# US 5,700,584 A · Thermal transfer recording medium

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- Number: US 5,700,584 A
- Document ID: US5700584A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/410,045
- Filed: 1995-03-24
- Granted: 1997-12-23
- Earliest claimed: 1994-03-25
- Assignees: Fujicopian Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hideki Suematsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700584A

## CPC

- B41M 5/38214: {Structural details, e.g. multilayer systems (composition of individual layers B41M5/42)}
- B41M 5/345: {by thermal transfer of dyes or pigments}
- B41M 5/38278: {using ink-containing structures, e.g. porous or microporous layers, alveoles or cellules}
- Y10S 428/913: Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
- Y10S 428/914: Transfer or decalcomania
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, and a filling ink layer provided on the foundation, the filling ink layer being thermally transferred onto a receptor in advance of formation of a print image thereon, the filling ink layer comprising a release layer, a transfer layer having a high melt viscosity and an adhesive layer which three layers are stacked in this order on the foundation, with use of the recording medium, the surface of a receptor paper that is significantly uneven can be changed to a flat one by a single thermal transfer operation, and print images of high quality can be formed by transferring a colored ink layer onto the flat surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, and a filling transfer layer provided on the foundation, the filling transfer layer being thermally transferred onto a receptor in advance of formation of a print image thereon, the filling transfer layer being colorlessly transparent and comprising a release layer containing a wax as the major component on a weight basis, a transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity and an adhesive layer containing a wax as the major component on a weight basis, the three layers being stacked in this order on the foundation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermal transfer recording medium of claim 1, wherein the transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity comprises 40 to 80% by weight of a tackifier resin, and 15 to 40% by weight of a thermoplastic resin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermal transfer recording medium of claim 1, wherein the release layer has a melt viscosity of 5 to 100 cps at 100.degree. C., the transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity has a melt viscosity of 150 to 10,000 cps at 100.degree. C., and the adhesive layer has a melt viscosity of 5 to 100 cps at 100.degree. C.

### Claim 4

A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, a filling transfer layer provided on the foundation, a colored ink layer provided directly on the foundation in addition to the filling transfer layer, the colored ink layer comprising a heat-meltable vehicle and a coloring agent, the filling transfer layer being thermally transferred onto a receptor in advance of formation of a print image thereon,
the filling transfer layer comprising a release layer containing a wax as the major component on a weight basis, a transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity and an adhesive layer containing a wax as the major component on a weight basis, the three layers being stacked in this order on the foundation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The thermal transfer recording medium of claim 4, wherein the colored ink layer comprises a yellow ink layer, a magenta ink layer and a cyan ink layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The thermal transfer recording medium of claim 4, wherein the transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity comprises 40 to 80% by weight of a tackifier resin, 15 to 40% by weight of a thermoplastic resin, and 0 to 10% by weight of a pigment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The thermal transfer recording medium of claim 4, wherein the release layer has a melt viscosity of 5 to 100 cps at 100.degree. C., the transfer layer comprising a tackifier resin as a main ingredient and having a high melt viscosity has a melt viscosity of 150 to 10,000 cps at 100.degree. C., and the adhesive layer has a melt viscosity of 5 to 100 cps at 100.degree. C.