Colorless Patents (Class 347/98)
  • Patent number: 8328342
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method is disclosed, in which the method includes: recording an image, on a recording medium, using two or more ink compositions each comprising at least a pigment, by applying the two or more ink compositions to an acidic surface of the recording medium at a dotting interval of 500 msec or less; wherein the recording includes forming at least a first color sub-image by applying at least one of the two or more ink compositions and the at least one of the two or more ink compositions includes a self-dispersing polymer having an acid value of from 70 to 120 mgKOH/g and a water-soluble organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Irita, Terukazu Yanagi
  • Patent number: 8328349
    Abstract: Methods for controlling application of a substance to a substrate involve the use of a gating agent that blocks the substance from the substrate. The methods may utilize ink jet technology to apply the gating agent directly to the substrate or to an intermediate surface. The gating agent composition includes a nonionic surfactant, and water. The gating agent composition does not contain a discernable amount of dye, pigment or other colorant agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Moore Wallace North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Hook, Theodore F. Cyman, Jr., Lawrence Pilon, Jeffrey Zaloom
  • Patent number: 8317311
    Abstract: A multi-phase system for creating a metallic effect on a substrate, includes applying to the substrate a first ink jet ink having a dispersion of reflective metallic particles in a suitable carrier system, to form a reflective coating layer; and applying a second ink jet ink over the reflective coating layer to form a protective coating layer. Optionally, an undercoat layer is printed on the substrate prior to applying the first ink jet ink. The second ink jet comprises at least one crosslinkable polymer or is otherwise energy curable. The second ink jet ink optionally imparts a color to the metallic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Edwards, Sandra Zinke, Joshua Samuel, Matthew Tennis
  • Patent number: 8310721
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits a treatment liquid insolubilizing or aggregating inks of a plurality of colors, onto a recording medium; a recording head which has a plurality of nozzles ejecting the inks onto the recording medium on which the treatment liquid has been deposited; a data acquisition device which acquires density data of an image with respect to each color, the density data corresponding to the plurality of colors; a higher-order color correction device which corrects the density data, wherein when the inks of different colors are ejected in ejection order so that a preceding ink ejected precedingly to form a lower layer and a subsequent ink ejected subsequently to form an upper layer overlap each other, the higher-order color correction device corrects the density data for a nozzle ejecting the subsequent ink according to the density data for a nozzle ejecting the preceding ink; and an ejection controller which controls ejection of th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Saita, Yoshirou Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8287072
    Abstract: A method for using a processor to process image data received from an image data source in preparation for multipass printing, comprising multitoning the image data to produce a multitoned image, using the multitone level of a pixel in the multitoned image to select a plane of a print mask, using the location of the pixel in the multitoned image to select a cell of output pixels in the selected plane of the print mask, and copying the selected cell of output pixels to corresponding locations within a print buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Christopher Rueby, Douglas W. Couwenhoven
  • Patent number: 8284446
    Abstract: Consumable reduction is achieved for a printing device by utilizing a processor (32), memory (34) and software for receiving input information representative of an image to be printed and generating output information representative of a reduced consumable image in response to consumable smear, spatial relationship between adjacent dots and an image quality degradation. Factors such as print medium characteristics, heat or humidity and composure of the consumable are considered in performing the consumable reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Pretone Ltd.
