JP4315421B2 - Thermal transfer recording medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording medium capable of avoiding troubles when winding an ink ribbon provided by printing a pattern in which a plurality of colors and / or a plurality of patterns of ink layers are mixed on a support.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The printed matter by the thermal transfer system has been used for various purposes with the development of printers and ribbons. For example, application to display fields such as storefront advertisements, displays, and signboards is an example. When used for such purposes, multi-color printing is often performed due to demands for expressiveness, etc. Especially for pop use such as store advertisements, different information is printed every day, but a specific color is applied to a specific part. There are many cases to print.
[0003]
In such a case, there are some which use a plurality of necessary color ribbons and perform printing while manually or automatically changing the ribbons, or express a multicolor by a multi-head printer form in which a necessary number of print heads are prepared. However, the operation of changing the ribbon in such a form is troublesome, and even if it is automatic, the printing speed becomes slow and the apparatus becomes large. Similarly, the multi-head cannot be reduced in size, and has a problem in terms of cost.
[0004]
In order to solve the problem, a pattern printing ribbon in which a necessary ink is applied to a predetermined portion has been proposed. In the ink ribbon, each ink layer is often applied by gravure printing or the like. However, if each ink layer is simply applied, there may be a difference in the layer thickness of each ink layer. For example, FIG. In the case where each ink layer is coated with a plurality of color patterns in the longitudinal direction of the recording medium, the outer diameter of each ink layer is different particularly when it is wound due to the difference in thickness of each ink layer. As a result, problems such as loose winding, winding, winding deviation, and winding wrinkles have occurred. In addition, in a portion where the winding tendency tends to occur or a portion where the ink layer has become relatively thick, excessive pressure is applied to the portion, which may cause a blocking problem during ribbon transportation or storage. .
[0005]
Thermal transfer recording media containing fine powder have been proposed for the purpose of obtaining matte printed matter and improving the transferability (crime) of thermal transfer ink, but all of them are considerably smaller than the thickness of the thermal transfer ink layer. It was only to achieve those objectives.
[0006]
In addition, a thermal transfer recording medium that is formulated so that particles protrude from the surface of the ink layer in order to prevent blocking has been proposed, but it is not a multi-color and / or multiple-pattern thermal transfer recording medium, that is, an ink layer. Therefore, the outer diameter of each ink layer differs when it is wound due to the difference in thickness of each ink layer, resulting in loose winding, winding, winding deviation, winding It did not cause problems such as wrinkles and did not propose a means to solve the problem.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 56-98190 A [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-76650 [Patent Document 3]
JP-A-2002-86935
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to propose a thermal transfer recording medium capable of avoiding trouble when winding an ink ribbon provided with a mixture of ink layers of a plurality of colors and / or a plurality of patterns on a support. The solution of the problem is proposed.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a thermal transfer recording medium in which at least a plurality of colors and / or a plurality of patterns of a thermal transfer ink layer are printed on a support, and each thermal transfer ink layer contains relatively large spherical fine particles. As a result, the thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention was completed.
That is, the present invention
“1. A thermal transfer recording medium in which at least a plurality of colors and / or patterns of thermal transfer ink layers are pattern-printed on a support, and each thermal transfer ink layer contains the same type of spherical fine particles satisfying the following relationship: .
Maximum ink layer thickness ≦ spherical fine particle average particle size ≦ minimum ink layer thickness × 2
2. The thermal transfer recording medium according to item 1, wherein a plurality of color patterns are applied in the longitudinal direction of the recording medium.
3. Item 3. The thermal transfer recording medium according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the spherical fine particles have an average particle size of 0.5 to 6.0 µm.
4). 4. The thermal transfer recording medium according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein a difference in coating thickness between the thermal transfer ink layers excluding spherical fine particles is 10% or more. It is.
[0010]
According to the above-described thermal transfer recording medium, troubles during winding can be avoided.In other words, it is possible to improve winding deviation, winding looseness, winding wrinkles at the time of winding preparation, blocking problems during ribbon transportation and storage, etc. The effect can be obtained.
[0011]
The thermal transfer recording medium used in the present invention includes a thermal transfer ink for a thermal or sublimation thermal head having a thermal transfer ink layer provided on a support, a hot stamp ink, a transparent cover wrap ink, and an overcoat ink. Such a thin film ink is used, and a plurality of the same kind or plural kinds of thermal transfer ink layers are arranged on the same support.
