Claims
- 1. An ink for ink jet recording, comprising at least a water-soluble colorant, a water-soluble organic solvent, water, and a mixture of two or more compound represented by formula (I):R—([(EO)n-(PO)m]-T)k (I) whereinEO represents an ethyleneoxy group; PO represents a propyleneoxy group; T represents an OH group or SO3M wherein M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an inorganic base, or an organic amine; m and n are each an integer; k is a natural number of not less than 1; and R represents a CaH2a+2−k group where “a” represents natural number of 4 to 10, an Ra—CaH2a+1−k group where “a” represents natural number of 4 to 10 and Ra represents a group represented by the following formula: (T—[(PO)m′-(EO)n′])k- whereinEO, PO, T and k each are as defined above; and n′ and m′ are respectively n and m, EO and PO being arranged, regardless of order in the parentheses, randomly or as blocks joined together, n or n+n′ being 1 to 10 with m or m+m′ being 0 to 5 when n and m and n′ and m′ are expressed in terms of the average value for the mixture of compounds represented by formula (I) contained in the ink.
- 2. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the compounds, represented by formula (I), constituting the mixture each are such that T represents an OH group.
- 3. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the compounds, represented by formula (I), constituting the mixture each is such that R represents a CaH2a+2−k group and T represents SO3M.
- 4. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the compounds, represented by formula (I), constituting the mixture each are such that EO represents —CH2CH2O—, PO represents —CH(CH3)—CH2O—, and T represents an OH group, R, EO, PO, and T being attached to one another in that order to represent formula R—(EO)n-(PO)m-T.
- 5. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the mixture of compounds represented by formula (I) is composed of:a compound represented by formula (I) wherein T represents an OH group, R, EO, PO, and T being attached to one another in that order to represent formula R—(EO)n-(PO)m-T; and a compound represented by formula (I) wherein T represents an OH group, R, EO, PO, and T being attached to one another in that order to represent formula R—(PO)m-(EO)n-T.
- 6. The ink according to claim 1, wherein n and m in the mixture of compounds represented by formula (I) satisfy n/m≦0.5.
- 7. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by formula (I) has an average molecular weight of not more than 2000.
- 8. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the mixture of compounds represented by formula (I) is composed of:a compound represented by formula (I) wherein R represents a butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, or decyl group; and a compound represented by formula (I) wherein R represents a butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, or decyl group.
- 9. The ink according to claim 1, wherein R represents a straight-chain or branched CaH2a+2−k group.
- 10. The ink according to claim 1, which further comprises 0 to 10% by weight of (di) propylene glycol monobutyl ether.
- 11. The ink according to claim 10, wherein the weight ratio of the compound represented by formula (I) to (di) propylene glycol monobutyl ether is 1:0 to 1:10.
- 12. The ink according to claim 1, which further comprises 0 to 5% by weight of an acetylene glycol surfactant.
- 13. The ink according to claim 12, wherein the weight ratio of the compound represented by formula (I) to the acetylene glycol surfactant is 1:0 to 1:3.
- 14. The ink according to claim 1, which further comprises 0 to 20% by weight of di(tri) ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.
- 15. The ink according to claim 14, wherein the weight ratio of the compound represented by formula (I) to di(tri)ethylene glycol monobutyl ether is 10 to 1:10.
- 16. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble colorant is a water-soluble dye and/or a water-soluble pigment dispersible in water.
- 17. An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of: ejecting a droplet of an ink; and depositing the droplet onto a recording medium to perform printing, wherein the ink is one according to claim 1.
- 18. A recorded medium recorded by the ink jet recording method according to claim 17.
- 19. The ink according to claim 1, wherein R represents a branched C4-C20 group.
Priority Claims (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
10/223479 |
Aug 1998 |
JP |
|
10/272094 |
Sep 1998 |
JP |
|
10/302818 |
Oct 1998 |
JP |
|
10/302819 |
Oct 1998 |
JP |
|
11/067158 |
Mar 1999 |
JP |
|
11/375316 |
Dec 1999 |
JP |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 09/370,783, filed on Aug. 5, 1999, and now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Foreign Referenced Citations (13)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0336673 |
Oct 1989 |
EP |
0447896 |
Sep 1991 |
EP |
0592774 |
Apr 1994 |
EP |
0769536 |
Apr 1997 |
EP |
0769537 |
Apr 1997 |
EP |
58002364 |
Jan 1983 |
JP |
5330032 |
Dec 1993 |
JP |
8-333532 |
Dec 1996 |
JP |
9-208870 |
Aug 1997 |
JP |
9-237355 |
Sep 1997 |
JP |
10-46074 |
Feb 1998 |
JP |
10-46075 |
Feb 1998 |
JP |
11-314029 |
Nov 1999 |
JP |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Patent Abstract of Japan of 58002364 dated Jan. 7, 1983. |
Patent Abstract of Japan of JP 5330032 dated Dec. 14, 1993. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/370783 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/660012 |
|
US |