JP3552293B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention, by heating and pressing the image written to the transfer film to a transfer member, relates to an image forming apparatus which transfers the image to a transfer member, in particular, to transfer the boundary without transferring the image onto a transfer member The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally , a transfer ribbon coated uniformly with a sublimable dye is placed on the transfer target, a thermal head is placed on the transfer ribbon, and the thermal head is operated based on the image data to sublimate the transfer target. A method of transferring an image of a sex dye is known.
[0003]
However, materials that can stain the sublimable dye, for example, polyester, acrylic resin, since a limited such vinyl chloride resin, in the above method, dyeing having no synthetic resin against sublimation dye, metal, paper There is a problem that it cannot be transferred to various materials such as glass and glass.
[0004]
Therefore, as disclosed in JP-A-63-81093, first, an image is written on a film-like transfer film having an adhesive layer by using a transfer ribbon of a sublimable dye and a thermal head. A method has been proposed in which the image is heated and pressurized together with the adhesive layer on the transfer object using a heat roller to transfer the image to the transfer object. According to this method, by selecting the adhesive layer, it is possible to transfer and form an image regardless of the material of the transfer target.
[0005]
Then, holding the image on the transfer film when transferred to the transfer member, the adhesive layer on the heat and the transfer film of the heat roller, a portion other than the transfer member, for example, a material to be transferred by heat and pressure of the heat roller The peripheral surface of the heat roller is divided into a contact surface and a non-contact surface, and a step is provided between the contact surface and the non-contact surface because it is necessary to avoid reaching to a member to be conveyed or a member to be conveyed. .
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However , in the case of a conventional image forming apparatus using a transfer film, since a step is provided between the contact surface and the non-contact surface of the heat roller peripheral surface, the transfer image can be transferred only to a part of the transfer object, and the transfer image cannot be transferred. A transfer image could not be formed at every corner of the transfer body.
[0007]
Further, there is a problem that a boundary line of the adhesive layer of the transfer film is formed on the transfer object, and the quality of the transfer object is deteriorated.
[0008]
Further, the transferred object may be caused by factors such as the thickness accuracy or the transfer position accuracy, which may cause an undesired deterioration of the heating / pressing balance, or may have an artificially varied thickness such as a watermark.
[0009]
To reduce the influence of deterioration of heat and pressure balance caused by the use of these transfer film, it is conceivable to perform the heating and pressing to hold the material to be transferred onto a rubber sheet, rubber sheet material, the If the adhesive strength to the transfer member is too strong, there is a problem that it is difficult to peel the transfer member from the rubber sheet after heating and pressing.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, without causing a boundary line of the adhesive layer on the transfer member, it is possible to transfer the image to the corners of the material to be transferred, the thickness of the transfer film providing accuracy, positional accuracy during the transport of the transfer film, or the use or the like of the transfer member to the thickness of the watermark such gave a with roses, an image forming apparatus which is not affected by the factors varying the heat and pressure conditions The purpose is to do.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first image forming apparatus of the present application includes a transfer member having a uniform thickness placed on a support member, and a transfer film having a transfer image formed on the transfer film. to face, the placing onto the transfer material by heating and pressing the heat roller from the top of the transfer film, and transferring the transfer image on the transfer object, then, the support and the transfer target body In an image forming apparatus that separates the member from the transfer film ,
The surface of the support member on which the object to be transferred is placed is formed of an elastomer larger than the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the recording surface of the object to be transferred, and the heating and pressing surface of the heat roller is set to be larger than the recording surface of the object to be transferred. The surface of the elastomer on which the object to be transferred is mounted is roughened by polishing.
[0012]
A second image forming apparatus of the present invention, in the first image forming apparatus, wherein the elastomer is characterized in that it consists of silicone rubber, or synthetic rubber fluorine rubber.
[0013]
According to a third image forming apparatus of the present invention , in the second image forming apparatus, the silicone rubber is a heat-curable silicone rubber.
