JP2005125747A - Thermal transfer recording method and thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal transfer recording method which enables the surface smoothness of a protecting layer to be improved in the thermal transfer recording method for transferring the protecting layer by a thermal head, and a thermal transfer recording device for realizing this method. <P>SOLUTION: In the thermal transfer recording method which enables the transfer of the protecting layer formed on a base material sheet of a transfer sheet by a heat from the heat generating part 26 of the thermal head 5, an arithmetic mean roughness Ra, defined by JIS B 0601, of the interface, on the base material sheet side, of the protecting layer is set to be not more than 30 nm. In addition, the heat generating part 26 is separated into a plurality of separation parts 26a by juxtaposing a plurality of slits SL in the heat generating part 26, and a plurality of discrete electrode parts 27 are arranged upstream in the feed direction (y) beyond the separation parts 26a, while a common electrode part 28 is arranged downstream from the heat generating part 2. Besides, a flat pressurizing surface is formed downstream from the separation parts 26a across the heat generating part 26 and the common electrode part 28. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method for transferring a protective layer of a transfer sheet to a printed material by heat of a thermal head, and a thermal transfer recording apparatus for realizing the method.

  When the protective layer of the transfer sheet is transferred to the printed material by the heat of the thermal head, the thermal head has unevenness due to the arrangement of multiple heat generating parts corresponding to the pixels, resulting in unevenness in the protective layer and glossiness. Damaged. Therefore, a technique is known in which the protective layer is transferred using a line heater in which the heat generating portions continuously extend over a length corresponding to a plurality of heat generating portions of the thermal head (Patent Document 1). In addition, as a technique related to the present case, a technique for forming a part of a heating resistor of a thermal head and a common electrode flatly is known (Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 3314980 Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-20714

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to prepare both a thermal head for image formation and a line heater for transfer of a protective layer in a printer, which may increase the size and cost of the printer.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording method capable of improving the surface smoothness of the protective layer and a thermal transfer recording apparatus for realizing the method in a thermal transfer recording method for transferring a protective layer with a thermal head. And

  Hereinafter, the thermal transfer recording method and thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention will be described. In order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are appended in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

  In the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, the protective layer (53) provided on the base sheet (51) of the transfer sheet (50) is replaced with the heat generating part (26) of the thermal head (5) arranged on the base sheet side. In the thermal transfer recording method of transferring onto the image of the printed matter (100) by the heat of, the arithmetic average roughness Ra defined by JIS B 0601 of the interface (53a) on the base sheet side of the protective layer is 30 nm or less And a plurality of slits (SL) extending in the feeding direction are provided in parallel in at least a portion upstream of the print product in the feeding direction (y) of the heat generating portion of the thermal head, and the portions are separated into a plurality of portions. A plurality of individual electrode portions (27... 27) connected to each of the plurality of separation portions on the upstream side in the feed direction from the plurality of separation portions. Also send A common electrode portion (28) connected to the heat generating portion is disposed on the downstream side in the feed direction, and among the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion, the plurality of the plurality of separation portions are located on the downstream side in the feed direction. The above-described problem is solved by forming a flat pressing surface (S) continuously over a length corresponding to the separation portion.

  According to the present invention, when the protective layer is transferred, the convex portions of the protective layer formed by the slits between the separating portions are crushed and leveled by the flat pressure surface provided on the downstream side of the separating portion. Therefore, the surface smoothness of the printed matter is improved and the glossiness is improved. The effect of improving the glossiness of the printed material by providing a flat pressure surface downstream of the separation portion becomes more pronounced as the surface roughness of the protective layer on the substrate sheet side is smaller, especially the arithmetic average roughness Ra. Appears significantly when the thickness is set to 30 nm or less. The feeding direction of the printed material may be a relative feeding direction with respect to the thermal head. Therefore, the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention includes not only a method for sending a print product to a stationary thermal head but also a method for driving a thermal head to a stationary print product.

  In the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, the base material sheet is provided with regions of the protective layer and a color material layer that is transferred to the printed material and forms the image, and is formed by the heat of the thermal head. The image may be formed by transferring the color material layer of the transfer sheet to the printed material. In this case, since both the image formation and the transfer of the protective layer are performed by one set of transfer sheet and thermal head, a transfer sheet and thermal head for the color material layer, a transfer sheet for the protective layer, and a line heater are provided. Compared to the above, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the thermal transfer recording apparatus.

