Printing method on ice-like object

Abstract

Printing method for ice-like objects that allows clear print images to be printed on objects such as ice [Solution] A printing method for an icy object, comprising the steps of: forming a first printed image using liquid ink on the transfer surface of a transfer material; spraying dry particles onto the transfer surface after the first printed image has been formed, causing the dry particles to adhere to the liquid ink, and forming a second printed image using the dry particles on the transfer surface; cooling the transfer material on whose transfer surface the second printed image has been formed to below freezing point, spraying fine water particles onto the transfer surface, and forming a fine ice particle layer on the transfer surface in which the fine water particles have frozen; and overlaying the transfer surface on which the fine ice particle layer has been formed, facing the ice surface of the icy object to be printed, and transferring the second printed image using the dry particles onto the ice surface.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for printing on an ice-like object formed by solidifying a liquid whose main component is water. [Background technology]

[0002] Ice, which is water solidified, is used in various aspects of daily life, such as for decoration at snow festivals, for cooling purposes like ice for on the rocks, and for consumption. There are also many ice-like products around us that contain ingredients other than water, such as ice cream and sherbet, which contain ingredients other than the main component water.

[0003] As a conventional method for printing on such an icy object, for example, a method of transferring liquid ink from a printing cylinder has been proposed (see Patent Document 1, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 16678 / 1983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional methods of transferring liquid ink, it is difficult to prevent the ink from moving toward the surface of the ice, and the ink can bleed on the ice surface, resulting in a blurred printed image.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and relates to a printing method for an ice-like object that can print a clearer print image on an object such as ice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The method for printing on an ice-like object according to the present invention comprises: forming a first print image using liquid ink on a transfer surface of a transfer material; a step of scattering dry particles on the transfer surface after forming the first print image, causing the dry particles to adhere to the liquid ink, and forming a second print image using the dry particles on the transfer surface; a step of cooling the transfer material after forming the second print image on the transfer surface to below freezing point, and scattering fine water particles on the transfer surface to form a fine ice particle layer on the transfer surface in which the fine water particles are frozen; The method includes a step of placing the transfer surface on which the fine ice particle layer has been formed opposite the ice surface of the ice-like object to be printed, and transferring the second print image made of the dry particles onto the ice surface.

[0008] According to the printing method for an ice object of the present invention, a second print image made of dry particles is formed on the transfer surface of a transfer material, and then fine water particles are sprayed on the transfer surface to form a fine ice particle layer. By transferring the second print image made of dry particles formed in this way to the surface of an ice-like object, the dry particles can be reliably transferred from the transfer surface to the ice surface while effectively preventing the dry particles from moving toward the ice surface during transfer, making it possible to print a clear print image on an object such as ice. At least a portion of the fine ice particle layer melts due to heat transfer during transfer, promoting the dry particles to separate from the transfer surface, and by surrounding the dry particles, effectively preventing the dry particles from moving toward the ice surface during transfer.

[0009] Furthermore, for example, in the process of transferring the second printed image made of the dry particles to the ice surface, a layer of water may be formed between the transfer surface and the ice surface, and the fine ice particle layer may come into contact with the water layer, at least a portion of which melts, and then the water layer may freeze, thereby causing the dry particles to bind to the icy object via at least one of the fine ice particle layer and the frozen water layer, and the dry particles may be transferred from the transfer surface to the ice surface.

[0010] Such a transfer process can effectively improve the transparency of the ice surrounding the dry particles after printing, allowing for clearer printing on the icy object.

[0011] Also, for example, in the process of transferring the second printed image made of the dry particles to the ice surface, the fine ice particle layer on the transfer surface may be pressed against the ice surface, and the fine ice particle layer may adhere to the ice surface while remaining bonded to the dry particles.

[0012] This transfer process can more effectively prevent the dry particles from moving toward the ice surface during transfer. Furthermore, a transfer method in which the fine ice particle layer maintains its bond with the dry particles is particularly effective when the specific gravity of the dry particles is smaller than that of water.

[0013] Furthermore, for example, in the step of forming the fine ice particle layer, the spraying of the fine water particles onto the transfer surface and the formation of the fine ice particle layer may be repeated multiple times.

