JP6884011B2 - Thermal transfer image receiving sheet - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer image receiving sheet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thermal transfer image receiving sheet having a hologram pattern.

A thermal transfer printer that transfers a desired image to the image receiving surface of the thermal transfer image sheet by combining the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer image receiving sheet and heating the thermal transfer sheet with a thermal head or laser in response to an electric signal is relatively compact. It is widely used because it is possible to print high-quality images with various configurations.
Among thermal transfer printers, sublimation thermal transfer recording printers that use sublimation dyes as color materials, so-called sublimation printers, are excellent in halftone reproducibility and gradation, and thermally transfer images with good original reproduction. Since it can be clearly expressed on the image receiving sheet, it is applied to printing color images of digital cameras, videos, computers, and the like.

Conventionally, as a thermal transfer image receiving sheet used in a sublimation printer, a sheet having a high degree of whiteness has been preferred, especially for photographic applications in which a person or a landscape is a subject.
In recent years, thermal transfer image receiving sheets have begun to be used for trading cards in arcade games. As a trading card, there is an aspect that a user prefers a trading card having a flashy appearance, for example, a trading card having a characteristic image such as a high-intensity hologram pattern whose appearance changes depending on the reflection of light. While a normal thermal transfer image receiving sheet can form an image having excellent whiteness, it cannot form a characteristic image as described above.
As a thermal transfer image receiving sheet capable of forming an image having excellent design and the like, a thermal transfer image receiving sheet having a hologram sheet has been proposed (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-212193 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-187369 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-22631

As a trading card, a card with a waist (rigidity) is preferred. If the waist of the card is insufficient, the card will be curved due to the influence of gravity when the end of the card is grasped with a finger and leveled, and the image will not look good. In addition, the handleability as a card is also reduced. Therefore, it is desirable that the thermal transfer image receiving sheet used for the trading card is also chewy.
However, with the conventional thermal transfer image receiving sheet having a hologram sheet, it is difficult to achieve both the strength of the waist and the small density unevenness of the formed image.

The thermal transfer image receiving sheets of Patent Documents 1 and 2 focus on increasing the commercial value by applying a hologram sheet to the thermal transfer image receiving sheet, and studies on the waist of the sheet and uneven density of images have been made. Absent.
Thermal transfer image receiving sheets used in applications where high whiteness is preferred are generally sublimation dyes by arranging a layer having voids or the like under the ink (dye) receiving layer in consideration of the transferability of the sublimation dye. The transferability of the dye is improved, and high quality image quality with little density unevenness is maintained.
However, the layer having voids and the like causes refraction of light. Therefore, in a thermal transfer image receiving sheet having a hologram sheet, it is not preferable to arrange a layer having voids or the like under the ink receiving layer (on the ink receiving layer side of the hologram sheet) from the viewpoint of visibility of the hologram pattern. Therefore, in Patent Document 3, a hollow particle-containing layer is arranged between the base material and the hologram sheet.
However, even if the hollow particle-containing layer is arranged between the base material and the hologram sheet, it is not always possible to sufficiently suppress the density unevenness of the image. In particular, when forming an image in the middle and low density range or when the sheet is stiff, density unevenness is likely to occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a strong thermal transfer image receiving sheet capable of forming an image with less density unevenness.

The present invention has the following aspects.
[1] In a thermal transfer image receiving sheet including a base material, an ink receiving layer, and a hologram layer provided between them.
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet, wherein the base material is made of paper, the thickness of the base material is 140 μm or more, and the density is 0.4 to 0.9 g / cm ^3.
[2] The hologram layer includes a hologram forming layer, a vapor deposition layer provided on the first surface of the hologram forming layer, and a film layer provided on the second surface of the hologram forming layer.
The hologram cambium is arranged with the second surface side facing the ink receiving layer side.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to [1], wherein the film layer is made of a non-foaming film.
[3] The thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to [2], wherein the film layer has a galley rigidity of 0.001 to 0.1 mN.
[4] An adhesive layer is further provided between the base material and the hologram layer.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the adhesive layer has a basis weight of 1.5 to 10 g / m ^2.
[5] In a thermal transfer image receiving sheet including a base material, an ink receiving layer, and a hologram layer provided between them.
The hologram layer includes a hologram forming layer, a transparent vapor deposition layer provided on the first surface of the hologram forming layer, and a film layer provided on the second surface of the hologram forming layer.
The hologram cambium is arranged with the first surface side facing the ink receiving layer side.
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet, wherein the film layer is made of a foamed film.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a strong thermal transfer image receiving sheet capable of forming an image with less uneven density.

It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the 6th Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing embodiments.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3 provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3. And. That is, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The hologram layer 3 includes a hologram forming layer 31, a vapor deposition layer 32 provided on the first surface 31a of the hologram forming layer 31, and a non-foamed film layer 33 provided on the second surface 31b of the hologram forming layer 31. A film layer) is provided.
In the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10, the hologram forming layer 31 is arranged so that the second surface 31b side faces the ink receiving layer 2 side. That is, the non-foaming film layer 33 is arranged on the ink receiving layer 2 side of the hologram forming layer 31, and the vapor deposition layer 32 is arranged on the base material 1 side of the hologram forming layer 31.
In the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10, the layers arranged on the ink receiving layer 2 side of the hologram forming layer 31 are transparent, and the same applies to other embodiments described later. Here, "transparent" means that the hologram pattern of the hologram forming layer 31 has a visible degree of translucency when the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is observed from the ink receiving layer 2 side.

The thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 can be appropriately set and is not particularly limited, but is typically in the range of 160 to 600 μm. When the thickness of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is within the above range, the sheet transportability in the printer, the suitability of the cutter, and the like are good.
The ratio and mode of each layer in the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 in FIG. 1 are for convenience, and can be freely selected and designed without limitation. The same applies to other embodiments described later.

(Base material)
The base material 1 has a function of imparting waist (rigidity) to the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10. In addition, the cushioning property of the base material 1 also has a function of suppressing uneven density of the image.
The base material 1 is made of paper. As the paper, a paper containing natural pulp is preferable because it has a good texture, is as easy to handle as plain paper in terms of stiffness, and has smoothness. Examples of the paper containing natural pulp include high-quality paper, coated paper, art paper, cast-coated paper, glassin paper, resin-impregnated paper, and photographic printing paper base paper. In particular, photographic paper base paper is preferable because it has high water resistance and surface smoothness.

The thickness of the base material 1 is 140 μm or more, preferably 145 μm or more, and particularly preferably 200 μm or more. When the thickness of the base material 1 is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 becomes sufficiently stiff.
The upper limit of the thickness of the base material 1 is not particularly limited from the viewpoint of the waist of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10, and can be increased within a range that does not affect the printer paper passing of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10. It is typically 500 μm or less.

The density of the substrate 1 is 0.4 to 0.9 g / cm ^3, preferably 0.6~0.9g / cm ^3, particularly preferably 0.8 to 0.9 g / cm ^3. When the density of the base material 1 is equal to or higher than the lower limit value, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 becomes sufficiently stiff. When the density of the base material 1 is not more than the upper limit value, when printing on the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 with a sublimation printer, an image with less density unevenness can be formed by exhibiting cushioning properties.

(Ink receiving layer)
The ink receiving layer 2 is a layer for receiving the dye from the thermal transfer sheet.
The ink receiving layer 2 is not particularly limited and may be the same as a known one.
The ink receiving layer 2 usually contains a binder resin for dyeing the dye. In addition to the binder resin, the ink receiving layer 2 may further contain a mold release agent in order to prevent heat fusion with the thermal transfer sheet when forming an image. The ink receiving layer 2 may further contain components other than the binder resin and the mold release agent, if necessary.

Examples of the binder resin include polyolefin resins (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), vinyl resins (halogenated resins such as polyvinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylic acid esters, copolymers thereof, etc.), and polyester resins. Examples thereof include resins (polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, etc.), polystyrene-based resins, polyamide-based resins, copolymers of olefins (ethylene, propylene, etc.) and other vinyl-based monomers, ionomers, cellulose derivatives, and the like alone or in admixture. .. Among these, a halogenated resin and a vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer resin are preferable because they are excellent in peelability from a thermal transfer sheet.
The content of the binder resin is preferably 90% by mass or more, and may be 100% by mass, based on the total mass of the ink receiving layer 2.

Examples of the release agent include silicone oil, phosphoric acid ester-based plasticizer, and fluorine-based compound. Among these, silicone oil is preferable from the viewpoint of cost and long-term stability. The silicone oil may be a straight silicone oil or a modified silicone oil.
The content of the release agent is preferably 0.01 to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the binder resin. If it is less than 0.01 parts by mass, a sufficient mold release effect cannot be exhibited, and there is a risk of heat fusion to the thermal transfer sheet during image formation. If it exceeds 20 parts by mass, an excess release agent may exude to the surface.

As other components that may be contained as needed, for example, fluorescent whitening agents, pigments, dyes, charge control agents, and various other additives can be used.
For example, a fluorescent whitening agent, a pigment, a dye, or the like can be contained in the ink receiving layer 2 for the purpose of adjusting the color of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10. An charge control agent can be contained in the ink receiving layer 2 for the purpose of preventing excessive charging of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

The basis weight of the ink-receiving layer 2 is preferably ^{0.5~6.0g / m 2, 1.5~5.0g / m} 2 is more preferable. If the basis weight of the ink receiving layer 2 is less than the lower limit of the above range, the ink to be thermally transferred cannot be retained, and the image density may decrease or bleeding may occur. When the basis weight of the ink receiving layer 2 exceeds the upper limit of the above range, when the ink receiving layer 2 is formed, too many paints are applied at one time, which makes it more difficult to control the coating, and the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 The thickness and smoothness may be uneven. In addition, the cost is high because a large amount of paint is wasted.

(Hologram cambium)
The hologram forming layer 31 is a layer on which a hologram pattern is formed. This hologram pattern can be visually recognized from the ink receiving layer 2 side of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10, and the design of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is enhanced.
The type of hologram is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a relief hologram and a volume hologram.
When the hologram is a relief hologram, the hologram cambium 31 has an uneven structure on the first surface 31a. This uneven structure corresponds to the hologram pattern and is also called a hologram relief.