    Inventors: Ori Eizenberg, Yishai Brafman, Boaz Katz, Raphael Salamon
  • Patent number: 8272705
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus including: a flushing-operation-data producing section which produces flushing-operation data for flashing of ink; a second-liquid-ejection-data producing section which produces data about ejection of treatment liquid such that (i) the treatment liquid is to be landed on a dot area on which the ink is to be landed upon forming an image dot among dot areas and (ii) an amount of the treatment liquid landed to be on at least one dot area on which the ink is to be landed upon flashing of the ink is made smaller, by referring the flushing-operation data produced by the flushing-operation-data producing section, than an amount of the treatment liquid to be landed on a dot area on which the ink is not to be landed upon flashing; and a second-liquid controlling section which controls a head on the basis of the data produced by the second-liquid-ejection-data producing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Itogawa
  • Patent number: 8246155
    Abstract: A fixer includes an aqueous vehicle, and at least one film-forming material selected from amine copolymers, polyamines, alkyl phenols, polycarboxylates, carboxylated acrylic copolymers, dendrimers, silicone polymers, acrylic acid copolymers, polystyrene sulfonates, polyvinyl sulfonates, dehydroxanthan gum, celluloses, cyclodextrin polymers, polymers having a terminal hydrophobic hydrocarbon group, polymers having a polyalkylene oxide group linked to a urethanyl group via a polyoxyalkyl amine group, polymers having a polyalkylene oxide group linked to a urethanyl group via a quaternized polyoxyalkyl amine group, polymers having a polyalkylene oxide group linked to a urethanyl group via a quaternized polyamine, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sukanya Rengaswamy, Christopher O. Oriakhi
  • Patent number: 8240837
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting unit that ejects a colored fluid and a colorless fluid toward a fluid ejection target medium; an irradiating unit that irradiates ultraviolet rays onto a fluid that lies on or over the fluid ejection target medium so as to cure the fluid; and a controlling unit that controls the fluid ejecting operation of the fluid ejecting unit and the ultraviolet ray irradiating operation of the irradiating unit. The controlling unit performs control so that the colorless fluid is ejected on an image that is made of the colored fluid that landed on the fluid ejection target medium. After the start of the agglomeration of the colorless fluid that landed on the image, the controlling unit performs control so that ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the colorless fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Toshio Kumagai, Kazutoshi Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 8240835
    Abstract: A inkjet recording apparatus includes a first inkjet head which ejects color ink having one of a hydrophobic property and an aqueous property; a second inkjet head which ejects colorless ink having the remaining the other property; and an ejection controller which controls the first inkjet head to eject the color ink on an image region and controls the second inkjet head to eject the colorless ink on an ejection region contacting the image region with a boundary therebetween. The ejection controller controls the first and second inkjet heads so that the colorless ink ejected from the second inkjet head reaches a second minute segment in the ejection region, the second minute segment adjacent to a first minute segment in the image region with the boundary interposed therebetween, before the color ink ejected from the first inkjet head reaches the first minute segment in the image region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoto Iwao
  • Patent number: 8235516
    Abstract: A method to improve the image of a printed barcode by enhancing coverage of the print pixels within solid printed areas to improve the print uniformity and decrease the graininess of the typical ink jet printing by dissolving a small percentage of the colorant and distributing more uniformly. The parameter improved by the invention is the graininess or uniformity of coverage. The contrast ratio within barcode data elements can be also improved without causing unwanted image bleed into unintended areas. Hence, the printed barcode will contain more clearly defined printed and non printed areas to enable the barcode to be accurately read. The invention prevents also unwanted bleeding in areas where it could lower the quality of the printed material by avoiding application of enhanced coverage facilitators when desired white space is identified within a minimum distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Judith D. Auslander, Douglas B. Quine
  • Patent number: 8226223
    Abstract: An ink set for ink-jet recording having a main ink and a sub ink. The main ink includes at least one of a polysaccharide and a polysaccharide derivative. The sub ink includes enzyme degrading at least one of the polysaccharide and the said polysaccharide derivative in the main ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Broker Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kou Shimada
  • Patent number: 8215759
    Abstract: Methods and means for imaging on paper media are provided. A data file of an image to be printed is analyzed. A pattern for a clear fluid is determined according to the analysis. The pattern of clear fluid is applied to a paper media traveling in a particular direction, wherein the pattern is generally elongated along the direction of travel. The pattern of clear fluid is defined by a maximum width that is generally equal to the maximum width of the image to be formed. One or more colored inks are applied such that the image is formed and is supported by the paper media. The paper media exhibits reduced cockle as a result of the pattern of clear fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mike Steed, Lluis Abello
  • Publication number: 20120169815
    Abstract: A liquid jetting device treatment liquid containing no colorant including a N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone represented by the following General Formula 1: General Formula 1 where R represents an alkyl group having 8 to 11 carbon atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventor: Koji Katsuragi
