Decorative article

Abstract

To provide a decorative article that imparts a stable textured touch by fine unevenness formed on the surface of a decorative layer thereof.SOLUTION: The decorative layer of the decorative article contains a microfiber filler such as cellulose fibers in the amount of 1 to 17 wt.% relative to the total weight of the decorative layer, imparting fine unevenness to the decorative layer by the form of this microfibre filler. The microfiber filler preferably has a fiber diameter that is 1.5 to 5.0 times the thickness of the decorative layer, and a fiber length that is 1.5 to 10.0 times this fiber diameter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to improvements in decorated articles having a decorative layer formed on the surface thereof by various methods. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to decorate the surface of an article having a complex three-dimensional surface, attempts have been made to form a decorative layer on the surface of the article by a decorating technique such as hydraulic transfer printing.

[0003] There is a demand for providing the surface of the decorative article thus produced with fine irregularities to give it a textured feel.

[0004] Taking the example of a decoration technique using hydraulic transfer printing, in order to meet this demand, the first prior art technique involves applying a coating agent made of an energy ray-curable resin composition that hardens when irradiated with energy rays such as light or a combination of light and heat to chemically and physically protect the surface of the decorative layer without applying a top coat on top of the decorative layer, and then applying the coating agent to a dried printed pattern on a hydraulic transfer film, which is a decorative film, and dissolving the printed pattern with an activating component in the curable resin composition to restore its adhesion and perform hydraulic transfer.In this method, an attempt has been made to impart a tactile sensation that combines the softness and wetness of the resin beads to the surface of a decorated article manufactured by hydraulic transfer printing by using a coating agent that contains a specific ratio of specific resin beads in a photocurable resin (see Patent Document 1).

[0005] However, in this conventional technology, the resin beads used to create the unevenness are granular, so the stress applied in the thickness direction of the decorative layer is received at points. Therefore, when stress is applied in the thickness direction and surface direction, as in the abrasion test, the resin beads tend to fall out of the decorative layer, making it impossible to maintain a stable textured feel.

[0006] Furthermore, a technology has been disclosed in which wood powder is mixed into a solvent-type coating agent that is not cured by light or thermal energy so that the coating agent becomes integrated with the printing pattern, thereby imparting unevenness to the decorative layer (see Patent Document 2). However, even with this conventional technology, the wood powder is in the form of irregular particles, and like the previous conventional technology, it is prone to falling off, and has the drawback of being unable to maintain a stable texture and feel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5302483 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-040198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a decorated article having a decorative layer that can improve the abrasion resistance of the surface of the decorative layer and stably maintain fine irregularities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The means for solving the problem of the present invention is to provide a decorated article comprising an article and a decorative layer formed on the surface of the article, wherein the decorative layer contains a resin component and a microfiber filler, the content of the microfiber filler is 1 to 17% by weight relative to the total weight of the decorative layer, and the microfiber filler forms finely uneven convex portions on the surface of the decorative layer.

[0010] In the above-mentioned means for solving the problems of the present invention, it is preferable that the microfiber filler has a fiber diameter that is 1.5 to 5.0 times the thickness of the decorative layer and a fiber length that is 1.5 to 10.0 times the fiber diameter, but it is even more preferable that the fiber diameter is 1.7 to 3.5 times the thickness of the decorative layer and the fiber length is 1.5 to 6.5 times the fiber diameter.

[0011] In the above-mentioned means for solving the problems of the present invention, the microfiber filler is preferably cellulose fiber and / or inorganic fiber such as glass fiber or carbon fiber, and most preferably cellulose fiber.

[0012] In the above-described means for solving the problems of the present invention, the decorative layer can be formed by transferring a decorative film onto the article.

[0013] In the means for solving the problems of the present invention, the decorative layer can be formed by hydraulic transfer, and the resin component of the decorative layer can be an energy ray curable resin that is cured by energy rays of light or a combination of light and heat.

[0014] In the means for solving the problems of the present invention, the height of the convex portions of the decorative layer is preferably 10 to 1000 μm.

