JP2020178925A - Method for forming nail printing and nail printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method for forming nail printing for performing excellent nail printing, and a nail printing device.SOLUTION: In a method for forming nail printing, a second base coat layer B2 is formed by using a nail printing device in a printing target region in a region of a nail T which is located on a first base coat layer B1 formed on an entire surface of the nail T and is set in accordance with a design. On an ink receiving layer W formed on the second base coat layer B2, a design layer D is formed by using the nail printing device based on printing data created in accordance with the design. The first base coat layer B1 has water-repellency higher than that of the second base coat layer B2 and has a property of repelling a pre-printing agent forming the ink receiving layer W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a nail print forming method and a nail print apparatus.

Conventionally, a printing device (nail printing device) that prints a nail design on a fingernail or the like is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
According to such a device, a desired nail design can be applied to the nail by using a nail printing device without using a nail salon or the like.

Special Table 2003-534083

However, the conventional nail printing apparatus as disclosed in Patent Document 1 only prints a nail design, and a base coat or the like to be applied to the range where the nail print is applied on the nail as a step before the nail design is applied. Was not intended to be printed. For this reason, the base coat may protrude depending on the method of application by the user, and there is a risk that a beautiful finish may not be obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a nail print forming method and a nail printing apparatus capable of performing good nail printing.

In order to solve the above problems, the nail print forming method of the present invention is used.
A second base coat layer is formed on the first base coat layer formed on the entire surface of the nail by using a nail printing device in a print target area in the nail area, which is set according to the design. And
The design layer is formed on the receiving layer formed on the second base coat layer by using the nail printing apparatus based on the printing data generated according to the design.
The first base coat layer has a higher water repellency than the second base coat layer, and is characterized by having a property of repelling the liquid forming the receiving layer.

According to the present invention, good nail printing can be performed.

(A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the nail before the treatment, and (b) is a plan view showing the nail in the state of (a) and the fingers around the nail. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nail on which the first base coat layer is formed, and (b) is a plan view showing the nail in the state of (a) and the fingers around the nail. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nail in which a second base coat layer is formed on a first base coat layer, and (b) shows a nail in the state of (a) and a finger around the nail. It is a plan view. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nail coated with a preprint agent, and (b) is a plan view showing the nail in the state of (a) and fingers around the nail. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nail showing a state in which the ink receiving layer rests on the second base coat layer, and (b) shows the nail in the state of (a) and the fingers around the nail. It is a plan view which shows. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nail in which a design layer is formed on an ink receiving layer, and (b) is a plan view showing a nail in the state of (a) and a finger around the nail. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the nail printing apparatus in this embodiment. It is a perspective view which showed the structure of the main part inside by removing the housing from the nail printing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the main part which shows the control structure of the nail printing apparatus of this embodiment. (A) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the print head is in the home position, (b) is a schematic diagram showing how the print head forms an ink receiving layer on the nail, and (c) is a schematic diagram. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which the design layer is formed on the nail by the print head, and (d) is the schematic diagram which shows the state which the print head is in a maintenance area.

A nail print forming method according to the present invention and an embodiment of a nail print device used therefor will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 (a) to 10 (d).
Although the embodiments described below are provided with various technically preferable limitations for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

The nail print forming method of the present embodiment forms a nail print by forming a plurality of layers on the surface of the nail T (see FIG. 1A and the like) as described in detail below.
1 (a) and 1 (b) to 6 (a) and 6 (b) show the step-by-step formation process of each layer.
In the present embodiment, the case where the nail print is applied to the nail T of the finger U of the hand (see FIG. 1B, etc.) is taken as an example, but the method of forming the nail print in the present invention is the nail T of the finger U of the hand. It is not limited to the case where it is applied to, for example, when nail printing is applied to the nail T of the toe U. Further, the object to which the nail print is applied is not limited to the human nail T. For example, objects other than the human nail T, such as artificially formed nail tips and the surfaces of various accessories, may be printed.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) to 6 (a) and 6 (b), the surface of the nail T has a first base coat layer B1 and a second base coat. At least four layers of layer B2, a receiving layer (hereinafter referred to as “ink receiving layer W”), and a design layer D are formed.
Of these, the first base coat layer B1 and the ink receiving layer W are formed by being manually applied by a user or the like using a brush, a brush, or the like (not shown), and the second base coat layer B2 and the design layer are formed. D is automatically formed by the nail printing device 1 described later.
First, each of the above layers will be specifically described below.