  • Patent number: 8210672
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method, including printing with an ink including a chromatic ink, an achromatic ink, and a resin ink; the resin ink contains at least thermoplastic resin particles that are insoluble in water but compatible with water-soluble solvents for resins as well as water-soluble solvent for resins; the inks all contain a silicon surfactant and an acetylene glycol surfactant that has an HLB value equal to or less than 6; and the printing method includes a step of drying performed during and/or after printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mukai, Hidehiko Komatsu, Hiroshi Ito, Hitoshi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8205980
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording liquid composition which is used together with a colored ink to form images and is capable of causing reaction upon contact with the colored ink; the composition being characterized by containing at least (a) a polyvalent metal salt, (b) a substance selected from cryptands and (c) a liquid medium; or an ink-jet recording ink characterized by containing at least (a) a polyvalent metal salt, (b) a substance selected from cryptands, (c) a liquid medium and (d) a coloring material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuharu Notoya, Ryuji Katsuragi
  • Patent number: 8197050
    Abstract: Provided are an inkjet printing apparatus and an inkjet printing method in which a high-quality image free of peeling of an image face can be printed, while an amount of a treatment liquid consumed is reduced. For that purpose, a group of pigment-based inks excellent in wettability with respect to the treatment liquid (small in contact angle with respect to the treatment liquid) are made relatively small in a proportion of the treatment liquid applied to a position to which the pigment-based ink concerned is applied. In contrast, a group of pigment-based inks poor in wettability (great in contact angle with respect to the treatment liquid) are made relatively great in a proportion of the treatment liquid applied to a position to which the pigment-based ink concerned is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rie Takekoshi, Takao Ogata
  • Patent number: 8197051
    Abstract: Disclosed are an ink jet recording ink set which is suppressed in bleeding and shot droplet interference and can form a high quality image and an ink jet image recording method. The ink jet recording ink set has plural liquids including at least a first liquid and a second liquid. The second liquid contains a polymerizable compound and the first liquid contains a high-boiling point organic solvent and the high-boiling organic solvent meets any one of the following requirements (A) to (C) and an ink jet image recording method includes supplying a first and a second liquid simultaneously or sequentially to a recording medium such that both liquids are in contact with each other, to form an image: (A) it has a viscosity of 100 mPa·s or less at 25° C. and a viscosity of 30 mPa·s or less at 60° C. and has a boiling point of 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Makuta, Masaaki Konno, Tetsuzo Kadomatsu
  • Patent number: 8132878
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus, an ink jet printing method, and a data generating apparatus are provided in which an image performance such as an abrasion resistance can be improved and a printing head can have a longer life by ejecting processing liquid at an appropriate time. The processing liquid is ejected, to a predetermined area on a printing medium in which the formation of a image by ink is completed, from a printing head in two or more scannings in five scannings of the printing heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rie Takekoshi, Takao Ogata, Takumi Kaneko, Noboru Kunimine
  • Patent number: 8087768
    Abstract: A method of ink-jet printing an authentication mark on an article including, in order, the steps of: a) providing an article including an ink-receiving layer; b) applying a curable fluid on an ink-receiving layer according to a first image; c) at least partially curing the curable fluid; and d) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to generate a security document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Eddie Daems, Luc Leenders, Hans Strijckers
  • Patent number: 8083337
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus, an ink jet printing method, a data generation apparatus, a computer program, and an ink jet printing system by which a timing for ejecting a processing liquid can be changed to improve image performance of a printed image such as abrasion resistance, to provide the printing head with a longer life, and to improve a throughput. The processing liquid is ejected to a predetermined area on a printing medium, for which a formation of an image by ink is completed, in two or more scannings among five scannings of the printing head. When an amount of ejection data for ejecting the processing liquid in the fifth scanning for ejecting only the processing liquid is equal to or lower than a predetermined amount, the fifth scanning is not carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rie Takekoshi, Takao Ogata, Takumi Kaneko, Noboru Kunimine
  • Patent number: 8079694
    Abstract: Methods and means for imaging on paper media are provided. A data file of an image to be printed is analyzed. A pattern for a clear fluid is determined according to the analysis. The pattern of clear fluid is applied to a paper media traveling in a particular direction, wherein the pattern is generally elongated along the direction of travel. The pattern of clear fluid is defined by a maximum width that is generally equal to the maximum width of the image to be formed. One or more colored inks are applied such that the image is formed and is supported by the paper media. The paper media exhibits reduced cockle as a result of the pattern of clear fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mike Steed, Lluis Abello
  • Patent number: 8075122