[0015] In the above-described means for solving the problems of the present invention, the decorative layer can be formed by painting. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the resin component constituting the decorative layer contains an appropriate weight percentage of microfiber filler, so that the decorative layer can be given fine, vertically elongated fibrous irregularities. Therefore, compared to the granular irregularities of the prior art, the pressure-receiving area is distributed in the longitudinal direction in response to stress in the film thickness direction, so the filler for giving the irregularities does not fall off from the decorative layer, improving wear resistance and providing a textured feel that is maintained stably over a long period of time.

[0017] Furthermore, if the microfiber filler for providing the irregularities contained in the decorative layer is cellulose fiber, the environmental load during the process of forming the decorative layer can be reduced, which is environmentally beneficial. On the other hand, if the microfiber filler is carbon fiber or glass fiber, the mechanical strength of the decorative layer can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic flow diagram showing the steps of a water pressure transfer method, which is an example of a method for producing a decorated article of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a water pressure transfer film used in the method of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a decorated article having a decorative layer obtained by the method of FIG. 1, and is a schematic illustration of a microfiber filler. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, the decorated article of the present invention consists of an article 20 and a decorative layer 22 formed on the surface of the article, and the decorative layer 22 consists of a resin component 22R formed on the surface of the article by out-mold decoration, i.e., by laminating a decorative film, transferring a decorative film such as a hydraulic transfer film, or painting, and the decorated article of the present invention contains a microfiber filler 30 in the resin component 22R of the decorative layer 22.

[0020] The decorative article of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a case where it is produced by a water pressure transfer method.

[0021] FIG. 1 systematically shows the steps of the water pressure transfer method, and as shown in FIG. 2, this water pressure transfer method includes step 100 of preparing a water pressure transfer film 10 having a print pattern 14 printed and dried on a water-soluble film (carrier film) 12, step 200 of preparing a coating agent containing a curable resin composition as its main component that hardens when the print pattern 14 of this water pressure transfer film 10 is irradiated with energy rays of light or a combination of light and heat, and step 200 of applying this coating agent to the print pattern 14 of the water pressure transfer film 10, and recovering the adhesion of the print pattern 14 by the activating component in the curable resin composition. the printing process includes a step (applying coating agent) 300 of hydraulically transferring the printing pattern 14 of the hydraulic transfer film 10 onto the surface of the article 20 to form a pattern transfer layer 16 (the layer of the decorative layer 22 before hardening) (see Figure 4) impregnated with the coating agent on the surface of the article 20 (transferring step); a step (hardening step) 500 of irradiating the pattern transfer layer 16 with energy rays of light or a combination of light and heat to harden the pattern transfer layer 16 to form the decorative layer 22 shown in Figure 3; and a step (cleaning and removing step) 600 of washing and removing the water-soluble film 12 of the transfer film 10 remaining on the surface of the decorative layer 22.

[0022] These steps 100 to 600 will be explained in detail below.

[0023] (Water transfer film) The water-soluble film 12 of the water-soluble transfer film 10 is made of a water-soluble material, primarily composed of, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, which absorbs water, becomes moist, and softens; this water-soluble film 12 softens when it comes into contact with the water in the transfer tank during water transfer, and attaches to the item to be decorated, enabling water transfer. In the case of typical water transfer, the print pattern 14 is applied in advance to the water-soluble film 12 by gravure printing or the like; because the water-soluble transfer film 10 is stored in a roll or the like, the print pattern 14 is in a dried, solidified state in which it has completely lost its adhesiveness before water transfer. Note that this print pattern 14 includes not only a pattern in the strict sense but also a plain (patternless) print layer.

