JP7458592B2 - Activator application device for hydraulic transfer device and hydraulic transfer device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device, and particularly relates to an activator coating device that optimizes the application of an activator to a transfer film, and a hydraulic transfer device equipped with this activator coating device. It is something.

For example, the hydraulic transfer method is known as one of the methods for applying decoration to the surface of a curved work (transfer recipient). In this method, a transfer film, which is a water-soluble base film on which an appropriate transfer decoration layer has been applied in advance using a non-water-soluble transfer ink or the like, is floated on the liquid surface of a transfer tank, and the work, which is the transfer recipient, is pressed against it from above and immersed in the transfer liquid, and the transfer decoration layer on the transfer film is transferred to the surface of the transfer recipient using the hydraulic pressure.
As described above, in this transfer film, the transfer decorative layer is formed (printed) in advance on the water-soluble film with the transfer ink, and the ink of the transfer decorative layer is in a dry state. Therefore, when transferring, it is necessary to apply an activator or solvent to the transfer decorative layer on the transfer film to return the transfer decorative layer to the same wet state as immediately after printing, that is, the state in which the adhesiveness is expressed, which is called activation.

By the way, as awareness of the cosmetic effects of hydraulic pressure transfer deepens, variations in the transfer decoration layer are gradually increasing, and as a result, processing requirements for the transfer decoration layer, which is technically difficult to perform in hydraulic transfer, have also increased. (For example, see Patent Document 1).
One example is a transfer decoration layer containing a hologram pattern formed by embossing an ultra-thin aluminum vapor deposited layer. When a so-called solvent-based activator is applied to a transfer film containing such a metallic-like transfer decoration layer, the effect of the activator will not appear, unlike a transfer decoration layer using general ink. There is no denying that it will become difficult.

That is, as a transfer film with high technical difficulty, for example, a transfer film has been developed in which a hard coat upper layer (HC layer) is laminated on a general soft coat film (SC layer) formed by forming a transfer ink on a water-soluble base film, specifically a HC layer having a metallic luster such as polyurethane or aluminum (this is called HC film). Here, since the idea of one activation was common (a fixed idea, so to speak), initially, even in HC films, attempts were made to make the HC layer and SC layer transferable with one activation. However, it was found that the appropriate activation timing is different between the HC layer and the SC layer. In addition, for this reason, with such HC films, the conventional one activation leads to a high defect rate during mass production (mass production), pattern cracking and wrinkles are observed, and it is necessary to satisfy both physical properties such as adhesion and adhesion, so a new idea of performing activation multiple times at an appropriate activation timing for each layer was conceived.
In addition, because of the demand for high-end designs and the complexity and precision of the desired patterns, in a film with thick and thin parts in each part, the pattern and physical properties are affected by differences in activation timing and activator components in each part, making it even more difficult to transfer the desired makeup. Here, the thick parts are assumed to be parts where the types and colors of transfer inks are layered in multiple layers. Also, the thin parts are assumed to be parts that are thinned so that the HC layer and the base layer can be seen through.

International Publication No. 2016/088702

The present invention was made in recognition of this background, and the technical objective was to develop a new activator application device that can apply an appropriate activator to transfer films with various decorative forms, and a hydraulic transfer device to which this device is applied.

First, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 1 includes:
A transfer film made by laminating a transfer decoration layer on a water-soluble film was floated on the liquid surface in a transfer tank, and an activator was applied onto the transfer film from a spray nozzle that moved back and forth across the width of the transfer film. After that, an activator coating device in an apparatus for pressing a transfer object from above the transfer film and transferring the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of the transfer object using the resulting hydraulic pressure,
In this coating device, the spray nozzle is covered by a management hood, and is configured with one or more leading spray nozzles and one or more trailing spray nozzles,
The preceding spray nozzle and the subsequent spray nozzle are characterized in that coating specifications can be set freely.

In addition to the requirements of claim 1, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 2 also has the following features:
The coating specifications include one or more of coating timing, coating amount, optimized coating spot, and activator specifications.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 3, in addition to the requirements described in claim 2,
The preceding spray nozzle and the following spray nozzle are configured such that a mutual interval can be freely set,
The coating timing is set at a mutual interval between the spray nozzles.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 4, in addition to the requirements described in any one of claims 1 to 3,
The spray nozzle is an electrostatic spray nozzle.

The surfactant application device in the liquid pressure transfer device according to claim 5 has, in addition to the requirements of any one of claims 1 to 4,
The control hood is characterized in that it is constructed separately for each spray nozzle.

Furthermore, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 6 has the following features in addition to the requirements described in claim 5:
The management hoods are formed in a downwardly expanding shape that protrudes toward the front and back on the upstream and downstream sides, and among these, the opposing management hoods that are adjacent to each other in the front and back are not adjacent in the amount of overhang in the front and rear directions. It is characterized by being formed smaller than the hood.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 7, in addition to the requirements described in any one of claims 1 to 6,
The spray nozzle is configured to be attached perpendicularly to the transfer liquid surface or slightly inclined toward the downstream side of the transfer liquid.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 8, in addition to the requirements described in any one of claims 5 to 7,
Exhaust ducts are connected to both the left and right sides of each management hood to collect excess activator in the management hood,
In addition, if the amount of activator applied by the subsequent spray nozzle is greater than the amount of activator applied by the preceding spray nozzle, the configuration is such that the exhaust from the exhaust duct on the subsequent spray nozzle side is set to be stronger than the exhaust duct on the preceding spray nozzle side. It is something that is characterized by a certain thing.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 9, in addition to the requirements described in any one of claims 6 to 8,
The management hood that protrudes forward and backward is set so that its lower edge is higher at the center in the width direction of the transfer tank and lower at both ends. This device is characterized in that it is provided with a gutter portion formed in the shape of a shape, and is configured to drop excess activator flowing through the gutter portion onto both sides of the transfer tank.

Further, the activator coating device in the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 10, in addition to the requirements described in any one of claims 1 to 9,
At both outer positions of the transfer film to which the activator is applied, there are provided bottomed cylindrical floating collection parts with air suction tubes connected to the bottom and an open upper opening. ,
This above-water recovery section is installed so that the upper opening is at a position higher than the transfer liquid level when viewed from the side, and the upper opening when viewed from the plane is located at both sides of the transfer film that spreads above the transfer liquid level. It is characterized by being formed along the tube, and configured to discharge excess active agent in the management hood to the outside through the tube.

The hydraulic transfer device according to claim 11 also includes:
a transfer tank that stores transfer liquid;
a transfer film supply device that supplies the transfer film to the transfer tank;
comprising a transfer object conveyance device that presses the transfer object from above against the transfer film activated on the liquid surface of the transfer tank;
A transfer film made by laminating a transfer decoration layer on a water-soluble film is floated on the liquid surface in a transfer tank, and after applying an activator onto the transfer film from a spray nozzle, the object to be transferred is placed above the transfer film. An apparatus for transferring the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of a transfer target by pressing the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of the transfer target using the resulting hydraulic pressure,
This apparatus is characterized by comprising an activator coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

Further, the hydraulic transfer device according to claim 12, in addition to the requirements described in claim 11,
The present invention is characterized in that a water blower is provided on the downstream side of the subsequent spray nozzle to form a liquid flow from the transfer liquid toward the liquid surface.

