AU2020256353A1

AU2020256353A1 - Transfer Apparatus and Transfer Method thereof

Info

Publication number: AU2020256353A1
Application number: AU2020256353A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kazuya OKUYAMA; Toshihiro Saga; Seiko Sugiyama; Toshihiro Takahashi; Shinobu UOZUMI
Original assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co Ltd
Current assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-30
Filing date: 2020-10-14
Publication date: 2021-05-20
Also published as: CN112743970B; JP2021070222A; KR20210052214A; EP3984748A1; CN112743970A; EP3815902B1; JP7055408B2; EP3984748B1; EP3815902A1

Abstract

There is provided a transfer apparatus in which a transfer material can be effectively used without wasting and a return distance can be shortenedin accordance with a carrying state of the transfer material so that carrying action of the transfer material is stabilized and yield may be improved. A plate cylinder 20 has two or more transfer faces, a distance between the transfer faces is three or more than a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, a transfer material 6 is sequentially transferred to a base material to be transferred 7 by two or more transfer faces during one rotation of the plate cylinder 20, a control part 5 controls a step back to carry the transfer material 6 backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder 20, so that an area to be used by the first transfer face during next rotation comes to an area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material 6 which has been used by the second transfer face during previous rotation. 69 1/14 FIG.I 43 42 1a 4 30 4 35 -- -45 3 32 41 33 2 34 31 )6 44 b 7 40 - 21 5 __ w w __

Description

1/14

FIG.I

43 42 4 1a

30 4

35 -- -45

3 32 41

33 2

34 31)6 44 b

7 40

- 21 5

__ w w __

Title of Invention Transfer Apparatus and Transfer Method thereof Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is related to a transfer apparatus and a transfer method thereof in which a transfer material is transferred to a base material to be transferred using a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder. Background art

[0002] A transfer apparatus in which a transfer material is transferred to a base material to be transferred is disclosed in Japanese Patent No.3650197. The transfer apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No.3650197 is provided with an embossing mechanism (corresponding to a transfer part of the present invention) constituted by a cylinder for embossing (corresponding to a plate cylinder of the present invention) and an impression cylinder, a carrying means for carrying wound foil for embossing (corresponding to a transfer material of the present invention), and a layer of material (corresponding to a base material to be transferred of the present invention) etc.. And the wound foilfor embossingand the layer ofmaterial are advanced and passed between the cylinder for embossing and the impression cylinder while being stacked together, so that the wound foil is embossed (corresponding to "transferred" in the presentinvention) to the layer ofmaterialby ametalplate for embossing of the cylinder for embossing (corresponding to a transfer face of the present invention).

[0003] Still more, in a period until starting next embossing after finishing one embossing, the wound foil for embossing is moved backwardly while its carrying speed is decelerated by controlling the carrying means to reduce a distance between a precedingly embossed area and a subsequently embossed area in the wound foil, so that an amount of area in the wound foil for embossingwhichis carriedwhile beingunused for embossing is reduced, waste of the wound foil for embossing is thereby reduced.

[00041 According to the transfer apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No.3650197, an amount of area in the wound foil for embossingwhichis carriedwhile beingunused for embossing may be reduced to some extent. However, what is disclosed in Japanese Patent No.3650197 is a transfer apparatus having one metal plate for embossing but not having a plurality of metal plates for embossing. Therefore, inventors of the present invention developed a transfer apparatus in which the waste of a transfer material can be significantly reduced by controlling carrying action of the transfer material, where it has a plurality of transfer faces.

[0005] The transfer apparatus developed by the inventors will be described based on Fig.10 to Fig.14. Fig. 10 is a schematic view of a transfer part of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, a transfer part 102 is comprised of a plate cylinder 100 and an impression cylinder 101. The plate cylinder 100 has a first, a second, a third transfer faces 103,104,105 which are spaced in a rotational direction, the first, the second, the third transfer faces 103,104,105 are provided on an embossing plate 106. Faces other than the first, the second, the third transfer faces 103,104,105 of the plate cylinder 100 are non-transfer faces 107. The plate cylinder 100 is rotatedin the counterclockwise direction at a fixed speed according to a transfer speed and is not rotated in the clockwise direction. The impression cylinder 101 is rotated in the clockwise direction at the same speed as the plate cylinder 100 and is not rotated in the counterclockwise direction.

[00061

A transfer material 108 and a base material to be transferred 109 are carried by step-back rollers (not shown) in the forward direction (direction of an arrow a) and in the backward direction (direction of an arrow b) respectively. The transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are carried in the forward direction and pass between the plate cylinder 100 and the impression cylinder 101 while being stacked each other, so that the transfer material 108 is transferred to the base material to be transferred 109 by the first transfer face 103, then the transfer material 108 is transferred to the base material to be transferred 109 by the second transfer face 104, thereafter, the transfer material 108 is transferred to the base material to be transferred 109 by the third transfer face 105.

[0007] Now, carrying actions of the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 to the plate cylinder 100 and a transfer operation by the first, the second, the third transfer faces 103,104,105 willbe describedbased on Figs.11A to 11H. In Figs.11A to 11H, frames each corresponding to a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face are provided on the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 to facilitate an understanding of the carrying action and the transfer operation. Note that, in an actual transfer apparatus, such frames are not provided on the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109. A framed hatched area of the base material to be transferred 109 indicates an area where the transfer is not performed (area for use in other purpose such as printing other than transfer), a framed blank area (hereinafter referred to a blank area) indicates an area where the transfer is to be performed. A dot line indicates a transfer position 110 where the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are nippedbyone of the transfer faces of theplate cylinder

100 and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 101. Note that a distance between the first transfer face 103 and the second transfer face 104 and a distance between the second transfer face 104 and the third transfer face 105 are determined according to a distance of the area of the base material to be transferred 109 where the transfer is not performed (hatched areas in Fig.11A to 11H).

[00081 Fig.11A shows a state before starting transfer, in which the first, the second, the third transfer faces 103,104,105 are displaced from the transfer position 110. From such state, the plate cylinder 100 is rotated, and the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are carried in a forward direction (direction of the arrow a) at the same transfer speed in synchronization with each other. As shown in Fig.11B, when the first transfer face 103 is moved to the transfer position 110, the first transfer face 103 transfers the transfer material 108 to the base material to be transferred 109. An area of the transfer material 108 which has been used for transfer is defined as (1), an area of the base material to be transferred109 to which the transfer material 108 has been transferred is defined as (A). As shown in Fig.11C, when the second transfer face 104 is moved to the transfer position 110, the second transfer face 104 transfers the transfer material 108 to the base material to be transferred 109. An area of the transfer material 108 which has been used for transfer is defined as (2), an area of the base material to be transferred109 to which the transfer material 108 has been transferred is defined as (B).

[00091 As shown in Fig.11D, when the third transfer face 105 is moved to the transfer position 110, the third transfer face 105 transfers the transfer material 108 to the base material to be transferred 109. An area of the transfer material 108 which has been used for transfer is defined as (3), an area of the base material to be transferred109 to which the transfer material 108 has been transferred is defined as (C). The transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are carried in synchronization with each other at the same transfer speed, with respect to the areas (1) to (3) of the transfer material 108 which have been used for transfer in Fig.11B to Fig.11D, a blank area between the area (1) and the area (2) and a blank area between the area (2) and the area (3) are unused areas which have not been used for transfer. A length of each unused area is the same as a length of a hatched area of the base material to be transferred 109. If the transfer material108 is collected at a collecting part (not shown) and discharged leaving the unused area on the transfer material 108, the unused area will become waste. Particularly, when gold foil or silver foil is used as the transfer material 108, since gold foil and silver foil are expensive, when an amount of the unused area is large, costs will be high.

[0010] Thus, as shown in Fig.11E, when a non-transfer face area 111 of the plate cylinder 100 between the third transfer face 105 and the first transfer face 103 passes through the transfer position 110, step back for backwardly carrying the transfer material 108 is performed(or taken), so that the transfer material 108 is carried through the gap between the non-transfer face 107 of the plate cylinder 100 and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 101 by a prescribed distance in the backward direction (direction of the arrow b). This motion is the step back. Note that the step back includes controls for acceleration and deceleration while carrying backwardly. The details of such step back will be described later. Thereafter, the transfer material 108 is forwardly carried, so that an area (4) of the transfer material 108 is matched with the transfer position 110 when the first transfer face 103 is moved to the transfer position 110 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100,as shown in

Fig.11F, this area (4) is used for transfer by the first transfer face 103. The area (4) is an area adjacent to and on an upstream side of the area (1) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, the area (1) having been used for transfer by the first transfer face 103 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100.

[0011] The step back of the base material to be transferred 109 is performed (or taken) to carry backwardly and return it by the prescribed distance in a state shown in Fig.11E. The return distance of the base material tobe transferred109is different from the return distance of the transfer material 108. Thereafter, the base material to be transferred 109 is forwardly carried in synchronization with the transfer material 108, so that a blank area (D) of the base material to be transferred 109 is matched with the transfer position 110 when the first transfer face 103 is moved to the transfer position 110 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100 as shown in Fig.11F, and the transfer material 108 is transferred to the blank area (D). The blank area (D) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (C) of the base material to be transferred 109 in the carrying direction, the area (C) to which the transfer material 108 has been transferred by the third transfer face 105 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100. As shown in Fig.11G, an area (5) of the transfer material 108 is matched with the transfer position 110 when the second transfer face 104 is moved to the transfer position 110 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100, and the area (5) is used for transfer by the second transfer face 104,the area (5) is an area adjacent to and on the upstream side of the area (2) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, the area (2) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 104 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100.

[0012]

The base material to be transferred 109 is matched with the transfer position 110 at the blank area(E), the transfer material 108 is transferred to the blank area(E).The blank area(E) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (D) of the base material to be transferred 109 in the carrying direction, to which the transfer material 108 has been transferred by the first transfer face 103 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100. As shown in Fig.11H, an area (6) of the transfer material 108 is matched with the transfer position 110 when the third transfer face 105 is moved to the transfer position 110 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100, and the area (6) is used for transfer by the third transfer face 105,the area (6) is an area adjacent to and on the upstream side of the area (3) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, the area (3) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 105 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100. The base material to be transferred 109 is matched with the transfer position 110 at the blank area (F), the transfer material 108 is transferred to the blank area (F). The blank area (F) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (E) of the base material to be transferred 109 in the carrying direction, the area (E) to which the transfer material has been transferred by the second transfer face 104 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100. In the transfer by the first transfer face 103 to the third transfer face 105 in Fig.11F to Fig.11H, the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are carriedin synchronization witheach other at the same transfer speed as with the case in Fig.11B to Fig.11D.