[0024] (Main ingredient of liniment) The coating agent (also called an activator) used in the present invention is primarily composed of a curable resin composition that is cured by energy rays including at least light (specifically, ultraviolet light), and is composed of a non-solvent activator that can activate the dried print pattern 14 of the hydraulic transfer film 10 using the activating component in the resin composition to restore adhesion. When applied to the print pattern 14 of the hydraulic transfer film 10, this coating agent not only restores adhesion to the print pattern 14, but also functions to allow the energy ray-curable resin composition, which is the primary component of the coating agent, to permeate the entire print pattern 14 (total area and thickness), mixing the energy ray-curable resin composition into the print pattern 14 and integrating it with the print pattern 14. As described below, the print pattern 14 mixed with the energy ray-curable resin composition is transferred to an article to form a pattern transfer layer 16, and this pattern transfer layer 16 is cured by energy rays including light to form a decorative layer 22 (see Figures 3 and 4). The energy ray-curable resin composition must contain at least a photocurable resin composition that can rapidly cure in the presence of the water-swelled water-soluble film 12 and moisture in the curing step of the pattern transfer layer 16. However, this energy ray-curable resin composition may also contain a thermosetting resin composition in addition to the photocurable resin composition, in which case it is cured by irradiation with both light and heat energy rays as a dual-cure type resin composition. Note that this coating agent may contain an additional component such as a matting agent in addition to the energy ray-curable resin composition that is the main component.

[0025] (Examples of ingredients in liniments) When the energy ray-curable resin component of the coating agent is a light energy ray-curable resin composition, the light energy ray-curable resin component contains a photopolymerizable monomer and a photopolymerization initiator. The photopolymerizable monomer is preferably a bifunctional monomer from the viewpoint of penetrating into the print pattern 14 and activating it to a transferable state. The bifunctional monomer can be 1.6-hexanediol diacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, or dipropylene glycol diacrylate. However, considering the penetrability and solubility of the print pattern 14 in the ink, as well as a suitable SP value, 1.6-hexanediol diacrylate and dipropylene glycol diacrylate are preferred. The photopolymerizable monomer can be a combination of a bifunctional monomer and a multifunctional monomer such as a tetrafunctional monomer. It may further contain a photopolymerizable oligomer for the purpose of improving the film strength of the decorative layer 22 after curing the pattern transfer layer 16 and its adhesion to the object (receiving body). As the photopolymerizable oligomer, multifunctional oligomers and bifunctional oligomers can be used alone or in combination depending on the performance such as film strength. A specific example of the blending of the photopolymerizable oligomer, photopolymerizable monomer, and photopolymerization initiator is preferably such that the photopolymerizable oligomer accounts for 25 to 56% by weight, the photopolymerizable monomer accounts for 33 to 65% by weight, and the photopolymerization initiator accounts for 5 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the photocurable resin composition.

[0026] (Photopolymerization initiator for energy ray-curable resin composition) The photopolymerization initiator is used to initiate the photopolymerization reaction of the photopolymerizable oligomer and the photopolymerizable monomer, and in the coating agent used in this embodiment, the photopolymerization initiator preferably contains both a surface-curing photopolymerization initiator and an internal-curing photopolymerization initiator so that the light energy ray (ultraviolet) curable resin composition dissolves and penetrates the ink of the dried and solidified print pattern 14. As the surface-curing photopolymerization initiator, for example, a hydroxyketone-based initiator can be used, and as the internal-curing photopolymerization initiator, for example, an acylphosphine oxide-based initiator can be used.

[0027] (An essential additional ingredient in liniments) In addition to the above-mentioned main components, the coating agent used in the present invention further contains 2 to 19 wt. % of a microfiber filler (microfiber flake filler) 30 such as vegetable or inorganic fiber, based on the weight of the resin component of the decorative layer 22 (corresponding to the components excluding the volatile components of the coating agent and the printed pattern of the hydraulic transfer film, described below). The weight percentage calculated based on this weight percentage relative to the total weight of the decorative layer 22 is described separately below. This microfiber filler has the function of imparting fine irregularities with excellent abrasion resistance to the surface of the decorative layer 22. In this invention, "microfiber" refers to fiber pieces with a fiber diameter of 1 to 1000 μm. The main body of the coating agent is a non-volatile, non-solvent type, but is diluted with a solvent for dilution purposes, and such dilution solvents are exemplified as the "volatile components in the coating agent."