As the material constituting the hologram forming layer 31, a known material can be used, and examples thereof include a thermoplastic resin, a curable resin, and a photosensitive resin material. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyvinyl chloride, acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate), polystyrene, polycarbonate and the like. Examples of the thermosetting resin include unsaturated polyester, melamine, epoxy, polyester (meth) acrylate, urethane (meth) acrylate, epoxy (meth) acrylate, polyether (meth) acrylate, polyol (meth) acrylate, and melamine ( Examples thereof include meta) acrylates and triazine-based acrylates. Examples of the photosensitive resin material include an ionizing radiation curable composition containing a compound having a radically polymerizable unsaturated group (polymer, oligomer, monomer, etc.). Examples of ionizing radiation include ultraviolet rays, visible rays, electron beams, β rays, X-rays, γ rays, α rays and the like. Any of these resins may be used alone, and is thermosetting with two or more types (for example, two or more types of thermoplastic resin, two or more types of thermosetting resin, or one or more type of thermoplastic resin). One or more of resins) may be used in combination.

The thickness of the hologram cambium 31 may be, for example, about 0.1 to 20 μm, and may be about 1 to 2 μm. The thickness of the hologram cambium 31 is measured with a micrometer.

(Embedded layer)
The thin-film vapor deposition layer 32 is a layer formed by a thin-film deposition method and made of a material having a refractive index different from that of the hologram-forming layer 31. By having the vapor deposition layer 32, the visibility of the hologram pattern formed on the hologram forming layer 31 can be enhanced.
The vapor deposition layer 32 is preferably adjacent to the hologram forming layer 31.
The thin-film deposition layer 32 is formed along the first surface 31a of the hologram forming layer 31. When the hologram forming layer 31 has a concavo-convex structure on the first surface 31a (when the hologram is a relief hologram), the vapor deposition layer 32 has a concavo-convex structure (not shown) corresponding to the concavo-convex structure of the first surface 31a on the surface. ..

The material constituting the vapor-deposited layer 32 may be any material that can be vapor-deposited and has a refractive index different from that of the hologram-forming layer 31, and examples thereof include inorganic materials such as metals and metal compounds. Examples of the metal include Al, Cr, Zn, Au, Ag, Pt, Ni and the like. Examples of the metal compound include ZnS, TiO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , Sb ₂ S ₃ , SiO ₂ , LiF, MgF ₂ , AlF ₃ , ZrO _{2, and the} like.
The difference between the refractive index of the material constituting the vapor deposition layer 32 and the refractive index of the hologram forming layer 31 is preferably 0.4 or more. The refractive index is measured by the minimum declination method, the critical angle method, or the V-block method.

The thickness of the thin-film deposition layer 32 may be, for example, about 1 to 500 nm, or about 5 to 250 nm. The thickness of the thin-film deposition layer 32 is measured by a reflection spectroscopic film thickness meter.

(Non-foam film layer)
The non-foaming film layer 33 functions as a base material for the hologram forming layer 31 and the vapor deposition layer 32. That is, the hologram forming layer 31 and the vapor deposition layer 32 are sequentially formed on one surface of the non-foamed film layer 33. The non-foaming film layer 33 also functions as a base material for the ink receiving layer 2.

The non-foaming film layer 33 is made of a non-foaming film. The non-foaming film has excellent transparency. Therefore, the hologram pattern of the hologram forming layer 31 can be visually confirmed from the ink receiving layer 2 side without being hidden by the non-foaming film layer 33. When a foamed film is used instead of the non-foamed film, the foamed film has a high hiding property due to diffused reflection of light, so that the visibility of the hologram pattern of the hologram forming layer 31 from the ink receiving layer 2 side is deteriorated.

Examples of the material constituting the non-foamed film include polyethylene, polymethylpentene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, and ethylene. -Resin such as vinyl alcohol copolymer, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polybutene-1, polyetheretherketone, polysalphon, polyethersalfone, polyetherimide, polyphenylene sulfide and the like can be mentioned. The resin constituting the non-foaming film may be one kind or two or more kinds. Among the above, PET is preferable in terms of transparency, heat resistance, and versatility.

The galley rigidity of the non-foamed film layer 33 is typically 0.0005 to 0.15 mN, preferably 0.001 to 0.1 mN, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.05 mN. When the Gale rigidity is not more than the upper limit value, the non-foamed film layer 33 is less likely to inhibit the cushioning property of the base material 1, and thus the density unevenness of the image is less likely to occur. When the Gale rigidity is at least the above lower limit value, the transportability of the film in the manufacturing process is good.
Gale rigidity is determined by JAPAN TAPPI No. Measured according to 40.
The galley rigidity of the non-foaming film layer 33 can be adjusted by adjusting the material constituting the non-foaming film layer 33, the thickness of the non-foaming film layer 33, and the like.

The thickness of the non-foaming film layer 33 is preferably within the above range, and varies depending on the material constituting the non-foaming film layer 33, but is preferably 10 to 50 μm, more preferably 15 to 35 μm.

