JP2012101145A - Device and method for discharging droplet, and manufacturing device and manufacturing method for molded printed matter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for discharging droplet capable of contributing to improvement of print quality.SOLUTION: The device for discharging droplet discharges a droplet to a record medium P molded and processed in a predetermined three-dimensional shape at a post process, and includes: a holding part 102 for holding correlation between information of an extension distribution amount of the recording media when molded and processed in the predetermined three-dimensional shape and information of an amount of correcting the droplet discharged to the recording medium corresponding to the extension amount distribution; and a discharge amount correcting part 8 for correcting the amount of droplet discharging to the recording medium based on the correlation held by the holding part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device, a droplet discharge method, a molded printed material manufacturing apparatus, and a molded printed material manufacturing method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus that is a droplet discharge apparatus is known as a recording apparatus that can print on various recording media. An ink jet recording apparatus uses ink (droplet) as a color material from an ejection port (hereinafter referred to as a nozzle) provided on a surface of a droplet ejection head facing a recording medium while relatively moving the droplet ejection head and a recording medium. ) Directly onto the recording medium and land on the recording medium to form an image on the recording medium. The process is simple, quiet in printing, printing, and print quality. It has very good characteristics.

  Further, in recent years, there are cases in which image recording is performed using various materials that do not have ink absorptivity such as resin and metal using a droplet discharge device, and ink is applied to such a recording medium. In order to fix, photocurable ink may be used. This type of photo-curable ink cures most of the ink components when irradiated with radiation such as ultraviolet rays, so it has better drying than solvent-based inks, and images are less likely to bleed. This method is excellent in that it can be printed on.

  On the other hand, after the resin sheet printed using the above-mentioned droplet discharge device is subjected to drawing by vacuum forming or the like and formed into a desired shape, the plastic resin and the resin sheet are integrated by an injection molding machine. A technique for producing a molded product is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-87248 A

However, the following problems exist in the conventional technology as described above.
When the printed resin sheet is drawn, for example, the protruding portion is extended several times, so that the density of the colorant is reduced and the color density is changed. For this reason, a color distribution is generated in the resin sheet according to the extension amount, and the print quality is deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a droplet discharge device, a droplet discharge method, a molded printed material manufacturing apparatus, and a molded printed material manufacturing method that can contribute to an improvement in printing quality. And

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration.
The droplet discharge device of the present invention is a droplet discharge device that discharges droplets onto a recording medium that is formed and processed into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in a later step, and the liquid discharge device is formed into the predetermined three-dimensional shape. A holding unit that holds a correlation between the information on the extension amount distribution in the recording medium and the information on the correction amount of the droplets discharged to the recording medium corresponding to the extension amount distribution; and the holding unit that holds the correlation And an ejection amount correction unit that corrects the amount of droplets ejected onto the recording medium based on the correlation.

  Therefore, in the droplet discharge device of the present invention, the correction amount of the discharged droplet is increased at a portion where the expansion amount is large in the recording medium when being molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape, and the discharge amount is discharged at a portion where the expansion amount is small. By reducing the amount of liquid droplets to be corrected, the density of the colorant becomes uniform and the color density is constant even when the recording medium is processed into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in the subsequent process and the recording medium expands with a distribution. Can contribute to the improvement of printing quality.

Moreover, in this invention, the structure which has the preparation part which produces the said correlation based on the three-dimensional data corresponding to the said predetermined | prescribed solid shape can be employ | adopted suitably.
Accordingly, in the present invention, it is possible to estimate the extension amount distribution in the recording medium by using the three-dimensional data, and to easily set the information of the correction amount of the droplet ejected to the recording medium from the estimated extension amount distribution. become.
By using CAD data as the three-dimensional data at this time, it becomes possible to use data when a predetermined three-dimensional shape is designed, which can contribute to improvement of productivity.

In addition, as the above-mentioned correlation, a plurality of configurations are set according to the color of the droplet, and an inclination of an inclined portion connecting a base end portion and a top portion spaced apart from the base end portion in the height direction. A configuration in which a plurality is set according to the angle can be suitably employed.
Accordingly, in the present invention, it is possible to set an optimal droplet correction amount according to the color of the droplet and the inclination angle of the inclined portion.

