Method for decorating dial face and dial face

Abstract

To provide a method for decorating a dial face and a dial face that can realize a complicated design since a pattern can be printed on the front surface side of a base.SOLUTION: The method for decorating a dial face of the present disclosure includes: a base formation step of forming a pattern in a base material and obtain a base; and a print layer formation step of forming a print layer in the front surface side of the base. The print layer formation step forms the print layer by printing a pattern by changing the density of dots of ink discharged by an inkjet technique.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for decorating a dial plate and a dial plate.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a watch dial provided with a support and a mother-of-pearl sheet. The mother-of-pearl sheet has a front surface and a rear surface facing the support and having a pattern printed thereon. The mother-of-pearl sheet has a thickness of 50 μm to 100 μm so that the pattern printed on the rear surface of the mother-of-pearl sheet can be seen through the mother-of-pearl under normal lighting conditions.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the dial of Patent Document 1, a pattern is printed on the rear surface of the mother-of-pearl sheet serving as a base by silk screen printing, photolithography, inkjet printing, or the like. That is, the user visually recognizes the printed pattern through the base, and it is difficult to visually recognize the printed pattern. For this reason, there is a demand for a method for decorating a dial plate and a dial plate that can print a pattern on the surface side of the base and realize a complicated design.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The method for decorating a dial according to the present disclosure comprises a base preparation step of forming a pattern on a substrate to serve as a base, and a printing layer formation step of forming a printed layer on the surface side of the base, wherein the printing layer formation step is characterized in that the printed layer is formed by printing a pattern by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method.

[0006] The dial of the present disclosure comprises a substrate on which a base pattern is formed on its surface, and a printed layer formed on the surface side of the base, wherein the printed layer is characterized in that the pattern is printed by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of the dial of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the method for decorating the dial of an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reflected light when the dial of the embodiment is viewed from the front. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reflected light when the dial of the embodiment is viewed at an angle. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the dial from a frontal view, a 50-degree oblique view, and an 80-degree oblique view. [Figure 6] This figure shows the first example of decoration on the dial. [Figure 7] This figure shows a second example of the dial's decoration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The method for decorating the dial and the dial itself according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of the dial 1. The dial 1 comprises a base material 2 on which a background pattern 21 is formed on its surface, a translucent layer 3 laminated on the surface of the base material 2, a liquid-repellent layer 4 formed by applying a liquid-repellent treatment to the surface of the translucent layer 3, and a printed layer 5 formed on the surface of the liquid-repellent layer 4 by ink 50 ejected using an inkjet method. The printed layer 5 is formed on the surface side of the base material 2, that is, on the surface side of the background pattern 21. The printed layer 5 is also formed by printing a pattern 51 by changing the density of the ink dots 50. In other words, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 is formed by a dot pattern, which is the ejection pattern of the ink 50.

[0009] Next, the method for forming a pattern on the dial 1 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 2. When the method for decorating the dial 1 is started, first, a base preparation process S1 is performed to form a pattern 21 on the surface of the base material 2 of the dial 1 by plating, engraving, painting, etc., to create a base. As the base material 2, metal plates such as brass, nickel silver, aluminum, and stainless steel, as well as hard plastic plates and ceramic plates can be used. In particular, if the base material 2 is made of a metal plate, a more luxurious design can be achieved compared to when a plastic plate is used, and the design quality can be further enhanced by the combination of the pattern 21 of the base material 2 and the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5. Furthermore, when a pattern 21 is formed by creating irregularities on the surface of the base material 2 through engraving or other methods, the irregular surface of the base material 2 forms the base on which the pattern 21 is formed. When the pattern 21 is formed on the surface of the base material 2 by plating or painting, the plating or painting layer forms the base.

[0010] After the base preparation step S1 is performed, a translucent layer formation step S2 is carried out to form a translucent layer 3 by applying a translucent resin to the surface of the substrate 2. The translucent resin can be transparent, pearlescent, or colored transparent resin materials, such as acrylic resin or epoxy resin. The thickness of the translucent layer 3 is, for example, 40 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Methods for applying the translucent resin to the surface of the substrate 2 include spray application and inkjet application.

