JP2022061145A - Printing method using foil and pad - Google Patents

Abstract

To print, in a wide range of a curved surface, a pattern having a wide variety of colors and glosses.SOLUTION: A paste is injected into one fine recess of three or more plates on which a pattern by a set of fine recesses by photoetching, and color inks with different colors each are injected into a fine recess of another plate. At first, a dot d0 by the paste of the fine recess of the former plate is transferred to an object W through a first pad. Then, a second pad P2 heated by holding a foil sheet S is arranged above the pattern of the fine dot d0 of the object W, and a foil is brought into contact with the fine dot d0 of the paste by lowering the pad P2 and pressing the foil sheet S held between the pad P2 and the object W. Finally, the fine dot pattern by each color ink is transferred in a prescribed range including a range where a dot d1 of the foil is distributed by using the color-ink-injected plate and a third pad.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a method for performing highly decorative printing using a pad and a foil formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber.

Hot stamping (foil stamping) using metallic luster is widely known as a printing method for the purpose of enhancing luxury and decorativeness. For example, in Patent Document 1, a printing ink containing a solvent-type hot melt adhesive as a main component is used to form a raised pattern on a substrate to be printed, and a hot stamp in which a metal vapor deposition is applied to this pattern. It is described that the metal foil is transferred only to the surface of the pattern by the adhesive by applying the foil and crimping it with an elastic body such as silicon rubber while heating it at a temperature at which the hot melt adhesive melts.

As a printing method other than hot stamping, Patent Document 2 describes a pattern having fine irregularities on a thin metal plate by photoetching, and color printing using a precious metal plating layer or an inkjet printing method on the surface of the irregularities. It is described that layers are adhered and these are integrated. In the invention described in Patent Document 2, the metal plate on which the above two types of layers are formed is finally used as a decorative seal.

Regarding printing using a pad made of an elastic material, Patent Document 3 describes a wide curved surface by pressing the pad against the surface to be printed while applying a pressing force from above and a pressing force from both sides to the barrel of the writing tool. It is stated that printing is performed in the range.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-38799 Japanese Patent No. 6323891 Japanese Patent No. 6146926

In Patent Document 1, only the screen printing method is specifically described as a method for forming a pattern using a hot melt adhesive. If the surface to be printed is a flat surface, there is no big problem with this method, but if a curved surface such as a cylinder of a writing tool is the target of printing, the printing range is limited by screen printing, and a large pattern is printed. That is difficult.

The invention described in Patent Document 2 also targets a flat surface for printing, and is difficult to apply to a curved surface. Further, since the invention described in Patent Document 2 targets a material for a decorative sticker to be attached to another article to be printed, there is no problem in subjecting it to photo-etching, but the article is completed as a commercial product. It is difficult to apply photo-etching to the article when the product is to be printed.

In the invention described in Patent Document 3, even if the surface to be printed is a curved surface, a clear pattern can be printed in a wide range by bending the pad along the curved surface. However, the invention described in Patent Document 3 can only print with color ink, and it is impossible to print using a metal material.

Further, in the conventional hot stamping, the pattern by the foil is simply transferred, and no device for changing the color and the degree of brilliance of the foil pattern is recognized.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, so that a pad formed of an elastic material can be used to print a wide range even on a curved surface by combining a metal material and a color ink. At the same time, it is an object to greatly enhance the decorativeness by changing the degree of color and brilliance in various ways by this printing.

As described in Patent Document 2, fine irregularities can be formed by photoetching a metal plate. Further, even if the morphology of the entire aggregate is the same, it is possible to change the distribution density of the individual concave portions or convex portions.

In the present invention, the following characteristics are utilized by using a metal plate in which a pattern is formed by a collection of fine recesses by photoetching, a plurality of pads formed of an elastic material, and a foil sheet. Perform the three steps in sequence.

In the first step, the first plate in which the adhesive is injected into the fine recesses and the first pad are used, and the object to be printed is printed with a fine dot pattern (by a collection of fine dots). Means a pattern.) Is transcribed. The adhesive may be of any material as long as it is suitable for adhering the foil in the next second step, but if the adhesive is colorless or nearly transparent, it can be transferred by mixing the ink with the adhesive. This is useful for checking the patterns that have been made.

