EP1769928A1 - Druckverfahren für thermotransferaufnahmeblatt - Google Patents

Druckverfahren für thermotransferaufnahmeblatt Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1769928A1
EP1769928A1 EP05751347A EP05751347A EP1769928A1 EP 1769928 A1 EP1769928 A1 EP 1769928A1 EP 05751347 A EP05751347 A EP 05751347A EP 05751347 A EP05751347 A EP 05751347A EP 1769928 A1 EP1769928 A1 EP 1769928A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
receiving sheet
thermal transfer
layer
sheet
image
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP05751347A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Yoshio c/o Oji Paper Co. Ltd. MIZUHARA
Yoshimasa c/o Oji Paper Co. Ltd. TANAKA
Kazuyuki c/o Oji Paper Co. Ltd. TACHIBANA
Yoshihiro c/o Oji Paper Co. Ltd. Shimizu
Hideaki c/o Oji Paper Co. Ltd. SHINOHARA
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.)
New Oji Paper Co Ltd
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Oji Paper Co Ltd
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
Priority claimed from JP2004228451A external-priority patent/JP4321398B2/ja
Application filed by Oji Paper Co Ltd filed Critical Oji Paper Co Ltd
Publication of EP1769928A1 publication Critical patent/EP1769928A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • B41J2/325—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 by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for printing a thermal transfer receiving sheet, wherein images can be obtained by superimposing the sheet on a dye thermal transfer sheet and thermal-transferring the dye by means of a thermal head as a device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for printing a thermal transfer receiving sheet (to be simply referred to as a "receiving sheet") used in a thermal transfer system which uses a sublimation dye as the dye and enabling high-density recorded images to be formed in full color.
  • Thermal transfer printers use a dye thermal transfer sheet, having a dye layer containing a dye which is transferred by sublimation or molten dispersion as a result of heating (referred to as an "ink ribbon"), and an image receiving layer on one side of a film support which receives the dye of the thermal transfer sheet (simply referred to as a "receiving layer”), to form an image by superimposing the dye layer and the receiving layer and transferring the dye at required locations of the dye layer to the receiving layer at predetermined concentrations using heat supplied from a thermal head and so forth.
  • dye thermal transfer systems using a sublimating dye enable prints of high image quality, enabling them to take the place of silver nitrate photographs.
  • Single-leaf sheets or roll sheets are used for the receiving sheet depending on the type of printer.
  • single-leaf sheets offer advantages such as greater ease of handling when using a small number of sheets and elimination of the need for the printer to cut the sheets, they are susceptible to the occurrence of paper feeding problems such as so-called double feeding in which two or more single-leaf sheets are fed to the printer all at once when they are fed to the printer.
  • roll receiving sheets are free of double feeding and other problems attributable to defective paper feeding, allow the printing area to be set relative to the direction of roll movement during printing, and can be produced inexpensively since there is no need to cut the roll sheet into single-leaf sheets in advance, they are difficult to handle when printing only a smaller number of sheets, and require the roll sheet to be cut by the printer.
  • Factors such as the coefficient of friction between receiving sheets, coefficient of friction between the receiving sheet and transport roller, as well as thickness, dimensional stability and curling of the receiving sheet are important for ensuring problem-free feeding, printing and discharge of receiving sheets.
  • curling of the receiving sheet is a major cause of printing, feeding and discharge problems. If curling of the printed surface of a receiving sheet is excessively great, the receiving sheet ends up getting caught on the transfer rollers and guides inside the printer causing it to become jammed. In addition, there is also the risk of poor adhesion with the thermal head during printing.
  • the receiving sheet undergoes thermal deformation resulting in curling after printing, causing defective paper discharge and impairing the appearance of the printed receiving sheet.
  • This thermal deformation appears in the form of curling of the receiving sheet as a result of contraction of the receiving layer itself as well as contraction of the oriented film used as the support of the receiving sheet in the direction of orientation due to residual stress from when the film was oriented.
  • curling is also caused by deformation due to pressure applied from the thermal head and platen roller, as well as deformation caused by tension during paper feeding.
  • a rolled thermal transfer receiving sheet has been proposed in which the receiving layer is provided on a film base material containing a microvoid layer, and the receiving layer is wound so as to be on the outside of the roll (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H8-20170 (pages 2-4) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-139010 (pages 2-4)).
  • Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H8-20170 a polypropylene plastic film containing microvoids is disclosed, and curling before and after printing are controlled by adjusting modulus of elasticity, thermal shrinkage and so forth.
  • this method is not always suitable in cases in which the material and composition of the sheet support differ as in the present invention.
  • a receiving sheet which is formed into a roll with the receiving layer on the inside (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-193816 (pages 2-3)).
  • the printed surface of the receiving layer is resistant to damage
  • the receiving sheet is rolled with the receiving layer on the inside, curling occurs in the receiving sheet prior to printing, and since the receiving layer side is subjected to shrinkage due to heat during printing, large top curls occur with the receiving layer on the inside when the receiving sheet is cut after printing.
  • a method has been indicated for correcting curling by providing the top and bottom of the receiving sheet support with different physical properties and so forth, adequate effects were not obtained.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a method for printing a receiving sheet using a thermal printer, and particularly a dye thermal transfer type of printer, in which there is little curling of the receiving sheet after printing, the receiving sheet is handled easily and has a superior appearance, and printed images equivalent to silver nitrate photographs can be obtained.
  • the present invention includes each of the following modes in one aspect thereof.
  • thermo transfer printing method of the present invention printed matter having a superior appearance can be obtained with hardly any curling of the receiving sheet after printing and easy handling of the receiving sheet.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a printing method using a thermal transfer printer as claimed in a first aspect of the present invention
  • a thermal transfer printer has a thermal head 4 and a platen roller 3 in opposition thereto, paper is fed with an ink layer of an ink ribbon 2 superimposed on an image receiving side of a receiving sheet 1, and after being printed by the thermal head 4, is transported while maintaining a constant winding angle 6 by a guide 5 in the state in which the back of the receiving sheet is in contact with the outer periphery of the platen roller.
  • the case of a convex curl on the receiving layer side when the receiving sheet is placed on a horizontal surface with the receiving layer side facing upward is referred to as a top curl
  • the cases of a concave curl on the receiving layer side (or concave curl on the back side) when the receiving sheet is placed on a horizontal surface with the receiving layer side facing upward is referred to as a back curl.
  • the receiving layer itself and the receiving layer side of the support are heated selectively.
  • the receiving layer itself and the receiving layer side of the support demonstrate thermal shrinkage force in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the receiving sheet, thereby causing top curl.
  • the receiving layer itself and the receiving layer side of the support attempt to demonstrate thermal shrinkage in the direction of travel of the receiving sheet, as a result of winding the back of the receiving sheet so as to contact the platen roller after printing, bending stress is generated in the receiving sheet, thereby enabling thermal elongation by the receiving layer itself and the receiving layer side of the support.
  • the degree of thermal elongation differs according to the degree of winding onto the platen roller, and since the degree of winding becomes greater the larger the angle at which the printed receiving sheet is transported to the platen roller along the tangent of the location where contacted by the thermal head on the platen roller, the degree of thermal elongation also increases.
