Print manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a method of producing a printed material that makes it possible to form unevenness with desired height in a shape on demand.SOLUTION: The method of producing a printed material comprises the steps of: transferring to a thermal head an image-receiving sheet in which an effervescent particle-containing layer containing foamed effervescent particles is disposed on a substrate; using the thermal head to heat the effervescent particle-containing layer in a predetermined pattern so as to reduce the thickness of a portion corresponding to the heated area of the effervescent particle-containing layer, thereby forming an uneven pattern on the effervescent particle-containing layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a print. [Background technology]

[0002] Various thermal transfer methods using dyes or pigments have been proposed. Prints produced by thermal transfer methods are used for a wide range of purposes, including photo cards such as ID cards and credit cards, composite photos used in amusement facilities, and trading cards.

[0003] In recent years, there has been an increase in printed matter that has a simple three-dimensional shape with unevenness, achieved by heating a card containing foam particles in a desired pattern to form expanded portions. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method of forming a three-dimensional image by applying foam capsules that expand when heated to the surface of a recording medium and then heating it with a thermal head.

[0004] However, with conventional methods, the contact area between the thermal head and the foaming material is small, making it difficult to heat at the specified temperature for the specified time to obtain the desired amount of foaming. While a method using a heat roller to heat and foam the material is also possible, the concave and convex patterns are fixed with a heat roller, making it impossible to form them on demand. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6126731 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a printed matter that can form projections and depressions having a desired height in an on-demand shape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The method for producing a printed matter of the present disclosure includes the steps of: conveying an image-receiving sheet having a substrate on which a foamed particle-containing layer containing foamed particles is provided, to a thermal head; and heating the foamed particle-containing layer in a predetermined pattern with the thermal head to reduce the thickness of the foamed particle-containing layer in the portions corresponding to the heated regions, thereby forming a concavo-convex pattern in the foamed particle-containing layer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to form projections and recesses having a desired height in an on-demand shape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an image-receiving sheet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an image-receiving sheet. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an image-receiving sheet. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a recess formation process performed by a thermal transfer printer. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. To clarify the description, the drawings may show the width, thickness, etc. of each part more schematically than in the actual embodiment. However, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present disclosure. In the present specification and drawings, elements similar to those previously described with reference to the preceding drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image-receiving sheet S used in the method for producing a print according to this embodiment. The image-receiving sheet S includes a substrate 1 and an expanded particle-containing layer 2 provided on one surface of the substrate 1.

[0012] The expanded bead-containing layer 2 contains expanded beads. The expanded beads have an outer shell made of a thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent encapsulated in the outer shell that vaporizes when heated. Therefore, the expanded beads expand when heated.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 2, a primer layer 3 may be provided between the substrate 1 and the expanded bead-containing layer 2. The primer layer 3 may be made of a conventionally known resin that serves to provide good adhesion between the substrate 1 and the expanded bead-containing layer 2.

[0014] This image-receiving sheet S is heated using a heating device such as a heat roller (not shown), and the foamed particles in the foamed particle-containing layer 2 are foamed and expanded as shown in Fig. 3. By using a heat roller, the foamed particles can be sufficiently expanded. Furthermore, because a heat roller is used, the foamed particles expand over the entire image-receiving sheet S (overall area in contact with the roller).

[0015] Next, the image-receiving sheet S with expanded foam particles is set in a known thermal transfer printer. As shown in Fig. 4, the thermal transfer printer has a thermal head 11 and a platen roller 12. The thermal transfer printer also has a payout unit that pays out the heating release sheet 13 and a take-up unit that takes up the heating release sheet 13 (both not shown).

[0016] The heating release sheet 13 has a heating release layer formed by applying a heat-resistant, highly release material to one surface of a base sheet.

[0017] In the thermal transfer printer, the heating release sheet 13 and the image receiving sheet S are superimposed so that the heating release layer and the foamed bead-containing layer 2 face each other, and are transported between the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12, while the thermal head 11 heats the foamed bead-containing layer 20 via the heating release sheet 13.

[0018] The thermal head 11 applies heat in a pattern based on a control signal from a control unit (not shown) of the thermal transfer printer.

[0019] The control unit also increases the voltage applied to the thermal head 11 to apply high thermal energy to the expanded bead-containing layer 2. For example, the voltage applied to the thermal head 11 is preferably 18 V or higher. The printing speed (transport speed of the image-receiving sheet) is preferably 6 ms / Line or higher.