The above-mentioned problems can be solved by means of the configurations of the invention described in each of these claims.
First, according to the invention described in claim 1 or 11, activation is performed after the transfer film is supplied onto the transfer liquid surface (so-called water activation), and the activation is performed at least on the preceding spray nozzle and the subsequent spray nozzle. This is done twice depending on the situation. For this reason, for example, even if there is a partially thick layer formed on the water-soluble film of the transfer film (even if there are layers with different thicknesses), or if the transfer layer is laminated in a multi-layered state as a whole, However, by changing the application specifications for activating the preceding spray nozzle and the following spray nozzle, it is possible to activate at the appropriate timing according to each part or layer of the transfer film, and It does not cause pattern cracks or wrinkles on the surface of the body, has good adhesion to the object to be transferred, and has good physical properties for covering, and can perform appropriate transfer depending on the transfer film.
Incidentally, in recent years, as recognition of the cosmetic effect of hydraulic transfer has deepened, variations in the transfer decorative layer formed using transfer ink have gradually increased, and as a result, the transfer process, which is technically difficult, has become more and more difficult. Demand for decorative layer processing is also increasing. Specifically, on top of a general soft coat film (SC layer) consisting of a transfer ink formed on a water-soluble base film, an upper layer of a hard coat (HC layer), more specifically polyurethane or aluminum, is applied. A transfer film with laminated metallic brightness has been developed, and this is called an HC film. Here, in the past, it was common to think that activation was done only once (a fixed idea, so to speak), so even with HC film, the HC layer and SC layer were initially in a state where they could be transferred with one activation. Attempts were made to do so. However, since the appropriate activation timing is different for the HC layer and the SC layer, single activation increases the defect rate during mass production (during mass production), and there is a limit to the idea of one activation itself. . In this regard, the present invention employs an extremely innovative technical idea of activating the HC layer and SC layer separately at appropriate timings according to each layer, thereby significantly reducing the defective rate during mass production. I was able to do it.
In addition, transfer films with luxurious designs may have a combination of thin and thick parts in each part of the film, so even with such transfer films, by changing the application specifications and activating them, it is possible to achieve the desired effect. It was possible to obtain a transferred object with a makeup applied to it. Here, the above-mentioned thin portion is assumed to be one in which the transfer ink used or part of the base layer is transparent. Further, the above-mentioned thick portion is assumed to be a portion printed in multiple colors.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2 or 11, the application specifications include one or more of the application timing of the activator, the application amount, the optimized application spot, and the activator specifications. In activation with a spray nozzle, various application forms can be adopted depending on the transfer film. Note that the application timing refers to, for example, how many centimeters or seconds after the transfer film is transferred after the activator is applied by the preceding spray nozzle, before the activator is applied by the subsequent spray nozzle. In addition, the application amount refers to, for example, the amount of activator applied by the preceding spray nozzle and the amount of activator applied by the subsequent spray nozzle, or the ratio thereof (usually, the amount of activator applied by the subsequent spray nozzle is set to be larger). ). In addition, the optimized application spot refers to, for example, there may be differences between one color printing (single layer) and eight color printing (differences in thickness) depending on each part of the transfer film, and it is necessary to apply a large amount of activator to the thick multicolor printing area. etc. In addition, activator specifications refer to activators with different properties in the preceding and subsequent activities, such as applying type A activator with the preceding spray nozzle and applying type B activator with the subsequent spray nozzle. Refers to coating, etc.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 3 or 11, the flow of the transfer film (liquid flow speed) is usually constant, and the application timing is set at the mutual interval between the preceding spray nozzle and the subsequent spray nozzle. It is extremely easy to set up and can perform stable hydraulic transfer with reduced defective rate during mass production.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 4 or 11, since an electrostatic spray nozzle is used as the spray nozzle, the activator can be evenly and uniformly applied to the transfer film.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 5 or 11, each spray nozzle is provided in a covered state in a separate control hood, so that the active agent applied in the control hood is prevented from scattering outside the control hood. This prevents the problem from deteriorating the working environment of hydraulic pressure transfer.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 6 or 11, the front and rear adjacent opposing management hoods have a smaller amount of protrusion in the front-rear direction than the non-opposing (non-adjacent) management hoods, so the amount of protrusion is small. Compared to the case where no such control hoods are formed, the opposing management hoods can be brought closer to each other, and the closest distance between the front and rear spray nozzles can be shortened.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 7 or 11, since the spray nozzle for applying the activator is installed perpendicular to the transfer liquid surface or in a slightly inclined state toward the downstream side of the transfer liquid, the installation orientation of the spray nozzle can be specified. It can be made into something similar. In addition, by attaching the spray nozzle in a slightly inclined state, the activator can be more evenly applied to the transfer film flowing from upstream to downstream. In particular, it is preferable to make the subsequent spray nozzle more downstream than the preceding spray nozzle, as this will help stretch the transfer film even if it is only slightly.

Further, according to the invention as set forth in claim 8 or 11, an exhaust duct for recovering surplus activator is connected to each management hood for the preceding activation and the subsequent activation, and exhaust air is discharged from the exhaust duct on the succeeding spray nozzle side. Since it is set stronger than the exhaust duct on the preceding spray nozzle side, surplus/unnecessary activator can be efficiently recovered.

According to the invention of claim 9 or 11, for example, excess/unnecessary activator present in the management hood first trickles down toward the lower edge (gutter) along the inclination of the inner surface of the hood that protrudes in the front-to-rear direction of the management hood. Then, it flows toward both sides of the transfer tank along the gradient of the gutter formed on the lower edge (gradient that decreases toward both sides), so that the activator in the management hood can be collected without dropping excess activator onto the transfer film flowing in the transfer tank.
In addition, guide mechanisms that hold both sides of the transfer film after activation are generally provided on both sides of the transfer tank. For example, if both sides of the gutter are set outward from these guide mechanisms, it is possible to more reliably and rationally prevent excess activator from falling from the gutter onto the transfer film.

According to the invention described in claim 10 or 11, water recovery sections are provided on both outer sides of the transfer film to which the activator is applied, so that excess/unnecessary activator in the management hood to which the activator is applied is efficiently discharged. In other words, the activator is applied to a position that protrudes from both sides of the transfer film, but in the present invention, the activator that protrudes from the transfer film and is applied to the outside can be collected without being mixed into the transfer liquid. Therefore, it is possible to reduce contamination of the activator in the transfer tank, prevent inhibition of the extension of the transfer film due to high concentration activator, and maintain stable hydraulic transfer.

Furthermore, according to the twelfth aspect of the invention, since the water blow is provided behind the subsequent spray nozzle, the extension of the transfer film after the subsequent spray nozzle can be further stabilized and promoted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a hydraulic transfer device equipped with an activator coating device of the present invention. They are a top view (a) and a side view (b) of the same as above. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a preceding activator application device and a subsequent activator application device. 1A is a side cross-sectional view showing how the inclined protrusion of adjacent opposing management hoods in the front and rear of an active agent application device (subsequent active agent application device) is suppressed, and FIG. 1B is a view taken along an arrow A in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a preceding activator application device and a subsequent activator application device. They are a plan view (a) and a side view (b) showing a state in which two conventional activator coating devices are simply connected in series.

The modes for carrying out the present invention include those described in the following examples, and also include various methods that can be improved within the technical idea thereof.

