JP4419123B2 - Laminating apparatus and laminating method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a laminating apparatus and a laminating method for forming a laminating layer on the recording surface in order to protect an image formed on the recording surface of a sheet-like recording medium.

  As a result of various improvements made to the recording apparatus (printer) and the recording medium, the recording system such as the ink jet recording system and the thermal transfer recording system can obtain an image quality comparable to a silver salt color photograph. In recent years, image information captured by a digital camera, digital video, scanner, or the like or electronic image information in a computer has been widely used as a technique for hard copying.

  In addition, in these recording methods, the recording surface of the recording medium is protected to give permanent durability, and the glossiness and smoothness of the recording surface are increased to further improve the image quality. For this purpose, a technique of laminating a laminate layer on a recording surface of a recording medium after image recording is also widely known.

  As an apparatus used for laminating on a recording surface, a recording medium and a laminating material which are laminated by supplying a laminating material comprising a base material and a laminating layer formed so as to be peelable on the base material onto the recording surface. There is a laminating apparatus that transfers the laminate layer onto the recording surface of the recording medium by thermocompression bonding, and then peels the substrate from the laminate layer (Patent Document 1).

  However, in the laminating apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, every time the recording medium is replaced with one having a different width size, the laminating material must be replaced with one having a suitable width size. However, in this case, an extra portion of the laminate layer (after the lamination process ( It is necessary to cut off a portion that is not laminated on the recording surface (non-laminated portion) along the edge of the recording medium, and in any case, it is complicated.

For this reason, there is a laminating apparatus that can save the labor of excising the non-laminate portion (Patent Document 2). FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the laminating apparatus, in which a piece-like recording medium A cut to a predetermined feeding length and a laminating material B supplied as a continuous sheet from a roll are passed through a film guide roll F. It is laminated and heat-pressed when passing between the platen roll G and the heated intermediate roll H, and then the base material C is peeled from the laminate layer D by the peeling roll I arranged on the downstream side. However, in the laminating apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the substrate C is peeled off, the non-laminated portion Db is separated from the laminated portion Da. It is cut off and taken away with the base material C.
JP-A-58-224779 JP 10-211161 A

  The laminating apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 lifts the non-laminate portion Db together with the base material C by separating the base material C from the recording surface of the recording medium A, and laminates the non-laminate portion Db and the resulting laminate. The portion is forcibly broken (forcibly torn off) by the pulling force near the boundary with the portion Da.

  Therefore, in the vicinity of the boundary between the laminate portion Da and the non-laminate portion Db, as shown in FIG. 5, a part of the non-laminate portion Db remains on the laminate portion Da side, or a part of the laminate portion Da is removed from the recording medium A. There is a problem that the edge of the laminated portion Da separated from the non-laminated portion Db does not follow the edge of the recording medium A and becomes non-uniform in shape. The edge processing of the recording medium A that has been subjected to the lamination process is unavoidable.

  Further, when the adhesion between the laminate portion Da and the recording medium A and / or the adhesion between the non-laminate portion Db and the base material C is uneven in the vicinity of the edge of the recording medium A, or when it is insufficient, When the conveying speed of the laminate material B, the characteristics of the laminate layer D, the peeling angle of the base material C with respect to the recording medium A are not appropriate, etc., the laminated portion Da and the non-laminated portion Db are not separated. There is also a problem that the entire laminate portion Da is pulled away from the recording medium A by being pulled by the laminate portion Db, or the surface layer including the recording surface is pulled away from the recording medium A by being pulled by the non-laminate portion Db. is there.

  Therefore, the present invention is a system in which a laminate layer laminated on a recording medium is separated from a recording surface (laminate surface) to separate a laminate portion and a non-laminate portion, and therefore, in view of the above-described problems of conventional laminate apparatuses. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a laminating apparatus and a laminating method that can cleanly finish the laminating process on the recording medium without performing the edge processing after the laminating process of the recording medium.

The present invention relates to a laminating apparatus for forming a laminating layer on a recording surface of a sheet-like recording medium, and a pressure-bonding portion having a pair of conveying members that are arranged to face each other and convey the recording medium while being heat-pressed. Of the pair of transport members, the transport member disposed on the side opposite to the recording surface of the recording medium to be transported is a transfer transport member for transferring the laminate layer, and the laminate layer for laminating the recording surface is In a state where the recording medium is interposed between the sheet-like laminate material formed in an area wider than the planar area of the recording medium and the transfer conveying member, with the recording surface facing the laminate layer, A pair of conveying members conveys the recording medium while heating and press-bonding the laminate material to the recording medium and the transfer conveying member, and the surface of the transfer conveying member to which the laminate layer is adhered Providing a laminating apparatus characterized by comprising a recording medium by relatively spaced laminate layer protruding from該被recording medium includes a crimping portion separable.