In the second step, a second pad heated by sandwiching the foil sheet is placed above the fine dot pattern of the print object, and the second pad is lowered to use the foil sheet as the pad and the print object. By sandwiching and pressing between the and, the foil is adhered to each fine dot of the fine dot pattern of the object to be printed.

In the third step, a range in which fine dots to which the foil of the printing object is adhered is distributed using a plurality of second plates and third pads in which color inks of different colors are injected into the fine recesses. A fine dot pattern with ink of each color is transferred to a predetermined range including. It is desirable to prepare the same number of third pads as the second plate, but if you want to wipe the ink remaining on the pads each time you transfer, you can use one pad for multiple third pads. It is also possible to sequentially transfer the fine dot pattern with the ink of the second plate.

In each of the above plates, a pattern based on the same motif is formed by a set of fine recesses, but in the second plate, a pattern not found in the first plate can be formed. Also, it is not always necessary to match all patterns even between multiple second editions. However, by overlapping the distribution range of the fine recesses of the plurality of second plates, adjusting the ratio of the density of the fine recesses of each plate in the range, and transferring the fine dots by the ink injected into those plates. This makes it possible to express various colors by mixing fine dots of various colors at a predetermined ratio.

Further, in the present invention, by mixing fine dots of one or several kinds of colors in the range where the fine dots of the foil are distributed, a pattern that fuses colors and brilliance derived from the foil, which cannot be obtained by a pattern of only the foil, is fused. Can be represented.

According to the present invention, by distributing various combinations of fine dots made of foil and fine dots made of color ink, fine dots of color ink are mixed with fine dots of the foil even at a place where the same foil is transferred. The color and brightness that appear can be varied depending on the type and proportion of the ink. Therefore, it is possible to print a pattern in which various colors appear with various brilliance, which cannot be obtained by transferring only foil or transferring only color ink. Further, since all the fine dots are transferred via the pad made of the elastic material, even if the surface to be printed has a curved surface, the pad can be brought into contact with a wide range of the surface to transfer each fine dot. ..

It is a figure which showed the composition example of the original image to be printed, and the plate generated from the image. It is a side view which shows the schematic structure of a pad printing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the schematic structure of the hot stamping apparatus. It is a figure which shows the schematic procedure of the 1st process. It is a figure which shows the schematic procedure of the 2nd process. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which the foil dot and the color dot are mixed and transferred. It is a figure which shows the method for expanding the print range with respect to a cylindrical object. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure and method for carrying out each 1st, 2nd, and 3rd steps in parallel.

Hereinafter, an example of the printing procedure will be described on the assumption that full-color printing with gold leaf is performed on the shaft cylinder of the writing tool by the printing method of the present invention.
In this embodiment, first, color image data of a pattern to be printed (including a picture, a mark, and a character representing a character) is created, and five types of plates are produced based on the image data. These plates are formed by photoetching a metal plate such as titanium or stainless steel to form an aggregate of fine recesses in a range corresponding to the pattern to be printed.

FIG. 1A shows a color image corresponding to the original drawing of each plate in which various colors are replaced with painting patterns. 1 (B) and 1 (C) are schematic views of a plate manufactured based on the color image of FIG. 1 (A), in which the range in which the fine concave portions are formed is represented by a halftone dot coating pattern and the fine concave portions are formed. The outline of the pattern corresponding to the range in which is not formed is represented by a dotted chain line.

One of the five editions is for hot stamping (hereinafter referred to as "version A"), and the remaining four editions are cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and yellow (Y), respectively. It is a plate for transfer of each color ink of black (K). Hereinafter, each plate for color ink is referred to as "plate C", "plate M", "plate Y", and "plate K", and the four plates are collectively referred to as "plate C, M, Y, K". )

In the plate A shown in FIG. 1 (A), fine recesses are formed in a portion (target portion on which the foil is placed) corresponding to a part of the original image. In the plates C, M, Y, and K, since fine recesses are formed in the entire range of the original image, these plates C, M, Y, and K are represented by a common image (FIG. 1 (B)). However, the density of the fine recesses in each plate is not constant, and even in the same plate, it varies depending on the color to be expressed. Specifically, the density of dots of each color element of C, M, Y, and K is determined by the color separation of the color of the original image, and these are used as the density of fine recesses in each of the plates C, M, Y, and K. It will be reflected.
Also in the plate A, the density of the fine recesses is changed based on the policy of how much the color and brightness of the foil are reflected.

