating a water-based ink or increasing viscosity of the water-based ink; and discharging the water-based ink onto the fabric by an ink-jet system, the water-based ink being identical to a water-based ink used for forming the image on the recording paper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink-jet recording apparatus for recording an image on both recording media of fabric and recording paper, the ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink set accommodating unit that accommodates an ink set including a water-based ink and a treatment agent that coagulates the water-based ink or increases viscosity of the water-based ink; a treatment agent discharge head configured to discharge the treatment agent onto the recording medium; an ink-jet head configured to discharge the water-based ink onto the recording medium; and a controller configured to control the treatment agent discharge head and the ink-jet head to execute a first recording mode for recording on the fabric or a second recording mode for recording on the recording paper, wherein in the first recording mode, the controller is configured to control the treatment agent discharge head to discharge a first application amount (TF) of the treatment agent per unit area to the fabric, in the second recording mode, the controller is configured to control the treatment agent discharge head to discharge a second application amount (TP) of the treatment agent per unit area to the recording paper, the second application amount (TP) being not less than 0 mg/cm2, and the first application amount (TF) is larger than the second application amount (TP). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water-based ink is a chromatic color ink. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the chromatic color ink contains at least one of a direct dye and an acid dye. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the second recording mode, the controller is configured to control the treatment agent discharge head not to discharge the treatment agent to the recording paper. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first application amount (TF) of the treatment agent per unit area of the fabric is 5.0 mg/cm2 to 48 mg/cm2; and the second application amount (TP) of the treatment agent per unit area of the recording paper is 0 mg/cm2 to 1.1 mg/cm2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying mechanism configured to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric, wherein: in the first recording mode, the controller configured to control the treatment agent discharge head, the ink-jet head and the drying mechanism to carry out the discharge of the treatment agent to the fabric, the drying of the treatment agent discharged to the fabric, and the discharge of the water-based ink onto the fabric in this order; and the first application amount (TF) of the treatment agent per unit area of the fabric is 5.0 mg/cm2 to 48 mg/cm2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying mechanism configured to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric, wherein: in the first recording mode, the controller configured to control the treatment agent discharge head, the ink-jet heads and the drying mechanism to carry out the discharge of the treatment agent to the fabric, the discharge of the water-based ink onto the fabric, and the drying of the treatment agent discharged to the fabric in this order; and the first application amount (TF) of the treatment agent per unit area of the fabric is 5.0 mg/cm2 to 34 mg/cm2. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment agent contains a cationic substance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a blending amount of the cationic substance to an entire amount of the treatment agent is 1% by weight to 15% by weight. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cationic substance contains at least one of a cationic polymer and cationic inorganic fine particles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cationic polymer includes a urethane structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying mechanism configured to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric, wherein in the first recording mode, the controller configured to control the drying mechanism to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric at a drying temperature of 100° C. to 250° C. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying mechanism configured to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric, wherein in the first recording mode, the controller configured to control the drying mechanism to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric so that an amount of the treatment agent in the fabric is decreased to be not more than 50% by weight of an application amount of the treatment agent to the fabric. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein in the first recording mode, the controller configured to control the drying mechanism to dry the treatment agent discharged to the fabric so that the amount of the treatment agent in the fabric is decreased to be not more than 30% by weight of the application amount of the treatment agent to the fabric.