Aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing, conveyor belt and printing apparatus

Abstract

To provide an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing that is suitably prevented from spoiling by microorganisms while preventing the occurrence of problems associated with the use of organic solvents, such as restrictions on the surrounding environment due to the evaporation of the organic solvent and burden on the environment; to provide a conveyor belt that is suitably prevented from spoiling by microorganisms, and that can stably fix a fabric to the conveyor belt during printing and can suitably peel off a recorded matter obtained by printing from the conveyor belt; and to provide a textile printing device equipped with the conveyor belt. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention contains water, a (meth)acrylic resin, and a preservative.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, a conveyor belt, and a textile printing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In a textile printing method in which an ink composition is applied to a fabric as a recording medium to dye it, an adhesive layer is formed on the surface of a conveyor belt that conveys the fabric and that comes into contact with the fabric, thereby adhering the fabric to the conveyor belt and enabling the fabric to be conveyed stably. To form such an adhesive layer, a liquid adhesive containing an adhesive is used.

[0003] The adhesive layer must have adequate adhesive strength to allow the fabric fixed to the conveyor belt to be easily attached and detached, as well as water resistance and mechanical strength to withstand water washing. For this reason, adhesives made by dissolving hydrophobic resins in organic solvents have been used.

[0004] Adhesives containing organic solvents volatilize when applied to a conveyor belt, necessitating sufficient ventilation and other restrictions on the surrounding environment. Therefore, there is a demand for water-based adhesives that do not volatilize organic solvents. Patent Document 1 proposes such water-based adhesives. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-53790 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, such aqueous adhesives have the problem of being susceptible to decay due to microorganisms. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following application examples.

[0008] The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to an application example of the present invention contains water, a (meth)acrylic resin, and a preservative.

[0009] A conveyor belt according to an application example of the present invention is a conveyor belt for conveying a fabric to be printed by textile printing, An adhesive layer made of a material containing a (meth)acrylic resin and a preservative is provided on the surface that comes into contact with the fabric.

[0010] A textile printing apparatus according to an application example of the present invention includes a conveyor belt according to an application example of the present invention; an inkjet head having nozzles that eject ink onto the fabric being transported by the transport belt; [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a textile printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the conveying device provided in the textile printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is performing a leveling process. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for forming an adhesive layer. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a table summarizing the types and amounts of raw materials used in Synthesis Examples 1 to 10. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a table summarizing the types and amounts of raw materials used in Synthesis Examples 11 to 18. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a table showing the compositions of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing of Examples 1 to 10. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a table showing the compositions of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing of Examples 11 to 18 and Comparative Example 1. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a table summarizing the evaluation results of each example and comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. [1] Aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing First, the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention will be described.

[0013] The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention is used to form a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that is provided on the surface of a transport belt that transports a fabric to be printed by textile printing, the surface coming into contact with the fabric.

[0014] The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention contains water, a (meth)acrylic resin, and a preservative. This eliminates the need for an organic solvent, eliminating the need to consider problems associated with the use of organic solvents, more specifically, the environmental impact of organic solvent evaporation. Furthermore, the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing can be effectively prevented from spoiling due to microorganisms. Furthermore, by forming an adhesive layer using such an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, a fabric can be stably fixed to a conveyor belt during printing, and the printed material can be easily peeled off from the conveyor belt.

[0015] The transport belt having an adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention and the textile printing device having the transport belt will be described in detail later.

[0016] [1-1]Water The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing contains water.

[0017] Water is a component that imparts fluidity to the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing. In the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, water functions as a solvent for dissolving or a dispersion medium for dispersing components other than water, such as the (meth)acrylic resin and preservative.

[0018] The water content in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 30.0 to 80.0% by mass, and more preferably from 35.0 to 70.0% by mass, which can provide more suitable fluidity and viscosity of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, and can provide more excellent coatability of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing and more uniform thickness of the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0019] [1-2] (Meth)acrylic resin The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing contains a (meth)acrylic resin.

[0020] The (meth)acrylic resin has the function of imparting adhesiveness to the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0021] In particular, by using a (meth)acrylic resin among various adhesive components, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer can be made more appropriate. Furthermore, the water resistance and mechanical strength of the adhesive layer can also be made more excellent. This makes it possible to more suitably suppress, for example, an undesired decrease in adhesive strength when an adhesive layer formed using the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing is brushed with water.

[0022] The (meth)acrylic resin may be a water-soluble resin or an emulsion dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium. In particular, if the (meth)acrylic resin is an emulsion synthesized by emulsion polymerization, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer can be made more appropriate, and the water resistance and mechanical strength of the adhesive layer can also be made more excellent. This is also particularly advantageous in terms of making the adhesive layer uniform in thickness and surface properties.

[0023] The glass transition temperature of the (meth)acrylic resin is preferably −40° C. or higher and −10° C. or lower, more preferably −35° C. or higher and −12° C. or lower, and even more preferably −30° C. or higher and −15° C. or lower. This makes it possible to provide a more suitable adhesive strength to the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing, and during printing, the fabric can be more stably fixed to the conveyor belt, and the printed matter obtained by printing can be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt.

[0024] The (meth)acrylic resin is not particularly limited as long as it is a polymer containing a (meth)acrylic monomer such as (meth)acrylic acid or a (meth)acrylic acid ester as at least a portion of the monomer component. For example, the (meth)acrylic resin may be a homopolymer formed by polymerizing one type of (meth)acrylic monomer, or may be a copolymer containing multiple types of (meth)acrylic monomers as monomer components. Furthermore, the (meth)acrylic resin may be a copolymer containing, in addition to the (meth)acrylic monomer, a monomer other than the (meth)acrylic monomer as a monomer component.

[0025] The (meth)acrylic resin constituting the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention may contain multiple different polymers. For example, the (meth)acrylic resin may be obtained by blending multiple polymers synthesized under different conditions.

[0026] The (meth)acrylic monomer is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include (meth)acrylic monomers having an acidic group, (meth)acrylic monomers having an ester structure, and (meth)acrylic monomers having an amide structure. Examples of (meth)acrylic monomers having an acidic group include acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. Examples of (meth)acrylic monomers having an ester structure include methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-propyl acrylate, n-propyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, isoamyl acrylate, isoamyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, and cyclohexyl methacrylate. Examples of (meth)acrylic monomers having an amide structure include acrylamide and methacrylamide.

