Transfer film, transfer method and inkjet recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688065-B2
Application number	US-201314382320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2013
Priority date	Mar 19, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of forming, using a sublimation ink, an image that is free of outline blurring on a transfer medium even when the thickness of an ink fixation layer is increased. In order to solve this problem, a transfer film 10 is provided with a base material film 11 , a transfer binder layer 12 , a sublimation ink layer 13 , and a mask layer 14 which is provided in a region where sublimation ink is not transferred to media 100 , the transfer binder layer 12 being configured from a material which is permeated by sublimation of the sublimation ink.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transfer film, comprising:
a base member which is flexible;
a transfer binder layer that expresses adhesive property by being heated and is provided on the base member;
a sublimation ink layer which is directly provided on the transfer binder layer, the sublimation ink layer being a layer which forms an image for being transferred to a transferred medium which is flexible by using a sublimation ink; and
a mask layer which is provided in a preset region where the sublimation ink will not be transferred to the transferred medium, and the transfer binder layer is in a state which the sublimation ink is not permeated through sublimation;
wherein the transfer binder layer is structured of material into which the sublimation ink is permeated through sublimation and thereby an ink fixing layer is formed and adhered to the transferred medium,
by applying heat at the time of being transferred to the transferred medium, the sublimation ink is sublimated and permeated into the transfer binder layer for forming the ink fixing layer, and adhesive property of the ink fixing layer is expressed,
an adhesive strength between the ink fixing layer and the transferred medium is stronger than an adhesive strength between the transferred medium and the mask layer,
an adhesive strength between the transferred medium and the ink fixing layer is stronger than an adhesive strength between the base member and the ink fixing layer.

2. The transfer film according to claim 1 , wherein
the mask layer is provided on the transfer binder layer in a region where the sublimation ink layer is not provided.

3. The transfer film according to claim 1 , wherein
the mask layer is formed of an ink including an ultraviolet curing type resin.

4. A transfer method for transferring an image to a transferred medium, comprising:
a transfer binder layer forming process, in which a transfer binder layer is provided on a base member;
a sublimation ink layer forming process, in which a sublimation ink layer is directly provided on the transfer binder layer, the sublimation ink layer being a layer which forms an image to be transferred to a transferred medium by using a sublimation ink;
a mask layer forming process, in which a mask layer is provided in a region where the sublimation ink is not transferred on the transferred medium; and
a transfer process, in which the sublimation ink layer and the mask layer are attached by pressure to the transferred medium to transfer the image, wherein the transfer binder layer is structured of material into which the sublimation ink is sublimated and permeated by applying heat and thereby an ink fixing layer is formed and adhered to the transferred medium,
in the transfer process, after the sublimation ink layer and the mask layer are attached by pressure to the transferred medium, the sublimation ink layer and the transfer binder layer are heated to a temperature higher than a sublimation temperature of the sublimation ink, and the sublimation ink is sublimated and permeated into the transfer binder layer, where the sublimation ink is not sublimated and permeated prior to the transfer process, so as to form the ink fixing layer and the ink fixing layer is adhered to the transferred medium,
the base member is peeled from the ink fixing layer, and only the ink fixing layer, which is permeated with the sublimation ink excepting a region where the mask layer is formed, is transferred to transferred medium.

5. The transfer method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a mask layer curing process, in which the mask layer is cured so that an adhesive strength between the transfer binder layer and the mask layer is stronger than an adhesive strength between the transferred medium and the mask layer.

6. The transfer method according to claim 4 , wherein
the mask layer is formed of an ink including an ultraviolet curing type resin, and
in the sublimation ink layer forming process and the mask layer forming process, the mask layer is formed while forming the sublimation ink layer by an inkjet recording apparatus.

7. The transfer method according to claim 4 , wherein
after the sublimation ink layer and the mask layer are attached by pressure to the transferred medium in the transfer process, the sublimation ink layer and the transfer binder layer are heated to permeate the sublimation ink into the transfer binder layer.

8. The transfer film according to claim 1 , wherein
the transfer binder layer is structured of material which causes a sublimation dye to diffuse and develop color when the sublimation dye contained in the sublimation ink sublimes by applying heat.

9. The transfer method according to claim 4 , wherein
the transfer binder layer is structured of material which causes a sublimation dye to diffuse and develop color when the sublimation dye contained in the sublimation ink sublimes by applying heat.

Assignees

• Mimaki Eng Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takeuchi Kazuyuki
• Nakayashiki Katsumi

Classifications

• B41M5/035

  by sublimation or volatilisation of {pre-printed} design {, e.g. sublistatic (B41M5/0256 takes precedence; printing on textiles D06P5/00)} · CPC title

• B44C1/17 Primary

  Dry transfer · CPC title

• B41M2205/14

  Production or use of a mask · CPC title

• B41J31/00

  Ink ribbons; Renovating or testing ink ribbons · CPC title

• B41J2/0057 Primary

  where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material · CPC title