JPH02270568A - Sublimation transfer recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the gloss of a sublimable dye transfer image by transferring an image, placing a thermally transferable film material of high smoothness on the surface of an image-receiving paper, and removing the material from the image-receiving paper after heating and pressing processes. CONSTITUTION:A polyester film material 10 of high smoothness is placed on the surface of an image-receiving paper 4, and is thermally pressed using a heating roller 5. The heating roller 5 contains a heater 6 in the center, and is designed so that temperature is controlled. The image-receiving paper 4 and the film material 10 applied to the surface of the former are introduced into the gap between the heating roller 5 and a pressure roller 7 incorporating a spring 9 above the shaft 8. In this way, the uneven surface of the paper 4 is smoothed. The film material 10 is peeled off the paper 4 to obtain the image- receiving paper 4 with a smooth image receiving layer 41, and this paper 4 can obtain higher gloss and density than the initial values.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a sublimation transfer recording method.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a sublimation transfer recording method in which an ink sheet supporting a heat-sublimable dye and an image-receiving paper having a dye-receiving layer are superimposed, and an image is transferred to a desired position on the image-receiving paper by selective heating of a thermal head. It is publicly known.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a sublimation transfer recording method, if sublimation transfer is to be performed at high speed, a large amount of thermal energy must be injected in a short period of time to move the dye. As a result, the heater section of the thermal head becomes very hot, and after the heat is transferred in the thickness direction of the ink sheet, the heat is stored in the image receiving layer on the surface of the receiving paper, causing melting corresponding to the heater section of the thermal head, and the receiving paper The surface is broken into irregularities and becomes rough.

An image with such a surface condition has a problem in that light is scattered and the image loses its gloss, making it unsuitable when glossiness is required for the image.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of the conventional sublimation transfer recording method as described above, and to surface-process the sublimation dye transfer image, which has lost its luster due to high-speed recording, to make it glossy. It is about improving.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention overlaps an ink sheet supporting a heat sublimable dye and an image receiving paper having a dye receiving layer to selectively print a thermal head. After transferring the image to the desired position on the image receiving paper by heating, a highly smooth heat conductive thin film material is superimposed on the surface of the image receiving paper.
A heat and pressure treatment is performed, and then the heat conductive thin film material is removed from the image receiving paper.

Function By overlaying a highly smooth heat conductive thin film material on the surface of the image receiving paper after transfer, and applying heat and pressure treatment,
The uneven parts of the image receiving paper are softened by heating, and the smooth surface of the heat transfer thin film material is pressed against the softened uneven parts, so that the image receiving paper becomes a smooth surface.Then, the heat transfer thin film material is then peeled off and removed from the image receiving paper surface. do.

Embodiment FIG. 1 schematically shows a part of an apparatus used in the sublimation transfer recording method of the present invention, in which an ink sheet 3 and an image receiving paper 4 are arranged between a platen roller 1 and a thermal head 2. The thermal head 2 presses the ink sheet 3 against the image receiving paper 4 with an appropriate pressure by a pressure spring 21 of the thermal head 2, and has a built-in heater 22. The ink sheet 3 has a heat-resistant slipping layer 3I on the surface and a base material 3
2. The image receiving paper 4 is composed of an ink layer 33 and a receiving layer 41.
and a base paper 42.

When a print or image signal is applied to the heater 22 of the thermal head 2, the ink in the ink layer 33 of the ink sheet 3 is transferred to the receiving layer 41 of the image receiving paper 4. In the above configuration, when sublimation transfer is performed at high speed and the thermal head 2 becomes high temperature, the receiving layer 41 on the surface of the base paper 42 of the image receiving paper 4 heats up in an uneven pattern corresponding to the thermal head 2, as shown in FIG. The reflection region 43, diffuse reflection region 44, etc. are generated. Note that the arrow indicates the direction of printing.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3(A), a polyester thin film material 10 having a high degree of smoothness is superimposed on the surface of the image receiving paper 4. The thickness of this polyester thin film material lO is 60
A surface roughness of 0.1 to 0.5 μs R2 or more is used.

The thus-superimposed materials are heated and pressurized by a heating roller 5, as shown in FIG. 3(B). Here, the heating roller 5 has a built-in heater 6 in the center of the roller and is configured to be temperature controllable, and the heating roller 5 and the shaft 8
The image-receiving paper 4 and the thin film material 10 coated on its surface are passed between a pressure roller 7 having a shaft 8 and a pressure roller 7 incorporating a spring 9 acting upwardly. Heating roller 5 in this case
The temperature is 150°C, and the pressing force of the pressure roller 7 is 4 kg/
J, the movement speed was 5–10 mm/S.

By doing this, the unevenness on the surface of the image-receiving paper 4 is smoothed out and becomes a smooth surface, as shown in FIG. 4(B).

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4C, the thin film material 10 was peeled off from the image-receiving paper 4 to obtain an image-receiving paper 4 having a smooth receiving layer 41.

In this embodiment, a polyester material was used as the thin film material lO, but other metal materials such as a thin plate of stainless steel may be used.

Figure 4 is a graph showing the changes in gloss obtained by the normal recording method and the results of improved gloss by processing according to the present invention. A VG-2P type gloss meter was used.

Effects of the Invention The present invention is as described above, in which a highly smooth heat conductive thin film material is superimposed on the surface of the image receiving paper onto which an image has been transferred by an ink sheet and then heated.

Since pressure is applied, the unevenness that occurs on the surface of the image receiving paper during recording can be made into a uniform and smooth surface, and the glossiness and density can be increased to be higher than the initial value.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of a recording apparatus used in the sublimation transfer recording method, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the recorded image receiving paper, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a graph showing changes in flatness and density before and after smoothing. 1...Platen roller 2...Thermal head 3...Ink sheet 4...Receiving paper 5...Heat roller 6...Heater 7
...Pressure roller 9...Spring lO...
・Heat-conductive thin film material 31...Heat-resistant slip layer 32
... Base material 33 ... Sublimation ink layer 41 ... Receptive layer 42 ... Base paper 4
3... Specular reflection area 44... Diffuse reflection area angle 10 Chest 2 closed

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a sublimation transfer recording method in which an ink sheet supporting a heat sublimable dye and an image receiving paper having a dye-receiving layer are overlapped, and an image is transferred to a desired position on the image receiving paper by selective heating of a thermal head. , a highly smooth heat conductive thin film material is superimposed on the surface of the image receiving paper after transfer, and then heated and
A sublimation transfer recording method characterized by performing a pressure treatment and then removing the heat conductive thin film material from the image receiving paper.