JP2000141708A - Manufacture of color-printed article and color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color-printed article and a color printer capable of performing printing of a precise pattern or a character even on a medium having a colored foundation and achieving printing superior in resistance to scratching even on a medium having no ink-absorbing property by a method of ink-jetting. SOLUTION: By a color printer 1, a white foundation layer is formed on a printing face of a medium W by using a foundation layer forming head 51, then color printing is performed on the printing face by means of a recording head 21. When the face becomes in an incompletely drying condition, a liquid type coating agent is applied on the printing face of the medium W by using a coating head 25. Ultraviolet rays are emitted to the liquid type coating agent from an ultraviolet emitting device 40 so that the coating agent is cured to be fixed, then the printing face of the medium W is coated with an overcoat film.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing a color printed article from various media having different background colors, and a color printing apparatus used in the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a color printing method for recording paper or the like, color printing by an ink jet method is frequently used. On the other hand, as a method of applying a color pattern to a medium such as a plastic product or a metal product whose base color is not always white, the influence of the base color is not limited to white. The method is limited to color coating, which allows the ink to be applied quite thickly so as not to appear.

[0003]

However, the method of color painting is suitable for mass production because it is necessary to raise a plate each time various kinds of character products are manufactured. It is inconvenient to manufacture products. In addition, the method of painting is not suitable for adding fine patterns and characters.

[0004] Further, since plastic products and metal products do not have ink absorbency, when printing is performed by the ink jet method, the ink may peel off even if it is only scratched lightly due to the adhesion between the ink and the base. And low scratch resistance.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a color print article and a color printing apparatus suitable for applying fine patterns and characters in color even on a medium whose base color is not always white. To provide.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a color printed article and a color printing apparatus capable of performing printing with high scratch resistance on a medium having no ink absorption by an ink jet method. It is in.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a method of manufacturing a color printed article according to the present invention, a white underlayer is formed on a printing surface of a medium, and then an ink jet recording head is formed. And color printing is performed on the base layer by discharging ink droplets of each color.

In the present invention, since a white base layer is formed on the printing surface of the medium, color printing is performed by an ink jet recording head, so that the base color is not always white. Color printing of fine patterns and characters with high quality can be performed. In addition, the ink-jet method is suitable for printing various kinds of small quantities or personal printing because it is not necessary to form a plate of a pattern to be printed.

In the present invention, when the surface to be printed has no ink absorbency, color printing is performed on the base layer by discharging ink droplets of each color from the recording head.
It is preferable to cover the surface of the printing surface with a transparent overcoat film. In other words, if printing is performed on a medium that does not absorb ink by the inkjet method, the adhesion between the ink and the base is poor.
Although the ink may peel off, in the present embodiment, the surface of the printing surface after printing with ink droplets is covered with a transparent overcoat film. Therefore, on the printing surface after printing and overcoating, the ink does not peel off even if scratched.

In the present invention, for example, the formation of the underlayer and the overcoat film is performed by applying a liquid material to the surface of the printing surface and then solidifying the liquid material.

In this case, by using an ultraviolet-curing material as the liquid material for forming the underlayer and the overcoat film, the liquid material can be cured at once by irradiation with ultraviolet light. .

Further, by using a thermosetting material as the liquid material for forming the underlayer and the overcoat film, the liquid material can be cured at once by heating.

Further, depending on the compatibility between the underlayer and the overcoat film, a liquid material for forming one of the underlayer and the overcoat film may be a UV-curable liquid, and the other may be used for forming the other. In some cases, a thermosetting liquid material is used, and each liquid material is cured by ultraviolet irradiation and heating. A color printing apparatus for performing such a method includes: a base layer forming head that discharges white ink onto a print surface of a medium to form a white base layer on the print surface;
An ink jet recording head that performs color printing by discharging ink droplets of each color onto the underlayer, relative movement between the underlayer forming head and the medium, and relative movement between the recording head and the medium By doing,
A moving mechanism is provided for forming the underlayer on the surface to be printed and performing color printing on the underlayer.

