Transfer device, printing device, and transfer method

Abstract

To efficiently perform printing that uses transfer.SOLUTION: A printing device 1 includes: a control section 82 which detects the shape of a printing target; and a transfer mechanism 3. The transfer mechanism 3 has a platen roller 32 for conveying a thermal transfer sheet Ns having at least a to-be-transferred layer S4 and a base layer S2 in a conveying direction D, a thermal head 33 which heats the thermal transfer sheet Ns conveyed by the platen roller 32 on the basis of the shape of the printing target, and a pressing section 35 which presses the base layer S2 thermally transferred to the to-be-transferred layer S4 toward the printing target.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device, a printing device, a thermal transfer sheet, and a transfer method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, printing devices (nail printing devices) that print designs on fingernails and the like are known. In these nail printing devices, a base layer, such as a white layer, is sometimes formed on the nail before the color layer is formed so that the finished product is not affected by the color of the nail itself. This base layer is often formed by hand painting.

[0003] On the other hand, there is also a technique for printing on nails that uses transfer printing. For example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, ink applied to a printing plate is transferred to the nail using a pad to print. After use, the ink and dust are removed from the pad using a pad cleaning device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-216872 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when forming a base layer using the technology described in Patent Document 1, printing must be performed to fit the contours of each user's nail, which means that the pad needs to be cleaned after each nail is printed, resulting in poor printing efficiency.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to efficiently perform printing using transfer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the transfer device of the present invention comprises: a detection means for detecting the shape of the printing object; a conveying means for conveying a medium to be heated having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer; a first heating means for heating the medium to be heated that is transported by the transport means based on the shape of the printing target, and thermally transferring the ink layer to the transfer layer; a pressing means for pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the printing target; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, printing using transfer can be carried out efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a main part of a printing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the printing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of the printing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of a transfer unit main body according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer sheet according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing a schematic control configuration of a printing device and a terminal device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a printing process according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a printing process according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a printing process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are subject to various limitations that are technically preferable for carrying out the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples. In the following embodiments, the printing device will be described as a nail printing device that prints on fingernails as a printing target, but the printing target of the transfer device and printing device according to the present invention is not limited to fingernails, and may be, for example, toenails. Furthermore, the printing target may be anything other than human nails, such as nail tips or the surfaces of various accessories.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the main parts of a printing device 1 according to this embodiment, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a plan view and a side view of the main parts of the printing device 1. As shown in FIG. In the following embodiments, up / down, left / right, and front / rear refer to the directions shown in Fig. 1 etc. The X direction refers to the left / right direction, the Y direction refers to the front / rear direction, and the Z direction refers to the up / down direction.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the printing device 1 has a housing 11 formed in a substantially box shape. An operation unit 12 is provided on the top surface (top panel) of the housing 11. The operation unit 12 is, for example, an operation button (power switch button) for turning on / off the power of the printing device 1. When the operation unit 12 is operated, an operation signal is output to the control unit 82 (see FIG. 6), and the control unit 82 performs control in accordance with the operation signal to operate each unit of the printing device 1. The shape and arrangement of each part of the housing 11 are not limited to the illustrated example and can be set as appropriate. For example, the operation unit 12 may be provided on the side or back of the housing 11 rather than on the top surface. Furthermore, the printing device 1 may operate in accordance with an operation signal input from an external device such as a terminal device (not shown), in which case the operation unit 12 may not be provided on the housing 11. Furthermore, the housing 11 may be provided with various display units, indicators, etc.

[0013] An opening 13 is formed in the front side of the housing 11 (the front side of the printing device 1, the front side in FIG. 1) at approximately the center in the vertical direction. The opening 13 is an insertion port for inserting a finger U into the device. A finger placement section 14 is provided inside the printing device 1 at a position corresponding to the opening 13, on which a finger U (see FIG. 2, etc.) having a nail T to be printed is placed. The finger placement section 14 includes a finger receiving member 15. The finger receiving member 15 supports the finger U inserted from below through the opening 13, and is formed of, for example, a flexible resin. The configuration of the finger placement section 14 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be configured without including the finger receiving member 15.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the printing device 1 includes a transfer mechanism 3, a printing unit 4, a photographing unit 5, and the like.

[0015] The printing unit 4 is a printing means that performs printing on the printing target, that is, the nail T. As will be described later, the printing unit 4 of this embodiment performs printing with color ink on the nail T to which the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 are attached by the transfer mechanism 3. Specifically, the printing unit 4 includes a print head 41 that performs printing operations, a head moving mechanism 42 that moves the print head 41 (see FIG. 6), and the like.