In this embodiment, the target pattern is targeted by performing the three-step process described below using the pad printing device 1 shown in FIG. 2 and the hot stamping device 2 using the pad shown in FIG. Print on things. Plate A is used in the first step, and the remaining plates C, M, Y, K are used in the third step. In the second step, a gold leaf sheet is used instead of a plate.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the pad printing device 1.
The main body of the pad printing device 1 is a table portion 10, a column frame 11 integrally provided at the four corners of the table portion 10, and a ceiling frame 12 supported by the column frame 11 and opposed to the table portion 10. It is composed of. Further, the pad printing device 1 includes a conveyor device 19 arranged in front of the table unit 10, a control device (not shown) for controlling the operation of various mechanisms, an operation unit for setting (not shown), and the like. Is included.
In addition, in FIG. 2, since it affects the illustration of the main part, the illustration of the front support column frame 11 is omitted.

A plate base 13 for supporting the plate, a reciprocating mechanism 14 thereof, an ink unit 15, a cleaning table 16, and the like are provided on the table unit 10. The reciprocating mechanism 14 of the platen 13 includes a linear stage 140 and a stage main body 141 that moves the linear stage 140 in the front-rear direction. A plurality of recesses 130 for supporting the plate are arranged on the plate base 13 so as to be lined up in a line along the width direction of the machine. Similarly, one ink unit 15 is provided for each plate, and each is supported at a position slightly higher than the plate base 13 by a support member (not shown).

The cleaning table 16 is supported so as to be vertically movable by an elevating mechanism (not shown) provided below the top plate of the table portion 10. By lowering the cleaning table 16 to a position lower than the linear stage 140, the linear stage 140 and the plate table 13 can be moved to the front portion of the table portion 10.

The ceiling frame 12 is provided with a pad elevating mechanism 17 that supports the pad support portion 100 to which the transfer pad P1 is attached so as to be able to elevate, and a pad reciprocating mechanism 18 that reciprocates the pad support portion 100 in the front-rear direction. Will be. By these mechanisms 17, 18, in this embodiment, the same number of pad support portions 100 as the recesses 130 of the platen 13 are arranged along the width direction of the machine body at the same intervals as the recesses 130. Be supported.

The pad elevating mechanism 17 is composed of a support frame 101 that supports each pad support portion 100, a support shaft 102 that includes a ball screw, a servomotor 103 that is connected to the support shaft 102 to move the ball screw, and the like, and is the main body of the servomotor 103. Is projected above the ceiling frame 12, and the support shaft 102 is arranged in a vertical direction.

The pad reciprocating mechanism 18 is connected to a rail portion 104 provided on the lower surface of the ceiling frame 12, a pair of front and rear sliding frames 105 and 106 meshed with the rail portion 104, and a rear sliding frame 105. It is composed of a ball screw 107 and a driving unit thereof (not shown). The sliding frame 105 on the front side is a U-shaped frame in which the front end surface and the rear end surface are projected downward, and a hole for passing the support shaft 102 of the pad elevating mechanism 17 is formed on the upper surface of the frame. ing. A support frame 101 is connected to the tip of a support shaft 102 that has passed through this hole, and a plurality of pad support portions 100 are connected to the support frame 101. By these connections, the pad elevating mechanism 17 is supported so as to be able to reciprocate along the front-rear direction of the machine while maintaining the above posture.

The pad support portion 100 has a built-in elevating mechanism mainly composed of an air cylinder, and the pad P1 is connected to the cylinder rod of the elevating mechanism. Each pad support portion 100 moves up and down all at once by the pad elevating mechanism 17, and the corresponding pad P1 is moved up and down by each elevating mechanism.

The conveyor device 19 in front of the table portion 10 conveys the holder H holding the object W (writing tool) to be printed to the position corresponding to each pad support portion 100 in order in the width direction of the machine body. Will be deployed alongside. The ceiling frame 12 and the rail portion 104 extend to an upper position of the conveyor device 19, and by advancing the sliding member 105 to a position near the front end edge of the rail portion 104, the pad elevating mechanism 17 and the pad support portion 100 Can be moved above the conveyor device 19.

