Baren

Abstract

To provide a baren having a simple structure and capable of pressing as well as bamboo skin. [Solution] The device comprises a pressing section 2 made of a flat, plastic thin plate that presses paper 7 onto the printing block surface, an intermediate support section 3 arranged on the back side of the pressing section 2 and formed by repeating wavy recesses and protrusions on the thin plate, and a base section 4 arranged on the back side of the intermediate support section 3 that fixes the pressing section 2 and intermediate support section 3 together.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a baren used in making woodblock prints. [Background technology]

[0002] Woodblock printing is a printing technique in which pictures or letters are carved into a wooden board and then transferred to paper as a block. In this type of woodblock printing, a tool called a baren is used to transfer ink or other paint to the paper. To create a woodblock print, the rough sketch is first transferred onto a wooden board, and the unnecessary parts are carved out with a carving knife to create the block. Ink, paint, or other paint is applied to the carved block, and paper such as Japanese paper is placed on top of that. The baren applies pressure from above the paper, transferring the paint to the paper.

[0003] A typical baren used in this process is a palm-sized, disk-shaped tool made from bamboo bark (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The surface of the bamboo bark is uneven with stripes, providing just the right amount of friction, making it suitable for spreading the paint evenly between the plate and the paper.

[0004] Also, barens made from materials other than bamboo skin are known, as shown in Patent Document 2. The plastic baren in Patent Document 2 is configured by providing an adhesive body on the bottom of a main body with a handle, attaching a center plate to the adhesive body, and further attaching a brush part formed by an array of many hemispherical protrusions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-46392 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 02-126169 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the case of barens made from bamboo bark, the striped irregularities naturally form on the surface, which ensures uniformity when pressure is applied and the concentration and dispersion of stress are kept just right, resulting in high quality products.However, special processing and molding processes are required for barens, which makes manufacturing time-consuming and increases manufacturing costs.

[0007] Furthermore, as shown in Patent Document 2, it is possible to manufacture similar barrels using other materials, but this requires multiple steps, such as stacking multiple components in layers, which again results in high manufacturing costs.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a baren that has a simple structure and can be pressed with the same force as bamboo skin. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The baren of this invention is made of a flat, flexible thin plate and is equipped with a pressing section that presses the paper onto the printing block surface, an intermediate support section arranged on the back side of the pressing section and formed by repeating wavy recesses and protrusions on the thin plate, and a base section arranged on the back side of the intermediate support section and fixing the pressing section and intermediate support section together.

[0010] In this way, in the baren of the present invention, the intermediate support section is formed from a thin plate with repeated wavy bumps and depressions, and the pressing section, which is made of a plastic thin plate that presses the paper onto the printing block surface, deforms in accordance with the bumps and depressions of the intermediate support section, forming a wavy pattern in the pressing section that follows the intermediate support section.This makes it possible to ensure the same uniformity of pressing force as bamboo bark and to achieve a balanced concentration and distribution of stress. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a baren according to a first embodiment of the present invention when not in use. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the baren of the present invention after use. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a flat plate before being molded into a barrel according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the cross-sectional shape of a cardboard material. [Figure 5] 10A-10C show intermediate stages of bending of the handle region in the process of forming the baren. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 shows a stage in the process of forming the baren after bending of the handle region. [Figure 7] 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the engaging claws are engaged and the baren is molded in the process of molding the baren. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a plan view of a flat plate before being molded into a baren according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the completed plate body of FIG. 8 after molding. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] (First embodiment of the present invention) The baren according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the baren according to this embodiment when not in use, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the baren according to this embodiment after use. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the baren 1 includes a pressing unit 2 made of a planar, plastic, thin plate; an intermediate support unit 3 disposed on the back side (i.e., the side on which pressing force is applied) of the pressing unit 2 and formed by repeating wavy recesses and projections on the thin plate; and a base unit 4 disposed on the back side (i.e., the side on which pressing force is applied) of the intermediate support unit 3 and integrally fixing the pressing unit 2 and the intermediate support unit 3. The base unit 4 also includes a rear support member 41 disposed on the back side of the intermediate support unit 3, and a handle unit 42 that integrally fixes the rear support member 41, the pressing unit 2, and the intermediate support unit 3 and holds the entire baren 1.

[0013] The pressing unit 2 is a flat, thin plate that presses paper 7, via a layer of ink or paint 6, onto the woodblock surface 51, on which a design from the plate 5 has been carved in advance with a carving knife or other tool. This thin plate of the pressing unit 2 is plastic, and when the baren 1 is unused, it is flat as shown in Figure 1. However, as pressing force is applied with use, it deforms beyond its elastic limit and takes on a shape that corresponds to the wavy unevenness of the intermediate support unit 3, as shown in Figure 2. In other words, by applying a pressing force above a predetermined value even once, striped unevenness can easily be formed on the surface, like bamboo skin.

