JP2020203443A - Molded article and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide: a molded article using a medium having a thermal expansion layer; and a method for manufacturing the molded article.SOLUTION: Using a medium in which a thermal expansion layer 12 including a thermally expandable material is formed on one surface of a substrate 11 made of cloth, a thermal conversion layer 81 that converts electromagnetic wave to heat is formed on at least one surface of the substrate 11. The thermal expansion layer 12 is expanded by irradiating electromagnetic wave to the thermal conversion layer 81, and the substrate 11 is deformed into an embossed-shape according to expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12. An amount of deformation of the substrate 11 is made larger than an expansion height of the thermal expansion layer 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a modeled object and a method for producing a modeled object using a medium having a thermal expansion layer containing a heat-expandable material that foams and expands according to the amount of heat absorbed.

Conventionally, embossing or the like is known as a method of imparting an uneven shape to a cloth or the like. In the embossing process, molding is performed into a desired shape using a concave mold and a convex mold (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-8254

However, in embossing, it is necessary to prepare a mold according to the shape to be processed. Therefore, there is a problem that the cost and time for manufacturing the mold are required.

Therefore, it is required to easily give the cloth an uneven shape.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a modeled object and a method for producing a modeled object using a medium having a thermal expansion layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing the modeled object according to the first aspect is
A step of forming a heat conversion layer that converts electromagnetic waves into heat on at least one surface of the medium using a medium in which a heat expansion layer containing a heat expandable material is formed on one surface of a base material made of cloth. ,
A step of irradiating the thermal conversion layer with electromagnetic waves to expand the thermal expansion layer is provided.
When the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is deformed following the expansion of the thermal expansion layer, the base material is deformed in an embossed shape, and the amount of deformation of the base material is the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer. Make it bigger than that
It is characterized by that.

In order to achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing the modeled object according to the second aspect is
A thermal expansion layer containing a thermally expandable material is provided on one surface of a base material made of cloth.
At least a part of the thermal expansion layer is expanded,
In the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is embossed, and the amount of deformation of the base material in the region is larger than the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer.
It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a modeled object and a method for producing the modeled object using a medium having a thermal expansion layer.

It is sectional drawing which shows the outline of the medium which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a method of manufacturing a medium according to the first embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the outline of the modeled object which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the outline of the modeled object which concerns on other embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the outline of the back surface of the modeled object. It is a figure which shows the outline of the expansion device. It is a flowchart which shows the modeled-article manufacturing process which concerns on Embodiment 1. 8 (a) and 8 (b) are cross-sectional views showing an outline of a modeled object manufacturing process. It is sectional drawing which shows the outline of the modeled object which concerns on other embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the outline of the seal which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. 11 (a) is a diagram showing an outline of the lighting equipment according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 11 (b) is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the XIb portion shown in FIG. 11 (a). Is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a modeled object according to another embodiment. FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the medium according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the thermal expansion layer of the medium according to the fourth embodiment is expanded. 11 (c) is a cross-sectional view showing a modeled object after removing the first film, and FIG. 11 (d) is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a medium according to another embodiment.

Hereinafter, a modeled object and a method for manufacturing the modeled object using the medium having the thermal expansion layer according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, a medium provided with a thermal expansion layer is used, and a shaped object is manufactured by deforming a base material by utilizing the ridge of the thermal expansion layer. Here, in the present specification, the "modeled object" broadly includes shapes such as simple shapes, geometric shapes, characters, and decorations. Here, the decoration evokes a sense of beauty through the sense of sight and / or the sense of touch. In addition, "modeling (or modeling)" is not limited to simply forming a modeled object, but also includes concepts such as decoration to add decoration and decoration to form decoration. Further, the decorative model refers to a model formed as a result of decoration or decoration.

The modeled object of the present embodiment has irregularities in a direction perpendicular to the specific two-dimensional plane (for example, the XY plane) in the three-dimensional space (for example, the Z axis). Such a model is an example of a stereoscopic (3D) image, but in order to distinguish it from a stereoscopic image produced by so-called 3D printer technology, a 2.5D (2.5D) image or a pseudo three-dimensional (Pseudo-) 3D) Called an image. Further, the technique for manufacturing such a modeled object is an example of a three-dimensional image printing technique, but is called a 2.5D printing technique or a pseudo three-dimensional (Pseudo-3D) printing technique in order to distinguish it from a so-called 3D printer. ..

<Embodiment 1>
(Media 10)
As shown in FIG. 1, the medium (hereinafter, simply referred to as a medium) 10 including the thermal expansion layer includes a base material 11 and a thermal expansion layer 12 provided on one surface of the base material 11. .. As will be described in detail later, in the medium 10, the base material 11 is deformed so as to follow the expansion direction of the thermal expansion layer 12 by utilizing the force of expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12, and the base material 11 is deformed into the base material 11. Maintain the shape. In this way, in the present embodiment, the model 20 is formed using the medium 10. The medium 10 can also be called a molded sheet.

