JP4236967B2

JP4236967B2 - Transfer printing method

Info

Publication number: JP4236967B2
Application number: JP2003080762A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 正樹佐藤; 薫兒島; 謙二輿石; 孝善山崎; 啓徳金田; 元樹遠山
Original assignee: Panasonic Corp; Nippon Steel Nisshin Co Ltd; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Corp; Nippon Steel Nisshin Co Ltd; Panasonic Holdings Corp
Priority date: 2003-03-24
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2009-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-24
Also published as: JP2004284245A

Description

【０００１】
【産業上の利用分野】
本発明は、昇華性染料が塗布された転写シートを用いて意匠性に優れた印刷模様を位置精度良く且つ高い生産性で被染着物に付与する転写印刷方法に関する。
【０００２】
【従来技術及び問題点】
ポリエステル，ポリアミド，アクリル等の繊維，樹脂成形体，フィルムに昇華性染料を含む着色組成物を塗布した転写シートを密着させて加熱すると、昇華性染料が樹脂に浸透して所定の模様が転写印刷される。ポリエステル，ポリアミド，アクリル等の樹脂塗料を塗布したセラミックボート，塗装金属板や樹脂フィルムをラミネートした積層体を被染着物に使用する場合でも、同様な転写印刷が可能である。
【０００３】
昇華性染料の浸透を利用した意匠付与は、繊維では従来から実用化されており，樹脂成形体，フィルム，塗装セラミックボード，塗装金属板等に対しても応用展開が検討されている。たとえば、凹凸のあるボタン等の樹脂成形体に転写シートを重ね合わせ、１３ｋＰａ以下の減圧雰囲気で加熱する方法（特開昭49−41689号公報），転写シートのインク面を塗装鋼板の塗膜に重ね合わせ、両面熱板プレスで加熱加圧する方法（特開昭59−95143号公報），昇華性染料インクで図柄を印刷した転写シートを刺繍部に重ね合わせて加熱することにより刺繍部を染色する方法（特開平6−220780号公報），昇華性染料で印刷した転写シートを厚手の網織物と重ね合わせて加熱ローラに巻き付けることにより網織物を染色する方法（特開昭49−94982号公報），真空チャンバ内で昇降自在に配置した加熱加圧板で繊維，転写シートを加熱加圧することにより繊維を染色する方法（特開昭48−13687号公報），熱板と耐熱クッション材との間に熱板側から塗装金属板，昇華性染料含有着色組成物を塗布した転写シートを重ね合わせて熱圧着する方法（特開平10−296904号公報）等がある。
【０００４】
何れの転写方法も、加圧板を昇降させ、油圧，空気圧等の機械的なプレス圧で被染着物に転写シートを密着させ、被染着物を昇華性染料で染着している。しかし、所定の印刷模様を位置精度良く被染着物に転写印刷することは難しい。目視による位置合せは、非常に生産性の低い作業であり、熟練度によっては歩留も低下しやすい。被染着物の形状に対応するトンボを転写シートにつけ、トンボに基づいて位置合せしても、ホットプレートの昇降時に転写シート，被染着物に位置ズレが発生するため±０.３ｍｍ以内に収まる柄位置精度を効率よく確保することは困難である。なかでも、四隅にコーナーアールのある被染着物や流線型の被染着物では、位置合せが難しく柄位置精度が低下しやすい。
【０００５】
低い柄位置精度は、重ね合わせた被染着物，転写シートが加熱加圧されるまでの間に生じる位置ズレのほかに、転写シートの熱変形も原因の一つである。転写シートは紙を基材に使用する場合が多いが、紙質の転写シートではホットプレートを圧着させて加熱する際に収縮方向に変形する。他方、被染着物は逆の膨張方向に変形し、塗装金属板では大きな熱膨張となる。樹脂フィルムを基材とする転写シートでも、被染着物と異なる膨張特性を示すものが多い。膨張特性の相違に起因する柄位置精度の低下を抑制する上でも、厳格な位置合せ精度が要求される。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
本発明は、このような要求に応えるべく案出されたものであり、被染着物，転写シートの位置合せに線膨張係数の小さな位置合せ治具を使用することにより、柄位置精度良く印刷模様を被染着物に付与し、転写印刷の生産性を上げることを目的とする。
【０００７】
本発明の転写印刷方法は、その目的を達成するため、昇華性染料が塗布された転写シートを転写印刷装置の底板上で位置決めし、塗装金属板のサイズに合った単数又は複数の開口が形成された線膨張係数が１８．０×１０ ^−６／℃以下の金属又はセラミック製位置合せ治具を転写シートに重ね合わせ、位置合せ治具の開口に塗装金属板をセットした後、ホットプレートを押し下げて塗装金属板を転写シートに密着させ加熱加圧し、昇華性染料を転写シートから塗装金属板に転写することを特徴とする。
【０００８】
【作用及び実施の形態】
転写印刷で塗装金属板（被染着物）に転写模様を付与する場合、転写印刷装置の底板１上に転写シート２を載置し、被転写面を転写シート２に向けて塗装金属板３を転写シート２に重ね合わせ、ホットプレート４を押し下げることにより、塗装金属板３に密着させた転写シート２を加熱加圧する（図１）。加熱により昇華した染料は、転写シート２から塗装金属板３に転写され、所定の図柄で塗装金属板３が染着される。