  According to the above laminating apparatus, the pressure bonding section transfers the sheet-like laminate material in which the laminate layer for laminating the recording surface is wider than the planar area of the recording medium, and the laminate layer protruding from the recording medium. With the recording medium interposed between the transfer conveying member and the transfer conveying member, the pair of conveying members heat and press the laminate material to the recording medium and the transfer conveying member while the recording medium is interposed therebetween. Since the recording medium is configured to be conveyed, the laminate layer of the laminate material is brought into close contact with the entire recording surface of the recording medium by this thermocompression bonding, and the portion protruding from the recording surface becomes a transfer conveying member. In close contact.

  As the recording medium is conveyed, the recording medium is relatively separated from the surface of the transfer conveying member to which the laminate layer is in close contact. Then, the laminate layer is pulled (pulled) to the opposite surface side of the recording medium. At this time, the boundary between the portion with the recording medium and the portion without the recording medium (that is, the edge of the recording medium). The pulling force acts intensively along (edge). Then, the portion where the laminate layer and the recording surface are pressure-bonded (laminate portion where the laminate layer is laminated on the recording surface) and the portion where the laminate layer and the transfer conveyance member are pressure-bonded (non-laminate portion not laminated on the recording medium) ) Is cut off. That is, the laminate portion and the non-laminate portion can be separated (separated) by the action of the pulling force at the edge of the recording medium accompanying the relative separation between the surface of the transfer conveying member and the recording medium. Here, this crimping | compression-bonding part can be functioned as a isolation | separation part. As a result, the edge of the laminate layer formed on the recording surface of the recording medium becomes clean along the edge of the recording medium without manual intervention.

Further, the present invention provides a laminating method for forming a laminate layer on a recording surface of a sheet-like recording medium, and uses a pair of conveying members that are arranged to face each other and convey the recording medium while thermocompression bonding, Of the pair of transport members, the laminate layer is transferred by using the transport member disposed on the opposite side of the recording surface of the recording medium to be transported as the transfer transport member, and the laminate layer for laminating the recording surface is covered. In a state where the recording medium is interposed between the sheet-like laminate material formed in an area wider than the planar area of the recording medium and the transfer conveying member, the recording medium is interposed so that the recording surface faces the laminate layer. The recording medium is transported by heating and press-bonding the laminate material to the recording medium and the transfer transport member, and the surface of the transfer transport member to which the laminate layer is in close contact. Also provided by laminating method being characterized in that the so that to separate the run-off laminate layers from該被recording medium by relatively separating the recording medium.

  According to the laminating method, a sheet-like laminate material in which the laminate layer for laminating the recording surface is formed in an area wider than the planar area of the recording medium, and a transfer conveying member for transferring the laminate layer protruding from the recording medium With the recording medium interposed therebetween so that the recording surface faces the laminate layer, the recording medium is heated and pressure-bonded to the recording medium and the transfer conveying member by the pair of conveying members. As a result of this thermocompression bonding, the laminate layer of the laminate material is in close contact with the entire recording surface of the recording medium, and the portion protruding from the recording surface is in close contact with the transfer conveying member.

  As the recording medium is conveyed, the recording medium is relatively separated from the surface of the transfer conveying member to which the laminate layer is in close contact. Then, the laminate layer is pulled (pulled) to the opposite surface side of the recording medium. At this time, the boundary between the portion with the recording medium and the portion without the recording medium (that is, the edge of the recording medium). The pulling force acts intensively along (edge). Then, the portion where the laminate layer and the recording surface are pressure-bonded (laminate portion where the laminate layer is laminated on the recording surface) and the portion where the laminate layer and the transfer conveyance member are pressure-bonded (non-laminate portion not laminated on the recording medium) ) Is cut off. That is, the laminate portion and the non-laminate portion can be separated (separated) by the action of the pulling force at the edge of the recording medium accompanying the relative separation between the surface of the transfer conveying member and the recording medium. As a result, the edge of the laminate layer formed on the recording surface of the recording medium becomes clean along the edge of the recording medium without manual intervention.

  Typical examples of the transfer / conveying member include a roller member and a belt member.

  In the method of the present invention, it is preferable to remove the laminate layer transferred to the transfer conveyance member. In this case, the apparatus of the present invention can be provided with a removing means for removing the laminate layer transferred to the transfer / conveying member. By doing so, it is possible to remove an extra laminate layer that adheres to and accumulates on the transfer conveying member, and thereby, uniform thermocompression bonding by the pair of conveying members including the transfer conveying member. And good transportability can be maintained.

  In the method of the present invention, the transfer conveyance member may be detachable. In this case, in the apparatus of the present invention, the transfer conveyance member can be detachably provided on the pressure-bonding portion. In this way, for example, the transfer conveying member is periodically removed and cleaned before the uniform thermocompression bonding property or good conveying property by the pair of conveying members becomes unacceptable. Or can be replaced.