An underlayer forming head for ejecting white ink to the surface to be printed of the medium to form a white underlayer on the surface to be printed, and an ink droplet of each color on the underlayer. An ink jet recording head that performs color printing by discharging, and a liquid for forming a transparent overcoat film on the printing surface after color printing is performed with ink droplets discharged from the recording head And a relative movement between the coating head that discharges the coating agent, the underlayer forming head and the medium, a relative movement between the recording head and the medium, and a relative movement between the coating head and the medium. By forming the underlayer on the surface to be printed, color printing on the underlayer,
It is preferable to use a color printing apparatus having a moving mechanism that enables coating on the color printing surface.

In this case, the printing surface from which the liquid coating agent has been discharged is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to solidify the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface collectively. It is preferable to provide an ultraviolet irradiation device and a medium transport device that transports the medium to the ultraviolet irradiation device.

A heating device for heating the printing surface onto which the liquid coating agent has been discharged to solidify the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface collectively; It is preferable to provide a medium conveying device that conveys the medium up to.

[0017] Further, an ultraviolet ray is applied to the printing surface from which the liquid coating agent is discharged, to irradiate ultraviolet rays to solidify one of the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface. It is preferable to have an apparatus, a heating device for heating the printing surface and solidifying the other, and a medium transport device for transporting the medium to the heating device and the ultraviolet irradiation device.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A method for manufacturing a color printed article to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a color printing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, a color printing apparatus 1 generally includes a data input system 10 for inputting print contents on a medium W to be printed and a color printing apparatus main body 20 for performing full color printing on the medium W. It is composed of Here, the printing surface (upper surface) of the medium W is made of a material that does not absorb ink, such as a plastic product or a metal product. The printing surface of the medium W is made of a material having an unspecified color such as a wooden product.

The data input system 10 includes an image pickup device 111, a disk drive device 112, and a scanner 113 as an input device 11 for inputting a color pattern desired by a user. From these input devices 11, color design image data is output to the host computer 12.

The host computer 12 has an input device 11
Is displayed on the monitor 13 based on the color pattern image data input from the user, and the user viewing the image screen instructs editing via the keyboard 14 and the mouse 15 such as enlarging, reducing, cutting and pasting the image screen. I do. Further, the host computer 12 performs gradation processing, contrast processing, color correction, and the like on the edited color pattern image data as necessary, and prints the article W to improve print quality. The image is corrected according to the surface irregularities, and then the output image data is output to the control means 60 of the color printing apparatus main body 20.

In the color printing apparatus main body 20, first, a recording head 21 for color printing is moved on a guide shaft 23 via a carriage 22 in the axial direction (main scanning direction / X-axis direction).
In a state where it can reciprocate. The recording head 21 is set so that the ink ejection direction is downward.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the recording head 21.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the recording head 21,
A nozzle opening 111 is formed in the nozzle plate 110,
In the flow path forming plate 112, a through hole that partitions the pressure generating chamber 113, a through hole or a groove that partitions two ink supply ports 114 communicating on both sides with the pressure generating chamber 113, and these ink supply ports 114 are respectively provided. A through-hole that defines two common ink chambers 115 that communicate with each other is formed. Diaphragm 1
Reference numeral 16 is made of an elastically deformable thin plate, abuts against the tip of a piezoelectric vibrator PZT (pressure generating element) such as a piezo element, and is fixed to the nozzle plate 110 in a liquid-tight manner with the flow path forming plate 112 interposed therebetween. , The flow path unit 118.

The base 119 is formed with an accommodation chamber 120 for accommodating the piezoelectric vibrator PZT so as to be able to vibrate, and an opening 121 for supporting the flow path unit 118. The tip of the piezoelectric vibrator PZT is exposed from the opening 121. The piezoelectric vibrator PZ
T is fixed by a fixed substrate 122. In addition, base 119
With the island portion 116a of the vibration plate 116 in contact with the piezoelectric vibrator PZT, the recording head 16 is assembled by fixing the channel unit 118 to the opening 121.