底板１は、転写シート２，塗装金属板３の密着状態を維持し、ホットプレート４から与えられる圧力，熱量が転写シート２，塗装金属板３に満遍なく伝えられるようにフェルト１aを貼ったシリコーンゴムシートが使用される。転写シート２を底板１上に配置する際、昇華性染料による底板１の汚染を防止する汚染防止シート５が下敷きされる。塗装金属板３とホットプレート４との間にも、同様な汚染防止シート６が介装される。
【０００９】
本発明では、転写シート２に対して塗装金属板３（被染着物）を位置合せするため、転写シート２に位置合せ治具１０を重ね合わせ、位置合せ治具１０に形成した複数の開口１１に塗装金属板３をセットする。位置合せ治具１０は、塗装金属板３とほぼ等しい厚みをもち、線膨張係数が小さく非染着性の金属板やセラミック板から作製される。開口１１は、転写印刷時に加熱加圧されている塗装金属板３の転写シート２に対する位置ズレを防止するため、０．１ｍｍ程度のクリアランスで塗装金属板３を収容するサイズが好ましい。
【００１０】
底板１には適宜の個所に突起（図示せず）が形成されており、突起を基準として転写シート２を配置するとき、底板１上の所定位置に転写シート２がセットされる（図２a→b）。たとえば、突起に転写シート２のトンボ２aを嵌め合わせると、底板１上の所定位置に転写シート２が位置決めされる。
転写シート２のトンボ２aに位置合せ治具１０のトンボ１２を一致させて転写シート２上に位置合せ治具１０を重ね合わせると、転写シート２の図柄２bが開口１１から露出する位置関係が確保される（図２b）。次いで、位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に塗装金属板３をセットすると、図柄２bに対して適正な位置関係で塗装金属板３が配置される（図２c）。この状態で、ホットプレート４を押し下げて加熱加圧すると、開口１１で位置規制された個々の塗装金属板３に転写シート２から昇華性染料が転写される。
【００１１】
転写シート２，塗装金属板３は、転写シート２に塗布されている昇華性染料にもよるが、転写印刷時に２００℃程度まで昇温する。そのため、常温で転写シート２，塗装金属板３の位置関係を高精度に決めていても、昇温による膨張，収縮が柄位置精度に影響を及ぼすことが避けられない。昇温が柄位置精度に及ぼす影響は、他の印刷法ではみられず、染料の昇華転写を利用する転写印刷特有の現象である。
昇温による膨張，収縮による柄位置精度の低下は、線膨張係数の小さな材質でできた位置合せ治具１０を使用することにより防止できる。線膨張係数が小さな材質の位置合せ治具１０は、転写印刷時に昇温しても大きく熱膨張することなく、当初設定した塗装金属板３の柄位置精度が維持される。他方、位置合せ治具１０を線膨張係数の大きな材質で作製すると、転写印刷時の昇温で位置合せ治具１０が熱変形しやすくなる。位置合せ治具１０の熱膨張は、開口１１を狭める方向に働くため、塗装金属板３を変形させ、或いは転写印刷された塗装金属板３が開口１１に噛み込んで位置合せ治具１０から分離しがたくなる。
【００１２】
位置合せ治具１０は線膨張係数の小さな材質であり、線膨張係数が１８．０×１０^−６／℃以下であれば実用に耐える。具体的には、銅（１７．０×１０^−６／℃），鉄（１１．７×１０^−６／℃），ニッケル（１３．３×１０^−６／℃），チタン（８．９×１０^−６／℃），ＳＵＳ３０４ステンレス鋼（１７．３×１０^−６／℃），ＳＵＳ４３０ステンレス鋼（１０．４×１０^−６／℃）等の金属，合金や、更に線膨張係数の小さなジルコニア，アルミナ，窒化アルミ等のセラミックシートがある。薄板に複数の開口１１を開けて位置合せ治具１０とすることを考慮すると、チタン板，ＳＵＳ４３０ステンレス鋼板等を位置合せ治具１０の素材に使用することが好ましい。加工性の良好な金属製位置合せ治具１０は、複雑形状の開口１１を形成する場合にも有利である。
【００１３】
金属板やセラミックシートは、昇華性染料に対して非染着性であることも位置合せ治具１０として好適な材質である。たとえば、位置合せ治具１０の材質に合成樹脂や塗装鋼板を選択すると、転写印刷時に転写シート２から昇華した染料が位置合せ治具１０の表面に付着し、次回の転写印刷時に位置合せ治具１０から被染着物に再転写して被染着物を汚染することがある。合成樹脂は、線膨張係数が大きい点でも位置合せ治具１０の材質に適していない。
線膨張係数が小さく非染着性の位置合せ治具１０で塗装金属板３を位置決めして加熱加圧するため、転写印刷に必要な高温状態に至った段階でも転写シート２，塗装金属板３に位置ズレが生じることなく、優れた柄位置精度で塗装金属板３が転写印刷される。転写印刷された塗装金属板３は位置合せ治具１０の開口１１から容易に取り出され、塗装金属板３，位置合せ治具１０共に熱変形することなく初期の形状が保たれる。しかも、位置合せ治具１０は、昇華した染料の付着がなく、仮に付着しても容易に洗浄除去できるため、次回の転写印刷に繰り返し使用できる。
【００１４】
【実施例】
膜厚３０μｍのクリア塗膜を形成した板厚０.５ｍｍ，サイズ９０ｍｍ×９０ｍｍのクリア塗装アルミニウム板を被染着物３に使用し、熱板寸法４５０ｍｍ×４００ｍｍの昇華性染料対応型エアプレス機（有限会社サンショウ製）により被染着物を転写印刷した。位置合せ治具１０には、表１に示した各種材質の金属板又はシートを使用し、被染着物３の形状に合わせてクリアランス０.１ｍｍの開口１１を形成した。