(Adhesive layer)
The adhesive layer 4 is a layer that adheres the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3.
The adhesive layer 4 may be formed by using various known adhesives as long as the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3 (deposited layer 32) can be adhered to each other.
The adhesive layer 4 usually contains a binder resin (adhesive component). Examples of the binder resin include polyolefin resins such as polyurethane resins and α-olefin-maleic anhydride resins, polyester resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, uria resins, melamine resins, phenol resins, and acetic acid. Examples thereof include vinyl-based resins and cyanoacrylate-based resins. Of these, polyurethane-based resins are preferable.
The binder resin may be cured (crosslinked) with a curing agent. When the binder resin is cured, the adhesive strength is improved and the heat resistance is also increased, which is preferable. As the curing agent, for example, an isocyanate compound is generally used, but an aliphatic amine, a cyclic aliphatic amine, an aromatic amine, an acid anhydride and the like can also be used.

The basis weight of the adhesive layer 4 is typically may be a 1 to 15 g / ^{m 2,} preferably ^{1.5~10g / m 2, 2~6g / m} 2 is more preferable. When the basis weight of the adhesive layer 4 is less than the lower limit value, a portion where the adhesive layer 4 and the base material 1 are adhered and a portion where the adhesive layer 1 is not adhered are mixed (prone to point adhesion rather than surface adhesion). , The adhesion between the adhesive layer 4 and the base material 1 may be insufficient. In addition, since the non-adhered portion is a gap, the heat transfer method varies, and uneven shading is likely to occur, which may deteriorate the image quality. If the basis weight of the adhesive layer 4 exceeds the upper limit value, the cushioning effect of the base material 1 is less likely to be transmitted to the outermost surface of the ink receiving layer 2, so that uneven shading is likely to occur and the image quality may deteriorate. ..

(Manufacturing method of thermal transfer image receiving sheet)
The method for producing the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a production method having the following steps (a1) to (a2).
(A1) A step of forming an ink receiving layer 2 on the surface of the hologram layer 3 on the non-foaming film layer 33 side and forming an adhesive layer 4 on the surface of the hologram layer 3 on the vapor deposition layer 32 side to obtain a laminate. ..
(A2) A step of bonding the surface of the laminated body on the adhesive layer 4 side and the base material 1.

"Process (a1)"
As the hologram layer 3, a commercially available hologram sheet may be used, or one manufactured by a known manufacturing method may be used.
The hologram layer 3 is formed, for example, by forming a resin layer on one surface of a non-foamed film (non-foamed film layer 33) and forming a concavo-convex structure on the surface of the resin layer to form a hologram forming layer 31. It is obtained by depositing a metal or the like on the surface (first surface 31a) on which the film is formed to form the vapor deposition layer 32. Examples of the material constituting the resin layer include the above-mentioned thermoplastic resin, curable resin, photosensitive resin material and the like. The method for forming the uneven structure is not particularly limited, and a known method such as embossing can be appropriately used. In the embossing process, a stamper having a predetermined uneven structure on the surface is hot-pressed on the surface of the resin layer. As a result, the uneven structure on the stamper surface is transferred to the surface of the resin layer.

The ink receiving layer 2 can be formed by applying, for example, a binder resin, a liquid medium, and, if necessary, a paint for forming an ink receiving layer containing a release agent and other components, and drying the ink receiving layer 2. The binder resin, mold release agent, and other components are the same as those mentioned in the description of the ink receiving layer 2, respectively. Examples of the liquid medium include water, an organic solvent and the like.
The coating material for forming the ink receiving layer can be applied by a known coating method. For example, it can be performed using a known coating device such as a bar coater, a wire bar coater, a micro gravure coater, a gravure coater, a comma coater, a blade coater, an air knife coater, a gate roll coater, a curtain coater, a spray coater, and a die coater. it can.

The adhesive layer 4 can be formed, for example, by applying an adhesive and drying it. The adhesive is similar to that listed above.
The coating of the adhesive can be performed by a known coating method. For example, it can be performed using a known coating device such as a bar coater, a wire bar coater, a micro gravure coater, a gravure coater, a comma coater, a blade coater, an air knife coater, a gate roll coater, a curtain coater, a spray coater, and a die coater. it can.

The formation order of the ink receiving layer 2 and the adhesive layer 4 is not particularly limited. After forming the ink receiving layer 2, the adhesive layer 4 may be formed, or after forming the adhesive layer 4, the ink receiving layer 2 may be formed.
Before forming the ink receiving layer 2, the surface of the non-foaming film layer 33 is subjected to surface treatment such as corona discharge treatment, ozone treatment, and plasma treatment in order to improve the adhesion between the ink receiving layer 2 and the hologram layer 3. You may.

"Process (a2)"
The surface of the laminated body on the adhesive layer 4 side and the base material 1 can be bonded by a known laminating method such as a dry laminating method, a wet laminating method, a thermal laminating method, a hot melt laminating method, or an extrusion laminating method. ..
After bonding, if necessary, post-processing such as cutting, half-cutting, drilling of an arbitrary shape, and perforation may be performed.

(Action effect)
Since the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 uses paper having a thickness of 140 μm or more and a density of 0.4 to 0.9 g / cm ³ as the base material 1, it has a sufficiently strong waist (rigidity) and is a sublimation type. When an image is printed by a printer, an image with little density unevenness can be formed even if the image density is in the low to medium density region.
Further, since the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is provided with the hologram layer 3 and the hologram pattern of the hologram layer 3 can be visually recognized from the ink receiving layer 2 side, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is printed by a sublimation printer. When this is applied, it is possible to obtain an image having both a hologram pattern and an image by thermal transfer, which is excellent in design and the like.

