JPH06239037A - Production of recording medium for sublimation type heat-sensitive transfer recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method of producing a recording medium for sublimation type heat-sensitive transfer recording wherein an image recording layer having a desired degree of gloss can be obtained without causing lowering of recording sensitivity or deterioration of image quality. CONSTITUTION:In a method of producing a recording medium for use in a sublimation type heat-sensitive transfer recording wherein an image receiving layer 2 formed on the surface of base material is hardened by irradiating it with heat or an active energy beam, a roll 3 is pressed against the image receiving layer 2 immediately before the layer 2 starts hardening at the time of the energy beam irradiation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing a recording medium used in a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is characterized in that the sound at the time of recording is quiet, the apparatus is small and inexpensive, the maintenance is easy, and the output time is short. further,
Since a sublimation dye is used, it is possible to easily perform recording with a high gradation by continuously changing the amount of heat generation energy, and it has characteristics such as high density and high resolution. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous in obtaining a full-color hard copy as compared with other recording systems, and is widely used as a recording system for color printers, video printers, and the like.

A recording medium used in such a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is, for example, a plain paper or a synthetic paper (mainly polypropylene), or a laminated paper having a constitution of synthetic paper / general paper / synthetic paper. An image receiving layer formed on a substrate has been used. The image receiving layer of such a recording medium is required not only to have excellent glossiness but also to have various glossiness.

[0004]

However, there has been no method for producing a recording medium of a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system capable of freely controlling the glossiness of the image receiving layer in response to the demand for such glossiness. Further, in order to reduce the gloss of the image receiving layer, a method of adding inorganic fine particles which are a non-dyeing substance to the image receiving layer has been attempted. However, according to this method, the recording sensitivity is lowered or white spots are generated. There was a drawback that the image quality deteriorates.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a recording material of a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system which can obtain an image receiving layer having a desired glossiness without causing deterioration of recording sensitivity and deterioration of image quality. It is in.

[0006]

The sublimation-type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention has a method for producing a recording medium which is formed on the surface of a base material and which is cured by irradiation with heat or active energy rays. A method of producing a recording material of a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system in which an actinic energy ray is irradiated to cure the object, and a roll is applied to the image receiving layer immediately before the image receiving layer is cured when the heat or the active energy ray is applied. It is characterized by pressing.

In the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention, it is preferable to use a roll having irregularities formed on its surface or a roll having a smooth surface.

[0008]

In the method of producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention, the shape of the roll surface is transferred to the surface of the image receiving layer by pressing the roll against the image receiving layer immediately before the image receiving layer is cured. As a result, a shape similar to the shape of the roll surface is formed, and then the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape.

In the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, when a roll having irregularities formed on the surface is used, the irregularities of the roll surface are transferred to the surface of the image receiving layer, and Concavities and convexities similar to the concavities and convexities are formed, and thereafter the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape.

When a roll having a smooth surface is used as the roll in the method for producing a recording material of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, the surface of the image receiving layer is leveled by the roll and the surface of the image receiving layer is flattened. After that, the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape.

[0011]

EXAMPLES Examples of the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a process diagram for explaining a first embodiment of a method of manufacturing a recording medium of a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system. First, as shown in FIG. 1 (A), a liquid resin composition is applied onto a substrate 1 to form an image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat or irradiation with active energy rays.

A film or paper is suitable for the base material 1, for example, various plastic films such as polyester film, polyethylene film, polypropylene film, polystyrene film, nylon film, vinyl chloride film and the like, and white pigments and fillers for them. Examples of the white film include an agent-added white paper; paper mainly composed of cellulose fibers such as printing paper, art paper and coated paper; paper mainly composed of plastic fibers such as acrylic paper, polypropylene paper and polyester paper. These papers or films may be used as they are, but if necessary, use those that have been subjected to pretreatments such as cleaning, etching, corona discharge, active energy ray irradiation, dyeing and printing. Is also good. Also, a laminated base material obtained by laminating two or more of the above base materials can be used.

The liquid resin composition used for forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat comprises a sublimable dye dyeing resin, a thermosetting component and at least one releasing agent. Specific examples of the sublimable dye dyeing resin include polyester resin, polyacrylic ester resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl acetate resin, styrene acrylate resin, vinyl toluene acrylate resin, polyurethane resin, polyamide resin, urea resin, polycaprolactone. Resin, styrene-maleic anhydride resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyacrylonitrile resin and the like can be mentioned. These resins can be used alone, as a copolymer or as a mixture. Specific examples of the thermosetting component include isocyanate and polyol. Specific examples of the releasing agent include solid wax, fluorine-based, silicon-based, and phosphate-based surfactants, graft polymers having polyorganosiloxane as a trunk or branch, and silicon-based or fluorine-containing crosslinked structures. Possible compounds include, for example, a combination of amino-modified silicone and epoxy-modified silicone. If necessary, the liquid resin composition may include inorganic fine particles such as silica and talc, organic fine particles such as polyethylene and polypropylene,
An antistatic agent, an ultraviolet absorber, a light stabilizer and the like may be added.

