Laminate, printed sheet, and article

Abstract

To realize a novel decoration as decoration on the outline of a display object in a laminate for expressing a display object such as a character. [Solution] The laminate (10) comprises a main ink layer (12) laminated on the ink support surface (11a) to form a display object (20), a first contour ink layer (13) laminated on the ink support surface (11a) and extending linearly along the contour (20c) of the display object (20), a second contour ink layer (14) laminated on the ink support surface (11a) to cover the first contour ink layer (13) and extending linearly along the contour (20c) of the display object (20) with a line width thicker than that of the first contour ink layer (13), and a light-reflecting layer (15) covering the back sides of the first contour ink layer (13) and the second contour ink layer (14), and when viewed in cross section, an interface (18) is formed on both side surfaces (13s) of the first contour ink layer (13) with the second contour ink layer (14) covering both side surfaces (13s), and the interface surfaces (18) of both side surfaces (13s) are visible from the front side of the laminate (10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a laminate or the like for displaying characters or other indicia. [Background technology]

[0002] Printed sheets and the like have been known as laminates for expressing display objects such as letters, numbers, symbols, figures, patterns, or figurative pictures. Patent Document 1 describes a printed sheet in which the outline of a display object is decorated.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a printed sheet with a three-dimensional effect. This printed sheet includes a transparent substrate layer, a base ink layer partially printed on the transparent substrate layer to form a design area, a transparent or semi-transparent first outline ink layer printed along the outline of the design area, a transparent or semi-transparent second outline ink layer printed a predetermined distance from the outline of the design area and having an area overlapping with the first outline ink layer, and a reflective layer printed on the transparent substrate layer to cover the design area and the first and second outline ink layers. With this printed sheet, the overlapping area between the first and second outline ink layers can give the design area a three-dimensional effect and a sense of edge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-6372 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional laminates, the first outline ink layer and the second outline ink layer overlapping the first outline ink layer act like lenses, imparting a three-dimensional effect to the outlines of characters and other displayed objects. Furthermore, an interface between the first outline ink layer and the second outline ink layer covering that side is formed on one side of the first outline ink layer. The inventor of the present application noticed that, in the first and second outline ink layers that act like lenses, the interface between the first outline ink layer and the second outline ink layer on the side of the first outline ink layer imparts a certain decorative effect to the outlines of displayed objects when viewed in the thickness direction (stacking direction) of the laminate. The inventor then considered that a different outline decoration from conventional methods could be achieved by changing the way the interface is formed.

[0006] The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to realize a new decoration for the outline of a display object such as a letter in a laminated body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention is a laminate for expressing a display object visible from the front side on an ink support surface, comprising: a main ink layer laminated on the ink support surface to form the display object; a first contour ink layer made of transparent or translucent ink, laminated on the ink support surface, and extending linearly along the outline of the display object; a second contour ink layer made of transparent or translucent ink, laminated on the ink support surface so as to cover the first contour ink layer, and extending linearly along the outline of the display object with a line width thicker than that of the first contour ink layer; and a light-reflecting layer covering the first contour ink layer and the back side of the second contour ink layer, wherein, in a cross-sectional view, boundary surfaces are formed on both side surfaces of the first contour ink layer with the second contour ink layer covering both side surfaces, and the boundary surfaces on both sides are visible from the front side.

[0008] The second invention is the same as the first invention, in which the main ink layer is a base ink layer that forms a display object on the ink support surface using white-out areas, and the first contour ink layer and the second contour ink layer are arranged adjacent to the base ink layer in the white-out areas.

[0009] In the third invention, in the second invention, the second contour ink layer is laminated on the ink bearing surface so as to cover the base ink layer as well as the first contour ink layer.

[0010] The fourth invention is the third invention, in which the center of the width direction of the second contour ink layer is located closer to the base ink layer than the center of the width direction of the first contour ink layer in a cross-sectional view.

