Intermediate Transfer Medium Low-Temperature Warpage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transfer layer of intermediate transfer media is typically transferred at high temperatures, which can cause warpage in transfer-receiving articles, and attempting to transfer at low temperatures compromises transferability and releasability from thermal transfer sheets.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate transfer medium with a receiving layer that has a logarithmic damping ratio of 0.10 or more at 70°C, incorporating vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers and crystalline or amorphous polyesters, allowing for low-temperature transfer while maintaining excellent releasability and image density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transfer layer is transferred at a high temperature, then the transferability is good, but warpage occurs in the transfer-receiving article
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the receiving layer by incorporating specific resin materials (polyester resins with glass transition temperatures of -50°C or lower, or polyurethane resins with Tg of -80°C or lower) and controlling their content ratios. This allows the transfer to be performed at reduced temperatures (100-160°C) while maintaining good transferability, thereby preventing warpage in the transfer-receiving article.
2Shape
If the transfer layer is transferred at a low temperature, then warpage is suppressed, but the transferability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the receiving layer's thermal and adhesive properties by selecting specific resin materials with low glass transition temperatures and controlling the content ratios of different components. This enables effective transfer at low temperatures (100-160°C) without compromising transferability, thus suppressing warpage while maintaining reliable image transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite receiving layer structure combining polyester resins and polyurethane resins in specific ratios (polyester: 1-50 parts by mass, polyurethane: 50-99 parts by mass). This composite material approach allows the layer to exhibit both low-temperature flexibility and adequate adhesion, enabling low-temperature transfer with good transferability and warpage suppression.
3Temperature
If a resin material with low thermal softening temperature is contained in the receiving layer, then low-temperature transfer is enabled, but releasability from the thermal transfer sheet deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the glass transition temperature parameter of the receiving layer resin materials (polyester: Tg ≤ -50°C, polyurethane: Tg ≤ -80°C) and adjusts their content ratios. This parameter optimization ensures the receiving layer remains flexible at low transfer temperatures while maintaining sufficient releasability from the thermal transfer sheet, preventing both warpage and transfer defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different resin materials with specific thermal properties to the receiving layer, creating local variations in thermal response. The combination of polyester and polyurethane resins with different Tg values provides localized flexibility and adhesion characteristics that enable low-temperature transfer while maintaining proper releasability from the thermal transfer sheet.
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
Enables the transfer of the transfer layer at a low temperature, reducing warpage and ensuring high releasability and image quality, while maintaining the integrity of the thermal transfer sheet and printed material.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal transfer sheet including a sublimation transfer-type coloring material layer containing a sublimation dye
Implementation Method 2
the intermediate transfer medium is heated to transfer the transfer layer onto a transfer-receiving article
Data Source
AI summary
An intermediate transfer medium according to the present disclosure includes a substrate and a transfer layer including at least a receiving layer, in which a logarithmic damping ratio ΔE determined by subjecting the receiving layer to rigid-body pendulum measurement at 70° C. is 0.10 or more.