[0016] The print head 41 is, for example, an inkjet head that prints by spraying minute droplets of ink onto the surface to be printed (i.e., the surface of the nail T). There are no particular restrictions on the type of print head 41. For example, a head that prints using various methods, such as a thermal print head, can be used. There are no restrictions on the colors that the print head 41 can eject or the number of heads, but it is designed to eject ink of various colors, such as cyan (C; CYAN), magenta (M; MAGENTA), and yellow (Y; YELLOW), making it possible to precisely draw various designs.

[0017] The print head 41 is supported movably on an X-direction guide rail 43 and a Y-direction guide rail 44 while being held by a holder (not shown). The head movement mechanism 42 includes a motor (not shown) that moves the print head 41 in the X and Y directions. By driving the motor, the head movement mechanism 42 moves the print head 41 in the X and Y directions along the guide rails 43 and 44. The head movement mechanism 42 enables the print head 41 to move within a head movement range 4R, which includes the printing area A1, within the XY plane. The printing area A1 is an area corresponding to the finger placement unit 14, and is the area where the print head 41 performs printing operations. The head movement range 4R also includes an area where the print head 41 retreats rearward from the printing area A1 by a sufficient distance so as not to interfere with (contact with) the transfer unit main body 30 that has advanced into the printing area A1.

[0018] The photographing unit 5 is disposed inside the top surface (top panel) of the housing 11, above the finger placement unit 14. The photographing unit 5 photographs the surface of the nail (finger including the nail) exposed above the finger placement unit 14, and obtains the image (image of the finger including the nail, hereinafter referred to as "nail image"). The photographing unit 5 includes a photographing camera 51 and an illumination lamp 52. The photographing camera 51 is a small camera equipped with a solid-state photographing element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type having 2 million or more pixels, a lens, and the like. The illumination lamp 52 is a light source that is disposed to the side of the photographing camera 51 and illuminates the nail to be photographed, and is, for example, a white LED. The photographing unit 5 is not particularly limited in its specific location, as long as it is provided in a position where it can photograph the surface of the nail of the finger placed in the finger placement unit 14. For example, the photographing unit 5 may be configured to be movable in the X and Y directions by a head moving mechanism 42 that moves the print head 41.

[0019] The transfer mechanism 3 adheres the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 of the thermal transfer sheet Ns to the nail T using thermal transfer. The transfer device according to the present invention includes the transfer mechanism 3, an imaging unit 5, and a control unit 82 described below. Specifically, the transfer mechanism 3 includes a transfer unit main body 30. The transfer unit main body 30 is movably supported on a guide rail 311 that extends along the Y direction. The transfer mechanism 3 includes a movement motor 30M (see FIG. 6) that moves the transfer unit main body 30 in the Y direction, and by driving the movement motor 30M, the transfer unit main body 30 moves in the Y direction along the guide rail 311. The transfer unit main body 30 is movable within a transfer unit movement range 3R, which includes the printing area A1, on the XY plane. The transfer unit movement range 3R also includes an area where the transfer unit main body 30 retreats forward of the printing area A1 by a sufficient distance so as not to interfere with (contact with) the print head 41 that has advanced to the printing area A1. The transfer unit main body 30 may also be configured to be movable rearward of the transfer unit movement range 3R, as long as it is at a height that does not cause it to come into contact with the print head 41.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a front view schematically showing the main part of the transfer unit main body 30. As shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, the transfer unit main body 30 includes a sheet supply roller 31, a platen roller 32, a thermal head 33, a first collection roller , a pressing unit 35, and a second collection roller . A sheet roll Nr, which is a roll of the thermal transfer sheet Ns, is set on the sheet supply roller 31 in an exchangeable manner.

[0021] Here, the thermal transfer sheet Ns will be described. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal transfer sheet Ns. As shown in this figure, the thermal transfer sheet Ns is formed by laminating, from the bottom side (the bottom side when transported in the transport direction D), a release layer S1, a base layer S2, an ink receiving layer S3, and a transfer layer S4.

[0022] The release layer S1 is a release paper having a release surface that covers the base layer S2 when not in use and is peeled off from the base layer S2 when in use. The release layer S1 is made of, for example, a PET film or the like having a thickness of about 25 μm.