[0014] By forming the fine ice particle layer in multiple steps, it is possible to prevent liquid water droplets from connecting many dry particles toward the surface. Therefore, this printing method effectively prevents the dry particles from moving toward the transfer surface during the fine ice particle layer formation process, resulting in a clear printed image.

[0015] Furthermore, for example, the transfer material may be a resin sheet.

[0016] The transfer material is not particularly limited, but if it is a resin sheet, the first printed image can be easily formed using a general-purpose inkjet printer, etc. Furthermore, the resin sheet has good water resistance, so it can be used to form a fine ice particle layer, and is relatively lightweight, so it can be easily transported during transfer, etc.

[0017] Also, for example, the dry particles may be edible particles that can be eaten.

[0018] By using edible particles as the dry particles, the produced icy printed product can be edible and the safety of the produced icy printed product can be improved.

[0019] The liquid ink may be a water-based ink.

[0020] The liquid ink may be either a water-based ink or an oil-based ink, but by using a water-based ink as the liquid ink, the ease with which the dry particles separate from the transfer surface can be more suitably adjusted.

[0021] The water-based ink may also contain a surfactant. The water-based ink may also contain an anti-drying agent.

[0022] Such ink contributes to the formation of a clear first printed image on the transfer material, and when forming a second printed image, the aqueous ink attached to the transfer surface can favorably adsorb the dried particles.

[0023] The ice-like printed matter according to the present invention also has the second printed image made of the dry particles transferred to the ice-like object by the printing method described above.

[0024] Such ice-like printed matter has a clear second printed image made of dry particles, and therefore is beautiful to look at and suitable for both ornamental and edible use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method for printing on an ice-like object according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the process of preparing print data in the printing method shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the first print image forming process shown in FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the second print image forming process shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of the fine ice particle layer forming step shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of the fine ice particle layer forming step shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of the dry particle transferring step shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the movement of dry particles in the first example of the dry particle transferring step shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing the movement of dry particles in a second example of the dry particle transferring step. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a reference diagram relating to the fine ice particle layer forming step shown in FIGS. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a photograph showing an example of an ice-like printed matter produced by the printing method for an ice-like object shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing a method for printing on an ice-like object according to one embodiment of the present invention. Below, an embodiment of the method for printing on an ice-like object and an ice-like printed product produced by the method for printing on an ice-like object will be described using Figs. 1 to 11.

[0027] 1, print data is prepared to be used in forming a first print image 10 (see FIG. 2) in step S002. Note that, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the first print image 10 is formed using an inkjet printer in step S002, but the method of forming the first print image 10 is not limited to using an inkjet printer.

[0028] 1, in step S001, adjusted image data 64 is created from original image data 62. The original image data 62 can be any image, such as an image taken with a camera or the like, an image captured from a display on a PC or smartphone, or an image electronically drawn using a PC or the like.

[0029] 1, the adjusted image data 64 is created by processing the original image data 62 (data processing) using an image editing application installed on a PC. For example, the adjusted image data 64 is created by processing the original image data 62 to flip the left and right sides. As a result, when the second print image 20 transferred to the ice-like object 40 is viewed from the transfer side, the left and right sides of the second print image 20 match the left and right sides of the original image data 62.

[0030] Furthermore, for example, the adjusted image data 64 adjusts the amount of liquid ink 12 (see FIG. 3) that constitutes the first print image 10 created in step S002 by converting the original image data 62 to grayscale and adjusting the tone curve. As will be described later, the liquid ink 12 that constitutes the first print image 10 is placed on the transfer surface 14a in step S003 for the purpose of adsorbing the dry particles 22. In other words, the first print image 10 does not need to have any color expressed by the liquid ink 12 that constitutes it, and it does not matter if the first print image 10 made of the liquid ink 12 is invisible or difficult to see with the naked eye.