  In the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, the pressure surface can be formed at an appropriate position on the downstream side of the separation portion. For example, the pressurizing surface may be formed in the heat generating portion on the downstream side of the separation portion by providing the plurality of slits so as to extend to the middle (P) of the heat generating portion, or the plurality of slits may be formed. The pressurizing surface may be formed on the common electrode portion on the downstream side of the separation portion by providing it so as to extend to the boundary between the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion.

  In the thermal transfer recording method of the invention, each of the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion has a wear-resistant layer (25) covering them, and the surface of the wear-resistant layer is separated by the plurality of slits. It may be. In this case, the wear of the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion can be suppressed by the wear resistant layer, and the durability of the thermal head can be enhanced.

  The thermal transfer recording apparatus (1) of the present invention is arranged on a transfer sheet (50) having a base sheet (51) and a protective layer (53), and on the base sheet side of the transfer sheet. And a thermal head (5) for transferring the protective layer onto the image of the printed material by heating the transfer sheet with the heat of the thermal transfer recording apparatus, wherein the protective layer of the transfer sheet is the base material The calculated average roughness Ra defined by JIS B 0601 of the interface (53a) on the sheet side is set to 30 nm or less, and the thermal head is located at least on the upstream side in the feeding direction of the print product in the heat generating portion. A plurality of slits (SL) that extend in the feeding direction and are provided in parallel and separate the portions into a plurality of separation portions (26a ... 26a), and are connected to each of the plurality of separation portions, and the plurality of separation portions A plurality of individual electrode portions (27... 27) disposed on the upstream side in the feed direction, and a common electrode portion (28) connected to the heat generating portion and disposed on the downstream side in the feed direction with respect to the heat generating portion. And a pressurizing surface (S) which is formed on the downstream side in the feed direction from the plurality of separation portions among the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion, and is continuously flat over a length corresponding to the plurality of separation portions. By solving, the above-described problems are solved. With this thermal transfer recording apparatus, the above-described thermal transfer recording method can be realized. The interpretation about the feeding direction of the printed matter is as described above.

  In the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the base sheet of the transfer sheet is provided with the protective layer and a color material layer that is transferred to the print and forms the image in different regions, The thermal head may form the image by transferring the color material layer of the transfer sheet to the print by heat of the heat generating portion. Moreover, the said pressurization surface may be provided in the appropriate position of the downstream of the said separation part. For example, the pressurizing surface may be formed in the heat generating portion on the downstream side of the separating portion by providing the plurality of slits so as to extend to the middle (P) of the heat generating portion, or the plurality of slits Is provided so as to extend to the boundary between the heat generating part and the common electrode part, so that the pressing surface may be formed on the common electrode part on the downstream side of the separation part. Each of the heat generating part and the common electrode part may have a wear-resistant layer (25) that covers them, and the surface of the wear-resistant layer may be separated by the plurality of slits. Each form in the above-described thermal transfer recording method can be realized by the thermal transfer recording apparatus of these forms.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the protective layer is transferred, the convex portion of the protective layer formed by the slit between the separating portions is crushed by the flat pressure surface provided on the downstream side of the separating portion. It is averaged. Therefore, the surface smoothness of the printed matter is improved and the glossiness is improved.

  1A and 1B show an outline of a printer 1 to which the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention is applied. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a top view. The printer 1 is configured as a sublimation thermal transfer type printer that forms an image by thermally transferring the ink of the transfer sheet 50 onto an image receiving paper (printed material) 100. The image receiving paper 100 is attached to the printer 1 while being wound in a roll shape, for example, and is pulled out from the roll by an amount necessary for printing. The image receiving paper 100 has an image receiving layer 100a (see FIG. 4C) on the upper surface.

