Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes an image forming section that records an image by applying ink, a heating-drying processing section that dries ink droplets applied to the sheet P, a sensor that is provided on a downstream side of the image forming section in the conveying direction and detects an ambient temperature outside the heating-drying processing section in the device, and a control unit that controls the ambient temperature outside the heating-drying processing section in the device. In the case where the ambient temperature is in a target range, the control unit switches the inkjet recording device to a recording mode in which set temperature of the heating-drying processing section is used as a target value corresponding to the time of recording from a standby mode in which set temperature of the heating-drying processing section is used as a target value corresponding to the time of standby.

Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes an image forming section that records an image by applying ink, a heating-drying processing section that dries ink droplets applied to the sheet P, a sensor that is provided on a downstream side of the image forming section in the conveying direction and detects an ambient temperature outside the heating-drying processing section in the device, and a control unit that controls the ambient temperature outside the heating-drying processing section in the device. In the case where the ambient temperature is in a target range, the control unit switches the inkjet recording device to a recording mode in which set temperature of the heating-drying processing section is used as a target value corresponding to the time of recording from a standby mode in which set temperature of the heating-drying processing section is used as a target value corresponding to the time of standby.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image recording apparatus and method, and a varnish application device and method, which can ensure the adhesiveness of the varnish that has been applied onto the surface of the image. An image recording method according to an aspect of the present invention includes: comparing an attained temperature T1 (attained temperature T1 when ink has been dried) of the surface of the image on the medium when the ink has been dried, with a melting point TW of the wax component contained in the ink; and heating the surface of the image before the varnish that has been applied in the varnish application step is cured in the varnish curing step, when T1?TW holds.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image recording apparatus and method, and a varnish application device and method, which can ensure the adhesiveness of the varnish that has been applied onto the surface of the image. An image recording method according to an aspect of the present invention includes: comparing an attained temperature T1 (attained temperature T1 when ink has been dried) of the surface of the image on the medium when the ink has been dried, with a melting point TW of the wax component contained in the ink; and heating the surface of the image before the varnish that has been applied in the varnish application step is cured in the varnish curing step, when T1?TW holds.

Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device comprising a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium while sucking the recording medium onto a conveyance surface, and an air blowing unit that is disposed at an upstream side of the conveying unit in a conveyance direction of the recording medium. The air blowing unit is configured to blow air in diagonal directions from a width direction center portion toward side portions at an upstream side of the recording medium, and adjusts a direction in which the air is blown in such a way that a width of an air blowing region of the air becomes narrower than a width of the recording medium conveyed to the conveying unit before the air strikes the recording medium.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet recording apparatus including: plural jetting heads that jet respectively different types of photocurable color inks onto a conveyed recording medium and which, when layer-jetting the different types of photocurable color inks onto the recording medium, first jet the photocurable color ink having the largest light blocking effect among the plural photocurable color inks that the plural jetting heads layer-jet; and an irradiation device that applies light to the photocurable color inks that have been jetted onto the recording medium.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: an image formation unit which deposits aqueous ink onto a recording surface of a recording sheet to form an image on the recording surface; a drying unit which dries the recording surface on which the image has been formed, the drying unit including a double-side heat application device which performs drying of the recording surface by applying heat to both the recording surface and a rear surface of the recording sheet opposite to the recording surface; and a drying control unit which controls a first intensity of heat applied to the recording surface and a second intensity of heat applied to the rear surface independently from each other, in accordance with a thickness of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a jetting head that jets, onto a recording medium, a curable ink composition including 3% by mass to 18% by mass, based on a total amount of the ink composition, of a polyfunctional polymerizable compound, and water; a chain gripper that grips a leading end of the recording medium onto which the curable ink composition has been jetted from the jetting head, and conveys the recording medium; and an irradiation device that irradiates light to the recording medium which is conveyed by the chain gripper and onto which the curable ink composition has been jetted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a jetting head that jets, onto a recording medium, a curable ink composition including 0.5% by mass or more, based on a total amount of the ink composition, of a water-soluble organic solvent having an SP value of 21 (MPa)1/2 or more, and water; a chain gripper that grips a leading end portion of the recording medium onto which the curable ink composition has been jetted from the jetting head, and conveys the recording medium; an irradiation device that irradiates light to the recording medium which is conveyed by the chain gripper and onto which the curable ink composition has been jetted; and a paper discharge section that accumulates the recording medium to which light has been irradiated by the irradiation device.