[0027] The monomer other than the (meth)acrylic monomer is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include styrene and acrylonitrile.

[0028] The (meth)acrylic resin preferably contains, as a constituent monomer, a first monomer whose glass transition temperature when made into a homopolymer is −60° C. or lower, thereby more suitably increasing the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, and enabling the fabric to be more stably fixed to the conveyor belt.

[0029] For measuring the glass transition temperature of a homopolymer, a homopolymer having a number average molecular weight of 100,000 to 5,000,000 can be used. In homopolymers having a number average molecular weight in this range, the effect of the molecular weight on the glass transition temperature is sufficiently small that it can be ignored.

[0030] The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer of the first monomer may be −60° C. or lower, preferably −100° C. or higher and −62° C. or lower, and more preferably −90° C. or higher and −64° C. or lower, so that the above-mentioned effects are more significantly exhibited.

[0031] A preferred first monomer is 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. When the (meth)acrylic resin contains a first monomer as a constituent monomer, the proportion of the first monomer in all the monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic resin is preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 15.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.5% by mass or more and 10.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less. This makes it possible to improve the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing, and during printing, the fabric can be more stably fixed to the conveyor belt, and the recorded matter obtained by printing can be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt.

[0032] The (meth)acrylic resin preferably contains, as a constituent monomer, a second monomer whose glass transition temperature when made into a homopolymer is 40°C or higher. This allows the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing to have better mechanical strength. Furthermore, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing can be made more suitable, allowing the fabric to be sufficiently and stably fixed to the conveyor belt during printing, and allowing the printed material to be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt.

[0033] The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer of the second monomer may be 40° C. or higher, preferably 45° C. or higher and 150° C. or lower, more preferably 50° C. or higher and 140° C. or lower, and even more preferably 60° C. or higher and 135° C. or lower, so that the above-mentioned effects are more significantly exhibited.

[0034] The (meth)acrylic resin may contain a monomer having an acidic functional group as the second monomer, which can improve the storage stability of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0035] Preferred second monomers include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, and cyclohexyl methacrylate.

[0036] When the (meth)acrylic resin contains a second monomer as a constituent monomer, the proportion of the second monomer in all monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic resin is preferably 5.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 7.0% by mass or more and 19.7% by mass or less. This further improves the mechanical strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing. Furthermore, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing can be further improved, allowing the fabric to be sufficiently and stably fixed to the conveyor belt during printing, and allowing the printed material to be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt.

[0037] When the (meth)acrylic resin contains a first monomer and a second monomer as constituent monomers, the mass ratio of the second monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin is preferably greater than the mass ratio of the first monomer. This can further improve the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, and during printing, the fabric can be more stably fixed to the conveyor belt, and the printed material obtained by printing can be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt. Furthermore, the mechanical strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing can be further improved.

[0038] In particular, when the mass ratio of the first monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin is X1 [mass%] and the mass ratio of the second monomer is X2 [mass%], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 1.1≦X2 / X1≦5.0, more preferably the relationship 1.2≦X2 / X1≦4.5, and even more preferably the relationship 1.3≦X2 / X1≦3.8, whereby the above-mentioned effects are more significantly exhibited.

[0039] The (meth)acrylic resin preferably contains, in addition to the first and second monomers, a third monomer as a constituent monomer, the third monomer having a glass transition temperature of more than −60° C. and less than 40° C. when made into a homopolymer. This makes it possible to improve the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, and during printing, the fabric can be more stably fixed to the conveyor belt, and the printed material can be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt.

[0040] The glass transition temperature of the homopolymer of the third monomer may be higher than −60° C. and lower than 40° C., but is preferably −58° C. or higher and 30° C. or lower, and more preferably −56° C. or higher and 25° C. or lower, so that the above-mentioned effects are more significantly exhibited.

[0041] Preferred third monomers include butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, and isoamyl acrylate.

[0042] When the (meth)acrylic resin contains a third monomer as a constituent monomer, the proportion of the third monomer in all the monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic resin is preferably 63.0% by mass or more and 92.0% by mass or less, more preferably 70.0% by mass or more and 88.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 73.0% by mass or more and 87.0% by mass or less. This makes it possible to further improve the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing, and during printing, it is possible to more stably fix the fabric to the conveyor belt and more easily peel the printed material from the conveyor belt.

[0043] When the mass ratio of the first monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin is X1 [mass%] and the mass ratio of the third monomer is X3 [mass%], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 4.0≦X3 / X1≦40.0, more preferably the relationship 10.0≦X3 / X1≦30.0, and even more preferably the relationship 12.0≦X3 / X1≦20.0, thereby more significantly exhibiting the above-mentioned effects.

[0044] When the mass ratio of the second monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin is X2 [mass%] and the mass ratio of the third monomer is X3 [mass%], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 2.0≦X3 / X2≦20.0, more preferably the relationship 3.0≦X3 / X2≦18.0, and even more preferably the relationship 3.7≦X3 / X2≦12.0, thereby more significantly exhibiting the above-mentioned effects.

[0045] The content of the (meth)acrylic resin in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 20.0% by mass or more and 70.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 30.0% by mass or more and 60.0% by mass or less. This allows the mechanical strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing to be improved. Furthermore, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed from the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing can be improved, allowing the fabric to be stably fixed to the conveyor belt during printing and allowing the printed record to be more easily peeled from the conveyor belt. Furthermore, the application property and storage stability of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing can be improved.

[0046] [1-3] Preservatives The aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing contains a preservative.

[0047] The preservative has the function of preventing spoilage caused by microorganisms in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing and the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0048] The preservative may be an inorganic preservative, but is preferably an organic preservative, which can provide the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing with better storage stability.

[0049] Examples of inorganic antiseptics include those in which antibacterial silver, zinc, or copper is supported on a carrier such as zeolite, silica gel, potassium titanate whisker, or magnesium oxide whisker.

[0050] Examples of organic antiseptics include thiazoline-based antibacterial agents, imidazole-based antibacterial agents, ester-based antibacterial agents, and carboxylic acid-based antibacterial agents.

[0051] Examples of thiazoline antibacterial agents include 2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one, methylisothiazolinone, and 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one.

[0052] Examples of imidazole antibacterial agents include 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole, methyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate, and the like. Examples of ester-based antibacterial agents include glycerol monolaurate.

[0053] Examples of carboxylic acid antibacterial agents include sorbic acid and its salts, and examples of the salts include potassium salts.