The base material 11 is a member that supports the thermal expansion layer 12, and the thermal expansion layer 12 is provided on one surface (first surface) of the base material 11. In this embodiment, the base material 11 is a cloth. In the present embodiment, the "cloth" is a known cloth, and includes a plain weave, a twill weave, a satin weave woven fabric, a knit, a jersey, and the like. The material of the cloth may be natural fibers such as cotton and linen, or chemical fibers such as polyester, cupra, rayon, nylon and Tetron (registered trademark). The thickness of the base material 11 is not limited to this, but is 50 μm to 1 mm. Further, as will be described in detail later, the base material 11 is deformed according to the expanding force of the thermal expansion layer 12. Since it is necessary for the base material 11 to maintain its deformed shape, the type of cloth used as the base material 11, the thickness of the base material 11, and the like are determined so that the deformed shape can be maintained. Further, although it depends on the material of the cloth, a thin cloth has a characteristic that it can be easily deformed, and a thick cloth tends to have a gentle deformation. The type (material, etc.), thickness, and the like of the cloth are appropriately selected depending on the shape of the modeled object 20. Further, as an example of the cloth, a linen cloth (plain weave or twill weave) can be mentioned.

The thermal expansion layer 12 is provided on one surface (upper surface in FIG. 1) of the base material 11. The thermal expansion layer 12 is a layer that expands to a size corresponding to the degree of heating (for example, heating temperature and heating time), and the thermal expansion material (thermally expandable microcapsules, micropowder) is dispersed in the binder. Have been placed. In the heat-expanding layer 12, the heat-expandable material is contained in an amount of 10% by weight to 70% by weight based on the binder, although not limited to this. The thermal expansion layer 12 is not limited to having one layer, and may have a plurality of layers. As the binder of the thermal expansion layer 12, any thermoplastic resin such as an ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer or an acrylic polymer is used. Further, the heat-expandable microcapsules contain propane, butane, and other low-boiling vaporizable substances (foaming agents) in the shell of the thermoplastic resin. The shell is formed from a thermoplastic resin such as polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylic acid ester, polyacrylonitrile, polybutadiene, or a copolymer thereof. For example, the average particle size of thermally expandable microcapsules is about 5 to 50 μm. When the microcapsules are heated above the thermal expansion start temperature, the shell made of resin softens, the low boiling point vaporizable substance contained therein evaporates, and the shell expands like a balloon due to the pressure. Although it depends on the characteristics of the microcapsules used, the particle size of the microcapsules expands to about 5 times the particle size before expansion. The particle size of the microcapsules varies, and not all microcapsules have the same particle size.

Further, in the present embodiment, as will be described later, the thickness, material, etc. of the base material 11 and the thermal expansion layer 12 have a larger amount of deformation of the base material 11 than the amount of increase in height due to foaming of the thermal expansion layer 12. It is preferable that the setting is as follows. Further, particularly in the present embodiment, it is an object to deform the base material 11 into a desired shape. Therefore, the thermal expansion layer 12 may have at least a thickness that allows the base material 11 to be deformed into a desired shape. Therefore, it is preferable that the thermal expansion layer 12 is formed to be the same as or thinner than the thickness of the base material 11. The thickness of the thermal expansion layer 12 is not limited to this, but is, for example, 5 μm to 200 μm. However, when it is necessary to form the thermal expansion layer 12 thickly, for example, the base material 11 is a material that is not easily deformed, the thermal expansion layer 12 needs to be highly foamed due to the shape of the modeled object, or the like. The layer 12 may be formed thicker than the base material 11.

In addition, the thermal expansion layer 12 may be provided at least in a region where the base material 11 is deformed, and the thermal expansion layer 12 is provided so as to cover the base material 11 at least partially.

Further, in the medium 10 of the present embodiment, it is preferable to form the thermal expansion layer 12 on the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12 to a thickness such that irregularities along the surface irregularities of the base material 11 appear. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to form the thermal expansion layer 12 thinner than the thickness of the base material 11. By the appearance of irregularities similar to the surface of the base material 11 on the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12, the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12 in the unexpanded state has a texture similar to that of the fabric of the base material 11 (for example, tactile sensation, appearance, etc.). ) Can be provided.

Further, in the modeled object 20, unevenness existing before expansion remains on the surface of the expanded portion (expansion region) of the thermal expansion layer 12, and a texture similar to the fabric of the base material 11 may remain in the expansion region. It is suitable. Specifically, it is preferable that the unevenness existing on the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12, particularly the concaveness is not lost, and the surface of the expanded portion of the thermal expansion layer 12 has an unevenness similar to the unevenness before expansion. .. Therefore, it is preferable that the thickness of the thermal expansion layer 12 is set so that the texture of the base material 11 remains even after the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12.

(Manufacturing method of medium 10)
Further, the medium 10 of the present embodiment is manufactured as shown below.
First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a cloth, for example, a linen cloth (plain weave or twill weave) is prepared as the base material 11. The base material 11 may be in the form of a roll or may be pre-cut.

Next, a binder made of a thermoplastic resin or the like and a heat-expandable material (heat-expandable microcapsules) are mixed to prepare a coating liquid for forming the heat-expandable layer 12. Subsequently, the coating liquid is applied onto the base material 11 using a known coating device such as a bar coater, a roller coater, or a spray coater. The thermal expansion layer 12 may be formed by using an apparatus other than the coating apparatus (for example, a printing apparatus). Subsequently, the coating film is dried to form the thermal expansion layer 12 as shown in FIG. 2 (b). In addition, in order to obtain the target thickness of the thermal expansion layer 12, the coating liquid may be applied and dried a plurality of times. When the roll-shaped base material 11 is used, it is cut if necessary.
As a result, the medium 10 is manufactured.