The reason why an image with less density unevenness can be formed is that the base material 1 has excellent cushioning properties. The presence of the cushioning layer under the ink receiving layer 2 improves the adhesion to the thermal head of the printer and transfers heat uniformly, so that a uniform image with little density unevenness is formed.
In the present embodiment, the non-foaming film layer 33 is provided at a position close to the ink receiving layer 2. The non-foaming film is inferior in cushioning property to the foaming film having air bubbles inside. Therefore, when the non-foaming film is arranged under the ink receiving layer 2, the adhesion to the thermal head of the printer is usually low, and density unevenness tends to occur (particularly in the low to medium density region). However, in the present embodiment, even in such a case, by using a base material 1 having excellent cushioning properties, good adhesion to the thermal head of the printer can be ensured, and uneven density of the image can be prevented. Can be suppressed.

Since the above effects are obtained, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is useful for trading cards. However, the use of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 is not limited to this, and it can be used for other purposes.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiments shown below, the components corresponding to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 20 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3 provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3. And an anchor layer 5 provided between the ink receiving layer 2 and the hologram layer 3. That is, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3, the anchor layer 5, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 20 is the same as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 of the first embodiment except that an anchor layer 5 is further provided between the ink receiving layer 2 and the hologram layer 3.
The preferable range of the thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 20 is the same as that of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

The anchor layer 5 is a layer for enhancing the adhesion between the ink receiving layer 2 and the non-foaming film layer 33. By increasing the adhesion between the ink receiving layer 2 and the non-foaming film layer 33, problems such as the ink receiving layer 2 being peeled off when heat is applied from the thermal head of the sublimation printer are unlikely to occur.
As the anchor layer 5, a layer obtained by curing a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, or a thermoplastic resin having a functional group by using various curing agents or other methods can be used. Specifically, polyester, chlorinated polypropylene, modified polyolefin, polyurethane resin, acrylic resin, ionomer, resin obtained by curing a prepolymer containing a monofunctional and / or polyfunctional hydroxyl group with isocyanate or the like can be used.
The basis weight of the anchor layer 5 is preferably ^{0.1 to 2 g / m 2.}

The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 20 is manufactured by the same manufacturing method as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 except that the anchor layer 5 is formed on the surface of the hologram layer 3 on the non-foamed film layer 33 side before the ink receiving layer 2 is formed. it can.
The anchor layer 5 is coated with, for example, a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a thermoplastic resin having a functional group, a liquid medium, and an anchor agent containing a curing agent or the like, if necessary, dried, and if necessary. It can be formed by curing.
The coating of the anchor agent can be performed by a known coating method in the same manner as the coating of the ink receiving layer forming paint.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 30 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3 provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3. And a printing layer 6 provided on the back surface of the base material 1 (the side opposite to the ink receiving layer 2 side). That is, the print layer 6, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 30 is the same as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 of the first embodiment except that the printing layer 6 is further provided on the back surface of the base material 1.
The preferable range of the thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 30 is the same as that of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

The print layer 6 is provided to display information such as characters, symbols, and patterns.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 30 can be manufactured by the same manufacturing method as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 except that the step of forming the printing layer 6 on the back surface of the base material 1 is further provided.
The method for forming the print layer 6 is not particularly limited, and various known printing methods such as gravure printing, offset printing, flexographic printing, and screen printing can be used.
The print layer 6 may be formed before the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together, or may be formed after the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together.

<Fourth Embodiment>
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 40 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3 provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3. And the plastic film layer 7 provided on the surface of the base material 1 opposite to the ink receiving layer 2 side (hereinafter, also referred to as “back surface”), and between the base material 1 and the plastic film layer 7. It is provided with a second adhesive layer 8 provided. That is, the plastic film layer 7, the second adhesive layer 8, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 40 is the same as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 of the first embodiment except that the plastic film layer 7 and the second adhesive layer 8 are further provided on the back surface of the base material 1.
The preferable range of the thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 40 is the same as that of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

The plastic film layer 7 is a layer for enhancing moisture resistance. By increasing the moisture resistance, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet is less likely to curl due to changes in humidity, and the curl resistance is improved. Further, since the effect of receiving the cushioning property of the base material 1 can be expected at the time of printing, it is easy to maintain the close contact between the thermal head and the ink image receiving layer 2, and therefore it is easy to suppress image unevenness.
Examples of the material of the plastic film constituting the plastic film layer 7 include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polystyrene, PET, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and the like. Examples thereof include polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene / vinyl alcohol copolymer, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polybutene-1, polyether ether ketone, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyetherimide, polyphenylene sulfide and the like.
The plastic film may be a stretched film or an unstretched film. Further, it may be a foamed film or a non-foamed film. Further, it may be a single layer or a multi-layer.
As the plastic film, a polypropylene film is preferable from the viewpoint of moisture resistance and versatility.
The thickness of the plastic film layer 7 may be, for example, about 10 to 50 μm.

The second adhesive layer 8 is a layer for adhering the base material 1 and the plastic film layer 7.
The second adhesive layer 8 is not particularly limited and may be the same as the adhesive layer 4.