[0013] By performing this operation two more times, an unused area between the area (1) and the area (2) and an unused area between the area(2) and the area (3) of the transfer material 108 which have been used for transfer at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100 can be used for transfer. In other words, the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are subjected to deceleration after transferring, the step back and acceleration before transferring after finishing transfer by the third transfer face 105 (the last transfer face) for each time of rotation of the plate cylinder 100, whereby a position of an area of the transfer material 108 which is to be used for transfer is adjusted so as to make the unused area available for transfer, and a position of an area of the base material to be transferred 109 to which the transfer material 108 is to be transferred is adjusted so as to permit performing the transfer to it at a position next to the transferred position. By repeating such adjustment 4 times the unused areas of the transfer material 108 can be eliminated.

[0014] Control for carrying action of the transfer material 108 will be described based on Fig.12 and Fig.13. Fig.12 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first and second rotations of the plate cylinder of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, Fig.13 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first rotation to sixthrotation ofthe plate cylinder ofthe transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. As shown in Fig.12, a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face is defined as L. L is a distance equivalent to a top-bottom size (a length in a rotational direction) of the transfer face plus aminimumblank space needed for transfer. A distance between the transfer faces (a distance from the transfer startingposition ofone transfer face to the transfer starting position of the next transfer face) is defined as M, and the number of transfer faces of the plate cylinder 100 (the number of times of transfer at one rotation of the plate cylinder) is defined as S. In this description, the number of transfer faces S is 3.

An available number of times of transfer of the transfer material 108 between the transfer faces (namely, the number of times of transfer between the transfer faces) can be derived from the distance Mbetween the transfer faces and the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face. When an available number of times of transfer is defined as N, that is N=M+L. N is the number of times including transfer by the first transfer face 103 at the time of first rotation (transfer in the area(1)), when performing the transfer by the first transfer face 103 and the second transfer face 104 at the time of first rotation in Fig.12 for example. Therefore, the available number of times of transfer in an unused area (for example, between the area (1) and the area (2) in Fig.13) of the transfer material 108 generated at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is N-1.

[0015] Since M=4L as shown in Fig.12, N=4 can be obtained by substituting M=4L for N=M+L. From this, it is found that whole unused areas of the transfer material 108 generated at the time of first rotation can be used for transfer, by performing transfer 3 times by rotating the plate cylinder 100 3 times after finishing the first transfer at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100. In other words, the whole area between the transfer faces of transfer material108 canbeusedfor transfer, whenperforming transfer 4 times by rotating the plate cylinder 100 4 times.

[0016] As shown in Fig.12, at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100,the area (1) of the transfer material 108 is used for transfer by the first transfer face 103, the area (2) of the transfer material 108 is used for transfer by the second transfer face 104,and the area (3) of the transfer material 108 is used for transfer by the third transfer face 105. When the rotation of the plate cylinder 100 shifts from the firstrotation to the secondrotation, in otherwords, after finishing the transfer by the third transfer face 105 which is the last transfer face at the time of first rotation, the transfer material 108 forwardly carried at the transfer speed is decelerated and stopped. Thereafter, the step back of the transfer material 108 is performed, the step back is performed in the following manner. The transfer material 108 at a stop is accelerated backwardly (in a return direction) up to a prescribed carrying speed so that it is carried at the prescribed carrying speed. Thereafter, to stop the step back, the prescribed carrying speed is decelerated, so that the carrying action in the backward direction is stopped at a prescribed distance. The carrying action for the prescribed distance in the backward direction including the acceleration and the deceleration is the step back. A distance until reaching at the prescribed carrying speed is defined as an acceleration distance during the step back, a distance until stopping from the prescribed carrying speed is defined as a deceleration distance during the step back. Note that, regarding carrying action during the step back, it is possible to switch acceleration to deceleration immediately after accelerating to the prescribed carrying speed, without providing a distance over which the transfer materialis carried at the prescribed carrying speed.

[0017] Moreover, the transfer material 108 at a stop is accelerated and carried at the transfer speed in the forward direction, until starting the transfer by the first transfer face 103 which is the first transfer face at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100. A distance until stopping the transfer material 108 from a state that it is forwardly carried at the transfer speed by decelerating it (a deceleration distance after transferring) is defined as 1. And, a distance until the transfer material 108 reaches at the transfer speed by forwardly accelerating it from a state that it is at a stop after performing the step back (an acceleration distance before transferring) is defined as a. The deceleration distance B after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring are parameters determined depending on characteristics of a drivingmotor for rotationally driving the step-back rollers (not shown), the carrying speed, a return distance due to the step back, and alengthof the non-transfer face area 111of the plate cylinder 100. The deceleration distance B after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring are automatically determined by using a known control device which is recommendable from the characteristics of the driving motor. Moreover, setting of the deceleration distance during the step back over which the transfer material 108 is carried in the backward direction (return direction), the acceleration distance during the step back and the carrying speed during the step back are also determined in the same manner as the deceleration distance B after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring.

[0018] A distance over which the transfer material 108 is backwardly carried during one step back is defined as a return distance R10. The return distance R10 will be described below. As shown in Fig.12, the area (4) of the transfer material 108 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 103 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is an area adjacent to and on the upstream side of the area (1) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, the area (1) having been used for transfer by the first transfer face 103 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100. The areas (5), (6) of the transfer material 108 which are to be used for transfer by the second, third transfer faces 104,105 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 100 are areas adjacent to and on the upstream side of the areas (2), (3) of the transfer material108 in the carrying direction, the areas (2), (3) having been used for transfer by the second, third transfer faces 104,105 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100.

[0019] Therefore, the return distance R10 can be derived from a following formula (10).

R10=Mx(S-1)+a+ •••formula(10)

Since the number oftransfer faces S ofthe plate cylinder 100 is 3, the distance M between transfer faces is 4 times of L as shown in Fig.12, the return distance R10 is 4Lx2+a+ which is 8L+a+ derived from a formula (10). Since a=2L, @=2L in Fig.12, the return distance R10 is a distance of 12L. Moreover, the carrying distance R10 in one rotation of the plate cylinder in the forward direction is a distance of 13L. As shown in Fig.13, when the rotation of plate cylinder 100 shifts from the first rotation to the second rotation, when the rotation of plate cylinder 100 shifts from the second rotation to the third rotation, when the rotation of plate cylinder 100 shifts from the third rotation to the fourth rotation, the transfer material 108 only has to be carried backwardlyby the distance of12L.Note that, in Fig.13, drawing is simplified by assuming that the distance a and B are 0(a=0, B=0) so as to facilitate an understanding.

[0020] As shown in Fig.13, at the time of third rotation of the plate cylinder 100, the area (7) of the transfer material 108 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 103, the area (8) of the transfer material108 whichis used for transfer by the second transfer face 104 and the area (9) of the transfer material 108 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 105 are areas adjacent to and on the upstream side of the areas (4), (5), (6) of the transfer material108 in the carrying direction, the areas (4) , (5) , (6) having been used for transfer by the first, second, third transfer faces 103,104,105 at the time of second rotation.

At the time of fourth rotation of the plate cylinder 100, the area (10) of the transfer material 108 which is to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 103, the area (11) of the transfer material 108 which is to be used for transfer by the second transfer face 104 and the area (12) of the transfer material 108 which is to be used for transfer by the third transfer face 105 are areas adjacent to and on the upstream side of the areas (7), (8), (9) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, the areas (7), (8), (9) having been used for transfer by the first transfer face 103, the second transfer face 104 and the third transfer face 105 at the time of third rotation.

[0021] As mentioned above, since all of the unused areas of the transfer material 108 generated at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100 come to used state at the time of fourth rotation, a newly available area is required when performing transfer at the time of fifth rotation, then, the transfer at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is similarly performed as the transfer at the time of first rotation. For example, the area(13) of the transfer material 108 to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 103 which is the first transfer face at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder100is an areaadjacent to and on the upstream side of the area (12) of the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction, thearea (12) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 105 which is the last transfer face at the time of fourth rotation. The return distance R10 due to the step back at this time is a value determined by a and B, that is derived from formula (11), unlike the case of former formula (10).

R10=a+ •••formula(11)

[0022] Transfers at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 are performed sequentially by first, second, third transfer faces 103,104,105 as with the transfers at the time of first rotation. An area of the transfer material 108 to be used for transfer at that time is a new area on the upstream side of the areas which have been used at the time of first rotation in the carrying direction. The area to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 103 is designated as (13), the area to be used for transfer by the second transfer face 104 is designated as (14), the area to be used for transfer by the third transfer face 105 is designated as (15). Transfers at the time of sixth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 are performed as with the transfers at the time of second rotation, areas (16), (17), (18) to be used for transfer by the first, second, third transfer faces 103, 104, 105 are areas adjacent to and on the upstream side of the areas (13), (14), (15) in the carrying direction, the areas (13), (14), (15) having been used for transfer by the first, second, third transfer faces 103,104,105 at the time of fifth rotation.

Therefore, the return direction R10 due to the step back after finishing the transfer at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is a distance derived from the former formula (10).

[0023] Although illustration is omitted, since the transfer at the time of seventh rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is performed in the same manner as the transfer at the time of third rotation, the return distance R10 due to the step back after finishing the last transfer at the time of sixth rotation is a distance derived from the former formula(10). Although illustration is omitted, since transfers at the time of eighth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 are performed in the same manner as the transfers at the time of fourth rotation, the return distance R10 due to the step back after finishing the last transfer at the time of seventh rotation is a distance derived from the former formula(10).

Although illustration is omitted, since transfers at the time of ninth rotation of the plate cylinder 100 are performed in the samemanner as the transfers at the time offifthrotation, the return distance R10 due to the step back after finishing the last transfer at the time of eighth rotation is a distance derived from the former formula(11). In other words, when the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is a multiple of 4, since all unused areas of the transfer material 108 would be in used state at the time of finishing the last transfer, the return distance R10 due to the step back after finishing the last transfer is a distance derived from the former formula (11) . When the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is not a multiple of 4, since some area of the transfer material 108 would remain unused at the time of finishing the last transfer, the return distance R10 due to the step back after finishing the last transfer is a distance derived from the former formula (10)

[0024] In above description, since the distance M between transfer faces of the plate cylinder 100 is assumed as 4L, N is 4, when M is not an integer multiple of L, a remainder is left in N. The remainder in N means that there exists an area being left unused which has a distance less than the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face and is thereby unavailable for transfer, when performing the transfer in the unused areas as shown in Figs.11 to Fig.13. In the following description, N is assumed as an integral number in which the remainder is cut off. When N changes according to values of M, L, the return distance R10 can be determined as follows. Where a natural number (a positive integer) is defined as K, the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder 100 is defined as P, the return distance R10 due to the step back at the time of Pth rotation is a distance derived from the former formula (11),when P satisfies a following formula (12), and the distance derived from the former formula (10),when P does not satisfy the formula (12).

