Printed matter, method for manufacturing printed matter, and lighting device

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to obtain: a printed material that allows minimizing the number of steps, that can be used as a decorative component, a display device, or an illuminating device, that is composed of a light-transmitting member, and that has a deep three-dimensional surface structure at a visible surface; a printed material manufacturing method; and an illuminating device. A printed material according to the present invention is formed by pressing a printing surface of a printing pad thereon so as to transfer ink placed on the printing surface, and comprises: a substrate which is composed of a light-transmitting member and which has a deep three-dimensional surface structure at a visible surface thereof; a print image region which is provided at least on one surface of the substrate and which has ink placed thereon; and a non-print region which is provided on one surface and which has no ink placed thereon. The print image region is provided in a range including the three-dimensional surface structure that is formed on one surface, and has a quantity of light transmitting therethrough, which is smaller than that transmitting through the non-print region.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printed matter formed by printing on a substrate, and more particularly to a printed matter formed by printing on a light-transmitting substrate, a method for manufacturing such a printed matter, and a lighting device using such a printed matter. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, decorative molded articles for automobiles, such as automobile headlights, taillights or backlight components, have been known, which include at least one substrate made of injection-molded thermoplastic resin and having a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on its visible surface, and a coating layer made of transparent resin coated on at least the visible surface, in which the substrate has at least one layer on its visible surface, which layer contains flake-like effect pigments, the flake-like effect pigments being oriented generally parallel to the visible surface of the substrate, and the resin forming the substrate contains flake-like effect pigments (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This allows the effect pigments to be seen through the transparent resin of the decorative molded article, resulting in a decorative molded article with a sense of depth and a luxurious appearance.

[0003] Also, a known vehicle display device is one that includes "a transillumination dial plate with characters, scales, etc. that display the indicated values ​​of instruments such as a speedometer, engine tachometer, fuel gauge, and thermometer, and an A / T finisher that has indicator display marks and reflects and displays the indicator display marks using propagating light, wherein the transillumination dial plate is provided with a printing layer that models the characters, scales, etc. to be applied to the transillumination dial plate and a printing layer that models the illuminator display marks for transillumination at the same time, and further, the portion of the A / T finisher other than the indicator display mark application portion is superimposed on the back of the transillumination dial plate at a position corresponding to the illuminator display mark application portion, and the illuminator display mark applied to the transillumination dial plate is transmitted and illuminated by reflected light propagating inside the A / T finisher" (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-514603 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-086378 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, according to Patent Document 1, the decorative molded product is produced by carrying out the following steps: "injecting a substrate made of a thermoplastic resin into a mold to form a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on a predetermined visible surface; applying an effect paint of a color corresponding to the thermoplastic resin, the effect paint containing flake-shaped effect pigments whose orientation is approximately parallel to the visible surface of the substrate; drying the effect paint layer; inserting the substrate coated with the effect paint into a flooding mold, applying a transparent resin to at least the visible surface of the effect pigments to form a coating layer, and curing the coating layer." The molding to cover the effect pigments with the transparent resin is carried out by injection molding or injection compression molding. In other words, obtaining the decorative molded product of Patent Document 1 requires multiple moldings, which results in a problem of a large number of processes.

[0006] Furthermore, according to Patent Document 2, the vehicle display device is configured as follows: "The dial is made of a polycarbonate sheet substrate, which is a light-transmitting material that transmits and diffuses at least wavelengths in the visible light range, i.e., visible light, and the substrate is printed with black ink to form a design configuration area. The light-blocking area is an area on the dial that blocks visible light emitted from each visible light source." However, since the printing is done on a sheet-like substrate, controlling the amount of light transmission in a three-dimensional structure requires processing to deform the sheet-like substrate to fit the three-dimensional structure, which increases the number of processes.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a printed matter, a method for manufacturing a printed matter, and a lighting device that can be used as a decorative part, display device, or lighting device by reducing the number of steps, is made of a light-transmitting material, and has a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on the visible surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The printed matter according to the present invention is formed by pressing the printing surface of a printing pad against the printed matter and transferring ink placed on the printing surface, and comprises a substrate made of a light-transmitting material and having a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on the visible surface, a print image area which is an area where ink is placed and provided on at least one surface of the substrate, and a non-print area which is an area where the ink is not placed and provided on the one surface, and the print image area is a non-print area where the ink is placed and provided on the one surface. Surface of The printed area is provided in a range including the area 100 and transmits less light than the non-printed area.

