JPH09234799A - Method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional image, and heat-transferring body for forming three-dimensional image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method suitable for forming three-dimensional images shaped unsteadily. SOLUTION: A number of cross-sectional data for constituting a three-dimensional model are consecutively transmitted to a thermal head 1, and in terms of each cross-sectional data, many kinds of heat transfer materials 32, 33 are transferred by the thermal head 1 in order not to be superimposed one another within the constant zones A and B on a table 4. That, one heat transfer material 32 is heat-transferred in one zone A on the table 4, and the other heat transfer material 33 is heat-transferred in the other zone B on the table 4 in identical configurations by one cross-sectional datum, furthermore, the other transfer material 32 is heat-transferred in the remaining part of the other zone A on the table 4, and one heat transfer material 32 is heat transferred in the remaining part of the other zone B in identical configurations. A three-dimensional object is formed by laminating various kinds of heat transfer materials 33, 33 through the interation of operation for the heat transfer and allowing the table 4 to be withdrawn relatively only for the thickness of the heat transfer material, then the other heat transfer material 32 is resolved and removed, and a three-dimensional image and mold are formed simultaneously by the other heat transfer material 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the formation of a three-dimensional image, and in particular, a three-dimensional object is formed by continuously laminating a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials having different melting points or dissolution reactions in a solvent by using a thermal transfer method. The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image forming method for forming a three-dimensional image by dissolving and removing one thermal transfer material of the three-dimensional object, an apparatus therefor, and a three-dimensional image forming thermal transfer member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The conventional three-dimensional image forming technology has mainly been hand cutting and cutting using a numerically controlled (NC) milling machine, but Japanese Patent Application No. 55-48210 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-1444).
Since the application for the three-dimensional figure creating device of Japanese Patent No. 78), the resin is cured by irradiating the liquid level of heat or photocurable resin in the container with energy rays such as ultraviolet rays, and after irradiation of one cross section is completed, The vertical table placed in or on the container itself is lowered by the thickness of the cured resin, and this operation is repeated for the next cross-section data in order to form a solid image of a continuous layer of cured resin. Various methods or devices have been developed.

Further, a laser or the like is used to cut the contour of the cross-section data on the paper to create a cross-sectional figure by one sheet of paper, and then the next cross-sectional figure is pasted on this and laminated one after another. Therefore, a method of forming a three-dimensional image has also been developed.

[0004]

The conventional three-dimensional image forming technique by hand machining has a problem that it takes a lot of time and labor and requires skill of an operator. Further, the NC milling also has a problem. It is necessary to create a complicated program that considers replacement and wear.

Further, in the three-dimensional image forming technique using heat or light curable resin, it is necessary to separately provide a column to stabilize an object in the process of forming, and thus its design is troublesome. Further, it is necessary to consider an exhaust facility for exhausting the odor of the resin.

[0006] Further, even in an apparatus of a type in which papers are laminated, there is a problem in that smoke is also generated when the papers are cut by a laser, so that exhaust is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and does not require labor and skill in forming a stereoscopic image, does not use a laser or exhaust equipment, and has a particularly unstable three-dimensional shape. It is an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional image forming method suitable for forming an image, an apparatus therefor, and a thermal transfer member for forming a three-dimensional image.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a large number of cross-section data forming a stereoscopic image model are sequentially transferred to a thermal head, and a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are transferred by the thermal head based on each cross-section data. Thermal transfer so that they do not overlap each other within a certain area on the table, and repeating this thermal transfer and the operation of retracting the table relative to the thickness of the thermal transfer material are repeated to form a three-dimensional object in which multiple types of thermal transfer materials are laminated. This is a three-dimensional image forming method in which one of the thermal transfer materials is prepared and dissolved, and the other thermal transfer material is used to form a three-dimensional image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the three-dimensional image forming method according to the first aspect, one thermal transfer material is applied to one area on the table and the other thermal transfer is applied to the other area on the table according to one section data. Heat transfer material to the same shape, and transfer the other heat transfer material to the remaining part of one area on the table.
One of the thermal transfer materials is thermally transferred into the same shape on the remaining portion of the other area on the table.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are applied within a certain area according to a thermal transfer body in which a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are separately applied to a base material and cross-sectional data that constitutes a three-dimensional image model. Stereoscopic image formation including a thermal head that selectively heats each other so that they do not overlap, and a table that relatively recedes by the thickness of the thermal transfer material each time the thermal transfer material for one section data is thermally transferred by this thermal head It is a device.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is a thermal transfer member for three-dimensional image formation in which two types of thermal transfer materials having different melting points and / or dissolution reactions in a solvent are separately coated on a common base material.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below with reference to one embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and other embodiments shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a line thermal head 1 which receives an electric signal to generate heat.
Is provided so as to be movable at least in the horizontal direction by a head position adjusting mechanism 2 for arranging the line thermal head 1 at an appropriate position.