  As described above, the present invention provides a transfer / conveying member in which a laminate material having a size larger than that of a recording medium is overlapped and heat-pressed so as to cover the recording medium, and the laminate layer is in close contact with the recording medium. The recording medium is relatively separated from the surface of the recording medium, and the laminate layer of the laminate material is pulled (pulled) to the opposite side of the recording surface of the recording medium, so that there is a portion where the recording medium is present and a portion where the recording medium is not present The laminate layer is formed on the recording surface of the recording medium without manual intervention because the laminated portion and the non-laminated portion are separated by applying a tensile force intensively along the boundary between The edge of the recording medium can be made clean along the edge of the recording medium. Therefore, the lamination to the recording medium can be performed without performing the edge processing after the recording medium is laminated. It is possible to finish the over door processing clean.

  Hereinafter, a laminating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An appearance image of the laminating apparatus according to this embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The laminating apparatus includes various functional units (which will be described later) in the housing 1, and a recording medium supply unit (supplying unit) that supplies the recording medium A for which image recording has been completed for laminating processing. 10 is provided on one side of the casing 1, and a finished product discharge section (discharge section) 150 that discharges the recording medium A that has been laminated is provided on the other side of the casing 1.

  The recording medium supply unit 10 includes a mounting plate 11 attached to a boundary portion between the upper housing 1A and the lower housing 1B on one side of the housing 1. On the other hand, the finished product discharger 150 also includes a mounting plate 151 attached to a boundary portion between the upper housing 1A and the lower housing 1B on the other side of the housing 1. The mounting plate 11 takes a horizontal position where the recording medium A can be mounted. The mounting plate 151 is fixedly attached to the lower housing 1B. It should be noted that a pair of width regulating guides that are relatively close to each other in the width direction is provided on the mounting plate 11 so that the center of the recording medium A is always aligned regardless of the width size of the recording medium A. preferable.

  The transport path of the recording medium A that connects the recording medium supply unit 10 and the finished product discharge unit 150 is the same as the placement plate 11 of the recording medium supply unit 10 and the placement plate 151 of the finished product discharge unit 150. It is set along the boundary between the upper casing 1A and the lower casing 1B.

  The functional unit is roughly classified to supply a base material C serving as a base and a sheet-like laminate material B on which a laminate layer is laminated from the recording surface (upper surface) side of the recording medium A conveyed on the conveyance path. A laminating material supply unit (supply unit) 20 and a pair of conveyance members (in the illustrated example, a driving roller 41 (an example of a transfer conveyance member) and a pressure roller 43) that are disposed opposite to each other and convey a recording medium while being thermocompression bonded. It is divided into a pressure bonding part 40 having, a peeling part 60 for peeling the base material C from the laminate B after thermocompression bonding, and a base material recovery part (collecting part) 70 for recovering the peeled base material C.

  The laminate material supply unit 20 supplies the laminate material B from the roll as a continuous sheet. The laminate material supply unit 20 includes a holder (laminate material holding body) 21 that holds the roll of the laminate material B, and includes a holder 21 and a conveyance path. A free roller 22 is provided between them.

  Both ends of the holder 21 are rotatably supported by a side frame (not shown) together with the free roller 22. The free roller 22 is disposed at a predetermined position so that the laminate material B fed from the roll is wound in a predetermined angle range in a predetermined section up to the conveyance path, and the laminate material B with respect to the conveyance path is also wound. Determine the approach angle. The free roller 22 is disposed in a region that can be affected by heat from the pressure roller 43 of the pressure-bonding portion 40 serving as a heating roller, as will be described later. The material used for at least the surface of the free roller 22 is black alumite, which has a relatively excellent heat absorption rate and heat conductivity.

  A laminating material B used in the laminating apparatus of this embodiment includes a laminating layer D for laminating the recording surface of the recording medium A as shown in FIG. The laminate layer D has a laminated structure including an adhesive layer D ′ that adheres to the recording surface and a protective layer D ″ that is formed on the adhesive layer D ′ and protects the recording surface. The protective layer D ″ according to the present embodiment is formed of a transparent acrylic resin. The adhesive layer D ′ is laminated with the protective layer D ″ via a joint anchor coat layer D ″ ′ having transparency so as to maintain adhesiveness with the protective layer D ″. As will be described later, the adhesive layer D ′ has a higher adhesive force to the surface of the drive roller 41 to which the laminate layer D is transferred than the adhesion force of the base material C to the protective layer D ″, and a resin ( In this embodiment, it is formed of a thermoplastic resin (polyester resin) that exerts an adhesive force by applying heat.

