JP2021024100A - Decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus, decorative sheet manufacturing method and decorative sheet selling system - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce the amount of use of decorative sheets by adjusting an image printing position and reduce the cost.SOLUTION: A decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus comprises: an image data input unit which receives input of image data; an instruction reception unit which receives an instruction of the printing number and printing size of the image; an allocation unit which allocates the image on the basis of the printing number and the printing size to generate printing data; and a printing unit which heats a thermal transfer sheet on the basis of the printing data, prints the plurality of images by transferring a color material from the thermal transfer sheet to a thermoplastic sheet and manufactures a decorative sheet. The printing unit prints the plurality of images in the width direction of the thermoplastic sheet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus, a decorative sheet manufacturing method, and a decorative sheet sales system.

Decorative molded products decorated by laminating decorative sheets on the surface of the molded products are used for various purposes such as building members and vehicle interior parts. The decorative sheet has a long strip shape and has a design layer laminated on the base material.

For example, the design layer is formed by printing or coating a design ink on a base material and then drying it if necessary. Alternatively, a sublimation dye or molten ink may be transferred from the thermal transfer sheet to the color material receiving layer provided on the base material to print an image to form a design layer. Conventionally, one image is printed on the color material receiving layer at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the decorative sheet. When the image size is small, the parts not used for actual decoration at both ends in the width direction of the decoration sheet are large, which hinders cost reduction.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-20110 JP-A-2018-58223

An object of the present invention is to provide a decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus, a decorative sheet manufacturing method, and a decorative sheet sales system capable of adjusting the image printing position to reduce the amount of decorative sheet used and reducing costs. ..

The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus of the present invention has an image data input unit that accepts input of image data, an instruction reception unit that accepts instructions on the number of prints and a print size of an image, and an image based on the number of prints and the print size. An allocation unit that allocates and generates printing data, and a printing sheet that heats a thermal transfer sheet based on the printing data, transfers a coloring material from the thermal transfer sheet to an image receiving sheet, prints a plurality of images, and manufactures a decorative sheet. It is equipped with a part.

In one aspect of the present invention, the printing unit prints a plurality of images in the width direction of the image receiving sheet.

In one aspect of the present invention, the printing unit prints a detection mark corresponding to each image.

In one aspect of the present invention, the instruction receiving unit receives an instruction of a printing position of an image based on the detection mark.

In one aspect of the present invention, the printing unit arranges and prints a plurality of first images next to each other, and prints a mark at a position where the image to be printed is switched to a second image different from the first image.

In one aspect of the present invention, a cutter for cutting the decorative sheet is further provided.

In the decorative sheet manufacturing method of the present invention, a step of accepting input of image data, a step of accepting an instruction of the number of prints of an image and an instruction of a print size, and a step of allocating an image based on the number of prints and the print size to obtain print data. It includes a step of generating and a step of heating a thermal transfer sheet based on the printing data, transferring a coloring material from the thermal transfer sheet to an image receiving sheet, printing a plurality of images, and manufacturing a decorative sheet. is there.

The decorative sheet sales system of the present invention is based on a server device that accepts an image input from a user terminal and also receives an instruction on the number of prints and the size of the image on the decorative sheet, and the number of prints and the size of the print. The image is assigned to generate printing data, and the thermal transfer sheet is heated based on the printing data, and the coloring material is transferred from the thermal transfer sheet to the image receiving sheet to print a plurality of images, and the decorative sheet is formed. It is provided with a decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus having a printing portion to be manufactured.

According to the present invention, it is possible to adjust the image printing position to reduce the amount of the decorative sheet used and reduce the cost.

It is a schematic block diagram of the decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of a thermoplastic sheet. It is a top view of the thermal transfer sheet. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation screen. It is a top view of a decorative sheet. It is a top view of a decorative sheet.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus manufactures a decorative sheet by printing an image on a long strip-shaped thermoplastic sheet 1 (image receiving sheet) and decorating it using the thermal transfer sheet 2. Is.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoplastic sheet 1. The thermoplastic sheet 1 includes a base material 11 made of a thermoplastic resin composition or the like, and a receiving layer 12 laminated on the base material 11.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the thermal transfer sheet 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the thermal transfer sheet 2 has a base material (not shown), a yellow dye (Y) layer 21, a magenta dye (M) layer 22, and a cyan dye (C) provided on the same surface of the base material. ) A dye layer including a layer 23. The Y layer 21, the M layer 22, and the C layer 23 are repeatedly provided. A protective layer, a heat seal layer, a functional layer, and the like may be provided in order of the Y layer 21, the M layer 22, and the C layer 23.

