Thermo-transfer ribbon

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, the initially named thermo-transfer ribbon is refined in such a manner that there is no necessity for the formation of a top coat or a two-layered thermo-transfer color, and that satisfactory, matte prints are obtained during the thermo-printing process.
This task is solved by an additional layer comprising a resin-based separation layer A) for the wax based layer B) of the thermo-transfer color, wherein the waxes of the wax-based layer have a melting point approximately ranging between 70.
degree.
C.
to 110.
degree.
C.
, and wherein in both layers A) and B) a wax-soluble polymer is finely dispersed.
A "separation layer" or "release layer" in the above technical field means a layer which controls, during the printing process, the release of the thermo-transfer color onto the accepting substrate, but which is not transferred itself onto the substrate.
A separation layer does not melt during the printing process, though it may perhaps soften and, in addition, it shows high adhesion to the carrier.
The waxes employed within the scope of the invention in layer B) are in accordance with the customary wax definition, subject to the above limitation of a melting point range of between approximately 70.
degree.
C.
and 110.
degree.
C.
Waxes having a melting point between 75.
degree.
C.
and 95.
degree.
C.
are specifically preferred within the scope of the invention.
This involves, in its most comprehensive meaning, a material which is solidly to friably hard, coarse to fine crystalline, transparent to opaque, but which is not glass-like, which melts above approximately 70.
degree.
C.
, which is just a little above the melting point of relatively low viscosity and not stringy.
Waxes of this type are classified a natural waxes, chemically-modified waxes, and synthetic waxes.
Among the natural waxes, the vegetable waxes are particularly preferred, such as carnauba wax, candelilla wax, mineral waxes in the form of higher-melting ceresin and higher melting ozokerite (native paraffin), petrochemical paraffins, such as, for example, petrolatum, paraffin-waxes and microwaxes