The present invention relates to a method for activating a transfer film F, and in particular, an activation method in which an activator K is applied while the transfer film F is supplied onto the surface of the transfer liquid, and this is called water activation. be done. In addition, in the present invention, especially in recent years, since the transfer film F is formed in a multi-layered state, a major feature of the present invention is that the above-water activation is performed separately for each layer, that is, the activation is performed multiple times. There is one.
Here, the activation (activation operation) performed (initially) on the upstream side is referred to as preceding activation or preceding spray, and the activation performed subsequently on the downstream side is referred to as subsequent activation or subsequent spray. Further, in this embodiment, both the preceding activation and the subsequent activation are performed once. That is, the transfer film F is activated twice in total, but the preceding activation and the subsequent activation can each be performed multiple times.
In addition, two activator application devices 4 are provided for this purpose, and to distinguish them, the leading side is marked with the code "4A" and the trailing side is marked with the code "4B". do.
Furthermore, in the following explanation, the transfer film F suitably used in the present invention will be explained first, and then the activator coating device 4 for activating the transfer film F will be explained while explaining the overall configuration of the hydraulic transfer device 1. will also be explained.

The transfer film F is a support sheet made of a water-soluble film (e.g., PVA; polyvinyl alcohol), and a soft coat layer (SC layer) is formed on the water-soluble film side that serves as the base, and a hard coat layer (HC layer) having a lustrous feel is formed on the soft coat layer. The transfer film F preferably used in the present invention thus has a two-layer structure of the SC layer and the HC layer, and is called a HC film.
The SC layer and the HC layer will be further described below.
The SC layer is a conventional transfer film, which is made of a PVA base water-soluble film on which a wood grain design or the like is applied using gravure ink or the like.
On the other hand, the HC layer is formed by laminating a metal such as aluminum on an embossed layer of polyurethane or the like, and the transfer layer has a glossy function such as a metallic, plated, or holographic look; this HC layer is a layer unique to HC films.
In particular, in this embodiment, the prior activation is intended to activate the HC layer on the opposite side of the water-soluble film, i.e., the upper side on the transfer liquid surface, and the subsequent activation is intended to activate the SC layer on the water-soluble film side, i.e., the lower side.
Of course, the idea of the present invention of performing water activation multiple times is not necessarily limited to the HC film described above, but can also be applied to a general film in which only a transfer pattern formed by transfer ink is formed on a water-soluble film, that is, a transfer film F having only an SC layer.

Incidentally, transfer patterns include wood grain patterns, metal (shiny) patterns, stone grain patterns that imitate rock surfaces such as marble patterns, fabric patterns that imitate cloth grain or cloth-like patterns, and tiles. Examples include various patterns such as upholstery patterns, brickwork patterns, geometric patterns, and patterns having a hologram effect, and may also be a combination of these as appropriate. Note that the above-mentioned geometric patterns include not only figures but also patterns with letters and photographs.

Next, the liquid pressure transfer device 1 will be described.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hydraulic transfer device 1 is composed of a transfer tank 2 for storing the transfer liquid L, a transfer film supplying device 3 for supplying the transfer film F to the transfer tank 2, an activator coating device 4 for activating the transfer film F supplied to the transfer tank 2 on the liquid surface to make it transferable, and a transfer object transport device 5 for introducing (immersing) the transfer object W in an appropriate posture from above the transfer film F supported in a floating manner in the transfer tank 2 and then extracting (pulling up) it. Here, the transfer object transport device 5 can be a conveyor that draws a triangular transport track in a side view as described later, or a type that immerses the transfer object W in the transfer liquid using a robot arm (not shown). In addition, the transfer tank 2 is provided with a guide mechanism 6 that holds both sides of the transfer film F after subsequent activation and transports it to the transfer area Z3.
In this embodiment, as described above, two activations are performed, one each of the preceding activation and the following activation, so that two activator application devices 4 for applying activator K to the transfer film F are essentially provided, which are distinguished as the preceding activator application device 4A and the following activator application device 4B as described above.

In addition, in this specification, the point (area) where the transfer film F lands on the transfer liquid L in the transfer tank 2 is referred to as the liquid landing point Z1, and the activator K is applied to the transfer film F supplied on the surface of the transfer liquid. The activated area Z2 is defined as the activated area Z2. Further, the area where the transfer is actually performed is referred to as a transfer area Z3. In this embodiment, as described above, the activation area Z2 is provided in two places, the upstream side (preceding side) and the downstream side (following side), and when distinguishing between these areas, the upstream side is defined as the preceding side. The activation area Z2A is defined as the activation area Z2A, and the downstream side is defined as the subsequent activation area Z2B. That is, in the same way as above, the suffix "A" is attached to the preceding side as a sub-symbol, and the suffix "B" is attached as a sub-symbol to the succeeding side, and the same applies to other members, etc. .

Note that the activation area Z2 is normally set at a position somewhat distant from the liquid landing point Z1 where the transfer film F is supplied to the transfer tank 2, and this is due to the fact that during this period (from liquid landing to activation) During this period), the water-soluble film on the lower side of the film absorbs water and becomes soft, which can be said to be a preparatory step so that the entire film can be stretched evenly without distortion during subsequent activation. In other words, the ink in the dry state on the upper side of the film is suddenly released from its expansion restraint state by applying the activator K, and spreads evenly on the left and right without distortion in the width direction, which is secured as a stress escape route, and the ink adheres to the film. The section up to activation can be said to be a swelling section (softening section) for causing the water-soluble film below the film to follow the expansion.

Here, in the section from the liquid landing point Z1 to the activation area Z2, although the water-soluble film on the lower side of the transfer film contains water, the transfer ink on the upper side is in a dry state, so that spreading in the horizontal direction is suppressed. As a result, the transfer film F tends to expand in the thickness direction, causing a phenomenon in which the entire transfer film F contracts, albeit for a short time. As a result, the pattern on the upper side of the film of the ink layer is deformed by shrinking to some extent, and the section from the liquid landing point Z1 to the activation area Z2 becomes a section where the pattern shrinks and deforms to a size smaller than the original size.
After such a period, the coating timing of the two activator coating devices 4A and 4B is set, and the details will be described later.

Incidentally, since the hydraulic transfer is almost completed at the same time as the object W to be transferred is immersed, the transfer area Z3 can also be called an immersion area.
In addition, although the terms "activator" and "activator component" are used in this specification, "activator component" mainly refers to the activator K applied on the transfer film F or the transfer liquid surface. , is the name of a substance that floats and stays on the surface of the transfer liquid and reduces the extension of the transfer film F. Each component will be explained below.

First, the transfer tank 2 will be explained.
The transfer tank 2 floats and supports the transfer film F during hydraulic pressure transfer, and has a processing tank 21 as a main component that can store the transfer liquid L at a substantially constant liquid level (water level). For this reason, the processing tank 21 has an open top and a bottomed shape surrounded by walls at the front, rear, left and right sides, and in particular, the reference numeral 22 is attached to both side walls constituting both the left and right sides of the processing tank 21.
Here, an additional comment regarding "before and after" in this specification is that "front" refers to the upstream side (preceding side) of the transfer tank 2, and "rear" refers to the downstream side (following side). Moreover, "left and right" refers to the left and right as seen in the flow direction (liquid flow direction) of the transfer film F flowing through the transfer tank 2.

In addition, in the processing tank 21, a liquid flow is formed in the liquid surface portion of the transfer liquid L from the landing point Z1 (upstream side) toward the transfer area Z3 (downstream side). Specifically, as shown in, for example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an overflow portion 23 is formed at the downstream end of the transfer tank 2, and the transfer liquid L recovered here is circulated and supplied mainly from the upstream portion of the transfer tank 2 through a circulation pipe not shown, thereby forming the above-mentioned liquid flow near the liquid surface of the transfer liquid L. Of course, the overflow portion 23 and the circulation pipe are provided with purification equipment such as a settling tank and filtering, and impurities such as excess film and film residue dispersed and retained in the transfer liquid L are removed from the recovered liquid (suspension) for reuse. In addition, when reusing, it is preferable to precipitate solids such as ink from the suspension recovered in the overflow portion 23, and then adjust the water temperature with a temperature adjustment device such as a temperature sensor or heater before reusing (sent to the upstream side of the transfer tank 2).
The transfer tank 2 is formed so that the transfer area Z3, especially the activation area Z2, is deep, so that the transfer object W is immersed below the liquid surface in the transfer area Z3.
In addition, the transfer tank 2 is provided with a water jet blower 24 for promoting the spreading of the transfer film F after the subsequent activator application device 4B, which will be described later. Incidentally, it is preferable that the water jet blower 24 is configured so as to be able to move back and forth appropriately in accordance with the position of the subsequent activator application device 4B.