[0023] The base layer S2 is an example of an ink layer according to the present invention, and is the main body of the thermal transfer sheet Ns, serving as the base for design printing (color printing) by the printing unit 4. This base layer S2 has adhesive properties, and is pressed together with the ink receiving layer S3 by the transfer mechanism 3 to be attached to the surface of the printing target, such as a nail T. Since the base layer S2 serves as a base when printing is applied to the surface, it is preferable that the layer be white or a color close to white (for example, light pink or light blue) so that the ink color develops well, that is, so that it is not affected by the color of the nail itself. However, the base layer S2 is not limited to white, and may be transparent, translucent, or the like. In this case, when attached to the nail T, the nail T underneath can be seen through the unprinted parts. Therefore, when applying a small pattern or printing a design such as a French nail, it is possible to achieve a finish that looks as if the nail print was applied directly to the natural nail. The base layer S2 may also contain a fluorescent agent, which also gives the base layer S2 a whitish appearance overall, resulting in a beautifully finished base layer S2.

[0024] The base layer S2 is formed, for example, by applying a base layer liquid and drying it. The base layer liquid is prepared by dissolving and dispersing a mixture of, for example, nitrocellulose, acetyl tributyl citrate, alkyl acrylate copolymer, stearalkonium hectorite, octocrellin, dimethicone, simethicone, citric acid, disodium stearoyl glutamate, titanium oxide, etc. in a mixed solvent of butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and isopropanol, to which an adhesive solution (for example, an ethyl acetate solution of HiPAS10, an acrylic adhesive solution manufactured by Cosmede Pharmaceutical) is added and mixed. The added adhesive solution (adhesive component) has relatively weak adhesiveness at the temperature during thermal transfer, but becomes more adhesive at the temperature (lower than that during thermal transfer) when the base layer S2 is applied to the nail T. This allows the base layer S2 to be applied to the nail T in an appropriate manner.

[0025] The ink receiving layer S3 receives ink and makes it easier for the ink to adhere when the printing unit 4 prints a design. The ink receiving layer S3 is formed, for example, by applying an ink receiving layer liquid and drying it. The ink receiving layer liquid is prepared by dissolving, for example, ammonium acrylate copolymer, vinyl acetate / vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, denatured alcohol, phenoxyethanol, and silicate (Al / Mg) in a mixed solvent of water and ethanol.

[0026] The transfer layer S4 is a release paper that covers the ink receiving layer S3 when not in use, and is thermally transferred to the ink receiving layer S3 together with the base layer S2 during thermal transfer, and is peeled off from the ink receiving layer S3 after the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 are attached to the printing object.

[0027] To produce the thermal transfer sheet Ns, for example, first, an ink-receiving layer liquid is applied to an adhesive release paper that constitutes the transfer layer S4 and then dried to form the ink-receiving layer S3. Then, a base layer liquid is applied to that and dried to form the base layer S2, and then a release paper that constitutes the release layer S1 is placed on top of that. The resulting product is heated to approximately 70°C and pressed together, and then cut into tape to complete the thermal transfer sheet Ns.

[0028] Additionally, the adhesive strength between layers is important when producing thermal transfer sheet Ns. Adhesion (bonding strength) is a parameter that indicates "how strongly different materials stick together." The strength of adhesive strength is determined by the compatibility between the materials; materials with similar properties (such as similar molecular structures) tend to stick together easily, while materials with different properties do not stick together easily. In the thermal transfer sheet Ns of this embodiment, the adhesive force between the ink receiving layer S3 and the transferred layer S4 is stronger than the adhesive force between the release layer S1 and the base layer S2 at the temperature (first temperature) during thermal transfer by the thermal head 33. Furthermore, at the temperature (second temperature lower than the first temperature) during pressing by the pressing unit 35, the adhesive force between the nail T and the base layer S2 is stronger than the adhesive force between the ink receiving layer S3 and the transferred layer S4. Furthermore, when not heated, the ink receiving layer S3 and the transfer layer S4 are simply overlapping and not adhered to each other. When heated, the ink receiving layer S3 melts or softens, and the adhesion is stronger than that between the release layer S1 and the base layer S2. Therefore, when a peeling force is applied in the thickness direction of the thermal transfer sheet Ns, peeling occurs between the release layer S1 and the base layer S2, not between the ink receiving layer S3 and the transfer layer S4. Note that the adhesive strength between the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 is the strongest among all the layers of the thermal transfer sheet Ns, at least at the first and second temperatures.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 4, the platen roller 32 transports the thermal transfer sheet Ns along a transport direction D parallel to the X direction. In this case, transport to the right in Fig. 4 is referred to as forward transport, and transport to the left in Fig. 4 is referred to as reverse transport. The transport means according to the present invention includes at least the platen roller 32. The thermal head 33 is a heating means having a plurality of heating elements and thermally transferring the base layer S2 and the ink-receiving layer S3 onto the transfer layer S4. A thermistor 33a that measures the temperature of the thermal head 33 is embedded in the thermal head 33. The thermal head 33 is disposed opposite the platen roller 32 and heats the thermal transfer sheet Ns, which passes between the thermal head 33 and the platen roller 32, from below, thereby thermally transferring the base layer S2 and the ink-receiving layer S3 onto the transfer layer S4.

