JP5606839B2 - Printing method using inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing method using an ink jet printer, and more particularly to a printing method using an ink jet printer suitable for applying a desired image to the surface of an object having a shape such as a flat surface and a curved surface.

  In this specification, “medium” refers to various recording media made of paper such as plain paper, various materials such as resin materials such as PVC and polyester, and materials such as aluminum, iron, and wood. The following materials shall be included.

  Further, in this specification, the “inkjet method” is conventionally known, including various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method or a continuous deflection method, and various on-demand methods such as a thermal method or a piezoelectric element method. It shall mean the printing system by the ink jet technology by various methods.

  Conventionally, as a method for applying a desired image to the surface of an object having a shape such as a flat surface and a curved surface, it is known to perform printing by a method such as hydraulic transfer or dandelion printing (pad printing).

  Here, the hydraulic transfer is a method in which water is applied while a printing surface of a medium (for example, a sheet-like film) on which a desired image prepared in advance is in contact with a printing object. In this method, the image is transferred to a printing object using water pressure applied from the outside of the medium by being submerged in a water tank.

  In addition, dandelion printing is a method in which a printing plate made of a highly flexible material such as silicon is brought into contact with the printing plate, in which a desired image prepared in advance is filled with ink and filled with ink. In this method, the image is transferred to the transfer plate, and then the image is transferred to the print object by bringing the transfer plate into contact with the print object.

However, in any of the above-described methods, there is a problem that a dedicated equipment or apparatus for transfer is required, which increases the cost.

  In addition, the cost of such equipment and equipment is high, so it is suitable for printing a large amount of the same image, but it is suitable for printing only one point or printing a small number of products. There was no problem.

Note that the prior art that the applicant of the present application knows at the time of filing a patent application is not an invention related to a known literature invention, so there is no prior art document information to be described in the present specification.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned various problems of the prior art, and the object of the present invention is to provide a flat surface without requiring a dedicated equipment or device for transfer. And a printing method using an ink jet printer capable of printing a desired image on the surface of an object having a shape such as a curved surface.

  Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing method using an ink jet printer that is suitable for use in the case of printing with only one production or printing with a small number of products.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses an inkjet printer technology that ejects ink by an inkjet method, and after printing an image on a medium by an inkjet printer, further prints a decorative film on the image. The medium having the decorative film formed on the image is brought into contact with the printing object, and the image printed on the medium and the decorative film are transferred to the printing object by transfer.

That is, according to the present invention, in a printing method using an inkjet printer that prints a desired image on an object to be printed, the desired image is discharged by ejecting the first ink onto the surface of the antifouling sheet as a medium by the inkjet printer. And a decorative film serving as a film covering the image by discharging the second ink to the predetermined area on the image printed by the first process by the inkjet printer. The second treatment to be formed is brought into contact with the decorative film formed on the surface of the antifouling sheet and the transfer surface of the transfer sheet, and the image and the decorative film are transferred to the transfer surface of the transfer sheet. third process and, said transfer sheet was peeled pull from the antifouling sheet together with the image and the decorating film, the upper so as to expose the image to The image and the decorating film is in contact with the fourth process of transferring to the transfer sheet, the surface of the image and print target of the transfer surface of the transfer sheet, the printing the image and the decorating film a fifth process of transferring to the surface of the object, then peeled pulling only the transfer sheet from the printing target, the image and the decoration film so as to expose the decorative film to the printing medium And a sixth process for printing .

Moreover, this invention makes the said antifouling processed sheet the sheet | seat by which antifouling processing was given to the surface.

  In the present invention, the predetermined area is an area that covers the entire image.

  In the present invention, the predetermined area is an area in which the first ink is not continuous in the image.

  In the present invention, the first ink is a color ink, and the second ink is a transparent ink.

  In the present invention, the first ink is a color ink and the second ink is a white ink.

  In the present invention, the first ink and the second ink are ultraviolet curable inks.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to print a desired image on the surface of an object having a shape such as a flat surface and a curved surface without using a dedicated equipment or device for transfer. There is an excellent effect of being able to do it.

  In addition, the present invention is configured as described above, and does not use special equipment or equipment for transfer, so printing with only one point or a small amount without incurring high costs. It has an excellent effect that it can be used in the case of printing various types.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of an ink jet printer used in a printing method using an ink jet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a conceptual explanatory diagram showing the operation in each processing procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a printing method using an inkjet printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration perspective view of an example of an ink jet printer used in a printing method using the ink jet printer of the present invention.

  In the description of the present embodiment, an antifouling sheet is used as a medium on which an image is printed by an ink jet printer.

  As will be described later, such an antifouling sheet has a predetermined length in the width direction (hereinafter, the width direction of the antifouling sheet is appropriately referred to as “main scanning direction”) and is orthogonal to the main scanning direction. In other words, it is conveyed in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the antifouling sheet (hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the antifouling sheet is appropriately referred to as “sub-scanning direction”).

