JP2004284245A

JP2004284245A - Transfer printing method

Info

Publication number: JP2004284245A
Application number: JP2003080762A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Masaki Sato; 正樹佐藤; Kaoru Kojima; 薫兒島; Kenji Koshiishi; 謙二輿石; Takayoshi Yamazaki; 孝善山崎; Yoshinori Kaneda; 啓徳金田; Motoki Toyama; 元樹遠山
Original assignee: MARKING MAGIC KK; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd; Nisshin Steel Co Ltd
Current assignee: MARKING MAGIC KK; Nippon Steel Nisshin Co Ltd; Panasonic Holdings Corp
Priority date: 2003-03-24
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2004-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-24
Also published as: JP4236967B2

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transfer-print a printing pattern onto an object 3 to be dyed, with a high degree of pattern-position accuracy, by suppressing the misregistration of a transfer sheet 2 and the object 3 by means of a registering fixture 10. <P>SOLUTION: The transfer sheet 2 is registered on a bottom plate 1 of a transfer printer; the registering fixture 10 with at least one opening 11 suited to the size of the object 3 to be dyed is superposed on the transfer sheet 2; the object 3 is set in the opening 11 of the registering fixture 10; and after that, a hot plate 4 is pushed down so that the object 3 can be brought into close contact with the transfer sheet 2, and heated and pressed. Preferably, the registering fixture 10 is manufactured from metal or ceramics, wherein a mean coefficient (20°C) of thermal expansion is 18.0×10<SP>-6</SP>/°C or less. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【産業上の利用分野】
本発明は、昇華性染料が塗布された転写シートを用いて意匠性に優れた印刷模様を位置精度良く且つ高い生産性で被染着物に付与する転写印刷方法に関する。
【０００２】
【従来技術及び問題点】
ポリエステル，ポリアミド，アクリル等の繊維，樹脂成形体，フィルムに昇華性染料を含む着色組成物を塗布した転写シートを密着させて加熱すると、昇華性染料が樹脂に浸透して所定の模様が転写印刷される。ポリエステル，ポリアミド，アクリル等の樹脂塗料を塗布したセラミックボート，塗装金属板や樹脂フィルムをラミネートした積層体を被染着物に使用する場合でも、同様な転写印刷が可能である。
【０００３】
昇華性染料の浸透を利用した意匠付与は、繊維では従来から実用化されており，樹脂成形体，フィルム，塗装セラミックボード，塗装金属板等に対しても応用展開が検討されている。たとえば、凹凸のあるボタン等の樹脂成形体に転写シートを重ね合わせ、１３ｋＰａ以下の減圧雰囲気で加熱する方法（特開昭４９−４１６８９号公報），転写シートのインク面を塗装鋼板の塗膜に重ね合わせ、両面熱板プレスで加熱加圧する方法（特開昭５９−９５１４３号公報），昇華性染料インクで図柄を印刷した転写シートを刺繍部に重ね合わせて加熱することにより刺繍部を染色する方法（特開平６−２２０７８０号公報），昇華性染料で印刷した転写シートを厚手の網織物と重ね合わせて加熱ローラに巻き付けることにより網織物を染色する方法（特開昭４９−９４９８２号公報），真空チャンバ内で昇降自在に配置した加熱加圧板で繊維，転写シートを加熱加圧することにより繊維を染色する方法（特開昭４８−１３６８７号公報），熱板と耐熱クッション材との間に熱板側から塗装金属板，昇華性染料含有着色組成物を塗布した転写シートを重ね合わせて熱圧着する方法（特開平１０−２９６９０４号公報）等がある。
【０００４】