[0030] The first collection roller 34 is disposed below the platen roller 32, via a driven roller 341 disposed downstream of the platen roller 32 in the conveyance direction D. The first collection roller 34 collects the release layer S1 of the thermal transfer sheet Ns together with the base layer S2 and ink receiving layer S3 that were not thermally transferred to the transfer layer S4 by the thermal head 33.

[0031] The pressing section 35 is positioned downstream in the conveying direction D from the platen roller 32 and the driven roller 341, and presses and attaches the base layer S2 thermally transferred onto the transfer layer S4 together with the ink receiving layer S3 to a printing object such as a nail T. Specifically, the pressing unit 35 is positioned above the thermal transfer sheet Ns, which is conveyed in the conveyance direction D in the normal state (when not in operation), and is configured to be able to move up and down by a motor (not shown) or the like, with its underside serving as a pressing surface having a sponge or the like. The pressing unit 35 may also have an internal heater 35a (see FIG. 6) that heats and presses the thermal transfer sheet Ns with the heater 35a. The pressing unit 35 corresponds in the X direction to the finger placement unit 14, and by moving the transfer unit main body 30 in the Y direction and positioning the finger placement unit 14 below the pressing unit 35 via the thermal transfer sheet Ns, the pressing unit 35 presses the thermal transfer sheet Ns against the nail T placed on the finger placement unit 14.

[0032] The second collection roller 36 is disposed below the driven roller 361, which is disposed downstream of the pressing unit 35 in the conveying direction D. The second collection roller 36 collects the transferred layer S4 that has passed through the pressing unit 35.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a control block diagram showing a schematic control configuration of the printing device 1 and a terminal device 9 (described later). As shown in this figure, in addition to the operation unit 12, transfer mechanism 3, printing unit 4, and photographing unit 5 described above, the printing device 1 also includes a display unit 17, a communication unit 18, a memory unit 81, a control unit 82, etc.

[0034] The display unit 17 displays various information based on a display command from the control unit 82. The communication unit 18 transmits and receives various information to and from a terminal device 9 (described later) that operates in cooperation with the printing device 1. Communication between the printing device 1 and the terminal device 9 is performed, for example, via a wireless LAN. However, communication between the printing device 1 and the terminal device 9 is not limited to this and may be performed using any method. For example, it may use a network line such as the Internet, or may be wireless communication based on a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi. Furthermore, this communication is not limited to wireless communication, and a configuration may be used in which various data can be transmitted and received between the two via a wired connection. The communication unit 18 is equipped with an antenna chip or the like that is compatible with the communication method of the terminal device 9.

[0035] The storage unit 81 includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores various information and programs for operating the printing device 1. For example, the storage unit 81 stores a printing program for performing printing processing. The storage unit 81 may also store various data including images acquired by the photographing unit 5 and data on designs to be printed on the printing target. The control unit 82 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each part of the printing device 1. The control unit 82 loads the program in the storage unit 81 into a work area and executes it, thereby controlling each part of the printing device 1 in an integrated manner.

[0036] Furthermore, the printing device 1 of this embodiment is configured to be able to communicate with a terminal device 9, and executes printing operations and the like based on operation commands from the terminal device 9. The terminal device 9 is a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet that functions solely as a user interface for the printing device 1. However, the terminal device 9 is not particularly limited as long as it is an information processing device that can communicate with the printing device 1, and may be, for example, a notebook or stationary personal computer, a terminal device for games, or the like. Specifically, the terminal device 9 includes an operation unit 92, a display unit 93, a communication unit 94, a storage unit 96, a control unit 97, and the like.

[0037] The operation unit 92 is capable of performing various inputs, settings, etc. in response to user operations, and an input signal corresponding to the operation received by the operation unit 92 is transmitted to the control unit 97. In this embodiment, a touch panel is integrally provided on the surface of the display unit 93, and the user can also perform various inputs, settings, etc. by touching the touch panel. The operation unit 92 for performing various input and setting operations is not limited to a touch panel. For example, various operation buttons, a keyboard, a pointing device, etc. may be provided as the operation unit 92.