In the above configuration, the pad reciprocating mechanism 18 reciprocates the pad elevating mechanism 17 and the plurality of pad supporting portions 100 supported by the pad elevating mechanism 17 between the upper position of the conveyor device 19 and the upper position of the cleaning table 16. The pad elevating mechanism 17 performs an elevating operation at the front end position and the rear end position within the range of the reciprocating movement, and moves each pad support portion 100 up and down. The linear stage 140 retracts until the recess 130 of the plate base 13 comes to a position facing the ink unit 15, and ink is injected from the ink unit 15 into the plate in the recess 130 at the position after the recess.

When the ink injection is completed, the linear stage 140 advances and the cleaning table 16 descends, and the linear stage 140 and the plate table 13 move to a position above the cleaning table 16. At this time, the pad elevating mechanism 17 is also located above the cleaning table 16, and the pad P1 supported by each pad support portion 100 and each plate mounted in the recess 130 of the plate table 13 face each other. While maintaining this facing relationship, each pad support portion 100 was lowered to a predetermined height position by the pad elevating mechanism 17, and the cylinder rod of each pad support portion 100 was extended to be supported by each pad support portion 100. The pad P1 is pressed against the plate, and the ink in the plate is transferred to the pad P1.

After the transfer of ink from the plate is completed, the pad support portion 100 is moved above the conveyor device 19 by the pad reciprocating mechanism 18, and is supported at a predetermined height position by the pad elevating mechanism 17.
In the conveyor device 19, the holder H holding the object W (writing tool) to be printed is stopped in order below each pad support portion 100, and the cylinder rod of the pad support portion 100 facing the holder H extends. Then, the pad P1 supported by the pad support portion 100 is pressed against the object W. As a result, the ink transferred from the plate to the pad P1 is transferred to the object W.

The linear stage 140 that has moved to the front of the table 10 retracts in conjunction with the advance of the pad support portion 100, and the cleaning table 16 rises in time with this movement. After the transfer to the object W is completed, each pad support portion 100 rises and returns to the upper position of the cleaning table 16, descends until the pad P1 is pressed against the upper surface of the cleaning table 16, and then rises again. do. By the contact of the pad P1 with the cleaning table 16, the ink remaining on the pad P1 is wiped off.

It is not always necessary to continue the transfer by each pad P1, and during the transfer, each pad P1 is appropriately returned to the upper part of the cleaning table 16 to wipe off the ink, or the ink is transferred to each pad P1. May be divided into a plurality of times.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the hot stamping apparatus 2 used in the second step.
The body of the hot stamping device 2 is composed of a table portion 20, a ceiling frame 22, and a back frame 21 that supports them in a state of facing each other. The ceiling frame 22 is provided with a pad elevating mechanism 23 including a servomotor 201 and a pad reciprocating mechanism 24, and these mechanisms 23 and 24 cause the pad support portion 200 to which the silicon pad P2 is attached to move up and down. And it is supported so that it can move back and forth. It should be noted that only one pad support portion 200 is introduced into the hot stamping device 2. The pad support portion 200 does not include an air cylinder, and moves up and down only by the raising and lowering operation of the pad raising and lowering mechanism 23.

The pad elevating mechanism 23 includes a support shaft (not shown) by a ball screw connected to the drive shaft of the servomotor 201, and the pad support portion 200 is connected to the tip end portion of the support shaft. The pad reciprocating mechanism 24 includes a rail portion 202, a pair of front and rear sliding frames 203 and 204, and a drive mechanism (not shown) connected to the rear sliding frame 204. Since these have substantially the same configurations as those in the pad printing apparatus 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A hot plate 25 provided with a heating wire is arranged on the top surface of the table portion 20. A temperature controller 26 for adjusting the temperature of the hot plate 25 is provided on the side of the table portion 20. The temperature controller 26 is electrically connected to the heating wire of the hot plate 25 via the cord wire 26a, and controls the heating wire to generate heat within a set temperature range.

