JP2004098583A - Method for decorating three dimensional curved surface contour - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for three dimensional decoration capable of readily and positively printing a desired pattern on a complex shape. <P>SOLUTION: In the method for three dimensional decoration, a desired pattern is printed on a thin film 30 and a matter to be printed 17 having a three dimensional contour is placed within airtightly sealable upper and lower chambers 12, 13. A loading table 16 for loading the matter 17 to be printed is provided within the lower chamber 13. The thin film 30 is heated and softened in the upper chamber 12, while the lower chamber 13 is sealed, and is placed on the matter 17 to be printed. Then, the pressure in the chamber is reduced and the atmospheric pressure is applied to the thin film 30 from above, tightly adhering the printing face of the thin film 30 to the matter 17 to be printed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of forming a desired figure on a curved surface, and particularly to a method of decorating a three-dimensional curved surface shape capable of forming a desired figure on a complicated shape.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A decorating method that is of interest for the present invention is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. According to the publication, the transfer object is pressed against a water-soluble thin film in which the ink of the print pattern is floating in an active state on the water surface, and a part or the whole of the transfer object is immersed under the water surface, and the water pressure is applied. Printing is performed by transferring the pattern onto the transfer object and removing the water-soluble thin film with water.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-05-338398 (paragraph number 0005)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the hydraulic transfer printing method disclosed in Patent Literature 1, fine bubbles may enter between the water-soluble thin film and the object to be transferred. There is. Further, it has been difficult to spread the ink to all portions of the complicated uneven shape. Furthermore, in this liquid pressure transfer printing method, an underlay and a plate for gravure printing are required, which is not suitable for on-demand correspondence and is not suitable for small lot production.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and provides a method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface shape that can easily and reliably print a desired pattern in a complicated shape on demand. With the goal.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The method of decorating a three-dimensional curved surface according to the present invention includes a step of printing a desired figure on a moldable film, and a step of placing a substrate having a three-dimensional shape in a sealable chamber. The chamber includes a mounting table on which the substrate is placed, and in a state where the chamber is sealed, the film is softened by heating, and the film is placed on the substrate; Applying the atmospheric pressure from above the film surface to bring the printing surface of the film into close contact with the substrate.
[0007]
Since the film on which the desired figure is printed adheres to and is integrated with the surface of the printing substrate, the desired pattern can be easily and reliably printed on demand in a complicated shape.
[0008]
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of decorating a three-dimensional curved surface shape includes a step of printing a desired figure on a moldable film, and placing the substrate having the three-dimensional shape in a sealable chamber. And a step in which the chamber includes a mounting table on which the substrate is mounted, and in a state where the chamber is sealed, the film is softened by heating, and the film is mounted on the substrate, and the pressure in the chamber is reduced. After the pressure is reduced, a step of applying atmospheric pressure from above the film surface to bring the printed surface of the film into close contact with the printing material, transferring the printed figure to the printing material, and removing the film from the printing material.
[0009]
Since a desired figure is transferred to a printing substrate, a desired figure can be easily and reliably printed on demand in a complicated shape.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vacuum apparatus 10 used for a method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011]
Referring to FIG. 1, a vacuum device 10 includes a main body 11, a lower chamber 13 provided on an upper part of the main body 11, and a lower end of each of the parallel links 14 a and 14 b provided above the lower chamber 13. The upper chamber 12 overlaps the lower chamber 13 by rotating the upper chamber 12 around the lower chamber 13, and the upper chamber 12 is drawn by sucking air from the upper chamber 12 and the lower chamber 13 with the upper chamber 12 stacked on the lower chamber 13. 12 and a vacuum pump 15 for lowering the pressure of the space formed by the lower chamber 13.
[0012]
A pair of supports 22 are provided on the side surface of the main body 11 in a direction intersecting the paper surface of FIG. 1. One of the paired parallel links 14 a and 14 b is a support 22, and the other is a support 22. It is supported by the main body 11.
[0013]
A mounting table 16 is provided in the lower chamber 13, and a printing material 17 is mounted on the mounting table 16. An exhaust pipe 18 to the vacuum pump 15 is provided below the mounting table 16 in the lower chamber 13.
[0014]
A heating plate 19 is provided below the upper chamber 12. An exhaust pipe 20 connected to the vacuum pump 15 is provided above the heating plate 19.
[0015]
When the upper chamber and the lower chamber are overlapped, a pipe (not shown) for separately connecting the upper part of the heating plate 19 of the upper chamber 12 and the lower surface of the lower chamber 13 is provided.
