JPS6341174A - Preparation of printer ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prepare a printer ribbon for current supply transfer excellent in heat resistance, mechanical resistance and printing characteristic, by molding a thermoplastic resin composition having a carbon series conductive filler added thereto into a film so as not to damage the high conductivity of said composition at the time of molding. CONSTITUTION:A conductive thermoplastic resin composition containing 5-60pts.wt. of a carbon series conductive filler is formed into an intermediate layer 2 and a releasable thermoplastic resin layer is coextruded to both surfaces of the intermediate layer to form outside layers 1, 3 of which the release strength in a 180 deg.-direction with respect to the intermediate layer is 5-500g/15mm width and, after cooling, the outside layers are released, and a metal film and an ink layer are applied to the intermediate layer to form skin layers having a high resin component ratio on the surfaces 4, 5 of the intermediate layer. As the base resin of the conductive thermoplastic resin composition as the intermediate layer, polycarbonate, polyamide and polypropylene are desirable from the aspect of moldability, heat resistance and mechanical characteristics, and the thermoplastic resin of the outside layers is different from the base resin of the intermediate layer but a polyolefinic or polystyrenic resin is desirable. As the carbon type conductive filler, there are carbon black, graphite and carbon fiber etc.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides conductivity by adding a large amount of carbon-based conductive filler to a thermoplastic resin, which is originally an insulator, and also adds a large amount of carbon-based conductive filler to thermoplastic resin, which is originally an insulator. The present invention relates to a method for producing a printer ribbon for electrical transfer that has excellent heat resistance, mechanical strength, and printing characteristics by forming an added thermoplastic resin composition into a film without impairing its high conductivity.

[Prior art]

With the rapid development of general-purpose combinators and information equipment, the number of printers, which are terminal devices, in use is increasing rapidly. In the past, most printers were based on the non-innocent method, but recently there has been a demand for high-speed printing, kanji processing, graphic processing, etc., as well as a demand for new printers that produce less operating noise. Printers are increasing at an unprecedented rate. Among the non-in/out methods, the energized transfer method has low printing speed, operating noise,
This method is extremely superior in that it can use plain paper, and has already been used in large quantities in Europe and the United States.

Currently, the base film of the printer ribbon used in this method is made into a film by dispersing carbon black in a pyricarbonate solution dissolved in an organic solvent and using a solution casting method. However, although this type of film can be easily manufactured into a thin film, since the pyricarbonate is not oriented at all, there is a limit to the film thickness in order to maintain the mechanical properties necessary for a printer ribbon, and the degree of polymerization is high. Even if pyricarbonate is used, the thickness is 1
The limit is 2-15μ.

However, for the current transfer method to become more widely used, it will depend on how the base film can be made thin while maintaining its mechanical properties, and printer manufacturers' demands are becoming increasingly strong.

In addition, in the solution casting method, a skin layer with a high resin ratio is formed on the film surface, and even if the composition has high conductivity, the actual conductivity of the film may decrease.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of this situation, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research into a manufacturing method that can reduce the thickness of the base film of current printer ribbons and maintain mechanical properties.

In the solution casting method, the film is not oriented at all, and as a result, when the thickness becomes thinner, the mechanical properties deteriorate significantly. Therefore, melt extrusion method was selected as the manufacturing method, and the drawdown when manufacturing thin films was We considered the effect of the horizontal axis orientation.

Furthermore, when forming a film from a conductive thermoplastic resin composition highly filled with carbon-based conductive filler, single-layer extrusion is impossible, and when forming a single-layer film, the film surface generally has a low molecular weight viscosity. A resin layer with a low content of resin forms a skin layer, but it is highly likely that a conductive thermoplastic resin composition will also form a skin layer with a high resin content.

Therefore, it was discovered that by using a coextrusion method, it is possible to form a conductive thermoplastic resin composition into a film, and the skin layer can also be removed.Based on this knowledge, extensive studies were carried out and the present invention was developed. It was completed.

[Structure of the invention]

In the present invention, a conductive thermoplastic resin composition layer containing 5 to 60 parts by weight of a carbon-based conductive filler is used as an intermediate layer, and an outer layer is formed on both sides of the conductive thermoplastic resin composition layer.
A peelable thermoplastic resin layer with a peel strength in the 0' direction of 5 to 5009/15 width is coextruded, and after cooling, the thermoplastic resin layers on both sides are peeled off, and a metal film and an ink layer are added to the intermediate layer. This is a method of manufacturing a printer ribbon, which is characterized by subjecting the printer ribbon to the following steps.

