US3751318A - Thermographic transfer process - Google Patents

Thermographic transfer process Download PDF

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Publication number
US3751318A
US3751318A US00109132A US3751318DA US3751318A US 3751318 A US3751318 A US 3751318A US 00109132 A US00109132 A US 00109132A US 3751318D A US3751318D A US 3751318DA US 3751318 A US3751318 A US 3751318A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
transfer
thermographic
particles
layer
wax
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00109132A
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English (en)
Inventor
D Newman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Co Inc
International Business Machines Corp
Original Assignee
Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Co Inc filed Critical Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Co Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3751318A publication Critical patent/US3751318A/en
Assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION reassignment INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: GREENE, IRA S., TRUSTEE OF COLUMBIA RIBBON AND CARBON MANUFACTURING CO. INC.
Assigned to GREENE, IRA S. reassignment GREENE, IRA S. COURT APPOINTMENT (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: COLUMBIA RIBBON AND CARBON MANUFACTURING CO INC
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/382—Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes
    • B41M5/392—Additives, other than colour forming substances, dyes or pigments, e.g. sensitisers, transfer promoting agents
    • B41M5/395—Macromolecular additives, e.g. binders
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10S428/914—Transfer or decalcomania
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24802—Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24893—Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] including particulate material

Definitions

  • thermographic transfer duplication process is in current commercial use for the imaging of single copies, hectograph masters and planographic printing plates corresponding to an imaged original sheet by means of infrared radiation and a thermographic transfer layer.
  • the original images become heated by the infrared and the heat melts corresponding areas of the transfer layer to cause it to wet and adhere to the receptive sheet to produce the desired copy, master or plate.
  • thermographic transfer sheets and processes which are as sharp and clear as the original images on the original sheet.
  • Hot melt wax thermographic transfer layers have a certain narrow threshold temperature range below which they will not transfer and above which they flow excessively.
  • a wax transfer layer conducts heat laterally as well as through the thickness of the layer and such lateral conduction causes broadening of the imagewise heat pattern.
  • the wax layer softens and melts in an area which is slightly broader than the dimensions of the original image, whereby the image transferred to the copy sheet is not as sharp or clear as the original.
  • the defects in the copy are magnified in cases where the copy sheet is a master or plate from which hundreds of duplicate copies are made in the spirit or planographic processes, thus reducing the number of acceptable duplicate copies that can be made.
  • thermographic transfer layers resist liquefaction at thermographic temperatures but also have cohesive properties which resist sharp separation between the heated and unheated areas during transfer.
  • Such layers also gener-' ally have higher softening temperatures than wax layers, and are as heat-conductive as waxlayers, so that heat spreads from the image areas to adjacent areas to cause broadening of the imagewise heat pattern.
  • thermographic transfer sheets leading to the production of imperfect thermographic copies, is due to the nature-of the process itself.
  • the thermographic transfer layer becomes imagewise welded to the copy sheet.
  • the transfer sheet and copy sheet must be stripped apart whereby the areas of the transfer layer which are welded to the copy sheet are torn from the remainder of the transfer layer. This often results in the welded areas pulling over to the copy sheet adjacent non-welded areas of the transfer layer which have rebonded to the heated areas of the transfer layer during cooling. This is commonly evidenced by the formation of filled-in characters and occurs with both conventional wax and resinous thermographic transfer layers.
  • thermographic transfer layers which produce sharper and more perfect thermographic copies than heretofore possible.
  • thermographic transfer layers can be produced by formulating the transfer composition as adispersion in a volatile vehicle, applying the dispersion to a receptive flexible foundation and evaporating the vehicle to provide a discontinuous layer of discrete solid heatsoftenable particles.
  • discontinuous layer of discrete particles has'at least two critical properties which give rise to an unexpected improvement in the thermographic transfer process.
  • the discontinuous nature of the transfer layer provides a multiplicity of discrete particles, each separated at least partially from the next by means of an interface and air voids.
  • the air voids provide an insulation between particles and reduce substantially the thermal transfer between particles, whereby the ability of heat to spread laterally across the transfer layer is substantially reduced.
  • the discontinuous structure of the transfer layer enables the heated, coalesced portions of the transfer layer to separate sharply from the unheated areas.
  • the air voids and interfaces provide weakened severing points between heated and unheated areas whereby the heated areas, bonded to the copy sheet, break easily and sharply from the unheated areas. This facilitates the separating of the transfer sheet and the imaged copy sheetand substantially reduces the ability of the portions of the transfer layer welded to the copy sheet to pull adjacent portions of unheated transfer composition from the transfer sheet.
  • the transfer compositions of the present invention comprise a waxy or resinous binder material and, in most cases, softeners or plasticizers and coloring matter.
  • the waxy binder material may be a conventional wax such as camauba, ouricury, microcrystalline, beeswax, montan wax, or a mixture thereof.