[0011] In the fifth invention, in the first invention, the main ink layer is a light-reflecting layer, and the light-reflecting layer forms a display by a blank area on the ink-bearing surface.

[0012] The sixth invention is the fifth invention in which a decorative ink layer having a lower brightness than the light-reflecting layer is laminated to cover the white areas.

[0013] The seventh invention is a printing sheet comprising the laminate of any one of the first to sixth inventions and a substrate layer one side of which constitutes an ink-bearing surface.

[0014] The eighth invention is an article having a laminate of any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the surface of the article constitutes an ink-bearing surface, a light-reflecting layer is laminated on the surface of the article, and a first contour ink layer and a second contour ink layer are laminated on the light-reflecting layer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] In this device, an indicia visible from the front side is formed on an ink-bearing surface. A first contour ink layer extending linearly along the contour of the indicia is coated on the ink-bearing surface with a second contour ink layer extending linearly with a line width wider than that of the first contour ink layer. The first and second contour ink layers are further coated from the back side with a reflective layer. This allows the first and second contour ink layers to act like lenses on the contour of the indicia, giving the contour of the indicia a three-dimensional appearance.

[0016] Furthermore, in this invention, a boundary surface (hereinafter referred to as the "boundary surface on both sides") between the first outline ink layer and the second outline ink layer covering both sides is formed on both sides in a cross-sectional view, and the boundary surface on both sides is visible from the front side. Therefore, while a boundary surface that imparts a decorative effect to the outline of an object was formed on only one side of the first outline ink layer in the conventional case, in this invention, a boundary surface that imparts a decorative effect to the outline of an object is formed on both sides of the first outline ink layer, resulting in a novel decoration that is different from the conventional case. According to this invention, a novel decoration can be realized as a decoration for the outline of an object in a laminate for expressing an object such as text. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a printing sheet according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion where a display object crosses the print sheet according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion where an indicia crosses a printed sheet according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a crossing point of an indicia on a print sheet according to a second modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of a crossing point of an indicia on a print sheet according to a third modified example of the embodiment, and FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the surface of an article onto which a transfer target portion of the print sheet is transferred. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a crossing point of an indicia on a print sheet according to a fourth modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a surface of an article according to a fifth modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a surface of an article according to a sixth modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a surface of an article according to a seventh modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment is a printed sheet 10 on which an indicia 20, such as letters, numbers, symbols, figures, patterns, or figurative pictures, is printed. The printed sheet 10 is an example of a laminate according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the indicia 20 is formed by a base ink layer (main ink layer) 12 printed on a substrate layer 11 (see FIG. 2). The indicia 20 is composed of a blank area 20r where the base ink layer 12 is not applied. The blank area 20r can also be referred to as a design area where a design is applied to the printed sheet 10. The printed sheet 10 is decorated with a first outline ink layer 13 and a second outline ink layer 14 to beautifully highlight the outline 20c of the indicia 20, which is provided with a light-reflecting layer 15. The printed sheet 10 will be described in detail below. In this embodiment, the substrate layer 11 side of the printed sheet 10 is the "front side," and the opposite side is the "back side."

[0020] [About the structure of the printing sheet] 2, the printed sheet 10 comprises a substrate layer 11 having one surface constituting an ink-bearing surface 11a, a base ink layer 12 forming an indicia 20 visible from the front side of the printed sheet 10, a first contour ink layer 13 laminated in a blank region 20r on the base ink layer 12 side of the substrate layer 11, a second contour ink layer 14 laminated on the base ink layer 12 side of the substrate layer 11 so as to cover the first contour ink layer 13, and a light-reflecting layer 15 laminated on the base ink layer 12 side of the substrate layer 11 so as to cover at least the blank region 20r and the back sides of the first contour ink layer 13 and second contour ink layer 14. Note that FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printed sheet 10 at a location (the location of the AA section line in FIG. 1) that crosses the indicia 20 (blank region 20r).

