EP0057759B1 - Thermal transfer printing resistive ribbon - Google Patents

Thermal transfer printing resistive ribbon Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0057759B1
EP0057759B1 EP81108991A EP81108991A EP0057759B1 EP 0057759 B1 EP0057759 B1 EP 0057759B1 EP 81108991 A EP81108991 A EP 81108991A EP 81108991 A EP81108991 A EP 81108991A EP 0057759 B1 EP0057759 B1 EP 0057759B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
ribbon
polyvinyl acetate
ink
thermal transfer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP81108991A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0057759A1 (en
Inventor
Tiefa Kingsley Niweigha
Meredith David Shattuck
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
JP Morgan Delaware
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Publication of EP0057759A1 publication Critical patent/EP0057759A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0057759B1 publication Critical patent/EP0057759B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/382—Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes
    • B41M5/3825—Electric current carrying heat transfer sheets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J31/00—Ink ribbons; Renovating or testing ink ribbons
    • B41J31/05—Ink ribbons having coatings other than impression-material coatings
    • B41J31/08—Ink ribbons having coatings other than impression-material coatings the coatings being superimposed on impression-transfer material

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to resistive ribbons for use in thermal transfer printing onto a receptor surface.
  • Resistive ribbon thermal transfer printing is known in the art and is, very briefly, summarised in US ⁇ 4,103,066, DE-2,842,772, FR-2,434,709 and GB-1,583,922, which disclose a resistive ribbon comprising a resistive polycarbonate layer or substrate with a transfer layer of wax, carbon black and a dye on one surface thereof.
  • the ordinary ink layer is overcoated with a second layer called a hold-off layer because it prevents or holds the ink from penetrating into the paper fibers.
  • the hold-off layer adheres to the paper sufficiently well so that the paper may be handled, creased and otherwise subjected to ordinary wear without smearing or deterioration of the print quality.
  • the hold-off layer comes into contact with the substrate being printed upon, for example, paper.
  • the ink layer is simultaneously transferred with the hold-off layer.
  • the hold-off.layer is thus deposited on the paper beneath the ink layer.
  • the hold-off layer serves to make subsequent correction of the printing easier by preventing the ink from penetrating into the pores of the substrate paper being printed upon.
  • the layer of polyvinyl acetate may serve as the transfer layer.
  • the layer of polyvinyl acetate contains a pigment, such as carbon, and/ or one or more colouring dyes, and selected portions are transferred from the resistive ribbon to the receptor surface during printing to serve as the ink.
  • the layer of polyvinyl acetate layer may be used as a hold-off layer.
  • the layer is uncoloured and serves to make subsequent correction of printing easier.
  • the polyvinyl acetate layer is used as a hoid-off tayer, it is used in conjunction with a transfer layer, which acts as the ink, and contains pigment and/or colouring material.
  • the hold-off layer serves to prevent the ink from penetrating the pores of the receptor surface being printed upon.
  • the polyvinyl acetate hold-off layer may be used with any of the known useful transfer layers, for example, a layer of polymerized fatty acid polyamide, as disclosed in GB-2,010,515.
  • a polyvinyl acetate layer in a resistive ribbon gives the advantages of rub resistance, waterfastness and correctability, while at the same time providing excellent print quality.
  • An additonal advantage is that such a layer is capable of formulation by water based application, rather than from an organic solvent. Thus, the use of organic solvents is avoided and an ecological advantage achieved.
  • the polyvinyl acetate layer whether serving as hold-off layer or transfer layer, is suitable for use. with any of the resistive layers and conductive layers known in the thermal transfer resistive ribbon making art.
  • the polycarbonate ribbon of US-4,103,066 is one preferred resistive layer.
  • the polyvinyl acetate layer when used as a hold-off layer, should be from about 0.1 to 10 microns in thickness, and preferably from about 1 to about 2 microns. When the polyvinyl acetate layer is used as a transfer layer, it should be from about 1 to about 5 microns thick.
  • Polyvinyl acetate suitable for use in the present invention is available commercially from a number of sources.
  • polyvinyl acetate latex is available from Union Carbide Corporation under the trademark Ucar Vehicle 4029.
  • Carbon pigments suitable for use in conjunction with polyvinyl acetate for the transfer layer of the present invention are also readily available commercially.
  • Aqua Blak a brand of carbon from the Borden company.
  • a transfer layer was prepared by applying:
  • a transfer layer was prepared as in Example 1, except that the formulation was applied to a metallized resistive layer of polycarbonate.
  • the ribbon was evaluated on a resistive ribbon thermal transfer robot and was found to produce excellent quality print at 30 to 35 milliamps current.
  • a hold-off layer was prepared by applying polyvinyl acetate latex in water to a polyamide transfer layer on a polycarbonate layer or substrate of a resistive ribbon. A thin clear layer of uncoloured polyvinyl acetate was formed on the polyamide ink surface of the ribbon.
  • the ribbon was printed onto paper.
  • the latex layer prevented penetration of the ink into the paper.
  • the print thus formed was lifted off the paper with adhesive tape, demonstrating the correctability of the material.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
  • Impression-Transfer Materials And Handling Thereof (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Inks, Pencil-Leads, Or Crayons (AREA)

