JP2668947B2 - Sublimation transfer printing and recording method - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print recording method for converting an electric signal into heat energy and transferring an ink image to a transfer material.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when recording an image corresponding to a predetermined digital image signal on a recording medium, for example, plain paper, a recording method using a thermal transfer recording medium such as an ink donor film is widely known.

Such recording methods include, for example, 1) a thermal head transfer method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-84735) and 2) an energization transfer method in which the ink layer is energized (Journal of the Institute of Image Electrophotography, Vol. 1, 1982).
1, No. 1, p3-9), 3) Energizing thermal transfer recording system using a print recording medium in which a heating layer and a return electrode are provided on a medium resistance ink support (JP-A-56-93585), 4) There has been proposed an energized thermal transfer recording method in which a return electrode is provided on the same side as the needle electrode, a current path to the return electrode is formed in the heat generating layer of the print recording medium, and heat generated in the heat generating layer is used.

Among these recording methods, the 3) and 4) electrothermal transfer recording methods are advantageous in that the printing speed is relatively fast, there is no need to impart conductivity to the ink, and the degree of freedom in selecting ink materials is high. , Various proposals have been made. However,
In these energization thermal transfer recording methods, since the ink support does not have anisotropic conductivity, dots spread, the leak current is large, the energy efficiency is poor, or the applied current passes through the heat generating layer twice, A large amount of energy loss is caused, and since sliding contact is made twice by the needle electrode and the return electrode, a large amount of heat loss is caused by the contact resistance. There is a drawback that the conductive layer in the inside needs a certain amount of resistance, and heat loss in the conductive layer also increases.

In order to solve this drawback, an anisotropic conductive layer made of a conductive isolated pattern is provided on the heating resistor layer, an ink recording medium having a support layer as an anisotropic conductive layer, or conductive layers on both side edges are provided. It has been proposed to use an ink recording medium which is exposed to form a side end electrode portion, and to make a print recording by contacting a conductive slide member or a conductive roll at the side end electrode portion.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, an ink record formed by laminating an anisotropic conductive layer, a heating resistor layer that generates heat by inputting an electric signal corresponding to an image signal, a conductive layer, an ink peeling layer, and a hot-melt ink layer The medium solves the above-mentioned problems in the conventional technique,
Since the heat-meltable ink is used, it has not been sufficient to reproduce an image with high gradation and high resolution at high speed and low energy.

On the other hand, a sublimation transfer type thermal head transfer method using a thermal head is also known, but has a problem that the energy efficiency is not sufficient and the printing speed is low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the related art.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention that repetitive printing and recording is possible, high-speed printing and high-density energy input are possible, an image with high resolution and high gradation can be reproduced, and printing with high energy efficiency is possible. Records can be made,
An object is to provide an electric sublimation transfer type print recording method capable of performing print recording at low running cost.

Means and Actions for Solving the Problems The energization sublimation transfer type print recording method of the present invention comprises an anisotropic conductive layer, a heating resistor layer that generates heat when an electric signal is input, a conductive layer, and an adhesion layer made of a viscoelastic substance. A sublimable dye powder is formed by adhering a sublimable dye powder to a laminated print recording ink medium, and the sublimable dye layer of the print recording ink medium is brought into contact with a transfer material to form an image signal from the anisotropic conductive layer side. By applying a signal current according to the, to transfer the sublimable dye on the transfer material,
Thereafter, the sublimation dye layer is regenerated by bringing the print recording ink medium into contact with the sublimation dye.

The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the print recording method of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a print recording ink medium, which is an endless belt having the structure shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, and is transported by being suspended on transport rolls 6, 7, and 8. Reference numeral 2 is a stylus head for applying an electric signal corresponding to an image, 3 is a transfer paper supplied from a transfer paper roll 4, and 5 is a back pressure contact roll. Reference numeral 10 is a brush roll having a dye powder attached thereto, 11 is a glaze dye powder contained in the box 9, and 12 is a surface-adjusting blade.