[0021] The substrate layer 11 is a transparent plate material (for example, a transparent film). A transparent material may be used for the substrate layer 11, or a translucent material that is colored to such an extent that light transmittance is not impaired may be used. In this embodiment, the substrate layer 11 is a flat plate material, but it may also be a curved plate material. In addition, in this embodiment, the printed sheet 10 has one substrate layer 11, but multiple substrate layers 11 may be provided.

[0022] The material of the base layer 11 can be, for example, a synthetic resin such as polyethylene, polyester, polycarbonate, or polyacrylic ester. The base layer 11 can also be made of other materials such as a glass plate.

[0023] The base ink layer 12 is printed on the base material layer 11 using ink that allows the display object 20 to be visually recognized on the base material layer 11 (ink that differs in color, transparency, or texture from the base material layer 11). In this embodiment, the base ink layer 12 is laminated directly on the back surface (ink-bearing surface 11a) of the base material layer 11. The base ink layer 12 is printed solid so that the shape of the display object 20 is outlined in white. The boundary between the outlined area 20r and the base ink layer 12 forms the outline 20c of the display object 20. In this specification, in a cross-sectional view of the printed sheet 10, the side of the base ink layer 12 is referred to as the "outside" and the side of the outlined area 20r is referred to as the "inside" based on the outline 20c of the display object 20.

[0024] The thickness of the base ink layer 12 can be designed to be, for example, 3 μm or more, but is not limited to this numerical range. The base ink layer 12 may be thickened by printing twice or the like.

[0025] The ink for the base ink layer 12 can be made of ordinary ink materials such as opaque ink (such as colored ink) with light-blocking properties or transparent colored ink with light-transmitting properties, or transparent ink with adjusted transparency can also be used. When transparent ink is used for the ink for the base ink layer 12, the texture of the periphery of the display object 20 can be adjusted by providing fine irregularities on the front surface of the base ink layer 12. Note that the display object 20 may be formed using a light-reflecting layer 15 instead of the base ink layer 12. This will be described later as a modified example.

[0026] The first contour ink layer 13 is printed in the blank area 20r on the back side of the base layer 11 using a transparent or translucent ink. In a plan view, the first contour ink layer 13 extends linearly along the contour 20c of the display object 20 so as to be close to the base ink layer 12 with a gap G therebetween. Both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 form slopes that widen as they approach the base layer 11. Note that in this embodiment, the first contour ink layer 13 has a gap G between it and the base ink layer 12 along the entire length of the contour 20c of the display object 20. However, the first contour ink layer 13 does not necessarily have to have a gap G between it and the base ink layer 12 along the entire length of the contour 20c of the display object 20, and may have a portion in contact with the base ink layer 12. This contact portion may be provided by intentional design, or may occur due to poor printing accuracy.

[0027] When the print sheet 10 is viewed in the thickness direction, the first contour ink layer 13 is adjacent to the base ink layer 12. The distance d (the distance on the ink bearing surface 11a) between the first contour ink layer 13 and the base ink layer 12 is adjusted depending on the size of the display object (such as characters). The width of the first contour ink layer 13 is also adjusted depending on the size of the display object 20 or the thickness of the line used to draw the display object 20. In this embodiment, the thickness of the first contour ink layer 13 is greater than the thickness of the base ink layer 12, but it may be equal to or less than the thickness of the base ink layer 12.

[0028] The second contour ink layer 14 is printed using a transparent or semi-transparent ink so as to straddle the base ink layer 12 and the white area 20r on the back side of the substrate layer 11. In a plan view, the second contour ink layer 14 extends linearly along the contour 20c of the display object 20 with a line width thicker than that of the first contour ink layer 13.