[0016]
The fourth image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in any one of the first to third image forming apparatus, said surface contacting the material to be transferred in the elastomer is a layer of fluorine-based polymer compound And
[0017]
According to a fifth image forming apparatus of the present invention , in the fourth image forming apparatus, the fluorine-based polymer compound is polytetrafluoroethylene or tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether. And any one of the above copolymers.
[0018]
Sixth image forming apparatus of the present invention, in any one of the image forming apparatus of the first to fifth, wherein the heat roller is a silicone rubber coating layer formed on the surface of the metal cylinder cored bar, further the silicone rubber coated It is characterized by having a coating layer made of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether on the surface of the layer.
[0019]
[Action]
According to the image forming apparatus of the first to sixth invention, since the support member for mounting a material to be transferred is made from an elastomer having an elasticity, heat roller by placing the transfer film onto the transfer object on elastomer When heating and pressurizing, even if the thickness of the transfer film or the thickness of the object to be transferred varies, it is possible to uniformly apply the pressing force and prevent unevenness in the adhesive strength. Moreover, since the axial length of the heat roller is greater than the size in the width direction of the transfer member of the transfer film, it is possible to prevent the boundary line of the adhesive layer by heating and pressurizing of the heat roller is generated.
[0020]
In particular, the surface of the elastomer is roughened by grinding, since uneven density fine, can be performed in a short time easily carried out of the transfer member, and moderate retention as the transfer member does not move during transfer Can be fixed with force. In addition , since the irregularities are fine , even when heated and pressed by a heat roller , there is no unevenness in the adhesive strength of the transfer image of the transfer film.
[0021]
In addition , since a thin layer of air is formed by the unevenness, the adhesive layer of the transfer film does not adhere to or adhere to the support member. For this reason , it is possible to sufficiently heat and press even a place where the transfer object does not exist through the transfer film.
[0023]
According to the second and third image forming apparatuses of the present invention, the heat resistance is improved, and according to the fourth and fifth image forming apparatuses, since the fluorine-based polymer compound is formed on the surface of the elastomer, In addition, the transfer object can be more easily peeled off.
[0024]
According to the sixth image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the fluorine-based polymer compound is formed on the surface of the heat roller, with less transfer film to the heat roller even when heated, the transfer film and the transfer receiving material and Does not occur. Further, since the blackening treatment is performed on the inner surface of the heat roller, the heat radiation of the heater can be efficiently absorbed.
[0025]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0026]
FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 5 to 7 show a state in which transfer is performed by the image forming apparatus of this embodiment. An image is previously written on the adhesive layer of the transfer film.
[0027]
In Figure 1, 1 is a metal base plate, the silicon rubber sheet 2 is laid as a support member on the base plate 1. 3 is a material to be transferred, the transferred object 3 is in this embodiment uses a vinyl chloride card, a variety of materials as a substrate of polyethylene terephthalate sheet or paper such as addition of the transfer member It can be replaced with a plastic card , a booklet such as a passport or a notebook , a sheet, or the like. 4, 5, 6, 7 is a conveying roller for conveying or holding the transfer film 9, 8 is a heat roller. The heat roller 8 Yes covers the fluorine-based polymer compound on the surface of the metal core of the cylindrical aluminum, although not shown halogen lamp therein containing a heater. Cylindrical inner surface portion of the aluminum core metal, as efficiently absorb heat radiated from the halogen lamp, blackening treatment is applied.
[0028]
Vertical and horizontal dimensions of the base plate 1 is set larger than the dimension of the vertical and horizontal direction of the silicon rubber sheet 2, vertical and horizontal dimensions of the silicon rubber sheet 2 is also set larger than the vertical and horizontal dimension of the transfer object 3. Here, the vertical and horizontal directions in this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the transfer film 9 and the longitudinal direction, the width direction of the transfer film 9 and the transverse direction. The width of the transfer target 3 is smaller than the width of the transfer film 9, and the width of the silicone rubber sheet 2 is larger than the width of the transfer film 9. The axial length of the heat roller 8 is larger than the width of the transfer film 9, the circumferential length of the heat roller 8 is set to be larger than the longitudinal length of the transfer object 3.
