EP0678391B1 - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Thermal transfer recording device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0678391B1
EP0678391B1 EP95103260A EP95103260A EP0678391B1 EP 0678391 B1 EP0678391 B1 EP 0678391B1 EP 95103260 A EP95103260 A EP 95103260A EP 95103260 A EP95103260 A EP 95103260A EP 0678391 B1 EP0678391 B1 EP 0678391B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
transfer
dye
transfer dye
recording device
thermal
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP95103260A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0678391A1 (en
Inventor
Kenji Shinozaki
Hideki Hirano
Masanori Ogata
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.)
Sony Corp
Original Assignee
Sony 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 Sony Corp filed Critical Sony Corp
Publication of EP0678391A1 publication Critical patent/EP0678391A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0678391B1 publication Critical patent/EP0678391B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/435—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/475—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material for heating selectively by radiation or ultrasonic waves

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device in which a transferred image having a continuous gradient may be formed by transferring a transfer dye to an object by a suitable heat source depending in image signals.
  • thermal transfer recording device in which an object, such as a photographic paper, and a thermal transfer recording medium, such as an ink sheet, are superimposed one on the other and selectively heated, depending on image signals, using heating means, such as laser or a thermal head, for transferring the transfer dye from the recording medium to the object for recording an image thereon, has been used extensively.
  • the so-called sublimation thermal transfer recording device employing a thermally diffusible dye, such as sublimable dye, as the transfer dye, is small-sized, and permits facilitated maintenance and instantaneous recording.
  • the device gives a recorded image exhibiting a sufficient gradient and high quality comparable to a halide color photograph. For this reason, the device is attracting attention in connection with the technology of providing a hard copy of an image of a video camera, television or computer graphics.
  • An ink ribbon so far used for thermal transfer recording comprises a transfer dye mixed with a suitable binder resin at a mixing ratio by weight of 1 : 1 to give a coating which is applied on a substrate of e.g., a polyester film to a thickness on the order of 1 ⁇ m.
  • a suitable binder resin at a mixing ratio by weight of 1 : 1 to give a coating which is applied on a substrate of e.g., a polyester film to a thickness on the order of 1 ⁇ m.
  • the demand may be met by, for example, the transfer dye layer regenerating method or the repeated rotational transfer dye layer constituting method, in which the transfer dye layer of the thermal transfer recording layer is regenerated and repeatedly utilized, and a relative speed method, in which the thermal transfer recording medium may be utilized effectively.
  • a device has been proposed in which a gap is provided between the transfer dye layer and the photographic paper for transferring the dye without contacting the transfer dye layer with the photographic paper.
  • the transfer dye is supplied to the transferred area by being allowed to flow in the molten state or by being continuously applied on a suitable substrate and thence moved to the transferred area.
  • the transfer dye is vaporized by heating means, such as laser, based on image signals, so as to be transferred to the photographic paper.
  • Document JP-A-63 183 860 discloses a thermal recording head according to the preambles of claims 1 and 2 in which dye is sublimated by the energy of a thermal resistor, when fed to a dye holder through a feed port and a supply port, and used for printing a receptor paper through microholes of a filter.
  • the present invention provides a thermal transfer recording device as specified in claim 1 or claim 2.
  • the present invention provides a thermal transfer recording device in which a gap is provided between a layer of a transfer dye and an object of transfer recording and in which the transfer dye is supplied to a transfer section and subsequently vaporized by heating means so as to be transferred onto the object of transfer recording.
  • the transfer section in which the molten transfer dye is vaporized has a spatial structure having a unit width d defined by the equation: (n-0.2) ⁇ ( ⁇ / ⁇ 2 ) 1/3 ⁇ d ⁇ (n+0,2) ⁇ ( ⁇ / ⁇ 2 ) 1/3 , where ⁇ , ⁇ and ⁇ are the density of the transfer dye, surface tension of the transfer dye and the period of heating of the transfer dye by the heating means, respectively, and n is an odd integer.
  • the thermal transfer recording device has the spatial structure having the unit width d represented by the equation (1).
  • the heating means for the transfer dye may be constituted by a laser.
  • the heating means for the transfer dye may also be constituted by a thermal head.
  • the thermal transfer recording device of the present invention has the spatial structure having the unit width d represented by the equation (1), it becomes possible to suppress the generation of the surface wave on vaporization of the transfer dye melted by the heating means.