[0029] In a cross-sectional view, the second contour ink layer 14 covers the ends of the base ink layer 12 and also covers the first contour ink layer 13 over the entire width of the first contour ink layer 13. The second contour ink layer 14 fills the gap G and contacts the base layer 11 at the gap G, and also contacts the base layer 11 inside the first contour ink layer 13. Both side surfaces of the second contour ink layer 14 form slopes that widen as they approach the base layer 11. The width of the second contour ink layer 14 is greater than the width of the first contour ink layer 13.

[0030] The second contour ink layer 14 is in contact with both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13. In a cross-sectional view, an interface 18 is formed on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer with the second contour ink layer 14 that covers both side surfaces 13s. The interface 18 extends obliquely like a fault.

[0031] The inks for the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 can be transparent inks, semi-transparent inks with reduced transparency to the extent that the functionality of the contour ink layer is not impaired, or lightly colored transparent inks. The inks for the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 can also be transparent medium inks containing a colorless and transparent medium material, or matte inks containing a matte medium such as silica. The viscosity of medium inks can be adjusted by changing the amount of medium, making them suitable for forming narrow ink layers. The first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 can use the same ink or different inks.

[0032] The light-reflective layer 15 is printed on the back side of the base layer 11 using a light-reflective ink such as a glossy ink, a reflective ink, or a half-mirror ink, so as to cover the blank area 20r, the first outline ink layer 13, and the second outline ink layer 14. The light-reflective layer 15 also covers the inner portion of the base ink layer 12. The light-reflective ink may be, for example, a metallic particle ink or a pearlescent ink. In this embodiment, the light-reflective layer 15 is laminated so as to cover the blank area 20r and a portion slightly outside of it. However, the light-reflective layer 15 may also be laminated on the entire back side of the base layer 11. The light-reflective layer 15 may be made of ink with light-blocking properties, for example. The light-reflective layer 15 reflects light that has passed through the blank area 20r, the first outline ink layer 13, or the second outline ink layer 14 from the front side and returns it to the front side, thereby imparting decorative effects such as a three-dimensional effect, an edge effect, and a glossy appearance to the displayed object 20.

[0033] In this embodiment, the light reflecting layer 15 is formed to a generally uniform thickness in a cross-sectional view, and the back surface of the printed sheet 10 has irregularities, but the light reflecting layer 15 may be formed so that the back surface of the printed sheet 10 is a flat surface. The printed sheet 10 may also have a protective layer that covers the back surface of the light reflecting layer 15. The light reflecting layer 15 may also be formed without using ink, using plating, metal foil (such as hot stamping foil), or a vapor deposition film (such as a vapor deposition film).

[0034] [About the manufacturing method of printing sheets] A typical printing technique such as screen printing can be used to manufacture the print sheet 10. For example, silk screen printing can be used. The print sheet 10 can be manufactured in the following order of printing: base ink layer 12, first contour ink layer 13, second contour ink layer 14, and light-reflecting layer 15.

[0035] [Uses, effects, etc. of the embodiment] The printed sheet 10 according to this embodiment can be used to provide letters, numbers, symbols, figures, patterns, or figurative pictures as indicia 20 that can be viewed from the front side. For example, the printed sheet 10 can be used for printing plates or nameplates attached to the outer surfaces of devices such as electrical appliances or to the outer surfaces of appliances. In this embodiment, the light-reflecting layer 15 has a higher brightness than the base ink layer 12, and the indicia 20 appears to be raised in three dimensions.

[0036] In this embodiment, boundary surfaces 18 are formed on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 in a cross-sectional view with the second contour ink layer 14 covering both side surfaces 13s. Here, the first contour ink layer 13 extends linearly with a gap G between it and the base ink layer 12. Therefore, the boundary surfaces 18 on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 are not obscured by the base ink layer 12 and are visible from the front side of the printed sheet 10. Therefore, while a boundary surface imparting a decorative effect to the outline of an object was formed only on one side surface of the first contour ink layer in a conventional method, in this embodiment, boundary surfaces 18 imparting a decorative effect to the outline 20c of an object 20 are formed on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13, resulting in a novel decoration different from conventional decorations. According to this embodiment, a novel decoration can be realized by decorating the outline 20c of an object 20 on a printed sheet 10 on which an object 20, such as text, is printed.