[0016]
When the printing target 17 is decorated, the printing target is described below in a state where a printed, moldable thin film is aligned with the printing surface of the printing target 17 placed on the mounting table 16. The upper chamber 12 is placed on the lower chamber 13 in this state.
[0017]
At this time, the printed thin film is placed on the upper edge 23, which is the upper opening of the lower chamber 13, and the upper chamber 12 covers the lower chamber 13 in this state.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a pre-process for implementing the decorating method in this embodiment. (A) is a figure which shows the state when the above-mentioned thin film 30 is printed. That is, in order to make the thin film 30 have strength, the thin film 30 is provided with the separator 31 serving as a mount. (B) is a sectional view of the film with the separator 31. The film with the separator 31 includes the thin film 30, the separator 31, and an adhesive 32 for bonding the two. As the thin film 30, an ionomer resin film is preferable. Particularly, 1601 or 1707 of Himilan (R) of DuPont Mitsui Polychemicals is suitable. In addition to the above, a polyurethane or unstretched polystyrene film may be used. The thickness is preferably 50 to 60 microns.
[0019]
The separator 31 is preferably made of PET. Urethane is preferred as the adhesive 32. Since the thin film 30 is integrated with the separator 31 instead of the thin film 30 alone, there is no problem in transporting the thin film 30 to the thin film 30 at the time of printing by the printer.
[0020]
When an ink jet printer is used, an ink receiving layer 33 is further provided on the thin film 30 as shown in FIG.
[0021]
In this state, a desired image or figure is printed on the thin film 30 integrated with the separator 31 by a thermal transfer printer or an ink jet printer. After printing the figure, the separator 31 is peeled off from the thin film 30. Therefore, at the time of decoration, as shown in (D), only the printing surface 34 is formed on the thin film 30.
[0022]
Next, a specific decorating method will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the decorating method in this embodiment step by step. In the following drawings, basically, a state in which the printing material 17 is mounted on the mounting table 16 of the lower chamber 13 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. It is assumed that a desired figure is formed on the thin film 30 in advance as described above.
[0023]
First, referring to FIG. 3A, a lower film 24 is laid on a mounting table 16 in a state where the lower chamber 13 is open, and a three-dimensional printing object 17 is mounted thereon. Depending on the material of the substrate 17, an adhesive may be applied to the surface of the substrate 17.
[0024]
In this state, the thin film 30 is placed on the lower chamber 13. At this time, the thin film 30 is placed in such a manner that the printing surface 34 of the thin film 30 faces the substrate 17. In this state, the parallel links 14a and 14b are rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. At this time, the printing substrate 17 and the thin film 30 are placed so that the figures thereof coincide with each other.
[0025]
The printing surface 34 of the thin film 30 may be placed so that the printing substrate 17 does not face the printing substrate 17.
[0026]
FIG. 3B shows this state. Referring to FIG. 3B, thin film 30 is placed adjacent to heating plate 19. In this state, the air in each chamber is sucked from the upper and lower chambers 12 and 13 by the vacuum pump 15. At this time, since the diameter of the exhaust pipe 20 of the upper chamber 12 is larger than the diameter of the exhaust pipe 18 of the lower chamber 13, the upper chamber 12 first has a negative pressure, and the thin film 30 is sucked into the upper chamber 12. The thin film 30 is softened by the heat from the heating plate 19.
[0027]
Here, the heating temperature of the thin film 30 is preferably 100 ° C to 130 ° C.
[0028]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (C), the mounting table 16 and the heating plate 19 are raised, and the interior of the upper and lower chambers 12 and 13 is also under negative pressure. From the upper side to the side. At the same time, the lower film 24 is also in close contact with the print substrate 17 from below.
[0029]
At this time, the vacuum pump 15 is controlled using a predetermined timer. When the lower chamber 13 has a constant negative pressure, the upper chamber 12 is returned from the negative pressure to the atmospheric pressure, and the lower chamber 13 is negative pressure. At the same time, the atmospheric pressure can be applied from above, so that the printing surface of the thin film 30 and the printing material 17 can be more securely brought into close contact with each other. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3C, the upper surface of the printing substrate 17 and the thin film 30 are sufficiently adhered.
[0030]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, the unnecessary lower film 24 below the print substrate 17 is trimmed. In this way, the thin film 30 is integrated with the printing material 17, and desired decoration is performed on the printing material 17.
