Abstract: A multicolor ink jet printing process employs an ink jet ink composition comprising water, a colorant of pigment, dye, or mixtures thereof, and a low boiling point additive to produce high quality multicolor ink jet images with minimal intercolor bleed and lines with sharp edges as characterized by a relatively low mid frequency line edge noise (MFLEN) number. The additive is an alcohol or thiol having a boiling point less than or equal to about 115° C. The aforementioned ink jet ink composition can further include an optional additive of alcohol or thiol with a boiling point less than or equal to about 135° C. if necessary. The desired additive increases the ink's drying rate with fast evaporation and an accelerated penetration into a print substrate (e.g. paper) upon printing. As a result, little or minimum residual ink (e.g. carbon black ink) comprising the aforementioned additive is available on the surface of the print substrate to intermix with a previously or subsequently printed ink (e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous ink jet ink compositions comprising an anti-intercolor bleed agent, preferably a water soluble or ink-compatible agent. The inks typically also comprise water and at least a colorant of a dye, a pigment, or a mixture of dye and pigment. In one embodiment, ink jet ink compositions comprising an anti-intercolor bleed agent which is represented by {[(R)m—G)b]n}s(A)(X)p (Formula (I)), and ink jet printing processes which print the ink jet ink compositions in any desired printing sequence or order onto an optionally heated substrate are provided. The water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent may form hydrophobic layers near the image boundary, thus preventing undesired mixing of two different neighboring inks which forms intercolor bleed. The ink jet ink compositions of the present invention exhibit reduced drying time, intercolor bleeding, and image defect as well as providing uniform ink images on transparencies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous ink jet ink compositions comprising a water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent and ink jet printing processes. The inks typically comprise at least water, a colorant of a dye or pigment, or a mixture of dye and pigment, and a water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent. In one embodiment the water-compatible intercolor bleed agent of the invention comprises a fluorinated composition, more particularly a perfluoroalkyl acid salt. The water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent can form hydrophobic layers near the image boundary, thus preventing undesired mixing of different neighboring inks which forms intercolor bleeding. The inks of the present invention exhibit reduced drying time, intercolor bleeding, and image defect as well as providing uniform ink image on transparencies.

Abstract: An aqueous ink jet ink composition having a pigment wherein at least 50% of the pigment particles have an average diameter or size≦0.3 microns with the remaining particles in the ink composition having a diameter or size≦3.0 microns, water, a dispersant which is a reaction product of an aldehyde and a naphthalene sulfonate salt, and/or a sulfone solvent. The aqueous ink jet ink possesses a latency of at least 10 seconds at a relative humidity of 15% in either a high resolution (>360 spi) printhead or full-width array printhead having at least one nozzle opening of a diameter or size ranging from 10 to about 49 microns.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous ink jet ink compositions comprising a water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent. The ink jet ink compositions typically comprise water, a colorant of dye or pigment, or a mixture of dye and pigment, and a water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent. In one embodiment the water-soluble or ink-compatible intercolor bleed agents of the invention comprise glycine materials with or without a fluorine atom and are represented by formula (I) in either ionic or nonionic forms, particularly those of fluorinated glycine salts with high fluorine content. The water-soluble or ink-compatible anti-intercolor bleed agent in an ink jet composition is believed to accelerate ink drying and to form hydrophobic layers on a print substrate near the image boundary in an ink jet printing process, thus minimizing undesired mixing of different neighboring inks resulting in a reduction of intercolor bleed.

Abstract: An aqueous ink jet ink composition having a pigment wherein at least 50% of the pigment particles have an average diameter or size .ltoreq.0.3 microns with the remaining particles in the ink composition having a diameter or size .ltoreq.3.0 microns, water, a dispersant which is a reaction product of an aldehyde and a naphthalene sulfonate salt, and/or a sulfone solvent. The aqueous ink jet ink possesses a latency of at least 10 seconds at a relative humidity of 15% in either a high resolution (>360 spi) printhead or full-width array printhead having at least one nozzle opening of a diameter or size ranging from 10 to about 49 microns.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing process, a desired vacuum is applied to the back side of a print substrate with proper feedback and control. The optimum vacuum exerts a suction force on ink dispersed on the front side of the print substrate to accelerate penetration of the ink into the print substrate and to reduce smear and intercolor bleeding. In addition, the vacuum may be applied in the ink jet printing process in combination with various other techniques including heating of the print substrate at any stage of printing process including before, during, after, and combinations thereof and delaying the time between ink dispersing of two different inks as in the checkerboard printing method. The employment of proper vacuum, inks, and printheads including partial-width or full-width array printheads allows a fast speed multi-color ink jet printing process to be carried out on a print substrate to give high resolution (e.g., 600 spi) multi-color images with good print quality.

Abstract: An aqueous ink jet ink comprises water, a colorant selected from a dye or a pigment, and a diol derivative according to the following formula (Formula I):HO--(CHX--CHYO).sub.j --(CH.sub.2).sub.a --G--(CH.sub.2).sub.b --(OCHW--CHZ).sub.k --OH (I)wherein G is independently selected from the group consisting of SO.sub.2, SO, and CO; X, Y, W, and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH.sub.3 and C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 where n equals 2 to about 20; j and k independently equal from 0 to about 100; and a and b independently equal from 1 to about 20.