  The printer 1 includes a platen roll 3 that conveys the image receiving paper 100 while supporting it, an unwinding roll 4 on which an unused thermal transfer sheet 50 is wound, and a thermal head that heats the thermal transfer sheet 50 fed from the unwinding roll 4. 5 and a take-up roll 6 for winding the transfer sheet 50 heated by the thermal head 5. The platen roll 3, the unwinding roll 4, the thermal head 5, and the take-up roll 6 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the feeding direction y and extend over the entire width of the image receiving paper 100. The platen roll 3 and the thermal head 5 are arranged so as to be pressed so as to sandwich the image receiving paper 100 with a predetermined pressure. For example, the image receiving paper 100 can be pressed with a pressure of 20 to 30N.

  2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the thermal head 5, FIG. 3A is a plan view of the thermal head 5 seen from above in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is IIIb- of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the IIIb line. 2 and 3B corresponds to the lower part of FIG.

  The thermal head 5 is configured by laminating a heat resistance layer 21, a heating resistor 22, individual electrodes 23... 23, a common electrode 24, and a wear-resistant layer 25 on a heat dissipation substrate 20. 2 and 3A, the wear-resistant layer 25 is omitted.

  The upstream portion of the heating resistor 22 in the feed direction y is separated into a plurality of separation resistors 22a ... 22a by a plurality of slits SL ... SL extending along the feed direction y. The slits SL... SL extend from a position where the individual electrodes 23... 23 are stacked, and are positioned downstream of the intermediate position between the individual electrodes 23... 23 and the common electrode 24 and upstream of the common electrode 24 (see FIG. 3 (a)). The separation resistors 22a... 22a each correspond to one pixel, and are formed to have, for example, 12 pieces per 1 mm.

  The individual electrodes 23 ... 23 are respectively stacked on the separation resistors 22a ... 22a. The common electrode 24 is laminated on the downstream side in the feed direction y of the heating resistor 22, and continuously extends flat over a length corresponding to the plurality of separation resistors 22a. The individual electrodes 23... 23 and the common electrode 24 are arranged so as to face each other across the top of the heating resistor 22, and the individual electrodes 23... 23 perform energization control on the individual electrodes 23. The common electrode 24 is connected to an external circuit (not shown) for supplying a drive current.

  The wear-resistant layer 25 is laminated by, for example, sputtering, and the surface shape of the heating resistor 22, the individual electrodes 23 ... 23 and the common electrode 24 is reflected in the surface shape. That is, a pressure surface having a plurality of slits is formed on the upstream side of the position P, and a flat pressure surface S is continuously formed on the downstream side of the position P over a length corresponding to the plurality of individual electrodes 23. Is done. The slits formed on the surface of the wear-resistant layer 25 are caused by the slits SL, and are eventually caused by separating the heating resistor 22 in order to control the heat generation for each pixel. Since it is essentially the same as the slit SL, the slit formed on the surface of the wear-resistant layer 25 and the slit SL will be described as the slit SL without particularly distinguishing them.

  Of the heating resistor 22 and the wear-resistant layer 25, the portion sandwiched between the individual electrodes 23 ... 23 and the common electrode 24 serves as a heat-generating portion 26, and the individual electrode 23 and the portion of the wear-resistant layer 25 laminated thereon. As the individual electrode portion 27, the common electrode and the portion of the wear-resistant layer 25 laminated thereon function as the common electrode portion 28. Further, each part of the heat generating part 26 separated by the slits SL... SL upstream from the position P functions as a separating part 26a.

  For example, ceramic is used for the heat dissipation substrate 20, glass is used for the heat resistance layer 21, Ta2N, W, Cr, Ni—Cr, SnO 2 is used for the heating resistor 22, and the individual electrodes 23. For example, Al is used, and for the wear resistant layer 25, for example, Ta2O3, Si3N4, and SiC are used.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, on the base sheet 51 of the transfer sheet 50, there are yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) color material layers and an overprint (OP) layer. They are provided in order along the direction opposite to the feed direction y.

  The OP layer has a protective layer 53 and an adhesive layer 54 as shown in FIG. 4B. On the base sheet 51 of the transfer sheet 50, the release layer 52, the protective layer 53, and the adhesive layer 54 are provided. Each layer is laminated in this order. In the protective layer 53, the surface roughness of the interface 53a on the base sheet 51 side is 30 nm or less. Note that the upper part of FIG. 4B corresponds to the lower part of FIG. Further, the release layer 52 may not be provided.

