Abstract: A leather coloring process for carrying out coloring on a natural leather, or a natural leather which has been subjected to degreasing. The coloring process is accomplished by ink-jet coloring on at least a partial area of the natural leather.

Abstract: An ink tank for storably receiving ink therein comprises a housing having an ink feeding port to allow ink to be storably received therein and fed through the ink feeding port, an ink absorbing member accommodated in the housing for retaining ink, the ink absorbing member being a porous block with a first surface facing the ink feeding port and having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure, and comprising a foamed block molded of a condensate of a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde as base materials. The ink absorbing member is pressed toward the ink feeding port by pressing substantially an entire area of a second surface of the ink absorbing member opposite its first surface.

Abstract: An ink tank includes a housing and an ink absorbing member accommodated in the housing. The ink absorbing member is constructed using a water jet cutter. The ink absorbing member is a thermosetting foamed block having a porous three-dimensional divergent circuit network; the foamed block is molded of a condensate comprising a compound having an amino group and a formaldehyde. The foamed block is formed for placement in the housing by actuating the water jet cutter and worked by actuating the water jet cutter to provide slits or holes in the ink absorbing member different from pores of the foamed block.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording medium comprising a base material, the surface of which is coated with a composition comprising, as an essential component, a polymer having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 20,000 which is obtained by reacting a polyvalent carboxylic acid, or anhydride or lower alkyl ester thereof with a polyhydroxyl compound having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 1,000 obtained by adding ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide to a compound having 2 to 4 active hydrogen atoms.

Abstract: A printing system having an ink tank for storing ink, the ink tank having a housing having an ink feeding port formed through a first surface for feeding ink therethrough, and a second surface opposite the first. An ink absorbing member is accommodated in the housing, is a porous member having a three-dimensional net-shaped structure molded of a composition comprising a condensate of (i) a compound having an amino group and (ii) formaldehyde, and has a first surface facing the ink feeding port. An alleviating member having more resilience than the ink absorbing member is disposed between the ink absorbing member and an ink outflow portion formed through the ink feeding port and alleviates pressure applied by the ink outflow portion against the ink absorbing member. Both the alleviating member and the ink absorbing member are deformed by compression against the ink outflow portion.

Abstract: A length of a melamine foamed block to be accommodated in an ink tank housing as measured in the longitudinal direction is dimensioned to be larger than a length of the ink tank housing as measured in the longitudinal direction. Thus, while the foamed block is accommodated in the ink tank housing, it is compressed in the direction orienting toward an ink feeding port from which ink is fed to a printing head, i.e., in the ink feeding direction. Consequently, the ink retaining force induced by the capillary force is not intensified in the compressing direction of the melamine foamed block, resulting in an ink feeding capability of the printing head being improved. On the contrary, the ink retaining force effective at a right angle relative to the compressing direction of the melamine foamed block is intensified.

Abstract: A leather coloring process for carrying out coloring on a natural leather, or a natural leather which has been subjected to degreasing. The coloring process is accomplished by ink-jet coloring on at least a partial area of the natural leather.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image forming process, comprising the steps of:ejecting droplets of a liquid ink containing a disperse dye according to predetermined information to form an image on an ink-absorbent printing sheet;bringing the printing sheet into close contact under heat with an ink-nonabsorbent base material having a receiving layer for receiving the disperse dye to diffuse the disperse dye into the receiving layer; andseparating the printing sheet from the base material,wherein the receiving layer comprises a resin having a pencil hardness of H or harder as determined by the pencil hardness test in accordance with JIS K 5400.

Abstract: An ink absorbing member is inserted in an ink tank housing which at least partly has a transparent portion. Used as this ink absorbing member is one having a reflection density after ink removal which is close to the reflection density of a melamine foam before ink injection. The amount of ink remaining in a cartridge of such a construction can be detected, for example, by a separate line sensor. The results of detection by the line sensor can be displayed by a remaining ink amount indicator provided on a control panel of the printing apparatus.

