JP2020062753A - Intermediate transfer film, and creation method of information recording medium using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an intermediate transfer film capable of forming images such a printed image or individual information corresponding to a card deign even on a white paper-like card substrate having no magnetic recording layer arranged, and forming the magnetic recording layer at the same time.SOLUTION: There is provided an intermediate transfer film having an image receiving layer on a substrate detachably, for forming an image on the image receiving layer by using a heat transfer sheet, and then re-transferring the same to a body to be transferred, in which a magnetic recording layer is detachably arranged in at least a part on the intermediate transfer film.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an intermediate transfer film for forming a printed matter by recording an image on an image receiving layer and then transferring the image receiving layer to a transfer target, and a method for producing an information recording medium using the intermediate transfer film. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for producing an information recording medium including a magnetic recording layer from a white paper-shaped transfer target.

  A method of forming an image by thermal head printing using a thermal transfer sheet having an ink layer is a known technique, and is used for various purposes such as printing on a card, outputting a photographic image, printing on a sticker, etc. There is. However, many of these printing methods have a problem that it is necessary to provide a specific image receiving layer on the medium surface, and the combination thereof is limited.

  Therefore, a thermal transfer sheet is used to form an image on an intermediate transfer film having a specific image-receiving layer, and then the image-receiving layer containing the image is transferred to a transfer-receiving member, thereby selecting the base substrate of the final printing medium. An intermediate transfer method using an intermediate transfer film or the like has been proposed as a method capable of forming a multicolor image without using it (for example, Patent Document 1).

  The intermediate transfer method has been used mainly as a means for forming variable information such as a facial photograph image on a personal authentication medium such as a passport or an ID (Identity) card.

  However, diversification of card designs and reduction of card manufacturing cost have been strongly demanded along with expansion of card applications in recent years.

  For this reason, it is possible to create a blank card base material that eliminates the print images that were previously provided on the card base material at a low cost, and to include the print image according to the card design and the variable information such as personal information. There is an increasing demand for forming by an intermediate transfer method.

  However, as a function required for the card, in many cases, it is required to carry information for machine reading in addition to image information that can be visually recognized, in order to provide a magnetic reading function that has been widely used from the past. In some cases, it was required to provide the magnetic recording layer.

  Therefore, it is necessary to separately prepare a card substrate having only a magnetic recording layer even if it is a blank card substrate.

JP-A-63-173693

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to print a printed image or personal information according to a card design even on a blank card substrate without a magnetic recording layer. The present invention is intended to provide an intermediate transfer film capable of forming an image such as the above and simultaneously forming a magnetic recording layer.

  A first aspect of the invention for achieving the above object has a releasable image-receiving layer on a base material, forms an image on the image-receiving layer by using a thermal transfer sheet, and thereafter includes an image on a transfer-receiving member. An intermediate transfer film for transferring the image receiving layer, wherein the magnetic recording layer is detachably provided on at least a part of the intermediate transfer film.

  The second invention is the intermediate transfer film according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic recording layer is provided in a stripe shape.

  A third invention provides a step of preparing an intermediate transfer film in which at least an image receiving layer and a magnetic recording layer are provided on a substrate in a peelable manner, and a step of forming the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer film, A step of arranging a thermal transfer medium facing each other and forming an image on the image receiving layer by using a thermal head; a step of arranging an image receiving layer surface side of the intermediate transfer film on which the image is formed, and a transfer target object, and performing the intermediate transfer. And a step of transferring the image receiving layer and the magnetic recording layer to the transfer target by applying heat pressure from the film side using a heat roller, to produce an information recording medium. Is the way.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to form an arbitrary image on a white paper-shaped transfer target that does not include a magnetic recording layer and to create an information recording medium provided with a magnetic recording layer.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structural example of the intermediate transfer film which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another structural example of the intermediate transfer film which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the example of the intermediate transfer film which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the manufacturing method of the information recording medium which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the example of a thermal transfer sheet. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the information recording medium according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the drawings are referred to as appropriate, but the embodiments described in the drawings are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in these drawings.