  • the degree of thermal elongation also differs according to the diameter of the platen roller and thickness of the receiving sheet, and the degree of thermal elongation increases the smaller the diameter of the platen roller and the larger the thickness of the receiving sheet.
  • Curling of the receiving layer after printing is determined by degree of overlapping of a top curl component in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the receiving sheet, and a top or back curl component in the direction of travel of the receiving sheet.
  • the sheet demonstrates a top curl if the direction of travel of the receiving sheet has a top curl component, while the sheet demonstrates a back curl if the direction of travel of the receiving sheet has a back curl component, and that back curl component is larger than the top curl component in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the receiving sheet.
  • thermal transfer printer In order to obtain a suitable back curl or suitable top curl immediately after printing a receiving sheet using a thermal transfer printer, it is necessary for the thermal transfer printer to have a thermal head and a platen roller in opposition thereto, and simultaneously satisfy the following requirements (1) and (2):
  • the winding angle is preferably 2 to 20° and more preferably 5 to 15°.
  • the direction in which the receiving sheet is transported after printing is preferably an angle of about 2 to 25° towards the platen roller from the direction of the tangent at the location contacted by the thermal head on the platen roller.
  • the ratio of L/R is less than 0.01, the back curl component in the direction of travel of the receiving sheet becomes smaller, and the top curl component of the receiving sheet increases.
  • the ratio of L/R exceeds 0.07, since the direction of travel of the receiving sheet has a large back curl component, the back curl of the receiving sheet also increases.
  • the ratio of L/R is preferably within the range of 0.02 to 0.05.
  • the radius (R) of the platen roller is preferably 4 to 50 mm, and more preferably 5 to 15 mm. If R is less than 4 mm, the adhesion between the thermal head and receiving layer becomes inadequate resulting in poor image quality. On the other hand, if R exceeds 50 mm, adequate curling control effects are unable to be obtained even if the winding angle is increased.
  • thickness (L) of the receiving sheet is preferably 100 to 300 ⁇ m, and more preferably 150 to 250 ⁇ m. If L is less than 100 ⁇ m, the bending stress of the receiving sheet generated as a result of winding onto the platen roller decreases, thereby preventing the obtaining of curling control effects. In addition, if L exceeds 300 ⁇ m, the bending stiffness of the receiving sheet becomes excessively large, thereby preventing the receiving sheet from being wound uniformly and the formation of bending wrinkles when wound onto the platen roller.
  • pre-printing curl If the axis of curling of the receiving sheet prior to printing (to be simply referred to as "pre-printing curl") is parallel to the direction of feeding and discharge of the thermal transfer printer, the adhesion between the receiving sheet and printer thermal head during printing becomes inferior, resulting in poor image quality.
  • the maximum value of curl height at the four corners of the receiving sheet before printing is preferably 15 mm or less for both top curl and back curl. If the maximum value of curl height at the four corners of the receiving sheet before printing exceeds 15 mm for top curl or back curl, defective paper feeding or defective passage through the printer may occur.
  • the support of the receiving sheet preferably has a symmetrical structure with respect to the direction of thickness, and for example, preferably has a laminated structure consisting of at least three layers in which thermoplastic resin films are laminated on a core material layer.
  • the film laminated on both sides preferably has the same thickness on the top and bottom and is made of the same material, and more preferably the same film is laminated on the top and bottom.
  • the thermal shrinkage at 100°C of the film support used in a receiving sheet is about 0.05 to 1.0%, and the thermal shrinkage of the resulting receiving sheet is also within the same range, and preferably within the range of 0.2 to 0.7%.
  • the thermal shrinkage at 100°C of a thermoplastic resin film at least on the side on which the receiving layer is formed is preferably 0.05 to 1.0%. If the thermal shrinkage of the thermoplastic resin film exceeds 1.0%, dimensional stability decreases, shrinkage occurs over time, and curling occurs in the receiving sheet. On the other hand, if the thermal shrinkage of the thermoplastic resin film is less than 0.05%, in addition to being difficult to acquire, the stiffness of the thermoplastic resin film is insufficient due to inadequate orientation treatment, thereby resulting in inferior texture of the receiving sheet. Furthermore, thermal shrinkage as referred to in the present invention indicates the value measured at a heating temperature of 100°C after heating for 30 minutes in compliance with JIS C 2151.
  • thermoplastic resin films include non-porous oriented films or porous oriented films made of polyolefin or polyester.
  • the surface layer base material of film-laminated sheet-like support is preferably a film having for its main component a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate, and particularly preferably a film having for its main component a polyethylene terephthalate resin.
  • a porous oriented polyester film having a single-layer or multilayer structure and containing a layer comprised of a porous structure in which a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate is mixed with a resin incompatible therewith (or an inorganic pigment may also be added as necessary) followed by orienting this resin mixture to form voids is used preferably.
  • a porous oriented film having a porous structure refers to a multilayer film having two or more layers containing at least one layer having a porous structure within the film, and all of the layers which composed the film may have a porous structure, or layer or layers may be present which do not have a porous structure.
  • a homopolymer comprised of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, or a copolymer obtained by copolymerizing a third component with terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol can be used for the polyester film used for the surface layer base material of the film-laminated sheet-like support.
  • third components used include oxycarboxylic acids such as p-hydroxybenzoic acid, aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as isophthalic acid and naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, and polyalkylene glycols such as propylene glycol and tetramethylene glycol.
  • the polyester film is preferably oriented, and this oriented polyester film preferably has a porous structure to enhance cushioning and heat insulation.
  • an incompatible resin is uniformly dispersed in the polyester resin (along with inorganic fine powder depending on the case) followed by orienting the film formed from this resin composition.
  • resins incompatible with polyester resin include, but are not limited to, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polyacrylonitrile and copolymers thereof.
  • polyester resin examples include calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, sodium aluminosilicate, potassium aluminosilicate, clay, mica, talc, barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, and these may be used alone or two or more types may be used as a mixture.
  • the thickness of the surface layer base material of a porous oriented polyester film and so forth is preferably 25 to 75 ⁇ m, and more preferably 35 to 55 ⁇ m. If the thickness of the surface layer base material is less than 25 ⁇ m, it becomes difficult to produce a film, and is disadvantageous in terms of costs. If the thickness exceeds 75 ⁇ m, due to the high rigidity of the film, the texture of the resulting receiving sheet tends to differ from the paper, thereby making this undesirable.
  • thermoplastic resin film or paper having a smooth surface is preferable for the core material layer of the film-laminated sheet-like support.
  • a thermoplastic resin film or paper having a smooth surface is preferable for the core material layer of the film-laminated sheet-like support.
  • Specific examples thereof include, but are not limited to, porous oriented polyester film, non-porous oriented polyester film, porous oriented polyolefin film, non-porous oriented polyolefin film, high-quality paper and coated paper.
  • the use of a film having for its main component a propylene resin is preferable from the viewpoints of chemical resistance and cost.
  • Propylene homopolymers and copolymers of propylene and ⁇ -olefins can be used for the propylene resin.
  • the propylene resin used preferably incorporates 2 to 25% by weight of a resin having a lower melting point than a propylene homopolymer (such as high-density to low-density polyethylene).
  • the polyolefin film is preferably oriented, and this oriented polyolefin film preferably has a porous structure to enhance cushioning and heat insulation.