  Furthermore, the laminate material B is used to prevent the laminate layer D from being scratched during thermocompression bonding and transportation, and to prevent the laminate layer D from being wrinkled during thermocompression bonding (protective layer D ′). ') A sheet-like substrate C is laminated on D so as to be peelable. That is, by laminating the base material C on the laminate layer D, the laminate material B prevents the surface of the laminate layer D from being scratched and gives the laminate material B itself stiffness (thickening the thickness). The degree of freedom of bending in the laminate material B is reduced), and the occurrence of wrinkles in the laminate layer D due to the influence of pressure or the like during thermocompression bonding can be prevented. The base material C is composed of a film made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and is in close contact with the laminate layer (protective layer D ″) D so as to be peelable by its own adhesiveness. And a laminated structure.

  The laminate material B having the above configuration is larger in size than the recording medium A, that is, in a state where the laminate layer D is opposed to the recording surface of the recording medium A, the recording material is recorded with the laminate material B (laminate layer D). A size that can cover A is set. In the present embodiment, as described above, since the laminate material B is long, when the laminate material B covers the recording medium A in a state of protruding from both the vertical and horizontal directions of the recording medium A, the direction is conveyed (conveyance). The size of the travel direction in the path does not matter, and the width (the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the travel direction in the transport path) is set wider than the width of the recording medium A on the transport path. Therefore, the recording medium A does not protrude from the laminating material B in the width direction even when the recording medium A is parallel to the transport direction, or even when it is slightly inclined. The entire surface of the recording medium A can be reliably covered with the material B (laminate layer D). The roll of the laminate material B having the above configuration is wound so that the base material C faces the outside and the laminate layer D faces the inside, so that the base material C contacts the free roller 22. It is like that.

  As described above, the pressure-bonding portion 40 includes the drive roller 41 and the pressure-bonding roller 43, and also includes a contact / separation mechanism (pressure-bonding / release mechanism) 46 for these roller pairs. The driving roller 41 has a roller width in the axial direction substantially equal to or wider than the width of the laminate material B, and is on the base surface side of the recording medium A (the recording surface of the recording medium A being conveyed). The pressure roller 43 has a roller width in the axial direction substantially equal to or wider than the width of the laminate B, and the recording surface of the recording medium A Is disposed on the side (the recording surface side of the recording medium A to be conveyed). Between the rollers 41 and 43, the laminate material B and the recording medium A supplied from the recording medium supply unit 10 are laminated (hereinafter, the recording medium A and the laminate material B (each layer constituting the laminate material B). ) Are collectively referred to as “laminated body”).

  The contact / separation mechanism (crimping / releasing mechanism) 46 is an arm (cam follower) that rotatably supports the roller (pressing roller 43) at the first portion and is swingably supported by the housing 1 at the second portion. 460 and the third position of the arm 460, and the swing position of the arm 460 is the first position where the pressure roller 43 and the drive roller 41 are pressure-bonded to each other (or the laminate material B and the recording medium). A and a second position where the pressure-bonding force between the pressure roller 43 and the drive roller 41 is released. And a cam 461 for changing the position. When a pressure-bonding action occurs between the pressure roller 43 and the driving roller 41, the pressure force between the rollers 41 and 43 is usually set to about 50 to 150 kgf.

  The pressure bonding / release mechanism 46 is configured to separate the pressure roller 43 outward from the trajectory B ′ of the laminate B taken when the pressure roller 43 is not present. 43 does not come into contact with the laminate material B.

  Therefore, according to the laminating apparatus according to the present embodiment, for example, when laminating only one recording medium A, the pressure roller 43 is released from pressure bonding when the recording medium A passes through the pressure bonding portion 40. Then, the laminate material B fed from the laminate material supply unit 20 is not laminated on the recording medium A until the recording medium A is discharged as a finished product. By rewinding B, it can be used for the subsequent laminating process of the recording medium A, and the laminate material B can be effectively used. The crimping / releasing mechanism is not limited to the swinging type, and may be a direct acting type, and the crimping / releasing mechanism may be any type.

  The driving roller 41 disposed on the opposite side of the recording surface of the recording medium A to be conveyed among the rollers 41 and 43 is for transferring the laminate layer. Therefore, the drive roller 41 is made of a material having at least a surface material that is thermally adhesive to the adhesive layer of the laminate material B. In addition, from the viewpoint of satisfactorily removing the transferred laminate layer with a scraper 85 described later, for example, a resin or metal with high heat resistance (specifically, a stainless steel or the like) can be used.

  In addition, both rollers 41 and 43 have heaters 42 and 44 at the shaft core portions, respectively, and are heating rollers. The heating temperature on the surfaces of the rollers 41 and 43 is set in the range of 60 to 120 ° C. for the driving roller 41, and is set in the range of 80 to 120 ° C. for the pressure roller 43. The pressure roller 43 is arranged so that the laminate material B supplied from the laminate material supply unit 20 is wound at a predetermined angle before the heat pressure point, and the laminate material B reaches the heat pressure point. It can be preheated in advance. Moreover, since the free roller 22 is heated by receiving heat from the roller 43, it also has a function as a heating roller, and the laminate material B is also preheated by the free roller 22 prior to preheating of the roller 43. It is like that.