  • a gap is provided between the transfer dye layer and the photographic paper in order to prevent contact therebetween, and the molten transfer dye is vaporized by being heated by the semiconductor laser so as to be transferred as an image from the transfer section via the gap onto the photographic paper.
  • the transfer dye needs to be vaporized by being heated instantaneously, the surface wave is generated due to the difference in surface tension between the heated and unheated portions of the transfer dye.
  • the unit width d of the spatial structure formed in the transfer section is within an allowable range of an odd integer number times the half-wavelength of the surface wave, the surface wave and the spatial structure cooperate to cancel the surface wave, thus promptly attenuating the surface wave. Consequently, the surface wave unavoidably generated by instantly heating the transfer dye may be promptly suppressed substantially completely, thus prohibiting the transfer quantity of the transfer dye to the photographic paper from being lowered.
  • Fig.1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing essential parts of a thermal transfer recording device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig.2 is a graph showing time changes of a laser light output of a semiconductor laser.
  • Fig.3 is a schematic plan view showing a partial construction of a transfer portion of the thermal transfer recording device.
  • Fig.4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a partial construction of a transfer portion of the thermal transfer recording device.
  • Fig.5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing essential parts of a thermal transfer recording device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig.6 is a cross-sectional view showing essential portions of a thermal transfer recording device employing a thermal head according to the present invention.
  • thermal transfer recording device an object to be transferred, such as a photographic paper, and a thermal transfer recording medium, such as an ink sheet, are superimposed one on the other, and are selectively heated by heating means, such as laser or thermal head, in accordance with image signals, for transferring the transfer dye from the thermal transfer recording medium to the object in accordance with image signals for image recording.
  • heating means such as laser or thermal head
  • the thermal transfer recording device includes, as main components, a semiconductor laser 1 as heating means for vaporizing the transfer dye in the molten state, and a dye vat 2 of glass for containing the transfer dye therein.
  • the semiconductor laser 1 is adapted for radiating a pulsed laser beam with a period of 2 ⁇ s, a light emission wavelength of 780 nm and an output of 40 mW, as shown in Fig.2.
  • the focal length of a lens 11, an optical system for the laser light beam is set to 5 ⁇ 10 ⁇ m.
  • the transfer dye is instantaneously heated to 250° C on laser radiation, so that, from the equation (3), the wavelength ⁇ of the surface wave becomes equal to 8.0 ⁇ m.
  • the dye vat 2 is in the shape of a shallow casing in which a molten transfer dye is stored to form a transfer dye layer 22.
  • the upper surface of the dye vat 2 is partially opened to form an aperture 2a of a pre-set area, while the lower surface thereof has a transfer section 3 in registration with the aperture 2a.
  • a spacer 12 is formed around the rim of the aperture 2a for defining a gap 13 and a photographic paper 14 as an object of transfer recording is placed on the spacer 12.
  • the transfer section 3 is arranged with a pre-set distance corresponding to the gap 13 from the photographic paper 14 without being in physical contact therewith.
  • the transfer section 3 has a periodic spatial structure comprising plural pillars 21 of a substantially square cross-section set upright at equal intervals from one another on the portion of the lower surface of the dye vat 2 in registration with the aperture 2a.
  • Each pillar 21 has a height above the liquid surface of the transfer dye in the dye vat 2 and faces the aperture 2a, as shown in Fig.3.
  • thermal transfer recording device of the above-described first embodiment having the spatial structure having the unit width d1 corresponding to one period as represented by the equation (1), it becomes possible to inhibit generation of the surface wave on vaporizing the transfer dye melted by laser radiation from the laser semiconductor 1.
  • the transfer dye needs to be vaporized by being heated instantaneously, the surface wave is generated due to the difference in surface tension between the heated and unheated portions of the transfer dye.
  • the unit width d1 corresponding to one period of the spatial structure formed in the transfer section 3 is equal to an odd integer number times, herein 1 times the half-wavelength of the surface wave, the surface wave and the pillars 21 cooperate to cancel the surface wave, thus promptly attenuating the surface wave. Consequently, the surface wave unavoidably generated by instantly heating the transfer dye may be suppressed substantially completely in a short time, thus preventing the transfer quantity of the transfer dye to the photographic paper 14 from being lowered.
  • the unit width d1 it is essential for the unit width d1 to be in an allowable range of 0.8 to 1.2 times the integer odd number times the half wavelength of the surface wave. If the unit width d1 exceeds the above range, the surface wave attenuating effect is lowered significantly since it becomes impossible to disregard the deviation between the wavelength ⁇ of the surface wave and the unit width d1.
