JP7444618B2 - Transfer device and method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transfer device and a transfer method for transferring a fine transfer shape of a transfer mold to a transfer target material.

Injection molding, imprinting, and the like are known as methods for transferring fine shapes onto the surface of resin.

The injection molding method is a method of transferring a shape by injecting molten resin into the cavity of a transfer mold heated to a temperature below the softening temperature of the resin and solidifying it.

However, even when attempting to mold parts with fine shapes on the surface using injection molding, the injected molten resin solidifies before it is completely filled into the fine shapes of the transfer mold, resulting in the desired shape. was not formed.

In the thermal imprint method, a plate-shaped resin is heated to near the glass transition temperature, a transfer mold with a fine shape is pressed onto the resin surface, and the fine shape is transferred onto the resin surface.Then, the transfer mold is separated from the resin by cooling. It is a method of molding. Since the transfer mold is pressed while the resin is softened, the resin can be completely filled into the transfer mold having a fine shape.

However, in the thermal imprint method, it takes time to heat and cool the transfer mold and to fill the transfer mold with resin having a fine shape, so the cycle time (to manufacture one product) (time required) becomes long.

In view of the above circumstances, a transfer method using a fluid that has the effect of plasticizing the resin, such as a liquid, pressurized gas, or supercritical fluid, has been proposed. Specific examples of the fluid that has the effect of plasticizing the resin include pressurized carbon dioxide and supercritical carbon dioxide. When they are impregnated into the resin surface, the resin is plasticized and the shape is easily transferred, so that transfer is possible without raising the transfer mold to a high temperature as in normal thermal imprinting. This eliminates the problem of long cycle time, which is a disadvantage of the thermal imprint method, and makes it possible to obtain a desired transfer material.

For example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the resin is plasticized by supplying pressurized carbon dioxide into a space where the resin is held, and the resin is pressed against a transfer mold provided with a predetermined fine pattern. A technique is disclosed in which a pattern is transferred to a transfer material using a process.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-235613 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-137033

In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, during transfer, pressure is further applied in a pressurized carbon dioxide atmosphere to transfer the fine pattern of the mold. The effective pressing force required for transfer requires, in addition to the mechanical applied force, a force for resisting the force of the pressurized fluid pushing back against the transfer surface. As a result, a very large pressing force is required during transfer.

Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, an upper chamber and a lower chamber in which a resin molded body and supercritical carbon dioxide are sealed are separated by a movable intermediate wall. Then, during transfer, by making the pressure in the lower chamber higher than the pressure in the upper chamber, the resin molded body held on the intermediate wall moves toward the upper chamber and is pressed against the mold in the upper chamber. In order to move the intermediate wall toward the upper chamber, it is necessary to reduce the volume of carbon dioxide in the upper chamber, which is a closed space. In this case, a large force is required to compress the carbon dioxide in the upper chamber. For this reason, it is necessary to make the pressure in the lower chamber extremely high.

From the above, the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 require an external device such as a pump to pressurize the gas. Further, since pressing is performed in pressurized gas, a large pressing force is required. As a result, it becomes necessary to use large-scale external devices such as a structure that can withstand a large pressing force and a large drive source for generating a large pressing force, which increases the manufacturing cost of the apparatus. For this reason, it becomes difficult to manufacture resin having a fine shape at a low cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device and a transfer method that can transfer a fine shape to a material to be transferred without using a large-scale device outside a mold.

The transfer device of the present invention includes a base having a sealed space including a transfer chamber and a compression chamber, which are filled with a fluid that plasticizes the material to be transferred and are connected to each other; a mold holder that holds a transfer mold having a shape to be transferred to the material; a mold holder disposed within the transfer chamber, facing the mold holder and movable in a direction toward and away from the mold holder; The device includes a mold facing portion, and a piston that changes the volume of the compression chamber to adjust the pressure of the fluid in the closed space.

In the transfer method of the present invention, a transfer material is placed in a transfer chamber included in a sealed space, the sealed space is filled with a fluid that plasticizes the transfer material, and the transfer chamber is contained in the sealed space, and The fluid in the sealed space is compressed by reducing the volume of a compression chamber connected to the transfer chamber , and a transfer mold having a transfer shape to be transferred to the transfer material is pressed against the transfer material.

According to the present invention, a fine shape can be transferred to a material to be transferred using an apparatus configuration that does not use a large-scale device outside the mold. In particular, even when the transfer area of the transfer material becomes large, fine shapes can be stably transferred.

Diagram for explaining a transfer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention Diagram for explaining the transfer device in a state where the first drive plate has moved upward (first state) Isothermal diagram (schematic diagram) of carbon dioxide at room temperature (around 20°C) A diagram for explaining the transfer device in a state in which the second drive plate has moved upward from the first state (second state) Diagram for explaining a transfer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention A diagram for explaining the transfer device in a state (third state) in which the first drive plate moves upward and comes into contact with the second drive plate. A diagram for explaining the transfer device in a state where the first drive plate is in contact with the second drive plate and further moves together with the second drive plate (fourth state) Diagram for explaining a transfer device according to a third embodiment of the present invention A diagram showing the second mold viewed from above in a transfer device according to the third embodiment, with the first mold and the second mold not clamped together. Diagram for explaining the case of using a roll-shaped resin film as the transfer material A diagram showing how the resin film is arranged before the mold clamping of the transfer device according to the third embodiment A diagram showing how the piston has risen to a position where it contacts the lower surface of the second mold holding part in the transfer device according to the third embodiment. A diagram showing how the second transfer mold is pressed against the first transfer mold by the rising of the piston in the transfer device according to the third embodiment. A diagram showing a modification of the transfer device when the piston is provided at a position offset from the center of the second mold holding part.

<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Description of the device)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a transfer device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a transfer device 100 is shown. The scale of each part in FIG. 1 is not accurate, and the positional relationship of each part is schematically shown in FIG. Note that the vertical direction in the following description corresponds to the vertical direction in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 100 includes a first mold 11 and a second mold 12 facing the first mold 11. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the first mold 11 and the second mold 12 are clamped. When the first mold 11 and the second mold 12 are clamped together, a sealed chamber 13 that is a closed space is formed between the first mold 11 and the second mold 12. The first mold 11 and the second mold 12 are examples of the base of the present invention.

The sealed chamber 13 includes a transfer chamber 131 in which a first transfer mold 14, a second transfer mold 15, and a holding part 16 are arranged, and a compression chamber 132 for applying pressure to and compressing the fluid in the sealed chamber 13. , a passage 133 connecting the transfer chamber 131 and the compression chamber 132.

