JPS58188690A - Repeatedly usable color heat transfer ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the titled ribbon capable of fabricating a color image easily and inexpensively, obtained by providing an ink holding layer having plural microporous structures respectively containing heat sensitive transferrable inks having different colors on a substrate. CONSTITUTION:Ink holding layers 9, 10, 11 having microporous network structures respectively containing each heat sensitive transferrable inks having mutually different colors such as yellow, magnenta and cyan are successively provided on a base film 8 being a substrate so as to leave predetermined gaps A therebetween to obtain an objective ribbon. In this case, the ink holding layers 9, 10, 11 are arranged so as to be opposed to a copy sheet 13 and printing is carried out from the back surface of the base film 8 by a heating head 14.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to ribbons for multiple color thermal transfer.

For more details, see Heat-sensitive pudding that can be printed in color! It is suitable for use with multiple color #+1 transfer ribbons.

In recent years, thermal printers and thermal facsimile machines have been used more and more because of their advantages such as easy removal and low cost. Such thermal printers and thermal factor t') usually use ribbons or carbon paper, which are made by coating a thermal transfer ink on a base material, as printing media, and the robustness of the resulting printed image is improved. Various proposals have been made to do so.

On the other hand, in the field of thermal printers and thermal facsimiles, there is a strong desire to put into practical use thermal printers and color facsimiles that can perform color printing in addition to conventional single-color (for example, black or blue) copying.

Color printing methods include, for example, the usual Mayblighter Nodotokame impact printer method that applies two colors of ink and uses a Kufu ribbon, or the inkjet printer method that uses more than one inkjet head to eject the ink. However, the former has the drawbacks of high noise and slow printing speed, while the latter uses a method that ejects ink from a small nozzle, which tends to cause problems such as clogging, and reduces the amount of ink ejected. Since it must be controlled, the device itself becomes complicated and expensive, and it has drawbacks such as being complicated to handle.

Recently, in order to provide a color printing method that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks, a color printing method has been proposed that applies the principles of color television, color photo transmission, etc.

An outline of this color printing method is shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, / is a color original, λ here and 23 are filters, and each filter 2/, 22.23 separates the colors, and the round can g11 is then read by a phototube 3/, 32.33. They are sent from the transmitter≠ to the receiver j as a yellow signal Y, a cyan signal C, and a magenta signal M, respectively.
The receiving device separates the signals again and transmits them to the printer 6, where the printer reproduces a color σ image on the copy sheet.

However, in such a color printing method, consideration is being given to using a thermal printer as the printer 6, which is low cost, easy to handle, produces less noise, and is capable of high-speed printing.

As a printing medium used in such thermal printers, multiple colors of S thermal transfer ink are applied onto a base film.
A color thermal transfer ribbon has been proposed that melts and transfers these inks onto a copy sheet using a thermal head, but this ribbon has thermal transfer properties equivalent to the printed area on the base film in one use. The drawback is that the ink transfers, making it difficult to use it many times. In order to make a large number of rolled color copying tubes, a large number of sheets are required, a large amount of money is required for color copying, and it is complicated to replace ribbons, which is extremely inefficient. Various problems remain.

However, the present inventors have found that at least 41. The above drawbacks are eliminated by arranging λ ink-retaining layers in parallel with gaps such that they do not touch each other, and each ink-retaining layer containing a different color of heat-sensitive transferable ink,
We have discovered a new fact that it is possible to provide a ribbon for color aging and thickness that can be used many times.

Hereinafter, the multi-color heat-transformed military ribbon of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

1st @ is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line x-X of Figure 1I1, and Fig. 3 is a ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer of the present invention. A schematic plan view and a road diagram showing other embodiments of the ribbon are schematic explanatory diagrams illustrating a method of producing a color image using the ribbon for color heat transfer shown in FIG. 3.

The thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention has different colors such as yellow, magenta, and cyan in the length direction of the base film t, which is the base material, as shown in Figures 11 and 2, for example. The retention layers y, to, and/or each containing a thermal transfer ink and having a porous network structure are provided with a predetermined barrier, or as shown in FIG. 3, these yellow, magenta - An ink holding layer containing each cyan heat-sensitive transferable ink? , IO1/1IC1A, further contains a heat-sensitive transferable ink having a black color, and a fine porous network structure and an ink retaining layer/2 are sequentially provided with predetermined gaps in the same manner as described above. .