In the above configuration, when a plurality of correlations are set according to the inclination angle of the inclined portion, a divided region is set by dividing the inclined portion into a plurality according to the distance from the top, and the divided region is set for each divided region. A configuration in which information on the correction amount of the droplet is set can be suitably employed.
As a result, according to the present invention, the types of correction amounts to be set can be reduced, and the work required for setting the correction amounts can be reduced.

The molded printed matter manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a droplet ejection device that ejects droplets onto a recording medium, and a molding device that molds the recording medium onto which the droplets have been ejected into a predetermined three-dimensional shape. In the printed matter manufacturing apparatus, the droplet discharge device described above is used as the droplet discharge device.
Therefore, in the molded printed matter manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a high quality molded printed matter can be manufactured by using a recording medium with improved printing quality.

  On the other hand, the droplet discharge method of the present invention is a droplet discharge method having a discharge step of discharging droplets onto a recording medium that is molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in a later step, and is formed into the predetermined three-dimensional shape. A holding step of creating and holding a correlation between information on the amount of extension distribution in the recording medium when processed and information on the amount of correction of the droplets discharged to the recording medium corresponding to the amount of extension; And a correction step of correcting the amount of liquid droplets ejected onto the recording medium based on the held correlation.

  Therefore, in the droplet discharge method of the present invention, the correction amount of the discharged droplet is increased at a portion where the expansion amount is large in the recording medium when being molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape, and the discharge amount is discharged at a portion where the expansion amount is small. By reducing the amount of liquid droplets to be corrected, the density of the colorant becomes uniform and the color density is constant even when the recording medium is processed into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in the subsequent process and the recording medium expands with a distribution. Can contribute to the improvement of printing quality.

In the holding step, a configuration for creating the correlation based on three-dimensional data corresponding to the predetermined three-dimensional shape can be suitably employed.
Accordingly, in the present invention, it is possible to estimate the extension amount distribution in the recording medium by using the three-dimensional data, and to easily set the information of the correction amount of the droplet ejected to the recording medium from the estimated extension amount distribution. become.
By using CAD data as the three-dimensional data at this time, it becomes possible to use data when a predetermined three-dimensional shape is designed, which can contribute to improvement of productivity.

In addition, as the above-mentioned correlation, a plurality of configurations are set according to the color of the droplet, and an inclination of an inclined portion connecting a base end portion and a top portion spaced apart from the base end portion in the height direction. A configuration in which a plurality is set according to the angle can be suitably employed.
Accordingly, in the present invention, it is possible to set an optimal droplet correction amount according to the color of the droplet and the inclination angle of the inclined portion.

In the above configuration, when a plurality of correlations are set according to the inclination angle of the inclined portion, a divided region is set by dividing the inclined portion into a plurality according to the distance from the top, and the divided region is set for each divided region. A configuration in which information on the correction amount of the droplet is set can be suitably employed.
As a result, according to the present invention, the types of correction amounts to be set can be reduced, and the work required for setting the correction amounts can be reduced.

The molded printed matter manufacturing method of the present invention includes a droplet discharge step for discharging droplets onto a recording medium, and a molding step for forming the recording medium on which the droplets are discharged into a predetermined three-dimensional shape. The printed matter manufacturing method is characterized in that the droplet discharging method described above is used in the droplet discharging step.
Therefore, in the molded printed matter manufacturing method of the present invention, a high quality molded printed matter can be manufactured by using a recording medium with improved printing quality.

It is a schematic block diagram of the molded printed matter manufacturing apparatus MM which concerns on this invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a droplet discharge device 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the arrangement state of the nozzle in the nozzle formation surface of a droplet discharge head. It is a fragmentary sectional view which shows the internal structure of a droplet discharge head. It is a figure for demonstrating the shaping | molding process of a recording medium. It is a flowchart figure at the time of droplet discharge.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a droplet discharge device, a droplet discharge method, a molded printed material manufacturing apparatus, and a molded printed material manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The following embodiment shows one aspect of the present invention and does not limit the present invention, and can be arbitrarily changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Moreover, in the following drawings, in order to make each configuration easy to understand, the actual structure is different from the scale and number of each structure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a molded printed material manufacturing apparatus MM according to the present invention.
The molded printed material manufacturing apparatus MM is a flexible liquid droplet ejecting apparatus 1 that produces a decorative sheet by ejecting liquid droplets containing a colorant onto a recording medium such as a plastic resin sheet, and is flexible by heating the produced decorative sheet. And forming apparatus 70 for drawing into a predetermined three-dimensional shape by drawing by vacuum forming, pressure forming or the like, and a mold into which a recording medium (decorative sheet) formed into a predetermined three-dimensional shape is inserted The injection molding machine 80 for injecting molten synthetic resin into a mold to produce a molded product in which the synthetic resin and the recording medium are integrated, the droplet discharge device 1, the molding device 70, and the injection molding machine 80 And a control unit 8 that comprehensively controls the operations of the transport device 90 for transporting the recording medium between them, the droplet discharge device 1, the molding device 70, the injection molding machine 80, and the transport device 90.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the droplet discharge device 1. The droplet discharge device 1 discharges ultraviolet curable ink onto a recording medium P made of, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC), and irradiates the ultraviolet curable ink landed on the recording medium P with ultraviolet irradiation. The ultraviolet curable ink is cured to draw an image and various patterns on the recording medium P. In the following description, the “ultraviolet curable ink” may be simply referred to as “ink” for convenience.
The recording medium P and the ultraviolet curable ink are described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-87248, and the description thereof is omitted here.

