Abstract: The ink jet recording method according to the invention is characterized by that at least one of an ink and a surface treatment agent contains a resin that melts or softens at a fixing temperature by heat treatment; the surface treatment agent contains at least two kinds of particles different in particle size that do not melt at the fixing temperature; the particles contain first particles and second particles having a particle size larger than that of the first particles; and the second particles have a particle size falling within a range of more than 50 nm to less than 110 nm.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method repeatedly performing the following steps on a transfer body, a step of forming a first image including a liquid component containing water and a water-soluble organic solvent and an insoluble solid content; a liquid removing step of forming a second image, from which a part of a liquid component contained in the first image is removed; and a transferring step of transferring the second image onto a recording medium by heating the second image to a temperature equal to or higher than a minimum filming temperature of the second image, wherein the minimum filming temperature of the second image is a temperature equal to or higher than 100° C.; and the first image is not subjected to a heat history equal to or higher than a boiling point of the water after the step of forming the first image and before the liquid removing step.

Abstract: The ink jet recording method according to the invention is characterized by that at least one of an ink and a surface treatment agent contains a resin that melts or softens at a fixing temperature by heat treatment; the surface treatment agent contains at least two kinds of particles different in particle size that do not melt at the fixing temperature; the particles contain first particles and second particles having a particle size larger than that of the first particles; and the second particles have a particle size falling within a range of more than 50 nm to less than 110 nm.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method repeatedly performing the following steps on a transfer body, a step of forming a first image including a liquid component containing water and a water-soluble organic solvent and an insoluble solid content; a liquid removing step of forming a second image, from which a part of a liquid component contained in the first image is removed; and a transferring step of transferring the second image onto a recording medium by heating the second image to a temperature equal to or higher than a minimum filming temperature of the second image, wherein the minimum filming temperature of the second image is a temperature equal to or higher than 100° C.; and the first image is not subjected to a heat history equal to or higher than a boiling point of the water after the step of forming the first image and before the liquid removing step.

Abstract: A transfer image forming apparatus includes ink applying unit for applying ink to an intermediate transfer member to form an intermediate image; a heating unit for irradiating the intermediate transfer member with at least infrared light to heat the intermediate image; and a transferring unit for pressing a recording medium against the intermediate transfer member having formed thereon the intermediate image to transfer the intermediate image onto the recording medium. The intermediate transfer member includes a substrate, and at least a second layer, a metal layer, and a first layer as a surface layer provided in the listed order on the substrate. The heat conductivity of the second layer is smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: A transfer image forming apparatus including an ink applying unit for applying an ink to an intermediate transfer member to form an intermediate image; a heating unit for irradiating the intermediate transfer member with at least infrared light to heat the intermediate image; and a transferring unit for pressing a recording medium against the intermediate transfer member having formed thereon the intermediate image to transfer the intermediate image onto the recording medium. The intermediate transfer member includes a substrate, and at least a second layer, a metal layer, and a first layer as a surface layer provided in the stated order on the substrate. The heat conductivity of the second layer has is smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has: a recording head having a liquid chamber and nozzles; a tank that stores the liquid which is supplied to the recording head; a liquid supply path that supplies the liquid from the tank to the liquid chamber; a supply pump provided on the liquid supply path; a liquid return path that returns the liquid from the liquid chamber to the tank; a return pump provided on the liquid return path; and a control unit that controls the supply pump and the return pump, wherein when the liquid is initially filled into the liquid chamber, the control unit drives the return pump so as to set the liquid chamber into a negative pressure state and subsequently drives the supply pump. The recording apparatus which can fill the liquid at a high speed without raising a pressure of a flow path can be provided.

Abstract: A drying apparatus includes: a rotatable belt which has an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface contacts a sheet; a blowing mechanism which blows hot air on the sheet at a side of the outer surface; and a heating unit which includes a heating element and a contact surface which is disposed in contact with the inner surface. A plurality of rollers are arranged in a direction in which the sheet travels. The rollers are pressed against the outer surface of the belt with the travelling sheet being held between the rollers and the outer surface of the belt.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus efficiently recovers defective discharge while reducing the amount of waste ink, acquires position information of a defective discharge nozzle and, based on the position information, determines whether the defective discharge has been caused by a bubble or a dust particle, and selects an ink circulation mode or a wiping mode.

Abstract: Each of four areas of 2×2 in one pixel has four sub areas and the four sub areas correspond to four nozzle arrays A to D. In the sub area of each area, information showing what nozzle array is used for a print of the area is defined. The sub area filled in black shows performing therein a print of a dot using nozzles in the nozzle array corresponding to the sub area. In this way, the dot arrangement pattern has information showing the nozzle array to which nozzles used for printing an area belong, for each area. Therefore, without executing the particular data allocation processing such as mask processing, the allocation of the dot data to the plurality of nozzle arrays can be carried out with a simple arrangement.

