JPH11157229A - Thermal transfer recording sheet with adhesive mass layer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture a thermal transfer recording sheet which is stuck easily on another product after the formation of an image. SOLUTION: A thermal transfer recording sheet 1 with an adhesive mass layer is used by being combined with a thermal transfer sheet with a dye layer containing a dye sublimed by heat and transferred, and an acceptive layer 3 for accepting a dye transferred from a transfer sheet with the dye layer containing substantially synthetic resin only is formed on one face of a sheet- shaped based 2, while an adhesive mass layer 4 is formed on the other face of the sheet-shaped base 2, and a releasable sheet 6 is sucked on the surface of the adhesive mass layer 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat transfer sheet which is used in combination with a heat transfer sheet and can be easily attached to various articles after transfer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer containing a sublimable disperse dye is heated by a thermal head or the like in a dot-like manner in accordance with an image signal, and an image comprising a dye transferred to the surface of a resin-coated paper. Attempts have been made to form

However, in the case of a conventional heat transfer sheet, in the case of simple image formation or facsimile use, recording on the sheet is sufficient as long as it can be used. However, it is inconvenient to attach it to other articles after image formation. there were.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks in the prior art and to make it easy to attach an image to another article after image formation.

[0005]

According to the present invention, "a heat transfer sheet having a dye layer containing a dye which is sublimated and transferred by heat is used in combination, Containing only a synthetic resin, having a receiving layer for receiving a dye migrating from the transfer sheet, the heat transfer sheet characterized by having an adhesive layer on the other surface of the sheet substrate " By adopting the characteristic configuration, the above-described drawbacks in the related art can be solved.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a heat transfer sheet 1 of the present invention has a sheet-like substrate 2 having a receiving layer 3 on the upper surface and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 4 on the lower surface. I have.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat transfer sheet 1 has an intermediate layer 5 between the sheet-like substrate 2 and the receiving layer 3, and by providing the intermediate layer, the surface at the time of image formation is provided. Can improve the heat insulating property and cushioning property.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the release sheet 6 is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat transfer sheet shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the heat transfer sheet is stacked or wound up. Can also be prevented from becoming unusable by bonding to each other. Although not shown in the drawing, a release sheet can be similarly attached to the heat transfer sheet of FIG.

In FIG. 4, a heat transfer sheet with a release sheet as shown in FIG. 3 is punched out by half-punching from the receiving layer side, leaving only the release sheet. When the release sheet is peeled off, a label-shaped heat transfer sheet having a predetermined shape and dimensions can be obtained.
Note that, as described above, a large number of areas having a predetermined shape may be formed and peeled off one by one. However, a large number of areas having a predetermined shape may be formed at intervals, or one area may be formed. It is also possible to form a label for each sheet. In any of the above cases, necessary printing of columns, frames, characters, and the like may be performed in advance so as to be visible from the receiving layer side.

(Sheet-like substrate) The sheet-like substrate 2 is made of synthetic paper (polyolefin, polystyrene, etc.), woodfree paper, art paper, coated paper, cast-coated paper, wallpaper, backing paper, synthetic resin or emulsion. Natural plastic paper such as impregnated paper, synthetic rubber latex impregnated paper, synthetic resin internal paper, paperboard, or cellulose fiber paper, and various plastic films or sheets such as polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, methacrylate, and polycarbonate. Can be used. Among them, synthetic paper is preferable because it has a microvoid layer having low thermal conductivity (in other words, high heat insulation) on its surface. In addition, a laminate formed by any combination of the above-mentioned (1) to (5) can also be used. Typical examples of the laminate include a laminate of cellulose fiber paper and synthetic paper, or a laminate of cellulose fiber paper and a plastic film or sheet. Among them, the laminated body of cellulose fiber paper and synthetic paper has a high printing thermal sensitivity due to the low thermal conductivity of synthetic paper which compensates for the thermal instability (such as expansion and contraction) of synthetic paper. Can be demonstrated. In this combination, in order to balance the front and back of the laminate, a three-layer laminate of synthetic paper, cellulose fiber paper, and synthetic paper is preferably used, and curling due to printing can be reduced.

