JPS60225778A - Printing ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent troubles in taking up a ribbon from occuring when printing speed is enhanced and prevent unclear printing from occurring, by a construction wherein a base tape consisting of a film or a woven fabric is provided with a coated fluororesin layer on the side faced to a head. CONSTITUTION:The base tape is provided with the coated fluororesin layer 3 on the side faced to the head. The tape is provided with an ink layer 2 on the other side thereof, or is impregnated with an ink. Since the ribbon fed to a printing head is provided with a protective layer consisting of the coated fluororesin layer 3, it is provided with heat resistance, penetration resistance, a slipping property and an anti-staining property. Where the ribbon is a thermal transfer printing ribbon, it is not melted even when heat at a temperature not lower than the melting point of the resin-made base tape is momentarily applied thereto at the printing head, the ribbon is provided with a slipping property, water repellency and an anti-staining property, troubles such as defective taking up of the ribbon are prevented from occuring, and the trouble of nuclear printing is prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvements in printing ribbons loaded into printers and typewriters of devices such as computers and word processors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In printers and typewriters attached to devices such as computers and word processors, it is essential to use a printing ribbon. In other words, thermal transfer printers use a printing ribbon made of polyester film or other tape coated with a layer of heat-melting ink, while impact printers and typewriters use ink on woven fabric. Printing ribbons impregnated with ink or film tapes with an ink layer are used.

Nowadays, there is a strong demand for high-speed printing in both of the above methods, but in order to meet this demand, in the former thermal transfer method, the temperature must be instantaneously raised in the thermal head. Such high temperatures lead to melting of the resin tape itself, which is the base material, and as a result,
After passing through the thermal head, the ribbon may become wrinkled or deformed, making it impossible to wind it.Also, molten matter may adhere to the thermal head as dirt, causing poor printing and other problems. Become.

On the other hand, for the latter impact printer,
Ink leaks onto the surface of the ribbon facing the print head, which tends to stain the print head, and high-speed printing amplifies the accumulation of dirt on the print head, resulting in blurred print and other problems. Furthermore, even in impact printing using a typewriter, dirt on the print head cannot be ignored.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present invention aims to solve such problems, such as troubles during winding and unclear prints, by providing a specific coating layer on the printing ribbon. That is.

Means for Solving the Problems The printing ribbon of the present invention is provided with a fluororesin coating layer on the side facing the head of a base tape made of film or woven fabric, and an ink layer on the other side. Alternatively, it is characterized by having a structure in which the base tape is impregnated with ink.

The base tape in the present invention may be a tape made from a film with good thermal conductivity such as a polyester film or a polyethylene film, a woven fabric made from synthetic fibers such as nylon or polyester, or a woven fabric made from natural fibers such as silk or cotton. A tape made of tape (particularly a seamless endless tape called seamless) is used.

The fluororesin used in the present invention includes a tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer or copolymer,
Examples include homopolymers or copolymers of vinylidene fluoride, homopolymers or copolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene, and in particular, tetrafluoroethylene homopolymers and tetrafluoroethylene copolymers in an appropriate ratio, especially in a weight ratio of 85:5 to 85:5. 10:80,
It is preferable to mix and use them in a ratio of <90:10 to 20:80. Here, the comonomer is
Examples include olefins, fluorine-containing olefins, perfluoroolefins, and fluoroalkyl vinyl ethers. In addition, the homopolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and the fluorosurfactant are mixed in an appropriate ratio, especially at a weight ratio of 95:
It is preferable to mix and use them at a ratio of 5 to 10:80 and <90:10 to 20:80.

Furthermore, it is also preferable to use a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a fluorosurfactant in combination with a homopolymer of tetrafluoroethylene.

These fluororesins are used for coating purposes in the form of solutions or dispersions, but it is particularly desirable to use them in coatings as aqueous dispersions. It is preferable that this aqueous dispersion further contains silicone oil, silicone grease, oil compound, silicone varnish, etc. in addition to the silicon-based resin, and in addition, various anionic, nonionic, cationic or amphoteric surfactants. It may also contain agents, fluorine-based solvents, saturated hydrocarbon-based solvents, brighteners, viscosity modifiers, waxes, stabilizers, and the like.

The fluororesin coating layer is provided on the surface of the base tape facing the end, and the other surface is provided with an ink layer or the base tape is impregnated with ink. The installation of the fluororesin coating layer on the base tape, the installation of the ink layer on the base tape, or the impregnation of the ink can be performed in any order.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views of the printing ribbon produced in this manner.

Figure 1 shows the case of a thermal transfer printing ribbon, (la)
is a base tape made of film, (2) is a heat-melting ink layer, and (3) is a fluororesin coating layer. Position it so as to face the H) side.
(P) indicated by a two-dot chain line is plain paper on which printing is performed.

