JP2020055117A - Intermediate transfer medium, thermal transfer printer, manufacturing method of printed matter and combination of intermediate transfer medium and transfer target body - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent a peep to information formed on a surface of a printed matter.SOLUTION: An intermediate transfer medium includes a transfer layer on one side of a support medium formed separably from the support medium. The transfer layer includes a polarization film and a reception layer disposed on the polarization film. A notch from the reception layer reaching a surface of the support medium is formed along an edge of a transfer target body. A printed matter is manufactured through: heating a thermal transfer sheet; transferring a coloring material layer to form an image on the reception layer; heating an intermediate transfer medium; and transferring the transfer layer including the reception layer where the image is formed onto the transfer target body. The printed matter can prevent a peep as the image is covered with the polarization film.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an intermediate transfer medium, a thermal transfer printer, a method for manufacturing a printed matter, and a combination of an intermediate transfer medium and a transfer object.

  As one of printers for forming a thermal transfer image on an arbitrary object, an intermediate transfer medium in which a receiving layer is provided on a substrate in a releasable manner and a thermal transfer sheet having a color material layer are used. A thermal transfer printer has been proposed in which a color material is transferred to a receiving layer to form an image, and then a transfer layer including the receiving layer on which the image has been formed is transferred from an intermediate transfer medium onto a transfer target. For example, a credit card, an ID card, and the like are manufactured by forming a thermal transfer image on a card base material.

  In recent years, the use of credit cards, including credit card payments, is widespread, as cashless services have progressed. In online payment, it is often required to input a card number, expiration date, name, and the like. Since these pieces of information are all printed on the face of the ticket, there is a possibility that the information is peeped by an unauthorized person and illegally used.

JP 2015-212036 A JP-A-2013-139897 JP 2008-122850 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, a method for manufacturing a printed matter that can prevent peeping of information formed on the surface of the printed matter, an intermediate transfer medium used for manufacturing the printed matter, It is an object to provide a thermal transfer printer and a combination of an intermediate transfer medium and a transfer object.

  The intermediate transfer medium according to the present invention is an intermediate transfer medium provided with a transfer layer releasably from the support on one surface of the support, wherein the transfer layer includes a polarizing film and a polarizing film. And a receiving layer provided.

  In one aspect of the present invention, a notch is provided from the receiving layer to the surface of the support.

  A thermal transfer printer according to the present invention includes a first supply unit that supplies the intermediate transfer medium of the present invention, a second supply unit that supplies a thermal transfer sheet provided with a color material layer on one surface of a substrate, and image data. Heating the thermal transfer sheet based on, a printing unit that transfers the color material layer to the receiving layer to form an image, a third supply unit that supplies an object to be transferred, and heats the intermediate transfer medium, A transfer section for transferring the transfer layer including the receiving layer on which the image is formed, onto the transfer target.

  In one aspect of the present invention, a cut that reaches the surface of the support from the receiving layer is formed in the intermediate transfer medium in accordance with an edge of the transfer target.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the object to be transferred has a light reflectance of 70% or more on a surface to which the transfer layer is transferred.

  The method for producing a printed matter according to the present invention uses the intermediate transfer medium of the present invention, and a thermal transfer sheet provided with a coloring material layer on one surface of a substrate, and heats the thermal transfer sheet to form the receiving layer. Transferring the color material layer to form an image, heating the intermediate transfer medium, and transferring the transfer layer including the receiving layer on which the image is formed to a transfer receiving body to produce a print. And a process.