Inside the transfer chamber 131, a first transfer mold 14 and a second transfer mold 15 are provided so as to face each other, and a material to be transferred is placed between the first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15. A certain resin molded body 30 may be arranged. In the first embodiment, the first transfer mold 14 is held on the upper inner wall surface 111 of the transfer chamber 131 of the first mold 11, and the second transfer mold 15 is held on the holding part 16. There is. Specific holding methods include, for example, screws and adhesives (not shown). Note that the first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15 are examples of the transfer mold of the present invention. Moreover, the inner wall surface 111 is an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the holding part 16 is an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention.

The resin molded body 30 may be molded in advance by injection molding or the like, for example. Examples of materials used for the resin molded body 30 include acrylic resin, polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer (COP, COC), ABS resin (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and vinyl chloride resin. (PVC), fluororesins such as tetrafluoroethylene/fluoroalkoxytrifluoroethylene copolymer (PFA), polyetherimide (PEI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polybutyrelene-ethylene terephthalate (PBT-) PET copolymer resin), polyether ether ketone (PEEK resin), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), 6-nylon (PA6), 6-6 nylon (PA66), 6T nylon (PA6T), polyphthalamide (PPA), polyacetal (POM), polysulfone (PSU), polyethersulfone (PES), polypropylene (PP), and the like. Further, these may be compound products containing fillers or the like, or mixture products made of alloys or blends of multiple types of resins. These are appropriately selected depending on the purpose.

The first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15 each have a fine shape (pattern) to be transferred to the resin molded body 30 on the surface facing the resin molded body 30. By pressing a plasticized resin molded body 30 onto this fine shape as described later, the fine shape is transferred onto the surface of the resin molded body 30.

A heater (not shown) may be embedded inside the inner wall surface 111 that holds the first transfer mold 14 and/or the holding section 16 that holds the second transfer mold 15 to adjust the temperature.

Inside the transfer chamber 131, a holding section 16 that is movable in the vertical direction while holding the resin molded body 30 and the lower second transfer mold 15 is arranged. One end of two rods 17, 17 for moving the holding part 16 is connected to the lower end of the holding part 16, and the other end of the rod 17 is connected to a first guide formed in the second mold 12. It is connected to the second drive plate 20 outside the sealed chamber 13 through the hole 121 . Note that the rod 17 is provided with a first sealing member 122 (such as an O-ring) so that even if the rod 17 moves within the first guide hole 121, the airtightness within the sealed chamber 13 will not be broken.

A predetermined space is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the holding section 16 , particularly the side surfaces other than the upper and lower surfaces of the holding section 16 and the inner wall surface of the transfer chamber 131 . This is to ensure that the fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30 uniformly enters between the periphery of the holding part 16 and the transfer chamber 131, and also that the fluid flows around to the lower surface side of the holding part 16. Such a configuration is for preventing fluid compression from occurring when the holding part 16 moves, and contributes to reducing the force for moving the holding part 16.

The first drive plate 18 is provided in a drive chamber 125, which is a space provided in the second mold 12, and is moved in the vertical direction by a first actuator 21 (for example, a servo motor or a hydraulic cylinder). be able to. Further, the second drive plate 20 is similarly provided within the drive chamber 125 and can be moved vertically by the second actuator 22 independently of the first drive plate 18.

A discharge hole 134 is connected to the transfer chamber 131 for discharging the fluid used to plasticize the resin molded body 30 during the transfer to the outside after the transfer. The discharge hole 134 is configured to penetrate the side surface of the second mold 12 and connect the outside of the transfer device 100 and the inside of the transfer chamber 131. The discharge hole 134 is closed by a valve or the like (not shown) except when the fluid is discharged after transfer.

The compression chamber 132 is connected to the transfer chamber 131 by a passage 133. That is, the transfer chamber 131 and the compression chamber 132 are arranged in the same sealed chamber 13, which is a sealed space. The compression chamber 132 includes a piston 19 that is movable in the vertical direction along the inner wall of the first mold 11, the inner wall of the second mold 12, and a second guide hole 123 provided inside the second mold 12. and an upper end surface of. A second seal member 124 (such as an O-ring) is provided on the piston 19 to prevent the airtightness within the sealed chamber 13 from being broken even when the piston 19 moves within the second guide hole 123. The compression chamber 132 is an example of the volume change mechanism of the present invention.

An introduction hole 135 for introducing a fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30 into the sealed chamber 13 is connected to the compression chamber 132 . The introduction hole 135 is configured to penetrate the side surface of the second mold 12 and connect the outside of the transfer device 100 and the inside of the compression chamber 132. For example, a pump (not shown), a cylinder for storing fluid, or the like is connected to the outside of the introduction hole 135. Further, this introduction hole 135 is closed by a valve or the like (not shown) except when fluid is introduced from a cylinder or the like.

Note that in the transfer device 100 according to the first embodiment, carbon dioxide is used as a fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30. In the transfer device 100 according to the first embodiment, carbon dioxide is introduced in a gaseous state into the compression chamber 132 (sealed chamber 13) from the introduction hole 135, is pressurized and compressed in the compression chamber 132, and becomes a gas. It is used in a gas-liquid mixed state, which is a mixture of a liquid state and a liquid state. Details regarding the compression of carbon dioxide in the compression chamber 132 will be described later.

As described above, in the transfer device 100 according to the first embodiment, the compression chamber 132 compresses the fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30, and the transfer chamber 131 transfers the fluid to the plasticized resin molded body 30. A sealed chamber 13 containing the following is provided between the first mold 11 and the second mold 12.

(Explanation of method)
Next, a transfer method for transferring onto the resin molded body 30, which is a material to be transferred, using the above-described transfer device 100 will be described.

First, the first transfer mold 14 is attached to the inner wall surface 111, and the resin molded body 30 and the second transfer mold 15 are held in the holding part 16. In this state, the first mold 11 and the second mold 12 are clamped. As a result, the transfer device 100 enters the state shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as an initial state).

When the first mold 11 and the second mold 12 are clamped together, as shown in FIG. A sealed chamber 13 including a compression chamber 131 and a compression chamber 132 is configured. Inside the transfer chamber 131, the first transfer mold 14, the second transfer mold 15, the holding part 16, and the resin molded body 30 are arranged.

In this state, a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide is introduced into the sealed chamber 13 from outside the transfer device 100 through the introduction hole 135 .

Thereafter, when the first actuator 21 applies an upward force to the first drive plate 18, the first drive plate 18 moves upward within the drive chamber 125.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the transfer device 100 in a state in which the first drive plate 18 has moved upward (first state). Hereinafter, this state will be referred to as a first state.