Abstract: Disclosed is a set of inks for printing multicolor images in an ink jet printer, said ink set comprising (A) a first ink having a first color and comprising water and a colorant selected from the group consisting of (1) anionic dyes, (2) dyes having physically or chemically associated therewith a stabilizing agent having anionic groups thereon, (3) pigment particles having anionic groups chemically attached thereto, (4) pigment particles having physically or chemically associated therewith a stabilizing agent having anionic groups thereon, and (5) mixtures thereof; and (B) a second ink comprising water, an optional colorant having a color other than the first color, and an ammonium salt having at least two cationic ammonium functional groups, wherein the colorant in the first ink is capable of being immobilized on a printing substrate by interaction with the ammonium salt having at least two cationic ammonium functional groups in the second ink, thereby enabling reduced intercolor bleed.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printing comprises incorporating into a thermal ink jet printer at least one ink jet ink with an ink composition comprising water; a colorant of a dye or pigment; a hydroxyamide derivative having at least one hydroxyl group and at least one amide group or a reaction product of oxyalkylene(s) and the said hydroxyamide derivative; a sulfur-containing humectant that is a sulfoxide or a sulfone or a thiol derivative. Printing with the ink jet ink is according to digital signals with at least one printhead which is selected from a group consisting of single, partial-width, and full-width array printheads using a checkerboard or single pass method onto a print substrate either with or without the presence of heat for drying. The ink jet ink has a good latency, long-term jetting stability, and good image quality on plain papers when it is used in a high resolution thermal ink jet printhead including a 600 spi printhead.

Abstract: A lighting control circuit that controls the lighting of particular lamps in response to the toggling of the power switch. The circuit a) connects only with the high (output) side of a lighting system's ballast, b) is completely contained on the high side, and c) with regard to toggling, is dependent upon only a single time period. The circuit can be used with any ballast which makes use of an output transformer and no change need be made to the original ballast circuitry. Users will find operation of the circuit to be straightforward. A triac driven by a flip-flop via a driver transistor is used to control the high frequency AC power that is used to drive the lamps. A Schmitt trigger sharpens the signal generated by the ballast output transformer in response to the toggling of the light switch which is employed to change the output state of the flip-flop. Operationally, all the lamps driven by the ballast are lit when the power switch is initially turned on.

Abstract: A paper curl reduction process is conducted by applying an aqueous dye or pigment ink in an image-wise fashion to a side of a substrate and by applying a clear aqueous liquid to the opposite side of the substrate. An ink printing device includes at least one printhead for applying an aqueous ink to one side of a substrate to form visible images and at least one applicator for applying a clear aqueous liquid to the opposite side of the substrate. A paper curl reduction process is also conducted by applying an aqueous dye or pigment ink and an optional clear aqueous liquid in a selected image-wise fashion by a thermal ink jet printing method to both sides of a substrate to achieve duplex ink jet printing with visible images on two sides of the said substrate.

Abstract: An ink jet ink composition comprises water; a colorant selected from the group consisting of a dye, a pigment, and a mixture of a dye and pigment; and a material selected from the group consisting of (1) a hydroxyamide derivative having at least one hydroxyl group and at least one amide group; (2) a mercaptoamide derivative having at least one mercaptol group and at least one amide group; (3) a hydroxythioamide derivative having at least one hydroxyl group and at least one thioamide group; (4) a mercaptothioamide derivative having at least one mercaptol group and at least one thioamide group; (5) an oxyalkylene(alkyleneoxide) reaction product of the above said derivatives; (6) a thioalkylene(alkylenesulfide) reaction product of the above said derivatives; and (7) mixtures thereof. The inks comprising the said ink jet ink composition exhibit good latency especially in a high resolution thermal ink jet printhead (e.g.

Abstract: The invention includes an ink delivery and filtration medium for delivering and filtering ink from an ink chamber to a printhead in an ink jet system. The ink delivery and filtration medium comprises a porous woven material. The woven material can be made with fibers such as Nylons, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethersulfone, polyesters, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene. The woven material is flexible, thermally stable and chemically resistant to ink. The pore size and porosity of the woven material can be controlled by controlling the number of stitches per inch, fiber stitching pattern and fiber thickness or diameter. In addition, the pore size can be controlled by layering the woven material in combination with woven materials of the same or different pore sizes. Accordingly, not only can the pore size of each layer be controlled, but the pore size of the entire medium can be controlled by cumulative stacking of layers of materials with same or different pore size.

Abstract: An optical commutation system for commutating pulsed radiation between a common path of relatively high pulse rate and plural, closed spaced, slowly diverging paths on which the pulses are distributed. The system may thus act as a combiner or decombiner. The system employs a reflective or refractive optical element which is driven to produce a very slight oscillation in the orientation of the refractive or reflective surface of the element typically ranging over only a few degrees. The angle of oscillation is kept as small as possible, being only large enough to resolve or separate the radiation pulses on the slowly diverging paths. The very slight angular variation between adjacent ones of the diverging paths permits a large number of beams to be packed together in the bundle of diverging paths, but because of the slight angular variation, only a small angular scan resulting from the finite pulse duration is experienced. This can be kept well within acceptable limits for use with long path lengths.

Abstract: A system for temporal pulse shaping of laser radiation beams particularly for use as photoexcitation radiation in isotope separation. Each pulse of laser radiation is temporally segmented into two or more sections. The sections are superimposed after a delay in the leading one to augment the pulse intensity.