  The droplet discharge device 1 discharges a base 2 on which a recording medium P is placed, a transport device 3 that transports the recording medium P on the base 2 in the X direction in FIG. 2, and ultraviolet curable ink. A droplet discharge head 9, a carriage 4 including a plurality of droplet discharge heads 9, a feeding device 5 that moves the carriage 4 in the Y direction, an ultraviolet irradiation unit 12, and a control unit that controls various components. 8 and so on. The transport device 3 and the feeding device 5 constitute moving means for moving the recording medium P and the carriage 4 relative to each other in the X direction and the Y direction.

  In the following description, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in FIG. 2 is set, and each member will be described with reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system, the X axis and the Y axis are set in a direction parallel to the stage 6, and the Z axis is set in a direction orthogonal to the stage 6. In the XYZ coordinate system in FIG. 2, the XY plane is actually set to a plane parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z axis is set to the vertically upward direction. The scanning movement direction of the droplet discharge head 9 is defined as the Y direction, and the movement direction of the stage 6 is defined as the X direction.

  The transfer device 3 includes a stage 6 and a stage moving device 7 provided on the base 2. The stage 6 is provided so as to be movable in the X direction on the base 2 by the stage moving device 7, and the recording medium P conveyed from the upstream conveying device (not shown) is, for example, by a vacuum suction mechanism. It is held on the XY plane.

  The stage moving device 7 includes a bearing mechanism such as a ball screw or a linear guide, and moves the stage 6 in the X direction based on a stage position control signal indicating the X coordinate of the stage 6 input from the control unit 8. It is comprised so that it may make it.

  The carriage 4 is a rectangular plate that is movably attached to the feeding device 5, and holds a plurality of droplet discharge heads 9 arranged on the bottom surface side along the Y direction. The plurality of droplet discharge heads 9 (9Y, 9C, 9M, 9K) are provided with a plurality of nozzles 17 as will be described later, and are based on drawing data and drive control signals input from the control unit 8. It discharges droplets of ultraviolet curable ink. The plurality of droplet discharge heads 9 (9Y, 9C, 9M, 9K) discharge ultraviolet curable inks corresponding to Y (yellow), C (cyan), M (magenta), and K (black), respectively. Therefore, a tube (piping) 10 is connected to each droplet discharge head 9 via a carriage 4 as shown in FIG.

  A droplet discharge head 9Y corresponding to Y (yellow) is connected to a first tank (ink storage chamber) 11Y filled and stored with ultraviolet curing ink for Y (yellow) via a tube 10. Thus, the Y (yellow) ultraviolet curable ink is supplied from the first tank 11Y to the droplet discharge head 9Y. Similarly, a second tank 11C filled with ultraviolet curing ink for C (cyan) is connected to the droplet discharge head 9C corresponding to C (cyan), and the droplet discharge head 9M corresponding to M (magenta). Is connected to the third tank 11M filled with M (magenta) UV curable ink, and the droplet discharge head 9K corresponding to K (black) is filled with K (black) UV curable ink. A fourth tank 11K is connected. With this configuration, the C (cyan) ultraviolet curable ink is supplied from the second tank 11C to the droplet discharge head 9C, and the third tank 11M is supplied to the droplet discharge head 9M. M (magenta) UV curable ink is supplied to the droplet discharge head 9K, and K (black) UV curable ink is supplied from the fourth tank 11K to the droplet discharge head 9K. It has become.

