U.S. patent application number 16/767411 was filed with the patent office on 2020-12-10 for three-dimensional decorative piece made of thermoplastic synthetic resin and method for producing the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Takeshi KURODA. The applicant listed for this patent is Takeshi KURODA. Invention is credited to Eiji KUWAHARA.
Application Number | 20200384797 16/767411 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005090960 |
Filed Date | 2020-12-10 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200384797 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KUWAHARA; Eiji |
December 10, 2020 |
THREE-DIMENSIONAL DECORATIVE PIECE MADE OF THERMOPLASTIC SYNTHETIC
RESIN AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
Abstract
A three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin is produced by subjecting, to high-frequency
dielectric heating, a decorative piece material that includes an
upper layer that includes a thermoplastic synthetic resin film
having a vapor-deposited metal layer, an intermediate layer that
includes a thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet, and a lower layer
that includes a thermal bonding film, the decorative piece
including: a first printing layer printed using a transparent color
ink, a matte ink, or a glossy ink, as an upper surface of the upper
layer; and a second printing layer in which a fine line is printed
using a transparent UV ink, on an upper surface of the first
printing layer. It is desirable that the fine line of the second
printing layer has a width of 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm.
Inventors: |
KUWAHARA; Eiji; (Osaka-shi,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KURODA; Takeshi |
Osaka-shi, Osaka |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KURODA; Takeshi
Osaka-shi, Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
1000005090960 |
Appl. No.: |
16/767411 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
December 27, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2017/046973 |
371 Date: |
May 27, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 38/0008 20130101;
B32B 7/12 20130101; B32B 15/08 20130101; B32B 38/145 20130101; B44C
3/02 20130101; B32B 27/08 20130101; B32B 2451/00 20130101; B32B
38/06 20130101; B44C 5/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B44C 3/02 20060101
B44C003/02; B44C 5/04 20060101 B44C005/04; B32B 27/08 20060101
B32B027/08; B32B 7/12 20060101 B32B007/12; B32B 15/08 20060101
B32B015/08; B32B 38/00 20060101 B32B038/00; B32B 38/06 20060101
B32B038/06 |
Claims
1.-5. (canceled)
6. A three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin that is produced by subjecting, to high-frequency
dielectric heating, a decorative piece material that includes an
upper layer constituted by a thermoplastic synthetic resin film
having a vapor-deposited metal layer, an intermediate layer
constituted by a thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet, and a lower
layer constituted by a thermal bonding film, the decorative piece
comprising: a first printing layer printed using a transparent
color ink, a matte ink, or a glossy ink, as an upper surface of the
upper layer; and a second printing layer in which a fine line is
printed using a transparent UV ink, on an upper surface of the
first printing layer.
7. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 6, wherein the fine line of the
second printing layer has a width of 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm.
8. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 6, wherein the upper layer has a
protruding portion formed through shaping, and the fine line of the
second printing layer is printed to intersect an edge portion of
the protruding portion.
9. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 7, wherein the upper layer has a
protruding portion formed through shaping, and the fine line of the
second printing layer is printed to intersect an edge portion of
the protruding portion.
10. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 6, wherein the upper layer
includes a migration prevention film layer.
11. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 7, wherein the upper layer
includes a migration prevention film layer.
12. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 8, wherein the upper layer
includes a migration prevention film layer.
13. The three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to claim 9, wherein the upper layer
includes a migration prevention film layer.