[0009] The method for producing a printed matter according to the present invention comprises: A printed matter formed by pressing the printing surface of a printing pad against the substrate and transferring ink placed on the printing surface, the printed matter being made of a light-transmitting material and comprising a print image area, which is an area where ink is placed, provided on at least one surface of a substrate, and a non-print area, which is an area where ink is not placed, provided on the one surface, the print image area being formed on the one surface and transmitting a smaller amount of light than the non-print area. A method for producing a printed matter, comprising: a printing step of pressing the printing pad against at least one of the surfaces of the substrate, transferring the ink placed on the printing surface of the printing pad to the one surface, and forming the printing image area with the ink transferred on at least a part of the one surface, wherein the printing step includes a step of pressing the printing surface against a printing plate on which the ink is placed; a step of moving the printing pad with the ink transferred to the printing surface above the substrate; and a step of pressing the printing surface of the printing pad against the printing plate. of the base and a pressing step of deforming and pressing the three-dimensional surface structure in accordance with the three-dimensional surface structure.

[0010] The lighting device of the present invention is a lighting device comprising a reflective surface that reflects light, a light source that emits light, and a lighting cover that covers the reflective surface and the light source, wherein the lighting cover is made of the above-mentioned printed matter and is positioned with one of its faces facing the light source and the reflective surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, by forming a printed area on one side of a substrate, a printed matter having an appearance on the other side opposite the one side can be obtained, and the printed matter can be used as a decorative part, a display part of a display device, a cover of a lighting device, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 2 is an explanatory diagram of a cross-sectional structure of a printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an example of part A in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an example of part A in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view showing an example of one surface 70a of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a side view illustrating an example of a printing device 100 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a printing pad 10 provided in a printing device 100 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the printing pad 10 provided in the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment when pressed against a printing object 70. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a flow chart showing a method for producing a printed matter by the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a modified example of the printing pad 10 used in the printing device 100 of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where a printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment is used in a lighting device 90. FIG. [Figure 12] This is a modified example of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. [Figure 13] This is a modified example of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. [Figure 14] This is a modified example of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. [Figure 15]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an example of part A in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Embodiment 1 The following describes a printed matter and a method for manufacturing a printed matter according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In addition, the same parts in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and some explanations will be omitted. Also, each drawing is a schematic drawing, and the present invention is not limited to the shapes shown in the drawings.

[0014] <70 printed materials> FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment. The printed matter 70 has a printed image area 40 on at least one surface 70a of a substrate 73, which is, for example, a transparent resin molded product that allows light to pass through. The surface 70a of the printed matter 70 on which the printed image area 40 is provided is disposed opposite a light source, such as an LED lamp. The other surface 70b of the printed matter 70 forms the exterior surface of a lighting device 90 (see FIG. 11), such as an automobile tail lamp or headlight. The printed matter 70 has a recess 74 on one surface 70a, and the printed image area 40 is provided on the entire surface or at least a portion of the recess 74 and a surrounding surface 75. Note that the shape of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the shapes of the recess 74, the surrounding surface 75, and the surfaces 70a and 70b can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the entire substrate 73 does not have to be configured to be light-transmitting, and only the portion where the print image area 40 is provided and its surrounding area may be configured from a light-transmitting material.

[0015] Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged views of an example of part A in Figure 1. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view when ink is dot-placed on one surface of the printed matter 70. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view when ink is placed over the entire area of at least a part of the printed area 71d in the printed image area 40. The printed image area 40 is formed by placing ink 41 on one surface 70a of the printed matter 70. The area on one surface 70a of the printed matter 70 where the ink 41 is placed is referred to as the printed area 71. The surface 70a on which the printed area 71 is arranged includes a first part 42 that is the surface where the ink 41 is placed and a second part 43 that is the surface where the ink 41 is not placed.

