Metallic-tone image print and method for printing metallic-tone image print

Abstract

To provide a metallic-tone image print that appears as if an image like a photograph is printed on a metal surface, with a visual impression of surface unevenness, and that exhibits a high fidelity in reproducing an original image resembling a photographic image of embossed metal.SOLUTION: A metallic-tone image print comprises, on a transparent substrate, an image layer and a mirror ink layer printed in this order, where the image layer is formed by inkjet-printing, with transparent ink, an image obtained by negative-positive inversion of a grayscale image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a metallic image print. More specifically, the metallic image print is a metallic image print that looks like a photographic image printed on metal, and further, the metallic image print has a surface that looks uneven, and looks like an embossed metal image. [Background technology]

[0002] There are ornaments with memorable photographs and the like engraved on a base material such as acrylic or glass.

[0003] These reproduce photographs by scratching the base material using leather or sandblasting.

[0004] There are also some techniques for recreating a solid-color metallic photograph by laminating a metal plate, such as a brass plate, onto a scratched surface of a photograph or other object.

[0005] A simple picture consisting of letters and lines can be reproduced by scratching it with a sandblasting process or the like, but if you try to reproduce a photograph with subtle color variations by scratching it with a sandblasting process or the like, there is a problem that the subtle color variations cannot be reproduced and the photograph ends up looking like it has been painted over in one solid color.

[0006] In addition, sandblasting causes scratches on the base material, which can attract dirt or oxidize the scratched areas, making it necessary to remove the dirt or apply an anti-oxidation treatment.

[0007] Furthermore, stacking metal plates makes the piece heavy overall, making it difficult to hang on a wall, which limits the places where it can be displayed.

[0008] If a metal vapor deposition film is used instead of a metal plate, the overall weight will be reduced, but since the scratched area is recessed, there is a risk that air bubbles or adhesive will get in when the vapor deposition film is laminated, further worsening the reproducibility of the photograph.

[0009] To provide an invention that aims to reproduce by printing a metallic image such as a photograph that can reproduce even the subtle color changes of the photograph and has a highly designable metallic image, and to produce a metallic image print that has an uneven surface and looks embossed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 7-179016 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] As described in Patent Document 1, the applicant has developed a glossy printed material with a metallic luster that appears to be embossed with unevenness by printing a pattern using clear or colored ink onto a substrate and then printing a glossy ink on top of that.

[0012] The printed matter described in Patent Document 1 appears to be smooth but embossed with unevenness when it is made up of letters or simple designs, but when it is made up of images with fine color variations such as photographs or illustrations, the problem is that the photographs and illustrations do not appear clear and only a solid-colored image can be reproduced.

[0013] The inventors set out to solve the above-mentioned problems as a technical task, and as a result of numerous trial and error prototypes and experiments, they discovered that a metallic image print in which an image layer and a mirror-finish ink layer are printed in this order on a transparent substrate, where the image layer is an image layer formed by inkjet printing a negative-positive inverted image of a grayscale image with transparent ink, produces a metallic image with high reproducibility that reproduces the fine color changes of the grayscale image, and also produces a metallic image that appears uneven, as if it were embossed, thereby achieving the above-mentioned technical task. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The above technical problems can be solved by the present invention as follows.

[0015] The present invention relates to a metallic image print comprising an image layer and a mirror-finish ink layer printed in this order on a transparent substrate, the image layer being an image formed by inkjet printing an image obtained by negative-positive inversion of a grayscale image with a transparent ink.

[0016] The present invention also relates to the metallic image print, wherein the negative-positive inverted image has a density in the range of 0% or more and 85% or less.

[0017] The present invention also relates to the aforementioned metallic image print, which comprises a colored layer between the transparent substrate and the image layer and / or comprises a colored layer on the surface of the transparent substrate opposite to the surface on which the image layer is printed.

[0018] The present invention also relates to the metallic image print, wherein the diameter of each dot of transparent ink ejected by the inkjet printing is 20 μm or more.

[0019] The present invention also provides a printing method for a metallic image print, comprising the steps of: negative-positive inverting a grayscale image; inkjet printing the negative-positive inverted image on one side of a transparent substrate with a transparent ink; and printing with a mirror-finish ink on the image printed with the transparent ink, in this order. Effect of the Invention

[0020] In the present invention, a negative-positive inverted grayscale image is inkjet printed on a transparent substrate with a transparent ink, and then the surface of the image layer is printed with a mirror-finish ink, resulting in a metallic image print with high reproducibility of the original image, capable of reproducing even the subtle color changes of a photograph.

[0021] Furthermore, it is possible to produce metallic images by the simple method of printing mirror-finish ink without laminating metal plates or metal-deposited films.

[0022] In addition, the negative-positive inverted grayscale image is inkjet printed using transparent ink and then printed with mirror-finish ink, so that a difference in unevenness appears between the areas where the transparent ink is thickly overlapped and the areas where it is not, resulting in a highly designed metallic image print that looks as if it has been embossed.

[0023] Furthermore, if the density of the negative-positive inverted image is in the range of 0% to 85%, subtle color changes can be reproduced, further improving the design.