In the first state shown in FIG. 2, as the first drive plate 18 moves upward, the piston 19 connected to the first drive plate 18 also moves the same amount as the first drive plate 18 within the compression chamber 132. Rise. As a result, the volume of the entire sealed chamber 13 including the compression chamber 132 is reduced by the upward movement of the piston 19 compared to the initial state shown in FIG. Therefore, the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 including the compression chamber 132 is compressed (isothermal compression), and a portion thereof becomes a liquid. Therefore, the inside of the sealed chamber 13 including the compression chamber 132 is filled with carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state.

FIG. 3 is an isothermal diagram (schematic diagram) of carbon dioxide at room temperature (around 20° C.). The vertical axis corresponds to pressure, and the horizontal axis corresponds to volume. As shown in FIG. 3, when carbon dioxide is isothermally compressed, its volume gradually decreases (from point A to point B) and its density increases. Liquefaction of carbon dioxide begins at point B, and a gas-liquid equilibrium state exists between point B and point C where gas and liquid carbon dioxide coexist. In this state, the pressure remains almost constant even if the volume changes. Once the liquefaction of carbon dioxide is completed at point C, the volume will hardly decrease even if the pressure is increased any further.

The pressure P in the gas-liquid equilibrium state in FIG. 3 is, for example, about 6 MPa in carbon dioxide at 21.5°C. That is, in the transfer device 100, when carbon dioxide at 21.5° C. is used, the piston 19 is raised to fill the airtight chamber 13 including the compression chamber 132 while gaseous carbon dioxide is introduced into the transfer device 100. The pressure of carbon dioxide is approximately 6 MPa. In this state, by raising the piston 19 so as to further reduce the volume within the sealed chamber 13, the carbon dioxide within the sealed chamber 13 can be appropriately brought into a gas-liquid mixed state. Here, if the carbon dioxide introduced into the transfer device 100 is set to a value close to 6 MPa (for example, 5.7 MPa) in advance, the movement of the piston 19 within the compression chamber 132 compresses the carbon dioxide to a gas-liquid mixed state. The force required for this is small.

In the transfer device 100, the volume inside the sealed chamber 13 and the amount of movement (stroke) of the first drive plate 18 and the piston 19 when transitioning from the initial state shown in FIG. 1 to the first state shown in FIG. 2 are as described above. The value may be appropriately set to such a value that the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 can be suitably brought into a gas-liquid mixed state. The amount of movement (stroke) of the piston means the distance that the piston moves relative to the first mold 11 and the second mold 12.

Here, it is more preferable that the structure of the piston 19 is designed so that the amount of movement thereof is large when performing a predetermined compression. Specifically, for example, it is preferable to make the amount of movement of the piston 19 larger than the amount of movement of the holding part 16 (the distance that the holding part 16 moves relative to the inner wall surface 111), which will be described later. By increasing the amount of movement of the piston 19, even if the area of the upper end surface of the piston 19 is reduced, a change in the volume of the sealed chamber 13 necessary to bring the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 into a gas-liquid mixed state is generated. You will be able to do so.

If the area of the upper end surface of the piston 19 can be made smaller, the force applied to the upper end surface of the piston 19 will be smaller than when moving a piston with a large area. The force of the actuator 21 can be reduced. Therefore, as the first actuator 21 for moving the piston 19, a small one with a small output can be used. Further, by reducing the area of the upper end surface of the piston 19, the transfer device 100 itself can be downsized.

Note that the above description is an example, and the temperature of carbon dioxide used in the transfer device 100 is not limited to 21.5° C., and carbon dioxide at a desired temperature may be used as appropriate. In that case, the transfer device 100 may be designed so that carbon dioxide at a desired temperature is in a vapor-liquid equilibrium state within the sealed chamber 13. Alternatively, the temperature of the carbon dioxide introduced may be adjusted appropriately using a temperature control device or the like.

Next, after the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 enters a gas-liquid mixed state, the second drive plate 20 is moved upward by the second actuator 22. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the transfer device 100 in a state in which the second drive plate 20 is moved. As shown in FIG. 4, the second drive plate 20 moves upward and rises to a position where it contacts the upper inner wall of the drive chamber 125.

As a result, the holding portion 16 in the transfer chamber 131 rises together with the rod 17 connected to the second drive plate 20. Then, the upper surface of the resin molded body 30 held by the holding part 16 is pressed against the first transfer mold 14 fixed to the upper inner wall surface 111 of the sealed chamber 13. Further, the lower surface of the resin molded body 30 is pressed against the second transfer mold 15 disposed between the resin molded body 30 and the holding part 16.

Note that in the second state shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the sealed chamber 13 is filled with carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixture state. Around the holding part 16 , carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid state also flows around to the lower surface of the holding part 16 through a space formed between the side surface thereof and the inner wall surface of the sealed chamber 13 . Thereby, the pressure becomes equal on the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the holding part 16. Furthermore, in a gas-liquid mixed state, the ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase only changes due to a change in volume, so even if the volume inside the sealed chamber is reduced, the pressure inside the sealed chamber can be said to be substantially constant. In this state, the surface of the resin molded body 30 is impregnated with carbon dioxide, so that the surface of the resin molded body 30 is plasticized. Therefore, by pressing the resin molded body 30 against the first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15 in this state, the surface of the resin molded body 30 has the fine particles that the first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15 have, respectively. The shape is suitably transferred.

Note that carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state has very high permeability, so even if the resin molded body 30 and the first transfer mold 14 and/or the second transfer mold 15 come into contact with each other in advance, the fine particles may It can enter through the gap and suitably plasticize the transferred surface of the resin molded body 30.

When the transfer to the resin molded body 30 is completed in this manner, the discharge hole 134 is opened and carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state is discharged. After the ejection is completed, the transfer device 100 is opened, and the resin molded body 30 to which the fine shape has been transferred is taken out.

<Second embodiment>
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the second embodiment, configurations that are different from those in the first embodiment are described by adding a to the reference numeral.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a transfer device 100a according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the transfer device 100a includes a first drive plate 18a and a second drive plate 20a that are provided so as to be in contact with each other. An actuator 21a is connected to the first drive plate 18a, and the first drive plate 18a is moved in the vertical direction by the actuator 21a.

