JP2020069685A - Foil transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a foil transfer apparatus that can reduce the time required for transfer.SOLUTION: The foil transfer apparatus includes: a light generator that emits light; a conversion part that converts the light to conversion light that corresponds to the multiple pixels of a transfer image; and an irradiation part that irradiates a foil film with the conversion light.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a foil transfer device.

  A foil transfer device that transfers a foil film to the surface of a material to be processed by irradiating the foil film with a laser beam to form an image on the surface of the material to be processed is known as a prior art (Patent Document 1). ..

JP, 2018-069502, A

  In the above transfer device, a thin laser beam is irradiated onto the foil film, and the foil film is transferred pixel by pixel among the images to be transferred, thereby forming an image on the material to be processed. Since the transfer operation is performed pixel by pixel, it may take a long time to complete the transfer.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a foil transfer device capable of shortening the transfer time.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a light generator that emits light, a conversion unit that converts the light into converted light corresponding to a plurality of pixels of a transfer image, and irradiates the converted light toward a foil film. And a foil transfer device including:

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a foil transfer device capable of shortening the transfer time.

It is an appearance perspective view showing the foil transfer device concerning an embodiment. It is a left side view which shows typically the drive mechanism which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional connection of the foil transfer apparatus which concerns on embodiment. 3A and 3B are a schematic view of a transfer unit and a cross-sectional view of an LCOS device according to the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the condition of the transfer image of a foil film typically. It is (a) sectional drawing of the digital micromirror device which concerns on a modification, and (b) the enlarged view of the b frame part in FIG. 6 (a).

<Embodiment>
The foil transfer device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The foil transfer apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment scans the workpiece C on which the foil films F are stacked with a laser beam to transfer the foil film F to the workpiece C in a predetermined shape. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the foil transfer device 1 includes a housing 10, a control unit 20, a transfer unit 30, a left-right direction drive mechanism 40, a front-back direction drive mechanism 50, a vertical direction drive mechanism 60, a pressing unit 70, and The mounting part 80 and the light absorption part 90 are included. The foil transfer device 1 is communicatively connected to an external computer 2. The foil transfer device 1 itself may have the function of the computer 2. The foil film F is an example of the foil film in the present invention.

  The computer 2 creates data of a scanning path along the shape of a predetermined design (character outline, etc.) to be transferred to the workpiece C, and sends it to the foil transfer device 1. As the computer 2, for example, a general personal computer can be used. The process of creating the scanning path is executed by using a predetermined program preinstalled in the computer 2.

[Case]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 includes a base portion 12. The base unit 12 is provided with a power switch 11 electrically connected to the control unit 20. The left-right direction drive mechanism 40 is fixed to the upper surface of the base portion 12.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are determined. Specifically, the direction in which the power switch 11 is provided with respect to the base portion 12 is the front, and the opposite direction is the rear. In addition, the left and right directions are determined with reference to the case 10 viewed from the front. The side on which the housing 10 is arranged is the lower side of the left-right direction drive mechanism 40, and the opposite side is the upper side.

[Horizontal drive mechanism]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the horizontal drive mechanism 40 includes a horizontal drive shaft 41, a drive motor 42, a moving base 43, a support 44, and a pair of rails 45A and 45B. There is.

  The support base 44 is a plate member having a substantially rectangular shape in a top view, and is fixed to the top surface of the base portion 12. The pair of rails 45A and 45B are fixed to the upper surface of the support base 44. The rails 45A and 45B are elongated members each formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in the left-right direction, and extend in the left-right direction so as to be parallel to each other.

  The moving base 43 is a plate-shaped member that extends in the horizontal direction. On the moving base 43, four sliding parts 46, a screwing part 47, and a pair of rails 48A and 48B are installed. The sliding portions 46 are members each having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and are provided so as to extend downward from the corners of the lower surface of the moving base 43. A U-shaped recess is formed in the lower portion of each sliding portion 46 when viewed in the left-right direction, and engages with the rail 45A or the rail 45B and is slidably supported.

  The screwing portion 47 is a plate-shaped member formed so as to extend downward from the lower surface of the moving base 43. A through hole is formed at a substantially central portion of the screwing portion 47, and a female screw is cut to screw the driving shaft 41. The pair of rails 48A and 48B are long members formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the front-rear direction, extend in the front-rear direction so as to be parallel to each other, and are fixed to the upper surface of the moving base 43.

