JP2004074422A - Transfer foil - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and beautifully transfer a three-dimensional toner image of a photograph, a picture pattern, a pattern, a letter and the like printed on a release layer fixed in advance on a base material layer by a printer by an on-demand method onto a body to be transferred such as a fabric, a plastic and a metal. <P>SOLUTION: A transfer foil applying a transfer onto the body to be transferred is provided with at least the base material layer 10, the release layer 20 and a toner image layer 30, and the base material layer 10, the release layer 20 and the toner image layer 30 are provided in this order. The toner image layer 30 consists of a three-dimensional toner image layer with an uneven part, and a dry toner is used for forming the three-dimensional toner image layer 30. The dry toner provides the transfer foil A provided by a printer connected with a computer in which digital picture pattern data is taken in from a scanner and/or an outside source. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention makes it possible to easily and beautifully print a toner image such as a photograph, a pattern, a pattern, and a character printed on a release layer previously fixed to a base material layer on a transfer material such as fabric, plastics, and metal by a printer. It relates to a transfer foil that can be transferred.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, photographs, designs, boundaries, characters, and the like formed on a transfer foil are usually obtained by printing such as gravure printing, screen printing, and offset printing.
[0003]
Generally, when a photograph, a pattern, a pattern, a character, and the like are formed on a transfer foil by printing, particularly when formed by color printing (gravure printing or the like), a plate making process such as color separation is required, and printing is performed. Specialized printing techniques such as color change and alignment work at the time are required.
[0004]
In recent years, as a printing technique that does not require such a plate making process, a transfer device and a transfer foil using an on-demand printing technique are known.
However, this type of transfer foil does not require the above-mentioned plate making process or specialized printing technology, and requires a small lot, a large variety of products, and the required photos, designs, patterns, characters, etc. of the transfer foil quickly in response to customer needs. However, it has the following problems (1) to (3).
{Circle around (1)} Since the picture layer is formed by color copying or the like, the toner is limited to the three primary colors (yellow, cyan, magenta) and black. As a result, when the color of the material to be transferred is dark, the pattern is erased by the color of the background, and the problem is that the reproducibility of the color tone is deteriorated.
To avoid this, a solid white layer is required, but a separate process is required due to the limitations of the printer head.
{Circle around (2)} Since the toner image layer and the release layer adhere to the transfer material without the adhesive layer, there is a problem in that the transfer material is limited.
{Circle around (3)} When the image forming means uses thermal transfer, sublimation transfer, ink jet, or the like, there is a problem that it is difficult to express a three-dimensional effect.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems and the like, and aims to solve the problems. A small lot, a large variety of products, a photograph, a pattern, a pattern, a character, etc. required for a transfer foil quickly in response to customer needs. It is an object of the present invention to form a three-dimensional image having a sense of unevenness and to provide an impactful transfer foil that accurately responds to customer needs.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present inventor has paid attention to recent advances in printers using toner, in particular, advances in color printers, and has obtained the idea of forming photographs, designs, patterns, characters, etc. on a transfer foil using this, and obtained the idea. As a result of repeated studies and experiments for realizing the present invention, a transfer foil for transferring to a transfer receiving body, the transfer foil comprising at least a base layer, a release layer and a toner image layer, and the toner The inventors have found that the transfer foil of the above object can be obtained by using a specific structure for the image layer and using a specific toner, thereby completing the present invention.
That is, the present invention resides in the following (1) to (8).
(1) A transfer foil for transferring a transfer object, the transfer foil including at least a base layer, a release layer, and a toner image layer, and is provided in the order of the base layer, the release layer, and the toner image layer. A transfer foil, wherein the toner image layer is formed of a three-dimensional toner image layer having an uneven portion, and the three-dimensional toner image layer is formed by using a dry toner, and the dry toner is provided by a printer. .
(2) The transfer foil according to the above (1), wherein the three-dimensional toner image layer has an average thickness of 8 to 80 μm.
(3) The transfer foil according to (1) or (2), wherein a difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the three-dimensional toner image layer is 16 to 150 μm.
(4) The transfer foil as described in any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein a white layer is provided on the transfer side of the three-dimensional toner image layer.