  Here, the ultraviolet curable ink is a type that is cured by receiving light of a predetermined wavelength, such as an ultraviolet curable ink, and contains a monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a pigment corresponding to each color, and further required. Depending on the conditions, various additives such as surfactants and thermal radical polymerization inhibitors are blended. In addition, since such ultraviolet curable ink usually has different wavelength ranges of light (ultraviolet rays) to be absorbed depending on its components (formulations), the optimum value of the curing wavelength, that is, the optimum curing wavelength is also different for each ink. Is different.

  For example, an ultraviolet curable ink is prepared by adding an auxiliary agent such as an antifoaming agent or a polymerization inhibitor to a mixture of a vehicle, a photopolymerization initiator and a pigment. The vehicle is prepared by adjusting the viscosity of an oligomer, monomer or the like having photopolymerization curability with a reactive diluent. Therefore, the solvent is not volatilized for the purpose of curing the ink.

Next, the configuration of the droplet discharge head 9 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement state of the nozzles 17 on the nozzle formation surface 21 </ b> A of the droplet discharge head 9.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the droplet discharge head 9.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of nozzles 17 are provided along the conveyance direction (X direction) of the recording medium P on the nozzle formation surface 21 </ b> A to form a nozzle row 16. A total of five nozzle rows 16 are provided along the scanning direction (Y direction) of the droplet discharge head 9. Note that the number of nozzles and the number of nozzle rows provided in the droplet discharge head 9 can be arbitrarily changed. Further, the droplet discharge heads 9 may be arranged so as to be shifted in the left-right direction by half the pitch between the nozzles 17. Thereby, the resolution which prints with respect to the recording medium P can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the droplet discharge head 9 includes a head main body 18 and a flow path forming unit 22 connected to the head main body 18. The flow path forming unit 22 includes a vibration plate 19, a flow path substrate 20, and a nozzle substrate 21, and forms a common ink chamber 29, an ink supply port 30, and a pressure chamber 31. Further, the flow path forming unit 22 includes an island portion 32 that functions as a diaphragm portion, and a compliance portion 33 that absorbs pressure fluctuation in the common ink chamber 29. The head main body 18 is formed with an accommodation space 23 for accommodating the drive unit 24 together with the fixing member 26, and an internal flow path 28 for guiding ink to the flow path forming unit 22.

  According to the droplet discharge head 9 configured as described above, when a drive signal is input to the drive unit 24 via the cable 27, the piezoelectric element 25 expands and contracts. Thereby, the diaphragm 19 is deformed (moved) in a direction approaching the pressure chamber 31 (−Z direction) and a direction away from the pressure chamber 31 (+ Z direction). For this reason, the volume of the pressure chamber 31 changes and the pressure of the pressure chamber 31 containing ink fluctuates. Ink is ejected from the nozzles 17 due to this pressure fluctuation.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the feeding device 5 that moves the carriage 4 has, for example, a bridge structure straddling the base 2, and a bearing mechanism such as a ball screw or a linear guide with respect to the Y direction and the Z direction orthogonal to the XY plane. It is equipped with. Based on such a configuration, the feeding device 5 moves the carriage 4 in the Y direction based on the carriage position control signal indicating the Y coordinate and the Z coordinate of the carriage 4 input from the control unit 8, and It is also designed to move in the direction.

  Further, in the carriage 4 shown in FIG. 2, for all the droplet discharge heads 9, ultraviolet irradiation units 12 are arranged in the vicinity of the droplet discharge heads 9. Specifically, the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 is provided before and after the carriage 4 in the moving direction, and moves with the scanning movement of the droplet discharge head 9. The ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 is for curing the ultraviolet curable ink discharged to the recording medium P, and is composed of a number of LEDs (light emitting diodes) in this embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the LED, and other than this, for example, a laser diode (LD), a mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon lamp, an excimer lamp, or the like can be used as the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12. .

  In the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 composed of the LED of this embodiment, the irradiated light has a wavelength corresponding to the optimum curing wavelength of the ultraviolet curable ink ejected by the corresponding droplet ejection heads 9Y, 9C, 9M, 9K. is doing. That is, as described above, the optimum curing wavelength of each ultraviolet curable ink differs depending on its component (formulation) and the like, and the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 has the optimum curing wavelength of the corresponding ultraviolet curable ink. It is designed to irradiate light.