[0011] After the translucent layer formation step S2 is performed, a liquid-repellent treatment step S3 is carried out on the surface of the translucent layer 3. For example, the liquid-repellent treatment can be performed by replacing part of the molecular structure of the resin exposed on the surface of the translucent layer 3 with fluorine using atmospheric pressure plasma. Through such a liquid-repellent treatment, a liquid-repellent layer 4 having liquid-repellent properties is formed on the surface of the translucent layer 3.

[0012] After the liquid-repellent treatment process S3 is performed, a printing layer formation process S4 is carried out to form a printing layer 5 by printing a pattern 51 onto the surface of the liquid-repellent layer 4 using an inkjet method. The ink 50 ejected by the inkjet method to form the printing layer 5 can be water-based ink, solvent-based ink, UV-curing ink, etc. The ink 50 is a dispersion of pigments, dyes, fine particles, resins, etc. in a solvent. For example, a water-based ink such as silver nanoparticle ink, a solvent-based clear ink such as epoxy resin ink, a solvent-based white ink such as titanium dioxide ink, and a solvent-based black ink such as carbon ink can be used. In addition, the ink 50 may be a permeable ink such as titanium dioxide ink, or an opaque ink such as silver nanoparticle ink.

[0013] In this case, when forming the printed layer 5 with silver nanoparticle ink, it is preferable that the substrate 2 be formed with a dark color. Dark colors such as black, green, navy blue, and purple are colors that are far from white in terms of brightness and saturation, so the silver nanoparticle ink becomes more visible, and the pattern of the printed layer also becomes more visible. Furthermore, when forming the print layer 5 with a transparent ink, it is preferable that the base material 2 be formed in a color of the same color family as the transparent ink. For example, when forming the print layer 5 with titanium dioxide ink, which is a transparent ink, it is preferable that the base material be a white color, since titanium dioxide ink is a solvent-based white ink. By forming the base material and the ink in the same color family, the color of the base material and the color of the transparent ink overlap, making it possible to express a high-quality pattern in which two different textures are blended together. Note that the transparent ink does not have to be titanium dioxide ink, which is a white ink, and it is preferable that the ink has high brightness in particular, as it makes the pattern of the base material easily visible. In addition, multiple types of inks may be used to print a pattern of multiple colors as the print layer 5. As multiple types of inks, multiple types of transparent inks may be used, or areas to be printed with transparent ink and areas to be printed with opaque ink may be separated, or multiple types of opaque inks may be printed in different areas.

[0014] The ink dots 50 ejected by the inkjet method and adhering to the surface of the liquid-repellent layer 4 are formed in a circular shape when viewed from a frontal view perpendicular to the surface of the dial 1. The diameter of the ink dots 50 is 10 μm or more and 70 μm or less, with a size of 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less being particularly preferred. If the diameter of the ink dots 50 is 70 μm or less, each individual dot is printed at a dot size that is not visible to the naked eye of the user, so when the user views the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5, they can recognize it as a collection of dots, i.e., a dot pattern. Furthermore, if the diameter of the ink dots 50 is 10 μm or more, the ink 50 can be ejected stably and accurately at the correct position using the inkjet method. For this reason, for example, it is possible to eject multiple ink dots 50 at the same position. The thickness of the printed layer 5 is, for example, 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

[0015] After performing the printing layer forming step S4, a drying step S5 for drying the ink 50 of the printing layer 5 is performed. The drying step S5 dries the ink 50 using a hot plate, an oven, an infrared heating furnace, a vacuum dryer, or the like. When the ink 50 is a UV-curable ink, in the drying step S5, the ink 50 is cured by UV irradiation. That is, the drying step S5 is a step of fixing the ink 50 adhered to the surface of the liquid repellent layer 4 to the surface of the liquid repellent layer 4 by drying or curing.