[0028] (Microfiber filler content in decorative layer) The content of the microfiber filler used in the present invention is 1 to 17% by weight, calculated based on the total weight of the decorative layer 22 formed by hydraulic transfer (the sum of the weight of the resin component, the weight of the printed pattern on the hydraulic transfer film, and the weight of the microfiber filler). If the content of the microfiber filler is less than 1% by weight, the unevenness will be sparse and the unevenness-imparting effect will be insufficient. If the content of the microfiber filler is more than 17% by weight, the amount of the resin component of the decorative layer (the energy ray-curable resin composition that is the main component of the coating agent) will be relatively small, so that the mechanical strength of the decorative layer 22 formed after curing will decrease, and the microfiber filler 30 will be more likely to be exposed on the surface of the decorative layer 22, significantly reducing the abrasion resistance of the decorative layer 22.

[0029] (Preferred form of microfiber filler) The microfiber filler used in the present invention has a fiber diameter that is 1.5 to 5.0 times, preferably 1.7 to 3.5 times, the thickness of the decorative layer 22 (the layer after the pattern transfer layer 16 has hardened) formed by hydraulic transfer, and a fiber length that is 1.5 to 10.0 times, preferably 1.5 to 6.5 times, the fiber diameter, for reasons that will be described in detail later with reference to specific examples. Note that the microfiber filler may contain microfibers with fiber lengths and fiber diameters outside the above ranges, but the microfiber filler having the above fiber diameter and fiber length, based on the total weight of the microfiber filler including those with fiber diameters and fiber lengths outside the above ranges, preferably accounts for 50 wt %, preferably 80 wt % or more, and most preferably 90 wt % or more.

[0030] (Preferred component of microfiber filler) The preferred microfiber filler for use in the present invention is cellulose fiber such as vegetable fiber, or inorganic fiber such as glass fiber or carbon fiber, and in particular, cellulose fiber is most preferred from the viewpoints of abrasion resistance and low environmental impact.

[0031] (Decorative items) A coating agent containing microfiber filler is applied to the printed pattern of the water-transfer film, penetrates, and is water-transferred to the surface of the article, forming a decorated article 24 having a decorative layer 22, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. As already mentioned, the coating agent contains microfiber filler 30 having a fiber diameter 1.5 to 5.0 times the film thickness of the decorative layer 22 and a fiber length 1.5 to 10.0 times the fiber diameter. Therefore, the microfiber filler 30 in the coating agent that penetrates the printed pattern 14 of the water-transfer film is mixed into the decorative layer 22, and this microfiber filler 30 forms a vertically elongated finely textured surface 24S. The height of the convex portions of the unevenness of this finely textured surface is preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably 10 to 1000 μm, as expressed in Rz value (maximum height roughness) according to JIS B0601:2001. The height of the protrusions is determined based on the fiber diameter of the microfiber filler contained in the coating agent. If the height of the protrusions is 10 μm or more, a stable textured feel can be obtained, but if the height of the protrusions is less than 10 μm, the unevenness effect is insufficient and a good textured feel cannot be obtained.

[0032] (Uneven surface of the decorative layer of the decorated article) The thickness of the decorative layer 22 is adjusted by the thickness of the printing pattern on the hydraulic transfer film and the amount of coating material applied. Here, the thickness of the decorative layer 22 is expressed as the vertical dimension from the bottom of the recesses in the textured surface 24S to the interface where the decorative layer 22 contacts the article (receiving body) 20. Most preferably, the portion where the ratio of the fiber diameter of the microfiber filler to the thickness of the decorative layer is 1.5 to 5.0 (microfiber filler occupied area = hereinafter simply referred to as the effective filler occupied area) is the entire surface of the decorative layer. The effective filler occupied area of the decorative layer 22 on the decorated article (receiving body) 20 is at least 60%, and more preferably 80% or more. The portions outside the effective filler occupied area result from variations in the coating material thickness and the distribution of the microfiber filler fiber diameters. Therefore, it is preferable to apply the coating material as evenly as possible.

