Thermal Transfer Sheet Support Manufacturing via Roller Roughness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing thermal transfer image-receiving sheet supports fail to achieve sufficient surface smoothness, handleability, and prevent air entrainment in the adhesive layer, leading to unsatisfactory thermal transfer image-receiving sheets.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the controlled surface roughness of cooling rollers and rubber rollers, along with corona treatment of the substrate, to form specific resin layers and a porous film layer, ensuring high surface roughness for handleability and low surface roughness for smoothness and air prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the thickness of the thermoplastic resin layer is increased to improve surface smoothness, then surface smoothness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface roughness parameter of the cooling roller from a conventional smooth surface to a specifically controlled rough surface (Ra: 0.03-0.15μm, Rz: 0.1-0.5μm). This parameter change allows the resin layer to form a smoother surface profile by filling valleys in the roller surface, achieving better surface smoothness without increasing resin thickness or manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating a controlled rough surface structure on the cooling roller that is optimized for resin flow and surface formation. The specific roughness parameters (Ra and Rz values) are locally tailored to provide optimal surface smoothness while maintaining cost-effectiveness, rather than using a uniformly smooth or rough surface throughout
2Manufacturing precision
If calendaring is performed to improve surface smoothness, then surface smoothness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the surface smoothing function from the separate calendaring process and integrates it directly into the extrusion coating process through the modified cooling roller surface. This eliminates the need for additional calendaring equipment and process steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired surface smoothness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the surface smoothing function with the cooling and support function of the cooling roller. By combining these functions into a single component with a specifically designed rough surface, the invention eliminates the need for separate calendaring operations, reducing both equipment complexity and process steps
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional melt extrusion coating is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but surface smoothness and handleability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the cooling roller surface roughness parameters (Ra: 0.03-0.15μm, Rz: 0.1-0.5μm) to achieve optimal surface smoothness while maintaining the simplicity of the melt extrusion coating process. This parameter change allows conventional equipment to produce high-quality surfaces without adding complex process steps
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional melt extrusion coating is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but air entrainment in the adhesive layer occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the cooling roller surface roughness parameters to create an optimized surface profile that prevents air pocket formation during resin application. The controlled roughness (Ra: 0.03-0.15μm, Rz: 0.1-0.5μm) ensures complete resin coverage and eliminates air entrainment while maintaining process simplicity
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 method enhances handleability, surface uniformity, and prevents air bubbles and creases in the thermal transfer image-receiving sheets, resulting in improved gloss and adhesion strength.
Implementation Method 1
passing the substrate and the melt-extruded resin between a cooling roller and a rubber roller to form a resin layer
Implementation Method 2
nipping the thermoplastic resin between a press roller coated with an elastic resin and a cooling roller through the base paper to coat the base paper with the thermoplastic resin
Implementation Method 3
corona-treating the surface of the substrate before the lamination of the resin layer on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet support that can be used to obtain a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet that maintains its gloss and that has excellent handleability and high condition uniformity while preventing the formation of air bubbles in an adhesive layer. A resin is supplied to one side of a substrate, which is passed between a cooling roller A and a rubber roller A. A porous film is stacked on another side of the substrate through a resin, and the substrate is passed between a cooling roller B and a rubber roller B. The cooling rollers A and B have surfaces with a ten-point average roughness (Rz) of 5 to 30 μm and 0 to 20 μm, respectively. The rubber rollers A and B have a rubber hardness (durometer (Type A)) of 60 to 95 and 50 to 80, respectively.