JP3306232B2 - Thermal transfer image receiver and label printing cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer image receiving member suitably used for a tape printer or the like, and a label printing cassette using the thermal transfer image receiving member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tape printer has a built-in simple word processor function and printer function. And, in the printing cassette detachably attached to the tape printer, a tape-shaped image receiver wound in a pancake shape is housed, and while gradually pulling out the tape-shaped image receiver from the pancake state, A character string or the like input by the word processor function is formed on the tape-shaped image receptor by a printer function, an image is formed, a portion on which the image is formed is cut, and a cut piece is attached to an object. Have been. Thereby, a heading tape, a tape with a name, and the like can be easily created.

[0003] The printer function of the tape printer is usually a thermal transfer printer because it is easy to miniaturize it. Therefore, the ink ribbon used is also a thermal transfer ink ribbon.

As a tape-shaped image receiving body accommodated in the above-mentioned printing cassette, an image receiving layer made of a polyester resin or the like having good heat transfer ink fixability is provided on one side of a base film such as a polyester film, and the other side is provided. There is known a device in which a colored layer is provided on a substrate, and an adhesive layer is further provided as necessary, and a release paper is attached to the adhesive layer. This tape-shaped image receiving member forms an imprint on the image receiving layer, peels off the release paper, and adheres to the object with the adhesive layer side facing the object.

[0005]

However, in the case of a conventional tape-shaped image receiving body having a colored layer, such as a conventional tape-shaped image receiving body, fading occurs due to irradiation of light (ultraviolet light), and the appearance is vivid for a long time. It was difficult to preserve the color. In particular, in a label created by a tape printer or the like, it is an important factor to keep the appearance beautiful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer receiver which does not fade even when irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a long period of time, and to label printing using the thermal transfer receiver. It is intended to provide a cassette for use.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The thermal transfer image receiving material of the present invention in order to achieve this objective is to form an image receiving layer thermal transfer ink on one surface of the base film is transferred, prior to the other surface
A thermal transfer image receiving body having a colored layer constituting a background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image receiving layer, wherein an ultraviolet ray absorbing agent containing an ultraviolet ray absorbing agent between the base film and the colored layer A layer was provided to prevent fading of the colored layer.

It is preferable that an adhesive layer is provided on the surface of the coloring layer opposite to the substrate film side, and a release body is attached to the adhesive surface of the adhesive layer.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the label printing cassette of the present invention has an image receiving layer on which a thermal transfer ink is transferred on one side of a substrate film, and has on the other side thereof.
The background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image receiving layer.
To form a colored layer that is provided an ultraviolet absorbing layer containing an ultraviolet absorber between the substrate film and the colored layer, an adhesive layer on the opposite side provided with further base film side of the colored layer , A release body is attached to the adhesive surface of the adhesive layer,
An image receiving body for thermal transfer in which the color layer is prevented from fading is formed in a long shape, and is incorporated in a cassette together with a thermal transfer ink ribbon.

[0010]

In the thermal transfer image receiving body of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the ultraviolet absorbent contained in the ultraviolet absorbing layer has a high absorptivity to light in the ultraviolet region (wavelength: 200 to 400 nm). It is located below this UV absorbing layer and is transferred to the image receiving layer.
The colored layer constituting the background color of the transferred thermal transfer ink is less susceptible to ultraviolet light. That is, since the ultraviolet absorber absorbs ultraviolet light, the colored layer is not affected by the ultraviolet light,
The background color does not fade.

Further, in the image receiving body for thermal transfer of the present invention,
If a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is provided on the surface of the colored layer opposite to the substrate film, and a release body is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the release body can be peeled off and attached to a desired location.