Abstract: During a cleaning operation, the following steps are executed. The steps includes a first step of pressurizing ink in a supply path to overflow the ink from a nozzle, a second step of stopping the pressurization, a third step of executing wiping while the pressurization is stopped and a negative pressure is not applied, and a fourth step of applying a negative pressure to the ink at the nozzle to generate a meniscus.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a dryer configured to dry ink on a print medium. The dryer includes a heating unit configured to heat air in the dryer, and an outside air adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the amount of outside air introduced into the dryer. When the outside air adjustment mechanism is controlled so that the outside air introduction amount is increased, before the control of the outside air introduction amount, the heating unit is controlled so that heated air heated by the heating unit is preheated to a second target temperature higher than a predetermined first target temperature for a normal operation. Even if the outside air introduction amount is actually increased to temporarily reduce the temperature of heated air, the temperature of the heated air can be maintained at a value required for sufficient drying.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus, an inkjet printing system and an inkjet printing method are provided in order to correct a print density at a joint (overlapped portion) of nozzle arrays of a print head. The print density at the joint (overlapped portion) of the nozzle arrays is corrected based on a positional deviation between two adjacent nozzle arrays of the print head.

Abstract: A method of a cleaning of an ejection face by supplying a head liquid on the face of an inkjet head provided with ink ejection openings and then by performing a wiping operation. Sufficient cleaning is achieved by appropriately specifying relative relationships among the surface tensions of the face, the ink and the head liquid, and by efficiently and surely removing an ink residue from the face. By supplying the head liquid to the ink residue on the face, both are mixed with each other, and thereby the ink residue is incorporated into the head liquid. In this respect, by using the ink and the head liquid both having a surface tension higher than that of the face, a wetting of a dissolved matter of the ink residue with respect to the face is reduced, and the dissolved matter of the ink residue is smoothly moved by the wiping operation.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus which are used to obtain a printed matter having a small degree of glossiness unevenness and a flat surface. The apparatus is the inkjet printing apparatus for forming an image on a print medium by relatively scanning a first ejection unit for ejecting a first ink and a second ejection unit for ejecting a second ink to the print medium. The apparatus includes forming unit configured to form the image with the first and second inks on the print medium in each of a first printing mode for completing an image by scanning the first ejection unit one time and a second printing mode for completing an image by scanning the second ejection unit plural times. A gloss value of a solid image with the second ink is greater than a gloss value of a solid image with the first ink.

Abstract: A drying apparatus includes: a rotatable belt which has an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface contacts a sheet; a blowing mechanism which blows hot air on the sheet at a side of the outer surface; and a heating unit which includes a heating element and a contact surface which is disposed in contact with the inner surface. A plurality of rollers are arranged in a direction in which the sheet travels. The rollers are pressed against the outer surface of the belt with the travelling sheet being held between the rollers and the outer surface of the belt.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus efficiently recovers defective discharge while reducing the amount of waste ink, acquires position information of a defective discharge nozzle and, based on the position information, determines whether the defective discharge has been caused by a bubble or a dust particle, and selects an ink circulation mode or a wiping mode.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a dryer configured to dry ink on a print medium. The dryer includes a heating unit configured to heat air in the dryer, and an outside air adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the amount of outside air introduced into the dryer. When the outside air adjustment mechanism is controlled so that the outside air introduction amount is increased, before the control of the outside air introduction amount, the heating unit is controlled so that heated air heated by the heating unit is preheated to a second target temperature higher than a predetermined first target temperature for a normal operation. Even if the outside air introduction amount is actually increased to temporarily reduce the temperature of heated air, the temperature of the heated air can be maintained at a value required for sufficient drying.

Abstract: Each of four areas of 2×2 in one pixel has four sub areas and the four sub areas correspond to four nozzle arrays A to D. In the sub area of each area, information showing what nozzle array is used for a print of the area is defined. The sub area filled in black shows performing therein a print of a dot using nozzles in the nozzle array corresponding to the sub area. In this way, the dot arrangement pattern has information showing the nozzle array to which nozzles used for printing an area belong, for each area. Therefore, without executing the particular data allocation processing such as mask processing, the allocation of the dot data to the plurality of nozzle arrays can be carried out with a simple arrangement.

Abstract: During a cleaning operation, the following steps are executed. The steps includes a first step of pressurizing ink in a supply path to overflow the ink from a nozzle, a second step of stopping the pressurization, a third step of executing wiping while the pressurization is stopped and a negative pressure is not applied, and a fourth step of applying a negative pressure to the ink at the nozzle to generate a meniscus.