When the first drive plate 18a is moved upward by the actuator 21a, the first drive plate 18a abuts the second drive plate 20a from below. Thereafter, the first drive plate 18a, which was in contact with the lower surface of the second drive plate 20a, can be further moved upward by the actuator 21a. With such a configuration, in the transfer device 100a of the present embodiment, the piston 19 is moved by the first drive plate 18a for compressing the fluid, and the holding part 16 is moved by the second drive plate 20a for performing transfer. can be performed by the same (single) actuator 21a.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the transfer device 100a in a state (third state) in which the first drive plate 18a moves upward and is in contact with the second drive plate 20a. In FIG. 6, the piston 19 rises as the first drive plate 18a moves, and the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 enters a gas-liquid mixed state. In this state, the first drive plate 18a is further raised by the actuator 21a, so that the second drive plate 20a is raised together with the first drive plate 18a. As a result, the upper surface of the resin molded body 30 held by the holding part 16 is pressed against the first transfer mold 14 fixed to the upper inner wall surface 111 of the sealed chamber 13. Further, the lower surface of the resin molded body 30 is pressed against the second transfer mold 15 disposed between the resin molded body 30 and the holding part 16. FIG. 7 is for explaining the transfer device 100a in a state (fourth state) in which the first drive plate 18a is in contact with the second drive plate 20a and further moved integrally with the second drive plate 20a. This is a diagram.

In the fourth state shown in FIG. 7, since the first drive plate 18a is raised more than in the third state, the piston 19 also rises further, and accordingly, the volume of the sealed chamber 13 is reduced to the third state. This will decrease compared to state 3. However, from the third state to the fourth state, the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 is in a gas-liquid mixed state, that is, in a gas-liquid equilibrium state, so as long as the temperature does not fluctuate, the range in which the gas phase and liquid phase coexist. Even if the volume inside the sealed chamber 13 fluctuates to some extent, the pressure of carbon dioxide inside the chamber remains almost constant (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the change in volume within the sealed chamber 13 caused by the piston 19 when transitioning from the third state to the fourth state has no adverse effect on the transfer of the resin molded body.

Note that, in order to maintain the gas-liquid mixed state, it is desirable that the volume change within the sealed chamber 13 be kept within about 50% or less of the entire volume of the sealed chamber 13, for example. The reason is as follows. The density of liquid carbon dioxide is 770 kg/m ³ and the density of gaseous carbon dioxide is 190 kg/m ³ (at 20° C.). Therefore, when carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state at 20° C. undergoes a volume change of about 75%, all of the carbon dioxide undergoes a phase transition to liquid carbon dioxide. That is, the volume change inside the sealed chamber 13 needs to be kept within a value smaller than about 75%.

As described above, the transfer device 100a according to the second embodiment can have a simpler configuration than the first embodiment because the number of actuators is reduced to one. As a result, the overall size of the transfer device 100a can be reduced, and an inexpensive transfer device 100a can be provided.

<Actions and effects of the transfer device according to the first and second embodiments>
As described above, the transfer device 100 (100a) according to the first and second embodiments includes a first mold 11 and a second mold having a sealed chamber 13 filled with a fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30. The mold 12 , an inner wall surface 111 that is disposed in the sealed chamber 13 and holds the first transfer mold 14 having a shape to be transferred to the resin molded body 30 , and an inner wall surface 111 that faces the inner wall surface 111 and is relative to the inner wall surface 111 . The compressor chamber 132 includes a holding portion 16 that moves into and out of contact with each other, and a compression chamber 132 that changes the volume of the sealed chamber 13.

In this way, the compression chamber 132 for compressing the fluid and the transfer chamber 131 for transferring to the resin molded body 30 are provided in the same sealed chamber 13, which is a sealed space. That is, the two functions of an introduction gas pressure adjustment mechanism and a transfer mechanism are independently provided inside the transfer device 100 (100a). With such a configuration, there is no need to provide a device for compressing fluid outside the transfer device 100 (100a), and compared to a case where a device for compressing fluid is provided outside, the transfer device 100 (100a) The overall configuration can be simplified. Thereby, it is possible to provide the transfer device 100 (100a) which is inexpensive as a whole.

In addition, in the transfer device 100 (100a) according to the embodiment, the distance that the piston 19 moves relative to the first mold 11 and the second mold 12 is the distance that the holding part 16 moves relative to the inner wall surface 111. greater than the distance traveled. Accordingly, the area of the upper end surface of the piston 19 can be relatively small. Therefore, as the first actuator 21 (or actuator 21a) for moving the piston 19, a small one with a small output can be used. Further, by reducing the area of the upper end surface of the piston 19, the transfer device 100 (100a) itself can be downsized.

In addition, in the transfer device 100 (100a) according to the embodiment, the thickness of the rod 17 that supports and moves the holding part 16 is such that it can secure enough strength to transmit the force for moving the holding part 16, and is as thin as possible. It is formed to be thin. With such a configuration, even if the holding portion 16 moves within the transfer chamber 131, a change in volume within the sealed chamber 13 caused by the rod 17 entering the sealed chamber 13 can be reduced.

Furthermore, by making the rod 17 as thin as possible, the difference in area between the upper surface of the holding part 16 (the surface on which the resin molded body 30 and the second transfer mold 15 are placed) and the lower surface (the surface to which the rod 17 is connected) can be reduced. Can be made smaller. Furthermore, since a gap is provided between the periphery of the holding section 16 and the inner wall surface of the transfer chamber 131, carbon dioxide can enter between the lower surface of the holding section 16 and the inner wall surface of the transfer chamber 131. There is.

With this configuration, the forces exerted on the upper and lower surfaces of the holding part 16 by the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 cancel each other out, and the force exerted on the upper surface is substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the rod multiplied by the vapor pressure of the carbon dioxide. It becomes something. As a result, the force of the pressurized fluid pushing back the transfer surface when moving the holding part 16 within the sealed chamber 13 is smaller than in the case of a transfer device in which the fluid does not go around to the lower side of the holding part 16. . For this reason, the force for moving the holding part 16 may be relatively small, and a small type with a small output can be used as the second actuator 22 (or actuator 21a). This makes it possible to increase the area of the resin molded body 30 without making the device large-scale.

Furthermore, in the transfer device 100 (100a) according to the embodiment described above, the fluid is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide introduced into the transfer device 100 (100a) is compressed in the compression chamber 132 and becomes a gas-liquid mixed state. In order to impregnate and plasticize the surface of the resin molded body 30 with the gas-liquid mixed fluid, the first transfer mold 14 and the second transfer mold 15 can be suitably transferred.