[0029]
As a result, the transfer object 3 is completely covered by the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 , and when heated and pressed by the heat roller 8, the adhesive layer at the end in the width direction of the transfer film 9 is removed. in a position deviated from the end, the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 is not transferred to the silicone rubber sheet 2 since the silicon rubber sheet 2 may releasability. Therefore , a boundary line of the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 does not occur on the transfer object 3, and an image can be transferred to the whole of the transfer object 3, and the thickness accuracy of the transfer film 9 and the transfer of the transfer film 9 positional accuracy of the time, or use such a transfer object 3 to the thickness of the watermark such gave a with roses, not affected even if factors that vary the heat and pressure conditions.
[0030]
As the heat resistant elastomer as a supporting member, in addition to the silicone rubber, it may be mentioned a fluorine rubber. Further, silicone rubber is heat vulcanization type, but some are normal temperature vulcanizing type, silicon rubber is used for heating the vulcanizable in this embodiment.
[0031]
In this embodiment , the transfer object 3, the base plate 1 and the silicon rubber sheet 2 holding the transfer object 3, and the transfer film 9 move during transfer, and the heat roller 8 rotates. Of course , before the heating and pressing, the heat roller 8 is located above the transfer film 9, and when the base plate 1 on which the transfer object 3 is placed moves together with the transfer film 9 to a predetermined position below the heat roller 8. Then, the heat roller 8 descends to heat and press the transfer film 9 and the transfer target 3 together with the base plate 1.
[0032]
During this heating and pressing, the scope of the transferred image by transferring the film 9 is larger than the transfer member 3, also, since the heat and pressure range A by the heat roller 8 is wider than the transfer member 3, the transfer object 3 In addition, the formation of the boundary between the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 and the end of the heat roller 8 is prevented.
[0033]
According to experiments, in the above configuration, the peripheral surface of the heat roller 8, to form a coating layer of polytetrafluoroethylene, heated and硫形ranging from a thickness of 0.5 to 3mm on the silicon rubber sheet 2 use of silicon rubber sheet, a heat roller temperature 110 to 170 ° C., was transcribed in heat roller circumferential speed 10 to 60 mm / sec, the transfer image and the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 only to the transfer member 3 is transferred, silicone rubber No image and adhesive layer were transferred to Sheet 2.
[0034]
Incidentally, by performing surface polishing, etc. The surface of the silicon rubber sheet 2 by a grinder, if roughen the surface of the silicon rubber sheet 2 fine, moderate when holding secure the transfer target body 3 to the silicon rubber sheet 6 In addition to obtaining a strong fixing force, a slipperiness can be obtained when the transfer object 3 is detached from the silicone rubber sheet 6. Further, if the silicon rubber sheet 2 is coated with a fluorine-based polymer compound, only very good slip properties can be obtained.
[0035]
Thus, since the very thin air layer is formed between the transfer film and the supporting member by making a rough surface, even when and the elastomer coated, adhered to the adhesive layer is a support member of the transfer film And there is no sticking at all. For this reason , it is possible to sufficiently heat and press even a place where the transfer object does not exist through the transfer film. Further , by making the size and depth of the fine irregularities different, it is possible to balance the fixing force and the slipperiness between the transferred body and the support member. Without even polished surface is also coated on the contrary, when the specularly finished, only strong adhesion force can be obtained.
[0036]
The fluorine-based polymer compound covering the silicone rubber sheet 2 may be , in addition to polytetrafluoroethylene, a tube coating of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether, or tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroethylene. There is dispersion plating, etc. fluoro alkyl vinyl ether, it was confirmed that good transfer can be obtained thereby. Further, the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9, a mixture of the copolymer and the polyester of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, the thickness of the adhesive layer was confirmed by 2 to 8 m.