  The left-right drive shaft 41 is a shaft-shaped member extending in the left-right direction, and is helically threaded. Both ends of the left-right direction drive shaft 41 are rotatably supported by a support base 44. The drive motor 42 is fixed to the support base 44 and connected to the left end portion of the left-right direction drive shaft 41. The drive motor 42 is electrically connected to the control unit 20 (FIG. 3). The output shaft of the drive motor 42 is connected to the left-right drive shaft 41, and the left-right drive shaft 41 can be rotationally driven. When the drive motor 42 is driven, the left-right drive shaft 41 rotates, and the moving base 43 is driven left-right along the rails 45A and 45B.

[Front-back drive mechanism]
The front-rear drive mechanism 50 includes a front-rear drive shaft 51, a drive motor 52, and a slide base 54.

  The slide base 54 is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction. The slide base 54 is provided with four sliding parts 55 and a screwing part 56. The sliding portions 55 are members each having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and are provided so as to extend downward from a corner portion of the lower surface of the slide base 54. A U-shaped recess is formed in the lower portion of the sliding portion 55 when viewed in the front-rear direction, and is engaged with the rail 48A or the rail 48B to be slidably supported. The screwing portion 56 is a plate-shaped member formed so as to extend downward from the lower surface of the slide base 54. A through hole is formed and a female screw is formed in a substantially central portion of the screwing portion 56, and the screwing portion 56 is screwed with the front-rear drive shaft 51.

  The front-rear drive shaft 51 is rotatably provided on the moving base 43 so as to extend in the front-rear direction, and is helically threaded. The drive motor 52 is fixed to the front part of the moving base 43 and is electrically connected to the control unit 20 (FIG. 3). The output shaft of the drive motor 52 is connected to the rear end of the front-rear drive shaft 51, and the front-rear drive shaft 51 can be driven to rotate. When the drive motor 52 is driven, the front-rear drive shaft 51 rotates, and the slide base 54 moves in the front-rear direction along the rails 48A and 48B.

[Vertical drive mechanism]
The vertical drive mechanism 60 includes two supports 61 and a drive motor 62. Each of the supports 61 has a rod-shaped member 61A extending in the vertical direction and a cylindrical member 61B. The cylindrical member 61B is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The cylindrical member 61B extends in the vertical direction, and its lower portion is fixed to the upper surface of the slide base 54. A rod-shaped member 61A is loosely fitted in the hollow portion of the cylindrical member 61B so as to be vertically movable.

  The drive motor 62 has a main body portion 62A and an output portion 62B extending in the vertical direction. The main body portion 62A is fixed to a substantially central portion of the upper surface of the slide base 54, and is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction. The output portion 62B is supported by the main body portion 62A so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and projects upward from the upper end portion of the main body portion 62A (FIG. 2). The upper end of the output unit 62B is fixed to the mounting unit 80. The drive motor 62 can drive the output portion 62B in the vertical direction. When the drive motor 62 is driven, the output section 62B moves in the vertical direction, and accordingly, the mounting section 80 moves in the vertical direction.

[Transfer part]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the casing 10 is provided with a transfer unit 30. The transfer unit 30 includes a laser oscillator 31, a projection unit 32, an optical fiber 33, and a support 36.

  The laser oscillator 31 is a semiconductor laser oscillator (FIG. 4A). The laser oscillator 31 is installed inside the base unit 12. By passing a predetermined current through the laser oscillator 31, laser light is oscillated from the laser oscillator 31. The laser oscillator 31 has, for example, a wavelength of 450 nm and a maximum output of 1 W. The laser oscillator 31 is not limited to the semiconductor laser and may be a solid-state laser or a gas laser. The laser oscillator 31 is an example of the light generator in the present invention.

  The projection unit 32 is supported above the base unit 12 via a rod-shaped support 36 extending vertically. The projection unit 32 is connected to the laser oscillator 31 via an optical fiber 33, as shown in FIG. The projection unit 32 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a hollow casing, and holds the LCOS device 34 therein. The projection unit 32 includes an irradiation unit 35 at the bottom thereof.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the LCOS device 34 includes a flat silicon substrate 341, a plurality of pixel electrodes 342 formed on the silicon substrate 341, and a liquid crystal layer 343 formed on the pixel electrodes 342. A transparent electrode 344 disposed on the liquid crystal layer 343 and a glass substrate 345 covering the transparent electrode 344 are provided. LCOS is an abbreviation for Liquid Crystal on Silicon and is also called a reflective liquid crystal element. The LCOS device 34 is electrically connected to the control unit 20 (FIG. 3). The LCOS device 34 receives a voltage supply from the control unit 20 and applies a voltage to each pixel electrode 342. The LCOS device 34 is an example of the conversion unit in the present invention.