P=kxN•••formula(12)

When P satisfies the formula (12) means that the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is an integral multiple of N, and when P does not satisfy the formula (12) means that the number of times ofrotation of the plate cylinder is not the integer multiple of N.

[0025] A control method of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in Fig.14. Such parameters as L, M, S required to perform transfer and such parameters as a carrying speed which are used in the usual transfer apparatus or printing apparatus are entered to the control part of the transfer apparatus. Step 1 (51). Start of transfer operation is selected. Step 2(S2). The distance derived from the formula (10), the distance derived from the formula (11) etc. are set according to entered parameters. The carrying actions of the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are started. At this time, the variable i that is a counted number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder 100 shall be 0 (i=0). Step 3 (S3). The transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 are carried in synchronization with each other at the fixed transfer speed, meanwhile transfer is performed for one rotation of the plate cylinder, at this time, 1 is added to the variable i (i=j+1), Step 4 (S4).

[0026] The step back of the base material to be transferred 109 is performed for each rotation of the plate cylinder. Step 5 (S5). After finishing the transfer for one rotation of the plate cylinder, existence of unused area of the transfer material 108 is confirmed depending on a condition of i=N, setting of the step back of the transfer material 108 is determined. As mentioned above, N is judged by a numerical number from which a remainder that is under the decimal point is omitted. Step 6 (S6). When condition is not satisfied, since some unused area may exist within transferred range of the transfer material 108. The step back by a distance (Mx(S-1)+a+) derived from the formula (10) is performed. Step 7 (S7). When condition is satisfied, since all unused areas of the transfer material 108 have been used, the step back by a distance (a+B) derived from the formula (11) isperformed. Step 8 (S8). When process of Step 8 (S8) is performed, the variable i is returned to 0 (i=0). Step 9 (S9).

[0027] When process of Step 7 (S7) or Step 9 (S9) is performed, it is returned to Step 4 (S4) and the process of Step 4 (S4) is performed. The transfer using the unused areas which are generated in the transfer material 108 for transfer is performed by repeatedly performing processes from the process of Step 4 (S4) to the process of Step 9 (S9) and by the carrying action including the step back. Notethat, controlfor finishing transferis omitted from the flowchart, because it is a known control for finishing it according to the condition designated to the control part at Step 1 or a stop operation by an operator of the usual transfer apparatus or printing apparatus. According to the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, unused areas of the transfer material 108 generated by the transfer at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 100 can be used for succeeding transfer after the second rotation, whereby an amount of areas of the transfer material 108 which are carried while remaining unused state for transfer ofthe transfermaterial108 maybe greatlyreduced, so that the transfer material 108 can be effectively used without wasting. Summary of the invention Problems to be solved by the invention

[00281 When performing transfer using the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, defects as follows may sometimes occur. When the carrying direction of the transfer material 108 is switched to the forward direction or to the backward direction by performing the step back, a rotational direction and a rotational speed of the step-back rollers (not shown) are controlled. However, the longer the return distance of the transfer material 108 due to the step back is, the more the carrying speed of the transfer material 108 in the backward direction is required to increase. A range of a non-transfer face area 111 which does not have transfer face between the third transfer face 105 and the first transfer face 103 within a range of the non-transfer face 107 of the plate cylinder 100 is an area available for the deceleration after transferring, the step back and the acceleration before transferring the transfer material 108, an available time for the deceleration after transferring, the step back and the acceleration before transferring after one transfer of the transfer material 108 are determined by the range of the non-transfer face area 111 and a rotational speed of plate cylinder 100. For the same plate cylinder 100, the range of transfer faces 103 to 105 becomes longer and the range of non-transfer face area 111 becomes relatively shorter, as the return distance of transfer material 108 becomes longer, so that the available time for the deceleration after transferring, the step back and the acceleration before transferring of the transfer material 108 are reduced. In other words, when carrying the transfer material 108 backwardly for an elongated return distance, it is needed to increase the carrying speed by a degree that the time available for the deceleration after transferring, the step back and the acceleration before transferring is shorten and the return distance itself is elongated. When the carrying speed of transfer material 108 is increased, since the speed would abruptly change upon switching the rotational direction, rotary inertia force of step-back rollers (not shown) would be increased. When the rotary inertia force is increased, a rotational speed control and a stopposition controlofthe step-back rollers (not shown) would sometimes become unstable due to the rotaryinertia force of the step-back rollers (not shown) upon switching the carrying direction of the transfer material 108, which may result in an unstable behavior of the transfer material 108. Moreover, when switching the carrying direction of the transfer material 108, an inertia force may act on the transfer material 108 in the carrying direction before switching. The inertia force also becomes larger, as the return distance R10 becomes longer as with the rotary inertia force of step-back rollers (not shown). When the inertia force is large and the transfer material 108 has poor followability to a change in the forward or backward rotation of the step-back rollers (not shown) for carrying the transfer material 108, the transfer material 108 would likely be deformed or split so that the carrying action of the transfer material 108 would sometimes become unstable.

[0029] Due to instability in behavior and the unstable carrying action of the transfer material 108, transfer failure would occur, and the yield would be degraded. The longer return distance of the transfer material 108 due to the step back, the more this would occur frequently.

[0030] The present invention has been made to solve abovementioned problems, and its object is to provide a transfer apparatus having a plurality of transfer faces and transfer method thereof, in which a transfer material can be effectively utilized without wasting, and carrying action of the transfer material can be stabilized and the yield can be improved by shortening a return distance due to the step back according to carrying states of the transfer material. Means for solving the problems

[00311 A first transfer apparatus of the present invention is a transfer apparatus comprising: a transfer part, a carrying part of a transfer material carrying the transfer material to the transfer part, a carrying part of a base material to be transferred carrying the base material to be transferred to the transfer part and a control part, wherein the transfer part has an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder has transfer faces which contact with a peripheral surface of the impression cylinder and non-transfer faces which do not contact with the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, the carrying part of the transfer material has step-back rollers and carries the transfer materialforwardlyby rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the transfer material backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the carrying part of the base material to be transferred has step-back rollers and carries the base material to be transferred forwardlyby rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the base material to be transferred backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the step-back rollers of the carryingpart of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are forwardly rotated to carry forwardly the transfer material and the base material to be transferred, so that the transfer material is transferred to the base material to be transferred by a transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are backwardly rotated, so that step back of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred is performed to carry them backwardly through a gap between a non-transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and characterized in that the plate cylinder of the transfer part has two or more transfer faces, and a distance between the transfer faces is three or more times of a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, the transfer material is successively transferred to the base material to be transferred by two or more transfer faces during one rotation of the plate cylinder, the control part controls the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area to be used for transfer by a first transfer face of the transfer material at the time of next rotation comes to an area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation.

[00321 Inthe first transfer apparatus ofthepresentinvention, an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer finishing position of an area of the transfer material used for transfer by the transfer face to a transfer starting position of an area of the transfer material used for transfer by a next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with the number of transfer faces of the plate cylinder. According to the transfer apparatus having this constitution, much more unused areas for transfer of the transfer material can be used for transfer.

[0033] A second transfer apparatus of the present invention is a transfer apparatus comprising: a transfer part, a carrying part of a transfer material carrying the transfer material to the transfer part, a carrying part of a base material to be transferred carrying the base material to be transferred to the transfer part and a control part, wherein the transfer part has an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder has transfer faces which contact with a peripheral surface of the impression cylinder and non-transfer faces which do not contact with the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, the carrying part of the transfer material has step-back rollers and carries the transfer materialforwardlyby rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the transfer material backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the carrying part of the base material to be transferred has step-back rollers and carries the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the base material to be transferred backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the step-back rollers of the carryingpart of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are forwardly rotated to carry forwardly the transfer material and the base material to be transferred, so that the transfer material is transferred to the base material to be transferred by a transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are backwardly rotated, so that step back of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred is performed to carry them backwardly through a gap between a non-transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and characterized in that the plate cylinder of the transfer part has two or more transfer faces, and a distance between the transfer faces is three or more times of a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, the transfer material is successively transferred to the base material to be transferred by two or more transfer faces during one rotation of the plate cylinder, the control part controls the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area of the transfer material to be used for transfer by a first transfer face at the time of next rotation comes to a specific area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation, when the specific area is available for transfer, the controlpart controls the stepback to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area of the transfer material to be used for transfer by the first transfer face at the time of next rotation comes to an area adjacent to and on an upstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer on the most upstream side in the carrying direction at the time of previous rotation, when the specific area is not available for transfer.

[00341 In the second transfer apparatus, the control part has a judging part judging that the specific area is not available for transfer, when the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer starting position of an areaused for transfer of the transfer material to a transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of a next transfer material, and judging that the specific area is available for transfer, when they are not matched.

[0035] Amethod for transferringofthe first transfer apparatus of the present invention is a method for transferring of a transfer apparatus comprising a transfer part comprising a plate cylinderhaving two or more transfer faces whose distance between the transfer faces is three or more times longer than a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face and an impression cylinder, step-back rollers carrying a transfer material forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, and step-back rollers carrying a base material to be transferred forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, the method comprising the steps of: carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardlyby rotating forwardly the step-back rollers during one rotation of the plate cylinder, performing sequentially transfer of areas of the transfer material spaced in a carrying direction of the transfer material by two or more transfer faces to the base material to be transferred, performing step back by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers to carry the transfer material and the base material to be transferred backwardly by a prescribed distance after finishing transfer, carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating the step-back rollers forwardly again and performing transfer, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder so that an area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation is used for transfer by a first transfer face of next rotation.

