JP3284399B2 - Light-to-heat conversion type heat mode recording device for color proofing - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for producing a color proof by a fusion type thermal transfer method, and more particularly, to transfer by a fine foreign substance interposed between a recording material and an image receiving material during transfer. The present invention relates to an improved light-to-heat conversion heat mode recording apparatus capable of effectively preventing defects.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various methods have been proposed and implemented as a method for creating a color proof. Halftone image information of each color of YMC or YMCB is obtained on a recording material in accordance with a color original, and the recording material and an image receiving image are obtained. There is a method in which a material is laminated and exposed, and halftone image information composed of dots of several micrometers formed on a recording material is transferred to an image receiving material.

As a system for transferring image information from a recording material to an image receiving material, a sublimation type thermal transfer system is known. Regarding the removal of dust generated at the time of exposure, there is known an apparatus provided with a mechanism for sucking a gas generated at the time of exposure in an exposure head unit.

[0004]

In the case of image information in which halftone dots for forming an image are formed by dots on the order of several micrometers, fine foreign substances are interposed between the two materials when transferring the image information. Also, image defects due to poor transfer occur, which is not preferable. In the above-described sublimation-type thermal transfer method, the ink is transferred while being diffused, so that even if fine foreign substances exist between the materials, the image transfer image is hardly affected.
On the other hand, in the fusion-type thermal transfer method, the exposure light is shielded by fine intervening foreign matter, which has a great effect on image transfer.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention eliminates image transfer defects due to the presence of fine foreign matter when transferring dot image information formed of dots on the order of several micrometers by a fusion type thermal transfer method. An object is to clarify a light-to-heat conversion heat mode recording device that can be effectively prevented.

[0006]

The light-to-heat conversion type heat mode recording apparatus for producing a color proof according to the present invention has the following configuration. 1. A photothermal conversion type heat mode recording material in which a photothermal conversion layer and an ink layer containing a colorant are laminated on a support (substrate), and a photothermal conversion type heat mode image receiving material having an image receiving layer on another support. The surface of the recording material having the ink layer and the surface of the image receiving material having the image receiving layer face each other and are superimposed, and by irradiating light corresponding to image information, a dot image is formed on the image receiving material. Color proof
In the light-to-heat conversion type heat mode recording apparatus for production , the recording material has a cutter, and before the recording material and the image receiving material are overlapped, the recording material has an ink layer cut by the cutter. surface, surface to pressure contact the tacky cleaning roller having adhesive strength was cleaned by <br/> Rukoto and a surface having an image-receiving layer of the image-receiving material, the surface tackiness Cree having an adhesive force < br /> color proof creation photothermal conversion type heat mode recording apparatus characterized by cleaning by pressure contact the training roller. 2. Colorant color proof creation photothermal conversion type heat mode recording apparatus of the 1, wherein the organic pigment.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a light-to-heat conversion heat mode recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. A reference example of the present invention will also be described. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a recording material 10 and an image receiving material 20 used in a photothermal conversion heat mode recording apparatus according to the present invention.

The recording material 10 is a transparent support (substrate) formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or the like.
An ink layer 14 is laminated on one side of the substrate 11 via a cushion layer 12 and a light-to-heat conversion layer 13, and an adhesive layer 16 is disposed on the other side via a back coat layer 15.

The image receiving material 20 is a transparent support (substrate) formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or the like.
An image receiving layer 24 is laminated on one side of the substrate 21 with a cushion layer 22 and a release layer 23 interposed therebetween, and an adhesive layer 26 is disposed on the other side with a back coat layer 25 interposed therebetween.

The above-described layer structure is merely an example.
Except for the position where 23 is arranged, the adoption of other layer configurations is not excluded. The arrangement of each layer in the recording material 10 and the image receiving material 20 shown in FIG. 1 is in accordance with the vertical position at the time of conveyance and at the time of exposure. At the time of conveyance, the adhesive layer 16 of the recording material 10 is located on the upper surface, and the adhesive layer 26 of the image receiving material 20 is located on the lower surface. The cleaning action is performed by causing foreign substances such as dust to adhere and remove by the adhesive force.

At the time of exposure, foreign matter adhering to the adhesive layer 16 of the recording material 10 interferes, and therefore a mechanism for peeling and removing the adhesive layer 16 is required. The adhesive layer 26 of the image receiving material 20 does not need to be peeled off.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a mechanism for peeling and removing the adhesive layer 16 of the recording material 10.

