Transfer-type image recording method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9566781-B2
Application number	US-201615148204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2016
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A transfer-type image recording method including the steps of applying a treatment liquid that causes aggregation of a component contained in ink to an image formation surface of an intermediate transfer member; applying ink to the surface to form an intermediate image; transferring the image from the surface to an recording medium; and applying an aqueous cleaning liquid to the surface. The treatment liquid contains a nonionic surfactant. In the step of applying a treatment liquid, T1<Tc1 is satisfied, where T1 and Tc1 are respectively the temperature and cloud point of the treatment liquid. In the step of applying an aqueous cleaning liquid, T2>Tc2 is satisfied, where T2 is the temperature of a liquid mixture, formed on the surface, of a remainder of the treatment liquid and the aqueous cleaning liquid, and Tc2 is the cloud point of the liquid mixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer-type image recording method comprising the steps of:
applying a treatment liquid that causes aggregation of a component contained in an ink to an image formation surface of an intermediate transfer member;
applying an ink to the image formation surface to which the treatment liquid is applied to form an intermediate image;
transferring the intermediate image from the image formation surface to an recording medium; and
applying an aqueous cleaning liquid to the image formation surface after the transfer of the intermediate image,
wherein the treatment liquid contains a nonionic surfactant,
wherein in the step of applying a treatment liquid, the following Expression (1) is satisfied:
T 1< Tc 1  (1)

where T1 is a temperature of the treatment liquid applied to the image formation surface, and Tc1 is a cloud point of the treatment liquid, and
wherein in the step of applying an aqueous cleaning liquid, the following Expression (2) is satisfied:
T 2> Tc 2  (2)

where T2 is a temperature of a liquid mixture, formed on the image formation surface, of a remainder of the treatment liquid and the aqueous cleaning liquid, and Tc2 is a cloud point of the liquid mixture.

2. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein temperature conditions satisfying Expression (1) and Expression (2) are formed by temperature control of the image formation surface.

3. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature control includes at least one of cooling and heating.

4. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein the following Expression (3) is satisfied:
T 3> Tc 1  (3)

where T3 is a temperature of the aqueous cleaning liquid, and Tc1 is a cloud point of the treatment liquid.

5. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 4 , wherein a temperature condition satisfying Expression (3) is formed by temperature control of the image formation surface.

6. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein T2 and Tc2 satisfy T2−Tc2≧10° C.

7. The transfer-type image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the treatment liquid and the ink is applied to the image formation surface by an ink jet method.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Takeuchi Keiichirou
• Nitta Masaki
• Ohnishi Toru
• Ogata Takao

Classifications

• B41J2/0057 Primary

  where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material · CPC title

• B41M5/0017 Primary

  Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying · CPC title

• B41M5/38207 Primary

  characterised by aspects not provided for in groups B41M5/385 - B41M5/395 · CPC title

• B41M5/0256

  the transferable ink pattern being obtained by means of a computer driven printer, e.g. an ink jet or laser printer, or by electrographic means · CPC title