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US 7,066,590 B2Granted
Ink and underprinting fluid combinations with improved inkjet print image color and stability
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsShirley Lee, Gary W. Byers, Alexey S Kabalnov, Mark H. Kowalski, Amiya K. Chatterjee, Keshava A Prasad, David M. Schut
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Combinations of cationic underprinting fluids and anionic ink compositions that together achieve improved color quality and image stability in ink-jet printed images.
Claims18
An ink-jet printing apparatus, comprising:
- a printhead portion including an underprinting fixer fluid comprising a cationic polymer and a printhead portion including an ink composition comprising an anionic component, the anionic component comprising a water-soluble anionic binder and a water-soluble dye, the anionic binder comprising polymers having a complexing group, the complexing group being selected from the group consisting of Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid, Acetyl Acetonate Maleic Anhydride, an Acrylate and combinations thereof;
- wherein the cationic polymer is a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of R1R2R3R4N+;
- R1R2R3R4P+and R1R2R3R4As+, and where R is H, alkyl or other organic substituent, and where the weight average molecular weight of the polyelectrolyte is from 2000 up to 10,000
- and wherein the cationic polymer is in solution with non-polymeric cations selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, aluminum ions, barium ions, strontium ions, zinc ions, magnesium ions and titanium ions;
- and wherein, when the ink composition is printed on a medium over the fixer fluid printed on the medium, the ink composition and fixer fluid together form an amorphous viscous fluid, the viscous fluid having a viscosity greater than the ink composition.
2 more elements
A method of ink-jet printing, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) ejecting at a location on a medium an underpnnting fixer fluid comprising at least one cationic polymer;
- b) ejecting at the location on the medium an ink composition comprising at least one anionic component;
- the anionic component comprising a water-soluble anionic binder and a water-soluble dye, the anionic binder comprising polymers having a complexing group, the complexing group being selected from the group consisting of Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid, Acetyl Acetonate Maleic Anhydride, an Acrylate and combinations thereof;
- wherein the cationic polymer is a polyelectrolyte selected from the group is consisting of R1R2R3R4N+, R1R2R3R4P+and R1R2R3R4As+, and
- where R is H, alkyl or other organic substituent, and where the weight averaae molecular weight of the polyelectrolyte is from 2000 up to 10,000;
- and wherein the cationic polymer is in solution with non-polymeric cations selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, aluminum ions, barium ions, strontium ions, zinc ions, magnesium ions and titanium ions;
- and wherein the ink composition and the fixer fluid together form an amorphous viscous fluid, the viscous fluid having a viscosity greater than the ink composition.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.