The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 40 is manufactured by the same manufacturing method as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 except that it further includes a step of adhering a plastic film (plastic film layer 7) to the back surface of the base material 1 via a second adhesive layer 8. it can.
The bonding between the base material 1 and the plastic film can be performed in the same manner as the bonding between the laminate and the base material 1.
The base material 1 and the plastic film may be bonded before the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together, or after the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together.

<Fifth Embodiment>
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 50 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3 provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3. And the anchor layer 5 provided between the ink receiving layer 2 and the hologram layer 3, and the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 provided on the back surface of the base material 1 (the side opposite to the ink receiving layer 2 side). A printing layer 6 provided on the surface of the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 on the base material 1 side and a second adhesive layer 8 provided between the base material 1 and the printing layer 6 are provided. That is, the non-foamed plastic film layer 9, the printing layer 6, the second adhesive layer 8, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3, the anchor layer 5, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 50 is the same as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 20 of the second embodiment except that the printed layer 6, the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 and the second adhesive layer 8 are further provided on the back surface of the base material 1.
The preferable range of the thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 50 is the same as that of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

Like the plastic film layer 7, the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 is a layer for enhancing moisture resistance, and is also a layer that makes it easy to maintain close contact between the thermal head and the ink image receiving layer 2. It also has a function of protecting the print layer 6.
The non-foamed plastic film layer 9 is transparent because it is non-foamed. Therefore, the printed layer 6 can be visually recognized through the non-foamed plastic film layer 9.
Examples of the material of the plastic film constituting the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 include the same materials as those mentioned in the plastic film layer 7.
The non-foamed plastic film may be a stretched film or an unstretched film. Further, it may be a single layer or a multi-layer.
As the non-foamed plastic film, a non-foamed biaxially stretched polypropylene (OPP) film is preferable in terms of transparency and versatility.
The thickness of the non-foamed plastic film layer 9 may be, for example, about 10 to 50 μm.

The heat transfer image receiving sheet 50 has a printed layer 6 formed on one surface of a non-foamed plastic film (non-foamed plastic film layer 9), and the surface on which the printed layer 6 of the non-foamed plastic film is formed and the back surface of the base material 1 Can be produced by the same production method as that of the heat transfer image receiving sheet 20 except that the step of laminating the film via the second adhesive layer 8 is further provided.
The bonding between the base material 1 and the non-foamed plastic film can be performed in the same manner as the bonding between the laminate and the base material 1.
The base material 1 and the non-foamed plastic film may be bonded before the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together, or after the base material 1 and the laminate are bonded together.

<Sixth Embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60 of the present embodiment has a base material 1, an ink receiving layer 2, a hologram layer 3A provided between them, and an adhesive layer 4 provided between the base material 1 and the hologram layer 3A. And. That is, the base material 1, the adhesive layer 4, the hologram layer 3A, the anchor layer 5, and the ink receiving layer 2 are laminated in this order.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60 is the same as the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10 of the first embodiment except that the hologram layer 3 is the hologram layer 3A.
The preferable range of the thickness of the entire thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60 is the same as that of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 10.

The hologram layer 3A includes a hologram forming layer 31, a transparent vapor deposition layer 34 provided on the first surface 31a of the hologram forming layer 31, and a film layer 35 provided on the second surface 31b of the hologram forming layer 31. Be prepared.
In the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60, the hologram forming layer 31 is arranged so that the first surface 31a side faces the ink receiving layer 2 side. That is, the transparent vapor deposition layer 34 is arranged on the ink receiving layer 2 side of the hologram forming layer 31, and the film layer 35 is arranged on the base material 1 side of the hologram forming layer 31.

(Transparent vapor deposition layer)
Similar to the thin-film vapor deposition layer 32, the transparent thin-film deposition layer 34 is a layer formed by a vapor deposition method and made of a material having a refractive index different from that of the hologram-forming layer 31. By having the vapor deposition layer 32, the visibility of the hologram pattern formed on the hologram forming layer 31 can be enhanced.
In the present embodiment, the transparent vapor deposition layer 34 is transparent because it is arranged closer to the ink receiving layer 2 than the hologram forming layer 31. As a result, the hologram pattern of the hologram forming layer 31 can be visually confirmed from the ink receiving layer 2 side without being hidden by the transparent vapor deposition layer 34.

As a material constituting the transparent thin-film vapor deposition layer 34, a material capable of forming a transparent thin-film deposition layer is used. For example, ZnS, TiO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , Sb ₂ S ₃ , SiO ₂ , LiF, MgF ₂ , AlF ₃ , ZrO _{2 and} other metal compounds.
The transparent vapor deposition layer 34 may be the same as the vapor deposition layer 32 except that a material capable of forming a transparent vapor deposition layer is used as a constituent material.

(Film layer)
The film layer 35 functions as a base material for the hologram forming layer 31 and the transparent vapor deposition layer 34, similarly to the non-foaming film layer 33. The film layer 35 also functions as a base material for the ink receiving layer 2. After the hologram forming layer 31 and the transparent vapor deposition layer 34 are formed on the film layer 35, the ink receiving layer 2 is further formed.