[0024] Furthermore, if a colored layer is provided between the transparent substrate and the image layer and / or on the surface of the transparent substrate opposite to the surface on which the image layer is printed, the transparent image layer will appear colored, resulting in a metallic image print with even better design.

[0025] Furthermore, if the diameter of each dot of transparent ink ejected by an inkjet printer is 20 μm or more, the unevenness will appear even more clearly, improving the design. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an image formed with transparent ink on a transparent substrate. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a metallic image print according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a metallic image print according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a metallic image print according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a metallic image print according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing a grayscale image and a negative-positive inverted image of Example 1, and the light-dark density distribution of each image. FIG. [Figure 7] The image layer shows a comparison between a negative-positive reversal image (Example 1) and a grayscale image (Comparative Example 1). [Figure 8]13 is a diagram showing a grayscale image and a negative-positive inversion image of Example 2, and the light-dark density distribution of each image. FIG. [Figure 9] The image layer is a negative-positive reversal image (Example 2) and a grayscale image (Comparative Example 2) for comparison. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing a grayscale image and a negative-positive inversion image of Example 3, and the light-dark density distribution of each image. FIG. [Figure 11] The image layer shows a comparison between a negative-positive reversal image (Example 3) and a grayscale image (Comparative Example 3). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present invention relates to a metallic image print 10 (Fig. 1) formed by printing a mirror-finish ink 3 on an image layer 2 on a transparent substrate 1. When viewed from the direction of the transparent substrate 1, a metallic image as if embossed with a metallic image can be seen.

[0028] The transparent substrate 1 is not particularly limited, and may be colored as long as it transmits light, and the thickness thereof may be varied as desired.

[0029] Examples of transparent substrates include films and plates made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), acrylic, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0030] A transparent layer 5 may be laminated on the transparent substrate 1, and the image layer 2 may be formed on the transparent layer 5 (FIG. 4C).

[0031] In addition, a transparent layer 5 may be formed on the side of the transparent substrate 1 opposite to the side on which the image layer is printed (FIG. 4D).

[0032] The transparent layer 5 is only required to transmit light and may be colored.

[0033] In addition, a colored layer 6 may be formed between the transparent substrate 1 and the image layer 2 (FIG. 5A), or the colored layer 6 may be formed on the surface of the transparent substrate 1 opposite the image layer 2 (FIG. 5B).

[0034] When the colored layer 6 is formed, since the image layer formed with the transparent ink is transparent, the color of the colored layer is visible through the image, so that the image of the metallic image print can be made to look as if it were colored.

[0035] The colored layer 6 may be formed on the entire surface of the transparent substrate 1, or may be formed on a part of it in accordance with an image.

[0036] The method for forming the colored layer is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to form the colored layer by printing with an inkjet printer.

[0037] The image layer 2 in the present invention is formed by inkjet printing a negative-positive inverted grayscale image with transparent ink.

[0038] There are no particular limitations on the grayscale image as long as it is an image expressed in shades of black, white, and gray, and it may be an image in which a color photograph is converted into a grayscale image, or an image in which a color illustration is converted into a grayscale image.

[0039] Grayscale images are printed after negative-positive inversion.

[0040] If the negative-positive reversal is not performed, as shown in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 (FIGS. 7, 9, and 11), the color differences disappear and the image appears as a solid color, resulting in a significant decrease in reproducibility of the original image.

[0041] Negative-positive inversion can be achieved by using commercially available image processing software.

[0042] The density of the negative-positive inverted image in the present invention is preferably in the range of 0% to 85%.

[0043] If the density exceeds 85%, fine differences become difficult to see, and the produced metallic image may give the impression of being solidly painted, resulting in poor reproducibility.

[0044] Therefore, if the density exceeds the range of 0% to 85% after negative-positive inversion of a grayscale image, it is preferable to adjust it to the range of 0% to 85% using commercially available image processing software.

[0045] Density, 0% being white, 100% being black, and any grey in between, can be measured using commercially available image processing software.

[0046] Furthermore, the difference in color shading between adjacent images contained in a negative-positive inverted image is preferably 1% or more, and more preferably 2% or more.

[0047] This is because if there is a difference in shading between adjacent figures of 1% or more, the boundaries between the figures become easier to see.

[0048] If the boundaries between images are easily visible, the metallic image produced is less likely to give the impression of being solidly painted, and the reproduction of the grayscale image of the original is improved.

[0049] The shade can be measured using commercially available image processing software.

[0050] Although there is no particular limitation on the image processing software used for image processing, PHOTOSHOP (registered trademark) manufactured by Adobe Incorporated is exemplified.

[0051] Negative-positive inverted grayscale images are inkjet printed onto a transparent substrate using transparent ink.

[0052] The transparent ink is not particularly limited, and may be colored as long as it is transparent.

[0053] The inkjet printer is not particularly limited as long as it can use transparent ink.

[0054] The diameter of one dot of the transparent ink ejected from the inkjet printer is preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 20 μm to 35 μm.