With such a configuration, the piezoelectric vibrator PZT
When the pressure generation chamber 113 expands due to contraction, the ink in the common ink chamber 115 flows into the pressure generation chamber 113 via the ink supply port 114. When the piezoelectric vibrator PZT expands and the pressure generating chamber 113 contracts after a lapse of a predetermined time,
The ink in the pressure generating chamber 113 is compressed and the nozzle opening 11
An ink droplet is ejected from 1. The ejection of such ink droplets is performed by the nozzle opening 1 for ejecting any color ink.
The same applies to 11.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the color printing apparatus main body 2
In the state 0, the coating head 25 for discharging the liquid coating agent can reciprocate in the axial direction (main scanning direction / X-axis direction) on the guide shaft 27 via the carriage 26 on the downstream side of the recording head 21. It is in. The coating head 25 is also set so that the coating agent discharge direction is downward. Here, as the liquid coating agent, an acrylic or urethane-based ultraviolet curable resin or the like capable of forming a transparent overcoating film is used.

As will be described later, the coating head 25 moves the surface of the printing surface of the medium W after color printing has been performed with ink droplets ejected from the recording head 21.
This is for discharging a liquid coating agent for forming a transparent overcoat film. As the coating head 25, a spray head that sprays a liquid coating agent in a mist state can be used, but a head having the same structure as the recording head 21 (see FIG. 2) may be used. In this case, in the recording head 21 shown in FIG. 2, a liquid coating agent may be supplied and discharged in place of the inks of the respective colors, and thus the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the main body 20 of the color printing apparatus, on the upstream side of the recording head 21, an underlayer forming head 51 for discharging white ink is moved on a guide shaft 53 via a carriage 52 in the axial direction (main scanning direction / main scanning direction). (X-axis direction). The underlayer forming head 51 also
The ink ejection direction is set downward. here,
As the white ink, an acrylic or urethane-based ultraviolet curable resin is used.

As will be described later, the underlayer forming head 51 is configured to apply a white undercolor to the surface of the printing surface of the medium W before color printing is performed with ink droplets ejected from the recording head 21. This is for discharging the white ink for forming the formation. As the underlayer forming head 51, a spray head that sprays white ink in a mist state can be used, but a head having the same structure as the recording head 21 (see FIG. 2) may be used. In this case, the recording head 21 shown in FIG. 2 only needs to supply and discharge white ink instead of the ink, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Here, both ends of the guide shafts 23, 27, 53 on which the carriages 22, 26, 52 are supported are supported by a frame 30, and the frame 30 is movable in the Y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction). It is possible. Thus, while the frame 30 moves in the Y-axis direction,
Each carriage 22, 26, 52 has a guide shaft 23, 27,
53 in the X direction, the recording head 2
A moving mechanism is configured to perform a relative movement between the medium 1 and the medium W, a relative movement between the coating head 25 and the medium W, and a relative movement between the underlayer forming head 51 and the medium W.

Recording head 21, coating head 2
A medium transport device 35 that transports the medium W in the Y-axis direction is configured below the head 5 and the underlayer forming head 51. In the medium transport device 35, a holder (not shown) for receiving the medium W fed from an article storage section (not shown) is configured, and the holder transfers the medium W to its printing surface. Is held upward.

Further, an ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is arranged on the downstream side in the transport direction of the medium transport device 35. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 includes an ultraviolet lamp 41
And a reflector 42 for reflecting the light emitted from the ultraviolet lamp 41 toward the medium W conveyed by the medium conveying device 35 to a position below the reflector 42, and a protective cover (not shown). I have.