[00361 A method for transferring of the second transfer apparatus of the present invention is amethod for transferring of a transfer apparatus comprising a transfer part comprising a plate cylinder having two or more transfer faces whose distance between the transfer faces is three or more times longer than a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face and an impression cylinder, step-back rollers carrying a transfer material forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, and step-back rollers carrying a base material to be transferred forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, the method comprising the steps of: carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers during one rotation of the plate cylinder, performing sequentially transfer of areas of the transfer material spaced in a carrying direction of the transfer material by two or more transfer faces to the base material to be transferred, performing step back by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers to carry the transfer material and the base material to be transferred backwardly by a prescribed distance after finishing transfer, carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating the step-back rollers forwardly again and performing transfer, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder so that a specific area adjacent to and on the downstream side of an area which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation can be used for transfer by a first transfer face at the next rotation, when an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer finishing position of an area of the transfer material used for transfer by a transfer face to a transfer starting position of an area of the transfer material used for transfers by a next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is the number of the transfer faces of the plate cylinder or more, judging whether the specific area is available for transfer by the first transfer face at the time of next rotation after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, when an available number of times of transfer within the space from the transfer finishing position of the area of the transfer material used for transfer by a transfer face to the transfer starting position of the area of the transfer material used for transfers by the next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is less than the number of the transfer faces of the plate cylinder, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly so that the specific area can be used for transfer, when judged that it is available for transfer, andperforming the stepback to carry the transfer material backwardly so that an area adjacent to and on an upstream in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer on the most upstream side in the carrying direction at the time ofprevious rotation can be used for transfer, when judged that it is not available for transfer.

[0037] In the transfer method of the second transfer apparatus of the present invention, the method for transferring of the transfer apparatusmaybe configured to judge that the specific area is not available for transfer, when the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with the available number of times of transfer within the space from a transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of the transfer material to the transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of a next transfer material and to judge that the specific area is available for transfer, when they are not matched. Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0038] According to the transfer apparatus and the transfer method thereof, when there exists aplurality of transfer faces, the transfer material can be effectively utilized without wasting, and the return distance due to the step back can be shortened according to carrying states of the transfer material, so that the carrying action of the transfer material can be stabilized and the yield can be improved. Brief Description of Drawings

[0039] Fig.1 is a front view of the whole of one example of a transfer apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.2 is a schematic view of a plate cylinder of the present invention shown in Fig.1. Fig.3A to 3H are views explaining carrying action of a transfer material and a base material to be transferred and a transfer operation by a transfer face of the transfer apparatus of the present invention. Fig.4 is a schematicview ofa controlfor carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first and second rotations of the plate cylinder of the first embodiment. Fig.5 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first to sixth rotation of the plate cylinder of the first embodiment. Fig.6 is a diagraph comparably showing carrying states ofthe transfermaterialand the basematerialtobe transferred in the transfer apparatus of the present invention and carrying states of a transfer material and a base material to be transferred in a transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.7 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first rotation to sixth rotation of the plate cylinder of the second embodiment. Fig.8 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first to sixth rotation of the plate cylinder of the third embodiment. Fig.9 is a flowchart of a control method of the transfer apparatus of the present invention. Fig.10 is a schematic view of a transfer part of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.11A to 11H are views explaining the carrying actions ofthe transfermaterialand the basematerialtobe transferred and a transfer operation by the transfer face of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.12 is a schematic view of a control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first and second rotations of the plate cylinder of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.13 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first to sixth rotation of the plate cylinder of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.14 is a flowchart of a controlmethod of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

[00401 A whole constitution of a transfer apparatus of the present invention will be described based on Fig.1. Fig.1 is a front view of the whole of one example of the transfer apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. Atransfer apparatus 1ofthe presentinvention comprises a transfer part 2, a supply part 3 of a transfer material, a collection part 4 of the transfer material, a control part 5, and a carrying part of a base material to be transferred (not shown), etc., and a carrying part of the transfer material is constituted by the supply part 3 of the transfer material and the collection part 4 of the transfer material. The transfer part 2, the supply part 3 of the transfer material, the collection part 4 of the transfer material, and the control part 5 are provided on a main body la of the apparatus. Note that, a portion on which the control part 5 is provided is not limited to the main body la of the apparatus, it may be provided on other portion than the main body la of the apparatus. The transfer part 2 has a plate cylinder 20 and an impression cylinder 21.

[0041] As shown in Fig.2, the plate cylinder 20 has first transfer face 22, second transfer face 23 and third transfer face 24 spaced in a rotational direction, the first, second and third transfer faces 22,23,24 are provided on an embossing plate 25 which is shorter than the whole peripheral length of the plate cylinder 20. A face of the plate cylinder 20 other than the first, second and third transfer faces 22,23,24 is a non-transfer face 26.

[0042] As shown in Fig.1, the plate cylinder 20 and the impression cylinder 21 are synchronously rotated by one drive motor (not shown) at a fixed speed according to the transfer speed. The plate cylinder 20 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction and is not rotated in the clockwise direction. The impression cylinder 21 is rotated in the clockwise direction and is not rotated in the counterclockwise direction. A transfer material 6 supplied from the supply part 3 of the transfer material and a base material to be transferred 7 carried by the carrying part of the base material to be transferred (not shown) are carried through a gap between the plate cylinder 20 and the impression cylinder 21. The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are nipped by the first, second and third transfer faces 22,23,24 of the plate cylinder 20 and a peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 21, the non-transfer face 26 of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 21 have a gap there-between, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried through the gap. The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are nipped by one of the transfer faces of the plate cylinder 20 and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 21, so that the transfer material 6 is transferred to the base material to be transferred 7. The control part 5 which is for example a CPU (Central Processing Unit) controls the carrying action of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 and rotations of the plate cylinder 20 and the impression cylinder 21.

[0043] A heating mechanism (not shown) is provided in the plate cylinder 20, therefore, the transfer part 2 of the embodiment is a heat transfer part to transfer the transfer material 6 to the base material to be transferred 7 by heating the transfer faces of the plate cylinder 20 at a temperature, for example,

from about 150 0C to 200 0 C. The transfer part in which the plate

cylinder 20 is not heated may be configured as well. For the transfer part in which the plate cylinder 20 is not heated, a pasting device may be provided on the upstream side of the plate cylinder in the carrying direction, so that transfer is performed to the pasted base material to be transferred.

[00441 The supply part 3 of the transfer material carries the transfer material 6 toward the gap between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder 21 of the transfer part 2. The supply part 3 of the transfer material has an unwinding shaft 30, a feed roller 31 on the supplying side provided on the downstream side of the unwinding shaft 30 in the supplying direction, a buffer device 32 on the supplying side provided on the downstream side of the feed roller 31 on the supplying side in the supplying direction, and a step-back roller 33 on the supplying side provided on the downstream side of the buffer device 32 on the supplying side in the supplying direction. The transfer material 6 in a roll shape is fitted to the unwinding shaft 30. The feed roller 31 on the supplying side is rotationally driven only in an unwinding direction (the counterclockwise direction) by a driving motor (not shown), and the transfer material 6 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of it. A nip roller 34 is provided at least at one position within a winding range of the transfer material 6 of the feed roller 31 on the supplying side, so that the transfer material 6 is held by the feed roller 31 on the supplying side and the nip roller 34.

[0045] The feed roller 31 on the supplying side is rotationally driven, so that the transfer material 6 in a roll shape which is fitted to the unwinding shaft 30 is unwound and carried toward the buffer device 32 on the supplying side. The buffer device 32 on the supplying side is a loop-vacuum which holds the transfer material 6 downward in the shape of U in a box 35 using vacuum pressure. The step-back roller 33 on the supplying side is rotated forwardly or backwardly by a driving motor (not shown), and around the outer peripheral surface of it, the transfer material 6 fed from the buffer device 32 on the supplying side is wound. A nip roller 36 is provided at least at one position within the winding range of the transfer material 6 of the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side, so that the transfer material 6 is held by the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the nip roller 36 and the transfer material 6 can be carried forwardly or backwardly.

[0046] The collection part 4 of the transfer material collects the transfer material 6 in other region than the region which has been used for transfer at the transfer part 2, in other words the transfer material 6 which has not been used for transfer. The collection part 4 of the transfer material has the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side, a buffer device 41 on the collecting side provided on the downstream side of the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side in the collecting direction, a feed roller 42 on the collecting side provided on the downstream side of the buffer device 41 on the collecting side in the collecting direction, and a winding shaft 43 provided on the downstream side of the feed roller 42 on the collecting side in the collecting direction. The step-back roller 40 on the collecting side is rotated forwardly or backwardly by a driving motor (not shown), and around the outer peripheral surface of it, the transfer material 6 which has not been used is wound.

[0047] A nip roller 44 is provided at least at one position within the winding range of the transfer material 6 of the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side, so that the transfer material 6 which has not been used for transfer can be carried while being held by the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side and the nip roller 44. The buffer device 41 on the collecting side is a loop vacuum which holds the transfer material 6 which has not been used for transfer downward in the shape of U in a box 45 using vacuum pressure.

The feed roller 42 on the collecting side is rotationally driven only in the collecting direction (counterclockwise direction), around the outer peripheral surface of it, the transfermaterialwhichhasnotbeenused for transferis wound.

[0048] A nip roller 46 is provided at least at one position within the winding range of the transfer material 6 of the feed roller 42 on the collecting side, so that the transfer material 6whichhas notbeenused for transferis heldby the feedroller 42 on the collecting side and the nip roller 46. The transfer material 6 held in the buffer device 41 on the collection side havingnotbeenused for transferis carried toward the winding shaft43 by rotationally driving the feed roller 42 on the collecting side. The winding shaft 43 is rotationally driven only in the winding direction (counterclockwise direction) by a driving motor (not shown) and collects the transfer material 6 which has not been used for transfer by winding it. The step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side are rotated forwardly in synchronization with each other when performing transfer, and forwardly carry the transfer material 6.

[0049] When a position of the area to be used for transfer of the transfer material 6 is adjusted, the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collectingside are repeatedly rotated forwardly or backwardly in synchronization with each other, so that the transfer material 6 is intermittently carried while the transfer material 6 is carried alternatively forwardly or backwardly. This operation will be described later. The buffer device 32 on the supplying side absorbs a change of tension generated in the transfer material 6 between the feed roller 31 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side, when the transfer material 6 is carried backwardly.

The buffer device 41 on the collecting side absorbs a change of tension generated in the transfer material 6 between the feed roller 42 on the collecting side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side, when the transfer material 6 is carried backwardly.