[0016] The printed image area 40 may include a plurality of printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d with different arrangement densities of the ink 41 on the first part 42 where the ink 41 is placed. The leftmost printed area 71a shown in Figure 2 has the ink 41 arranged at an interval w1 in cross-section. Also, the printed area 71b arranged adjacent to the right of the printed area 71a has the ink 41 arranged at an interval w2. Further, the printed area 71c arranged adjacent to the right of the printed area 71b has the ink 41 arranged at an interval w3. Each of the printed areas 71a, 71b, and 71c has a different interval at which the ink 41 is arranged, and is set such that w1 < w2 < w3. The printed area 71d shown in Figure 3 has the ink 41 arranged throughout the entire area. The plurality of printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d have different arrangement densities of the ink 41. Also, in each of the plurality of printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d, the ink 41 is arranged at a substantially uniform density within each printed area. That is, for each of the plurality of printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d, no matter which part having a predetermined area within that printed area is observed, the area (amount of ink 41) where the ink 41 is arranged is the same. The non-printed area 72 is an area where the ink 41 is not arranged, or in other words, an area where the arrangement density of the ink 41 is 0.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of one surface 70a of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. 1. In each of the printing areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d, ink 41 (first portions) is arranged in the x and y directions, respectively, and the number of ink 41 arranged per unit area, i.e., the arrangement density, differs. As shown in FIG. 4, the arrangement density of ink 41 in printing area 71a is higher than the arrangement density of ink 41 in printing areas 71b and 71c. The arrangement density of ink 41 in printing area 71b is also higher than the arrangement density of ink 41 in printing area 71c. The arrangement density of ink 41 in printing area 71d is higher than that of any of the other printing areas 71a, 71b, and 71c. When a certain printing area 71 is referred to as a first printing area, a printing area 71 having a lower arrangement density of ink 41 than the first printing area may be referred to as a second printing area. In other words, the printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment has a printed image area 40, and the printed image area 40 may include multiple printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d that have different arrangement densities of ink 41. The multiple printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d include a first printed area in which the arrangement density of first portions 42 is higher than that of the second printed area. In other words, the second printed area has a higher density of second portions 43 where ink 41 is not placed than the first printed area.

[0018] The printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment has multiple printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d with different ink 41 arrangement densities, thereby making it possible to vary the amount of light transmittance in each part of the printed matter 70. In other words, if the ink 41 arranged in the printed areas 71 shown in Figures 2 to 4 is composed of the same ingredients, the printed area 71a will have a lower amount of light transmittance than the printed areas 71b, 71c, and non-printed areas 72. In other words, if the printed matter 70 is used as a cover for an automobile tail lamp, when the tail lamp is turned on, the printed areas 71a, 71b, and 71c will emerge as areas with different amounts of light transmittance, creating a predetermined pattern.

[0019] Furthermore, the printed matter 70 may have a plurality of print image areas 40 formed thereon, as shown in FIGS.

[0020] Furthermore, when multiple print image areas 40 are formed on the printed matter 70, the multiple print image areas 40 may be formed through multiple printing processes, with second print areas having lower ink 41 density printed on top of each other. For example, print area 71b of one print image area 40 may be printed so that it overlaps print area 71c of the other print area 71, and print area 71c of one print area 71 may be printed so that it overlaps print area 71b of the other print area 71. By overlapping print areas 71b and 71c with different ink 41 density in this manner, the overall image created by combining the two print image areas 40 has a uniform ink 41 density throughout. The print image areas 40 described here are used when the print image areas 40 formed on the printed matter 70 are formed through multiple printing processes, i.e., when the printing area is large or the surface shape of the printed matter 70 is complex. This prevents gaps between adjacent print image areas 40, allowing the print image areas 40 to be formed without unevenness throughout. In other words, variations in the printing position of each print image area 40 due to multiple printing processes can be absorbed by overlapping print areas 71b and 71c with low ink 41 placement density, allowing the print image area 40 to be formed evenly overall.

[0021] If two adjacent print image areas 40 among the multiple print image areas 40 each have an ink 41 arrangement structure such as that shown in FIG. 2, the non-overlapping print area 71a is referred to as the first print area, and the overlapping print areas 71b and 71c are referred to as the second print area. In other words, the two adjacent print areas 71 each have a second print area with a low ink 41 arrangement density, such as print areas 71b and 71c, at the periphery of the print image area 40. By overlapping the second print areas, the boundary between the two print areas 71 can be printed so that it is inconspicuous. The second print area may be composed of multiple print areas with different ink 41 arrangement densities, such as print areas 71b and 71c, or it may be composed of even more print areas. The second print area may also be configured so that the ink 41 arrangement density continuously decreases from the center of the print image area 40 toward the periphery.

