JPH0462276B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method that takes into account the correction of erroneously recorded areas, and a thermal transfer material used therein.

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, with the rapid development of the information industry, various information processing systems have been developed, and recording methods and devices suitable for each information processing system have also been developed and adopted. As one such recording method, the thermal recording method has recently been widely used because the apparatus used is lightweight, compact, noiseless, and has excellent operability and maintainability.

However, among the recording papers used in thermal recording methods, ordinary thermal recording paper is a color-forming processed paper containing a color former and a color developer, so it is expensive, and records can be tampered with. The paper has disadvantages in that it has poor storage stability, such as the paper easily developing color due to heat or organic solvents, and the recorded image fading in a relatively short period of time. A thermal transfer recording method has recently been attracting particular attention as a method that maintains the advantages of the above-mentioned thermal recording method and compensates for the drawbacks associated with the use of thermal recording paper.

This heat-sensitive transfer recording method generally uses a heat-sensitive transfer material made by melt-coating a heat-transferable ink made of a heat-melting binder with a colorant dispersed on a sheet-like support. The heat-sensitive transfer layer is superimposed on the recording medium so as to be in contact with the recording medium, and heat is supplied from the support side of the heat-sensitive transfer material by a thermal head to transfer the melted ink layer onto the recording medium. A transfer ink image is formed according to the shape of the supplied ink. According to this method, it is possible to maintain the above-mentioned advantages of the thermal recording method, use plain paper as a recording medium, and eliminate the above-described disadvantages associated with the use of thermal recording paper.

However, even with the thermal transfer recording method having such excellent characteristics, there are still some points that require improvement. One of them is that recorded images obtained by thermal transfer recording cannot be easily erased even if they are due to erroneous recording.

In general, as a method for correcting erroneous recordings in recording methods using transfer materials, in pressure-sensitive transfer recording methods, there is a method of transferring a concealing paint of the same color as the recording medium to the erroneously recorded areas (hereinafter referred to as the "cover wrap method").
(hereinafter referred to as "lift-off method") is known.

Regarding thermal transfer recording methods, although there have been proposals regarding the cover wrap method, there have been no proposals regarding the lift-off method. However, when reprinting or copying after reprinting with a transparent type, reproducibility may be affected.
The lift-off method is preferable to the cover wrap method.

Purpose of the Invention In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording method in which a recorded image once obtained on a recording medium can be easily erased by a method similar to a lift-off method, and can be rerecorded if necessary. An object of the present invention is to provide a heat-sensitive transfer material for use in the present invention.

Summary of the Invention The heat-sensitive transfer material of the present invention was developed to achieve the above-mentioned object, and more specifically, the heat-sensitive transfer layer is formed on a support, and the heat-sensitive transfer layer In order from the body side, a heat-transferable ink layer formed by dispersing a coloring agent in a heat-meltable binder, and a heat-meltable binder having a melting point lower than that of the heat-meltable binder in the heat-meltable ink layer by 10°C or more are included; It is characterized by comprising a release layer that promotes peeling of the heat-sensitive transfer layer transferred to the medium from the recording medium.

Further, in the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, the thermal transfer material is laminated with a recording medium such that the thermal transfer layer thereof faces the recording medium, and the resulting laminate of the thermal transfer material and the recording medium has a The thermal transfer layer of the thermal transfer material is heated in a pattern, and after the recording medium and the thermal transfer material are separated, a recorded image of the thermal transfer layer according to the heating pattern is formed on the recording medium, and unnecessary portions of the recorded image are removed. , is characterized by peeling and removal using the mold release layer as a boundary while heating.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings as necessary. In the following description, "%" and "part" expressing quantitative ratios are based on weight unless otherwise specified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the thickness direction of a typical conventional heat-sensitive transfer material. A thermally transferable ink layer 3 is formed on 2.
On the other hand, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the thickness direction of the thermal transfer material of the present invention, and this thermal transfer material 11
In this embodiment, a release layer 4 is further provided on the thermal transferable ink layer 3 to form a composite thermal transfer layer 34.