[0037]
Figure 2 shows the second embodiment of the present invention, is obtained by changing the heat roller in FIG.
[0038]
This heat roller 8 ′ has a silicon rubber layer 12 of 1 mm or less provided on the surface of an aluminum cylindrical core 13 , and further has a coating layer 11 of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether on the surface thereof. It is coated.
[0039]
The use of the heat roller 8 ', within the adhesive layer of the transfer film 9 provided in advance a hologram by ZnS, etc., etc. If the transfer holo image on the transfer member 3 together with the transfer, pressure of the transfer film 9 This is very effective when you want to gently and uniformly apply pressure. That is , since the silicon rubber layer 12 is formed on the heat roller 8 ', delicate transfer such as a hologram image can be performed . When the heat roller 8' is not provided with a rubber layer , the transfer is performed . Later holo layers may be destroyed. Incidentally, in addition to heat resistance of the synthetic rubber of the silicone rubber as the rubber layer (heat vulcanizing silicone rubber, silicone rubber such as silicone rubber of normal temperature vulcanizing type, fluorine rubber) may be used.
[0040]
The heat roller 8 'has a halogen lamp heater 14 therein, an aluminum cylindrical core metal 13, so that it can efficiently absorb the heat radiation from the halogen lamp heater 14, the blackening treatment is applied Are the same as in the first embodiment.
[0041]
When the transfer film 9 having a transparent hologram image of ZnS was transferred to the transfer object 3 using the heat roller 8 ′, the image of the transfer film 9 and the transparent hologram image of the adhesive layer of ZnS were formed only on the transfer object 3. The image and the adhesive layer were not transferred at all to the silicone rubber sheet 2. The transfer conditions at this time were as follows: using a 50 μm tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether tube for the coating layer 11, using a heat roller temperature of 140 to 170 ° C., and a transfer speed of 10 to 60 mm / sec.
[0042]
FIG. 3 has the same basic configuration as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 , and shows a case where the position of the transfer film 9 in the axial direction of the heat roller 8 is located inside the end of the transfer object 3. However , even in this case, it was confirmed that the end of the transfer film 9 was clearly transferred to the transfer target 3.
[0043]
4-6 are all correspond to FIGS. 1 to 3, during the transfer a transfer film 9 and the transferred body 3 is fixed, showing the thing called heat roller 8 performs also moved together with the rotation.
[0044]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a method for manufacturing the silicon rubber sheet 2 according to each embodiment of the present invention. First, the silicone rubber is heated and vulcanized while the silicone rubber before molding of the heat vulcanization mold is placed in the cylindrical mold 30 and rotated. As described above, when the molding is performed while rotating, the silicon rubber sheet 31 having a very small thickness variation due to the centrifugal force is formed. This is formed into fine irregularities on the surface by the grindstone 32 of the grinder and the transport roller 33, and the cut sheet 35 cut to an arbitrary size becomes the silicon rubber sheet 2 used in the above-described embodiment. The silicone rubber sheet 2 can balance the fixing force with the transfer target and the slipperiness depending on the size and depth of the fine irregularities formed on the surface.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
According to the image forming apparatus of the first to sixth invention, since the support member for mounting a material to be transferred is made from an elastomer having an elasticity, heat roller by placing the transfer film onto the transfer object on elastomer When heating and pressurizing, even if the thickness of the transfer film or the thickness of the object to be transferred varies, it is possible to uniformly apply the pressing force and prevent unevenness in the adhesive strength. Moreover, since the axial length of the heat roller is greater than the size in the width direction of the transfer member of the transfer film, it is possible to prevent the boundary line of the adhesive layer by heating and pressurizing of the heat roller is generated.