[0022] Furthermore, when the visible surface of the substrate 73 of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. 1 has a three-dimensional surface structure 76, the overlapping portions of the second printing regions of two adjacent printing regions are preferably positioned so that the ink 41 can be transferred as accurately as possible from the printing pad 10. Therefore, the overlapping portions of the second printing regions are preferably positioned so as to include a portion of the three-dimensional surface structure 76 that has a tangent line L perpendicular to the pressing direction in a cross section parallel to the pressing direction of the printing pad 10. In FIG. 1, this corresponds to the portion where the bottom surface of the recess 74 has a tangent line L perpendicular to the pressing direction. For example, when the second printing regions are overlapped on the peripheral surface 75, the substrate 73 may be tilted so that the tangent line L is substantially perpendicular to the pressing direction. While it is desirable for the tangent line L to be perpendicular to the pressing direction, practically, any angle between 0° and 30° of the tangent line L with respect to the surface perpendicular to the pressing direction can be used for overlapping the second printing regions.

[0023] In the first embodiment, the ink 41 is shown as a rectangular dot in a plan view, but this is a schematic representation, and in reality, the ink 41 may be formed into a circular or nearly circular shape in a plan view. Also, in Figures 2 and 3, the ink 41 is shown as a rectangle, but this is also a schematic representation, and in reality, the ink 41 may have a rounded shape, such as a droplet placed on a water-repellent surface.

[0024] Furthermore, although the density of the ink 41 is uniform within each of the printing areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d, this is not limiting. For example, the density of the ink 41 may be varied continuously so that it gradually decreases from left to right in FIG. 2.

[0025] 2 to 4, the arrangement of the ink 41 on one side 70a of the printed matter 70 has been described, but the arrangement of the ink 41 is not limited to being provided only on one side 70a of the printed matter 70, and the ink 41 may also be provided on the other side 70b. Moreover, the arrangement of the ink 41 may also be provided only on the other side 70b.

[0026] <Printing device 100> FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a printing device 100 according to the first embodiment. The printing device 100 is provided with a printing pad 10 that is movable linearly in the vertical direction. The printing pad 10 is moved up and down by a vertical movement device 11 provided in the printing device 100, and the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is pressed against the surface to be printed of the object 70. In the first embodiment, the surface to be printed is the recess 74 and its surrounding surface 75. The printing device 100 also has a horizontal movement device 12. The horizontal movement device 12 moves the printing pad 10 and the vertical movement device 11 in the horizontal direction.

[0027] The printing pad 10 is moved by the horizontal movement device 12 above the printing object 70, as well as the cleaning device 60, activating device 61, air blowing device 62, or printing plate 50. The printing pad 10 is moved up and down by the vertical movement device 11, and the printing surface 4 is pressed against the printing object 70, cleaning device 60, activating device 61, or printing plate 50, respectively. In FIG. 5 , the printing apparatus 100 has, from the left, a printing stage 87 on which the printing object 70 is placed, a surface treatment stage 86 equipped with the cleaning device 60, and a printing plate stage 85. The printing stage 87 is equipped with a jig 89 for positioning the printing object 70 and a blower 66 that blows air onto the printing pad 10 on which the ink 41 has been placed. The surface treatment stage 86 is equipped with the activation device 61, the air blowing device 62, and a blower 66A that blows air onto the printing pad 10 on which the ink 41 has been placed. The printing plate stage 85 is where the printing plate 50 is placed. However, in the printing apparatus 100, these stages can be freely positioned and can be changed as needed to suit the convenience of the operator and the location where the printing apparatus 100 is installed. Also, the cleaning device 60, activation device 61, air blowing device 62, and blowers 66 and 66A of the printing apparatus 100 may not be installed in the printing apparatus 100.

[0028] <Printing Pad 10> FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a printing pad 10 included in the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a cross section passing through the top 6 of the printing pad 10 and perpendicular to the plane 13 to which the substrate 5 is fixed. As shown in FIG. 6, the substrate 5 of the printing pad 10 includes an internal layer 1 and an external layer 2 covering the surface of the internal layer 1. The printing pad 10 shown in FIG. 6 is, for example, approximately hemispherical. The shape of the printing pad 10 is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate depending on the specifications of the object 70 to be printed, such as a bullet shape, a shape with a curved surface formed by rotating a parabola around its axis of symmetry, a shape such as a portion of an ellipsoid cut away, or a shape in which the cross section of a bullet or semicircular shape is continuously extended in a straight line. The printing pad 10 includes a top 6 that first contacts the object 70 to be printed or the printing plate 50, and the top 6 is formed by a point or a line. As a result, when the printing pad 10 is pressed against the printing object 70 or the printing plate 50, air is not trapped between the printing surface 4 and the printing object 70 or the printing plate 50. This makes it possible to prevent gaps from occurring in the printed image applied to the printing object 70. In the first embodiment, a predetermined range of the surface of the printing pad 10, centered on the apex 6, becomes the printing surface 4 that picks up ink from the printing plate 50 and transfers it to the printing object 70.