The color printing apparatus 1 having such a configuration can be used as it is as a home or business color printing apparatus 1, but the color printing apparatus 1 cannot be used in stores and streets like vending machines and game machines. In a case where the color printing apparatus 1 is configured to be used by a specific number of persons, a money discriminator 18 for discriminating coins and bills inserted by the user is mounted. The discrimination result of the money discriminator 18 is input to the host computer 12, and the host computer 12 causes the main body 20 of the color printing apparatus to perform printing on the medium W when a predetermined money is input to the money discriminator 18. .

Such an operation is performed by the host computer 1
2 is realized by a CPU or the like that operates based on an operation program stored in a ROM or the like in advance.

(Control System of Color Printing Apparatus Main Body) With reference to FIG. 3, a configuration of a control system of the color printing apparatus main body 20 will be described. In FIG. 3, the control unit 60 included in the color printing apparatus main body 20
In order to perform a predetermined print on the print head, the print head drive circuit 30 including a drive voltage generation circuit 31 and a head selection circuit 32 is controlled in response to a print command signal and print data from the host computer 12, and The printing operation is also performed by controlling the circuit 33 and the like. That is, in the head drive circuit 30, the drive voltage generation circuit 31 is configured to generate a trapezoidal wave having a voltage value required to eject ink droplets from the nozzle openings 111. Further, the head selection circuit 32 selectively applies the drive voltage of the drive voltage generation circuit 31 to the piezoelectric vibrator PZT corresponding to the print data by controlling the transistor T.

When a head having the same structure as the recording head 21 described with reference to FIG. 2 is used as the coating head 25 shown in FIG.
It also controls a coating head drive circuit 30 'including a coating drive voltage generation circuit 31' and a head selection circuit 32 '. In the coating head drive circuit 30, the drive voltage generation circuit 31 'is configured to generate a trapezoidal wave having a voltage value necessary for discharging the coating agent from the nozzle opening of the coating head 25. Further, the head selection circuit 32 'selectively applies a drive voltage to the piezoelectric vibrator PZT' corresponding to the designated coating region by controlling the transistor T '. With this configuration, unlike the case where the spray nozzle is used, the coating agent is transferred to the medium W.
In addition to this, there is an advantage that the coating area of the coating agent can be set to a desired range in addition to being able to apply the solid over the entire printing surface.

Further, when the underlayer forming head 51 shown in FIG. 1 has the same structure as the recording head 21 described with reference to FIG.
Underlayer-forming head drive circuit 3 including underlayer-forming drive voltage generation circuit 31 "and head selection circuit 32"
0 ″. The head drive circuit 3 for forming the underlayer is also controlled.
At 0 ", the drive voltage generating circuit 31" is configured to generate a trapezoidal wave having a voltage value necessary for discharging the white ink from the nozzle openings of the underlayer forming head 51. In addition, the head selection circuit 32 "selectively applies a drive voltage to the piezoelectric vibrator PZT" corresponding to the designated underlayer formation region by controlling the transistor T ". Unlike the case where the nozzle is used, there is an advantage that the white ink can be applied to the entire printing surface of the medium W in a solid manner, and the application area of the white ink can be set in a desired range.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control means 60
, The motor M1 that drives the medium conveying device 35 via the medium conveying device driving circuit 35 is controlled to control the conveyance of the medium W in the Y-axis direction.
Further, the control means 60 controls the motor M2 for driving the frame 30 in the Y-axis direction via the Y-axis drive circuit 36, and the medium W and the carriages 22, 26, 52 (the recording head 21,
Coating head 25 and underlayer forming head 5
1) is controlled in the Y-axis direction. Further, the control means 60 controls the carriages 22, 26, 52 on the guide shafts 23, 27, 53 via the X-axis drive circuit 37.
The medium W and the carriage 2
The positional relationship in the X-axis direction with 2, 26, and 52 (the recording head 21, the coating head 25, and the underlayer forming head 51) is controlled. Therefore, in this embodiment, the carriages 22, 26, 5 on the guide shafts 23, 27, 53
The movement of No. 2 is performed at the same time, and the discharge of the white ink, the discharge of the ink droplets of each color, and the discharge of the coating agent are performed at the same time, although they are performed on different media W.
The carriage 2 on the guide shafts 23, 27, 53
Of course, 2, 26, and 52 may be driven separately. Such an operation is also performed by the color printing apparatus main body 20.
Is realized by a CPU or the like that operates based on an operation program stored in advance in a ROM or the like.