The above yellow, magenta and cyan are all colored filters (blue) in normal color printing.

It is formed by a coloring agent used to separate the colors (green and red) and reproduce them, and by mixing or overlapping these two colors, orange, purple, edges, etc. are formed. and contains colorants such as carbon black and nigrosin paste,
This ink is used because it is difficult to reproduce clear black with a mixture of cyan, magenta and yellow.

As described above, the ink-retaining layer contains each heat-sensitive transferable ink having a color KA.

The thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention, in which io, ii, /2 are formed and set on a base film 1, has a supplementary ink-retaining layer, for example, as shown in FIG. , /0° II and 12 are arranged to face a copy sheet (J) of plain paper, etc., and are printed from the back side of the base film t by one or more heating heads l≠.

The copy sheet 13 is driven to move in the input direction in synchronization with the movement of the heating head l≠, for example, in the B direction. Further, the heating head 1 is driven by each color pulse signal of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black if necessary from the printer device so as to generate heat at the copy sheet position corresponding to each color, and base film t1&: 10. Apply heat-sensitive transfer ink of corresponding color to each ink-retaining layer. //or melted and exuded from 12 and transferred onto a copy sheet 13 to form a desired color image (not shown). Accordingly, it can be moved in the O direction.

Alternatively, the copy sheet 13 and the heating head/44 may be moved in opposite directions.

In the present invention, the ink retaining layers 7 to 12 are heated by heat Wl by instantaneous heating and pressure from the heating head l≠ during printing.
! It oozes out an appropriate amount of the melted ink and transfers the color 1itir* onto the copy sheet 13, using a synthetic and heated head/4 (
It is necessary that the porous structure is not destroyed even when subjected to instantaneous heating and pressurization by Examples of the synthetic resin that forms the ink retaining layer include nylon resin-polyester resin-ateptal resin, phenol resin, and acrylic acid ester resin.

Fluororesin, polycarbonate 11 resin, epoxy resin
The ink-retaining layer is made of polysulfone resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinylidene chloride resin, butyral Ilt resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, etc. that can withstand heat resistance temperatures of to''c or higher. Toluene, xylene along with a thermal transfer ink composition.

Dissolve in a volatile solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone or a mixture of the volatile solvent and a low-volatility agent such as heptane, apply the resulting #I solution to the base film, and evaporate the solvent. , or a plastisol dispersion obtained by dispersing them in a non-volatile weighting agent such as diotaterphthalate or tricresyl phosphate, is applied onto the base film l, heated and then cooled. The ink retaining layer contains p, p'-oxy-bis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazi)'), NIN'-dimederu N, N'-dinitron terephmeric acid i, cyacyanobenzene, nonitrone bentamete. The synthetic resin is foamed on top of the base film using a foaming agent such as lentetramine, or an inorganic powder such as common salt or an organic powder such as starch is mixed into the resin, and then the base film is cured or solidified on top. It can also be formed by eluting the inorganic or organic powder with an eluting solvent such as water after incubation.

Furthermore, the synthetic 411 fat 9 salt powder 9 foaming agent and the volatile solvent or cough volatilization agent and low! ! 11. In addition to mixing with a volatile solvent, a volatile solvent and a low-volatility ulcer agent are sequentially evaporated, and the mixture is heated and foamed, and the salt powder is evaporated to form the ink-retaining layer. You may let them.

In the present invention, a KI stiffening undercoating layer (not shown) is provided on these base films to improve the adhesion between the ink-retaining layer 1 and the base film t, and the undercoating is Two to one ink retaining layers may be provided on each layer at predetermined intervals.

Examples of materials for such an undercoating layer include polyester, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer,
Examples include hard-wearing resins such as acrylic double resin and vinyl chloride resin, or thermosetting 1fBk resins, but these resins 1iI forming the undercoating layer do not particularly require heat resistance.

The heat-sensitive transfer ink and the stain form an ink-retaining layer.

A vehicle that is non-bath-friendly to the NVC and a yellow that is dissolved or dispersed in the cough vehicle.