The uncoated nail T (see FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b)) before the treatment has almost the same color as the skin of the finger U around the nail T, as shown in FIG. 1 (b). I'm doing
In the nail print forming method of the present embodiment, the first base coat layer B1 is first formed on the surface of such a nail T (see FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b)).
The first base coat layer B1 is formed by applying a first base coat agent which is a film forming agent of the same material as the base coat agent generally used for nails.

In the present embodiment, the first base coat layer B1 is formed to protect the nail T and at the same time improve the adhesion of the second base coat layer B2, and the user manually performs the first base coat agent. Is formed on the entire surface of the nail T by applying.
The first base coating agent is, for example, a substantially transparent liquid composed mainly of nitrocellulose and a volatile solvent component (for example, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, etc.).
The composition of the first base coating agent is preferably a nitrocellulose-based hard coating agent, but the composition is not limited to those exemplified here, and the optimum material can be appropriately blended in the optimum distribution.

The second base coat layer B2 is above the first base coat layer B1 and is a nail print described later in a print target area set according to a design selected by the user (hereinafter, also referred to as “nail design”). It is formed using the device 1.
For example, FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) illustrate a case where the nail design is a French nail applied only to the tip portion of the nail T. In this case, only the portion of the toe where the nail print is applied becomes the print target area, and the second base coat layer B2 is formed in this range. When the nail design is applied to the entire nail T, the entire region of the nail T is the print target region, so that the range for forming the second base coat layer B2 is the first base coat layer B1. Similarly, it becomes the entire region of the nail T.

The nail printing device 1 of the present embodiment prints by an inkjet method as described later, and the second base coat layer B2 can be ejected and landed from an inkjet printing head 41 (41b, see FIG. 2). It is formed with a second base coating agent.
If the viscosity of the second base coating agent is too high, it becomes difficult to eject the second base coating agent from the print head 41 by an inkjet method. Further, if there is no surface tension to some extent, it becomes difficult to fly as a droplet, and even if it flies, it scatters and it is difficult to land at a desired position.
In addition, the second base coat agent forms a second base coat layer B2 on the first base coat layer B1. Therefore, the second base coat agent has good wettability even on the first base coat layer B1, is ejected from the print head 41, and after landing on the first base coat layer B1, landed without agglomerating. It is necessary to form a second basecoat layer B2 at the position.

As described above, since the second base coat agent must be capable of printing on the first base coat layer B1 by the inkjet type print head 41, those satisfying the following conditions are selected.
That is, a viscosity of 1 to 4 mPa · s, preferably 2 mPa · s, and a surface tension of 10 to 40 mN / m, preferably 25 mN / m is applied as the second base coating agent.
Specifically, the second base coating agent is composed of inorganic particles (for example, colloidal silica) containing water as a dispersant, and is formed of an aqueous liquid (preprint agent described later) after coating. Those having a function of receiving (adsorbing) the ink receiving layer W are used.

Next, the ink receiving layer W is formed by manually applying a preprinting agent on the second base coat layer B2 after the second base coat layer B2 is formed by the nail printing device 1. The ink receiving layer W has high water absorption for receiving the water-soluble ink forming the design layer D described later.
Specifically, the ink receiving layer W is a film formed of a PVC (polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) -based aqueous preprint agent containing water as a main component.
Further, in the present embodiment, the preprinting agent forming the ink receiving layer W contains a dye such as white, pigments and other additives such as titanium oxide, and is formed by applying the preprinting agent. The ink receiving layer W has a color different from that of the skin of the finger U such as white.
The ink receiving layer W formed by applying the preprinting agent has a brightness, lightness, hue, etc. that are different from those of the skin of the finger U, and is a color that does not impair the subsequent color development of the design layer D. It is sufficient, and it is not limited to white.

