JPH04103393A - Medium for heat transfer recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain image and printing with high picture quality and high grade for a long period of time because the thermal efficiency (transfer) of a head does not decrease with less smear, compared with conventional media, at the thermal printing head by a molten ink by a method wherein on one surface of a base film made of a heat resistant organic member is chemically treated to provide a thin film including a porous layer. CONSTITUTION:An ink ribbon 1 is formed in such a manner that one surface of a base film 1a with a film thickness of approximately 10mum, which is made of a polyimide resin with heat resistance and little friction force is chemically treated to provide a porous layer 2 with a thickness of approximately 2mum, which has distribution in sizes of pore diameter, from 1mum to 100mum. For the ink ribbon 1, a wax ink 3 which is thermally molten at an ink feed part 6 is fed on the porous layer 2. Then, a thermal printing head 4 transfers the molten wax ink 3 in the porous layer 2 of the ink ribbon 1 to a recording paper 7 by a heating element 5 which is selectively heated according to image and printing information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording medium (hereinafter referred to as an ink ribbon) used in a thermal transfer recording device.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as this type of ink ribbon, an ink ribbon in which a solid ink exhibiting thermoplasticity is filled inside a carrier having through holes is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 36879/1987. Further, an ink ribbon in which a heat-resistant organic film is coated on one side of a thin plate provided with a large number of through holes is disclosed in JP-A-62-48594.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a conventional ink ribbon;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 4.

4 and 5, a conventional ink ribbon 11
The heat-resistant organic film 12 is bonded to one side of a thin plate 11a having a plurality of through holes 13 with an adhesive.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional ink ribbon described above, when a thermal print head is pressed against the ink ribbon to transfer and record the molten ink onto a recording paper, the molten ink adheres to the heating element of the thermal print head, staining the head. There is a disadvantage that the thermal efficiency of that part is reduced, and the thermal transfer efficiency of the ink is reduced.

Furthermore, in the conventional ink ribbon shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a small gap is created due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the thin plate 11a and the heat-resistant organic M12, and the molten ink penetrates into the gap between the thin plate 11a and the heat-resistant organic M12. There is a drawback that the organic film 12 is peeled off.

[Means to solve the problem]

The thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention has a thin film including a porous layer obtained by chemically treating one side of a base film of a heat-resistant organic material.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.
The sectional view taken along the line AA in the figure and FIG. 3 are schematic diagrams of the head section of a thermal transfer printer to which this embodiment is applied.

1 and 2, the ink ribbon 1 of the present example has a base film 1a with a thickness of 10 μm made of a polyimide resin that is heat resistant and has low frictional force.
chemically treated on one side, and the pore size is 1 μm to 100 μm.
The porous layer 2 has a thickness of about 2 μm and has a distribution of up to m.

Next, the functions of this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, in the ink ribbon 1 of this embodiment, a wax-based ink 3 heated and melted in an ink supply section 6 is applied to a porous layer 2.
supplied to

Next, the thermal print head 4 transfers the melted wax-based ink 3 in the porous layer 2 of the ink ribbon 1 to the recording paper 7 by the heating element 5 selectively heated by the image and print information.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, by forming a heat-resistant organic thin film having a porous layer on one side of an ink ribbon, the present invention reduces staining of the thermal print head by molten ink compared to conventional methods, thereby improving the thermal efficiency of the head. (Transfer) does not deteriorate, so there is an effect that high image quality and high quality images and prints can be obtained for a long period of time.

Furthermore, by using the reinking device, it can be used repeatedly, so there is an effect that the running cost can be lower than that of the conventional method.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic diagram of the head section of a thermal transfer printer to which this embodiment is applied, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a conventional ink ribbon, and FIG. B- in the diagram
It is a sectional view of B. 1... Ink ribbon, 1a... Base film, 2
... Porous layer, 3... Wax-based ink, 4...
Thermal print head, 5... Heat generating element, 6... Ink supply unit, 7... Recording paper, 11... Ink ribbon,
lla...Thin plate, 12...Heat-resistant organic film, 13...
・Through hole. tθ to person film

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a thin film including a porous layer obtained by chemically treating one side of a base film made of a heat-resistant organic material.