[0031] For example, by adjusting the density of black dots in the original image data 62 to about one-tenth to one-thirtieth of the normal density to create adjusted image data 64, the liquid ink 12 that makes up the first print image 10 can adsorb an appropriate amount of dry particles 22. However, the adjusted image data 64 may be a color image or a black and white binary image, and the tone curve is also adjusted appropriately depending on the specific gravity and particle size of the dry particles 22.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the process of forming the first print image 10 shown in step S002 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, in step S002, the first print image 10 is formed with liquid ink 12 on the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14 using an inkjet printer or the like. That is, the first print image 10 is created by the inkjet printer ejecting the liquid ink 12 onto the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14 in accordance with the adjusted image data 64 created in step S001.

[0033] The transfer material 14 used in step S002 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a resin sheet such as polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride. The resin sheet transfer material 14 has adequate water resistance to retain the liquid ink 12 on the transfer surface 14a and can be easily used as a printing medium for an inkjet printer. Furthermore, by using a lightweight and flexible resin sheet as the transfer material 14, it is easy to handle during transfer. Note that by using a transparent resin sheet as the transfer material 14, the second print image 20 (described later) can be viewed from the back of the transfer surface 14a.

[0034] 3, the liquid ink 12 ejected by the inkjet printer remains in a liquid state on the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14, forming the first printed image 10. By using an inkjet printer to create the first printed image 10, the amount and placement of the liquid ink 12 adhering to the transfer surface 14a can be controlled with high precision. However, the first printed image 10 can be created by any method for placing the liquid ink 12 on the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14, and can also be created using a printer other than an inkjet printer, or by handwriting or other methods.

[0035] The liquid ink 12 constituting the first print image 10 is not particularly limited as long as it remains on the transfer surface 14a and can adsorb dry particles 22 (see FIG. 4) in a later process, but it can be, for example, a water-based ink. By using a water-based ink as the liquid ink 12, fine water particles 32a (see FIG. 4) dispersed in a later process can be more easily fixed to the transfer surface 14a, and the liquid ink 12 can be more easily diffused into the fine ice particle layer 34.

[0036] Furthermore, when the liquid ink 12 is an aqueous ink, the aqueous ink may contain a surfactant. This provides the liquid ink 12 with fluid properties that make it easier to eject using an inkjet printer or the like and easier to retain on the transfer surface 14a. Examples of surfactants include, but are not limited to, potassium hydroxide and ethanol.

[0037] Furthermore, when the liquid ink 12 is an aqueous ink, the aqueous ink used as the liquid ink 12 may contain an anti-drying agent. This makes it possible to adjust the evaporation rate of the liquid ink 12 on the transfer surface 14a. Examples of the anti-drying agent include, but are not limited to, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerin, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

[0038] The liquid ink 12 constituting the first printed image 10 may be composed of a single color ink or multiple colors of ink. The liquid ink 12 may also be composed of a transparent ink, and the first printed image 10 itself may not be directly visible.

[0039] In step S003 shown in Fig. 1, a second print image 20 is formed using dry particles 22 on the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14. Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the second print image forming process (step S003). As shown in the upper and lower left of Fig. 4, in the second print image forming process, dry particles 22 are scattered on the transfer surface 14a after the first print image 10 (see Fig. 3) has been formed, and the dry particles 22 are attached to the liquid ink 12 that constitutes the first print image 10.

[0040] In the second print image forming process, first, dry particles 22 are scattered over the entire transfer surface 14a, as shown in the upper and lower left portions of Fig. 4. This causes a predetermined amount of dry particles 22 to adhere to the liquid ink 12. Furthermore, by removing excess dry particles 22 that have not adhered to the liquid ink 12 from the transfer surface 14a, a second print image 20 made of the dry particles 22 is formed on the transfer surface 14a, as shown in the upper and lower right portions of Fig. 4.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, in the areas of the transfer surface 14a where the liquid ink 12 is disposed, the dry particles 22 are adsorbed to the transfer surface 14a via the liquid ink 12. In contrast, in the areas of the transfer surface 14a where the liquid ink 12 is not disposed, the dry particles 22 are not adsorbed to the transfer surface 14a. As shown in the upper left and lower left parts of Figure 4, the dry particles 22 in the areas where the liquid ink 12 is not disposed and the dry particles 22 disposed on top of the liquid ink 12 to which other dry particles 22 already adhere are excess dry particles 22 that do not adhere to the liquid ink 12. The excess dry particles 22 are removed from the transfer surface 14a by means of shaking them off, blowing them off with air, or brushing them off (upper right and lower right parts of Figure 4).

