JPH07205559A - Printing method and sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a printing time by applying a sublimable ink layer to plain paper simultaneously with the transfer of a dye receiving layer thereto. CONSTITUTION:A sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 is obtained by repeatedly forming sublimable ink layers 4-6 on a base material 2 so as to form one set of yellow, magenta and cyan according to a ribbon feed direction A and forming a dye receiving layer 3 on the sublimable ink layer 4. By this constitution, the cueing of the dye receiving layer 3 on the sublimable ink layer 4 is performed by a header mark 7a to transfer the dye receiving layer 3 to plain paper. Whereupon, the sublimable ink layer 4 can be subjected to sublimation transfer at the same time. Continuously, the sublimable ink layers 5, 6 of magenta and cyan are also subjected to sublimation transfer to obtain a color print.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing method and a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used in the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon is known which is used for printing a still image such as a video camera image or a television image on plain paper on which a dye receiving layer is not coated. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 8. Reference numeral 1 ″ is a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon, and the dye receiving layer 3, the yellow (Y), and the magenta (M) are arranged in order from the ribbon feeding direction A on the substrate 2. ), Cyan (C) as a set, and sublimable ink layers 4, 5, and 6 are formed by coating, and a header mark 7a is printed on the front side of the dye receiving layer 3 on the substrate 2. Between the dye receiving layer 3 and the Y sublimation ink layer 4,
Between the sublimable ink layer 4 of Y and the sublimable ink layer 5 of M, M
Patch marks 7b are printed between the sublimable ink layer 5 of C and the sublimable ink layer 6 of C, respectively. This similar structure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-297184.

As shown in FIG. 10, the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 ″ having the above-described structure is housed in a ribbon cartridge 10 and mounted on a sublimation type thermal transfer type color printer for use. It has become so.

Next, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 9, the sublimation transfer ink ribbon 1 "is first printed on plain paper such as a postcard manufactured by a public company.
Substituting the dye receiving layer 3 of the base material 2 to transfer the dye receiving layer 3 to the plain paper, and then performing sublimation transfer of the Y, M, and C sublimable ink layers 4, 5, and 6, respectively. As a result, color printing (color printing) is performed on plain paper.

[0005]

However, in the ink format of the conventional sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 ″, the dye receiving layer 3 is arranged at a position not overlapping the sublimable ink layers 4, 5, and 6. Therefore, the printing time is longer than the printing (printing) time of the special paper on which the dye receiving layer is transferred by the transfer time of the dye receiving layer 3 (The printing time of the special paper is about 60 seconds and it is usually for official postcards etc. The printing time of paper is about 80 to 90 seconds).

Further, a conventional sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 "
In the ink format of, the dye receiving layer 3 as described above is used.
Is disposed at a position where it does not overlap with the sublimable ink layers 4, 5, and 6, the length of the base material 2 is increased accordingly, and the cost is high.

Therefore, the present invention provides a printing method capable of printing on plain paper such as postcards manufactured at low cost and in a short time, and a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used in the method.

[0008]

In a printing method in which a sublimable ink layer is sublimatedly transferred to plain paper on which a dye receptive layer is not applied, the sublimable ink is transferred to the plain paper at the same time as the sublimable ink is transferred. The layers were transferred by sublimation.

Further, in a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used in a printing method in which a sublimation ink layer is sublimated and transferred to a plain paper on which a dye receiving layer is not applied, the sublimation ink layer is formed on a substrate, The dye receiving layer is laminated on the sublimable ink layer.

[0010]

Function: The dye receiving layer is transferred onto the plain paper on which the dye receiving layer is not coated, and at the same time, the sublimation ink layer is transferred by sublimation, so that the printing time when printing on the plain paper is shortened.