[0037] In this embodiment, the second contour ink layer 14 covers the base ink layer 12 as well as the first contour ink layer 13, so that no decorative layer other than the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 exists near the contour 20c of the displayed object 20. Therefore, the decorative effect of the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 can be effectively imparted to the contour 20c.

[0038] In this embodiment, in a cross-sectional view, the center of the width of the second contour ink layer 14 is located closer to the base ink layer 12 (outside) than the center of the width of the first contour ink layer 13. This prevents excessive decoration in the blank area 20r, while ensuring a width that overlaps with the base ink layer 12 even when printing accuracy is low.

[0039] <First Modification of the Embodiment> In this modified example, the printed sheet 50 has a front side opposite the substrate layer 11. The display object 20 is visible from the front side. As shown in FIG. 3, a light-reflecting layer 35 is provided on the back side of the base ink layer 12. The light-reflecting layer 35 can be formed by printing or the like using the same material as the light-reflecting layer 15 of the embodiment. Alternatively, a mirror-surface substrate 35, 11 with a mirror surface on one side may be used without providing the light-reflecting layer 35 by printing. For example, a substrate with a vapor-deposited film 35 laminated on one side can be used as the mirror-surface substrate. The base ink layer 12, the first contour ink layer 13, and the second contour ink layer 14 are printed on the front side of the light-reflecting layer 35. The light-reflecting layer 35 covers the white area 20r, the base ink layer 12, the first contour ink layer 13, and the second contour ink layer 14 from the back side.

[0040] The print sheet 50 also has a transparent ink layer (e.g., a protective layer) 19 covering the front side. The configuration other than the arrangement of the light-reflecting layer 35 and the transparent ink layer 19 is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the same components as in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals. Note that the transparent ink layer 19 may be omitted. Also, the base layer 11 does not have to be transparent. Also, an adhesive layer made of a pressure-sensitive adhesive or adhesive may be provided on the back side of the base layer 11.

[0041] When the printed sheet 50 according to this modification is viewed from the front side, the display object 20 appears to be raised three-dimensionally. As in the embodiment, the boundary surfaces 18 on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 impart a decorative effect to the contour 20c of the display object 20.

[0042] <Second Modification of the Embodiment> In this modified example, as shown in FIG. 4, the print sheet 51 has an adhesive layer 31 laminated on the back side of the light-reflecting layer 15. The adhesive layer 31 is made of an adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The back side of the adhesive layer 31 is covered with a sheet 32 (such as release paper) that has releasability. The configuration other than the adhesive layer 31 and the sheet 32 is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 4, the same components as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0043] The printed sheet 51 according to this modification can be attached to any article by peeling off the sheet 32 and using the adhesive layer 31. The printed sheet 51 can be used as a seal or sticker.

[0044] <Third Modification of the Embodiment> In this modification, the print sheet 52 is configured as a transfer sheet. As shown in Fig. 5(a), the print sheet 52 has an adhesive layer 31 laminated on the back side of the base ink layer 12 and the light reflecting layer 15. The adhesive layer 31 is configured of an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive, similar to the second modification.

