Print manufacturing method and thermal transfer printing device

Abstract

To provide a printed matter production method capable of changing and outputting a thermal transfer image which is formed on a printed matter.SOLUTION: A printed matter production method comprises: a step for removing a prescribed area of a first reception layer which is provided on a substrate and has an image, except for a peel-off layer; a step for transferring a second reception layer to the prescribed area from which the first reception layer is removed; and a step for transferring a color material to the second reception layer for forming an image. A first protective layer is provided on the first reception layer. After removing the first reception layer and the first protective layer on the prescribed area using the peel-off layer, and forming the image on the second reception layer, a second protective layer may be transferred to the second reception layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a printed matter, a printed matter, and a thermal transfer printing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Various thermal transfer methods have been proposed. For example, a dye-sublimation thermal transfer method is known, which has excellent transparency, high reproducibility of intermediate colors and gradation, and can easily form high-quality images equivalent to conventional full-color photographic images.

[0003] To form a thermal transfer image using a dye-sublimation thermal transfer method, a thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer on one side of a substrate and a transferee, for example, a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet having a receiving layer on one side of another substrate, are used. The receiving layer of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet and the dye layer of the thermal transfer sheet are then superimposed, and heat is applied from the back side of the thermal transfer sheet using a thermal head to transfer the dye in the dye layer onto the receiving layer, resulting in a printed product in which a thermal transfer image is formed on the receiving layer.

[0004] Another known method for forming a thermal transfer image on any object is to prepare an intermediate transfer medium having a releasably disposed receiving layer on a substrate, form a thermal transfer image on the receiving layer of the intermediate transfer medium using a thermal transfer sheet, and then transfer the transfer layer including this receiving layer onto a receiving object to produce a printed product.

[0005] Thermal transfer images made using this method could not be changed. Rewritable media is known as a rewritable medium, but it applies the principles of thermal paper and can only produce monochrome images. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-135891 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a printed matter and a thermal transfer printing device that can change a thermal transfer image formed on the printed matter and output the changed image. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a printed matter in which the thermal transfer image can be changed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A method for manufacturing a printed matter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of removing a predetermined area of a first receiving layer having an image formed on a substrate using a peel-off layer, transferring a second receiving layer to the predetermined area on the substrate from which the first receiving layer has been removed, and transferring a colorant to the second receiving layer to form an image.

[0009] A print according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a substrate, a receiving layer having an image provided on the substrate, and a protective layer provided on the receiving layer, wherein the adhesive strength between the protective layer and the receiving layer is greater than the adhesive strength between the receiving layer and the substrate.

[0010] A thermal transfer printing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a removal section that heats a removal sheet provided with a peel-off layer and removes a predetermined area of a first receiving layer provided on a substrate and having an image, and an image forming section that heats a thermal transfer sheet provided with a second receiving layer and a colorant layer and transfers the second receiving layer to the predetermined area on the substrate from which the first receiving layer has been removed, and transfers colorant from the colorant layer to the transferred second receiving layer to form an image. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present disclosure, a thermal transfer image formed on a print object can be changed and output. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal transfer printing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a removal sheet. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a thermal transfer sheet. [Figure 4] 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views illustrating the steps of a method for producing a printed matter. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 6A to 6D are cross-sectional views illustrating the steps of the print manufacturing method. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are plan views of the print. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer sheet according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal transfer printing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the thermal transfer printing device includes a removal unit 1 and an image forming unit 2. The removal unit 1 uses a removal sheet 10 to remove at least a portion of an image formed on a print object 4. The image forming unit 2 uses a thermal transfer sheet 20 to form a new image in the area from which the image was removed by the removal unit 1, and outputs the print object 4.

[0015] When a transfer object 3 for forming a new image is set in a thermal transfer printing device, the transfer object 3 passes through the removal section 1, and an image is formed on the entire surface (or part) of the transfer object 3 by the image forming section 2, producing a printed object 4.

[0016] The removal sheet 10 used in the removal unit 1 has a substrate 11 and a peel-off layer 12 provided on one surface of the substrate 11, as shown in FIG.

