JP3212383B2 - Thermal transfer printing method, label-like substrate and thermal transfer ribbon used for the method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for transferring an image onto an object by applying a heat-pressed label-like substrate on which a desired image has been thermally transferred printed to the object, and to use the method. It relates to a label-like substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thermal transfer printing of a desired image on an object to be transferred, such as fabric, metal, ceramics, wood, resin, etc., has been known.

For example, there is a method in which a commercially available emblem or name tag is purchased and transferred using an iron. In this case, only an image of a ready-made design can be printed. You cannot print designs. If special printing is performed, it is possible to print freely designed ones, but since it is necessary to ask a specialty store, it is not easy for individuals to carry out the printing.

[0004] In order to print a freely designed image, an image is formed on a receiving paper provided with a thermoplastic resin film on a base material by using an electrostatic copying machine, and this is transferred to a transfer material. (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-230899). However, since this method uses an expensive electrostatic copying machine, it cannot be used in private homes as expected, and since the electrostatic copying machine has a toner fixing process, the toner on the receiving paper becomes silicon when fixing. It is difficult to balance the force applied to the oil-applied heating and pressurizing roll with the force applied to the transfer object during transfer, and there is a problem that there is no versatility in selecting the receiving paper.

On the other hand, as a method not using an electrostatic copying machine, there has been proposed a method in which a reverse image is thermally transferred and printed on a hot-melt adhesive layer, and this is heated and pressed together with the hot-melt adhesive layer onto an object to be transferred. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-292)
187). However, in this method, the hot-melt adhesive layer is softened by a heat source such as an iron at the time of heating and pressing, so that glassine paper or release paper having a releasing effect needs to be bonded as a support, and the hot-melt adhesive layer is also required. Since the layer itself is transferred, it is not possible to perform a clean transfer unless the required portion is heated evenly, and furthermore, there is a problem that the hot melt layer covers the transferred image and gives a sense of incongruity.

In a method of transferring an image from a receiving paper or a support to an object to be transferred and then peeling the receiving paper or the support, it is necessary to consider a releasing effect of the image from the receiving paper or the support. A method was considered in which the entire substrate was attached to an object to be transferred. In this case, it is not easy to use an expensive electrostatic copying machine to print an image on a base material, and therefore, the use of thermal transfer is convenient as a printing means. However, conventionally, since an image thermally transferred on a substrate is generally low in washing fastness and dry cleaning resistance as it is, a means such as providing a transparent protective layer on the image has been required. In the end, the problem of discomfort is not solved by the protective layer covering the image, and it is complicated to add the step of providing the protective layer, so that this method has never been practical before. .

[0007]

That is, according to the present invention, a freely designed desired image can be easily printed on an object to be transferred, and washing can be performed without providing special protective means such as a laminate on the image. An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printing method excellent in fastness and dry cleaning resistance, and a label-like substrate used for the method.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a softening point of 140 to 25 made of polyester resin, polyurethane resin or polyamide resin is provided on one surface of a planar support member.
A label-like base material having a solvent-resistant resin layer formed by applying a solvent-resistant resin at 0 ° C. and having a heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other surface is prepared, and a softening point of 150 ° C. is formed on the solvent-resistant resin layer. ~ 300 ° C
Using a thermal transfer ink ribbon having an ink layer composed of a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, or a polyurethane resin, a coloring material containing carbon black or a coloring pigment, and an additional material added as necessary, an image is formed by thermal transfer. A heat transfer printing method comprising forming the image, applying the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the base material on the surface of the transfer object, and applying heat and pressure, thereby adhering the base material on which the image is formed to the transfer object. By providing the above, the above problem is solved.