  As described above, the controller 8 comprehensively controls the operations of the droplet discharge device 1, the molding device 70, the injection molding machine 80, and the transport device 90. In the droplet discharge device 1, the stage moving device is controlled. 7 outputs a stage position control signal, outputs a carriage position control signal to the feeding device 5, and outputs drawing data and a drive control signal to a drive circuit board (not shown) of the droplet discharge head 9. is there. Accordingly, the control unit 8 performs synchronous control of the positioning operation of the recording medium P by the movement of the stage 6 and the positioning operation of the droplet discharge head 9 by the movement of the carriage 4 in order to move the recording medium P and the carriage 4 relative to each other. In addition, by causing the droplet discharge head 9 to perform a droplet discharge operation, the droplets of the ultraviolet curable ink are arranged at predetermined positions on the recording medium P. Further, the control unit 8 causes the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 to perform the light irradiation operation separately from causing the droplet discharge head 9 to perform the droplet discharge operation.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control unit 8 includes information on an extension amount distribution generated in the recording medium P when the recording medium P is formed into a predetermined three-dimensional shape by the forming device 70, and the recording medium P. A creating unit 101 that creates a correlation with the correction amount of the droplets to be discharged is connected to a holding unit 102 that holds and stores the created correlation.

  The creation unit 101 uses, for example, three-dimensional data corresponding to a predetermined three-dimensional shape (hereinafter simply referred to as a three-dimensional shape) for forming the recording medium P in the forming apparatus 70, which is held in the control unit 8 or the holding unit 102. In order to predict the expansion amount distribution generated in the recording medium P during molding and to correct the color density change generated in the recording medium P due to the expansion amount distribution, the correction stored in the holding unit 102 in advance is performed. A correlation with the correction amount of the droplets discharged onto the recording medium P is created using a database relating to the amount. As the three-dimensional data, in this embodiment, CAD data of a mold used when the recording apparatus P is formed into a three-dimensional shape by the forming apparatus 70 is used.

  When ejecting droplets onto the recording medium P, the control unit 8 calls the droplet correction amount corresponding to the position where the droplets land from the database held in the holding unit 102, and serves as a discharge amount correcting unit. The amount of liquid droplets corrected with this correction amount is ejected.

Next, the operation of the molded printed material manufacturing apparatus MM will be described.
First, creation of the database by the creation unit 101 will be described.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a three-dimensional shape in which a protrusion 42 having a top surface 43 and an inclined surface 44 connecting the top surface (top) 43 and the flat surface 41 protrudes from the flat surface 41 of the base end portion 40. When the recording medium P is molded using the mold MD having the recording medium P, when the recording medium P is adsorbed on the surface of the mold MD, the recording medium P1 is projected at the protruding corner (edge portion) MD1 of the mold MD. Since P is locked, the recording medium P extends with the corner portion P as a base point.

At this time, in the location where the recording medium P is attracted to the inclined surface 44, the position closer to the corner MD <b> 1 extends with a larger extension amount according to the inclination angle θ with respect to the flat surface 41. Note that the extension amount L described here indicates an amount in which the portion which was the distance L1 before the adsorption to the mold MD becomes (L1 + L) after the adsorption and becomes longer than the original distance.
For example, the flat surface 41 that does not contact the projecting corner MD1 has an extension amount of zero, the extension amount at the corner MD1 (the maximum extension amount depending on the material of the recording medium P and the angle θ) is LX, and the inclined surface 44. Is the length LK, the extension amount L at the position of the distance d from the corner MD1 is expressed by the following equation.
L = − (LX / LK) × d + LX (1)
The extension amount LX in the corner MD1 is a value set by the angle θ, the Z position of the corner MD1 (distance from the flat surface 41), and the like, and is obtained in advance by experiments, simulations, and the like.

  When the recording medium P is stretched by the stretch amount L, the thickness becomes small and the density of the colorant decreases, so that the color becomes light. Therefore, in the present embodiment, correction is performed so as to increase the amount of the ultraviolet curable ink ejected to the portion corresponding to the size of the expansion amount L when the recording medium P is molded. Therefore, in this embodiment, based on the three-dimensional data of the three-dimensional shape in the mold MD, the distribution information of the expansion amount in the recording medium P when molded and the recording medium corresponding to the distribution information of the expansion amount A correlation with the information on the correction amount of the ink droplets ejected onto P is created and held in the holding unit 102 as a database relating to the correction amount of the droplets.