(Intermediate transfer film)
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration example of an intermediate transfer film according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the intermediate transfer film (10) has an image receiving layer (12) and a magnetic recording layer (13) provided on a substrate (11).

  The base material (11) is required to have heat resistance such as a small amount of deformation against the heat and pressure applied during the production of the intermediate transfer film and the heat transfer to the transfer target. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and other synthetic resins, paper, selected from synthetic paper, or a composite selected from these. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

  In addition, the support 15 may be subjected to various treatments such as easy adhesion treatment, antistatic treatment, and release treatment, and its thickness is 2 to 100 μm in consideration of operability and processability. Although it can be used, those having a size of about 6 to 50 μm can be preferably used from the viewpoint of handling property such as suitability for transfer to a transfer target.

  The image-receiving layer (12) is a layer for receiving an ink layer from a thermal transfer sheet described later to form an image, and includes, for example, polyester resins such as linear saturated polyester, polyvinyl chloride and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate. Vinyl resins such as polymers, acrylic resins such as poly (meth) acrylic acid and poly (meth) acrylic acid ester, polystyrene resins, epoxy resins, urethane resins, rubber resins such as styrene-butadiene copolymers Examples of the material include, but are not limited to, various resins may be used alone or as a mixture such as a mixture or a copolymer.

  The image-receiving layer (12) is prepared by dissolving or dispersing the above-mentioned resins in various solvents to prepare a coating solution, and any conventionally known method such as a gravure coating method, a roll coating method, a knife coating method, a curtain coating method or a die coating method is used. The thickness after drying can be provided in a range of 0.5 μm to 50 μm by any known printing method such as a coating method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, and a flexographic printing method.

Any magnetic recording layer (13) can be used as long as it can magnetically record information, and for example, γ-iron oxide, magnetite, cobalt-coated γFe ₂ O ₂ , barium ferrite. Examples include magnetic coatings in which magnetic powders such as chromium dioxide and iron-based metal magnetic powders are dispersed in a binder resin formed by the coating method or printing method described above, but are not limited thereto. It is not something that will be done.

  As the binder resin, any conventionally known resin material can be used as long as it is a resin material used for the same purpose, and examples thereof include a thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin.

  When a thermoplastic resin is used, acrylic resins, polyester resins, vinyl resins such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, urethane resins, etc. can be exemplified, but are not necessarily limited to these. is not.

  When a thermosetting resin is used, a reactive hydroxyl group such as an acrylic polyol resin, a polyester polyol resin, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer containing a vinyl alcohol component or a hydroxyalkyl acrylate component, etc. Examples of the thermosetting resin include a thermosetting resin composed of various resins having a crosslinking agent such as a polyisocyanate compound, a urea resin, a phenol resin, a melamine resin, and an epoxy resin, but are not limited thereto. Not a thing.

  When the above-mentioned magnetic coating material is used as the magnetic recording layer (13), a surfactant, a plasticizer, waxes, carbon black, fillers, etc. can be added, if necessary. The thickness after drying can be, for example, about 5 to 20 μm.

  Such a magnetic recording layer (13) may be formed on another support in advance and then transferred and formed on the intermediate transfer film (10) without any problem.

  The magnetic recording layer (13) as described above is preferably provided in a stripe shape on the intermediate transfer film (10), whichever method is used.

  In the intermediate transfer film (10), it is important that the image receiving layer (12) and the magnetic recording layer (13) are formed so as to be peelable from the substrate (11), and the image receiving layer (12) and the magnetic recording layer are formed. A release layer or an intermediate layer for imparting releasability may be formed between (13) and the base material (11), and at least the surface of the magnetic recording layer (13) is formed. Alternatively, an adhesive layer or the like may be separately provided.