Description

  • The present invention relates to resistive ribbons for use in thermal transfer printing onto a receptor surface.
  • Resistive ribbon thermal transfer printing is known in the art and is, very briefly, summarised in US―4,103,066, DE-2,842,772, FR-2,434,709 and GB-1,583,922, which disclose a resistive ribbon comprising a resistive polycarbonate layer or substrate with a transfer layer of wax, carbon black and a dye on one surface thereof.
  • The use in a resistive ribbon for thermal transfer printing of a "hold-off" layer as the layer closest to the receptor surface to be printed upon, is disclosed in European patent application No. 81103625.0, publication No. EP-0042954, filed before but published after the priority date of this application.
  • According to EP0042954, the ordinary ink layer is overcoated with a second layer called a hold-off layer because it prevents or holds the ink from penetrating into the paper fibers. At the same time, the hold-off layer adheres to the paper sufficiently well so that the paper may be handled, creased and otherwise subjected to ordinary wear without smearing or deterioration of the print quality.
  • During the printing operation, the hold-off layer comes into contact with the substrate being printed upon, for example, paper. The ink layer is simultaneously transferred with the hold-off layer. The hold-off.layer is thus deposited on the paper beneath the ink layer. Thus, the hold-off layer serves to make subsequent correction of the printing easier by preventing the ink from penetrating into the pores of the substrate paper being printed upon.
  • The use of a polyvinyl acetate layer in a pressure sensitive ribbon is disclosed in US3481761.
  • The present invention is defined in the attached claims.
  • The layer of polyvinyl acetate may serve as the transfer layer. In such case, the layer of polyvinyl acetate contains a pigment, such as carbon, and/ or one or more colouring dyes, and selected portions are transferred from the resistive ribbon to the receptor surface during printing to serve as the ink.
  • The layer of polyvinyl acetate layer may be used as a hold-off layer. In such case, the layer is uncoloured and serves to make subsequent correction of printing easier. When the polyvinyl acetate layer is used as a hoid-off tayer, it is used in conjunction with a transfer layer, which acts as the ink, and contains pigment and/or colouring material. The hold-off layer serves to prevent the ink from penetrating the pores of the receptor surface being printed upon. The polyvinyl acetate hold-off layer may be used with any of the known useful transfer layers, for example, a layer of polymerized fatty acid polyamide, as disclosed in GB-2,010,515.
  • Most preferred, however, is the use of a polyvinyl acetate uncoloured hold-off layer with a pigmented transfer layer of polyvinyl acetate.
  • The use of a polyvinyl acetate layer in a resistive ribbon according to the present invention, gives the advantages of rub resistance, waterfastness and correctability, while at the same time providing excellent print quality. An additonal advantage is that such a layer is capable of formulation by water based application, rather than from an organic solvent. Thus, the use of organic solvents is avoided and an ecological advantage achieved.
  • The polyvinyl acetate layer, whether serving as hold-off layer or transfer layer, is suitable for use. with any of the resistive layers and conductive layers known in the thermal transfer resistive ribbon making art. The polycarbonate ribbon of US-4,103,066 is one preferred resistive layer.
  • In general, the polyvinyl acetate layer, when used as a hold-off layer, should be from about 0.1 to 10 microns in thickness, and preferably from about 1 to about 2 microns. When the polyvinyl acetate layer is used as a transfer layer, it should be from about 1 to about 5 microns thick.
  • Polyvinyl acetate suitable for use in the present invention is available commercially from a number of sources. For example, polyvinyl acetate latex is available from Union Carbide Corporation under the trademark Ucar Vehicle 4029. Carbon pigments suitable for use in conjunction with polyvinyl acetate for the transfer layer of the present invention are also readily available commercially. For example, Aqua Blak, a brand of carbon from the Borden company.
  • The following additional examples illustrate the invention, but many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.
    • Example 1
  • A transfer layer was prepared by applying:
    • 30 parts polyvinyl acetate latex;
    • 40 parts water; and
    • 7.5 parts carbon,