[0020] When high heat energy is applied to the expanded bead-containing layer 2, the expanded bead gas escapes from the expanded bead due to overheating, destroying the bead, and reducing the thickness of the expanded bead-containing layer 2.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 5, in the expanded bead-containing layer 2, the areas where the expanded beads are destroyed by overheating become recesses 20a, and the areas not heated by the thermal head 11 become relatively protruding parts 20b.

[0022] As a result, a print can be produced in which an image is formed by recesses and projections on the image-receiving sheet S, as shown in FIG.

[0023] If the image-receiving sheet 2 is in sheet form, it is discharged from the thermal transfer printer as is. If the image-receiving sheet 2 is in the form of a long strip and is set in the thermal transfer printer in a rolled state, after the recesses are formed by the thermal head 11, the image-receiving sheet 2 is cut to a predetermined size by a cutter of the thermal transfer printer, and the printed product is cut out.

[0024] The convex portions 20b are areas where the foam particles have been sufficiently expanded in advance using a heat roller or the like. The concave portions 20a can be formed on demand using the thermal head 11 of a thermal transfer printer. Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to form concaves and convexes of a desired height in an on-demand shape, and to express an image using a concave-convex pattern.

[0025] After forming the recesses with the thermal head 11, a color material may be transferred onto the expanded bead-containing layer 2 to form a color image, thereby producing a printed product having a color image with recesses and projections. The color material to be transferred is, for example, a heat-melt ink that can be transferred with an applied energy smaller than that which would cause overheating.

[0026] Alternatively, a color image may be formed by transferring a dye to a receptor layer of an intermediate transfer medium, and the transfer layer containing the receptor layer on which the color image has been formed may be transferred from the intermediate transfer medium to the foamed bead-containing layer 2. Then, the transfer layer may be heated with a thermal head to form irregularities, producing a printed product having a color image with irregularities. If irregularities are formed in the foamed bead-containing layer 2 by applying excessive heat before or simultaneously with the transfer of the transfer layer from the intermediate transfer medium, the intermediate transfer medium may be less likely to contact the recesses, making it difficult to transfer the color image. Therefore, as described above, it is preferable to apply excessive heat with a thermal head to form irregularities after transferring the transfer layer from the intermediate transfer medium to the foamed bead-containing layer 2. Alternatively, a colorant may be transferred to the foamed bead-containing layer 2 with energy sufficient to prevent the foamed particles from being destroyed, thereby forming a color image, and then excessive heat may be applied to form irregularities.

[0027] A heating device such as a heat roller for expanding the foamed beads in the foamed bead-containing layer 2 may be mounted in a thermal transfer printer having a thermal head 11 .

[0028] Next, the structure of each layer of the image-receiving sheet S will be described.

[0029] (base material) Examples of the substrate 1 of the image-receiving sheet S include paper substrates such as condenser paper, glassine paper, parchment paper, synthetic paper, high-quality paper, art paper, coated paper, uncoated paper, cast-coated paper, wallpaper, cellulose fiber paper, synthetic resin-impregnated paper, backing paper, and impregnated paper (synthetic resin-impregnated paper, emulsion-impregnated paper, synthetic rubber latex-impregnated paper), and films made of polyolefins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polymethylpentene, vinyl resins such as polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, (meth)acrylic resins such as polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, and polymethyl methacrylate, styrene resins such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, and ionomer resins.

[0030] The thickness of the substrate is preferably 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less from the viewpoint of mechanical strength.

[0031] (Foam particle-containing layer) The expanded bead-containing layer 2 contains expanded beads and a binder resin. The expanded beads are heat-expandable microspheres composed of an outer shell made of a thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent (core) encapsulated within the shell. The expanded beads have a core-shell structure, and the microspheres as a whole exhibit heat expandability (the property that the entire microsphere expands when heated). The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component.

[0032] The polymerizable component refers to a monomer having at least one polymerizable group in its molecule, which polymerizes to form the thermoplastic resin that forms the shell of the expanded beads. Examples of polymerizable components include non-crosslinkable monomers having one reactive carbon-carbon double bond (hereinafter simply referred to as non-crosslinkable monomers) and crosslinkable monomers having two or more reactive carbon-carbon double bonds (hereinafter simply referred to as crosslinkable monomers). The crosslinkable monomers can introduce a crosslinked structure into the polymer. The reactive carbon-carbon double bond here refers to a carbon-carbon double bond that exhibits radical reactivity, and does not refer to carbon-carbon double bonds in aromatic rings such as benzene rings or naphthalene rings, but includes carbon-carbon double bonds contained in vinyl groups, (meth)acryloyl groups, allyl groups, vinylene groups, etc. Here, the (meth)acryloyl group refers to an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group.