[0016] [Visual effect of the nameplate] Regarding how the pattern looks when the nameplate 1 decorated in the above steps is visually recognized, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. In the present embodiment, the nameplate 1 is provided with a pattern 21 formed on the surface of the base material 2 and a pattern 51 formed by a dot pattern which is the discharge pattern of the ink 50 of the printing layer 5. Then, when comparing the front view of the nameplate 1 seen from the 0-degree direction which is perpendicular to the surface and the perspective view of the nameplate 1 seen from an oblique direction, the pattern 21 of the base material 2 is more easily visually recognized in the front view than in the perspective view, and conversely, the pattern 51 of the printing layer 5 is more easily visually recognized in the perspective view than in the front view. This visual effect is due to the following three reasons. The first reason is that when the luminance of the reflected light Rs1 in the 0-degree direction in the printing layer 5 is Ls1 and the luminance of the reflected light Rs2 in the oblique direction is Ls2, Ls1 < Ls2. The second reason is that when the luminance of the printing layer 5 is Ls and the luminance of the base material 2 is Lu, Ls / Lu is larger in the perspective view than in the front view. The third reason is that the area occupied by the dots of the ink 50 with respect to the exposed area of the base material 2 is larger in the perspective view than in the front view.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the luminance of the reflected light of the printing layer 5 is lower in the 0-degree direction than in the oblique direction. That is, when the luminance of the reflected light Rs1 in the 0-degree direction of the printing layer 5, that is, the luminance in the front view is Ls1, and the luminance of the reflected light Rs2 in the oblique direction, that is, the luminance in the perspective view is Ls2, Ls1 < Ls2. In addition, the amount of reflected light of the base material 2 composed of a metal plate or the like is sufficiently larger than the amount of light reflected by the printing layer 5. For example, when the luminance of the reflected light Ru1 in the 0-degree direction of the base material 2, that is, the luminance in the front view, is Lu1, Ls1 << Lu1. Therefore, since the amount of light reflected from the base material 2 is sufficiently large, the pattern 21 formed on the surface of the base material 2 is easy to visually recognize in the front view. On the other hand, since the amount of light reflected from the printing layer 5 is relatively small, the pattern 51 of the printing layer 5 is difficult to visually recognize in the front view.

[0018] Also, the luminance Lu2 of the reflected light Ru2 in the diagonal direction of the base material 2 decreases compared to the luminance Lu1 of the reflected light Ru1 in the 0-degree direction. That is, Lu1 > Lu2. This is because the light reflected in the diagonal direction in the base material 2 weakens due to reflection between the base material 2 and the light-transmitting layer 3, attenuation due to the unevenness of the surface of the base material 2, etc. For this reason, the amount of light reflected diagonally by the printing layer 5 becomes relatively large, and the pattern 51 of the printing layer 5 becomes easy to visually recognize. That is, when the luminance of the reflected light Rs2 in the diagonal direction of the printing layer 5 is Ls2 and the luminance of the reflected light Ru2 in the diagonal direction of the base material 2 is Lu2, Ls2 < Lu2, but the difference in luminance is smaller than the difference in luminance between Ls1 and Lu1. For this reason, Ls2 / Lu2 > Ls1 / Lu1. When the dial plate 1 is viewed from the diagonal direction, the luminance of the printing layer 5 becomes relatively larger with respect to the luminance of the base material 2 compared to when viewed from the front, so the pattern 51 of the printing layer 5 becomes easy to visually recognize.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, when comparing the front view seen from the 0-degree direction perpendicular to the surface of the dial plate 1, the 50-degree perspective view seen from the 50-degree diagonal direction with respect to the orthogonal direction, and the 80-degree perspective view seen from the 80-degree diagonal direction, the exposed area of the ink 50 is the smallest in the front view and the largest in the 80-degree case with respect to the area where the base material 2 is exposed. For this reason, in the 80-degree case, the pattern 51 of the printing layer 5 becomes easier to visually recognize compared to the front view. In this case, it is preferable that the spacing between dots formed by the ink 50 that create the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 is greater than 1x the diameter of the dot and less than 3x. That is, if the spacing between dots is 1x or less the diameter of the dot, the gaps between the dots are small, making it difficult to see the pattern 21 of the substrate 2, especially when opaque ink is used. On the other hand, if the spacing between dots is 3x or more the diameter of the dot, the gaps between the dots are large, and the pattern 51 may become unclear because the dots are far apart even when the dial 1 is viewed at an angle. In contrast, if the spacing between dots is greater than 1x the diameter of the dot and less than 3x, the pattern 21 of the substrate 2 can be seen when the dial 1 is viewed from the front, and the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 can be clearly seen when the dial 1 is viewed at an angle.