  The peeling part 60 is arranged between the crimping part 40 located on the upstream side of the conveyance path and the finished product discharge part (discharge part) 150, and is a knife edge (peeling guide body) arranged facing the conveyance path. 61 is provided.

  In other words, the peeling portion 60 has a knife edge 61 at a position at a predetermined distance downstream from the pressure bonding portion 40 so as to separate the base material C from the laminate layer D after a predetermined time has elapsed since the pressure bonding portion 40 is heated and pressure bonded. It has. As described above, the peeling portion 60 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the crimping portion 40 because the laminate layer D activated (exhibiting viscosity, etc.) by being thermally crimped by the crimping portion 40 is usually used. This is because an external force is applied to the laminate material B (laminate layer D) after the equilibrium state (the state in which the adhesive force is increased).

  That is, when a predetermined time elapses from the heating in the crimping portion 40, the adhesive force of the laminate layer D to the recording medium A is more reliably increased than the adhesive force between the base material C and the laminate layer D. If the peeling process of the base material C is performed, since only the base material C peels cleanly without the laminate layer D being carelessly peeled off from the recording medium A, the space between the peeling portion 60 and the pressure-bonding portion 40 is provided. Therefore, the interval (predetermined distance) between the peeling part 60 and the pressure bonding part 40 is such that the time from passing through the pressure bonding part 40 until reaching the peeling part 60 brings the laminate layer D from an active state to a substantially normal equilibrium state. It is set so that it substantially coincides with or exceeds the time required for returning (predetermined time).

  The knife edge 61 is held by a holder (not shown) so that the tip portion thereof becomes the transport path side and is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the transport path. More specifically, the knife edge 61 is connected to the lower surface 61a facing the conveyance path in the peeling unit 60 and the downstream edge of the lower surface 61a in the conveyance direction so as to form an acute angle with the lower surface 61a. And an inclined surface 61b extending upward. Further, a connecting line (ridge line) between the lower surface 61a and the inclined surface 61b extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording medium A on the transport path.

  The base material collection unit 70 collects the continuous sheet-like base material C peeled off from the laminate layer D in a roll shape, and a holder (recovered base material holder) 71 that holds the roll of the base material C. Is provided. Both ends of the holder 71 are rotatably supported by side frames (not shown). Further, the holder 71 is disposed so that the winding surface is on the upstream side of the conveyance path with respect to the leading edge of the knife edge 61, whereby the substrate C to be peeled from the conveyance path is removed from the leading edge of the knife edge 61. In addition, the peeling angle of the base material C with respect to the conveyance path is determined.

  The configuration of each functional unit is as described above. The main components of the laminate material supply unit 20, the peeling unit 60, and the base material collection unit 70 are arranged in the same casing (the upper casing 1A located on the recording surface side of the recording medium A), while the contacting / separating mechanism. The (crimping / releasing mechanism) 46 is also disposed in the same casing (the lower casing 1B located on the base surface side of the recording medium A). Moreover, the crimping | compression-bonding part 40 is arrange | positioned ranging over both housing | casings (upper housing | casing 1A and lower housing | casing 1B).

  Further, the driving roller 41 of the crimping section 40 is disposed in one casing (lower casing 1B), and the crimping roller (driven roller) 43 is disposed in the other casing (upper casing 1A).

  Further, not only the driving roller 41 of the crimping part 40 but also all of the holder 71 of the base material collecting part 70 is omitted by a known driving force transmission means (not shown) such as a sprocket, a chain, a gear train and the like. The driving force of the motor (drive source) is transmitted at the same time. By these synchronous drives, the laminate material B is pulled from the laminate material supply unit 20, and the laminate (A + B; A + B-C) is conveyed downstream along the conveyance path.

  The laminating apparatus according to this embodiment is configured as described above. Next, each step of the laminating process in the apparatus will be described.

  First, before performing the laminating process on the recording medium A, the laminating material B is drawn out from the laminating material supply unit 20 in advance, and the laminating material B is drawn from the free roller 22 to the pressure bonding unit 40 (between the driving roller 41 and the pressure roller 43). ) And the tip portion is wound around the holder 71 of the base material recovery unit 70.