  In the combination of the intermediate transfer medium and the object to be transferred according to the present invention, the light reflectance of the surface of the object to which the transfer layer is transferred is 70% or more.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can prevent that the information formed on the surface of the print is peeped.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of an intermediate transfer medium. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2. It is a perspective view of a polarizing film. It is a top view of a thermal transfer sheet. It is sectional drawing of a print.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal transfer printer uses a thermal transfer sheet 20 to print an image on a receiving layer 15 (see FIG. 3) provided on the intermediate transfer medium 10, and transfers the image to the intermediate transfer medium 10. A transfer unit 60 that transfers the layer T (see FIG. 3) onto the transfer target body 40. Further, the thermal transfer printer includes a control unit 30 for controlling the operation of each unit.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the intermediate transfer medium 10, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. The intermediate transfer medium 10 includes a support 11 and a transfer layer T provided on one surface of the support 11. The transfer layer T has a release layer 12, an adhesive layer 13, a polarizing film 14, and a receiving layer 15 laminated in this order from the support 11 side. The receiving layer 15 is located on the outermost surface of the intermediate transfer medium 10, and is located farthest from the support 11 among the layers constituting the transfer layer T.

  Detection marks 17 are formed on the intermediate transfer medium 10 at regular intervals. A cut 16 is formed between the detection marks 17 from the receiving layer 15 to the surface of the support 11 by a half-cut process. The transfer layer T is divided into a portion to be transferred to the transfer target body 40 by the cut 16 and a portion to be left on the support 11, and a substantially rectangular portion of the transfer layer T surrounded by the cut 16 is covered. The image is transferred to the transfer body 40. For example, the cut 16 is formed in accordance with the edge of the transfer target 40.

  The polarizing film 14 has a microlouver layer used as a peep prevention filter. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the polarizing film 14 is formed so as to be supported by the transparent resin layer 14a and the transparent resin layer 14a. , And have linear dark colored linear portions 14b extending in parallel with each other. For example, on the surface of the transparent resin layer 14a, groove-shaped concave portions extending in parallel with each other are formed, and dark-colored linear portions 14b are formed by applying dark-colored ink inside the groove-shaped concave portions.

  When manufacturing the intermediate transfer medium 10, first, a first laminate in which a release layer 12 is applied to one surface of a support 11 is prepared. A detection mark 17 may be formed on the release layer 12 as necessary.

  Next, a receiving layer 15 is applied to one surface of the polarizing film 14 and an adhesive layer 13 is applied to the other surface to prepare a second laminate. Then, the peeling layer 12 of the first laminate and the adhesive layer 13 of the second laminate are bonded to form the cut 16, whereby the intermediate transfer medium 10 is manufactured. The intermediate transfer medium 10 has a bending property that can be wound into a roll.

  FIG. 5 is a plan view of the thermal transfer sheet 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the thermal transfer sheet 20 includes a substrate (not shown), a yellow dye (Y) layer 22, a magenta dye (M) layer 23, and a cyan dye (C) provided on the same surface of the substrate. 3) a dye layer 25 including a layer 24 and a black (BK) fused layer 26; A set of a coloring material layer 27 including a dye layer 25 and a melting layer 26 is provided repeatedly.

  The substrate is not particularly limited, and for example, a stretched or unstretched film of thin paper or plastic can be used.

  The dye layer 25 contains a dye and a binder resin for supporting the dye. As the dye and the binder resin, those conventionally known in the field of the sublimation type thermal transfer sheet can be appropriately selected and used.

  The melting layer 26 may be any layer that satisfies the condition that it is melt-softened by heating and can be transferred onto the transfer layer T, and includes, for example, a hot-melt ink and a binder resin.

  The configuration of the thermal transfer sheet 20 is not limited to that shown in FIG. For example, a back layer (not shown) may be provided on the surface of the thermal transfer sheet 20 opposite to the surface on which the color material layer is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a supply unit 70 (first supply unit) of the thermal transfer printer is loaded with a winding of the intermediate transfer medium 10 in a ribbon shape. The supply unit 70 rotates the winding of the intermediate transfer medium 10, and sequentially transports the intermediate transfer medium 10 to the printing unit 50 and the transfer unit 60 in a long band shape.

  The printing unit 50 includes a thermal head 53, a rotatable platen roll 54 provided below the thermal head 53, and an elevating unit (not shown) that allows the thermal head 53 to move up and down with respect to the platen roll 54. Have. The intermediate transfer medium 10 supplied from the supply unit 70 passes between the thermal head 53 and the platen roll 54.

