US 7,578,585 B2
Thermal ink-jet ink and ink cartridge using the ink
Hideki Yamakami, Yokohama (Japan); and Hiroshi Tomioka, Tokyo (Japan)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Jan. 03, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/648,599.
Application 11/648599 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2006/314022, filed on Jul. 07, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-200982 (JP), filed on Jul. 08, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0109390 A1, May 17, 2007
Int. Cl. G01D 11/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 347—100  [347/95] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ink cartridge for storing ink, comprising a thermal ink-jet head provided with a heat generating portion that generates thermal energy for ejecting the ink from an ejection opening, wherein:
the heat generating portion has, on its surface in contact with the ink, a protective layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a silicon nitride and a silicon carbide; and
the ink contains a substance that dissolves the protective layer and a compound represented by the following general formula (1), and a content X (% by mass) of the compound represented by the general formula (1) in the ink satisfies a relationship of 1≤X≤30:

OG Complex Work Unit Drawing
where A represents an alkylene or alkenylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms which forms a ring with a nitrogen atom, a carbonyl group and R3, R1 and R4 each independently represent any one of a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted acyl group, a carbamoyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted carboxyl group, and a substituted or unsubstituted sulfonyl group, R2 represents a group bonded to an arbitrary carbon atom of A, R2 representing any one of a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted acyl group, a carbamoyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted carboxyl group, and a substituted or unsubstituted sulfonyl group, n represents an integer of 0 to 4, and R3 represents a carbon or nitrogen atom.