[0014] In addition, the pressing unit 2 may be textured at least on the surface that comes into contact with the paper 7 when pressing the paper 7. Alternatively, the pressing unit 2 itself may not be textured, and the outer surface of the pressing unit 2 (the surface that comes into contact with the paper 7) may be covered with a textured sheet (for example, a sheet of paper or plastic).

[0015] The intermediate support portion 3 is formed by repeating wavy projections and recesses on a thin plate. The projections and recesses may be smooth, sinusoidal, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or may be formed by repeating mountain and valley folds. The width and size of the projections and recesses may be regular or irregular, but the density of the projections and recesses (the number of projections and recesses within a predetermined range) must be greater than a predetermined value, preferably a density similar to that of bamboo skin. Furthermore, if the width and size of the projections and recesses are irregular, various levels of pressure will be applied between the plate 5 and the paper 7, making it easier to faithfully transfer any design created on the plate 5 to the paper 7.

[0016] In the base 4, a flat back support 41 contacts and is fixed to the apex of the convex portion on the back side of the intermediate support 3, thereby supporting the pressing unit 2 via the intermediate support 3. In addition, a handle 42 is fixed to the pressing unit 2, intermediate support 3, and back support 41 at the end (periphery) where they overlap, thereby holding the entire ballen 1. A handle 42a is formed on the top of this handle 42 so that the worker can easily grasp the ballen 1 when pressing. The worker places their fingers on the handle 42a and applies pressure with the entire palm of their hand to transfer the ink or paint of the paint layer 6 to the paper 7.

[0017] The base portion 4 does not necessarily have to have a configuration including the rear support body 41 and the handle portion 42, and may, for example, have a configuration including only the rear support body 41, with the rear support body 41, the intermediate support portion 3, and the pressing portion 2 being fixed and supported at their overlapping ends (peripheries), and only the handle 42a being separately attached to the rear support body 41.

[0018] As described above, the baren 1 of this embodiment comprises a pressing section 2 made of a flat, plastic thin plate that presses the paper 7 against the printing block surface 51; an intermediate support section 3 that is arranged behind the pressing section 2 and is formed by repeating wavy recesses and protrusions on the thin plate; and a base section 4 that is arranged behind the intermediate support section 3 and secures the pressing section 2 and intermediate support section 3 together. This allows the pressing section 2 to deform in accordance with the protrusions and recesses of the intermediate support section 3, forming a wavy pattern in the pressing section 2 that follows the intermediate support section 3, ensuring the uniformity of the pressing force similar to that of bamboo skin and achieving a balanced concentration and dispersion of stress.

[0019] Furthermore, if necessary, the base portion 4 is provided with a back support 41 consisting of a flat thin plate that comes into contact with and adheres to the apexes of the convex portions of the unevenness to provide support, and a handle portion 42 that adheres the back support 41, pressure portion 2 and intermediate support portion 3 as a single unit and holds the entire unit. As a result, the various components that make up the baren 1 are held together as a single unit, making it easier to apply an even pressure force to the entire unit by grasping the handle portion 42, and faithfully transferring the paint layer 6 from the plate 5 to the paper 7.

[0020] Furthermore, if necessary, the surface of the pressing section 2 that comes into contact with the paper 7 during pressing can be textured, allowing for fine pressure to be applied to the paper 7, improving the quality of the print.

[0021] (Second embodiment of the present invention) The baren 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 7. The baren 1 according to this embodiment is formed from a flat plate body 8 that integrates a pressing portion 2, an intermediate support portion 3, and a base portion 4, and is formed by bending the flat plate body 8 in an origami shape. Note that descriptions of this embodiment that overlap with those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a flat plate 8 before the ballen 1 is formed. This plate 8 is made of, for example, corrugated cardboard. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the cross-sectional shape of the corrugated cardboard. As shown in FIG. 4, corrugated cardboard generally has a structure in which a core 83 is disposed between two liners 81 and 82. The core 83 is formed with repeated corrugated recesses and projections. That is, the structure of the corrugated cardboard is such that the liner 82 corresponds to the pressing portion 2, the core 83 corresponds to the intermediate support portion 3, and the liner 81 corresponds to the rear support member 41, and is similar to the layered structure of the pressing portion 2, the intermediate support portion 3, and the rear support member 41 described in the first embodiment. Therefore, it is efficient to use corrugated cardboard for the plate 8 shown in FIG. 3.

[0023] The plate 8 shown in FIG. 3 includes a main body region 84, which is made of a cardboard material and has a laminated structure corresponding to the pressing portion 2, the intermediate support portion 3, and the back support portion 41; handle regions 85 and 86, which form at least the handle 42a of the handle portion 42 when the plate 8 is bent into an origami shape; and engagement regions 87 and 88 for securing the bent handle regions 85 and 86 with a latch mechanism. The planar shape of the main body region 84 is not particularly limited, but since the handle regions 85 and 86 and the engagement regions 87 and 88 are bent into an origami shape, it is desirable that at least the portions where these regions join are formed linearly. In FIG. 3, the planar shape of the main body region 84 is a rectangle with rounded corners, and each linear portion is creased.