(5) The transfer foil as described in any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein an adhesive layer is further formed on the transfer-receiving side of the three-dimensional toner image layer.
(6) The transfer foil according to the above (5), wherein the softening point of the adhesive layer is in the range of 50 to 220 ° C.
(7) The transfer foil as described in (4) or (6) above, wherein the average thickness of the adhesive layer is 0.5 μm to 5 μm.
(8) The transfer foil as described in any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the height difference of the surface of the transfer foil after transfer is 5 to 35 μm.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 to 3 are cross-sectional views of a transfer foil for transferring a transfer object to a transfer object according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section schematically showing a transfer foil on which a three-dimensional toner image is formed. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a transfer foil coated with an adhesive layer after forming a three-dimensional toner image, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the transfer foil transferred to a material to be transferred. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of a method for producing a transfer foil of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the transfer foil A of the first embodiment sequentially includes a base layer 10 serving as a release sheet, a release layer 20, and a three-dimensional toner image layer 30. On the transfer side of the image layer 30, a white layer 40 and an adhesive layer 50 are further provided in that order.
[0008]
The base material layer 10 is, for example, a material capable of withstanding a heat treatment at 130 to 230 ° C. during transfer, and is a polyethylene (PE) film, a polypropylene (PP) film, a nylon film, a polyethylene film having a thickness of 12 to 100 μm. A resin film of a polyester film such as a terephthalate (PET) film or the like can be given. In particular, a polyester film having a thickness of 16 to 40 μm is desirable from the viewpoint of economy, heat resistance, workability, and the like.
[0009]
The release layer 20 separates from the base layer 10 during transfer, and protects the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 after transfer, and includes, for example, a release layer. Examples of the release layer 20 include known materials such as a (meth) acrylic resin, a copolymer of styrene and a lower alkyl (meth) acrylate, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, a chloride rubber, and nitrocellulose. Can be formed. Further, a release material such as a wax, a silicone resin, or a fluororesin may be appropriately added to these release layers 20 as needed.
The release layer 20 may be provided by a gravure coat, a roll coat, or the like. The amount of the release layer 20 exerts a function of releasing from the base layer 10 at the time of transfer and a function of protecting the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 after transfer. from allowed to point, preferably, from 1 to 20 g / ^{m 2,} more preferably, it is desirable to 3~12g / ^{m 2,} also its thickness is preferably set to 1 to 5 [mu] m.
[0010]
The three-dimensional toner image layer 30 is formed of a toner image layer having an uneven portion, and dry toner is used to form the three-dimensional toner image layer 30.
The dry toner forming the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 has a mean particle size of 6 to 10 μm from the viewpoint of clear images and fixability, and contains a low melting point thermoplastic resin and a colorant.
As the low-melting thermoplastic resin, thermoplastic resins such as polystyrene, styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-acryl copolymer, polyester resin, epoxy resin, and polyamide resin, which are low-melting resins, are used. A polyester resin is preferred from the viewpoint of fixability to the release layer and stability of the toner image layer during transfer processing. Further, as the coloring agent, various coloring agents used for dry toner can be used.
As shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional toner image layer is a three-dimensional three-dimensional toner image layer having uneven portions, and has an average thickness (average thickness of X) of 8 to 80 μm and a maximum thickness of 8 to 80 μm. difference (X) and the minimum thickness _{(X 1) (X-X} 1) is made of 16～150Myuemu.
Preferably, from the viewpoint of fixability of the toner image layer to the release layer and sharpness after transfer processing, the average thickness is preferably 8 to 60 μm, and the difference between the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness is preferably Is desirably 16 to 100 μm.
If the average thickness of the three-dimensional toner image layer is less than 8 μm, a three-dimensional effect cannot be obtained after transfer, and if the average thickness exceeds 80 μm, the toner image layer may be broken at the time of transfer or may adhere to the material to be transferred. It is not preferable because of poor properties.
Further, when the difference in the thickness of the solid toner image layer (X-X ₁₎ is less than 16 [mu] m, can not be obtained stereoscopic effect after the transfer, and if the difference exceeds 150 [mu] m, partially in product after transfer In some cases, a portion that does not adhere to the material to be transferred is generated, which is not preferable.