  The pixel electrode 342 is a conductive substantially rectangular plate-shaped member. The pixel electrode 342 is made of aluminum and has a smooth upper surface and reflects light. A plurality of pixel electrodes 342 are arranged in a rectangular shape on the silicon substrate 341, and each of them forms a pixel for image transfer. It is possible to individually and independently control the potentials of the pixel electrodes 342.

  The laser light incident on the LCOS device 34 is reflected by the pixel electrode 342 and projected to the outside as reflected light. The reflectance of each pixel in the LCOS device 34 is controlled by controlling the potential of the pixel electrode 342. Specifically, by adjusting the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 342, the state of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 343 sandwiched between the transparent electrode 344 and the pixel electrode 342 changes, and the light reflected and reflected by the pixel electrode 342 is changed. The phase of is adjusted. The control method may be an analog method or a digital method, but in this embodiment, a digital control method is used.

  In the digital method, the phase of the reflected light reflected by the LCOS device 34 can be adjusted for each pixel by controlling the pulse width of the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 342 per unit time. The LCOS device 34 according to the present embodiment reflects light in the ON state where a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 342, and does not reflect light in the OFF state where no voltage is applied. By controlling the pulse width of the voltage applied to the LCOS device 34, the time ratio of the ON state can be controlled and the phase of the reflected light can be adjusted. The phase can be arbitrarily set according to transfer conditions such as 256 gradations and 512 gradations. Note that, conversely to the above, light may not be reflected when a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 342, and light may be reflected when a voltage is not applied to the pixel electrode 342.

  The irradiation unit 35 includes a lens 35A and a cylindrical member 35B that supports the lens 35A and extends vertically. The cylindrical member 35B is composed of a thin cylindrical member and communicates with the hollow portion of the projection unit 32.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the lens 35A is made of a material that can transmit laser light. The shape of the lens 35A is not limited to the lens shape, and may be spherical or hemispherical. The laser light oscillated from the laser oscillator 31 is transmitted to the projection unit 32 via the optical fiber 33. Inside the projection unit 32, the laser light emitted from the end of the optical fiber 33 is reflected by the LCOS device 34. The reflected light is emitted to the outside of the projection unit 32 as the irradiation light L via the lens 35A provided in the irradiation unit 35. The reflected light and the irradiation light L are examples of the converted light in the present invention.

[Control part]
The entire operation of the foil transfer device 1 is controlled by the control unit 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 20 is communicably connected to the transfer unit 30, the left-right direction drive mechanism 40, the front-rear direction drive mechanism 50, and the up-down direction drive mechanism 60, and controls them. Although the configuration of the control unit 20 is not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, a ROM that stores a program, a CPU that executes the program, a RAM that provides a work area in the processing by the CPU, and a non-volatile memory are various types. It mainly comprises an NVRAM for storing data.

  The control unit 20 has a function of controlling the LCOS device 34 and adjusting the phase of the pixel in the foil transfer. The control unit 20 analyzes the phase for each pixel, applies a voltage to each pixel electrode 342 based on the analysis result, and controls the pulse width of the applied voltage.

[Mounting part, pressing part, light absorbing part]
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the mounting portion 80 includes a pedestal 81 having a substantially flat plate shape supported by the vertical drive mechanism 60, and a fixture 82 detachably fixed to the pedestal 81. The fixture 82 has a function of immovably fixing the workpiece C to the pedestal 81 by holding the workpiece C from the left and right. The foil film F and the light absorbing portion 90 can be placed above the work material C.

  The light absorbing section 90 is made of a light absorbing film. The light absorbing film has a function of absorbing light rays such as laser light. The work material C is a member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped casing. The casing of the work material C is made of resin or metal. As the foil film F, hologram foil, metallic foil, half mirror metallic foil, pigment foil, multicolor printing foil, or the like is adopted.

  The pressing portion 70 can be placed above the light absorbing portion 90. The pressing portion 70 is a plate-shaped transparent glass member capable of transmitting light. The pressing portion 70 is placed on the light absorbing portion 90, and presses the light absorbing portion 90 and the foil film F from above by using its own weight, so that the light absorbing portion 90 and the foil film F are sandwiched between the workpiece C and fixed. It has a function.

[Transfer processing]
Details of processing when the foil film F is transferred to the workpiece C by using the foil transfer device 1 will be described in detail below. The user mounts the workpiece C on the upper surface of the pedestal 81 and uses the fixture 82 to immovably fix it to the mounting portion 80. Further, the foil film F and the light absorbing portion 90 are placed so as to cover the material C to be processed. Next, the user places the pressing portion 70 on the light absorbing portion 90 to install and fix the foil film F and the light absorbing portion 90 so that they cannot move relative to the workpiece C. ..