The coextrusion manufacturing method will be explained in detail using diagrams. Figure 1 shows a three-layer film that has been coextruded and cooled.
and 3 are outer layers of a removable thermoplastic resin layer), and 2 is an intermediate layer of a conductive thermoplastic resin composition.

A skin layer with a high resin content exists on the surface 4.5 of the intermediate layer 20.

Figure 2 shows a conductive thermoplastic resin film from which the thermoplastic resin layers on both sides have been peeled.On the surface 7.8 of film 6, the skin layer has been removed together with the peeled thermoplastic resin layer, and the carbon-based conductive filler has been removed. A portion of is exposed.

The base resin of the conductive thermoplastic resin composition used in the present invention includes teriolefin resin, triethylene,
Homopolymers of olefins such as propylene and butene or copolymers with different N +) olefins, vinyl acetate,
Copolymers such as acrylic esters are also included.
IJ styrene resin, pyramid, pyricarbonate,
Fluororesin etc., each of these resins alone or 2F!
It is a mixture of the above.

However, in terms of moldability, heat resistance, and mechanical properties, pyricarbonate has a certain size. Preferred are lyamide and polypropylene.

The thermoplastic resin used as the outer layer must be separable from the base resin of the conductive thermoplastic resin composition that is the intermediate layer, and the resin for the outer layer and the base resin for the intermediate layer must be different types of resin. is desirable.

Although it depends on the base resin of the intermediate layer, it is desirable to use pyroolefin resin, pyristyrene resin, etc. for the outer layer.

Further, examples of the carbon-based conductive filler used in the present invention include carbon black, graphite, and carbon fiber.

The amount added varies depending on the type of filler, but if less than 5 parts by weight of the filler is added, the conductivity is low and the temperature of heat generation is too low to print as an electric transfer printer ribbon. Furthermore, if the amount of filler added is 60 parts by weight or more, the processability is greatly reduced and it becomes impossible to form a thin film.

What is important in the combination of the conductive thermoplastic resin composition that is the intermediate layer and the thermoplastic resin that is the outer layer in the present invention is the force required for peeling, and the 180° peeling force is 5
If the width is less than g/15 m, the skin layer with a high proportion of resin formed on the surface of the intermediate layer will not be removed. Also, 50
If the width is 0t/15m or more, when the outer layer is peeled off, the adhesion to the middle layer conductive film will be strong, and the appearance of the conductive film will not be damaged, and if the conductive film is thin, the film is broken and cannot be peeled off.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The manufacturing method of the present invention makes it possible to manufacture printer ribbons based on thin films with excellent mechanical properties and high conductivity, which could not be obtained by conventional solution casting methods.
It is believed that the cost and Z-performance can be improved by increasing the length of the ribbon that fits in the cassette and improving printing characteristics, and that electrical transfer type printers will become even more widely used.

〔Example〕

According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, coextrusion is performed using combination K as shown in the table, the conductive film is removed through a peeling process, aluminum gold scraps are vapor deposited to a thickness of 1500 mm, and wax is removed. 5 ink with a melting point of 85℃ made into a paste
The ribbon was coated to a thickness of ~6μ and the printing characteristics of the ribbon were examined.

At that time, as a comparative example, a casting film was made with the same formulation, and post-processing was performed in the same manner as aluminum vapor deposition and ink application, and the printing characteristics were examined.

When making a casting film, polycarbonate was dissolved in dichloromethane, and 12-nylon was dissolved in a mixed solvent of toluene and methanol (mixing ratio toluene/methanol = 7/3).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a coextruded and cooled three-layer film as an intermediate product according to the present invention), and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a highly conductive film obtained according to the present invention.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A conductive thermoplastic resin composition layer containing 5 to 60 parts by weight of a carbon-based conductive filler is used as an intermediate layer, and outer layers are formed on both sides of the intermediate layer at a 180° angle of the outer layer with respect to the intermediate layer.
A peelable thermoplastic resin layer having a peel strength in the direction of 5 to 500 g/15 mm width is coextruded, and after cooling, the thermoplastic resin layers on both sides are peeled off, and a metal film and an ink layer are applied to the intermediate layer. Characteristic printer ribbon manufacturing method. (2) The method for manufacturing a printer ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the carbon-based conductive filler is carbon black. (3) The method for manufacturing a printer ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the conductive thermoplastic resin composition serving as the intermediate layer is based on polycarbonate, polyamide, or polypropylene. (4) The method for manufacturing a printer ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin of the outer layer is a polyolefin resin.