[0029] 6 shows the case where the printing pad 10 forms the print image area 40 on the print object 70 in a single printing process, but the printing process may be performed in a different form. For example, the printing pad 10 may be configured to form the print image area 40 in multiple printing processes using a small printing pad 10.

[0030] <Base material 5> The substrate 5 is formed by molding, for example, silicone rubber. The substrate 5 is elastic (flexible) and has silicone oil mixed in to make it easily deformable. In the first embodiment, the substrate 5 has a substantially hemispherical shape, but the shape can be modified as appropriate depending on the specifications of the printed matter 70. The substrate 5 deforms when the printing pad 10 is pressed against the printing plate 50, and transfers the ink 41 placed on the mounting surface 51 of the printing plate 50 to the printing surface 4. The ink 41 placed on the mounting surface 51 of the printing plate 50 is arranged in correspondence with the image to be printed on the printed matter 70, and forms a printing pattern corresponding to the image. Note that the material of the substrate 5 is not limited as long as it can transfer the ink 41 to the printing surface when the printing pad 10 is pressed against the printing surface.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the printing pad 10 of the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment when pressed against a print object 70. For example, the substrate 5 may be formed from two materials with different hardnesses. In this case, for example, the material of the outer layer 2 constituting the portion close to the printing surface 4 is set to an Asker C hardness range of 50 to 70 points. The material of the inner layer 1 located inside the outer layer 2 is set to an Asker C hardness of 100 points. The inner layer 1 is located on the side where a force pressing the printing surface 4 against the surface to be printed is applied during printing, and is located closer to the support member 7 than the outer layer 2. The support member 7 is connected to the vertical movement device 11 and transmits the force from the vertical movement device 11 to the printing pad 10. In FIG. 7, the upper portion of the substrate 5 has an Asker C hardness of 100 points, and the lower portion of the substrate 5 (the side where the apex 6 is located) has an Asker C hardness of 50 to 70 points. In order for the printing pad 10 to deform and conform to the surface to be printed, it is desirable to set the hardness of the printing pad 10 low. Therefore, the hardness of the portion of the printing pad 10 on the side of the printing surface 4 that is pressed against the object 70 to be printed is set lower than that of the upper portion. This configuration makes it easier for the overall shape of the printing pad 10 to be maintained. At the same time, there is the advantage that the outer layer 2 that is pressed directly against the surface to be printed is easily deformed into the recessed portion 74 and the surrounding surface 75 of the surface to be printed. However, the hardness of each portion of the substrate 5 is not limited to the above hardness.

[0032] <Cleaning device 60> As shown in Figure 5, a surface treatment stage 86 is disposed next to the printing stage 87 of the printing apparatus 100. A cleaning device 60 is installed on the surface treatment stage 86. The cleaning device 60 includes, for example, paper or adhesive tape. The printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is pressed against the surface of the paper or adhesive tape to remove ink 41, dirt, dust, etc. remaining after printing.

[0033] <Activation device 61> The activation device 61 includes a reservoir tank for storing liquid and an absorption unit for absorbing and retaining the liquid. The printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is pressed against the surface of the absorption unit, causing the liquid retained by the absorption unit to adhere to the printing surface 4. The printing pad 10 allows water or a solvent to adhere to or soak into the substrate 5, making it easier to transfer the ink 41 placed on the printing plate 50 to the printing surface 4. The liquid is appropriately selected based on the properties of the components contained in the ink 41 and has the ability to soften hard ink 41. The ink 41 is a mixture of synthetic resins such as acrylic resin or urethane resin, and water, thinner, xylene, or toluene, and it is preferable to select one that has a high affinity with the solvent contained in the ink 41. However, the liquid used in the activation device 61 is not limited to the above.