In front of the table portion 20, a support base 27 on which the holder H for holding the object W (writing tool) is placed is arranged. Further, stands 29 for supporting the roll bodies R1 and R2 of the foil sheet S are provided on both sides of the front end portion of the table portion 20, and the foil sheets S are placed in a horizontal posture above the support base 27 by these stands 29 and 29. Be supported. Further, in order to stabilize the posture of the sheet S when the foil sheet S is pressed by the pad P2, a pair of pressing rollers 28, 28 projecting forward are provided on the front surface of the table portion 20.

The roll body R1 on the feeding side is supported by the stand 29 on the left hand side in FIG. 3, and the roll body R2 on the winding side is supported by the stand 29 on the right hand side. Although omitted in FIG. 3, the take-up machine is integrally provided on the take-up side stand 29.

In addition to the above configuration, the hot stamping device 25 is also provided with a control device (not shown) for controlling the operation of each mechanism.
Under the control of this control device, the pad reciprocating mechanism 24 reciprocates the pad elevating mechanism 23 between the upper position of the hot plate 25 and the upper position of the support base 27, and the pad elevating mechanism 23 reciprocates. The pad support portion 200 is moved up and down at the front end position and the rear end position in the range of. In the vertical movement with respect to the hot plate 25, the pad elevating mechanism 23 stops at a position where the pad P2 comes into contact with the surface of the hot plate for a predetermined time, and then rises. By this operation, the heat of the hot plate 25 is transferred to the pad P2, and when the heated pad P2 is carried above the support base 27 by the pad reciprocating mechanism 24, the pad P2 is transferred to the foil sheet S in the pad elevating mechanism 23. It descends until it comes into contact with the foil sheet S and is pressed against the object W, and after stopping at that position for a predetermined time, it ascends.

Hereinafter, the printing method carried out using the above two types of devices will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. Although the illustration of the holder H is omitted in the schematic diagram, the object W (writing tool) to be printed is supported by the same holder H from beginning to end, and is taken out from the holder H while moving the two devices. There is no. The orientation of the object W is not changed in the holder H.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic procedure of the first step. In the preparation before starting the first step, the plate A is mounted in any recess 130 of the plate base 13 of the pad printing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2, and ink is applied to the ink unit 15 corresponding to the recess 130. The mixed adhesive 4 is injected.

When the preparation is complete, as shown in FIG. 4A, the adhesive 4 is placed over the entire distribution range of the fine recesses 3 of the plate A, and then the adhesive is wiped with a squeegee 150 (part of the ink unit 15). , As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the adhesive 4 is left only inside the fine recess 3.

Next, the linear stage 140 and the pad reciprocating mechanism 17 are moved so that the plate A and the corresponding pad P1 face each other (FIG. 4B), and the pad elevating mechanism 17 and the pad support portion 100 are elevating mechanism. Is moved to lower the pad P1 so that the pad P1 is brought into contact with the above plate A. Further, by continuing the lowering operation of the pad support portion 100 until a certain pressing force is applied to the plate A, the pad P1 is deformed and the lower surface thereof is in a state along the plate A (FIG. 4 (c)). By this pressing, the adhesive 4 in the fine recess 3 adheres to the pad P1.

After that, the pad P1 to which the adhesive is attached is pulled up (FIG. 4 (d)), the pad P1 is advanced to the upper side of the conveyor device 19, and then lowered again to be pressed against the object W (FIG. 3 (FIG. 3). e)). By this pressing, the adhesive of the pad P1 is transferred to the object W, and the pattern of the fine dots d0 of the adhesive is transferred to the surface of the object W (FIG. 3 (f)). Although the adhesive is almost transparent, since the ink is mixed in, the location where the pattern is transferred and the accuracy of the transfer can be easily confirmed by the eyes of the operator.
In addition, in FIG. 4 and subsequent FIGS. 5 and 6, the fine dots are greatly enlarged for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic procedure of the second step.
In the second step, the object W that has completed the first step is manually placed on the top surface of the support base 27 of the hot stamping device 2 shown in FIG. As a result, the object W is arranged below the foil sheet S supported in the horizontal posture.

During this time, the control device in the hot stamping device 2 causes the pad elevating mechanism 23 and the pad reciprocating mechanism 24 to perform the above-mentioned operations, so that the pad P2 is brought into contact with the hot plate 25 for a predetermined time, and the heat of the hot plate 25 is heated. The pad P2 propagated by the above is moved above the foil sheet S (FIG. 5 (a)). Then, the pad P2 is lowered so that the foil sheet S is sandwiched between the pad P2 and the object W, and the pressing force and heat from the pad P2 act on the foil sheet S (FIG. 5B). .. When the pad P2 is pulled up and the foil sheet S is wound up after a predetermined time, the foil is in a state of being adhered to the surface of the fine dots d0 of the adhesive 4 (FIG. 5 (c)).