[0011]
The dry toner forming the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 is provided by the printer 60. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the printer 60 is connected to a scanner 61 and / or a computer 62 that has taken in digital picture data from an external source, and has a command display unit 63 that processes these data. And a printing unit 64 for forming a desired three-dimensional toner image in accordance with an instruction from the instruction display unit 63.
As the printing unit 64 of the printer 60, four printer heads a to d for printing black or each primary color and a white layer 40 serving as a white press on the transfer material side of the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 are printed. And a printer head having one printer head e.
The three-dimensional toner image layer obtained by these printers and the like has excellent image quality. That is, the majority of ordinary imagesetters and laser printers employ an image processing method using a binary code in which each dot is represented only by binary values of black and white. In the present embodiment, one dot per dot is used. A gradation value of up to 6 bits can be specified, so that a density of up to 64 gradations is possible for each dot, and a wide density range can be provided for each dot. It can be reproduced.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 65 denotes a base, 66 denotes a feed roller, 67 denotes a take-up roller, and 68 denotes an adhesive unit for forming an adhesive layer 50 described later. The sheet body Z having the sheet 10 and the release layer 20 is sent to the printing unit 64, and a three-dimensional toner image layer is provided.
Alternatively, the command display unit 63 may form a three-dimensional toner image by variable printing by further multiplexing other print data (image data).
[0012]
The white layer 40 provided on the transfer side of the three-dimensional toner image layer is below the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 when the transfer material is viewed from the front side after the transfer, and conceals the surface of the transfer material thereunder. That is, even when transferred to a material to be transferred with a dark color, the material is hardly affected by the material.
The white layer 40 is composed of a toner or the like containing a white pigment (titanium oxide, white resin pigment) using a polyester resin as a binder as a colorant.
The thickness of the white layer 40 is desirably 6 to 12 μm from the viewpoint of concealment. The formation of the white layer 40 may be the whole or a part of the three-dimensional toner image layer 30.
[0013]
The adhesive layer 50 in the transfer foil A of the present embodiment is formed of, for example, a hot-melt adhesive. The hot melt adhesive has a softening temperature of 50 to 220 ° C., preferably 50 to 200 ° C., from the viewpoint that transfer processing needs to be performed in an extremely short time of 0.5 to 1.5 seconds. Is desirable.
Examples of the hot melt adhesive having such properties include acrylic resin, vinyl acetate resin, rubber-based resin, polystyrene, polyolefin, epoxy resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, diallyl phthalate resin, chlorinated polyolefin, Among the polyamide resins and their mixtures, those having a softening temperature within the above range can be selected and used.
The thickness of the hot melt adhesive layer is preferably 0.5 to 5 μm, and more preferably 1 to 3 μm, from the viewpoint of adhesion to the material to be transferred and breakage of the foil after processing.
[0014]
As the transfer method of the transfer foil A of the first embodiment configured as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the transfer foil A is transferred so that the adhesive layer 50 side of the transfer foil A is the transfer target material 70 side. It can be transferred to a material to be transferred, such as cloth, plastics, or metal, by setting it on a machine or the like and performing thermocompression bonding or the like.
Preferably, the height difference (Y) of the surface of the transfer foil after the transfer is 5 to 35 μm from the viewpoint that a three-dimensional effect can be recognized by visual observation and finger touch.
[0015]
In the transfer foil A of the first embodiment configured as described above, digital pattern data is taken from a scanner 61 or an external source, and is pre-fixed to the base material layer 10 by a printer 60 connected to a computer 62 or the like. Since the three-dimensional toner image 30 such as a photograph, a pattern, a pattern, and a character is formed on the release layer 20 by the printer 60 and fixed, a plate making process such as a color separation process is not required, and no special printing technology is required. Thus, it is possible to handle small lots with a short delivery time.
In addition, the average thickness of the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 is, for example, 8 to 80 μm thicker than the transfer foil manufactured by the gravure printing machine, which is 2 to 6 μm, and is a toner image layer having an uneven portion. More specifically, since the difference between the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness of the toner image layer is 16 to 150 μm, unevenness remains even after thermal transfer, and a transfer foil with a three-dimensional effect and accurately responding to customer needs. Is obtained.