  In this state, the recording medium supply unit 10 faces the recording surface of the recording medium A toward the side to which the laminate material B is supplied (in this embodiment, the upper side corresponding to the arrangement of the laminate material supply unit 20). The recording medium A is sequentially supplied. That is, the laminating apparatus can continuously laminate a plurality of recording media A, with a gap between the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A. The recording medium A is sequentially supplied from the recording medium supply unit 10. Then, each recording medium A that is sequentially supplied is in a state of being interposed between the laminating material B and the drive roller 41 with the recording surface and the laminating layer D facing each other. The recording medium A and the driving roller 41 are heat-pressed. Thus, since the laminate material B is supplied so as to protrude from both end edges in the conveyance direction and the width direction of the recording medium A, the laminating layer D is softened and heat-pressed by the pressure-bonding section 40, and the recording medium A It is deformed so as to cover the recording surface and the end surface.

  Then, as described above, since the laminate material B and the drive roller 41 are set to be larger in size than the recording medium A, the recording medium A is sandwiched between the laminate material B and the drive roller 41. At this time, when the drive roller 41 is driven to rotate, the laminate layer D is brought into close contact with the recording surface of the recording medium A as shown in FIG. 3, and the laminate layer D protruding from the recording medium A is the surface of the driving roller 41. The laminating material B, the recording medium A, and the driving roller 41 are heat-pressed between the driving roller 41 and the pressing roller 43 of the pressing unit 40 (the laminating material B and the recording medium A pass through the pressing unit 40). To do). Then, the laminate material B is heat-pressed against the recording medium A and the driving roller 41. Then, the laminate material B and the recording material A, which are heat-pressed by the drive roller 41 being further rotationally driven, are pressure-bonded and conveyed toward the downstream side (finished product discharge portion 150). When a recording medium A and a laminate material B pass through a point where the driving roller 41 and the pressing roller 43 are pressed against the recording medium A, the outer peripheral surface of the driving roller 41 and the recording medium A are downstream of the point. The drive roller 41 and the recording medium A are moved relative to each other so as to be separated from the base surface.

  More specifically, by rotating the drive roller 41, a laminate portion (A + B) in which the recording medium A and the laminate material B are laminated is obtained, while the laminate material B protruding from the recording medium A is transferred to the drive roller 41. Is done. At this time, the recording medium A attempts to move further down the transport path, whereas the surface of the drive roller 41 to which the laminate layer D is in close contact is different from the moving direction of the recording medium A. That is, it moves in a direction away from the base surface of the recording medium A. Therefore, since the laminate layer D transferred to the drive roller 41 also tends to move in the same direction as the drive roller 41, the laminate portion Da and the recording medium A where the laminate layer D is in close contact with the recording surface of the recording medium A The tensile force acts intensively at the boundary between the protruding laminate layer D and the non-laminate portion Db in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller 41. As a result, only the non-laminate portion Db (D) is surely cut off, and the edge of the laminate portion Da (A + B) becomes clean along the edge of the recording medium A. The transfer width Db of the laminate layer D transferred to the drive roller 41 is set to about 3 mm or more. If the value is smaller than this value, the adhesion area between the drive roller 41 and the laminate layer D is small and the adhesive force is not sufficient, so that the drive roller 41 and the laminate layer D may be peeled off. This is because the portion (laminate portion) Da where the layer D and the recording surface are pressure-bonded and the portion (non-laminate portion) Db where the laminate layer D and the drive roller 41 are pressure-bonded may not be separated cleanly.

  One reason that the edge of the laminated portion is finished cleanly is considered to be that the edge of the recording medium A exhibits a function like a cutting blade. That is, the boundary between the laminated portion Da and the non-laminated portion Db is caused by the edge of the recording medium A due to the shear force (when the edge of the recording medium A is separated from the surface of the drive roller 41). The shear force of the laminate layer D generated at the edge of the recording medium A) due to the interaction between the force and the adhesion force of the non-laminate portion Db with the surface of the drive roller 41, and the laminate portion Da and the non-laminate The portion Db is cut along the edge of the recording medium A.

  Alternatively, as another reason, the minimum width region of the laminate layer D along the edge of the recording medium A is slightly lifted from the driving roller 41 due to the thickness of the recording medium A. It is believed that there is. Since the pulling force when separating from the surface of the drive roller 41 concentrates on the floating portion, the laminate layer D is broken at the floating portion, and the laminated portion Da and the non-laminated portion Db are recorded on the recording medium. It is cut along the edge of A. Alternatively, as another reason, the laminating material B and the driving roller 41 which are set to a size larger than the recording medium A are used, and the laminating material B and the driving roller are pressed by the pressure-bonding portion 40 with the recording medium A interposed. 41, the laminate layer D of the laminate material B is deformed along the shape of the recording surface and the edge of the recording medium A, and as a result, along the edge of the recording medium A. It is considered that the thickness of the minimum width region of the laminate layer D is reduced. Since the pulling force when separating from the surface of the driving roller 41 concentrates on the thinned portion, the laminated layer D is broken at the thinned portion, and the laminated portion Da and the non-laminated portion Db are covered. It is cut along the edge of the recording medium A.