(Printing Method / Production Method of Color Printed Article)
The operation of the color printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the color printing device 1 described here is an example in which the color printing device 1 is installed in a store or the like, and is configured so that a user inserts coins and bills and performs printing.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the color printing apparatus 1, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a process of printing on the printing surface of the medium W.

In FIG. 4, a standby state (step ST)
From 1), when the money discriminator 18 determines that the user has inserted a predetermined amount of coins (step ST2), the color printing apparatus 1 waits until image data is input. Here, when the user determines his / her face captured by the imaging device 111 as a color design (step ST3), the corresponding color design image data is output from the imaging device 111 to the image processing device 12, and the editing process is performed. Is performed (step ST4). If the uneven shape of the printing surface of the article W has a fixed uneven shape such as a slope or a spherical surface, the image correction processing may be performed along the shape (step ST5).

At the time of this editing, an image screen based on the color pattern image data is displayed on the monitor 13, and the user who sees this image screen can edit the image screen by enlarging, reducing, cutting and pasting. 14
Or via the mouse 15. Then, after the editing is completed, the user performs a key operation and instructs whether to print as it is or to cancel (step ST6). Here, when the user performs a key operation to stop, the coin is returned (step ST7), and the process returns to the standby state (step ST1).

On the other hand, when the user performs a key operation for executing printing, the medium is fed out of the article storage unit and received by the medium transport device 35 (step ST).
8).

Next, the medium transport device 35 transfers the received medium W to the carriage 52 (the underlayer forming head 5).
The sheet is conveyed to a position directly below 1) (step ST9).

In this state, the host computer 1
2 is a command to form a white underlayer at least in an area where color printing is to be performed later;
0, the base layer forming head 51 of the color printing apparatus main body 20 moves the carriage 52 on the guide shaft 53 while the carriage 52 moves on the guide shaft 53, as shown in FIG. A white underlayer C0 is formed on W1. When the formation of the underlayer C0 for one row is completed, the frame 30
By moving by the number of steps and repeating the above-described underlayer forming operation, a white underlayer C0 is formed in a predetermined area of the print surface W1 of the medium W (step ST10).

Next, the medium transport device 35 transfers the medium W on which the underlayer C0 has been formed to the carriage 22 (recording head 2).
The sheet is conveyed to a position directly below 1) (step ST11).

In this state, the host computer 1
2 outputs, to the color printing apparatus main body 20, output image data after performing gradation processing, contrast processing, color correction, and the like on the edited color pattern image data, While the carriage 22 moves on the guide shaft 23, the recording head 21 changes the contents as instructed by the user, as shown in FIG. 5A, to the underlayer C0 on the printing surface W1 of the medium W. Color print C1 on
Perform When the printing for one line is completed, the frame 30 moves by one step, and the printing operation is repeated again, whereby color printing is performed on the entire printing surface W1 of the medium W (step ST12).

When the color printing is completed as described above,
The medium transport device 35 transports the medium W to a position directly below the carriage 26 (coating head 25) (step ST13). At this time, when processing is continuously performed on the medium W, a new medium W is conveyed to a position directly below the carriage 52 (the underlayer forming head 51), while the underlayer C is transferred.
A new medium W on which 0 has been formed is conveyed to a position directly below the carriage 22 (recording head 21).