A ribbon-shaped thermal transfer member 3 is arranged below the line thermal head 1. This thermal transfer body 3
It is unwound from one roll 3a and wound on the other roll 3b. A ribbon winding mechanism 3c such as a ribbon winding motor is provided on the winding shaft of the roll 3b on the winding side.

A table 4 is arranged below the thermal transfer member 3, and the table 4 can be moved up and down by a table elevating mechanism 5 such as a vertical feed screw and a motor for rotating the screw forward and backward. There is.

Further, the table elevating mechanism 5 is reciprocated in a direction parallel to the ribbon-shaped thermal transfer member 3 by a horizontal feed screw and a table position adjusting mechanism 6 such as a motor for rotating the screw forward and backward. It

As shown in FIG. 3, the thermal transfer member 3
Is a thin film-shaped substrate 31 and two types of thermal transfer materials having different melting points or dissolution reactions with solvents (one is called a heat transfer material 32 and the other is a second heat transfer material 33) are alternately applied at regular intervals. It is a thing. These thermal transfer materials 32, 33
Are, for example, different types of wax materials having different melting points, or resin materials that are soluble and insoluble in a specific solvent.

Next, the three-dimensional image forming method of the present invention will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

A three-dimensional image model drawn by a three-dimensional computer aided design (hereinafter referred to as three-dimensional CAD) is thinly sliced in order from the bottom on the three-dimensional CAD to create a large number of sectional data, and these sectional data are created. Are sequentially transferred to the line thermal head 1 by an electric signal.

At this time, the line thermal head 1
Is positioned by the head position adjusting mechanism 2 and scans on the thermal transfer member 3 so that the instep thermal transfer material 32 of the thermal transfer member 3 is placed on the area A of the vertically elevating table 4 and the second thermal transfer material 33 of the thermal transfer member 3 is transferred. On the area B of the table 4, the same 1
Transfer is performed by a thermal transfer method so as to draw a figure according to the second section data.

Then, the table position adjusting mechanism 6 moves the area A of the table 4 to the position where the area B was, and the remaining portion of the second heat transfer material 33 is transferred to the area A immediately before the instep heat transfer material. Transfer so that it does not overlap with 32.

Next, the table position adjusting mechanism 6 moves the area B on the table 4 to the position where the first area A was, and similarly the remaining portion of the instep heat transfer material 32 is already on the area B. The transfer is performed so that it does not overlap with the second heat transfer material 33 immediately before being transferred.

In this way, after the transfer of the first cross-section data and the remaining portion is completed, the line thermal head 1 is repositioned by the head position adjusting mechanism 2, and at the same time, the thermal transfer body 3 is wound by the ribbon winding mechanism 3c to obtain a new one. The thermal transfer materials 32 and 33 are arranged, and the table 4 is lowered by the thickness of the transferred thermal transfer material.

The same operation is repeated for the second and subsequent cross-sectional data sent next, and the thermal transfer materials 32, 33 are repeated.
By laminating the three layers, a three-dimensional object including a continuous layer of two types of thermal transfer materials 32 and 33 having different melting points or dissolution reactions to a solvent is created.

By dissolving and removing one of the thermal transfer materials 32, which has a relatively low melting point or is easily dissolved in a specific solvent, the other thermal transfer material 33, which has a relatively high melting point or is difficult to dissolve in the solvent, is obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the remaining three-dimensional image is formed on one area A as shown in FIG. 4 (A), and at the same time on the other area B, the three-dimensional image is formed as shown in FIG. 4 (B). It is possible to form a mold having an inverted image shape.

As described above, the line thermal head 1
The head position adjusting mechanism 2, the thermal transfer member 3, the ribbon winding mechanism 3c, the table 4, the table elevating mechanism 5 and the table position adjusting mechanism 6 are used to adjust the melting point or the solvent. Since a thermal transfer method using two types of thermal transfer materials 32 and 33 with different melting reactions was used, it is possible to create three-dimensional objects of any complicated structure, and also design the columns to stabilize the objects during formation. And exhaust equipment is not required.