The film constituting the film layer 35 may be a non-foaming film or a foamed film. Examples of the non-foaming film include those similar to those mentioned in the non-foaming film layer 33, and the preferred embodiment is also the same.
Examples of the material constituting the foamed film include the same materials as those mentioned as the material constituting the non-foamed film in the non-foamed film layer 33.
Examples of the foamed film include synthetic paper YUPO (manufactured by Oji Yuka Synthetic Paper Co., Ltd.), Toyopearl SS (manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.), pyrene film (manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.), and pearl-like foamed polypropylene sheet (foamed OPP). Examples include films (manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.), Econege (manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Tocello Co., Ltd.), crisper (manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.), W-900 (manufactured by Diafoil Hextist Co., Ltd.), E-60 (manufactured by Toray Co., Ltd.), and the like. Among these, YUPO, Toyopearl SS, pearl-like film, Econege, and Crisper are preferable in terms of cushioning property.

When the film layer 35 is a non-foaming film layer made of a non-foaming film, the galley rigidity of the film layer 35 is preferably 0.001 to 0.1 mN, as in the case of the non-foaming film layer 33, and is 0.01 to 0. 05mN is more preferable. When the Gale rigidity is not more than the upper limit value, the film layer 35 is less likely to inhibit the cushioning property of the base material 1, and thus the density unevenness of the image is less likely to occur. When the Gale rigidity is at least the above lower limit value, the transportability of the film in the manufacturing process is good.
When the film layer 35 is a non-foaming film layer, the preferable range of the thickness of the film layer 35 is the same as that of the non-foaming film layer 33.

When the film layer 35 is a foamed film layer made of a foamed film, the galley rigidity of the film layer 35 is not particularly limited because the film layer 35 itself has a cushioning property.
When the film layer 35 is a foamed film layer, the thickness of the film layer 35 is preferably 20 to 100 μm, more preferably 30 to 75 μm. When the thickness of the film layer 35 is at least the above lower limit value, the cushioning property of the film layer 35 is excellent, and uneven density of the image is less likely to occur. In addition, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60 becomes stronger. When the thickness of the film layer 35 is not more than the upper limit value, the suitability for laminating with the base material 1 is good.

The thermal transfer image receiving sheet 60 can be manufactured, for example, by a manufacturing method having the following steps (b1) to (b2).
(B1) A step of forming an ink receiving layer 2 on the surface of the hologram layer 3A on the transparent vapor deposition layer 34 side and forming an adhesive layer 4 on the surface of the hologram layer 3 on the film layer 35 side to obtain a laminate.
(B2) A step of bonding the surface of the laminated body on the adhesive layer 4 side and the base material 1.
The step (b1) and the step (b2) can be performed in the same manner as the above-mentioned steps (a1) and (a2), respectively.

Although the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the present invention has been described above by showing an embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Each configuration in the above embodiment and a combination thereof are examples, and the configuration can be added, omitted, replaced, and other changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the hologram layer is not limited to the hologram layers 3 and 3A described above. For example, the hologram forming layer 31 and the non-foaming film layer 33 may be integrally formed. If the visibility of the hologram pattern can be sufficiently ensured without the thin-film deposition layer 32 and the transparent thin-film deposition layer 34, the thin-film deposition layer 32 and the transparent thin-film deposition layer 34 may not be provided.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet of the present invention may further include layers other than the above, if necessary. For example, an antistatic layer or a grip mark mitigation layer may be provided between the ink receiving layer and the hologram layer.

In the sixth embodiment, when the film layer 35 is a foamed film layer, a base material other than paper ^{having a thickness of 140 μm or more and a density of 0.4 to 0.9 g / cm 3 may be used as the base material 1.}
When the film layer 35 is a foamed film layer, the film layer 35 itself has a cushioning property, so that an image with less density unevenness can be formed even if the cushioning property of the base material 1 is low. In addition, by providing the foamed film layer, the waist becomes stronger.
However, the hologram cambium 31 is vulnerable to impact, and the hologram cambium 31 may be damaged by an impact during manufacturing (for example, contact with a roll on the pass line). In this case, since only the damaged portion can be seen in a state where the hologram pattern is removed, the appearance tends to be poor.
Therefore, from the viewpoint of protecting the hologram cambium 31 from impact and the like, as shown in the first to fifth embodiments, the non-foamed film layer is provided on the ink receiving layer 2 side of the hologram cambium 31. preferable.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples.
The evaluation of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet used in each example described later is shown below.

(Density unevenness)
A roll-shaped thermal transfer image receiving sheet is set in a sublimation thermal transfer printer (Mitsubishi Electric, CP-T50D-KM), a gradation image is printed, and a low to medium density range where image unevenness is likely to occur is visually observed. The density unevenness was judged according to the following criteria. Image unevenness refers to shading unevenness within each gradation.
⊚: No unevenness in shading was confirmed in the low to medium concentration range.
◯: The level was such that uneven shading could not be confirmed without careful observation.
Δ: There was some unevenness in shading, but it was at a level where there was no problem in practical use.
X: The shading unevenness was at a remarkable level.