  In FIG. 2, as another configuration example of the intermediate transfer film (10), a common peeling layer (14) is provided between the image receiving layer (12) or the magnetic recording layer (13) and the substrate (11). , An example of forming an image receiving layer (12) also serving as an adhesive layer on the magnetic recording layer (13) is shown, but the image receiving layer (12) and the peeling layer (14) for the magnetic recording layer (13) are not necessarily formed. However, they need not be common, and may be provided as different layers, and the adhesive layer on the magnetic recording layer (13) may be provided with a thermoplastic resin different from that of the image receiving layer (12).

  As the release layer (14), any resin can be used as long as it can be easily released from the base material (11), but a thermoplastic resin is preferably used in consideration of flexibility and foil breakability.

  Specifically, for example, an acrylic resin such as a thermoplastic poly (meth) acrylic acid ester, a chlorinated rubber resin, a vinyl resin such as a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, a cellulose such as nitrocellulose or triacetyl cellulose. -Based resins, epoxy-based resins, polyester-based resins, styrene-acrylate-based resins, polyether-based resins, polycarbonate resins, norbornene resins, etc. can be used alone or in combination of two or more types, and further, foil breakage and abrasion resistance can be achieved. In consideration, various waxes such as petroleum wax and plant wax, metal salts of higher fatty acids such as stearic acid, lubricants such as silicone oil, various additives such as fluororesin powder, polyethylene powder, and silicone fine particles. May be added.

  The release layer (14) is a gravure coating method, a roll coating method, a knife coating method, a curtain coating method, which is obtained by adding various additives to the above-mentioned resins to obtain a coating liquid dissolved or dispersed in various solvents. Providing the thickness after drying in a range of 0.5 μm to 50 μm by any conventionally known coating method such as a die coating method or any conventionally known printing method such as a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, and a flexo printing method. You can

  In addition, an intermediate layer may be provided between the peeling layer (14) and the image receiving layer (12) or the magnetic recording layer (13). As the intermediate layer, the adhesion between the peeling layer (14) and each layer may be provided. It is possible to provide a resin layer or a partial coloring layer for the purpose of improvement, a special printing layer for imparting security, an OVD (Optical Variable Device) layer, and the like.

  When a special printing layer is provided as the intermediate layer, the special printing layer may be, for example, a printing layer made of an absorbing ink that absorbs only light of a specific wavelength in the ultraviolet region to the infrared region, or a specific wavelength in the ultraviolet region to the infrared region. , A printing layer made of a luminescent ink that emits light in a wavelength range different from the absorbed light, and a printing layer made of an ink layer containing a liquid crystal material having linear or circular polarization, or Examples thereof include, but are not limited to, a printing layer including an ink layer containing a special pigment capable of emitting interference light and the like.

  In the case where the OVD layer is provided as the intermediate layer, the OVD layer may be, for example, a hologram or a relief structure forming layer having an uneven structure on the surface.

  When the relief structure forming layer is provided, visibility may be improved by further providing a reflecting layer or the like on the surface of the relief structure forming layer on which the uneven structure is formed.

As the reflective layer, for example, a layer partially provided with at least one metal material selected from the group consisting of metals such as Al, Sn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Au and Ag and alloys thereof, and a relief A transparent material having a different refractive index from the material of the structure forming layer, for example, S
Inorganic materials such as b ₂ S ₃ , Fe ₂ O ₃ , TiO ₂ , CdS, CeO ₂ , ZnS, SiO, Si ₂ O ₃ , ZnO, and MgO can be exemplified, and at least these metal materials and inorganic materials can be used. A method of using them in a composite manner such that they partially overlap with each other, or a method of using inorganic materials having different refractive indexes by laminating them may be adopted.

  In the above-described intermediate transfer film (10), a plurality of stripe-shaped magnetic recording layers (13) are provided at a constant interval in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the intermediate transfer film (10). It may be provided, or as shown in FIG. 3, it may be provided along the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer film (10).

  When the magnetic recording layer (13) is formed on the intermediate transfer film (10) by a direct coating method or a printing method, the magnetic powder contained in the magnetic recording layer (13) is oriented in a certain direction. It is preferable to provide a step, and in that case, it can be said that a stripe shape as shown in FIG. 3 is desirable along the transport direction of the intermediate transfer film (10).

