JPH08332741A - Thermal transfer recording method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To record an excellent full-color image by transferring the thermal transfer colorant of a thermal transfer sheet to an intermediate transfer recording medium by a thermal head heated corresponding to image data and transferring this image to an optical disk by a heating means. CONSTITUTION: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus 1, an intermediate transfer medium 21 is fed by a feed means 2 and a thermal transfer sheet 31 is fed by the feed means. An image A is formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 in an image forming part 6 and transferred to an optical disk 41 in an image receiving layer transfer part 9. Herein, the intermediate transfer medium 21 and the thermal transfer sheet 31 are brought to a pressure contact state by the thermal head 7 and platen 8 of the image forming part 6 so that an image receiving layer 23 and a colorant layer 33 are superposed one upon another. The thermal head 7 is heated corresponding to image data and the thermal transfer colorant of the colorant layer 33 is transferred to the image receiving layer 23 to form the image A. Thereafter, the thermal head 10 and platen 11 of the image receiving layer transfer part 9 are used to transfer the image A to the optical disk 41 along with the image receiving layer 23.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method and a thermal transfer recording apparatus, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording method and a thermal transfer recording apparatus for an optical disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Compact discs (CD-DA, CD
-ROM, CD-I, CD-G, CD-R, etc.), an optical disc such as a laser disc, a digital video disc (DVD), etc. is a medium for recording and / or reproducing data on one side using light. . In such an optical disc, a so-called label such as characters or pictures is printed on the other side for identifying the optical disc or for imparting a design property to the optical disc. Conventionally, screen printing and offset printing have been used for such label printing.

[0003]

However, label printing on an optical disk by screen printing or offset printing has the following problems.

1) It is necessary to prepare a plate for each pattern to be printed, and the cost is high in the case of a small lot.

2) Every time the pattern is changed, it is necessary to replace the plate and wash the ink adhering to the plate. In the case of a small lot, the production efficiency is significantly reduced and the cost is increased.

3) The screen printing and the offset printing have the disadvantages that the resolution is rough and the sharpness of the image is poor, and both are not suitable for forming a high-definition full-color image.

4) In screen printing, it is necessary to irradiate ultraviolet rays to cure the ink after printing with each plate, and the ultraviolet rays damage the optical disk.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a thermal transfer recording method capable of recording high-definition images, characters, and symbols with excellent sharpness on an optical disk and capable of handling small lots, and An object is to provide a thermal transfer recording device.

[0009]

In order to achieve such an object, a thermal transfer recording method of the present invention comprises a thermal transfer sheet having at least a color material layer provided on one surface of a base material sheet,
An intermediate transfer recording medium having at least an image receiving layer provided on one surface of a base sheet is pressed between a thermal head and a platen roller so that the color material layer and the image receiving layer are overlapped, The thermal head is caused to generate heat in accordance with image data to transfer the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer to the image receiving layer to form an image, and thereafter, the thermal head, the line heater, and the surface temperature are set to 50. ~ 200 ° C
A heat roller with a conveyance speed of 5 to 100 mm / sec.
Also, the surface temperature is 50 to 200 ° C. and the pressure welding time is 0.3.
The image formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium is transferred onto an optical disc together with the image receiving layer using any of the hot stampers having a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² in about 20 seconds. It is configured to record.

In the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, a patterned heat roller is used as the heat roller, and further, the rotation of the patterned heat roller and the conveyance of the optical disk are synchronized,
The configuration is such that the transfer of the image-receiving layer on which the image is formed is aligned.

The thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a conveying means for conveying a thermal transfer sheet having at least a color material layer provided on one surface of a base material sheet, and at least an image receiving layer on one surface of the base material sheet. A transporting means for transporting the intermediate transfer recording medium, a thermal head and a platen roller, and the transported thermal transfer sheet and intermediate transfer recording medium, the color material layer and the image receiving layer. Are pressed against each other so that they overlap with each other, and the thermal head is heated according to image data to transfer the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer to the image receiving layer. And an image forming unit for forming an image,
At least an image receiving layer transfer section for superimposing the optical disc on the intermediate transfer recording medium on which an image is formed, and transferring the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which an image is formed onto the optical disc by heating means, The heating means is a thermal head, a line heater, and the surface temperature is 50 to 200 ° C.
A heat roller with a conveyance speed of 5 to 100 mm / sec.
Also, the surface temperature is 50 to 200 ° C. and the pressure welding time is 0.3.
It was configured to include any of the hot stampers having a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² in ˜20 seconds.

