Thermal Transfer Recording Sheet Dye Layer Composition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The thermal transfer recording system experiences color imbalance due to catalytic fading between cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes, leading to unsatisfactory light fastness, even when using high-light-fastness dyes, as existing solutions like fading inhibitors and UV-absorbing copolymers provide only limited improvements.
Innovation Solution
A thermal transfer recording sheet with yellow, magenta, and cyan dye layers containing specific compounds represented by general formulae (1) to (9), which enhance light fastness and balance color fading, and an optional protective layer with compounds from general formulae (1) and (2), ensuring improved image stability and color consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fading inhibitors or UV-absorbing copolymers are used to improve light fastness, then light fastness is improved, but color imbalance still occurs with only limited improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the dye layers by introducing specific compounds (formulae 1-9) with particular molecular structures containing nitrogen atoms and aromatic rings. These structural parameter changes enable the dyes to resist catalytic fading while maintaining color balance, achieving both improved light fastness and color stability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite dye layer structures by combining multiple compounds with different functions: yellow dyes (formulae 3-6), cyan dyes (formulae 7-9), and compounds of formulae (1) and (2) that act as fading inhibitors. This composite approach allows the system to achieve both high light fastness and satisfactory color balance by leveraging the synergistic effects of different molecular structures
2Reliability
If high light fastness dyes are used for each color, then individual color light fastness is improved, but catalytic fading between colors causes unsatisfactory imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces compounds of formulae (1) and (2) as intermediary substances between the yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes. These intermediary compounds act as catalytic fading inhibitors that prevent direct interaction between different colored dyes, thereby maintaining color consistency while allowing each dye to maintain its high light fastness properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different compound formulations to different color layers (yellow, magenta, cyan) based on their specific fading characteristics. Each dye layer contains compounds of formulae (1) and (2) with optimized structures suited to that particular color's chemical properties, allowing localized optimization of both light fastness and color balance for each layer
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves satisfactory color balance and light fastness, reducing color imbalance and improving the overall image quality by using specific dye and protective layer compounds, resulting in enhanced image stability and consistency across different environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-250400, as a protective layer transfer sheet that can impart high light fastness to a transfer target material having formed thereon an image, there is a disclosure of a protective layer transfer sheet containing, in its surface layer, a copolymer obtained by copolymerizing at least styrene and a UV-absorbing monomer
Implementation Method 2
a thermal transfer recording sheet having coloring material layers each containing a thermally migrating coloring material (dye) on a sheet-shaped substrate and an image receiving sheet having a coloring material receiving layer on its surface are superimposed on each other. Then, recording is performed by heating the thermal transfer recording sheet to transfer the coloring materials in the sheet onto the image receiving sheet
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording sheet that provides an image that is excellent in light fastness and has a satisfactory imbalance. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and dye layers (a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer), in which one or more kinds of the dye layers each contain one or more kinds of specific compounds. The present invention also relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate, dye layers, and a protective layer for protecting the surface of an image, in which the protective layer contains one or more kinds of specific compounds.