Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Fumihiko Mizukami

Masafumi Hayashi

Mitsuru Maeda

Koichi Nakamura

Masanori Torii

Shigeki Chujo

Tetsuya Matsuyama

Hiroshi Funada

Tadahiro Ishida

Makoto Aoyagi

Norikazu Saito

Yuji Sano

Toshisato Hirano

A method for forming fine concavo-convex patterns by using a relief formation materialhaving a relief formation layercomposed of a resin having thermoplasticity and a relief pattern sheethaving on a surface thereof fine concavo-convex patterns, wherein a photothermal conversion layeris formed in the relief formation materialor the relief pattern sheet; the photothermal conversion layeris irradiated with lightto make the photothermal conversion layergenerate heat in the state that the relief formation layeris brought into contact with the fine concavo-convex patterns; and the fine concavo-convex patternsare formed on the relief formation layer

Method for forming fine concavo-convex patterns, method for producing optical diffraction structure, and method for copying optical diffraction structure

An image forming method is provided to attain a higher security for preventing forgery and falsification of information by using an optical diffraction structure. In a body () whereupon a layer is to be transferred, printing information () is recorded. On the body (), a layer () including a hologram and a diffraction lattice provided on an optical diffraction structure transfer sheet () is transferred, and an image including recorded printing information () and optical diffraction structures () is formed. The layer () including the optical diffraction structure is transferred so that the diffraction lattice () to be transferred forms diffraction lattice information () showing a prescribed regularity in a corresponding relationship between the printing information ().

Image forming method and recorded matter

A thermal transfer film comprises a coloring layer formed on a substrate film via an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains a thermally fusible substance and a non-transferable binder resin, the melt viscosity of the thermally fusible substance in the temperature range 15 to 25&#xb0; C. higher than the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 100 to 1000 mPa&#xb7;s, the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 50 to 110&#xb0; C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of &#x2212;20 to 100 &#xb0; C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is lower than the fuse peak temperature by 10&#xb0; C. or more, and the softening temperature of the binder resin measured by the ring and ball method is in the range of 130 to 400&#xb0; C. This thermal transfer film is capable of forming a printed product with a good printing quality.

Thermal transfer film and image forming method

The invention provides a transfer ribbon having a layered structure in which a substrate, a relief layer and a reflection layer are laminated in this order, wherein the relief layer comprises an ionizing radiation-cured resin. The transfer ribbon can precisely transfer fine dots and/and dots placed close to each other with a low energy and at a high speed without any of burrs, chippings or lacks by means of a thermal head. Also, the invention provides an image expressing medium, which can be produced using the transfer ribbon described above, and comprises a support, a color layer and plural dots of relief hologram and/or diffraction grating. In the medium: the color layer and the dots are disposed on the same surface of the support; and the each dot has an area in a range from 0.0001 to 0.09 mm; the each dots has a diffraction direction different from that of at least one of adjacent dots, or the dot has two or more sections each of which has a diffraction direction different from each other. The image expressing medium exhibits specially decorative effects such as a lame-like effect.

Transfer ribbon, image expressing medium and method for production of them

A thermal transfer film comprises a coloring layer formed on a substrate film via an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains a thermally fusible substance and a non-transferable binder resin, the melt viscosity of the thermally fusible substance in the temperature range 15 to 25&deg; C. higher than the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 100 to 1000 mPa&middot;s, the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 50 to 110&deg; C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of &minus;20 to 100&deg; C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is lower than the fuse peak temperature by 10&deg; C. or more, and the softening temperature of the binder resin measured by the ring and ball method is in the range of 130 to 400&deg; C. This thermal transfer film is capable of forming a printed product with a good printing quality.

The present invention is for providing a thermal transfer film capable of providing a vivid print without generation of a void, and an image forming method using the same. The thermal transfer film comprises a coloring layer formed on a substrate film via an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer comprises materials according to either one of the following combinations: (1) a polycaprolactone resin having a 100-1,000 mPa&middot;s melt viscosity at 75&deg; C., and a binder resin having a 130-400&deg; C. extrapolation fuse starting temperature; (2) a thermally fusible substance having a 100-1,000 mPa&middot;s melt viscosity at 75&deg; C., and a binder resin having a 150-400&deg; C. extrapolation fuse starting temperature, (3) a polycaprolactone resin having a 100-1,000 mPa&middot;s melt viscosity at 75&deg; C., and a non-transferable binder resin having a 130-400&deg; C softening temperature; and (4) a thermally fusible substance having a 100-1,000 mPa&middot;s melt viscosity at 75&deg; C., and a non-transferable binder resin having a 130-400&deg; C. softening temperature.

Thermal transfer medium

When a thermal transfer film and a material, on which an image is to be transferred, are spottedly adhered to each other with adhesive particles, the adhesive strength can be successfully regulated as desired and it becomes possible to provide a thermal transfer medium having an excellent storage stability. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer medium comprising: a thermal transfer film having a substrate film and a hot-melt ink layer provided on the substrate film; and an image receiving sheet adhered in a peelable manner to the thermal transfer film on the side of the hot-melt ink layer through a temporary adhesive layer, the temporary adhesive layer including adhesive particles and a binder, the thermal transfer film on the side of the hot-melt ink layer and the image receiving sheet being spottedly adhered to each other. Also disclosed is a thermal transfer medium including: a thermal transfer film having a substrate film and a hot-melt ink layer provided on the substrate film; and an image receiving sheet adhered in a peelable manner to the thermal transfer film on the side of the hot-melt ink layer, the hot-melt ink layer containing adhesive particles, the thermal transfer film on the side of the hot-melt ink layer and the image receiving sheet being spottedly adhered to each other. Also disclosed is a thermal transfer medium including: a thermal transfer film having a substrate film and a hot-melt ink layer provided on the substrate film; and an image receiving sheet adhered in a peelable manner to the thermal transfer film on the side of the hot-melt ink layer, the hot-melt ink layer containing a thermoplastic elastomer having a rubber elasticity.

A thermal transfer sheet including: a substrate film, and a release layer, a thermal transfer ink layer, and an adhesive layer provided in that order on one side of the substrate film, the release layer being composed mainly of resin particles which, upon thermal transfer of the ink layer, are fused into a film.

Thermal transfer sheet

A thermal transfer sheet including: a substrate and a hot-melt ink layer provided on one side of the substrate. The hot-melt ink layer including a colorant, a binder resin, a dispersing agent containing a phytosterol component, and a wax.

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Tokyo-to, Japan

Fumihiko Mizukami