The base material of the thermal transfer sheet 2 is not particularly limited, and for example, a thin paper or a stretched or unstretched film of plastic can be used. The dye layer contains a dye and a binder resin for supporting the dye. As the dye and the binder resin, those conventionally known in the field of the sublimation type thermal transfer sheet can be appropriately selected and used.

The printing portion of the decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a thermal head 3, a rotary driveable platen roll 4 provided on the lower side of the thermal head 3, and an elevating means for allowing the thermal head 3 to move up and down with respect to the platen roll 4. (Not shown). The thermoplastic sheet 1 supplied from the supply unit (not shown) passes between the thermal head 3 and the platen roll 4.

The thermal transfer sheet 2 passes between the thermal head 3 and the platen roll 4 from the supply roll 5 side, and is wound around the take-up roll 6. The dye layer of the thermal transfer sheet 2 and the receiving layer 12 of the thermoplastic sheet 1 face each other between the thermal head 3 and the platen roll 4.

The thermal head 3 heats the dye layer from the base material side of the thermal transfer sheet 2 based on the printing data received from the control unit 7, and sequentially transfers the yellow dye, magenta dye, and cyan dye to the receiving layer 12 of the thermoplastic sheet 1. Then, the image is printed. An image for one screen is printed using a set of Y layer 21, M layer 22, and C layer 23.

The control unit 7 of the decorative sheet manufacturing device is a computer provided with a CPU and a storage unit, and has the functions of an image data input unit 71, an instruction reception unit 72, and an allocation unit 73.

The image data input unit 71 receives data input of an image formed on the thermoplastic sheet 1 from the user. The data input format is not particularly limited, and for example, data may be received from a smartphone or the like by wireless communication, or image data stored in a portable storage medium may be imported.

The instruction receiving unit 72 creates an operation screen using the image data input via the image data input unit 71, displays the operation screen on a display unit (not shown) such as a touch panel, and displays the number of prints for each image. And accepts print size instructions.

For example, the instruction receiving unit 72 receives an instruction on the number of prints of each image from the user via the number of prints instruction screen as shown in FIG.

The allocation unit 73 allocates one or a plurality of images on one screen based on the instruction of the number of prints and the print size for each image received by the instruction reception unit 72, and generates print data. The size of one screen corresponds to the size of the dye layer such as the Y layer 21.

First, the allocation unit 73 determines the number of images to be allocated (arranged) in the width direction based on the image print size in the width direction (short direction) of the thermoplastic sheet 1.

Consider a case where the size of the thermoplastic sheet 1 in the width direction is 203.2 mm, and margins of 5 mm are provided on both sides of each image in the width direction. At this time, when the image print size in the width direction is 91 mm or more and less than 193 mm, the number of allocated images in the width direction is set to 1. When the image print size in the width direction is 57 mm or more and less than 91 mm, the number of allocated images in the width direction is 2. When the print size in the width direction is 40 mm or more and less than 57 mm, the number of allocated images in the width direction is set to 3.

Further, the allocation unit 73 determines the number of images to be allocated in the longitudinal direction based on the image print size in the longitudinal direction of the thermoplastic sheet 1.

Consider a case where a printing size of one screen of an image that can be printed using one set of dye layers of the thermal transfer sheet 2 is 257 mm, and an unused area of 5 mm is provided on both sides of each image in the longitudinal direction. At this time, when the image print size in the longitudinal direction is 118 mm or more and less than 247 mm, the number of allocated images in the longitudinal direction is set to 1. When the image print size in the longitudinal direction is 75 mm or more and less than 118 mm, the number of allocated images in the longitudinal direction is 2. When the image print size in the longitudinal direction is 54 mm or more and less than 75 mm, the number of allocated images in the longitudinal direction is set to 3.

The allocation unit 73 allocates (arranges) images based on the number of images to be allocated in the width direction and the longitudinal direction and the number of prints of each instructed image, and generates print data. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the instruction that the number of prints of the image G1 is 3, the number of prints of the image G2 is 2, and the number of prints of the image G3 is 1 is received, and the number of allocated images in the width direction from the print size is 2, and the length is long. When the number of images allocated in the direction is determined to be 3, the thermal head 3 prints an image as shown in FIG. 5 on the thermoplastic sheet 1 based on the printing data generated by the allocation unit 73.