  On the other hand, when the driving roller 41 rotates with the extra laminating layer D (laminate layer D of the non-laminate portion Db) attached to the outer peripheral surface of the driving roller 41, the laminating layer arrives at the point where the laminating material B is pressed. Since D adheres and accumulates, the laminating apparatus according to the present embodiment has a driving roller driven by a scraper (an example of a removing unit) 85 whose tip is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the driving roller 41 with a predetermined pressure. In the rotational direction of 41, the residue of the laminate layer D adhering to the outer peripheral surface can be scraped off and removed upstream of the point where the laminate material B is pressure-bonded to the recording medium A. The removed laminate layer is collected in a collection unit (not shown). Thereby, continuous lamination processing of the recording medium A becomes possible.

  Next, the laminate (A + B) obtained by the crimping part 40 is conveyed to the peeling part 60 as shown in FIG. The laminated body (A + B) is in a state of being cooled to some extent as time (predetermined time) passes after being heat-bonded at the pressure-bonding portion 40, so that the adhesive layer D ′ of the laminate layer D starts to cure. (Returning from the active state to the normal equilibrium state), and as a result, the adhesive layer D ′ is substantially cured or cured to some extent (substantially normal equilibrium state), and the laminate ( A + B) is such that the adhesion between the base material C and the laminate layer D is smaller than the adhesion between the laminate layer D and the recording surface of the recording medium A (adhesion between the lamination layer D and the recording surface of the recording medium A). Force and adhesion between the laminate layer D and the drive roller 41 are greater than adhesion between the substrate C and the laminate layer D). Therefore, even if the base material C is pulled upwards in the conveying direction via the knife edge 61, only the base material C is reliably peeled off, and one of the laminating layers D is as in the conventional laminating apparatus. Part or all is not taken away with the base material C.

  Next, the laminate (A + B−C) from which the substrate C has been peeled off by the peeling unit 60 is guided to the guide plate 83 and the recording medium A is conveyed to the downstream finished product discharge unit 150. Become. Therefore, the finished product discharge section 150 has a clean edge along the edge of the recording medium A, and a laminate layer that is in close contact with the recording surface without air or the like being interposed between the recording medium A and the recording medium A. The recording medium A laminated in D is discharged.

  As described above, in the laminating apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the laminate layer D is formed on the recording surface of the recording medium A when the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller 41 is separated from the base surface as the recording medium A is conveyed. Since a tension is generated at the boundary between the laminating portion Da that adheres and the non-laminate portion Db that the laminating layer D protruding from the periphery of the recording medium A adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller 41, the laminating portion Da and the non-laminating portion Db Is clearly cut along the edge of the recording medium A.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the recording medium A recorded mainly by the ink jet recording method is the target of the laminating process, but it may be a recording medium by other printing recording methods as well as the thermal transfer recording method. In addition, a recording medium made of a silver salt photograph is also targeted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the recording surface of the recording medium A is a conveyance form in which the recording surface faces upward. However, the recording medium A may be in a conveyance form in which the recording surface A is directed downward. There may be.

  In the above embodiment, a continuous sheet is used for the laminate material B, but a cut sheet may be used together with the recording medium A. When the laminate material B is a cut sheet, the laminate material supply unit 20 can handle the cut sheet like the recording medium supply unit 10 regardless of whether the laminate material B is supplied manually or automatically. It is necessary to change to.

  In the above embodiment, a cutting device for cutting between the recording medium A in the laminate of the recording medium A and the laminate B is provided on the downstream side of the pressure-bonding section 40 without providing the base material collecting section 70 and the like. The laminated body of the recording medium A and the laminate material B may be discharged in a single sheet state.

  Moreover, although said embodiment uses the laminate material B with the base material C from the point of the favorable handleability, a base material is not essential in this invention. In this case, the substrate recovery unit 70 is not necessary.

  In the above embodiment, a long laminate material B having a width wider than that of the recording medium A is used so that the laminate material B protrudes from the vertical and horizontal directions of the recording medium A. A long laminate material B having the same width as the width (the length in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording medium A (the pulling direction of the laminate material B)) may be used. In this case, the recording medium A is sequentially supplied so that there is a gap between the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A, and the recording medium A and the laminate material B (continuous sheet) on the transport path. Is conveyed while being guided by the width regulation guide, the entire recording surface of the recording medium A can be covered with the laminate material B and laminated, and the consumption of the laminate material can be reduced. . Even in this case, by separating the surface of the drive roller 41 from the recording medium A, the laminated portion Da and the non-laminate portion Db are moved from the leading end and the rear of the recording medium A in the same manner as in the above embodiment. It will be cut off at the edge of the edge.