Sublimable dye powder is adhered to the print recording ink medium to form a sublimable dye layer. Dye powder adhesion brush roll
By rotating 10 so that the sublimable dye powder 11 contained in the box 9 is carried on the dye powder-adhering brush roll and brought into contact with the print recording ink medium, the sublimable dye powder is adhered. The adhering sublimable dye powder is uniformly surface-adjusted by the surface-adjusting blade 12 to form a sublimable dye layer. The print recording ink medium is conveyed by the conveying rolls 6, 7, and 8 and is brought into contact with the transfer paper 3 supplied from the transfer paper roll 4 on the back pressure contact roll 5. An electric signal corresponding to an image is applied from the stylus head 2 to the print recording ink medium to form a print image of the sublimable dye on the transfer paper 3. Next, the print recording ink medium 1 is conveyed to the reproducing section and reproduced. Reproduction is performed in the same manner as in the method of forming the sublimable dye layer. That is, the sublimation dye powder 11 accommodated in the box 9 is supported on the dye powder adhesion brush roll by rotating the dye powder adhesion brush roll 10 and brought into contact with the print recording ink medium, whereby the sublimation dye powder is contacted. Apply powder. The adhering sublimable dye powder is uniformly surface-adjusted by the surface-adjusting blade 12 and prepared for the next print / recording operation.

The print recording ink medium used in the present invention has a structure as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. That is, the anisotropic conductive layer 21 and the heating resistor layer that generates heat when an electric signal is input.
22, a conductive layer 23, an adhesion layer 24 made of a viscoelastic substance, and a sublimable dye layer 25 are sequentially laminated. The anisotropic conductive layer may be formed of an isolated conductive pattern, or as shown in FIG. 3, a minute conductive path made of a conductor 28 may be formed in an insulator 27. Good.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the printing and recording method of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a portion where a sublimable dye is attached and reproduced in a printing and recording process. The sublimable dye powder 11 contained in the box 9 is attached to the print recording ink medium by the dye applying roll 13. The surface is adjusted by contacting the elastic elastic roll 14.

FIG. 5 is a view showing still another example of the print recording method of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a portion of the print recording process where a sublimable dye is attached and reproduced. In this example,
Since the print recording ink medium 1 is introduced into the sublimable dye powder 11 contained in the box 9, the sublimable dye powder is directly attached. Further, the surface conditioning is performed by the surface conditioning web roll 15.

Incidentally, the attachment of the dye powder and the surface adjustment of the sublimable dye layer may be performed by means other than the above. For example, a silicone rubber roll having viscoelasticity, a brush roll for leveling, or the like can be used.

Next, each component of the print recording ink medium used in the present invention will be described in detail.

The anisotropic conductive layer serves to reduce the power loss due to the current resistance in the thickness direction, and also to reduce the heat loss and heat damage due to the contact resistance between the needle electrode and the surface of the ink recording medium. It may be an isolated conductive pattern layer composed of electrodes, or a layer in which a conductive path made of a conductive substance such as metal powder or conductive ceramic particles is formed in an insulating material such as ceramic or synthetic resin. It may be. In the ink recording medium of the present invention, when the anisotropic conductive layer is a layer made of a conductive isolated pattern, the heating resistor layer may have a function as a support,
In the case of an anisotropic conductive layer that is not a conductive isolated pattern, the anisotropic conductive layer itself may have a function as a support, and a thin-film heating resistor layer may be formed on one surface thereof.

The heating resistor layer is a layer for heating the current from the anisotropic conductive layer with Joule heat to melt the ink and transfer it to the transfer material. For example, a conductive substance such as carbon or metal powder is dispersed. Resistor layer made of heat-resistant resin (polyimide resin, polyimideamide resin, silicone resin, fluorine resin, epoxy resin, etc.) or high resistance material such as ZrO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ and SiO ₂ and Ti, Al, Ta , A thin film formed using a conductive material such as Cu, Au, or Zr. The volume resistivity of the heating resistor layer is preferably set in the range of 10 ⁻² to 10 ² Ω · cm, and the film thickness thereof is preferably set in the range of 1000 Å to 100 μm. Those in this range have excellent characteristics in film deposition stability, film adhesion, and the like. The conductive layer serves as an electrode for diffusing and flowing back the current flowing into the heating resistor layer, and is made of a material having a volume specific resistance of 10 ^-1 Ωcm or less, and vapor deposition, sputtering or other thin film forming method. Created by. The film thickness is preferably set in the range of 500 ° to 5 μm, and particularly preferably in the range of 1000 ° to 2000 ° in terms of heat leakage and necessary conductive properties.