[0017] There are no particular limitations on the substrate 11, and examples thereof include thin paper such as glassine paper, condenser paper, or paraffin paper, highly heat-resistant polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ketone, or polyether sulfone, and stretched or unstretched plastic films such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, cellulose acetate, polyethylene derivatives, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polyimide, polymethylpentene, or ionomers. Composite films made by laminating two or more of these materials can also be used.

[0018] There is no particular limitation on the thickness of the substrate 11, but an example is in the range of 2 μm to 10 μm.

[0019] The peel-off layer 12 is a layer for removing a part of the image formed on the print together with the receiving layer. In this specification, the area removed by the peel-off layer 12 is referred to as the "removal area."

[0020] The components of the peel-off layer are not particularly limited, and for example, conventionally known thermoplastic resins can be appropriately selected and used. Examples of such resins include vinyl chloride resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, polyamide resin, styrene-acrylic resin, styrene-vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, butyral resin, epoxy resin, and polyamide resin. Among them, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, and mixed resin of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin and acrylic resin are preferred in terms of good peel-off properties. The peel-off layer may contain one type of resin alone, or may contain two or more types of resins.

[0021] There is no particular limitation on the method for forming the peel-off layer. The peel-off layer can be formed by preparing a coating liquid for the peel-off layer containing the resin exemplified above and additives such as inorganic or organic fillers, if necessary, and then applying and drying this coating liquid on the substrate 11 by a known method such as gravure coating, gravure reverse coating, or roll coating.

[0022] There are no particular limitations on the thickness of the peel-off layer, but taking into consideration the film strength of the peel-off layer, the adhesiveness between the peel-off layer and the printed matter (the protective layer on the outermost surface of the printed matter), etc., the thickness is preferably in the range of 0.1 μm or more and 4 μm or less, and more preferably in the range of 0.2 μm or more and 2 μm or less.

[0023] Next, we will explain the thermal transfer sheet 20 used in the image forming unit 2. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer sheet 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the thermal transfer sheet 20 has a substrate 21, a transfer mold receiving layer 22 provided on the same surface of the substrate 21, a dye layer 23, and a protective layer 24. The receiving layer 22, the dye layer 23, and the protective layer 24 are repeatedly provided in face order.

[0024] The substrate 21 may be the same as the substrate 11 described above.

[0025] The material of the receiving layer 22 is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known receiving layer can be appropriately selected and used. Examples of suitable materials include polyolefin resins such as polypropylene, halogenated resins such as polyvinyl chloride or polyvinylidene chloride, vinyl resins such as polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and polyacrylic esters, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene resins, polyamide resins, copolymer resins of olefins such as ethylene or propylene with other vinyl polymers, cellulose resins such as ionomers or cellulose diastase, and solvent-based resins such as polycarbonate and acrylic resins. The receiving layer may contain one or more of these components alone.

[0026] The receiving layer may contain a release agent in addition to the resin component. Examples of the release agent include solid waxes such as polyethylene wax, amide wax, and Teflon (registered trademark) powder, fluorine-based or phosphate ester-based surfactants, various modified silicone oils such as silicone oil, reactive silicone oil, and cured silicone oil, and various silicone resins.

[0027] The thickness of the receiving layer is not particularly limited, but is, for example, in the range of 1 μm to 10 μm. An adhesive layer or a masking layer may be provided on the receiving layer.

[0028] The dye layer 23 has a yellow dye layer (Y), a magenta dye layer (M), and a cyan dye layer (C) arranged in frame sequence. The dye layer contains a colorant and a binder resin. The colorant and binder resin can be appropriately selected from those conventionally known in the field of dye-sublimation thermal transfer sheets, and detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0029] The thermal transfer sheet 20 may be provided with not only the dye layer 23 but also other color material layers such as a melting layer containing a binder resin, a pigment, carbon black, etc. The thermal transfer sheet 20 may also be provided with a decorative layer containing a hologram, a metal pigment, a pearl pigment, etc.

[0030] Examples of binder resins constituting the protective layer 24 include polyester, polyester urethane resin, polycarbonate, acrylic resin, ultraviolet absorbing resin, epoxy resin, acrylic urethane resin, silicone-modified resins of these resins, mixtures of these resins, actinic ray curable resins, etc. Note that actinic rays refer to rays that chemically react with actinic ray curable resins to promote polymerization, and specifically refer to visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, electron beams, α rays, β rays, γ rays, etc.