  However, when the magnetic recording layer (13) is provided in the shape as shown in FIG. 3, it is desirable that the total thickness of the magnetic recording layer (13) forming portion and the non-forming portion be substantially the same.

  This is to prevent winding deviation and the like when the intermediate transfer film (10) is stored in a wound shape.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the magnetic recording layer (13) is provided along the transport direction of the intermediate transfer film (10), it may be provided as one stripe shape, but a stripe shape of a certain length. May be formed so as to be continuous, or notches and the like may be formed at regular intervals in one stripe-shaped magnetic recording layer (13).

  By doing so, when transferring from the intermediate transfer film (10) to the transfer target, it is possible to reduce defects due to defective foil cutting of the magnetic stripe portion.

(Method of creating information recording medium)
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus for creating an information recording medium using the above-mentioned intermediate transfer film (10).

  In the image forming apparatus, the intermediate transfer film (10) obtained as described above and a thermal transfer sheet (30) having an ink layer provided on a substrate for thermal transfer sheet are arranged to face each other, and a thermal head (25) is provided. The primary transfer part (28) for forming an image on the image receiving layer (12) of the intermediate transfer film (10) and the heat roller (26) are used to transfer the intermediate transfer film to the transfer target (27). The secondary transfer section (29) transfers the image-receiving layer (12) and the magnetic recording layer (13) from (10).

  Here, in the primary transfer part (28), a thermal transfer sheet (30) as illustrated in FIG. 5 is used to change a pattern such as a design pattern based on a design required for a final information recording medium or personal information. An image is formed on the image receiving layer (12) including information.

  Thereafter, in the secondary transfer portion (29), the image-receiving image-receiving layer (12) and the magnetic recording layer (13) including the release layer (14) and the like are transferred to a blank sheet without the magnetic recording layer. By transferring to the body (27), the final information recording medium is formed.

  In FIG. 5, as a thermal transfer sheet (30), an ink layer (32 containing cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) dyes is formed on a thermal transfer sheet substrate (31). ) Indicates that they are provided in a frame sequential manner.

  As the base material (31) for a thermal transfer sheet that can be used for the thermal transfer sheet (30), those conventionally used for sublimation transfer type or melt transfer type can be used.

  Specific examples include plastic films such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polypropylene, cellophane, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyimide, nylon and polyvinylidene chloride, and papers such as capacitor paper and paraffin paper. However, a polyester film such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate is particularly preferable.

  The heat transfer sheet substrate (31) may have a thickness of 2 to 50 μm, more preferably 2 to 16 μm.

  Such a heat transfer sheet substrate (31) may be provided with a heat resistant slipping layer or the like on the surface opposite to the surface on which various ink layers are provided, depending on the situation. Various treatments such as antistatic, easy-adhesion, and mold-releasing or functional layers may be applied to the entire surface or any place.

  The ink layer (32) shown in FIG. 5 is cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk), but ink layers for special colors and fluorescence that are specially blended according to the application. There is no problem even if there is.

  Such an ink layer (32) may be of any type such as a sublimation transfer type or a melt transfer type. However, in an application intended for personal authentication or the like, from the viewpoint of high durability, etc. A melt transfer type can be preferably used.

  The meltable ink layer (32) mainly contains a pigment, a binder resin, waxes and the like.

  As the dye, an inorganic pigment, an organic pigment, or the like can be arbitrarily selected and used. Specifically, for example, carbon black, phthalimide-based yellow, benzimidazolone orange, sulfamide yellow, benzimidazolone yellow. Examples thereof include azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, diketopyrrolopyrrole, quinophthalone, isoindolinone, diaminodianthraquinone, and the like, but are not limited thereto.

  These pigments may be used alone or in combination of two or more, and may be used by adding a dye or the like depending on the situation.

  As the binder resin, vinyl resin such as polyvinylidene chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyamide resin, rosin resin, acrylic resin, styrene resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, polyester resin Examples thereof include resins, but the present invention is not limited to these, and they can be used alone or as a mixture or composite.