  • an inorganic fine powder and/or organic filler is uniformly dispersed in the polyolefin resin followed by orienting the film formed from this resin composition.
  • organic fine powders contained in the polyolefin resin include calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, sodium aluminosilicate, potassium aluminosilicate, clay, mica, talc, barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, and these may be used alone or two or more types may be used as a mixture.
  • a different type of resin from the polyolefin resin serving as the main component is preferably selected.
  • organic fillers contained in the polyolefin resin include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, Nylon 6, polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate, and a polymer can be used which has a higher melting point or higher glass transition point temperature than the melting point of the polyolefin resin.
  • a porous oriented polyester film as described in the section describing the surface layer base material of the sheet-like support (base material on the side on which the receiving layer is formed) can be used for the porous oriented polyester film used in the core material layer of the present invention.
  • a non-porous oriented polyester film can be obtained by orienting a film formed from a resin composition not containing an incompatible resin in the polyester film.
  • examples of paper used in the core material layer of the present invention include high-quality paper and coated paper. Paper cast with a mirrored surface and paper subjected to calender treatment are preferable due to their high smoothness.
  • the thickness of the core material layer is preferably 30 to 200 ⁇ m, and more preferably 50 to 150 ⁇ m. If the thickness of the core material layer is less than 30 ⁇ m, the stiffness of the film becomes lacking in the production process of the laminated structure support, thereby resulting in poor workability. In addition, if the thickness of the core material layer exceeds 200 ⁇ m, the overall thickness of the resulting receiving sheet becomes excessive, thereby causing the rigidity of the receiving sheet to be excessively high.
  • a sheet or film of the same material as the surface layer base material is preferably used for the bottom base material of the film-laminated sheet-like support (base material on the opposite side from the side on which the receiving layer is formed) from the viewpoint of preventing curling.
  • a support having a porous oriented polyolefin film (synthetic paper) for the core material, and a laminated structure in which a porous oriented polyester film is laminated on the top and bottom is used particularly preferably for the sheet-like support of the present invention.
  • lamination method used when forming the film-laminated sheet-like support, and a known technology such as wet lamination, extrusion lamination, dry lamination or wax lamination may be used, while dry lamination or extrusion lamination are used typically.
  • An adhesive such as a polyester, polyether or polyurethane adhesive can be used for the dry lamination adhesive.
  • a polyolefin resin such as a polyethylene or polypropylene resin is used for the adhesive used during extrusion lamination.
  • an anchoring intermediate layer (also referred to as an “anchor layer”) may be provided between the sheet-like support and the receiving layer to improve adhesion between the sheet-like support and the receiving layer as well as prevention of accumulation of charge in the receiving sheet.
  • hydrophilic resins and hydrophobic resins can be used to form this anchor layer, examples of which include vinyl polymers and derivatives thereof such as polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polymers containing an acrylic group such as polyacrylamide, polydimethylacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and salts thereof or polyacrylic acid esters, polymers containing a methacrylic group such as polymethacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid esters, polyester resins, polyurethane resins, starch, modified starch and resins of cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethyl cellulose.
  • vinyl polymers and derivatives thereof such as polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrrolidone
  • polymers containing an acrylic group such as polyacrylamide, polydimethylacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and salts thereof or polyacrylic acid esters
  • polymers containing a methacrylic group such as polymethacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid esters
  • polyester resins polyurethane resins
  • a conducting agent such as a conductive resin or conductive inorganic pigment is added for the antistatic agent.
  • conductive resins include cationic, anionic and nonionic conductive resins, with cationic conductive resins being used preferably.
  • cationic conductive resins include polyethyleneimine, acrylic polymers containing cationic monomers, cationic modified acrylamide polymers and cationic starch.
  • An isocyanate crosslinking agent or epoxy crosslinking agent is preferably added for the crosslinking agent to improve the moisture resistance and solvent resistance of the anchor layer.
  • the amount of coated solid of the anchor layer is preferably within the range of 0.2 to 5 g/m 2 , and more preferably within the range of 0.5 to 3 g/m 2 .
  • the amount of coated solid is less than 0.2 g/m 2 , the effect of the anchor layer of improving adhesion is diminished, while if the amount of coated solid exceeds 5 g/m 2 , blocking and workability decrease.
  • the sheet-like support used in the present invention preferably has a thickness of 100 to 300 ⁇ m.
  • the thickness is less than 100 ⁇ m, the mechanical strength thereof becomes inadequate, the rigidity of the receiving sheet obtained there from decreases, and has inferior quality as a receiving sheet.
  • the thickness exceeds 300 ⁇ m, the thickness of the resulting receiving sheet becomes excessively large, and in the case of single-leaf sheets, leads to increased volume of the paper cassette, while in the case of a rolled receiving sheet, for example, leads to increased volume of the printer which is to house the predetermined roll length, thereby resulting in problems such as making it difficult to make the printer compact.
  • the sheet-like support used in the present invention may have a constitution in which a first base material layer on which a receiving sheet is formed, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a release agent layer and a second base material layer are sequentially laminated, and a support having a label type structure (so-called sticker or seal type) can naturally also be used.
  • a back layer may also be provided on the back of the second base material.
  • a paper base material can be used for the sheet-like support of the present invention.
  • Paper having its main component cellulose pulp is used preferably due to its low level of thermal shrinkage, satisfactory insulating properties, satisfactory texture as a receiving paper, and low cost.
  • a receiving sheet having, for example, an intermediate layer containing hollow particles between a paper base material having for its main component cellulose pulp and a receiving layer (to also be referred to as a "hollow particle-containing intermediate layer”) is used more preferably.
  • a certain degree of rigidity is required to obtain adequate effects of curl correction treatment in a receiving sheet having a paper base material for the support, and is suitably adjusted according to, for example, the thickness of the receiving sheet, and ratio of the thickness of the sheet-like support to the thickness of the receiving sheet.
  • the Gurley stiffness of the receiving sheet in the direction in which paper is fed to the printer (namely, the direction equivalent to the printing direction) as defined in TAPPI TR543 84 is preferably 500 to 2000 SGU, more preferably 600 to 1800 SGU, and even more preferably 700 to 1700 SGU. If the Gurley stiffness in the direction in which paper is fed to the printer is less than 500 SGU, it is difficult for plastic deformation to occur, thereby preventing the obtaining of curl correction effects. In the case the Gurley stiffness in the direction in which paper is fed to the printer exceeds 2000 SGU, a large amount of energy is required to correct curling, and adequate correction effects may be unable to be obtained even if wound onto the platen roller.
  • the amount of curl deformation can be increased if tension is increased so as to strongly press onto the platen roller, since it becomes necessary to increase the nip of the transport roller, the surface of the receiving sheet may be damaged or wrinkles may form in the surface of the receiving sheet if the receiving sheet is forcibly curled.
  • the thickness of the receiving sheet is preferably 100 to 300 ⁇ m, and more preferably 150 to 260 ⁇ m. If the thickness of the receiving sheet is less than 100 ⁇ m, since the difference in the amount of deformation between the inside and outside of the receiving sheet during winding is small, it is difficult for plastic deformation to occur even if wound onto the platen roller, mechanical strength is inadequate, the rigidity of the resulting receiving sheet is low, and the texture as a receiving sheet is inferior. If the thickness of the receiving sheet exceeds 300 ⁇ m, wrinkles form easily since the difference in the amount of deformation between the inside and outside of the receiving sheet during winding is excessively large.
