JP2003108003A - Manufacturing method for laser etching label and label for laser etching - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label which can cope with a small quantity and multi- grade production at low cost and on which letters, figures and the like can be formed at high speed. SOLUTION: When at least a plurality of colored flat layers which can be laser-etched and have colors different from each other are layered on a base sheet and then the colored flat layers are removed by irradiation with a laser beam to form exposure holes, optional colored flat layers are exposed in optional surface areas by controlling the focal distances, intensity or the number of irradiation times of the laser beam according to the kinds of the colors to adjust the surface area or/and the depth of the exposure holes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser-etching label manufacturing method and a laser-etching label used for decorating display panels such as home electric appliances, audio equipment, and indicators for automobiles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are the following conventional labels.

(1) There is one in which characters, patterns, etc. are formed on a base sheet by multicolor printing. (2) There are printers of a thermal transfer system or a sublimation transfer system in which characters and patterns are formed on a base sheet by transfer from a transfer ribbon. (3) By using an inkjet printer, the timing of ejecting ink from a plurality of ink cartridges can be controlled, and characters and letters can be printed on the base sheet.
There are some which have patterns etc. formed.

These labels have been adhered to the object to be adhered to the label by applying an adhesive to the base sheet on the side where characters and patterns are not formed.

[0005]

The label of (1) is not suitable for small-quantity multi-product use because it requires a plate-making work of a predetermined pattern in advance for patterning characters and patterns. The label (2) is expensive because the transfer ribbon is a consumable item and a special paper coated with an ink receptor of the transfer ribbon is required.
There is also a problem that transfer takes time.
The label (3) had a high cost because the cartridge had to be replaced when the ink became empty. In addition,
There was a problem such as the slow formation speed of patterns.

An object of the present invention is to provide a label which can be used in a small amount and in a large variety of products at a low cost and has a high speed of forming characters, patterns and the like.

[0007]

The method for producing a laser-etched label according to the present invention comprises at least laminating a plurality of colored solid layers of different colors capable of being laser-etched on a base sheet and then irradiating with a laser beam. When the colored solid layer is removed to form the exposed holes, the focal length of the laser beam, the intensity or the number of times of irradiation is controlled according to the type of color, and the area or / and the depth of the exposed holes are adjusted. It is characterized in that an arbitrary colored solid layer is exposed in an arbitrary area.

The label for laser etching of the present invention is characterized in that at least a plurality of colored solid layers of different colors capable of laser etching are laminated on the base sheet.

In the label for laser etching according to the present invention, a color transfer preventing layer composed of a white layer or a metallic color layer may be interposed between the plurality of colored solid layers laminated. Alternatively, a plurality of colored solid layers may be laminated in a combination of different colors in two or more areas on the base sheet. Or, the brightness of each layer of the colored solid layer is
It may be laminated such that the L ^* value in the L ^* a ^* b ^* color system in JIS Z8729 gradually changes from a high color to a low color from the base sheet side. Or
A release paper may be laminated on the surface of the base sheet opposite to the plurality of laminated colored solid layers via an adhesive layer.

The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the label for laser etching will be described.

The base sheet 1 is made of polyester resin, polypropylene resin, vinyl chloride resin,
Plastic such as polyethylene resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, nylon resin, vinylon resin, acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polyamide resin, polyacrylic resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, or paper, There is synthetic paper. These simple substances or composites can be used.
The thickness of the base sheet 1 is preferably 10 to 300 μm. If it is less than 10 μm, wrinkles may occur when it is applied as a label. If it exceeds 300 μm, it may be difficult to fit neatly when attached to a curved surface.

The colored solid layers may be similar or different in color for each of the laminated colored solid layers. The more the number of laminated colored solid layers of different colors is, the more various expressions are possible. The colored solid layer can be laminated by a printing method such as gravure printing, offset printing and screen printing. Further, they can be laminated by a coating method such as reverse coating, lip coating and flow coating. In addition, a transfer foil including a layer in which a plurality of these colored solid layers are laminated can be prepared and laminated on the label base sheet 1 by a method of transferring. Further, it is possible to prepare a single-color transfer foil on which a single-colored colored solid layer is formed, for the required number of colors, and stack a plurality of transfer layers transferred from different single-color transfer foils on the base sheet 1 of the label. .

A plurality of colored solid layers may be laminated in a combination of different colors in two or more regions on the base sheet (see FIG. 6). By omitting the colored solid layer of an obviously unnecessary color for each area, it is possible to eliminate waste of ink used for the colored solid layer. Examples of the area include a circle, a quadrangle, and a triangle.

A color transfer preventing layer composed of a white layer or a metallic color layer can be interposed between the plurality of laminated colored solid layers.