In order to print the nail design selected by the user with the nail printing device 1 to form the design layer D, it is necessary to accurately detect the area to be printed (printing target area). However, as described above, it is difficult to distinguish the nail T from the color of the surrounding skin such as the finger U in the state where nothing is applied (see FIGS. 1A and 1B).
In this respect, by applying a preprinting agent having a color different from that of the skin of the finger U to the print target area to form the ink receiving layer W, it becomes easy to distinguish the print target area from the area other than the print target area. Here, the "area other than the print target area" is the skin of the finger U around the nail T when the nail design is applied to the entire nail T, and when the nail design is applied to a part of the nail T. The unprinted area of the nail T and the skin of the finger U around the nail T.
That is, in the present embodiment, the region (print target region) where the ink receiving layer W is formed by applying the preprint agent has a color different from that of the skin of the finger U or the like. Therefore, when a finger U including the nail T is photographed by a photographing device 51 (see FIG. 9) such as a camera described later, the brightness, brightness, hue, etc. of the photographed image acquired by the photographing device 51 are analyzed. , The print target area on which the ink receiving layer W is formed can be clearly distinguished from the other portion, and the print target area can be detected accurately.
The first base coat agent forming the first base coat layer B1 is a colorless and transparent base coat agent generally used for nails. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly distinguish the print target area when forming the second base coat layer B2 on the first base coat layer B1 by using the nail printing device 1 from the portion other than the print target area.
However, the purpose of forming the second base coat layer B2 is to prevent the appearance from being spoiled by applying the preprinting agent to the outside of the area (printing target area) where the nail design desired by the user is applied, like a French nail. In the case of a design in which only a part of the nail is applied, the width and shape of the application are made equal to achieve a beautiful finish. Therefore, it is sufficient that the above object can be achieved when forming the second base coat layer B2, and it is not necessary to detect the print target area as accurately as when printing the nail design.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the first base coat layer B1 is formed of the nitrocellulose-based hard coat agent (first base coat agent), whereas the second base coat layer B2 is formed. It is formed of a highly water-absorbent coating agent (second base coating agent) containing colloidal silica as a component.
Therefore, the first base coat layer B1 has higher water repellency than the second base coat layer B2, and has a property of repelling the liquid forming the ink receiving layer W.
That is, the preprint agent forming the ink receiving layer W is hard to get wet on the first base coat layer B1 and does not soak into the first base coat layer B1 and fix it, but is gathered in a spherical shape by the surface tension of the liquid. ..
On the other hand, since the second base coat layer B2 has high water absorption, the preprint agent is easily wetted and easily adsorbed on the second base coat layer B2.
In the present embodiment, due to the difference in water repellency and wettability between the first base coat layer B1 and the second base coat layer B2, the ink receiving layer W is placed only on the second base coat layer B2. It has become.

The range in which the nail design is finally printed is defined in the range in which the ink receiving layer W is formed (the range detected as the print target area).
Therefore, if the ink receiving layer W is not applied in the correct range, printing cannot be performed in an appropriate range.
For example, when the nail design is a French nail and the design is applied only to the tip portion of the nail T, the second base coat layer B2 printed by the nail printing device 1 is correctly formed in a range corresponding to the design. On the other hand, since the preprint agent forming the ink receiving layer W is manually applied by the user, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the first preprinting agent exceeds the range to be originally applied. In some cases, it may spread over the base coat layer B1.
Even in such a case, the preprinting agent on the first base coat layer B1 does not soak into the preprinting agent, but naturally gathers due to surface tension and is attracted onto the second base coat layer B2. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the range in which the second base coat layer B2, which is the correct coating range, is formed (printed mechanically and accurately by the nail printing device 1). The ink receiving layer W is formed in the range).

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the design layer D is formed on the ink receiving layer W, and is formed by the nail printing device 1.
Specifically, it is formed by printing with a water-soluble ink on the ink receiving layer W using the nail printing device 1 based on the printing data generated according to the nail design or the like.

Here, the nail printing apparatus 1 used for forming the second base coat layer B2 and the design layer D in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the nail printing device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part inside by removing the housing from the nail printing device. FIG. 9 is a main block diagram showing a control configuration of the nail printing device of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the nail printing device 1 in the present embodiment includes a housing 2 formed in a substantially box shape.
Although not shown in FIG. 7, an operation unit 22 including various switch buttons is provided on the upper surface (top plate) of the housing 2 (see FIG. 9).
Although not shown, a display unit or the like may be provided.
Further, the front side of the housing 2 (the front side in FIG. 7), and the lower side of the nail printing device 1 corresponds to a nail to be printed during shooting by the nail printing device 1 or printing operation by the printing unit 40. An opening 21 is formed to be inserted into the apparatus for inserting a finger to be printed or a finger to be not printed to be kept on standby.
As shown in FIG. 8, the apparatus main body including the base 10 and the like is arranged inside the housing 2.
That is, a base 10 in which various internal structures are incorporated is provided in the housing 2, which is the front side of the base 20 on the upper surface of the base 20 (the front side in the Y direction in FIG. 8) of the device. A finger fixing portion 3 is arranged at a substantially central portion in the width direction (X direction in FIG. 8).