[0054] Among these, thiazoline-based antibacterial agents are preferred as the preservative, with 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one being more preferred. This allows for better affinity with the (meth)acrylic resin (particularly, a (meth)acrylic resin containing the preferred first, second, and third monomers as constituent monomers). As a result, the preservative can be more uniformly dispersed in the adhesive layer, allowing for better mechanical strength, water resistance, antiseptic properties, etc. of the adhesive layer.

[0055] The content of the preservative in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 0.001 to 0.10% by mass, more preferably from 0.005 to 0.05% by mass, and even more preferably from 0.01 to 0.04% by mass, thereby more significantly exhibiting the above-mentioned effects of including the preservative and more favorably improving the adhesiveness, durability, etc. of the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0056] When the content of the (meth)acrylic resin in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is XA [mass %] and the content of the preservative is XP [mass %], the relationship of 0.002≦XP / XA≦0.1 is preferably satisfied, the relationship of 0.003≦XP / XA≦0.05 is more preferably satisfied, and the relationship of 0.005≦XP / XA≦0.02 is even more preferably satisfied. This allows the aforementioned effects to be exhibited more significantly.

[0057] [1-4] Surfactants The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing may contain a surfactant.

[0058] The surfactant is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants.

[0059] Examples of anionic surfactants include alkyl sulfocarboxylates, alkyl diphenyl ether disulfonates, α-olefin sulfonates, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether acetates, N-acylamino acids and salts thereof, N-acylmethyl taurines, alkyl sulfates such as ammonium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfates, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether phosphates, rosin acid soap, castor oil sulfate, lauryl alcohol sulfate, alkylphenol phosphate esters, alkyl phosphate esters, alkylaryl sulfonates, diethyl sulfosuccinate, diethylhexyl cyrsulfosuccinate, and dioctyl sulfosuccinate. Commercially available anionic surfactants include, for example, Eleminol CLS-20 (trade name, manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.), Emeral 2F-30, Latemul AD-25, Latemul E-118B (trade names, manufactured by Kao Corporation), and Newcol 2320-SN (trade name, manufactured by Nippon Nyukazai Co., Ltd.) (Newcol is a registered trademark).

[0060] Examples of nonionic surfactants include acetylene glycol surfactants, silicone surfactants, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, alkyl polyglycosides, alkyldiethanolamides, alkylamine oxides, etc. Examples of commercially available nonionic surfactants include Emulgen 123P, 430, 1108 (product names of Kao Corporation), Newcol 1006, 1008, 1020 (product names of Nippon Nyukazai Co., Ltd.), Noigen DL-0415, ET-116B, ET-106A, DH-0300, YX-400, EA-160 (product names of Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd.), etc.

[0061] Examples of cationic surfactants include alkylamine salts, fatty acid amidoamine salts, monoalkyl quaternary ammonium salts, dialkyl quaternary ammonium salts, trialkyl quaternary ammonium salts, benzalkonium quaternary ammonium salts, benzethonium chloride, and alkylpyridinium salts.

[0062] Among these, anionic surfactants are preferred, and a combination of an anionic surfactant and a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether-based nonionic surfactant is more preferred, which leads to improved durability of the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0063] The content of the surfactant in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 7.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less.

[0064] [1-5] pH adjuster The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing may contain a pH adjuster.

[0065] The pH adjuster is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include inorganic acids (e.g., sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, etc.), inorganic bases (e.g., lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonia, ammonium salts, etc.), organic bases (triethanolamine, diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, tripropanolamine), and organic acids (e.g., adipic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, etc.).

[0066] Among these, ammonia or ammonium salts are preferred. By using such a pH adjuster, ammonia volatilizes when forming the adhesive layer, and the (meth)acrylic resins become more easily adhered to each other, forming a coating film that is less susceptible to water penetration. As a result, the adhesive layer formed on the conveyor belt has improved adhesive strength durability and water resistance, and the adhesiveness tends to be better maintained over a wide temperature range.

[0067] The content of the pH adjuster in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 0.05% by mass to 1.50% by mass, more preferably 0.10% by mass to 1.00% by mass, and even more preferably 0.15% by mass to 0.50% by mass. The pH adjuster may be contained so that the pH of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is 7.7 to 9.0 or 8.0 to 8.7. When the content of the pH adjuster is within the above range, the resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive layer tends to have improved releasability, adhesion, and washing resistance, as well as improved dispersion stability.

[0068] [1-6] Tackifier The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing may contain a tackifier.

[0069] Examples of tackifiers include rosin compounds, terpene compounds, hydrocarbon resins, etc. More specifically, examples include rosin compounds such as natural rosin, modified rosin, glycerol esters of natural rosin, glycerol esters of modified rosin, pentaerythritol esters of natural rosin, and pentaerythritol esters of modified rosin; terpene compounds such as copolymers of natural terpene, three-dimensional polymers of natural terpene, aromatic modified terpene resins, hydrogenated derivatives of aromatic modified terpene resins, terpene phenol resins, and terpene resins (monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, polyterpenes, etc.); and hydrocarbon resins such as aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbon resins (C5 resins), hydrogenated derivatives of aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbon resins, aromatic petroleum hydrocarbon resins (C9 resins) such as styrene oligomers, and hydrogenated derivatives of aromatic petroleum hydrocarbon resins.

[0070] When the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing contains a tackifier, the content of the tackifier in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5.0 mass % or less, more preferably 4.0 mass % or less, and even more preferably 0.1 mass % to 3.8 mass % or less, which makes the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing more suitable and makes it easier to maintain the effect of suppressing a decrease in adhesive strength when the adhesive layer is brushed for a longer period of time.

[0071] [1-7] Colorants The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing may contain a coloring material. As the coloring material, for example, various pigments and various dyes can be used.

[0072] When the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing contains a colorant, the content of the colorant in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 1.0 mass % or less, and more preferably 0.5 mass % or less.

[0073] [1-8] Other ingredients The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing may contain components other than those described above. Hereinafter, such components may also be referred to as "other components."

[0074] Examples of other components include resin materials other than (meth)acrylic resins, antioxidants, colorants, antistatic agents, flame retardants, flame retardant assistants, ultraviolet absorbers, aggregation inhibitors, processing aids, and plasticizers.

[0075] Examples of resin materials other than (meth)acrylic resins include urethane resins, silicone resins, and various elastomers (rubber-based materials).