[0038] The display unit 93 displays various information based on a display command from the control unit 97 . In this embodiment, the display unit 93 displays various information such as nail designs input and selected by the user via the operation unit 92, and nail images transmitted from the printing device 1. As described above, the display unit 93 in this embodiment is integrated with a touch panel for various inputs.

[0039] The communication unit 94 is configured to be able to communicate with the communication unit 18 of the printing device 1. The communication unit 94 may be any unit that can communicate with the printing device 1, and a unit that conforms to the communication standard of the communication unit 18 of the printing device 1 is applied.

[0040] The storage unit 96 stores various programs and data for operating each unit of the terminal device 9. For example, the storage unit 96 stores various programs, such as an operating program for controlling each unit of the terminal device 9 in an integrated manner, as well as a nail print application program for performing nail printing using the printing device 1. The storage unit 96 also stores data on a design (nail design) to be printed on a print target. Note that this design may be an existing design prepared in advance, a design created by the user, or a design obtained from a server device (not shown) via the communication unit 94 or the like.

[0041] The control unit 97 controls each unit of the terminal device 9. The control unit 97 loads the program in the storage unit 96 into a work area and executes it, thereby controlling each unit of the terminal device 9 in an integrated manner.

[0042] Next, the operation of the printing device 1 when executing the printing process will be described. The printing process is a process of printing a nail design on the nail T of the finger U. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the printing process, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining the printing process. It is assumed that the nail design to be printed on the nail T has been selected and specified in advance by a user operation.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 7, when the printing process is executed, first, the user places a finger U with a nail T to be printed on the finger placement unit 14 of the printing device 1 (step S1). Prior to the printing process, a coating agent that helps the nail T to receive the base layer S2 that will be applied to the nail T in step S5 described below may be applied to the nail T in advance by hand or the like.

[0044] Then, the control unit 82 of the printing device 1 controls the photographing unit 5 to photograph the surface of the nail (finger including the nail) placed in the finger placement unit 14 and acquire the image (nail image) (step S2). The acquired nail image is stored in the storage unit 81. At this time, the transfer unit main body 30 of the transfer mechanism 3 has already retreated to a position forward of the finger placement unit 14 (printing area A1).

[0045] Next, the control unit 82 detects (also referred to as obtains or calculates) the shape (outline) of the nail to be printed by image analysis of the nail image acquired in step S2 (step S3). In other words, the control unit 82 here is a detection means for detecting the shape of the nail. The detected shape of the nail (nail shape) is stored in the memory unit 81. At this time, the nail shape may be detected by further image analysis taking into consideration the curvature of the left and right portions of the nail T. In this case, the curvature may be determined by reading the distance with a distance measuring sensor or the like instead of image analysis.

[0046] Next, the control unit 82 controls the transfer mechanism 3 to thermally transfer the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3, each having a shape corresponding to the nail shape, onto the transfer layer S4 of the thermal transfer sheet Ns (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 82 first controls the movement motor 30M of the transfer mechanism 3 to move the transfer unit main body 30 backward and advance it into the printing area A1. Then, the control unit 82 drives the platen roller 32, the first collection roller 34, and the second collection roller 36 to unwind the thermal transfer sheet Ns from the sheet roll Nr of the sheet supply roller 31 and transport it in the transport direction D. The control unit 82 then heats the thermal transfer sheet Ns from below with the thermal head 33, thereby thermally transferring the base layer S2 and ink-receiving layer S3 shaped to correspond to the nail shape onto the transfer layer S4 ( FIG. 8( a) ). The temperature of the thermal head 33 at this time is measured by the thermistor 33a and controlled to a predetermined temperature. The base layer S2 and ink-receiving layer S3 thermally transferred onto the transfer layer S4 move toward the pressing unit 35 along the transport direction D, while the base layer S2 and ink-receiving layer S3 not thermally transferred onto the transfer layer S4 are collected by the first collection roller 34 together with the release layer S1. The shapes of the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 to be thermally transferred here may be the shape of a part of the nail rather than the entire nail shape, based on the nail design.

