# US 11,897,254 B2 · Liquid discharge apparatus, printer, and liquid discharge method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,254 B2 - Document ID: US11897254B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/681,844 - Filed: 2022-02-28 - Published: 2022-09-08 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-02 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Hiroshi Sawase; Kazuaki Kamihara; Kohki Asada; Ryusaku Hida; Yoshihiro Takahashi - Inventors: Hiroshi Sawase; Kazuaki Kamihara; Kohki Asada; Ryusaku Hida; Yoshihiro Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897254B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/00214: {using UV radiation} - B41J 2/2117: {Ejecting white liquids} - B41J 2/525: Arrangement for multi-colour printing, not covered by group B41J2/21, e.g. applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking process - B41J 11/0005: {Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material} - B41J 11/00216: {using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves} - B41J 11/00218: {Constructional details of the irradiation means, e.g. radiation source attached to reciprocating print head assembly or shutter means provided on the radiation source} - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J 11/0085: {Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226)} - 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 - C09D 11/322: Pigment inks - C09D 11/40: Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing - B41J 2025/008: {comprising a plurality of print heads placed around a drum} - B41J 2202/21: Line 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 A liquid discharge apparatus includes a first liquid that generates heat in an absorption wavelength region of an active energy ray, a first discharger configured to discharge the first liquid, a second liquid that starts polymerization in the absorption wavelength region of the active energy ray, a second discharger configured to discharge the second liquid, and an irradiator configured to irradiate the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid discharge apparatus comprising: a first liquid that generates heat in an absorption wavelength region of an active energy ray; a first discharger to discharge the first liquid; a second liquid that starts polymerization in the absorption wavelength region of the active energy ray; a second discharger to discharge the second liquid; and an irradiator to irradiate the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray, wherein another irradiator irradiates the first liquid and the second liquid with an infrared ray before the irradiator irradiates the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray, the first liquid includes a pigment as a colorant, the second liquid is a white ink including a photopolymerization initiator in a content of less than 0.1% by mass, the first liquid is a non-white ink, the first liquid includes multiple types of colors of inks, the first discharger comprises multiple first dischargers configured to respectively discharge the multiple types of colors of inks, and the first liquid is discharged for printing after the second liquid is discharged for printing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active energy ray is an ultraviolet ray. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid is a water-based pigment ink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second liquid is an ultraviolet curable ink. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the irradiator includes a light emitting diode configured to emit an ultraviolet ray. ### Claim 6 A printer comprising: a first liquid that generates heat in an absorption wavelength region of an active energy ray; a first discharger configured to discharge the first liquid; a second liquid that starts polymerization in the absorption wavelength region of the active energy ray; a second discharger configured to discharge the second liquid; and an irradiator configured to irradiate the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray, wherein another irradiator irradiates the first liquid and the second liquid with an infrared ray before the irradiator irradiates the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray, the first liquid includes a pigment as a colorant, the second liquid is a white ink including a photopolymerization initiator in a content of less than 0.1% by mass, the first liquid is a non-white ink, the first liquid includes multiple types of colors of inks, the first discharger comprises multiple first dischargers configured to respectively discharge the multiple types of colors of inks, and the first liquid is discharged for printing after the second liquid is discharged for printing. ### Claim 7 A liquid discharging method comprising: discharging a first liquid that generates heat in an absorption wavelength region of an active energy ray; discharging a second liquid that starts polymerization in the absorption wavelength region of the active energy ray; irradiating the first liquid and the second liquid with an infrared ray; and irradiating the first liquid and the second liquid with the active energy ray, wherein the first liquid includes a pigment as a colorant, the second liquid is a white ink including a photopolymerization initiator in a content of less than 0.1% by mass, the first liquid is a non-white ink, the first liquid includes multiple types of colors of inks, the discharging the first liquid respectively discharging the multiple types of colors of inks, and the first liquid is discharged for printing after the second liquid is discharged for printing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The liquid discharge method according to claim 7, wherein the active energy ray is an ultraviolet ray. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The liquid discharge method according to claim 7, wherein the first liquid is a water-based pigment ink. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The liquid discharge method according to claim 7, wherein the second liquid is an ultraviolet curable ink. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The liquid discharge method according to claim 7, wherein the irradiating includes emitting an ultraviolet ray to the first liquid and the second liquid.