JP2563001B2 - Color image receiving paper for thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer, and more particularly to a color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer provided with a coating layer which is fused with the ink of a thermal transfer ink ribbon.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are two types of ink for a thermal transfer ink ribbon, one using wax as a binder and the other using resin as a binder. The former has the advantage that the ink is melted by heating and simply placed on the surface of the image receiving paper, so it has the advantage of being able to print without selecting the image receiving paper, but on the other hand it has the drawback that the print is easily erased by rubbing the printing surface. is there. On the other hand, the latter uses an image receiving paper with a coating layer on the surface,
Since the ink and the coating layer are fused by heating, there is an advantage that a printed surface having extremely strong scratch resistance can be obtained.

By the way, in order to give a color to the image-receiving paper having the coating layer which is fused with the ink of the ink ribbon on the surface as described above, the conventional method is to form the coating layer on the pre-colored image-receiving paper (first method). Method), a method of forming a coating layer after applying a coloring material to the image receiving paper (second method), and a method of applying a coloring material corresponding to the coating layer to the image receiving paper (third method). .

However, in the above-mentioned first method, the mixing amount of the coloring material is limited from the manufacturing process of the image receiving paper, and the mixing amount of the coloring material is limited so as not to affect the strength of the image receiving paper. There is a problem in that it is not possible to obtain a free-colored product with a vivid color, and the second method is that the selection range is narrow due to the compatibility between the image receiving paper and the coloring material and the coloring material and the coating material. There is a problem similar to the first method and a problem that the process is complicated. Further, the third method has a small ratio of a component to be fused with the ink of the ink ribbon in the constituents of the coloring material, and There is a problem that the degree of wearing is reduced and the abrasion resistance is weakened.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, that is, to provide a color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer which is excellent in scratch resistance and has an arbitrary bright color. is there.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer of the present invention has a mesh pattern virtually on a coating layer which is fused with the ink of a thermal transfer ink ribbon. A colorant is applied to the intersections of the patterns.

Further, in order to obtain a preferable color, it is desirable that the virtual mesh pattern is a mesh pattern having 175 vertical lines and 175 horizontal lines at equal intervals in a square having a side of 1 inch.

In order to obtain the same preferable color, it is desirable that the accumulated area of the coloring material applied on the intersections of the virtual mesh pattern is 5% or less in 1 square inch.

Further, in order not to hinder the adhesion of ink when printing, the thickness of the coloring material to be applied is 2
It is desirable to set it to a micron or less.

[0010]

[Function] By imaginarily forming a mesh pattern on the coating layer that fuses with the ink of the thermal transfer ink ribbon and applying a coloring material on the intersection of the mesh pattern, the image receiving paper looks as if it is entirely colored. become. In the case of printing, since the coating material on both sides of the coloring material is fused with the ink and the ink is bridged over the coloring material, the ink is not interrupted.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The illustrated embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIG. 2, a coating layer 2 is formed on the surface of the image receiving paper 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, a mesh pattern 3 consisting of a large number of vertically-spaced vertical lines and horizontal lines is virtually formed on the coating layer 2, and a coloring material is provided on the intersection of the vertical and horizontal lines. 4 is applied. The distance between the vertical lines and the horizontal lines is set to about 0.147 mm so that 175 vertical lines and 175 horizontal lines can be drawn in a square having a side of 1 inch. Further, the shape of the coating portion of the coloring material 4 is substantially circular, and the radius thereof is set to approximately 0.018 mm so that the area where all the coating portions are integrated is 5% or less in 1 square inch. Further, the thickness of the coating portion of the coloring material 4 is set to 2 μm so as not to hinder the printing of the ink 5 on the ink ribbon.

[0012]

The present invention is as described above, and has an effect that it has excellent scratch resistance and can have a bright arbitrary color. Further, it is easy to change the density of colors, which is also advantageous in the case of multicoloring.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a printed state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 image receiving paper 2 coating layer 3 mesh pattern 4 coloring material 5 ink

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer in which a mesh pattern is virtually formed on a coating layer which is fused with the ink of a thermal transfer ink ribbon, and a coloring material is applied to the intersections of the mesh pattern. 2. The color image-receiving image for a thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, wherein the virtual mesh pattern is a mesh pattern having 175 vertical lines and 175 horizontal lines in a 1 inch square. paper. 3. A color image receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer, wherein the accumulated area of the coloring material applied on the intersections of the virtual mesh pattern according to claim 1 or 2 is 5% or less in 1 square inch. 4. A color image-receiving paper for a thermal transfer printer, wherein the colorant applied in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 has a thickness of 2 microns or less.