As the support 2, conventionally known films and papers can be used as they are, such as relatively heat-resistant plastic films such as polyester, polycarbonate, triacetyl cellulose, nylon, and polyimide, cellophane, or parchment paper. can be suitably used. The thickness of the support is preferably about 2 to 15 microns when considering a thermal head as a heat source during thermal transfer, but it is preferable to use a heat source that can selectively heat the heat-sensitive transfer layer, such as a laser beam. There are no particular restrictions in this case. In addition, when using a thermal head, a heat-resistant protective layer made of silicone resin, fluororesin, polyimide resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, melamine resin, nitrocellulose, etc. is provided on the surface of the support that comes into contact with the thermal head. This makes it possible to improve the heat resistance of the support, or to use support materials that could not be used conventionally.

The thermal transfer ink layer 3 is formed by dispersing a colorant in a heat-melting binder.

As the heat-melting binder, carnauba wax, paraffin wax, Sasol wax,
Waxes such as microcrystalline wax and castor wax; stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, aluminum stearate, lead stearate, barium stearate, zinc stearate, zinc palmitate, methyl hydroxystearate, glycerol monohydroxy Higher fatty acids such as stearate or derivatives such as their metal salts and esters; polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polyethylene wax,
Thermal products made of olefins such as polyethylene oxide, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, etc., or their derivatives. Plastic resin, etc. are used. These heat-melting binders may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more.

Coloring agents include carbon black, nigrosine dye, lamp black, sudan black SM, alkali blue, first yellow G, benzidine.
Yellow, Pigment Yellow, India First Orange, Irgazine Red, Paranitroaniline Red, Toluidine Red, Carmine FB, Permanent Bordeaux FRR, Pigment Orange R, Lysol Red 20, Lake
Red C, Rhodamine FB, Rhodamine B Lake,
Methyl Violet B Lake, Phthalocyanine Blue, Pigment Blue, Brilliant Green B, Phthalocyanine Green, Oil Yellow GG, Zapon First Yellow CGG, Kayaset Y963, Kayaset YG, Sumiplast Yellow GG, Zapon First Orange RR, Oil Scarlet, Sumiplast Orange G, Orazole Brown B, Zapon First Scarlet CG, Eisenspiron Red, BEH,
All of the various dyes and pigments used in the printing and recording fields can be used, such as Oil Pink OP, Victoria Blue F4R, First Gen Blue 5007, Sudan Blue, and Oil Peacock Blue.

The release layer 4 is a layer that is transparent or colored in the same color as the recording medium, and is located between the recording medium and the thermal transferable ink layer in the recorded image obtained after transfer, and is heated. It has the effect of promoting these peelings. Specifically, the same heat-melting binder as the heat-transferable ink layer 3 may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more to form a layer, but the binder has a melting point 10°C or more lower than that in the heat-transferable ink layer. A heat-melting binder is used.

In order to obtain such a heat-sensitive transfer material 11, a colorant and additives normally added to this type of ink layer are added to the heat-melting binder described above, and the mixture is melt-kneaded using a dispersion device such as an attritor. mosquito,
Alternatively, the ink is kneaded with a suitable solvent to obtain an ink in a molten state, solution or dispersion state, and this ink is applied onto the support 2 to first form a thermal transferable ink layer 3. Next, a release layer 4 may be formed by applying a similar ink in the form of a melt, solution, or dispersion of a heat-melting binder onto this heat-transferable ink layer 3. However, if the difference in melting point between the thermally transferable ink layer and the release layer is 20° C. or less, it is preferable to form the release layer using an ink in the form of a solution or dispersion instead of a melt.

The layer thicknesses of the thermal transferable ink layer 3 and the release layer 4 are as follows:
Approximately 1 to 20 μm each is appropriate.

The planar shape of the thermal transfer material of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is generally used in the form of a typewriter ribbon or a wide tape used for line printers. In addition, for color recording, we prepared heat-melting inks in several different tones.
A heat-sensitive transfer material can also be prepared in which these are painted in stripes or blocks.

Next, a typical embodiment of a thermal transfer recording method using the above thermal transfer material 1 will be described. FIGS. 3 a to 3 c are schematic cross-sectional views in the thickness direction of the thermal transfer material showing its outline. That is, when the thermal transfer material and the recording medium are placed facing each other and a heat pulse is applied from the support side using a thermal head according to a conventional method, the thermal transferable ink layer 3 is transferred onto the recording medium 5 via the release layer 4 to form a third layer. A recorded image as shown in Figure a is formed. Next, if you want to remove this recorded image for correction, apply the adhesive side of the tape 6, which has an adhesive layer on one side, to the recording area, and heat it from the opposite side until the release layer 4 is melted. Apply sufficient heat (Figure 3b). Almost simultaneously with applying heat, apply adhesive tape 6.
When peeled from the recording medium 5, the molten release layer 4
causes cohesive failure, leaving a portion 4a and the other portion 4b adheres to the adhesive tape 6 together with the thermal transferable ink layer 3 and is removed to perform correction.