The adhesion layer made of a viscoelastic substance is for adhering a sublimable dye powder, and is made of a substance having a heat resistance of 150 ° C. or more and having viscoelasticity at room temperature. As such a substance, a silicone elastomer, a urethane elastomer, a fluororesin elastomer, or the like is used. The thickness of the adhesion layer is set in the range of 0.2 to 20 μm.

The sublimable dye layer is composed of sublimable dye powder. Sublimable dyes that can be used include JP-A-47-38
It is widely known in Japanese Patent Publication No. 205 and other documents, for example,
Malachite green, 1-amino-2-methylanthraquinone, 1,4,5,8-tetraquinone and other anthraquinone dyes, Piutria Blue B and other triphenylmethane dyes, 3-nitrophenylazo-3'-aminobenzene And other azo dyes, nitrodiphenylamine dyes and the like.

When printing is performed in accordance with the present invention, a conductive roll is brought into contact with the conductive portion at the side end of the print recording ink medium, and an image signal is input to the anisotropic conductive layer. Current flows from the anisotropic conductive layer to the conductive layer through the heating resistor layer, at which time electric-energy conversion is performed in the heating resistor layer,
The generated thermal energy propagates through the conductive layer to the sublimable dye layer, sublimates the sublimable dye according to the input signal,
Transfer is performed on the recording paper. After the printing and recording, the sublimation dye layer transfer marks, the sublimation dye powder is adhered and reproduction is performed.In the present invention, as a print recording ink medium,
Since the one provided with the adhesion layer made of the viscoelastic substance is used, the sublimable dye powder is easily adhered, and the regeneration is easily and satisfactorily performed.

Examples Next, the print recording method of the present invention will be described with reference to Examples.

Example 1 On one surface of a carbon dispersion type conductive polyimide film having a volume resistivity of 2 Ω · cm and a thickness of 35 μm, a silver paste material was used to form a rectangular pattern of 13 μm square with a film thickness of 3 μm and a pitch of 20 μm.

Then, on the other surface of the conductive polyimide film, Al
The film was deposited by the DC sputter film deposition method to form a conductive layer having a film thickness of 3000 Å. On top of this conductive layer, a silicone-based LTU
A mold rubber compound was applied and cured at 120 ° C. for 1 hour to form a silicone rubber layer having a thickness of 5.0 μm.

The obtained film-like material was connected so that the anisotropic conductive layer was on the inner side to prepare an endless belt-like print recording ink medium.

A sublimable dye layer was formed on this print recording ink medium. That is, a box with a bottom area of 70 mm × 300 mm is filled with sublimable dye powder up to a height of 40 mm,
A fluororesin brush roll made of fluororesin fiber having a wire diameter of 0.6 mm and having an outer circumference of 65 mm and a shaft core of 25 mm was provided at a height of mm and rotated at a linear speed of 600 mm / sec. The direction of rotation is
It was set in the forward direction with the print recording ink medium. The sublimable dye powder was made to collide with and adhere to the silicone rubber layer of the print recording medium by this brush roll. Then, a rubber blade was rubbed on the surface of the recording and recording ink medium to adhere the sublimable dye powder uniformly and firmly.

The print recording ink medium to which the sublimable dye powder was attached was conveyed at a linear velocity of 100 mm / sec, and was brought into contact with the coated paper on the back pressure contact roll. A bump-shaped stylus line head having a resolution of 240 SPI is pressed against the anisotropic conductive layer of the print recording ink medium, an electric signal of 23 mA is input to the anisotropic conductive layer with a pulse width of 400 μs, and contacted on the back pressure contact roll. Print recording was performed on coated paper. As a result, a solid image with an optical reflection density of 1.3 was obtained.

After the printing was completed, the sublimable dye powder was supplied to the transfer mark of the print recording ink medium in the same manner as described above, and the sublimable dye layer was regenerated, and was subjected to the next print recording process.