Furthermore, by filling the sealed chamber 13 with carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixture, the following effects can be obtained. As shown in FIG. 3, in a gas-liquid mixed state, that is, in a gas-liquid equilibrium state, the pressure is almost constant even if there is a change in volume. That is, after the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 13 enters a gas-liquid mixed state due to compression in the compression chamber 132, the volume in the sealed chamber 13 will fluctuate within the range where the gas phase and liquid phase coexist unless the temperature changes. However, the pressure of carbon dioxide in the room remains almost constant. From the above, by filling the sealed chamber 13 with carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixture state, even if there is a volume change in the sealed chamber 13, as long as the gas phase and liquid phase coexist, the sealed chamber 13 will remain in the sealed chamber 13. pressure can be kept constant. Note that the range in which the gas phase and the liquid phase coexist means a range in which the volume change in the sealed chamber 13 is smaller than about 75%, more preferably smaller than about 50%, as explained in the second embodiment. range.

<Third embodiment>
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 8, a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the transfer device 200 is shown. The scale of each part in FIG. 8 is not accurate, and the positional relationship of each part is schematically shown in FIG. Note that the vertical direction in the following description corresponds to the vertical direction in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the transfer device 200 includes a first mold 211 and a second mold 212 facing the first mold 211. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped. When the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped together, a sealed chamber 220, which is a closed space, is formed between the first mold 211 and the second mold 212. The first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are examples of the base of the present invention.

The sealed chamber 220 includes a transfer chamber 221 in which a first mold holding part 231 and a second mold holding part 232 facing each other are arranged, and a compression chamber 222 for applying pressure to compress the fluid in the sealed chamber 220. has. The transfer chamber 221 and the compression chamber 222 are spatially connected through a gap provided between the second mold holding section 232 and the second mold 212 that constitutes the sealed chamber 220.

Each of the first mold holding section 231 and the second mold holding section 232 arranged inside the transfer chamber 221 holds the first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215 so as to face each other. A resin film 240, which is a material to be transferred, may be placed between the first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215. Specific methods for holding the first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215 by the first mold holding section 231 and the second mold holding section 232 include, for example, screws and adhesives (not shown). The first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215 are examples of the transfer mold of the present invention. Moreover, one of the first mold holding part 231 and the second mold holding part 232 is an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the other is an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention.

The resin film 240 is, for example, a film-like resin material. Specific examples of materials constituting the resin film include the materials described in the above-mentioned first embodiment.

Note that in the transfer device 100 described in the first embodiment, the resin molded body 30, which is the material to be transferred, is enclosed in the transfer chamber 131 when the transfer is performed; however, in the third embodiment, In such a transfer device 200, the entire resin film 240 may not be enclosed within the transfer chamber 221 in some cases.

9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between the transfer device 200 and the resin film 240 in the third embodiment. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing the second mold 212 viewed from above in a state where the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 of the transfer device 200 are not clamped. In FIG. 9A, for convenience of illustration, the second mold 212 is shown through the resin film 240.

As shown in FIG. 9A, an opening 223 is formed in a part of the upper surface of the second mold 212 to form a sealed chamber 220 when the mold is clamped. A resin film 240, which is a material to be transferred, is arranged to cover this opening 223.

FIG. 9A shows an example in which a roll-shaped resin film 240 is used as the transfer material, as shown in FIG. 9B. FIG. 9B is a diagram for explaining a case where a roll-shaped resin film 240 is used as a transfer material, and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view of the roll-shaped resin film 240 in a plane along the winding direction. . FIG. 9B shows an example in which rolls 300A and 300B around which the resin film 240 is wound are arranged on both sides of the transfer device 200, and one roll 300A winds up the resin film 240 that has been wound around the other roll 300B.

In the example shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the roll 300B winds up the resin film 240. When the predetermined position of the resin film 240 to be transferred overlaps the opening 223, the roll 300B stops winding the resin film 240. In this state, the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped, and transfer to the resin film 240 is performed.

A third sealing member 261 (such as an O-ring) is provided around the opening 223. In other words, the third seal member 261 seals the area between the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 around the transfer chamber 221 in a state where the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped. It is designed to fill the space between. The third seal member 261 ensures airtightness of the transfer chamber 221 in a state where the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped. With such a configuration, in the transfer device 200 of the third embodiment, even when the entire transfer target material is not enclosed within the transfer chamber 221, transfer can be performed suitably.

When the transfer to the predetermined position is completed in this way, the mold clamping is released and the resin film 240 is wound up by a predetermined amount by the roll 300B. When a predetermined amount of winding is completed, the mold is clamped again and transfer to the resin film 240 is performed. By repeating such steps, continuous transfer to the roll-shaped resin film 240 is suitably performed.

As shown in FIG. 9A, in addition to the opening 223, the second mold 212 has a second introduction hole 252, which will be described in detail later, and a fourth seal member is also provided around the second introduction hole 252. 262 (such as an O-ring) prevents the airtightness of the sealed chamber 220 from being broken even from the second introduction hole 252.

Although FIGS. 9A and 9B show an example in which the resin film 240 is wound up by the roll 300B and continuous transfer is performed on the roll-shaped resin film 240, the present invention is not limited thereto. The transfer device 200 of the present invention can be applied even when transferring to a single resin film whose size cannot be enclosed inside the transfer chamber 221 or when a resin film is enclosed inside the transfer chamber 221. be.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. The first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215 each have a fine shape (pattern) to be transferred to the resin film 240 on the surface facing the resin film 240. By pressing the plasticized resin film 240 onto this fine shape, the fine shape is transferred onto the surface of the resin film 240.

A heater (not shown) for adjusting the temperature is embedded inside the first mold holding section 231 that holds the first transfer mold 214 and/or the second mold holding section 232 that holds the second transfer mold 215. Good too.

The first mold holding part 231 that holds the first transfer mold 214 is fixed to the inner wall surface 211W, which is the upper surface of the transfer chamber 221 of the first mold 211. On the other hand, a predetermined space is formed between the second mold holding part 232 that holds the second transfer mold 215 and the inner wall surface 212W of the transfer chamber 221 of the second mold 212. This allows the fluid for plasticizing the resin film 240 to uniformly enter between the periphery of the second mold holding part 232 and the inner wall surface 212W, and the transfer chamber 221 and the lower surface side of the second mold holding part 232. This is to spatially connect the compression chamber 222 that exists in the. Such a configuration is to prevent fluid compression from occurring when the second mold holding part 232 moves, and contributes to reducing the force that moves the second mold holding part 232. .