[0042] The dry particles 22 used to form the second print image 20 are preferably those that adsorb to the liquid ink 12 on the transfer surface 14a but do not adsorb to the transfer surface 14a itself, and are also unlikely to adsorb to each other. Furthermore, the dry particles 22 are preferably those that exhibit a certain degree of poor solubility in water (i.e., are difficult to dissolve in water), but even if they are somewhat soluble in water, they can be used as long as they have a slow dissolution rate at low temperatures. Examples of dry particles 22 include metal particles, ceramic particles, semiconductor particles, carbon particles, carbide particles, silicate particles, and grain flour.

[0043] The dry particles 22 may be edible particles that can be consumed by humans as food or as an ingredient contained in food. Examples of edible particles include iron particles (iron powder), gold particles (gold powder), grain powder, carbon particles (carbon powder), and carbide particles. The particle size of the dry particles 22 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, about 1 to 1000 μm, and a particle size of about 50 to 500 μm is preferred from the viewpoints of ease of adsorption to the liquid ink 12 and ease of removal of excess dry particles 22 from the transfer surface 14 a.

[0044] In step S004 shown in Fig. 1, fine water particles 32 are sprayed onto the transfer surface 14a to form a fine ice particle layer 34 on the transfer surface 14a. Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the step (step S004) of forming the fine ice particle layer 34. As shown in Fig. 5(a), in the step of forming the fine ice particle layer 34, the transfer material 14 on which the second print image 20 made of dry particles 22 has been formed on the transfer surface 14a in step S003 is cooled to below freezing point.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(a), fine water particles 32 are sprayed onto the cooled transfer surface 14a. The method for spraying the fine water particles 32 is not particularly limited, but for example, the fine water particles 32 can be sprayed onto the transfer surface 14a using a sprayer 72 or the like. As shown in FIG. 5(b), some of the fine water particles 32 sprayed onto the transfer surface 14a adhere to the surfaces of the dry particles 22 attached to the transfer surface 14a (fine water particles 32a). In addition, other parts of the fine water particles 32 adhere directly to the surface of the transfer surface 14a in areas where the dry particles 22 are not arranged on the transfer surface 14a (fine water particles 32b).

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5(b), the fine water particles 32a adhering to the surfaces of the dry particles 22 spread over the surfaces of the dry particles 22 due to surface tension and the like, covering at least a portion of the dry particles 22. Furthermore, the fine water particles 32a may come into contact with the liquid ink 12 to which the dry particles 22 are adsorbed, and may become connected to at least a portion of the liquid ink 12. When the liquid ink 12 comes into contact with the fine water particles 32a, it may mix with and become one with the fine water particles 32a, or it may remain separate from the fine water particles 32a. The state (liquid / solid, water content) of the liquid ink 12 when the fine water particles 32 are sprayed is controlled by the components of the liquid ink 12, the cooling temperature and time of the transfer material 14, the temperature of the fine water particles 32 when sprayed, and the like.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5(c), the fine water particles 32a, 32b attached to the dry particles 22 and the transfer surface 14a solidify as their temperature drops, forming fine ice particles 34a, 34b. In this way, a fine ice particle layer 34 is formed on the transfer surface 14a, with the fine water particles 32a, 32b frozen. The fine ice particle layer 34 may include fine ice particles 34a attached to the dry particles 22 and the transfer surface 14a, and fine ice particles 34b that contact only the transfer surface 14a. In the fine ice particle layer 34, the portion made up of the fine ice particles 34a that contact the dry particles 22 and the portion made up of the fine ice particles 34b that do not contact the dry particles 22 may be connected to each other or may be separate.

[0048] Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the process of forming fine ice particle layer 134 according to a modified example (step S004 in Figure 1). In the process of forming fine ice particle layer 134 according to the modified example, the spraying of fine water particles 32, 32a, 32b onto transfer surface 14a described using Figures 5(a) and 5(b) and the formation of fine ice particle layer 34 described using Figure 5(c) are repeated multiple times (Figures 6(a) and 6(b) are the same as Figures 5(a) and 5(b)).