  • the ratio ((W/L) x 100%) of the thickness (W) of the paper base material to the thickness (L) of the entire receiving sheet is preferably 70 to 85%. If the ratio of W/L is less than 70%, it is not possible to control curling by winding onto the platen roller, or in other words, since the deformation caused by winding into the platen roller mainly occurs due to deformation of the paper base material, it becomes difficult to obtain curl correction effects.
  • the ratio of W/L exceeds 85%, the thickness of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer is inadequate, resulting in the occurrence of printing omissions caused by poor adhesion with the head, or printing unevenness occurs due to the effects of the texture of the base paper, thereby resulting in the risk of decreased image quality.
  • paper base materials suitably used in the present invention include paper having for its main component cellulose pulp, such as woodfree paper (such as acidic paper or neutral paper), medium quality paper, coated paper, art paper, glassine paper, cast coated paper, laminated paper provided with a polyolefin resin or other thermoplastic resin layer on at least one side thereof, synthetic resin-impregnated paper, emulsion-impregnated paper, synthetic rubber latex-impregnated paper, synthetic resin internally added paper, foamed paper containing thermally expansible particles, and paperboard.
  • woodfree paper such as acidic paper or neutral paper
  • medium quality paper coated paper, art paper, glassine paper, cast coated paper
  • laminated paper provided with a polyolefin resin or other thermoplastic resin layer on at least one side thereof
  • synthetic resin-impregnated paper emulsion-impregnated paper, synthetic rubber latex-impregnated paper, synthetic resin internally added paper
  • foamed paper containing thermally expansible particles, and paperboard such as woodfree paper (such as acid
  • the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer in the present invention has high cushioning as a result of having a porous structure having as main components thereof a binder resin and hollow particles, a highly sensitive receiving sheet is obtained even in the case of using a paper base material for the sheet-like support.
  • a suitable degree of freedom of deformation is imparted to the receiving sheet, the ability of the receiving sheet to follow the shape of the printer head and the shape of the ink ribbon and adhere thereto is improved, thereby improving the thermal efficiency of the thermal head with respect to the receiving layer even under low energy conditions, while also being able to increase printing density and improve image quality.
  • printing errors caused by the formation of wrinkles in the ink ribbon occurring during high-energy printing by high-speed printers can also be simultaneously prevented.
  • the hollow particles used in the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer of the present invention are composed of a shell formed from a polymer material and one or more hollow portions surrounded thereby, and although there are no particular limitations on the method used to produce these hollow particles, they can be selected from those produced in the manner described in (a) and (b) below.
  • the mean particle diameter of the hollow particles used in the present invention is 0.2 to 30 ⁇ m, preferably 0.5 to 10 ⁇ m, and more preferably 0.8 to 8 ⁇ m. If the mean particle diameter of the hollow particles is less than 0.2 ⁇ m, heat insulation and cushioning are generally low due to the low volumetric hollow ratio of the resulting hollow particles, thereby preventing effects of improving sensitivity and image quality from being adequately obtained. In addition, if the mean particle diameter exceeds 30 ⁇ m, the smoothness of the surface of the resulting hollow particle-containing intermediate layer decreases while surface irregularities in the receiving sheet increase, thereby resulting in inadequate uniformity of thermal transfer images and inferior image quality.
  • the maximum particle diameter of the hollow particles used in the present invention is preferably 100 ⁇ m or less, more preferably 50 ⁇ m or less, and even more preferably 20 ⁇ m or less. If the maximum particle diameter of the hollow particles exceeds 100 ⁇ m, uneven printing density and white spots occur in thermal transfer images caused by coarse particles, and image quality becomes inferior. In order to not contain coarse particles having a maximum particle diameter in excess of 100 ⁇ m among the hollow particles, in general, accommodations can be made by adjusting the set value for mean particle diameter during production of hollow particles exhibiting a normal distribution. In addition, hollow particles reliably free of coarse particles can be obtained by providing a particle sizing step. Furthermore, the particle diameter of hollow particles as described in the present specification can be measured using an ordinary particle diameter measuring instrument, and indicates the value measured using a laser diffraction type of particle distribution measuring instrument (trade name: SALD2000, Shimadzu Corp.).
  • the volumetric hollow ratio of the hollow particles used in the present invention is preferably 40 to 95% and more preferably 75 to 95%. If the volumetric hollow ratio is less than 40%, image quality may decrease. In addition, if the volumetric hollow ratio exceeds 95%, coating layer strength is inferior, leading to the destruction of the hollow particles during coating and drying, and resulting in decreased surface smoothness.
  • the blended amount of hollow particles in the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer is preferably within the range of 30 to 75% by weight, and more preferably within the range of 35 to 70% by weight, in terms of the ratio of the weight of the hollow particles to the total solid matter weight of the entire hollow particle-containing intermediate layer. If the weight ratio of the hollow particles to the total solid matter weight of the entire hollow particle-containing intermediate layer is less than 30% by weight, heat insulation and cushioning of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer become inadequate, and the effects of improving sensitivity and image quality are not adequately obtained. In addition, if the weight ratio of the hollow particles exceeds 75% by weight, the coatability of the resulting hollow particle-containing intermediate layer coating decreases, thereby resulting in inadequate coated film strength and preventing obtaining of the desired effects.
  • the film thickness of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer is preferably 20 to 90 ⁇ m, and more preferably 25 to 85 ⁇ m. If the film thickness of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer is less than 20 ⁇ m, heat insulation and cushioning are deficient, and the effects of improved sensitivity and image quality are inadequate. In addition, if the film thickness exceeds 90 ⁇ m, the effects of heat insulation and cushioning are saturated, and performance beyond this level is unable to be obtained, thereby making this economically disadvantageous.
  • the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer of the present invention contains hollow particles and an adhesive resin.
  • the coating for the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer of the present invention is preferably an aqueous coating in consideration of solvent resistance of the hollow particles.
  • aqueous and organic solvent resins can be used for the adhesive resin, an aqueous resin is preferable.
  • hydrophilic polymer resins such as polyvinyl alcohol resins, cellulose resins and derivatives thereof, casein or starch derivatives are used preferably from the viewpoint of film formation, heat resistance and flexibility.
  • the adhesive resin used in the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer preferably combines the use of any of the aforementioned hydrophilic polymer resins with various types of resin emulsions in terms of coated film strength, adhesion and coatability of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer.
  • One or more types of various additives such as antistatic agents, inorganic pigments, organic pigments, resin crosslinking agents, antifoaming agents, dispersants, coloring dyes, release agents or lubricants may be suitably selected and used as necessary in the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer.
  • a barrier layer may be provided on the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer as necessary, and the receiving layer is provided on this barrier layer.
  • the solvent of the coating for the receiving layer is generally an organic solvent such as toluene or methyl ethyl ketone, and the barrier layer is effective as a barrier for preventing destruction of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer by penetration of organic solvent resulting from swelling and dissolution of the hollow particles.