(Seat rigidity)
The sheet rigidity of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet was evaluated by the following procedure. Seat rigidity refers to the so-called stiffness of the seat. For example, in a game card application, the seat rigidity is an important characteristic because the printed image is visually recognized by gripping the edge of the seat.
The thermal transfer image sheet on which the gradation image was printed in the evaluation of the density unevenness was cut into a size of 86 mm × 58 mm, and one of the four corners of this sheet was grasped with the thumb and index finger, and the sheet was leveled to 1 Hold for minutes. After that, the state of bending (sauce) due to the weight of the sheet and the visibility of the printed image were visually observed, and the sheet rigidity (waist) was determined according to the following criteria.
⊚: There was no bending of the sheet, and the visibility of the image was good.
◯: Although the sheet was slightly bent, the visibility of the image was good.
Δ: Although the sheet was bent, practical visibility was ensured.
X: There was a bend in the sheet, and this bend was at a level at which the visibility of the image was impaired.

(Comprehensive judgment)
From the judgment results of the density unevenness and the sheet rigidity, the performance of the thermal transfer image receiving sheet was comprehensively judged according to the criteria shown in Table 1.

<Example 1>
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 was manufactured by the following procedure.
A paint for forming an ink receiving layer and a paint for forming an adhesive layer were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 2. As the hologram layer, a hologram sheet (PET hologram film 23 μm, manufactured by K-Laser Technology Japan Co., Ltd.) in which a hologram forming layer and a vapor deposition layer were sequentially laminated on one side of a non-foamed film (PET film) was used. As a base material, paper having a thickness of 140 μm and a density of 0.88 g / m ³ was used. As the plastic film layer, a non-foamed biaxially stretched polypropylene film (OPP film) having a thickness of 20 μm (Pyrene P2161 20 μm manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) was used.
A paint for forming an ink receiving layer was applied to the surface of the hologram layer on the non-foaming film side with a wire bar so that the coating thickness would be 2.5 g / m ² after drying, and dried to form an ink receiving layer. Next, the adhesive layer forming paint is applied to the surface of the hologram layer on the vapor deposition layer side with a wire bar so that the coating thickness is 5 g / m ^2, and the base materials are bonded and then dried. A laminate was obtained. Separately, a paint for forming an adhesive layer is applied on a plastic film layer with a wire bar so that the coating thickness is 5 g / m ^2, and the base material surface of the laminate is bonded and then dried. Then, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of Example 1 was obtained. The obtained thermal transfer image receiving sheet was wound on a roll.

<Examples 2 to 9, Comparative Examples 1 to 3>
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the base material was changed to the paper having the thickness and density shown in Table 3.
The paper used in each example was produced by producing a hand-made sheet with a sheet machine paper machine and adjusting the density with a press machine and a super calendar.

<Examples 10 to 16>
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that a hologram sheet (both manufactured by K-Laser Technology Japan Co., Ltd.) having a Gale rigidity of a non-foamed film having a value shown in Table 3 was used for the hologram layer. It was.
The galley rigidity of the non-foaming film was adjusted by the thickness of the non-foaming film.

<Examples 17 to 22>
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the basis weight of the adhesive layer was changed to the value shown in Table 3.

Table 3 shows the results of density unevenness, sheet rigidity, and comprehensive judgment for the thermal transfer image receiving sheets obtained in each example.

In the thermal transfer image receiving sheets of Examples 1 to 22, an image with less density unevenness could be formed, and the sheet rigidity (waist) was sufficiently strong.
On the other hand, the thermal transfer image receiving sheets of Comparative Example 1 in which the thickness of the base material was less than 140 μm and Comparative Example 2 in which the density of the base material was ^{less than 0.4 g / cm 3} were inferior in sheet rigidity (waist). In the thermal transfer image receiving sheet of Comparative Example 3 in which the density of the base material was ^{more than 0.9 g / cm 3, remarkable density unevenness was observed in the formed image.}

1 base material, 2 ink receiving layer, 3 hologram layer, 4 adhesive layer, 5 anchor layer, 6 printing layer, 7 plastic film layer, 8 second adhesive layer, 9 non-foamed plastic film layer, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 Thermal transfer image receiving sheet, 31 hologram forming layer, 31a first surface, 31b second surface, 32 vapor-deposited layer, 33 non-foamed film layer (film layer), 34 transparent vapor-deposited layer (deposited layer), 35 film layer

Claims (3)

In a thermal transfer image receiving sheet including a base material, an ink receiving layer, and a hologram layer provided between them.
Made from the paper said substrate comprises a natural pulp, a thickness of the substrate is more than 140 .mu.m, Ri density 0.4 to 0.9 g / cm ³ der,
The hologram layer includes a hologram forming layer, a vapor deposition layer provided on the first surface of the hologram forming layer, and a film layer provided on the second surface of the hologram forming layer.
The hologram cambium is arranged with the second surface side facing the ink receiving layer side.
The film layer is made of a non-foaming film
The ink on the surface opposite to the receptive layer side, the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet and further comprising said Rukoto plastic film layer of non-foamed thickness 10~50μm of the substrate. The thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the film layer has a galley rigidity of 0.001 to 0.1 mN. An adhesive layer is further provided between the base material and the hologram layer.
The thermal transfer image receiving sheet according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the adhesive layer has a basis weight of 1.5 to 10 g / m ^2.

Images