The support member constituting the label-like substrate in the present invention is preferably made of cotton, nylon, acetate, polyester, paper or non-woven fabric. The solvent-resistant resin layer is preferably formed by applying a solvent-resistant resin having a softening point of 140 to 250 ° C. at an application amount of 0.1 to 20 g / m ² . Preferred solvent resistant resins are polyester resins, polyurethane resins, or polyamide resins. The heat-sensitive adhesive layer preferably has a thickness of 30 to 150 μ,
Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyolefin resin,
It consists of an ionomer resin, an acrylate resin, an ethylene-acrylic acid resin, an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, a polyurethane resin, and the like. The base material may be colored, or may contain a fluorescent dye, a fluorescent pigment, a luminous pigment, a temperature indicating ink, a magnetic ink, a fragrance, a photochromic, a foaming material, or the like, as desired.

In the heating and pressurizing step, a heating condition is a temperature of 100 to 250 ° C., and a pressing condition is 5 g / cm.
A pressure of ^{2 to 1} kg / cm ² may be applied.
℃ below may be multiplied by the pressure of ^{10g / cm 2 ~200g / cm 2} . Outside of this range, workability deteriorates. The shorter the heating and pressurizing time, the better, but considering the aging of the substrate and the workability, it is better to be about 5 to 20 seconds, and the melting point of the resin usable for the heat-sensitive adhesive layer so as to satisfy these conditions. , The melt index, the glass transition point, and the like.

The thermal transfer ribbon used in the thermal transfer printing method of the present invention includes polyester resin, polyamide resin, polyurethane resin and the like having a softening point of 150 to 300 ° C.
A material obtained by dissolving or dispersing (emulsifying) a colorant consisting of carbon black or a coloring pigment and an additional material as necessary in a solvent onto a base film such as a polyester film or a polyamide film. Is preferably used. If necessary, a stick prevention layer on the surface opposite to the surface on which the coating material is applied, a release layer or a cover layer between the coating material and the base film, or an adhesion to the base material on the coating material. An additional adhesive layer or the like may be provided as a functional layer.

[0012]

According to the method of the present invention, an image is formed on a solvent-resistant resin layer of a label-like substrate using a printing device capable of thermal transfer and a suitable thermal transfer ribbon. Since the solvent-resistant resin layer is formed by coating a thermosetting resin having a predetermined softening point with a predetermined coating amount, the transfer characteristics of an image when performing thermal transfer are excellent, and the heat transfer after heating is performed. The printed image is less likely to be disturbed by the temperature and pressure conditions in the pressure step. Further, the image on the solvent-resistant resin layer has good washing fastness and dry-cleaning resistance without providing any special protective means such as lamination.

[0013]

[Example 1] A substrate having the following structure was prepared. Support member: 6,6 nylon fabric Solvent-resistant resin layer: Polyamide resin (softening point 200
° C) for 10 u. Heat-sensitive adhesive layer: polyamide film (melting point 90)
C) at a temperature of 150 ° C. for 10 seconds to laminate the thermal transfer ribbon with a label printer (TEC “B-3”).
0 "), and an image was printed on the solvent-resistant resin layer of the substrate. The used thermal transfer ribbon has a stick preventing layer on one side of a polyester film having a thickness of 5.7u, and on the other side, mainly comprises a granular polyamide resin and a coloring material on a release layer mainly composed of wax. It has a transfer ink layer. Next, the base material on which the image was printed was placed on a cotton fabric, and an iron (self-weight 1.2 g) was applied from the base material side.
kg) under a pressure of 500 g / cm ² for 10 seconds at 190 ° C.

Example 2 Instead of a thermal transfer ribbon having a transfer ink layer mainly composed of a granular polyamide resin and a colorant, a thermal transfer ribbon having a transfer ink layer mainly composed of a cross-linked polyester resin and a colorant was used. As the base material, a cotton cloth was used as a support instead of the 6,6 nylon cloth, and a polyurethane resin (softening point: 200 ° C.) applied by 10 μm was used instead of the polyamide resin.
Otherwise, the same operation as in Example 1 was performed.

Example 3 Instead of a thermal transfer ribbon having a transfer ink layer mainly composed of a granular polyamide resin and a coloring material, a thermal transfer ribbon having a transfer ink layer mainly composed of a polyamide resin (softening point of 80 ° C.) and a coloring material is provided. One used.
Otherwise, the same operation as in Example 1 was performed.