The finger fixing portion 3 has a mechanism for stably holding the finger U having the nail T to be printed.
The finger fixing portion 3 is a box-shaped member having an opening 31 on the front side of the device, and a finger fixing member 32 for fixing the finger is arranged inside the finger fixing portion 3.
The finger fixing member 32 pushes up and supports the finger U from below, and is made of, for example, a flexible resin or the like. In the present embodiment, the finger fixing member 32 has a shape in which the substantially central portion in the width direction is recessed, and when the finger is placed on the finger fixing member 32, the finger fixing member 32 presses the pad of the finger. In response, it is possible to prevent the fingers from rattling in the device width direction (X direction in FIGS. 7 and 8).
The back side of the top surface of the finger fixing portion 3 is an opening window portion 33. The claw T of the finger U inserted into the finger fixing portion 3 is exposed from the window portion 33.
Further, the front side of the top surface of the finger fixing portion 3 is a finger pressing portion 34 that prevents the finger from rising and regulates the upward position of the finger U.
Further, in the present embodiment, a nail mounting portion 35 is provided on the back side in the finger insertion direction to mount the tip portion of the nail T to be printed and regulate the position of the nail T in the height direction. There is. By placing the tip of the claw T on the upper surface of the claw mounting portion 35, the position of the claw T in the horizontal direction (that is, the X direction and the Y direction) is defined, and the position in the height direction thereof is also regulated. To.
The finger fixing portion 3 may be detachably configured so that it can be removed from the inside of the device.

The right side behind the device on the upper surface 20 of the base (the right side in the X direction in FIG. 8) is the home position where the print head 41 stands by when the printing operation is not performed. A cap mechanism 6 (see FIGS. 10 (a) to 10 (d)) including a cap portion 61 and the like is provided at the home position to cap the ink ejection surface of the print head 41 in the standby state (not shown). The ink ejection surface is designed to be protected from drying and the like.
As will be described later, the nail printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes two types of printing heads (first head 41a and second head 41b) having different types of ink to be ejected. Therefore, two cap portions 61 (first cap portion 61a and second cap portion 61b) are provided corresponding to the print heads 41a and 41b. As described above, since the cap portions 61a and 61b corresponding to the print head 41 are prepared, the ink remaining on the ink ejection surface of the print head 41a and 41b when the ink ejection surface is capped is mixed and the ink is ejected. It is possible to avoid problems such as soiling the surface.

Further, a maintenance mechanism 7 is provided on the left side behind the device (left side in the X direction in FIG. 8) on the upper surface 20 of the base. The maintenance mechanism 7 cleans the ink ejection surface of the print head 41, and is provided with a purge portion 71 that performs a purge (spit) process and a wipe portion 72 that wipes the ink ejection surface 411. As described above, the nail printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes two types of printing heads (first head 41a and second head 41b) having different types of ink to be ejected. For this reason, two wipe portions 72 are also provided (first wipe portion 72a and second wipe portion 72b) corresponding to the print heads 41a and 41b. As described above, since the wipe portions 72a and 72b corresponding to the print head 41 are prepared, the ink discharged from the print heads 41a and 41b is mixed when the ink ejection surface is wiped, and the ink ejection surface is rather polluted. It is possible to avoid problems such as printing.
Further, the maintenance mechanism 7 is provided with a scrape portion 73 that contacts the wipe portion 72 after wiping the ink ejection surface 411 to scrape off the ink and the like adhering to and remaining on the wipe portion 72.
Further, a partition plate 12 is arranged on the lower side (back side) of the upper surface 20 of the base. The partition plate 12 of the present embodiment is formed with a finger insertion portion 121 formed in a concave or hole shape. The space between the partition plate 12 and the upper surface 20 of the base is a finger waiting portion 120 for holding a finger or the like other than the finger U during printing. During printing, the non-printing finger that the user is waiting for is inserted into the finger waiting portion 120, and the fingertip is appropriately inserted into the finger insertion portion 121, so that the non-printing finger can be kept in a stable state without difficulty. The finger standby portion 120 is provided at a position that does not interfere with the finger fixing portion 3, the cap mechanism 6, and the maintenance mechanism 7.

Further, inside the housing 2, a printing unit 40 for printing on the print target area is provided. In the present embodiment, the print target area is an area on the surface of the nail T where nail print is applied.
The printing unit 40 moves the print head 41, the head carriage 42 supporting the print head 41, and the print head 41 in the X direction (X direction in FIGS. 7 and 8 and the left-right direction of the nail printing device 1). The X-direction moving motor 46 (see FIG. 9) constituting the directional moving mechanism 45, and the Y direction for moving the print head 41 in the Y direction (Y direction in FIGS. 7 and 8 and the front-back direction of the nail printing device 1). It is equipped with a Y-direction moving motor 48 (see FIG. 9) and the like that constitute the moving mechanism 47.
In the present embodiment, the print head 41 (head carriage 42 that supports the print head 41) is configured to be movable by the X-direction moving mechanism 45 and the Y-direction moving mechanism 47.