[0047] Next, the control unit 82 controls the transfer mechanism 3 to press and attach the base layer S2 and ink receiving layer S3 thermally transferred onto the transfer layer S4 to the surface of the user's nail T (step S5). Specifically, the control unit 82 controls the pressing unit 35 to move downward, and presses the base layer S2 and ink receiving layer S3, which have been transported above the finger placement unit 14 together with the transferred layer S4, against the surface of the nail T on the finger placement unit 14 to adhere them (FIGS. 8(b) and 9). At this time, the control unit 82 presses the pressing unit 35 while heating it to approximately 50°C using the heater 35a. As a result, the base layer S2 and ink receiving layer S3 having a shape corresponding to the shape of the nail are adhered to the surface of the nail T (FIG. 8(c)). The transferred layer S4 from which the base layer S2 and ink receiving layer S3 have been removed is collected by the second collection roller 36.

[0048] Next, the control unit 82 controls the printing unit 4 to print a design on the base layer S2 and the ink receiving layer S3 attached to the nail T (step S6). Specifically, the control unit 82 first controls the movement motor 30M of the transfer mechanism 3 to retract the transfer unit main body 30 from the printing area A1. Then, the control unit 82 generates print data based on the preselected nail design and nail shape, and controls the print head 41 and head movement mechanism 42 of the printing unit 4 based on this print data to print the nail T (FIG. 8(d)). Note that the print data may be generated at any time after the nail design and nail shape have been acquired. This allows the desired nail design to be printed on the nail T. Since this design is printed on top of the base layer S2, the ink color develops well. Also, since the design is printed on the ink-receiving layer S3, the ink adheres easily. Furthermore, compared to the method of printing the base ink using the inkjet method, the time it takes for the ink solvent to evaporate can be reduced, so the drying time is shorter than with the inkjet method, allowing for quicker transition to design printing.

[0049] Next, the user removes the finger U from the printing device 1 and applies a top coat to the nail on which the design has been printed to protect the printed design (step S7). In this way, the printing process is completed. Note that the process in the printing device 1 itself may be completed at step S6.

[0050] As described above, according to this embodiment, the thermal transfer sheet Ns having the base layer S2 is heated by the thermal head 33 based on the nail shape, and the base layer S2 is pressed against the nail T by the pressing unit . This means that, unlike when ink applied to a printing plate is transferred to a nail using a pad, there is no need to clean the pad after each printing of a nail. Also, in the case of pad-based transfer, if the pad cleaning time is shortened to increase efficiency, ink may remain on the pad. Therefore, with the configuration of this embodiment, printing using transfer can be performed efficiently.

[0051] According to this embodiment, the pressing unit 35 has the heater 35a, and the base layer S2 is pressed onto the nail T while being heated by the heater 35a to be attached. This allows the base layer S2 to be attached to the surface of the nail T in a suitable manner.

[0052] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the thermal transfer sheet Ns has an ink receiving layer S3 between the transfer layer S4 and the base layer S2, and this ink receiving layer S3 is thermally transferred to the transfer layer S4 together with the base layer S2 and attached to the surface of the nail T. This allows the ink to be more easily fixed when the printing unit 4 subsequently prints a design.

[0053] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the adhesive force between the transfer layer S4 and the ink receiving layer S3 is greater than the adhesive force between the base layer S2 and the release layer S1 at the temperature (first temperature) during thermal transfer by the thermal head 33, and is less than the adhesive force between the base layer S2 and the nail T at the temperature (second temperature lower than the first temperature) during pressing by the pressing section 35. This allows the ink receiving layer S3 to be thermally transferred to the transfer layer S4 in a suitable manner during thermal transfer, and allows the base layer S2 to be attached to the nail T in a suitable manner during pressing.

[0054] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0055] For example, in this embodiment, the pressing unit 35 heats the thermal transfer sheet Ns to about 50°C using the heater 35a while pressing it against the nail T. However, the heating temperature at this time is not particularly limited as long as it is a temperature that does not cause a burden to the user. Also, this heating does not have to be performed.

[0056] In this embodiment, the base layer S2, which is white or a color similar to white and serves as a base for printing the design, is attached to the nail T using thermal transfer. However, this base layer S2 may be a color other than white, or may have a design (pattern). In this case, printing by the printing unit may be omitted, or after a portion of the design (pattern) is formed on the nail by attachment using thermal transfer, the remaining design (pattern) may be formed by printing by the printing unit. The thermal transfer sheet Ns may have at least the transfer layer S4 and the base layer S2.

[0057] The transfer unit main body 30 is provided with at least the thermal head 33 and the pressing unit 35, and the other components of the transfer unit main body 30 may be provided in an exchangeable cartridge that is detachable from the transfer unit main body 30.