[0033] (Specific Examples) Next, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail below. In each example and comparative example, the blending amount of the microfiber filler is determined based on the thickness of the 1m formed by applying a coating agent containing an energy ray curable resin composition as the main component. 2 On the other hand, it should be noted that in Tables 1 to 4, the "filler content" is expressed as the ratio (wt%) of the weight of the microfiber filler to the total weight of the finally obtained decorative layer 22 (the total weight of solid components such as the energy ray curable resin component derived from the coating agent excluding the microfiber filler, the weight of the printing pattern of the water pressure transfer film, and the weight of the microfiber filler).

[0034] Example 1 20 parts by weight of an acrylic UV-curable activator (Ohashi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.'s Ubik S Clear HE), 80 parts by weight of an acrylic UV-curable activator containing a matting agent (Ohashi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.'s Ubik S Matte Clear HE), and 16.3 parts by weight of a non-reactive acrylic resin (Ohashi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.'s Ubik S Polymer) were mixed to obtain 100 parts by weight of a photocurable resin composition. Two parts by weight of cellulose fiber (Rettenmeyer Japan AG's ARBOCEL BE600-30: average fiber diameter 18 μm, average fiber length 30 μm) was added as a microfiber filler, and the mixture was stirred to prepare the coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 1. In this Example 1, the content of the microfiber filler was 1.9% of the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0035] (Examples 2 to 7, 13, and 14) Except for changing the amount of cellulose fiber added in Example 1 as shown in Tables 1 to 3, the components were blended in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare coating agents for water pressure transfer films in Examples 2 to 7 and Examples 13 to 15. In these examples, the content of the microfiber filler relative to the total weight of the decorative layer was 3.8 wt%, 6.9 wt%, 13.1 wt%, 15.5 wt%, 3.5 wt%, 16.8 wt%, 14.2 wt%, and 14.2 wt%, respectively, as shown in Tables 1 to 3.

[0036] Example 8 Instead of the microfiber filler of Example 1, another cellulose fiber (ARBOCEL (registered trademark) BE800 manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan: average fiber diameter 20 μm, average fiber length 130 μm) was used, and the amount added was 4 parts by weight. Except for this, the components were blended in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 8. In this Example 8, the content of the microfiber filler relative to the total weight of the decorative layer was 3.8% by weight It was.

[0037] Example 9 A coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 9 was prepared by blending the components in the same manner as in Example 1, except that carbon fiber (XN150-10 manufactured by Nippon Graphite Co., Ltd.: average fiber diameter 20 μm, average fiber length 130 μm) was used in place of the microfiber filler of Example 1 and the amount added was 4 parts by weight. In Example 9, the content of the microfiber filler was 3.8 wt % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0038] Example 10 Instead of the microfiber filler of Example 1, cellulose fibers (ARBOCEL (registered trademark) BE800 manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan: average fiber diameter 20 μm, average fiber length 130 μm) were classified using a dry classification device to have an average fiber diameter of 20 μm and an average fiber length of 200 μm, and the amount added was changed to 16 parts by weight. Except for this, the components were blended in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 10. In this Example 10, the content of the microfiber filler was 13.1 wt% relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0039] Example 11 The components were blended in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a coating agent for water pressure transfer film in Example 11, except that cellulose fibers (ARBOCEL (registered trademark) BE600-30 manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan: average fiber diameter 18 μm, average fiber length 30 μm) were classified using a dry classification device to have an average fiber diameter of 20 μm and an average fiber length of 25 μm, instead of the microfiber filler in Example 1, and the amount added was changed to 16 parts by weight. In Example 11, the content of the microfiber filler was 13.1 wt % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0040] Example 12 A coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 12 was prepared by blending the components in the same manner as in Example 1, except that cellulose fibers (ARBOCEL (registered trademark) BE800 manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan: average fiber diameter 20 μm, average fiber length 130 μm) were classified using a dry classification device to have an average fiber diameter of 20 μm and an average fiber length of 250 μm, and the amount of cellulose fibers added was changed to 16 parts by weight. In Example 12, the content of the microfiber filler was 13.1 wt % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0041] Example 15 The components were blended in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Example 11, except that cellulose fibers (ARBOCEL (registered trademark) BE600-30 manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan: average fiber diameter 18 μm, average fiber length 30 μm) were classified using a dry classification device to have an average fiber diameter of 25 μm and an average fiber length of 30 μm, and the amount added was changed to 16 parts by weight instead of the microfiber filler of Example 1. In this Example 15, the content of the microfiber filler was 12.2 wt % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0042] (Comparative Example 1) As shown in Table 4, a coating agent for hydraulic transfer film of Comparative Example 1 was prepared by blending resin components in the same manner as in Example 1, without blending any filler.