Next, the transfer film supply device 3 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 2B as an example, the transfer film supply device 3 has a film roll 31 made of a rolled transfer film F as a main member.
In transfer film F, only the water-soluble film on the lower side tends to swell when the liquid is applied, so the left and right sides of the film are swollen as a whole due to the difference in elongation with the upper ink layer (SC layer) and HC layer. A curling phenomenon that appears to float upward may occur. Therefore, when transferring the transfer film F to the transfer tank 2, it is also possible to take known curl prevention measures on both sides of the transfer film F.

When the transfer film F is supplied to the transfer tank 2, in order to ensure that the transfer film F is properly attached to the liquid and to maintain and stabilize the liquid-attaching point Z1 at a fixed position, it is possible to blow air (air across the width) at the liquid-attaching point Z1 to push the transfer film F toward the liquid surface. Also, in order to stably guide the transfer film F to the transfer tank 2, an inclined guide such as a slide can be provided, which does not necessarily have to be continuous in the width direction of the film (discontinuous strips can be provided partially in the width direction).

Next, the activator coating device 4 will be explained.
The activator application device 4 is a device that activates the transfer film F to a transferable state, and in the present invention, the transfer film F is guided (supplied) onto the transfer liquid surface, in other words, the transfer film F is in a state where the transfer film F is This method adopts a so-called water-activation method in which the activator K is applied while floating on the surface.
Further, in this embodiment, as described above, the activator K is applied twice to the transfer film F, and includes the preceding activator coating device 4A and the subsequent activator coating device 4B.
Note that the transfer film F to which the activator K is applied is applied in a free state in which both sides are not held, and this is so as not to inhibit the spreading caused by the application of the activator K. Conversely, the transfer film F rapidly expands upon activation, particularly upon subsequent activation.

As described above, the film pattern from the landing point Z1 arrives at the preceding activator applicator 4A, which is the activation area Z2, in a state in which contraction deformation occurs on the surface of the film pattern.
In the past, the activator K was applied in one go, and in this case, if the activation timing is close to the landing point Z1, the transfer film F on the transfer liquid surface will be activated in one go when it returns from a contracted state, causing the upper layer of ink to soften suddenly and causing strong wrinkles. Conversely, if the activation timing is close to the transfer area Z3, the time it takes for the film to crack will be longer, causing strong visible cracks in the pattern, which will have a negative impact on the appearance. In terms of physical properties, if activation is too early, the film will harden and its adhesion to the transfer target W will decrease, and if activation is too late, adhesion will decrease.
In contrast, in this embodiment, the application of the activator K is performed in two separate steps, so that the leading activator applicator 4A gradually softens the ink on the upper side of the film from the stage before the pattern size returns to its original size (leading activation). Instead of applying a large amount of activator K at once, the leading activator applicator 4A first applies a small amount of activator K, and then the trailing activator applicator 4B applies an amount of activator K less the amount applied by the leading activator applicator 4A. This allows the desired appropriate activation to be completed while gradually restoring the design, suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles and pattern cracks and eliminating deformation before reaching the transfer area Z3, and allowing the transfer film F to be stretched with good adhesion and adhesion even in various designs.
Although this will vary depending on the transfer film F, the ratio of prior activation to subsequent activation is preferably 1:9 to 5:5, with the total amount of activator K applied being reduced to make the design more stable and facilitate proper hydraulic transfer, and a ratio of 2:8 to 4:6 is even more preferable.

When an HC film is used as the transfer film F, the preceding activation activates the HC layer on the opposite side of the water-soluble film, that is, the upper side, and the subsequent activation activates the SC layer on the water-soluble film side, that is, the lower side. The aim is to revitalize the city. Specifically, the preceding activation dissolves the polyurethane of the HC layer and generates microcracks in aluminum, etc., and the subsequent activation dissolves and softens the gravure ink of the SC layer. For this reason, the activator K to be applied and the applied amount may be different between the preceding activation and the subsequent activation, and usually a larger amount of activator K is applied during the subsequent activation, as described above. Of course, it is also possible to use exactly the same activator K in the preceding and subsequent activities.
In addition, the activator K may be any agent that can return the dry ink of the transfer film F (transfer pattern) to a wet state equivalent to that immediately after printing and make it transferable. For example, in the resin component, A mixture of pigments, solvents, plasticizers, etc. in appropriate proportions is used, but solvents that can simply impart plasticity to the ink can also be used.
Note that the preceding activator coating device 4A and the following activator coating device 4B are configured such that either one or both can move in the liquid flow direction along the side wall 22 of the transfer tank 2. The two are configured so that they can approach and separate from each other relatively. Thereby, the mutual interval between the preceding spray nozzle 40A and the following spray nozzle 40B can be freely set. Incidentally, when the subsequent activity (or the preceding activity) includes a plurality of spray nozzles (spray guns) 40, each spray nozzle 40 constituting the subsequent activity (or the preceding activity) can move toward and away from the liquid flow direction. It is more desirable that the

The basic structure of the activator application device 4 can be based on, for example, the electrostatic spray technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3845078, for which the present applicant has already obtained a patent. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, this method is a coating method in which an activator K is sprayed from a spray nozzle 40 onto a transfer film F (transfer pattern) on the transfer liquid surface. The spray nozzle 40 sprays the activator K onto the transfer film F while being moved back and forth across the transfer film F (so-called traverse). Here, the reference numeral 41 in the figure is a traverse mechanism, and the reference numeral 411 is a rodless cylinder spanned across the transfer tank 2, and the spray nozzle 40 reciprocates along this rodless cylinder 411.

In addition, when the activator K is sprayed, the activator K is charged near the nozzle of the spray nozzle 40, and the transfer film F floating on the transfer liquid surface is grounded via the transfer liquid L and the transfer tank 2, thereby uniformly applying the activator K to the transfer film F. In addition, since the spray nozzle 40 sprays the activator K radially in a substantially constant range, the traverse trajectory along which the spray nozzle 40 reciprocates is approximately in the center of each activation area Z2A and Z2B.
The spray nozzle 40 is attached facing directly downward perpendicular to the liquid surface, or slightly inclined toward the downstream side from the perpendicular as shown by the imaginary line in Fig. 3. The spray nozzle 40 is slightly inclined toward the downstream side in consideration of the liquid flow of the transfer liquid L, and this allows the activator K to be applied more uniformly and evenly to the transfer film F that is flowing with the liquid flow. In other words, the inclination angle when the spray nozzle 40 is provided in a slightly inclined state can be said to be an angle for achieving uniform application of the activator K to the transfer film F that is constantly moving downstream. In particular, it is preferable to incline the following spray nozzle 40B toward the downstream side more than the preceding spray nozzle 40A, since this helps to stretch the transfer film F, even if only slightly.

