Color ink-jet printer with pigment black and dye-based color inks

摘要

A color ink-jet printer is provided, with one pen for dispensing black ink onto a print medium and at least one pen for dispensing color ink onto a print medium. The pen for dispensing black ink contains a pigment-based ink and the pen(s) for dispensing color ink contain a water-miscible dye-based ink. Such a color ink-jet printer provides both superior text quality (black ink) and relative ease of service (color inks), since the black ink is used more than the color inks and thus tends to require less spitting due to its frequency of use. On the other hand, since the color inks are used less, the utilization of water-miscible inks, which require less spitting than pigmented inks to keep the nozzle clear, also require less spitting even with relatively lower frequency of use.