何れの転写方法も、加圧板を昇降させ、油圧，空気圧等の機械的なプレス圧で被染着物に転写シートを密着させ、被染着物を昇華性染料で染着している。しかし、所定の印刷模様を位置精度良く被染着物に転写印刷することは難しい。目視による位置合せは、非常に生産性の低い作業であり、熟練度によっては歩留も低下しやすい。被染着物の形状に対応するトンボを転写シートにつけ、トンボに基づいて位置合せしても、ホットプレートの昇降時に転写シート，被染着物に位置ズレが発生するため±０．３ｍｍ以内に収まる柄位置精度を効率よく確保することは困難である。なかでも、四隅にコーナーアールのある被染着物や流線型の被染着物では、位置合せが難しく柄位置精度が低下しやすい。
【０００５】
低い柄位置精度は、重ね合わせた被染着物，転写シートが加熱加圧されるまでの間に生じる位置ズレのほかに、転写シートの熱変形も原因の一つである。転写シートは紙を基材に使用する場合が多いが、紙質の転写シートではホットプレートを圧着させて加熱する際に収縮方向に変形する。他方、被染着物は逆の膨張方向に変形し、塗装金属板では大きな熱膨張となる。樹脂フィルムを基材とする転写シートでも、被染着物と異なる膨張特性を示すものが多い。膨張特性の相違に起因する柄位置精度の低下を抑制する上でも、厳格な位置合せ精度が要求される。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
本発明は、このような要求に応えるべく案出されたものであり、被染着物，転写シートの位置合せに熱膨張係数の小さな位置合せ治具を使用することにより、柄位置精度良く印刷模様を被染着物に付与し、転写印刷の生産性を上げることを目的とする。
【０００７】
本発明の転写印刷方法は、その目的を達成するため、転写印刷装置の底板上で転写シートを位置決めし、被染着物のサイズに合った単数又は複数の開口が形成された熱膨張係数の小さな金属又はセラミック製位置合せ治具を転写シートに重ね合わせ、位置合せ治具の開口に被染着物をセットした後、ホットプレートを押し下げて被染着物を転写シートに密着させ加熱加圧することを特徴とする。
位置合せ治具は、平均熱膨張係数（２０℃）：１８．０×１０^−６／℃以下の材質が好ましく、塗膜のない金属板やセラミックシートから作製される。
【０００８】
【作用及び実施の形態】
転写印刷で塗装金属板（被染着物）に転写模様を付与する場合、転写印刷装置の底板１上に転写シート２を載置し、被転写面を転写シート２に向けて塗装金属板３を転写シート２に重ね合わせ、ホットプレート４を押し下げることにより、塗装金属板３に密着させた転写シート２を加熱加圧する（図１）。加熱により昇華した染料は、転写シート２から塗装金属板３に転写され、所定の図柄で塗装金属板３が染着される。
底板１は、転写シート２，塗装金属板３の密着状態を維持し、ホットプレート４から与えられる圧力，熱量が転写シート２，塗装金属板３に満遍なく伝えられるようにフェルト１ａを貼ったシリコーンゴムシートが使用される。転写シート２を底板１上に配置する際、昇華性染料による底板１の汚染を防止する汚染防止シート５が下敷きされる。塗装金属板３とホットプレート４との間にも、同様な汚染防止シート６が介装される。
【０００９】
本発明では、転写シート２に対して塗装金属板３（被染着物）を位置合せするため、転写シート２に位置合せ治具１０を重ね合わせ、位置合せ治具１０に形成した複数の開口１１に塗装金属板３をセットする。位置合せ治具１０は、塗装金属板３とほぼ等しい厚みをもち、熱膨張係数が小さく非染着性の金属板やセラミック板から作製される。開口１１は、転写印刷時に加熱加圧されている塗装金属板３の転写シート２に対する位置ズレを防止するため、０．１ｍｍ程度のクリアランスで塗装金属板３を収容するサイズが好ましい。
【００１０】
底板１には適宜の個所に突起（図示せず）が形成されており、突起を基準として転写シート２を配置するとき、底板１上の所定位置に転写シート２がセットされる（図２ａ→ｂ）。たとえば、突起に転写シート２のトンボ２ａを嵌め合わせると、底板１上の所定位置に転写シート２が位置決めされる。
転写シート２のトンボ２ａに位置合せ治具１０のトンボ１２を一致させて転写シート２上に位置合せ治具１０を重ね合わせると、転写シート２の図柄２ｂが開口１１から露出する位置関係が確保される（図２ｂ）。次いで、位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に塗装金属板３をセットすると、図柄２ｂに対して適正な位置関係で塗装金属板３が配置される（図２ｃ）。この状態で、ホットプレート４を押し下げて加熱加圧すると、開口１１で位置規制された個々の塗装金属板３に転写シート２から昇華性染料が転写される。
【００１１】
転写シート２，塗装金属板３は、転写シート２に塗布されている昇華性染料にもよるが、転写印刷時に２００℃程度まで昇温する。そのため、常温で転写シート２，塗装金属板３の位置関係を高精度に決めていても、昇温による膨張，収縮が柄位置精度に影響を及ぼすことが避けられない。昇温が柄位置精度に及ぼす影響は、他の印刷法ではみられず、染料の昇華転写を利用する転写印刷特有の現象である。
昇温による膨張，収縮による柄位置精度の低下は、熱膨張係数の小さな材質でできた位置合せ治具１０を使用することにより防止できる。熱膨張係数が小さな材質の位置合せ治具１０は、転写印刷時に昇温しても大きく熱膨張することなく、当初設定した塗装金属板３の柄位置精度が維持される。他方、位置合せ治具１０を熱膨張係数の大きな材質で作製すると、転写印刷時の昇温で位置合せ治具１０が熱変形しやすくなる。位置合せ治具１０の熱膨張は、開口１１を狭める方向に働くため、塗装金属板３を変形させ、或いは転写印刷された塗装金属板３が開口１１に噛み込んで位置合せ治具１０から分離しがたくなる。
【００１２】