耐熱クッション付き底板１に付けた凸部を基準として底板上で転写シート２，位置合せ治具１０を正確に柄位置合せした後、位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に被染着物３をセットした。次いで、ホットプレート４を押し下げて被染着物３を転写シート２に密着させ、２００℃，３０ｋＰａで９０秒間加熱加圧して被染着物３を転写印刷した。
【００１５】
被染着物３に付与された転写柄の一部である黒点を基準として、上下左右にある標点までの距離を測定した。一つの転写柄について５回の測定値を平均し、平均値を転写位置精度とした。また、同じ材質の位置合せ治具を用いて転写印刷を５回繰り返し、位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写及び転写後の被染着物３，位置合せ治具１０の変形を調査した。
【００１６】
表１の調査結果にみられるように、線膨張係数が小さな金属又はセラミックシートから作製された位置合せ治具１０を使用すると、±０．３ｍｍ以内の極めて高い柄位置精度で被染着物３が転写印刷され、転写印刷を複数回繰り返した後でも柄位置精度の低下，位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写、被染着物３，位置合せ治具１０の変形が検出されなかった。
他方、線膨張係数の大きな合成樹脂製位置合せ治具１０を使用した転写印刷では、被染着物３又は位置合せ治具１０の変形に起因して満足できる印刷模様を被染着物３に付与できなかった。また、転写シート２から昇華した染料で位置合せ治具１０が染着されるため、転写印刷を繰り返したとき位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３に染料が再転写され、被染着物３につけた印刷模様が劣化していた。金属製であっても黄銅，青銅，アルミニウム合金等を素材とする位置合せ治具１０を使用すると、合成樹脂製位置合せ治具と同様な欠陥が発生した。
【００１７】
【表１】

【００１８】
【発明の効果】
以上に説明したように、被染着物３のサイズに合った開口１１をもつ線膨張係数の小さな位置合せ治具１０を転写シート２に重ね合わせ、開口１１に被染着物３をセットして加熱加圧することにより転写印刷するとき、熱膨張に起因する転写シート２，被染着物３の位置ズレが位置合せ治具１０で規制され、極めて高い柄位置精度で印刷模様が被染着物３に付与される。昇華性染料に対して非染着性の金属板やセラミックシートを使用しているので、位置合せ治具１０の表面が昇華性染料の染着がない清浄状態に維持されるため、位置合せ治具１０から被染着物３への再転写がなく転写印刷に位置合せ治具１０を繰返し使用できる。転写シート２に位置合せした位置合せ治具１０の開口１１に被染着物３をセットするだけで柄位置精度の高い印刷模様が付与されるため、熟練した技術を要することなく転写印刷の生産性も向上する。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】転写印刷装置の概略斜視図
【図２】転写シートの位置決めから転写印刷までの工程を説明する図
【符号の説明】
１：底板２：転写シート２a：トンボ３：塗装金属板（被染着物）
４：ホットプレート５，６：汚染防止シート
１０：位置合せ治具１１：開口１２：トンボ[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a transfer printing method in which a printing pattern excellent in designability is applied to an object to be dyed with high positional accuracy and high productivity using a transfer sheet coated with a sublimable dye.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems]
When a transfer sheet coated with a colored composition containing a sublimation dye is adhered to a fiber such as polyester, polyamide, or acrylic, a resin molded body, or a film, and heated, the sublimation dye penetrates the resin and a predetermined pattern is transferred and printed. Is done. The same transfer printing is possible even when a ceramic boat coated with a resin paint such as polyester, polyamide, acrylic, etc., or a laminate laminated with a coated metal plate or a resin film is used for an object to be dyed.
[0003]