(Model 20)
Next, the modeled object 20 will be described with reference to FIG. The modeled object 20 is formed by expanding the thermal expansion layer 12 of the medium 10 and deforming the base material 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the base material 11 is provided with a convex portion 11a on the upper surface and a concave portion 11b having a shape corresponding to the convex portion 11a on the lower surface. The thermal expansion layer 12 is provided with a convex portion 12a on the upper surface. The convex portion 11a of the base material 11 and the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12 project from the surrounding region. Further, a heat conversion layer 81 for expanding the thermal expansion layer 12 is formed on the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12.

In the present embodiment, as will be described in detail later, an electromagnetic wave heat conversion layer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a heat conversion layer or a conversion layer) that converts electromagnetic waves into heat is formed on the upper surface (surface) of the medium 10 to generate electromagnetic waves. By irradiating, the heat conversion layer 81 is heated. Since the heat conversion layer 81 is heated by irradiation with electromagnetic waves, it can also be called a thermospheric layer. The heat generated in the thermal conversion layer 81 provided on the surface of the medium 10 is transferred to the thermal expansion layer 12, so that the thermal expansion material in the thermal expansion layer 12 foams, and as a result, the thermal expansion layer 12 Inflates. The heat conversion layer 81 quickly converts electromagnetic waves into heat as compared with other regions where the heat conversion layer 81 is not provided. Therefore, only the region near the thermal conversion layer 81 can be selectively heated, and only a specific region of the thermal expansion layer 12 can be selectively expanded. Further, the base material 11 is deformed in a form that follows the expansion direction of the thermal expansion layer 12 when the thermal expansion layer 12 is foamed and expanded, and the shape is maintained after the deformation.

As the thermal expansion layer 12 expands, the convex portion 12a shown in FIG. 3 is formed on the thermal expansion layer 12. When the convex portion 12a is formed, the force for expanding the thermal expansion layer 12 acts in the direction opposite to that of the base material 11 (upper side shown in FIG. 3). The base material 11 is deformed upward as shown in FIG. 3 by being attracted by this expanding force. Then, a convex portion 11a is formed on the upper surface of the base material 11 so as to protrude from the surrounding region. Further, on the back surface of the base material 11, a recess 11b corresponding to the shape of the convex portion 11a formed on the front surface is formed. The shape of the concave portion 11b is substantially the same as that of the convex portion 11a, and the convex portion 11a is reduced by the thickness of the base material 11. In the present specification, the shapes of the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12, the convex portion 11a and the concave portion 11b of the base material 11 are expressed as an embossed shape.

In one method of so-called embossing, an uneven shape corresponding to the upper and lower dies is formed, and the sheet is sandwiched between the upper and lower dies and pressed to form an uneven shape on the surface of the sheet. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the base material 11 is deformed by the force of expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12, so that no mold is used. However, since the shape after deformation is similar to the shape formed by embossing, in the present specification, the shape such as the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12, the convex portion 11a and the concave portion 11b of the base material 11. Is expressed as an embossed shape.

Further, in the modeled object 20 of the present embodiment, since the base material 11 is deformed particularly by using the thermal expansion layer 12, as shown in FIG. 3, the deformation amount Δh1 of the base material 11 is the foaming of the thermal expansion layer 12. It is preferable that the height is larger than the height Δh2. The amount of deformation Δh1 is the height of the convex portion 11a as compared with the surface of the undeformed region of the base material 11. Further, the foaming height (difference) Δh2 of the thermal expansion layer 12 is the height after expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12 minus the height before expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12. Further, the difference Δh2 can be said to be the amount of increase in the height of the thermal expansion layer 12 caused by the expansion of the thermal expansion material.

In the present embodiment, it is not essential that the modeled object 20 is colored. However, as shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to provide the color ink layer 82 on the front side of the modeled object 20 and the color ink layer 83 on the back side of the modeled object 20. Both the color ink layers 82 and 83 may be formed, or only one of them may be provided. Further, the color ink layer 82 may be provided on at least a part of the thermal expansion layer 12. Similarly, the color ink layer 83 may be provided on at least a part of the base material 11. In particular, since the thermal expansion layer 12 is formed on the front side of the modeled object 20, the color ink layer 81 provided on the thermal expansion layer 12 has a matte texture. On the other hand, since the base material 11 which is a cloth is located on the back side of the modeled object 20, the color ink layer 83 provided on the back side of the base material 11 can exhibit a texture different from that of the color ink layer 81. It is also possible to express different textures on the front side and the back side of the modeled object 20 by utilizing such a difference in the texture of the material.

Further, the modeled object 20 may use the front surface or the back surface depending on the intended use. It is also possible to use both sides.

For example, when the front side of the modeled object 20 is mainly used, according to the present embodiment, the base material 11 under the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12 can be deformed. To the cushioning property obtained by the convex portion 12a generated by the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12, the feel of the convex portion 11a formed by the deformation of the base material 11, such as elasticity and resilience, can be added. Therefore, it is preferable that the base material 11 can be deformed to give a feeling that cannot be obtained only by the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12. Further, in this case, although it is an example, it is preferable to use a linen cloth (plain weave or twill weave) as the base material 11 because the shape of the convex portion 11a of the base material 11 is well maintained.