  • Other waxy materials having the properties of wax are also suitable alone or mixed with waxes. Theseinclude the lower molecular weight polyethylenes such as A-C Polyethyl ene 400, solid Carbowaxes, polyvinyl stearate, and the like.
  • a minor amount of filmf0rming binder material having a higher melting temperature than the wax may be included as part of the binder material in order to increase.
  • Suitable filmformers include cellulose materials such as ethyl cellulose, vinyls such as polyvinyl butyrate, polybutene resins, and the like.
  • Thefilm-fonning binder may be used in amounts ranging from about five percent up to about 35 percent of the total weight of the binder material.
  • Resinous dispersions are also suitable and these generally contain compatible oil softeners or plasticizers to provide resinous particles having the desired softening point within the thermographic temperature range of from about F up to about 220 F.
  • Preferred resins include polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, styrenebutadiene copolymers, cellulose esters and ethers such as ethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate-butyrate, and acrylic resins such as methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate and copolymers of each.
  • Suitable plasticizers and compatible oils vary from resin to resin and the selection of appropriate materials and amounts to provide the required softening temperature is within the skill of the art.
  • the coloring matter if present, must be one which does not absorb infrared radiation to any substantial extent.
  • the preferred materials are the crystal violet dyes which are used in small dissolved amounts in the case of making single copies, and in large undissolved amounts in the case of making hectograph masters. Conventional colorless color-forming reactive chemicals can also be used. In the case of imaging planographic plates, no imaging material is necessary since the wax binder is oleophilic, although a small amount of dissolved dye is preferably included for proofreading purposes.
  • the transfer composition is applied to a receptive flexible foundation such as thin paper or plastic film as a dispersion in a volatile vehicle, the dispersion comprising from about three percent to about percent solids.
  • vehicle may be water or a volatile organic solvent such as alcohol, toluol, mineral spirits, or the like.
  • the dispersion may be produced in any known manner such as by grinding and agitating the binder material and coloring matter in the vehicle.
  • the waxy material is melted with the coloring matter and is poured slowly in the vehicle, which is chilled, to form the dispersion.
  • the dispersion is applied as a thin layer having a dry weight of from about 1 to 4 pounds per ream of 3,300 square feet.
  • the vehicle is evaporated at a moderately low temperature, below the softening temperature of the particles.
  • the waxy particles generally have a softening and melting temperature within the range of from about 150 F to 200 F.
  • the dispersion is applied as a uniformly thin layer to a film of h mil Mylar polyethylene terephthalate and the alcohol is evaporated to leave a deposit of about 2% pounds of the dry dispersion per 3,300 square feet of film.
  • the alcohol gives the dispersion an affinity for the Mylar. Drying of the layer occurs at slightly elevated temperatures, well below the melting temperature of the dispersed particles, and the formed layer has a whitish, beady appearance and is translucent.
  • the formed transfer sheet 10 comprises the film foundation 11 and the dispersion transfer layer 12.
  • the transfer sheet is used to produce sharp, clear oleophilic images on a thermal planographic printing plate corresponding to images present on an imaged original sheet in the manner illustrated by the drawing.
  • the plate 20 comprises a film foundation 21 having a planographic surface 22.
  • the original sheet 30 may be any sheet carrying infrared radiation-absorbing images 31.
  • the sheets are superposed in the order shown and are exposed to an infrared source 40.
  • the infrared penetrates through to the original image 31 where it is absorbed to generate an imagewise heat pattern which is conducted back to soften a corresponding area of the particulate layer 12.
  • the softened area adheres to the surface 22 of the plate 20 and transfers thereto in the form of a non-particulate, oleophilic image 23 when the sheets are separated.
  • Image 23 separates sharply and easily from the adjacent areas of transfer layer 12 since the adjacent areas are particulate and are not strongly bonded to the portion which was heated and transferred to produce image 23.
  • Thermographic process for producing a copy of an imaged original sheet by 'means of infrared radiation which comprises the steps of superposing an original sheet having thereon infrared radiation-absorbing images, a copy sheet and a transfer sheet having an imaging layer of discrete, heat-softenable particles comprising material selected from the group consisting of wax, resin and mixtures thereof, each particle being separated from the next, at least partially, by an interface and air voids, said layer being positioned against said copy sheet, and applying infrared radiation to heat said original images and corresponding areas of said layer sufficiently to soften the particles in said areas and cause them to adhere to said copy sheet, the said air voids and interfaces providing a thermal insulation and weakened severing points between the heated and unheated particles, and separating said sheets to cause the softened areas of the imaging layer to transfer sharply and cleanly to the copy sheet in the form of images corresponding to the original images.
  • the particles of the imaging layer comprise a major amount by weight of wax and a minor-amount by weight of a filmforming binder material having a higher melting point than the wax.
US00109132A 1971-01-25 1971-01-25 Thermographic transfer process Expired - Lifetime US3751318A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10913271A 1971-01-25 1971-01-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3751318A true US3751318A (en) 1973-08-07

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ID=22325959

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00109132A Expired - Lifetime US3751318A (en) 1971-01-25 1971-01-25 Thermographic transfer process