Design grants utilizing the penetration of sublimation dyes have been put to practical use for fibers, and application development is also being considered for resin molded products, films, painted ceramic boards, painted metal plates, and the like. For example, a method of superimposing a transfer sheet on a resin molded body such as an uneven button and heating in a reduced pressure atmosphere of 13 kPa or less (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-41689), the ink surface of the transfer sheet is applied to a coated steel film A method of superposing and heating and pressing with a double-sided hot plate press (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-95143), dyeing an embroidery part by superimposing and heating a transfer sheet printed with a sublimation dye ink on the embroidery part Method (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-220780), a method of dyeing a net fabric by superimposing a transfer sheet printed with a sublimation dye on a thick net fabric and winding it around a heating roller (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-94982) , A method of dyeing fibers by heating and pressing a fiber and a transfer sheet with a heating and pressing plate disposed in a vacuum chamber so as to be movable up and down (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 48-13687), between a heating plate and a heat-resistant cushioning material Hot plate side Coated metal plate, there is a method in which by superimposing transfer sheet coated with sublimable dye-containing coloring composition thermocompression bonding (JP-A-10-296904).
[0004]
In any transfer method, the pressure plate is moved up and down, the transfer sheet is brought into close contact with the object to be dyed by a mechanical press pressure such as hydraulic pressure or air pressure, and the object to be dyed is dyed with a sublimation dye. However, it is difficult to transfer and print a predetermined printed pattern on the object to be dyed with high positional accuracy. Visual alignment is a very low-productivity operation, and the yield tends to decrease depending on the skill level. Even if a register mark corresponding to the shape of the object to be dyed is attached to the transfer sheet and aligned based on the register mark, the transfer sheet and the object to be dyed will be misaligned when the hot plate is moved up and down. It is difficult to ensure the positional accuracy efficiently. In particular, in the case of an article to be dyed with corner rounds at four corners or a streamlined article to be dyed, it is difficult to align and the pattern position accuracy is likely to be lowered.