[0055] The transparent ink ejected from the inkjet printer adheres to the ejection surface in a continuous dot shape, and the dots that adhere to the ejection surface tend to entangle with each other and form large clumps. However, if the diameter of each dot that adheres to the ejection surface is 20 μm or less, it is difficult for them to form large clumps, and there is a risk that the ink will not look embossed.

[0056] An example of a combination of transparent ink and an inkjet printer is printer: SC-V7000 / transparent ink: SC24VR100 (manufactured by Seiko Epson Corporation).

[0057] In the present invention, printing is performed with a mirror-finish ink on the printed image layer 2 . The specular ink may be applied onto the image layer 2 formed by printing the transparent ink, and it is not necessary to print on the entire transparent substrate 1 .

[0058] It may also be decorated by printing with ordinary color ink 4 (Figure 3).

[0059] The specular ink may be any ink having a metallic luster.

[0060] An example of a reflective ink is reflective ink No. 2 Silver (manufactured by Seiko Advance Co., Ltd.).

[0061] The printing method of the specular ink is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include screen printing, flexographic printing, and pad printing.

[0062] When printing by screen printing, it is preferable to use a screen of 250 mesh to 300 mesh.

[0063] After printing the mirror ink, a metallic image print can be produced by drying. EXAMPLES

[0064] In the examples and comparative examples, image processing was carried out using PHOTOSHOP (registered trademark) manufactured by Adobe Incorporated. Example 1: Person FIG. 6 shows the light-dark density distribution of an image that has been inverted from a grayscale portrait image, and an image that has been inverted from a grayscale image to a negative-positive image.

[0065] Since the density of the negative-positive inverted images was often in the range of 85% or more, the images were processed so that they fell within the range of 0% to 85%.

[0066] The negative-positive inverted image and the image without negative-positive inversion (original grayscale image) were inkjet printed using a SC-V7000 (Seiko Epson Corporation) and transparent ink SC24VR100 (Seiko Epson Corporation).

[0067] The diameter of each dot deposited on the ejection surface was 20 μm or more.

[0068] On the surface of the image layer printed with the transparent ink, Mirror Ink No. 2 Silver (manufactured by Seiko Advance Corp.) was screen printed using a 250 mesh screen.

[0069] After screen printing the reflective ink, the substrate was dried at 60℃ for 30 minutes with hot air to obtain a metallic image print.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows an image layer having a negative-positive inverted image (Example 1) and an image layer having a non-negative-positive inverted image (a grayscale image of the original) (Comparative Example 1).

[0071] (Example 2): Scenery 1 A metallic image print was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 using a grayscale landscape photograph (FIG. 8).

[0072] Since the density of the negative-positive inversion image was only slightly outside the range of 0% to 85%, no image processing was performed.

[0073] FIG. 9 shows an image layer having a negative-positive inverted image (Example 2) and an image layer having a non-negative-positive inverted image (a grayscale image of the original) (Comparative Example 2).

[0074] (Example 3): Scenery 2 A metallic image print was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 using a grayscale landscape photograph (FIG. 10).

[0075] Since the density of the negative-positive inversion image was only slightly outside the range of 0% to 85%, no image processing was performed.

[0076] FIG. 11 shows an image layer having a negative-positive inverted image (Example 3) and an image layer having a non-negative-positive inverted image (a grayscale image of the original image) (Comparative Example 3).

[0077] A comparison between the Examples and Comparative Examples demonstrated that if the image layer is an image obtained by negative-positive inversion of a grayscale image, the fine color changes of the image are reproduced, resulting in a print that looks like a metallic photographic image, whereas if the grayscale image is used as is without negative-positive inversion, the print does not look like a metallic photographic image. [Industrial Applicability]

[0078] The metallic image print of the present invention is a highly designable metallic image print that looks like a metallic photograph because it can reproduce the subtle color changes of a photograph, and also has the appearance of unevenness as if it were embossed. Therefore, the present invention has high industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 Transparent base material 2 Image Layer 3. Mirror Ink 4. Regular color ink 5 Transparent layer 6 Colored layer 10 Metallic image print of the present invention

Claims

1. A metallic image print is formed by printing an image layer and a mirror-finish ink layer in this order on a transparent substrate, the image layer being an image obtained by ink-jet printing an image obtained by negative-positive inversion of a grayscale image with a transparent ink.

2. 2. The metallic image print according to claim 1, wherein the negative-positive inverted image has a density in the range of 0% or more and 85% or less.

3. 3. The metallic image print according to claim 1, further comprising a colored layer between the transparent substrate and the image layer, and / or a colored layer on the surface of the transparent substrate opposite to the surface on which the image layer is printed.

4. 3. The metallic image print according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of one dot of the transparent ink ejected by the inkjet printing is 20 [mu]m or more.

5. The printing method for a metallic image print includes, in this order, a step of negative-positive inverting a grayscale image, a step of inkjet printing the negative-positive inverted image on one side of a transparent substrate with a transparent ink, and a step of printing with a mirror-finish ink on the image printed with the transparent ink.

Images