JPS61206694A - Thermal transfer medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transfer imaged with high image quality irrespectively of the surface conditions of a transfer recording paper, by providing on a heat-fusible ink layer a surfactant layer for lowering the surface tension of a heat-fusible ink in a melted state. CONSTITUTION:The thermal transfer medium comprises, primarily, the heat- fusible ink layer 12 provided on a base 11 and the surfactant layer 15 provided on the ink layer 12. The surfactant layer 15 is a layer comprising a surfactant capable of lowering the surface tension of the ink in the molten state, the surfactant being preferably a fluoro surfactant. A thermal head is driven according to a recording signal to generate heat, whereby the ink layer 12 at the part of the base 11 in contact with the head is melted, and the melted ink part is transferred to projected parts of the transfer recording paper 14 together with the surfactant layer 15. The surface tension of the ink thus transferred is lowered by the surfactant, and the ink flows into recessed parts of the paper 11, whereby printing of broken characters can be prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal transfer medium used in thermal transfer devices such as printers and facsimiles.

"Prior Art and its Problems" Conventionally, this type of thermal transfer medium has been used, for example, as shown in FIG. It includes a heat-melting ink layer 12 that melts at a predetermined temperature of .degree. C. or lower. As shown in FIG. 3, when the thermal head 13 is driven in accordance with the recording signal, it generates heat, and this thermal head 13 generates heat.
The ink in the heat-melting ink layer 12 on the part of the base material 11 that comes into contact with the substrate 11 melts and becomes transfer ink 12a, which is transferred to the transfer paper 1.
Transferred to 4. In this way, a transfer image corresponding to the recording signal is formed on the transfer paper 14, and it becomes possible to transfer the image to the transfer paper 14 using plain paper.

However, conventional thermal transfer media are easily affected by the surface of the transfer paper 14, and when the Bekk smoothness of the surface of the transfer paper 14 is less than 30 to 40 seconds, the surface becomes extremely uneven.
The ink of the heat-melting ink layer 12 was transferred only to the convex portions and not to the four portions, resulting in missing characters and causing deterioration in image quality.

``Object of the Invention'' The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above and to provide a thermal transfer medium that can perform high-quality transfer without being affected by the surface of the transfer paper. be.

"Structure of the Invention" The heat-sensitive transfer medium of the present invention is characterized in that the heat-melt ink layer is provided with a surfactant layer that reduces the surface tension of the heat-melt ink when it is melted.

Hereinafter, the thermal transfer medium of the present invention will be explained in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal transfer medium according to the present invention basically includes a heat-melting ink layer 12 formed on a base material 11, and a surfactant layer 12 on the heat-melting ink layer +2J-.
5 is formed and configured.

As the base material 11, for example, a plastic film of polyethylene, polyester, polyimide, cellophane, etc. having a thickness of about 3 to 121 Lm, or a capacitor paper, etc. is used.

The heat-melting ink layer 12 formed on the base material 11 is made of a wax such as carnauba wax, paraffin wax, ester wax, bees wax, montan wax, candelilla wax, microcrystalline wax, or a plus such as low molecular weight polyethylene. It is composed of a binder made of tinging alone or a mixture thereof, to which a softener such as oil is added if necessary, and a pigment such as carbon black and/or a dye such as oil black as a coloring agent. However, components other than these may be added. The blending ratio of each component is 100 parts for the entire heat-melting ink, 5 parts for the colorant.
Preferably, the amount is 25 parts by weight, 5 to 30 parts by weight of softener, and the remainder is wax.

The surfactant layer 15 formed in the hot-melt ink FI2-f is composed of a layer containing a surfactant that lowers the surface tension of the hot-melt ink when it is melted. Fluorine surfactants such as F (E-431) (trade name, manufactured by Sumitomo 3M Ltd.) are preferred.

According to the recording operation using the thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention, the thermal head is driven in accordance with the recording signal and generates heat, and the heat-melting ink layer 12 on the portion of the base material 11 that comes into contact with the thermal head is melted. It is transferred to the convex portion of the transfer paper 14 together with the surfactant layer 15 in that portion. Then, the surface tension of the transferred heat-melting ink is lowered by the surfactant, and it flows onto the four parts of the transfer paper 11 to prevent character chipping.

“Embodiments of the invention” Example 1 A hot melt ink was manufactured with the following formulation.