14. A method for producing a three-dimensional decorative piece
made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin by subjecting, to
high-frequency dielectric heating, a decorative piece material that
includes an upper layer that is constituted by a thermoplastic
synthetic resin film having a vapor-deposited metal layer, has an
outline, and is provided with a three-dimensional design, an
intermediate layer constituted by a thermoplastic synthetic resin
sheet, and a lower layer constituted by a thermal bonding film,
wherein the upper layer is formed through a step of forming a first
printing layer in the upper layer by screen printing a transparent
color ink, a matte ink, or a glossy ink onto an upper surface of
the thermoplastic synthetic resin film, a step of forming a second
printing layer in the upper layer by screen printing a fine line
using a transparent UV ink onto an upper surface of the first
printing layer, a step of curing the second printing layer by
irradiating the second printing layer with ultraviolet rays, and a
step of attaching an adhesive carrier film to an upper surface of
the second printing layer, the method comprising: a step of placing
the decorative piece material in which the lower layer, the
intermediate layer, and the upper layer are placed on each other in
the stated order, on a table serving as one electrode in
high-frequency dielectric heating; a first high-frequency
dielectric heating step of shaping the three-dimensional design in
the upper layer by pressing an engraved die serving as another
electrode in high-frequency dielectric heating against the upper
layer of the decorative piece material and performing
high-frequency dielectric heating, and fusion-cutting the
decorative piece material other than the carrier film along the
outline and fusing the upper layer and the intermediate layer to
weld the resulting layer to the lower layer; an elimination step of
eliminating an unnecessary portion that does not constitute the
three-dimensional design of the fusion-cut decorative piece
material to obtain a decorative piece material; a second
high-frequency dielectric heating step of welding a base material
and the decorative piece material by fitting the decorative piece
material into the engraved die placed on the table with an engraved
surface facing upward such that the lower layer faces upward,
placing the base material on the decorative piece material,
pressing the base material against the decorative piece material
using a flat-plate die from above the base material, and performing
high-frequency dielectric heating; and an adjustment step of
removing, from the engraved die, the decorative piece material and
the base material that are welded to each other, peeling off the
carrier film, and cutting the base material to a desired shape to
obtain a three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
resin.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional
decorative piece made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin, such as
an emblem to be affixed to clothing such as uniforms, a bag, a cap,
or the like, and a method for producing the same, and more
specifically relates to a three-dimensional decorative piece made
of a thermoplastic synthetic resin provided with a decoration such
as that of gold lace embroidery and a method for producing the
same.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Three-dimensional decorative pieces made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin (hereinafter referred to simply as "decorative
pieces", if appropriate), such as emblems, appliques, and stickers,
produced through high-frequency dielectric heating have been
proposed (see Patent Document 1, for example).
[0003] In Patent Document 1, a decorative piece material that
includes a thermoplastic resin sheet, a vapor-deposited metal
layer, and a foamed resin sheet and a base material sheet made of a
woven fabric are placed on each other, and as a result of
performing high-frequency dielectric heating thereon, an insulator
generates heat, the foamed resin sheet is expanded and shaped, and
the layers are welded to each other, and thus a decorative piece is
produced.
CITATION LIST
Patent Document
[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 1815053
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] Some decorative pieces produced through embroidery are
provided with gold lace embroidery by embroidering a base material
with a so-called gold lace thread obtained by winding a gold thread
and a silver thread around a core thread. However, with
conventional three-dimensional decorative pieces made of a
thermoplastic resin produced through high-frequency dielectric
heating, while uneven designs can be expressed, sufficient
expression of a sense of luxuriousness, an aura of substance,
elaborateness, a depth of color, a metallic appearance, and the
like such as those of gold lace embroidery has not been possible.
One of the reasons therefor is that there is a limitation on how
fine a design can be formed in an engraved die used in
high-frequency dielectric heating. Thus, when a gold lace design
needs to be formed, embroidery has needed to be manually performed
using a gold lace thread. Also, there are cases where a
thermoplastic synthetic resin film and a base material sheet are
separated from each other through washing, friction, and the like
due to insufficient adhesive strength between the thermoplastic
synthetic resin film and the base material sheet.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a
three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin by which a design such as that of a gold lace
thread can be expressed, and a method for producing the same.
Solution to Problem
[0007] A three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin according to the present invention is a
three-dimensional decorative piece made of a thermoplastic
synthetic resin that is produced by subjecting, to high-frequency
dielectric heating, a decorative piece material that includes an
upper layer constituted by a thermoplastic synthetic resin film
having a vapor deposited metal layer, an intermediate layer
constituted by a thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet, and a lower
layer constituted by a thermal bonding film,
[0008] the decorative piece including:
[0009] a first printing layer printed using a transparent color
ink, a matte ink, or a glossy ink, as an upper surface of the upper
layer; and
[0010] a second printing layer in which a fine line is printed
using a transparent UV ink, on an upper surface of the first
printing layer.
[0011] It is desirable that the fine line of the second printing
layer has a width of 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm.
[0012] It is desirable that the upper layer has a protruding
portion formed through shaping, and
[0013] the fine line of the second printing layer is printed to
intersect an edge portion of the protruding portion.
[0014] The upper layer may be configured to include a migration
prevention film layer.