By executing the first step and the second step in order in this way, the pattern of the fine recesses 3 of the plate A is referred to as a fine dot d1 (hereinafter referred to as "foil dot") to which the foil is attached to the surface of the object. ) Is transferred as a pattern.

The third step is performed by the pad printing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2, as in the first step. In the preparatory work before starting the third step, plates C, M, Y, and K are mounted in the four recesses 130 of the plate base 13 of the pad printing device 1, respectively, and the ink unit 15 corresponding to these plates is provided. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color inks are injected. Further, the object W (supported by the holder H with the pattern of the foil dots d1 facing upward) that has undergone the second step is deployed on the conveyor device 19.

When the preparation is completed, first, the same procedure as shown in FIG. 4A is simultaneously executed for the four plates C, M, Y, and K by the operation of the linear stage 140 and each ink unit 15. (FIG. 4B), color ink is injected into the fine recesses 3 of each plate C, M, Y, and K. After that, the linear stage 140 moved forward, and each version C, M. The pad P1 faces Y and K, respectively. Here, the pad support portions 100 of the four pads P1 are lowered all at once by the operation of the pad elevating mechanism 17 and the elevating mechanism of each pad support portion 100, and there are also four processes corresponding to (c) and (d) of FIG. It is performed simultaneously for plates C, M, Y, and K.

After that, when each pad support portion 100 moves above the conveyor device 19, the object W is sequentially conveyed to a position facing each pad P1 by the conveyor device 19, and each time the object W is conveyed, the object W faces the object W. The elevating mechanism of the pad support portion 100 is activated, and the pad P1 supported by the pad support portion 100 is lowered. By performing this procedure for each pad support portion 100, the processes corresponding to (e) and (f) in FIG. 4 are executed four times in succession.

It is not essential to perform the steps (a) to (d) simultaneously for the four plates C, M, Y, and K, or to continuously perform the steps (e) and (f). While performing (a) to (d) in several steps, after each execution of (a) to (d), the steps (e) and (f) are performed using the pad P1 to which the ink is transferred. You may do so.

According to the above-mentioned third step, the color ink injected into each of the fine recesses 3 of the plates C, M, Y, and K is an object as fine dots (hereinafter referred to as "color dots d2") according to the color. It is transferred to W, and a pattern with a predetermined color is expressed by mixing the color dots d2 of each color. Since the range and density of the distribution of the color dots d2 are the same as those of the fine recesses 3 of the original plates C, M, Y, and K, the original image shown in FIG. 1 is obtained by mixing the four types of color dots d1. Colors and patterns can be faithfully reproduced.

Further, in the range where the foil dots d1 by the plate A are distributed, as shown in FIG. 6, the foil dots d1 and the color dots d2 are in a mixed state. In FIG. 6, the color dots d2 are arranged one by one between the foil dots d1 without distinguishing the types of the color dots d2, but in reality, the foil dots d1 and the four types of color dots d2 are arranged. By mixing at various ratios, a pattern having a color obtained by mixing the gold color of the foil dot d1 and each color dot d2 and a brilliance derived from the foil dot d1 is formed. The luminance due to the foil dot d1 also differs depending on the ratio of the color dots d2 to be mixed.

The type and density of the color dots d2 to be mixed with the foil dots d1 can be variously varied depending on the design of the original image and the production of plates C, M, Y, and K reflecting the same. The density of the foil dot d1 is also the same. However, by combining these dots d1 and d2, it is possible to express a wide variety of colors and luminosities, and it is possible to print an object with a high decorative effect.

Further, in any of the steps, the fine dots are transferred by a method of deforming the elastic silicon pads P1 and P2 into a shape along the curved surface of the object, so that the target range of printing should be sufficiently widened. Can be done. However, this method can be adopted not only for printing on a curved surface but also for printing on a flat surface.