As the synthetic paper used for the above-mentioned laminate, any one can be used as long as it can be used as a base material of a sheet to be heat-transferred. Particularly, a paper-like layer having fine pores is provided. Synthetic paper (for example, commercially available synthetic paper; Yupo; manufactured by Oji Yuka Synthetic Paper) is desirable. The fine pores in the paper-like layer can be formed, for example, by stretching a synthetic resin in a state containing a fine filler. A heat transfer sheet formed using synthetic paper provided with a paper-like layer containing the fine pores has an effect that, when an image is formed by thermal transfer, the image density is high and the image does not vary.

This has a heat insulating effect due to the fine pores,
The good thermal energy efficiency and the good cushioning property due to the fine pores are considered to contribute to the receiving layer provided on the synthetic paper and on which an image is formed. It is also possible to directly provide the paper-like layer containing the fine pores on the surface of a core material such as cellulose fiber paper.

A plastic film can be used in addition to the cellulose fiber paper in the above-mentioned laminate, and a laminate of the above-mentioned cellulose fiber paper and a plastic film can also be used.

Examples of the method of attaching the synthetic paper to the cellulose fiber paper include, for example, pasting using a conventionally known adhesive, pasting using an extrusion laminating method, and pasting by thermal bonding. Examples of the method of attaching the synthetic paper and the plastic film include a laminating method and a calendaring method which simultaneously form the plastic film. The sticking means is appropriately selected according to the material of the material to be stuck to the synthetic paper. Specific examples of the adhesive include an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an emulsion adhesive such as polyvinyl acetate, a water-soluble adhesive such as a polyester containing a carboxyl group or the like, and an adhesive for lamination. Examples thereof include adhesives of an organic solvent solution type such as polyurethane and acrylic.

(Receiving Layer) The material constituting the receiving layer 3 is a layer for receiving (receiving) an image of a dye transferred from the thermal transfer sheet, for example, a sublimable disperse dye, and maintaining the image formed by the reception. It is. For example, the following (a) to (e)
Can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

(A) Those having an ester bond. Polyester resin, polyacrylate resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl acetate resin, styrene acrylate resin, vinyl toluene acrylate resin.

(B) Those having a urethane bond. Polyurethane resin and the like.

(C) Those having an amide bond. Polyamide resin (nylon).

(D) Those having a urea bond. Urea resin and the like.

(E) Others having a highly polar bond. Polycaprolactone resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyacrylonitrile resin, etc. Alternatively, the receiving layer 3 is composed of a mixed resin of a saturated polyester and a vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer. Examples of the saturated polyester include Byron 200, Byron 290, Byron 600, etc. (all manufactured by Toyobo), KA-
1038C (Arakawa Chemical), TP220, TP235
(Nippon Gosei).

The vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer resin is
With a vinyl chloride component content of 85 to 97% by weight and a degree of polymerization of 20
Those having about 0 to 800 are preferable. The vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer resin is not necessarily limited to a copolymer of only a vinyl chloride component and a vinyl acetate copolymer component, but may contain a vinyl alcohol component, a maleic acid component and the like.

The receiving layer 3 may also be composed of a polystyrene resin, for example, a styrene monomer, for example, a polystyrene resin composed of a homopolymer or a copolymer of styrene, α-methylstyrene and vinyltoluene, or The styrenic monomer and other monomers,
For example, a styrene-based copolymer resin which is a copolymer with an acrylic or methacrylic monomer such as an acrylic ester, a methacrylic ester, acrylonitrile, and methacrylonitrile, or with maleic anhydride is exemplified.

In any of the above embodiments, the receiving layer 3 is desirably substantially composed of only a synthetic resin.

This is because if a filler is added to a synthetic resin for the purpose of improving whiteness, coating suitability, etc., the glossiness of the surface of the receptor layer is insufficient, and after forming an image as in the present invention, This is because, when the sheet is attached to the above article, it is desirable that the attached sheet has a higher gloss.