The spray nozzle 40 is configured to reciprocate with a stroke larger than the width dimension of the transfer film F by the traverse mechanism 41, and to spray the activator K beyond the width dimension of the transfer film F. This is to ensure that there are no areas on the transfer film F where the activator K is not sprayed, and to spread the transfer film F more evenly. Therefore, surplus or unnecessary activator K (activator K that was not used for the original purpose of activating the ink of the transfer film F) is inevitably sprayed on the outside of the transfer film F. If this unnecessary activator K lands on the liquid surface (the activator component described above), it acts to hinder the extension of the transfer film F. For this reason, in this embodiment, measures are taken to collect the unnecessary activator K sprayed beyond the width direction of the transfer film F so that it does not land on the transfer liquid L (so that it does not mix with the transfer liquid L) as much as possible, which will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 as an example, the spray nozzle 40 that sprays the activator K is covered with a cover-like management hood 42, so that the activator K is sprayed into each activation area Z2A as much as possible. - Consideration has been given to prevent it from being emitted from Z2B (scattering prevention). That is, the control hood 42 covering the spray nozzle 40 prevents surplus/unnecessary activator K from scattering to the outside of each activation area Z2A and Z2B, thereby preventing deterioration of the working environment. Of course, this management hood 42 is also separately provided in the preceding activator application device 4A and the subsequent activator application device 4B.

Further, the management hood 42 includes a lower hood 43 and an upper hood 44, as shown in FIG. , the upper hood 44 is provided to cover the upper part of the lower hood 43.

The lower hood 43 is formed so as to widen downward toward the upstream and downstream sides, i.e., toward the front and rear, and comprises an upstream hood 431, a downstream hood 432, and a side panel hood 433 arranged to cover both hoods.
The upstream hood 431 is formed in a protruding state so as to have a downward inclination toward the upstream side, and the downstream hood 432 is formed in a protruding state so as to have a downward inclination toward the downstream side. In addition, the side plate hood 433 is formed in a flat surface shape that is substantially aligned with the side wall 22 of the transfer tank 2.
Here, the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 are each provided at an incline, extending forward and backward (upstream and downstream), so that the activator K sprayed from the spray nozzle 40 is ejected so as to spread radially downward.
In this embodiment, the inclination of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 is formed in a two-stage inclination state in which the hood is bent midway both in the front and rear.

Further, the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 are also provided separately in the preceding activator coating device 4A and the subsequent activator coating device 4B.
The preceding downstream hood 432A and the subsequent upstream hood 431B are the opposing hoods (opposed management hood). On the other hand, since the preceding upstream hood 431A and the subsequent downstream hood 432B are hoods located at both front and rear ends, even if the preceding activator coating device 4A and the subsequent activator coating device 4B are brought close to each other, , not adjacent to other hoods (non-opposing controlled hood). Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion in the front-rear direction of the opposing management hoods that are adjacent in the front and back, that is, the preceding downstream hood 432A and the succeeding upstream hood 431B, is the same as that of the non-adjacent management hood 42, that is, the preceding upstream hood. It is formed smaller than the upstream side hood 431A and the subsequent downstream side hood 432B, and the overhang size is suppressed. This is to prevent interference when the preceding activator coating device 4A and the following activator coating device 4B are brought closest to each other, and the details will be described later.

In each of the preceding and succeeding activator coating devices 4A and 4B, a non-covered area is formed along the width direction of the transfer film F at the upper part of the upstream side hood 431 and the downstream side hood 432, and this is where the spray nozzle 40 is applied. This becomes the traverse area. However, this traverse region is covered by the above-mentioned upper hood 44 to prevent the active agent K from escaping to the outside of the device.
In addition, when applying the activator K, it is not necessarily necessary to use an electrostatic type, and other spray methods may also be used. Specifically, a general air spray method, airless spray method, HVLP spray method, or LVLP spray method may be selected as appropriate. Other possible methods include a low-pressure atomization method above the transfer film F, or a method in which fine mist droplets are generated within the control hood 42 and the activator K in the form of mist droplets is applied by settling under its own gravity.

Further, an exhaust port 45 is opened in the side plate hood 433, and an exhaust duct 451 equipped with, for example, a flexible hose is connected to the exhaust port 45 (see FIG. 5). By suctioning air from this exhaust duct 451, surplus/unnecessary activator K in each management hood 42 is collected and exhausted to the outside.
Note that, as shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the exhaust port 45 is formed on an extension line of the spray nozzle 40 (spout port) that reciprocates when viewed from the side.
Furthermore, since the upstream hood 431, the downstream hood 432, and the side plate hood 433 are installed with some gaps from the transfer film F on the liquid surface, the activator K can be applied to each activation area as much as possible from this gap. It is preferable to prevent it from leaking out of Z2A and Z2B. In this regard, in this embodiment, air suction by the exhaust duct 451 generates a suction flow in the lower hood 43, and leakage of the active agent K from the gap can be prevented as much as possible (see FIG. 3). .
Furthermore, as described above, it is common to set a large amount of activator K to be applied in the subsequent activator coating device 4B, but in this case, the amount of suction by the subsequent exhaust duct 451B is set to be large. It is preferable to exhaust the air more strongly than the preceding exhaust duct 451A (see FIG. 5).

As described above, when the preceding activator application device 4A and the subsequent activator application device 4B are brought close to each other, the preceding downstream hood 432A and the subsequent upstream hood 431B are adjacent to each other in the front and back. (opposed management hood). Here, the preceding downstream hood 432A is formed in a state closer to vertical than the preceding upstream hood 431A, and the amount of protrusion is suppressed to a small value. Moreover, the subsequent upstream hood 431B is also formed in a state closer to vertical than the subsequent downstream hood 432B, and the amount of protrusion is suppressed to a small value.
This is because the hood does not interfere with the preceding activator coating device 4A and the subsequent activator coating device 4B even if they are brought close together.In other words, with this configuration, the preceding activator coating device 4B The coating device 4A and the subsequent activator coating device 4B can be brought closer to each other. Incidentally, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the preceding activator coating device 4A and the following activator coating device 4B are brought close to each other until the interval (distance) between the spray nozzles 40 becomes 500 mm. be able to.

In contrast, when two conventional activator applicators 4' are simply provided in a row, one behind the other, the adjacent opposing control hoods (42') protrude significantly, as shown in Fig. 6, so that such a close distance is not possible, and the two activator applicators 4' cannot be brought as close as described above. Incidentally, the closest distance when two conventional activator applicators 4' are provided in a row is, for example, about 1100 mm.
In this manner, in this embodiment, the closest distance between the preceding activator applicator 4A and the succeeding activator applicator 4B can be significantly reduced to approximately 500 mm, making it possible to perform a wide variety of hydraulic transfers that can meet various activation timings, and to perform the desired transfers repeatedly and neatly.