Example 2 The same print recording ink medium as in Example 1 was used. However, formation and regeneration of the sublimable dye layer were performed as follows. That is, a box having a bottom area of 100 mm × 300 mm was filled with a sublimable dye powder to a height of 40 mm. A dye supply roll having a shaft center at a height of 40 mm, made of silicone rubber having a rubber hardness of 25, and having an outer diameter of 30 mm and a rubber thickness of 8 mm was rotated at a linear speed of 120 mm / sec. The sublimable dye powder adhered to the roll surface and was conveyed due to the viscoelasticity of the silicone rubber, and adhered on the print recording ink medium by bringing the dye supply roll into pressure contact with the print recording ink medium. In this case, the linear velocity of the print recording ink medium is 100 mm /
Because of sec, the sublimation dye could be uniformly and firmly adhered to the print recording ink medium due to the difference in linear velocity between the dye supply roll and the print recording ink medium.

When the printing evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1, the optical reflection density of the solid image was 1.2.

Example 3 The same print recording ink medium as in Example 1 was used. However, formation and regeneration of the sublimable dye layer were performed as follows. That is, a box having a bottom area of 100 mm × 300 mm was filled with a sublimable dye powder to a height of 40 mm. A transport roll with a diameter of 30 mm was set so that the shaft center was at a position of 45 mm in height, and was rotated at a linear velocity of 100 mm / sec. The print recording ink medium was introduced into the sublimable dye powder in the box, whereby the sublimable dye powder adhered to the surface of the silicone rubber layer. The center of the roll is 16 mm from the surface of the print recording ink medium.
A surface smoothing brush roll with a diameter of 0.3 mm and a diameter of 40 mm, which was installed so as to be separated from each other, was set to 1.
It was rotated at twice the speed and brought into contact with the print recording ink medium to which the sublimable dye powder had been adhered to carry out surface leveling. further,
The print recording ink medium was sandwiched by a press-contact rubber roll made of stainless steel having a rubber layer having a thickness of 2 mm and a rubber hardness of 30 on the surface, and the print recording ink medium to which the sublimable dye powder was adhered was leveled.

When printing was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, the optical reflection density of the solid image was 1.1.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The print recording method of the present invention comprises, as a print recording ink medium, an anisotropic conductive layer, a heating resistor layer that generates heat when an electric signal is input, a conductive layer, and an adhesion layer made of a viscoelastic substance, which are sequentially laminated. Since the ink is used and the sublimable dye powder is used as the print recording ink, it is possible to reproduce an image with high gradation and high resolution, and it is possible to perform print recording with high energy efficiency. In addition, since the reproduction of the print recording ink medium can be easily performed, it is suitable for repeatedly performing the print recording, and has an effect that the print recording can be performed at a low running cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view for explaining an example of the printing and recording method of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic sectional views of a printing and recording ink medium used in the present invention, respectively, and FIGS. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of the print recording method of the present invention. 1 ... print recording ink medium, 2 ... print recording head, 3
…… Transfer paper, 4 …… Transfer paper roll, 5 …… Back pressure contact roll, 6, 7, 8 …… Transfer roll, 9 …… Box, 10…
… Dye powder adhered brush roll, 11 …… Sublimation dye powder,
12 …… Surface trimming blade, 13 …… Dye powder adhesion roll, 14…
Surface-adjusting elastic roll, 15 Surface-adjusting web roll, 21-anisotropic conductive layer, 22-heating resistor layer, 23-conductive layer, 24-
Adhesive layer, 25 ... Sublimable dye layer, 27 ... Insulator, 28 ... Conductor.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sublimation dye powder is adhered to a print recording ink medium comprising an anisotropic conductive layer, a heating resistor layer that generates heat when an electric signal is input, a conductive layer, and an adhesion layer made of a viscoelastic substance, which are sequentially laminated. To form a sublimable dye layer, contact the sublimable dye layer of the print recording ink medium with the transfer material, and apply a signal current according to an image signal from the anisotropic conductive layer side to form the sublimable dye layer on the transfer material. And then contacting the print recording ink medium with a sublimable dye to regenerate the sublimable dye layer.