[0043] (Comparative Example 2) A coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Comparative Example 2 was prepared by blending the components in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the blending amount of cellulose fiber in Example 1 was changed as shown in Table 4. In this Comparative Example 2, the content of the microfiber filler was 21.6 wt % with respect to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0044] (Comparative Example 3) A coating agent for water pressure transfer film of Comparative Example 3 was prepared by blending the components in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 16 parts by weight of spherical acrylic particles with an average particle size of 20 μm were blended instead of the microfiber filler of Example 1. The spherical acrylic particles were prepared in the following manner. An oil phase was prepared by mixing 20 parts by weight of divinylbenzene (DVB), 10 parts by weight of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and 0.1 parts by weight of Perloyl (registered trademark) L (polymerization initiator, NOF Corporation). Next, 100 parts by weight of ion-exchanged water and 0.005 parts by weight of sodium lauryl sulfate were mixed to prepare an aqueous phase. The oil phase was added to this aqueous phase, and a suspension was prepared using an ultrasonic homogenizer. This suspension was purged with nitrogen and heated at 80°C for 4 hours to polymerize, resulting in a slurry containing spherical acrylic particles. The slurry was filtered, and the recovered spherical acrylic particles were dried and then classified using a dry classification device. In this Comparative Example 3, the content of the spherical acrylic particle filler was 13.1% by weight relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0045] (Comparative Examples 4 and 5) The coating agents for water pressure transfer films of Comparative Examples 4 and 5 were prepared by blending the components in the same manner as in Comparative Example 3, except that the average particle size of the spherical acrylic particles in Comparative Example 3 was set to 30 μm (Comparative Example 4) and 40 μm (Comparative Example 5), respectively. Note that each spherical acrylic particle was produced by the same manufacturing method as the spherical acrylic particles in Comparative Example 3, and classified to the respective particle sizes as described above. In Comparative Examples 4 and 5, the content of the spherical acrylic particle filler was 13.1 wt % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer.

[0046] Using the coating materials of Examples 1 to 15 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5, hydraulic transfer was carried out in the following manner. (i) Water transfer film The water pressure transfer film used had a printed pattern consisting of a grain pattern and was sold by Taica Corporation, the applicant of the present invention, as a product called "Art Hose," to which the water pressure transfer technology was licensed. (ii) Application of liniment The coating agent was applied to the water pressure transfer film (i) using a kiss-touch reverse coating device equipped with a coating roll at a coating thickness shown in Tables 1 to 4 corresponding to each Example and Comparative Example. (iii) Transferred object (article) The object to be transferred was a flat plate made of ABS resin (manufactured by Techno UMG Co., Ltd.) measuring 100 mm x 200 mm x 3 mm. (iV) Water Transfer Printing The water pressure transfer film 12, on which the coating agent of each example and comparative example was applied to the print pattern side, was floated on water, and this water pressure transfer film 12 was stretched to an extension rate of 150%, and an article (receiving body) 20 was pressed against it to perform water pressure transfer. The print pattern 14 was transferred to the article 20, and the pattern transfer layer 16 formed was irradiated with ultraviolet light to harden it and form a decorative layer 22. Thereafter, the water-soluble film 12 of the water pressure transfer film 10 was removed through a washing, removal process and a drying process, to obtain the water pressure transfer products of Examples 1 to 15 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5. The pattern transfer layer 16 was hardened by ultraviolet light irradiation using an A-type metal halide lamp (GS Yuasa Power Supply, MAN800NL) at a peak intensity Ip of 250 mW / cm. 2 , cumulative light intensity E=2600mJ / cm 2 The main irradiation was carried out under the following conditions. The film thickness of the decorative layer 22 was determined by observing a cut surface of the decorative layer in the thickness direction with a microscope (Keyence VHX7000) equipped with a length measurement function, selecting an arbitrary measurement point P0 in the area where the irregularities were formed, measuring the thickness of the shortest distance from the valley of the irregularities to the surface of the transferred object, and then measuring the thickness at three positions including positions moved 0.75 mm and 1.5 mm horizontally from the measurement point P0 in the horizontal direction of the cut surface, and then arithmetically averaging the thickness measurements at these three points.