The mode shown in FIG.
By driving 33B and 33D in the transport direction, and when the leading end of the recording material 10 abuts on the transport roller 33C in front of the exposure unit, by rotating only the transport roller 33C in the reverse direction,
The release layer 16 is configured to be separated and removed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, when the leading end of the recording material 10 comes into contact with the conveying roller 43 in front of the exposure section, the conveyance is temporarily stopped, and the suction plate 33E is moved down to cause the recording material 1 to move downward.
The adhesive layer 16 of the adhesive layer 16 is lifted after the adhesive layer 16
6 is peeled off and discharged to a discharge system.

An example of the composition for forming each layer of the recording material 10 and the image receiving material 20 will be described below. As for the recording material and the image receiving material, an adhesive layer may be provided on the support via a back coat layer. As described above, the adhesive layer is made of a material having an adhesive property, but the back coat layer is not necessarily required unless the adhesive layer needs to be peeled off.

As a material for forming the adhesive layer, a known adhesive material can be used. Specifically, a material having flexibility (for example, an elastic modulus at 20 ° C. of 200 kg / cm ² or less) and having tackiness at room temperature can be used. As a material having tackiness at room temperature, generally a material having a Tg of 20 ° C. or less, a material having a low elastic modulus, and a material having rubber elasticity are preferable. For example, styrene-based elastomers such as SBR, SIS, SEBS, polybutadiene, and natural rubber ,
Acrylate rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, acrylic rubber, fluoro rubber,
Neoprene rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin, EPDM (ethylene propylene
Diene rubber), elastomers such as urethane elastomers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutadiene,
Polybutene, polyurethane, and polytetrafluoroethylene, polyester, acrylic resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, plasticizer-containing vinyl chloride resin, Among the vinylidene chloride resins and the like, a resin having a small elastic modulus is exemplified.

The thickness of the adhesive layer is preferably 30 to 50 μm if it is necessary to remove the adhesive layer, and is preferably 10 to 50 μm if there is no need to remove the adhesive layer.

The back coat layer is required to have releasability when it is necessary to peel off the adhesive layer.
The release property can be imparted by adding a known release agent such as a silicone release agent, a fluorine release agent, or a wax used in release paper or the like.

Next, each layer other than the adhesive layer will be described. <Recording Material> The recording material of the present invention basically has a structure of a support / cushion layer / photothermal conversion layer / ink layer.

As a support for a recording material, JP-A-63-163
The film or sheet described in pp. 193886, page 2, lower left column, lines 12 to 18 can be used. In particular, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (P
Films such as C) are preferably used. These plastic films can be subjected to various processes such as dimensional stabilization and antistatic. Further, an undercoat layer may be provided so that each layer described below can be favorably coated on the support. The thickness of the support is not particularly limited.
Those having a thickness of 50 μm are generally easy to handle and suitable.

The ink layer of the recording material of the present invention is colored or melted or softened by the heat generated by the light-to-heat conversion action of the light-to-heat conversion layer upon receiving high-intensity light such as a laser, so that the entire layer can be transferred. It means a layer containing an agent and a resin, and the transfer mechanism may not be in a completely molten state.

The ink layer of the recording material preferably contains 20 to 40 parts by weight of a coloring agent and has a melting point or softening point of 40 to 150 parts.
The binder whose main component is a resin in the range of 40 ° C.
It contains 70 parts by weight and has a thickness of 0.4 to 1.0 μm.

As a coloring agent, titanium dioxide, carbon black, graphite, zinc oxide, Prussian blue,
Inorganic pigments such as cadmium sulfide, iron oxide and chromates of lead, zinc, barium and calcium, and azo-based pigments,
Thioindigo-based, anthraquinone-based, anthranthrone-based, triphenedioxazine-based pigments, vat dye pigments, phthalocyanine pigments and derivatives thereof, organic pigments such as quinacridone pigments, and acid dyes, direct dyes, disperse dyes, oil-soluble dyes, Each dye such as a metal oil-soluble dye or a sublimable dye can be used.

In particular, when used as a color proof material for the printing industry, organic pigments used in printing inks are preferably used. In order to reproduce black, it is preferable to adjust the color by mainly using carbon black and adding pigments such as cyan, blue, and violet as required.

The preferred amount of the colorant is 2 to the total amount of the ink.
The content is 0 to 40% by weight, preferably 25 to 35% by weight. If the amount of the coloring agent is too large, the ink layer becomes strong, and the smoothness of the recorded image is lost when performing photothermal conversion type recording. For example, in the case of a thin line, the continuity of the line is impaired, and “graininess” occurs. Further, in applications for print proofing, the shape of a halftone dot is easily broken. On the other hand, when the amount of the coloring agent is small, such a defect hardly occurs, but it becomes difficult to obtain a necessary coloring density.

The colorant contained in the ink layer is preferably dispersed such that the average particle size after mixing with the binder is smaller than the thickness of the ink layer from the viewpoint of the surface properties of the ink layer.