[0015] Also, a method for producing a three-dimensional decorative
piece made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin according to the
present invention is a method for producing a three-dimensional
decorative piece made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin by
subjecting, to high-frequency dielectric heating, a decorative
piece material that includes an upper layer that is constituted by
a thermoplastic synthetic resin film having a vapor-deposited metal
layer, has an outline, and is provided with a three-dimensional
design, an intermediate layer constituted by a thermoplastic
synthetic resin sheet, and a lower layer constituted by a thermal
bonding film,
[0016] wherein the upper layer is formed through
[0017] a step of forming a first printing layer in the upper layer
by screen printing a transparent color ink, a matte ink, or a
glossy ink onto an upper surface of the thermoplastic synthetic
resin film,
[0018] a step of forming a second printing layer in the upper layer
by screen printing a fine line using a transparent UV ink onto an
upper surface of the first printing layer,
[0019] a step of curing the second printing layer by irradiating
the second printing layer with ultraviolet rays, and
[0020] a step of attaching an adhesive carrier film to an upper
surface of the second printing layer,
[0021] the method including:
[0022] a step of placing the decorative piece material in which the
lower layer, the intermediate layer, and the upper layer are placed
on each other in the stated order, on a table serving as one
electrode in high-frequency dielectric heating,
[0023] a first high-frequency dielectric heating step of shaping
the three-dimensional design in the upper layer by pressing an
engraved die serving as another electrode in high-frequency
dielectric heating against the upper layer of the decorative piece
material and performing high-frequency dielectric heating, and
fusion-cutting the decorative piece material other than the carrier
film along the outline and fusing the upper layer and the
intermediate layer to weld the resulting layer to the lower
layer,
[0024] an elimination step of eliminating an unnecessary portion
that does not constitute the three-dimensional design of the
fusion-cut decorative piece material to obtain a decorative piece
material,
[0025] a second high-frequency dielectric heating step of welding a
base material and the decorative piece material by fitting the
decorative piece material into the engraved die placed on the table
with an engraved surface facing upward such that the lower layer
faces upward, placing the base material on the decorative piece
material, pressing the base material against the decorative piece
material using a flat-plate die from above the base material, and
performing high-frequency dielectric heating, and
[0026] an adjustment step of removing, from the engraved die, the
decorative piece material and the base material that are welded to
each other, peeling off the carrier film, and cutting the base
material to a desired shape to obtain a three-dimensional
decorative piece made of a thermoplastic resin.
Effects of the Invention
[0027] According to the three-dimensional decorative piece made of
a thermoplastic synthetic resin and the method for producing the
same according to the present invention, the decorative piece
material has, as a surface of the upper layer, a second printing
layer in which a fine line is printed using a transparent UV ink.
This fine line of the second printing layer can express a design
such as that of gold lace embroidery on a protruding design formed
by shaping the upper layer, and can express, on a three-dimensional
decorative piece made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin, a
three-dimensional appearance, a texture, a sense of luxuriousness,
elaborateness, a metallic appearance, and the like such as those of
gold lace embroidery, by increasing the thickness of a printed fine
line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a decorative piece according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the decorative piece
shown in FIG. 1 cut along line A-A and viewed in the arrow
direction.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional perspective
view of a shaped protruding portion.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a decorative piece material.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the decorative piece
shown in FIG. 4 cut along line B-B and viewed in the arrow
direction.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a first printing layer, and shows a
design printed onto the first printing layer.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second printing layer, and shows
a design printed onto the second printing layer.
[0035] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a circled portion C shown in
FIG. 4, and a dash-dot line shown therein indicates an outline of a
protruding portion.
[0036] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view (taken along line D-D shown
in FIG. 11) of a molding die used in a first high-frequency
dielectric heating step.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view (taken along line E-E
shown in FIG. 11) of the molding die used in the first
high-frequency dielectric heating step.
[0038] FIG. 11 is a diagram of an engraved die viewed from an
engraved surface.
[0039] FIG. 12 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional perspective
view of the engraved surface of the engraved die and the protruding
portion before and after the protruding portion is shaped.
[0040] FIG. 13 is a plan view of a decorative piece material shaped
through the first high-frequency dielectric heating step.
[0041] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the decorative piece
material shown in FIG. 13 cut along line F-F and viewed in the
arrow direction.