位置合せ治具１０は熱膨張係数の小さな材質ほど好ましいが、平均熱膨張係数（２０℃）が１８．０×１０^−６／℃以下であれば実用に耐える。具体的には、銅（１７．０×１０^−６／℃），鉄（１１．７×１０^−６／℃），ニッケル（１３．３×１０^−６／℃），チタン（８．９×１０^−６／℃），ＳＵＳ３０４ステンレス鋼（１７．３×１０^−６／℃），ＳＵＳ４３０ステンレス鋼（１０．４×１０^−６／℃）等の金属，合金や、更に熱膨張係数の小さなジルコニア，アルミナ，窒化アルミ等のセラミックシートがある。薄板に複数の開口１１を開けて位置合せ治具１０とすることを考慮すると、チタン板，ＳＵＳ４３０ステンレス鋼板等を位置合せ治具１０の素材に使用することが好ましい。加工性の良好な金属製位置合せ治具１０は、複雑形状の開口１１を形成する場合にも有利である。
【００１３】
金属板やセラミックシートは、昇華性染料に対して非染着性であることも位置合せ治具１０として好適な材質である。たとえば、位置合せ治具１０の材質に合成樹脂や塗装鋼板を選択すると、転写印刷時に転写シート２から昇華した染料が位置合せ治具１０の表面に付着し、次回の転写印刷時に位置合せ治具１０から被染着物に再転写して被染着物を汚染することがある。合成樹脂は、熱膨張係数が大きい点でも位置合せ治具１０の材質に適していない。
熱膨張係数が小さく非染着性の位置合せ治具１０で塗装金属板３を位置決めして加熱加圧するため、転写印刷に必要な高温状態に至った段階でも転写シート２，塗装金属板３に位置ズレが生じることなく、優れた柄位置精度で塗装金属板３が転写印刷される。転写印刷された塗装金属板３は位置合せ治具１０の開口１１から容易に取り出され、塗装金属板３，位置合せ治具１０共に熱変形することなく初期の形状が保たれる。しかも、位置合せ治具１０は、昇華した染料の付着がなく、仮に付着しても容易に洗浄除去できるため、次回の転写印刷に繰り返し使用できる。
【００１４】
【実施例】
膜厚３０μｍのクリア塗膜を形成した板厚０．５ｍｍ，サイズ９０ｍｍ×９０ｍｍのクリア塗装アルミニウム板を被染着物３に使用し、熱板寸法４５０ｍｍ×４００ｍｍの昇華性染料対応型エアプレス機（有限会社サンショウ製）により被染着物を転写印刷した。位置合せ治具１０には、表１に示した各種材質の金属板又はシートを使用し、被染着物３の形状に合わせてクリアランス０．１ｍｍの開口１１を形成した。
耐熱クッション付き底板１に付けた凸部を基準として底板上で転写シート２，位置合せ治具１０を正確に柄位置合せした後、位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に被染着物３をセットした。次いで、ホットプレート４を押し下げて被染着物３を転写シート２に密着させ、２００℃，３０ｋＰａで９０秒間加熱加圧して被染着物３を転写印刷した。
【００１５】
被染着物３に付与された転写柄の一部である黒点を基準として、上下左右にある標点までの距離を測定した。一つの転写柄について５回の測定値を平均し、平均値を転写位置精度とした。また、同じ材質の位置合せ治具を用いて転写印刷を５回繰り返し、位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写及び転写後の被染着物３，位置合せ治具１０の変形を調査した。
【００１６】
表１の調査結果にみられるように、熱膨張係数が小さな金属又はセラミックシートから作製された位置合せ治具１０を使用すると、±０．３ｍｍ以内の極めて高い柄位置精度で被染着物３が転写印刷され、転写印刷を複数回繰り返した後でも柄位置精度の低下，位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写、被染着物３，位置合せ治具１０の変形が検出されなかった。
他方、熱膨張係数の大きな合成樹脂製位置合せ治具１０を使用した転写印刷では、被染着物３又は位置合せ治具１０の変形に起因して満足できる印刷模様を被染着物３に付与できなかった。また、転写シート２から昇華した染料で位置合せ治具１０が染着されるため、転写印刷を繰り返したとき位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３に染料が再転写され、被染着物３につけた印刷模様が劣化していた。金属製であっても黄銅，青銅，アルミニウム合金等を素材とする位置合せ治具１０を使用すると、合成樹脂製位置合せ治具と同様な欠陥が発生した。
【００１７】

【００１８】
【発明の効果】
以上に説明したように、被染着物３のサイズに合った開口１１をもつ熱膨張係数の小さな位置合せ治具１０を転写シート２に重ね合わせ、開口１１に被染着物３をセットして加熱加圧することにより転写印刷するとき、熱膨張に起因する転写シート２，被染着物３の位置ズレが位置合せ治具１０で規制され、極めて高い柄位置精度で印刷模様が被染着物３に付与される。昇華性染料に対して非染着性の金属板やセラミックシートを使用しているので、位置合せ治具１０の表面が昇華性染料の染着がない清浄状態に維持されるため、位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写がなく転写印刷に位置合せ治具１０を繰返し使用できる。転写シート２に位置合せした位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に被染着物３をセットするだけで柄位置精度の高い印刷模様が付与されるため、熟練した技術を要することなく転写印刷の生産性も向上する。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】転写印刷装置の概略斜視図
【図２】転写シートの位置決めから転写印刷までの工程を説明する図
【符号の説明】
１：底板２：転写シート２ａ：トンボ３：塗装金属板（被染着物）
４：ホットプレート５，６：汚染防止シート