Further, the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention is an intermediate transfer recording medium in which at least an image receiving layer is provided on one surface of a substrate sheet and an image is formed on the image receiving layer by a heat transferable coloring material. An image receiving layer transfer section for transferring the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which an image has been formed onto the optical disk by stacking the carrying means for carrying and the carried intermediate transfer recording medium with the optical disk. At least, and the heating means has a thermal head, a line heater, a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., and a conveying speed of 5 to 10
0 mm / sec heat roller and surface temperature 5
It was configured to include any of the hot stampers having a pressure contact time of 0.3 to 20 seconds at a temperature of 0 to 200 ° C. and a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² .

Further, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the heat roller is a patterned heat roller, a structure is provided which has a mechanism for synchronizing the rotation of the heat roller and the conveyance of the optical disk, and the image receiving device. The layer transfer section is provided with an optical disk lower receiving member at a position facing the heating means via the intermediate transfer recording medium and the optical disk, and the receiving surface of the optical disk lower receiving member has releasability. The receiving layer transfer section is provided with an optical disk lower receiving member at a position facing the heating means via the intermediate transfer recording medium and the optical disk, and the receiving surface of the optical disk lower receiving member has a cushioning property.

[0014]

The heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer of the thermal transfer sheet is transferred onto the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium by the thermal head which is heated according to the image data to form an image once, This image shows a thermal head, a line heater, a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C, and a conveyance speed of 5 to 1
A heat roller having a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., a pressure contact time of 0.3 to 20 seconds, and a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² are provided. The image is transferred to the optical disc together with the image receiving layer by the heating means to perform high quality recording.

[0015]

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

In the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, first, an intermediate transfer recording medium having an image receiving layer and a thermal transfer sheet having a color material layer are placed so that the image receiving layer and the color material layer overlap each other and the thermal head and the platen roller. And the thermal head is heated according to the image data to transfer the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer to the image receiving layer to form an image. After that, the optical disc is overlaid on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which the image is formed, and in this state, the image formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium is transferred onto the optical disc together with the image receiving layer by the heating means for recording. It is a thing.

In the present invention, the image formation on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium can be carried out by either a heat-sensitive melting transfer method or a heat-sensitive sublimation transfer method.

In the heat-sensitive melting thermal transfer system, a coloring material layer made of hot-melt ink in which a coloring material such as a pigment is dispersed in a binder such as a heat-melting wax or a resin is carried on a substrate sheet such as a plastic film. It is an image recording method in which a color material is transferred together with a binder onto a transfer-receiving member such as paper or a plastic sheet by applying energy corresponding to image information of a heating device such as a thermal head using the thermal transfer sheet. An image recorded by this heat-melt fusion transfer method has high density and excellent sharpness, and is suitable for recording binary images such as characters and line drawings. Further, a multicolor or color image can be recorded by superposing and recording on a transfer target using a thermal transfer sheet of yellow, magenta, cyan, black or the like.

In the thermal sublimation transfer system, a thermal transfer sheet in which a color material layer obtained by melting or dispersing a sublimable dye used as a color material in a binder resin is carried on a base sheet such as a plastic film, paper or By using an object to be transferred having an image receiving layer provided on a support such as a plastic sheet, by applying energy according to image information of a heating device such as a thermal head, a color material layer on the thermal transfer sheet is formed. This is a method of recording an image by transferring the sublimable dye contained in the image receiving layer on the transfer target. In this thermal sublimation transfer method, the transfer amount of the dye (color material) can be controlled in dot units according to the amount of energy applied to the thermal transfer sheet.
It is possible to reproduce gradation by density gradation. Further, since the coloring material used is a dye, the image to be recorded is transparent, and the reproducibility of the intermediate color when the colors are overlapped by using a plurality of dye layers is excellent. Therefore, by using a thermal transfer sheet of three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or four colors in which black is added thereto, these three colors or
By superimposing and recording the colors, it is possible to record a high-quality full-color image.