Example 4 A polyurethane resin (softening point 200) was used as the solvent-resistant resin layer.
° C), a polyurethane resin (softening point 100 ° C) coated with 10 u was used. Otherwise, the same operation as in Example 2 was performed.

Table 1 shows the results of the above embodiment.

[Table 1] The evaluation criteria are as follows. Good: Good Good: Somewhat good Good: Bad In the above washing test, washing was carried out for 30 minutes x 20 times with a solution obtained by adding a synthetic detergent to lukewarm water at 40 ° C. Was performed. The dry cleaning test was performed by washing with a dry cleaning liquid for 20 minutes × 10 times.

[0018]

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the image transfer characteristics are excellent when thermal transfer is performed, and the printed image is less disturbed by the temperature and pressure conditions in the subsequent heating and pressurizing step. There is. Further, the image on the solvent-resistant resin layer has an advantage of having good washing fastness and dry-cleaning resistance without providing any special protective means such as lamination. Further, by coating or laminating the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the base material, there is no fraying of the cloth caused by a slitter using a general blade, and a slit can be easily formed even in a narrow width.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a thermal transfer step in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a heating and pressurizing step in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an ink ribbon used in the method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermal head 2 Stick prevention layer 3 Base film 4 Release layer 5 Transfer ink 6 Solvent-resistant resin layer 7 Support member 8 Heat-sensitive adhesive layer 9 Iron 10 Transfer material

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-83691 (JP, A) JP-A-4-238090 (JP, A) JP-A-4-298392 (JP, A) JP-A-3-251149 (JP, A) JP-A-2-276681 (JP, A) JP-A-61-211093 (JP, A) JP-A-61-188193 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) B41M 5/38-5/40 G09F 3/10

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A solvent-resistant resin having a softening point of 140 to 250 ° C. made of a polyester resin, a polyurethane resin, or a polyamide resin, is applied on one surface of a planar support member at an application amount of 0.1 to 20 g / m ² . A label-like substrate having a formed solvent-resistant resin layer and having a heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other surface is prepared, and a softening point of 150 to 300 ° C. is formed on the solvent-resistant resin layer.
Using a thermal transfer ink ribbon having an ink layer composed of a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, or a polyurethane resin, a coloring material containing carbon black or a coloring pigment, and an additional material added as necessary, an image is formed by thermal transfer. Formed, and then the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the substrate is superimposed on the surface of the object to be transferred, and at a temperature of 100 to 250 ° C, 5 g / cm ² to 1
A thermal transfer printing method comprising: applying a pressure of Kg / cm ² , heating and pressurizing, and attaching the substrate on which an image has been formed to an object to be transferred. 2. The heat-sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness of 30 to 150 μm.
The method of claim 1, wherein m is m. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heat-sensitive adhesive layer comprises an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, a polyolefin resin, an ionomer resin,
The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of an acrylate resin, an ethylene-acrylic acid resin, an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, and a polyurethane resin. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said support member comprises cotton, nylon, acetate, polyester, paper, or nonwoven. 5. A solvent-resistant resin having a softening point of 140 to 250 ° C. made of a polyester resin, a polyurethane resin, or a polyamide resin is applied to one surface of the planar support member at an application amount of 0.1 to 20 g / m ² . The label-like substrate for use in the method according to claim 1, comprising a formed solvent-resistant resin layer and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other surface. 6. The heat-sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness of 30 to 150 μm.
The substrate according to claim 5, which is m. 7. The heat-sensitive adhesive layer, comprising: an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, a polyolefin resin, an ionomer resin,
The substrate according to claim 5, comprising at least one of an acrylate resin, an ethylene-acrylic acid resin, an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, and a polyurethane resin. 8. The substrate according to claim 5, wherein said support member is made of cotton, nylon, acetate, polyester, paper, or nonwoven fabric.