    to a metallized polyurethane/polyester crosslinked resistive layer. The layer was dried with heat, and the ribbon was evaluated on a resistive ribbon thermal transfer robot. Excellent quality print was obtained at 35 to 40 milliamps current. Example 2
  • A transfer layer was prepared as in Example 1, except that the formulation was applied to a metallized resistive layer of polycarbonate.
  • The ribbon was evaluated on a resistive ribbon thermal transfer robot and was found to produce excellent quality print at 30 to 35 milliamps current.
    • Example 3
  • A hold-off layer was prepared by applying polyvinyl acetate latex in water to a polyamide transfer layer on a polycarbonate layer or substrate of a resistive ribbon. A thin clear layer of uncoloured polyvinyl acetate was formed on the polyamide ink surface of the ribbon.
  • The ribbon was printed onto paper. The latex layer prevented penetration of the ink into the paper. The print thus formed was lifted off the paper with adhesive tape, demonstrating the correctability of the material.

Claims (6)

1. A resistive ribbon for thermal transfer printing comprising a resistive substrate layer and an ink layer covered by another layer, characterized in that said ribbon is a correctable thermal transfer ribbon, that said another layer is transferable with the ink layer to the receptor surface being printed upon, that the another layer prevents penetration of the ink into the receptor surface and that the another layer is a polyvinyl acetate layer.
2. A ribbon according to claim 1, in which the ink layer is a layer of coloured polyvinyl acetate.
3. A ribbon according to claim 1, in which said another layer is from 0.1 to 10 microns thick.
4. A ribbon according to claim 3, in which said another layer is from 1 to 2 microns thick.
5. A ribbon according to claim 2, in which the coloured polyvinyl acetate ink layer is from 1 to 5 microns thick.
6. A ribbon according to claim 5 in which the polyvinyl acetate ink layer also includes polyethylene oxide.
EP81108991A 1981-02-06 1981-10-27 Thermal transfer printing resistive ribbon Expired EP0057759B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US23207081A 1981-02-06 1981-02-06
US232070 1981-02-06

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0057759A1 EP0057759A1 (en) 1982-08-18
EP0057759B1 true EP0057759B1 (en) 1986-03-05

Family

ID=22871752

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81108991A Expired EP0057759B1 (en) 1981-02-06 1981-10-27 Thermal transfer printing resistive ribbon

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0057759B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS57135186A (en)
AU (1) AU7942082A (en)
BR (1) BR8200485A (en)
CA (1) CA1172037A (en)
DE (1) DE3173995D1 (en)
DK (1) DK50882A (en)
FI (1) FI813545L (en)
NO (1) NO813936L (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6061290A (en) * 1983-09-14 1985-04-09 Pilot Pen Co Ltd:The Thermal transfer recording medium
DE3812001A1 (en) * 1988-04-11 1989-10-19 Pelikan Ag WRITING BAND AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
JP2941037B2 (en) * 1989-11-02 1999-08-25 キヤノン株式会社 Ink ribbon cassette and recorder which is attachable with the same ink ribbon cassette
EP1164030A1 (en) * 2000-06-13 2001-12-19 Deborah Shoes, S.L. Transparent transfer film

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3481761A (en) * 1967-03-15 1969-12-02 Columbia Ribbon Carbon Mfg Transfer elements and method of making same
US4103066A (en) * 1977-10-17 1978-07-25 International Business Machines Corporation Polycarbonate ribbon for non-impact printing
US4547088A (en) * 1980-06-26 1985-10-15 International Business Machines Corporation Correctable thermal transfer printing ribbon

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK50882A (en) 1982-08-07
JPS57135186A (en) 1982-08-20
DE3173995D1 (en) 1986-04-10
EP0057759A1 (en) 1982-08-18
FI813545L (en) 1982-08-07
NO813936L (en) 1982-08-09
BR8200485A (en) 1982-11-30
AU7942082A (en) 1982-08-12
CA1172037A (en) 1984-08-07

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