Further, as an example of mainly using the back side of the modeled object 20, it is possible to use the thermal expansion layer 12 for molding the cloth. In this case, the cloth can be molded by forming at least one recess on the back surface (lower surface shown in FIG. 1) of the base material 11. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of recesses 11b are formed in the region R to be molded. By combining the shapes, positions, and depths of the plurality of recesses 11b, modeling can be performed. In addition, a pattern or the like can be expressed by combining the shape, depth, and the like of the recess 11b.

In addition, in the modeled object 20, the thickness may be set so that the texture of the base material 11 remains on the surface of the expanded portion of the thermal expansion layer 12 (the surface of the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12 shown in FIG. 3). It is suitable. Here, the fact that the texture of the base material 11 remains means that the unevenness of the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12 is not the same as before the expansion, but the unevenness of the surface of the thermal expansion layer 12 is not lost even after the expansion, and a similar texture remains. Means that. By doing so, in the modeled object 20, it is possible to leave the texture of the fabric even in the convexly deformed region (convex portion 12a).

(Manufacturing method of model 20)
Next, a method of manufacturing a modeled object will be described. In the following method for manufacturing the modeled object 20, the case where the medium 10 wound in a roll shape is used (so-called roll type) will be described as an example, but a single-wafer type may be used.

First, in the method for manufacturing the modeled object 20 of the present embodiment, the heat conversion layer and the color ink layer can be formed by using a printing apparatus. As the printing device, any printing device such as offset printing device, gravure printing, silk screen printing, flexographic printing, inkjet printing, etc. can be used. Further, as the ink used in each printing apparatus, known inks such as water-based inks, solvent-based inks, and ultraviolet curable inks can be used.

When printing the heat conversion layer 81, the ink used in the printing apparatus is an ink containing an electromagnetic wave heat conversion material (hereinafter referred to as foam ink). The electromagnetic wave heat conversion material (heat conversion material) is a material capable of converting electromagnetic waves into heat. An example of a heat conversion material is carbon black (graphite), which is a carbon molecule. In this case, by irradiating the electromagnetic wave, graphite absorbs the electromagnetic wave and thermally vibrates to generate heat. The heat conversion material is not limited to graphite, and an inorganic material such as an infrared absorbing material can also be used. Specifically, a metal hexaboride compound or a tungsten oxide-based compound is preferable, and lanthanum hexaboride is particularly high in the near-infrared region (low transmittance) and high in the visible light region. (LaB ₆ ) or cesium tungsten oxide is preferable. Either one of the above-mentioned inorganic infrared absorbers may be used alone, or two or more different materials may be used in combination.

The color of the foamed ink is also arbitrary. For example, the foamed ink may be colored according to the color of the base material 11. Further, it is particularly preferable to use lanthanum hexaboride (LaB ₆ ) or tungsten cesium oxide as the heat conversion material because the color of the foamed ink can be suppressed. In this case, the foamed ink can be made transparent (a color that is difficult to see or cannot be seen).

Next, the expansion device 50 that expands the thermal expansion layer 12 is shown in FIG. The expansion device 50 includes an irradiation unit 51, a reflector 52, a temperature sensor 53, a cooling unit 54, and a housing 55, and the irradiation unit 51, a reflector 52, a temperature sensor 53, and a cooling unit 54 are housed in the housing 55. ing. The medium 10 is conveyed under the expansion device 50.

The irradiation unit 51 includes a lamp heater, for example, a halogen lamp, and has a near-infrared region (wavelength 750 to 1400 nm), a visible light region (wavelength 380 to 750 nm), or a mid-infrared region (wavelength 380 to 750 nm) with respect to the medium 10. Irradiate electromagnetic waves (light) with a wavelength of 1400 to 4000 nm). When the medium 10 on which the heat conversion layer 81 printed with the foam ink containing the heat conversion material is printed is irradiated with electromagnetic waves, the portion where the heat conversion layer 81 is printed becomes more than the portion where the heat conversion layer 81 is not printed. Electromagnetic waves are efficiently converted into heat. Therefore, the portion of the medium 10 on which the heat conversion layer 81 is printed is mainly heated, and the heat-expandable material expands when the temperature at which expansion starts is reached. The irradiation unit 51 is not limited to the halogen lamp, and other configurations can be adopted as long as it can irradiate electromagnetic waves. Further, the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is not limited to the above range.

The reflector 52 is an irradiated body that receives the electromagnetic waves emitted from the irradiation unit 51, and is a mechanism that reflects the electromagnetic waves emitted from the lamp heater toward the medium 10. The reflector 52 is arranged so as to cover the upper side of the irradiation unit 51, and reflects the electromagnetic wave emitted from the irradiation unit (lamp heater) 51 toward the upper side toward the lower side. The temperature sensor 53 is a thermocouple, a thermistor, or the like, and functions as a measuring means for measuring the temperature of the reflector 52. The cooling unit 54 is provided on the upper side of the reflector 52 and includes at least one air supply fan. The cooling unit 54 functions as a cooling means for cooling the inside of the expansion device 50.

