(19)
(11) EP 0 260 347 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
27.09.1989 Bulletin 1989/39

(43) Date of publication A2:
23.03.1988 Bulletin 1988/12

(21) Application number: 86117680.8

(22) Date of filing: 18.12.1986
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4: B41M 5/26
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 18.12.1986 JP 286355/85
18.12.1986 JP 286354/85
17.09.1986 JP 217327/86

(71) Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Ueda, Hiroo FUJITSU LIMITED
    Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa 211 (JP)
  • Sasao, Hiroshi FUJITSU LIMITED
    Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa 211 (JP)
  • Kiyota, Kohei FUJITSU LIMITED
    Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa 211 (JP)
  • Uchiyama, Koji FUJITSU LIMITED
    Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa 211 (JP)

(74) Representative: Greenstreet, Cyril Henry et al
Haseltine Lake & Co. Hazlitt House 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1AT
London WC2A 1AT (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Ink sheet repeatedly usable in thermal recording


    (57) A reusable thermal ink sheet for thermal printing having an improved thermal ink composition layer formed on a substrate is proposed. The thermal ink composition is a mixture of ink material and filler. The ink material includes coloring agent and low temperature melting compound which is solid at room temperature, and is melted during thermal printing in response to a printing image to be transferred. The low temperature melting compound contains urethane compound as a base material and additive material as a viscosity modulator thereof which lowers the viscosity of the ink material at printing temperature. The additive material contains one or more fatty acids, fatty acid amides and/or ester compounds. The improved ink sheet can give a high quality printing image on plain paper with a rough surface, free from ghost images and background noise, after up to e.g. 10 printings. A plasticizer may be added to the ink material to improve the thermal printing ability at low temperatures







    Search report