・Ester wax 40 parts Fist carnauba wax 20 parts ・Complementary color dye “Special Black EXJ” (product name, manufactured by Orient Corporation) 5 parts ・Pigment “Carbon Black MA#40J (product name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation)
15 parts/Dispersant “Tsurusperse 20000”
” (Product name, manufactured by IC1)
3 parts Dispersant "Tsurusperse 12000" (trade name, I
(manufactured by CI) 1 part castor oil 10 parts terpene resin "Toho Hi-Resin" (trade name, manufactured by Toho Oil Resin Co., Ltd.) 6 parts First, melt the ester wax and carnauba wax, and add the terpene resin "Toho Hi-Resin" to it. Dissolve and further [Tsurusperse 2000
After dispersing 0 J and "Tsuru Sparse 12000 Journ," [Special Black EXJ] and [Carbon Black HA#40], they were dispersed in a ball mill at 100° C. for 8 to 12 hours to produce a hot-melt ink.

Apply this heat-melting ink to a polyester film (8 g thick) using a wire bar on a lOOoC hot plate.
) to form a hot melt ink layer.

Furthermore, a fluorine-based surfactant "Florard FC-431J" was coated on the heat-melting ink layer using a wire bar to a thickness of 1 p.m to produce a heat-sensitive transfer medium.

Example 2 A hot melt ink was manufactured with the following formulation.

・Paraffin wax (melting point 155'F) 40
・Carnauba wax 20 parts ψ
Complementary color dye “Alkali Blue Powder RP-03J”
(Product name, manufactured by Orient Co., Ltd.)
5 parts - Pigment [Carbon Black MAR32J (trade name, manufactured by Tamabishi Kasei T-Gyo Co., Ltd.) 15 parts - Dispersant r Tsurusperse 2000
0 J (Product name, manufactured by IC1)
3 parts/Dispersant “Tsurusperse 12000 J”
(Product name, manufactured by TCI)
1 part linseed oil 10 parts terpene resin "Toho Hi-Resin" (trade name, manufactured by Toho Oil Resin Co., Ltd.) 1 part First, melt paraffin wax and carnauba wax, and then dissolve terpene resin "Toho/Iresin" therein. In addition, “Tsuru Sparse 20000 J” and “Tsuru Sparse 120
Add 00 J and add ``Alkali Blue Powder RP-0''.
After dispersing 3J and carbon black MA#32J, they were dispersed in a ball mill at 100° C. for 8 to 12 hours to produce a hot-melt ink.

This heat-melting ink is heated to 100°C on a hot plate.
Polyester film (thickness Bgm
)-1- to form a heat-melting ink layer.

Further, a fluorine thread surfactant "Florard FC-431J" was coated on the heat-melting ink layer using a wire bar to a thickness of lpLm to produce a heat-sensitive transfer medium.

Comparative Example 1 A heat-melting ink having the same composition as in Example 1 was produced, and this heat-melting ink was applied onto a polyester film (thickness: Bgm) in the same manner as in Example 1 to produce a heat-sensitive transfer medium. .

Comparative Example 2 A heat-melt ink having the same composition as in Example 2 was produced, and this heat-melt ink was applied onto a polyester film (thickness: 8p, m) in the same manner as in Example 2 to form a heat-sensitive transfer medium. Manufactured.

Using the thus obtained thermal transfer media of Examples and Comparative Examples, recording was performed on transfer paper with a Beck smoothness of 30 seconds to 40 seconds using a thermal transfer typewriter (manufactured by Canon Co., Ltd.). When the thermal transfer media of Examples 1 and 2 were used, high-quality transfer with almost no missing characters was obtained, but when the thermal transfer media of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were used, the characters were There were many chips and it was not possible to obtain high-quality transfers.

F. Effects of the Invention As explained hereinafter, according to the present invention, by providing a surfactant layer on the heat-melting ink layer that reduces the surface tension when the heat-melting ink is melted, Since the heat-melting ink adhering to the convex portions of the transfer paper flows into the four parts and prevents missing characters, a high-quality transferred image can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a thermal transfer medium according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional thermal transfer medium, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the recording principle using a conventional thermal transfer medium. It is a diagram. In the figure, 11 is a base material, 12 is a heat-sensitive transfer medium, and 15 is a surfactant layer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a heat-sensitive transfer medium having a heat-melt ink layer that melts at a predetermined temperature on a base material, an interface is provided on the heat-melt ink layer that reduces the surface tension when the heat-melt ink is melted. A heat-sensitive transfer medium characterized by being provided with an activator layer. (2) The thermal transfer medium according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant is a fluorine-based surfactant.