  • the image transfer quantity was measured under the condition that the unit width d1 corresponding to one period of the spatial structure of the transfer section 3 was set to 3 ⁇ m, that is the width of each pillar 21 and the interval between the pillars 21 were both set to 1.5 ⁇ m, with the remaining values being the same as those of first embodiment. It was found that only the transfer dye corresponding to OD 1.2 as measured by the Macbeth densitometer was transferred per msec on an area of 80 ⁇ m ⁇ 80 ⁇ m. It was also found that the dot OD was not changed with prolonged transfer time, although the dot diameter on the photographic sheet 14 was increased.
  • the image transfer quantity was measured under the condition that the pulse period of the laser light of the semiconductor laser 1 was set to 20 ⁇ s, that is the wavelength ⁇ of the surface wave was set to 3.7 ⁇ m, with the remaining values being the same as those of the first embodiment. It was found that only the transfer dye corresponding to OD 1.1 as measured by the Macbeth densitometer was transferred per msec on an area of 80 ⁇ m ⁇ 80 ⁇ m. It was also found that the dot OD was not changed with prolonged transfer time, although the dot diameter on the photographic sheet 14 was increased.
  • the image transfer quantity is substantially twice that in case the spatial structure in the transfer section 3 is outside the range of the equation (1), thus enabling the high-quality color image to be produced easily.
  • the thermal transfer recording device according to the second embodiment is now explained.
  • the parts and components similar to those of the previous embodiment are correspondingly numbered.
  • the second embodiment is substantially similar to the first embodiment, with the exception that the spatial structure of the transfer section is different from that of the previous embodiment.
  • the transfer section 3 of the thermal transfer recording device of the present embodiment has a groove 31 in the lower bottom surface of the dye vat 2 in registration with the aperture 2a, as shown in Fig.5.
  • the groove 31 has a width d2, equal to 75 ⁇ m, and a depth of 20 ⁇ m, and is filled with the transfer dye in the molten state.
  • the semiconductor laser 1, as heating means for the transfer dye is so set that the pulse period of the laser light id 20 ⁇ s, that is the wavelength ⁇ of the surface wave, as derived from the equations (1) and (2), is equal to 3.7 ⁇ m.
  • thermal transfer recording device of the second embodiment having the spatial structure with the unit width 2d2 as represented by the equation (1), it becomes possible to inhibit generation of the surface wave on vaporizing the transfer dye melted by laser radiation from the laser semiconductor 1.
  • the transfer dye needs to be vaporized by being heated instantaneously, the surface wave is generated due to the difference in surface tension between the heated and unheated portions of the transfer dye.
  • the unit width 2d2 of the spatial structure having the groove 31 with width d2 formed in the transfer section 3 is equal to an integer odd number times the half-wavelength of the surface wave, the surface wave and the groove 31 cooperate to cancel the surface wave, thus promptly attenuating the surface wave. Consequently, the surface wave unavoidably generated by instantly heating the transfer dye may be suppressed substantially completely in a short time, thus prohibiting the transfer quantity of the transfer dye to the photographic paper 14 from being lowered.
  • Another comparative example (third comparative example) is now given in connection with measurement of the image transfer quantity in the second embodiment.
  • the image transfer quantity was measured under the condition that the width d2 of the groove 31 of the transfer section 3 was set to 65 ⁇ m, in this case the unit width 2d2 of the spatial structure was not an odd integer number times the half wavelength of the surface wave, with the remaining values being the same as those of second embodiment. It was found that only the transfer dye corresponding to OD 1.4 as measured by the Macbeth densitometer was transferred per msec on an area of 80 ⁇ m ⁇ 80 ⁇ m. It was also found that the dot OD was not changed with prolonged transfer time, although the dot diameter on the photographic sheet 14 was increased.
  • the image transfer quantity is slightly less than twice that in case the spatial structure in the transfer section 3 is outside the range of the equation (1), thus enabling the high-quality color picture to be produced easily.
  • a thermal head may be employed in place of the semiconductor laser as heating means for the transfer dye.
  • Fig.6 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the thermal bead is employed.
  • the thermal head shown in Fig.6 has a heater 41, such as a resistor, below the pillar 21 provided in the dye vat 2.
  • the spatial structure of the transfer section 3 may be constituted by holes or the wall on a concentric circle, instead of by the pillars 21 or the groove 31, provided that the equation (1) is satisfied.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
EP95103260A 1994-03-08 1995-03-07 Thermal transfer recording device Expired - Lifetime EP0678391B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP36933/94 1994-03-08
JP3693394A JPH07242009A (ja) 1994-03-08 1994-03-08 熱転写記録装置