[0058] The transfer unit main body 30 may also be configured to reversely transport (rewind) the thermal transfer sheet Ns so that unused base layer S2 can be reused. In this case, the amount of transport of the thermal transfer sheet Ns can be detected, for example, by an encoder or the like, and unused portions of the base layer S2 can be identified and reused. The thermal transfer sheet Ns can be reversed by rotating the transport rollers in the opposite direction.

[0059] Furthermore, to further reduce the size of the transfer unit main body 30, the finger placement unit 14 and the pressing unit 35 may be located between the sheet supply roller 31 and the thermal head 33 in the conveyance direction of the thermal transfer sheet Ns, i.e., upstream of the thermal head 33. Specifically, the thermal transfer sheet Ns is assumed to be composed of a base layer S2 (or a base layer S2 and an ink-receiving layer S3) and a transfer-receiving layer S4, with the release layer S1 omitted. In this case, for example, the thermal head 33 may heat the thermal transfer sheet Ns during reverse conveyance, and the pressing unit 35 may press the thermal transfer sheet Ns against a finger U placed on the finger placement unit 14 located between the sheet supply roller 31 and the thermal head 33 in the conveyance direction. In this case, the first collection roller 34 and the driven roller 341 for collecting the release layer S1 can be omitted from the configuration, and the distance between the thermal head 33 and the second collection roller 36 in the conveyance direction can be shortened, thereby reducing the size of the transfer unit main body 30.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printing device 1 cooperates with the terminal device 9 to configure a printing system, and an example is given of a case in which operation control and execution are performed solely by the printing device 1. However, the degree of processing shared between the printing device 1 and the terminal device 9 is not particularly limited, and all processing, including user operations, may be performed solely by the printing device 1, or the terminal device 9 may perform various calculations.

[0061] Furthermore, various data such as nail designs, photographed images, and nail shape information may be stored in a storage unit of the terminal device, or may be stored in a storage unit of the printing device 1. In this embodiment, the photographing unit 5 is provided within the printing device 1, but the photographing unit may be provided in the terminal device, and the nail images may be transmitted to the printing device 1 via a communication unit. Furthermore, the nail shape may be detected by the terminal device. Alternatively, various data may be stored in a server device or the like that can be connected via a network line, etc., and the terminal device or the printer 1 may access the server device or the like to refer to this data. This makes it possible to select a design to print from a wider range of nail designs.

[0062] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. The inventions described in the claims originally attached to this application are as follows. The claim numbers described in the appendix are the same as those of the claims originally attached to this application. [Note] <Claim 1> a detection means for detecting the shape of the printing object; a conveying means for conveying a medium to be heated having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer; a first heating means for heating the medium to be heated that is transported by the transport means based on the shape of the printing target, and thermally transferring the ink layer to the transfer layer; a pressing means for pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the printing target, A transfer device characterized by: <Claim 2> a detection means for detecting a nail as a printing target; a conveying means for conveying a medium to be heated having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer; a first heating means for heating the medium to be heated that is transported by the transport means and thermally transferring the ink layer onto the transfer layer; a pressing means for pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the nail, A transfer device characterized by: <Claim 3> the heated medium has an ink-receiving layer between the transfer layer and the ink layer, the first heating means thermally transfers the ink layer and the ink receiving layer to the transfer layer; the pressing means presses the ink layer and the ink receiving layer toward the printing target; 3. The transfer device according to claim 1 or 2. <Claim 4> the heated medium has a release layer that is laminated on the opposite side of the ink layer from the transfer layer and that is peeled off from the ink layer as the heated medium is transported; 4. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit. <Claim 5> the pressing means has a second heating means, and presses the ink layer toward the printing target while heating it with the second heating means; 5. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit. <Claim 6> the heated medium has a release layer that is laminated on the opposite side of the ink layer from the transfer layer and that is peeled off from the ink layer as the heated medium is transported; the pressing means has a second heating means that can take a second temperature when the ink layer and the ink receiving layer are pressed against the printing target while being heated, the second temperature being lower than a first temperature when the first heating means thermally transfers the ink layer and the ink receiving layer to the transfer layer, at the first temperature, the adhesive force between the transfer layer and the ink receiving layer is greater than the adhesive force between the ink layer and the release layer, and at the second temperature, the adhesive force between the transfer layer and the ink receiving layer is less than the adhesive force between the ink layer and the printing object; the adhesive strength between the ink receiving layer and the ink layer is the largest adhesive strength between the layers of the heated medium at the first temperature and the second temperature; 4. The transfer device according to claim 3. <Claim 7> The pressing means is disposed downstream of the first heating means in the conveying direction of the conveying means. 7. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit. <Claim 8> further comprising a photographing means for photographing the printing object, the detecting means detects the shape of the printing object based on the image captured by the capturing means; 8. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit. <Claim 9> A transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 8; a printing means for printing on the printing object to which the ink layer is attached; Equipped with A printing device characterized by: <Claim 10> a transfer layer; an ink-receiving layer that is thermally transferable to the transfer layer and that receives ink; an adhesive ink layer; a release layer having a release surface; are stacked in this order: A thermal transfer sheet characterized by: <Claim 11> a detection step of detecting the shape of the printing object; a first heating step of heating a heated medium having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer based on the shape of the printing target, and thermally transferring the ink layer to the transfer layer; a pressing step of pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the printing target; Equipped with A transfer method characterized by: [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Printing device 3 Transcriptional mechanism 4 Printing section (printing means) 5. Photography department (photography means) 9 Terminal Equipment 14 Finger placement section 30 Transfer unit body 32 Platen roller (transport means) 33 Thermal head (first heating means) 33a thermistor 35 Pressing section (pressing means) 35a heater (second heating means) 41 Print head 42 Head movement mechanism 82 Control Unit A1 print area D Conveying direction Ns thermal transfer sheet (heated medium) S1 peeling layer S2 Base layer (ink layer) S3 Ink-receiving layer S4 Transfer layer T Nail (printing target) U finger