[0034] The absorption unit of the activation device 61 is constructed, for example, by stacking thin sheet-like absorbent materials. The absorbent material is, for example, made of paper, but is not limited to paper and can be made of other materials, such as cloth or resin, as long as they absorb liquid. For example, the absorption unit may be constructed by stacking paper on a sponge-like resin. The surface of the absorption unit against which the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is pressed may become contaminated with ink 41 remaining on the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10, or the surface of the absorption unit may be scraped, causing the paper constituting the absorption unit to tear. Therefore, the top layer of paper in the absorption unit is designed to be peeled off and removed from the top layer of the absorption unit, and the stacked sheets may be removed one by one, or the upper layer may be replaced mechanically. However, the method for replacing the top layer of paper is not limited to this method. The absorption unit is designed so that the top layer of paper, etc., can be removed or replaced freely, and its surface is always kept clean and permeated with liquid, so that the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 can be activated by pressing it against the printing surface.

[0035] <Air blower 62> The air blowing device 62 adjusts the amount of water or solvent that has adhered to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 by the activation device 61 to an appropriate amount. The air blowing device 62 blows air toward the printing surface 4 to remove excess water or solvent from the printing surface 4. Note that the type and number of the air blowing devices 62 and the direction in which the air is blown are not limited.

[0036] <Printing Plate Stage 85> The printing plate stage 85 has the printing plate 50 placed on its upper surface and is equipped with an ink placement device 63 that places ink on the printing plate 50. The ink placement device 63 includes, for example, a roller 64 that holds ink, and the roller 64 rolls over the printing plate 50 to place the ink on the printing plate 50. The ink placement device 63 may also be an inkjet head that is installed so as to be movable horizontally. In this case, the head places ink on the surface of the printing plate 50 using an inkjet method and is configured so as to be movable along a movable rail. The ink placement device 63 is not limited to the above and can take other forms.

[0037] <Method for producing printed matter using the printing device 100> Fig. 8 shows the flow of a method for producing a printed matter using the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment. The method for producing a printed matter using the printing device 100 will be described below with reference to Figs. 5 and 8. As shown in Fig. 5, the printing device 100 includes a control device 20. The control device 20 is configured, for example, by a microcomputer, and includes an arithmetic device 20a and a storage device 20b. The functions of the control device 20 are realized using the arithmetic device 20a and the storage device 20b (see Fig. 5).

[0038] The storage device 20b is a ROM that stores programs and data in advance, a RAM for temporarily storing data when a program is executed, or the like. Non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memories such as flash memory, EPROM (Erasable and Programmable ROM), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) are used as the storage device 20b. Removable recording media such as magnetic disks, flexible disks, optical disks, CDs (Compact Discs), MDs (Mini Discs), and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) may also be used as the storage device 20b. The storage device 20b can store information obtained from the temperature sensor 68 and the like, and information processed by the arithmetic device 20a.

[0039] The arithmetic unit 20a performs various processes to execute the functions of the control unit 20. The arithmetic unit 20a compares room temperature information, for example, from a temperature sensor, with a temperature threshold value stored in advance in the storage unit 20b, and determines whether the room temperature is higher than the threshold value. If the room temperature is higher than the threshold value, the control unit 20 controls the heater of the fan 66 to reduce its output to a predetermined value. Alternatively, if the room temperature is higher than the threshold value, the control unit 20 may control the fan 66 to shorten its operating time. Alternatively, the control unit 20 may control the printing pad 10 to stop in front of the fan 66 and limit the time it is exposed to air.

[0040] (Printing original plate creation process OP1) As shown in FIG. 8 , the method for producing a printed product begins with a printing plate preparation process OP1 in which a print image is formed on the mounting surface 51 of the printing plate 50. As shown in FIG. 4 , the printing plate 50 is flat and mounted on a printing plate stage 85. In the first embodiment, the printing plate 50 is a thin, flat plate made of aluminum alloy. However, a sheet material known as a "grain catch sheet," which has excellent ink retention and affinity with UV ink, can also be used. Furthermore, providing the sheet material with irregularities can improve ink retention and affinity. The surface of the printing plate 50 is finished to a predetermined surface roughness. The ink mounting device 63 may be configured to be movable horizontally at least above the printing plate 50 by a feed device (not shown). Alternatively, the printing plate 50 may be configured to be movable relative to the ink mounting device 63. The ink deposition device 63 may include a roller 64 for holding ink, as in the printing plate stage 85 shown in FIG. 1 , and the roller 64 may roll over the printing plate 50 to deposit ink onto the printing plate 50. Alternatively, an image may be created using an inkjet system under computer control. As shown in FIG. 1 , the printing plate creation process OP1 has a similar configuration even when offset printing is performed on a curved printing object 70. In inkjet printing, a print image is obtained by ejecting fine ink droplets from nozzles provided in a head serving as the ink deposition device 63 and spraying them onto the printing plate 50. The head may include, for example, four colors of ink (red, blue, yellow, and black), as well as a reservoir for storing intermediate color inks having intermediate colors between the four colors, and a nozzle for ejecting the intermediate color inks. The head may also be configured to arrange dots of inks of at least five different colors, including the intermediate color inks, on the surface of the printing plate 50.