Further, the printer 62 for forming the three-dimensional toner image layer 30 includes four printer heads a to d for printing black or each primary color, and a white layer 40 serving as a white press on the transfer material side of the three-dimensional toner image layer 30. Is provided with one printer head e, so that even if the image is transferred to a dark material to be transferred, the material is less affected by the material.
[0016]
Further, in the present embodiment, the adhesive layer 50 made of a hot melt adhesive can be selected, so that the adhesive layer 50 can be transferred to a wide range of plastics, metals, and the like, and the three-dimensional toner image layer has a feeling of irregularities. Due to the flow of the dry toner, the transfer foil adheres firmly to the material to be transferred, even if the surface of the material to be transferred has some irregularities like the parting line of a molded product.
[0017]
The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and the transfer foil B according to the second embodiment in which the white layer 40 and the adhesive layer 50 are not provided as shown in FIG. It may be. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer foil B of this embodiment receives digital picture data from a scanner 61 or an external source and receives the digital picture data from the external source by a printer 60 connected to a computer 62, as shown in FIG. Since the three-dimensional toner image 30 such as a photograph, a pattern, a pattern, and a character is formed on the release layer 20 previously fixed to the material layer 10 by the printer 60 and fixed, a plate-making process such as a color separation process is not required, and No special printing technology is required, short delivery time, small lots can be handled, and the thickness of the three-dimensional toner image 30 is thicker than the transfer foil manufactured by the gravure printing machine. , The unevenness remains even after thermal transfer, and a transfer product having a three-dimensional effect can be obtained.
If necessary, the white layer 40 or the adhesive layer 50 of the first embodiment may be provided on the transfer foil B of the second embodiment.
[0018]
【Example】
Next, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.
[0019]
(Example 1)
Example 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The release sheet 10 constituting the base material layer is made of 25 μm thick PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and the release layer 20 is made of butyl methacrylate resin. The three-dimensional toner image layer 30 is colored yellow, blue, red, and black by dry toner. The white layer 40 is a white pressing layer formed with white toner of the printer. The adhesive layer 50 is a hot melt adhesive mainly composed of a chlorinated PP resin and has a thickness of 3 μm. Reference numeral 70 denotes a material to be transferred, which is made of PP (polypropylene).
The three-dimensional toner image layer 30 and the white layer 40 are layers having a thickness of 40 μm and 12 μm, respectively, formed by using a printer (DCP320S, manufactured by ZEIKON).
Next, a method of transferring the transfer foil having this configuration will be described.
The transfer foil was set on the transfer machine such that the hot melt adhesive side of the transfer foil was on the transfer material side, and the transfer foil was transferred to the PP material under the conditions of a transfer temperature of 220 ° C., a pressure of 100 kg / cm ² , and a transfer time of 0.8 seconds. .
After transferring this transfer foil to a shaft-like member, the surface was measured with a non-contact three-dimensional laser shape measuring device (manufactured by Mitaka Koiki Co., Ltd.). The height difference of the surface of the transfer foil after the transfer was 18.15 μm, and the transferred product had a three-dimensional effect such that even if touched by hand, the unevenness was sufficiently felt.
Further, the adhesiveness of the transfer foil to the material to be transferred was also evaluated using a cellophane tape, but no peeling of the transfer foil was observed.
[0020]
(Example 2)
A transfer foil was prepared in the same manner as in the first embodiment except that the adhesive layer 50 was replaced with a styrene-acrylic copolymer resin. The transfer method of the transfer foil having this configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, except that the hot-melt adhesive side of the transfer foil is set on the transfer machine so as to be the material to be transferred, and the transfer temperature is 220 ° C. and 100 kg / cm. ^The transfer was performed to the ABS material under the conditions of a pressure of ² and a transfer time of 0.8 seconds.
After transferring the transfer foil to the shaft member, the surface was measured with a three-dimensional laser shape measuring device in the same manner as described above. The height difference of the surface of the transfer foil after the transfer is 30.18 μm, and the transferred product has a three-dimensional appearance such that even if touched by hand, enough unevenness is felt, as shown in FIG. Was also evaluated with a cellophane tape, and no peeling of the transfer foil was observed.