Further, when a label is produced by a tape printer or the like using the label printing cassette of the present invention having the above-described structure, the background color does not fade because the ultraviolet absorbent absorbs the ultraviolet light.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

First, an image receiving sheet 10 for thermal transfer ink (hereinafter abbreviated as image receiving sheet 10) of a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The image receiving sheet 10 constitutes the image receiving body for thermal transfer of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an image receiving sheet 10 comprises a base sheet 12, an image receiving layer 11 formed on one side of the base sheet 12, and an ultraviolet absorbing layer formed on the other side of the base sheet 12. A layer 13, a colored layer 14 formed on the surface of the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 opposite to the substrate sheet 12 side, and an adhesive formed on a surface of the colored layer 14 opposite to the substrate sheet 14 side. It is composed of an agent layer 15 and a separator 16 covering the adhesive surface of the adhesive layer 15. That is, the image receiving sheet 10 includes an image receiving layer 11, a base sheet 12, an ultraviolet absorbing layer 13, a colored layer 14, an adhesive layer 15, and a separator 16 from above.
Are sequentially laminated. The above-mentioned base sheet 12 constitutes the base film of the present invention, and the separator 16 constitutes the release body of the present invention.

Next, each layer will be described in detail.

As the base sheet 12, a plastic film is used. In particular, a polyester film such as a polyethylene terephthalate film is used for the strength side and the image receiving layer 1.
It is preferably used from the viewpoint of good adhesion to 1. In addition, a polyvinyl chloride film, a polycarbonate film, a triacetyl cellulose film, a polyamide film, a polyimide film, an aramid film and the like can be used. The thickness of the base sheet 15 is 25 to 150 μm from the viewpoint of handleability at the time of bonding an object or the like.
m is preferable.

The image receiving layer 11 is mainly composed of a polyester resin. The polyester resin to be used may contain a dicarboxylic acid component (usually an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid as a main component, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, an alicyclic dicarboxylic acid or the like). ) And a diol component (usually alkylene glycol as a main component, which may contain a polyalkylene glycol or the like).

It is necessary to use a polyester resin having a glass transition point of 60 ° C. or lower. This is because, when the glass transition point is higher than the above range, the fixability of the printed image when forming the printed image by transferring the thermal transfer ink becomes poor, and as a result, the friction resistance of the transferred printed image becomes poor. That's why.

The polyester resin has a molecular weight (number average molecular weight, the same applies hereinafter) of 8 × 10 3 to 3 × 1.
04 is preferred. This is because if the molecular weight is smaller than the above range, the image fastness such as alcohol resistance tends to be deteriorated. On the other hand, if the molecular weight is larger than the above range, the fixability of the printed image is deteriorated, and as a result, the robustness of the transferred printed image tends to be deteriorated.

Further, the image receiving layer 11 may be formed by blending a resin such as a melamine resin in addition to the polyester resin.

The image receiving layer 11 is formed by applying a solvent solution of the above-described polyester resin onto the base sheet 12 and drying. At that time, the coating amount of the image receiving layer 11 needs to be 0.8 g / m 2 or more. this is,
If the coating amount is less than 0.8 g / m <2>, the robustness of the image transferred to the image receiving layer 11 deteriorates.

Next, the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 is constituted by adding an ultraviolet absorbing agent to a solvent-soluble resin.

As an ultraviolet absorber, benzoic acid esters and derivatives thereof, cinnamic acid esters and derivatives thereof, salicylic acid derivatives, benzophenones, benzaldehyde derivatives, coumarin and carbostyrils, benzotriazoles, acrylonitriles, benzalazines, benzimidazole derivatives Etc. are used.

As the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 15, a conventional one can be used without any particular limitation. A separator 16 is attached to the adhesive surface of the adhesive layer 15.
Normal release paper subjected to single-sided release processing is used.
It should be noted that release paper subjected to double-sided release treatment is not preferable because it may cause core breakage. In addition to the release paper, a plastic film that has been subjected to a single-sided release treatment can be used as the separator 16.

As for the thermal transfer ink ribbon used to form an image on the image receiving sheet 10 having the above-described structure, a resin-based ink ribbon is more excellent in friction resistance than a wax-based ink ribbon. Good compatibility with 10. In particular, the polyester resin ink ribbon is more compatible with the image receiving sheet 10.

Next, the characteristics of the image receiving sheet 10 will be described with reference to a comparative example.