１０：位置合せ治具１１：開口１２：トンボ[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a transfer printing method for applying a print pattern excellent in design to a material to be dyed with high positional accuracy and high productivity using a transfer sheet coated with a sublimable dye.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems]
When a transfer sheet coated with a coloring composition containing a sublimable dye is closely attached to fibers such as polyester, polyamide, and acrylic, a resin molded product, and a film and heated, the sublimable dye penetrates the resin and a predetermined pattern is transferred and printed. Is done. The same transfer printing is possible even when a ceramic boat coated with a resin paint such as polyester, polyamide, acrylic or the like, or a laminated body obtained by laminating a coated metal plate or a resin film is used as a material to be dyed.
[0003]
Design application utilizing the penetration of sublimable dyes has been practically used for fibers in the past, and application development to resin moldings, films, painted ceramic boards, painted metal plates, and the like is being studied. For example, a method in which a transfer sheet is superimposed on a resin molded body such as a button having irregularities and heated in a reduced-pressure atmosphere of 13 kPa or less (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-41689). A method of superposing and heating and pressing with a double-sided hot plate press (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-95143), dyes the embroidery part by superimposing a transfer sheet on which a pattern is printed with a sublimable dye ink and heating Method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-220780), a method in which a transfer sheet printed with a sublimable dye is superimposed on a thick net cloth and wound around a heating roller to dye the net cloth (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-94982). A method of dyeing fibers by heating and pressurizing a fiber and a transfer sheet with a heating and pressing plate arranged to be able to move up and down in a vacuum chamber (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 48-13687) Report), a method in which a coated metal plate and a transfer sheet coated with a coloring composition containing a sublimable dye are overlapped from the hot plate side between the hot plate and the heat-resistant cushion material, and thermocompression-bonded (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-296904). Etc.