The printing head 41 of the present embodiment is an inkjet head that prints on a nail by ejecting water-soluble ink by an inkjet method.
The print head 41 is an ink cartridge integrated type in which an ink cartridge (not shown) corresponding to ink and an ink ejection surface (not shown) provided on a surface of each ink cartridge facing a printing target (surface of a claw T) are integrally formed. The head of. On the ink ejection surface, ejection ports (ink ejection ports, not shown) of a nozzle array composed of a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed in a row. The print head 41 atomizes the ink and sprays the ink directly from the ink ejection surface (ink ejection port on the ink ejection surface) onto the surface of the nail T to perform printing.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the head carriage 42 is equipped with the first head 41a and the second head 41b as the print head 41.
The first head 41a is a first printing unit that ejects color ink or the like forming the design layer D.
The first head 41a forms the design layer D by ejecting water-soluble inks of each color of yellow (Y; YELLOW), magenta (M; MAGENTA), and cyan (C; CYAN), for example. The first head 41a is not limited to the one that ejects the above three colors of ink. An ink cartridge for storing other ink and an ink ejection port may be provided.

..
The second head 41b is a second printing unit that discharges a liquid (second base coating agent) that forms the second base coat layer B2.
The second head 41b forms the second base coat layer B2 by ejecting the second base coat agent onto the print target area on the first base coat layer B1 and determined according to the design. ..
The first head 41a and the second head 41b may have the same configuration except that the types of liquids stored inside and discharged during the printing operation are different, or the types of liquids to be discharged (viscosity and inclusions of the liquid). The configuration of the ink ejection port may be different depending on the particle size and the like.

In the present embodiment, the head moving mechanism 49 (see FIG. 9) capable of moving the print head 41 in the X and Y directions on the XY plane is configured by the X direction moving motor 46, the Y direction moving motor 48, and the like. The operation of the head moving mechanism 49 is controlled by a control device 80 (particularly, a print control unit 814) described later.

Further, in the present embodiment, the photographing unit 50 (see FIG. 9) is provided at a position in the housing 2 where the finger U and the nail T fixed to the finger fixing portion 3 can be photographed. The position where the photographing unit 50 is provided is not particularly limited. For example, the photographing unit 50 may be attached to a part of the head carriage 42 that supports the print head 41 so that it can be moved as the head carriage 42 moves, or it may be fixed to the inside of the top surface of the housing 2. It may be arranged.
The photographing unit 50 is a photographing means for photographing a nail T (a finger U including the nail T) and acquiring an image of the finger U including the nail T. The photographing unit 50 includes a photographing device 51 and a lighting device 52.
The photographing unit 50 of the present embodiment illuminates the nail with the lighting device 52 in a state where the finger is fixed to the finger fixing portion 3 and the toe is placed on the nail mounting portion 35, and the photographing device 51 takes an image.
The photographing unit 50 is connected to the photographing control unit 811 (see FIG. 4) of the control device 80 described later, and is controlled by the photographing control unit 811.
The image data of the image taken by the photographing unit 50 may be stored in a storage unit 82 or the like described later.

The control device 80 is installed on, for example, a substrate (not shown) arranged on the lower surface side (that is, the inner surface of the device) of the top surface of the housing 2.
FIG. 9 is a main block diagram showing a control configuration according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 9, the control device 80 includes a control unit 81 composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like (not shown), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like (neither is shown). ) Is a computer including a storage unit 82.

The storage unit 82 stores various programs, various data, and the like for operating the nail printing device 1.
Specifically, the storage unit 82 has a nail information detection program for detecting various nail information such as the shape of the nail T, the contour of the nail T, the width of the nail T, and the curvature of the nail T from the nail image. Various programs such as a print data generation program for generating print data and a print program for performing print processing are stored, and when these programs are executed by the control device 80, the nail print device 1 Each part is controlled in a centralized manner.
Further, in the present embodiment, the storage unit 82 analyzes the nail design storage area 821 for storing the image data of the nail design printed on the nail T, and the nail image and nail image of the user's nail acquired by the photographing unit 50. A claw information storage area 822 or the like for storing various types of claw information (contour of claw T, width of claw T, inclination angle of claw T (curvature of claw T), etc.) is provided.