An ink jet printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an input device (not shown) for inputting a user instruction, and the entire operation is performed by a microcomputer (not shown) based on the instruction input by the input device. It is controlled, and ink is ejected in a dot shape onto the antifouling sheet 24 by an ink jet method.

  The ink jet printer 10 includes a fixed base member 14 supported by a base 12 and extended in the main scanning direction, and is disposed at right and left ends of the base member 14 so as to be orthogonal to the base member 14. Side members 16L and 16R, a central wall 18 connecting the side members 16L and 16R, a guide rail 20 disposed on the wall surface of the central wall 18 so as to extend in the main scanning direction, and a wall surface of the central wall 18 And a wire 22 movably disposed in the main scanning direction in parallel to the wire 22 and a medium which is fixedly disposed on the wire 22 and is slidably mounted on the guide rail 20 and located on the base member 14. The holder 26 disposed so as to face the antifouling sheet 24, and the holder 26 along the guide rail 20 by the control of the microcomputer are moved to the right side in the main scanning direction or to the left. (Not shown.) Driving device for moving laterally is configured to have a.

  In addition, the inkjet printer 10 includes a conveyance device (not shown) that conveys the antifouling sheet 24 in the sub-scanning direction.

  By controlling the conveyance device by the microcomputer, the antifouling sheet 24 is conveyed in the front side direction or the rear side direction in the sub-scanning direction.

Here, the holder 26 is mounted with an ink head 26-1 for discharging the ultraviolet curable ink and an ultraviolet irradiation lamp 26-2 for curing the discharged ultraviolet curable ink.

  The ink head 26-1 is an anti-fouling processed sheet, which is an ultraviolet curable ink, and is independently treated with a blue color ink, a yellow color ink, a red color ink, a black color ink, and a transparent ink under the control of a microcomputer. 24 can be discharged.

In the present embodiment, the antifouling sheet used as a medium is a sheet that has been subjected to a treatment such that ink is not fixed on the surface thereof. The antifouling sheet used in the present embodiment is made of polyester, for example.

  In this embodiment, a transfer sheet as a medium for transferring an image printed on the antifouling sheet is used. This transfer sheet is made of, for example, PVC.

With the above configuration, referring to the flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the printing method using the inkjet printer according to the present invention shown in FIG. 2 and the conceptual explanatory diagram showing the operation in each processing procedure of the flowchart of FIG. 2 shown in FIG. The processing procedure of the printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention will be described.

  In addition, based on the user's instruction input by the input device, a user's desired image corresponding to the instruction is printed on the surface of the antifouling sheet 24 using each color ink under the control of the microcomputer. Since the ultraviolet curing process itself is a known technique, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In addition, since the process of discharging the transparent ink onto the image printed using the color inks of the respective colors on the surface of the antifouling sheet 24 and curing the ultraviolet rays is also a known technique, detailed description thereof is omitted. .

In order to execute the printing method using the inkjet printer according to the present invention, first, the antifouling sheet 24 as a medium is set in the inkjet printer 10.

  Then, the inkjet printer 10 prints a desired image on the antifouling sheet 24 using each color ink.

  That is, color ink is ejected from the ink head 26-1 onto the printing surface 24a of the antifouling sheet 24 set in the inkjet printer 10, and the ejected color ink is cured by ultraviolet irradiation of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 26-2. The user-desired image is color-printed on the printing surface 24a of the antifouling sheet 24 (refer to step S202 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A).

  When the color printing of the image on the antifouling sheet 24 in step S <b> 202 is finished, next, the ink jet printer 10 is used to cover the image printed on the printing surface 24 a of the antifouling sheet 24. Print the ink.

  That is, the transparent ink is ejected from the ink head 26-1 onto the image printed on the printing surface 24a of the antifouling sheet 24, and the ejected transparent ink is cured by ultraviolet irradiation by the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 26-2. A transparent ink film that covers the image printed on the printing surface 24a of the antifouling sheet 24 is formed (see step S204 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B). The transparent ink film thus formed becomes a decorative film.

  Next, the transfer surface 30a of the transfer sheet 30 is attached to the entire print surface 24a of the antifouling sheet 24 for which the decoration film has been formed in step S204 described above, and transferred to the decoration film. The sheet 30 is brought into close contact, and the image printed with the color ink is transferred onto the transfer surface 30a of the transfer sheet 30 together with the decorative film (see step S206 in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3C and 3D).

  Next, the transfer sheet 30 attached to the antifouling sheet 24 in step S206 is peeled off from the antifouling sheet 24 together with the image printed with the transferred color ink and the decorative film (step S208 in FIG. 2). And see FIG. 3 (e)).

  Next, the transfer surface 30a of the transfer sheet 30 to which the image printed with the color ink and the decorative film in Step S208 described above is transferred is brought into intimate contact with the print surface 40a of the print object 40. The image printed with the color ink is transferred onto the printing surface 40a together with the decorative film (refer to S210 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3F).

  Then, only the transfer sheet 30 brought into close contact with the printing surface 40a of the printing object 40 in the above-described step S210 is peeled off from the printing object 40 (see S212 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3G).