  • the receiving layer provided thereon also has surface irregularities, and the resulting images frequently have white spots and uneven printing density as well as problems with image uniformity and resolution due to these surface irregularities.
  • the providing of a barrier layer containing a flexible and elastic binder resin is effective for improving image quality.
  • a resin having superior film forming ability which prevents permeation of organic solvent and has elasticity and flexibility is used for the resin used in the barrier layer, specific examples of which include water-soluble polymer resins used in the form of an aqueous solution such as starch, modified starch, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, gelatin, casein, gum arabic, fully saponified polyvinyl alcohol, partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol, carboxy-modified polyvinyl alcohol, acetoacetyl group-modified polyvinyl alcohol, diisobutylene-maleic anhydride copolymer salt, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer salt, urea resin, urethane resin, melamine resin and amide resin.
  • water-soluble polymer resins used in the form of an aqueous solution such as starch, modified starch, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, gelatin, casein
  • water-dispersible resins can also be used, examples of which include styrene-butadiene copolymer latex, acrylate resin latex, methacrylate copolymer resin latex, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer latex, polyester polyurethane ionomer, and polyether polyurethane ionomer.
  • styrene-butadiene copolymer latex examples of which include styrene-butadiene copolymer latex, acrylate resin latex, methacrylate copolymer resin latex, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer latex, polyester polyurethane ionomer, and polyether polyurethane ionomer.
  • water-soluble polymer resins are used preferably.
  • these resins may be used alone or two or more types may be used in combination.
  • various types of pigments may be contained in the barrier layer, and a swelling inorganic layered compound is used preferably since it not only prevents permeation of coating solvent, but also allows the obtaining of superior effects in terms of preventing bleeding of thermal transfer dye images.
  • Specific examples of swelling inorganic layered compounds include graphite, phosphate derivative compounds (such as zirconium phosphate compounds), chalcogen compounds, hydrotalcite compounds, lithium-aluminum composite hydroxides, and clay minerals (such as synthetic mica, synthetic smectite, smectite group, vermiculite group and mica group minerals).
  • These swelling inorganic layered compounds may be naturally-occurring compounds (clay minerals) as well as synthetic or processed compounds (such as products of surface treatment with a silane coupling agent).
  • synthetic swelling organic layered compounds include synthetic mica such as fluorphlogopite, potassium tetrasilic mica, sodium tetrasilic mica, sodium taenioloite or lithium taenioloite, and synthetic smectite such as sodium hectorite, lithium hectorite or saponite, with sodium tetrasilic mica being particularly preferable, and these are obtained having a desired particle diameter, aspect ratio and crystallinity depending on the melting method.
  • the barrier layer of the present invention is preferably formed using an aqueous coating liquid.
  • This aqueous coating liquid preferably does not contain an excess amount of organic solvent, including ketone solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone, ester solvents such as ethyl acetate, lower alcohol solvents such as methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol, hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene or xylene, or high boiling point and high-polarity solvents such as DMF or cellusorb, to prevent swelling and decomposition of the hollow particles.
  • the amount of solid coating component in the barrier layer is preferably within the range of 0.5 to 10 g/m 2 , and more preferably within the range of 1 to 8 g/m 2 .
  • the barrier layer may not be able to completely cover the surface of the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer, thereby preventing it from being adequately effective in preventing permeation of organic solvent.
  • the solid coating component of the barrier layer exceeds 10 g/m 2 , coating effects are saturated, which in addition to being uneconomical, the excessive thickness of the barrier layer prevents insulation and cushioning effects from being adequately demonstrated by the hollow particle-containing intermediate layer, resulting in a decrease in image density.
  • a receiving layer which is provided on a sheet-like support either directly or with a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer there between, is formed by applying a coating, containing a resin having dyeing affinity as a main component thereof and to which is suitably added as necessary one or more types of crosslinking agents, anti-sticking agents or ultraviolet absorbers, onto the surface of the hollow particle-containing layer or the sheet-like support followed by drying and crosslinking.
  • a resin having satisfactory affinity for dye and a high dyeing affinity is used as the resin having dyeing affinity used in the receiving layer of the present invention.
  • resins include polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, polystyrene resin, polyacrylate resin, cellulose acetate phthalate and other cellulose derivative resins, polyamide resin and other thermoplastic resins, and resins cured with an active energy beam.
  • These resins preferably have functional groups having reactivity for the crosslinking agent used (for example, functional groups such as hydroxyl, amino, carboxyl or epoxy groups).
  • a chemically reacting crosslinking agent of a type which cures or polymerizes using a chemical reaction is preferable for a crosslinking agent.
  • chemically reacting crosslinking agents include addition reaction types such as epoxy compounds and isocyanate compounds, heat curing types such as resol resins, wet curing types such as 2-cyanoacrylate and alkyl titanate, and condensation reaction types such as urea.
  • Crosslinking agents such as isocyanate compounds and epoxy compounds are preferably used as addition reaction type crosslinking agents.
  • the blended amount of crosslinking agent is preferably about 1 to 30% by weight as the blending ratio to the total solid content of the receiving layer.
  • an anti-sticking agent colored pigment, colored dye, fluorescent whitener, plasticizer, antioxidant, inorganic pigment or ultraviolet absorber and so forth can be added as necessary within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.
  • Release agents and lubricants are used as anti-sticking agents, and examples include modified silicone oils such as amino-modified, hydroxy-modified or carboxy-modified silicone oils, non-modified silicone oils, silicone resins such as silicone acrylic resin, prepolymers of modified silicone oils and isocyanate compounds, silicone compounds, fluorine compounds, fatty acid ester compounds and phosphate compounds, and one or more types thereof can be used.
  • ultraviolet absorbers examples include benzotriazole, benzophenone, phenyl salicylate and cyanoacrylate ultraviolet ray absorbing compounds.
  • These various types of receiving layer additives may cause a crosslinking reaction by means of a crosslinking agent. These additives may be coated after mixing with the main component of the receiving layer, or they may be coated on and/or under the receiving layer as a separately coated layer.
  • the amount of solid coating component of the receiving layer is adjusted to be within the range of 1 to 12 g/m 2 and preferably within the range of 3 to 10 g/m 2 .
  • the amount of solid coated component of the receiving layer is less than 1 g/m 2 , the receiving layer is unable to completely cover the support surface, thereby resulting in a decrease in image quality, or problems with sticking between the receiving layer and ink sheet due to the heat of the thermal head.
  • the amount of the solid coating component exceeds 12 g/m 2 , the effects are saturated, which in addition to being uneconomical, results in inadequate strength of the receiving layer or the insulation effects of the support being unable to be adequately demonstrated due to the increased thickness of the receiving layer, thereby causing a decrease in image density.
  • a back layer may be provided on the back of the sheet-like support (opposite side from the side on which the receiving layer is provided) in the receiving sheet of the present invention.
  • the back layer has a resin effective as an adhesive for its main component, and may also contain a crosslinking agent, antistatic agent, anti-sticking agent, inorganic and/or organic pigment and so forth.
  • a resin for forming the back layer which is effective as an adhesive is used for the back layer of the present invention.
  • This resin is effective for improving adhesive strength between the back layer and the support, for preventing damage to the receiving layer side, and for preventing transfer of dye to the back layer in contact with the receiving layer side.