Abstract: A monoazo compound of the general formula ##STR1## wherein; Y is hydrogen, methyl, methoxy, acetylamino, or nitro, or Y, cojointly with the carbon atom located in the benzene ring B at the 3-position with respect to the N.dbd.N group, may form a benzene ring; X is acetyl, benzoyl, p-toluenesulfonyl, or 4-chloro-6-hydroxy-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl; and M.sup.1, M.sup.2 and M.sup.3 each are a base selected from alkali metal atom, ammonium cation and amine salt cation. A recording liquid comprising a coloring matter, which is an image-forming component, and a liquid medium for dissolving or dispersing the coloring matter, said recording liquid being characterized by containing as coloring matter the above-mentioned monoazo compound.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink comprising a coloring material and a liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a solvent containing clusters composed of 1 to 10 molecules.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink comprising at least a coloring material and a liquid medium dissolving or dispersing the coloring material therein, wherein the viscosity of the ink reaches a maximum peak in a pH range of from 4 to 10.

Abstract: A naphthalene trisazo compound represented by the general formula (I) or (II): ##STR1## wherein A and B each represents a substituted or unsubstituted benzene or naphthalene ring; m represents zero or 1; and M represents an alkali metal atom, ammonium or H.Am (wherein Am represents an amine); or ##STR2## wherein X represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a phenyl group or a phenyl group substituted by --SO.sub.3 M; m represents zero or 1; M represents an alkali metal atom, ammonium or H.Am (wherein Am represents an amine); A, B and C each represents a substituted or an unsubstituted benzene or naphthalene ring, provided that B and C do not represent a naphthalene ring at the same time. A recording liquid containing these compounds is suitable for use in an ink-jet recording system.

Abstract: In a recording liquid comprising, as essential components, a colorant in an amount necessary to image formation, water, an a water-miscible organic solvent, said recording liquid is characterized in that the total number of colonies in the Ames test thereof is not more than four times that of the control test using sterilized water.

Abstract: A naphthalenedisazoic dye represented by general formula (I); ##STR1## wherein Q represents ##STR2## or a naphthalene group substituted by --SO.sub.3 M; R represents a methyl group, a methoxy group, an ethoxy group; X represents a hydrogen atom, a phenyl group substituted by --SO.sub.3 M; m represents 1 or 2; n represents 1 when X represents a hydrogen atom and n represents zero when X represents a phenyl group substituted by --SO.sub.3 M, wherein X represents a hydrogen atom and m represents 1 when Q represents a naphthalene group substituted by --SO.sub.3 M; and M represents an alkali metal atom, an ammonium, or H.A (wherein A represents an amine), and a recording liquid containing the dye. The recording liquid is suitable for use in an ink-jet recording system.

Abstract: A liquid composition comprising a water-soluble dye is provided. The composition contains iron and silicon at a concentration of 9 ppm or less. A method for recording with liquid droplets formed from the liquid composition is also provided. Further, a water soluble dye for the liquid composition is provided, the dye containing iron and silicon at a total concentration of 250 ppm or less.

Abstract: In a recording liquid comprising, as essential components, a colorant in an amount necessary to image formation, water, and a water-miscible organic solvent, said recording liquid is characterized in that the total number of colonies in the Ames test thereof is not more than four times that of the control test using sterilized water.

Abstract: In a recording liquid comprising, as essential components, a colorant in an amount necessary to image formation, water, and a water-miscible organic solvent, said recording liquid is characterized in that the total number of colonies in the Ames test thereof is not more than four times that of the control test using sterilized water.

Abstract: The recording liquid containing at least one of the naphthelenediazoic dyes shown by general formula (I) or (II): ##STR1## as defined in the claim, and a liquid medium for dissolving or dispersing the dye.The recording liquid of this invention has the viscosity and surface tension in the proper ranges, does not cause clogging discharging orifices of an ink-jet recorder and shows good storage stability. Furthermore, the recording liquid gives recorded images excellent in fixing speed, light resistance, water resistance, abrasion resistance and resolution.

Abstract: In an ink-jet recording process which comprises forming droplets of an ink and recording on an image receiving material by using the droplets, said ink is prepared by dispersing fine particles of pigment into aqueous dispersion medium containing polymer having both a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic construction portion. An average particle size (D micron) of the pigment and an average molecular weight of the polymer satisfy the relationship represented by the following equation.D.times.5.times.10.sup.2 .ltoreq.WAnd the ratio of molecular weight of the pigment to average molecular weight of the polymer is a value in the range from 1:2 to 1:150.