If the average particle size of the particles centering on the pigment is larger than the thickness of the ink layer, the smoothness of the surface of the ink layer after coating tends to be significantly impaired. If the smoothness of the ink layer surface is impaired, transfer unevenness occurs due to uneven contact between the ink layer and the image receiving body and uneven conduction of heat energy generated in the light-to-heat conversion layer. Easier to do. More preferably, the average particle size of the pigment-dispersed particles is 0.5 μm or less.

As the binder used in the ink layer,
Examples thereof include a heat-fusible substance, a heat-softening substance, and a thermoplastic resin.

The main component of the binder used in the ink layer of the present invention preferably has a melting point or softening point of 40 to 150 ° C.
Resin. By using a resin as a main component, a uniform ink layer with little cohesive failure is added. In particular, when an amorphous resin such as a styrene resin, a styrene-acrylic resin, or a styrene-maleic acid resin was used as a main component, it was confirmed that the transferability of the ink layer was good. Furthermore, it was found that the addition of an ethylene-vinyl acetate resin and an ionomer resin at about 10% of the binder component improves the abrasion resistance of the ink image on the image receiving material. The combined use of these resins also has an effect on the smoothness of the edge of the transferred image.

In addition, a plasticizer for increasing the sensitivity by plasticization, a surfactant for improving coating properties, and a matting material having a smaller particle diameter than the ink layer for preventing blocking are added to the ink layer. Etc. are possible. When a fluorine-containing compound is used as the surfactant, a thin ink layer can be formed.

The thickness of the ink layer of the present invention is from 0.4 to 1.
0 μm is preferable, and more preferably 0.5 to 0.8 μm
It is.

In the photothermal conversion type recording material, the sensitivity is improved when the thickness of the ink layer is small, and the sensitivity is remarkably improved particularly when the thickness is 1 μm or less. However, when the thickness of the ink layer is thinner than 0.4 μm, in particular, in area gradation recording of a print image or the like, transfer failure of small dots or fine lines occurs, which substantially lowers the sensitivity or excessively heats the ink layer. For this reason, there were many problems that unnecessary transfer of the light-to-heat conversion layer occurred and that the ink layer itself was burnt and a desired color could not be reproduced.

A configuration in which a photothermal conversion substance is added to an ink layer has been conventionally known. In such a configuration, the efficiency of using photothermally converted heat energy for thermal transfer is high, but the efficiency of photothermal conversion is high. In many cases, the conversion material is not substantially transparent.In particular, when the conversion material is used as a printing proof material, it adversely affects color reproduction. It is preferable to configure as a conversion layer.

When the light-to-heat conversion layer is provided adjacent to the ink layer, the heat conductivity becomes extremely high. When the light-to-heat conversion layer and the ink layer are adjacent to each other, the thermal energy photo-thermally converted by the light-to-heat conversion layer directly heats the ink layer from the light-to-heat conversion layer side interface. The layer is easily peeled, and the ink layer is effectively transferred.

The photothermal conversion material is a material that absorbs light and converts it to heat efficiently. In particular, since carbon black exerts a substantially uniform light-to-heat conversion effect with respect to light sources of all wavelengths that can be generally used, carbon black is effective for preparing a recording material regardless of the light source.

The resin constituting the light-to-heat conversion layer may be a resin having a temperature of 360 ° C. or more at which the weight loss rate at a temperature increasing rate of 10 ° C./min becomes 50% in a nitrogen gas stream measured by thermal decomposition according to the TGA method. 70% by weight of the entire resin constituting the light-to-heat conversion layer
The above content effectively helps to prevent unnecessary transfer of the light-to-heat conversion layer, and the use of such a resin broadens the options of usable light absorbers.

In particular, a light-to-heat conversion layer using a water-soluble polymer has good releasability from the ink layer, good heat resistance during light irradiation, and little ablation against excessive heating. When a water-soluble polymer is used, it is desirable that carbon black be modified to be water-soluble or dispersed in an aqueous system.

The thickness of the photothermal conversion layer of the recording material is 0.1.
It is preferably from 4 to 1.2 μm, more preferably from 0.5 to 1.2 μm.
1.0 μm. The content of carbon black in the light-to-heat conversion layer is determined so that the absorbance at the wavelength of the light source used for image recording is preferably 0.3 to 3.0. More preferably, it can be determined to be 0.7 to 2.5, but it is necessary to determine an optimum range according to the intensity of irradiation light.

The light-to-heat conversion layer is preferably thin because the generated heat energy can be effectively conducted to the ink layer effectively.
The effect is dramatically improved at 1.2 μm or less. However, when the light-to-heat conversion layer is less than 0.4 μm, in order to add carbon black necessary for effective light-to-heat conversion,
The strength of the entire layer becomes brittle, the light-to-heat conversion layer is easily broken, and unnecessary transfer frequently occurs.