[0046]
In particular, the surface of the elastomer is roughened by grinding, since uneven density fine, can be performed in a short time easily carried out of the transfer member, and moderate retention as the transfer member does not move during transfer Can be fixed with force. In addition , since the irregularities are fine , even when heated and pressed by a heat roller , there is no unevenness in the adhesive strength of the transfer image of the transfer film.
[0047]
Also, since the very thin air layer is formed between the transfer film and the supporting member by making a rough surface, even when and the elastomer coated, and sticking to the adhesive layer is a support member of the transfer film I have nothing to do. For this reason , it is possible to sufficiently heat and press even a place where the transfer object does not exist through the transfer film. Further , by making the size and depth of the fine irregularities different, it is possible to balance the fixing force and the slipperiness between the transferred body and the support member.
[0049]
According to the second and third image forming apparatuses of the present invention, the heat resistance is improved, and according to the fourth and fifth image forming apparatuses, since the fluoropolymer compound is formed on the surface of the elastomer, In addition, the transfer object can be more easily peeled off.
[0050]
According to the sixth image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the fluorine type polymer compound is formed on the surface of the heat roller, with less transfer film to the heat roller even when heated, the transfer film and the transfer receiving material and Does not occur. Further, since the blackening treatment is performed on the inner surface of the heat roller, the heat radiation of the heater can be efficiently absorbed.

[0051]
Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to transfer an image to every corner of the transfer object without forming a boundary line of the adhesive layer on the transfer object, and to achieve the thickness accuracy of the transfer film and the transfer film. The effect of not being affected by factors that change the heating and pressing conditions, such as the use of a transfer film having thickness variations such as positional accuracy during transport or thickness such as watermarks, is exhibited.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a superimposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG.
FIG. 2A is a sectional view showing a sectional configuration of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a superimposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 3A is a sectional view showing a sectional configuration of a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a plan view showing a superimposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG.
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a configuration in which a heat roller rotates in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1A. FIG. 4B is a plan view showing a superposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a configuration in which a heat roller is rotated in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 2A. FIG. 5B is a plan view showing a superimposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG. 5A.
FIG. 6A is a sectional view of a configuration in which a heat roller is rotated in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 3A. FIG. 6B is a plan view showing a superimposed state of the base plate, the silicon rubber sheet, and the transfer film heat roller of FIG. 6A.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a method for forming the silicone rubber sheet shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 6 (b).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base plate 2 Silicon rubber sheet 3 Transfer object 4,5,6,7 Conveyance roller 8 Heat roller 9 Transfer film 11 Coating layer (fluoropolymer compound)
12 Silicon rubber layer 13 Aluminum cylindrical core

Claims (6)

A transfer member having a uniform thickness is placed on a support member, and a transfer film having a transfer image is placed on the transfer member so that the transfer image faces the transfer member. By heating and pressing a heat roller from above, the transferred image is transferred to the transfer object, and then , in the image forming apparatus that separates the transfer object and the support member from the transfer film ,
The surface of the support member on which the object to be transferred is placed is formed of an elastomer that is larger than the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the recording surface of the object to be transferred, and the heating and pressing surface of the heat roller is set to be larger than the recording surface of the object to be transferred. An image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the elastomer on which the transfer object is mounted is roughened by polishing. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The image forming apparatus , wherein the elastomer is made of a synthetic rubber selected from a group consisting of silicone rubber and fluorine rubber. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the silicone rubber is a heat vulcanization type silicone rubber. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the elastomer in contact with the transfer member is a layer of a fluorine-based polymer compound. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluorine-based polymer compound is one of polytetrafluoroethylene and a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
In the heat roller, a heater is housed inside a metal cylindrical core, and blackening is performed on an inner surface portion where the heater is housed, and the surface of the metal cylindrical core is coated with a silicone rubber. An image forming apparatus comprising: a silicone rubber coating layer; and a coating layer made of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkylvinylether on the surface of the silicone rubber coating layer.

Images