[0005]
The low pattern position accuracy is caused by thermal deformation of the transfer sheet in addition to the misalignment that occurs between the overlapped dyed object and the transfer sheet until they are heated and pressed. In many cases, a transfer sheet uses paper as a base material, but a paper-quality transfer sheet is deformed in a shrinking direction when heated by pressing a hot plate. On the other hand, the article to be dyed is deformed in the opposite expansion direction, and the coated metal plate has a large thermal expansion. Many transfer sheets having a resin film as a base material exhibit expansion characteristics different from those to be dyed. Strict alignment accuracy is also required in order to suppress a decrease in pattern position accuracy due to the difference in expansion characteristics.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been devised to meet such demands, and by using an alignment jig having a small linear expansion coefficient for alignment of an object to be dyed and a transfer sheet, a printed pattern with high pattern position accuracy is used. Is intended to increase the productivity of transfer printing.
[0007]
Transfer printing method of the present invention, in order to achieve its objectives, much-decided tanning the transfer sheet sublimable dye is applied on the bottom plate of the transfer printing device, one or more openings that match the size of the coated metal plate A metal or ceramic alignment jig with a linear expansion coefficient of 18.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. or less formed on the transfer sheet, and after setting the painted metal plate in the opening of the alignment jig, Push down plate heated pressurized brought into close contact with painted metal plate transfer sheet, characterized by transferring the coated metal plate sublimable dye from the transfer sheet.
[0008]
[Operation and embodiment]
When a transfer pattern is applied to a coated metal plate (substrate) by transfer printing, the transfer sheet 2 is placed on the bottom plate 1 of the transfer printing apparatus, and the coated metal plate 3 is placed with the transfer surface facing the transfer sheet 2. The transfer sheet 2 is placed on the transfer sheet 2 and pressed down on the hot plate 4 to heat and press the transfer sheet 2 in close contact with the coated metal plate 3 (FIG. 1). The dye sublimated by heating is transferred from the transfer sheet 2 to the painted metal plate 3, and the painted metal plate 3 is dyed with a predetermined pattern.
The bottom plate 1 maintains the contact state between the transfer sheet 2 and the painted metal plate 3, and silicone rubber with a felt 1 a attached so that the pressure and heat applied from the hot plate 4 can be evenly transmitted to the transfer sheet 2 and the painted metal plate 3. A sheet is used. When the transfer sheet 2 is disposed on the bottom plate 1, a contamination prevention sheet 5 that prevents contamination of the bottom plate 1 with sublimable dyes is laid down. A similar contamination prevention sheet 6 is also interposed between the painted metal plate 3 and the hot plate 4.
[0009]
In the present invention, in order to align the coated metal plate 3 (substance to be dyed) with respect to the transfer sheet 2, a plurality of openings 11 formed in the alignment jig 10 by overlapping the alignment jig 10 on the transfer sheet 2. Set the painted metal plate 3 to The alignment jig 10 is made of a non-dyeable metal plate or ceramic plate having a thickness substantially equal to that of the coated metal plate 3 and a small linear expansion coefficient. The opening 11 is preferably sized to accommodate the coated metal plate 3 with a clearance of about 0.1 mm in order to prevent positional displacement of the coated metal plate 3 heated and pressurized during transfer printing with respect to the transfer sheet 2.
[0010]
Protrusions (not shown) are formed at appropriate locations on the bottom plate 1, and when the transfer sheet 2 is arranged with reference to the projections, the transfer sheet 2 is set at a predetermined position on the bottom plate 1 (FIG. 2a → b). For example, when the registration mark 2 a of the transfer sheet 2 is fitted to the protrusion, the transfer sheet 2 is positioned at a predetermined position on the bottom plate 1.