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0678391A1 EP0678391A1 (en) 1995-10-25
EP0678391B1 true EP0678391B1 (en) 1998-08-26

Family

ID=12483565

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95103260A Expired - Lifetime EP0678391B1 (en) 1994-03-08 1995-03-07 Thermal transfer recording device

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0678391B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPH07242009A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
KR (1) KR100325402B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CN (1) CN1082452C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE69504229T2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
MY (1) MY112440A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
TW (1) TW272278B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4217180B2 (ja) * 2004-03-17 2009-01-28 大日本印刷株式会社 熱転写シートに積層されたホログラム又は回折格子の転写方法、並びに被転写媒体
US10813857B2 (en) 2018-02-01 2020-10-27 The Procter & Gamble Company Heterogenous cosmetic ink composition for inkjet printing applications
EP3746300B1 (en) * 2018-02-01 2023-05-03 The Procter & Gamble Company System and method for dispensing material
US10849843B2 (en) 2018-02-01 2020-12-01 The Procter & Gamble Company Stable cosmetic ink composition

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59101398A (ja) * 1982-12-01 1984-06-11 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 染料転写体
GB2142583B (en) * 1983-06-23 1987-03-25 Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Thermal ink transfer printer
US4719480A (en) * 1986-04-17 1988-01-12 Xerox Corporation Spatial stablization of standing capillary surface waves
JPS6318869A (ja) * 1986-07-11 1988-01-26 Toshiba Corp 画像読取装置のシエ−デイング補正方式
JPS63183860A (ja) * 1986-09-25 1988-07-29 Ricoh Co Ltd 直接熱記録方法
US4772582A (en) * 1987-12-21 1988-09-20 Eastman Kodak Company Spacer bead layer for dye-donor element used in laser-induced thermal dye transfer
CA1319561C (en) * 1988-08-10 1993-06-29 Steven J. Bares Ink flow control system and method for an ink jet printer
JPH0775890B2 (ja) * 1988-12-21 1995-08-16 ゼロックス コーポレーション 音響インクプリンタ
JPH0542764A (ja) * 1991-08-09 1993-02-23 Nikon Corp 熱転写記録方法及び装置
US5450107A (en) * 1991-12-27 1995-09-12 Xerox Corporation Surface ripple wave suppression by anti-reflection in apertured free ink surface level controllers for acoustic ink printers
US5342817A (en) * 1992-06-29 1994-08-30 Eastman Kodak Company Noncontact donor and receiver holder for thermal printing
JPH06318869A (ja) * 1993-05-10 1994-11-15 Hitachi Cable Ltd ビデオ信号用ａ／ｄ変換回路ならびにａｇｃ回路

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0678391A1 (en) 1995-10-25
CN1082452C (zh) 2002-04-10
JPH07242009A (ja) 1995-09-19
TW272278B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1996-03-11
CN1115285A (zh) 1996-01-24
KR950031525A (ko) 1995-12-18
MY112440A (en) 2001-06-30
DE69504229T2 (de) 1999-04-22
DE69504229D1 (de) 1998-10-01
KR100325402B1 (ko) 2002-07-02

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