[0042] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a molding die used in a
second high-frequency dielectric heating step.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0043] Hereinafter, a three-dimensional decorative piece 10 made of
a thermoplastic synthetic resin of the present invention and a
method for producing the three-dimensional decorative piece 10 will
be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the
drawings, the thicknesses of a layer is shown exaggerated to
facilitate the explanation as needed. Also, the shapes, the
designs, the thicknesses, and the like of the decorative piece 10,
a decorative piece material 20, a base material sheet 80, and the
like are given by way of example only, and can be changed as
appropriate.
[0044] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the decorative piece 10 according
to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a
cross-sectional view of the decorative piece 10 shown in FIG. 1 cut
along line A-A and viewed in the arrow direction, and FIG. 3 is an
enlarged cross-sectional view showing an overview of one protruding
portion 22 of a decorative piece material 20 that has been shaped.
Note that FIG. 3 shows the decorative piece material 20 as one
layer excluding a fine line 51 to facilitate the explanation. As
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the decorative piece 10 is formed by
welding the shaped decorative piece material 20 onto the base
material sheet 80. The decorative piece material 20 is provided
with desired recesses and protrusions, and a desired design, and a
contour portion of the design is fusion-cut. In an embodiment shown
in FIGS. 1 to 3, designs formed by the decorative piece material 20
includes a bird 90 perched on a ring, plant leaves 91, and a
central lily emblem 92. As shown in FIG. 3, in the bird 90 and the
leaves 91 out of these designs, minute designs 24 such as those of
lace embroidery are expressed on the shaped protruding portion 22.
As shown in FIG. 3, these minute designs 24 such as those of lace
embroidery are realized by printing minute fine lines 51 (see FIGS.
4 and 7) onto the protruding portions 22 of the designs using a
transparent UV ink. Note that a minute design such as that of lace
embroidery can be optionally applied to any design, and naturally,
it is also possible to apply lace embroidery designs to all of the
designs.
[0045] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the decorative piece material 20,
and shows a diagram thereof before the high-frequency dielectric
heating step is performed. Also, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view
of the decorative piece 20 shown in FIG. 4 cut along line B-B and
viewed in the arrow direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the decorative
piece material 20 includes an upper layer 30, an intermediate layer
60, and a lower layer 62, and the upper surface of the upper layer
30 is provided with a first printing layer 40 (a design 41) and a
second printing layer 50 (a design 52), and in this embodiment, the
bird, the leaves, and the lily emblem are lastly formed by designs
of these printing layers 40 and 50, and through shaping.
[0046] In the decorative piece material 20, the upper layer 30, the
intermediate layer 60, and the lower layer 62 are integrated with
each other through a first high-frequency dielectric heating step.
Also, a carrier film 70 for holding a design separated in a
production process at a predetermined position, and a polypropylene
film 72 for protecting the carrier film 70 may be attached to the
upper surface of the decorative piece material 20. Hereinafter,
configurations and typical materials of the layers will be
described as examples.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, the upper layer 30 is a laminated film
including a thermoplastic synthetic resin film 31 that can be
molded through high-frequency dielectric heating, a vapor-deposited
metal layer 32, and the like. The thermoplastic synthetic resin
film 31 may be made of a soft thermoplastic synthetic resin such as
polyurethane, for example. In the example shown in the drawings,
the vapor-deposited metal layer 32 is formed on the thermoplastic
synthetic resin film 31 that is located on the upper surface side,
through metal vapor deposition. Also, a migration prevention film
34 is provided on a lower surface of the vapor-deposited metal
layer 32 via an adhesive layer 33, and furthermore a thermoplastic
synthetic resin film 36 is provided thereunder via an adhesive
layer 35, thus forming a six-layer structure.
[0048] Examples of the migration prevention film 34 may include an
ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) film and a polyamide
resin-based film such as polyamide MXD6, and the migration
prevention film 34 prevents a dye of the base material sheet 80 and
a dye of a garment or the like to which the decorative piece 10 is
attached from migrating to a front surface side of the decorative
piece material 20.
[0049] A soft sheet of a thermoplastic synthetic resin or a foamed
resin sheet can be used as the intermediate layer 60, and the
intermediate layer 60 may be made of a thermoplastic synthetic
resin such as soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC), for example.
[0050] A thermal bonding film can be used as the lower layer 62.
