Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/JP3784366B2/en
Timestamp: 2020-02-20 09:31:53
Document Index: 451167885

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 24', 'art 24', 'art 24', 'art 6', 'art 10', 'art 53']

JP3784366B2 - Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper - Google Patents
Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper Download PDF
JP3784366B2
JP3784366B2 JP2002364619A JP2002364619A JP3784366B2 JP 3784366 B2 JP3784366 B2 JP 3784366B2 JP 2002364619 A JP2002364619 A JP 2002364619A JP 2002364619 A JP2002364619 A JP 2002364619A JP 3784366 B2 JP3784366 B2 JP 3784366B2
JP2002364619A
JP2004195711A (en
大介 福井
2002-12-17 Application filed by 大日本印刷株式会社 filed Critical 大日本印刷株式会社
2002-12-17 Priority to JP2002364619A priority Critical patent/JP3784366B2/en
2004-07-15 Publication of JP2004195711A publication Critical patent/JP2004195711A/en
2006-06-07 Publication of JP3784366B2 publication Critical patent/JP3784366B2/en
The present invention also relates to smoothing how the surface of the photographic paper.
In printing by thermal transfer, a protective layer for protecting the ink layer is also transferred together with the ink layer. Usually, the protective layer is transferred by heating the thermal head. A technique for transferring a protective layer by heating a line heater is also known (Patent Document 1).
For the purpose of improving the light resistance by making the ink into a single molecule, a technique for reheating the ink layer after transfer is also known (Patent Document 2). For this reheating, a heating roller is used.
Japanese Patent No. 3314980 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-5-69678 [0005]
However, when the protective layer is transferred by the thermal head, the thermal head is formed by arranging a plurality of heat generating portions corresponding to the pixels, and therefore, the portion of the protective layer located in the heat generating portion and between the heat generating portion and the heat generating portion. And a portion of the protective layer located at. For this reason, there is a problem that heat applied to the protective layer is not uniform, irregularities are generated in the protective layer, and glossiness is impaired.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method capable of smoothing the surface of a photographic paper formed by a thermal head.
The method of smoothing the surface of the photographic paper according to the present invention is formed on the image of the photographic paper (100) by heating the thermal head (6) in which a plurality of heat generating portions (6a... 6a) are arranged at intervals. A method of smoothing a protective layer (53), comprising: a line heater (11) having a heat generating portion (24a) continuously extending over a length corresponding to a plurality of heat generating portions of the thermal head; The line heater is disposed so as to be in contact with the protective layer, and the protective layer is provided with releasability from the heat generating portion of the line heater, and the line heater and the line heater are heated while generating heat. By moving the photographic paper relatively, the above-described problems are solved.
As described above, when the protective layer is formed by the thermal head, the heat applied to the protective layer is not uniform because the heat generating portion is intermittently provided on the thermal head, and the surface of the protective layer is not uniform. Unevenness occurs. On the other hand, since the line heater is provided with a single heat generating part extending over a length corresponding to a plurality of heat generating parts of the thermal head, the line heater is arranged in contact with the protective layer, and the heat generating part generates heat. In addition, by relatively moving the line heater and the photographic paper, the convex portions can be softened by heat and crushed and leveled. Accordingly, the surface of the photographic paper can be smoothed, and the glossiness of the photographic paper can be improved. Moreover, because it uses a line heater, it can generate heat instantly, consumes less power, can be downsized, and has an area in contact with photographic paper, compared to the case of using a roller for heating. There is a merit that the pressure to be pressed can be increased by increasing the pressure.
Further , according to the method for smoothing the surface of the photographic paper of the present invention, the protective layer is provided with releasability with respect to the line heater . Therefore, when the heating portion of the line heater and the protective layer are rubbed, the protective layer However, it is possible to increase the smoothing accuracy more easily because it is separated from the heat generating portion.
In the method for smoothing the photographic paper surface of the present invention, the heat generation temperature of the heat generating portion of the line heater may be set to a temperature higher than the temperature at which the protective layer starts to soften. Furthermore, the protective layer may be made of a material having a thermal release property that exhibits a release property with respect to the heat generating portion at a temperature at which the protective layer is softened.