Among these image forming methods by thermal transfer, particularly in the thermal sublimation transfer method, it is necessary that the image forming surface of the transferred material has dye-dyeability, and there is no dye-dyeability. An image receiving layer is provided on the transfer body. The image-receiving layer is generally formed by transferring the image-receiving layer from a receiving-layer transfer sheet in which the image-receiving layer is releasably formed on a base material sheet to a transfer target. However, in this method, the transferred image-receiving layer is strongly affected by the surface condition of the transferred material, and the transfer-removal of the image-receiving layer occurs in the recesses of the transferred material, or the unevenness of the surface of the transferred material occurs. As a result, the surface of the image receiving layer also becomes uneven, and the formed image becomes uneven. Therefore, in the present invention, as described above, first, a high-quality image is formed on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium that is flat and has no unevenness, and then the image receiving layer on which the image is formed is formed on the transfer target. It is transferred onto a certain optical disc, which enables high quality recording on an optical disc having irregularities and holes on the surface.
The image formed on the optical disc has a mirror image relationship with the image formed on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium.
Images, characters and symbols need to be formed as reverse images beforehand.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention which can be used in the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention as described above. In FIG. 1, the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 includes a conveying unit 2 that conveys the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, a conveying unit 4 that conveys the thermal transfer sheet 31, a thermal head 7 and a platen roller 8, and An image forming section 6 for forming the image A and an image receiving layer transfer section 9 for transferring the image A on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 to the optical disc 41 are provided.

The transporting means 2 includes an intermediate transfer recording medium supply roll 3a in which the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 having an image receiving layer 23 provided on one surface of a substrate sheet 22 is wound, and an intermediate transfer recording medium winding. A roll 3b and a transport roll 3c arranged in the transport path of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 are provided.

Further, the conveying means 4 includes a thermal transfer sheet supply roll 5a around which a thermal transfer sheet 31 having a color material layer 33 provided on one surface of a base material sheet 32 is wound, and a thermal transfer sheet winding roll 5b. I have it.

The image forming section 6 has the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8 as described above, and the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8 convey the conveyed intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and thermal transfer sheet 31. The image receiving layer 23 and the color material layer 33 are arranged so as to be capable of pressure contact so as to overlap each other. Then, the thermal head 7 is caused to generate heat in accordance with the image data and the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer 33 is transferred to the image receiving layer 2.
The image A is formed by shifting to 3.

The image receiving layer transfer section 9 is located on the downstream side of the image forming section 6 in the conveyance path of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21. The image receiving layer transfer section 9 includes a thermal head 10 as a heating means and a platen (optical disk lower receiving member) 11, and an optical disk is provided on the image receiving layer 23 side of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 on which the image A is formed. 41, and the supplied optical disc 41 and intermediate transfer recording medium 2
1 is overlapped between the thermal head 10 and the platen (optical disc lower receiving member) 11 to form the image A on the image receiving layer 23.
Along with this, it is transferred onto the optical disc 41. In the image receiving layer transfer section 9, the image A formed on the optical disc 41 is the image receiving layer 2 of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21.
Since it has a mirror image relationship with the image A formed in No. 3, it is necessary to previously form the image, the character, and the symbol formed in the image receiving layer 23 as a reverse image.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention. The thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 differs from the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the heating means constituting the image receiving layer transfer section 9.
Therefore, an image A is formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 having the conveying unit 2 for conveying the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, the conveying unit 4 for conveying the thermal transfer sheet 31, and the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8. Image forming unit 6
Are common to those shown in FIG. 1 and are omitted.

The image receiving layer transfer section 9 of the thermal transfer recording apparatus shown in FIG. 2 has a heat roller 12 as a heating means.
Are disposed so as to face the optical disc lower receiving roller 11 via the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and the optical disc 41. The heat roller 12 has a surface temperature of 50-
The temperature is 200 ° C. and the conveying speed is set to 5 to 100 mm / sec. Then, in the image receiving layer transfer section 9, the optical disc 41 is supplied to the image receiving layer 23 side of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 on which the image A is formed, and the supplied optical disc 41 and intermediate transfer recording medium 21 are heated by the heat roller. 12 and the optical disc lower receiving roller 11 are overlapped with each other and the image A is transferred onto the optical disc 41 together with the image receiving layer 23.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention. The thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3 differs from the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the heating means constituting the image receiving layer transfer section 9.
Therefore, an image A is formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 having the conveying unit 2 for conveying the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, the conveying unit 4 for conveying the thermal transfer sheet 31, and the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8. Image forming unit 6
Are common to those shown in FIG. 1 and are omitted.

The image receiving layer transfer section 9 of the thermal transfer recording apparatus shown in FIG. 3 has a hot stamper 1 as a heating means via the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and the optical disk 41.
3 and the optical disc lower pedestal 14 are arranged so as to face each other. The hot stamper 13 is an intermediate transfer recording medium 21.
The image receiving layer transfer portion 9 is capable of contacting and separating with respect to the image receiving layer 2 of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 on which the image A is formed.
The optical disc 41 is supplied to the third side, and the hot stamper 13 is moved toward the optical disc lower pedestal 14 at the position where the supplied optical disc 41 and the image receiving layer 23 on which the image A is formed face each other, and the hot stamper 13 is pressed against the image. A is transferred onto the optical disc 41 together with the image receiving layer 23.

