JP3030421B2 - Sublimation type thermal transfer image receiver and thermal transfer recording method using the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image receiving member used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording in which a transfer member is repeatedly used many times, and a number of n-times mode and n-times mode using the image receiving member. Time recording method.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, the demand for full-color printers has been increasing year by year.
There are an ink jet method, a thermal transfer method, and the like. Among them, the thermal transfer method is often used because of its advantages such as easy maintenance and no noise.

This thermal transfer method is a thermal transfer recording medium (a so-called color ink sheet) in which a colorant is dispersed in a heat-fusible substance on a substrate or an ink layer in which a sublimable dye is dispersed in a resin binder is provided. The image receptor is superimposed on the ink layer surface of the recording medium, and thermal energy controlled by an electric signal of a laser, a thermal head, or the like is applied from the recording medium side, and the ink in that portion is thermally melt-transferred or sublimated and transferred to the image receptor to form an image. This is a recording method to be formed.

By the way, this thermal transfer recording method is roughly classified into a heat melting transfer type and a sublimation transfer type according to the type of recording medium used. In particular, the latter method in principle responds to heat energy from a thermal head or the like. Since the dye is transferred in a monomolecular state, halftones can be easily obtained, and the gradation can be adjusted arbitrarily. This method is considered to be the most suitable method for a full-color printer.

However, this sublimation type thermal transfer recording method uses one yellow, magenta, and cyan (black) transfer material (ink sheet) to form one full-color image, and selectively heats each ink sheet. Print, then
Since unused portions are discarded even if they remain, there is a disadvantage that running costs are high.

Therefore, in order to remedy this drawback, in recent years, a method of printing and recording many times using the same ink sheet repeatedly has been performed. Specifically, a constant speed mode or the like in which printing is repeatedly performed while the transfer body and the image receiving body are running at a constant speed, and the speed of the image receiving sheet is set to n times (n> 1) the speed of the ink sheet, and both sheets are used. There are two methods, an n-fold mode method, in which printing is repeated while the vehicle is running.

In the latter n-times mode method, printing is performed a large number of times by a relative speed method in which the overlap between the previous use portion and the later use portion of the ink layer is slightly shifted. In the n-times mode method, the larger the value of n, the more advantageous in terms of cost. In such a multiple-time recording method using the n-times mode method, a part of the unused portion of the ink layer is always supplied every time printing is performed, so that the multiple-time recording method using the constant speed mode method is merely a repeated use of the used portion. There is an advantage that the variation of the remaining ink amount due to the recording history can be reduced as compared with the method (IEEE Cvol J
70-C, No. 11, pages 1537 to 1544, November 1987).

However, in the case of these multiple recordings in the constant speed and n-times modes, the reverse transfer of the dye from the image receiving layer to the ink layer may cause color turbidity or ghost, and a clear image may not be obtained. There is room to be done.

That is, the thermal transfer recording method using a sublimable dye is a thermal diffusion of the sublimable dye from the ink layer to the image receiving layer, and both are in close contact with each other by the pressing force between the thermal head and the platen roller.

Here, when forming a secondary color or a tertiary color during full color formation, the dye previously transferred to the image receiving layer returns from the image receiving layer to the ink layer during secondary color or tertiary color formation (this is reversely transferred). ). The ink layer containing the reverse-transferred dye is discarded thereafter for one-time use, causing no problem.However, when the ink layer is used many times, the ink layer is transferred to the image receiving layer at the next recording, and the color turbidity and the previous color are disturbed. It affects the next record as a ghost of a picture pattern. This adverse effect can be visually reduced by changing the color recording order, but the effect is insufficient.

In the technique disclosed in JP-A-61-293891, etc., each color is formed on a separate transparent image receiving layer and a full color is formed by superimposing them, so that reverse transfer does not occur. An image receiving paper (layer) is required,
Further, since full color is formed by using three image receiving papers, the entire image receiving paper is thick and the cost is further increased.

Further, when three sheets are superimposed, there is a risk that the image is blurred due to a minute displacement and the image is deteriorated.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, and does not lower the transfer density even after printing many times, and does not cause color turbidity or ghost due to reverse transfer of another color sublimable dye from the image receiving layer to the ink layer. An object of the present invention is to provide an image receiving body for thermal transfer, and a sublimation type thermal transfer recording method using the same repeatedly and many times.