  In the printing section 50, the thermal transfer sheet 20 passes between the thermal head 53 and the platen roll 54 via the guide roll 55 from the supply roll 51 (second supply section) side, and passes through the guide roll 56. Thus, it is wound on a winding roll 52. The dye layer 25 and the fusion layer 26 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 and the receiving layer 15 of the intermediate transfer medium 10 are opposed between the thermal head 53 and the platen roll 54.

  The thermal head 53 heats the dye layer 25 from the substrate side of the thermal transfer sheet 20 and transfers the dye to the receiving layer 15 of the intermediate transfer medium 10 to form an image. Further, the thermal head 53 heats the molten layer 26 from the substrate side of the thermal transfer sheet 20 and transfers the hot-melt ink or the like to the receiving layer 13 of the intermediate transfer medium 10 to form an image such as a character. The image is formed in a region of the receiving layer 13 surrounded by the cut 16.

  In the image forming process, first, the intermediate transfer medium 10 and the Y layer 22 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 are aligned based on the detection mark 17, and the thermal head 53 is lowered toward the platen roll 54, and the thermal transfer sheet 20 and the intermediate The thermal head 53 comes into contact with the platen roll 54 via the transfer medium 10. The platen roll 54 is driven to rotate, and the thermal transfer sheet 20 and the intermediate transfer medium 10 are sent. During this time, the area of the Y layer 22 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 is selectively heated by the thermal head 53 based on the image data transmitted to the thermal head 53, and the yellow dye is transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 20 to the receiving layer 15.

  After the transfer of yellow, the thermal head 53 rises and separates from the platen roll 54. Next, the intermediate transfer medium 10 and the M layer 23 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 are aligned. Then, the M layer 23 and the C layer 24 are heated to transfer the magenta dye and the cyan dye to the receiving layer 15 in the same manner as the method of transferring the yellow dye to the receiving layer 15.

  Subsequently, the thermal head 53 moves up and separates from the platen roll 54. Next, the intermediate transfer medium 10 and the molten layer 26 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 are aligned based on the detection mark 17. The thermal head 53 descends toward the platen roll 54, and the thermal head 53 contacts the platen roll 54 via the thermal transfer sheet 20 and the intermediate transfer medium 10. The platen roll 54 is driven to rotate, and the thermal transfer sheet 20 and the intermediate transfer medium 10 are sent. During this time, the area of the molten layer 26 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 is selectively heated by the thermal head 53 based on the image data transmitted to the thermal head 53. As a result, an image is formed on the intermediate transfer medium 10.

  The intermediate transfer medium 10 having the image formed on the receiving layer 15 in the printing section 50 is conveyed to the transfer section 60 via the guide roll 72.

  The transfer unit 60 includes a heat roller 61 and a pressure roll 62 provided below the heat roller 61. The transfer unit 60 transfers the transfer layer T of the intermediate transfer medium 10 to the card base material 40 supplied from the transfer object supply unit 42 (third supply unit).

  The transfer medium supply unit 42 includes a feeding device that feeds out the sheet-like card base materials 40 one by one in accordance with the transfer of the intermediate transfer medium 10, a conveyor device that feeds the fed card base material 40, and the like.

  The transfer unit 60 overlaps the portion surrounded by the cut 16 on the surface of the receiving layer 15 of the intermediate transfer medium 10 on which the image is formed between the heat roller 61 and the pressure roll 62 on the card base material 40. And heat. The transfer layer T is divided at the cut 16 and transferred to the card base material 40, and an image is formed on the card base material 40.

  The image-formed card base material 40 (printed matter) is conveyed to the discharge unit 44 and is stacked one by one. The intermediate transfer medium 10 in which the transfer layer T outside the cut 16 remains is taken up by a take-up roll 71.

  In this way, as shown in FIG. 6, a printed material in which the receiving layer 15 on which the image G is formed, the polarizing film 14, the adhesive layer 13, and the release layer 12 are sequentially laminated on the card base material 40 is manufactured. You. Since the polarizing film 14 is provided so as to cover the image formed on the receiving layer 15, it is possible to prevent an image (information) from being peeped. The print is, for example, an ID card, a credit card, a cash card, or the like.