The hot stamper 13 has a surface temperature of about 50 to 200 ° C., a pressure contact pressure of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and the optical disk 41 of about 0.1 to 5 kg / cm ² , and a pressure contact time of 0.3 to. About 20 seconds is preferable.

Further, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention. The thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4 differs from the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the heating means constituting the image receiving layer transfer section 9. Therefore, an image A is formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 having the conveying unit 2 for conveying the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, the conveying unit 4 for conveying the thermal transfer sheet 31, and the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8. The image forming unit 6 is common to that shown in FIG. 1 and is omitted.

In the image receiving layer transfer section 9 of the thermal transfer recording apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the patterned heat roller 15 as the heating means is connected to the optical disk lower receiving roller 11 via the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and the optical disk 41. They are arranged so as to face each other. This heat roller 15
Can be brought into and out of contact with the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, its surface temperature is about 50 to 200 ° C., and its conveying speed is 5 to 10
About 0 mm / sec is preferable. In general, a step is often formed on the label surface (the surface opposite to the recording / reproducing surface) of an optical disc, and a hole is present at the center.
In order to avoid such steps and holes and transfer the image receiving layer having an image only on the flat label surface, the patterned heat roller 15 is used. Figure 5
As shown in FIG.
A non-transfer area 15a is formed at a predetermined position of No. 5 so as to correspond to the center hole of the optical disk.

In this embodiment, the pattern of the heat roller 15 is aligned with the label surface of the optical disc 41 and the position of the image A on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21, so that the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 and the optical disc 41 on which the image A is formed are aligned. A mechanism for synchronizing the conveyance and the rotation of the heat roller 15 is provided. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a positioning disk 16a having a notch 16b is attached to one end surface of the heat roller 15 in the axial direction. Then, the image receiving layer transfer section 9 is provided with a position detector 17 for optically detecting the notch 16b at a predetermined position. On the other hand, a position detector for optically detecting the detection mark M provided on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 at a predetermined position on the upstream side of the image receiving layer transfer section 9 in the conveyance path of the intermediate transfer recording medium 21. 18a and a position detector 18b for optically detecting the tip of the optical disc 41.
Is provided.

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1 of the present invention having the image receiving layer transfer section 9 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the heat roller 15 located at the initial setting position is cut out by the position detector 17. 16b is optically detected and stopped at the rotation start position. The intermediate transfer recording medium 21
When the detection mark M of No. 2 is detected by the position detector 18a and the tip of the optical disc 41 is detected by the position detector 18b, the heat roller 15 moves from the initial setting position to the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 direction, as shown in FIG. To the pressure contact position, and rotation is started from the rotation start position to transfer the image receiving layer 23 having the image A onto the optical disc 41. When the transfer of the image receiving layer by the patterned heat roller 15 is completed, the heat roller 15 rises from the pressure contact position to the initial setting position, and the notch 16b is optically detected by the position detector 17 and the rotation start position is reached. Stop.

The detection of the rotation start position of the heat roller 15 is not limited to the one in which the position detector 17 optically detects the notch 16b as described above. For example, the stepping for driving the heat roller 15 is performed. You may make it detect from the rotation angle of a motor.

The detection mark M provided on the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 is not limited to one that is optically detected, but may be a magnetic stripe or physical unevenness as long as the position is detected. The detection mark M may be provided at the time of manufacturing the intermediate transfer recording medium, or may be provided at the time of image formation on the image receiving layer in the image forming section 6. Further, although it is easy to optically detect the position of the optical disc 41,
The position may be detected by touching the switch during transportation.

The thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention as described above is
In both cases, the image forming section 6 and the image receiving layer transfer section 9 are located on the same line, but the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming section 6 and the image receiving layer are not limited thereto. The transfer section 9 may be on a separate line. In this case, the thermal transfer recording device corresponding to the image receiving layer transfer section is provided with a conveying means for conveying the intermediate transfer recording medium on which an image is formed and an image receiving layer transfer section, and the image receiving layer transfer section is Any of the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 described above can be adopted.

A line heater may be used as the heating means of the image receiving layer transfer portion in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention. In this case, the heating temperature by the line heater is preferably about 50 to 200 ° C.