In order to further enhance the light fastness of the transferred image, one or more additives such as an ultraviolet absorber, a light stabilizer, or an antioxidant may be added to the receiving layer as needed. Can be. The amount of addition of these ultraviolet absorbers and light stabilizers is preferably about 0.05 to 10 parts by weight and about 0.5 to 3 parts by weight, respectively, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the resin constituting the receptor layer 3.

(Adhesive layer) The adhesive layer 4 in the present invention
Is for sticking the heat transfer sheet after image formation to another article.

As the pressure-sensitive adhesive, a polyacrylate-based one or a rubber-based one can be used. Thereby, after image formation, it is easy to stick to other articles, the image quality is good, the curl after printing and the curl in high / low humidity environment preservation are excellent, and the "half blanking" process is performed. Adhesive does not adhere to the blade when it is used, so it has excellent production stability.Furthermore, since the adhesive does not protrude from the sheet edge of the sheet to be heat-transferred, poor conveyance in the printer and adhesion of dirt and dust to the surface of the receiving layer This makes it possible to avoid the problem of poor printing due to the above.

Since the heat transfer sheets may be adhered to each other by the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer when they are stacked or rolled up, if a release agent layer is provided on the outermost surface on the receiving layer side of the heat transfer sheet, Such undesired adhesion can be prevented. Alternatively, if a release film such as a polyethylene film or a release sheet such as a silicone release paper is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, undesirable adhesion can be similarly prevented.

The heat transfer sheet of the present invention can contain a release agent in the receiving layer in order to improve the releasability from the heat transfer sheet. Examples of the release agent include solid waxes such as polyethylene wax, amide wax, and Teflon powder; fluorine-based and phosphate-based surfactants; silicone oil; and the like, but silicone oil is preferred.

As the silicone oil, an oily one can be used, but a hardening type is preferred. Examples of the curable silicone oil include a reaction curable type, a photocurable type, and a catalyst curable type, and a reaction curable type silicone oil is particularly preferable. As the reaction-curable silicone oil, those obtained by reaction-curing an amino-modified silicone oil and an epoxy-modified silicone oil are preferable. As the amino-modified silicone oil, KF-39 is used.
3, KF-857, KF-858, X-22-368
0, X-22-3801C (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.)
And KF-100T, KF-101, and KF-60-1 as epoxy-modified silicone oils.
64, KF-103 (all manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) and the like. KS-705F and KS-770 are catalyst-curable or photocurable silicone oils.
(Above, catalyst-curable silicone oil: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), KS-720, KS-774 (above, photo-curable silicone oil: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) and the like. The addition amount of these curable silicone oils is preferably 0.5 to 30% by weight of the resin constituting the image receiving layer.
Alternatively, the release agent may be provided by dissolving or dispersing the release agent in an appropriate solvent on a part of the surface of the receiving layer 3, followed by drying and the like. As the release agent constituting the release agent, the above-mentioned cured product of the amino-modified silicone oil and the epoxy-modified silicone oil is particularly preferable. The thickness of the release agent layer is 0.01 to 5 μm, particularly 0.1 μm.
It is preferably from 0.5 to 2 μm.

If a silicone oil is added when forming the receiving layer, the release agent layer can be formed even after the silicone oil is bleeded to the surface after application and then cured.

The above-mentioned white pigment, ultraviolet absorber, light stabilizer, antioxidant, and mold release agent can be applied so as to be contained in the receiving layer on one or both surfaces as required.

The receiving layer 3 is formed on the sheet-like substrate 2 by
Using a composition for forming a receptor layer obtained by dissolving or dispersing a material for forming a receptor layer, in addition to performing the coating or printing method in a known manner, the composition is formed on a temporary carrier separate from the sheet-like substrate 2. Once formed, sheet-like substrate 2
It may be performed by a method of transferring onto the top.

As the temporary carrier, a sheet whose surface is releasable is used. For example, those obtained by applying a release silicone layer after applying an undercoat layer to the surface of cellulose fiber paper or synthetic paper, those obtained by extrusion coating a polyolefin resin or polyester resin on the surface of cellulose fiber paper, or And a plastic film such as a polyester film having a release silicone layer formed on the surface thereof.