1 and 2 show an outline of a printer according to an embodiment of the smoothing method of the present invention. 1 is a side view, and FIG. 2 is a top view. The printer 1 is configured as a sublimation thermal transfer type printer that forms an image by thermally transferring the ink of the transfer film 50 to an image receiving paper (printing paper) 100. The image receiving paper 100 is attached to the printer 1 while being wound in a roll shape, for example, and is pulled out from the roll by an amount necessary for printing. The printer 1 includes a printing unit 2 and a smoothing unit 3 in the conveyance path of the image receiving paper 100 drawn from the roll.
The printing unit 2 heats the platen roll 4 that conveys the image receiving paper 100 while supporting it, the unwinding roll 5 on which an unused thermal transfer film 50 is wound, and the thermal transfer film 50 that is unwound from the unwinding roll 5. A thermal head 6 and a take-up roll 7 for winding the transfer film 50 heated by the thermal head 6 are provided. As conceptually shown in FIG. 3A, a plurality of heat generating portions 6a... 6a are arranged on the lower surface of the thermal head 6 at intervals. The heat generating portions 6a... 6a correspond to the pixels of the printed material, and the temperature can be controlled for each heat generating portion 6a. For example, twelve heat generating portions 6a... 6a are provided per 1 mm. The thermal head 6 can be of any known structure, and a notch may be provided between the heat generating portions 6a ... 6a, or another member such as a heat insulating material may be provided.
The smoothing unit 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided, for example, in the discharge unit of the printer 1. The smoothing unit 3 is provided with a platen roll 10 that conveys the image receiving paper 100 while supporting it, and a line heater 11 that heats the image receiving paper 100. The platen roll 10 and the line heater 11 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the paper feeding direction indicated by the arrow y, and extend over the entire width of the image receiving paper 100. Further, the platen roll 10 and the line heater 11 are disposed so as to be able to be pressed so as to sandwich the image receiving paper 100 with a predetermined pressure. For example, the image receiving paper has a pressure of 20 to 30 N which is about the same as the printing pressure of a general thermal head. 100 can be pressed. The platen roll 10 or the line heater 11 may be attached so that the vertical position can be controlled by a driving means such as a motor so that the pressure for pressing the image receiving paper 100 can be adjusted. It may be swingably attached via an elastic member or the like so that it can be pressed with a predetermined pressure. The platen roll 10 and the line heater 11 may be attached so that the platen roll 10 and the line heater 11 are fixed at fixed positions with respect to the vertical position.
The line heater 11 is configured as shown in FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4B is a plan view seen from above in FIG. FIG. Note that the upper part of FIG. 4A corresponds to the lower part of FIG. The line heater 11 is configured as a thin film type line heater in which a heat resistance layer 21, a heating resistor 22, an electrode 23, and a wear-resistant layer 24 are laminated on a heat dissipation substrate 20. The thermal resistance layer 21 is formed in a convex shape at the center of the heat dissipation substrate 20. Accordingly, the heating resistor 22 and the like laminated thereon are formed so as to rise at the center. The electrode 23 is disposed so as to sandwich the rising top of the heating resistor 22. A portion of the wear-resistant layer 24 corresponding to the interval between the electrodes 23 functions as a heat generating portion 24a. As shown in FIG. 3B, the heat generating portion 24a extends over a length corresponding to the plurality of heat generating portions 6a... 6a of the thermal head. Further, in the present embodiment, the heat generating portion 24a extends over a length corresponding to the entire length of the thermal head.
For example, ceramic is used for the heat dissipation substrate 20. For example, glass is used for the heat resistance layer 21. For example, Ta 2 N, W, Cr, Ni—Cr, SnO 2 or the like is used for the heating resistor 22, and the heating resistor 22 is formed in a line shape by a thin film shape technique such as vacuum deposition, CVD, sputtering or the like. For example, Al is used for the electrode 23. For example, Ta 2 O 3 , Si 3 N 4 , SiC, or the like is used for the wear-resistant layer 24, and an oxidation-resistant layer made of SiO 2 or the like is provided on the electrode 23 side to form the wear-resistant layer 24. A layer structure may be used.