In the expansion device 50, the medium 10 is taken out from the roll, and while being conveyed by a conveying roller (not shown), receives an electromagnetic wave irradiated by the irradiation unit 51. As a result, the heat conversion layer 81 provided on the medium 10 becomes hot. This heat is transferred to the base material 11 and the thermal expansion layer 12. At least a part of the thermal expansion layer 12 expands. The base material 11 is deformed as a result of being attracted by the force of expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12. After the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12, the medium 10 is wound up. Depending on the amount of deformation of the base material 11, the medium 10 may not be wound up and may be cut.

Next, the flow of the process of manufacturing the modeled object 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 and the cross-sectional view of the medium 10 shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b).

First, the medium 10 is prepared. Further, the foaming data (data for forming the heat conversion layer 81) indicating the portion to be foamed and expanded on the surface of the medium 10 (upper surface shown in FIG. 1) may be determined in advance. Next, the medium 10 is conveyed to the printing apparatus with its surface facing upward, and the heat conversion layer 81 is printed on the surface of the medium 10 (step S1). The heat conversion layer 81 is a layer formed of an ink containing an electromagnetic wave heat conversion material, for example, a foam ink containing carbon black. The printing apparatus prints the foam ink containing the heat conversion material on the surface of the medium 10 according to the designated foam data. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8A, the heat conversion layer 81 is formed on the surface of the medium 10. When the heat conversion layer 81 is printed darkly, the amount of heat generated increases, so that the thermal expansion layer 12 expands high. Therefore, a high amount of deformation of the base material 11 can be obtained. Utilizing this, the deformation height can be controlled by controlling the shading of the heat conversion layer 81.

Second, the medium 10 on which the heat conversion layer 81 is printed is conveyed to the expansion device 50 so that the surface faces upward. In the expansion device 50, the conveyed medium 10 is irradiated with electromagnetic waves by the irradiation unit 51 (step S2). Specifically, in the expansion device 50, the surface of the medium 10 is irradiated with electromagnetic waves by the irradiation unit 51. The heat conversion material contained in the heat conversion layer 81 printed on the surface of the medium 10 generates heat by absorbing the irradiated electromagnetic waves. As a result, the heat conversion layer 81 generates heat, and the heat generated in the heat conversion layer 81 is transferred to the heat expansion layer 12, and the heat-expandable material foams and expands. As a result of the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12, as shown in FIG. 8B, the region of the thermal expansion layer 12 of the medium 10 on which the thermal conversion layer 81 is printed expands and rises. The base material 11 is deformed by being attracted by the expanding force of the thermal expansion layer 12.

Here, the control of the electromagnetic wave controls the amount of energy received by the medium 10 per unit area in order to expand the medium 10 to a desired height when the medium 10 is expanded by irradiating the medium 10 with the electromagnetic wave in the expansion device 50. Say that. Specifically, the amount of energy received by the medium 10 per unit area varies depending on parameters such as irradiation intensity, moving speed, irradiation time, irradiation distance, temperature, humidity, and cooling of the irradiation unit. Control of electromagnetic waves is performed by controlling at least one such parameter.

By the above procedure, the modeled object 20 can be manufactured using the medium 10.

When printing a color image (color ink layer 82) on the surface of the medium 10, for example, images of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K are printed on the surface of the medium 10 by using a printing device. Print. The step of forming the color ink layer 82 may be performed after step S2, or before or after step S1.

Further, the heat conversion layer 81 can be provided on the back surface of the base material 11 (the lower surface shown in FIG. 9) as shown in FIG. In this case, in step S2, the electromagnetic wave may be irradiated from the back surface of the medium 10.

Further, the heat conversion layer 81 may be provided on both the front surface and the back surface of the medium 10. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8 and the like, the heat conversion layer 81 formed on the front side is irradiated with electromagnetic waves to expand the thermal expansion layer 12, and the heat conversion layer 81 formed on the back side is also irradiated with electromagnetic waves to generate heat. The expansion layer 12 is expanded. Explaining with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 8, after executing steps S1 and S2, the heat conversion layer 81 is formed on the back surface of the medium 10 in the same manner as in step S1, and the heat conversion layer 81 is formed in the same manner as in step S2. By irradiating electromagnetic waves, the thermal expansion layer 12 is expanded and the base material 11 is deformed. The order of these steps can be changed.

As described above, in the method for manufacturing a modeled object of the present embodiment, the modeled object 20 is produced by forming the heat conversion layer 81 by printing and irradiating the heat conversion layer 81 with electromagnetic waves. In the present embodiment, the expansion height, position, etc. of the thermal expansion layer 12 can be easily controlled by controlling the concentration of the thermal conversion layer 81, the electromagnetic wave to be irradiated, and the like. As a result, the position where the recess 11b is formed, the depth of the recess 11b, and the like can be easily controlled, and the base material 11 can be deformed into a desired shape. Further, since a mold or the like for molding is not required, the time and cost required for molding the medium 10 can be reduced.

Further, the expression of the modeled object can be diversified by combining the shape of the convex portion 12a of the thermal expansion layer 12, the shape of the concave portion 11b of the base material 11, and the color ink layers 82 and 83 according to the use of the modeled object. Is also possible.