On the temporary carrier, a sheet-like substrate 2
After forming the receiving layer in the same manner as above, an adhesive layer is formed if necessary. This adhesive layer is for securing the adhesive force between the sheet-like substrate 2 and the receiving layer 3 when the image receiving layer is transferred onto the sheet-like substrate 2.
In this method, another layer, for example, an intermediate layer that imparts cushioning property or the like is formed on the temporary carrier,
The intermediate layer and the receiving layer may be transferred onto the sheet-like substrate 2 at a time. When the intermediate layer also serves as an adhesive, the adhesive layer need not be formed on the temporary carrier.
In any case, the adhesive layer may be interposed between the sheet-like base material and the uppermost layer on the temporary carrier, so that the adhesive layer is formed on the sheet-like base material 2 in advance. Alternatively, only the receiving layer or the receiving layer and the intermediate layer may be formed on the temporary carrier in order and then transferred.

When the method of forming the receiving layer 3 on the temporary carrier once and forming it on the sheet-like substrate 2 by the transfer method is adopted, the surface of the receiving layer formed on the sheet-like substrate 2 becomes Since the state of the surface of the temporary carrier is transferred, the smoothness is very excellent, and the sheet-like substrate 2
The receiving layer directly formed thereon has poor smoothness as compared with that obtained by the transfer method, and when a clearer and more detailed image is to be obtained, the transfer method is preferably employed.

Any adhesive can be used as long as it can bond the receptor layer and the base material. Examples thereof include polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chlorides, polyolefins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and the like. Organic solvent solutions or emulsions such as synthetic rubbers can be used. The adhesive may be a heat bonding type or a room temperature adhesive type. In the case of the heat bonding type, heat bonding with a hot melt type adhesive such as wax, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyolefin, petroleum resin, or sandwich lamination with an extrusion film such as a polyolefin film may be used.

A double-sided tape may be used as the adhesive also serving as the intermediate layer. The double-sided tape is obtained by impregnating rayon paper with an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive and drying. The dried double-sided tape has fine pores, and seems to play a role equivalent to a foamed layer.

(Intermediate Layer) The intermediate layer 4 is either a cushioning layer or a porous layer depending on the constituent material, or may also serve as an adhesive in some cases.

The cushioning layer is mainly made of a resin having a 100% modulus specified in JIS-K-6301 of 100 kg / cm ² or less.
If the 0% modulus exceeds 100 kg / cm ² , the rigidity is too high, so that even if an intermediate layer is formed using such a resin, sufficient adhesion between the thermal transfer sheet and the layer to be thermally transferred is maintained. Absent. The lower limit of the 100% modulus is practically about 0.5 kg / cm ² .

Examples of the resin meeting the above conditions include the following.

Polyurethane resin Polyester resin Polybutadiene resin Polyacrylate resin Epoxy resin Polyamide resin Rosin modified phenol resin Terpene phenol resin Ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer resin The above resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. However, the above resin is relatively tacky, so if there is a problem during processing, inorganic additives,
For example, an amide-based substance such as silica, alumina, clay, calcium carbonate, or stearic acid amide may be added.

The cushioning layer is prepared by kneading the above-mentioned resin with a solvent or diluent, if necessary, together with other additives to form a paint or ink, and drying it as a coating film by a known coating method or printing method. And the thickness is 0.5 to 50 μm, more preferably 2 to 50 μm.
It is about 20 μm. When the thickness is 0.5 μm, the surface roughness of the sheet-like base material provided cannot be completely absorbed, and therefore, there is no effect. When the thickness exceeds 50 μm, not only the effect is not improved but also the receiving layer portion becomes thick. They are too protruding, hindering winding and stacking, and are not economical.

It is considered that the formation of such an intermediate layer improves the adhesiveness between the thermal transfer sheet and the heat transfer sheet because the intermediate layer itself is low in rigidity and is deformed by pressure during printing. Further, the resin as described above usually has a low glass transition point and softening point, and due to the heat energy given at the time of printing, it also contributes to being less rigid than at room temperature and being easily deformed. Presumed.