Further, in the first and third steps, the range of printing can be further widened by introducing the mechanism shown in FIG. 7 into the pad printing apparatus 1.
In the example of FIG. 7, the conveyor device 19 that supports the object W includes a pair of pad pressing portions 110, 110 for pressing the pad P1 that has descended to a position in contact with the object W from the side. The whole illustration is omitted.) Is provided. In this pad pressing mechanism, a holder H for holding an object W is placed on a support base (not shown) between the pad pressing portions 110, and the holder H is conveyed together with the holder H by a conveyor device 19.

The other hardware configurations of the pad printing apparatus 1 are the same as those shown in FIG. 2, but the pad P3 having a through hole h formed in a thick portion is attached to the pad support portion 100 in order to facilitate bending. ..

In advance, the control device of the pad control device 1 has a length T1 of time for pressing the object W by the pad P3 by the lowering operation of the pad support portion 100, and the pad P3 is pressed from the side by each pad pressing portion 110. The length of time T2 and the deviation time Δt from the start of the former pressing to the start of the latter pressing are set.

By the control of the control unit based on the above three types of setting data T1, T2, Δt, the pad P3 descends and comes into contact with the object W (FIG. 7A), and the pad support unit 100 continues until the time T1 elapses. As the descending motion is continued, the pad P3 is pressed from above and deformed, and as shown in FIG. 7B, is pressed against the object while expanding the contact area with the object W.

Further, when the deviation time Δt elapses from the time point of FIG. 7A, the pad pressing portions 110 on both sides are activated and the pad P3 is pressed from both sides as well. The pad P3 is further deformed by pressing from three directions, and as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the pad P3 is in contact with the surface of a wide range of the cylindrical object W (writing tool) in the circumferential direction. Be pressed.

Even in the hot stamping apparatus 2 used in the second step, the pad elevating mechanism 23 is used so that the pad P2 is deformed until the distribution range of the fine dots d0 of the adhesive 4 in the first step is surely in contact with the foil sheet S. By controlling the descending operation, the foil can be attached to each of the fine dots d0 to form the pattern of the foil dots d1.

By the way, when the plate base 13 of the pad printing apparatus 1 has five recesses 130, the plate A for the first process and the plates C, M, Y, K for the third process are all the plate base 13. The first step and the third step can be carried out by one pad printing device 1 and the three steps including the second step can be carried out in parallel. The specific method will be described below with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG.

In the example of FIG. 8, the pad printing device 1 and the hot stamping device 2 are installed side by side, and the turntable 5 is installed in front of these devices 1 and 2 with a space for a worker to enter. Will be done. A plate A for the first process and plates C, M, Y, and K for the third process are mounted on the plate base 13 of the pad printing apparatus 1 one by one.

The conveyor device 19 of the pad printing device 1 has a transport direction in the direction from the left-hand side to the right-hand side in the drawing. The rotation direction of the turntable 5 is set to the counterclockwise direction. Two workers M1 and M2 are arranged between the turntable 5 and each of the devices 1 and 2.

The worker M1 is located in a range to the left of the front center portion of the pad printing device 1, and a first table 6 on which a holder H for holding an object W before printing is placed is arranged on the left hand side thereof. The worker M2 is located in a range to the left of the front center portion of the hot stamping device 2, and a second table 7 on which a holder H for holding the printed object W is placed is arranged on the right hand side thereof.

The worker M1 has completed the work of arranging the holders H of the first table 6 one by one at a position in front of the plate A of the conveyor device 19 and the first step of the plate A and the corresponding pad P1. Is taken out from the conveyor device 19 and placed on the turntable 5 at the nearest position Q1 (hereinafter referred to as the first point Q1), and the holder H that flows from the side of the hot stamping device 2 and reaches the first point Q1. Responsible for arranging the conveyor device 19 at a position in front of the plate C.

The worker M2 takes out the holder H that has flowed from the first point Q1 to the vicinity of itself from the turntable 5 and sets it on the support base 27 of the hot stamping device 2, and the second step in the device 2 is completed. After that, the holder H is placed on the turntable 5 at its nearest position Q2 (hereinafter referred to as "second point Q2"), and the plates C, M, Y, and K for each color ink of the pad printing device 1 are used. After the third step with the corresponding pads P3 is completed, the holder H that has flowed to the right end of the conveyor device 19 is collected and placed on the second table 7.
If you are a skilled worker, you can also perform the above two tasks by yourself.