<Embodiment 2>
The modeled object 22 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the modeled object 22 is used as a seal will be given as an example. The features common to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10, the modeled object 22 includes a base material 11, a thermal expansion layer 12, a heat conversion layer 81, a color ink layer 82, an adhesive layer 61, and a release sheet 62. In the modeled object 22, the convex portion 12a is formed on the thermal expansion layer 12 by the method described in the first embodiment, and the convex portion 11a and the concave portion 11b are also formed on the base material 11.

The adhesive layer 61 is provided so as to cover at least a part of the back surface of the base material 11. The adhesive layer 61 is a layer for adhering the modeled object 22 to the object. The adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 61 is arbitrarily determined according to the use of the modeled object 22. For example, the modeled object 22 may have a strength that does not easily peel off from the object, or may have a strength that allows it to be easily peeled off after being attached. Further, the material contained in the adhesive layer 61 can also be arbitrarily determined according to the use of the modeled object 22. For example, the adhesive layer 61 contains a known adhesive such as a resin-based adhesive made of a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin, an elastomer-based adhesive, and the like. Further, the adhesive layer 61 may contain a known adhesive such as a rubber-based adhesive, an acrylic-based adhesive, a silicone-based adhesive, or a urethane-based adhesive instead of the adhesive.

The release sheet 62 is provided so as to cover the adhesive layer 61. As the release sheet 62, a resin film (sheet), paper, or the like can be used. The release sheet 62 prevents foreign matter from adhering to the adhesive layer 61. Further, by peeling off the release sheet 62, the adhesive layer 61 of the modeled object 22 can be exposed and the modeled object 22 can be attached to the object. The release sheet 62 can be omitted depending on the use of the modeled object 22, the object to be attached, the material of the adhesive layer 61, and the like.

Further, the adhesive layer 61 and the release sheet 62 may be provided before molding the base material 11. In other words, in the state of the medium 10 shown in FIG. 1, the adhesive layer 61 and the release sheet 62 are provided on the back surface of the base material 11, and the medium 10 provided with the adhesive layer 61 and the release sheet 62 is formed by the molding shown in the first embodiment. The modeled product 22 can be manufactured by molding according to the method of manufacturing the product. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the adhesive layer 61 may also be formed on the recess 11b of the base material 11. Depending on the shape to be molded, the release sheet 62 may be partially peeled under the recess 11b.

Further, the adhesive layer 61 and the release sheet 62 can be provided after the base material 11 is molded. In this case, after the medium 10 is molded by the method for manufacturing a modeled object shown in the first embodiment, the adhesive layer 61 and the release sheet 62 are provided. In this case, the adhesive layer 61 may be provided on the entire lower surface of the base material 11 including the recess 11b as shown in the figure. Alternatively, unlike the illustrated example, the adhesive layer 61 may be provided so as to cover a region other than a part of the recess 11b, or may be provided only on the region other than the recess 11b of the base material 11. Similarly, the release sheet 62 may be provided so as to cover the entire adhesive layer 61 as shown in the figure. Further, unlike the illustrated example, the release sheet 62 covers the adhesive layer 61, but may be provided apart from the recess 11b of the base material 11.

As described above, also in the present embodiment, the thermal conversion layer 81 can be easily deformed into a desired shape by forming the thermal conversion layer 81 by printing and irradiating it with electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the modeled object 22 as in the present embodiment can be easily manufactured.

<Embodiment 3>
The lighting fixture 70 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is characterized in that the modeled object 23 is used as a lamp shade which is a part of the lighting fixture 70. Further, in the third embodiment, the stand-type lighting fixture 70 will be taken as an example.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the luminaire 70 includes a modeled object 23 and a lamp stand 72. The lamp base 72 includes a disk-shaped pedestal 73, a support column 74 provided at the center of the pedestal 73, and a light source (not shown) provided at the tip of the support column. The light source is a light bulb, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) light bulb. As the light source, any light source can be used, and for example, a fluorescent lamp or the like may be used.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the modeled object 23 has a cylindrical shape and is installed above the lamp stand 72 so as to surround a light source (not shown). Frames 76 and 77 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the modeled object 23. As shown in FIG. 11A, the modeled object 23 is formed by expanding the thermal expansion layer 12 in a striped manner.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11B, in the modeled object 23, the region A in which the base material 11 is deformed due to the uplift of the thermal expansion layer 12 and the base material 11 in which the thermal expansion layer 12 is not uplifted. Includes a region B that is not deformed. 11 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the portion XIb surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 11 (a). Here, in the region A, the base material 11 is deformed due to the uplift of the thermal expansion layer 12. By utilizing the bulge of the thermal expansion layer 12 and the deformation of the base material 11, decorativeness can be produced. There may or may not be a difference in translucency between the area A and the area B when the modeled object 23 is viewed in a plan view.