[0045] The substrate layer 36 includes a first substrate layer 41 and a second substrate layer 42 that has releasability so that the first substrate layer 41 can be peeled off. The first substrate layer 41 can be the same as the substrate layer 11 of the embodiment, or it can be made of paper such as glassine paper, or a synthetic resin film such as OPP film or polyester film. The second substrate layer 42 can be made of vegetable wax such as carnauba wax, or a synthetic resin wax such as paraffin wax. The back surface of the second substrate layer 42 forms the ink support surface 36a. The configuration other than the adhesive layer 31 and the substrate layer 36 is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 5(a), the same components as those of the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0046] The printed sheet 52 according to this modification can transfer the display object 20 on the printed sheet 52 to an article 40 such as the fabric of clothing, the outer surface of daily necessities, or the exterior of a device or appliance, using a method such as thermal transfer. In the case of thermal transfer, the printed sheet 52 is attached to the article 40 with the adhesive layer 31, and then the first base layer 41 is peeled off by applying heat and pressure. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the transfer target portion 25 of the printed sheet 52 other than the first base layer 41 is transferred to the article 40. The display object 20 is visible from the front side of the article 40.

[0047] In the article, the surface of the article 40 constitutes the ink-bearing surface 40a. The light-reflecting layer 15 is laminated on the surface of the article 40 via the adhesive layer 31, and the inner portion of the base ink layer 12, the first contour ink layer 13, and the second contour ink layer 14 are laminated on the light-reflecting layer 15.

[0048] <Fourth Modification of the Embodiment> In this modification, the print sheet 53 is configured as a water transfer sheet. As shown in Fig. 6, the print sheet 52 has an adhesive layer 31 laminated on the back side of the light reflecting layer 15, as in the third modification. The back side of the adhesive layer 31 is covered with a releasable sheet 32 (such as release paper).

[0049] The adhesive layer 31 is a water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that becomes adhesive when immersed in water. The printing sheet 53 according to this modification can be used to attach the transfer target portion 25, including the display object 20, to a molded product such as a resin product by water transfer. The sheet 32 is peeled off during water transfer. A flexible film is used for the base layer 11.

[0050] <Fifth Modification of the Embodiment> This modified example is an article 40 having a laminate 54 on which an indicia 20 is formed. The indicia 20 is added to the article 40 by printing, not by transfer. The configuration is the same as that of the first modified example shown in FIG. 3, except that a light-reflecting layer 35 is laminated on the article 40. In FIG. 7, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components as those in the embodiment or the first modified example.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, the article 40 comprises a light-reflecting layer 35 laminated on the surface (ink-bearing surface 40a) of the article 40, a base ink layer (main ink layer) 12 laminated on the light-reflecting layer 35 and forming an indicia 20 visible in the lamination direction, a first contour ink layer 13 made of transparent or translucent ink and laminated on the base ink layer 12 side of the light-reflecting layer 35, extending linearly along the contour 20c of the indicia 20 with a gap G from the base ink layer 12, and a second contour ink layer 14 made of transparent or translucent ink and laminated on the base ink layer 12 side of the light-reflecting layer 35 so as to cover the first contour ink layer 13, extending linearly with a line width thicker than that of the first contour ink layer 13 along the contour 20c of the indicia 20, and an interface 18 is formed on both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 covering both side surfaces 13s. The boundary surface 18 between both side surfaces 13s is visible from the front side of the laminate.

[0052] <Sixth Modification of the Embodiment> 8, this modified example is a printed sheet 55 in which a light-reflecting layer 15 is provided in place of the base ink layer 12 in the above-described embodiment. The light-reflecting layer 15 is the main ink layer that forms the display object 20.

[0053] In this modified example, the light-reflecting layer 15 is formed after the first contour ink layer 13 and the second contour ink layer 14 are formed. When the light-reflecting layer 15 is formed by printing, the light-reflecting layer 15 covers the contour ink layers 13 and 14 and is solid-printed so that the shape of the display object 20 is outlined. The area between the outer edges of the left and right second contour ink layers 14 is visually recognized as the display object 20. The position of the outer edge of the second contour ink layer 14 becomes the outline 20c of the display object 20. After the light-reflecting layer 15 is formed, a decorative ink layer 16 with lower brightness than the light-reflecting layer 15 is formed to cover the outlined area 20r. In this modified example, the decorative ink layer 16, which constitutes the color tone of the display object 20, is surrounded by the high-brightness light-reflecting layer 15, making the display object 20 appear recessed. The decorative ink layer 16 may be omitted. In this case, the display object 20 is visually recognized in the color tone of the base layer 11. Furthermore, the base layer 11 may be an article 40.