When the heating resistor 22 is energized through the electrode 23, the portion sandwiched between the left and right electrodes 23 generates heat. Therefore, the image receiving paper 100 can be heated via the heat generating portion 24a. In the line heater 11, since the heat resistance layer 21 below the heat generating portion is formed thick, there is little heat leakage to the heat radiating substrate 20 side, and the image receiving paper 100 can be efficiently heated. Note that a thermistor may be disposed above or below the heat dissipation substrate 20 to detect the temperature, and the temperature of the line heater 11 may be precisely controlled.
In FIG. 1, an image receiving paper 100 has an image receiving layer 100a on the upper surface. For example, yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) ink areas and an overprint (OP) layer area are provided in this order in the direction opposite to the paper feed direction.
The operation of the printer 1 having the above configuration will be described below. When the image receiving paper 100 is conveyed below the thermal head 6 by the platen roller 4, the image receiving paper 100 is pressed together with the transfer film 50 so as to be sandwiched between the platen roller 4 and the thermal head 6. The heat generating units 6a... 6a are controlled to generate heat, whereby the Y, M, and C inks are fixed to the image receiving layer 100a of the image receiving paper 100. Thus, one line of pixels is formed in the planned image.
Thereafter, the printer 1 transfers the OP layer onto the image for one line by controlling the heat generation of the heat generating portions 6a. The OP layer has a protective layer 53 and an adhesive layer 54 as shown in FIG. 5A. On the substrate 51 of the transfer film 50, the release layer 52, the protective layer 53, and the adhesive layer 54 are arranged in this order. By being laminated, the transfer film 50 is provided. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5B, the protective layer 53 and the adhesive layer 54 are transferred to the image receiving paper 100. The upper part of FIG. 5A corresponds to the lower part of FIG. Further, the release layer 52 may not be provided.
The printer 1 intermittently conveys the image receiving paper 100 by an amount corresponding to one line of pixels by the platen roller 4, and repeatedly transfers the ink for one line and the protective layer 53, whereby an image is displayed on the predetermined region 100b. And the protective layer 53 is transferred onto the image.
Since the heat generating portions 6a... 6a are spaced apart from each other, the heating temperature in the direction along the thermal head 6 is not uniform, and there are irregularities in the width direction of the protective layer 53 transferred to the image receiving paper 100. It is formed. Further, since the protective layer 53 is transferred while shifting the thermal head and the image receiving paper 100 by one line, the protective layer 53 is also uneven in the paper feeding direction. Therefore, the protective layer 53 is formed in a mat shape, and the image receiving paper 100 loses its glossiness due to irregular reflection on the surface thereof.
When the image receiving paper 100 is conveyed below the line heater 11, the image receiving paper 100 is pressed so as to be sandwiched between the platen roller 10 and the line heater 11. The printer 1 causes the line heater 11 to generate heat up to the softening temperature of the protective layer 53 and conveys the image receiving paper 100 by the platen roller 10. For this reason, the convex part of the protective layer 53 is pressed while being heated by the heat generating part 24a, and the softened convex part is leveled. Accordingly, the unevenness of the protective layer 53 is smoothed, and the glossiness of the image receiving paper 100 after printing can be improved. The printer 1 can be suitably used for forming a printed matter such as a photograph, and can also be applied to a photo sticker.
The heating temperature of the line heater is set to 140 to 150 ° C., for example, and the conveying speed of the platen roller 10 is set to 1000 mm / min. The conveyance speed of the platen roller 10 and the heat generating part 24a may be constant or variable. The conveyance speed of the platen roller 10 may be the same as or different from the conveyance speed of the platen roller 4. When the conveying speed of the platen roller 10 is fast, the heat generation temperature of the heat generating portion 24a is set to a temperature higher than the temperature at which the protective layer 53 starts to soften so that the protective layer 53 can be softened even in a short time. May be.
Various materials can be used for the protective layer 53. By imparting releasability to the protective layer 53, when the heat generating portion 24a and the protective layer 53 rub against each other, the protective layer 53 may be easily separated from the heat generating portion 24a, thereby further improving the smoothing accuracy. . When imparting releasability to the protective layer, it may be used in combination with a general lubricant such as silicone oil, metal soap, phosphate ester, and a general resin such as methyl polymetal acrylate, A resin having releasability such as a silicone resin may be used alone, or a silicone resin and a lubricant may be used in combination. You may use the material which has the mold release property at the time of exhibiting mold release property under the temperature which a protective layer softens.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented in various forms as long as it is substantially the same as the technical idea of the present invention.