  Here, from the viewpoint of correcting the color density with high accuracy, correcting the discharge amount with the expansion amount L defined by the above equation (1) for each droplet discharge position discharged onto the recording medium P. However, since adjustment of the discharge amount involves a setting process such as increasing the amount of each droplet to be discharged or increasing the number of discharges, the setting process is performed when this setting process is performed at all droplet discharge positions. Will take longer. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the range in close contact with the inclined surface 44 in the recording medium P is divided into a plurality of divided areas A1 to A5, and the droplet discharge positions in each divided area A1 to A5. Is corrected with the same droplet correction amount. This division number is preferably selected as small as possible in consideration of the allowable value of color density.

  Further, in addition to the case where the recording medium P is in close contact with the inclined surface 44, the case where the recording medium P is in close contact with the flat surface connected to the corner MD1, for example, the top surface 43, is more than the case where the recording medium P is attracted to the inclined surface 44 by molding. Since it expands with a small value, information on the correction amount of the ink droplets ejected onto the recording medium P corresponding to the distribution information of the expansion amount also corresponds to the distribution information of the expansion amount in such a plane as in the case of being attracted to the inclined surface 44. Is created and stored in the holding unit 102 as a database relating to the correction amount of the droplets.

  Further, for example, since the expansion amount differs depending on the angle of the inclination angle θ, a plurality of correlations with the droplet correction amount are created, for example, every 5 degrees or every 10 degrees, and the database regarding the droplet correction amount is created. As shown in FIG. In addition to this, since the tolerance value regarding the density varies depending on the color of the ultraviolet curable ink, it is ejected to the recording medium P corresponding to the distribution information of the extension amount for each color of the ultraviolet curable ink. A correlation with the ink droplet correction amount information is created and stored in the storage unit 102 as a database relating to the droplet correction amount.

  Thus, when preparing a decorative sheet with the recording medium P by the droplet discharge device 1 in a state in which a database for correcting a defect caused by elongation occurring in the subsequent forming process is prepared, First, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, three-dimensional data is extracted from the mold MD used in the molding apparatus 70 (step S1). In this case, the creation unit 101 in the droplet discharge device 1 extracts the three-dimensional data. In this embodiment, the CAD data when the mold MD designed in advance in the holding unit 102 is designed is the three-dimensional data. As extracted.

Next, the creation unit 101 extracts data (X, Y, Z coordinate values) of the corner (vertex) MD1 from the three-dimensional data (step S2), and extracts the inclination angle θ from the extracted data (step S2). Step S3). Then, the creation unit 101 refers to the database held in the holding unit 102 (step S4), calls the obtained correction amount of the droplet corresponding to the inclination angle θ, the relative position of the corner MD1, and the like, Print data relating to the ejection amount at each droplet ejection position is corrected (step S5). Thereafter, the control unit 8 uses the corrected print data as a discharge amount correction unit to discharge and print a droplet of ultraviolet curable ink of the amount corrected by the correction amount from the droplet discharge head 9 ( Step S6).
When the ultraviolet curable ink is applied to the recording medium P, the control unit 8 irradiates the ultraviolet ray from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 12 to cure the ultraviolet curable ink to obtain a decorative sheet.

  The recording medium P produced as a decorative sheet is molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape using a mold MD in the molding machine device 70. At this time, the recording medium P is elongated with a distribution by the molding process. However, since the droplet discharge amount is corrected according to the distribution of the elongation amount in advance, the recording medium P is elongated by the molding process to reduce the thickness and the color density. However, since the amount of liquid droplets is increased in advance at the portion, the color density is the same as that at other portions, and the print quality is not deteriorated.

  Then, the recording medium P molded into a three-dimensional shape is inserted into a mold in the injection molding machine 80, and the synthetic resin melted into the mold is molded into the recording medium P and the synthetic resin integrated. The product is manufactured.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the correction amount of the droplets discharged to the recording medium P is stored as a database in correspondence with the information on the distribution of the expansion amount when the recording medium P is formed in a subsequent process. When the droplets are actually ejected, the above-mentioned database is used to correct the ejection amount. Therefore, even if the recording medium P after printing is formed into a three-dimensional shape, the print quality is not reduced without causing a decrease in color density. It becomes possible to improve. In particular, in the present embodiment, CAD data for designing the mold MD is used as the three-dimensional three-dimensional data, so that it is not necessary to create the three-dimensional data separately, which can contribute to the improvement of productivity.
Further, in the present embodiment, the inclined surface 44 is divided into a plurality of divided regions, and each divided region is corrected with the same droplet correction amount, so that the time required for setting the discharge amount can be shortened.