[0076] However, the content of other components in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 10.0% by mass or less, more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less.

[0077] In particular, from the viewpoint of reducing the restriction on the surrounding environment due to the evaporation of the organic solvent, the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing preferably does not contain any organic solvent or contains only a small amount of organic solvent. More specifically, the content of the organic solvent in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing is preferably 5.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less.

[0078] [1-9] Other conditions The viscosity of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing at 23° C. is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 5 mPa·s to 1,000 mPa·s, and more preferably from 10 mPa·s to 300 mPa·s, which improves the handleability of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing when it is applied, and more effectively prevents unintended variations in the thickness and surface properties of the adhesive layer formed.

[0079] The storage modulus of the adhesive layer formed using the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing at 23°C is 1.5 x 10 5 Pa or more 5.0×10 5Pa or less, and 1.6 × 10 5 Pa or more 4.8×10 5 Pa or less is more preferable, and 2.0×10 5 Pa or more 4.5×10 5 It is more preferable that the pressure is 100 Pa or less.

[0080] The method for forming the adhesive layer for measuring the storage modulus is not particularly limited. For example, a method can be used in which the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing is applied to a 25 mm wide slide glass to a thickness of 0.2 mm in an environment of 23°C, and then dried under conditions of 50% humidity, 23°C, and 12 hours.

[0081] [2] Printing equipment and conveyor belt Next, the conveyor belt and the printing apparatus of the present invention will be described.

[0082] The transport belt of the present invention is a transport belt for transporting a fabric to be printed by textile printing, and has an adhesive layer made of a material containing a (meth)acrylic resin and a preservative on the surface that comes into contact with the fabric. This makes it possible to provide a transport belt that effectively prevents spoilage by microorganisms, can stably fix the fabric to the transport belt during printing, and can effectively peel the printed image from the transport belt. In particular, because the adhesive layer can be formed using an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing that contains water, it is not necessary to use an organic solvent in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, and there is no need to consider problems associated with using organic solvents, more specifically, the constraints on the surrounding environment and the environmental impact caused by the evaporation of organic solvents.

[0083] The textile printing apparatus of the present invention includes the transport belt of the present invention and an inkjet head having nozzles for ejecting ink onto a fabric transported by the transport belt. This makes it possible to provide a textile printing apparatus equipped with a transport belt that can effectively prevent spoilage by microorganisms, stably fix the fabric during printing, and effectively peel off the printed record. In particular, because the adhesive layer can be formed using an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing that contains water, it is not necessary to use an organic solvent in the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing. This eliminates the need to consider problems associated with the use of organic solvents, more specifically, the constraints on the surrounding environment and the environmental impact caused by the evaporation of organic solvents.

[0084] The adhesive layer constituting the transport belt of the present invention can be suitably formed using the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention described above.

[0085] Hereinafter, more specific embodiments of the transport belt and the textile printing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0086] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a conveying device provided in the printing apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is performing a leveling process. Fig. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a method for forming an adhesive layer.

[0087] For ease of explanation, in the following, in Figures 1 and 2, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are shown as three mutually orthogonal axes. The x-axis is an axis along one of the horizontal directions (the width direction of the conveyor belt), the y-axis is an axis along the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the x-axis (the running direction of the conveyor belt), and the z-axis is an axis along the vertical direction (the up-down direction in the figure). In addition, the tip side of each arrow shown in the figure is referred to as the "positive side (+ side)" and the base side is referred to as the "negative side (- side)." In addition, the upper side of Figures 1 and 2 is referred to as "top" or "upper," and the lower side is referred to as "bottom" or "lower."

[0088] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the textile printing apparatus 1 includes a conveying device 2 having a conveying belt 21 for conveying the fabric W, a payout device 3 for paying out a long length of the fabric W wound in a roll, a winding device 4 for winding up the printed fabric W, a printing section 5 for applying ink onto the fabric W being conveyed by the conveying belt 21 to perform printing, and an ink drying section 6 for drying the ink on the fabric W.

[0089] In this embodiment, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the fabric W is the x-axis direction, the direction parallel to the conveying direction is the y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis directions is the z-axis direction.

[0090] The fabric W can be a woven fabric, knitted fabric, nonwoven fabric, or the like made of natural fibers such as cotton, silk, or wool, chemical fibers such as nylon, or composite fibers that are a mixture of these. The fabric W may also be clothing or other clothing products. Examples of clothing and other clothing products include sewn T-shirts, handkerchiefs, scarves, towels, carrier bags, cloth bags, curtains, sheets, bed covers, and other furniture, as well as fabrics that exist as parts before and after cutting.

[0091] The conveying device 2 has a driving roller 22 and a driven roller 23 arranged at a distance from each other in the y-axis direction, a conveying belt 21 stretched between the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23 and supporting the fabric W on its upper surface (support surface), and tensioners 24, 25 that apply tension to the fabric W between the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23.

[0092] A motor (not shown) is connected to the driving roller 22, and the driving roller 22 can be rotated by the operation of the motor. The rotational force of the driving roller 22 is transmitted to the driven roller 23 via the conveyor belt 21, and the driven roller 23 can rotate in conjunction with the driving roller 22.

[0093] The conveyor belt 21 is an endless belt having an adhesive layer formed on its front surface. A portion of the fabric W is adhesively fixed to this adhesive layer, and the fabric W is conveyed in the + direction of the y axis. During this conveyance, the fabric W is subjected to a desired printing. After printing, the fabric W is peeled off from the conveyor belt 21. The adhesive layer is formed by supplying a coating liquid 100 from a coating liquid supply unit 8, as shown in FIG. 2. The surface of the conveyor belt 21 that comes into contact with the fabric W is a coating surface 210 on which the coating liquid 100 is applied. The coating liquid 100 is preferably the aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing of the present invention described above.

[0094] Similar to the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23, the tensioners 24 and 25 are also arranged spaced apart from each other in the y-axis direction.

[0095] Tensioner 24 can sandwich fabric W together with conveyor belt 21 between it and drive roller 22, and tensioner 25 can sandwich fabric W together with conveyor belt 21 between it and driven roller 23. As a result, fabric W, to which an appropriate tension is applied by tensioners 24 and 25, is adhesively fixed to conveyor belt 21 while being tensioned, and conveyed. In this state, the occurrence of, for example, wrinkles and sagging of fabric W during conveyance is reduced, and therefore, when printing is performed, the printing can be performed appropriately and with high quality.