  The image is printed on the print surface 40a of the print target 40 by the processing in steps S202 to S212 described above.

Therefore, according to the printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention described above, a desired surface of an object having a shape such as a flat surface and a curved surface can be obtained without using a dedicated equipment or device for transfer. The image can be printed.

  In addition, according to the printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention described above, since there is no need to use special equipment or devices for transfer, the number of production is only one point without incurring high costs. Can be used in the case of printing and printing in small quantities and various types.

  Furthermore, according to the printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention described above, when transferring from the antifouling sheet 24 to the transfer sheet 30, or when transferring from the transfer sheet 30 to the print object 40, etc. In this case, the image portion that was easily cut or damaged is protected by a decorative film, so that the image is cut or damaged during transfer, and the image can be transferred while maintaining a beautiful image.

  In particular, according to the printing method using the ink jet printer according to the present invention, the discharge amount of the color ink is small due to gradation or the like, the color ink is thin, or the dots of the color ink discharged by the ink jet are not continuous. Even in the case of an image in which a portion exists, a decorative film made of a transparent ink film is formed on the image, so that the image can be prevented from being cut or damaged during transfer.

The embodiment described above can be modified as shown in the following (1) to (5).

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the region where the decorative film is applied has been described as the region covering the entire image. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, gradation in an image For example, a decorative film may be applied only to a thin area printed with color ink, i.e., an area where color ink dots are rough or an area where color ink dots are not continuously printed, such as concentric circles. .

  (2) In the above-described embodiment, the amount of the transparent ink for forming the decorative film is not particularly limited, but for example, a decorative film having a uniform film thickness is formed. Alternatively, the transparent ink may be discharged or not.

  For example, it is transparent for areas where printing with color ink is thin due to gradation, etc. in the image, that is, areas where the density of color ink dots is low or areas where color ink dots are not printed continuously, such as concentric circles. In addition to ejecting transparent ink to increase the density of ink dots, areas that are darkly printed with color ink, that is, areas where the density of color ink dots is high, or areas where color ink dots are printed continuously In contrast, the transparent ink may be ejected so as to reduce the density of the dots of the transparent ink, or the transparent ink may not be printed.

  In order to perform printing with high and low dot density of the transparent ink, for example, the density of the curler ink dots in the gradation printing with the color ink may be reversed to print the transparent ink. Good.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, the transparent ink is applied as the decorative film. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, white ink may be applied. Is.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, the color ink used for image printing and the transparent ink used as the decorative film are UV curable inks, but the present invention is not limited to this, and non-UV curable inks are used. It may be.

  (5) You may make it combine suitably the embodiment shown above and the modification shown in said (1) thru | or (4).

  The present invention can be used when a desired image is formed on the surface of an object having a shape such as a flat surface and a curved surface.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Inkjet printer, 12 base part, 14 base member, 16L, 16R side member, 18 center wall, 20 guide rail, 22 wire, 24 antifouling processing sheet, 26 holder, 26-1 ink head, 26-2 ultraviolet ray Irradiation lamp

Claims (7)

In a printing method using an inkjet printer that prints a desired image on a print object,
A first process of printing a desired image by discharging a first ink onto the surface of an antifouling sheet as a medium by an inkjet printer;
A second process of ejecting a second ink by the inkjet printer to a predetermined region on the image printed by the first process to form a decorative film serving as a film covering the image ;
A third process of bringing the decorative film formed on the antifouling sheet surface into contact with the transfer surface of the transfer sheet, and transferring the image and the decorative film to the transfer surface of the transfer sheet;
A fourth process of transferring the transfer sheet was peeled pull from the antifouling sheet with the image and the decorative film, the image and the decorative film so as to expose the image on the transfer sheet,
A fifth process of bringing the image of the transfer surface of the transfer sheet into contact with the surface of the printing object and transferring the image and the decorative film to the surface of the printing object;
And wherein a sixth process in which the transfer sheet only pull was peeled from the printing medium to print the image and the decorative film so as to expose the decorative layer on the printing object A printing method using an inkjet printer. In the printing method using the inkjet printer of Claim 1,
The printing method using an inkjet printer, wherein the antifouling sheet is a sheet having a surface subjected to antifouling. In the printing method using the inkjet printer of any one of Claim 1 or 2,
The predetermined region is a region that covers all of the image. A printing method using an ink jet printer. 3. The printing method using the ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region is a region of the image in which the first ink is not continuous. 4. A printing method using an inkjet printer. In the printing method using the inkjet printer of any one of Claims 1, 2, 3, or 4,
The first ink is a color ink;
The printing method using an ink jet printer, wherein the second ink is a transparent ink. In the printing method using the inkjet printer of any one of Claims 1, 2, 3, or 4,
The first ink is a color ink;
The printing method using an ink jet printer, wherein the second ink is white ink. In the printing method using the inkjet printer of any one of Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6,
The printing method using an ink jet printer, wherein the first ink and the second ink are ultraviolet curable inks.

Images