When the registration mark 12 of the alignment jig 10 is aligned with the registration mark 2a of the transfer sheet 2 and the alignment jig 10 is superimposed on the transfer sheet 2, the positional relationship in which the pattern 2b of the transfer sheet 2 is exposed from the opening 11 is secured. (FIG. 2b). Next, when the painted metal plate 3 is set in the opening 11 of the alignment jig 10, the painted metal plate 3 is arranged in an appropriate positional relationship with respect to the pattern 2b (FIG. 2c). In this state, when the hot plate 4 is pushed down and heated and pressurized, the sublimable dye is transferred from the transfer sheet 2 to the individual coated metal plates 3 whose positions are regulated by the openings 11.
[0011]
The transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 are heated to about 200 ° C. during transfer printing, depending on the sublimation dye applied to the transfer sheet 2. For this reason, even if the positional relationship between the transfer sheet 2 and the coated metal plate 3 is determined with high accuracy at room temperature, it is inevitable that expansion and contraction due to temperature rise affect the pattern positional accuracy. The effect of the temperature rise on the pattern position accuracy is not observed in other printing methods, and is a phenomenon peculiar to transfer printing using dye sublimation transfer.
Decrease in pattern position accuracy due to expansion and contraction due to temperature rise can be prevented by using an alignment jig 10 made of a material having a small linear expansion coefficient. The alignment jig 10 made of a material having a small linear expansion coefficient does not thermally expand greatly even when the temperature is increased during transfer printing, and the pattern position accuracy of the coated metal plate 3 that is initially set is maintained. On the other hand, when the alignment jig 10 is made of a material having a large linear expansion coefficient, the alignment jig 10 is likely to be thermally deformed due to a temperature rise during transfer printing. Since the thermal expansion of the alignment jig 10 works in the direction of narrowing the opening 11, the coated metal plate 3 is deformed or the transfer-printed painted metal plate 3 is bitten into the opening 11 and separated from the alignment jig 10. It becomes difficult.
[0012]
Alignment jig 10 is small material of linear expansion coefficient, the linear expansion coefficient is practicable if 18.0 × ^{10 -6} / ° C. or less. Specifically, copper (17.0 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), iron (11.7 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), nickel (13.3 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), titanium (8.9 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), SUS304 stainless steel (17.3 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), SUS430 stainless steel (10.4 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), etc., and zirconia with a smaller linear expansion coefficient. There are ceramic sheets such as alumina and aluminum nitride. Considering that the alignment jig 10 is formed by opening a plurality of openings 11 in a thin plate, it is preferable to use a titanium plate, a SUS430 stainless steel plate or the like as a material for the alignment jig 10. The metal alignment jig 10 having good workability is advantageous also when the opening 11 having a complicated shape is formed.
[0013]
Metal plates and ceramic sheets are also suitable materials for the alignment jig 10 because they are non-dyeing to sublimable dyes. For example, when a synthetic resin or a coated steel plate is selected as the material of the alignment jig 10, dye sublimated from the transfer sheet 2 adheres to the surface of the alignment jig 10 during transfer printing, and the alignment jig is used during the next transfer printing. 10 may be retransferred to the object to be dyed to contaminate the object to be dyed. Synthetic resin is not suitable for the material of the alignment jig 10 even in that the linear expansion coefficient is large.
Since the coated metal plate 3 is positioned and heated and pressed by the non-dyeing alignment jig 10 having a small linear expansion coefficient, the transfer sheet 2 and the painted metal plate 3 can be formed even at a high temperature necessary for transfer printing. The coated metal plate 3 is transferred and printed with excellent pattern position accuracy without causing positional displacement. The transfer-printed painted metal plate 3 is easily taken out from the opening 11 of the alignment jig 10, and the painted metal plate 3 and the alignment jig 10 are kept in the initial shape without being thermally deformed. Moreover, the alignment jig 10 does not adhere to the sublimated dye and can be easily removed by washing even if it is temporarily attached. Therefore, it can be used repeatedly for the next transfer printing.
[0014]
【Example】
A clear coated aluminum plate with a thickness of 0.5 mm and a size of 90 mm x 90 mm, on which a clear coating film with a thickness of 30 μm is formed, is used as the dyed article 3, and is an air press machine for sublimation dyes with a hot plate size of 450 mm x 400 mm ( The dyed article was transferred and printed by Sansho Co., Ltd. A metal plate or sheet of various materials shown in Table 1 was used for the alignment jig 10, and an opening 11 with a clearance of 0.1 mm was formed in accordance with the shape of the article to be dyed 3.