[0020] The angle at which the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 is clearly visible when the dial 1 is viewed obliquely is influenced by the spacing of the dots. For example, in the example shown in Figure 5, the spacing of the dots is twice the diameter of the dots, and in this case, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 tends to be clearly visible when viewed from an angle of 50 degrees or more relative to the orthogonal direction. Also, when the spacing of the dots is one time the diameter of the dots, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 tends to be clearly visible when viewed from an angle of 30 degrees or more relative to the orthogonal direction, and when the spacing of the dots is three times the diameter of the dots, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 tends to be clearly visible when viewed from an angle of 70 degrees or more relative to the orthogonal direction. In other words, when the spacing between dots is small relative to the diameter of the dots, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 becomes clear even if the angle of oblique viewing of the dial 1 relative to the orthogonal direction is small, and when the spacing between dots is large, the pattern 51 of the printed layer 5 will not be clear unless the angle of oblique viewing of the dial 1 relative to the orthogonal direction is large.

[0021] The light-transmitting layer 3 and the liquid-repellent layer 4 formed on the surface of the substrate 2 may be formed over the entire surface of the substrate 2 or partially. Furthermore, the printed layer 5 formed on the surface of the liquid-repellent layer 4 may be formed over the entire surface of the liquid-repellent layer 4 or partially.

[0022] [Example of decoration] Figure 6 shows a dial 1B in which a printed layer 5B is laminated on the surface side of a substrate 2B as a first example of decoration. In the example in Figure 6, a radial pattern 21B is formed on the substrate 2B as a base. The pattern 51B of the printed layer 5B is set as a dot pattern of ink 50, and this dot pattern is set so that the density of dots is low in the center and increases towards the periphery. Therefore, when the printing layer 5 is formed on the surface side of the substrate 2B, as shown in the dial 1B of Figure 6, the pattern 21B of the substrate 2B is displayed in the center of the dial 1B because the density of ink dots 50 is low, while the pattern 21B of the substrate 2B is not noticeable in the peripheral area of ​​the dial 1B because the density of dots is high, and the pattern 51B of the printing layer 5B is displayed prominently. Furthermore, if a transparent ink is used as the ink 50, the underlying pattern 21B will be visible through the ink 50 in the peripheral area of ​​the dial 1B, thus enabling the realization of a design that combines pattern 21B and pattern 51B.

[0023] Figure 7 shows a dial 1C in which a printed layer 5C is laminated on the surface side of a base material 2C, as a second example of decoration. In the example in Figure 7, a pattern 21C of circular protrusions and recesses is formed on the base material 2C. The pattern 51C of the printed layer 5C is formed by a dot pattern of ink 50, and in Figure 7, the density of the dots changes in the vertical direction and is set to be a continuous band-like pattern in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when the printing layer 5C is formed on the surface side of the substrate 2C, as shown in the dial 1C of Figure 7, the pattern 21C of the substrate 2C is prominent in areas where the density of ink dots 50 is low, while the pattern 21C of the substrate 2C is less prominent and the pattern 51C is more prominent in areas where the density of ink dots 50 is high. Furthermore, the printing layer 5C is partially printed on the surface side of the substrate 2C, and the pattern 21B of the substrate 2C can be directly seen in areas where the printing layer 5C is not printed.

[0024] In each of these patterns 51B and 51C, the spacing between ink dots 50 varies; in areas with high dot density, the spacing is less than 1x the dot diameter, while in areas with low dot density, the spacing is more than 3x the dot diameter. In other words, the spacing between dots is determined by the dot pattern used to form the pattern on the printed layer 5.