In the case of the constitution of the light-to-heat conversion layer of the recording material preferably used in the present invention, carbon black is preferably used in an amount of not more than 40% by weight of the whole layer, so that a suitable effect is obtained.
Unnecessary transfer of the light-to-heat conversion layer does not occur.

The cushion layer is provided for the purpose of increasing the adhesion between the recording material and the image receiving material. The cushion layer is a layer having thermal softening properties or elasticity, and may be made of a material which can be sufficiently softened and deformed by heating, a material having a low elastic modulus, or a material having rubber elasticity. Specifically, the same polymer as that used for the cushion layer of the image receiving material described later can be used.

The cushion layer may be formed by coating, laminating, laminating a film or the like in order to have a certain thickness, and may be finished by coating in order to improve the surface smoothness.

As the method for forming the cushion layer, the same method as the method for forming the image receiving layer of the image receiving material can be used. It is also possible to use a resin layer having a void structure in which a thermo-softening or thermoplastic resin is foamed as a special cushion layer. When further forming a filling cushion layer in which surface smoothness is indispensable, it is desirable to coat it by various coating methods. The total thickness of the preferred cushion layer is 2 μm or more, preferably 4 μm or more.

In order for the light-to-heat conversion layer to absorb the energy of the light source without waste, the transmittance of the support and the cushion layer to the wavelength of the light source is preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more. For this purpose, it is necessary to use a support and a cushion layer having good transparency, and to reduce reflection at the back coat surface of the support and at the interface between the support and the cushion layer.

As a method for reducing the reflection at the interface between the support and the cushion layer, it is preferable to make the refractive index of the cushion layer 0.1 or more smaller than that of the support.

The recording material preferably used in the present invention needs to be prepared by stacking layers having different functions and properties, such as a cushion layer, a light-to-heat conversion layer, and an ink layer, on a single support. Several methods are known as a method for forming such an overlay. However, in order to achieve the best performance of the recording material of the present invention, the following method is preferable.

One preferred method is a method in which a cushion layer, a light-to-heat conversion layer, and an ink layer are successively applied on a support. In this case, since the cushion layer is a layer having an adhesive surface, it may be provided in advance by an extrusion method, an extrusion lamination method, or the like. What is important is that the light-to-heat conversion layer is formed smoothly on the surface of the cushion layer so that the 75-degree specular glossiness of JIS Z-8741-1983 specified in the surface becomes 65 or more. is there. If the ink layer is formed in a state where the smoothness of the surface of the light-to-heat conversion layer is not ensured, the surface of the ink layer becomes rough and the quality of the final image deteriorates. Further, an ink layer is provided on a release surface of a support having a releasable surface, and a photothermal conversion layer is provided on the ink layer, and then a cushion layer and a photothermal conversion layer provided on another support are provided. Then, a method in which the recording material is prepared by peeling the releasable support after the lamination is performed is also conceivable. This method is suitable for obtaining a recording material with extremely high smoothness, in which the surface of the ink layer of the formed recording material has a specular glossiness at 75 degrees defined by JIS Z-8741-1983 of 80 or more.

In such a recording material producing method,
The peeling force F1 between the release surface and the ink layer needs to be selected to be smaller than the peeling force F2 between the ink layer and the photothermal conversion layer. F1 of about 10 g / cm or less is effective for producing a good recording material. When the release support is peeled off after the light-to-heat conversion layer and the cushion layer are bonded to each other, if the curvature θ at the time of release of the release support is set to 180 ° or less, good release can be achieved.

The releasable support is preferably a smooth plastic sheet containing little filler or the like, and is preferably a thin film of 50 μm or less from the viewpoint of peeling workability. The release surface forms a layer on such a support that is crosslinked, substantially insoluble in the coating solvent of the ink layer, or has a fluorine or long chain alkyl compound. Can be obtained. The crosslinked release layer has a wide range of possibilities such as thermal curing and ultraviolet curing, but a non-silicone compound is preferable in consideration of a decrease in sensitivity of the ink layer after release. However, the higher fatty acid ester-modified silicone, polyether-modified silicone, and the like were exceptionally able to have good release surfaces without a decrease in sensitivity.
From the viewpoint of releasability, when the ink layer is a solvent system, a water-soluble resin, i.e., a melamine compound, a binder having a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an ammonium group, etc.
A layer crosslinked with a crosslinking agent such as an isocyanate compound or a glyoxal derivative is preferable. A phosphazene resin can also be used effectively.

