EP0158686A1 - Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial - Google Patents

Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0158686A1
EP0158686A1 EP84104297A EP84104297A EP0158686A1 EP 0158686 A1 EP0158686 A1 EP 0158686A1 EP 84104297 A EP84104297 A EP 84104297A EP 84104297 A EP84104297 A EP 84104297A EP 0158686 A1 EP0158686 A1 EP 0158686A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink layers
color
transfer medium
reflection density
medium
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP84104297A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0158686B1 (de
Inventor
Masaru Onishi
Masayuki Saito
Yoshikazu Shimazaki
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fujicopian Co Ltd
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Fuji Kagakushi Kogyo Co Ltd
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fuji Kagakushi Kogyo Co Ltd, Mitsubishi Electric Corp filed Critical Fuji Kagakushi Kogyo Co Ltd
Priority to DE8484104297T priority Critical patent/DE3479488D1/de
Priority to EP19840104297 priority patent/EP0158686B1/de
Publication of EP0158686A1 publication Critical patent/EP0158686A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0158686B1 publication Critical patent/EP0158686B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/34—Multicolour thermography
    • B41M5/345—Multicolour thermography by thermal transfer of dyes or pigments

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a heat sensitive transfer medium for use in a multi-gradation printing process in which the density of a print image can be changed. More particularly, it relates to a multi-gradation heat sensitive transfer medium for use in a multi-gradation thermal transfer process for adjusting the density of a transfer image by superimposing ink layers on a recording medium a plurality of times by thermal transfer.
  • This 3L method is intended to obtain a multiplicity of gradations through combinations of dot number variations in a picture element with reflection density variations in thermally transferred ink layers.
  • This method has been very difficult to obtain a multiplicity of image gradations close to natural tones and yet having a high degree of resolution, becuase it has a limitation in the adjustment of reflection density of the ink layers and because the number of dots is subject to limitation relative to resolution.
  • the object of this invention is to overcome such difficulty and make it possible to obtain clear print images of a multiplicity of gradations by thermal transfer printing.
  • the invention provides a heat sensitive transfer medium having improved thermal transfer ink layers each of which contains a color pigment having a high transparency and a high tinting strength in an amount smaller than sufficient to provide a maximal degree of reflection density, and has a light transmittance of not less than 65 % in a region where the color pigment does not have any absorption band.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration showing an embodiment of a multi-gradation heat sensitive transfer medium according to the present invention wherein ink layers are arranged in color dandara pattern.
  • Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are graphical representations showing the relation between reflection density t p DD) and amount of color medium with respect to print images as obtained in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example, respectively.
  • the amount of color medium of an ink layer defined below must be less than sufficient to give a maximal degree of reflection density to a print image, since if it exceeds the upper limit of reflection density for the image in the particular color, multi-gradation is not attainable.
  • the amount of color medium is defined as follows:
  • the maximal degree of reflection density of a print image is intended to mean the upper limit that reflection density never exceeds even if the amount of color medium is increased by any amount over the limit.
  • the visible light transmittance of each ink layer in a region where a color pigment used does not have any absorption band should be not less than about 65 %, preferably not less than 70 %. If it is lower than 65 %, the upper level of reflection density of the image produced can never be sufficient, and no clear print image can be obtained either.
  • the light transmittance is preferably as high as feasible.
  • Printing using the transfer medium of the pesent invention is carried out by melt-transferring the ink layer of the transfer medium in the form of dots on a recording medium by means of a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements.
  • the superimposing of ink layers is intended to mean that the dots of an ink layer subsequently transferred are substantially superimposed over the dots of an ink layer transferred previously on a recording medium.
  • a film base there were coated three partial ink layers Yl, Y2, Y3 in yellow Y; three partial ink layers Cl, C2, C3 in cyan C; and three partial ink layers Ml, M2, M3 in magenta M in a "Dandara" pattern as shown in Fig. 1 (Dandara: trademark of Fuji Kagakushi Kogyo C o., Ltd.).
  • the three partial ink layers for each color were different from each other in the amount of color medium.
  • a polyester film having a thickness of 9 p a polyester film having a thickness of 9 p.
  • a vehicle for the ink layers one having a high degree of transparency, the composition of which was as follows:
  • color mediums for the ink layers were used the following color pigments each having a high degree of transperency: cyanine blue for cyan, rhodamine lake Y for magenta, and benzidine yellow for yellow.
  • Table 1 shows the content of color pigment for each respective partial ink layer, and the reflection density ( ⁇ OD) of a print image as thermally transferred one time by a thermal printer directly on a plain paper, and the light transmittance of each ink layer in the non-absorption band and the wavelength of the non-absorption band.
  • the reflection density ( ⁇ OD) of a print image is defined as follows:
  • Fig. 2 (as well as in Figs. 3 and 4), the print images obtained from Yl, Cl or Ml are signified by marko, the print images obtained from Y2, C2 or M2 by mark@, and the print images obtained from Y3, C3 or M3 by mark ⁇ .
  • Example 3 The same procedures as in Example 1 except that 0.5 part by weight of titanium oxide was employed together with 1 part by weight of each color pigment as used in Example 1 were repeated to produce a multi-gradation heat sensitive transfer medium. Printing was carried out by using the obtained transfer medium in the same manner as described in Example 1. The relationship between the reflection density ( ⁇ OD) of the print image produced and the amount of color medium is graphically shown in Fig. 3.
  • the light transmittance in non-absortion band was about 70 % with a layer corresponding to the aforesaid ink layer Yl, about 76 % with a layer corresponding to aforesaid ink layer Cl, and about 73 % with a layer coresponding to the aforesaid ink layer Ml.
  • Example 4 The same procedures as in Example 1 except that 4 parts by weight of titanium oxide was employed together with 1 part by weight of each color pigment as used in Example 1 were repeated to produce a multi-gradation heat sensitive transfer medium.
  • the light transmittance in non-absorption band was about 45 % with a layer corresponding to the aforesaid ink layer Yl, about 49 % with a layer corresponding to the aforesaid ink layer Cl, and about 47 % with a layer corresponding to the aforesaid ink layer Ml.
  • Printing was carried out by using the obtained transfer medium in the same manner as described in Example 1.
  • the relationship between the reflection density ( ⁇ OD) of the print image obtained and the amount of color medium is graphically shown in Fig. 4.
  • titanium oxide was used to lower the light transmittance in order to prove the effect of change in light transmittance, in view of the fact that the use of a different color pigment would be reflected in a difference in hue which would be inconvenient from the standpoint of comparison.
  • mark 0 indicates the reflection density ( ⁇ OD) of a print image produced by using an ink layer which was formed by applying an ink having a color pigment content equal to that of one used in an ink layer marked ⁇ , in amount of coating of 2 g/m 2 ,
  • reflection density ( ⁇ OD) varies depending upon the amount of color medium.
  • the thickness of an ink layer is preferably selected so that the total thickness of superimposed prints is about 35 ⁇ m or less.
  • a color pigment in yellow was used one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds of pigments such as naphthol yellow S, Hansa yellow 5G, permanent yellow NCG, and quinoline yellow lake. Good results were obtained as in Example 1.
  • a color pigment in magenta was used one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds of pigments such as brilliant fast scarlet, brilliant carmine BS, permanent carmine FB, lithol red, permanent red F5R, brilliant carmine 6B, pigment scarlet 3B, rhodamine lake B, and alizarin lake. Again, good results were obtained as in Example 1.
  • a color pigment in cyan was used one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds of pigments such as Victoria blue lake, metal-free phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine blue, and fast sky blue. Again, good results were obtained as in Example 1.
  • composition of a vehicle it is desirable to use solid wax having a penetration of 10 to 30 (at 25 0 C) as a binder in order to obtain an improved melt-transferability of ink layers.
  • waxes such as carnauba wax, microcrystalline wax, Japan wax, beeswax, ceresin wax and spermaceti are used.
  • any readily hot-meltable material such as low molecular weight polyethylene, oxidized wax or ester wax may be used in combination.
  • any readily hot-meltable material such as petroleum resin, polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, styrene-butadiene copolymer, cellulose esters, cellulose ethers or acrylic resins, or lubricating oils.
  • thermosensitive ink layer it is possible to use a heat-conductive powdery material and/or an extender pigment in order to give good heat-conductivity and melt-transferability to such heat sensitive ink layer.
  • heat-conductive powdery material may be advantageously used aluminum, copper, or zinc, for example, which has a heat-conductivity of 6.0 x 10 -4 to 25.0 x 10- 4 calfsee.cm.°C.
  • extender pigments may be used colloidal silica, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, clay, kaolin, calcium silicate, highly dispersive silicic acid anhydride (commercially available under the name "Aerosil” made by Nippon Aerosil Kabushiki Kaisha), and white carbon, for example, which all have relatively high transparency.
  • Such heat-conductive material and extender pigment may be used in an amount of 0 to 30 parts by weight and 0 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the total dry weight of the ink composition for each color, respectively.
  • thin papers such as thin condenser paper, insulating condenser paper, one-time carbon base paper, perchment paper, glassine paper, India paper and wax paper; plastic films such as polyester film, polyimide film and polyvinyl chloride film; and cellophane.
  • the foundation may have a highly heat-resistant resin layer coated thereon in order to prevent sticking or a highly heat-conductive layer coated thereon in order to improve transferability.
  • ink layers relative to the foundation may not be limited to one such as shown in Fig. 1, but such layers may be arranged in any conventional pattern.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
EP19840104297 1984-04-16 1984-04-16 Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial Expired EP0158686B1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE8484104297T DE3479488D1 (en) 1984-04-16 1984-04-16 Multi-gradation heat sensitive transfer medium
EP19840104297 EP0158686B1 (de) 1984-04-16 1984-04-16 Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19840104297 EP0158686B1 (de) 1984-04-16 1984-04-16 Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0158686A1 true EP0158686A1 (de) 1985-10-23
EP0158686B1 EP0158686B1 (de) 1989-08-23

