Reactive thermal transfer medium with encapsulated epoxy
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorsMichael A. Lorenz, John C. Rosenbaum, Joseph D. Roth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided by the present invention a thermal transfer medium which employs reactive components that crosslink when heated during image transfer to provide images with high scratch and smear resistance. The reactive components comprise an encapsulated liquid epoxy resin and a crosslinker which remain separate while incorporated within a thermal transfer layer until exposed to a thermal print head.
Claims15
A thermal transfer medium comprising a flexible substrate and a thermal transfer layer positioned thereon which has a softening point below 200.degree. C., said thermal transfer layer comprising
- a thermoplastic resin binder which is solid at ambient temperature and has a softening point below 200.degree. C.;
- an epoxy resin which is liquid at ambient temperature and reactive at ambient temperature;
- a crosslinker which crosslinks the epoxy resin at ambient temperature once activated and has a softening point below 200.degree. C.;
- and
- a sensible material, wherein the epoxy resin is encapsulated within a microcapsule which ruptures and releases the epoxy resin at a temperature from 50.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. under the pressure of a thermal print head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.