Figure 2 shows the case of impact printing ribbon (1
b) is a base tape made of woven fabric, (3) is a fluororesin coating layer, and the base tape (1b) is impregnated with ink. Fluorine resin coating layer (3)
is positioned so as to face the print head (H) side indicated by the dashed line.

Effects of the Invention In the printing ribbon of the present invention, a protective layer of micron or submicron order made of a fluororesin coating layer is formed on the ribbon sent to the print head, so the ribbon has heat resistance. , penetration resistance, slipperiness, and stain resistance.

Therefore, when the ribbon is a ribbon for thermal transfer printing, even if a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the resin base tape that makes up the ribbon is instantaneously applied to the print head, the base tape will not melt. Since the ribbon is also given slipperiness, water repellency, and stain resistance, problems such as poor ribbon winding will no longer occur, and the life of the print head will be significantly extended, so problems such as blurred print will not occur for a long time. It becomes like this.

Also, if the ribbon is an impact printing ribbon,
The ribbon has excellent penetration resistance, slipperiness, and stain resistance, which reduces ink stains on the head and makes the ribbon run extremely smoothly, greatly extending the life of the ribbon and the print head. This eliminates problems such as printing errors and ribbon winding failures.

Industrial Applicability The printing ribbon of the present invention is useful as a printing ribbon loaded into printers and typewriters of devices such as computers and word processors.

Examples Next, the printing ribbon of the present invention will be further explained with reference to Examples.

Example 1 This example shows an example in which the printing ribbon of the present invention is a ribbon for thermal transfer printing.

On one side of a polyester stretched film with a thickness of 16 g, 5% tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer, 4% tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, 25% paraffinic midpoint solvent, brightener, surfactant, viscosity modifier, stabilizer. A fluororesin aqueous dispersion having a composition of 12% water and 54% was roll coated and dried with hot air at a temperature of 60°C.

Next, the other side of this film was coated with a hot-melt ink composition consisting of carbon black, binder, wax, etc. in a molten state, and allowed to cool to solidify, thereby forming a hot-melt ink layer.

Next, the double-sided coated film thus obtained was cut using a slitter, divided into portions, and wound up on reels.

I loaded this reel into the ribbon cartridge of a word processor printer and started printing, but even when I increased the power and set the heating temperature in the thermal head to a high temperature, the base tape did not melt and printing proceeded smoothly. All the ribbons were wound on the take-up reel, and the winding appearance was neat and beautiful.

On the other hand, when using a normal thermal transfer printing ribbon that does not coat one side of the base tape with an aqueous fluororesin dispersion, increasing the power and heating the thermal head to a high temperature causes the base tape to melt. As the ribbon begins to deform, wavy disturbances can be seen in the ribbon wound on the take-up reel, and soon the ribbon starts to catch on the case near the guide roll just after passing through the thermal head. However, winding the ribbon itself became impossible.

Example 2 This example shows an example in which the printing ribbon of the present invention is a ribbon for impact printing.

On the inner surface of a cylindrical seamless woven fabric made of nylon, 7% tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer, 3% fluorine surfactant, 4% silicone oil, 22% paraffin medium boiling point solvent, brightening agent, surfactant, viscosity modifier, An aqueous fluororesin dispersion having a composition of 12% stabilizer and 52% water was roll coated and dried with hot air at a temperature of 60°C.

Next, the thus obtained single-sided coated seamless woven fabric was cut into a tape shape, impregnated with an ink liquid, and then loaded into a ribbon cartridge. This cartridge is equipped with a drive roll and an ink roller.
The ribbon runs smoothly simply by being taken up by the drive roll, and the ink can be replenished during printing.

This ribbon cartridge was installed in a word processor impact printer, and the smoothness of the ribbon running over a long period of time, the dirt on the print head, and the resulting degree of unclear print were examined. Clearly superior results were obtained compared to the case where a normal impact printing ribbon not coated with an aqueous resin dispersion was used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views showing examples of printing ribbons of the present invention, with FIG. 1 showing a case of a ribbon for thermal transfer printing, and FIG. 2 showing a case of a ribbon for impact printing. It is something. (1a)... Film base tape, (1b)...
・Base material tape made of woven fabric, (2)...Thermofusible ink layer, (3)...Fluorine resin coating layer, (H)...
・Print head, (P)... Plain paper Patent applicant Atsushi Kitamura Patent applicant Nissei Sangyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fluororesin coating layer is provided on the side facing the head of a base tape made of film or woven fabric,
A printing ribbon having a structure in which an ink layer is provided on the other side or a base tape is impregnated with ink. 2. The printing ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the printing ribbon is a thermal transfer printing ribbon. 3. The printing ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the printing ribbon is an impact printing ribbon.