  • resins that can be used include acrylic resins, epoxy resins, polyester resins, phenol resins, alkyd resins, urethane resins, melamine resins and polyvinyl acetal resins, as well as reactive cured products of these resins.
  • a suitable aforementioned polyisocyanate compound, epoxy compound or other crosslinking agent may be blended into the back layer coating to improve adhesion between the sheet-like support and the back layer.
  • An antistatic agent such as a conductive resin or conductive inorganic pigment is added to the back layer of the present invention to prevent static electricity.
  • conductive resins include cationic, anionic and nonionic resins, and specific examples of cationic conductive resins used particularly preferably include polyethyleneimines, acrylic polymers containing a cationic monomer, cation-modified acrylamide polymers and cationic starches.
  • conductive inorganic pigments include oxides and/or sulfides and other compound semiconductor pigments as well as inorganic pigments coated with the aforementioned compound semiconductor pigments.
  • a friction coefficient adjuster such as an organic or inorganic filler can be blended into the back layer of the present invention.
  • organic fillers include Nylon filler, cellulose filler, urea resin filler, styrene resin filler and acrylic resin filler.
  • inorganic fillers include silica, barium sulfate, kaolin, clay, talc, ground calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, titanium oxide and zinc oxide.
  • the back layer can also contain a lubricant, release agent or other anti-sticking agent as necessary.
  • anti-sticking agents include non-modified and modified silicone oil, silicone block copolymers, silicone rubber and other silicone compounds, phosphate ester compounds, fatty acid ester compounds and fluorine compounds.
  • conventionally known antifoaming agents, dispersants, colored pigments, fluorescent dyes, fluorescent pigments, ultraviolet absorbers and so forth may be suitably selected and used.
  • the amount of solid coating component of the back layer is preferably within the range of 0.3 to 10 g/m 2 , and more preferably 1 to 8 g/m 2 . If the amount of solid coating component of the back layer is less than 0.3 g/m 2 , damage prevention is not adequately demonstrated during abrasion of the receiving sheet, and areas of missing coating occur resulting in an increase in surface electrical resistance. On the other hand, if the solid coating component exceeds 10 g/m 2 , effects are saturated thereby making this uneconomical.
  • the image receiving sheet of the present invention may be provided with an image protective layer which is formed after thermal transfer printing. Formation of the image protective layer may be carried out by so-called thermal transfer in which an image protective layer for transfer is provided on the ink ribbon and the image protective layer is transferred onto a thermal transfer image by heating, or formation of the image protective layer may be carried out by an adhesion method in which a substantially transparent sheet is adhered to and layered onto a thermal transfer image.
  • single-leaf sheets or a roll is used for the receiving sheet according to the type of printer. Since ordinary receiving sheets curl towards the receiving layer due to heat from the thermal head, the present invention can be applied to both single-leaf sheets and rolls. In the case of a rolled receiving sheet, winding curl can be imparted by examining the paper tube diameter.
  • Each of the coating layers in the present invention can be applied, dried and formed using a known coater, such as a bar coater, gravure coater, comma coater, blade coater, air knife coater, gate roll coater, die coater, curtain coater, lip coater or slide bead coater.
  • a known coater such as a bar coater, gravure coater, comma coater, blade coater, air knife coater, gate roll coater, die coater, curtain coater, lip coater or slide bead coater.
  • calender treatment may be carried out on the receiving sheet, and surface irregularities in the surface of the receiving layer can be reduced and smoothened. Calender treatment may be carried out at any stage after coating the intermediate layer, barrier layer or receiving layer.
  • the pressure during calender treatment is preferably 0.5 to 50 MPa and more preferably 1 to 30 MPa.
  • the temperature is preferably from room temperature up to the temperature at which the hollow particles are not destroyed and is equal to or lower than the melting point of the binder resin for the intermediate layer, more preferably 20 to 150°C, and even more preferably 30 to 130°C.
  • a calender device typically used in the papermaking industry can be suitably used for the calender device, examples of which include a super calender, soft calender, cross calender or clearance calender.
  • prevention of curling of a rolled receiving sheet can be specifically carried out according to the following process in accordance with the printing method as claimed in a second aspect of the present invention.
  • Rolled receiving sheets have a configuration in which they are wound onto a take-up cylinder as necessary with the receiving layer on the inside. Since the receiving layer is not exposed to the outside as a result of being wound with the receiving sheet on the inside, the receiving sheet is not damaged during handling, thereby making this a preferable form. However, when rolled receiving sheets are allowed to stand for a long period of time, the curled shape formed during winding into a roll remains, and so-called winding curl is imparted to the receiving sheet. The direction of this winding curl is in the form of a top curl in which the receiving layer side becomes concave.
  • the take-up cylinder may be made of paper, plastic, metal, wood or composite materials thereof, and is a tube formed into the shape of a cylinder.
  • the take-up cylinder having an outer diameter of 30 to 110 mm is preferably used for the rolled receiving sheet of the present invention, and about 10 to 100 m of the receiving sheet is wound onto this take-up cylinder.
  • the outer diameter of the resulting rolled receiving sheet is preferably about 60 to 230 mm.
  • a printing method as claimed in a second aspect of the present invention printing is carried out before and/or after carrying out curl correction treatment on the receiving sheet.
  • Curl correction treatment is carried out by applying stress to the rolled receiving sheet by contacting the surface of a decurling roller with the back of the receiving sheet (side on which the receiving layer is not provided). Namely, curling is corrected by applying stress by contacting the surface of the decurling roller with the back of the receiving sheet so that the receiving side is convex with respect to the receiving sheet to which winding curl has been imparted in the form of top curl.
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a printing method using a thermal transfer printer as claimed in a second aspect of the present invention
  • the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • curl correction treatment can be carried out using decurling roller 8 provided between the paper feed unit of rolled receiving sheet 7 and thermal head 9 or platen roller 10 within the printer.
  • curl correction treatment can be carried out on the receiving sheet 7 using decurling roller 8 provided on the discharge side of the thermal head 9 of the printer.
  • Curl correction treatment can naturally be carried out before or after printing.
  • curl correction treatment may be carried out using a separate curl correction treatment device from the thermal transfer printer.
  • the diameter of the decurling roller is preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 5 to 25 mm. If the diameter of the decurling roller exceeds 30 mm, curl correction effects are lacking, thereby making this undesirable.
  • the winding angle between the decurling roller and the receiving sheet is preferably 20 to 180°, and more preferably 30 to 180°. If the winding angle of the receiving sheet is less than 20°, curl correction effects are lacking, thereby making this undesirable. In addition, if the winding angle of the receiving sheet exceeds 180°, the configuration of the paper feeding path becomes complex and curl correction effects decrease, thereby making this undesirable.
  • Curl correction treatment is achieved by applying a powerful external force (stress) to the receiving sheet with strong tension, such as by passing over a decurling roller composed in the manner described above.
  • the receiving sheet held within the thermal transfer printer is unrolled, and after carrying out curl correction treatment on this receiving sheet, although printing is carried out using the thermal head, there are no particular limitations on the number of times curl correction treatment is carried out.
  • curl correction treatment can be carried out repeatedly several times for the printing of each color.