[0047] [Table 1]

[0048] [Table 2]

[0049] [Table 3]

[0050] [Table 4]

[0051] The evaluation items in Table 1-4 were set as follows: (1) Initial tactile sensation The surface of the decorative layer of the decorated article was measured for Rz value (maximum height roughness) in accordance with JIS B0601:2001 using a small surface roughness measuring instrument (Mitutoyo SURFTEST SJ-210). Rz values of 15 or more were judged as excellent (◎), Rz values of 10 or more but less than 15 were judged as good (○), Rz values of 5 or more but less than 10 were judged as fair (△), and Rz values of less than 5 were judged as poor (×). (2) Feel after abrasion resistance test The surface of the decorative layer of the decorated article was rubbed 5,000 times using an abrasion friction tester (Gakushin-type friction fastness tester AB-301 manufactured by Tester Sangyo Co., Ltd.) with H1 felt as the abrasive under the conditions of a load of 1 kg and a speed of 40 mm / sec. The surface of the rubbed decorative layer was measured using a handy gloss meter (HG268 manufactured by Suga Testing Instruments) to determine the gloss value before the test (G0) and the gloss value after the test (G T ) and if there is no peeling of the transfer pattern of the decorative layer and no decrease in gloss (G T / G0>95%) is rated as excellent (◎), and if there is no peeling of the transfer pattern of the decorative layer and there is only a slight decrease in gloss (95>G T / G0≧90%) was rated as good (○), and when there was no peeling of the transfer pattern of the decorative layer and a clear decrease in gloss occurred (G T / G0<90%) was judged as acceptable (△), and when peeling of the transferred pattern of the decorative layer occurred, it was judged as poor (×).

[0052] Next, the various elements of the filler that contribute to the finely uneven surface of the decorative layer will be evaluated by comparing the examples of the present invention with each other and the examples with comparative examples as follows.

[0053] (Filler shape) In Comparative Examples 3 to 5, the filler is granular rather than fibrous, and therefore, although there is an initial feel as in Comparative Examples 4 and 5, there is no abrasion resistance, and it is clear that, unlike all the examples of the present invention which use fibrous fillers, the textured feel cannot be maintained for a long period of time.

[0054] (Filler content = parts by weight) Comparative Example 1 does not contain any filler, so there is no unevenness on the surface of the decorative layer. Comparative Example 2 uses a fibrous filler, but the content is 21.6 wt % of the total weight of the decorative layer, which is beyond the upper limit of "1 to 17 wt %" required by the present invention. Therefore, although the surface of the decorative layer is uneven, it has reduced abrasion resistance and cannot maintain its tactile feel for a long period of time (see "Tactile feel after abrasion resistance test 'X' in Comparative Example 2). Furthermore, Examples 1 and 2 contain microfiber filler at 1.9 and 3.6 wt %, respectively, which are close to the lower limit of the microfiber filler content of the present invention, and it is clear that the initial tactile feel is slightly inferior.