[0024] As described above, the components corresponding to the pressing portion 2, the intermediate support portion 3, and the rear support body 41 are made of the cardboard material of the main body region 84, and the component corresponding to the handle portion 42 in the base portion 4 is made by molding the handle regions 85, 86 and the engagement regions 87, 88.

[0025] The handle regions 85, 86 have first regions 85a, 86a that overlap the main body region 84 when bent like origami (the bending process will be described later for the shape), and second regions 85b, 86b that have formed therein engaging claws 851, 861 for engaging with the engaging regions 87, 88 and handle portions 852, 862 that form the handle 42a when molded. Folds are formed between the first regions 85a, 86a and the second regions 85b, 86b.

[0026] The engagement regions 87, 88 are formed with engagement holes 87a, 88a for engaging with the engagement claws 851, 861 in the handle regions 85, 86.

[0027] The process of bending and shaping the plate body 8 shown in FIG. 3 like origami paper will now be described. FIG. 5 shows an intermediate stage of bending the handle regions 85, 86, FIG. 6 shows a stage after the handle regions 85, 86 have been bent, and FIG. 7 shows the state in which the engaging claws 851, 861 are engaged and the paddle 1 is formed. From the position of the plate body 8 shown in FIG. 3, the crease between the main body region 84 and the handle regions 85, 86 is made into a valley fold, and the crease between the first regions 85a, 86a and the second regions 85b, 86b of the handle regions 85, 86 is made into a mountain fold (see FIG. 5). As the first regions 85a, 86a are bent to overlap the main body region 84, the second regions 85b, 86b are also bent to overlap (see FIG. 6). The engaging claws 851 and 861 are overlapped to form an integral engaging claw, which is then engaged with the engaging holes 87a and 88a, thereby forming the barrel 1. At this time, the second region 85b and the second region 86b are overlapped to form the handle 42a (see FIG. 7).

[0028] As described above, the baren 1 according to this embodiment is formed from a flat plate 8 that integrates the pressing portion 2, intermediate support portion 3, and base portion 4, and this flat plate 8 is bent and molded in an origami-like manner, which significantly reduces the number of parts. Furthermore, for example, cardboard can be used for the plate 8, which reduces the labor required for molding and makes it possible to create a high-quality, easy-to-use baren 1 by taking advantage of the structure of the cardboard material.

[0029] Furthermore, if necessary, when the two handle regions 85, 86 of the plate body 8 are bent, the handle 42a is formed by overlapping the second regions 85b, 86b of each handle region 85, 86, thereby improving the strength of the handle 42a and enabling it to withstand pressure.

[0030] (Other embodiments of the present invention) The baren 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Note that in this embodiment, descriptions that overlap with the above embodiments will be omitted.

[0031] Fig. 8 is a plan view of a flat plate before the baren according to this embodiment is molded, and Fig. 9 is a side view of the finished plate after molding. The shape of the plate 8 in Fig. 8 differs from that described in the second embodiment in that the handle portions 852 and 862 have stoppers 853 and 863 on both ends for locking the engagement regions 87 and 88. The presence of these stoppers 853 and 863 prevents the engagement regions 87 and 88 from being released and opening when pressure is applied to the handle portion 42 from above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1. Baren 2 Pressing part 3 Intermediate support part 4 Base 5th edition 6 paint layer 7 Paper 8 Plate 41 Back support 41 42 Handle part 42a Handle 51 Woodblock surface 81,82 Liner 83 Core 84 Body area 85,86 Handle area 85a,86a 1st area 85b,86b 2nd area 87,88 Engagement area 87a,88a Engagement hole 851,861 Engagement claw 852,862 Handle part 853,863 Stopper

Claims

1. a pressing unit made of a plastic, flat, thin plate that presses the paper onto the printing block surface; an intermediate support portion disposed on the rear side of the pressing portion and formed by repeating wavy concaves and convexes on a thin plate body; a base portion disposed on the rear side of the intermediate support portion and integrally fixing the pressing portion and the intermediate support portion; A baren characterized by:

2. 2. The baren of claim 1, The base portion includes a back support member made of a flat thin plate body that contacts and adheres to the apexes of the convex portions of the concave and convex portions to support the same, and a handle portion that adheres the back support member, the pressing portion, and the intermediate support member as a unit and holds the entire assembly. A baren characterized by:

3. 3. The baren according to claim 1 or 2, The surface that comes into contact with the paper when pressed is textured A baren characterized by:

4. 3. The baren according to claim 1 or 2, The pressing portion, the intermediate support portion, and the base portion are formed as a flat plate-like body integral with each other, and the flat plate-like body is bent into an origami shape. A baren characterized by:

5. 3. The baren of claim 2, The pressing portion, the intermediate support portion, and the base portion are formed as a flat plate-like body integral with each other, and the flat plate-like body is bent into an origami shape to form the plate-like body. The handle portion is formed by overlapping the two base regions of the plate body when the two base regions are bent. A baren characterized by:

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