[00501 The base material to be transferred 7 is carried toward the transfer part 2 from a sheet feeding device of the carrying part of the base material tobe transferred (not shown) provided at a distance from the transfer apparatus 1, and the base material to be transferred 7 to which the transfer material 6 is transferred at the transfer part 2 is collected by a sheet discharge device of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred (not shown) provided at a distance from the transfer apparatus 1. It may be configured so that, a printing unit is provided between the transfer apparatus 1 and the sheet feeding device of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred (not shown), the base material to be transferred 7 is carried to the transfer part 2 after having been subject to printing and the transfer is performed to the printed base material to be transferred 7. Moreover, it may be configured so that, a printing unit is provided between the transfer apparatus 1 and the sheet discharge device (not shown) of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred, printing is performed to the base material to be transferred to which the transfer has been finished.

[0051] In order to adjust a position of the area where the base material to be transferred 7 is to be transferred with respect to the rotationalposition of the plate cylinder 20, a step-back roller on the upstream side (not shown)and a step-back roller on the downstream side (not shown) are respectively provided on the upstream side in the carrying direction and on the downstream side in the carrying direction separated at the transfer part 2 in the carrying path of the base material to be transferred, for example, at the sheet feeding device (not shown) and at the sheet discharge device (not shown) of the base material to be transferred. The step-back roller on the upstream side (not shown) and the step-back roller on the downstream side (not shown) are forwardly (in the direction of the arrow a) and backwardly (in the direction of the arrow b) rotated in synchronization with each other, and forwardly and backwardly carry the base material to be transferred 7, so that the position of the area of the base material to be transferred 7 where the transfer material 6 is to be transferred is adjusted. The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are intermittently carried by controlling the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side, the step-back roller on the collecting side, the step-back roller on the upstream side (not shown) and the step-back roller on the downstream side (not shown) by the control part 5.

[0052] The transfer material 6 is mainly composed of 4 layers of a film layer, a releasing layer, a foil layer and a glue layer, gold foil and silver foil are available as foil. The transfer material 6 is not limited thereto. As the base material to be transferred 7, a tack-seal paper composed of a surface substrate, an adhesive and a releasing paper is mainly used. The base material to be transferred 7 is not limited thereto. The transfer by the transfer part 2 is performed in such manner as follows. The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried to the gap between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder 21, while the glue layer of the transfer material 6 and the surface substrate of the base material to be transferred 7 are in contact and overlapped with each other, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are nipped by one heated transfer face of the plate cylinder 20 and the impression cylinder 21. The glue layer is fused by the heated transfer face, so that the area of the transfer material 6 being brought into contact with the transfer face is pasted to the surface substrate of the base material to be transferred 7. When the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried and freed from nipping of the heated transfer face, the temperature goes down and the glue is solidified.

[00531 After the glue is solidified, the foil of the transfer material 6 is separated by a releasing roller (not shown) provided between the transfer part 2 and the step-back roller on the collecting side into an area pasted to the surface substrate of the base material to be transferred 7 and an area unpasted to the surface substrate of the base material to be transferred 7. The foil in the unpasted area is carried by the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side toward the winding shaft 43 together with the film layer and the releasing layer of the base transfer material 6. When the foil in the unpasted area is separated, only glued foil remains on the base material to be transferred 7 and the transfer is finished. While the transfer part 2 in which the plate cylinder is not heated may be configured, for the transfer part in which the plate cylinder 20 is not heated, the transfer shall be performed through a method in which the transfer material is glued to the base material to be transferred by using the glue applied to the base material to be transferred on the upstream side of the transfer part, and shall be performed by nipping the base material to be transferred and the transfer material by the transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder after the glue has been applied to the base material to be transferred. Therefore, when the transfer part in which the plate cylinder is not heated is used, the gluing device shall be provided on the upstream side of the transfer part.

[00541 The carrying action of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 with respect to the plate cylinder20 and a transfer operationby the first, second, third transfer faces 22,23,24 will be described based on Figs.3A to 3H. In Figs. 3A to 3H, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 may be provided with frames each corresponding to a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, so as to facilitate an understanding of the carrying action and the transfer operation. Note that, in an actual transfer apparatus, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are not provided with the frames. The framed hatched area of the base material to be transferred 7 is an area where the transfer is not performed (an area used for other purpose than transfer e.g. printing), the framed blank area (herein after referred to as a blank area) is an area where the transfer is performed. A broken line indicates a transfer position 27 where the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are nipped by one transfer face of the plate cylinder 20 and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 21. Note that a distance between the first transfer face 22 and the second transfer face 23 and a distance between the second transfer face 23 and third transfer face 24 are determinedby a distance of an area (the hatched areain Figs.3A to 3H) of the base material to be transferred7 on which transfer is not performed. The area of the base material to be transferred 7 where the transfer is not performed (the hatched area in Figs.3A to 3H) is determined depending on a design of a product to be manufactured by the transfer apparatus.

[00551 Fig.3A shows a state before starting of transfer in which the first, second, third transfer faces 22,23,24 are displaced from the transfer position 27. From the state, the plate cylinder 20 is rotated, and the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are synchronously carried at the same transfer speed in the forward direction (direction of the arrow a). As shown in Fig.3B, the first transfer face 22 performs the transfer of the transfer material 6 to the base material to be transferred 7, when the first transfer face 22 is moved to the transfer position 27. An area used for transfer of the transfer material 6 is defined as (1), and an area of the base material to be transferred 7 to which the transfer material 6 has been transferred is defined as (A). As shown in Fig.3C, the second transfer face 23 performs the transfer of the transfer material 6 to the base material to be transferred 7, when the second transfer face 23 is moved to the transfer position 27. The area used for transfer of the transfer material 6 is defined as (2), and the area of the base material to be transferred 7 to which the transfer material 6 has been transferred is defined as (B).

[00561 As shown in Fig.3D, the third transfer face 24 performs the transfer of the transfer material 6 to the base material to be transferred 7, when the third transfer face 24 is moved to the transfer position 27. The area used for transfer of the transfer material 6 is defined as (3), and the area of the base material to be transferred 7 to which the transfer material 6 has been transferred is defined as (C). The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried in synchronization with each other at a same transfer speed, with respect to the area (1) to the area (3) which have been used for transfer in Fig.3B to 3D, blank areas between the area (1) and the area (2) and blank areas between the area (2) and the area (3) are unused areas which have not been used for transfer. This distance of the unused area is same as the distance of hatched area of the base material to be transferred 7. If the transfer material 6 is collected by the collection part 4 of the transfer material while leaving the unused area and disposed, the unused area will be wasted. In particular, when gold foil or silver foil is used as the transfer material 6, since gold foil and silver foil are expensive, a large amount of the unused area will increase costs.

[0057] For this reason, as shown in Fig.3E, when a non-transfer face area 28 between the third transfer face 24 and the first transfer face 22 in the plate cylinder 20 passes through the transfer position 27, the step back is performed to carry the transfer material 6 in the backward direction (direction of the arrow b). In other words, the transfer material 6 is backwardly carried by a prescribed distance through the gap between the non-transfer face 26 of the plate cylinder 20 and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder 21. This motion is the step back. Note that this step back includes controls of the acceleration and the deceleration of the transfermaterial6 while itis backwardly carried. The details of such step back will be described later. For example, the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side are backwardly rotated in synchronization with each other to carry the transfer material 6 in the backward direction (direction of the arrow b) by a prescribed distance. To stabilize the carryingaction ofthe transfermaterial 6, a rotational speed of the step-back roller on the downstream side is controlled to be faster than the rotational speed of the step-back roller on the upstream side in the carrying direction. By this control, such condition would be maintained that sufficient tension capable of carrying the transfer material 6 always acts between the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side so that the transfer material 6 is stably carried. Note that, the step-back rollers for carrying the base material to be transferred 7 (not shown) as well may be similarly controlled.

[0058]

At this time, tension of the transfer material 6 between the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the feed roller 31 on the supplying side and tension of the transfer material 6 between the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side and the feed roller 42 on the collecting side may change respectively, but such changes in tension may be absorbed by the buffer device 32 on the supplying side and the buffer device 41 on the collecting side respectively. After the transfer material 6 has been returned by the prescribed distance by being carried in the backward direction, the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side are forwardly and synchronously rotated to carry the transfer material 6 in the forward direction, so that the area (4) of the transfer material 6 matches with the transfer position 27, the area (4) is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22, when the first transfer face 22 is moved to the transfer position 27 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20 as shown in Fig.3F. The area (4) is an area adjacent to and on the downstream side of the area (2) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the area (2) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[00591 The step back of the base material to be transferred 7 is performed by carrying it in the backward direction by the prescribed distance in a state shown in Fig.3E.The return distance of the base material to be transferred 7 is different fromthe return distance of the transfer material 6. Thereafter, the base material to be transferred 7 is forwardly carried in synchronization with the transfer material 6, so that the blank area (D) of the base material to be transferred 7 is matched with the transfer position 27, when the first transfer face 22 is moved to the transfer position 27 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20 as shown in Fig.3F, the transfer material 6 is transferred to the blank area (D).

The blank area (D) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (C) of the base material to be transferred 7 in the carrying direction, the area (C) to which the transfer material 6 which has been transferred by the third transfer face 24 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20. As shown in Fig.3G, when the second transfer face 23 is moved to the transfer position 27 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20, the area (5) of the transfer material 6 matches with the transfer position 27, the area (5) is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23. The area (5) is an area adjacent to and on the downstream side of the area (3) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the area (3) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[00601 The base material to be transferred 7 matches with the transfer position 27 at its blank area (E), the transfer material 6 is transferred to the blank area (E). The blank area (E) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (D) of the base material to be transferred 7 in the carrying direction, the area (D) to which the transfer material 6 has been transferred by the first transfer face 22 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20. As shown in Fig.3H, when the third transfer face 24 is moved to the transfer position 27 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20, the area (6) of the transfer material 6 matches with the transfer position 27, the area (6) is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24. The area (6) is an area on the upstream side of the area (3) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the area (3) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The base material to be transferred 7 matches with the transfer position 27 at its blank area (F), the transfer material 6 is transferred to the blank area (F). The blank area

(F) is a blank area closest to and on the upstream side of the area (E) of the base material to be transferred 7 in the carrying direction, the area (E) to which the transfer material 6 has been transferred by the second transfer face 23 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[0061] In transfer by the first transfer face 22 to the third transfer face 24 in Fig.3F to Fig.3H, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried in synchronization with each other at the same transfer speed as with the cases in Fig.3B to Fig.3D. A part of unused area between the area (1) and area (2) of the transfer material 6 and a part of unused area between the area (2) and area (3) of the transfer material 6 which have been used for transfer at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20 can be used for transfer by repeatedly performing such operation. In other words, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are subjected to the deceleration after transferring, the step back and the acceleration before transferring after finishing transfer by the third transfer face 24 (last transfer face) at each rotation of the plate cylinder 20, whereby a position of an area of the transfer material 6 to be used for transfer is adjusted so as to make the unused areas available for transfer, and a position of an area of the base material to be transferred 7 to which the transfer material 6 is to be transferred is adjusted so as to permit performing the transfer to it at an position next to the transferred position. The unused areas of the transfer material 6 can be reduced by performing repeatedly such operations.