[0021]
(Example 3)
A transfer foil was produced in the same manner as in the first embodiment except that the adhesive layer 50 was replaced with a polyester resin. The transfer method of the transfer foil having this configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, except that the hot-melt adhesive side of the transfer foil is set on the transfer machine so as to be the material to be transferred, and the transfer temperature is 220 ° C. and 100 kg / cm. ^The transfer was performed on a PET material under the conditions of a pressing force of ² and a transfer time of 0.8 seconds.
After transferring the transfer foil to the shaft member, the surface was measured with a three-dimensional laser shape measuring device in the same manner as described above. The height difference of the transfer foil surface after this transfer is 21.88 μm, and the transferred product has a three-dimensional appearance such that even if touched by hand, enough unevenness can be felt, as shown in FIG. Was also evaluated with a cellophane tape, and no peeling of the transfer foil was observed.
[0022]
(Example 4)
A transfer foil was prepared in the same manner as in the first embodiment, except that a release layer coated with paraffin wax remaining on the release sheet side was added after the transfer processing between the base layer 10 as the release sheet and the release layer 20. Was prepared. The transfer method of the transfer foil having this configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, except that the hot-melt adhesive side of the transfer foil is set on the transfer machine so as to be the material to be transferred, and the transfer temperature is 220 ° C. and 100 kg / cm. ^The transfer was performed on the PP material under the conditions of a pressing force of ² and a transfer time of 0.8 seconds.
After transferring the transfer foil to the shaft member, the surface was measured with a three-dimensional laser shape measuring device in the same manner as described above. The height difference of the surface of the transfer foil after the transfer is 13.85 μm, and the transferred product has a three-dimensional appearance as shown in FIG. Was also evaluated with a cellophane tape, and no peeling of the transfer foil was observed.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
According to the invention of claims 1 to 3 and 8, a photograph, a pattern, and a pattern are formed on a release layer previously fixed to a base material layer by a printer connected to a computer that has taken in digital pattern data from a scanner or an external source. Since a three-dimensional toner image such as characters is formed and fixed by a printer, a plate-making process such as a color separation process is not required, and a specialized printing technique is not required. In addition, the three-dimensional toner image layer has irregularities, and irregularities remain even after thermal transfer, thereby providing a transfer foil from which a three-dimensionally transferred product can be obtained.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, even when the image is transferred to a material to be transferred having a darker color, the material is less likely to be affected by the material.
According to the fifth to seventh aspects of the present invention, since the toner can be transferred to a wide range of plastics, metals, and the like, and the three-dimensional toner image layer has uneven portions, the toner flows by the pressure at the time of transfer, so Even if the surface of the material has some irregularities, such as the parting line of a molded product, the transfer foil will firmly adhere to the material to be transferred.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1, showing a first embodiment of the present invention, is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a transfer foil on which a three-dimensional toner image is formed.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a transfer foil on which an adhesive layer is applied by a hot melt adhesive after forming the three-dimensional toner image of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view in which the transfer foil of FIG. 2 is transferred to a material to be transferred;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing one example of a method for producing a transfer foil of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a transfer foil on which a three-dimensional toner image is formed according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
A transfer foil 10 base layer 20 release layer 30 three-dimensional toner image layer 40 white layer 50 adhesive layer

Claims (8)

A transfer foil for performing transfer to a transfer target body, the transfer foil includes at least a base layer, a release layer, and a toner image layer, and a base layer, a release layer, and a toner image layer are provided in this order. A transfer foil, wherein the toner image layer comprises a three-dimensional toner image layer having irregularities, and a dry toner is used for forming the three-dimensional toner image layer, and the dry toner is provided by a printer. The transfer foil according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional toner image layer has an average thickness of 8 to 80 m. 3. The transfer foil according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the three-dimensional toner image layer is 16 to 150 [mu] m. The transfer foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a white layer is provided on the transfer side of the three-dimensional toner image layer. The transfer foil according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an adhesive layer is further formed on the transfer-receiving side of the three-dimensional toner image layer. The transfer foil according to claim 5, wherein the softening point of the adhesive layer is in the range of 50 to 220C. The transfer foil according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive layer has an average thickness of 0.5 μm to 5 μm. The transfer foil according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the height difference of the transfer foil surface after the transfer is 5 to 35 µm.

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