Next, the host computer 12 instructs the color printing apparatus main body 20 to apply the coating agent at least in a range covering the printing area. As a result, in the color printing apparatus main body 20, while the carriage 26 moves on the guide shaft 27, the coating head 25 moves, as shown in FIG.
1. A UV-curable liquid coating agent C2
Is applied. When the coating for one row is completed, the frame 30 moves by one step, and the above operation is repeated again, whereby the printing surface W1 of the medium W is repeated.
A liquid coating agent is applied to the entire surface (Step S)
T14).

Next, when the application of the liquid coating agent is completed in this manner, the medium transport device 35 transports the medium W to a position immediately below the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 (step S).
T15).

Next, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), the printing surface W1 of the medium W is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to solidify and fix the coating agent. At the same time, the white ink applied as the base layer C0 is solidified and fixed. As a result, the printing surface W1 of the medium W is covered with the overcoat film C3 (step ST16).

Thereafter, the medium transport device 35 discharges the medium W (step ST17), and the color printing device 1 returns to the standby state (step ST1).

As described above, in the present embodiment, color printing is performed by ejecting ink droplets from the ink jet recording head 21 even on the printing surface of the medium W that has no specified color and does not absorb ink. Do. Therefore, since it is not necessary to raise a plate of a pattern to be printed, it is suitable for small-lot multi-type printing or personal printing. However, if printing is performed on the medium W that does not absorb ink by the inkjet method, the adhesion between the ink and the base is poor, so that the ink may peel off even if it is scratched gently. However, in the present embodiment, the printing surface of the medium W after printing with ink droplets is covered with a transparent overcoat film. Therefore, on the printing surface after the color printing and the overcoating, the ink does not peel off even if scratched. Also, even if the ink is water-soluble,
Since it is covered with a transparent overcoat film, it has excellent water resistance and the like.

Further, since the base layer C0 is formed of white ink before performing color printing, high quality color printing can be performed regardless of the color of the printing surface W1 of the medium W.

[Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which printing is performed on a flat medium W has been described. However, since the head and the printing surface are separated from each other, there is some unevenness. Printing on the medium W is also possible.

The color printing apparatus 1 is described in which a user inserts coins and bills and performs printing. However, if the money discriminating machine 18 or the like is omitted and used for business use, there is no other unique printing apparatus. It is possible to meet a customer's request for a decorated article in a short delivery time.

Further, in the above embodiment, an ultraviolet curable white ink and a coating agent were used. Therefore, in the color printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, an ultraviolet irradiation device 40 was provided. When used, the color printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may use a heating device that supplies hot air or infrared rays instead of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40.

Further, depending on the compatibility between the undercoat layer and the overcoat film, a liquid material for forming one of the undercoat layer and the overcoat film may be an ultraviolet-curable liquid, and the other may be used for forming the other. In some cases, a thermosetting material is used as the liquid material to improve the adhesion. In this case, each liquid material is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light and heating. For this reason, in a color printing apparatus for manufacturing such a color printing article, in FIG. 1, a white ink on the printing surface is irradiated by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the printing surface onto which the liquid coating agent has been discharged. And an ultraviolet irradiation device 40 for solidifying one of the liquid and the coating agent, a heating device (not shown) for heating the printing surface and solidifying the other, and a medium up to the heating device and the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Transport device 3 that transports
5 will be provided.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention, after forming a white base layer on the printing surface of the medium, printing is performed by ejecting ink droplets from an ink jet recording head. It is possible to perform high-quality monochrome printing or color printing of fine patterns and characters on a medium whose color is not always white. In addition, the ink-jet method is suitable for printing various kinds of small quantities or personal printing because it is not necessary to form a plate of a pattern to be printed.