[0012]
In other words, it may be a form in which a plurality of color melt ink layers are provided on the same support, a mixture of melt ink and sublimation ink, a mixture of melt ink and transparent cover wrap ink, and the like. It is. For example, when using melt ink and transparent cover wrap ink together, color printing is performed with hot melt ink while applying a cover wrap over a weather-resistant print previously made by an inkjet method or the like. The form is mentioned. In the case of different types of printing methods, problems such as restrictions on the print head are likely to occur. Therefore, it is preferable to use an ink layer having substantially the same physical properties and thermal characteristics as the same type of printing method.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention will be specifically described below.
[0014]
As the support used in the present invention, conventionally known various plastic films can be used, but a film of about 2.0 to 20.0 μm having a heat resistant slipping layer provided on the back surface can be used. A polyester film of 2.5 to 7.0 μm is preferable from the viewpoints of thermal sensitivity at the time of image transfer and resolution.
[0015]
When the thickness of the support is reduced, the rigidity of the support itself becomes inferior, and problems such as winding deviation, winding looseness, and wrinkle at the time of producing a scroll become remarkable. Also from this, the effect of the present invention becomes larger when the support thickness is 2.5 to 7.0 μm, and becomes a more preferable combination when the thickness is 2.5 to 5.0 μm.
[0016]
As a means for producing each ink layer used in the present invention, a composition is dispersed and dissolved in a solvent such as water or oil to prepare an ink layer coating solution, and a desired coating method is applied by a coating method such as gravure or offset. A thermal transfer ink layer can be obtained by coating to a thickness.
[0017]
In the thermal transfer ink layer of the present invention, maximum ink layer thickness ≦ spherical fine particle average particle size ≦ minimum ink layer thickness × 2
The spherical fine particles satisfying the above are blended.
By blending the same type of spherical fine particles in multiple ink layers, even when there is a change in layer thickness due to coating errors, etc., the maximum convex part is dominated by the spherical fine particles, so the outer diameter difference It is hard to produce. Although it varies slightly depending on the physical properties, size, overall layer thickness, number of colors, etc. of the ink layer, it is thought that the maximum effect can be achieved by blending in the same abundance ratio in all layers, and trouble during winding can be avoided. It is possible to improve winding misalignment, winding looseness, winding wrinkles during production, blocking problems during ribbon transportation and storage, and the like. In addition, the upper limit thereof needs to be not more than twice the minimum ink layer thickness among a plurality of ink layers. If the particle size exceeds this range, the majority of the portion of the spherical fine particles that protrude from the ink layer will be difficult to hold the spherical fine particles, and the distance between the ink layer surface and the spherical fine particle apex will be too large. Since the point contact support portion is increased, the trouble avoidance effect during winding is reduced, which is not preferable.
[0018]
Examples of the spherical fine particles include benzoguanamine resin particles, polyethylene wax particles, fluorine resin particles, silicon resin particles, acrylic resin particles, melamine resin particles, phenol resin particles, and epoxy resin particles. A thing with a diameter of 0.5-6.0 micrometers is preferable. Moreover, as a mixture ratio in a thermal transfer ink layer, 1-20 mass% is preferable.
[0019]
In addition to the spherical fine particles, a colorant, vehicle, various additives, and the like can be used in the thermal transfer ink layer of the present invention as necessary.
[0020]
As the colorant to be used, carbon black, titanium oxide, ultramarine blue, chrome yellow, cadmium yellow, Hansa yellow, disazo yellow, permanent red, alizarin lake, quinacridone red, benzimidazolone red, Victoria blue lake, phthalocyanine blue, One or more of pigments such as phthalocyanine green and dioxazine violet and dyes such as auramine and rhodamine can be used.
[0021]
As the vehicle to be used, various resins and waxes can be used. These can be blended alone or in combination. In addition, each component of the plurality of thermal transfer ink layers used in the thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention can be a different component in each layer, or can be composed of the same type of components.
[0022]
Resin components used include vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, ketone resin, terpene resin, ethylene-methacrylic acid-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate Examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as copolymers, polystyrene-polyisoprene copolymers, rosin and derivatives thereof, phenol resins, petroleum resins, and xylene resins.
[0023]
The wax used is natural or synthetic such as paraffin wax, candelilla wax, microcrystalline wax, polyethylene wax, beeswax, carnauba wax, gay wax, moclaw, nuka wax, montan wax, ozokerite, ceresin, ester wax, Fischer-Trops wax, etc. Examples thereof include waxes, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, furomenic acid, behenic acid, higher fatty acid waxes such as lauric acid and margaric acid, and amide waxes such as stearic acid amide and oleic acid amide.