[0062] The control for carrying action of the transfer material 6 will be described based on Fig.4 and Fig.5. Fig.4 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first and second rotations of the plate cylinder of the first embodiment, and Fig.5 is a schematic view of the control for carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first rotation to sixth rotation of the plate cylinder of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig.4, a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face is defined as L. L is a distance equivalent to top and bottom size (a length in the rotational direction) of the transfer face plus a minimum blank space needed for transfer. A distance between the transfer faces (a distance from the transfer starting position of one transfer face to the transfer starting position of the next transfer face) is defined as M, the number oftransfer faces of the plate cylinder (the number of times of transfer at one rotation of the plate cylinder) is defined as S. In this description, the number of transfer faces S is 3.

[00631 The available number of times of transfer of the transfer material 6 between transfer faces (between the position where one transfer face starts to transfer to a position where the next transfer face starts to transfer) (the number of times of transfer between the transfer faces) can be derived from the distance Mbetween the transfer faces and the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face. When the available number of times of transfers is defined as N. It is N=M+L. This N is the number of times including the transfer (transfer in the area (1)) by the first transfer face 22 at the time of first rotation, taking for example, when performing transfer by the first transfer face 22 and second transfer face 23 at the time of first rotation of Fig.4. Therefore, the available number of transfer within the unused area (for example, between the area (1) and area (2) of Fig.4) of the transfer material 6 generated at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is N-1. In other words, N-1 is the available number of times of transfer within a space from the transfer finishing position of the transfer material 6 used for transfer by a transfer face (for example the transfer finishing position (1)a of the area (1) in the transfer material 6in Fig.3D) to a transfer starting position of the transfer material 6 used for transfer by a next transfer face (for example the transfer starting position (2)b of the area (2) in Fig.3D). It is three times in Fig.3.

[0064] As shown in Fig.4, at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20, the area (1) of the transfer material 6 is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22, the area (2) of the transfer material 6 is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23, and the area (3) of the transfer material 6 is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24. When the rotation of plate cylinder 20 shifts from the first rotation to the second rotation, in other words, after finishing the transfer by the third transfer face 24 which is the last transfer face at the time of first rotation, the transfer material 6 which is carried at the transfer speed in the forward direction is decelerated and stopped. Thereafter, the step back of the transfer material 6 is performed. Such step back is performed in the following manner. The transfer material 6 at a stop is accelerated to the prescribed carrying speed in the backward direction (return direction) and carried at the prescribed carrying speed. Thereafter, to stop the step back, the transfer material 6 is decelerated from the prescribed carrying speed, and the carrying action is stopped at a prescribed distance in the backward direction. The carrying action for prescribed distance in the backward direction including the acceleration and the deceleration is the step back. Adistance untilreaching at the prescribed carrying speed is defined as an acceleration distance. A distance until stopping from the prescribed carrying speed is defined as a deceleration distance during the step back. Note that, the carrying speed during the step back may be decelerated immediately after having been accelerated to the prescribed carrying speed, without providing the distance over which the transfer material 6 is carried at the prescribed carrying speed.

[00651 Moreover, the transfer material 6 at a stop is accelerated and carried at the transfer speed in the forward direction, until starting the transfer by the first transfer face 22 which is the first transfer face at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20. A distance until stopping the transfer material 6 from a state that it is forwardly carried at the transfer speed by decelerating it (a deceleration distance after transferring) is defined as 3. And, a distance until the transfer material 6 reaches at the transfer speed by forwardly accelerating it from a state that it is at a stop after performing the step back (an acceleration distance before transferring) is defined as a. The deceleration distance B after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring are parameters determined by characteristics of the driving motor for rotationally driving the step-back roller 33 on the supplying side and the step-back roller 40 on the collecting side as shown in Fig.1, the carrying speed, the return distance due to the step back, and the length of non-transfer face area 28 of the plate cylinder 20. The deceleration distance B after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring are automatically determined by using a known control device which is recommendable from the characteristics of the driving motor. Moreover, settings of the deceleration distance during the step back over which the transfer material 6 is carried in the backward direction(return direction), the acceleration distance during the step back, and the carrying speed during the step back are also determined in the same manner as the deceleration distance @ after transferring and the acceleration distance a before transferring.

[00661

A distance over which the transfer material 6 is carried by one step back in the backward direction is defined as a return distance R1, the return distance R1 will be described in the followings. As shown in Fig.4,the area (4) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is an area adjacent to and on the downstream side of the area (2) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the area (2) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (5) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transferby the secondtransfer face 23 at the time ofsecond rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is an area adjacent to and on the downstream side of the area (3) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the area (3) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (6) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is an area located on the upstream side of the area (3) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction and a newly supplied area, the area (3) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[0067] Therefore, the return distance R1 can be derived from the following formula (1).

R1=Mx (S-2)+2L+a+ •••formula(1)

Since the number oftransfer faces S ofthe plate cylinder is 3 and the distance Mbetween the transfer faces is 4 times of L as shown in Fig.4, from the formula (1) , the return distance R1 is 4Lx1+2L+a+, and as a and B each have the distance of 2L, the return distance R1 is the distance of 10L. Moreover, the carryingdistance Rin the forwarddirection at one rotation of the plate cylinder is the distance of 13L. As shownin Fig.4, when the rotation ofthe plate cylinder shifts from the first rotation to the second rotation, the transfermaterial6has only tobe carriedinbackwarddirection by the distance of 10L. As shownin Fig.5, when the rotation ofthe plate cylinder shifts to the third rotation, the fourthrotation, the fifth rotation and the sixth rotation as well, the transfer material 6 has only to be carried in backward direction by the distance of 10L. Note that, in Fig.5, in order to facilitate an understanding, drawing is simplified by assuming a and B as (a=0, B=0).

[00681 As shown in Fig.5, the area (7) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 and the area (8) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of third rotation of the plate cylinder 20 are areas adjacent to and on the downstream side of the areas (5),(6) in the carrying direction, the areas (5), (6) of the transfer material 6 which have been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 and the third transfer face 24 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (9) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of third rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is an area located on the upstream side of the area (6) in the carrying direction and a newly supplied area, the area (6) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (10) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 and the area (11) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of fourth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 are areas adjacent to and on the downstream side of the areas (8),(9) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the areas (8),(9) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23,the third transfer face 24 at the time of third rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (12) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of the fourth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is an area located at the upstream side of the area (9) in the carrying direction and a newly supplied area, the area (9) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of third rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[00691 The area (13) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 and the area (14) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 are areas adjacent to and on the downstream side of the areas (11), (12) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the areas (11), (12) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23,the third transfer face 24 at the time of fourth rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (15) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of the fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is located at the upstream side of the area (12) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction and a newly supplied area, the area (12) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of fourth rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (16) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 and the area (17) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 at the time of sixth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 are areas adjacent to and on the downstream side of the areas (14), (15) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction, the areas (14), (15) having been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23, the third transfer face 24 at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 20. The area (18) of the transfer material 6 which is used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of sixth rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is located at the upstream side of the area (15) of the transfer material 6 in the carrying direction and a newly supplied area, the area (15) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of fifth rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[0070] As shown in Fig.5, though a part of unused areas of the transfer material 6 generated at the time of first rotation is left unused for transfer, all of unused areas generated at the second and subsequent transfer can be used for transfer. Moreover, the return distance R1 is same as the distance derived from the formula (1) irrespective of the number times of rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[0071] When comparing the return distance Ri due to the step back of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment with the return distance R10 due to the step back of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, the result is as follows, R1=Mx(S-2)+2L+a+ R10=Mx(S-1)+a+ When deriving a difference between R10 and R, assuming that M, S, a, @ are identicalin each formula, following formula (2) can be obtained. It becomes that R10-R1=M-2L, since M=NxL derived from N=M+L,

R10-R1=NxL-2L=(N-2)xL•••formula (2)

[0072] The formula (2) shows that Ri is less than R10, when N is 3 or more and that the difference between R10 and R becomes larger as Nbecomes larger. In other words, the return distance of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment can be made shorter than that of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, when N is 3 or more. Moreover, in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the return distance can be made shorter, as the N becomes larger (as the available number of times of transfer between transfer faces becomes larger). Here, since M is a length including L, M is at least L or more. Therefore, the minimum value of N is 1 from N=M+L. However, when N=1, it means a state of having no gap between transfer faces and it equivalents to the case that the plate cylinder 20 has one transfer face. In this embodiment, since there exists 2 or more transfer faces, it is impossible to be N=1. When N=2, it is R10-R1=0, the return distance R1 due to the step back of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment and the return distance R10 due to the step back of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors are same. This is because an unused area is generated only for one transfer by one transfer face when N=2, as a result the transfer may be performed to same unused area based on the return distance determined by either of methods for transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment or the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Therefore, in the transfer apparatus 1of the embodiment, N=M+L is 3 or more.

[0073] Moreover, in the embodiment, as an area of the transfer material 6 to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 which is the first transfer face at the time of second rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is the area adjacent to and on the downstream side of the area in the carrying direction, the area has been used for transfer by the second transfer face 23 which is the second transfer face at the time of first rotation of the plate cylinder 20, the number of transfer faces of the plate cylinder 20 is at least 2 or more. In the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, since the return distance R1 due to the step back is shorter than the return distance R10 due to the step back of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, it is possible to moderate the acceleration and the deceleration by elongating the decelerating distance B after transferring, the accelerating distance a before transferring, and the deceleratingdistance and the acceleratingdistance during the step back. In other words, it is possible to moderate the acceleration when decelerating and accelerating. Accordingly, the inertia force acting on the step-back rollers on the supplying side and the collecting side 33,44 and the transfer material 6 can be reduced and stability of the carrying action of the transfer material 6 can be improved. When the carrying action of the transfer material 6 is unstable, it is required to shorten the return distance. Then, in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the transfer may be performed using the step back of the return distance R10 of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, when the carrying speed is slower and the carrying action of the transfer material 6 is stable, and using the step back of the return distance R1, when the carrying speed is higher and the carrying action of the transfer material 6 is unstable. By properly using the return distance R1, R10 in accordance to conditions of transfer such as the carrying speed etc., it is possible to achieve optimal and effective use of the transfer material 6 without wasting and a yield improvement by stabilizing the carrying action of transfer material 6.