In this case, it is preferable that the color of the other colored solid layer located below the one colored solid layer is less likely to be transferred. The ink used for forming the colored solid layer can be formed by printing with an ink containing a color pigment and a resin solvent. Further, when whiteness or hiding power is required, the colored solid layer contains a filler made of inorganic fine powder such as silica, barium sulfate, talc, and alumina, and an organic filler such as acrylic beads and urethane beads. Can be made. In addition, additives such as leveling agents, abrasion resistance enhancers, antistatic agents, and antibacterial agents are added to improve productivity when forming multiple colored solid layers and resistance of molded products having a multicolored design. Can be contained in the colored solid layer.

The color of each of the plurality of colored solid layers is as follows:
Some consist of black, blue, red, and yellow. As long as there are at least these colors, various design expressions are possible with an arbitrary combination. Furthermore, if the label bonding object 8 is white, the white and the black, blue, red, and yellow colors of the colored solid layer can be arbitrarily combined, so that a photographic gradation image can also be obtained. An image of photographic gradation can be obtained by expressing all colors by combining black, which is the three primary colors of colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, and the difference in lightness due to the combination of black and white. Because it can have. The thickness of the plurality of colored solid layers is, for example, 0.5 to 30 μm for the black layer, and the blue layer,
The red layer and the yellow layer can each be 0.5 to 50 μm.

The color of each of the plurality of colored solid layers may include white in addition to black, blue, red and yellow. In this case, it is possible to arbitrarily form an image of photographic gradation only with the colored layer, without making the label bonding object 8 white. The thickness of the white colored solid layer is 1 to 100 μm.
It is preferably m. If it is less than 1 μm, the hiding property tends to be insufficient, and if it exceeds 100 μm, it is difficult to apply gravure printing or the like because the film thickness is large.

The plurality of colored solid layers may be laminated in the order of white, yellow, red, blue and black from the base sheet 1 side. The reason is that variations in color and brightness can be widened by making the order of lamination the same as that of a normal printed matter.

The laminated order of the colored solid layers is such that the lightness of each layer of the plurality of colored solid layers is L ^* a according to JIS Z8729.
^* B ^* The L ^* value in the color system can be laminated so that the color gradually changes from a color having a high L ^* value to a color having a low L ^* value from the base sheet 1 side. Laser light is more likely to be absorbed in the lower colored layer and is more likely to be laser-etched. Therefore, by arranging the coloring layer having a lower L ^* value in the L ^* a ^* b ^* color system in JIS Z8729 above as the uppermost layer, the coloring layer which is easily laser-etched is arranged above. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the necessary colored layer from being accidentally laser-etched, and it is difficult to be restricted by variations in hue and brightness, and it is possible to broaden variations in hue and brightness.

In the label for laser etching, a release paper 9 may be laminated on the surface of the base sheet 1 on the side opposite to the laminated colored solid layers with the adhesive layer 6 interposed (see FIG. 4). For example, a plurality of circular laser-etched labels having the same area are provided on the strip-shaped release paper 9 with the adhesive layer 6 interposed therebetween.
The labels can be formed side by side at equal intervals to form a set of labels for laser etching (see FIG. 4). In this case, it is possible to continuously laser-etch different characters / designs for each label. When the laser-etched label is attached to the label-adhesion target 8,
The laser-etched label is peeled off from the release paper 9, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 6 side of the laser-etched label is pressed and adhered to the label adhering target 8 (see FIG. 2).

Examples of the material of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 6 include polyacrylic resin, polyolefin resin, polyurethane resin, polyester resin, rubber resin, thermoplastic elastomer resin, and biodegradable resin. As the method for forming the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 6, gravure coating method, roll coating method,
Coating such as comma coat method, gravure printing,
There is printing such as screen printing. The dry film thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 6 is generally 1 to 40 μm. As the release paper 9, the base sheet 1 coated with a silicone resin-containing ink as a release agent can be used.

The method for producing the laser-etched label of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to specific examples.

In this specific example, the colored solid layer is composed of the first colored layer 2, the second colored layer 3, the third colored layer 4, and the fourth colored layer 5, and the first colored layer 2 is the concealing layer. How to represent colors by laser etching when used will be described with reference to FIGS. The area occupied by the plurality of colored solid layers is the entire surface of the base sheet 1 together with all the colored solid layers.

For example, the single color C in FIG. 2 forms the exposure hole 7 so that only the third colored layer 4 can be seen. The maximum inner diameter of one exposed hole 7 is 0.1 to 2 mm. The number of the exposed holes 7 is 10 to 10,000 / square cm. The exposed holes 7 may be formed so as to be completely independent.
Further, for example, the adjacent exposed holes 7A and exposed holes 7B may partially overlap and be formed in a gourd shape (see FIG. 5).

If a mixed color is desired, a plurality of exposed holes 7 through which colored layers of different colors can be seen may be formed adjacently. For example, the mixed color A in FIG.
It is expressed by an exposure hole 7 in which the colored layer 4 is visible and an exposure hole 7 in which the fourth colored layer 5 is visible. By changing the number of exposed holes 7 per unit area and the inner diameter of both holes, the color of the mixed color A is changed in a combination of only two colors of the third colored layer 4 and the fourth colored layer 5. Can be made.