<Image-Receiving Material> The image-receiving material preferably used in the present invention is an image-receiving material on which an image from at least a cushion layer and an image-receiving layer, more specifically, at least a cushion layer and a hot-melt transfer type ink layer is transferred onto a support. And a hot-melt transfer type recording image-receiving material having a thickness of 0.3 to
The image receiving material contains a matting agent having an average particle diameter of 3.0 μm and 1.5 to 5.5 μm larger than the film thickness. As the support of the image receiving layer, those equivalent to the ink layer can be used.

The image receiving material of the present invention can retransfer an image receiving layer having received an ink image to a final support such as paper.

When the thickness of the image receiving layer is greater than 3.0 μm, the image transferred to the final support tends to have a yellow tint,
When the thickness is less than 0.3 μm, the strength of the layer itself is insufficient, and the image is easily lost due to rubbing or the like after being transferred onto the final support. Further, the dot gain of the printed image cannot be reproduced, and the range of choice of the final support to be transferred is narrowed.

The volume average particle diameter of the matting agent is 1.5 to 5.5 μm larger than the average film thickness of the image receiving layer where the matting agent is not present.
It is preferable that it is larger by m. The matting agent having this particle size has no fog while maintaining the adhesion between the recording material and the image receiving layer material, and gives a good impression of the image receiving layer after transfer.

As a material of the matting agent, known organic fine particles such as an acrylic resin such as PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), a fluorine-based resin, and a silicone resin can be used. The organic fine particles not only increase the strength of the particles and the solvent resistance, but also have the effect of improving the gloss of the final image.

The projections on the surface of the image receiving layer due to the matting agent are 200
It is preferable that the number be 2,000 / mm ² in terms of gloss of the final transferred image and ink acceptability. If the number of protrusions due to the mat material is small, air between the materials cannot be uniformly sucked when the image receiving material and the recording material are brought into close contact with each other, resulting in an air pocket and transfer failure. On the other hand, if there are too many projections, the transferred ink layer may be easily transferred to the mat material projections in a bridging manner, or the printing durability of the transferred image may be reduced. The resulting gloss is excessively suppressed, making it difficult to obtain a gloss particularly favorable for proofing.

As the specific examples of the binder for the image receiving layer, any known binders can be used. In particular, acrylate or methacrylic latex such as polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, and polyethyl acrylate is preferable.

These resins can be used alone or in combination of several kinds. In the image receiving layer,
In addition to the water-based emulsion resin, a water-soluble resin can be appropriately used in combination.

When these water-soluble resins are used in combination,
3 for the aqueous emulsion resin, which is the main component of the image receiving layer
It is preferable to use it in the range of 0% by weight or less.

The coefficient of static friction between the image receiving layer and the ink layer prevents the color misregistration due to the misalignment of the sheet when the multi-color printing is performed on the image receiving layer, and when the image formation is completed, the image receiving material and It is preferable that the thickness is in the range of 0.3 to 0.7 in order to achieve both of peeling from the recording material and ensuring transportability when transporting. That is, when the coefficient of static friction between the ink layer and the image receiving layer is smaller than 0.3, the materials are liable to slip at the time of superposition, and color misregistration tends to occur. On the other hand, if the static friction coefficient is larger than 0.7, the slippage becomes poor, and the peeling / conveying is not performed smoothly.

By providing the cushion layer, image transfer defects due to fine dust mixed during image recording are reduced. In the case of the general fusion heat transfer method, the colorant layer of the recording material has a film thickness of 2 μm or more, and the melt viscosity is designed to be very low. Therefore, dust mixed between the recording material and the image receiving material is reduced. Although covered with the molten colored layer, it does not cause much problem, especially in the photothermal conversion type recording using the thin-film colorant layer as described above, dust mixed between the recording material and the image receiving material is This is a problem because clear transfer omission occurs.

The cushion layer provided on the image receiving material preferably used in the present invention has an elastic modulus at 25 ° C. of preferably from 1 to 250 kg / mm ² , more preferably from 2 to 1 kg / mm ² .
Layers such as 50 kg / mm ² are preferred. Alternatively, the layer may have a penetration of 15 to 500, more preferably 30 to 300, as defined in JIS K2530-1976. By providing the cushion layer having such a property, the adhesion between the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet is increased when the ink sheet is brought into close contact with the image receiving sheet. As a result, even when impurities are mixed between the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet, the floating between the sheets is achieved. And defects in the transferred image are reduced.
On the other hand, an effect of increasing the transfer sensitivity is also obtained.

The material forming the cushion layer is preferably composed mainly of various rubbers and resins having a low glass transition point (Tg).

In general, among these, low molecular weight compounds having a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 or less are preferably used, but those having a higher molecular weight as long as the properties required for the cushion layer are satisfied. Can also be used. In addition, by using various plasticizers in combination, the softening point of the resin can be lowered, so that the performance suitable for the cushion layer can be obtained.