  • the receiving layer side of a receiving sheet is printed using a thermal transfer printer, since the receiving layer side is heated by heat from the thermal head being selectively applied thereto, the receiving layer side shrinks more than the back side, and curling of the receiving sheet shifts in the direction of top curl.
  • a support was obtained by using for the core material a porous, multilayer-structured, uniaxially or biaxially oriented polyolefin film having polypropylene for its main component, containing an inorganic pigment in the form of calcium carbonate, and having a thickness of 110 ⁇ m (trade name: Yupo FPG110, Yupo Corp.), and dry laminating a biaxially oriented porous multilayer-structured polyester film having polyethylene terephthalate for its main component and a thickness of 50 ⁇ m (trade name: E63S, Toray, thermal shrinkage: 0.04%) on both sides thereof using a urethane adhesive.
  • a back layer coating liquid 1 having the composition indicated below was coated onto one side of the aforementioned support to an amount of coated solid of 3 g/m 2 and dried to form a back layer.
  • Anchor layer coating liquid 1 having the composition indicated below was coated onto the porous multilayer-structured polyester film side of the support to serve as the receiving layer side thereof to an amount of coated solid of 1 g/m 2 and dried to form an anchor layer.
  • Anchor Layer Coating Liquid 1 Acrylate resin (trade name: SAR615A, Chuo Rika Kogyo) 50 parts
  • Cationic conductive resin trade name: Chemistat 9800, Sanyo Chemical Industries
  • Water/isopropyl alcohol 4/6 (weight ratio) mixed liquid 400 parts
  • a receiving layer coating liquid 1 having the following composition was coated onto the aforementioned anchor layer to an amount of coated solid of 5 g/m 2 and dried to form a receiving layer.
  • the receiving sheet following drying of the receiving layer was subjected to heat treatment followed by crosslinking the receiving layer, the receiving sheet was wound into the shape of a roll onto a winding core having an outer diameter of 170 mm so that the receiving layer coated surface was on the inside of the roll, followed immediately by carrying out crosslinking of the receiving layer by placing in a moisture-proof pouch and allowing to stand for 5 days in a heat treatment chamber controlled to a temperature of 50°C and relative humidity of 30%.
  • the finished receiving sheet was cut to A6 size so as to align the direction of roll flow with the lengthwise direction after cutting. Curling of the receiving sheet before printing was flat, and the total thickness of the receiving sheet was 230 ⁇ m.
  • a thermal transfer printer was fabricated to allow replacement of the platen roller in which the angle between the tangential direction at the location contacted by the thermal head on the platen roller and the direction of transport (to be referred to as the winding angle) can be adjusted according to the location of the transport roller.
  • the receiving sheet was allowed to stand for 5 minutes on a horizontal surface at 23°C and 50% RH with the receiving layer side either up or down, the maximum height of the four corners of the receiving sheet were measured, and the maximum height was indicated in the tables as the amount of curl after printing.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 1 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 12°.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 1 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 20°.
  • a rolled receiving sheet was produced in the same manner as Example 2 with the exception of changing the core material layer of the support in the manner indicated below, followed by measurement of curl after printing.
  • Coated paper having a thickness of 100 ⁇ m (trade name: OK TopCoat 127.9 g/m 2 , Oji Paper Co., Ltd.) was used for the core layer material.
  • a receiving sheet was produced in the same manner as Example 1 followed by measurement of curl after printing with the exception of producing a support by using for the core material layer a porous, multilayer-structured, uniaxially or biaxially oriented polyolefin film having polypropylene for its main component, containing an inorganic pigment in the form of calcium carbonate, and having a thickness of 110 ⁇ m (trade name: Yupo FPG110, Yupo Corp.), and dry laminating a biaxially oriented, porous multilayer-structured polyester film having polyethylene terephthalate for its main component and a thickness of 50 ⁇ m (trade name: E20, Toray, thermal shrinkage: 0.2%) on both sides thereof using a urethane adhesive.
  • a biaxially oriented, porous multilayer-structured film having polypropylene for its main component and a thickness of 50 ⁇ m (trade name: FPG50, Yupo Corp.) was heat-treated for 24 hours at 90°C in a rolled state to bring the thermal shrinkage to 0.8%. Curl after printing was then measured in the same manner as Example 1 with the exception of obtaining a support by dry laminating this film on both sides of a core material in the form of a biaxially oriented film having polyethylene terephthalate for its main component and a thickness of 100 ⁇ m (trade name: 100S10, Toray, thermal shrinkage: 0.5%) using a urethane adhesive.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 1 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 1°.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 2 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 1°.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 1 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 30°.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 2 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 30°.
  • High-quality paper having a thickness of 127 ⁇ m (trade name: OK Prince High Quality, 104.7 g/m 2 , Oji Paper Co., Ltd.) was used for the sheet-like support, a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer coating liquid 1 having the composition indicated below was coated onto one side thereof to a film thickness of 50 ⁇ m after drying, followed by drying to form a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer and carrying out calender treatment for smoothing the surface (roller surface temperature: 80°C, nip pressure: 2.5 MPa).
  • Hollow Particle-Containing Intermediate Layer Coating Liquid 1 Polyvinylidene chloride foam hollow particles (volumetric hollow ratio: 93%, mean particle diameter: 4 ⁇ m, maximum particle diameter: 20 ⁇ m) 35 parts Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA205, Kuraray) 15 parts Styrene-butadiene latex (trade name: PT1004, Zeon Corp.) 50 parts Water 200 parts
  • a barrier layer coating liquid 1 having the composition indicated below was further coated onto the aforementioned hollow particle-containing intermediate layer to an amount of coated solid of 2 g/m 2 followed by drying to form a barrier layer.
  • the receiving layer coating liquid 1 of Example 1 was then coated onto this barrier layer to an amount of coated solid of 5 g/m 2 followed by drying and curing for 48 hours at 50°C to form a receiving layer and produce the receiving sheet.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 10 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 20°.
  • a receiving sheet was produced in the same manner as Example 10 with the exception of using high-quality paper having a thickness of 203 ⁇ m for the sheet-like support (trade name: OK Prince High-Quality Eco G100, 157.0 g/m 2 , Oji Paper Co., Ltd.). The thickness of the receiving sheet was 255 ⁇ m.
  • Curl after printing was measured in the same manner as Example 14 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle to 20°.
  • each printed receiving sheet (A6 size, width: 105 mm, length: 148 mm) to stand for 5 minutes each on a horizontal surface at a temperature of 23°C and 50% RH with the receiving layer side facing up and then facing down, the maximum heights of the four corners of the receiving sheet were measured, and the maximum height was used as the curl after printing.
  • Curl after printing was evaluated using the following criteria. Furthermore, the receiving sheet was judged to be able to be used practically if the result of the evaluation was superior or good.
  • each receiving sheet was measured by measuring the Gurley stiffness in the direction of printing of the receiving sheet using the Gurley Stiffness Measuring Instrument manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. Based on TAPPI T543 84.
  • Table 1 Receiving sheet thickness ( ⁇ m) Platen roller radius R (mm) L/R (ratio) Winding angle (°) Receiving sheet thermal shrinkage (%) Curl height after printing (mm) Curl evaluation Ex. 1 230 22.0 0.010 3 0.4 Top 8 Good Ex. 2 230 5.5 0.042 3 0.4 Top 6 Good Ex. 3 230 22.0 0.010 12 0.4 Top 3 Superior Ex. 4 230 5.5 0.042 12 0.4 Back 2 Superior Ex. 5 230 22.0 0.010 20 0.4 Back 5 Superior Ex.