  Examples of the waxes include plant waxes such as carnauba wax and candelilla wax, animal waxes such as beeswax, mineral waxes such as montan wax and ozokerite, natural waxes such as petroleum waxes such as paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax, or It can be optionally selected from synthetic waxes such as Fischer-Tropsch wax and polyethylene wax, oxidized waxes, higher fatty acid metal salts such as zinc stearate, and the like.

  Further, if necessary, various additives such as a dispersant may be added to the ink layer (32) without any problem.

  The thickness of the ink layer (12) of the thermal transfer sheet (30) is preferably less than 1.2 μm.

  The thermal transfer sheet (30) is used to form an image on the image receiving layer (12) of the intermediate transfer film (10), and then is transferred at the secondary transfer section (29) in the form of a blank paper (27). Is not particularly limited, for example, including paper, vinyl chloride resin, polycarbonate resin, polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefin resin such as polypropylene, acrylic resin, biodegradability of polylactic acid, etc. Resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS resin) and the like can be exemplified, and these various materials can be used alone or as a mixture such as a mixture or a copolymer.

  In addition, these materials may include fillers such as titanium oxide, calcium carbonate, silica, and talc, and voids such as voids, and are used as a single layer or a laminate of two or more layers. Is also good.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the information recording medium (40) which is the final printed matter. For example, by using a sheet of vinyl chloride resin, which is not provided with a magnetic recording layer, made of a vinyl chloride resin and processed into a card shape, as an object to be transferred, the intermediate transfer film (10) of the present invention is used for image formation and The information recording medium (40) is created by applying the magnetic recording layer.

  In FIG. 6, as the information recording medium (40), a first image forming section (41) provided with a picture pattern according to a card design and a second image forming section (42) provided with a face photograph image which is personal information. And a magnetic recording layer (43) for recording machine-readable magnetic information is formed.

  As described above, by using the intermediate transfer film of the present invention and the method for producing an information recording medium using the intermediate transfer film, a desired pattern is formed and a magnetic recording layer is provided on a white paper-like transferred material. Therefore, the information recording medium can be produced by using the transferred material produced at low cost.

10 ... Intermediate transfer film 11 ... Substrate 12 ... Image receiving layer 13, 43 ... Magnetic recording layer 14 ... Release layer 21 ... Intermediate transfer film unwinding part 22 ... Intermediate transfer film winding up part 23 ... Thermal transfer sheet unwinding part 24 ... Thermal transfer Sheet winding portion 25 ... Thermal head 26 ... Heat roller 27 ... Transferred object 28 ... Primary transfer portion 29 ... Secondary transfer portion 30 ... Thermal transfer sheet 31 ... Thermal transfer sheet substrate 32 ... Ink layer 40 ... Information recording medium 41 ... First image forming unit 42 ... Second image forming unit C ... Cyan M ... Magenta Y ... Yellow Bk ... Black

Claims (3)

An intermediate transfer film having a releasable image-receiving layer on a substrate, forming an image on the image-receiving layer using a thermal transfer sheet, and then transferring the image-receiving layer containing the image to a transfer-receiving member. hand,
The intermediate transfer film, wherein a magnetic recording layer is provided so as to be peelable on at least a part of the intermediate transfer film.   The intermediate transfer film according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic recording layer is provided in a stripe shape. On the substrate, at least an image receiving layer and a magnetic recording layer, a step of preparing an intermediate transfer film provided releasably,
A step of disposing a thermal transfer sheet to face the surface of the intermediate transfer film on which the image receiving layer is formed, and forming an image on the image receiving layer using a thermal head;
The image receiving layer surface side of the intermediate transfer film and the image receiving body are arranged to face each other, and the image receiving layer and the magnetic recording layer are applied by applying heat pressure from the intermediate transfer film side using a heat roller. And a step of transferring the same to the transfer-receiving body, the method for producing an information recording medium.

Images