  The operation of the printer 1 having the above configuration will be described below. When the image receiving paper 100 is conveyed below the thermal head 5 by the platen roller 3, the transfer sheet 50 is conveyed at a distance necessary to change the color material layer of the transfer sheet 50 located below the heat generating portion 26; The heat generation control of the heat generating portions 26a... 26a by a drive circuit (not shown) is repeated a number of times corresponding to the color material layers of Y, M, and C, and each color material layer is transferred to the image receiving layer 100a of the image receiving paper 100. Thus, one line of pixels is formed in the planned image.

  Next, the printer 1 positions the OP layer area of the transfer sheet 50 on the image for one line, and presses the transfer sheet 50 and the image receiving paper 100 by the platen roller 3 and the thermal head 5. All of 26a is heated. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4C, the protective layer 53 and the adhesive layer 54 are transferred to the image receiving paper 100. At this time, convex portions are formed in the protective layer 53 located in the slits SL.

  Thereafter, the printer 1 finishes the heat generation of the heat generating portions 26a... 26a, and conveys the transfer sheet 50 and the image receiving paper 100 by one pixel line while being pressed by the platen roller 3 and the thermal head 5. At this time, the convex portion of the protective layer 53 is crushed and leveled by the pressing surface S. Note that the transfer sheet 50 and the image receiving paper 100 do not have to be pressed by the platen roller 3 and the thermal head 5 when transporting only one line. Even in this case, when the color material layer or the like is transferred to the next one line, the convex portion is crushed and leveled by the common electrode portion 28.

  As described above, according to the printer 1, the surface smoothness of the protective layer 53 is improved and the glossiness is improved. The printer 1 can be suitably used for forming a printed matter such as a photograph, and can also be applied to a photo sticker.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented in various forms within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

  Any printing method may be used as long as the protective layer is thermally transferred onto the image. For example, a melt type thermal transfer recording method may be used. Any known thermal head can be used. In addition to the so-called partial glaze type thermal head shown in the embodiment, for example, a planar glaze type thermal head in which the thermal resistance layer 21 is laminated flatly, A thermal head of a type in which the substrate 20 is formed in a convex shape may be used.

  The flat pressing surface S is not limited to one that extends continuously and flat over the entire length of the thermal head 5. The image receiving paper 100 can be smoothed as long as it extends continuously over a length corresponding to a plurality of the separating portions 26a. Further, the pressure surface S may be provided at an appropriate position of the heat generating portion 26 and the common electrode portion 28 as long as it is downstream of the separating portion 26a. For example, as in the thermal head 30 of FIG. 5, the slit SL extends to the front of the common electrode portion 28, in other words, the slit SL extends to the boundary between the heat generating portion 26 and the common electrode portion 28, and only a plurality of common electrode portions 28 are provided. Alternatively, it may be formed flat continuously over a length corresponding to the separating portions 26a.

  The protective layer was transferred onto photographic paper by applying the present invention to CP8000D manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. Table 1 shows the conditions of implementation and the glossiness of the photographic paper after transfer of the protective layer.

  In the column of thermal head in Table 1, the prototype 1 is a thermal head in which the downstream side of the heat generating portion 26 and the common electrode portion 28 shown in FIG. 3A are formed flat, and the prototype 2 is shown in FIG. A thermal head in which only the common electrode portion 28 is formed flat, and the current product shows a thermal head in which the common electrode portion 28 is also separated into a plurality by slits SL. The prototypes 1 and 2 are the same as the thermal head of the current product with respect to other conditions such as the number of dots per 1 mm, except that the downstream side in the feed direction is formed flat.

  The arithmetic average roughness Ra is a value of the interface on the base sheet side of the protective layer, and was set to 23 nm, 30 nm, and 42 nm. The arithmetic average roughness Ra was measured using a stylus type surface roughness meter (Surfcom 1400D-3DF-12) manufactured by Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd., with a cutoff value of 0.08 mm and an evaluation length. Was set to 0.4 mm, and the measurement speed was set to 0.03 mm / s.