  • the receiving sheets obtained in each of the examples of the present invention were confirmed to have favorable curl after printing.
  • the receiving sheets of Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 5 were determined to have excessive top curl after printing, while the receiving sheets of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 were determined to have excessive back curl after printing.
  • the receiving sheets obtained in each of the examples of the present invention were confirmed to have favorable curl after printing.
  • the receiving sheet of Comparative Example 6 was determined to have excessive top curl after printing, while the receiving sheet of Comparative Example 7 was determined to have excessive back curl after printing.
  • Art paper having a thickness of 150 ⁇ m (trade name: OK Kanefuji N, 174.4 g/m 2 , Oji Paper Co., Ltd.) was used for the sheet-like support, and a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer coating liquid 2 having the composition indicated below was coated onto one side thereof to a film thickness after drying of 51 ⁇ m followed by drying to form an intermediate layer.
  • a barrier layer coating liquid 2 having the composition indicated below was coated onto the aforementioned intermediate layer to an amount of coated solid of 2 g/m 2 followed by drying to form a barrier layer, and a receiving layer coating liquid 2 having the composition indicated below was coated onto the barrier layer to an amount of coated solid of 5 g/m 2 followed by drying to form a receiving layer.
  • a back layer coating liquid 2 having the composition indicated below was coated onto the opposite side of the side on which the receiving layer is provided of the sheet-like support to an amount of coated solid after drying of 3 g/m 2 followed by drying to form a back layer and subsequently aging for 48 hours at 50°C.
  • a receiving sheet was produced by carrying out calender treatment (roller surface temperature: 78°C, nip pressure: 2.5 MPa) to smoothen the surface of the receiving sheet.
  • the receiving sheet obtained in the manner described above was supplied to a slitter, small roll slits were made in the receiving sheet, and the receiving sheet was wound into a small roll having a width of 127 mm and wound length of 80 m to obtain a rolled receiving sheet. Furthermore, the rolled receiving sheet was wound onto a small roll take-up cylinder with the coated surface of the receiving layer on the inside of the roll. A cushioned paper cylinder (take-up cylinder outer diameter: 60 mm) having an inner diameter of 2 inches was used for the small roll take-up cylinder. In addition, the outer diameter of the resulting rolled receiving sheet was 160 mm.
  • a thermal transfer printer was fabricated which allowed the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet onto a decurling roller to be variably adjusted by varying the location of the unwinding paper feed unit of the rolled receiving sheet. Furthermore, a decurling roller having an outer diameter of 20 mm was installed between the rolled receiving sheet unwinding paper feed unit and the thermal head of the printer.
  • an ink ribbon was prepared provided with an ink layer containing sublimation dyes in the three colors of yellow, magenta and cyan along with a binder on a polyester film having a thickness of 6 ⁇ m.
  • the rolled receiving sheet wound with the receiving layer obtained in the manner described above on the inside was unwound from the unwinding paper feed unit, adjusted so that the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet to the decurling roller was 60°, and the surface of the decurling roller was made to contact the back layer side of the rolled receiving sheet to carry out curl correction treatment.
  • each color of ink layer of the ink ribbon was sequentially contacted with the receiving sheet and controlled heat was applied in a stepwise manner with the thermal head to cause thermal transfer of a predetermined image to the receiving sheet, thereby resulting in printing of half-tone monochromatic and multi-color images of each color.
  • the receiving sheet was cut to a length in the direction of transport of 179 mm with a cutter, after which the receiving sheet was discharged to a paper tray.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of using a roller having an outer diameter of 10 mm for the decurling roller in the image formation step of Example 18.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of using a roller having an outer diameter of 30 mm for the decurling roller in the image formation step of Example 18.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet to the decurling roller to 30° in the image formation step of Example 18.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet to the decurling roller was 150° in the image formation step of Example 18.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of adjusting the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet to the decurling roller to 30°, and carrying out curl correction treatment a total of three times before printing of each color of yellow, magenta and cyan in the image formation step of Example 18.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of changing the formation of a rolled receiving sheet step of Example 18 as indicated below.
  • the receiving sheet obtained in the manner described above was supplied to a slitter, small roll slits were made in the receiving sheet, and a small roll was produced having a width of 127 mm and wound length of 50 m to obtain a rolled receiving sheet. Furthermore, the rolled receiving sheet was wound onto a small roll take-up cylinder with the coated surface of the receiving layer on the inside of the roll. A cushioned paper cylinder (take-up cylinder outer diameter: 85 mm) having an inner diameter of 3 inches was used for the small roll take-up cylinder. In addition, the outer diameter of the resulting rolled receiving sheet was 145 mm.
  • Image formation was carried out in the same manner as Example 18 with the exception of changing the image formation step of Example 18 as indicated below.
  • a thermal transfer printer was fabricated which allowed the winding angle of the rolled receiving sheet after printing onto the decurling roller to be variably adjusted by varying the location of the roller in the paper pathway on the output side of the thermal printer thermal head, while also allowing replacement of the decurling roller with that of a different outer diameter. Furthermore, a decurling roller having an outer diameter of 20 mm was installed between the output side of the thermal head and a paper cutter. In addition, an ink ribbon was prepared provided with an ink layer containing sublimation dyes in the three colors of yellow, magenta and cyan along with a binder on a polyester film having a thickness of 6 ⁇ m.
  • each color of ink layer of the ink ribbon was sequentially contacted with the receiving sheet wound with the receiving layer side on the inside, and controlled heat was applied in a stepwise manner with the thermal head to cause thermal transfer of a predetermined image to the receiving sheet, thereby resulting in printing of half-tone monochromatic and multi-color images of each color.
  • curl correction treatment was carried out by adjusting the winding angle of the printed rolled receiving sheet to the decurling roller to 60°, and contacting the back layer side of the printed rolled receiving sheet with the surface of the decurling roller.
  • the receiving sheet was cut to a length in the direction of transport of 179 mm with a cutter, after which the receiving sheet was discharged to a paper tray.
  • the receiving sheet (width: 127 mm, length: 179 mm) was allowed to stand for 5 minutes on a horizontal surface at 23°C and 50% RH with the receiving layer side either up or down, the maximum height of the four corners of the receiving sheet were measured, and the maximum height was taken to be the amount of curl after printing.
  • the receiving sheet obtained in each of the examples of the present invention were confirmed to have good curl after printing, superior appearance and good printing quality.
  • the amount of curl of a receiving sheet after printing can be made to be small, and printing quality having a superior appearance can be obtained.
  • the present invention can be applied to various types of thermal printers, including not only dye thermal transfer printers but also molten ink thermal transfer types, thereby giving the present invention extremely high practical value.

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EP05751347A 2004-06-16 2005-06-14 Druckverfahren für thermotransferaufnahmeblatt Withdrawn EP1769928A1 (de)

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PCT/JP2005/011208 WO2005123399A1 (ja) 2004-06-16 2005-06-14 熱転写受容シートの印画方法

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