[0049] As a result, as shown in Fig. 6(c), fine ice particle layer 134 according to the modified example is connected to a portion made up of fine ice particles 134a that contact dry particles 22 and a portion made up of fine ice particles 134b that do not contact dry particles 22. As in fine ice particle layer 134 shown in Fig. 6(c), in step S004, fine ice particle layer 134 that has a thickness exceeding the average particle size of dry particles 22 and fine water particles 32 and that continuously covers transfer surface 14a may be formed.

[0050] However, when forming a thick fine ice particle layer 134 as shown in Figure 6(c), it is preferable to spray small amounts of fine water particles 32, 32a, 32b (Figures 6(a) and 6(b)) multiple times, and wait for the fine water particles 32, 32a, 32b sprayed in one round to freeze on the transfer surface 14a before spraying the fine water particles 32, 32a, 32b in the next round. This prevents the fine water particles 32a from combining with each other on the transfer surface 14a to form large water droplets 88 as shown in Figure 10, and prevents the dry particles 22 from moving toward the surface of the transfer surface 14a in step S004.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 6(a), step S004 can be performed by placing the transfer material 14 in a freezing chamber 70 (or a freezer) or the like. The temperature of the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14 is not particularly limited as long as it is below freezing, but is preferably, for example, about -20 to -1°C. The temperature when the fine water particles 32 are sprayed is preferably below room temperature, more preferably about 0 to 15°C. The sprayed fine water particles 32 may be pure water, but may also contain components other than water as long as the main component is water. Examples of components other than water contained in the fine water particles 32 include components for adjusting the freezing point and components for adjusting the contact angle with the dry particles 22 (for example, alcohol, calcium salt, surfactant, etc.).

[0052] 1, the second print image 20 made of the dry particles 22 formed on the transfer surface 14a is transferred to the ice surface 40a of the object. Figures 7 and 8 are conceptual diagrams showing the process of transferring the second print image 20 from the transfer surface 14a to the ice surface 40a.

[0053] As shown in Figure 7(a), in the second print image transfer step, first, an ice-like object 40, which is the printing target, is prepared. The ice-like object 40 is formed, for example, by filling a predetermined container 74 with water and freezing it. A water layer 42 may also be formed on the surface of the ice-like object 40. As shown in Figure 7(a), the second print image transfer step (step S005) is also preferably performed in a temperature-controlled freezing chamber 70 (or freezer), similar to step S004.

[0054] 7(b), in the second print image transfer process, the transfer surface 14a on which the fine ice particle layer 34 has been formed in step S004 is placed opposite the ice surface 40a of the ice-like object 40 to be printed. As shown in FIG. 8(a), the dry particles 22 and the fine ice particle layer 34 adhere to the transfer surface 14a of the transfer material 14 until the transfer surface 14a comes into contact with the water layer 42 on the ice surface 40a in step S005.

[0055] However, as shown in Figure 8(b), when the fine ice particle layer 34 comes into contact with the water layer 42 formed between the transfer surface 14a and the ice surface 40a, at least a portion of the fine ice particle layer 34 (the entire fine ice particle layer 34 in the example shown in Figure 8(b)) dissolves. This causes the dry particles 22 to be released from the transfer surface 14a, and the dry particles 22 detach from the transfer surface 14a, as shown in Figure 8(b). The dry particles 22 detached from the transfer surface 14a move through the water layer 42 in a direction perpendicular to the transfer surface 14a and come into contact with the ice surface 40a.

[0056] Thereafter, as shown in Figure 8(c), the water layer 42 containing the once-melted fine ice particle layer 34 freezes, and the dry particles 22 bond to the icy object 40 via the ice layer 44 formed by the freezing of the water layer 42. In this way, the second print image 20 made of the dry particles 22 is transferred from the transfer material 14 to the ice surface 40a. As shown in Figure 8(D), after the dry particles 22 have detached, the transfer material 14 is peeled off and removed from the ice layer 44 and the icy object 40. In this way, an icy print 50 is obtained, having the second print image 20 made of the transferred dry particles 22.