[Means for solving the problem]

That is, according to the present invention, in an image receiving body formed by laminating at least two dyeable layers on a substrate, the lower layer contains a resin having a lower glass transition temperature at a higher concentration than the surface layer. Characteristic, a sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving body used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording using a transfer body having a thermal sublimation dye repeatedly many times is provided, and at least two layers having a dyeing property on a substrate are provided. Sublimation type thermal transfer recording used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording using a transfer material having a thermal sublimation dye repeatedly many times, characterized in that a resin having a low glass transition temperature is contained only in the lower layer in a laminated image receiver. In an image receiving body provided with at least two layers having dyeability on a substrate, the glass transition temperature of the resin forming the lower layer is set to the glass transition temperature of the resin forming the surface layer. Yo And wherein the lower, the sublimation thermal transfer image receiving material used in the sublimation thermal transfer recording that uses transcripts repeated many times with heat sublimable dye is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a sublimation type thermal transfer recording method, wherein any one of the above image receiving members is used in a sublimation type thermal transfer recording method using a transfer body having a thermal sublimation dye many times. Further, a transfer member having a thermosublimable dye is superimposed on one of the above-mentioned image receivers, and the image is transferred under the following condition: speed of the image receiver / speed of the transfer member> 1 or feed amount of the image receiver / feed amount of the transfer member> 1 A sublimation type thermal transfer recording method is provided, wherein printing is performed by repeatedly using a body a number of times.

That is, the present invention comprises a structure in which two dye-receiving layers A and B are provided on a substrate as shown in FIG. 1, and preferably, the layer A is made of a dyeing resin. Whether the layer B contains a dyeing resin as a main component and the layer B contains a high concentration of a dyeing resin having a lower glass transition temperature than the layer A, or the layer B Or a dyeable resin having a low glass transition temperature only, or the glass transition temperature of the dyeable resin in the layer B is lower than the glass transition temperature of the dyeable resin in the layer A.

In the present invention, the glass transition temperature of the dyeable resin in the layer A is preferably from 50 ° C to 90 ° C, and the glass transition temperature of the dyeable resin in the layer B is preferably from 10 ° C to 70 ° C.

 The layer A of the present invention has a thickness of 0.1 to 2 μm, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 μm, and the layer B has a thickness of 1 to 30 μm, preferably 2 to 20 μm.

Examples of the resin capable of dyeing the sublimable dye used in the present invention include polyester, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer, polyamide, and polyurethane. And styrene / acrylic copolymers, among which vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer resins and polyester resins are particularly preferred.

In addition, a filler can be contained in the dye receiving layer. Examples of the filler include white pigments such as silica, titanium oxide, and calcium carbonate. The amount of the filler is preferably 5 to 60% by weight based on the resin amount of the receiving layer. In addition, the dye receiving layer may appropriately contain a surfactant, an ultraviolet absorber, an antioxidant, and the like.

As the release agent, silicone-based or fluorine-based oils and resins are used.

Further, as the substrate in the image receiving body of the present invention, synthetic paper, art paper, woodfree paper, coated paper, gravure paper, baryta paper, cellulose fiber paper, plastic film, and the like are preferably used alone or in a laminate thereof. Is done.

The multi-time printing and recording method in the present invention includes a constant speed mode method in which printing is repeatedly performed while the transfer body and the image receiving body are running at a constant speed, and the speed of the image receiving body is n times (n> 1) the speed of the transfer sheet. Any one of the n-times mode method in which the printing is repeated while both sheets are running can be used, but the transfer sheet and the image receiving body of claim (1) are overlapped. The speed of the image receiving body / the speed of the transferring body> 1 or An n-fold mode method in which printing is performed under the following condition: feed amount of image receiving member / feed amount of transfer body> 1 is preferably used.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. All parts are on a weight basis.

Example 1 <Preparation of Image Receiver> (Liquid for Layer B) Vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate / copolymer 20 parts (trade name VYHH; manufactured by Union Carbide) Polycaprolactone 5 parts (trade name Placcel 210S, manufactured by Daicel Chemical) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts (A layer liquid) Vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer 20 parts (trade name VYHH; manufactured by Union Carbide) Polycaprolactone 1 part (trade name Placcel 210S, manufactured by Daicel Chemical) Silicone oil 2 parts (product Name SF8917, made by Toray Silicone) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts Each of the above solutions was applied to a 150 μm thick synthetic paper (Yupo FPG150; Oji Oil Chemical Synthetic Paper) using a wire bar, and each layer was 5 μm B layer. And an A layer having a thickness of 0.2 μm were laminated to obtain an image receiving body.