First, an image receiving sheet (hereinafter, referred to as sample A) 10 was formed as follows.

As the base sheet 12, a polyethylene terephthalate film (manufactured by ICI: Melinex S) having a thickness of 50 μm is used.

On one surface of the substrate sheet 12, a polyester resin (UE-3203, manufactured by Unitika) is coated with toluene-M
10 prepared by dissolving in an EK mixed solvent (2: 3 weight ratio)
% Solution and an ultraviolet absorber (SUMISOR manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.)
B 300) dissolved in 0.5% by weight,
After drying on 5, apply it so that the coating amount becomes 1 g / m2,
After drying, an ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 was formed.

On the other surface of the base sheet 12, a polyester resin (UE-3300, manufactured by Unitika) is coated with toluene-
1 prepared by dissolving in MEK mixed solvent (2: 3 weight ratio)
After the 0% solution was dried, the solution was applied so as to have a coating amount of 1 g / m 2, and dried to form an image receiving layer 11.

Next, a gravure ink (DIC: CVL-PR grass) was applied on the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 to a thickness of 2 μm to form a colored layer 14.

An acrylic resin-based pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 15 having a thickness of 15 μm is formed on the colored layer 14, and a single-sided releasable separator (silicone on one side of 75 μm-thick glassine paper) Release paper 16 which has been subjected to a release treatment with a fine particle resin) was laminated such that the release treated surface was in contact with the adhesive layer 15.

As a comparative example (hereinafter referred to as a sample B), the sample A was not provided with the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13, that is, the same image receiving layer 11 as the sample A,
The base sheet 12, the coloring layer 14, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 15, and the separator 16 were sequentially laminated from the top.

FIG. 2 shows the results of evaluating the light fastness of the sample A as an example and the sample B as a comparative example by using a light fastness tester.

The test method was such that each sample had a wavelength range of 30.
By irradiating ultraviolet rays of 0 nm to 400 nm with a xenon lamp having a radiation intensity of 50 watts / square meter (W / m 2) for 40 hours, and by measuring the color difference ΔE of the sample A and the sample B every 10 hours, Done.

A Minolta CM2002 was used for the colorimeter.
The color was measured under the following conditions.

· Light source ····· D65 · Regular reflection light capture · Aperture diameter 8 mm · Colorimetric value ··· L * a * b * From FIG. 2, this example (sample A) is a comparative example It can be seen that there is less fading when irradiated with ultraviolet light for a long time as compared with (Sample B).

As described above, according to the image receiving sheet 10 of the present embodiment, since the ultraviolet absorbing layer 12 is provided between the base film 12 and the colored layer 14, the ultraviolet absorbing agent contained in the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 can be used. Absorbs ultraviolet light. As a result, the colored layer 1
4, the amount of the ultraviolet rays reaching 4 is reduced, and the fading of the colored layer 14 is suppressed.

Next, the image receiving sheet 10 of this embodiment described above is used.
A label printing cassette according to the present embodiment, which uses the above-described method, will be described.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper cassette A of the label printing cassette of the present embodiment is removed.

As shown in FIG. 4, cylindrical shafts 1 and 2 are erected on the inner bottom surface of the lower cassette B of the label printing cassette. These spools 3 and 4 are rotatably supported respectively. The spool 3 winds an image receiving tape 3a formed of the image receiving sheet 10 in a long shape, and the spool 4 winds a thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a. Note that a resin-based ink ribbon is used as the thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a. Resin-based ink ribbons have better abrasion resistance than wax-based ink ribbons, and polyester resin-based ink ribbons are particularly compatible with thermal transfer image-receiving sheets.

On the inner bottom surface of the lower cassette B, a ribbon take-up spool 5 for winding up the used thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a and a tape feed roller 6 are rotatably supported.

Further, a roller entrance 33 is provided on the outer peripheral wall b of the lower cassette B so that a movable roller portion (not shown) of the printing apparatus can enter from outside. Printing is performed inside the roller entrance 33.