The cushion layer can be provided by applying a solvent, but can also be applied and formed in the form of an aqueous dispersion such as latex or emulsion.

In addition, water-soluble resins can be used.

These resins can be used alone or as a mixture as necessary. Even with materials other than those described above, favorable characteristics of the cushion layer can be obtained by adding various additives.

Examples of the additives include low-melting substances such as wax, and plasticizers.

The amount of these additives to be added may be selected in such a manner as to exhibit desirable physical properties in combination with the base cushion layer material, and is not particularly limited. % By weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less.

The preferred thickness of the cushion layer is at least 10 μm, more preferably at least 20 μm. Further, when re-transferring to another transfer object (paper such as coated paper, woodfree paper, etc.), the film thickness is preferably 30 μm or more. If the thickness of the cushion layer is less than 10 μm, it may be lost or chipped during retransfer to the final support.

Further, a cushion layer, a release layer,
The image receiving layer is provided in this order, and the TM of the cushion layer and the image receiving layer is provided.
A (Thermo mechanical Analysis)
The image receiving material is a film having a softening point of 70 ° C. or lower as measured by sis) and a release layer having a Tg of 75 ° C. or higher or a tensile strength of 3.5 kg / m ² or more. This is effective for more effectively accepting an image from and forming an image with less defects.

Such an image receiving layer and a cushion layer can be selected from the above-mentioned materials, and it is also effective to lower the softening point by adding a plasticizer or the like.

By using an image receiving layer having a softening point measured by TMA of 70 ° C. or less, the image transfer rate is improved. or,
It was confirmed that more stable transfer was possible when transferring the image formed on the image receiving layer to the final support. The use of a material having a temperature of 70 ° C. or lower measured by TMA for the cushion layer is, of course, highly effective in improving the compatibility with foreign substances such as dust.

The TMA softening point is determined by heating the object to be measured at a constant heating rate while applying a constant load, and observing the phase of the object. In the present invention, the TMA softening point is defined as the temperature at which the phase of the measurement object starts to change. The measurement of the softening point by TMA can be performed using an apparatus such as Thermofiex manufactured by Rigaku Corporation.

Examples of the binder for the release layer include styrenes and those obtained by crosslinking these resins, thermosetting resins having a Tg of 65 ° C. or higher, and cured products of these resins.

As the curing agent, general curing agents such as isocyanate and melamine can be used. Particularly, polycarbonate, acetal, and ethylcellulose are preferable in terms of storage stability.

By including a conductive substance in the release layer, the release charge generated between the image receiving layer and the release layer when transferring the image transferred to the image receiving material to the final support together with the image receiving layer is suppressed, and It is possible to obtain an image receiving material which is excellent in workability without being attracted by the above.

Examples of general antistatic agents include cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, polymer antistatic agents, conductive fine particles, and 1129
Compounds described in Chemical Industry No. 0, Kagaku Kogyo Nippo, pp. 875-876, etc. are widely used.

Suitable conductive substances are those having particularly high conductive effects among the above-mentioned substances known as antistatic agents.

The metal deposition layer has a high possibility of losing the properties of the cushion layer, and its use is limited. In order to prevent electrification during transfer of the image receiving layer, the surface resistivity of the release layer is
1 × 10 when measured in an environment of 23 ° C. and 55% RH
It is preferable to set the resistance to ¹⁰ Ω or less.

When the image receiving layer is transferred from the image receiving material to the final support as in the present invention, the image receiving layer is thermally transferred by heating and pressing with a laminator or the like, so that both the image receiving material and the final support are very dry. Put in the state. Therefore, peeling charging cannot be prevented with about 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω, which is widely used as ordinary antistatic.

The release layer may be formed by dissolving or dispersing the above-mentioned material in a solvent or in the form of a latex, using a blade coater, a roll coater, a bar coater, a curtain coater, a gravure coater, or the like, or an extrusion lamination method using a hot melt. Can be applied, and can be applied and formed on the cushion layer. Alternatively, there is a method in which a material obtained by dissolving or dispersing the material in a solvent or in the form of latex on a temporary base is applied by the above-described method and a cushion layer, and then the temporary base is peeled off. .

In the above embodiment, each of the recording material 10 and the image receiving material 20 has the adhesive layers 16 and 26, and the transport rollers are cleaned during the transport.
Next, an embodiment in which each of the recording material 10 and the image receiving material 20 does not have the adhesive layers 16 and 26 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a photothermal conversion heat mode recording apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, YMC or Y
The recording material 10 of each color of the MCB is provided in a drum-shaped supply device 30 in the form of a roll, and the recording material 1 of each color is prepared.
0 is guided to the supply position by rotating the supply device 30 clockwise or counterclockwise,
Is cut out to a predetermined length by the cutter 32, and is conveyed by the conveying means 33 using a pair of rollers, and is transferred to the exposure unit 40. Reference numeral 41 denotes a drum.