The difference in translucency is the thermal expansion layer 12 in the expanded region (the thermal expansion layer 12 in the region A in FIG. 11B) and the non-expanded region (the thermal expansion layer 12 in the region B in FIG. 11B) in the thermal expansion layer 12. ) And the translucency may differ. Here, the difference in translucency is a difference (when observed from above or below in FIG. 11B) when the modeled object 23 is viewed in a plan view. Further, even if the base material 11 is stretched according to the deformation, there may be a difference between the translucency of the base material 11 in the region A and the translucency in the region B. When there is a difference in translucency between the region A and the region B due to the expansion of the thermal expansion layer 12 and / or the deformation of the base material 11, the shadow can be raised on the surface of the model 23 by the light source. Therefore, it is preferable to design the material, thickness, and the like of the base material 11 so that the translucency changes between the region A and the region B. Further, by changing the thickness of the thermal expansion layer 12 and forming the thermal expansion layer 12 transparent (including an invisible color) or pale white, such a difference in translucency is caused. May be good.

Further, the texture of the thermal expansion layer 12 containing the thermally expandable material in the binder and the texture of the base material 11 which is a cloth are generally different. In the modeled object 23, it is possible to express different textures on the front surface and the back surface of the modeled object 23 by utilizing such a difference in the texture of the material. In particular, in the lamp shade as shown in FIG. 11A, both the front surface and the back surface of the modeled object 23 can be visually recognized. The model 23 of the present embodiment is particularly useful in such applications because it can be expressed by using the shape of the thermal expansion layer 12, the deformation of the base material 11, and the like.

In the present embodiment, it is not essential that the modeled object 23 is colored. However, as shown in FIG. 11C, it is possible to provide the color ink layers 82 and 83 on the front surface and the back surface of the modeled object 20. Only one of the color ink layers 82 and 83 may be provided, and the position where the color ink layers 82 and 83 are provided may be arbitrary.

The modeled object 23 is not limited to the case where it is used for the self-standing stand type lighting fixture 70 as shown in the figure, but can be used for various lighting fixtures such as a pendant type lighting fixture and a ceiling light. Further, the shape formed on the modeled object 23 is not limited to the illustrated example. Depending on the shape formed on the model 23, a region that deforms higher than the region A and / or a region that deforms to a height between the region A and the region B may be further provided. Also, the number of such regions is arbitrary.

Further, the lighting fixture 70 is not limited in its purpose as long as it includes a light source and a modeled object 23. For example, the luminaire 70 does not have to have a main purpose in illuminating the surroundings, but may simply make the shadows stand out, or may have a main purpose in observing the appearing shadows.

In this embodiment, the model 23 is used as the lamp shade. As described above, by forming the heat conversion layer 81 on the medium 10 by printing and irradiating it with electromagnetic waves, it can be easily deformed into a desired shape to manufacture the modeled object 23. Further, it is also possible to add the effect of raising the shadow by making the translucency different between the region where the base material 11 is deformed by expanding the thermal expansion layer 12 and the region where the base material 11 is not deformed.

<Embodiment 4>
The medium 14 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The medium 14 according to the fourth embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that it has a first film 16 that covers the first surface (surface) of the medium 14, which is the surface on which the heat conversion layer 81 is formed. is there. The parts that overlap with the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the medium 14 includes a base material 11, a thermal expansion layer 12, and a first film 16 provided on the surface of the base material 11. The first film 16 is provided to remove the thermal conversion layer 81 after expanding the thermal expansion layer 12. Therefore, if the first film 16 is provided on the surface of the base material 11 at least in the region where the heat conversion layer 81 is formed, even if the first film 16 is provided as a whole on the surface of the base material 11, the portion is partially provided. It may be provided as a target. Further, the first film 16 is detachably adhered to the base material 11. As the first film 16, a known resin film can be used, and for example, a film made of a resin selected from polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, a copolymer thereof, and the like. As the first film 16, for example, a film made of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer is used.

When the medium 14 is manufactured, a resin film is provided on the surface of the base material 11 by using a known method such as thermocompression bonding before or after the step of manufacturing the thermal expansion layer 12 shown in FIG. 2 (b).

Further, FIG. 12B shows a state in which the thermal expansion layer 12 of the medium 14 is expanded by using the thermal conversion layer 81. As shown in FIG. 12B, the thermal conversion layer 81 is provided on the first film 16 in a region where the base material 11 is deformed by expanding the thermal expansion layer 12. Further, after molding the base material 11, the first film 16 is removed from the base material 11 as shown in FIG. 12 (c). As a result, in the modeled object 24 of the present embodiment, the heat conversion layer 81 is removed together with the first film 16.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a modeled object of the present embodiment, using the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7, in the step of forming the heat conversion layer 81 in step S1, the heat conversion layer 81 is placed on the first film 16. To form. Next, after the thermal expansion layer 12 is expanded in step S2, the step of removing the first film 16 from the base material 11 is further performed.

When the heat conversion layer 81 is also formed on the back surface of the base material 11, a second film 17 may be further provided on the back surface of the medium 14 as shown in FIG. 12 (d). The medium 14 includes at least one of the first film 16 and the second film 17 due to the surface forming the heat conversion layer 81 and the necessity of removing the heat conversion layer 81. When the color ink layer 82 is formed on the thermal expansion layer 12, the first step is after the thermal expansion layer 12 is expanded by using the thermal conversion layer 81 and before the step of forming the color ink layer 82. It is preferable to carry out the step of removing the film 16 of 1.