    Abstract: An inkjet ink set includes eleven colored inks and a surface enhancing ink. The eleven colored inks include a magenta ink, a light magenta ink, a yellow ink, a cyan ink, a light cyan ink, a medium gray ink, a light gray ink, a photo black ink, a red ink, a green ink, and a blue ink. The surface enhancing ink is configured to enhance gloss of an image formed with at least one of the eleven colored inks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shunqiong Yue, Peter C. Morris, Anne M. Kelly-Rowley, Zeying Ma, David Mahli, Howard A. Doumaux, Gregg A Lane, John M Gardner
  • Patent number: 8042900
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits on a recording medium a treatment liquid that insolubilizes or aggregates an ink; a recording head having nozzles which eject the ink; a non-uniformity correction amount storage device storing non-uniformity correction amount data which are prepared with respect to each of the plurality of nozzles and determined according to ejection characteristics of each of the plurality of nozzles; a data acquisition device which acquires density data of an image; a non-uniformity correction amount revision device which revises the non-uniformity correction amount data according to the density data related to another nozzle which ejects the ink that overlaps on the recording medium with the ink ejected by each of the plurality of nozzles, in such a manner that the non-uniformity correction amount data are determined; a non-uniformity correction device which corrects the density data according to the non-uniformity correction amount
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Setsuji Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 8033660
    Abstract: An active-energy ray curable ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an active-energy ray irradiation source; a plurality of full-line ink-jet heads which eject a liquid functional material that is curable by an active-energy ray, onto a recording medium which is scanned and transported; and a head controller for controlling the heads to form an image on the recording medium, wherein the plurality of full-line ink-jet heads include at least a black head and a yellow head on an extreme downstream side in a direction of transporting the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakazawa, Toshiyuki Makuta, Tsutomu Umebayashi
  • Patent number: 8025384
    Abstract: A reaction liquid destabilizing the dissolved state or dispersed state of a coloring material by being in contact with an ink containing the coloring material on a recording medium, wherein the reaction liquid contains at least calcium ions, glycerin and polyethylene glycols, and wherein the content and ratio of these components are specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ogasawara, Souichi Nagai, Tetsu Iwata, Shuichiro Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20110228023
    Abstract: After one ink of a white ink or a silver ink is ejected in a predetermined position of a recording medium such as a piece of recording paper to form a base layer, the other ink thereof is ejected on the base layer to form an intermediate layer, and a clear ink is ejected on the intermediate layer to form an epidermal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kinya OZAWA
  • Patent number: 7976145
    Abstract: A recording method is provided for recording images based on image data on a recording area of a recording medium using a first color liquid and a second color liquid containing coloring material and a colorless liquid not containing the coloring material, the recording medium being transported along a predetermined transport direction, the method including: a consumption amount calculation step of calculating a consumption amount of the first color liquid consumed when recording the images based on the image data on the recording medium, the consumption amount being obtained by subtracting the content of the coloring material from a total consumption amount of the first color liquid, and the consumption amount being calculated for each unit area of the recording area of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Hara
  • Patent number: 7959252
    Abstract: Ejection of a clear-ink nozzle is inspected with ease. When forming an ejection-test pattern for a clear ink, for example, the clear ink is ejected toward a medium from a clear-ink nozzle to form the ejection-test pattern, and a color ink is ejected toward a region in which the clear ink is to adhere from at least two color-ink nozzles to form the ejection-test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Endo
  • Patent number: 7934785
    Abstract: A coating system comprises a high gloss coating ink supply source, and a low gloss coating ink supply source. The system includes a coating module configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a first group of nozzles configured to emit the high gloss coating ink, and a second group of nozzles configured to emit the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a mixing reservoir configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink and to commingle the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink to form an intermediate gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a third group of inkjet nozzles configured to emit the intermediate gloss coating ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Herman Lang
  • Patent number: 7897655
    Abstract: This invention relates to an ink jet ink composition comprising an aqueous medium and at least two different polymers, a first polymer and a second polymer, having a weight average acid number of 70 to 200. In one embodiment the ink is substantially colorless.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hwei-Ling Yau, David S. Uerz, Wendy S. Krzemien, Charles R. Salerno
  • Patent number: 7896484
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a color ink container having a capacity V1 accommodating therein a solvent polymerizable in the presence of an acid and a colorant, a reaction liquid container having a capacity V2 (V2<V1) accommodating therein a reaction liquid comprising a solvent, and a photo-acid generating agent capable of generating an acid when irradiated with light, a stirring container mixing the color ink and the reaction liquid at a mixing ratio of S1:S2 (the color ink:the reaction liquid) to prepare a recording ink, a color ink supply means feeding the color ink to the stirring container, a reaction liquid supply means feeding the reaction liquid to the stirring container, an ink jet recording head ejecting the recording ink to a recording medium, and a supply tube feeding the recording ink to the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hiroki, Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Yoshito Endo, Toru Ushirogouchi, Ryozo Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7866805