[0096] As shown in Figure 1, the unwinding device 3 is disposed upstream of the conveying device 2 in the feed direction of the fabric W, i.e., on the - side in the y-axis direction. The unwinding device 3 has a unwinding roller (unwinding reel) 31 around which the fabric W is wound in a roll and which unwinds the fabric W, and a tensioner 32 which applies tension to the fabric W between the unwinding roller 31 and the conveying device 2. A motor (not shown) is connected to the unwinding roller 31, and the unwinding roller 31 can be rotated by the operation of the motor.

[0097] The winding device 4 is disposed downstream of the driven roller 23 in the feed direction of the fabric W, i.e., on the + side in the y-axis direction, relative to the conveying device 2. The winding device 4 has a winding roller 41 that winds the fabric W into a roll, and tensioners 42, 43, and 44 that apply tension to the fabric W between the winding roller 41 and the conveying device 2. A motor (not shown) is connected to the winding roller 41, and the winding roller 41 can be rotated by operation of the motor. The tensioners 42, 43, and 44 are disposed in this order at intervals in a direction away from the winding roller 41.

[0098] The printing unit 5 includes a carriage unit 52 having a plurality of inkjet heads 51 that eject ink toward the fabric W to perform recording by printing, and an X-axis table (not shown) that supports the carriage unit 52 so that it can move in the x-axis direction. Each inkjet head 51 includes, for example, a head body formed with an internal head flow path that is filled with ink, and a number of nozzle groups each having an opening.

[0099] The head body is provided with piezoelectric elements (piezoelectric bodies) corresponding to the respective ejection nozzles, and when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements, ink is ejected as droplets from the nozzles.

[0100] When not ejecting ink, the inkjet head 51 waits at a standby position that is positioned away from the fabric W (transport belt 21) in the x-axis direction when viewed from the z-axis direction.

[0101] In the textile printing device 1, the fabric W fed by the feeding device 3 is intermittently fed in the positive direction of the y axis while being adhesively fixed by the conveyor belt 21, and ink is ejected from the nozzle group onto the fixed fabric W while the carriage unit 52 is reciprocated in the x axis direction. In this way, a desired image pattern is formed and printed on the fabric W. The image pattern may be printed in multiple colors or in a single color.

[0102] The inks contain water as a solvent and dyes or pigments as colorants, and come in four colors, for example, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). Each color of ink is ejected independently from the inkjet head 51.

[0103] As shown in Figure 1, the ink drying unit 6 is located downstream of the printing unit 5 in the conveying direction of the fabric W, i.e., on the +y-axis direction side, between the conveying device 2 and the winding roller 41 of the winding device 4.

[0104] The ink drying unit 6 has a chamber 61 and a coil 62, which is a heat source (heater), arranged inside the chamber 61. The coil 62 is made of, for example, nichrome wire, and is configured as a heating element that generates heat when power is supplied. The heat generated by the coil 62 can dry the ink on the fabric W passing through the chamber 61.

[0105] The textile printing apparatus 1 has a control unit 15 that controls the operation of each part of the textile printing apparatus 1 or the transport device 2. That is, the control unit 15 controls the drive roller 22, the delivery roller 31, the take-up roller 41, the inkjet head 51, the carriage unit 52, the coil 62, the liquid supply pump 83, the coil 11, etc., so that they are driven at desired timing and under desired conditions. More specifically, the motor for the drive roller 22, the motor for the delivery roller 31, the motor for the take-up roller 41, the inkjet head 51, the carriage unit 52, the coil 62, the liquid supply pump 83, and the coil 11 are each electrically connected to a power supply unit (not shown), and the control unit 15 controls the conditions of electricity supply from the power supply unit to each of these parts, driving each of these parts at desired timing and under desired conditions (speed, temperature, etc.).

[0106] The control unit 15 is configured with a semiconductor integrated circuit and includes an arithmetic processing unit, a control signal transmitting / receiving unit, and a memory unit. The memory unit stores programs for executing the operations of the above units, information on operating conditions, etc.

[0107] In such a textile printing apparatus 1, when printing is not being performed on the fabric W, an aqueous coating liquid 100 is periodically supplied onto the conveyor belt 21 to form an adhesive layer. That is, in the textile printing apparatus 1, the coating liquid supply section 8, blade 9, and adhesive drying section 10 provided in the conveyor device 2 are operated as described below, thereby forming a coating film 105 of the coating liquid 100 and an adhesive layer obtained by drying the coating film 105 on the surface (coating surface 210) of the conveyor belt 21 facing the fabric W.

[0108] Next, the transport device 2 will be described. 1 and 2, the conveying device 2 includes a conveying belt 21, a coating liquid supplying section 8 that supplies a coating liquid 100 to a coating surface 210 on the fabric W side of the conveying belt 21, a blade 9 that levels the coating liquid 100 supplied to the coating surface 210, and an adhesive drying section 10 that dries a coating film 105 obtained by passing through the blade 9. The coating liquid supplying section 8, the blade 9, and the adhesive drying section 10 may each be incorporated into the conveying device 2, or may be configured to be detachable.

[0109] The coating liquid supply unit 8 has a storage section 81 that stores the coating liquid 100, a liquid delivery pipe 82 that delivers the coating liquid 100 from the storage section 81 to the vicinity of the coating surface 210, and a liquid delivery pump 83 provided midway along the liquid delivery pipe 82, and these components are used to perform the supply process shown in Figure 3.

[0110] The storage section 81 used in the supply process is composed of a hard or flexible container capable of storing the coating liquid 100, and by operating the liquid delivery pump 83, the coating liquid 100 in the storage section 81 is discharged from the outlet 811, delivered through the liquid delivery pipe 82, and ejected and supplied toward the coating surface 210 from the other end 822 of the liquid delivery pipe 82.

[0111] In this embodiment, when the coating liquid supply unit 8 supplies the coating liquid 100, the conveyor belt 21 is continuously driven to rotate and run. In this case, the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 is constant. This makes it possible to continuously change the area on the coating surface 210 to which the coating liquid 100 is supplied while supplying the coating liquid 100. Furthermore, continuous leveling can also be achieved in the leveling step described below.

[0112] The running speed of the conveyor belt 21 in the supplying step and the leveling step described later, i.e., when supplying and leveling the coating liquid 100, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 4 mm / sec or more and 67 mm / sec or less, and more preferably 8 mm / sec or more and 33 mm / sec or less. By setting the running speed in this range, the coating liquid 100 can be applied quickly and a more uniform and good coating film 105 can be obtained.