Further, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the platen and the optical disc lower receiving roller are provided in order to absorb the variation in pressure at the image receiving layer transfer portion at the time of pressurization and bring the heating means and the optical disc into close contact with each other. It is possible to dispose a material having elasticity or cushioning property such as rubber on the receiving surface of the optical disc lower receiving member such as the optical disc lower receiving plate. Further, in the image receiving layer transfer section, the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium and the receiving surface of the optical disc lower receiving member may come into direct contact with each other in a region where the optical disc does not exist at the time of transferring the image receiving layer, and may be heated and pressed. . In this case, when the image receiving layer is transferred to the optical disc lower receiving member, the surface condition of the receiving surface of the optical disc lower receiving member changes, uneven transfer of the image receiving layer occurs, and the intermediate transfer recording medium or the optical disc is conveyed. Disturbance may occur, or the recording surface of the optical disc may be scratched, and other adverse effects may appear. In order to prevent this, the optical disc lower receiving member is formed of a material such as silicon rubber, or a release layer such as silicon rubber is formed on the receiving surface of the optical disc lower receiving member, so that the optical disc lower receiving member is releasable. Can have

In the above-mentioned thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, the image receiving layer is directly transferred to the optical disk. However, when the adhesiveness between the two is insufficient, the image receiving layer is formed on the optical disk through the adhesive layer. It may be transferred. In this case, the adhesive layer may be formed on the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which the image is formed, or the adhesive layer may be previously formed on the optical disc. The adhesive layer may be formed by any method such as a coating method and a transfer method.

As the adhesive to be used, it is preferable to select a material that exhibits adhesiveness by heating.
Thermoplastic resin, natural resin, rubber, wax and the like can be used. More specifically, ethyl cellulose, cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate butyrate, polystyrene, styrene resins such as poly α-methylstyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, acrylic resins such as polyethyl acrylate, poly Vinyl-based resins such as vinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, polyester resin, polyamide resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, ionomer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-
Synthetic resin such as acrylic ester copolymer, rosin as tackifier, rosin-modified maleic acid resin, ester rubber, polyisobutylene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, polyamide resin, polychlorinated olefin, etc. Natural resin and synthetic rubber derivatives, etc., and one or two of these
The adhesive layer can be formed from a composition composed of one or more kinds.

Among optical disks, for example, a compact disk usually has a vapor-deposited layer of aluminum, gold, etc., so that its surface has a metallic luster. In order to hide the metallic luster and make the image formed on the optical disc clearer, the adhesive layer may be white or another color, or a colored layer may be laminated on the adhesive layer.

Next, the intermediate transfer recording medium and the thermal transfer sheet which can be used in the present invention will be described.

First, the intermediate transfer recording medium 21 that can be used in the present invention has the base sheet 2 as shown in FIG.
2 having an image receiving layer 23 formed on one surface thereof, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the image receiving layer 23 is formed on one surface of the base sheet 22, and the back surface layer 2 is formed on the other surface of the base sheet 22.
No. 4 is formed, an image receiving layer 23 is formed on one surface of the base material sheet 22 via a release layer 25 as shown in FIG. 9, and a base is formed as shown in FIG. The image receiving layer 23 may be formed on one surface of the material sheet 22 with the image protective layer 26 interposed therebetween.

Substrate sheet 2 constituting the intermediate transfer recording medium
The base sheet 2 having a micro void layer, such as a polyolefin-based or polystyrene-based synthetic paper, or a base sheet used in a conventional thermal transfer sheet can be used as 2, and there is no particular limitation. Specific examples of preferable substrate sheets include thin paper such as glassine paper, condenser paper, paraffin paper, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, etc. Stretched or unstretched films of plastics such as polyester, polypropylene, polycarbonate, cellulose acetate, polyethylene derivatives, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polyimide, polymethylpentene, ionomer, etc., which have high properties, and laminated materials The ones that have been done are listed.

The thickness of the base sheet 22 can be appropriately selected depending on the material so that the strength, thermal conductivity, heat resistance and the like are appropriate, but normally it is about 1 to 100 μm. Is preferably used.

Image receiving layer 2 constituting the intermediate transfer recording medium
3 comprises at least a binder resin, and various additives such as a release agent may be added if necessary. It is preferable to use a binder resin that is easily dyed by a sublimable dye that is a coloring material, such as polyolefin resin such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, halogenated resin such as polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylic acid ester, Copolymerization of vinyl resins such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene resins, polyamide resins, olefins such as ethylene and propylene and other vinyl monomers. Coalescence, ionomers, cellulose derivatives and the like can be used, and among these, vinyl resins and polyester resins are particularly preferably used.