After the pattern of the transfer sheet 2 and the alignment jig 10 is accurately aligned on the bottom plate with reference to the convex portion attached to the bottom plate 1 with the heat-resistant cushion, the object to be dyed 3 is set in the opening 11 of the alignment jig 10. . Next, the hot plate 4 was pushed down to bring the dyed article 3 into close contact with the transfer sheet 2 and heated and pressurized at 200 ° C. and 30 kPa for 90 seconds to transfer print the dyed article 3.
[0015]
The distances to the marks on the top, bottom, left, and right were measured with reference to black spots that are part of the transferred pattern imparted to the object to be dyed 3. The measurement value of 5 times was averaged for one transfer pattern, and the average value was defined as the transfer position accuracy. In addition, the transfer printing is repeated five times using the alignment jig of the same material, and retransfer from the alignment jig 10 to the dyed article 3 and deformation of the dyed article 3 and the alignment jig 10 after the transfer are performed. investigated.
[0016]
As can be seen from the investigation results in Table 1, when the alignment jig 10 made of a metal or ceramic sheet having a small linear expansion coefficient is used, the dyed article 3 is formed with extremely high pattern position accuracy within ± 0.3 mm. Even after the transfer printing is performed and the transfer printing is repeated a plurality of times, the deterioration of the pattern position accuracy, the retransfer from the alignment jig 10 to the dyed article 3, and the deformation of the dyed article 3 and the alignment jig 10 are not detected. It was.
On the other hand, in the transfer printing using the synthetic resin alignment jig 10 having a large linear expansion coefficient, a satisfactory printing pattern can be imparted to the dyed article 3 due to deformation of the dyed article 3 or the alignment jig 10. There wasn't. Further, since the alignment jig 10 is dyed with the dye sublimated from the transfer sheet 2, the dye is retransferred from the alignment jig 10 to the dyed article 3 when the transfer printing is repeated, and applied to the dyed article 3. The printed pattern was deteriorated. Even if it was made of metal, when the alignment jig 10 made of brass, bronze, aluminum alloy or the like was used, defects similar to those of the synthetic resin alignment jig occurred.
[0017]
[Table 1]

[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the alignment jig 10 having a small linear expansion coefficient having an opening 11 that matches the size of the object to be dyed 3 is superimposed on the transfer sheet 2, and the object to be dyed 3 is set in the opening 11 and heated. When transfer printing is performed by applying pressure, the positional deviation between the transfer sheet 2 and the object to be dyed 3 due to thermal expansion is regulated by the alignment jig 10, and a printed pattern is imparted to the object to be dyed 3 with extremely high pattern position accuracy. Is done. Since a non-dyeable metal plate or ceramic sheet is used for the sublimation dye, the surface of the alignment jig 10 is maintained in a clean state free from dyeing of the sublimation dye. There is no retransfer from the tool 10 to the object to be dyed 3, and the alignment jig 10 can be used repeatedly for transfer printing. A printing pattern with high pattern position accuracy can be imparted simply by setting the object to be dyed 3 in the opening 11 of the alignment jig 10 aligned with the transfer sheet 2, so that the productivity of transfer printing is not required. Will also improve.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a transfer printing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating steps from transfer sheet positioning to transfer printing.
1: Bottom plate 2: Transfer sheet 2a: Dragonfly 3: Painted metal plate (to be dyed)
4: Hot plate 5, 6: Antifouling sheet 10: Alignment jig 11: Opening 12: Dragonfly

Claims

Position the transfer sheet sublimable dye is applied on the bottom plate of the transfer printing device-decided tanning, linear expansion coefficient suits one or plurality of openings are formed in the size of the coated metal plate is 18.0 × 10 ^-6 Place a metal or ceramic alignment jig below / ° C on the transfer sheet, set the coated metal plate in the opening of the alignment jig, and then press down the hot plate to bring the coated metal plate into close contact with the transfer sheet and heat it. transfer printing method characterized by and pressure to transfer the coated metal plate sublimable dye from the transfer sheet.