Abstract: A matting liquid coating section supplies a matting liquid to an outer peripheral surface of a pressing roller. At the matting liquid coating section, a web, that is a non-woven fabric or the like and in which is seeped a matting liquid formed from a liquid (silicon oil or the like) in which matting agent particles are dispersed at a predetermined concentration, is trained around a first rod and a second rod, and is made to abut an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller while running along the outer peripheral surface. The matting liquid is transferred once to the outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller, and the matting agent particles that adhere to the roller surface are again transferred onto a surface of a recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming method includes the steps of: depositing an ink containing 10% or more and less than 30% of a water-soluble high-boiling-point organic solvent having an SP value of 28 or lower, onto a recording medium in accordance with an image signal, the ink having a viscosity of 10 cP or lower in a case where a temperature of the ink is 25° C.; removing water contained in the solvent of the ink on the recording medium, by a heating drying device; and heating and pressurizing the ink so as to fix the ink onto the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits a treatment liquid onto a recording medium; an ink ejection device which ejects droplets of ink onto the recording medium; a conveyance device including: a conveyance body having curvature by which the recording medium is carried and conveyed, a holding device which holds a leading end of the recording medium, suction holes for suctioning the recording medium with negative pressure, and a suctioning device which performs suctioning via the suction holes; a heating device which heats the conveyance body and the recording medium from an opposite side of the recording medium to the conveyance body; and a non-contact-type recording medium restricting device which is provided on an upstream side of the heating device so as to press in a non-contact fashion a trailing end of the recording medium from the opposite side to the conveyance body.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head which ejects an aqueous ultraviolet-curable ink toward a recording surface of a recording medium; a holding and drying unit including: a suction holding drum which conveys the recording medium while holding a back surface side of the recording medium by suction through suction holes formed in an outer circumferential surface of the drum; and a hot air flow drying device disposed to face the outer circumferential surface of the drum; a transfer conveyance device which is arranged at a downstream side of the holding and drying unit and conveys the recording medium while holding a leading end of the recording medium and curving the back surface side in a convex shape; and a fixing unit including an ultraviolet light irradiation device which is arranged at a downstream side of the transfer conveyance device and irradiates ultraviolet light onto the image.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits on a recording medium a treatment liquid having a function to aggregate inks or increase viscosity of inks; an ink deposition device which includes a plurality of ink heads for ejecting the inks of at least two types in such a manner that the inks are deposited on the recording medium on which the treatment liquid has been deposited; and a heating-pressuring device which fixes the inks that have been deposited on the recording medium, wherein the ink deposition device ejects the inks from the plurality of ink heads in such a manner that following Relationships (A) and (B) are satisfied where Mx represents in-plane average deposition volume of one of the inks that is priorly deposited on the recording medium, My represents in-plane average deposition volume of another one of the inks that is subsequently deposited on the recording medium, and N represents number of the types of the inks (1?x<y?N), Relationship (A): M

Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device comprising a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium while sucking the recording medium onto a conveyance surface, and an air blowing unit that is disposed at an upstream side of the conveying unit in a conveyance direction of the recording medium. The air blowing unit is configured to blow air in diagonal directions from a width direction center portion toward side portions at an upstream side of the recording medium, and adjusts a direction in which the air is blown in such a way that a width of an air blowing region of the air becomes narrower than a width of the recording medium conveyed to the conveying unit before the air strikes the recording medium.

Abstract: An ink jet printer prints an image by ejecting ink on recording medium. Information of an ink volume of the ink for application to the recording medium, for example, dot number, is specified. A first dryer dries the recording medium before forming the image. A memory stores a data table of a relationship between the ink volume and a drive condition of the dryer. A drive condition determiner determines a drive condition of the dryer from the ink volume according to the data table read from the memory. A CPU controls the dryer in the drive condition determined by the drive condition determiner. Preferably, the drive condition determiner, if the ink volume is lower than a first tolerable amount causing occurrence of cockle on the recording medium, disables the dryer.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a conveyance device having a conveyance device surface with which a rear surface side of a recording medium comes into contact and which includes a plurality of suction holes for suctioning the recording medium with a negative pressure, and conveying the recording medium while changing suction locations of the recording medium suctioned via the suction holes; an inkjet head for ejecting ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance device in such a manner that an image is formed on the recording medium; and a control device which changes the suction locations of the recording medium suctioned via the suction holes, at a prescribed interval.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink set having at least: a magenta ink containing at least a pigment; and a cyan ink containing at least a pigment. A ratio of M/C, in which M is the concentration of the pigment in the magenta ink, and C is the concentration of the pigment in the cyan ink, is 1.6 or more. A ratio of S2/S1, in which S2 is the solid content of an ink that has the largest solid content among the inks included in the ink set, and S1 is the solid content of an ink that has the smallest solid content among the inks included in the ink set, is 1.2 or less. The invention further provides an image forming method having applying the inks of the ink set onto a recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming method includes the steps of: depositing an ink containing 10% or more and less than 30% of a water-soluble high-boiling-point organic solvent having an SP value of 28 or lower, onto a recording medium in accordance with an image signal, the ink having a viscosity of 10 cP or lower in a case where a temperature of the ink is 25° C.; removing water contained in the solvent of the ink on the recording medium, by a heating drying device; and heating and pressurizing the ink so as to fix the ink onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A matting liquid coating section supplies a matting liquid to an outer peripheral surface of a pressing roller. At the matting liquid coating section, a web, that is a non-woven fabric or the like and in which is seeped a matting liquid formed from a liquid (silicon oil or the like) in which matting agent particles are dispersed at a predetermined concentration, is trained around a first rod and a second rod, and is made to abut an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller while running along the outer peripheral surface. The matting liquid is transferred once to the outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller, and the matting agent particles that adhere to the roller surface are again transferred onto a surface of a recording medium.