  As described above, the preferred embodiments according to the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the examples. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described examples are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the protrusion 42 in the mold MD is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the same applies to the recess, and an extension amount distribution is obtained in advance through experiments and simulations. What is necessary is just to correct | amend the droplet discharge amount in the said location so that the density change of the coloring agent accompanying the thickness fluctuation | variation of the recording medium P by quantity distribution may be compensated. Further, when the recording medium P is stretched in the negative direction (that is, contraction), the correction may be made so as to reduce the amount of ejected droplets, contrary to the positive stretching.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example using the ultraviolet curable ink has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the thermosetting ink is used as long as the molding process is performed in a subsequent process. It is also applicable to.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Droplet discharge apparatus, 8 ... Control part (discharge amount correction | amendment part), 40 ... Base end part, 43 ... Top surface (top part), 44 ... Inclined surface, 101 ... Creation part, 102 ... Holding part, A1-A5 ... divided area, P ... recording medium

Claims (14)

A droplet discharge device that discharges droplets onto a recording medium that is molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in a subsequent process,
Maintains the correlation between the information on the amount of elongation distribution in the recording medium when it is molded into the predetermined three-dimensional shape and the information on the amount of correction of the droplets ejected onto the recording medium corresponding to the amount of elongation. Holding part to
An ejection amount correction unit that corrects the amount of liquid droplets ejected to the recording medium based on the correlation held in the holding unit;
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising: The droplet discharge device according to claim 1,
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising: a creation unit that creates the correlation based on three-dimensional data corresponding to the predetermined three-dimensional shape. The droplet discharge device according to claim 2,
The liquid droplet ejection apparatus, wherein the three-dimensional data is CAD data. In the liquid droplet ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A plurality of the correlations are set according to the color of the droplets. In the liquid droplet ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A plurality of correlations are set according to an inclination angle of an inclined part connecting a base end part and a top part spaced apart from the base end part in the height direction. The droplet discharge device according to claim 5,
A divided region is set by dividing the inclined portion into a plurality according to the distance from the top,
The droplet discharge apparatus, wherein the droplet correction amount information is set for each of the divided regions. A molded printed matter manufacturing apparatus comprising: a droplet ejection device that ejects droplets onto a recording medium; and a molding device that molds the recording medium onto which the droplets are ejected into a predetermined three-dimensional shape,
A molded printed matter manufacturing apparatus, wherein the droplet discharging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used as the droplet discharging apparatus. A droplet discharge method including a discharge step of discharging droplets onto a recording medium that is molded into a predetermined three-dimensional shape in a subsequent step,
Creates a correlation between the information on the amount of expansion distribution in the recording medium when it is molded into the predetermined three-dimensional shape and the information on the amount of correction of the droplets discharged to the recording medium corresponding to the amount of expansion. Holding process to hold,
A correction step of correcting the amount of liquid droplets to be ejected to the recording medium based on the held correlation;
A droplet discharge method comprising: The droplet discharge method according to claim 8.
In the holding step, the correlation is created based on three-dimensional data corresponding to the predetermined three-dimensional shape. The droplet discharge method according to claim 9,
The droplet discharge method, wherein the three-dimensional data is CAD data. In the droplet discharge method according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
2. A droplet discharge method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of correlations are set according to the color of the droplet. In the droplet discharge method according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
2. The droplet discharge method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of correlations are set according to an inclination angle of an inclined portion connecting a base end portion and a top portion spaced apart from the base end portion in the height direction. The droplet discharge method according to claim 12,
Set a divided region that divides the inclined portion into a plurality according to the distance from the top,
A droplet discharge method, wherein information on a correction amount of the droplet is set for each of the divided regions. A method for producing a molded printed matter comprising: a droplet ejection step for ejecting droplets onto a recording medium; and a molding step for molding the recording medium onto which the droplets are ejected into a predetermined three-dimensional shape,
A method for producing a molded printed matter, wherein the droplet discharge method uses the droplet discharge method according to any one of claims 8 to 13.

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