An ink containing dyes or pigments such as cyan and 1 Zenda, which can be heated at p% 0-/20"C, is preferably used. However, at least the resistance of the resin is
It is necessary to melt within the L degree range, and it is preferable that the ink has a melting point that is at least j"c lower than this heat-resistant temperature. Such a heat-melting ink is
The heat-sensitive transfer ink of each color oozes out from each ink holding layer by the transfer pressure (approximately 1!O to % 00 N/(to) 8) applied by the heating head 1. , a color image is formed on the copy sheet IJ. However, since the thermal transfer ink is non-fluid at room temperature, it does not transfer under pressure such as pen pressure, and does not stain hands or clothes.

Examples of the vehicle include carnauba wax, auriki wax, paraffin wax, Z wax,
Synthetic waxes such as ceresin wax, spermaceti natural wax, low molecular weight polyethylene, oxidized wax, and ester wax, fluoropylene gellicol monostearate, glycerin stearate, polyoxy-7 ethylene stearate, etc. at room temperature. Solid interfacial Wi-property agent, or lauric acid, pallic acid [.

Highly quaternary fatty acids that are solid at room temperature such as steric acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid, and higher aliphatic alcohols such as cetyl alcohol and lauryl alcohol. Oily substances such as lanolin, castor oil, etc. may be used in combination with these vehicles. It is preferable that the heat resistant temperature is higher than the heat resistant temperature (izo'c), which does not fuse to the heating by the heat applied from the 'd/$, but if necessary, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polychloride etc. A heat-resistant film 1111 (not shown) may be provided on the surface that contacts the heating head by using a film such as vinylidene, which has a heat resistance temperature lower than 110° C., by means of coating, for example.

Examples of the heat-resistant base film include films made of polyoid, polyester, triacetylcellulose, nylon, or polycarsinate, or papers such as glassine paper, which have a thickness of about 3-1! μ
It is preferable that the density is in the range of 0.2 to ≠97 ah''.

As the heat-resistant resin, for example, silicone resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, phenol resin, fluororesin, polyimide resin, or nitrocellulose is used. The thickness of such heat-resistant protective glands is about 0.
Preferably, the film on which the protective film is applied has a thickness of about 3 cm. In forming each interlayer layer ~12 on a 0 base film preferably in the range of 0.mu.
The materials for each ink retaining layer as described above may be streaked so that they do not come into contact with each other in the gaps between /-Jj. The gap prevents heat-sensitive transfer inks of different colors contained in adjacent interlayers from mixing together.

In addition, each ink-retaining layer ~1 is either overflowing in the length direction of the base film t as shown in the figure jl/-J, or is spread over the length of the base film t as shown in the reference figure.
It may also be arranged so that it becomes wet and streaks in the width direction.

There are 3 types (yellow) in the 19 and above theory'@.

Although the ribbon for multi-color thermal conversion having colors (magenta, cyan) or one type of color (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) has been described, the present invention is not limited to these, and can be used as needed. The thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention can be formed multiple times by using only two of these colors, or by using two or more colorants of various colors. By forming λ or more ink retaining layers each containing heat-sensitive transferable ink of a different color on a base film, the thermal transferability of the corresponding color can be achieved by printing by a heating head/44 that generates heat in response to a pulse signal. The ink is exuded from the ink reservoir containing the ink and transferred to the copy sheet, and the ink is leached by bath melting from the ink reservoir containing the ink and transferred to the copy sheet. The amount of bath melting can be adjusted, and it is possible to reproduce halftones and create color images that are faithful to the original tones, and the resulting color images are extremely robust. It has advantages such as low running costs because it can use plain paper.

In particular, since the heat-sensitive transfer ink of the present invention is contained in the ink retaining layer having a microporous network structure, an appropriate amount of ink is always melted and exuded even during repeated printing on the ribbon using the heating head/41f. Therefore, it has the remarkable effect that color images can be created extremely easily and inexpensively. Therefore, the present invention can greatly contribute to the practical application of color printers, color facsimile machines, color video printers, color copy machines, etc. that use the one-piece thermal transfer ribbon thermal printer of the present invention.

The ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer of the present invention can be used, for example, line-sequential serial system, line-sequential line head system, field-sequential serial system, field-sequential line head system, color J-L gradation recording system, color This can be applied to the 2 types of face-to-face transformations, etc.

Next, the multi-roller thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention will be explained with reference to Examples.

Example Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer (S-LEC: manufactured by Munesui Chemical Co., Ltd., softening temperature t6°C) λOUT was bath-dissolved in a mixed solvent of 10 parts of Pterseron Lube and 0 parts of Medele Ethyl Ketone Hiroo to obtain the following composition. The coating material was kneaded in a ball mill with 30 parts of heat-sensitive transfer ink to obtain 11111 L of coating material, and the coating material had a thickness of 2.
The thickness after IE drying is 11 μm on polyester film.
Coating in the color arrangement shown in the first IEI so that the color is μm,
Ribbon width 16cm after air-drying for λ minutes in open air at 10°C.
One song for each color, color spacing! - I made a ribbon for may's serial method and made a circle. Note that coating methods include flexible coating, gravure coating, silk screen printing, etc., but any method may be used as long as the coating can be applied to the desired dimensions (desired thickness).

Thermal transfer ink composition (yellow) Colorant (parts) Benzidine Yellow 3j Auramine Pace j Vehicle Kurun Rubimentori Stearate J (17 Rubimen Oleace) 10 (Nan) Colorant (Parts) Milori Blue 35 Victoria Blue Base j Vehicle Sorbitan tristearate jON rubymen oleate 10 (magenta) Colorant 1) Lake Red 3j Rhoda i
Printing tests were conducted on the ribbon for multiple color thermal transfer of the present invention. Thermal Brimmem 100 manufactured by Oki Electric Industry ■ was used as a printer, and the same location on the ribbon was printed many times at printing energy Q, VW, and scanning speed j (0/see).

About the obtained printing material, the dark [tt
(Macbeth 几Dj/≠) and measured the reflection 8 degrees and found 9.

The results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Printed images can be clearly legible because the reflection density is higher than O1.As is clear from Table 1, the ribbon of the present invention can provide clear printed images even after approximately io printing times. ing. It should be noted that the print could be read up to 20 times.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section 1 taken along the line X-X of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 and FIG. Schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the ribbon [Figure 1 and Figure 6 are schematic explanatory diagrams showing a method for producing color l1iii'a using the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention, and Figure 6 shows a color printing method. It is a schematic explanatory diagram. (Main symbols in the drawing) t: Base film, ? , 10. //, /λ: ink holding layer, person: Seki i. Finger and foot agent 1st flash 22 Figure 3 Figure 1'lノ''2 24 Figure 25

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) At least two ink-retaining layers having a microporous structure arranged adjacent to each other in a plane are provided on a base material, and each of the ink-retaining layers contains a heat-sensitive transferable ink of a different color. A ribbon for color thermal transfer. (2) The ribbon for multiple color thermal transfer according to claim 1, wherein the mutually different colors are yellow, cyan, and magenta, respectively. (3) The ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer according to claim #1, wherein the mutually different colors are yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. (4) The base material has a thickness of 3~μ and a density of 0~/,≠
p/(s” plastic film or paper!lF
F1l end range Ribbon for multiple color thermal transfer according to item 1. (5) Each ink retaining layer is scraped in the width direction of the base material to o, i-
, zr-, the ribbon for multiple color thermal transfer according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon is formed sequentially with gaps of , zr-. (6) Each ink-retaining layer is aligned in the length direction of the base material.
, 7-70 The ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer according to claim 1, which is formed sequentially with a gap of 7-70. (7) Each ink-retaining layer contains a heat-sensitive transferable ink therein, and is an ink-retaining layer having a heat-resistant temperature of 10° C. or higher and made of a non-transferable microporous network structure of a nine-layer resin. Ribbon for multi-time color thermal transfer as described in Section 1. (8) g The thermal transfer ink consists of a vehicle that is non-S# with respect to the synthetic resin forming the ink retaining layer, and a dye or pigment that is dissolved or dispersed in the cough vehicle, and ψ0-
The ribbon for multi-a color thermal transfer according to item 1, wherein the ink has a melting point of /λo''c and whose melting point is j''C0 or more than the heat-resistant temperature of the resin.