[0074] Fig.6 provides a diagraph comparably showing a carrying state of the transfer material 6 and a carrying state of the base material to be transferred 7 in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, and a carrying state of the transfer material 108 and a carrying state of the base material to be transferred 109 in the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. Fig.6 is the diagraph comparably showing carrying states ofthe transfermaterialand the basematerialtobe transferred in the transfer apparatus of the present invention, and carrying states of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, a horizontal axis indicates the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder, a vertical axis indicates normalized values of values provided by dividing carrying distances of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred with the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face. In short, one scale is L. Change toward a negative direction with respect to the vertical axis indicates the carrying action in the backward direction due to the step back. The carrying states of the base material to be transferred 7 and the base material to be transferred 109 are shown by the same solid line X, positions of areas to be transferred of the base material to be transferred 7,109 are controlled by performing the step back for each rotation of plate cylinders.

[0075] The carrying state of the transfer material 6 in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment is indicated by abroken line Y, the carrying state of the transfer material 108 in the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors is indicated by a dashed line Z. As mentioned above, the vertical axis indicates the carrying distance, the change toward the negative direction indicates the step back, then the return distance R1 of the transfer material 6 and the return distance R10 of the transfer material 108 are corresponding to the absolute values of the distances while changing to negative. From this, while the base material to be transferred 7 of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment and the base material to be transferred 109 of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors are carried by a same carrying distance R(13L), it is confirmed that the return distance R1(10L) of the transfer material 6 of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment is shorter than the return distance R10(12L)of the transfer material108 of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors.

Moreover, since they are compared under the same condition except for the return distances, the return distance R over which the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment are forwardly carried when performing transfer is 13L, the return distance R over which the transfer material 108 and the base material to be transferred 109 in the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors are forwardly carried when performing transfer is also 13L, the return distances R over which the both are forwardly carried are the same.

[0076] Moreover, as shown by a broken line Y in Fig.6,switching of the carrying direction while performing the step back of the transfer material 6 of the embodiment (switching from the carrying action in the forward direction to the carrying action in the backward direction, switching from the carrying action in the backward direction to the carrying action in the forward direction), and as shown by a solid line X in Fig.6, switching of the carrying direction while performing the step back of the base material to be transferred 7 of the embodiment (switching from the carrying action in the forward direction to the carrying action in the backward direction, switching from the carrying action in the backward direction to the carrying action in the forward direction) are effected at the same timing of rotation of the plate cylinder 20, the carrying action of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 start at the same timingin the backward direction and in the forward direction. In this case, as described above, since the return distance of the transfer material 6 and the return distance of the base material to be transferred 7 are different, difference between the return distances are adjusted by changing only the carrying speed of the transfer material 6 in the backward direction and the carrying speed of the base material to be transferred 7 in the backward direction. However, it is not necessary to switch at the same timing the carrying action of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 from the forward direction to the backward direction during the step back, it is possible to change the both of carrying start timings in the backward direction and in the forward direction and the carrying speed in the backward direction according to the difference between the return distances of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7. This is true as for the transfer material 108 and the basematerial tobe transferred109 developedby the inventors, as shown by a dashed line Z, a solid line X in Fig.6.

[0077] In the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the available number of transfer N between transfer faces is 4, the number of the transfer faces S of plate cylinders is 3, it is (N-1)= S. In other words, the available number of transfers N-i within a space froma transfer finishing position in the area of the transfer material 6 which was used for transfer to the transfer starting position in the area of the next transfer material 6 which was used for transfer is matched with the number of transfer faces of the plate cylinder. But, it is not necessary to be (N-1)=S. For example, it may be (N-1)<S or (N-1)>S.

[0078] Fig.7 is a schematicview ofa controlfor carrying action of the transfer material at the time of first rotation to sixth rotation ofthe plate cylinder ofthe secondembodimentinwhich (N-1)< S. According to the embodiment, the available number of transfers between the transfer faces is 3, the number of transfer faces S of the plate cylinder is 3, then (N-1)<S. Moreover, in order to facilitate an understanding, drawing is simplified by assuming a and B as 0(a=0, B=0). While the transfers at the time of first rotation, at the time of second rotation and at the time of third rotation oftheplate cylinder 20 are performedusing the returndistance

R1 of 5L derived from the formula (1) same as in the first embodiment, when the transferisperformedat the time offourth rotation of the plate cylinder 20, if the return distance R1 is the distance of 5L derived from the formula (1), the area of the transfer material 6 which is to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 at the time of fourth rotation comes to the area (3) which has been used for transfer at the time of first rotation, then the transfer cannot performed.

[0079] From this reason, when the rotation shifts from third rotation to fourth rotation, in other words, after finishing the transfer by the third transfer face 24 which is the last transfer face at the time of third rotation, a distance derived from the following formula (3) shall be the return distance R1,and the area of the transfer material 6 to be used for transfer by the first transfer face 22 at the time of fourth rotation shall be an area (10) adjacent to and on the upstream side of the area (9) in the carrying direction, the area (9) having been used for transfer by the third transfer face 24 at the time of third rotation.

R1=a+ •••formula(3)

When the rotation of the plate cylinder 20 shifts from fourth rotation to the fifth rotation, the return distance R shall be the distance R1 of 5L derived from the formula (1). When the rotation shifts from fifth rotation to the sixth rotation as well, the return distance R1 shall be the distance of 5L derived from the formula (1). In other words, when the number of times of rotation P of the plate cylinder 20 satisfies abovementioned P=kxN and the formula (12), the return distance R1 shall be the distance derived from the formula (3), when the number of rotation P does not satisfy the formula (12), the return distance R1 shall be the distance R1 derived from the formula (1).

[0080] Fig.8 is a schematicview ofa controlfor carrying action of the transfer material at the time of the first rotation to the sixthrotation ofthe plate cylinder of the thirdembodiment in which (N-1)>S. In this embodiment, the available number of times of transfer N between transfer faces is 5, the number of transfer faces S of the plate cylinder is 3, that is(N-1)>S. Moreover, in order to facilitate an understanding, drawing is simplified by assuming a and B as 0(a=0, B=0). The transfer is performed as the return distance being 7L derived from the formula (1) same as in the first embodiment irrespective of the number times of rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

[0081] A control method of the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment will be described based on a flowchart shown in Fig.9. Such parameters as L, M, S required for transfer and such parameters as the carrying speed which are used in a usual transfer apparatus or a usual printing apparatus are entered to the control part 5 of the transfer apparatus. Step 1(S1) Start of the transfer operation is selected. Step 2 (S2) The distance derived from the formula (1) and the distance derived from the formula (3) etc. are set and the carrying actions of the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are started, according to the entered parameters. Step 3 (S3).

(N-1) 'S is judged by entered parameters so as to

determine step back settings. As mentioned above, N is judged by a value omitted below a dismal point. Step (S4). In other words, the control part 5 has a judging part (not shown) for

judging (N-1) 'S.

When (N-1) 'S is satisfied, namely, when (N-1)is S or

more, the transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried at a fixed transfer speed in synchronization with each other, transfers for one rotation of the plate cylinder are performed. In other words, in case of (N-1)=S, the transfer according to the first embodiment is started, incaseof (N-1)>S, the transfer according to the third embodiment is started. Step 5 (S5).

[0082] The step back of the base material to be transferred 7 is performed for each rotation of the plate cylinder, Step 6 (S6). The step back of the transfer material 6 is performed as the return distance R1 being the distance (Mx (S-2)+ 2L+a+) derived from the formula (1) at all times, irrespective of the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder. Step 7 (S7)

. In other words, when (N-1) 'S is satisfied, a transfer

operation of the first embodiment or a transfer operation of the third embodiment is performed by repeating the processes of Step 5 to Step 7 (S7).

When (N-1) 'S is not satisfied, that is, when (N-1)is

less than S, the variable i for counting the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder shall be 0(i=0). Step 8 (S8). The transfer material 6 and the base material to be transferred 7 are carried at the fixed carrying speed in synchronization with each other and transfer for one rotation is started. At this time, 1 is added to the variable i for counting the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder (i=i+1). Step 9 (S9). The step back of the base material to be transferred 7 is performed for one rotation of the plate cylinder. Step 10 (S10).

[0083] After finishing transfer for one rotation of the plate cylinder, the return distance Ri due to the step back is determined according to the condition i=N. N is judged by a value omitted below a dismal point as mentioned above. Step 11 (S1l). In other words, the control part 5 has a judging part (not shown) which judges whether the valuable i for counting the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder 20 and the available number of transfer N between the transfer faces of the transfer material 6 are matched or not. When the condition of i=N is not satisfied, since there exists an unused available area when returned by a distance derived from the formula (1), the return distance R1 shall be the distance (Mx(S-2)+2L+a+)derived from the formula (1). Step 12 (S12). When the condition of i=N is satisfied, since there does not exist an unused available area even when returned by the distance derived from the formula (1), the return distance R1 shall be the distance (a+B) derived from the formula (3). Step 13 (S13). Whenaprocess ofStep13 (S13) isperformed, thevariable i is returned to 0(i=0). Counts of the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is reset. Step 14 (S14).

[0084]

When the condition of(N-1)'S is not satisfied, the

unused area generated in the transfer material 6 may be used for transfer by an intermittent carrying action (carrying action including the step back),when performing repeatedly processes of Step 9 (S9) to Step 14 (S14).