In the pad printing device 1, transfer by only the pad P1 for the first step (contacting only the pad P1 for the first step with the plate base 13 and the conveyor device 19) is repeated for a while from the start. By this process and the work procedure described above, the first step is performed on a predetermined number of objects W, and they are sequentially transported to the hot stamping apparatus 2 to perform the second step.

The holder H on which the object W to which the first step and the second step are applied first reaches from the second point Q2 to the first point Q1, and this is arranged at a position in front of the plate C of the conveyor device 19. In the subsequent pad printing apparatus 1, four transfers using the plates C, M, Y, and K are performed in order, and the first one is synchronized with any one or two of the four transfers. The transfer of the process is carried out. By doing so, the workers M1 and M2 can comfortably perform a plurality of types of work, and the object W can be smoothly set in each of the devices 1 and 2, and the work can be efficiently performed in the three processes. Can be done.

Further, it is desirable that the second step is carried out after the adhesive 4 formed in the first step has dried to some extent, but according to the example of FIG. 8, the object W that has undergone the first step is the turntable 5. The adhesive 4 can be dried by utilizing the time between traveling half a circumference. If the degree of dryness is insufficient by that alone, a blower may be arranged in the vicinity of the turntable 5 to blow wind on the moving object W.

Not limited to the method of FIG. 8, for example, a configuration for carrying out the first step, a configuration for carrying out the second step, and for drying the adhesive 4 of the object W that has undergone the first step to a certain extent. It is also possible to incorporate the configuration into one device and perform printing using this device and the pad printing device 1 (FIG. 2) for executing the third step. Furthermore, it is possible to develop a device configured so that all the processes can be carried out by one unit.

In the above embodiment, it has been described that the color dots d2 of all colors are mixed in the range where the foil dots d1 are distributed, but it is not always necessary to mix only one of the color dots d2. You may. Further, a region where the color dot d2 is not mixed may be provided in a part of the distribution range of the foil dot d1. Similarly, in the range in which only the color dots d2 are distributed, the distribution may be limited to only one of the four colors or the distribution of the color dots d2 of two to three colors.

The distribution range of the foil dot d1 is not limited to a part of the symbol to be printed, and may be distributed over the entire symbol. The foil dots d1 can also be easily scattered in the color region where the color dots d2 are the main components by the above method. Further, the foil sheet S of the material of the foil dot d1 is not limited to the gold leaf sheet, and a silver foil sheet may be used.

Further, in FIG. 1, as an example of the original image of each version, an image that is simply color-coded into several kinds of colors is illustrated, but even if the original image has small changes such as shading and gradation, those changes are shown. It can be faithfully reflected in the distribution of the fine recesses of the plate. Therefore, it is possible to perform printing that faithfully reproduces the characteristics of images of various designs as motifs.

1 Pad printing device 2 Hot stamping device 3 Fine recesses 4 Adhesives A, C, M, Y, B Plates P1, P2, P3 Pad S Foil sheet W Printing object

Claims (1)

It is a printing method using a metal plate in which a pattern is formed by a collection of fine recesses by photoetching, a pad formed of an elastic material, and a foil sheet.
The first plate in which the pattern formed by the set of the fine recesses is formed in at least one place, and the pattern formation range in the at least one plate by the set of the fine recesses is a part of the pattern formation range of the first plate. Or, make a plurality of second plates in which the formation range of each pattern is adjusted so as to overlap the whole.
The first step of transferring the fine dot pattern by the adhesive to the object to be printed by using the first plate and the first pad in which the adhesive is injected into the fine recesses,
A second pad heated by sandwiching the foil sheet is placed above the fine dot pattern of the print object that has undergone the first step, and the second pad is lowered to use the foil sheet with the pad. The second step of adhering the foil to each fine dot of the fine dot pattern of the print target by sandwiching it between the print target and pressing the print target.
A predetermined range including a range in which fine dots to which the foil of the printing object is adhered are distributed by using the plurality of second plates and the third pad in which color inks of different colors are injected into the fine recesses. The third step of transferring the fine dot pattern with the ink of each color to
A printing method using foils and pads, which is characterized by being performed in sequence.

Images