From a functional point of view, the control unit 81 includes a photographing control unit 811, a claw information detection unit 812, a print data generation unit 813, a print control unit 814, and the like. The functions as the shooting control unit 811, the claw information detection unit 812, the print data generation unit 813, the print control unit 814, and the like are realized by the cooperation between the CPU of the control unit 81 and the program stored in the storage unit 82. ..

Next, the method of forming a nail print in the present embodiment and the operation of the nail print device 1 used therefor will be described.

When forming a nail print by the nail print forming method in the present embodiment, first, in the nail print device 1 or a portable terminal device (not shown) linked thereto, the user wants to print the nail design on the nail T. Select and set in the nail printing device 1.
Then, the user manually applies the first base coat agent to the entire surface of the nail T to form the first base coat layer B1 (see FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b)).
Next, the nail T and the finger U are arranged on the finger fixing portion 3 of the nail printing device 1, and the nail T and the finger U including the nail T are photographed by the photographing unit 50 under the control of the photographing control unit 811 to acquire a nail image. To do.
When the nail image is acquired, the nail information detection unit 812 of the control unit 81, which is a nail information acquisition means, acquires the nail information by performing image analysis or the like of the nail image. The claw information acquired by the claw information detection unit 812 is, for example, a claw shape which is the contour shape of the claw T and specific position information (x, y coordinate information, etc.) in which the claw T is arranged. The nail information is not limited to this, and may include various information such as the curvature of the nail, which is the degree of curvature of the nail T. The result detected by the nail information detection unit 812 is stored in the nail information storage area 822.

When the claw shape of the user's claw T is acquired, the print data generation unit 813, which is a print area setting means, sets the print target area by matching the design (nail design) selected by the user to this claw shape. To do.
For example, when a partial design such as a French nail that designs only the tip of the nail is selected, the print data generation unit 813 has the shape of the nail T of the part to be designed, such as the tip of the nail. Match the nail design and set the print target area that matches the shape of the user's nail T.
When a design to be printed on the entire nail is selected as the nail design, the print data generation unit 813 sets the entire nail shape detected by the nail information detection unit 812 as the print target area. Then, printing data for forming the second base coat layer B2 in the region is generated.

When the print data is generated, the print head 41 moves above the claw T arranged on the finger fixing portion 3 from the state where the print head 41 is in the home position (see FIG. 10A). Specifically, the print control unit 814 controls the head movement mechanism 49 to move the print head 41 so that the second head 41b is located above the position where the claw T is arranged (FIG. 10 (b). )reference). At this time, before moving the second head 41b above the claw T, the print head 41 is moved above the maintenance mechanism 7, and the purge portion 71 and the wipe portion 72 (second wipe portion 72b) are second. The ink ejection surface of the head 41b may be maintained (see FIG. 10D).
Then, the second base coat agent is discharged from the print target area using the second head 41b to form the second base coat layer B2 on the first base coat layer B1 (FIGS. 3A and 3A). See FIGS. 3 (b) and 10 (b)). The maintenance operation as described above may be performed after printing the second base coating agent. Further, the maintenance operation may be performed before or after printing.
After printing, the print head may be returned to the home position.

After that, the user once takes out the finger U from the finger fixing portion 3 and manually applies the preprinting agent on the second base coat layer B2 to form the ink receiving layer W. The amount of the preprinting agent applied to form the ink receiving layer W is not particularly limited, but it may be applied twice or more in order to sufficiently develop the color of the preprinting agent such as white. preferable.
At this time, if the preprinting agent applied by the user protrudes from the top of the second base coat layer B2, and the preprinting agent such as white is applied to the place where the nail print should not be originally applied (FIG. 4 (Fig. 4). Also in a) and FIG. 4 (b)), the preprint agent protruding onto the first base coat layer B1 has a surface tension due to the difference in water repellency between the first base coat layer B1 and the second base coat layer B2. Naturally cohesive and rides on top of the second basecoat layer B2. As a result, the ink receiving layer W having a color different from that of the skin or the like is formed only in the portion to be originally printed (the portion where the second base coat layer B2 is formed) (FIG. 5 (a) and FIG. See FIG. 5 (b)).

Next, when the user again arranges the nail T and the finger U on the finger fixing portion 3 of the nail printing device 1, the photographing unit 50 photographs the nail T and the finger U including the nail T and the finger U under the control of the photographing control unit 811. Get an image.
When the nail image is acquired, the nail information detection unit 812 acquires the nail information again by performing image analysis or the like on the nail image. At this time, the nail information detection unit 812 detects a portion of the nail T in which the ink receiving layer W is formed and has a color clearly different from that of the surrounding skin or the like, and its shape and arrangement are arranged. Specific position information (x, y coordinate information, etc.) and the like are stored in the claw information storage area 822.