A guide pin 232P that protrudes downward is provided on the lower surface of the second mold holding portion 232. In the example shown in FIG. 8, two guide pins 232P are provided. The guide pin 232P is fitted into a third guide hole 2121 provided in the second mold 212. The guide pin 232P and the third guide hole 2121 restrict the movement of the second mold holding part 232 in the horizontal direction, and the second mold holding part 232 can only move in the vertical direction. Further, in order to spatially connect the transfer chamber 221 and the space below the guide pin 232P, a gap (not shown) is formed between the guide pin 232P and the inner wall surface of the third guide hole 2121.

Further, below the second mold holding part 232, a piston 271 having a cylindrical shape, for example, having a cross-sectional area smaller than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the second transfer mold 215 is arranged so as to be able to be separated from the second transcription mold 215. ing. The piston 271 is fitted into a fourth guide hole 2122 provided in the second mold 212 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. A fifth seal member 263 (such as an O-ring) is provided on the piston 271 to prevent the airtightness within the sealed chamber 220 from being broken even when the piston 271 moves within the fourth guide hole 2122. The piston 271 is configured to move in the vertical direction by an actuator (not shown).

The piston 271 has a return pin 272 that moves the second mold holding part 232 downward and away from the first mold holding part 231 . The return pin 272 is an example of the separation part of the present invention. The return pin 272 includes a shaft and a lower end portion having a larger cross-sectional area than the shaft. The upper end of the shaft of the return pin 272 is connected to the lower surface of the second mold holding part 232. A hole through which the shaft of the return pin 272 passes is provided at the upper end of the piston 271, and the size of the hole is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the lower end of the return pin 272. Thereby, when the piston 271 moves downward, the return pin 272 and the second type holding part 232 connected to the return pin 272 also move downward together with the piston 271.

The transfer chamber 221 is connected to a first introduction hole 251 and a second introduction hole 252 through which a fluid used to plasticize the resin film 240 during transfer is introduced before transfer. The second introduction hole 252 is configured to penetrate the side surface of the second mold 212 and connect the outside of the transfer device 200 and the inside of the transfer chamber 221. The second introduction hole 252 branches in the middle and is connected to the first introduction hole 251 provided in the first mold.

When fluid is poured from the entrance of the second introduction hole 252, the fluid is introduced into the lower surface side of the resin film 240 of the transfer chamber 221 through the second introduction hole 252. Further, a part of the fluid poured from the second introduction hole 252 flows into the first introduction hole 251 from the above-mentioned branched portion, passes through the first introduction hole 251, and reaches the lower surface side of the first mold holding part 231, i.e. It is introduced onto the upper surface side of the resin film 240 in the transfer chamber 221 .

Due to the branched fluid introduction holes, even when the transfer chamber 221 is divided into upper and lower parts by the resin film 240 because the entire resin film 240, which is the material to be transferred, is not enclosed within the transfer chamber 221, the resin film Fluid can be suitably introduced into the upper and lower surfaces of 240. At the same time, the pressures of the fluids present above and below the resin film 240 can be quickly brought to the same pressure.

On the other hand, the transfer chamber 221 is also connected to a discharge hole 253 for discharging the image to the outside after the transfer. The discharge hole 253 is configured to penetrate the side surface of the second mold 212 and connect the outside of the transfer device 200 and the inside of the transfer chamber 221. The discharge hole 253 is closed by a valve or the like (not shown) except when the fluid is discharged after transfer.

The compression chamber 222 is configured by the lower surface of the second mold holder 232, the inner wall of the second mold 212, and the upper end surface of the piston 271. As described above, the compression chamber 222 is spatially connected to the transfer chamber 221 by a predetermined space between the second mold holder 232 and the inner wall surface 212W of the second mold 212. That is, the transfer chamber 221 and the compression chamber 222 constitute the same sealed chamber 220, which is a sealed space.

As the piston 271 rises, the fluid within the compression chamber 222 is compressed. Since the compression chamber 222 and the transfer chamber 221 are spatially connected as described above, the pressure of the fluid in the sealed chamber 220 increases as the piston 271 rises. The fluid in the third embodiment is carbon dioxide, as in the first embodiment. Carbon dioxide is introduced into the sealed chamber 220 in a gaseous state through the first introduction hole 251 and the second introduction hole 252, and is pressurized and compressed by the upward movement of the piston 271 to form a gas mixture of a gaseous state and a liquid state. The liquid will be in a mixed state. In this state, transfer in the transfer device 200 is performed. The compression chamber 222 is an example of the volume change mechanism of the present invention.

As described above, the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment includes the compression chamber 222 that compresses the fluid that plasticizes the resin film 240 and the transfer chamber 221 that transfers the fluid to the plasticized resin film 240. A sealed chamber 220 containing the metal mold is provided between the first mold 211 and the second mold 212.

(Explanation of method)
Next, a transfer method for transferring onto the resin film 240, which is a material to be transferred, using the above-described transfer device 200 will be described.

First, the first transfer mold 214 is attached to the first mold holding part 231, and the second transcription mold 215 is held by the second mold holding part 232. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the resin film 240 is placed at a position to be transferred. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the resin film 240 is arranged before the mold clamping of the transfer device 200. Note that FIGS. 10 to 12 used for explaining the method below are longitudinal sectional views taken along the same cross section as FIG. 8.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 are clamped. As a result, the transfer device 200 enters the state shown in FIG. 8 (hereinafter referred to as an initial state). In the initial state, a part of the resin film 240 is exposed to the outside of the transfer chamber 221 (see FIGS. 9A and 9B), but the contact between the first mold 211 and the second mold 212 around the transfer chamber 221 The airtightness within the transfer chamber 221 is ensured by the third seal member 261 arranged so as to close the gap between the transfer chambers 221 and 221.

Therefore, in the initial state, as shown in FIG. 8, inside the transfer chamber 221, the first transfer mold 214, the second transfer mold 215, the first mold holding part 231, the second mold holding part 232, A portion of the resin film 240 is placed.

In this state, a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide is introduced into the transfer chamber 221 and the compression chamber 222 from outside the transfer device 200 through the second introduction hole 252 and the first introduction hole 251 .

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the piston 271 is moved upward by an actuator (not shown). FIG. 11 is a diagram showing how the piston 271 has risen to a position where it contacts the lower surface of the second mold holding part 232. As a result, the volume of the entire sealed chamber 220 including the compression chamber 222 in FIG. 11 is reduced by the upward movement of the piston 271 compared to the initial state shown in FIG. 8 . Therefore, the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 220 including the compression chamber 222 is compressed (isothermal compression) and a portion thereof becomes a liquid. Therefore, the inside of the sealed chamber 220 including the compression chamber 222 is filled with carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state.