Examples of the thermal bonding film include polyamide-based,
polyurethane-based, polyester-based, and ethylene vinyl acetate
copolymer (EVA)-based films. Note that the material of the lower
layer 62 can be selected as appropriate depending on the type of
base material sheet 80, which will be described later.
[0051] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the first printing layer
40 printed in a desired design and desired color using a
transparent color ink, a matte ink, a glossy ink, or the like is
formed as the upper surface of the upper layer 30 having the
above-described configuration, specifically, on the upper surface
of the thermoplastic synthetic resin film 31. Note that, although
the first printing layer 40 is shown as one layer having a
thickness in FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 6, only the portion where a
design 41 (see FIG. 4) printed on the upper surface of the upper
layer 30 is present is the first printing layer 40.
[0052] In FIG. 5, a design to be shaped through a later-described
first high-frequency dielectric heating step, that is, the design
41, is printed onto the first printing layer 40 such that positions
corresponding to those of the bird, the leaves, and the lily emblem
are colored. Out of these positions, the positions corresponding to
the bird and the leaves are colored a golden color, the position
corresponding to the lily emblem is colored a silver color, and
portions corresponding to the leaves are colored by partially
changing the depth of a color. Note that, if the vapor-deposited
metal layer 32 has a silver color, a golden color can be developed
by applying a yellow color or an orange color. Also, the color of
the vapor-deposited metal layer 32 may be directly utilized as the
silver color of the lily emblem. The first printing layer 40 can be
formed through screen printing, for example. Although SG410
manufactured by Seiko advance Ltd. may be employed as a matte ink
or a glossy ink to be used, for example, there is no limitation
thereon.
[0053] Also, the second printing layer 50 subjected to printing
using a transparent UV ink is formed on the upper surface of the
first printing layer 40. The second printing layer 50 can be formed
by printing, onto a desired design portion, overlapping the design
41 of the first printing layer 40, a transparent UV ink to make a
design 52 realized by fine lines 51. Note that, although the second
printing layer 50 is shown as one layer having a thickness in FIG.
5, only the portion present on the design 41 of the first printing
layer 40 indicates the second printing layer 50. FIG. 7 only shows
the design 52 constituted by the fine lines 51 printed as the
second printing layer 50, and in this embodiment, in the design 41
of the first printing layer 40 shown in FIG. 6, designs constituted
by the fine lines 51 are added to portions corresponding to the
bird 90 and the leaves 91 (see FIG. 1). The second printing layer
50 can be implemented through screen printing, for example. Also,
the fine lines 51 may be printed to have a line width of 0.1 mm to
0.25 mm, and have a line thickness of 5 .mu.m to 15 .mu.m. This
second printing layer 50 can express, in the protruding portions 22
formed through shaping, a sense of luxuriousness, an aura of
substance, elaborateness, a depth of color, and a metallic
appearance such as those of lace embroidery, as well as minute
recesses and protrusions, and the like.
[0054] Although a transparent UV ink used for the second printing
layer 50 is an ultraviolet-curable ink and an example thereof is
UV5410 manufactured by Seiko advance Ltd., for example, there is no
limitation thereon.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 8 that shows an enlarged view of a circled
portion C shown in FIG. 4, a fibrous appearance of lace embroidery
can be satisfactorily expressed by printing the fine lines 51 to
intersect portions (indicated by a dash-dot line in FIG. 8) that
will serve as protruding portions 22 as a result of being shaped
through a later-described first high-frequency dielectric heating
step.
[0056] In the second printing layer 50, the printed fine lines 51
are cured by irradiating the surface of the second printing layer
50 with ultraviolet rays after printing is performed using a
transparent UV ink.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, a carrier film 70 and a polypropylene
film 72 can be attached to the upper surface of the second printing
layer 50 as needed. An adhesive material can be used as the carrier
film 70, and when the decorative piece material 20 is fusion-cut,
the carrier film 70 functions to hold the separated design at a
predetermined position. Also, the polypropylene film 72 is used in
order to reinforce the carrier film 70 and is disposed in tight
contact with the carrier film 70. The polypropylene film may have a
thickness of 30 .mu.m to 80 .mu.m.
[0058] Although an example of the carrier film 70 is a sheet
obtained by applying an acrylic adhesive to a special polypropylene
film, such as A-2430 or L-3310 HITALEX manufactured by Hitachi
Chemical Company, Ltd., there is no limitation thereon. Note that,
if there is a risk that an adhesive of the carrier film 70 will
remain on the second printing layer 50 and the brightness of a
metal tone portion of the second printing layer 50 will decrease,
elimination of the carrier film 70 can prevent a decrease in the
brightness thereof. In this case, although the holding force is
slightly decreased, the polypropylene film 72 can function as the
carrier film 70.