[0031] The thickness of the protective layer is not particularly limited, but is, for example, in the range of 0.5 μm to 10 μm.

[0032] 1, the removal unit 1 has a thermal head 15, a rotatable platen roll 16 provided below the thermal head 15, and an elevation means (not shown) that allows the thermal head 15 to be raised and lowered relative to the platen roll 16. The print object 4 set in the thermal transfer printing device passes between the thermal head 15 and the platen roll 16.

[0033] In the removal unit 1, the removal sheet 10 is fed from a supply unit 17, passes between a thermal head 15 and a platen roll 16, and is taken up by a recovery unit 18. Between the thermal head 15 and the platen roll 16, the peel-off layer 12 of the removal sheet 10 and the image-forming surface of the printed object 4 face each other.

[0034] When a transfer object 3 for forming a new image is set in the thermal transfer printing device, the thermal head 15 rises, and the transfer object 3 passes through the removal section 1 without any processing being performed in the removal section 1 and is transported to the image forming section 2.

[0035] The image forming unit 2 has a thermal head 25, a rotatable platen roll 26 provided below the thermal head 25, and an elevation means (not shown) that allows the thermal head 25 to be raised and lowered relative to the platen roll 26. The print object 4 (or the transfer object 3) transported from the removal unit 1 passes between the thermal head 25 and the platen roll 26.

[0036] In the image forming unit 2, the thermal transfer sheet 20 is fed from a supply unit 27, passes between a thermal head 25 and a platen roll 26, and is taken up in a recovery unit 28. Between the thermal head 25 and the platen roll 26, the receiving layer 22, the dye layer 23, and the protective layer 24 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 face the image forming surface of the print object 4 (or the transfer recipient 3).

[0037] This thermal transfer printing device has two operating modes: a new image forming mode in which a new image is formed on the transfer target 3, and an image change mode in which at least a part of the image formed on the print object 4 is changed. The operating modes can be switched using a switch (not shown) or the like.

[0038] <New image formation mode> A transfer object 3 for new image formation set in the thermal transfer printing device passes through the removing section 1 and is transported to the image forming section 2.

[0039] Examples of the transfer object 3 include paper substrates such as plain paper, high-quality paper, and tracing paper, plastic films, vinyl chloride, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, and plastic cards mainly made of polycarbonate. A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet on which a predetermined image has been formed in advance can also be used as the transfer object. The transfer object may also be colored or transparent.

[0040] The image forming unit 2 heats the receptor layer 22 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side with a thermal head 25, and transfers the receptor layer 22 onto the transfer-receiving body 3, as shown in FIG. 4A.

[0041] Next, the thermal head 25 heats the dye layer 23 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side based on image data received from a control unit (not shown), sequentially transferring the yellow dye, magenta dye, and cyan dye to the receiving layer 22, thereby forming images G1 to G3 on the receiving layer 22 as shown in Figure 4B.

[0042] Next, the thermal head 25 heats the protective layer 24 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side, and transfers the protective layer 24 onto the receiving layer 22 on which the images G1 to G3 are formed, as shown in Figures 4C and 5, to produce the printed matter 4.

[0043] The images G1 to G3 are not particularly limited and may be characters, patterns, illustrations, facial images, or the like.

[0044] <Image change mode> In the image change mode, a print object 4 on which an image has been formed is set in a thermal transfer printing device. The print object 4 may be one produced by a thermal transfer printing device having the configuration shown in Fig. 1, or one produced by a thermal transfer printing device having the configuration shown in Fig. 1 but omitting the removal unit 1.

[0045] When the printed object 4 is transported to the removal unit 1, the removal sheet 10 and the printed object 4 are superimposed between the thermal head 15 and the platen roll 16, with the peel-off layer 12 and the image-forming surface (protective layer 24) facing each other, and are then sent downstream. During this process, the thermal head 15 selectively heats the peel-off layer 12 of the removal sheet 10 based on removal area data received from a control unit (not shown). As a result, the protective layer 24 (first protective layer) and the receiving layer 22 (first receiving layer) in the removal area are removed, as shown in FIG. 6A. In this example, the area including the image G2 is removed.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 7A, the surface of the transfer-receiving body 3 is exposed in the area where the protective layer 24 and the receiving layer 22 have been removed.

