# US 9,751,333 B2 · Sublimation dye ink printing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,333 B2 - Document ID: US9751333B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/436,476 - Filed: 2013-10-22 - Published: 2015-10-01 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-24 - Assignees: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masaru Ohnishi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751333B2 ## CPC - B41M 5/382: Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes (sublistatic printing using a pre-formed image B41M5/035; ink-, dye- or pigment-receptive coatings B41M5/52) - B41M 5/0023: {Digital printing methods characterised by the inks used (inks per se C09D11/00)} - C09D 11/104: Polyesters - C09D 11/328: characterised by dyes - D06P 1/525: {Polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids or functional derivatives thereof} - D06P 1/5271: {Polyesters; Polycarbonates; Alkyd resins} - D06P 5/001: {Special chemical aspects of printing textile materials} - D06P 5/002: {Locally enhancing dye affinity of a textile material by chemical means} - D06P 5/30: Ink jet printing - B41M 2205/02: Dye diffusion thermal transfer printing (D2T2) - B41M 2205/30: Thermal donors, e.g. thermal ribbons - 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) - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - D06P: DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM ## Abstract The invention has an object to provide a printing method wherein a wide variety of recording medium can be used, and printed materials richer and more vivid in color can be obtained by using sublimation dyes. To achieve the object, provided is a printing method including: an ink applying step for applying an ink on a recording medium (100), and the ink contains a solvent, a binder resin (11) dispersed or emulsified in the solvent, and a sublimation dye (12) entrained in particles of the binder resin (11); and a heating step for heating the ink to diffuse the sublimation dye (12) among the particles of the binder resin (11) for color development. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing method, comprising: an ink applying step, for applying an ink on a recording medium, and the ink containing: binder resin particles in which a sublimation dye is enclosed and a solvent, and the binder resin particles are directly dispersed or emulsified in the solvent; and a heating step, for heating the ink applied on the recording medium to diffuse the sublimation dye within the binder resin particles for color development, the sublimation dye are incorporated and enclosed in a resin matrix when producing the binder resin particles, wherein the binder resin particles are formed into a film by bonding a binder resin of the binder resin particles to each other, the ink applying step further comprises: a film forming step of evaporating the solvent from the ink applied on the recording medium so as to form the film containing the binder resin, in the heating step, the film is heated, and the sublimation dye is sublimated and diffused into the film so that the film is color-developed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder resin particles contain a polyester-based resin and the sublimation dye. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The printing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heating step heats the recording medium to a temperature equal to or higher than 100° C. and equal to or lower than 200° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording medium is formed from a material that promotes the sublimation dye to diffuse in the recording medium, when heated during the heating step. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the recording medium is formed from a polyester-based resin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The printing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the recording medium is formed from a material that promotes the sublimation dye to diffuse in the recording medium, when heated during the heating step. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The printing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recording medium is formed from a material that promotes the sublimation dye to diffuse in the recording medium, when heated during the heating step. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sublimation dye is enclosed and dispersed uniformly in the binder resin particles.