[0059] It is sufficient to attach the carrier film 70 to the upper
surface of the second printing layer 50 using a hand roller, and to
place the polypropylene film 72 thereon in tight contact therewith.
Note that these films 70 and 72 are peeled off in a final process,
and will not remain on the decorative piece 10.
[0060] The upper layer 30 (that includes the first printing layer
40 and the second printing layer 50), the intermediate layer 60,
and the lower layer 62 that have the above-described configuration
are placed on each other to constitute the decorative piece
material 20, a piece of release paper is disposed on the lower
surface of the lower layer 62, the three-dimensional designs are
shaped on the upper layer 30 and the designs are cut in the first
high-frequency dielectric heating step, and the upper layer 30, the
intermediate layer 60, and the lower layer 62 are integrated with
each other through fusion.
[0061] The first high-frequency dielectric heating step can be
performed using a molding die (forming die) 100 for high-frequency
dielectric heating shown in FIGS. 9 to 11. The molding die 100
includes a table 101 serving as one electrode and an engraved die
102 serving as another electrode. The table 101 is formed flat. The
engraved die 102 has an engraved surface that is engraved to any
shape such as a mountain shape, a trapezoidal shape, an arc shape,
and other shapes, for example, in order to shape a
three-dimensional design on the upper layer 30. In FIG. 10, the
three-dimensional design of the engraved die 102 is constituted by
recesses and protrusions that form the bird 90, the leaves 91, and
the lily emblem 92. Referring to FIG. 10, it can be understood that
the three-dimensional design formed in the engraved die 102 does
not have recesses or protrusions in portions that correspond to the
fine lines 51, and is smooth. Also, the engraved die 102 is
provided with fusion-cutting blades 103 having sharp cutting edges
extending along outlines of designs to be molded, at positions
corresponding to outer edges of the designs. Note that the
configuration of the molding die 100 is not limited to the
above-described configuration, and a known molding die used in
high-frequency dielectric heating can also be adopted, for
example.
[0062] Therefore, the decorative piece material 20, that is, the
lower layer 62 on which the release paper is disposed, the
intermediate layer 60, and the upper layer 30 to which the carrier
film 70 and the polypropylene film 72 are attached are placed on
each other in the stated order on the table 101, and as shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10, the engraved die 102 is moved downward with the
engraved surface facing downward. Then, insulators of the upper
layer 30, the intermediate layer 60, and the lower layer 62
generate heat and fuse to each other as a result of performing
high-frequency dielectric heating in a known manner, the
intermediate layer 60 expands and is shaped following the engraved
surface, and the upper layer 30, the intermediate layer 60, and the
lower layer 62 are welded to each other. Also, the upper layer 30,
the intermediate layer 60, and the lower layer 62 are fusion-cut by
the fusion-cutting blades 103 of the engraved die 102 at the outer
edges of the designs simultaneously. Note that the release paper,
the carrier film 70, and the polypropylene film 72 are not
fusion-cut by the fusion-cutting blades 103.
[0063] FIG. 12(a) shows one engraved surface of the engraved die
102, FIG. 12(b) shows the decorative piece material 20 to be
shaped, and FIG. 12(c) shows the shaped decorative piece material
20. These diagrams all show an enlarged partial cross-sectional
view of one protruding portion 22 of the decorative piece material
20. Note that, with the decorative piece material 20, the release
paper, the carrier film 70, and the polypropylene film 72 are not
shown, and layers other than that of the fine lines 51 that
constitute the second printing layer 50 are not shown as
appropriate. It can be understood that, although, as shown in FIG.
12(c), the fine lines 51 having a film thickness remain on the
protruding portion 22 as the design 24 by pressing a recessed and
smooth engraved surface of the engraved die 102 shown in FIG. 12(a)
against the decorative piece material 20 shown in FIG. 12(b) in the
arrow direction, the fine lines 51 are pressed by the engraved die
102 through molding and sunk into the decorative piece material 20,
and the protruding portion 22 does not have recesses or protrusions
formed by the fine lines 51, and thus the design 24 is flat along
the engraved surface.