  Further, the above embodiment uses a long laminate material B that is wider than the recording medium A, and has a gap between the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A. The recording medium A is sequentially supplied so that the laminating material B (laminate layer D) protrudes from the vertical and horizontal (periphery) of the recording medium A. For example, the long laminating material B having a wider width than the recording medium A is used. The recording medium A may be sequentially supplied so that the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A are in close contact with each other. Even in this case, the entire surface of the recording surface of the recording medium A can be covered with the laminate material B, and wasteful consumption of the laminate material B can be suppressed. In this case as well, by separating the surface of the drive roller 41 from the recording medium A, the edges of the laminate portion Da and the non-laminate portion Db extending in the traveling direction of the recording medium A are formed as in the above embodiment. Can be separated at the border. However, since the laminate layer D and the drive roller 41 are not in close contact between the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A, the preceding recording medium A and the succeeding recording medium A are laminated layers. Although the recording medium A is in a connected state via D, by separating the recording media A relatively, the laminate layer D that connects the recording media A may be broken to divide the recording media A. it can.

  In the above embodiment, the non-laminate portion Db is transferred to the roller surface of the roller 41. However, for example, the non-laminate portion Db may be transferred to the belt surface of a belt that rotates endlessly.

  In the above-described embodiment, the non-laminate portion Db transferred to the roller surface is removed by the scraper 85. However, the scraper 85 is removed or the roller 41 together with the scraper 85 is detachably provided on the crimping portion 40. For example, the roller 41 may be periodically removed and cleaned, or replaced with a new roller 41.

The side view of the lamination apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is shown. Sectional drawing of the laminating material used for the laminating apparatus which concerns on the embodiment is shown. FIG. 5 shows a state diagram when the recording medium is relatively separated from the surface of the drive roller to which the laminate layer is in close contact in the laminating apparatus according to the embodiment. The schematic side view of the conventional laminating apparatus is shown. Explanatory drawing of the last process of the lamination process in the conventional laminating apparatus is shown.

Explanation of symbols

1 Housing 10 Recording medium supply unit (supply unit)
11 Mounting plate 150 Finished product discharge section (discharge section)
151 Mounting plate 20 Laminate supply unit (supply unit)
21 Holder (Laminate material holder)
22 Free roller 40 Crimping part (Example of crimping part)
41 Drive roller (an example of a transfer conveying member)
43 Pressure roller 46 Pressure bonding / release mechanism 60 Peeling part 61 Knife edge (peeling guide body)
70 Substrate collection unit (collection unit)
71 Holder (collected substrate holder)
85 Scraper (an example of removal means)
A Recording medium B Laminate material C Base material D Laminate layer Da Laminate part Db Non-laminate part D 'Adhesive layer D''Protective layer

Claims (8)

In a laminating apparatus for forming a laminate layer on a recording surface of a sheet-like recording medium, the pressure-bonding unit includes a pair of conveying members that are arranged to face each other and convey the recording medium while being thermocompression-bonded. Of the members, a conveying member disposed on the opposite side of the recording surface of the recording medium to be conveyed is a transfer conveying member for transferring the laminate layer, and the laminating layer for laminating the recording surface is the recording medium. The pair of transport members in a state where a recording medium is interposed between a sheet-like laminate material formed in a region wider than a planar region and the transfer transport member so that the recording surface faces the laminate layer. Transports the recording medium while heating and pressure-bonding the laminate material to the recording medium and the transfer transport member, and the recording medium against the surface of the transfer transport member to which the laminate layer is adhered Laminating apparatus characterized by comprising a relatively allowed spaced laminate layer protruding from該被recording medium includes a crimping portion separable.   The laminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer conveying member is a roller member or a belt member.   The laminating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a removing unit for removing the laminate layer transferred to the transfer conveying member.   The laminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer conveyance member is detachably provided on the pressure-bonding portion. In a laminating method for forming a laminate layer on a recording surface of a sheet-like recording medium, a pair of conveying members that are arranged to face each other and are conveyed while being thermocompression bonded are used. The laminate layer is transferred by using a conveying member disposed on the opposite side of the recording surface of the recording medium to be conveyed as a transfer conveying member, and the laminating layer for laminating the recording surface is from a plane area of the recording medium. The sheet-like laminate material formed in a wide area and the transfer conveying member are laminated by the pair of conveying members with the recording medium interposed so that the recording surface faces the laminate layer. The recording medium is conveyed while heat-pressing the material to the recording medium and the transfer conveying member, and the recording medium is applied to the surface of the transfer conveying member to which the laminate layer is adhered. Laminating method in which pairs manner is separated, characterized in that the so that to separate the laminate layer protruding from該被recording medium.   The laminating method according to claim 5, wherein a roller member or a belt member is used as the transfer conveying member.   The laminating method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the laminate layer transferred to the transfer conveying member is removed.   The laminating method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the transfer conveying member is detachable.

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