In the present embodiment, the medium 14 includes at least one of the first film 16 and the second film 17, so that the thermal conversion layer 81 can be removed after the thermal expansion layer 12 is expanded. In particular, when the heat conversion layer 81 contains carbon, the heat conversion layer 81 may affect the appearance of the model 24, such as the color of the model 24 becoming dull. In the present embodiment, since the heat conversion layer 81 after use can be removed, it is possible to prevent the heat conversion layer 81 from affecting the color of the modeled object 24.

The embodiments described above can be modified and applied in various ways. For example, it is possible to combine the features of each embodiment. As an example, the configuration in which the color ink layers 82 and 83 are provided on the front surface and the back surface of the modeled object 20 shown in the first embodiment can be combined with the modeled object 23 of the third embodiment. Combinations other than those specified are possible.

Further, the thermal expansion layer 12 may be provided with a layer required depending on the printing method on the outermost surface. For example, the thermal expansion layer 12 may further include an ink receiving layer for improving ink fixation when printing by an inkjet method. Similarly, the base material 11 may also be provided with a layer required according to the printing method, for example, an ink receiving layer, on the outermost surface (lower surface of the base material 11 shown in FIG. 1).

The above-mentioned seals, lighting fixtures, etc. are examples of applications of the modeled object, and the application of the modeled object of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

In addition, the figures used in each embodiment are for explaining each embodiment. Therefore, it is not intended to be construed as limiting the thickness of each layer of the medium to be formed in the proportions shown in the figure. In addition, the terms "front" and "back" relating to the medium and the modeled object do not limit the use of the medium and the modeled object.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is included in the scope of claims and the equivalent scope thereof. Hereinafter, the inventions described in the claims of the original application of the present application will be added.

[Additional Notes]
[Appendix 1]
A step of forming a heat conversion layer that converts electromagnetic waves into heat on at least one surface of the medium using a medium in which a heat expansion layer containing a heat expandable material is formed on one surface of a base material made of cloth. ,
A step of irradiating the thermal conversion layer with electromagnetic waves to expand the thermal expansion layer is provided.
When the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is deformed following the expansion of the thermal expansion layer, the base material is deformed in an embossed shape, and the amount of deformation of the base material is the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer. Make it bigger than that
A method for manufacturing a modeled object, which is characterized in that.

[Appendix 2]
The medium further comprises a film that is detachably provided to cover at least a portion of at least one of the thermal expansion layer and the other surface of the substrate.
In the step of forming the heat conversion layer, the heat conversion layer is formed on the film.
The method for manufacturing a modeled object according to Appendix 1, wherein the modeled object is characterized in that.

[Appendix 3]
In the step of expanding the thermal expansion layer,
The translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded is different from the translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is not expanded.
The method for manufacturing a modeled object according to Appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that.

[Appendix 4]
A thermal expansion layer containing a thermally expandable material is provided on one surface of a base material made of cloth.
At least a part of the thermal expansion layer is expanded,
In the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is embossed, and the amount of deformation of the base material in the region is larger than the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer.
A modeled object characterized by that.

[Appendix 5]
An adhesive layer is further provided on the other surface of the substrate.
The modeled object according to Appendix 4, which is characterized in that.

[Appendix 6]
The translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded is different from the translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is not expanded.
The modeled object according to Appendix 4 or 5, characterized in that.

10, 14 ... Medium, 11 ... Base material, 11a, 12a ... Convex, 11b ... Concave, 12 ... Thermal expansion layer, 16 ... First film, 17 ...・ Second film, 20, 22, 23, 24 ... Modeled object, 50 ... Expansion device, 51 ... Irradiation part, 52 ... Reflector, 53 ... Temperature sensor, 54 ... -Cooling unit, 55 ... housing, 61 ... adhesive layer, 62 ... release sheet, 70 ... lighting equipment, 72 ... lamp stand, 73 ... pedestal, 74 ... support , 76, 77 ... frame, 81 ... heat conversion layer, 82, 83 ... color ink layer

Claims (6)

A step of forming a heat conversion layer that converts electromagnetic waves into heat on at least one surface of the medium using a medium in which a heat expansion layer containing a heat expandable material is formed on one surface of a base material made of cloth. ,
A step of irradiating the thermal conversion layer with electromagnetic waves to expand the thermal expansion layer is provided.
When the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is deformed following the expansion of the thermal expansion layer, the base material is deformed in an embossed shape, and the amount of deformation of the base material is the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer. Make it bigger than that
A method for manufacturing a modeled object, which is characterized in that. The medium further comprises a film that is detachably provided to cover at least a portion of at least one of the thermal expansion layer and the other surface of the substrate.
In the step of forming the heat conversion layer, the heat conversion layer is formed on the film.
The method for manufacturing a modeled object according to claim 1. In the step of expanding the thermal expansion layer,
The translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded is different from the translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is not expanded.
The method for manufacturing a modeled object according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. A thermal expansion layer containing a thermally expandable material is provided on one surface of a base material made of cloth.
At least a part of the thermal expansion layer is expanded,
In the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded, the base material is embossed, and the amount of deformation of the base material in the region is larger than the expansion height of the thermal expansion layer.
A modeled object characterized by that. An adhesive layer is further provided on the other surface of the substrate.
The model according to claim 4, wherein the modeled object is characterized in that. The translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is expanded is different from the translucency of the thermal expansion layer in the region where the thermal expansion layer is not expanded.
The model according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that.

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