  By setting the light transmittance of the transfer layer T including the receiving layer 15, the polarizing film 14, the adhesive layer 13 and the release layer 12 to 60% or more, preferably 70% or more, printed images can be prevented while preventing peeping of images. The image is easy to see from the front of the camera. The surface of the card substrate 40 (the surface to which the transfer layer T is transferred) is covered with a metal thin film such as an aluminum film and the light reflectance is set to 70% or more, so that an image can be easily viewed from the front of the print. .

  As described above, the intermediate transfer medium 10 has a configuration in which the support 11, the release layer 12, the adhesive layer 13, the polarizing film 14, and the receiving layer 15 are laminated.

  There is no particular limitation on the material of the support 11, and for example, stretched or unstretched plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate having high heat resistance, such as polyester, polypropylene, polycarbonate, cellulose acetate, polyethylene derivatives, polyamide, and polymethylpentene. Films and the like can be mentioned. A composite film in which two or more of these materials are laminated can also be used. The thickness of the support 11 can be appropriately selected depending on the material so that the strength and heat resistance thereof are appropriate, but is usually in the range of 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less, preferably 4 μm or more and 15 μm or less. Range.

  The release layer 12 is for improving the transferability (removability) of the transfer layer T, and is located closest to the support 11 among the layers constituting the transfer layer T. Examples of the component of the release layer 12 include waxes, silicone wax, silicone resin, silicone-modified resin, fluororesin, fluorine-modified resin, polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic resin, thermo-crosslinkable epoxy-amino resin, and thermo-crosslinkable alkyd-amino. Resins and the like can be mentioned. Further, the release layer 12 may contain one kind of these components alone, or may contain two or more kinds. By adding silica, organic silicone, or the like to the release layer 12 and suppressing the visible light reflectance to 80% or less, reflection of sunlight or the like can be prevented.

  The thickness of the release layer 12 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, in a range from 0.5 μm to 5 μm. In order to effectively suppress the peeping of the image, it is preferable that the refractive index of the release layer 12 be 2.0 or less.

  The adhesive layer 13 is for bonding the release layer 12 and the polarizing film 14. The material of the adhesive layer 13 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known adhesive layer in the field of the intermediate transfer medium can be appropriately selected and used. For example, urethane resin, acrylic resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, epoxy resin, polyester, polycarbonate, butyral resin, polyamide, vinyl chloride resin and the like can be used. The thickness of the adhesive layer 13 is not particularly limited, but is about 0.5 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

  As described above, the polarizing film 14 has the transparent resin layer 14a and the dark linear portions 14b. The transparent resin layer 14a is made of a transparent resin material, and for example, a thermoplastic resin such as an acrylic resin, a polycarbonate, a styrene resin, or the like, or an ionizing radiation-curable resin that is cured by an ultraviolet ray or an electron beam can be used. Examples of the ionizing radiation-curable resin include acrylate-based, epoxy-based, and polyester-based resins. For the transparent resin layer 14a, it is preferable to use a resin having a heat resistance of 100 ° C. or higher, preferably 150 ° C. or higher so as to withstand heat during thermal transfer. The thickness of the transparent resin layer 14a is, for example, about 10 μm or more and 300 μm or less. The thickness of the transparent resin layer 14a is equal to or greater than the thickness of the dark streak portion 14b.

  The dark striated portion 14b is a light absorbing portion that absorbs external light to improve the contrast and regulates the viewing direction by regulating the traveling direction of the light. The spatial position of the dark-colored linear portion 14b is maintained by supporting at least both side surfaces in the plane direction by the transparent resin layer 14a. FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which the dark streaks 14b extend parallel to each other along one direction, but the dark streaks 14b may be provided in a lattice shape. The dark streaks 14b can be formed of a light-absorbing dark material. The dark material may be an organic material or an inorganic material. For example, a resin composition such as a paint (or ink) in which a light absorbing color material such as carbon black or aniline black is contained in a binder resin is used. Note that the representative dark color is black, but chromatic colors such as low-brightness brown, dark blue, rouge, and dark green can also be used. As the binder resin, a thermoplastic resin such as an acrylic resin, a polyester, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, or an ionizing radiation curable resin that is cured by ultraviolet rays or electron beams can be used. Examples of the ionizing radiation-curable resin include acrylate-based, epoxy-based, and polyester-based resins.