When the shape of the portion where the ink receiving layer W is formed is acquired by the claw information detection unit 812, the print data generation unit 813 prints by matching the design (nail design) selected by the user to this shape. Set the target area. Then, print data for printing the nail design in the area is generated.
When the nail curvature and the like are also stored in the nail information storage area 822, the print data generation unit 813 may appropriately perform curved surface correction or the like to generate print data.

When the print data is generated, the first head 41a of the print heads 41 moves above the claw T arranged on the finger fixing portion 3. Specifically, the print control unit 814 controls the head movement mechanism 49 to move the print head 41 so that the first head 41a is located above the position where the claw T is arranged (FIG. 10 (c)). )reference). The maintenance operation may be performed before the first head 41a is moved above the claw T.
Then, ink is ejected from the print target area using the first head 41a to form the design layer D on the ink receiving layer W (see FIGS. 6A and 6B).
This completes the nail print forming process in the present embodiment.

After that, the print head 41 is moved above the maintenance mechanism 7 to perform a maintenance operation (see FIG. 10D). At this time, the maintenance operation may be performed only on the first head 41a, or may be performed on both the first head 41a and the second head 41b.
After the maintenance operation is completed, the print control unit 814 returns the print head 41 to the home position (see FIG. 10A), and ends a series of printing operations.

After the design layer D is formed, an overcoat layer (not shown) may be further provided on the design layer D. The overcoat layer is formed by applying a hydrophobic overcoat agent.
By forming the overcoat layer so as to cover the ink receiving layer W and the design layer D, it is possible to prevent bleeding and discoloration of the design layer printed with the water-soluble ink, and to prolong the life of the nail print. ..

As described above, according to the nail print forming method of the present embodiment, the first base coat layer B1 is formed on the entire surface of the nail T, and is set on the first base coat layer B1 according to the design. A second base coat layer B2 is formed on the print target area using the nail printing device 1, and a preprint agent is applied on the second base coat layer B2 to form an ink receiving layer W, depending on the design. The design layer D is formed on the ink receiving layer W by using the nail printing apparatus 1 based on the generated printing data, and the first base coat layer B1 is more repellent than the second base coat layer B2. It is highly water-based and has the property of repelling the preprinting agent that forms the ink receiving layer W.
As described above, since the first base coat layer B1 and the second base coat layer B2 have different water repellency and wettability, the preprint agent to be applied on the second base coat layer B2 is the first base coat layer. Even if it protrudes above B1, the preprint agent is repelled and rides only on the portion where the second base coat layer B2 is formed, and the ink receiving layer W is correctly placed on the second base coat layer B2. It is formed.
The print target range that finally forms the design layer D is set by detecting the range in which the ink receiving layer W is formed, but in the present embodiment, the ink receiving layer formed by the user's hand coating is set. Since W corresponds to the formation region of the second base coat layer B2 that is mechanically and automatically formed, the print target range can be set easily and accurately regardless of the user's technique.

Further, in the present embodiment, the claw shape of the claw T is detected, and the print target area is set by matching the nail design with the detected claw shape.
Therefore, it is possible to realize a nail design in which a desired nail design is printed in a range suitable for the user's nail T.

Further, in the present embodiment, the ink receiving layer W is formed of the nail T and a liquid (preprinting agent) having a color different from that of the skin around the nail T, and the area where the ink receiving layer W is formed is the printing target area. Is set as to form the design layer D.
The nail T to be printed has almost the same color as the color of surrounding tissues such as the skin of the finger U, and when nail printing is applied to only a part of the nail T, the inside of the nail T is printed. It is difficult to set and specify which part to print by distinguishing the print target area from other parts.
In this regard, by forming the ink receiving layer W, which is the base of the design layer D, with a color that is easily distinguishable from the nail T and the skin, the print target area can be easily and accurately detected.

Then, in order to clearly distinguish between the region where the ink receiving layer W is formed and the region where the ink receiving layer W is not formed, it is necessary to clearly develop a color such as white. In this respect, it is difficult for an ink that can be printed by an inkjet method to have a density sufficient to develop a clear color by applying it once or twice, and it is necessary to apply the ink a considerable number of times, which is not feasible.
In this respect, if the preprint agent that forms the ink receiving layer W is manually applied as in the present embodiment, it is sufficient to develop the ink receiving layer W into white or the like, which is difficult to eject by the inkjet method. It is possible to use a preprinting agent having a high concentration. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply the ink receiving layer W to the extent that it can be clearly distinguished by image analysis many times, and it can be easily formed.