Further, since the dye-receptive layer is laminated on the sublimable ink layer, the dye-receptive layer is separated from the dye-receptive layer in a position where the dye-receptive layer does not overlap the sublimable ink layer. The length of the material is shortened and the cost is reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the first embodiment, which is a yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) ink in order from the ribbon feeding direction A on the substrate 2. Each sublimable ink layer 4, 5 and 6 forming a set of formats is formed by coating, and the dye receiving layer 3 is laminated on the Y sublimable ink layer 4. Further, a header mark 7a is printed on the front side of the Y sublimation ink layer 4 on the base material 2, and
A patch mark 7b is printed between the sublimable ink layer 4 of M and the sublimable ink layer 5 of M, and between the sublimable ink layer 5 of M and the sublimable ink layer 6 of C.

The dye receiving layer 3 is applied so as to be laminated to the same length as the Y sublimation ink layer 5 after the usual Y, M, and C sublimation ink layers 4, 5, and 6 are coated. Therefore, the ink coating plate can be used for 3 patches (for exclusive paper (YM-C)). It should be noted that, in the above-mentioned constitution, the basic materials constituting the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1, such as the release layer and the adhesive layer, will be omitted. Further, reference numeral 8 in FIG. 2 denotes a thermal head, which is pressed by a predetermined head pressure B from the base material 2 side to the side of plain paper 9 such as a postcard manufactured by a government official which is not coated with the dye receiving layer.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the dye receiving layer 3 is transferred to the plain paper 9 and the ink is printed (printed) by the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1. FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the printing. Is. As shown in FIG. 3, first, the dye receiving layer 3 of the substrate 2 of the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 is cued to transfer the dye receiving layer 3 to the plain paper 9 and, at the same time, the Y sublimation ink layer 4 is transferred. After sublimation transfer, sublimation transfer of the M and C sublimation ink layers 5 and 6 is performed, respectively, to perform color printing on the plain paper 9. In this way, when performing color printing on the plain paper 9, the plain paper 9 that is the transfer target paper
The transfer of the dye receiving layer 3 from the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 side can be performed simultaneously with the printing of the Y sublimation ink layer 4, and the printing time is the same as the printing on the dedicated paper coated with the dye receiving layer. Color printing according to image information is possible.

When printing is carried out at the same time as the transfer of the dye receiving layer 3, a signal having a low density in the image information,
As compared with the transfer of the dye receiving layer 3, the applied voltage of the thermal head 8 is low, so there is a possibility that thermal energy may be insufficient and transfer may not occur.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the transfer energy of the dye receiving layer and the color density of the ink, and the broken line a shows the minimum transfer energy required for transferring the dye receiving layer 3. Assuming that this minimum value is the color density of the ink of each sublimable ink layer 4, 5, 6 and if it is the density range of S3, the transfer energy a necessary for transfer to the thermal head 8 in advance.
When the sublimable ink layers 4, 5 and 6 are printed while applying the image, a printing result with a considerably high density is obtained.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problem,
It is necessary to lower the color development sensitivity of the ink (specifically, the sensitivity is reduced by changing the mixing ratio of the ink dye and the binder), and each sublimation property that starts color development from the transfer energy a region of the dye receiving layer 3. It is necessary to form the ink layers 4, 5, and 6. That is, the ink is colored from the area b in FIG. In this way, since the color of the ink is developed at the same time as the dye receiving layer 3, the sensitivity to heat of the ink is lowered, and the sensitivity of starting the color development of the ink from the energy region required for the transfer of the dye receiving layer 3 is set. Color printing according to image information can be performed on the plain paper 9 with the ink of each sublimable ink layer 4, 5, 6 having excellent gradation.

Further, the substrate 2 of the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1
Since the sublimable ink layers 4, 5 and 6 each having a three-patch configuration of the ink format Y-MC are formed on the upper surface and the dye receiving layer 3 is further laminated on the Y sublimable ink layer 4, The ink format is dye receiving layer-Y
-Compared with a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 ", which has a four-patch structure of M-C and in which the dye receiving layer does not overlap the sublimable ink layer, the length of the base material 2 is shortened accordingly. In addition, the plate in which the YMC sublimable ink layers 4, 5, and 6 are ink-coated on the base material 2 is a dedicated paper (YMC). ) Version can be shared, and from this point also cost reduction can be achieved.