[0041] (Ink drying process OP2) After the printing plate creating process OP1 is completed, the ink drying process OP2 is performed. Immediately after the printing plate creating process OP1 is completed, the ink 41 on the printing plate 50 has a low viscosity. If the viscosity of the ink 41 on the printing plate 50 remains low, when the printing pad 10 is pressed against the ink 41 on the printing plate 50, the ink 41 will be crushed and will not be transferred accurately. Furthermore, bleeding of the ink 41 will reduce the accuracy of the printed image. Therefore, in the ink drying process OP2, the solvent contained in the ink 41 is evaporated to increase the viscosity of the ink 41.

[0042] In the ink drying process OP2, the ink 41 on the printing plate 50 is evaporated by blowing air or heating it. Alternatively, the printing plate 50 may be left on the printing plate stage 85 and allowed to dry naturally for a predetermined period of time. The solvent is more volatile than the other components in the ink 41. By evaporating the solvent from the ink 41 using a means such as blowing air, the viscosity of the ink is increased by increasing the proportion of components other than the solvent in the ink 41. When the ink drying process OP2 is completed, the viscosity of the ink 41 is adjusted to, for example, 3 Pa·s to 1000 Pa·s. The time required for drying the ink is preferably matched to the time required for the subsequent transfer process OP3 and pressing process OP4. This configuration allows for efficient continuous printing of a large number of printed objects 70.

[0043] Furthermore, when transitioning from the printing plate creating process OP1 to the ink drying process OP2, the printing plate 50 may be moved from the printing plate stage 85, or may remain placed on the printing plate stage 85. If the printing plate 50 is moved from the printing plate stage 85, another printing plate 50 can be placed on the printing plate stage 85 immediately and the printing plate creating process OP1 can be started, which has the advantage of shortening the cycle time of the entire offset printing process.

[0044] The ink 41 on the printing plate 50 may be dried, for example, by installing a fan and heater next to the ink placement device 63 and using the fan to blow air that has passed through the heater onto the printing plate 50. The heater installed together with the fan is set to a temperature that is as high as possible but below the boiling point of the solvent contained in the ink 41. The solvent contained in the ink 41 is selected to be one that semi-dries in the ink drying step OP2. For example, the solvent is selected to have a flash point of 40°C or higher and a boiling point of 120°C or higher. In this case, the heater temperature is set to, for example, 100°C. Note that a solvent with high dissolving power may damage the ink placement device 63, so a solvent with low dissolving power is desirable. However, the ink 41 used in the printing apparatus 100 is not limited to the above.

[0045] When using low-viscosity ink 41, such as in an inkjet system, the ink drying step OP2 may be performed. However, if the viscosity of the ink 41 has been adjusted appropriately and ink 41 with the appropriate viscosity is placed on the printing plate 50, the ink drying step OP2 may be omitted. For example, if ink 41 whose viscosity has been adjusted by roller 64 is placed on the printing plate 50, the ink drying step OP2 may be omitted and the process may proceed to the next step. The ink 41 may also be dried while the ink 41 is placed on the printing pad 10. In this case, air is blown onto the surface of the printing pad 10 by the fan 66 or 66A.

[0046] (Transfer process OP3) As shown in Figure 8, in the transfer process OP3, when printing is performed using a printing pad 10 whose surface has a curved surface such as a parabolic shape, the printing pad 10 is pressed against the printing plate 50 from its vertex to transfer the printing image.

[0047] (Pressing process OP4) As shown in FIG. 8 , in the pressing step OP4, the printing pad 10 is pressed against the print object 70. The ink 41 adhering to the surface of the printing pad 10 is transferred to the surface of the print object 70. When printing is performed using the printing pad 10, it is possible to print by following the shape of the curved surface of the print object 70. Note that before the pressing step OP4 is performed, the base 73 is positioned on the printing stage 87. The positioning of the base 73 is performed using a jig 89. When the pressing step is performed multiple times on the print object 70, the jig 89 may be changed each time to change the orientation of the print object 70, and adjustments may be made so that the printing pad 10 is pressed against the surface of the base 73 at the desired position and angle. However, this is not limited to this, and the orientation of the print object 70 may be maintained the same during multiple pressing steps.