In other words, when the condition of(N-1) ' S is not

satisfied, the transfer operation of the second embodiment is performed. Note that since the control for finishing transfer is a known control same as that of a usual transfer apparatus or a printing apparatus, in which the transfer is finished in accordance with conditions designated to the control part 5 at Step 1 or a stop operation by an operator of the transfer apparatus, it is omitted from the flowchart. Since the transfer operation in accordance with parameters needed for transfer such as L,M,S can be automatically selected by performing the transfer operation in a manner like the flowchart shown in Fig.9, the operator of transfer apparatus can get away with entering parameters needed for transfer to the control part 5, then, it is easy to operate. Not limited to this, since it can be judged from the plate cylinder 20 whether (N-1) 'S or not, the control part 5 may be configured to perform the steps of S1,S2,S3,S5,S6,S7 in the flowchart in FIg.9 by the plate cylinder 20 and the control part 5 may be configured to perform the steps of Sl, S2, S3, S8, S9, S10, S1l, S12, S13, Sl4 in the flowchart in Fig.9 by the plate cylinder 20. Moreover, the judging part judging the abovementioned Step 4 (S4) and the judging part judging Step 11 (Step 11) may be respective independent judging parts or may be one judging part judging the both of Step 4 (S4) and Step 11 (Sl). As is clear from the above description, in the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the return distance Ri of the transfer material 6 due to the step back can be made shorter than that in the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. When the return distance Ri of transfer material 6 is short and a time for one rotation of the plate cylinder 20 is the same, since it is permitted to take time with the deceleration after transfer, the acceleration before transfer and the deceleration and the acceleration during the step back of the transfer material 6, switching of the acceleration, the deceleration can be performed gently, the inertia force acting on the step-back rollers 33, 40 on the supplying side and on the collecting side and the transfer material 6 can be reduced while the transfer material 6 is accelerated and decelerated.

[00851 Since the carrying action can be stabilized by reducing the inertia force acting on the step-back rollers 33, 40 on the supplying side and on the collecting side and the transfer material 6 while the transfer material 6 is accelerated and decelerated, a transfer error can be reduced and the yield can be improved.

[00861 In particular, when the available number of transfer N between transfer faces and the number of transfer faces S of the plate cylinder 20 satisfy (N-1)=S, difference in use efficiencies of unused areas of the transfer material 6 is slight which is less than the unused areas for one rotation of the plate cylinder, when compared to the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors, then would hardly affect to practical use. It is more important than this to improve the yield due to unstable carrying action of the transfer material 6 by making the return distance R1 shorter than the return distance R10 of the transfer apparatus developed by the inventor, the transfer apparatus 1 of the embodiment is advantageous in regard to production costs compared to the transfer apparatus developed by the inventors. The higher the amount of transfer, the more advantageous it is in terms of production costs.

[0087] Though, in the description of the embodiment, the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face, the distance between the transfer faces M (distance from the transfer starting position of one transfer face to a transfer starting position of next transfer face), the number of transfer faces S of the plate cylinder 20 (the number of times of transfer for one rotation of the plate cylinder) and so on are entered to the controlpart 5, a length C of the transferred base material to be transferred 7 which is generated at one rotation of the plate cylinder 20 may be entered to the control part 5 in place of M or S. Since relationship among M, S and C is C=MxS, it has only to enter any 2 values among M, S and C to the control part 5.

The length C of the transferred base material to be transferred 7 generated at one rotation of the plate cylinder is determined based on design of a product to be produced. An allowable value of the length C is in a range from 127.0mm to 355.6mm, the upper and lower limits of it is determined by a length of the embossing plate 25 of the plate cylinder 20. The distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face is entered according to a pattern to be transferred. The distance L can be set to a value in a range from 5 mm to 355.6 mm (maximum value of C). Moreover, it is impossible to set the distance L needed for transfer by one transfer face longer than the length C of the transferredbase material tobe transferred7 tobeproduced, that is L>C. In other words, since C=MxS and S is an integer 1or more,

and since C'M and M'L from the definition of M, C'L is held.

Accordingly, since L is needed to satisfy C'L, the maximum

acceptable value L for setting is the maximum value of C. The distance between transfer faces (distance from the transfer startingposition ofone transfer face to the transfer starting position of next transfer face) Mcan be set to a value i in the range from L to 355.6mm (the maximum value of C). In the present invention, in addition to an acceptable range for setting of each parameter as above, it is necessary to satisfy that N=M+L is 3 or more and the number of transfer faces S of the plate cylinder 20 is at least 2 or more.

[00881 In the embodiment, when the values of L, M, S, C entered to the control part 5 are out of said acceptable range for setting and when L>C, since the condition enabling transfer is not satisfied, the control part 5 judges it as an error, and the transfer operation is not performed. At the same time, the error is displayed by a means (not shown). The maximum and minimum values of L, M, S, C shown here are one of examples. The maximum and minimum values of L, M, S, C are determined based on structures of the transfer apparatus 1 such as the outer peripheral length of the plate cylinder 20. Moreover, the return distance due to the step back of the base material to be transferred 7 is determined by the length C of the transferred base material to be transferred 7 generated during one rotation of the plate cylinder 20.

Claims

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A transfer apparatus comprising: a transfer part, a carrying part of a transfer material carrying the transfer material to the transfer part, a carrying part of a base material to be transferred carrying the base material to be transferred to the transfer part and a control part, wherein the transfer part has an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder has transfer faces which contact with a peripheral surface of the impression cylinder andnon-transfer faces whichdonot contact with the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, the carrying part of the transfer material has step-back rollers and carries the transfer material forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the transfer material backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the carrying part of the base material to be transferred has step-back rollers and carries the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the base material to be transferred backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are forwardly rotated to carry forwardly the transfer material and the base material to be transferred, so that the transfer material is transferredto thebasematerial tobe transferredbya transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are backwardly rotated, so that step back of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred is performed to carry them backwardly through a gap between a non-transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and characterized in that the plate cylinder of the transfer part has two or more transfer faces, and a distance between the transfer faces is three or more times of a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, the transfer material is successively transferred to the base material to be transferred by two or more transfer faces during one rotation of the plate cylinder, the control part controls the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area to be used for transfer by a first transfer face of the transfer material at the time ofnext rotation comes to an areaadjacent to andon adownstream side in the carrying direction of an area which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation.
2. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer finishing position of an area of the transfer material used for transfer by the transfer face to a transfer startingposition ofan areaof the transfermaterial used for transfer by a next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with the number of transfer faces of the plate cylinder.
3. A transfer apparatus comprising: a transfer part, a carrying part of a transfer material carrying the transfer material to the transfer part, a carrying part of a base material to be transferred carrying the base material to be transferred to the transfer part and a control part, wherein the transfer part has an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder has transfer faces which contact with a peripheral surface of the impression cylinder andnon-transfer faces whichdo not contact with the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, the carrying part of the transfer material has step-back rollers and carries the transfer material forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the transfer material backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the carrying part of the base material to be transferred has step-back rollers and carries the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers and the base material to be transferred backwardly by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers, the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are forwardly rotated to carry forwardly the transfer material and the base material to be transferred, so that the transfer material is transferred to the base material to be transferredby a transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the transfer material and the step-back rollers of the carrying part of the base material to be transferred are backwardly rotated, so that step back of the transfer material and the base material to be transferred is performed to carry them backwardly through a gap between a non-transfer face of the plate cylinder and the peripheral surface of the impression cylinder, and characterized in that the plate cylinder of the transfer part has two or more transfer faces, and a distance between the transfer faces is three or more times of a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face, the transfer material is successively transferred to the base material to be transferred by two or more transfer faces during one rotation of the plate cylinder, the control part controls the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area of the transfer material to be used for transfer by a first transfer face at the time of next rotation comes to a specific area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation, when the specific area is available for transfer, the control part controls the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, so that an area of the transfer material to be used for transfer by the first transfer face at the time of next rotation comes to an area adjacent to and on an upstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer on the most upstream side in the carrying direction at the time ofprevious rotation, when the specific area is not available for transfer.
4. The transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control part has a judging part judging that the specificareaisnot available for transfer, when the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of the transfer material to a transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of a next transfer material, and judging that the specific area is available for transfer, when they are not matched.
5. A method for transferring of a transfer apparatus comprising a transfer part comprising a plate cylinder having two or more transfer faces whose distance between the transfer faces is three or more times longer than a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face and an impression cylinder, step-back rollers carrying a transfer material forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, and step-back rollers carrying a base material to be transferred forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, the method comprising the steps of: carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers during one rotation of the plate cylinder, performing sequentially transfer of areas of the transfer material spaced in a carrying direction of the transfer material by two or more transfer faces to the base material to be transferred, performing step back by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers to carry the transfer material and the base material to be transferred backwardly by a prescribed distance after finishing transfer, carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating the step-back rollers forwardly again and performing transfer, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder so that an area adjacent to and on a downstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation is used for transfer by a first transfer face of next rotation.
6. A method for transferring of a transfer apparatus comprising a transfer part comprising a plate cylinder having two or more transfer faces whose distance between the transfer faces is three or more times longer than a distance needed for transfer by one transfer face and an impression cylinder, step-back rollers carrying a transfer material forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, and step-back rollers carrying a base material to be transferred forwardly, backwardly by being rotated forwardly, rotated backwardly, the method comprising the steps of: carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating forwardly the step-back rollers during one rotation of the plate cylinder, performing sequentially transfer of areas of the transfer material spaced in a carrying direction of the transfer material by two or more transfer faces to the base material to be transferred, performing step back by rotating backwardly the step-back rollers to carry the transfer material and the base material to be transferred backwardly by a prescribed distance after finishing transfer, carrying the transfer material and the base material to be transferred forwardly by rotating the step-back rollers forwardly again and performing transfer, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder so that a specific area adjacent to and on a downstream side ofan areawhichhas been used for transfer by a second transfer face at the time of previous rotation can be used for transfer by a first transfer face at the next rotation, when an available number of times of transfer within a space from a transfer finishing position of an area of the transfer material used for transfer by a transfer face to a transfer starting position of an area of the transfer material used for transfers by a next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is the number of the transfer faces of the plate cylinder or more, judging whether the specific area is available for transferbythe first transfer face at the time ofnext rotation after finishing one rotation of the plate cylinder, when an available number of times of transfer within the space from the transfer finishing position of the area of the transfer material used for transfer by a transfer face to the transfer starting position of the area of the transfer material used for transfers by the next transfer face during one rotation of the plate cylinder is less than the number of the transfer faces of the plate cylinder, performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly so that the specific area can be used for transfer, when judged that it is available for transfer, and performing the step back to carry the transfer material backwardly so that an area adjacent to and on an upstream side in the carrying direction of an area of the transfer material which has been used for transfer on the most upstream side in the carrying direction at the time of previous rotation can be used for transfer, when judged that it is not available for transfer.
7. The method for transferring of the transfer apparatus of claim 6, wherein the method is configured to judge that the specific area is not available for transfer, when the number of times of rotation of the plate cylinder is matched with the available number of times of transfer within the space from a transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of the transfer material to the transfer starting position of an area used for transfer of a next transfer material and to judge that the specific area is available for transfer, when they are not matched.