 On the other hand, a liquid having the following formulation was used as the sublimation transfer member.

<Cyan ink sheet> (for lower layer of ink layer) Polyvinyl butyral resin 10 parts (trade name: BX-1; manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) Dye 20 parts (Kayaset Blue 714; manufactured by Nippon Kayaku) Toluene 100 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 100 parts ( 10 parts of polyvinyl butyral resin (trade name: BX-1; manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) 10 parts of dye (Kayaset Blue 714; manufactured by Nippon Kayaku) 100 parts of toluene 100 parts of methyl ethyl ketone 8.5 μm polyimide film in the above order (Manufactured by Toray DuPont), each lower layer 2.4μm, upper layer 0.61μm
Was formed to prepare a transfer body.

<Ink sheet for yellow> Dye is Macrolex Yellow 6G (buyer)
, Except that the ink was replaced with a cyan ink sheet.

The ink layer of the transfer body thus obtained was overlapped so as to face the receptor layer of the image receiver, and image recording was performed from the back surface of the transfer body using a thermal head while changing the heating energy. The recording density of the thermal head is 6 dots / mm,
The recording output was 0.42 W / dot.

Whether or not reverse transfer of the dye occurs was evaluated as follows. First, a solid yellow image is printed, a cyan pattern pattern is printed on it, and a solid image is printed on a separate sheet with the cyan ink sheet. Was visually observed.

 As a result, no reverse transcription phenomenon was observed.

Example 2 An image receiving member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the liquid for the layer B and the liquid for the layer A in the image receiving member forming liquid were changed to the following. A reverse transfer phenomenon was not observed at all when a transfer test was performed.

(Liquid for Layer B) Vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer 20 parts (Product name 1000D; manufactured by Denka, Tg = 50 ° C) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts (Liquid A layer liquid) Vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate copolymer 20 Part (trade name: VYNS; manufactured by Union Carbide, Tg = 79 ° C) Silicone oil 2 parts (trade name: SF8917, manufactured by Toray Silicone) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts Example 3 <Image receptor> (B layer liquid) Vinyl chloride / Vinyl acetate / vinyl alcohol copolymer 15 parts (trade name: VAGH; manufactured by Union Carbide) Isocyanate 5 parts (trade name: Coronate L; manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane) Polycaprolactan 10 parts (trade name: Placcel 210S; manufactured by Daicel Chemical) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts (Liquid for layer A) Vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate / vinyl alcohol copolymer 15 parts (trade name VAGH; Union Carbide) ) Isocyanate 5 parts (trade name: Coronate L; made by Nippon Polyurethane) 0.5 parts silicone oil (trade name: SF8411, made by Toray Silicone) Silicone oil 0.5 parts (trade name: SF8927, made by Toray Silicone) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts <Cyan ink Sheet> Polyvinyl butyral resin BX-1 10 parts (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) Sublimable dye Kayaset Blue 714 25 parts (Nippon Kayaku) Coronate L (Nippon Polyurethane) 10 parts Silicone oil SF8417 1.5 parts (Toray Silicone) Toluene 100 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 100 parts <Ink sheet for magenta> An ink sheet for magenta was manufactured in the same manner as for cyan for the above except that the dye was MS-magenta VP (manufactured by Mitsui Toatsu Dye).

An image receptor and an ink sheet were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 using these four types of prescription liquids.

The feed speed during recording was set so that the image receptor was 8.5 mm / sec and the ink sheet was 1.2 mm / sec, and the following pattern was printed in n-times mode recording.

Printing a block pattern in magenta color Next, printing a solid image in cyan color Blurring and tailing at the magenta edge of the image were visually evaluated, but were not observed at all.

Example 4 An image receiving member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the solution for the layer B and the solution for the layer A in the image receiving member forming solution were changed to the following. Upon testing, no blurring or tailing was observed at the magenta edge of the image. (B layer liquid) Polyester resin 20 parts (trade name: Byron 600; manufactured by Toyobo, Tg = 45 ° C) Isocyanate 2 parts (trade name: Coronate L; manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts (liquid for A layer) Polyester Resin 20 parts (trade name Byron 290; Toyobo, Tg = 77 ° C) Silicone oil 2 parts (trade name SF8410, made by Toray Silicone) Isocyanate 2 parts (trade name Coronate L; Nippon Polyurethane) Toluene 40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts Compare Example 1 An image receptor was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that polycaprolactone was omitted.
When a transfer test similar to the above was performed, a reverse transfer phenomenon was observed.