The liquid resin composition used for forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by irradiation with active energy rays comprises a sublimable dye dyeing resin, a crosslinking agent which is cured by irradiation with active energy rays, and at least one releasing agent. It consists of molds. As the sublimation dye dyeing resin here, the same one as in the case of forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat can be used. Specific examples of the crosslinking agent that is cured by irradiation with active energy rays include a polyfunctional monomer or a polyfunctional oligomer having a (meth) acryloyloxy group. When the above monomers and oligomers are used and ultraviolet rays are used as an active energy ray, a photopolymerization initiator for causing a crosslinking reaction is required. As a specific example of the release agent, the same one as in the case of forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat can be used.

The coating amount of the above liquid resin composition is the same as that of the image receiving layer 2.
It is suitable that the thickness is within the range of 1 to 100 μm. If the thickness is less than 1 μm, the recording sensitivity and the stability of the recorded product will be insufficient, while if the thickness exceeds 100 μm, it will take a long time to cure and the blocking resistance (non-adhesiveness) with the color sheet during recording will be insufficient. To become.

Next, the roll 3 is prepared. The roll 3 has a columnar shape, and the surface thereof has irregularities 3a. Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, immediately before the image receiving layer 2 is cured, the roll 3 is pressed against the image receiving layer 2 while being rotated.

In this way, the irregularities 3a on the surface of the roll 3 are transferred to the surface of the image receiving layer 2 to form irregularities similar to the irregularities 3a on the surface of the roll.

Next, when forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat, the heat source 4 is applied to the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 2 after being pressed by the roll 3 which rotates at the same speed as the conveying speed of the substrate 1. Use to add heat. The heat source 4 is for applying heat to the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 2 after being pressed by the roll 3, that is, the portion located behind the rotating roll 3. Here, the transport speed of the substrate 1 may be selected depending on the material of the image receiving layer 2, and it is preferably about 10 to 1000 mm / s because the image receiving layer 2 can be sufficiently cured.

When forming the image receiving layer 2 which is hardened by irradiation with active energy rays, as shown in FIG. 2, after being pressed by a roll 3 which rotates at the same speed as the conveying speed of the substrate 1, The pressing surface of the image receiving layer 2 is irradiated with active energy rays using the active energy ray irradiation device 5. The active energy ray irradiation device 5 is for irradiating the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 2 after being pressed by the roll 3, that is, the portion located behind the rotating roll 3 with the active energy ray. The active energy ray irradiation device 5 is composed of an active energy ray source 5a and a concave reflecting mirror 5b that reflects the active energy ray generated from the source 5a.
When ultraviolet rays are used as the active energy rays, an ultraviolet irradiation lamp is used as the active energy ray generation source 5a. The concave reflecting mirror 5b is always the active energy ray generating source 5
It is fixedly arranged so as to be located above a, and is for reflecting and irradiating the active energy ray from the active energy ray generating source 5a to the portion located behind the rotating roll 3. . Here, the transport speed of the substrate 1 varies depending on the material of the image receiving layer 2, but is 10 to 1000 mm /
It is preferably about s because the image receiving layer 2 can be sufficiently cured.

In this way, the unevenness formed on the surface of the image receiving layer 2 is cured while maintaining this shape, so that the cured image receiving layer 2b having the unevenness 2a on the surface as shown in FIG. 1C is formed. can get. Cured image-receiving layer 2 obtained here
Since the unevenness 2a is formed on the surface of b, the glossiness is low.

In the method of manufacturing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, the roll 3 having the unevenness 3a formed on the surface thereof is used, and the roll 3 is applied to the image receiving layer 2 immediately before the image receiving layer 2 is cured. After the pressing, the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 2 after being pressed by the roll 3 is irradiated with heat or an active energy ray to easily form the cured image receiving layer 2b having unevenness on the surface and thus having low gloss. be able to. Also,
Since it is not necessary to add inorganic fine particles, which are non-dyeing substances, to the image receiving layer 2, it is possible to prevent deterioration of recording sensitivity and deterioration of image quality.

Next, a second embodiment of the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention will be described. Figure 3
FIG. 6 is a process diagram for explaining a second example of a recording medium of a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system. First, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), a liquid resin composition is applied onto a substrate 11 to form an image receiving layer 12 which is cured by heat or active energy rays.
As the base material 11, the same material as the base material 1 of the above-described first embodiment can be used. Image-receiving layer 12 cured by heat
As the liquid resin composition used for forming the film, the same liquid resin composition as the above-mentioned liquid resin composition forming the image receiving layer 2 which is cured by heat can be used. The liquid resin composition used when forming the image receiving layer 12 that is cured by irradiation with active energy rays is the same as the liquid resin composition that forms the image receiving layer 2 that is cured by irradiation with active energy rays. It can be used.