When the image receiving layer is transferred to the optical disc through the adhesive layer as described above, it is not always necessary to impart heat-sensitive adhesiveness to the image receiving layer itself. Therefore, a resin that is not easily softened by heat can be used as the resin forming the image receiving layer. Further, in order to prevent heat fusion of the image receiving layer to the thermal transfer sheet, it is preferable to add a release agent to the above resin. As the release agent, silicone oil, phosphoric acid ester-based surfactant, fluorine-based compound and the like can be used, and among these, silicone oil is particularly preferably used. The amount of the release agent added is preferably 0.2 to 30 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the binder resin forming the image receiving layer.

The image receiving layer 23 is provided on the base sheet 22.
Inks prepared by adding necessary additives such as a release agent to the above resins and dissolving or dispersing them in a solvent such as water or an organic solvent,
It can be formed by coating by a usual method such as a bar coater, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, a reverse roll coating method using a gravure plate. The coating amount is preferably such that the film thickness after coating and drying is 0.1 to 10 μm.

The back layer 24 of the intermediate transfer recording medium is an image receiving layer of the base sheet 22 for the purpose of preventing heat fusion between the intermediate transfer recording medium and a heating means such as a thermal head and improving slidability. Is provided on the surface opposite to the surface on which is formed.

Examples of the resin used for the back layer 24 include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose, hydroxy cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate and nitrocellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral. , Polyvinyl resins such as polyvinyl acetal and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polyacrylamide, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, polyamide resins, polyvinyltoluene resins, coumarone indene resins, polyesters A simple substance or a mixture of natural or synthetic resins such as a system resin, a polyurethane resin, a silicone-modified urethane, and a fluorine-modified urethane is used.
In order to further improve the heat resistance of the back layer 24, a resin having a hydroxyl group-based reactive group is used among the above resins, and polyisocyanate or the like is used as a crosslinking agent to form a crosslinked resin layer. Is preferred.

Further, in order to provide slidability with a heating means such as a thermal head, a solid or liquid release agent or lubricant may be added to the back surface layer 24 so as to have heat resistant slipping property. Examples of the release agent or lubricant include various waxes such as polyethylene wax and paraffin wax, higher aliphatic alcohols, organopolysiloxanes, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants. It is possible to use an activator, a fluorine-based surfactant, an organic carboxylic acid and its derivative, a fluorine-based resin, a silicone-based resin, fine particles of an inorganic compound such as talc and silica. The amount of the lubricant contained in the back layer 24 is about 5 to 50% by weight, preferably about 10 to 30% by weight, based on the total solid content of the back layer. The back surface layer 24 can be formed by the same method as the above-mentioned image receiving layer 23, and its thickness is preferably about 0.1 to 10 μm.

The release layer 25 provided between the base sheet 22 and the image receiving layer 23 is a layer for controlling the peeling performance of the image receiving layer 23 from the base sheet 22. By providing such a release layer 25, the image receiving layer 23 is separated from the release layer 25, and the release layer 25 becomes the base sheet 22.
Remain on the side.

The release layer 25 is composed of a composition in which a release material is added to the binder resin as needed, or a resin having releasability.

When the release layer 25 is composed of a composition in which a release material is added to a binder resin as required, usable binder resins include polymethyl methacrylate and polymethacrylic acid, which are thermoplastic resins. Ethyl, acrylic resin such as polybutyl acrylate, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol,
Examples thereof include vinyl resins such as polyvinyl butyral, cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose and cellulose acetate, and unsaturated polyester resins, polyester resins, polyurethane resins and aminoalkyd resins which are thermosetting resins. As the release material, waxes, silicone waxes, silicone resins, melamine resins, fluorine resins, talc, fine silica powder, lubricants such as surfactants and metal soaps, and the like can be used. The release layer 25 can be formed by a method similar to that for the image receiving layer 23 using a composition obtained by adding the above-mentioned release material to one or more of the above resins, and the thickness thereof is 0. 1 to 5 μm is preferable.

When the release layer 25 is made of a resin having a releasing property, a silicone resin, a melamine resin,
Fluorine resin can be used, and a graft polymer in which a releasable segment such as polysiloxane segment or fluorocarbon segment is grafted into a resin molecule such as acrylic resin, vinyl resin or polyester resin may be used. Can be formed in the same manner as the image receiving layer 23 by using a composition in which the above-mentioned releasing material is added to one or more of the above resins, and the thickness thereof is 0.1 to 5 μm. preferable.

