JPH04136889A - Decorating method for operation element, panel, or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform decoration in diverse patterns in a short time by mounting a hot stamp sheet on a member to be decorated such as the operation element and panel and driving a printing head, which has heat generating dot pins, for scanning on the sheet according to image data for decoration. CONSTITUTION:Various image data for decoration are generated by CAD, etc., and the member to be decorated such as the operation element and panel and the hot stamp sheet which has necessary colors and a pattern are prepared. Then the hot stamp sheet 2 is mounted on the decoration surface 1a of the member 1 to be decorated. The image data for decoration which are generated previously is inputted to and stored in a thermal dot printer for decorative printing and its printing head 3 is positioned on the member 1 to be decorated and placed in printing operation. On the head 3, many heat generating dot pins 4 which have heat generating resistance bodies at their tip parts are implanted in matrix and can move up and down individually as shown by an arrow A, and heat generating resistance bodies of pins 4 selected according to the image data are energized to generate heat and move down; and the sheet 2 is pressed in dots against the decoration surface 1a of the member 1 to transfer the colors of the sheet 2, thereby forming dots P.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method for decorating operators such as operation buttons and keys, or operation panels and display panels used in various electronic devices such as electronic musical instruments. .

[Summary of the invention]

In this invention, a hot stamp sheet 1- placed on a member to be decorated such as an operator or a panel is decorated with a heat-generating dot pin of a print head that is driven and scanned in accordance with image data to be decorated. The decoration is applied by pressing the member in the shape of a drum and transferring the color (or color and pattern), and the modification of controls, panels, etc. that enables quick and easy adaptation to various decoration patterns. It is a method of decoration.

[Conventional technology]

The various operators and panels described above are generally decorated with printed characters, marks, figures, etc. that indicate their functions, types, and the like.

Conventionally, such printing has generally been performed by screen printing.

Screen printing is using a rubber squeegee to apply ink to a silk screen or paint screen.

This is a method of printing by pressing it onto the member to be decorated through a mesh such as a stencil screen.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, this conventional method of decorating using screen printing has many problems as described below when decorating various controls, panels, etc. with various patterns.

(b) Investment costs will increase because there will be more types of plates.

(b) Version management costs will increase.

(c) Editions are consumables, and many editions need to be updated.

(d) Printing ink contains solvent, which creates a poor working environment.

(e) Since the printing process is mostly manual, the defect rate is high.

(f) If a defect occurs, it is almost impossible to correct it.

(g) Printing ink takes time to dry.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for decorating controls, panels, etc., which can solve all of these problems.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, this invention provides an operator.

A hot stamp sheet 1 is placed on a member to be decorated such as a panel, and a print head having a heat-generating dot pin is moved and scanned on the hot stamp sheet 1 to 1 in accordance with the image data to be decorated. Hora 1~ by that fever dot pin
Press Stamp Sea 1- onto the member to be decorated in a dot shape,
To provide a method for decorating an operator, a panel, etc., which is characterized by transferring the color of the hot stamp sheet.

Furthermore, if a hot stamp sheet with a pattern is used, the pattern can also be transferred to the member to be decorated.

[For production]

According to the method for decorating controls, panels, etc. according to the present invention,
Decorating with a variety of patterns can be done easily and quickly by simply creating image data, and since it is a dry process, there is no need for drying time, so you can move on to the next assembly process immediately and the work environment will not deteriorate.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

When carrying out the decorating method according to the present invention, various image data to be decorated is created using CAD, etc., and members to be decorated such as operators and panels and hot stamp sheets of the necessary colors and patterns are prepared. .

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a decorated member 1 such as an operator
The stamp sheet 2 is placed on the decorative surface 1a of the frame 1.

On the other hand, the thermal dot printer for decorative printing is input with and stored the image data for decoration created in advance, and its print head 3 is positioned on the member to be decorated 1 to perform a printing operation.

The print head 3 has a large number of heat-generating dot pins 4, each of which has a built-in heat-generating resistor at its tip, arranged in a matrix, each of which can move up and down in the direction of arrow A, and is selected according to image data. The heating resistor of the heating tab 1-pin 4 is energized, generates heat, and descends (projects) to press the hot stamp sheet onto the decorated surface 1a of the member 1 to be decorated in a dot shape, and the hot stamp sheet transfer the color.

The dots transferred onto the decorative surface la are indicated by P in FIG.

When the area of the decorative surface 1a is larger than the printing area of the print head 3 and the necessary decorative image cannot be transferred in one printing operation, the print head 3 is effectively moved in the X direction and the Y direction perpendicular thereto. By moving and scanning each printing pitch and repeating the above printing operation, a desired decorative image (letters, symbols, figures, etc.) is formed in a desired color on the decorative surface 1a of the member to be decorated 1. I can do it.

In addition, by preparing multiple hot stamp sheets of different colors and materials and exchanging them and performing the above-described printing operation multiple times on the same decorative surface 1a, multicolor decoration can be achieved by overlapping transfer. Images can also be formed.

Furthermore, if a hot stamp sheet with a pattern is used, not only the color but also the pattern can be transferred, allowing for a wide variety of decorations.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a thermal dot printer for decorative puddings 1 to 1 used to carry out the present invention.

This thermal dot printer consists of an image data manual section 11, an image data storage section 12, and an image data storage section 12, which are controlled by a control section]0, respectively. Print spatula]・1-driver 13° Drives the X-direction motor driver 14, the Y-direction motor driver 15, the aforementioned print head 3, and a scanning mechanism (not shown) for moving and scanning the print head 3 in the X and Y directions. It consists of an X-direction scanning motor (Mx) 1.6 and a Y-direction scanning motor (My).

When decorating image data is input from an external device to the image data input unit 11 directly via an interface cable (not shown) or stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk, the control unit 10 are stored in the image data storage section 12 and sequentially output to the print head driver 13.

The print head driver 3 drives the print head 3 in accordance with input image data, and selectively causes the large number of heat generating dot pins to generate heat and lower (protrude).

Further, the control unit 14 outputs signals to the X-direction motor driver 14 and the Y-direction motor driver 15 as necessary,
The X-direction scanning motor 16 and the Y-direction scanning motor (both pulse motors) are driven to move and scan the print head 3 in the X and Y directions in FIG.

Note that the heating dot pin 4 provided on the print head 3 is
Only one row in the X or Y direction or at least one row can be used by making the scanning pitch finer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, if controls, panels, etc. are decorated using the decorating method of the present invention, there are many effects as listed below.

(1) Since it is a dry process and no drying time is required, the next assembly process can proceed immediately after the decoration process is completed.

(2) A wide variety of decorative patterns (letters, symbols, 2 shapes, etc.)

=8 patterns, etc.) can be formed arbitrarily using the same equipment.

(3) Since no solvent is used, a good working environment can be maintained.

(4) Compared to storing conventional screen printing plates, it is better to store recording media that stores image data.
This is advantageous in terms of management space and environment.

(5) A wide variety of decorative patterns can be produced for one set in a short time.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermal dot printer for decorative printing used to carry out the invention. .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hot stamp sheet is placed on a member to be decorated such as an operator or a panel, and a print head having a heat-generating dot pin is placed on the hot stamp sheet according to image data to be decorated. A method for decorating an operator, a panel, etc., characterized in that the heating dot pin drives the hot stamp sheet to press the hot stamp sheet onto the member to be decorated in a dot pattern, thereby transferring the color of the hot stamp sheet. . 2. The method for decorating controls, panels, etc. according to claim 1, characterized in that the pattern of the hot stamp sheet is also transferred.