[0024]
The thickness of each thermal transfer ink layer in the present invention is preferably about 0.5 to 4.0 μm. However, as described above, the smaller the difference between the thicknesses, the better. When all the ink layers have the same thickness, the possibility of occurrence of the problem is reduced most. In this case, the effect of blending the spherical fine particles of the present invention is minimized. However, in fact, an ink layer having exactly the same layer thickness is produced by an error in the solid content ratio at the time of ink production, an error on the coating machine (ink drying during coating, coating speed, coating head The setting effect of the spherical fine particles of the present invention is not lost at all. Further, if the difference in the ink layer thickness of each ink layer is 10% or more, a problem appears remarkably when spherical fine particles are not blended, so that the effect of the present invention is particularly enhanced.
[0025]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Examples of the thermal transfer recording medium will be described below, and the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
[0026]
FIG. 1 shows an example of the thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention in which four colors are coated in the vertical direction. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of each thermal transfer ink layer, and details are as follows.
[0027]
A 4.5 μm polyester film having a heat-resistant slip layer on the back is used as the support 1, and a gravure coater is used on the support, and the black heat-melt transfer ink layer 2 having a pattern as shown in FIG. The following constituents including benzoguanamine resin spherical fine particles having a particle diameter of 2.5 μm were provided so as to have a coating thickness of 2.0 μm. In addition, the coating thickness observed the layer thickness part except a spherical fine particle with the electron microscope, and measured the average value. (The same applies hereinafter)
(Black melt thermal transfer ink layer component)
Carnauba wax 38 parts ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer 40 parts carbon black 20 parts dispersant 2 parts benzoguanamine resin spherical fine particles 5 parts
Thereafter, the yellow color heat melt transfer ink layer 3, the magenta color heat melt transfer ink layer 4, and the cyan color heat melt transfer ink layer 5 having a pattern as shown in FIG. 1 are mixed with benzoguanamine resin spherical fine particles having an average particle diameter of 2.5 μm. The following constituent components included were provided so as to have coating thicknesses of 1.8 μm, 2.5 μm, and 1.5 μm, respectively.
(Yellow melting heat transfer ink layer component)
Carnauba wax 33 parts Ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer 40 parts Yellow pigment 25 parts Dispersant 2 parts Benzoguanamine resin spherical fine particles 5 parts (magenta melt thermal transfer ink layer component)
Carnauba wax 33 parts Ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer 40 parts Magenta color pigment 25 parts Dispersant 2 parts Benzguanamine resin spherical fine particles 5 parts (cyan fusion heat transfer ink layer component)
Carnauba wax 33 parts ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer 40 parts cyan pigment 25 parts dispersant 2 parts benzoguanamine resin spherical fine particles 5 parts
As shown in FIG. 2, even if there are variations in each ink layer, since the entire maximum convex part is dominated by spherical fine particles, troubles during winding can be avoided, winding misalignment, winding looseness, winding during winding preparation Wah, we were able to improve the blocking problem during ribbon transport and storage.
[0030]
Although this example has been described in a form in which four colors are coated in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 1, it can also be used in forms such as a matrix form and a surface sequential form. In consideration of troubles during winding, troubles during conveyance of the ribbon, and storage, the form in which four colors are applied in the vertical direction as shown in FIG.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a thermal transfer recording medium in which a plurality of colors and / or a plurality of patterns of ink layers are provided on a support, troubles during winding of an ink ribbon can be avoided, and winding misalignment during the production of a scroll is avoided. Thus, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect of obtaining a thermal transfer recording medium with improved winding looseness, winding wrinkles, blocking problems during ribbon conveyance and storage.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of each thermal transfer ink layer in the example of FIG.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Support body 2 Black thermal fusion transfer ink layer 3 Yellow fusion thermal transfer ink layer 4 Magenta fusion thermal transfer ink layer 5 Cyan fusion thermal transfer ink layer 6 Spherical fine particle

Claims (4)

A thermal transfer recording medium in which at least a plurality of colors and / or patterns of thermal transfer ink layers are pattern-printed on a support, each of the thermal transfer ink layers containing the same type of spherical fine particles satisfying the following relationship:
Maximum ink layer thickness ≦ spherical fine particle average particle size ≦ minimum ink layer thickness × 2 The thermal transfer recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of color patterns are applied in the longitudinal direction of the recording medium. The thermal transfer recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spherical fine particles have an average particle size of 0.5 to 6.0 µm. 4. The thermal transfer recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the difference in coating thickness between the thermal transfer ink layers excluding spherical fine particles is 10% or more.

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