[0055] (Filler material) All examples except Example 9 used a cellulose microfiber filler, and Example 9 used a carbon fiber microfiber filler, but the initial feel of all of them was "Good" or better, and the feel after the abrasion resistance test was "Fair" for Examples 11, 12, and 15, but it is clear that they can withstand use. However, considering the environmental impact, cellulose is preferable.

[0056] (filler dimensions) The fiber length to fiber diameter ratio (L / D) of the microfiber filler used in Examples 11, 12, and 15 is outside the upper limit (Example 12) and lower limit (Examples 11 and 15) of the preferred range of 1.5 to 10, and the fiber diameter to decorative layer thickness (D / T) of the microfiber filler used in Examples 12 and 15 is outside the lower limit (Example 13) and upper limit (Example 15). Therefore, it can be seen that the tactile sensation of the decorative layers of Examples 11, 12, and 15 after the abrasion resistance test was evaluated as "Fair (Good)", which is a slightly lower rating. Note that Example 11 also had a slightly lower initial tactile sensation, which is due to the L / D being close to the lower limit.

[0057] (Most preferred embodiment) The most preferred examples are Examples 3, 4, 7 to 9, which are the result of appropriately selecting both the content and size of the microfiber filler. In particular, it is found that the filler L / D is preferably in the range of 1.5 to 6.5 and D / T is preferably in the range of 1.7 to 3.3.

[0058] (others) It should be noted that in Examples 1 to 15, the coating agent contains a matting agent and a non-reactive polymer, but in all cases, it can be seen that these additional components do not impair the evaluation of the tactile sensation.

[0059] (Other decoration methods) In the above examples, the present invention is applied to a decorative layer formed by hydraulic transfer. However, the present invention can also be applied to a decorative layer formed by other means, such as transferring or attaching a decorative film to the surface of an article, or a decorative layer formed by applying paint to the surface of an article. In this case, the microfiber filler is blended into the resin component of the decorative film or the resin component of the paint that constitutes the decorative layer, and its content must be in the range of 1 to 17 wt % of the total weight of the decorative layer. Furthermore, in decorative layers formed by methods other than hydraulic transfer, the microfiber filler may be selectively blended into specific areas where fine irregularities are desired in the decorative layer. [Industrial Applicability]

[0060] The decorated article of the present invention contains a microfiber filler in the resin component of the decorative layer, which gives the surface of the decorative layer fine irregularities, so that the decorative article can maintain a stable textured feel for a long period of time and has high industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10 Water Transfer Film 12 Water-soluble film 14 Printing Pattern 16 Pattern transfer layer 20 Items to be decorated 22 Decorative layer 22R resin component 24S Textured Surface 30 Microfiber filler (microfiber piece filler) 100 Preparation process for water transfer film 200 Preparation process of coating agent 300 Coating agent application process 400 Water transfer process 500 Energy ray irradiation hardening process 600 Water-soluble film cleaning and removal process

Claims

1. A decorated article comprising an article and a decorative layer formed on the surface of the article, wherein the decorative layer contains a resin component and a microfiber filler, the content of the microfiber filler is 1 to 17 weight % relative to the total weight of the decorative layer, and the microfiber filler forms finely uneven convex portions on the surface of the decorative layer.

2. 2. The decorated article according to claim 1, wherein the microfiber filler has a fiber diameter that is 1.5 to 5.0 times the thickness of the decorative layer and a fiber length that is 1.5 to 10.0 times the fiber diameter.

3. 2. The decorated article according to claim 1, wherein the microfiber filler is cellulose fiber and / or glass fiber, or carbon fiber.

4. The decorated article according to claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer is formed by transferring a decorative film onto the article.

5. 2. The decorated article according to claim 1, wherein the decorative layer is formed by hydraulic transfer, and the resin component of the decorative layer is an energy ray-curable resin that is cured by energy rays of light or a combination of light and heat.

6. 2. The decorated article according to claim 1, wherein the height of the convex portions of the decorative layer is 10 to 1000 [mu]m.

7. The decorated article according to claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer is formed by painting.

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