[0004]
In any of the transfer methods, a transfer plate is brought into close contact with a material to be dyed by mechanical pressure such as hydraulic pressure or air pressure by raising and lowering a pressure plate, and the material to be dyed is dyed with a sublimable dye. However, it is difficult to transfer and print a predetermined print pattern on a workpiece with high positional accuracy. Visual alignment is an extremely low-productivity operation, and the yield is likely to decrease depending on the skill level. Even if a registration mark corresponding to the shape of the material to be dyed is attached to the transfer sheet and the registration is performed based on the registration mark, the transfer sheet and the material to be dyed will fall within ± 0.3 mm due to misalignment when the hot plate is raised and lowered. It is difficult to efficiently secure position accuracy. In particular, in the case of a dyed material having a corner radius at each of the four corners or a streamlined dyed material, it is difficult to perform alignment, and the pattern position accuracy tends to be reduced.
[0005]
The low pattern position accuracy is one of the causes of the thermal deformation of the transfer sheet in addition to the positional deviation that occurs before the superimposed dyeing object and the transfer sheet are heated and pressed. Although the transfer sheet often uses paper as a base material, a paper-quality transfer sheet deforms in the shrinking direction when a hot plate is pressed and heated. On the other hand, the material to be dyed is deformed in the opposite expansion direction, and the coated metal plate has a large thermal expansion. Many transfer sheets using a resin film as a base material exhibit expansion characteristics different from those of the material to be dyed. Strict alignment accuracy is also required to suppress a decrease in handle position accuracy due to differences in expansion characteristics.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been devised to meet such a demand, and uses a positioning jig having a small coefficient of thermal expansion to align a material to be dyed and a transfer sheet, thereby enabling a pattern to be printed with high pattern position accuracy. Is imparted to a material to be dyed to increase the productivity of transfer printing.
[0007]
In order to achieve the object, the transfer printing method of the present invention positions the transfer sheet on the bottom plate of the transfer printing apparatus, and has a small thermal expansion coefficient in which one or more openings are formed according to the size of the article to be dyed. A metal or ceramic positioning jig is superimposed on the transfer sheet, and the article to be dyed is set in the opening of the alignment jig. Then, the hot plate is pushed down to bring the article into close contact with the transfer sheet and heat and pressurize. And
The positioning jig is preferably made of a material having an average coefficient of thermal expansion (20 ° C.) of 18.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. or less, and is made of a metal plate or a ceramic sheet without a coating film.
[0008]
[Action and Embodiment]
When a transfer pattern is to be applied to a coated metal plate (substrate to be dyed) by transfer printing, the transfer sheet 2 is placed on the bottom plate 1 of the transfer printing apparatus, and the coated metal plate 3 is placed with the transfer surface facing the transfer sheet 2. The transfer sheet 2 brought into close contact with the coated metal plate 3 is heated and pressurized by overlapping the transfer sheet 2 and pressing down the hot plate 4 (FIG. 1). The dye sublimated by heating is transferred from the transfer sheet 2 to the painted metal plate 3, and the painted metal plate 3 is dyed with a predetermined pattern.
The bottom plate 1 is a silicone rubber to which a felt 1a is attached so that the transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 are kept in close contact with each other, and the pressure and heat applied from the hot plate 4 are evenly transmitted to the transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3. Sheets are used. When the transfer sheet 2 is disposed on the bottom plate 1, a contamination prevention sheet 5 for preventing the bottom plate 1 from being contaminated by the sublimable dye is placed underneath. A similar pollution prevention sheet 6 is interposed between the painted metal plate 3 and the hot plate 4.
[0009]
In the present invention, in order to position the coated metal plate 3 (substrate to be dyed) on the transfer sheet 2, the positioning jig 10 is overlapped on the transfer sheet 2, and the plurality of openings 11 formed in the positioning jig 10 are formed. The painted metal plate 3 is set. The positioning jig 10 has substantially the same thickness as the painted metal plate 3 and is made of a non-staining metal plate or ceramic plate having a small coefficient of thermal expansion. The opening 11 preferably has a size that accommodates the coated metal plate 3 with a clearance of about 0.1 mm in order to prevent a positional shift of the coated metal plate 3 heated and pressed during transfer printing with respect to the transfer sheet 2.