The printing method is not limited to the sublimation thermal transfer method. A melt-type thermal transfer system may be used, or a thermal recording paper may be colored. Any protective layer may be used as long as the protective layer is heated by the thermal head to form irregularities.
The heat generating part 24a of the line heater 11 is not limited to one that continuously extends over the entire width of the image receiving paper 100. The image receiving paper 100 can be smoothed if it continuously extends over a length corresponding to a plurality of the heat generating portions 6 a of the thermal head 6. The line heater 11 is not limited to the one arranged so as to be orthogonal to the paper feeding direction, and may be arranged in a direction along the paper feeding direction. The line heater 11 is not limited to a thin film type, and a thick film type may be used.
The relative movement between the image receiving paper 100 and the line heater 11 may be realized by moving the line heater 11, or may be realized by moving both the image receiving paper 100 and the line heater 11.
According to the present invention, since the line heater is provided with a single heat generating portion over a length corresponding to the plurality of heat generating portions of the thermal head, the line heater is disposed so as to contact the protective layer, By causing the line heater and the photographic paper to move relative to each other while generating heat in the heat generating portion, the convex portion can be softened and crushed and leveled. Therefore, the surface of the photographic paper can be smoothed, and the glossiness of the photographic paper can be improved. Moreover, because it uses a line heater, it can generate heat instantly, consumes less power, can be downsized, and has an area in contact with photographic paper, compared to when using a roller for heating. There is a merit that the pressure to be pressed can be increased by increasing the pressure.
FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an outline of a printer according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a top view showing an outline of the printer of FIG.
3 is a view showing the surface of a heat generating portion of a thermal head and a line heater of the printer of FIG. 1. FIG.
4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a line heater of the printer in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transfer film and image receiving paper.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 3 Smoothing part 6 Thermal head 6a Heat generating part 10 Platen roller 11 Line heater 24a Heat generating part 53 Protective layer 100 Image receiving paper
A method of smoothing a protective layer formed on an image of photographic paper by heating a thermal head in which a plurality of heat generating portions are arranged at intervals,
A line heater having a heat generating portion that continuously extends over a length corresponding to a plurality of heat generating portions of the thermal head is disposed so that the heat generating portion is in contact with the protective layer,
The protective layer is provided with a releasability for the heat generating part of the line heater,
A method for smoothing a surface of a photographic paper, wherein the line heater and the photographic paper are relatively moved while the heat generating portion of the line heater is heated.
2. The method for smoothing a photographic paper surface according to claim 1, wherein the heat generation temperature of the heat generating portion of the line heater is set to a temperature higher than a temperature at which the protective layer starts to soften.
3. The material according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is made of a material having a thermal release property that exhibits a release property with respect to the heat generating portion at a temperature at which the protective layer is softened. Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper.
JP2002364619A 2002-12-17 2002-12-17 Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper Active JP3784366B2 (en)
JP2002364619A JP3784366B2 (en) 2002-12-17 2002-12-17 Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper
DE2003625007 DE60325007D1 (en) 2002-12-17 2003-12-16 Printer, method and apparatus for smoothing printed paper
EP20030257887 EP1431048B1 (en) 2002-12-17 2003-12-16 Method of smoothing surface of printing paper, smoothing apparatus, and printer with the smoothing apparatus
US10/736,828 US7009631B2 (en) 2002-12-17 2003-12-16 Method of smoothing surface of printing paper, smoothing apparatus and printer with the smoothing apparatus
JP2004195711A JP2004195711A (en) 2004-07-15
JP3784366B2 true JP3784366B2 (en) 2006-06-07
ID=32376230
JP2002364619A Active JP3784366B2 (en) 2002-12-17 2002-12-17 Method for smoothing the surface of photographic paper
US (1) US7009631B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1431048B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3784366B2 (en)
DE (1) DE60325007D1 (en)
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2002-12-17 JP JP2002364619A patent/JP3784366B2/en active Active
2003-12-16 US US10/736,828 patent/US7009631B2/en active Active
2003-12-16 DE DE2003625007 patent/DE60325007D1/en active Active
2003-12-16 EP EP20030257887 patent/EP1431048B1/en active Active
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