The image protection layer 26 provided between the base sheet 22 and the image receiving layer 23 is a layer for protecting the image receiving layer 23 transferred onto the optical disk together with the image. The image protection layer 26 is transferred onto the optical disc together with the image receiving layer 23, is located on the outermost surface of the image receiving layer on the optical disc, and improves the weather resistance of the image and the durability against fingerprints and chemicals.

The image protective layer 26 is composed of at least a binder resin, has a proper peeling relationship with the base sheet 32, and protects the surface of the image receiving layer 23 after being transferred to the optical disk together with the image receiving layer 23. A resin composition having a desired physical property is selected as the layer. In general, ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, acrylic resin such as polybutyl acrylate, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, Thermoplastic resin of vinyl polymer such as polyvinyl butyral, unsaturated polyester resin, polyurethane resin,
A thermosetting resin such as an aminoalkyd resin can be used. When abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and stain resistance are particularly required for the image transferred onto the optical disc, an ionizing radiation curable resin can be used as the resin for the image protective layer. Further, a lubricant for improving the scratch resistance of the image A, a surfactant for preventing contamination, an ultraviolet absorber for improving weather resistance, an antioxidant, etc. may be added to the above resin. The image protective layer 26 can be formed by the same method as the image receiving layer 23, and the thickness is preferably 0.1 to 20 μm.

Next, the thermal transfer sheet that can be used in the present invention will be described. In the present invention, either a heat-sensitive melting transfer method or a heat-sensitive sublimation transfer method can be used.

The heat transfer sheet of the heat-sensitive melting heat transfer system is a heat transfer sheet in which a color material layer made of heat melting ink is carried on a base sheet such as a plastic film. The thermal transfer sheet of the thermal sublimation transfer system is a thermal transfer sheet in which a color material layer obtained by melting or dispersing a sublimable dye used as a color material in a binder resin is carried on a base material sheet such as a plastic film.

As the base material sheet constituting the thermal transfer sheet, the base material sheet used for the above-mentioned intermediate transfer recording medium can be used as it is, and the thickness is preferably about 1 to 100 μm.

The color material layer of the heat transfer sheet of the heat-sensitive melting heat transfer system is a layer made of a color material such as a pigment or a dye and wax or a thermoplastic resin.

On the other hand, the color material layer of the heat transfer sheet of the heat-sensitive sublimation transfer system is a layer composed of a sublimable dye and a binder resin, and the dye sublimated / migrated by heat serves as a color material forming an image. As the sublimable dye, the dye used in the conventional thermal transfer sheet can be used as it is and is not particularly limited. Further, the binder resin, for example, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose,
Examples thereof include cellulose-based resins such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinylpyrrolidone, vinyl-based resins such as polyacrylamide, and polyester. Among these, cellulose-based, acetal-based, butyral-based, polyester-based and the like are particularly preferable from the viewpoint of heat resistance, dye transferability and the like. Also,
In addition to the above-mentioned dye and binder resin, various conventionally known additives may be contained in the dye layer, if necessary.

Further, on the surface of the base material sheet of the thermal transfer sheet opposite to the surface on which the color material layer is formed, heat fusion between the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal head is prevented, and slidability is improved. Thus, a back layer may be provided. This back layer can be the same as the back layer provided in the above-mentioned intermediate transfer recording medium, and the description thereof is omitted here.

In the present invention, the heat-sensitive sublimation transfer system may be used in combination with the heat-sensitive melt transfer system heat transfer sheet in image formation using the heat transfer sheet.

In the present invention, examples of the optical disk to be subjected to thermal transfer recording include optical disks such as compact disks, laser disks, magneto-optical disks, phase change optical disks and the like. Polycarbonate is mainly used in compact discs and glass is mainly used in magneto-optical discs as a material forming various optical discs, but the present invention does not limit the material of the optical discs. Further, according to the present invention, a clear and high-definition image, character, or symbol is formed in a predetermined area on one surface or a predetermined area on each of both surfaces of an optical disc made of any material. be able to.