[0033] The blowing agent is a component that vaporizes when heated. The blowing agent is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include hydrocarbons having 3 to 13 carbon atoms such as methane, ethane, propane, (iso)butane, (iso)pentane, (iso)hexane, (iso)heptane, (iso)octane, (iso)nonane, (iso)decane, (iso)undecane, (iso)dodecane, and (iso)tridecane, hydrocarbons having more than 13 but 20 or less carbon atoms such as (iso)hexadecane and (iso)eicosane, pseudocumene, petroleum ether, normal paraffins and isoparaffins having an initial boiling point of 150°C to 260°C and / or a distillation range of 70°C to 360°C, Examples of suitable compounds include hydrocarbons such as petroleum distillates such as vinylene; halogenated hydrocarbons having 1 to 12 carbon atoms such as methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride; fluorine-containing compounds such as hydrofluoroether; silanes having an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms such as tetramethylsilane, trimethylethylsilane, trimethylisopropylsilane, and trimethyl-n-propylsilane; and compounds that undergo thermal decomposition to generate gases when heated, such as azodicarbonamide, N,N'-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, and 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide).

[0034] The blowing agent may be composed of one type of compound or a mixture of two or more types of compounds. The blowing agent may be linear, branched, or alicyclic, with aliphatic blowing agents being preferred.

[0035] The encapsulation rate of the blowing agent in the expanded beads is defined as the percentage of the weight of the encapsulated blowing agent relative to the weight of the expanded beads. The encapsulation rate of the blowing agent is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2% by weight or more and 50% by weight or less relative to the weight of the expanded beads.

[0036] The expansion starting temperature of the expanded beads is not particularly limited, but is preferably at least 70° C. The average particle diameter (D50) of the expanded beads is 5 μm or more and 30 μm or less.

[0037] Examples of the binder resin contained in the expanded particle-containing layer include cellulose resin, vinyl resin, acrylic resin, and polyester.

[0038] The thickness of the expanded bead-containing layer before the expanded beads are expanded is preferably 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less. The thickness of the expanded bead-containing layer after the expanded beads are expanded is preferably 250 μm or more and 600 μm or less. The thickness of the expanded bead-containing layer after the expanded beads are destroyed is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 50 μm or less.

[0039] (primer layer) Examples of resins constituting the primer layer 3 for improving the adhesion between the substrate 1 and the expanded bead-containing layer 2 include polyurethane, acrylic resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, and epoxy resin. The thickness of the primer layer is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 2.0 μm or less.

[0040] Next, we will explain the material of the heating release sheet 13 that is interposed between the thermal head 11 of the thermal transfer printer and the image receiving sheet 2 when the image receiving sheet S is heated by the thermal head 11. The thermal transfer sheet 13 has a base sheet and a heating release layer provided on one side of the base sheet.

[0041] (Base sheet) The substrate sheet is not limited in any way, and any conventionally known substrate sheet in the field of thermal transfer sheets can be appropriately selected and used. Examples include stretched or unstretched plastic films such as highly heat-resistant polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ketone, or polyether sulfone, 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.

[0042] (heat release layer) Examples of heat-resistant, highly release materials constituting the heating release layer include waxes, silicone wax, silicone resins, silicone-modified resins, fluororesins, fluororesin-modified resins, polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic resins, thermally crosslinkable epoxy-amino resins, and thermally crosslinkable alkyd-amino resins. The thickness of the heating release layer is approximately 0.5 μm or more and 5 μm or less.

[0043] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Base material 2. Foam particle-containing layer 3 Primer layer 11 Thermal head 12 Platen roller 13 Thermal transfer sheet 20a Recess 20b Convex part S Receiving sheet

Claims

1. a step of transporting an image receiving sheet having a substrate and a foamed particle-containing layer containing foamed foam particles provided thereon to a thermal head; a step of heating the expanded bead-containing layer in a predetermined pattern with the thermal head to reduce the thickness of the expanded bead-containing layer in the portions corresponding to the heated regions, thereby forming a concavo-convex pattern in the expanded bead-containing layer; A method for manufacturing a printed matter comprising the steps of:

2. The method for producing a printed matter according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of transferring a color material onto the expanded bead-containing layer on which the concave-convex pattern has been formed, to form a color image.

3. The method for producing a print according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a color image on the expanded bead-containing layer before forming the concave-convex pattern on the expanded bead-containing layer.

4. The method further comprises a step of heating an image receiving sheet, which includes a substrate and a foamed particle-containing layer containing foamed particles, with a heat roller to foam the foamed particles, 4. The method for producing a printed matter according to claim 1, wherein the image-receiving sheet after being heated by the heat roller is transported to the thermal head.

Images