Ink Jet Recording Apparatus

Abstract

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a color ink container having a capacity V 1 accommodating therein a solvent polymerizable in the presence of an acid and a colorant, a reaction liquid container having a capacity V 2 (V 2 <V 1 ) 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 S 1 :S 2 (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.

1 . An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
 a color ink container which has a capacity V 1  and accommodates therein a color ink comprising a first solvent which is polymerizable in the presence of an acid and a colorant dispersed in the first solvent;   a reaction liquid container which has a capacity V 2  and accommodates therein a reaction liquid comprising a second solvent, and a photo-acid generating agent which is dissolved in the second solvent and capable of generating an acid as it is irradiated with light, the capacity V 2  being smaller than the capacity V 1 ;   a stirring container which mixes said color ink and said reaction liquid to prepare a recording ink;   a color ink feeder which feeds said color ink from said color ink container to said stirring container;   a reaction liquid feeder which feeds said reaction liquid from said reaction liquid container to said stirring container;   an ink jet recording head which ejects said recording ink to a recording medium; and   a supply tube which feeds said recording ink to said ink jet recording head.   
     
     
         2 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said reaction liquid container is kept at a temperature lower than that for keeping said color ink container. 
     
     
         3 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fan for cooling said reaction liquid container. 
     
     
         4 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in the stirring container, the color ink is introduced at volume S 1 , and the reaction liquid is introduced at volume S 2 , and a ratio V 2 /V 1  is smaller than a mixing ratio S 2 /S 1 . 
     
     
         5 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an image data-storing/processing device, a recording ink residue-detecting monitor detecting the quantity of residual recording ink remaining inside said stirring container, and a control device, wherein image information and residual ink information are fed respectively from said image data-storing/processing device and said ink residue-detecting monitor to said control device, said image information and said residual ink information being subsequently fed to said color ink feeder as well as to said reaction liquid feeder. 
     
     
         6 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said color ink and said reaction liquid are fed to said stirring container at a ratio enables said recording ink to contain said photo-acid generating agent at a ratio of 1 to 20% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said color ink further comprises a basic compound and/or a basicity-adjusting compound. 
     
     
         8 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said color ink contains a basic compound and/or a basicity-adjusting compound at a ratio of 0.1 to 0.8% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
 a color ink container having a capacity V 1  and accommodating therein a color ink comprising a solvent which is polymerizable in the presence of an acid and a colorant dispersed in said solvent;   a reaction liquid container having a capacity V 2  and accommodating therein a reaction liquid comprising a solvent, and a photo-acid generating agent which is dissolved in said solvent and capable of generating an acid as it is irradiated with light, the capacity V 2  being smaller than the capacity V 1 ;   a stirring container mixing said color ink and said reaction liquid to prepare a recording ink;   a color ink supply means feeding said color ink from said color ink container to said stirring container;   a reaction liquid supply means feeding said reaction liquid from said reaction liquid container to said stirring container;   an ink jet recording head ejecting said recording ink to a recording medium; and   a supply tube feeding said recording ink to said ink jet recording head.   
     
     
         10 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said reaction liquid container is kept at a temperature lower than that for keeping said color ink container. 
     
     
         11 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a cooling fan for cooling said reaction liquid container. 
     
     
         12 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein in the stirring container, the color ink is introduced at volume S 1 , and the reaction liquid is introduced at volume S 2 , and a ratio V 2 /V 1  is smaller than a mixing ratio S 2 /S 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising an image data-storing/processing device, a recording ink residue-detecting monitor detecting the quantity of residual recording ink remaining inside said stirring container, and a control device, wherein image information and residual ink information are fed respectively from said image data-storing/processing device and said ink residue-detecting monitor to said control device, said image information and said residual ink information being subsequently fed to said color ink supply means as well as to said reaction liquid supply means. 
     
     
         14 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said color ink and said reaction liquid are fed to said stirring container at a ratio enables said recording ink to contain said photo-acid generating agent at a ratio of 1 to 20% by weight. 
     
     
         15 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said color ink further comprises a basic compound and/or a basicity-adjusting compound. 
     
     
         16 . The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said color ink contains a basic compound and/or a basicity-adjusting compound at a ratio of 0.1 to 0.8% by weight.