Comparative Example 2 An image receiving member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount of polycaprolactone in the solution for the layer A was changed to 5 parts, and a transfer test was performed in the same manner as in Example 1. , A reverse transcription phenomenon was observed.

Comparative Example 3 An image receiver was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the resins of the A layer and the B layer were reversed, and a transfer test was performed in the same manner as in Example 1. Photographic development was observed.

Comparative Example 4 An image receiving body was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the resin in the liquid for the layer A was changed to the same resin as the resin for the layer B, and a transfer test similar to that in Example 1 was performed. As a result, a reverse transcription phenomenon was observed.

Comparative Example 5 An image receiver was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that polycaprolactone was omitted, and a transfer test was performed in the same manner as in Example 3. As a result, blurring and tailing were observed. .

Comparative Example 6 An image receiver was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that 10 parts of polycaprolactone was added to the solution for the A layer, and a transfer test was performed in the same manner as in Example 3. Blurring and tailing were observed.

Comparative Example 7 An image receiver was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the resins of the layer A and the layer B were reversed, and a transfer test similar to that of Example 3 was performed. Tail was observed.

Comparative Example 8 An image receiving member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 4 except that the resin in the liquid for the layer A was the same as the resin in the layer B, and a transfer test was performed in the same manner as in Example 3. Then, blurring and tailing were observed.

〔effect〕

The image receiving body according to any one of claims (1) to (3) has a structure in which a dye-receiving layer A and a layer B are provided on a substrate.
Whether the layer contains a higher concentration of a dye-resin having a lower glass transition temperature than the layer A, or only the layer B contains a dye-resin having a lower glass transition temperature; Since the glass transition temperature of the resin is lower than the glass transition temperature of the dyeing resin in the layer A, when this is used as an image receiving body in a thermal transfer recording method using a thermosublimable dye, the first color Even if the dye dyed in contact with the transfer body of the second color, A
The reverse transfer phenomenon to the transfer body of the second color (transfer phenomenon from the layer A to the transfer body) due to the high diffusion speed from the layer to the layer B,
No abnormal images such as blurring and tailing occur.

Therefore, in a sublimation type thermal transfer recording method in which a transfer body (ink sheet) having a thermal sublimation dye is repeatedly used many times, the image receiving bodies of claims (1) to (3) are used. According to the thermal transfer recording method of (1), no decrease in transfer density is observed even after printing a large number of times, and color turbidity or ghost due to reverse transfer of another color sublimable dye from the image receiving layer to the transfer layer, A clear transfer image without abnormal images such as blurring and tailing can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving body of the present invention.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-108591 (JP, A) JP-A-2-277693 (JP, A) JP-A-2-273292 (JP, A) JP-A 64-78882 (JP) JP-A-1-264896 (JP, A) JP-A 1-238987 (JP, A) JP-A-62-152897 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) B41M 5/38-5/40

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image receiving body comprising at least two layers having dyeing properties laminated on a substrate, wherein the lower layer contains a resin having a lower glass transition temperature at a higher concentration than the surface layer. A sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving body used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording, in which a transfer body having a thermal sublimation dye is repeatedly used many times. 2. An image receiving body comprising at least two layers having a dyeing property laminated on a substrate, wherein only a lower layer contains a resin having a low glass transition temperature, wherein a thermo-sublimable dye is used. A sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving member used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording in which a transfer member having the same is repeatedly used many times. 3. An image-receiving body comprising at least two layers having dyeing properties laminated on a substrate, wherein the glass transition temperature of the resin forming the lower layer is lower than the glass transition temperature of the resin forming the surface layer. A sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving member for sublimation type thermal transfer recording, wherein a transfer member having a thermal sublimation dye is repeatedly used many times. 4. A sublimation type thermal transfer recording method in which a transfer member having a heat sublimable dye is repeatedly used many times, wherein the image receiving member according to claim 1, 2 or 3 is used. Method. 5. A transfer material having a thermo-sublimable dye,
Sublimation characterized in that printing is repeated a number of times under the following conditions: superimposed image receivers according to 2 or 3; speed of image receiver / speed of transfer member> 1 or feed amount of image receiver / feed amount of transfer member> 1 -Type thermal transfer recording method.