[0057] In the example shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the fine ice particle layer 34 dissolves, releasing the bond between the fine ice particle layer 34 and the dry particles 22. In such a case, it is preferable that the specific gravity of the dry particles 22 forming the second print image 20 is sufficiently greater than the specific gravity of water. This is because if the fine ice particle layer 34 completely dissolves, the dry particles 22 in the water layer 42 are more likely to move toward the transfer surface 14a (horizontally), especially if the specific gravity of the dry particles 22 is light, which may result in bleeding of the print image during transfer. However, by dissolving a larger portion of the fine ice particle layer 34, the transparency of the ice around the dry particles 22 can be improved, improving the clarity of the second print image 20 that can be seen after transfer.

[0058] Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a second print image transfer process (step S005) according to a modified example. In the second print image transfer process shown in Figure 9, similar to the second print image transfer process shown in Figures 7 and 8, the transfer surface 14a on which the fine ice particle layer 134 has been formed in step S004 is placed opposite the ice surface 40a of the ice-like object 40 to be printed. Also, in the second print image transfer process shown in Figure 9, similar to the second print image transfer process shown in Figures 7 and 8, a water layer 142 is formed between the transfer surface 14a and the ice surface 40a.

[0059] On the other hand, in the second print image transfer process according to the modified example, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the fine ice particle layer 134 comes into contact with the water layer 142, causing at least a portion of the fine ice particle layer 134 and the fine ice particles 134a and 134b that make up the layer to melt, but only the portion that comes into contact with the water layer 142 melts. In other words, the water layer 142 freezes before the fine ice particle layer 134 completely melts. As a result, the fine ice particle layer 134 remains bonded to the dry particles 22 and is attached to the ice surface 40a via the ice layer 144 formed by the frozen water layer 142 (FIG. 9(b)). The transfer material 14 is then peeled off to obtain an ice-like printed matter 150 bearing the second print image 20 made of the transferred dry particles 22 (FIG. 9(c)).

[0060] 9, the second print image 20 made of dry particles 22 is also transferred from the transfer material 14 to the ice surface 40a. In the second print image transfer process according to the modified example, the bond between the fine ice particle layer 134 and the dry particles 22 is maintained even during transfer. Therefore, the second print image transfer process according to the modified example is particularly effective when the dry particles 22 forming the second print image 20 have a low specific gravity and are floatable on water.

[0061] 9 , a second print image transfer process according to another variation is a method in which the fine ice particle layer 134 on the transfer surface 14a is pressed directly against the ice surface 40a without forming a water layer 42 on the ice surface 40a. In this second print image transfer process, the pressing force causes a portion of the fine ice particle layer 134 in contact with the ice surface 40a to melt and become water, and then solidify again. As a result, similar to the second print image transfer process according to the variation shown in FIG. 9 , the fine ice particle layer 134 adheres to the ice surface 40a while maintaining its bond with the dry particles 22. In this way, in the second print image transfer process (step S005), the fine ice particle layer 134 on the transfer surface 14a may be pressed directly against the ice surface 40a without forming a water layer 42 on the ice surface 40a, thereby transferring the second print image 20 made of dry particles 22 to the ice surface 40a.

[0062] In step S005, the temperature of ice surface 40a of ice-like object 40, which is the printing target, is preferably set to, for example, about -15 to -5°C. Furthermore, the temperature of water layer 42 formed on ice surface 40a is preferably set to about 5 to 10°C. By adjusting the temperatures of ice surface 40 and water layer 42, the problem of cracks occurring in the ice-like printed matter can be prevented. Furthermore, the thickness (depth) of water layer 42 formed on ice surface 40a is not particularly limited as long as a continuous water surface is formed on ice surface 40a, but it is preferably set to about 0.1 to 1 mm. The water used to form water layer 42 may be pure water, but it may also contain components other than water as long as the main component is water. Examples of components other than water contained in water layer 42 include pigments for coloring and antioxidants to prevent oxidation of dried particles 22.