[0025] [Effects of the Embodiment] According to this embodiment, the patterns 51, 51B, and 51C of the printed layers 5, 5B, and 5C are printed by varying the density of the ink dots 50. As a result, the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C are more easily visible in areas with lower density. On the other hand, in areas with higher density, the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C become less easily visible, while the patterns 51, 51B, and 51C of the printed layers 5, 5B, and 5C become more easily visible. Therefore, complex designs can be expressed using the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C and the patterns 51, 51B, and 51C of the printed layers 5, 5B, and 5C, improving the aesthetic appeal of the dials 1, 1B, and 1C.

[0026] Since the ink 50 of the printing layer 5 is ejected using an inkjet method, the printing layer 5 can be formed using various inks 50. Therefore, by using a transparent ink 50, the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C become more visible not only in areas with low ink dot density but also in areas with high density, allowing for the expression of complex designs that make better use of the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C.

[0027] Since ink 50 is ejected using an inkjet method to form patterns 51, 51B, and 51C on the printing layer 5, various patterns 51, 51B, and 51C can be printed depending on the dot pattern. For this reason, as with the patterns 51B and 51C on the dial 1B and 1C, by increasing the dot density, areas where the patterns 51, 51B, and 51C on the printing layer 5 are easily visible can be formed, or by decreasing the dot density, areas where the underlying patterns 21, 21B, and 21C are easily visible can be formed. Furthermore, by appropriately setting the spacing between dots, for example, by making the spacing greater than 1x the dot diameter and less than 3x the dot diameter, it is possible to form patterns that are not noticeable when viewed from the front but are clearly visible when viewed from an angle.

[0028] In the watch dial 1, a liquid-repellent layer 4 is formed by applying a liquid-repellent treatment to the surface of the translucent layer 3. As a result, the ink 50 ejected by the inkjet method and deposited on the liquid-repellent layer 4 does not spread much and adheres in a stable diameter, allowing for sharp expression of the patterns 51, 51B, and 51C of the printed layer 5. Furthermore, because the ink 50 of the printed layer 5 is not absorbed by the translucent layer 3, a distance can be created between the printed layer 5 and the substrate 2. Since patterns are formed on both the printed layer 5 and the substrate 2, the dial 1 can express a complex design with a sense of three-dimensionality and depth, improving the aesthetic appeal of the dial 1.

[0029] [Other embodiments] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the printing layer 5 was laminated on the surface of the substrate 2 via a light-transmitting layer 3 and a liquid-repellent layer 4, but the printing layer 5 may also be formed by directly ejecting ink 50 onto the surface of the substrate 2 without providing the light-transmitting layer 3 and the liquid-repellent layer 4. Alternatively, a translucent resin may be further laminated onto the surface of the printed layer 5. In this case, the printed layer 5 can be protected by the translucent resin. Furthermore, a water-repellent layer may be formed on the surface of the translucent resin, and ink may be ejected onto the surface of the water-repellent layer to form a printed layer, thus creating two printed layers with the translucent layer in between. In this case, since the patterns of each printed layer can be superimposed on the pattern of the base material 2, a more complex design with a sense of three-dimensionality and depth can be realized.

[0030] In the dial, the combination of the color and pattern of the base material 2 and the color and pattern of the printed layer 5 can be set as appropriate according to the design of the dial. For this reason, when using silver nanoparticle ink as ink 50, the base color is not limited to dark colors, and when using a transparent ink such as titanium dioxide ink, the base color is not limited to the same color family as the ink.

[0031] Before performing the liquid-repellent treatment on the surface of the translucent layer 3, a hydrophilic treatment may be performed. For example, the hydrophilic treatment can be carried out by irradiating with ultraviolet light or by using atmospheric pressure plasma with oxygen gas. Since the surface of the translucent layer 3 can be cleaned by the hydrophilic treatment, a uniform liquid-repellent layer 4 can be formed by the liquid-repellent treatment. The thickness of the light-transmitting layer 3 may be set as appropriate during implementation. The distance between the pattern 21 on the substrate 2 and the pattern 51 on the printed layer 5 changes depending on the thickness of the light-transmitting layer 3, allowing for adjustment of the three-dimensional effect and sense of depth.