[0064] When high-frequency dielectric heating is complete, the
engraved die 102 is moved upward, and the decorative piece material
20 is removed from the molding die 100. Although the removed
decorative piece material 20 is split at the outer edges of the
designs, the decorative piece material 20 is adhered to the carrier
film 70 due to the adhesive force of the carrier film 70. Then, the
release paper is peeled off, and as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14,
unnecessary portions (indicated by reference numeral 26 in FIG. 13)
of the design that has been fusion-cut from the decorative piece
material 20 are peeled off from the carrier film 70 while necessary
portions 90, 91, and 92 of the fusion-cut design are kept attached
to the carrier film 70.
[0065] Next, a second high-frequency dielectric heating step for
integrating the obtained decorative piece material 20 with the base
material sheet 80 is performed. Examples of the base material sheet
80 may include a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a nonwoven fabric,
felt, a synthetic resin sheet, and a synthetic leather.
[0066] In the second high-frequency dielectric heating step, as
shown in FIG. 15, the molding die 100 is configured such that the
engraved die 102 used previously is placed on the table 101 as one
electrode, and a flat die 104 serving as another electrode is
disposed above the engraved die 102 to be capable of being brought
closer thereto. The engraved die 102 is placed with the engraved
surface thereof facing upward, the decorative piece material 20
from which unnecessary portions have been eliminated is fitted into
the engraved die 102 such that the polypropylene film 72 faces
downward and the thermal bonding film that serves as the lower
layer 62 faces upward, and the base material sheet 80 is placed on
the upper surface of the decorative piece material 20 with the
surface of the base material sheet 80 facing downward.
[0067] Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the flat die 104 is moved
downward toward the engraved die 102, and pressing is performed by
the flat die 104 while performing high-frequency dielectric heating
in a known manner, and thus the thermal bonding film serving as the
lower layer 62 of the decorative piece material 20 is fused and the
decorative piece material 20 is firmly welded to the base material
sheet 80.
[0068] When the second high-frequency dielectric heating step is
complete, the flat die 104 is moved upward, the decorative piece
material 20 and the base material sheet 80 that are integrated with
each other are removed from the engraved die 102, the polypropylene
film 72 and the carrier film 70 are peeled off from the surface
thereof, and the three-dimensional decorative piece 10 made of a
thermoplastic synthetic resin can be obtained by cutting the base
material sheet 80 to any outer shape as shown in FIG. 1. A known
method such as Thomson punching or laser cutting may be used as a
method for cutting the base material sheet 80.
[0069] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, with the obtained decorative
piece 10, in the protruding portions 22 shaped through the first
high-frequency dielectric heating step, fibrous designs are
expressed in color by the fine lines 51, the fine lines 51
constitute a design 24 that provides a visual impression such as
those of recesses (grooves) due to differences in colors, can
embody an architectural design having a three-dimensional
appearance such as that of gold lace embroidery, and have a sense
of luxuriousness, an aura of substance, elaborateness, a depth of
color, a metallic appearance, and the like.
[0070] Also, in the second high-frequency dielectric heating step,
the decorative piece material 20 and the base material sheet 80 are
bonded as firmly as possible to each other through fusion of the
thermal bonding film of the lower layer 62, as compared with a
conventional configuration, and thus it is also possible to prevent
the decorative piece material 20 and the base material sheet 80
from separating from each other through washing, friction, and the
like.
[0071] The foregoing description is given merely to describe the
present invention, and therefore should not be construed as
limiting the invention recited in the appended claims or narrowing
the scope of the present invention. Also, the constituent elements
of the present invention are not limited to those described in the
embodiments above, and it is of course possible to make various
modifications within the technical scope defined in the appended
claims.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0072] 10 Three-dimensional decorative piece made of thermoplastic
synthetic resin [0073] 20 Decorative piece material [0074] 22
Protruding portion [0075] 24 Design [0076] 30 Upper layer [0077] 31
Thermoplastic synthetic resin film [0078] 32 Vapor-deposited metal
layer [0079] 40 First printing layer [0080] 50 Second printing
layer [0081] 51 Fine line [0082] 60 Intermediate layer [0083] 62
Lower layer [0084] 70 Carrier film [0085] 72 Polypropylene film
[0086] 80 Base material sheet [0087] 100 Molding die [0088] 101
Table [0089] 102 Engraved die
* * * * *