Ink composition and ink jet recording apparatus and method

Claim 2

An ink composition having a viscosity of not less than about 10 4 mPa.s at normal ambient temperatures and being liquid at elevated temperatures for ink jet recording on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component which will permeate into the recording medium; a second component having a higher melting point than the first component which will not substantially permeate into the record medium with the first component; the colorant, first component and the second component selected from materials which will form a uniform liquid phase when melted and the second component and colorant will be fixed to the recording medium by the first component upon cooling to form a recording on the first component upon cooling.

Claim 3

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is between 50:1 and 1:10.

Claim 4

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the melting point of the second component is at least about 10° C. higher than the melting point of the first component.

Claim 5

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the melting point of the second component is at least about 50° C. higher than the melting point of the first component.

Claim 6

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the first component is selected from the group consisting of petroleum wax and candellia wax and combinations thereof.

Claim 7

The ink composition of claim 5, wherein the petroleum wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax and mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the melting point of the second component is not less than 60° C.

Claim 9

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids and fatty dibasic acids and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the colorant is a dye.

Claim 11

The ink composition of claim 1, further including at least one of an esther phthalate and a poly-benzoate.

Claim 12

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the first component is selected from the group consisting of ester phthalates and fluid paraffin.

Claim 13

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein the first component is petroleum wax.

Claim 14

An ink composition that is in a solid state at normal room temperatures but being liquid at elevated temperatures for ink jet recording on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component which will permeate into the recording medium; a second component having a melting point at least about 10° C. higher than the first component; the colorant, first component and the second component forming a uniform liquid phase when melted and the second component and colorant forming a recording on the first component upon cooling.

Claim 15

An ink composition that is in a solid state at normal room temperatures but being liquid at elevated temperatures for ink jet recording on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component which will permeate into the recording medium; a second component having a melting point at least about 10° C. higher than the first component; the colorant, first component and the second component forming a uniform liquid phase when melted and the second component and colorant forming a recording on the first component upon cooling.

Claim 16

The ink composition of claim 3, wherein the first component is a wax, selected from the group consisting of petroleum wax and candelilla wax and combinations thereof.

Claim 17

The ink composition of claim 13, wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is between 50:1 and 10:1.

Claim 18

The ink composition of claim 13, wherein the melting point of the second component is not less than 60° C.

Claim 19

The ink composition of claim 13, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids and fatty dibasic acids and combinations thereof.

Claim 20

The ink composition of claim 13, wherein the colorant is a dye.

Claim 21

An ink composition having a viscosity of more than about 10 4 mPa.s at normal ambient temperatures and liquid at elevated temperatures for ink jet printing on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component formed of a wax which will permeate into the recording medium when liquid; and a second component which will not substantially permeate into the recording medium with the first component, the second component formed of an organic material selected from the group consisting of fatty amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids, fatty dibasic acids, and combinations thereof and having a melting point higher than the melting point of the first component.

Claim 22

An ink composition having a viscosity of more than about 10 4 mPa.s at normal ambient temperatures and liquid at elevated temperatures for ink jet printing on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component formed of a wax which will permeate into the recording medium when liquid; and a second component which will not substantially permeate into the recording medium with the first component, the second component formed of an organic material selected from the group consisting of fatty amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids, fatty dibasic acids, and combinations thereof and having a melting point higher than the melting point of the first component.

Claim 23

The ink composition of claim 19, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of amide erucate, amide laurate, coconut acid amide, stearic acid amide, palmitic acid amide, behenic acid amide, brassidic acid amide, acetamide, benzamide, propionamine, amide oleate, ricinoleic acid amide, O-toluenesulfonamide, P-toluenesulfonamide, azelaic acid, glutaric acid, sebacic acid, and combinations thereof.

Claim 24

The ink composition of claim 19, wherein the colorant will not dissolve in the first component.

Claim 25

The ink composition of claim 19, wherein the first component has a melting point of less than -10C.

Claim 26

The ink composition of claim 19, wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is between 50:1 and 1:10.

Claim 27

The ink composition of claim 19, wherein the first component has a viscosity of below about 500 mPa.s at 25° C.

Claim 28

The ink composition of claim 19, further including a temperature control component selected from the group consisting of ester phthalates and polyol-benzoates.

Claim 29

The ink composition of claim 25, wherein the temperature control component is selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, glyceryl-tribenzoate, trimethylolethane-tribenzoate, pentaerythritol teterabenzoate, and combinations thereof.

Claim 30

An ink composition for ink jet printing on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component formed of a wax which will permeate into the recording medium when liquid; a second component formed of an organic material selected from the group consisting of fatty amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids, fatty dibasic acids, and combinations thereof and having a melting point higher than the melting point of the first component; and a temperature control component selected from the group consisting of ester phthalates and polyol-benzoates.

Claim 31

An ink composition for ink jet printing on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component formed of a wax which will permeate into the recording medium when liquid; a second component formed of an organic material selected from the group consisting of fatty amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids, fatty dibasic acids, and combinations thereof and having a melting point higher than the melting point of the first component; and a temperature control component selected from the group consisting of ester phthalates and polyol-benzoates.

Claim 32

The ink composition 27, wherein the temperature control component is selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, glyceryl-tribenzoate, trimethylolethane-tribenzoate, pentaerythritol teterabenzoate, and combinations thereof.

Claim 33

The ink composition 27, wherein the temperature control component is selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, glyceryl-tribenzoate, trimethylolethane-tribenzoate, pentaerythritol teterabenzoate, and combinations thereof.

Claim 34

An ink composition that is in a semi-solid state at normal room temperature, but is liquid at elevated temperatures, for ink jet recording on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component which will permeate into the recording medium when the composition is jetted onto the recording medium during printing; and a second component having a melting point at least about 50° C. higher than the melting point of the first component and which will not substantially permeate into the recording medium with the first component when the composition is jetted onto the recording medium during printing; the colorant, first component and second component selected from materials which will form a uniform liquid phase when melted so that the second component and colorant will be fixed to the recording medium by the first component upon cooling to form a recording on the first component.

Claim 35

An ink composition that is in a semi-solid state at normal room temperature, but is liquid at elevated temperatures, for ink jet recording on a recording medium, comprising: a colorant; a first component which will permeate into the recording medium when the composition is jetted onto the recording medium during printing; and a second component having a melting point at least about 50° C. higher than the melting point of the first component and which will not substantially permeate into the recording medium with the first component when the composition is jetted onto the recording medium during printing; the colorant, first component and second component selected from materials which will form a uniform liquid phase when melted so that the second component and colorant will be fixed to the recording medium by the first component upon cooling to form a recording on the first component.

Claim 36

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is between 50:1 and 10:1.

Claim 37

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the melting point of the second component is not less than 60° C.

Claim 38

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid amides, aromatic amides, aromatic sulfonamides, fatty acids and fatty dibasic acids and combinations thereof.

Claim 39

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the colorant is a dye.

Claim 40

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the viscosity of the ink composition at normal ambient temperature is not less than about 10 4 mPa.s.

Claim 41

The ink composition of claim 29, further including at least one of an ester phthalate and a poly-benzoate.

Claim 42

The ink composition of claim 29, wherein the first component is selected from the group consisting of ester phthalates and fluid paraffin.