For example, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another three-dimensional image according to the present invention. In the three-dimensional object formed by the thermal transfer material 33, arms 33b are overhung on both sides of the central leg 33a. The product has an unstable shape, but since the thermal transfer material 32 below the arm portion 33b supports the thermal transfer material 33, it is a pillar for stabilizing the stereoscopic image during the formation of the stereoscopic image. It is not necessary to provide 34 under arm 33b. In the past, it was necessary to design the column 34.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another thermal transfer body 3'for forming a three-dimensional image which can be used in the present invention. The instep thermal transfer material 32 'and the secondary thermal transfer material 33' are parallel to each other on a thin base material 31 '. It was formed in. When using this thermal transfer member 3 ', by moving the table 4 in the width direction of the thermal transfer member 3', it is possible to alternately transfer the instep heat transfer material 32 'and the second heat transfer material 33' on the same area. .

Further, the instep heat transfer material 32 'and the second heat transfer material 33' may be formed on different film base materials. That is, a plurality of thermal transfer bodies may be used.

Further, such thermal transfer bodies 3 and 3'have a long ribbon shape, but are not limited to the shape, and are formed in a rectangular sheet shape having a size corresponding to the table 4, for example. Alternatively, the sheets may be supplied one by one by a sheet feeder (not shown) and positioned.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, thermal transfer is performed by a thermal head based on a large number of cross-sectional data forming a three-dimensional image model so that plural types of thermal transfer materials do not overlap each other within a certain area on a table. Then, the one thermal transfer material is dissolved and removed to form a three-dimensional image by the other thermal transfer material, so it is possible to create a three-dimensional object with any complicated structure. It becomes unnecessary to design a strut which is required to stabilize an object during the process of forming a three-dimensional image using the heat or light curing resin. Furthermore, there is no need to consider the time and labor required for conventional hand machining or NC milling, tool exchange, wear, etc., and a three-dimensional image forming method that uses heat or photo-curing resin or three-dimensional images by stacking paper It is possible to provide a three-dimensional image forming method that can be safely used in an office environment without requiring exhaust equipment and a laser, which are required for forming.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials which are mutually inverted are simultaneously prepared, so that one thermal transfer material is dissolved and removed. Thus, the stereoscopic image itself and the stereoscopic image mold can be formed at the same time.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a specific three-dimensional image can be formed even when a three-dimensional image having any complicated structure is formed by a thermal transfer member coated with a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials, a thermal head and a table. By supporting the thermal transfer material equivalent to the above with another type of thermal transfer material, high stability can be obtained during the formation of a three-dimensional image, and the strut is required in the conventional three-dimensional image formation using heat or photo-curing resin. The design of is unnecessary. Furthermore, it is not necessary to consider the time and labor required for conventional hand-machining and NC milling, tool replacement, wear, etc., and a three-dimensional image forming device using heat or photo-curing resin or paper can be stacked to form a three-dimensional image. It is possible to provide a three-dimensional image forming apparatus that can be used safely in an office environment without the need for exhaust equipment and lasers that are required in the conventional technology for forming.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a stereoscopic image can be easily formed by removing one of the two types of thermal transfer materials by melting them with different melting points or by using a solvent.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a three-dimensional image forming method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same three-dimensional image forming method and apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a three-dimensional image forming thermal transfer member according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing a stereoscopic image formed by the same forming method, and FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another three-dimensional image formed by the same forming method as above.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the three-dimensional image forming thermal transfer member according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermal Head 3 Thermal Transfer Material 4 Table 31 Base Material 32, 33 Thermal Transfer Material

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A large number of cross-section data constituting a three-dimensional image model are sequentially transferred to a thermal head, and a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are prevented from overlapping each other within a certain area on a table by the thermal head based on each cross-section data. Thermal transfer is performed, and this thermal transfer and the operation of relatively retracting the table by the thickness of the thermal transfer material are repeated to create a three-dimensional object in which a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are laminated. A three-dimensional image forming method comprising forming a three-dimensional image with a thermal transfer material. 2. One piece of thermal transfer material is heat-transferred to one area on the table, the other thermal transfer material is transferred to the other area on the table in the same shape according to one section data, and the other is transferred to the rest of the one area on the table. 2. The three-dimensional image forming method according to claim 1, wherein one of the thermal transfer materials is heat-transferred to the remaining portion of the other area on the table in the same shape. 3. A thermal transfer body in which a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are separately applied to a base material, and a plurality of types of thermal transfer materials are selectively selected so that they do not overlap in a certain area by cross-sectional data that constitutes a stereoscopic image model. A three-dimensional image forming apparatus comprising: a thermal head that heats; and a table that relatively recedes by the thickness of the thermal transfer material each time the thermal transfer material for one cross-section data is thermally transferred by the thermal head. 4. A thermal transfer member for forming a three-dimensional image, characterized in that two types of thermal transfer materials having different melting points and / or dissolution reactions in a solvent are separately applied to a common base material.