In the transfer device 200, the volume inside the sealed chamber 220 and the amount of movement (stroke) of the piston 271 from the initial state shown in FIG. 8 to the state shown in FIG. It is sufficient that the value is appropriately set so that a suitable gas-liquid mixed state can be achieved. The amount of movement (stroke) of the piston means the distance that the piston moves relative to the first mold 211 and the second mold 212.

Here, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the piston 271 is compared with the area of the lower surface of the first mold holding part 231 or the upper surface of the second mold holding part 232, in other words, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the transfer chamber 221. It is designed to be small. The amount of movement of the piston 271 in the vertical direction is set to an amount that can cause a change in the volume of the sealed chamber 220 necessary to bring the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 220 into a gas-liquid mixed state.

By reducing the area of the upper end surface of the piston 271, the force applied to the upper end surface of the piston 271 becomes smaller than when moving a piston with a large area. Therefore, the force required to move the piston 271 can be reduced. Therefore, a small actuator with low output can be used as an actuator for moving the piston 271. Further, by reducing the area of the upper end surface of the piston 271, the transfer device 200 itself can be downsized.

Next, after the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber 220 enters a gas-liquid mixed state, an upward force is further applied to the piston 271 by an actuator (not shown). In the state where the compression of the fluid in the compression chamber 222 is completed (the state shown in FIG. 11), the upper end surface of the piston 271 contacts the lower surface of the second mold holding part 232. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, by further applying an upward force to the piston 271 by an actuator (not shown), the second transfer mold 215 held by the second mold holding part 232 moves the resin film 240. It is sandwiched and pressed against the first transfer mold 214 held by the first mold holding part 231 held on the upper inner wall surface 211W of the transfer chamber 221. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing how the second transfer mold 215 is pressed against the first transfer mold 214 due to the rising of the piston 271.

In the state shown in FIG. 12, the surface of the resin film 240 is plasticized by being impregnated with carbon dioxide. Therefore, by pressing the second transfer mold 215 against the first transfer mold 214 with the resin film 240 in between, the fine shapes of the first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215, respectively, are preferably formed on the surface of the resin film 240. transcribed into.

Note that carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state has very high permeability, so even if the resin film 240 and the first transfer mold 214 are in contact with each other in advance as shown in FIGS. It can enter through the gap and suitably plasticize the transferred surface of the resin film 240.

When the transfer to the resin film 240 is completed in this manner, the discharge hole 253 is opened and the gas-liquid mixed carbon dioxide is discharged. After the discharge is completed, the transfer device 200 is opened and the piston 271 is moved downward. The second mold holder 232 is moved downward by the return pin 272 that moves together with the piston 271.

Then, after a predetermined amount of the resin film 240 is wound up by the roll 300B described in FIG. 9B, the above-described steps are repeated to perform continuous transfer onto the rolled resin film 240.

As described above, the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment has a configuration in which the piston 271 performs both compression of the fluid and pressurization for transfer. It has a simpler configuration than the embodiment. As a result, the overall size of the transfer device 200 can be reduced, and an inexpensive transfer device 200 can be provided.

<Actions and effects of the third embodiment>
As described above, the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment includes a first mold 211 and a second mold each having a sealed chamber 220 filled with a fluid that plasticizes a resin film 240 as a material to be transferred. 212 (base), which is disposed in the sealed chamber 220, faces the first mold holding part 231, and is movable in a direction toward and away from the first mold holding part 231. The second mold holding part 232 and a piston 271 that changes the volume of the sealed chamber 220 by moving up and down. Then, the piston 271 comes into contact with the second mold holding part 232 and moves the second mold holding part 232 in a direction relatively approaching the first mold holding part 231.

With this configuration, the transfer chamber 221 in which the first transfer mold 214 and the second transfer mold 215 perform the transfer onto the resin film 240 and the compression chamber 222 in which the fluid is compressed are the same sealed space. It is provided in a sealed chamber 220. That is, inside the transfer device 200, two functions, a fluid pressure adjustment mechanism and a transfer mechanism, are independently provided. With such a configuration, there is no need to provide a device for compressing the fluid outside the transfer device 200, and the overall configuration of the transfer device 200 is reduced compared to a case where a device for compressing the fluid is provided externally. can be easily done. Thereby, it is possible to provide the transfer device 200 which is inexpensive as a whole.

Furthermore, in the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the piston 271 is configured to be smaller than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the transfer chamber 221. Therefore, the transfer area can be increased without increasing the force required to compress the fluid, that is, the force to raise the piston 271. Note that in the third embodiment, the transfer area means the area of the portion where the pattern is transferred to the resin film.

Further, in the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment, the first introduction hole 251 for introducing fluid between the upper surface of the resin film 240 and the first mold holding part 231, and the first introduction hole 251 that introduces the fluid between the upper surface of the resin film 240 and the It has a second introduction hole 252 for introducing fluid between it and the mold holding part 232 . As a result, even if the entire resin film 240, which is the material to be transferred, is not enclosed within the transfer chamber 221 and the transfer chamber 221 is divided into upper and lower parts by the resin film 240, the upper and lower surfaces of the resin film 240 can be suitably sealed. Fluid can be introduced. At the same time, the pressures of the fluids present above and below the resin film 240 can be quickly brought to the same pressure.

Further, in the transfer device 200 according to the third embodiment, the piston 271 is a member that moves the second mold holding part 232 in a direction relatively away from the first mold holding part 231, and It has a return pin 272 (separated part) connected to 232. Thereby, after the transfer is completed, the second mold holding section 232 can be easily returned to the initial position shown in FIG. 10.

<Modified example>
Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can come up with various changes and modifications within the scope of the claims, and these naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Understood. Further, each component in the above embodiments may be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

In the first embodiment described above, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the first transfer mold 14 is held on the inner wall surface 111 of the first mold 11, and the resin molded body 30 and the second transfer mold 15 are held It was held in section 16. That is, in the first embodiment, the inner wall surface 111 was an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the holding part 16 was an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, only one transfer mold may be disposed only on the upper surface side or the lower surface side of the resin molded body 30. That is, the present invention also includes a configuration in which only the first transfer mold 14 or only the second transfer mold 15 is arranged and the transfer is performed only on one side of the resin molded body 30. When only the first transfer mold 14 is arranged, the inner wall surface 111 is an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the holding part 16 is an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention. On the other hand, when only the second transfer mold 15 is arranged, the holding portion 16 is an example of the mold holding portion of the present invention, and the inner wall surface 111 is an example of the mold opposing portion of the present invention. The same applies to the second embodiment.