[0032] [Summary of this disclosure] The method for decorating a dial according to the present disclosure comprises a base preparation step of forming a pattern on a substrate to serve as a base, and a printing layer formation step of forming a printed layer on the surface side of the base, wherein the printing layer formation step is characterized in that the printed layer is formed by printing a pattern by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method. According to this disclosure, the pattern of the printed layer is printed by changing the density of the ink dots. In areas with low density, the underlying pattern is more easily visible, while in areas with high density, the underlying pattern is less easily visible, and the pattern of the printed layer is more easily visible. As a result, complex designs can be expressed using the underlying pattern and the pattern of the printed layer, improving the aesthetic appeal of the dial.

[0033] In the method for decorating a dial according to the present disclosure, the printing layer formation step preferably involves dispensing a permeable ink to form the printing layer. According to this disclosure, by using a transparent ink as the ink for the printing layer, the underlying pattern becomes easier to see not only in areas with low ink dot density but also in areas with high density, making it possible to express complex designs that make better use of the underlying pattern.

[0034] In the method for decorating a dial according to the present disclosure, it is preferable that the spacing between the ink dots is greater than 1 times the diameter of the dots and less than 3 times the diameter of the dots. According to this disclosure, by making the spacing between dots greater than 1x the dot diameter and less than 3x the dot diameter, the pattern of the printed layer can be made more clearly visible when the dial is tilted at a predetermined angle from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the dial. Furthermore, because the spacing between dots is greater than 1x the dot diameter, the pattern of the underlying layer can be seen even when using opaque ink. Also, because the spacing between dots is less than 3x the dot diameter, the pattern formed by the dots can be recognized.

[0035] In the method for decorating a dial according to this disclosure, the transparent ink is preferably titanium oxide ink. According to this disclosure, by using titanium dioxide ink, the pattern of the substrate can also be seen through transparency. In particular, because titanium dioxide ink is a white, transparent ink, the pattern of the substrate can be easily seen even in areas with a high density of ink dots, and the patterns of the substrate and the printed layer can overlap to express complex designs.

[0036] In the method for decorating a dial according to this disclosure, the ink is preferably a silver nanoparticle ink or a titanium oxide ink. According to this disclosure, since silver nanoparticle ink or titanium dioxide ink is used, inks that are commercially available for piezo-type inkjet printers can be used, enabling a low-cost decoration method.

[0037] The dial of the present disclosure comprises a substrate on which a base pattern is formed on its surface, and a printed layer formed on the surface side of the base, wherein the printed layer is characterized in that the pattern is printed by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method. According to this disclosure, the pattern of the printed layer is printed by changing the density of ink dots. As a result, the underlying pattern becomes more visible in areas with low density and less visible in areas with high density, allowing for the expression of complex designs using the underlying pattern and the pattern of the printed layer.

[0038] In the dial of the present disclosure, the base is formed of a dark color, the printed layer is formed of silver nanoparticle ink, and the spacing between the dots of the silver nanoparticle ink is preferably greater than 1 times and less than 3 times the diameter of the dots. According to this disclosure, since the base is formed with a dark color such as black or navy blue, that is, a color that is far from white in terms of brightness and saturation, the silver nanoparticle ink becomes more visible, and the pattern of the printed layer also becomes more visible. In addition, although the silver nanoparticle ink is an opaque ink, by setting the dot spacing to an area greater than 1x the diameter of the dot and less than 3x the diameter of the dot, the pattern of the base layer can be seen through the spacing between the dots, and the pattern formed with the silver nanoparticle ink can be made more visible when the dial is viewed from an oblique angle.

[0039] In the dial of the present disclosure, it is preferable that the printed layer is formed of a transparent ink, the substrate is formed of a color in the same color system as the transparent ink, and the printed layer is partially formed on the surface of the substrate. According to this disclosure, since the base material and the ink are formed in the same color system, the color of the base material and the color of the translucent ink overlap, making it possible to express a high-quality pattern in which two different textures blend together. Furthermore, since the printed layer is partially formed on the surface of the base material, and the base material and the ink are in the same color system, the color of the areas where the base material is exposed without a printed layer and the areas where the printed layer is present and the base material and ink overlap can be made similar, which also contributes to the expression of a high-quality pattern. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1, 1B, 1C…text plate, 2, 2B, 2C…substrate, 3…transparent layer, 4…liquid-repellent layer, 5, 5B, 5C…printing layer, 21, 21B, 21C…mold, 50…ink, 51, 51B, 51C…mold, S1…base forming process, S2…transparent layer forming process, S3…liquid-repellent treatment process, S4…printing layer forming process, S5…drying process.