As shown in FIG. 5, the detection mark 14 may be printed according to each image. The detection mark 14 is used for positioning the decorative sheet when performing injection molding simultaneous decoration or insert molding. It may be possible to instruct the instruction receiving unit 72 of the printing position of the image based on the detection mark 14.

The method of arranging the images is arbitrary, and images of the same design may be arranged in the longitudinal direction, arranged in the width direction, or randomly arranged.

The mark to be printed is not limited to the detection mark 14, and may be a slit mark 15 indicating a slit position extending in the width direction as shown in FIG. Further, the same image (first image) may be continuously arranged next to each other and printed, and a mark may be formed at a position where the image is switched to another image (second image). It is preferable that this mark has a design that can be distinguished from the detection mark 14.

According to the present embodiment, by arranging and printing a plurality of images in the width direction of the thermoplastic sheet 1 according to the image size, a conventional method of printing one image at a time at intervals along the longitudinal direction is performed. Compared with, the sheet can be used more efficiently, the amount of decorative sheet used can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus may be provided with a cutter for cutting the decorative sheet, which is the thermoplastic sheet 1 which has been printed. The cutter may cut the decorative sheet for each size of one screen, or may cut along the slit mark 15.

A resin sheet made of a thermoplastic resin can be used as the base material 11 of the thermoplastic sheet 1. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include acrylic resin, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate and the like. A paper base material may be used as the base material 11.

The receiving layer 12 is for receiving the sublimation dye transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 2 and maintaining the formed image. Examples of the resin for forming the receiving layer 12 include polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, acrylic resin, cellulose resin, polysulphon, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetal, polyurethane, and polystyrene. , Polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, epoxy resin and the like.

The coloring material transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 2 is not limited to the sublimation dye, and may be molten ink.

The decorative sheet sales system that accepts orders for decorative sheets via the Internet may include the decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to the above embodiment. The decorative sheet sales system has a server device that provides a decorative sheet ordering site. The customer accesses the decorative sheet ordering site using a user terminal such as a PC, and uploads an image to be printed on the decorative sheet. Alternatively, an image to be printed on the decorative sheet may be selected from a plurality of images prepared in advance on the server device side. In addition, the customer instructs the number of prints and the print size of the image on the decorative sheet ordering site. When the image to be printed is determined by image upload or image selection and the instruction of the number of prints and the print size of the image is received, the server device performs payment processing as necessary.

The server device transmits the image data, the number of prints of the image, and the print size to the decorative sheet manufacturing device. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus allocates an image based on the number of prints and the print size of the image to generate print data, heats the thermal transfer sheet based on the print data, transfers the coloring material to the image receiving sheet, and prints the image. And manufacture decorative sheets.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments. In addition, components across different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

1 Thermoplastic sheet (image receiving sheet)
2 Thermal transfer sheet 11 Base material 12 Receptive layer 14 Detection mark

Claims (8)

An image data input unit that accepts image data input and
An instruction reception unit that accepts instructions on the number of prints and size of images,
An allocation unit that allocates images based on the number of prints and the print size to generate print data, and
A printing unit that heats a thermal transfer sheet based on the printing data, transfers a color material from the thermal transfer sheet to an image receiving sheet, prints a plurality of images, and manufactures a decorative sheet.
A decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus characterized in that it is provided with. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints a plurality of images in the width direction of the image receiving sheet. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the printing unit prints a detection mark corresponding to each image. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the instruction receiving unit receives an instruction of a printing position of an image based on the detection mark. The printing unit is characterized in that a plurality of first images are arranged next to each other and printed, and a mark is printed at a position where the image to be printed is switched to a second image different from the first image. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to any one of 4. The decorative sheet manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a cutter for cutting the decorative sheet. Steps to accept image data input and
Steps to accept instructions for the number of prints and size of the image,
A step of allocating an image based on the number of prints and the print size to generate print data, and
A step of heating a thermal transfer sheet based on the printing data, transferring a color material from the thermal transfer sheet to an image receiving sheet, printing a plurality of images, and manufacturing a decorative sheet.
A decorative sheet manufacturing method. A server device that accepts image input from a user terminal and also receives instructions on the number of prints and print size of the image on a decorative sheet.
A plurality of allocation units that allocate images based on the number of prints and the print size to generate print data, and a plurality of heat transfer sheets that are heated based on the print data and the coloring material is transferred from the heat transfer sheet to an image receiving sheet. A decorative sheet manufacturing device having a printing section for printing an image and manufacturing a decorative sheet,
Decorative sheet sales system equipped with.

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