In the third embodiment, the first transfer mold 214 was held by the first mold holding part 231, and the second transfer mold 215 was held by the second mold holding part 232, respectively. However, the present invention includes a configuration in which only the first transfer mold 214 or only the second transfer mold 215 is arranged and transfer is performed only on one side of the resin film 240, as compared to the first embodiment described above. It is similar to the form. When only the first transfer mold 214 is arranged, the first mold holding part 231 is an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the second mold holding part 232 is an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention. On the other hand, when only the second transfer mold 215 is arranged, the second mold holding part 232 is an example of the mold holding part of the present invention, and the first mold holding part 231 is an example of the mold opposing part of the present invention.

In the first and second embodiments described above, as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. , and are connected to each other by passages 133, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The transfer chamber 131 and the compression chamber 132 may be provided in the same sealed chamber 13, and may be adjacent to each other, for example.

In the first embodiment described above, the first actuator 21 moves the piston 19 via the first drive plate 18, and the second actuator 22 moves the holding part 16 via the second drive plate 22 from the lower side of the transfer device 100. It was rising upwards. Further, in the second embodiment, the actuator 21a raises the holding portion 16 and the piston 19 upward from the lower side of the transfer device 100a via the first drive plate 18a and the second drive plate 20a. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The transfer device 100 (100a) does not necessarily have to be installed in the orientation shown in FIGS. 1, 5, etc., and may be installed horizontally, for example. In that case, the holding portion 16 and the piston 19 may move along the horizontal direction.

In the second embodiment described above, the first drive plate 18a pushes the second drive plate 20a, and the movement of the holding part 16 and the movement of the piston 19 are performed by the same actuator 21a, but the present invention is not limited to this. The moving direction of the holding part 16 and the moving direction of the piston 19 do not necessarily have to be the same; for example, the holding part 16 may move upward while the piston 19 may move horizontally.

In the first and second embodiments described above, as illustrated in FIG. 1, two rods 17 are shown connected to the holding part 16, but the present invention is not limited to this. . The number of rods 17 may be one or more than three, as long as sufficient strength can be ensured and the holding portion 16 can be accurately moved in the vertical direction.

In the third embodiment described above, as illustrated in FIG. 8 and the like, the piston 271 is provided approximately at the horizontal center of the second mold holding portion 232, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the piston 271 may be provided at a position offset from the center of the second mold holding part 232. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modification of the transfer device 200 in which the piston 271 is provided at a position offset from the center of the second mold holding portion 232. Even with such a configuration, all the effects of the transfer device 200 described in the third embodiment can be obtained.

In the first to third embodiments described above, carbon dioxide in a gas-liquid mixed state is used as the fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30 or the resin film 240, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Even if water, nitrogen, or the like is used as the fluid, the resin molded body 30 or the resin film 240 can be plasticized by creating a pressurized gas state or a gas-liquid mixed state. Further, as the fluid for plasticizing the resin molded body 30 or the resin film 240, carbon dioxide, ethane, ethylene, propane, or a mixture thereof in a supercritical state, for example, may be used instead of in a gas-liquid mixed state. However, if the fluid is not in a gas-liquid mixed state, changes in the pressure of the fluid due to changes in volume within the sealed chambers 13 and 220 may not be negligible. Therefore, when using a fluid in a pressurized gas state or a supercritical state, it is desirable to employ the transfer device 100 of the first embodiment in which the change in volume within the sealed chamber 13 is smaller.

According to the present invention, a transfer device and a transfer method capable of suitably transferring fine shapes are provided.

100, 100a, 200 Transfer device 11, 211 First mold 111, 211W, 212W Inner wall surface 12, 212 Second mold 121 First guide hole 122 First seal member 123 Second guide hole 124 Second seal member 125 Drive Chamber 13 Sealed chamber 131 Transfer chamber 132 Compression chamber 133 Passage 134 Discharge hole 135 Introduction hole 14, 214 First transfer mold 15, 215 Second transfer mold 16 Holding section 17 Rod 18, 18a First drive plate 19 Piston 20, 20a 2 drive plate 21 1st actuator 21a actuator 22 2nd actuator 30 resin molded body 2121 3rd guide hole 2122 4th guide hole 220 Sealed chamber 221 Transfer chamber 222 Compression chamber 223 Opening 231 1st mold holding part 232 2nd mold holding part 232P Guide pin 240 Resin film 251 First introduction hole 252 Second introduction hole 253 Discharge hole 261 Third seal member 262 Fourth seal member 263 Fifth seal member 271 Piston 272 Return pin 300A, 300B Roll

Claims (11)

a base having a sealed space filled with a fluid for plasticizing the transferred material and including a transfer chamber and a compression chamber connected to each other;
a mold holding part that is disposed in the transfer chamber and holds a transfer mold having a shape to be transferred to the transfer target material;
a mold facing part that is disposed within the transfer chamber, faces the mold holding part, and is movable in a direction toward and away from the mold holding part;
a piston that adjusts the pressure of the fluid in the closed space by changing the volume of the compression chamber;
Transfer device. The piston moves relative to the base to change the volume of the compression chamber .
The transfer device according to claim 1. The direction in which the mold facing part moves toward and away from the mold holding part is the same as the direction in which the piston moves relative to the base.
The transfer device according to claim 2. a first actuator that moves the piston relative to the base;
a second actuator that moves the mold facing part in a direction that causes it to move toward and away from the mold holding part;
The transfer device according to claim 2, further comprising:. the first actuator also serves as the second actuator,
The transfer device according to claim 4. The side surface of the mold facing part and the inner wall surface of the sealed space are at least partially non-contact.
A transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The piston is in contact with one of the mold holding part or the mold facing part, and moves one of the mold holding part or the mold facing part in a direction relatively approaching the other of the mold holding part or the mold facing part. move to,
The transfer device according to claim 2 or 3. The base includes a first introduction hole for introducing the fluid between one surface of the transfer material and the mold holding section, and a first introduction hole between the other surface of the transfer material and the mold opposing section. having a second introduction hole for introducing the fluid;
The transfer device according to claim 7. The piston has a separating part that moves one of the mold facing part or the mold holding part in a direction relatively away from the other of the mold facing part or the mold holding part,
The separation part is connected to one of the mold holding part or the mold facing part,
The transfer device according to claim 7 or 8. the fluid is carbon dioxide;
A transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The material to be transferred is placed in a transfer chamber included in a sealed space,
filling the sealed space with a fluid that plasticizes the transferred material;
Compressing the fluid in the sealed space by reducing the volume of a compression chamber included in the sealed space and connected to the transfer chamber;
pressing a transfer mold having a transfer shape to be transferred onto the transfer material against the transfer material;
Transfer method.

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