Claims

1. A base forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate to form a base; a printing layer forming step of forming a first printing layer on the surface side of the base so as to overlap the pattern, The method for decorating a dial is characterized in that the printing layer forming process forms the first printing layer by printing a pattern by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method.

2. 2. The method for decorating a dial according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: The method for decorating a dial, wherein the printing layer forming step forms the first printing layer by ejecting a transparent ink.

3. The dial decorating method according to claim 1, The method for decorating a dial is characterized in that the printing layer forming step forms the first printing layer by ejecting silver nanoparticle ink or titanium oxide ink.

4. The dial decorating method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A method for decorating a dial, characterized in that the interval between the ink dots is greater than one time and smaller than three times the diameter of the dots.

5. A method for decorating a dial according to any one of claims 1 to 3, laminating a light-transmitting resin on a surface of the first printing layer; forming a liquid-repellent layer having liquid repellency on a surface of the light-transmitting resin; and forming a second printed layer on the surface of the liquid-repellent layer by printing a pattern with ink dots discharged by an inkjet method, A method for decorating a dial, characterized in that the pattern formed on the base material, the pattern on the first printed layer, and the pattern on the second printed layer overlap each other.

6. A substrate having a base pattern formed on its surface; A first printed layer is formed on the surface side of the base so as to overlap the pattern, A dial characterized in that a pattern is printed on the first printing layer by changing the density of ink dots ejected by an inkjet method.

7. The dial according to claim 6, The dial is characterized in that the base has a dark color.

8. The dial according to claim 6, The ink is a silver nanoparticle ink.

9. The dial according to claim 6, A dial characterized in that the spacing between the ink dots is greater than one time and less than three times the diameter of the dots.

10. The dial according to claim 6, The first printing layer is formed using a plurality of types of ink, A dial characterized in that the pattern of the first printed layer is a pattern made of multiple colors.

11. The dial according to claim 6, The first printing layer is formed using a plurality of types of ink, A dial characterized in that the multiple types of ink include both transparent ink and non-transparent ink.

12. 7. The dial according to claim 6, The base is formed in a dark color, The first printed layer is formed of a silver nanoparticle ink, A dial characterized in that the interval between dots of the silver nanoparticle ink is greater than one time and less than three times the diameter of the dots.

13. 7. The dial according to claim 6, The first print layer is formed of a transparent ink, the base is formed in a color similar to that of the transparent ink, A dial characterized in that the first printed layer is partially formed on the surface of the base.

14. A dial according to any one of claims 6 to 13, A light-transmitting layer laminated on a surface of the base material; The dial further comprises a liquid-repellent layer disposed between the light-transmitting layer and the first printed layer, the liquid-repellent layer having liquid repellency.

15. The dial according to claim 14, A dial characterized in that a surface of the light-transmitting layer on which the liquid-repellent layer is formed is subjected to a lyophilic treatment.

16. A dial according to any one of claims 6 to 13, a liquid-repellent layer formed on a surface of the light-transmitting resin laminated on the surface of the first printing layer and having liquid repellency; A second printed layer formed on the surface of the liquid repellent layer by ink dots ejected by an inkjet method, A dial characterized in that the pattern formed on the base material, the pattern on the first printed layer, and the pattern on the second printed layer overlap each other.

17. A dial according to any one of claims 6 to 13, The pattern formed as a base on the surface of the base material is a radial pattern, A dial characterized in that the dot pattern of the first printing layer is a pattern in which the density of the dots is small in the center of the substrate and increases toward the periphery of the substrate.

18. A dial according to any one of claims 6 to 13, The pattern formed as a base on the surface of the base material is a circular pattern having projections and recesses, A dial characterized in that the pattern made up of dots in the first printing layer is a pattern in which the density of the dots varies along a first direction and which continues in a band shape along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

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