Claims

1. a detection means for detecting the shape of the printing object; a conveying means for conveying a medium to be heated having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer; a first heating means for heating the medium to be heated, which is conveyed by the conveying means, based on the shape of the printing target, and thermally transferring the ink layer to the transfer layer; a pressing means for pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the printing target, A transfer device characterized by:

2. a detection means for detecting a nail as a printing target; a conveying means for conveying a medium to be heated having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer; a first heating means for heating the medium to be heated that is being transported by the transport means, and thermally transferring the ink layer onto the transfer layer; a pressing means for pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the nail, A transfer device characterized by:

3. the heated medium has an ink-receiving layer between the transfer layer and the ink layer, the first heating means thermally transfers the ink layer and the ink receiving layer to the transfer layer; the pressing means presses the ink layer and the ink receiving layer toward the printing target; 3. The transfer device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the heated medium has a release layer that is laminated on the opposite side of the ink layer from the transfer layer and that is peeled off from the ink layer as the heated medium is transported; 4. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer member is a transfer member having a first surface and a second surface.

5. the pressing means has a second heating means, and presses the ink layer toward the printing target while heating it with the second heating means; 5. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer member is a transfer member having a first surface and a second surface.

6. the heated medium has a release layer that is laminated on the opposite side of the ink layer from the transfer layer and that is peeled off from the ink layer as the heated medium is transported; the pressing means has a second heating means capable of bringing the ink layer and the ink receiving layer to a second temperature when the ink layer and the ink receiving layer are pressed against the printing object while being heated, the second temperature being lower than a first temperature when the first heating means thermally transfers the ink layer and the ink receiving layer to the transfer layer, at the first temperature, the adhesive force between the transfer layer and the ink receiving layer is greater than the adhesive force between the ink layer and the release layer, and at the second temperature, the adhesive force between the transfer layer and the ink receiving layer is less than the adhesive force between the ink layer and the printing object; the adhesive strength between the ink receiving layer and the ink layer is the largest adhesive strength between the layers of the heated medium at the first temperature and the second temperature; 4. The transfer device according to claim 3.

7. the pressing means is disposed downstream of the first heating means in the conveying direction of the conveying means.

7. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit.

8. further comprising a photographing means for photographing the printing object, the detecting means detects the shape of the printing object based on the image captured by the capturing means; 8. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a transfer unit.

9. A transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 8; a printing means for printing on the printing object to which the ink layer is attached; Equipped with A printing device characterized by:

10. a transfer layer; an ink-receiving layer that is thermally transferable to the transfer layer and that receives ink; an adhesive ink layer; a release layer having a release surface; are stacked in this order: A thermal transfer sheet characterized by:

11. a detection step of detecting the shape of the printing object; a first heating step of heating a heated medium having at least a transfer layer and an ink layer based on the shape of the printing target, and thermally transferring the ink layer to the transfer layer; a pressing step of pressing the ink layer thermally transferred onto the transfer layer toward the printing target; Equipped with A transfer method characterized by:

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