FIG. 5 shows a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1'of the second embodiment, FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the printing, and FIG. 7 shows a result of printing with the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1'of the second embodiment. A sectional view is shown. The sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1'of the second embodiment is a sublimation ink having a set of ink formats of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) formed on the base material 2 as a set. The dye receiving layer 3 is laminated on each of the layers 4, 5 and 6, and has the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a plain paper 9 as a transfer paper on which color printing is performed using the ink format of the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1'of the second embodiment. In this case, since the dye receiving layer 3 is transferred between the sublimable ink layers 4, 5 and 6, if the dye receiving layer 3 is colored such as white, the transmittance of the dye receiving layer 3 is Since the image quality is poor, the image quality is poor (yellow and magenta colors are light), and therefore the dye receiving layer 3 is preferably transparent.

The sublimation transfer type ink ribbons 1 and 1'of the respective embodiments are sublimation type when stored in the ribbon cartridge 10 like the conventional sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 1 "shown in FIG. It is used by being installed in a thermal transfer type color printer, and for example, still images such as images from video cameras and television images are color printed on official postcards, but plain paper is not limited to official postcards. Of course.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the printing method of sublimating and transferring the sublimable ink layer onto the plain paper on which the dye receiving layer is not applied, the plain paper is provided with the dye receiving layer. By sublimating and transferring the sublimable ink layer at the same time as the transfer, the printing time can be shortened when printing on the plain paper, and the printing can be performed in the same time as the special paper.

Further, in a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used in a printing method in which a sublimation ink layer is sublimated and transferred onto a plain paper on which a dye receiving layer is not coated, the sublimation ink layer is formed on a substrate, By stacking the dye receiving layer on the sublimable ink layer, the length of the base material is longer than that of a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon in which the dye receiving layer does not overlap the sublimable ink layer as in the conventional case. The length can be shortened and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view showing the structure of a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon in which a dye receiving layer is laminated only on a Y color sublimable ink layer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. Sectional drawing of the same sublimation transfer type ink ribbon.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view at the time of transfer / printing using the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of printing using the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the transfer energy of the dye receiving layer and the color density of the ink when printing with the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the first embodiment.

5A is a plan view showing the configuration of a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon in which a receiving layer is laminated on each sublimation ink layer of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is the sublimation transfer type. Sectional drawing of an ink ribbon.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of printing using the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a result of printing with the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8A is a plan view showing the configuration of a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon with a dye receiving layer of a conventional example, and FIG. 8B is a sectional view of the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of printing using the sublimation transfer type ink ribbon of the conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a ribbon cartridge containing a sublimation transfer type ink ribbon.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1 '... Sublimation transfer type ink ribbon 2 ... Substrate 3 ... Dye receiving layer 3, 4, 5 ... Sublimation ink layer 9 ... Plain paper

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printing method in which a sublimable ink layer is sublimatedly transferred to a plain paper on which a dye receiving layer is not applied. In the printing method, the dye receiving layer is transferred to the plain paper while the sublimable ink layer is sublimated and transferred. A printing method characterized in that 2. A sublimation transfer type ink ribbon used in a printing method for sublimation-transferring a sublimation ink layer to a plain paper on which a dye receiving layer is not applied, wherein the sublimation ink layer is formed on a substrate. A sublimation transfer type ink ribbon, wherein the dye receiving layer is laminated on a sublimable ink layer. 3. A sublimation ink layer comprising a set of yellow, magenta, and cyan is formed on the base material, and the dye receiving layer is laminated on at least a portion of the yellow sublimation ink layer. The sublimation transfer type ink ribbon according to claim 2. 4. The sublimation transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the color development sensitivity of the ink of each sublimable ink layer has a color development characteristic in which color development starts from an area of energy required for transfer of the dye receiving layer. ink ribbon.