Next, the roll 13 is prepared. The roll 13 has a cylindrical shape and its surface 13a is smooth. Then, as shown in FIG.
Immediately before the resin is cured, the roll 13 is pressed against the image receiving layer 12 while rotating.

In this way, the surface 12a of the image receiving layer 12
Is leveled by the roll 13 and the surface 1 of the image receiving layer 12
2a becomes flat.

Next, when forming the image receiving layer 12 which is cured by heat, heat is applied to the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 12 after being pressed by the roll 13 by using the same heat source 14 as the heat source 4. Here, although the transport speed of the substrate 11 varies depending on the material of the image receiving layer 12, it is preferably about 10 to 1000 mm / s because the image receiving layer 12 can be sufficiently cured. When forming the image receiving layer 12 that is cured by irradiation with active energy rays, as in the case of the active energy ray irradiating device 5, the pressing surface of the image receiving layer 12 after being pressed by the roll 13 is the same as in the active energy ray irradiation device 5 as shown in FIG. The active energy ray irradiation device 15 is used to irradiate the active energy ray. The active energy ray irradiation device 15 includes an active energy ray generating source 15a and a concave reflecting mirror 15b that reflects the active energy ray generated from the active energy ray generating source 15a. Here, although the transportation speed of the substrate 11 varies depending on the material of the image receiving layer 2, it is preferably about 10 to 1000 mm / s because the image receiving layer 2 can be sufficiently cured.

In this way, the surface 12a of the image-receiving layer 12 which is flattened by the roll 13 is cured while maintaining this shape, so that the surface 12a as shown in FIG. 3C is flattened. The image receiving layer 12b is obtained.
The cured image-receiving layer 12b obtained here has a high glossiness because the surface 12a thereof is flat.

In the method for producing a recording medium of such a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, a roll 13 having a smooth surface is used,
Immediately before the image-receiving layer 12 is cured, the roll 13 is moved to the above-mentioned image-receiving layer 1
By irradiating heat or an active energy ray to the pressing surface of the roll 12 which has been pressed by the roll 13 after being pressed by 2, the cured image receiving layer 12 having a flat surface 12a and thus a high gloss is easily formed. be able to.

[0028]

As described above, in the method for producing a recording material of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention, the roll is pressed against the image receiving layer immediately before the image receiving layer is cured, so that The shape of the roll surface is transferred to form a shape similar to the shape of the roll surface, and then the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape, so that the desired sensitivity can be obtained without lowering the recording sensitivity or deteriorating the image quality. A cured image-receiving layer having a gloss level can be easily formed.

In the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation-type thermal transfer recording system of the present invention, when a roll having irregularities formed on the surface is used, the irregularities on the surface of the roll are transferred to the surface of the image receiving layer. Concavities and convexities similar to those on the surface are formed, and thereafter the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape, so that a cured image receiving layer having irregularities on the surface and thus having low gloss can be obtained. Further, in the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, when a roll having a smooth surface is used as the roll, the image receiving layer surface is leveled by the roll and the image receiving layer surface becomes flat. After that, since the image receiving layer is cured while maintaining this shape, it is possible to form a cured image receiving layer having a flat surface and therefore high gloss.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process chart for explaining a first embodiment of a method for producing a recording medium of a sublimation thermal transfer recording system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a case where an active energy ray irradiation device is provided above and outside the roll in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a process drawing for explaining a second embodiment of the method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation thermal transfer recording system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a case where an active energy ray irradiation device is provided above and outside the roll in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base material, 2 ... Image receiving layer, 2a ... Unevenness, 2b ... Curing image receiving layer, 3 ... Roll, 4 ... Heat source, 5 ... Active energy ray irradiation device, 5a ... Active energy ray generating source, 5b ...
Concave reflector, 11 ... Base material, 12 ... Image receiving layer, 12a ...
Surface, 12b ... Cured image-receiving layer, 13 ... Roll, 13a ...
-Surface, 14 ... Heat source, 15 ... Active energy ray irradiation device, 15a ... Active energy ray generation source, 15b ... Concave reflecting mirror

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Akifumi Ueda 20-1 Miyuki-cho, Otake-shi, Hiroshima Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. Central Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Kazumi Senda 20-1 Miyuki-cho, Otake-shi, Hiroshima Central Research Laboratory, Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sublimation-type thermal transfer recording type recording medium in which an image-receiving layer formed on the surface of a base material and cured by irradiation with heat or active energy rays is irradiated with heat or active energy rays and cured. The method for producing a recording medium of a sublimation-type thermal transfer recording method, which comprises pressing a roll against the image-receiving layer immediately before the image-receiving layer is cured upon irradiation with heat or active energy rays. 2. The method for producing a recording medium of a sublimation thermal transfer recording system according to claim 1, wherein a roll having irregularities formed on the surface is used as the roll. 3. The method for producing a recording medium of the sublimation thermal transfer recording system according to claim 1, wherein a roll having a smooth surface is used as the roll.