[0113] In the present invention, the conveyor belt 21 may be configured to be rotated intermittently. Furthermore, the conveyor belt 21 may be configured to be rotated at any timing and at any speed.

[0114] The reservoir 81 has a discharge port 811 for discharging the coating liquid 100 stored therein. One end 821 of a liquid supply pipe 82 is connected to the discharge port 811. The liquid supply pipe 82 transfers the coating liquid 100 to the vicinity of the coating surface 210. The other end 822 of the liquid supply pipe 82 is located above the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21 and upstream of the printing unit 5 (the - side in the y-axis direction). Therefore, the coating liquid 100 discharged from the other end 822 of the liquid supply pipe 82 is dripped or sprayed at a position on the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21 that is offset to the - side in the y-axis direction, i.e., a position offset toward the drive roller 22.

[0115] The other end 822 of the liquid supply pipe 82 branches into multiple branches (not shown). The branched flow paths are arranged side by side along the x-axis direction, i.e., along the width direction of the conveyor belt 21. This allows the coating liquid 100 to be supplied evenly (without excess or deficiency) to the required area of ​​the coating surface 210. The other end 822 of the liquid supply pipe 82 may be provided with a nozzle, an orifice, or the like.

[0116] As described above, the conveying device 2 has the liquid supply pipe 82 connected to the discharge port 811 and transporting the coating liquid 100 to the coating surface 210. This increases the degree of freedom in the installation position of the storage unit 81. Note that the liquid supply pipe 82 may be omitted, and the liquid may be supplied directly from the discharge port 811 to the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21. In this case, the discharge port 811 is installed facing downward.

[0117] The supply amount per unit time of the coating liquid 100 supplied from the liquid supply pipe 82 onto the coating surface 210, i.e., the total supply amount of each branch flow path (hereinafter simply referred to as "supply amount"), is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15 mL / min to 67 mL / min, more preferably 22 mL / min to 50 mL / min. By setting the supply amount in this range, the coating liquid 100 can be applied quickly, and the leveling in the leveling step described below can be performed more uniformly and satisfactorily.

[0118] The coating liquid supply unit 8 may be configured to supply the coating liquid 100 continuously or intermittently.

[0119] In this embodiment, the coating liquid 100 is supplied by operating the liquid supply pump 83 provided in the liquid supply pipe 82, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0120] For example, the configuration may be such that storage section 81 is formed from a flexible container, and has a pressurizing section that pressurizes storage section 81 from the outside, and storage section 81 is pressurized by the pressurizing section to push coating liquid 100 in storage section 81 out of outlet 811, sent through liquid sending tube 82, and discharged from the other end 822 to be supplied to coating surface 210. In this case, examples of the pressurizing section include one configured to pressurize storage section 81 by air pressure, and one configured to physically pressurize storage section 81 by a member such as a pressure plate or pressure roller.

[0121] Alternatively, the coating liquid 100 in the reservoir 81 may be supplied to the coating surface 210 by free fall via the liquid supply pipe 82.

[0122] The blade 9 levels the coating liquid 100 supplied to the coating surface 210 of the moving conveyor belt 21 to a uniform thickness. Leveling the coating liquid 100 applied to the coating surface 210 uniformly with the blade 9 is the leveling step shown in FIG.

[0123] In this embodiment, the coating process of coating the coating liquid 100 onto the coating surface 210 includes the supplying process and the leveling process.

[0124] The blade 9 used in the leveling process has an elongated shape extending in the width direction of the conveyor belt 21. The blade 9 is fixed in a state in which it is suspended above the conveyor belt 21 by a support part (not shown).

[0125] The blade 9 is provided between the other end 822 of the liquid feed tube 82 and the printing unit 5, that is, downstream of the other end 822 of the liquid feed tube 82 (positive side in the y-axis direction).

[0126] The blade 9 is positioned such that its lower end, i.e., the end on the negative side in the z-axis direction, is spaced a predetermined distance G from the coating surface 210. This distance G is an important factor in determining the thickness of the coating liquid 100, i.e., the coating film 105, after the leveling process, and is particularly important in determining the film thickness of the resulting adhesive layer. The distance G is determined appropriately based on various conditions, such as the viscosity of the coating liquid 100, the supply amount, and the adhesive strength of the desired adhesive layer. When at least one, particularly two or three, of the viscosity, supply amount, and adhesive strength of the coating liquid 100 are within the preferred ranges described above, the distance G is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. This allows the coating film 105 to be formed with a more uniform thickness during the leveling process.

[0127] It is preferable that such distance G is equal along the longitudinal direction of the blade 9, that is, along the x-axis direction, thereby making it possible to make the film thickness of the coating film 105 uniform in the x-axis direction.

[0128] In this way, the blade 9 extends in the width direction of the conveyor belt 21, and is spaced a predetermined distance G from the conveyor belt 21 when leveling the coating liquid 100. This allows the coating liquid 100 to be more uniformly leveled across the entire width of the conveyor belt 21 during the leveling process. In addition, because the blade 9 does not come into contact with the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21, damage to the conveyor belt 21 by the blade 9 can be prevented.

[0129] When leveling the coating liquid 100, the blade 9 may be in contact with the conveyor belt 21 all the time or at appropriate times.

[0130] The coating liquid 100 supplied on the coating surface 210 in the supply process is transported to the +y-axis direction by the movement of the conveyor belt 21, and is leveled as it passes through the gap between the coating surface 210 and the blade 9 by the distance G, making the thickness uniform.

[0131] The blade 9 only needs to be installed above the conveyor belt 21 when the smoothing process is being performed, and may be configured to be removable from the conveyor device 2 when the smoothing process is not being performed.

[0132] The length of the blade 9 in the width direction (x-axis direction) of the transport belt 21 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50 cm or more and 300 cm or less, and more preferably 100 cm or more and 200 cm or less. This allows the length of the blade 9 in the width direction of the transport belt 21 to be equal to or longer than the width of the transport belt 21, regardless of the model of the textile printing apparatus 1 or the size of the transport belt 21. Therefore, the blade 9 can cover the entire area or effective region of the transport belt 21 in the width direction and level the coating liquid 100.

