Method of ejecting solvent-based ink composition comprising pyrrolidinone solvent
View Patent ↗A method of ejecting ink from a thermal inkjet printhead. The method includes the steps of: (i) supplying an ink to at least one nozzle chamber of the printhead; and (ii) actuating a heater element in the nozzle chamber and heating the ink to a temperature sufficient to form a bubble therein, thereby causing the ink to be ejected from a nozzle opening associated with the nozzle chamber. The ink is a solvent-based ink composition including: (a) 20-80 wt. % of a compound of formula (A); wherein: R 1 is C 1-6 alkyl; and each of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from H, C 1-6 alkyl, halogen, OH, and C 1-6 alkoxy; (b) 10-70 wt. % of a C 1-6 alcohol; and (c) 0.01-25 wt. % of a colorant.
1. A method of ejecting ink from a thermal inkjet printhead, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) supplying an ink to at least one nozzle chamber of said printhead; and
(ii) actuating a heater element in said nozzle chamber and heating said ink to a temperature sufficient to form a bubble therein, thereby causing said ink to be ejected from a nozzle opening associated with said nozzle chamber, wherein said ink is a solvent-based ink composition consists only of:
(a) 20-80 wt. % of a compound of formula (A);
wherein:
R 1 is C 1-6 alkyl; and
each of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from H, C 1-6 alkyl, halogen, OH, and C 1-6 alkoxy;
(b) 10-70 wt. % of a C 1-6 alcohol;
(c) 0.01-25 wt. % of a colorant; and
(d) 0.01-10 wt. % of a surfactant.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ink is ejected onto a non-porous or a semi-porous substrate.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said ink adheres to said substrate.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said substrate is a plastics substrate.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said substrate is comprised of untreated vinyl or polyester.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heater element has a mass of less than 1 nanogram.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heater element is suspended in said ink chamber, such that said ink composition envelops said heater element.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein an actuation energy for said heater element is less than 500 nJ.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead is a stationary pagewidth printhead.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead comprises at least 50,000 nozzles.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
R 1 is C 1-6 alkyl; and
each of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is H.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said compound of formula (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone or N-ethyl-2-pyrollidinone.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said C 1-6 alcohol is ethanol.
14. An inkjet printer comprising:
an ink reservoir containing a respective ink; and
a thermal inkjet printhead in fluid communication with said ink reservoir, wherein said ink is a solvent-based ink composition consists only of:
(a) 20-80 wt. % of a compound of formula (A);
wherein:
R 1 is C 1-6 alkyl; and
each of R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from H, C 1-6 alkyl, halogen, OH, and C 1-6 alkoxy;
(b) 10-70 wt. % of a C 1-6 alcohol;
(c) 0.01-25 wt. % of a colorant; and
(d) 0.01-10 wt. % of a surfactant.
15. The inkjet printer of claim 14 , wherein said thermal inkjet printhead comprises a plurality of nozzles, each of said plurality of nozzles comprising:
a nozzle chamber containing said ink, said nozzle chamber having a nozzle opening for ejection of said ink; and
a heater element in contact with said ink, said heater element being configured for heating said ink to a temperature sufficient to form a bubble therein and thereby cause ejection of said ink from said nozzle opening.