  The glossiness was measured by Gloss Meter VG2000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd., and the measurement angle was 20 °. Two types of measurement directions were set, and the print feed direction of the printed material was the sub-scanning direction, and the 90 ° rotation direction was the main scanning direction. The glossiness shown in Table 1 is the specular glossiness at 20 ° defined by JIS Z 8741.

  As shown in Table 1, by changing the thermal head from the current product to prototype 1 or prototype 2, there is no difference in glossiness between the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and the surface smoothness of the printed material is improved. improves. In particular, when the surface roughness is 30 nm or less, sufficient glossiness (65 or more) is obtained.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of a thermal head of the printer of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view and a plan view of a part of a thermal head of the printer of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating a part of a transfer sheet of the printer in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a modification of the thermal head of the printer in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

1. Printer (thermal transfer recording device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Thermal head 26 ... Heat generating part 26a ... Separating part 27 ... Individual electrode part 28 ... Common electrode part 50 ... Transfer sheet 51 ... Base material sheet 53 ... Protective layer 53a ... Interface 100 ... Image receiving paper SL ... Slit S ... Pressure surface

Claims (10)

In the thermal transfer recording method of transferring the protective layer provided on the base sheet of the transfer sheet onto the image of the printed matter by the heat of the heat generating part of the thermal head arranged on the base sheet side,
The arithmetic average roughness Ra defined by JIS B 0601 of the interface on the base sheet side of the protective layer is set to 30 nm or less,
A plurality of slits extending in the feeding direction are provided in parallel in at least a portion upstream of the heat generating portion of the thermal head in the feeding direction, and the portions are separated into a plurality of separating portions, and the plurality of separating portions A plurality of individual electrode portions connected to the plurality of separation portions on the upstream side in the feed direction, and a common electrode portion connected to the heat generation portion on the downstream side in the feed direction from the heat generation portion, respectively. And, among the heat generating part and the common electrode part, a flat pressure surface is continuously formed over a length corresponding to the plurality of separation parts downstream from the plurality of separation parts in the feeding direction. And a thermal transfer recording method.   In the base sheet, the protective layer and a color material layer that is transferred to the printed material to form the image are provided in different regions, and the color of the transfer sheet is generated by the heat of the heat generating portion of the thermal head. The thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the image is formed by transferring a material layer to the printed matter.   3. The thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of slits are provided so as to extend partway along the heat generating portion.   3. The thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of slits are provided so as to extend to a boundary between the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion.   Each of the said heat_generation | fever part and the said common electrode part has an abrasion-resistant layer which covers these, The surface of the said abrasion-resistant layer is isolate | separated by these slits. The thermal transfer recording method described in 1. A transfer sheet having a base sheet and a protective layer, and disposed on the base sheet side of the transfer sheet, the transfer sheet is heated by the heat of the heat generating portion to transfer the protective layer onto the image of the print In a thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising a thermal head,
The protective layer of the transfer sheet has a calculated average roughness Ra defined by JIS B 0601 of the interface on the base sheet side set to 30 nm or less,
The thermal head extends in the feeding direction at least at a portion upstream of the print product in the feeding direction of the heat generating portion, and is provided in parallel, and a plurality of slits for separating the portion into a plurality of separating portions; Connected to each of the separation parts, and connected to the plurality of individual electrode parts disposed upstream of the plurality of separation parts in the feeding direction, and to the heat generating part, and further to the downstream side of the heating direction than the heat generating part. Of the arranged common electrode portion and the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion, the common electrode portion is formed on the downstream side in the feeding direction from the plurality of separation portions, and is continuously flat over a length corresponding to the plurality of separation portions. A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: a pressing surface;   The base sheet of the transfer sheet is provided with regions where the protective layer and the color material layer that is transferred to the print and forms the image are different from each other, and the thermal head is heated by the heat of the heat generating portion. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image is formed by transferring the color material layer of the transfer sheet to the printed material.   The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of slits are provided so as to extend partway along the heat generating portion.   The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of slits are provided so as to extend to a boundary between the heat generating portion and the common electrode portion. Each of the said heat_generation | fever part and the said common electrode part has an abrasion-resistant layer which covers these, The surface of the said abrasion-resistant layer is isolate | separated by these slits. 2. A thermal transfer recording apparatus according to 1.

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