[0031]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing this embodiment. In the above, printing was performed integrally with the film adhered to the surface of the substrate 17. Although it is effective as a three-dimensional printing object as it is, when the thin film 30 is peeled off in the state of FIG. 3D, the image printed from the thin film 30 is peeled off from the film surface by the effect of the adhesive, and the printing material 17 is removed. Is transferred to the surface.
[0032]
In this embodiment, printing on all sides of the printing substrate 17 is considered. Therefore, in this embodiment, the masking tape 41 is applied to the surface of the printing substrate 17 to which the graphic 40 has been transferred to protect it, and the desired graphic is transferred to another surface where the graphic has not been transferred. This state is shown in FIG.
[0033]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the printing medium 17 is placed on the mounting table 16 in reverse. Spreading the lower film 25 during this time is the same as in the case of FIG.
[0034]
Hereinafter, the processing of (B) to (C) of FIG. 3 is repeated (FIG. 4 (C)). That is, a thin film 42 on which a desired figure is printed is placed on a portion of the print 17 in FIG. 4B which is not protected by the masking tape 41, and the thin film 42 and the print 17 are similarly adhered. Then, the desired graphic 42 is similarly transferred to the portion of the printing medium 17 where the graphic 40 has not been transferred, the portion where the masking tape 41 is stuck, and the entire surface of the lower film 25.
[0035]
After that, the unnecessary lower film 25 below the printed material 17 is trimmed, and the masking tape 41 and the film 42 are peeled off, so that the graphic 40 transferred in the process of FIG. 3 and the graphic 43 transferred in the process of FIG. As a result, a print 17 having a desired figure formed on the entire surface is obtained (FIG. 4D).
[0036]
In the above-described embodiment, the desired graphic is formed on the upper surface and the side surface of the printing medium 17 at the same time, and then the graphic is formed on the lower surface. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may go to.
[0037]
Although the above-described embodiment has been described with respect to an example in which the present invention is applied to a three-dimensional printing medium, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, printing may be performed on a sheet metal surface according to the above-described embodiment, and then the sheet metal may be bent to form a product.
[0038]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the number of the printing materials is one has been described.
[0039]
One embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Various changes can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same or equivalent scope as the present invention. Some of them will be exemplified and described.
1. The method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface according to claim 1 or 2, wherein printing of a desired figure by the film is performed by thermal transfer printing on a film with a separator in which a thin film and a separator are integrated with a predetermined adhesive.
2. The three-dimensional curved surface decoration according to claim 1 or 2, wherein printing of a desired figure by the film is performed by printing on a film with a separator in which a thin film and a separator are integrated with a predetermined adhesive by an ink jet printer. Method.
3. The method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface shape according to the above item 1, wherein the ink for thermal transfer printing is a wax (WAX) ribbon ink.
4. The method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface according to the above item 1, wherein the ink for thermal transfer printing is a resin ribbon ink.
5. The method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface shape according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of printing materials are mounted on the mounting table.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a vacuum device used for three-dimensional decoration.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of pre-processing for performing three-dimensional decoration.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing each step of the three-dimensional decoration method.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing each step of the three-dimensional decoration method.
[Description of Signs] 10 vacuum apparatus, 11 main body, 12 upper chamber, 13 lower chamber, 14 parallel link, 15 vacuum pump, 16 mounting table, 17 printing material, 18, 20 exhaust pipe, 19 heating plate, 22 support, 23 Upper edge, 24, 25 Lower film, 30 Thin film, 31 Separator, 32 Adhesive

Claims (3)

Printing a desired figure on a formable film;
Placing the substrate having a three-dimensional shape in a sealable chamber, the chamber including a mounting table for placing the substrate thereon,
In a state where the chamber is sealed, the film is softened by heating, and placed on the printing substrate,
Depressurizing the inside of the chamber;
Applying the atmospheric pressure from above the film surface after the decompression, thereby bringing the film and the printing material into close contact with each other. Printing a desired figure on a formable film;
Mounting the substrate having a three-dimensional shape in a sealable chamber, the chamber including a mounting table for mounting the substrate,
In a state where the chamber is sealed, the film is softened by heating, and placed on the printing substrate,
Depressurizing the inside of the chamber;
After decompression, the printing surface of the film and the printing object are brought into close contact with each other by applying atmospheric pressure from above the film surface, and a step of transferring the printed figure to the printing material,
Removing the film from the printing medium. The method for decorating a three-dimensional curved surface according to claim 1, wherein the printing target has a plurality of surfaces, and the decorating method is performed for each of the plurality of desired surfaces.

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