    Abstract: An introducing liquid for an ink jet head in the invention is used to fill the ink jet head before introducing ink into the ink jet head. The introducing liquid has a surface tension satisfying the following equation (1), and a contact angle of not more than 25 degrees with respect to an ink passage member of the ink jet head to be applied. An ink jet head of the invention is to be filled with the introducing liquid. 6mN/m<(St10?St1000)<16mN/m??(1) where St10 is a surface tension in a lifetime of 10 msec, and St1000 is a surface tension in a lifetime of 1000 msec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 7762657
    Abstract: An ink set for an inkjet of the present invention comprises an ink and a processing liquid, wherein at least one of the ink and the processing liquid contains a water-soluble non-linear polymer. The non-linear polymer has at least one selected from the group consisting of a branched structure, a cross linking structure and a mesh structure in a molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Tokita, Ken Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7718235
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overcoat composition for an imaged image-recording element, the overcoat composition comprising an aqueous carrier, an optional humectant, an optional surfactant, and 0.05 to 20 weight percent, based on the total weight of the overcoat composition, of an addition polymer having an acid number greater than about 110. The invention also relates to a method of making an imaged image recording element having a transparent overcoat, which method comprises forming an image on the image recording element and applying over the image an overcoat composition of the present invention. The overcoat compositions of the invention provide advantageous stain resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David S. Uerz, Hwei-Ling Yau
  • Patent number: 7690778
    Abstract: A printhead auto-alignment detection system includes a UV LED configured and positioned to transmit light in ultraviolet wavelengths onto a printed printhead alignment pattern formed using an aqueous ink having a UV fluorescing material. A sensor is configured and positioned to detect light in visible wavelengths emitted by the fluorescing material. A controller is communicatively coupled to the UV LED and the sensor. The controller is configured to execute program instructions for controlling the output of the UV LED and for reading a signal output of the sensor during a printhead alignment operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaorong Cai, Xuan-Chao Huang, Richard L. Reel, Ajay Kanubhai Suthar
  • Patent number: 7645019
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: an object liquid deposition device which deposits an object liquid containing coloring material onto a recording medium; a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits a treatment liquid that insolubilizes the coloring material onto the recording medium; and a control device which controls the treatment liquid deposition device in such a manner that volume of the treatment liquid deposited in a high-density region on the recording medium where volume per prescribed surface area of the object liquid deposited on the recording medium is high, is less than volume of the treatment liquid deposited in a low-density region on the recording medium where the volume per prescribed surface area of the object liquid deposited on the recording medium is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 7641961
    Abstract: A method of producing a print medium to reduce problems associated with the gradual dye-fade and color-shift of inks over time, and to provide improved resistance to physical handling is provided Specifically, a method can comprise steps of coating a media substrate with a porous coating composition of semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates to form a porous ink receiving layer, coating the porous ink-receiving layer with a latex layer configured to allow an ink-jet ink to be received at the porous ink-receiving layer, printing ink-jet ink on at least a portion of the latex layer to form ink-associated latex regions exclusive of non-printed latex regions, and heating the latex layer. The ink-jet ink can include an ink vehicle, a colorant, and a film promoting additive that lowers the film forming temperature of the latex particulates in the ink-associated latex regions. Upon heating, the ink-associated latex regions form a continuous film, and non-printed latex regions do not form a continuous film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Radha Sen, Juan M. Salazar, Jayprakash C. Bhatt
  • Publication number: 20090237425
    Abstract: A coating system comprises a high gloss coating ink supply source, and a low gloss coating ink supply source. The system includes a coating module configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a first group of nozzles configured to emit the high gloss coating ink, and a second group of nozzles configured to emit the low gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a mixing reservoir configured to receive the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink and to commingle the high gloss coating ink and the low gloss coating ink to form an intermediate gloss coating ink. The coating module includes a third group of inkjet nozzles configured to emit the intermediate gloss coating ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph Herman Lang
  • Publication number: 20090195601
    Abstract: A printing method includes applying at least one of a plurality of pigmented colored inks to a receiving surface. A colorless ink is applied to the receiving surface. A majority of the colorless ink is ejected from of first nozzles on a printhead used for ejecting the colorless ink. At least 30% of an area on the receiving surface, which is passed over by the first nozzles, is covered with the colorless ink during a single pass of the printhead over the area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Steven A. Billow, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, James A. Mott, Yang Shi, Richard C. Reem