When recording is to be performed on the corrected area again, the recording will be performed on the portion 4a of the release layer that remains slightly on the recording medium. In this case, the pressure or amount of heat applied to the recording medium of the thermal head is increased when reprinting, if necessary.

Although not particularly shown in the drawings, heat during correction may be applied from the back side of the recording medium and only pressure may be applied from the thermal head side, or heat may be applied from both the thermal head and the back side of the recording medium. Good too. The heat applied for correction may be heating in a pattern similar to that which gave the erroneously recorded image, or may be solid heating.As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the heat-sensitive transfer material By using a heat-sensitive transfer material with a release layer formed on a heat-transferable ink layer, the recorded image once formed on the recording medium can be easily erased by a method similar to the lift-off method, and can be re-recorded if necessary. It becomes possible to do it easily.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples.

Example Carbon black 15 parts Paraffin (mp60-70℃) 45 parts Carnauba wax 20 parts Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer 20 parts (Ethylene/vinyl acetate = 90/10) Each of the above components was heated and melted into an attritor. was used to disperse the mixture to obtain a thermal transfer ink. This ink was melt-coated onto a 6μ polyethylene terephthalate film using a wire bar to obtain a thermally transferable ink layer with a thickness of 4μ.

Separately, 15 parts of paraffin (mp 50 to 55°C) and 85 parts of xylene were heated and mixed at 120°C using a homomixer, and the mixture was cooled while stirring to obtain a microdispersion of paraffin. This dispersion was applied onto the transferable ink layer using a wire bar to form a release layer having a thickness of 2 μm to obtain a heat-sensitive transfer material.

Next, thermal transfer recording was performed using the thus obtained thermal transfer material at a printing pressure of 1.6 kg/cm ² and an applied pulse width of 2 msec, and a clear recorded image could be obtained. Furthermore, print pressure 1.6Kg/cm ² and applied pulse width were applied to the same area via adhesive tape.
When recording was performed at 3 msec and the adhesive tape was quickly peeled off, the recorded area was transferred to the adhesive tape surface, and no trace of recording was observed on the recording medium. Furthermore, when thermal transfer recording was carried out on the peeling corrected area using a thermal transfer material at a printing pressure of 1.8 kg/cm ² and an applied pulse width of 3 msec, it was possible to obtain the same recording as the uncorrected area.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view in the thickness direction of a conventional thermal transfer material, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view in the thickness direction of an embodiment of the thermal transfer material of the present invention, and FIGS. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer material viewed in the thickness direction for explaining one embodiment of the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention using a thermal transfer material. 1, 11...Thermal transfer material, 2...Support, 34
...Thermal transfer layer, 3...Adhesive tape, 4...Release layer, 5...Recording medium, 6...Adhesive tape, 7...
heat head.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1 A heat-sensitive transfer layer is formed on a support, and the heat-sensitive transfer layer includes, in order from the support, a heat-transferable ink layer formed by dispersing a colorant in a heat-melting binder; A mold release layer containing a heat-melting binder having a melting point 10°C or more lower than that of the heat-melting binder in the heat-transferable ink layer and promoting the peeling of the heat-sensitive transfer layer transferred to the recording medium from the recording medium. Laminating the thermal transfer material on a recording medium such that the thermal transfer layer faces the recording medium, heating the thermal transfer layer of the thermal transfer material in the resulting laminate of the thermal transfer material and the recording medium in a pattern, After the recording medium and the thermal transfer material are separated, a recorded image of the thermal transfer layer according to the heating pattern is formed on the recording medium, and unnecessary parts of the recorded image are peeled off and removed using the release layer as a boundary while heating. A thermal transfer recording method characterized by: 2 A heat-sensitive transfer layer is formed on a support, and the heat-sensitive transfer layer includes, in order from the support side, a heat-transferable ink layer formed by dispersing a coloring agent in a heat-melting binder, and a heat-transferable ink layer in the heat-transferable ink layer. A heat-fusible binder containing a heat-fusible binder with a melting point 10°C or more lower than that of the heat-fusible binder, and a release layer that promotes peeling of the heat-sensitive transfer layer transferred to the recording medium from the recording medium. Thermal transfer material.