A guide shaft 45 is provided near the spool 4, and a pressing spring 47 is provided on the outer peripheral wall b of the lower cassette B near the spool 3. A separator 43 is provided between the guide shaft 45 and the pressing spring 47.
Is located.

The path of the image receiving tape 3a extends from the spool 3 toward the roller entrance 33 through the space between the separator 43 and the pressing spring 47, and from the outer peripheral surface of the tape feed roller 6 through the slit 53. To the outside.

On the other hand, the path of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a is
The tape extends from the spool 4 toward the roller entrance 33 in a state of overlapping with the image receiving tape 3a, passing between the separator 43 and the guide shaft 45, and changes the traveling direction in front of the tape feed roller 6, thereby changing the ribbon winding. It reaches the take-up spool 5. Therefore, between the guide shaft 45 and the roller entrance 33, the image receiving tape 3a and the thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a are in an overlapping state.

When the label printing cassette constructed as described above is mounted on a tape printer and an operator operates the tape printer to execute printing, a heating element on the tape printer side causes a print driving circuit (not shown). The heat generation corresponding to the print pattern is started by the operation of. This heat is applied to the overlapping thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a, and the ink on the thermal transfer ink ribbon 4a is transferred and fixed to the image receiving layer 11 of the image receiving tape 3a according to the print pattern.

The printed image receiving tape 3a is sent to the outside of the cassette through the slit 53, and the printed portion is cut by a cutting device (not shown) provided in the tape printer. Be issued to
The cut piece peels off the separator 16 and is attached to a desired place as a label.

Here, since the image receiving tape 3a used in the label printing cassette of this embodiment has the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 between the base film 12 and the coloring layer 14, the ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 UV absorbers absorb UV rays. As a result, the amount of ultraviolet light that reaches the colored layer 14 is reduced, and even if the ultraviolet light is irradiated for a long period of time, the discoloration of the colored layer 14 can be suppressed. Color can be maintained.

[0051]

As is apparent from the above description,
According to the thermal transfer image receiving body of the present invention, since the ultraviolet absorbing layer containing an ultraviolet absorbing agent is provided between the base film and the coloring layer, the background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image receiving layer is changed.
Retreat more colored layers which constitute the application of ultraviolet light over a long period of time
Coloring can be suppressed.

Further, since an adhesive layer is provided on the surface of the colored layer opposite to the substrate film side, and a release layer covering the surface of the adhesive layer is provided, it is possible to easily obtain an image for thermal transfer by a desired image. Can be stuck on the place.

According to the tape printing cassette of the present invention,
The color constituting the background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image receiving layer
Discoloration of the color layer due to long-term UV irradiation
This makes it possible to form a label capable of maintaining vivid colors for a long period of time in appearance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image receiving sheet according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the results of evaluating the light fastness of the image receiving sheet of this example.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a tape printing cassette of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 image receiving sheet 11 image receiving layer 12 base sheet 13 ultraviolet absorbing layer 14 coloring layer 15 adhesive layer 16 separator

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thermal transfer recording medium on one side of a substrate film.
Forming an image receiving layer link is transferred, the receiving on the other side
In a thermal transfer image receiving body having a colored layer constituting a background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image layer, an ultraviolet absorbing layer containing an ultraviolet absorbent is provided between a base film and the colored layer, wherein the colored layer An image receiving body for thermal transfer, characterized by preventing color fading. 2. The thermal transfer device according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on the surface of the coloring layer opposite to the base film, and a release body is attached to the adhesive surface of the adhesive layer. Receiver. 3. A thermal transfer recording medium on one side of a substrate film.
Forming an image receiving layer link is transferred, the receiving on the other side
A colored layer constituting the background color of the thermal transfer ink transferred to the image layer is formed, and an ultraviolet absorbing layer containing an ultraviolet absorbing agent is provided between the base film and the colored layer. Provide an adhesive layer on the side opposite to the film,
A label comprising a release member attached to the adhesive surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a thermal transfer image receiving member in which color fading of the colored layer is prevented is formed in a long shape, and incorporated in a cassette together with a thermal transfer ink ribbon. Printing cassette.