  For easier understanding, a case where an image having the same shape as the region R1 on the foil film F is transferred to the region R2 on the workpiece C will be described as shown in FIG.

  When the installation of the work material C, the foil film F, and the light absorbing section 90 is completed, the user inputs a predetermined image to be transferred using the computer 2 and instructs the control section 20 to start the transfer process. To do.

  Upon receiving an instruction from the user, the control unit 20 analyzes the shape, pattern, and phase of the image. The control unit 20 adjusts the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 342 for each pixel based on the analysis result. The voltage applied to the pixel electrode 342 is a pulse voltage, and the control unit 20 controls the phase of the reflected light in the LCOS device 34 for each pixel by controlling the pulse width of the voltage.

  The laser light incident on the LCOS device 34 is reflected by the pixel electrode 342 as reflected light corresponding to a plurality of pixels. At that time, the phase of the reflected light is adjusted for each pixel by the liquid crystal layer 343. The irradiation unit 35 adjusts the focal point of the reflected light and irradiates it as irradiation light L to the outside of the projection unit 32.

  At the same time, the control unit 20 analyzes the position on the workpiece C where the image should be transferred. The control unit 20 controls the left-right direction drive mechanism 40, the front-rear direction drive mechanism 50, and the up-down direction drive mechanism 60 based on the analysis result, so that the workpiece C and the irradiation light L projected from the irradiation unit 35 are separated. Adjust the relative position.

  The irradiation light L emitted from the irradiation unit 35 is applied to the rectangular region G1a of the foil film F via the light absorption unit 90. The rectangular region G1a irradiated with the laser light is heated and transferred to the region G1b of the workpiece C.

  Next, the control unit 20 performs the transfer operation of the area of the image to be transferred, which has not been transferred yet, in the same procedure as described above. For example, after finishing transferring the rectangular area G1a, the control unit 20 performs the transfer operation of the rectangular area G2b adjacent to the rectangular area G1a in the same procedure as described above. In this way, the control unit 20 sequentially repeats the transfer operation for each fixed area including a plurality of pixels, and finally completes the transfer of the entire area R1, that is, the entire image.

  In the above transfer operation, since the irradiation light L corresponds to a plurality of pixels, a certain area of the foil film F, such as the rectangular area G1a, can be transferred onto the workpiece C at the same time. Since the phase is adjusted for each pixel, it is possible to perform transfer at once even in a region including a plurality of pixels having different gradations. Since it is possible to perform the transfer operation on a plurality of pixels at the same time, the transfer operation is performed more quickly than in the case where the transfer is performed pixel by pixel.

  The pressing portion 70 presses the light absorbing portion 90 and the foil film F, and holds them relative to the material C to be processed. Therefore, it is not necessary for the irradiation section 35, particularly the lens 35A, to press the light absorbing section 90 and the foil film F against the workpiece C during the transfer operation. Since there is no contact between the lens 35A and other members, the irradiation unit 35 and the lens 35A are prevented from being worn. Therefore, it is not necessary to regularly replace the lens 35A and the like as in the conventional case.

  Further, since it is unnecessary to press the irradiation portion 35 against the work material C, a biasing member such as a spring that biases the lens 35A toward the work material C is unnecessary. Therefore, the foil transfer device 1 can be simplified and downsized as compared with the conventional one.

  The mounting unit 80 and the irradiation unit 35 are relatively movable in three dimensions. Therefore, even if the surface of the workpiece C is not flat, the transfer operation can be performed along the surface shape of the workpiece C.

<Modification>
Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which only the mounting portion 80 moves has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. That is, a foil transfer may be performed by connecting a drive mechanism to the projection unit 32 and moving the projection unit 32 in the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the vertical direction. Alternatively, both the projection unit 32 and the mounting unit 80 may be moved.

  The conversion unit in the present invention is not limited to the configuration using the LCOS device 34. As shown in the modified example of FIG. 6, a DMD 39 (digital micromirror device) may be used as the conversion unit. The DMD 39 has a substrate 391, and a plurality of independently controllable rectangular reflecting mirrors 392 are arranged on the substrate 391. The control unit 20 can control the gradation of the reflected light for each pixel by individually controlling the operations of the reflecting mirrors 392.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6B, the DMD 39 changes the direction of the reflected light by changing the angle of the reflecting mirror 392, passes through the lens 35A, and is emitted to the outside as the irradiation light L. It can be either (solid line) or light that does not pass through the lens 35A (dashed line). The control unit 20 controls the pulse width of the voltage to change the angle of the reflecting mirror 392 at a high speed, and adjusts the time ratio of the reflected light passing through the lens 35A, thereby controlling the gradation of the pixel.