The supply device 30 includes a cleaning material 50.
Like the recording material 10, it is prepared in a roll shape, pulled out by a drawer 31, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 32, and conveyed. The surface of the pair of rollers of the conveyer 33 is cleaned.

The cleaning material 50 has an adhesive layer on one side of the support. Therefore, for cleaning the transport roller on the side where the recording material 10 comes into contact, a material having an adhesive layer laminated on one surface (upper surface) of the support is used. In cleaning the transport roller on the side contacting the image receiving material 20, the cleaning material 50 is turned upside down and the adhesive layer is used with the lower surface side.

The embodiment in which the adhesive layer is provided on both sides of the support as the cleaning material 50 is also included in the reference example of the present invention.

The cleaning material 50 is sent to the conveying means 33 immediately before the recording material 10 or the image receiving material 20 is conveyed, and it is preferable to clean the conveying rollers each time. An embodiment in which the cleaning process is performed intermittently is also included in the reference example of the present invention. Further, in an aspect in which cleaning is performed intermittently, the degree of contamination of air in the apparatus and the degree of contamination of the surface of the conveying roller are checked by a sensor, and cleaning is performed when the degree of contamination reaches a specified degree. Can also.

The cleaning material 50 that has been sent to the conveying means 33 and has finished cleaning the surface of the conveying roller is exposed to the exposure unit 4.
The processing is performed in such a manner as to be discharged to the discharge system immediately before 0, or to be wound around the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40. In the former mode, the rollers of the discharge section can be cleaned at the time of discharge, or the cleaning of the cleaning rollers 51 and 52 shown in FIG. 3 can be performed.
In the latter embodiment, the drum surface and the rollers involved in winding can be cleaned.

In FIG. 3, a cleaning roller 51 is provided as a cleaning mechanism in the exposure unit 40, and the recording material 10 and the image receiving material 20 supplied to the exposure unit 40 are cleaned. That is, in the exposure unit 40,
First, the image receiving material 20 is conveyed by the conveying means 33 and is wound and fixed around the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40. At this time, the surface of the image receiving layer 24 is cleaned by pressing the cleaning roller 51, and then the recording material 10 is conveyed. And the image receiving material 2 wound and fixed around the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40
When the cleaning roller 5 is wound and fixed on the upper surface of the
By pressing 1, the upper surface of the back coat layer 15 of the recording material 10 is cleaned. It is to be noted that the adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the ink layer 14 of the recording material 10 also causes transfer failure. Therefore, before the recording material 10 is wound around the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40 and fixed, the ink layer 14 of the recording material 10 is fixed. It is a preferred embodiment to clean the surface. Recording material 10
In the cleaning of the upper surface of the ink layer 14, as shown in FIG. 3, a cleaning roller 52 having the same structure as the cleaning roller 51 is provided in front of the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40.
It is disposed below the transport path, and is cleaned before the recording material 10 is wound and fixed on the drum 41. In a mode in which both sides of the recording material 10 are cleaned only by the cleaning roller 51, a conveyance path bypassing the cleaning roller 51 is provided before the recording material 10 is wound around the drum 41 and fixed. The lower surface of the recording material 10 (the surface of the ink layer 14) is cleaned by applying a pressing force in a direction in which the cleaning roller 51 is raised, and then the recording material 10 is wound around and fixed to the drum 41.
Is pressed toward the drum 41 to clean the upper surface of the recording material 10 (the upper surface of the back coat layer 15).

The present invention also includes a mode in which cleaning rollers 51 and 52 are arranged as a pair of rollers in front of the drum 41 of the exposure unit 40, and the upper and lower surfaces of the recording material 10 are simultaneously cleaned.

The cleaning rollers 51 and 52 include
Various configurations can be adopted, but in consideration of maintenance, it is detachable, removal of foreign matter adhering to the roller surface, and recovery and maintenance of adhesiveness are performed by immersion in water or special cleaner liquid. Preferably, it can be easily performed.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which a cleaning mechanism is provided in the transport system. In this configuration, both sides or one side of the recording material 10 is cleaned while the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) is being conveyed by the pair of rollers. Cleaning is performed by pressing the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) against the cleaning rollers 53 and 54 having adhesive surfaces.
In the case of cleaning only one side of the recording material 10 or the image receiving material 20, the cleaning rollers 53 and 54 are used.
Is simply a presser roll. Even in a mode in which only one of the cleaning rollers is used, if the cleaning roller disposed on the upper side and the roller disposed on the lower side are provided in two rows, both sides can be cleaned.