The porous layer is formed by applying a liquid obtained by bubbling a synthetic resin emulsion such as a polyurethane or a synthetic rubber latex such as a methyl methacrylate-butadiene system by mechanical stirring onto the base material 2 and drying it. Emulsion, a mixture of the above synthetic rubber latex and a foaming agent mixed with a foaming agent are applied on the substrate 2, and the foamed agent is mixed with a dried layer, a synthetic resin such as vinyl chloride plastisol or polyurethane, or a synthetic rubber such as a styrene-butadiene system. Base material 2
The layer foamed by applying and heating on top, a solution in which a thermoplastic resin or a synthetic rubber is dissolved in an organic solvent, is less likely to evaporate than the organic solvent, has compatibility with the organic solvent, and Non-solvents that do not dissolve in thermoplastic resin or synthetic rubber (including those mainly composed of water)
A microporous layer formed by applying a mixed solution of the above on the base material 2 and drying to form a micro-aggregated film is used. In the above layers (1) to (4), since the size of bubbles is large, when a solution for forming the receiving layer 3 is applied on the layer and dried, the surface of the receiving layer 3 formed by drying may have irregularities. . Therefore, the receiving layer 3 capable of transferring an image with small irregularities and high uniformity.
In order to obtain the surface, it is preferable to provide the above-mentioned microporous layer as a porous layer.

As the thermoplastic resin used for forming the microporous layer, saturated polyester, polyurethane, vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer, cellulose acetate propionate and the like can be mentioned. Examples of the rubber include styrene-butadiene-based, isoprene-based, and urethane-based rubbers. Various organic solvents and non-solvents can be used for forming the microporous layer, and hydrophilic solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone and alcohol are usually used as the organic solvent, and water is used as the non-solvent. Is used.

The thickness of the porous layer in the present invention is preferably 3 μm or more, particularly preferably 5 to 20 μm. When the thickness of the porous layer is less than 3 μm, the cushioning and heat insulating effects are not exhibited.

Although the description has been made before and after, as described in the description of the method for forming the receiving layer, the intermediate layer may also serve as the adhesive in some cases.

In order to suppress the generation of static electricity during the processing step of the heat transfer sheet or during running in the printer, an antistatic agent may be contained in at least one of the receiving layers or on the surface of the receiving layer. Examples of the antistatic agent include surfactants such as cationic surfactants (for example, quaternary ammonium salts and polyamine derivatives), anionic surfactants (for example, alkyl phosphate and the like), amphoteric surfactants and nonionic surfactants. Surfactants and the like.

The antistatic agent may be formed on the surface of the receptor layer by gravure coating, bar coating, or the like, or may be kneaded into the resin of the receptor layer and transferred to the surface of the receptor layer during coating and drying of the receptor layer. . A cationic acrylic polymer can also be used as an antistatic agent to be mixed with the receiving layer resin.

[0051]

Since the heat transfer sheet of the present invention has an adhesive layer on the back surface and a release sheet on the surface of the adhesive layer, it can be easily attached to other articles after image formation. In addition, the image quality is good, and the curl after printing and the curl under high / low humidity environment storage can be excellent.

(Application Example of the Invention) The heat transfer sheet of the present invention can be used for forming a face photograph of a simple ID card, a face photograph of a business card, painting on a telephone card, premium, postcard, window advertisement, telephone The present invention can be applied to decorative signs, various decorative articles, tags, product description labels, stationery labels, indexes for audio cassettes and video cassettes, and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a heat transfer sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a heat transfer sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer sheet of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Heat transfer sheet, 2 ... Sheet-like base material, 3 ... Reception layer,
4 ... adhesive layer, 5 ... intermediate layer, 6 ... release sheet, 7 ... half blank

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. The transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer material is used in combination with a thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer containing a dye that sublimates and transfers by heat, and the sheet-like base material includes substantially only synthetic resin on one surface. An adhesive characterized in that it has a receiving layer that receives a dye migrating from the sheet, has an adhesive layer on the other surface of the sheet substrate, and a release sheet is attached to the surface of the adhesive layer. Thermal transfer sheet with agent layer. 2. The heat transfer sheet according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate layer between the sheet-like substrate and the receiving layer.