  Although the LCOS device 34 is controlled by the digital method in the present embodiment, an analog method may be used for controlling the LCOS device 34. In this case, the control unit 20 controls the reflectance and the phase of each pixel by individually adjusting the strength of the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 342.

  The irradiation unit 35 is an example of the irradiation unit in the present invention. The irradiating unit 35 may have a configuration capable of irradiating the irradiation light L to the outside of the projecting unit. Therefore, the present invention does not limit the number and shape of the lenses of the irradiation unit 35, and the irradiation unit 35 does not necessarily have to include the lenses.

  The material of the material to be processed in the present invention is not limited to resin, and may be formed of other materials such as metal and pottery. Further, the shape of the casing of the material to be processed in the present invention is not limited to the rectangular parallelepiped shape as in the present embodiment, and each side surface may be curved.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the laser oscillator 31 is used as the light generator for performing the transfer is described, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a light emitting diode can be used instead of the laser oscillator 31. It is also possible to perform the transfer process without using the light absorbing section 90.

<Effect>
(Structure and effect of claim 1) As described above, in the foil transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment or the modified example, the laser oscillator 31 that emits the laser light and the laser light is converted into the light corresponding to the plurality of pixels of the transferred image. The LCOS device 34 or DMD 39 for conversion and the irradiation unit 35 for irradiating the foil film F with light are provided.

  In the foil transfer device 1 having the above-described configuration, since a certain area including a plurality of pixels can be transferred at the same time, it is possible to perform the transfer work more quickly than when transferring each pixel one by one.

  (Structures and Effects of Claims 2 and 3) The foil transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment has the LCOS device 34. Further, the foil transfer device 1 in the present embodiment includes the control unit 20 that controls the reflectance of the LCOS device 34.

  In the foil transfer device 1 having the above structure, the phase adjustment can be easily performed by using the LCOS device 34. Particularly, unlike the configuration in which the output of the laser oscillator 31 is controlled, the control unit 20 can simultaneously execute phase adjustment for a plurality of pixels.

  (Structure and Effect of Claim 4) The foil transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the mounting portion 80 on which the workpiece C and the foil film F are mounted so as to be movable in the three-dimensional direction.

  In the above configuration, since the placing section 80 moves, it is not necessary to move the irradiation section 35. Further, the transfer operation can be executed along the three-dimensional shape of the work material C. Therefore, defects such as uneven transfer are reduced or prevented.

  (Structure and Effect of Claim 5) The foil transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the light absorbing portion 90 that absorbs light. In addition, the irradiation unit 35 irradiates the foil film F with the irradiation light L via the light absorption unit 90.

  According to the above configuration, the light absorbing portion 90 makes the light absorption rate on the foil film F uniform, and the heat supplied to the foil film F can be made uniform at the transfer portion. Therefore, even if the light absorptance of the foil surface varies depending on the part, the transfer unevenness is reduced or prevented.

  (Structure and Effect of Claim 6) The foil transfer device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a pressing portion 70 that transmits light and can press the light absorbing portion 90 and the foil film F against the workpiece C.

  In the above-mentioned structure, it is not necessary for the irradiation section 35 to press the foil film F toward the workpiece C as in the conventional case. Therefore, wear of the irradiation unit 35 is prevented.

  The above embodiment is presented as an example of the invention and does not limit the scope of the invention. The above configuration can be variously omitted, replaced, and changed without departing from the gist of the invention. The above-described embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof as well as included in the scope and the gist of the invention.

1 foil transfer device 2 computer 10 housing 20 control unit 30 transfer unit 31 laser oscillator 32 projection unit 34 LCOS device 35 irradiation unit 40 left-right direction drive mechanism 50 front-rear direction drive mechanism 60 up-down direction drive mechanism 70 pressing unit 80 mounting unit 90 Light absorbing part C Workpiece material F Hologram foil

Claims (6)

A light generator that emits light,
A conversion unit that converts the light into converted light corresponding to a plurality of pixels of the transferred image;
A foil transfer device comprising: an irradiation unit that irradiates the converted light toward a foil film.   The foil transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit includes an LCOS device.   The foil transfer device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit that controls the reflectance of the LCOS device for each pixel according to the gradation of the plurality of pixels.   The foil transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a mounting portion that mounts the material to be processed and the foil film so as to be movable in a three-dimensional direction. Further comprising a light absorbing portion for absorbing the light,
The foil transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit irradiates the foil film with the converted light via the light absorption unit.   The foil transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising a pressing portion that transmits the light and presses the foil film against the material to be processed.

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