[0133] The blade 9 smoothes the coating liquid 100 while driving the conveyor belt 21 to run, and the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 when smoothing the coating liquid 100 is substantially the same as the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 during printing. This makes it easy to control the running speed of the conveyor belt 21.

[0134] Here, "substantially the same" is a concept that includes not only cases where there is no difference between the two traveling speeds, but also cases where there is a slight difference between the two traveling speeds, for example, when the average speed difference is within ±5%.

[0135] In the present invention, the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 during printing may be different from the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 during leveling of the coating liquid 100. In other words, the running speed of the conveyor belt 21 may be appropriately changed between when forming the coating film 105 and when printing.

[0136] As shown in FIG. 1, the adhesive drying section 10 is a section where the drying step shown in FIG.

[0137] The adhesive drying unit 10 has a coil 11, which is a heat source (heater). The coil 11 is made of, for example, nichrome wire, and is a heating element that generates heat when power is supplied. The heat generated by the coil 11 can adequately dry the coating film 105 of the coating liquid 100 that has been applied to the coating surface 210 and leveled by the blade 9.

[0138] The position of the adhesive drying unit 10 is not limited to the illustrated configuration, and the configuration of the adhesive drying unit 10 is not limited to the illustrated configuration either.

[0139] In addition, in the present embodiment, the coating liquid 100 is applied once to the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21, but this is not limiting, and the coating may be performed twice or three times. That is, after the supplying step, the leveling step, and the drying step of the coating liquid 100 are performed, these steps may be repeated multiple times.

[0140] The application step may be performed by using another device or by an operator applying the coating liquid 100 using an applicator or the like. In this case, examples of the applicator include a brush and an application roller.

[0141] The coating step includes a leveling step in which the coating liquid 100 is discharged from a nozzle and supplied to the coating surface 210, and the supplied coating liquid 100 is leveled using a blade 9. This allows the coating liquid 100 to be stably supplied to the coating surface 210. Furthermore, the supply of the coating liquid 100 to the coating surface 210 and the leveling of the coating liquid 100 can be carried out continuously.

[0142] In this embodiment, the smoothing step is performed using the blade 9, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the smoothing step may be performed by an operator using a tool such as a squeegee. Also, the smoothing step itself may be omitted.

[0143] The adhesive layer forming method includes a drying step in which the coating film 105 of the coating liquid 100 that has been leveled in the leveling step is heated and dried. This allows the coating film 105 to dry quickly and uniformly, and a homogeneous and excellent adhesive layer with no unevenness in adhesion can be formed on the coating surface 210 of the conveyor belt 21.

[0144] In this embodiment, the adhesive drying unit 10 that performs the drying step can forcibly or quickly dry the coating film 105, but is not limited to this, and the adhesive drying unit 10 may be one that dries at room temperature, or natural drying without applying airflow, etc. Furthermore, the conveying device 2 and the printing device 1 may not have the adhesive drying unit 10.

[0145] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these.

[0146] For example, the conveyor belt and the printing device of the present invention are not limited to the configurations shown in the drawings, and each part of the conveyor belt and the printing device can be replaced with any structure that can perform the same function. Also, any structure may be added. [Example]

[0147] Next, specific examples of the present invention will be described. [3] Synthesis of (meth)acrylic resin

[0148] (Synthesis Example 1) 23 g of ion-exchanged water was added to a reactor equipped with a stirrer, reflux condenser, thermometer, nitrogen inlet tube, and dropping funnel, and the temperature was raised to 82°C. Subsequently, 100 g of monomer components (4.0 parts by mass of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 15.0 parts by mass of methyl methacrylate, 1.0 part by mass of acrylic acid, 35.0 parts by mass of butyl methacrylate, and 45.0 parts by mass of butyl acrylate) were weighed out to have the composition ratio shown in Figure 4. 24.5 g of ion-exchanged water and 2.5 g of Eleminol CLS-20 (a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate ester ammonium, an anionic surfactant, manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.) were added and mixed with stirring. 50 g of a 2% by mass aqueous solution of ammonium persulfate (a polymerization initiator) was added to the homogenized solution at 82°C over 1.5 hours. After adding all the ingredients listed above, the mixture was kept warm for 1 hour and then cooled. Ion-exchanged water was added, and aqueous ammonia was added as a pH adjuster. Thereafter, the mixture was filtered through a 150-mesh nylon filter to remove coarse particles, thereby obtaining an emulsion in which a (meth)acrylic resin having the composition shown in FIG. 4 was dispersed in water.

[0149] (Synthesis Examples 2 to 18) An emulsion in which a (meth)acrylic resin was dispersed in water was synthesized in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, except that the types and amounts of raw material monomers used were changed as shown in FIGS.

[0150] The types and amounts of raw material monomers used in each synthesis example are summarized in Figures 4 and 5. In Figures 4 and 5, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate is represented as "2EHA," lauryl methacrylate as "nLMA," methyl methacrylate as "MMA," cyclohexyl acrylate as "CHA," cyclohexyl methacrylate as "CHMA," ethyl methacrylate as "EMA," acrylic acid as "AA," methacrylic acid as "MAA," butyl methacrylate as "BMA," isoamyl acrylate as "IAA," butyl acrylate as "BA," styrene as "ST," glass transition temperature as "Tg," the mass ratio of the first monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin as X1 [mass%], the mass ratio of the second monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin as X2 [mass%], and the mass ratio of the third monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin as X3 [mass%].

[0151] [4] Preparation of aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing Example 1 Using the (meth)acrylic resin emulsion synthesized in Synthesis Example 1, 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one as a preservative, and glycerol monolaurate as a preservative, an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing having the composition shown in FIG. 6 was obtained.

[0152] (Examples 2 to 18, Comparative Example 1) Aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the types of (meth)acrylic resins, preservatives, surfactants, and contents of each component were changed to those shown in Figs. 6 and 7 .

[0153] The compositions of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing of the above-mentioned Examples and Comparative Examples are shown in Figures 6 and 7. In Figures 6 and 7, 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one is represented as "BIT," methylisothiazolinone as "MIT," and glycerol monolaurate as "GML."

[0154] [5] Formation of adhesive layer A textile printing apparatus as shown in Figure 1 was prepared, and in an environment of 23°C, an aqueous adhesive composition for textile printing was discharged from a coating liquid supply unit onto a conveying belt, which was an endless belt with a urethane surface, and the composition was leveled with a blade and applied to a thickness of 0.2 mm. The composition was then dried under conditions of 50% humidity, 23°C, and 12 hours to form an adhesive layer.