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ID=8191876

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19840104297 Expired EP0158686B1 (de) 1984-04-16 1984-04-16 Vielfach-Abstufungs-wärmeempfindliches Bildübertragungsmaterial

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0158686B1 (de)
DE (1) DE3479488D1 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2195032A (en) * 1986-09-10 1988-03-23 Ricoh Kk Multicolour thermosensitive image transfer sheet and recording method
US5198061A (en) * 1986-09-10 1993-03-30 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Multicolor thermosensitive image transfer sheet and recording method using the same
FR2766412A1 (fr) * 1997-07-25 1999-01-29 Sagem Procede d'impression thermique couleur d'un support d'impression et ruban d'impression pour la mise en oeuvre du procede
GB2348171A (en) * 1998-12-11 2000-09-27 Grangefield Products Printing process and printing apparatus

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB402332A (en) * 1933-04-29 1933-11-30 Albert Nadin Improvements in or relating to colour printing
DE678234C (de) * 1936-03-26 1939-07-11 Deutscher Verlag Verfahren zum photomechanischen Herstellen von farbwertrichtigen Teilfarbenaetzungenfuer den Hochdruck mittels duennfluessiger, schnell trocknender, vollstaendig durchscheinender Farben
GB2069160A (en) * 1980-01-07 1981-08-19 Fuji Kagaku Shikogyo Heat-sensitive colour transfer ribbon
FR2521488A1 (fr) * 1982-02-13 1983-08-19 Fuji Kagaku Shikogyo Organe d'enregistrement thermosensible par report de couleurs

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB402332A (en) * 1933-04-29 1933-11-30 Albert Nadin Improvements in or relating to colour printing
DE678234C (de) * 1936-03-26 1939-07-11 Deutscher Verlag Verfahren zum photomechanischen Herstellen von farbwertrichtigen Teilfarbenaetzungenfuer den Hochdruck mittels duennfluessiger, schnell trocknender, vollstaendig durchscheinender Farben
GB2069160A (en) * 1980-01-07 1981-08-19 Fuji Kagaku Shikogyo Heat-sensitive colour transfer ribbon
FR2521488A1 (fr) * 1982-02-13 1983-08-19 Fuji Kagaku Shikogyo Organe d'enregistrement thermosensible par report de couleurs

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2195032A (en) * 1986-09-10 1988-03-23 Ricoh Kk Multicolour thermosensitive image transfer sheet and recording method
GB2195032B (en) * 1986-09-10 1990-01-10 Ricoh Kk Multicolour thermosensitive image transfer sheet and recording method
US5198061A (en) * 1986-09-10 1993-03-30 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Multicolor thermosensitive image transfer sheet and recording method using the same
FR2766412A1 (fr) * 1997-07-25 1999-01-29 Sagem Procede d'impression thermique couleur d'un support d'impression et ruban d'impression pour la mise en oeuvre du procede
GB2348171A (en) * 1998-12-11 2000-09-27 Grangefield Products Printing process and printing apparatus
GB2348171B (en) * 1998-12-11 2003-07-16 Grangefield Products Printing process and printing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0158686B1 (de) 1989-08-23
DE3479488D1 (en) 1989-09-28

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