Further, the nail printing apparatus 1 used in the nail printing forming method in the present embodiment includes a first head 41a, which is a first printing unit for ejecting ink (color ink of each color) forming the design layer D, and a second head 41a. It is provided with a second head 41b, which is a second printing portion for ejecting a second base coating agent forming the base coating layer B2 of the above.
As a result, the second base coat layer B2 can be mechanically and automatically and accurately formed in the set range by the nail printing device 1.
For this reason, unlike the case where the base coat is applied by hand, not only when the nail print is applied to the entire nail, but also when the nail print is applied to only a part of the nail T, the nail print is accurately performed within the range of the nail print. The base coat layer B2 of 2 can be formed.
Further, since the second base coat layer B2 is formed by the nail printing device 1, the second base coat layer B2 can be accurately formed even in a delicate and complicated range, unlike the case of hand coating.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

For example, in the present embodiment, the ink receiving layer W can be formed in a correct range by utilizing the difference in water repellency and wettability between the first base coat layer B1 and the second base coat layer B2. The role played by the second base coat layer B2 is not limited to this.
For example, in the case of the present embodiment, since the second base coating agent forming the second base coat layer B2 contains colloidal silica as a component, the second base coat layer B2 is not transparent but becomes a cloudy layer to some extent.
Therefore, the portion where the second base coat layer B2 is formed can be visually confirmed to some extent.
Therefore, when the user manually applies the ink receiving layer W, the ink receiving layer W is provided within an appropriate range by using the difference in color between the portion where the second base coat layer B2 is applied and the portion where the second base coat layer B2 is not applied as a clue. If it is as correct as possible, it may be applied easily.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof. ..
The inventions described in the claims originally attached to the application of this application are added below. The claim numbers mentioned in the appendix are as in the claims originally attached to the application for this application.
[Additional Notes]
<Claim 1>
A second base coat layer is formed on the first base coat layer formed on the entire surface of the nail by using a nail printing device in a print target area in the nail area, which is set according to the design. And
The design layer is formed on the receiving layer formed on the second base coat layer by using the nail printing apparatus based on the printing data generated according to the design.
A method for forming a nail print, wherein the first base coat layer has higher water repellency than the second base coat layer and has a property of repelling a liquid forming the receiving layer.
<Claim 2>
Detecting the nail shape of the nail,
The nail print forming method according to claim 1, wherein the print target area is set by fitting the design to the detected nail shape.
<Claim 3>
The receiving layer is formed by a liquid of a color different from that of the nail and the skin around the nail.
The nail print forming method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the region in which the receiving layer is formed is set as the print target region to form the design layer.
<Claim 4>
A nail print apparatus used in the nail print forming method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A first printing unit that ejects color ink that forms the design layer, and
A second printing unit that discharges the liquid that forms the second base coat layer, and
A nail printing device characterized by being equipped with.
<Claim 5>
A nail information detecting means for detecting the nail shape of the nail and
A print area setting means for setting the print target area by fitting the design to the claw shape, and
The nail printing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising.

1 Nail printing device 6 Cap mechanism 7 Maintenance mechanism 40 Printing unit 41 Printing head B1 First base coat layer B2 Second base coat layer D Design layer W Ink receiving layer

Claims (5)

A second base coat layer is formed on the first base coat layer formed on the entire surface of the nail by using a nail printing device in a print target area in the nail area, which is set according to the design. And
The design layer is formed on the receiving layer formed on the second base coat layer by using the nail printing apparatus based on the printing data generated according to the design.
A method for forming a nail print, wherein the first base coat layer has higher water repellency than the second base coat layer and has a property of repelling a liquid forming the receiving layer. Detecting the nail shape of the nail,
The nail print forming method according to claim 1, wherein the print target area is set by fitting the design to the detected nail shape. The receiving layer is formed by a liquid of a color different from that of the nail and the skin around the nail.
The nail print forming method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the region in which the receiving layer is formed is set as the print target region to form the design layer. A nail print apparatus used in the nail print forming method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A first printing unit that ejects color ink that forms the design layer, and
A second printing unit that discharges the liquid that forms the second base coat layer, and
A nail printing device characterized by being equipped with. A nail information detecting means for detecting the nail shape of the nail and
A print area setting means for setting the print target area by fitting the design to the claw shape, and
The nail printing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising.

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