[0054] <Seventh Modification of the Embodiment> 9, this modified example is a printed sheet 56 in which the base ink layer 12 is omitted from the above-described embodiment. In this case, the light-reflecting layer 15 constitutes the main ink layer that forms the display object 20.

[0055] <Other embodiments> In the above-described embodiment, the method of forming the display object 20 involves solid printing so that the shape of the display object 20 is outlined in white, but after solid printing is performed on the substrate layer 11 with the ink of the base ink layer 12, the area corresponding to the display object 20 may be removed using a laser or the like.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, a decorative layer such as an ink layer or a pattern layer may be provided in the blank area 20r.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, UV curable ink may be used for the ink of the first contour ink layer 13. In this case, UV irradiation is performed immediately after printing to harden the first contour ink layer 13. The first contour ink layer 13 may also be formed using a molding die instead of printing. In this case, both side surfaces 13s of the first contour ink layer 13 may be made approximately perpendicular to the base layer 11.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, UV curable ink may be used for the ink of the second contour ink layer 14. In this case, UV irradiation is performed immediately after printing to harden the second contour ink layer 14. The second contour ink layer 14 may also be formed using a molding die instead of printing. In this case, both side surfaces of the second contour ink layer 14 may be made approximately perpendicular to the base layer 11. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] The present invention is applicable to laminates and the like for displaying characters and other indicia. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10 Printing Sheets 10 11 Base material layer 11a Ink bearing surface 12 Base ink layer (main ink layer) 13 First contour ink layer 13 14 Second contour ink layer 14 15 Light reflective layer 18 Boundary 20 Display items 20c Contour

Claims

1. A laminate having an indicia visible from the front side expressed on an ink-bearing surface, a primary ink layer formed on the ink bearing surface to form a display; a first contour ink layer made of transparent or translucent ink and laminated on the ink support surface, the first contour ink layer extending linearly along the contour of the display object; a second contour ink layer made of a transparent or semi-transparent ink, laminated on the ink bearing surface so as to cover the first contour ink layer, and extending linearly along the contour of the display object with a line width thicker than that of the first contour ink layer; a light-reflecting layer covering the backside of the first contour ink layer and the second contour ink layer; A laminate in which, when viewed in cross section, an interface is formed between the first contour ink layer and the second contour ink layer that covers both sides, and the interface between the two sides is visible from the front side of the laminate.

2. the main ink layer is a base ink layer that forms the display object by a white area on the ink bearing surface; The laminate of claim 1 , wherein the first contour ink layer is disposed adjacent to the base ink layer in the open area.

3. The laminate according to claim 2 , wherein the second contour ink layer is laminated on the ink-bearing surface so as to cover the base ink layer as well as the first contour ink layer.

4. The laminate according to claim 3 , wherein the center of the second contour ink layer in the width direction is located closer to the base ink layer than the center of the first contour ink layer in the width direction in a cross-sectional view.

5. the main ink layer is the light-reflecting layer, The laminate according to claim 1 , wherein the light-reflecting layer forms the indicia by blank areas on the ink-bearing surface.

6. The laminate according to claim 5 , further comprising a decorative ink layer having a lower brightness than the light-reflecting layer, the decorative ink layer being laminated so as to cover the white-out region.

7. A laminate according to any one of claims 1 to 6; a substrate layer, one surface of which constitutes the ink-bearing surface;

8. An article comprising the laminate of any one of claims 1 to 6, a surface of the article that constitutes the ink-bearing surface; The light-reflecting layer is laminated on the surface of the article, The article, wherein the first contour ink layer and the second contour ink layer are laminated to the light-reflecting layer.

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