Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
An ink comprising at least one salt selected
from the group consisting of (M 1 ) 2 SO 4 , CH 3 COO(M 1 ), Ph-COO(M 1 ),
(M 1 )NO 3 , (M 1 )Cl, (M 2 )Br, (M 1 )I, (M 1 ) 2 SO 3 and
(M 1 ) 2 CO 3 , wherein M 1 represents an alkali metal, ammonium
or organic ammonium, and Ph represents a phenyl group,
and self-dispersing anionic carbon black having a
functional-group density of at least 1.8 (µmol/m 2 ) on
its surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink according to Claim 1, wherein the
salt is contained in a proportion of 0.05 to 10 % by
weight based on the total weight of the ink.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink according to Claim 2, wherein the salt
is contained in a proportion of 0.1 to 5 % by weight
based on the total weight of the ink.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ink according to any one of Claims 1 to 3,
wherein the self-dispersing anionic carbon black has at
least one hydrophilic group bonded directly or through
another atomic group to the surface thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The ink according to Claim 4, wherein the
hydrophilic group is selected from the group consisting
of -COO(M 2 ), -SO 3 (M 2 ) 2 , -PO 3 H(M 2 ) and -PO 3 (M 2 ) 2 ,
wherein M 2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium
or organic ammonium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ink according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said
another atomic group is an alkylene group having 1 to
12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted
phenylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted
naphthylene group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The ink according to Claim 4, wherein the
hydrophilic group is selected from the group consisting
of -COO(M 2 ), -SO 3 (M 2 ) 2 and -PO 3 (M 2 ) 2 , and M 2 in the above
formulae is identical with M 1 in the formulae
representing the salt in any one of Claims 1 to 4 and
6.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
An ink comprising at least one salt selected
from the group consisting of (M 1 ) 2 SO 4 , CH 3 COO(M 1 ), Ph-COO(M 1 ),
(M 1 )NO 3 , (M 1 )Cl, (M 1 )Br, (M 1 )I, (M 1 ) 2 SO 3 and
(M 1 ) 2 CO 3 , wherein M 1 represents an alkali metal, ammonium
or organic ammonium, and Ph represents a phenyl group,
and a self-dispersing anionic carbon black having a
functional-group density of at least 0.45 (mmol/g) on
its surface, the ink undergoing no substantial change
in viscosity even when it is stored for one month in an
environment of 60°C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ink according to any one of Claims 1 to
8, wherein the self-dispersing anionic carbon black has
an average particle diameter of at least 90 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ink according to any one of Claims 1 to
9, wherein the ink is an ink for ink-jet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
An ink set comprising in combination the
black ink according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, and a
water-based color ink comprising at least one coloring
material selected from among coloring materials for
cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green and blue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ink set according to Claim 11, wherein
the coloring material for the color ink is an acid dye
or a direct dye.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ink set according to Claim 11, wherein
the coloring material for the color ink is a pigment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ink set according to any one of Claims 11
to 13, which is used for ink-jet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ink cartridge comprising an ink tank which
contains the ink according to any one of Claims 1 to
10.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A recording unit comprising an ink container
portion containing the ink according to Claim 10, and a
head portion for ejecting the ink.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image recording apparatus comprising an ink
container portion containing the ink according to Claim
10, and a recording head for ejecting the ink.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A color-image recording apparatus comprising
an ink container portion containing the ink according
to Claim 10, another ink container portion containing a
water-based color ink comprising at least one coloring
material selected from among coloring materials for
cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green and blue, and
recording head portions for respectively ejecting the
inks contained in the respective ink container
portions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image recording process comprising the step
of ejecting the ink according to Claim 10 toward the
surface of a recording medium to apply the ink to the
surface thereof, thereby recording an image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image recording process according to
Claim 19, wherein the energy for ejecting the ink is
thermal energy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image recording process according to Claim
19, wherein the energy for ejecting the ink is
mechanical energy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for forming a color image comprising
the steps of ejecting a first water-based ink
comprising at least one coloring material selected from
among coloring materials for cyan, magenta, yellow,
red, green and blue toward the surface of a recording
medium to apply the ink to the surface thereof; and
ejecting the ink according to Claim 10 as a second ink
toward the surface of the recording medium to apply the
second ink to the surface thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
A water-based ink-jet ink comprising a self-dispersing
carbon black having an average particle
diameter of at least 90 nm and stably dispersed in an
aqueous medium, and a salt, wherein the density of an
image obtained by the ink is lowered if the salt is not
contained.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for improving the image density of
an ink-jet recorded image formed with an ink comprising
a self-dispersing carbon black having an average
particle diameter of at least 90 nm and being stably
dispersed in an aqueous medium, the method comprising
causing a salt to be contained as an agent for
inhibiting penetration of the self-dispersing carbon
black into the interior of a recording medium in the
ink.