[0063] Furthermore, the ice-like object 40 to be printed and the ice-like printed product produced by the above-described printing method include not only edible or decorative ice but also ice-like foods such as ice confections. Figure 11 is a photograph showing an ice-like printed product 250 in which a second print image 220 made of dry particles 222 has been transferred to an approximately A4-sized ice-like object 240 using the above-described printing method. The printing method of the present invention effectively prevents the dry particles 22 from moving toward the ice surface (horizontally) during transfer, while reliably transferring the dry particles 22 from the transfer surface 14a to the ice surface 40a, allowing for a clear print image to be printed on the object, such as ice. The fine ice particle layers 34, 134 formed in step S004 promote the separation of the dry particles 22 from the transfer surface 14a, and by surrounding the dry particles 22, effectively prevent the dry particles 22 from moving toward the ice surface during transfer.

[0064] Furthermore, the ice-like printed matter produced by the printing method of the present invention is composed entirely of water and materials whose main component is water, apart from the dry particles 22 that make up the image, and therefore, unlike techniques such as embedding a film with a printed image in ice, it exhibits a unique beauty due to the sense of unity between the image and the ice.Furthermore, unlike techniques such as embedding a film with a printed image in ice, the ice-like printed matter produced by the printing method of the present invention exhibits a unique beauty even when dissolved, because the image made of the dry particles 22 crumbles as the ice-like printed matter dissolves.

[0065] The printing method and ice-like printed matter of the present invention have been described above using embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes many other embodiments and variations. For example, the dry particles 22 that make up the second printed image 20 are not limited to being composed of only one type of dry particles, but may be composed of multiple types of dry particles with different colors, shapes, and particle sizes. Furthermore, the ice-like printed matter of the present invention is not limited to being composed of only one second printed image printed on one side, but also includes being composed of multiple second printed images on multiple sides. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10...First printed image 12...Liquid ink 14...Transfer material 14a...Transfer surface 20, 220...Second printed image 22, 222...Dry particles 32, 32a, 32b...fine water particles 34, 134...Fine ice particle layer 34a, 134a...Fine ice particles 34b, 134b...fine ice particles 40, 240...Ice-like objects 40a...Ice surface 42...Water layer 44, 144...Ice layer 50, 150, 250...Ice print 62...Original image data 64...Adjusted image data 70...Freezer compartment (freezer) 72...Spray bottle 74...Container 88…Water droplets 150...Ice print

Claims

1. forming a first print image using liquid ink on a transfer surface of a transfer material; a step of scattering dry particles on the transfer surface after the first print image has been formed, causing the dry particles to adhere to the liquid ink, and forming a second print image using the dry particles on the transfer surface; a step of cooling the transfer material having the second print image formed on the transfer surface to below freezing point, and scattering fine water particles on the transfer surface to form a fine ice particle layer on the transfer surface in which the fine water particles are frozen; A printing method for an icy object, comprising the steps of: placing the transfer surface on which the fine ice particle layer is formed, facing the ice surface of the icy object to be printed, and transferring the second print image made of the dry particles onto the ice surface.

2. 2. A printing method for an icy object as described in claim 1, wherein in the step of transferring the second printed image made of the dry particles to the ice surface, a layer of water is formed between the transfer surface and the ice surface, and the fine ice particle layer comes into contact with the water layer, at least a portion of which melts, and then the water layer freezes, thereby causing the dry particles to bind to the icy object via at least one of the fine ice particle layer and the frozen water layer, and the dry particles are transferred from the transfer surface to the ice surface.

3. 2. A printing method for an ice-like object as described in claim 1, wherein in the step of transferring the second printed image made of the dry particles to the ice surface, the fine ice particle layer on the transfer surface is pressed against the ice surface, and the fine ice particle layer adheres to the ice surface while remaining bonded to the dry particles.

4. 2. The printing method for an ice-like object according to claim 1, wherein in the step of forming the fine ice particle layer, the spraying of the fine water particles onto the transfer surface and the formation of the fine ice particle layer are repeated multiple times.

5. 2. The printing method for an ice-like object according to claim 1, wherein the transfer material is a resin sheet.

6. The printing method for an ice-like object according to claim 1, wherein the dry particles are edible particles.

7. 2. The method for printing on an ice-like object according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ink is a water-based ink.

8. The printing method for an ice-like object according to claim 7 , wherein the water-based ink contains a surfactant.

9. The printing method for an ice-like object according to claim 7, wherein the water-based ink contains an anti-drying agent.

Images