In addition, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, for example, the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 have lower edges 431a, 432a when viewed from the front (rear) that are sloped so that the center part in the width direction is higher and becomes lower toward both sides.
Furthermore, the lower edges 431a, 432a are formed with grooves 431b, 432b that are folded back toward the inside, that is, toward the inside of the activation areas Z2A, Z2B that are coating spaces.
With this configuration, the surplus activator K that is liquefied in each activation area Z2A and Z2B and adheres to the inner surface of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 first falls toward the lower end edges 431a and 432a (gutters 431b and 432b) according to the front and rear overhanging inclinations of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432, and reaches the gutter sections 431b and 432b. After that, the surplus activator K flows down toward both side sections through the gutter sections 431b and 432b according to the above-mentioned downward gradient toward both sides of the gutter sections 431b and 432b. Then, the activator K that has reached both side sections finally falls on both side sections of the transfer tank 2, outside the transfer film F (inside the transfer tank 2). In particular, the downstream hood 432B is configured to fall outside the inside (outward path) of the guide mechanism 6 described later, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example. As a result, excess activator K that adheres to and liquefies the inner surfaces of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 in each activation area Z2A and Z2B is prevented from dripping onto the transfer film F, thereby preventing transfer failures.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as an example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2(a), in each activation area Z2A and Z2B, a water-surface recovery section 46 is provided at both outer positions of the transfer film F, which also serves to recover excess activator K that spreads within each activation area Z2A and Z2B.
As an example, as shown in FIG. 5, this water recovery section 46 is cylindrical with an open top and a closed bottom, with an air suction tube 46a (or hose) connected to its bottom, and is configured to suck in air from within each activation area Z2A and Z2B, thereby discharging excess/unnecessary activator K outside the transfer tank.
1 and 2(a), the above-water recovery section 46 is provided on both outsides of the spray nozzle 40 that reciprocates across the transfer tank 2, and is installed along a position slightly wider than both side edges of the transfer film F that spreads on the transfer liquid surface in a plan view. For this reason, the upper opening 46b of the above-water recovery section 46 is preferably formed in a trapezoid shape that follows the spread of the transfer film F in a plan view, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2(a), for example.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the above-water recovery unit 46 is installed so that the upper opening 46b is somewhat higher than the liquid level of the transfer tank 2 when viewed from the side. Thereby, the activator K applied to the outer side of the transfer film F can be efficiently recovered without being mixed with the transfer liquid L. In addition, it is possible to reduce contamination in the transfer tank and to reduce the problem of inhibiting the extension of the transfer film F due to the high concentration of activator K (activator component) that lands on the liquid surface, allowing stable hydraulic transfer. can be maintained (maintaining mass production stability).
Note that air suction by the above-water recovery unit 46 also creates a suction flow in each activation area Z2A and Z2B, as shown in FIG. It is possible to further prevent the activator K from leaking out of the activation areas Z2A and Z2B from the formed gaps.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the above-water recovery section 46 is provided in both the preceding activator application device 4A and the subsequent activator application device 4B. However, as described above, when the amount of activator K applied in the preceding activator coating device 4A is relatively small, the above-water recovery section 46 is omitted in the preceding activator coating device 4A, and the subsequent activator coating device It is also possible to provide only 4B. In other words, the above-water recovery unit 46 may be simply installed in the subsequent activator coating device 4B, which coats a large amount of activator K. However, if a large amount of activator K is sprayed onto the outer liquid surface of the transfer film F, over a long period of time it will stain the transfer tank 2 and make it difficult for the transfer film F to stretch, which has the negative effect of reducing the stability of mass production. will appear. Therefore, in this embodiment, an above-water recovery unit 46 is installed in both the preceding activator application device 4A and the subsequent activator application device 4B, thereby removing the excess activator K. Even higher effects can be expected.
Note that when the above-mentioned activator application device 4A is provided with the above-water recovery section 46A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a) above, the transfer film F has not yet completely spread in the area. In a plan view, it is arranged slightly closer to the center so as to be closer to both sides of the transfer film F than the succeeding above-water collecting section 46B, and is formed into a larger trapezoidal shape than the following above-water collecting section 46B. is desirable.

In this embodiment, as described above, a water jet blower 24 as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5 is provided after the subsequent activator applicator 4B, and a liquid flow is formed from within the transfer liquid toward the liquid surface (this is called a support flow). This support flow can further stabilize and promote the spreading of the transfer film F after the subsequent activator applicator 4B.
As an example, the water jet blower 24 itself is formed of an arch-shaped pipe protruding downstream when viewed from above, as shown in FIG. 2(a), and is installed at an incline so that it faces slightly upward toward the downstream liquid surface.
A water flow (assistance flow) is supplied from a hole opened on the downstream side of the pipe so as to be directed downstream.
The liquid flow in the transfer tank 2 tends to slow down the further downstream it goes. In addition, the depth of the transfer liquid L is increased after the subsequent activator application device 4B, which is also one of the factors that slows down the liquid flow. Therefore, the spread of the transfer film F tends to slow down as it goes downstream and at the point where the depth of the transfer liquid L increases. However, in this embodiment, the water flow blower 24 as described above is provided, so that the slower flow rate of the transfer liquid L can be compensated for and the spreading of the transfer film F downstream can be promoted.

Next, the transferred object conveying device 5 will be explained.
The transferred object conveying device 5 is for immersing the transferred object W into the transfer liquid L in an appropriate posture and pulling it up from the transfer liquid L. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2(b), normally The object W to be transferred is attached via a transfer jig 52 (hereinafter simply referred to as jig 52). That is, when performing hydraulic pressure transfer, the object to be transferred W is attached to a jig 52 in advance, and the jig 52 is attached to and detached from a jig holder to set it on the conveyor 51. The conveyor 51 will be further explained below.
The conveyor 51 is made up of, for example, a pair of link chains 53 arranged in parallel with a link bar placed horizontally thereon, and jig holders arranged on the link bars at predetermined intervals. The liquid is continuously immersed and ejected into the transfer liquid L. Note that attachment of the transfer object W (jig 52) on the immersion side to the conveyor 51 and removal of the transfer object W (jig 52) from the conveyor 51 on the liquid output side after transfer are automatically performed by a robot. It is possible to do this or it can be done manually by an operator. Further, the conveyance speed of the transfer target W by the conveyor 51 (particularly the speed in the immersion area) is generally set to be substantially synchronized with the conveyance speed of the transfer film F on the liquid surface.

2(b), the conveyor 51 is a normal triangular conveyor that traces an inverted triangular transport track when viewed from the side, and the transfer object W is immersed, i.e., transferred, at the apex of the lower part, so that the transfer is short-term or instantaneous. It is preferable that the triangular conveyor (conveyor 51) is configured so that it can be tilted as a whole, so that the immersion angle of the transfer object W can be changed appropriately.
The transfer medium transport device 5 is not necessarily limited to the above-mentioned conveyor 51, and may be, for example, a robot (an articulated robot, a so-called manipulator).

Next, the guide mechanism 6 will be explained.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a) as an example, the guide mechanism 6 is provided on the inner side of both side walls 22 of the transfer tank 2 at the rear stage of the activation area Z2, particularly at the rear stage of the subsequent activation area Z2B in this embodiment. is provided to guide the transfer film F to the transfer area Z3 while holding both sides of the activated transfer film F. Of course, the transfer film F coated with the activator K stretches (spreads) evenly on the left and right sides without distortion in the only unregulated width direction, reaches the guide mechanism 6 (belt-type conveyor 61 described later), and stretches. This mechanism also has the function of regulating the elongation of the film from both sides. In other words, the guide mechanism 6 also transports the transfer film F to the transfer area Z3 while maintaining the elongation of the transfer film F almost constant, so that the elongation of the transfer film F is always the same in the transfer area Z3. The image quality is maintained at a constant level, and continuous and precise transfer can be performed.

As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the guide mechanism 6 is constituted by a conveyor 61 formed by winding an endless belt 63 around a pulley 62. Here, there are two types of pulley 62: one that is directly driven by a motor, etc., and one that transmits rotation via a belt 63. If you want to distinguish between these, the former is referred to as the driving pulley 62A, and the latter is referred to as the driven pulley. It is assumed that the pulley is 62B. In this embodiment, the rotation axis 64 of the pulley 62 is set in a substantially vertical direction, and the width direction of the belt 63 itself is configured to be in the depth (height) direction of the transfer liquid level. This is because even if the liquid level in the transfer tank 2 changes, it can be accommodated by the width of the belt 63, and the height of the entire conveyor 61 does not need to be changed.
Further, in this embodiment, the guide mechanism 6 is configured by the belt 63, but it is also possible to use a chain, a relatively thick rope/wire, or the like.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the guide mechanism 6 is provided so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the transfer tank 2 so that the position can be adjusted appropriately depending on the timing of activation and transfer. be.