[0155] [6] Evaluation [6-1] Evaluation of aqueous adhesive compositions for textile printing The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing according to the above-mentioned Examples and Comparative Examples were evaluated as follows.

[0156] [6-1-1] Storage stability The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing was placed in a sample container, which was then sealed and allowed to stand in a thermostatic chamber at 60°C for 4 weeks. The state of the sample was then visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0157] A: No formation of aggregates is observed. B: A small amount of agglomerates was observed, but they could be dispersed uniformly by shaking. C: Aggregated sediment is formed, making it difficult to achieve uniform dispersion even with shaking. D: Solidification or discoloration occurs in all or part of the aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing.

[0158] [6-1-2] Preservative property 1 g of each of the aqueous pressure sensitive adhesive compositions for textile printing of the above Examples and Comparative Examples was taken and cultured on an agar medium at 30° C. for 4 weeks, and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0159] A: There are less than 10 bacteria and mold. B: There are 11 to 100 bacteria and mold. C: The number of bacteria and mold is between 101 and 1000. D: There are more than 1001 bacteria and mold.

[0160] [6-2] Evaluation of adhesive layer The adhesive layers according to the examples and comparative examples were evaluated as follows.

[0161] [6-2-1] Fabric adhesion properties In the textile printing apparatus shown in Figure 1, a long roll of fabric was unwound from the unwinding device, tension was applied to the unwound fabric by a tensioner, and the fabric was conveyed while being pressed against the adhesive layer of a conveyor belt. The fabrics used were a see-through British organza fabric, which is difficult to stick to and weak to pulling, and a 100% cotton fabric, which is prone to sticking. Evaluation was then conducted according to the following criteria.

[0162] A: Both organza and cotton fabrics can be transported. B: Cotton fabric can be transported, but organza fabric cannot. C: Neither cotton nor organza fabrics can be conveyed.

[0163] [6-2-2] Fabric peelability A fabric was placed on the adhesive layer of a conveyor belt, and a pressure of 10 kPa was applied for 1 second to adhere the fabric to the conveyor belt via the adhesive layer. The fabrics used were a see-through British organza fabric, which is difficult to stick to and weak to pulling, and a 100% cotton fabric, which is easy to stick to. The fabric was then pulled up in the normal direction (90°) to the adhesive layer at a speed of 4 m / min (low speed) and 8 m / min (high speed), and peeled from the adhesive layer. Evaluation was performed according to the following criteria.

[0164] A: Both organza and cotton fabrics can be peeled off at high speed without adhesive adhesion. B: At least one of the organza fabric and the cotton fabric cannot be peeled off at high speed without adhesion of adhesive, but both the organza fabric and the cotton fabric can be peeled off at low speed without adhesion of adhesive. C: When peeled off at a low speed, the adhesive adheres to the fabric or the fabric is irreversibly stretched.

[0165] [6-2-3] Mechanical strength The adhesive layer provided on the conveyor belt was washed with a water brush using a digital textile printing machine (Seiko Epson Corporation, ML-8000). The state of the adhesive layer when the fabric was conveyed for 10,000 m was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0166] A: No scratches or peeling are observed. B: Slight scratches are observed. C: Significant unevenness or film peeling is observed.

[0167] [6-2-4]Water resistance After a textile printing apparatus equipped with a conveyor belt provided with an adhesive layer, as shown in Figure 1, was operated continuously for 8 hours, the state of the adhesive layer was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria. The greater the degree of whitening, the lower the adhesive strength and the poorer the water resistance.

[0168] A: No whitening occurs and it is transparent. B: Slight whitening has occurred. C: Significant bleaching.

[0169] These results are summarized in FIG. As is clear from Fig. 8, excellent results were obtained in each of the examples, whereas satisfactory results were not obtained in the comparative examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0170] 1...textile printing device, 2...conveyor device, 3...feeding device, 4...winding device, 5...printing unit, 6...ink drying unit, 8...coating liquid supply unit, 9...blade, 10...adhesive drying unit, 11...coil, 15...control unit, 21...conveyor belt, 22...drive roller, 23...driven roller, 24...tensioner, 25...tensioner, 31...feed roller, 32...tensioner, 41...winding roller, 42...tensioner, 43...tensioner, 44...tensioner, 51...inkjet head, 52...carriage unit, 61...chamber, 62...coil, 81...storage unit, 82...liquid supply pipe, 83...liquid supply pump, 100...coating liquid, 105...coating film, 210...coated surface, 811...discharge port, 821...one end, 822...other end, G...distance, W...fabric

Claims

1. An aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing, comprising water, a (meth)acrylic resin, and a preservative.

2. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1, wherein the (meth)acrylic resin has a glass transition temperature of −40° C. or higher and −10° C. or lower.

3. the (meth)acrylic resin contains, as a constituent monomer, a first monomer which, when made into a homopolymer, has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. or lower; The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1 , wherein a proportion of the first monomer in all monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic resin is 2.0% by mass or more and 15.0% by mass or less.

4. the (meth)acrylic resin contains, as a constituent monomer, a second monomer having a glass transition temperature of 40°C or higher when made into a homopolymer, The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1, wherein a proportion of the second monomer in all monomers constituting the (meth)acrylic resin is 5.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less.

5. the (meth)acrylic resin contains, as constituent monomers, a first monomer having a glass transition temperature of −60° C. or lower when made into a homopolymer, and a second monomer having a glass transition temperature of 40° C. or higher when made into a homopolymer; The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the second monomer in the (meth)acrylic resin is greater than a mass ratio of the first monomer.

6. 6. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 5, wherein the (meth)acrylic resin contains, as a constituent monomer, a third monomer having a glass transition temperature of more than −60° C. and less than 40° C. when formed into a homopolymer, in addition to the first monomer and the second monomer.

7. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 4 , wherein the second monomer comprises a monomer having an acidic functional group.

8. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the preservative is 0.001% by mass or more and 0.10% by mass or less.

9. The aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for textile printing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the preservative is an organic preservative.

10. A conveyor belt for conveying a fabric to be printed by textile printing, The conveyor belt has an adhesive layer formed on the surface that comes into contact with the fabric, the adhesive layer being made of a material containing a (meth)acrylic resin and an antiseptic.

11. The conveyor belt according to claim 10; an inkjet head having nozzles that eject ink onto the fabric being transported by the transport belt.

Images