  • Patent number: 7527345
    Abstract: When colored inks and a clear ink are recorded, the printing medium tends to undulate and blotting of ink can occur. Thus, it is difficult to obtain favorable picture quality under various printing conditions. To cope with this, a printing device is designed so that colored inks and a clear ink are recorded on a printing medium and an image thereby formed is controlled. The maximum recording rate for the colored inks is made lower than the maximum ink recording rate at which ink can be recorded per unit area of a printing medium. The quantities of inks are determined so that the clear ink and the colored inks are recorded on the printing medium with the maximum ink recording rate at which ink can be recorded per unit area of the printing medium taken as the limit. The image is formed with the thus determined ink quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Fukuda, Yoshifumi Arai
  • Publication number: 20080239043
    Abstract: An active-energy ray curable ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an active-energy ray irradiation source; a plurality of full-line ink-jet heads which eject a liquid functional material that is curable by an active-energy ray, onto a recording medium which is scanned and transported; and a head controller for controlling the heads to form an image on the recording medium, wherein the full-line ink-jet heads include: a head arrangement having adjacent combinations of at least one set of colors in a complementary relationship; and active-energy ray irradiation sources which are placed respectively for each of the combinations on downstream sides of the combinations in the scanning transporting direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Yusuke NAKAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20080238998
    Abstract: An active-energy ray curable ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an active-energy ray irradiation source; a plurality of full-line ink-jet heads which eject a liquid functional material that is curable by an active-energy ray, onto a recording medium which is scanned and transported; and a head controller for controlling the heads to form an image on the recording medium, wherein the plurality of full-line ink-jet heads include at least a black head and a yellow head on an extreme downstream side in a direction of transporting the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Yusuke NAKAZAWA, Toshiyuki MAKUTA, Tsutomu UMEBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 7384138
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method comprising ejecting ink droplets on an image-receiving material according to recording signals to record an image on the image-receiving material, wherein at least one of the ink and the image-receiving material comprises an acid precursor capable of releasing an acid by a chemical reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7381756
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink set which has a superior effect in suppressing gloss unevenness of printed images, and which thus makes it possible to obtain images that have a uniform gloss. The present invention achieves this object by providing an ink set comprising one or more color ink compositions containing a pigment as a coloring agent and a dispersing resin that is used to disperse this pigment, and one or more clear ink compositions which contain an aqueous polymer but which contain no coloring agent, wherein the dispersing resin and the aqueous polymer belong to a common category so that the 60° specular gloss (according to JIS Z 8741) of the printed images that are formed by the abovementioned color ink compositions and/or the abovementioned clear ink composition is substantially uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kato, Shuichi Kataoka, Kiyohiko Takemoto
  • Patent number: 7354127
    Abstract: Ejection of a clear-ink nozzle is inspected with ease. When forming an ejection-test pattern for a clear ink, for example, the clear ink is ejected toward a medium from a clear-ink nozzle to form the ejection-test pattern, and a color ink is ejected toward a region in which the clear ink is to adhere from at least two color-ink nozzles to form the ejection-test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Endo
  • Patent number: 7311394
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuei Ishikawa, Kazuhiro Nakajima, Koichiro Nakazawa, Katsuhiro Shirota
  • Patent number: 7303258
    Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a fixative reservoir with at least one outlet formed in a wall section that partially defines the reservoir. The printer also has a pagewidth printhead having designated nozzles for printing the ink fixative. The fixative reservoir has fluid conduits at least partially defined in the wall section exterior such that the at least one outlet is in fluid communication with the designated nozzles. Forming the reservoir and the fluid distribution conduits to the printhead in the same component reduces the assembly time and complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7300146
    Abstract: A printing device including a plurality of cartridges, at least one cartridge including a visible ink and at least one cartridge including a clear ink; a print portion; and an accessory module in connection with the print portion; wherein the clear ink of at least one cartridge has a longer drying time than the visible ink of at least one cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Carrie Roberts
  • Patent number: 7297454
    Abstract: A colorless ink jet ink composition is provided for printers for printing on both porous and hybrid glossy or semi-glossy media. The ink composition comprises a water soluble polymer or dispersed latex. The ink formulation provides substantially air fast, stain resistant, and light fastness to the printed image. Further, the ink formulation evidences improved overall image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Zeying Ma, John M Gardner, Gregg A Lane