[0010]
Protrusions (not shown) are formed at appropriate locations on the bottom plate 1, and when the transfer sheet 2 is arranged on the basis of the protrusions, the transfer sheet 2 is set at a predetermined position on the bottom plate 1 (FIG. 2A → b). For example, when the register marks 2a of the transfer sheet 2 are fitted to the projections, the transfer sheet 2 is positioned at a predetermined position on the bottom plate 1.
When the registration jig 10 of the positioning jig 10 is overlapped on the transfer sheet 2 with the registration marks 2a of the transfer sheet 2 aligned with the registration marks 2a of the transfer sheet 2, the positional relationship where the pattern 2b of the transfer sheet 2 is exposed from the opening 11 is secured. (FIG. 2b). Next, when the painted metal plate 3 is set in the opening 11 of the positioning jig 10, the painted metal plate 3 is arranged in an appropriate positional relationship with the design 2b (FIG. 2c). In this state, when the hot plate 4 is pressed down and heated and pressed, the sublimable dye is transferred from the transfer sheet 2 to the individual coated metal plate 3 whose position is regulated by the opening 11.
[0011]
The transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 are heated to about 200 ° C. during transfer printing, depending on the sublimable dye applied to the transfer sheet 2. For this reason, even if the positional relationship between the transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 is determined with high accuracy at normal temperature, it is inevitable that expansion and contraction due to temperature increase affect the pattern position accuracy. The effect of the temperature increase on the pattern position accuracy is not seen in other printing methods, and is a phenomenon peculiar to transfer printing using dye sublimation transfer.
A decrease in handle position accuracy due to expansion and contraction due to temperature rise can be prevented by using an alignment jig 10 made of a material having a small thermal expansion coefficient. The positioning jig 10 made of a material having a small coefficient of thermal expansion does not greatly expand even when the temperature is raised during transfer printing, and the initially set pattern position accuracy of the coated metal plate 3 is maintained. On the other hand, if the positioning jig 10 is made of a material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, the positioning jig 10 is likely to be thermally deformed by the temperature rise during transfer printing. Since the thermal expansion of the positioning jig 10 acts in a direction to narrow the opening 11, the coated metal plate 3 is deformed, or the transferred printed metal plate 3 bites into the opening 11 and is separated from the positioning jig 10. I feel reluctant.
[0012]
Although the alignment jig 10 is preferably made of a material having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion, if the average coefficient of thermal expansion (20 ° C.) is 18.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. or less, it can withstand practical use. Specifically, copper (17.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), iron (11.7 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), nickel (13.3 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), titanium (8.9 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.) 10 ^-6 / ℃), SUS304 stainless steel ^{(17.3 × 10 -6 / ℃)} , SUS430 stainless steel (10.4 × ^{10 -6} / ℃) like metals, alloys and, even smaller zirconia thermal expansion coefficient , Alumina, aluminum nitride and other ceramic sheets. Considering that the positioning jig 10 is formed by opening a plurality of openings 11 in a thin plate, it is preferable to use a titanium plate, a SUS430 stainless steel plate, or the like as a material for the positioning jig 10. The metal alignment jig 10 having good workability is also advantageous when forming the opening 11 having a complicated shape.
[0013]
A metal plate or a ceramic sheet is a material suitable for the positioning jig 10 because it is non-dying to a sublimable dye. For example, if a synthetic resin or a coated steel plate is selected as the material of the positioning jig 10, the dye sublimated from the transfer sheet 2 at the time of transfer printing adheres to the surface of the positioning jig 10, and at the next transfer printing, the positioning jig is used. 10 may be retransferred to the material to be dyed to contaminate the material to be dyed. Synthetic resin is not suitable for the material of the positioning jig 10 even in that it has a large coefficient of thermal expansion.
Since the coated metal plate 3 is positioned and heated and pressurized by the non-staining alignment jig 10 having a small coefficient of thermal expansion, the transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 can be transferred to the high temperature state required for transfer printing. The coated metal plate 3 is transferred and printed with excellent pattern position accuracy without any positional deviation. The transfer-printed coated metal plate 3 is easily taken out from the opening 11 of the positioning jig 10, and the coated metal plate 3 and the positioning jig 10 maintain their initial shape without being thermally deformed. In addition, the positioning jig 10 has no adhesion of the sublimated dye, and even if it does, it can be easily washed and removed, so that it can be repeatedly used for the next transfer printing.