[0067]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer of the thermal transfer sheet is transferred to the intermediate transfer recording medium by the thermal head which is heated according to the image data. Images and characters, which are transferred to the image receiving layer
A symbol is formed, and this image, etc., has a thermal head, a line heater, a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., and a conveyance speed of 5 to 1
A heat roller having a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., a pressure contact time of 0.3 to 20 seconds, and a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² are provided. Recording is performed by being transferred to the optical disc together with the image receiving layer by the heating means, so full-color images, etc. with higher definition and sharpness compared to conventional screen printing or offset printing can be recorded on the optical disc without damaging the optical disc. In addition, it is possible to record the data in a small lot, and there is an effect that the cost is not increased and the production efficiency is not reduced even in the case of a small lot.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

5 is a perspective view showing an example of a patterned heat roller that constitutes the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram for explaining transfer of an image receiving layer in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an intermediate transfer recording medium that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the intermediate transfer recording medium that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of an intermediate transfer recording medium that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the intermediate transfer recording medium that can be used in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Thermal transfer recording apparatus 2 ... Intermediate transfer recording medium conveying means 4 ... Thermal transfer sheet conveying means 6 ... Image forming part 7 ... Thermal head 8 ... Platen 9 ... Image receiving layer transfer part 10 ... Thermal head 11 ... Optical disc lower receiving roller 12 ... Heat roller 13 ... Hot stamper 14 ... Optical disc lower receiving plate 15 ... Patterned heat roller 21 ... Intermediate transfer recording medium 22 ... Base material sheet 23 ... Image receiving layer 24 ... Back layer 25 ... Release layer 26 ... Image protection Layer 31 ... Thermal transfer sheet 32 ... Base material sheet 33 ... Color material layer

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G11B 23/38 7416-2H B41M 5/26 101

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A thermal transfer sheet having at least a coloring material layer provided on one surface of a base sheet, and an intermediate transfer recording medium having at least an image receiving layer provided on one surface of the base sheet. The thermal head and the platen roller are brought into pressure contact with each other so that the material layer and the image receiving layer overlap each other, and the thermal head is caused to generate heat in accordance with the image data to generate the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer. An image is formed by transferring to the image receiving layer, and then a thermal head, a line heater, a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., and a transport speed of 5 to 10 are used.
0 mm / sec heat roller and surface temperature 5
An image formed on the intermediate transfer recording medium by using any of hot stampers having a pressure contact time of 0 to 200 ° C. for 0.3 to 20 seconds and a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ^2. Is transferred onto the optical disk together with the image receiving layer to perform recording. 2. The thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein a patterned heat roller is used as the heat roller. 3. The thermal transfer recording according to claim 2, wherein the rotation of the patterned heat roller and the conveyance of the optical disk are synchronized to align the transfer of the image receiving layer on which an image is formed. Method. 4. A transfer means for transferring a thermal transfer sheet having at least a color material layer provided on one surface of a base sheet, and an intermediate transfer having at least an image receiving layer provided on one surface of the base sheet. Conveying means for conveying a recording medium, the thermal transfer sheet having a thermal head and a platen roller and the intermediate transfer recording medium are conveyed so that the color material layer and the image receiving layer are overlapped with each other. A thermal contact is made between the head and the platen roller, and the thermal head is heated according to image data to transfer the heat transferable color material contained in the color material layer to the image receiving layer to form an image. The image forming portion and the intermediate transfer recording medium on which the image is formed and the optical disc are overlapped, and the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which the image is formed is transferred onto the optical disc by heating means. And an image receiving layer transfer portion for controlling the heating means, the heating means includes a thermal head, a line heater, a surface temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., and a conveying speed of 5 to 100.
mm / sec heat roller and surface temperature 50
A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: a hot stamper having a pressure contact time of 0.3 to 20 seconds at a temperature of ˜200 ° C. and a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² . 5. A conveying means for conveying an intermediate transfer recording medium having at least an image receiving layer on one surface of a base sheet and having an image formed on the image receiving layer by a heat transferable coloring material, The heating means includes at least an image receiving layer transfer section for superposing the conveyed intermediate transfer recording medium and the optical disc, and transferring the image receiving layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium on which an image is formed onto the optical disc by heating means. Is a thermal head, line heater, surface temperature is 50 ~ 200 ℃
A heat roller with a conveyance speed of 5 to 100 mm / sec.
Also, the surface temperature is 50 to 200 ° C. and the pressure welding time is 0.3.
A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising any one of hot stampers having a pressure contact pressure of 0.1 to 5.0 kg / cm ² in about 20 seconds. 6. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heat roller is a patterned heat roller. 7. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a mechanism for synchronizing the rotation of the heat roller and the conveyance of the optical disk. 8. The image receiving layer transfer section is provided with an optical disk lower receiving member at a position facing the heating means via the intermediate transfer recording medium and an optical disk, and the receiving surface of the optical disk lower receiving member is releasable. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: 9. The image receiving layer transfer section is provided with an optical disk lower receiving member at a position facing the heating means via the intermediate transfer recording medium and the optical disk, and the receiving surface of the optical disk lower receiving member has a cushioning property. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 8, comprising: