Abstract: Provided is an ink jet ink capable of recording an image having an unprecedentedly high level of scratch resistance and excellent glossiness while satisfying reliability of the ink such as ejection stability. The ink jet ink contains at least a pigment and a graft polymer, and is characterized in that the graft polymer includes at least a specific nonionic unit and a unit having a polysiloxane structure.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ink set which enables to improve image density and scratch resistance of the images recorded using an ink containing a self-dispersion pigment and an ink containing a modified siloxane compound. An ink set to be used for ink jet recording including plural inks having a first ink and a second ink independently, wherein the first ink contains at least a pigment having functional groups on surface of pigment particles and a compound having adsorptivity to the pigment and the functional group density on the surface of the pigment particles is 1.5 ?mol/m2 or more and less than 2.6 ?mol/m2 and the second ink contains at least a pigment and a modified siloxane compound.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet ink set, an ink jet recording method, and an ink jet recording apparatus each of which can reduce the graininess of an image to be recorded and improve the water fastness of the image even in a recording medium such as plain paper. The ink jet ink set has a first ink and a second ink independently, and is used so that the first and second inks overlap each other at least partly upon application of the inks to a recording medium. The first ink contains at least a pigment and a silicone oil. The second ink contains at least a pigment and a graft polymer that includes at least a nonionic unit represented by the general formula (I) and a unit having a polysiloxane structure.

Abstract: A liquid composition which can achieve superior scratch resistance of images at such a level that coloring materials are hardly scraped off even when images are scratched with finger nails under application of such strong pressure as to scratch a recording medium at its non-recorded areas. The liquid composition contains at least a modified siloxane compound having specific structure and a polymer whose acid value and hydrogen bond parameter (?h) are specified.

Abstract: A pigment ink is provided which has good ink reliability and storage stability and can achieve superior scratch resistance of images at such a level that coloring materials are hardly scraped off even when images are scratched with finger nails under application of such strong pressure as to scratch a recording medium at its non-recorded areas. The pigment ink contains a pigment, a modified siloxane compound having a specific structure, and a polymer whose acid value and hydrogen bond parameter (?h) are specified.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of recording elements for ejecting ink in accordance with image data, wherein an image is formed by carrying out a recording scan N times for the same image area on a recording material, where N is an integer not less than 1, and a setting unit for setting a value of N in accordance with information relating to a glossiness of the recording material.

Abstract: Provided is an ink jet ink capable of recording an image having an unprecedentedly high level of scratch resistance and excellent glossiness while satisfying reliability of the ink such as ejection stability. The ink jet ink contains at least a pigment and a graft polymer, and is characterized in that the graft polymer includes at least a specific nonionic unit and a unit having a polysiloxane structure.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet ink set, an ink jet recording method, and an ink jet recording apparatus each of which can reduce the graininess of an image to be recorded and improve the water fastness of the image even in a recording medium such as plain paper. The ink jet ink set has a first ink and a second ink independently, and is used so that the first and second inks overlap each other at least partly upon application of the inks to a recording medium. The first ink contains at least a pigment and a silicone oil. The second ink contains at least a pigment and a graft polymer that includes at least a nonionic unit represented by the general formula (I) and a unit having a polysiloxane structure.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ink set which enables to improve image density and scratch resistance of the images recorded using an ink containing a self-dispersion pigment and an ink containing a modified siloxane compound. An ink set to be used for ink jet recording including plural inks having a first ink and a second ink independently, wherein the first ink contains at least a pigment having functional groups on surface of pigment particles and a compound having adsorptivity to the pigment and the functional group density on the surface of the pigment particles is 1.5 ?mol/m2 or more and less than 2.6 ?mol/m2 and the second ink contains at least a pigment and a modified siloxane compound.

Abstract: In both a full-line and a serial printer, the amount of ink passing through nozzles of print heads is sometimes decreased below a normal value before and during actual printing. In the printer of the present invention, a preliminary ejecting operation is performed taking the opportunity in which the amount of ink passing through nozzles is decreased below a normal value. Then, the amount of ink passing through nozzles recovers to the normal value in ink ejection after the preliminary ejecting operation. Since only a small amount of ink is ejected through the nozzles during the preliminary ejection operation, dots formed on a print sheet are not noticeable. Further, it is unnecessary to move the print heads to a home position where an ejection recovering process is executed to remove ink having an increased viscosity.

Abstract: A pigment ink is provided which has good ink reliability and storage stability and can achieve superior scratch resistance of images at such a level that coloring materials are hardly scraped off even when images are scratched with finger nails under application of such strong pressure as to scratch a recording medium at its non-recorded areas. The pigment ink contains a pigment, a modified siloxane compound having a specific structure, and a polymer whose acid value and hydrogen bond parameter (?h) are specified.

Abstract: A liquid composition which can achieve superior scratch resistance of images at such a level that coloring materials are hardly scraped off even when images are scratched with finger nails under application of such strong pressure as to scratch a recording medium at its non-recorded areas. The liquid composition contains at least a modified siloxane compound having specific structure and a polymer whose acid value and hydrogen bond parameter (?h) are specified.

Abstract: A recording method performs recording on a recording medium using a pigment ink and a reaction liquid that has a higher surface tension than that of the pigment ink and contains a polyvalent metal salt capable of agglomerating the pigment ink. The method includes the steps of applying the reaction liquid on the recording medium, and bringing the pigment ink into contact with a surface of the reaction liquid that is present on the recording medium so that a filmy agglomerate, composed of an agglomeration of pigment aggregates produced by contact between the reaction liquid and the pigment ink, is formed on the surface of the reaction liquid applied on the recording medium.

Abstract: A width A of the scanning area of the ink ejection orifices and a width B of the scanning area of the reacting liquid ejection orifices are respectively set as A=(n?a)×p and B=n×p, while amount of the feeding of the printing sheet during each scan corresponds to the width of the scanning area of the reacting liquid ejection orifices, that is, A=(n?a)×p. With this system, the width of the scanning area, wherein ejection of the reacting liquid precedes ejection of the ink, is made shorter by C=a×p than the width of following scanning area; the scanning area having the width C is scanned two times by the row of the ink ejection orifices, and the thinning process is applied to this area having the width C.

Abstract: A width A of the scanning area of the ink ejection orifices and a width B of the scanning area of the reacting liquid ejection orifices are respectively set as A =(n?a)×n p and B=n×p, while amount of the feeding of the printing sheet during each scan corresponds to the width of the scanning area of the reacting liquid ejection orifices, that is, A=(n?a)×p. With this system, the width of the scanning area, wherein ejection of the reacting liquid precedes ejection of the ink, is made shorter by C=a×p than the width of following scanning area; the scanning area having the width C is scanned two times by the row of the ink ejection orifices, and the thinning process is applied to this area having the width C.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a preliminary ejecting method. In both a full-line and a serial printer, the amount of ink passing through nozzles of print heads is sometimes decreased below a normal value before and during actual printing. In the printer of present invention, a preliminary ejecting operation is performed taking the opportunity in which the amount of ink passing through nozzles is decreased below a normal value. Then, the amount of ink passing through nozzles recovers to the normal value at an ink ejection after the preliminary ejecting operation. Since only a small amount of ink is ejected through the nozzles during the preliminary ejection operation, dots formed on a print sheet are not noticeable. Further, it is unnecessary to move the print heads to a home position where an ejection recovering process is executed to remove ink having an increase viscosity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ink jet printing enables a high grade image with the reduced ununiformity of colors to be inexpensively printed. A scan of a print head is executed to apply a reacting liquid to a print medium so that the number of reacting liquid dots impacting a unit area is reduced as the scan moves from a printing start-point of the reacting liquid to a printing end-point. Then, a scan of the print head is executed to apply the coloring inks to the area printed with the reacting liquid. Simultaneously, the reacting liquid is applied to an area which precedes by one band the area printed with coloring inks. Then, the coloring inks are applied. Simultaneously, the reacting liquid is applied to the area which precedes by one band the area printed with coloring inks. An image is formed by repeating the above steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a preliminary ejecting method. In both a full-line and a serial printer, the amount of ink passing through nozzles of print heads is sometimes decreased below a normal value before and during actual printing, In the printer of present invention, a preliminary ejecting operation is performed taking the opportunity in which the amount of ink passing through nozzles is decreased below a normal value. Then, the amount of ink passing through nozzles recovers to the normal value at an ink ejection after the preliminary ejecting operation. Since only a small amount of ink is ejected through the nozzles during the preliminary ejection operation, dots formed on a print sheet are not noticeable. Further, it is unnecessary to move the print heads to a home position where an ejection recovering process is executed to remove ink having an increase viscosity.

Abstract: To provide an inkjet recording method which not only prevents bleeding, but also drastically improves the color development of ink, while avoiding deterioration of fixing properties, overcomes the problem of strike-through of coloring ink on a recording medium, and is capable of high-speed printing. The recording method in which recording on a recording medium is performed by applying on the recording medium a reaction liquid containing a polyvalent metal salt and then applying thereon a pigment ink having a lower surface tension than that of the above reaction liquid, the method comprising the steps of bringing the reaction liquid into contact with the pigment ink on the top surface of the recording medium, and forming a filmy agglomerate composed of collective aggregates at the interface between the reaction liquid and the pigment ink in contact with each other.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of recording elements for ejecting ink in accordance with image data, wherein an image is formed by carrying out recording scan N times for the same image area on a recording material, where N is an integer not less than 1; and setting means for setting a value of N in accordance with information relating to a glossiness of the recording material.