[0014]
【Example】
A sublimation dye-compatible air press machine having a hot plate size of 450 mm x 400 mm using a clear coated aluminum plate having a thickness of 0.5 mm and a size of 90 mm x 90 mm on which a clear coating film having a thickness of 30 µm is formed as a material to be dyed 3 ( The dyed material was transferred and printed by Sansho Co., Ltd.). As the positioning jig 10, metal plates or sheets of various materials shown in Table 1 were used, and an opening 11 having a clearance of 0.1 mm was formed in accordance with the shape of the article 3 to be dyed.
After the transfer sheet 2 and the positioning jig 10 were accurately positioned on the bottom plate 1 with the convex portion attached to the heat-resistant cushion 1 as a reference, the article 3 was set in the opening 11 of the positioning jig 10. . Next, the hot plate 4 was pressed down to bring the article 3 into intimate contact with the transfer sheet 2, and then heated and pressed at 200 ° C. and 30 kPa for 90 seconds to transfer and print the article 3.
[0015]
With reference to a black point which is a part of the transfer pattern applied to the article 3 to be dyed, the distance to the reference points on the upper, lower, left and right sides was measured. Five measured values were averaged for one transfer pattern, and the average value was defined as transfer position accuracy. Transfer printing is repeated five times using a positioning jig of the same material, and retransfer from the positioning jig 10 to the object 3 and deformation of the object 3 and the positioning jig 10 after the transfer are performed. investigated.
[0016]
As can be seen from the survey results in Table 1, when the positioning jig 10 made of a metal or ceramic sheet having a small coefficient of thermal expansion is used, the article 3 can be dyed with extremely high pattern position accuracy within ± 0.3 mm. Transfer printing is performed, and even after the transfer printing is repeated a plurality of times, the deterioration of the pattern position accuracy, the retransfer from the positioning jig 10 to the work 3 and the deformation of the work 3 and the positioning jig 10 are not detected. Was.
On the other hand, in the transfer printing using the synthetic resin alignment jig 10 having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, a satisfactory printed pattern can be given to the dyed article 3 due to the deformation of the article 3 or the alignment jig 10. Did not. Further, since the positioning jig 10 is dyed with the dye sublimated from the transfer sheet 2, the dye is retransferred from the positioning jig 10 to the dyeing object 3 when the transfer printing is repeated, and is applied to the dyeing object 3. The printed pattern was deteriorated. When the positioning jig 10 made of brass, bronze, an aluminum alloy, or the like is used even if it is made of metal, the same defects as the synthetic resin positioning jig occurred.
[0017]

[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the positioning jig 10 having an opening 11 matching the size of the article 3 and having a small coefficient of thermal expansion is superimposed on the transfer sheet 2, and the article 3 is set in the opening 11 and heated. When performing transfer printing by pressing, the positional deviation of the transfer sheet 2 and the article 3 due to thermal expansion is regulated by the positioning jig 10, and a print pattern is applied to the article 3 with extremely high pattern position accuracy. Is done. Since a metal plate or a ceramic sheet that does not stain the sublimable dye is used, the surface of the positioning jig 10 is maintained in a clean state free from dyeing of the sublimable dye. The alignment jig 10 can be used repeatedly for transfer printing without retransfer from the jig 10 to the article 3. Since the print pattern with high pattern position accuracy is given only by setting the article 3 in the opening 11 of the alignment jig 10 aligned with the transfer sheet 2, the productivity of transfer printing can be achieved without requiring a skilled technique. Also improve.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a transfer printing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining steps from positioning of a transfer sheet to transfer printing.
1: Bottom plate 2: Transfer sheet 2a: Register mark 3: Painted metal plate (substrate)
4: Hot plate 5, 6: Soil prevention sheet 10: Positioning jig 11: Opening 12: Registration mark

Claims

Positioning the transfer sheet on the bottom plate of the transfer printing device, overlaying the transfer sheet with a metal or ceramic positioning jig having a small thermal expansion coefficient in which one or more openings are formed according to the size of the article to be dyed, A transfer printing method, comprising: setting an article to be dyed in an opening of an alignment jig; and then pressing down a hot plate to bring the article into close contact with a transfer sheet and heat and press it.

The transfer printing method according to claim 1, wherein an alignment jig made of a material having an average coefficient of thermal expansion (20 ° C) of 18.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C or less is used.