Further, the mixed color B in FIG. 2 includes an exposure hole 7 in which the third colored layer 4 is visible, an exposure hole 7 in which the fourth colored layer 5 is visible, and the second colored layer 3 and the third colored layer 4. It is represented by the exposed hole 7 in which colors appear to be combined. By changing the number of each exposed hole 7 per unit area and the inner diameter of the hole, the colors of the second colored layer 3 and the third colored layer 4, and the fourth colored layer 4
In the combination of only three colors of the coloring layer 5, the mixed color B
The color of can be changed. In the exposed hole 7 in which the two colors of the second colored layer 3 and the third colored layer 4 are seen side by side, one exposed hole 7 exposes two colors. When two or more colors are exposed by one exposure hole 7, the maximum inner diameter of the exposure hole 7 is 0.2-8.
mm (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

Gradation from the mixed color D to the mixed color E can be formed by gradually changing the exposure ratio of each color of the plurality of colored solid layers in the drawing line of characters, patterns, etc. 3). The change in the exposure ratio of each color of the plurality of colored solid layers can be obtained by changing the number of each exposed hole 7 per unit area or the inner diameter of the hole.

As a laser device for laser-etching the colored solid layer, there are a carbon dioxide laser device, a YAG laser device, a ruby laser device, a VYO ₄ laser device and the like. The intrinsic wavelength of the YAG laser or the VYO ₄ laser is 1064 nm. Above all, VYO ₄
Lasers are preferred. This is because the focus is small and the device is compact. The laser device may be coupled to a computer that processes image data. In this case, the computer has software for importing image data corresponding to characters / designs to be formed on the base sheet, software for editing these characters / designs to prepare sentences and illustrations, and creating edited data, It is possible to use an output device, that is, a device incorporating software for converting the edited data into output data corresponding to the laser etching device. The output data is data for forming fine holes corresponding to characters, patterns, etc. to be formed on the base sheet. The converted data is accompanied by data such as the intensity of laser light energy, how to focus, and the number of irradiations, and position data,
It is output as laser light from the laser device. In addition,
The laser light may be irradiated from the side of the base sheet of the label for laser etching or the side of the colored solid layer.

[0030]

The laser etching label manufacturing method and the laser etching label of the present invention are characterized in that a plurality of colored solid layers having different laser-etchable colors are laminated. When the colored solid layer is removed by irradiation with laser light to form an exposed hole, the area of the exposed hole is controlled by controlling the focal length of the laser light, the intensity, or the number of times of irradiation according to the type of color. Alternatively, and / or by adjusting the depth, any colored solid layer is exposed in any area.

Therefore, (1) it is possible to deal with small-lot orders for a large variety of arbitrary characters and designs. (2) Also, since characters and patterns of any color are formed by laser etching, consumable items such as transfer ribbons and cartridges are not required, and special paper such as ink receivers for transfer ribbons is also unnecessary. Cost can be suppressed because of the existence. In addition, since only laser etching is performed, the speed of forming characters and patterns is short.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a laser etching label of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the laser-etched label of the present invention is adhered to a label-adhesion target.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a laser etching label of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a laser etching label of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the shape of the exposed holes of the laser-etched label of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example of a label for laser etching of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Base sheet 2 First colored layer 3 Second colored layer 4 Third colored layer 5 Fourth colored layer 6 Adhesive layer 7 exposed holes 8 Label adhesion target 9 Release paper

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3E075 AA14 BA83 DE23 GA05                 4F100 AA20 AC10 AK04 AK07 AK15                       AK21 AK25 AK41 AK42 AK45                       AK46 AK51 AL09 AR00B                       AR00C AR00D AT00A BA05                       BA07 BA10E BA11B BA26B                       CA00 DG10E GB48 JL02                       JL06C JL10B JL10C JL11D                       JL14E JN28 JN28B YY00B

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A laser is used when at least a plurality of colored solid layers of different colors capable of laser etching are laminated on a base sheet and the colored solid layers are removed by irradiation with laser light to form exposed holes. By controlling the focal length, intensity or irradiation frequency of light according to the type of color,
A method for producing a laser-etched label, which comprises exposing an arbitrary colored solid layer in an arbitrary area by adjusting the area or / and the depth of the exposed hole. 2. A label for laser etching, wherein at least a plurality of colored solid layers of different colors capable of laser etching are laminated on a base sheet. 3. The label for laser etching according to claim 2, wherein a color transfer preventing layer composed of a white layer or a metallic color layer is interposed between each of the plurality of laminated colored solid layers. 4. In two or more areas on the base sheet,
The label for laser etching according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a plurality of colored solid layers are laminated in a combination of different colors. 5. The brightness of each layer of the colored solid layer is determined by JIS Z.
L in 8729 ^*a^*b^*L in color system^*value
The color gradually changes from the base sheet side from the high color to the low color.
The stack according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein
Laser etching label. 6. The label for laser etching according to claim 2, wherein a release paper is laminated on the surface of the base sheet opposite to the laminated colored solid layers with an adhesive layer.