Patent ID: 7033013

Claim:
A pretreatment liquid, comprising: a cationic polymer in an amount of 10 to 80% by weight based on total weight that depresses at least one of the dispersibility and solubility of a component in a recording ink, wherein the pretreatment liquid has a viscosity of from 100 to 10,000 mPa·s at 25° C.; wherein the cationic polymer has or includes a formula selected from the group consisting of the following formulae (1), (2), (5) to (16) and (18): wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; R represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and n is an integer; wherein n is an integer; wherein n is an integer of from 5 to 30; wherein n is an integer; wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein n is an integer; wherein Z and Y independently represent —OCOCH 3 or —OH; R 5 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and n, k and m independently are integers; wherein R 6 represents an alkyl group; X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein R 7 and R 8 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrate ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein j and k are independently an integer of from 2 to 6; and n is an integer; wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrate ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer; wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; Q represents another repeating unit; and n and m are independently an integer; and wherein X − represents a halogen ion, a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion or an acetate ion; and n is an integer.