The hydraulic transfer device 1 has the basic structure as described above, and the activation mode of the transfer film F will be explained below while explaining the operating mode of the hydraulic transfer device 1.
(1) Supply of transfer film (feeding to transfer tank)
In the present invention, since the activator K is applied in a water-active manner, the transfer film F is supplied (feeded out) from the transfer film supply device 3 to the transfer tank 2 in a dry state without the activator K applied thereto. In addition, at the time of this feeding, it is possible to apply the above-mentioned known curl prevention measures to both sides of the transfer film F.

(2) Swelling of the transfer film due to water landing In the transfer film F fed into the transfer tank 2, only the water-soluble film formed in the lowest layer is swelled in the thickness direction due to water absorption. It swells and expands, and the transfer film F as a whole hardly stretches in the horizontal direction. This is because the dry ink layer and HC layer are laminated on top of the water-soluble film. In other words, in the transfer film F after the liquid has been applied, the water-soluble film on the lower side of the film in particular swells and expands in the thickness direction up to the preceding activation area Z2A, and as a result, it swells and expands in the width direction. becomes regulated. The reason why the transfer film F (water-soluble film) is allowed to swell in the thickness direction before activation is to allow the transfer film F to spread evenly on both sides without distortion in the width direction in the subsequent activation stage. be. In addition, the pattern of the transfer film F at this time is in a state in which the size of the pattern has shrunk to some extent compared to the original size.

(3) Pre-activation of the transfer film The transfer film F is then transported by the liquid flow in the transfer tank 2 to the pre-activation area Z2A, where it is subjected to pre-activation. In this pre-activation, a smaller amount of activator K is usually applied than in the subsequent activation. The application amount is preferably adjusted so that the ratio of pre-activation to subsequent activation is in the range of 1:9 to 5:5, more preferably 2:8 to 4:6.
During this prior activation, the activator K is applied to the transfer film F in a free state with neither the left nor right sides held or restricted. This allows the transfer film F to stretch evenly in the width direction without distortion. Of course, this stretching is not only due to the action of the activator K itself, but also due to the fact that the water-soluble film on the lower side of the film has been swelled and expanded in the thickness direction to a degree that can follow the stretching due to activation (beforehand) before the transfer film F reaches the prior activation area Z2A. The stretching of the transfer film F due to this prior activation has a smaller stretch rate than the subsequent activation. In addition, the stretch rate can be adjusted between this prior activation and the subsequent activation, and appropriate activation can be performed even with differences in thickness in each part of the film and differences in layers such as the SC layer and the HC layer, and stable hydraulic transfer can be performed on the transferee W in the transfer area Z3 described later.
Incidentally, when the transfer film F is an HC film, this prior activation softens and dissolves, for example, the polyurethane in the upper HC layer, causing a large number of microcracks to occur in the aluminum.

(4) Recovery of excess activator in prior activation In the prior activation area Z2A, the activator K is applied across both sides of the transfer film F. For this reason, the activation area Z2A is configured to efficiently recover the excess activator K, which is the exhaust duct 451 and the above-water recovery section 46.
The exhaust duct 451 is a duct connected to the exhaust port 45 of the side panel hood 433 that constitutes the lower hood 43, and sucks and exhausts excess/unnecessary activator K in the preceding activation area Z2A by air suction.
The above-water recovery section 46 is provided along both sides (both end edges) of the transfer film F that expands upon activation, and is arranged slightly outside the side edges, and sucks in excess activator K from the upper opening 46b by air suction. The above-water recovery section 46 is formed in a trapezoid with one side of the upper opening 46b, i.e., the side along the side edge of the transfer film F, tilted in a plan view, and the upper opening 46b is located slightly higher than the transfer liquid level in a side view, and is configured to recover excess/unnecessary activator K from within the management hood 42 by the above air suction. Therefore, the exhaust duct 451 and the above-water recovery section 46 can efficiently recover excess/unnecessary activator K in the preceding activation area Z2A without mixing it with the transfer liquid L.

(5) Subsequent activation of the transfer film Next, the transfer film F reaches the subsequent activation area Z2B by the liquid flow of the transfer tank 2, and is subjected to subsequent activation here. In this subsequent activation, typically a larger amount of activator K is applied than in the preceding activation.
Then, here too, the transfer film F is coated with the activator K in a free state where both the left and right sides are not held or regulated in any way, and due to this subsequent activation, the transfer film F is evenly distributed on the left and right without any distortion in the width direction, and becomes larger. Stretch.
In addition, when the transfer film F is an HC film, this subsequent activation softens and dissolves the transfer ink of the SC layer.

(6) Collection of surplus activator in subsequent activation Of course, in this subsequent activation, as in the preceding activation, the exhaust duct 451 and the above-water collection unit 46 collect surplus/unnecessary activator K in the subsequent activation area Z2B. is efficiently exhausted. However, since the amount of activator K applied in the subsequent activation is larger than that in the preceding activation, it is preferable that the exhaust is also set to be stronger.
Incidentally, in the subsequent activation area Z2B, the transfer film F expands and stretches more rapidly than in the preceding activation area Z2A, so the above-water recovery section 46 provided along the side edge of the transfer film F is As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), the upper opening 46b, which is trapezoidal in plan view, is formed smaller than the preceding upper opening 46b.

(7) Discharge of excess activator through the gutter section Furthermore, the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 have lower edges 431a, 432a that are sloped so that they are higher in the widthwise center and become lower toward both sides. Furthermore, gutter sections 431b, 432b are formed in a folded shape toward the inside of the lower edges 431a, 432a, i.e., toward the inside of each activation area Z2A, Z2B, which is the application space.
As a result, the excess activator K that adheres to and liquefies the inner surface of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 in each activation area Z2A and Z2B first falls toward the lower end edges 431a and 432a (gutters 431b and 432b) according to the front and rear overhanging inclinations of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432, and reaches the gutter sections 431b and 432b. Then, following the downward gradient toward both sides of the gutter sections 431b and 432b, the excess activator K flows through the gutter sections 431b and 432b toward both side sections of the transfer tank 2. The activator K that reaches both side sections is finally configured to fall outside both sides of the transfer film F (in the transfer tank 2), particularly outside the inner side (outward path) of the guide mechanism 6 described later, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example in the downstream hood 432B. With this structure, excess activator K that adheres to and liquefies the inner surface of the upstream hood 431 and the downstream hood 432 in each activation area Z2A and Z2B is prevented from dripping onto the transfer film F, thereby reducing transfer failures.

(8) Retention of transfer film by guide mechanism After that, the transfer film F that has undergone subsequent activation is transferred to the transfer area Z3 while being held and regulated on both sides by the guide mechanism 6. That is, the transfer film F is transported to the transfer area Z3 with the position of both sides regulated by the guide mechanism 6 and with a constant degree of extension maintained.

(9) Transfer: Immersion of transferred object When the transfer film F held and regulated by the guide mechanism 6 reaches the transfer area Z3, the transferred object W held by the transferred object conveying device 5 such as the conveyor 51, for example, , are sequentially poured into the transfer liquid L at appropriate postures and immersion angles, and transfer is performed. Of course, this posture and angle of retraction can be changed as appropriate depending on the shape and unevenness of the object W to be transferred.