Further, if printing is performed by an inkjet method even on a medium having no ink absorbency, the adhesion between the ink and the base is poor, so that even if the ink is scratched gently, the ink may peel off. By covering the surface of the printing surface after printing with ink droplets with a transparent overcoat film, ink can be peeled off even when scratched on the printing surface after printing and overcoating. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a color printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a recording head used in the color printing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system in the color printing apparatus main body of the color printing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the color printing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are process cross-sectional views showing a printing method performed by the color printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Color printing device 11 Input device 12 Host computer 20 Color printing device main body 21 Recording head 22, 26, 52 Carriage 23, 27, 53 Guide shaft 25 Coating head 35 Medium transport device 40 Ultraviolet irradiation device 51 Below Underlayer forming head W Medium W1 Media printing surface C0 White underlayer C1 Color printing C2 Liquid coating agent C3 Overcoat film

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C056 EA09 EA11 EA13 EE17 FA04 FB01 FB04 FC01 HA42 HA44 HA46 2C061 AQ05 AS11 CJ05 CK10 CK13 2H113 AA01 BA17 BB07 BB10 FA10 FA29 FA32 FA43 FA44 FA48

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, wherein a white underlayer is formed on a printing surface of the medium, and then color printing is performed on the underlayer by discharging ink droplets of each color from an ink jet recording head. Of producing color printed articles. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface to be printed is a surface that does not absorb ink. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after performing color printing on the base layer by discharging ink droplets from the recording head, the surface of the printing surface is covered with a transparent overcoat film. A method for producing a color printed article, comprising: 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the formation of the underlayer and the overcoat film is performed by applying a liquid material to the surface of the printing surface and then solidifying the liquid material. A method for producing a color printed article, comprising: 5. The liquid material according to claim 4, wherein the liquid material for forming the underlayer and the overcoat film is both UV-curable, and the liquid material is cured at once by UV irradiation. A method for producing a color printed article, comprising: 6. A liquid material according to claim 4, wherein the liquid material for forming the underlayer and the overcoat film is a thermosetting material, and the liquid material is cured by heating at a time. A method for producing a color printed article, comprising: 7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the liquid material for forming one of the underlayer and the overcoat film is an ultraviolet curable material, and the liquid material for forming the other is a thermosetting liquid material. A method for producing a color printed article, wherein each of the liquid materials is cured by ultraviolet irradiation and heating. 8. An underlayer forming head for ejecting white ink to a printing surface of a medium to form a white underlayer on the printing surface, and forming an ink droplet of each color on the underlayer. By performing an ink jet recording head that performs color printing by discharging, a relative movement between the underlayer forming head and the medium, and a relative movement between the recording head and the medium, the recording head is moved relative to the printing surface. A color printing apparatus comprising: a moving mechanism that enables formation of the underlayer and color printing on the underlayer. 9. An underlayer forming head for ejecting white ink to a printing surface of a medium to form a white underlayer on the printing surface, and forming an ink droplet of each color on the underlayer. An ink jet recording head that performs color printing by discharging, and a liquid for forming a transparent overcoat film on the printing surface after color printing is performed with ink droplets discharged from the recording head And a relative movement between the coating head that discharges the coating agent, the underlayer forming head and the medium, a relative movement between the recording head and the medium, and a relative movement between the coating head and the medium. A moving mechanism that enables formation of the underlayer on the surface to be printed, color printing on the underlayer, and coating on the color printing surface. A color printing device characterized by the above-mentioned. 10. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein the printing surface from which the liquid coating agent is discharged is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to collectively collect the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface. A color printing apparatus comprising: an ultraviolet irradiation device that solidifies; and a medium transport device that transports the medium to the ultraviolet irradiation device. 11. The heating device according to claim 9, wherein the printing surface on which the liquid coating agent is discharged is heated to solidify the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface collectively. And a medium transport device that transports the medium to the heating device. 12. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein the printing surface from which the liquid coating agent has been discharged is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to emit one of the white ink and the liquid coating agent on the printing surface. An ultraviolet irradiation device that solidifies the medium, a heating device that heats the printing surface and solidifies the other, and a medium transport device that transports the medium to the heating device and the ultraviolet irradiation device. Color printing device.