  The transparent resin layer 14a may be provided on a transparent substrate. As the transparent substrate, a transparent substrate made of glass, resin, or the like can be used. The resin of the transparent substrate is, for example, polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefin such as cycloolefin polymer, cellulose resin such as triacetyl cellulose, acrylic resin, polycarbonate and the like.

  The material of the receiving layer 15 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known receiving layer in the field of the intermediate transfer medium can be appropriately selected and used. For example, polyolefins such as polypropylene, halogenated resins such as polyvinyl chloride or polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl resin such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or polyacrylate, Polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrenes, polyamides, copolymers of olefins such as ethylene or propylene with other vinyl polymers, cellulose resins such as ionomers or cellulose diastase, solvent-based resins such as polycarbonates and acrylic resins Can be mentioned. Further, the receiving layer 15 may contain one kind of these components alone, or may contain two or more kinds. In order to ensure transferability to the card base material 40, it is preferable to mainly use a resin having a melting point of 100 ° C. or less.

  The thickness of the receiving layer 15 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, in a range of 1 μm to 10 μm.

  A primer layer may be provided between the polarizing film 14 and the receiving layer 15 to improve the adhesion between the polarizing film 14 and the receiving layer 15.

  Any layer of the transfer layer T may contain an ultraviolet absorber. By including an ultraviolet absorber, deterioration of an image formed on the receiving layer 15 can be prevented.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying constituent elements in an implementation stage without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Further, components of different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 intermediate transfer medium 11 support 12 release layer 13 adhesive layer 14 polarizing film 15 receiving layer 17 detection mark 20 thermal transfer sheet 27 color material layer 40 transferred object 42 transferred object supply unit (third supply unit)
50 printing unit 51 supply roll (second supply unit)
60 transfer unit 70 supply unit (first supply unit)

Claims (7)

An intermediate transfer medium provided with a transfer layer releasably from the support on one surface of the support,
The intermediate transfer medium, wherein the transfer layer has a polarizing film and a receiving layer provided on the polarizing film.   2. The intermediate transfer medium according to claim 1, wherein a notch extending from the receiving layer to the surface of the support is provided. A first supply unit that supplies the intermediate transfer medium according to claim 1 or 2,
A second supply unit that supplies a thermal transfer sheet provided with a color material layer on one surface of the base material;
A printing unit that heats the thermal transfer sheet based on image data and transfers the color material layer to the receiving layer to form an image,
A third supply unit for supplying a transfer target,
A transfer unit that heats the intermediate transfer medium and transfers the transfer layer including the receiving layer on which the image is formed onto the transfer target,
A thermal transfer printer comprising:   4. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 3, wherein a cut from the receiving layer to the surface of the support is formed in the intermediate transfer medium in accordance with an edge of the transfer target.   The thermal transfer printer according to claim 3, wherein the object to be transferred has a light reflectance of 70% or more on a surface to which the transfer layer is transferred. Using the intermediate transfer medium according to claim 1 or 2, and a thermal transfer sheet provided with a color material layer on one surface of a base material, heating the thermal transfer sheet to form the color material layer on the receiving layer. Transferring and forming an image;
Heating the intermediate transfer medium, and transferring the transfer layer including the receiving layer on which the image has been formed to a transfer receiving body to produce a print,
A method for producing a printed matter comprising: A combination of the intermediate transfer medium and a transfer object according to claim 1 or 2,
The combination of an intermediate transfer medium and a transfer object, wherein the transfer object has a light reflectance of 70% or more on a surface to which the transfer layer is transferred.

Images