[0047] The print object 4 from which the protective layer 24 and the receiving layer 22 in the area including the image G2 have been removed is transported to the image forming unit 2.

[0048] The image forming unit 2 heats the receiving layer 22 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side using a thermal head 25, and transfers a new receiving layer 22 (second receiving layer) to the area (removal area) where the surface of the transfer object 3 is exposed, as shown in Figure 6B.

[0049] Next, the thermal head 25 heats the dye layer 23 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side based on image data received from a control unit not shown, and sequentially transfers the yellow dye, magenta dye, and cyan dye to the receiving layer 22 (transferred in the process shown in Figure 6B), forming image G4 as shown in Figure 6C.

[0050] Next, the thermal head 25 heats the protective layer 24 of the thermal transfer sheet 20 from the substrate 21 side, and transfers the protective layer 24 (second protective layer) onto the receiving layer 22 (the receiving layer transferred in the step shown in Figure 6B) containing the image G4, as shown in Figure 6D, to produce a printed matter 4 with a modified image.

[0051] For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the facial image on the print 4 can be changed.

[0052] As described above, according to this embodiment, the image is removed together with the receiving layer, and a new receiving layer is transferred to the removed area to form a different image, thereby changing and outputting the color thermal transfer image formed on the print. The image can be changed not only once, but multiple times. The area where the image is changed may be the same each time, or may be different each time.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the adhesive strength (adhesion) between the peel-off layer 12 and the protective layer 24 is greater than the adhesive strength between the protective layer 24 and the receiving layer 22 and the adhesive strength between the receiving layer 22 and the transfer-receiving body 3, so that the protective layer 24 and the receiving layer 22 can be removed in the desired area by the peel-off layer 12. In addition, the adhesive strength between the protective layer 24 and the receiving layer 22 is greater than the adhesive strength between the receiving layer 22 and the transfer-receiving body 3.

[0054] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the peel-off layer 12, the receiving layer 22, the dye layer 23, and the protective layer 24 are provided on separate sheets, but as shown in Fig. 8, the peel-off layer 12, the receiving layer 22, the dye layer 23, and the protective layer 24 may be repeatedly provided in surface order on the same substrate 21. In this case, only one thermal head may be provided in the thermal transfer printing device, and for example, the image forming unit 2 has the function of the removing unit 1.

[0055] The sheet provided with the peel-off layer 12, the sheet provided with the receiving layer 22, and the sheet provided with the dye layer 23 and the protective layer 24 may be separate.

[0056] In the area where the image is to remain (area where the image is not to be removed), a primer layer may be provided between the receiving layer 22 and the transfer-receiving body 3 to prevent removal by the peel-off layer 12.

[0057] It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Removal part 2 Image forming unit 3 Transferred object 4 Prints 10 Removal Sheet 11 Base material 12 Peel-off layer 20 Thermal transfer sheet 21 Base material 22 Receptor 23 Dye layer 24 Protective layer

Claims

1. removing a predetermined area of a first receiving layer provided on a substrate and having an image thereon using a peel-off layer; transferring a second receiving layer to the predetermined area on the substrate from which the first receiving layer has been removed; transferring a colorant to the second receiving layer to form an image; A method for manufacturing a printed matter comprising the steps of:

2. a first protective layer is provided on the first receiving layer, and the first receiving layer and the first protective layer are removed in the predetermined area using the peel-off layer; The method for producing a print according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of: forming the image on the second receiving layer; and then transferring a second protective layer onto the second receiving layer.

3. The method for producing a print product according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesive strength between the peel-off layer and the first protective layer and the adhesive strength between the first protective layer and the first receiving layer are greater than the adhesive strength between the first receiving layer and the substrate.

4. a removal unit that heats a removal sheet provided with a peel-off layer to remove a predetermined area of the first receiving layer provided on the substrate and having an image; an image forming section that heats a thermal transfer sheet provided with a second receiving layer and a coloring material layer, transfers the second receiving layer to the predetermined area on the substrate from which the first receiving layer has been removed, and transfers coloring material from the coloring material layer to the transferred second receiving layer to form an image; A thermal transfer printing device comprising:

Images