(10) Water blow In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, for example, a water blow 24 is provided after the subsequent activator application device 4B, and the water blow is directed from the inside of the transfer liquid to the liquid surface. A support stream has been formed. The support flow by this water jet blow 24 further stably promotes the spreading of the transfer film F after the subsequent activator application device 4B, so that the spreading of the transfer film F is prevented even after the subsequent activation area Z2B. It is stable, and the above-mentioned hydraulic pressure transfer can be performed even more stably.

(11) Cleaning and drying after transfer After the transfer is completed, the transferred object W that has come out onto the liquid surface is removed from the transferred object conveyance device 5, and is appropriately subjected to a hot water shower, a rinsing water shower, etc. The water-soluble film remaining on the surface of the transfer object W, which is the transfer product, is removed.
Thereafter, the transferred object W is dried, top coated, etc. as appropriate, and becomes a finished product.

The preceding activator coating device 4A and the following activator coating device 4B are formed so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and are configured so that the application specifications for the activator K can be set as appropriate.
Here, the application specifications of the activator K include, for example, the application timing of the activator K, the application amount, the optimized application spot, the activator specifications, and the like. Here, the application timing refers to, for example, how many centimeters or seconds after the transfer film is transferred after the activator K is applied by the preceding spray nozzle 40A, the activator K is applied by the subsequent spray nozzle 40B. Further, the amount of application refers to, for example, the amount of activator applied by the preceding spray nozzle 40A and the amount of activator applied by the subsequent spray nozzle 40B, or the ratio thereof. In addition, the optimized application spot refers to, for example, the transfer film F, which may have a difference between one color printing (single layer) and eight color printing (differences in thickness) depending on each part, and a large amount of activator K is applied to the thick multicolor printing area. Refers to things such as doing. Further, the activator specification refers to, for example, applying an A-type activator K to the preceding spray nozzle 40A, while applying a different B-type activator K to the subsequent spray nozzle 40B.
Incidentally, the separation distance (distance between the spray nozzles 40) when the preceding activator coating device 4A and the following activator coating device 4B are brought closest to each other is 500 mm as shown in FIG. 1 as an example. Such shortening of the closest dimension could not be achieved by simply installing two conventional activator coating devices 4' in front and behind each other (see FIG. 6).

[Other Examples]
Although the present invention has the above-described embodiment as one basic technical idea, the following modifications may be made.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2(b), it is preferable to provide a top cover 26 above the downstream side of the subsequent activator coating device 4B. By providing this top cover 26, even if foreign matter or dust falls from, for example, the jig 52 of the transferred object conveyance device 5, the top cover 26 prevents it from falling onto the transfer film F on the transfer liquid surface. This allows even more precise hydraulic transfer to be performed.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Liquid pressure transfer device 2 Transfer tank 3 Transfer film supply device 4 Activator application device 4A Leading activator application device 4B Subsequent activator application device 5 Transfer-receiving object transport device 6 Guide mechanism

21 Treatment tank 22 Side wall 23 Overflow section 24 Water flow blower 26 Top cover

31 Film roll

40 Spray nozzle (spray gun)
40A Leading spray nozzle 40B Trailing spray nozzle 41 Traverse mechanism 42 Control hood 43 Lower hood 44 Upper hood 45 Exhaust port 451 Exhaust duct 46 Water recovery section 46a Tube (hose)
46b Upper opening

51 Conveyor 52 Jig (transfer jig)
53 Link Chain

61 conveyor 62 pulley 62A driving pulley 62B driven pulley 63 belt 64 rotating shaft

411 Rodless cylinder

431: upstream hood; 431A: preceding upstream hood; 431B: following upstream hood; 431a: lower edge; 431b: gutter portion

432 downstream hood 432A preceding downstream hood 432B following downstream hood 432a lower edge 432b gutter portion

433 Side panel hood

F Transfer film K Activator L Transfer liquid W Transfer recipient Z1 Liquid landing point Z2 Activation area Z3 Transfer area Z2A Leading activation area Z2B Trailing activation area

Claims (12)

A transfer film made by laminating a transfer decoration layer on a water-soluble film was floated on the liquid surface in a transfer tank, and an activator was applied onto the transfer film from a spray nozzle that moved back and forth across the width of the transfer film. After that, an activator coating device in an apparatus for pressing a transfer object from above the transfer film and transferring the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of the transfer object using the resulting hydraulic pressure,
In this application device, the spray nozzle is covered by a management hood, and is configured with one or more leading spray nozzles and one or more trailing spray nozzles,
An activator coating device in a hydraulic transfer device characterized in that the preceding spray nozzle and the succeeding spray nozzle can be freely set in coating specifications.
2. The activator applicator for a liquid pressure transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the application specifications are one or more of application timing, application amount, optimum application spot, and activator specifications.
The preceding spray nozzle and the following spray nozzle are configured such that a mutual interval can be freely set,
3. The activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the coating timing is set at a mutual interval between the spray nozzles.
4. The activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle is an electrostatic spray nozzle.
5. The activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the management hood is configured separately for each spray nozzle.
The management hoods are formed in a downwardly expanding shape that protrudes toward the front and back on the upstream and downstream sides, and among these, the opposing management hoods that are adjacent to each other in the front and back are not adjacent in the amount of overhang in the front and rear directions. 6. The activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device according to claim 5, wherein the activator coating device is formed smaller than the hood.
The hydraulic transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the spray nozzle is configured to be attached perpendicular to the transfer liquid level or slightly inclined toward the downstream side of the transfer liquid. Activator application device.
Exhaust ducts are connected to both left and right sides of each management hood to collect surplus activator in the management hood,
In addition, if the amount of activator applied by the subsequent spray nozzle is greater than the amount of activator applied by the preceding spray nozzle, the configuration is such that the exhaust from the exhaust duct on the subsequent spray nozzle side is set to be stronger than the exhaust duct on the preceding spray nozzle side. The activator coating device in a hydraulic transfer device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that:
The management hood projecting forward and backward is set such that its lower edge is higher at the center in the width direction of the transfer tank and lower at both ends,
In addition, a gutter section is provided at the lower edge of the control hood in a folded shape toward the inside of the management hood, and the excess activator flowing through the gutter section is configured to drop onto both sides of the transfer tank. The activator coating device for a hydraulic transfer device according to any one of claims 6 to 8.
At both outer positions of the transfer film to which the activator is applied, there are provided bottomed cylindrical floating recovery parts with air suction tubes connected to the bottom and an open top as an upper opening. ,
This above-water recovery section is installed so that the upper opening is at a position higher than the transfer liquid level when viewed from the side, and the upper opening when viewed from a plane is located at both sides of the transfer film that spreads above the transfer liquid level. The hydraulic transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the tube is formed along the tube and is configured to discharge excess active agent in the management hood to the outside through the tube. Activator application device.
a transfer tank that stores transfer liquid;
a transfer film supply device that supplies the transfer film to the transfer tank;
comprising a transfer object conveyance device that presses the transfer object from above against the transfer film activated on the liquid surface of the transfer tank;
A transfer film made by laminating a transfer decoration layer on a water-soluble film is floated on the liquid surface in a transfer tank, and after applying an activator onto the transfer film from a spray nozzle, the object to be transferred is placed above the transfer film. An apparatus for transferring the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of a transfer target by pressing the transfer decoration layer onto the surface of the transfer target using the resulting hydraulic pressure,
A hydraulic transfer device comprising the activator coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
12. The hydraulic transfer device according to claim 11, further comprising a water blower provided downstream of the subsequent spray nozzle for forming a liquid flow from the transfer liquid toward the liquid surface.

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