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3751318A (de)
JP (1) JPS5112423B1 (de)
DE (1) DE2202630A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1362475A (de)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3924041A (en) * 1973-03-23 1975-12-02 Kohjin Co Heat-sensitive recording material and process for producing same
US3962009A (en) * 1971-12-11 1976-06-08 Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited Decorative laminated structures and method of making same
US4042401A (en) * 1972-12-06 1977-08-16 Columbia Ribbon And Carbon Manufacturing Co., Inc. Hectograph products and process
US4123309A (en) * 1973-11-29 1978-10-31 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Transfer letter system
US4136224A (en) * 1971-12-11 1979-01-23 Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Decorative laminated structures and method of making the same
FR2407080A1 (fr) * 1977-10-25 1979-05-25 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Element pour former des images graphiques
US4186659A (en) * 1977-11-25 1980-02-05 Master Addresser Company Machine for addressing cards and envelopes
US4244605A (en) * 1977-10-25 1981-01-13 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Material for forming graphics
US4391194A (en) * 1977-11-25 1983-07-05 Master Addresser Company Method for addressing cards and envelopes
US4504837A (en) * 1981-07-14 1985-03-12 Nippon Kogaku K.K. Method and apparatus for recording color images as color transfer superimposed laminations
US5238778A (en) * 1990-08-13 1993-08-24 Konica Corporation Method of forming printing plates by heat transfer
US20040055490A1 (en) * 2002-09-20 2004-03-25 Konica Corporation Printing plate precursor and printing method

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1145104B (it) * 1981-09-21 1986-11-05 Olivetti & Co Spa Elemento inchiostrato termosensibile per stampanti senza impatto di tipo termico
DE3315249A1 (de) * 1983-04-27 1984-10-31 Renker GmbH & Co KG, 5160 Düren Waermeempfindliches aufzeichnungs/uebertragungsmaterial
JPS6213387A (ja) * 1985-07-12 1987-01-22 Canon Inc 感熱転写記録方法
US4783360A (en) * 1985-07-22 1988-11-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Thermal transfer material
GB2178553B (en) * 1985-07-29 1990-01-04 Canon Kk Thermal transfer material

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3289579A (en) * 1961-03-08 1966-12-06 Block & Anderson Ltd Duplicating master sheets
US3537872A (en) * 1963-02-26 1970-11-03 Hisako Kishida Thermographic process
US3558881A (en) * 1964-10-02 1971-01-26 Keuffel & Esser Co Thermographic image formation utilizing a copy sheet of discrete thermoplastic particles and a powder developer

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3289579A (en) * 1961-03-08 1966-12-06 Block & Anderson Ltd Duplicating master sheets
US3537872A (en) * 1963-02-26 1970-11-03 Hisako Kishida Thermographic process
US3558881A (en) * 1964-10-02 1971-01-26 Keuffel & Esser Co Thermographic image formation utilizing a copy sheet of discrete thermoplastic particles and a powder developer

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3962009A (en) * 1971-12-11 1976-06-08 Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited Decorative laminated structures and method of making same
US4136224A (en) * 1971-12-11 1979-01-23 Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Decorative laminated structures and method of making the same
US4042401A (en) * 1972-12-06 1977-08-16 Columbia Ribbon And Carbon Manufacturing Co., Inc. Hectograph products and process
US3924041A (en) * 1973-03-23 1975-12-02 Kohjin Co Heat-sensitive recording material and process for producing same
US4123309A (en) * 1973-11-29 1978-10-31 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Transfer letter system
US4123578A (en) * 1973-11-29 1978-10-31 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Transfer letter system
FR2407080A1 (fr) * 1977-10-25 1979-05-25 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Element pour former des images graphiques
US4157412A (en) * 1977-10-25 1979-06-05 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Composite material for and method for forming graphics
US4244605A (en) * 1977-10-25 1981-01-13 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Material for forming graphics
US4186659A (en) * 1977-11-25 1980-02-05 Master Addresser Company Machine for addressing cards and envelopes
US4391194A (en) * 1977-11-25 1983-07-05 Master Addresser Company Method for addressing cards and envelopes
US4504837A (en) * 1981-07-14 1985-03-12 Nippon Kogaku K.K. Method and apparatus for recording color images as color transfer superimposed laminations
US5238778A (en) * 1990-08-13 1993-08-24 Konica Corporation Method of forming printing plates by heat transfer
US20040055490A1 (en) * 2002-09-20 2004-03-25 Konica Corporation Printing plate precursor and printing method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2202630A1 (de) 1972-08-17
JPS5112423B1 (de) 1976-04-19
GB1362475A (en) 1974-08-07

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION (IBM C

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:GREENE, IRA S., TRUSTEE OF COLUMBIA RIBBON AND CARBON MANUFACTURING CO. INC.;REEL/FRAME:003933/0208

Effective date: 19811102

AS Assignment

Owner name: GREENE, IRA S 275 MADISON AVE.NEW YORK,N.Y.10016

Free format text: COURT APPOINTMENT;ASSIGNOR:COLUMBIA RIBBON AND CARBON MANUFACTURING CO INC;REEL/FRAME:004035/0217

Effective date: 19820629

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED FILE - (OLD CASE ADDED FOR FILE TRACKING PURPOSES)