[0093] The cleaning rollers 53, 54 a plurality arrangement, embodiments utilizing switched by the recording material 10 to be cleaned made different to each tacky adhesion (receiving material 20) are also encompassed by the present invention.

The cleaning rollers 53 and 54 depend on the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) to be cleaned or on the type of adhesive (difference in adhesive strength).
The present invention also includes a configuration that adjusts the pressure bonding force. The present invention includes a configuration in which the type of the adhesive used in cleaning the recording material 10 and a type in which the pressure-sensitive adhesive used in the cleaning of the image receiving material 20 is different are also included in the present invention.

Further, the cleaning rollers 53 and 54
The present invention also includes a configuration in which a second cleaning roller is provided for each of the cleaning rollers and the cleaning rollers 53 and 54 themselves are cleaned.

FIG. 5 shows a reference example of the present invention, in which a blower 60 is used as a cleaning mechanism. That is, the configuration is such that fine foreign matter adhering to the front surface (and the back surface) of the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) is removed by blowing air with the blower 60. This configuration includes a screen unit composed of a filter or the like for purifying the air to be blown, and a unit for sucking the air including the foreign matter blown.

In addition to the provision of the blower 60 in the exposure section 40, the arrangement in which the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) is disposed in the supply device and / or the transport system, or the configuration in which the blower 60 is disposed in the supply device or the transport system. Included in Reference Examples of the Invention.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to the embodiment in which the exposure unit 40 is formed by a rotating drum, the present invention relates to an embodiment in which the exposure unit 40 is configured to be a planar or cylindrical inner surface exposure system. This also applies to:

When the exposure unit 40 is flat, unlike the case of a rotary drum, the held recording material 10 (image receiving material 20)
The recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) held stationary in the exposure unit 40 because the
The exposure unit 40 holding the recording material 10 (image receiving material 20) is reciprocated while pressing the cleaning roller against the upper surface of the recording medium 10 or pressing the cleaning roller at the stationary position.

In a mode in which foreign matter is blown off by the blower 60, both the blower 60 and the exposure unit 40 can be operated in a fixed state, or can be performed while either one of them is reciprocated.

[0101]

According to the present invention, prior to image transfer,
Since fine foreign matter adhering to the surface of the recording material and the image receiving material can be removed, the exposure light is uniformly irradiated without being shielded by the foreign matter, so that image transfer failure does not occur, The task mentioned at the outset is solved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic enlarged sectional view of a recording material and an image receiving material.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a mechanism for peeling and removing an adhesive layer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a reference example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10-Recording material 11-Support (substrate) 12-Cushion layer 13-Light-to-heat conversion layer 14-Ink layer 15-Back coat layer 16-Adhesive layer 20-Image receiving material 21-Support (substrate) 22-Cushion layer 23- Release layer 24-Image receiving layer 25-Back coat layer 26-Adhesive layer 30-Supply device 31-Pull-out means 32-Cutter 33-Transport means 33 A transport roller 33 B transport roller 33 C transport roller 33 D transport roller 33 E suction disk 40-exposure section 41 -Drum 50-Cleaning mechanism (cleaning material) 51-Cleaning roller 52-Cleaning roller 53-Cleaning roller 54-Cleaning roller 60-Cleaning mechanism (blower)

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI G03F 3/10 B41M 5/26 S (56) References JP-A-59-182768 (JP, A) JP-A-7-276730 ( JP, A) JP-A-6-328742 (JP, A) JP-A-7-164649 (JP, A) JP-A-7-290731 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photothermal conversion type heat mode in which a photothermal conversion layer and an ink layer containing a colorant are laminated on a support (substrate), and a photothermal conversion type heat mode having an image receiving layer on another support. Image receiving material, the surface of the recording material having the ink layer and the surface of the image receiving material having the image receiving layer are superimposed on each other, and by irradiating light according to image information, the halftone dot image is formed. Color to be created on the image receiving material
In the proof making light-to-heat conversion type heat mode recording apparatus, a cutter for cutting the recording material is provided.Before the recording material and the image receiving material are overlapped, the ink layer of the recording material cut by the cutter is removed. a surface having a surface is cleaned by contact adhesive cleaning roller a <br/> pressure with adhesion and tack the surface having the image-receiving layer of the image-receiving material, the surface has an adhesive force
Color proofs for light-heat converting type heat mode recording apparatus characterized by cleaning by pressure contact sexual cleaning roller. Wherein the coloring agent is claim 1 color proof creation photothermal conversion type heat mode recording apparatus, wherein the organic pigment.