[0048] (Fixing process OP5) As shown in Figure 8, in the fixing step OP5, the ink 41 transferred onto the surface of the printed matter 70 in the pressing step OP4 is fixed. If UV ink is used as the ink 41, the surface of the printed matter 70 may be irradiated with ultraviolet rays using an ultraviolet irradiation device (not shown) to harden the ink 41. Alternatively, an electron beam may be irradiated instead of ultraviolet rays. If the shape of the printed matter 70 has a curved surface, it is desirable to use an ultraviolet irradiation device 80 that can irradiate ultraviolet rays along the curved surface.

[0049] Furthermore, in the fixing step OP5, the method is not limited to curing the ink 41 by irradiation with ultraviolet light or an electron beam, and may be, for example, a method of curing the ink 41 by heating with a heater or drying with air blowing. Furthermore, the ink 41 may be cured by natural drying.

[0050] <Operation of the Printing Device 100> 9 is a flow chart showing the operation of the printing device 100 according to embodiment 1. When carrying out the method for producing a printed matter shown in FIG. 8 above, the printing device 100 operates according to the flow chart shown in FIG.

[0051] (starting process) The start-up process is performed immediately after the printing apparatus 100 is started. Because the surface of the printing pad 10 may not be activated immediately after the start of production of printed materials, a process is performed to properly activate the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10. First, when the printing apparatus 100 is started, the printing apparatus 100 moves the printing pad 10 above the activation device 61 and lowers it toward the activation device 61. The printing pad 10 is raised after the printing surface 4 is pressed against the absorption unit of the activation device 61 and a predetermined area including the printing surface 4 comes into contact with the absorption unit. This process is referred to as the activation process (SP1). This allows liquid such as water or solvent that has soaked into the absorption unit of the activation device 61 to adhere to or soak into the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10. The printing pad 10 has an uneven surface, which is absorbed into the absorption unit. This process is referred to as the first start-up process.

[0052] After the first start step is completed, it is determined whether the amount of liquid adhering to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is appropriate (SP2). If the amount of liquid adhering to the printing surface 4 is not appropriate (NO in SP2), the printing device 100 performs the air blowing step (SP3). In the air blowing step, the air blowing device 62 blows air onto the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 to remove excess liquid adhering to the printing surface 4. Note that an inappropriate amount of liquid adhering to the printing surface 4 refers to an excessive amount of liquid adhering to the printing surface 4. The above steps are referred to as the second start step.

[0053] After completing the second start step, it is determined whether the amount of liquid adhering to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is appropriate (SP4). If excess water or solvent is still adhering to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 (NO in SP4), the printing device 100 performs an absorption step (SP5). In the absorption step, the printing device 100 presses the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 against the cleaning device 60. This removes excess liquid adhering to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10. The above steps are referred to as the third start step.

[0054] If an appropriate amount of water or solvent is adhered to or soaked into the printing pad 10, one or both of the air blowing step (SP3) and the absorbing step (SP5) may be omitted. The order of the air blowing step and the absorbing step may be changed. Furthermore, the air blowing step (SP3) and the absorbing step (SP5) of the starting step may be performed multiple times.

[0055] (Repeat process) Once the initiation step is complete and the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 has been properly activated, the process moves to the repeating step. The repeating step includes an ink deposition step (S1), an ink transfer step (S2), a drying step (S3), a pressing step (S4), a cleaning step (S5), an activation step (S6), an air blowing step (S8), and an absorbing step (S10). As shown in FIG. 9, the printing device 100 performs the steps in the following order: ink deposition step (S1), ink transfer step (S2), a drying step (S3), a pressing step (S4), a cleaning step (S5), an activation step (S6), an air blowing step (S8), and an absorbing step (S10). However, the repeating step is not limited to this order. For example, after the ink deposition step (S1) and the ink transfer step (S2) are completed, the printing device 100 performs the drying step (S3) through the absorbing step (S9). On the other hand, the printing apparatus 100 may perform the next ink depositing step (S1) in parallel while the drying step (S3) through the absorbing step (S9) are being performed.

[0056] The ink placement step (S1) corresponds to the printing plate preparation step OP1 in the method for producing a printed product shown in FIG. 8. The ink transfer step (S2) corresponds to the transfer step OP3 in the method for producing a printed product shown in FIG. 8. Before the pressing step (S4), a drying step (S3) may be performed in which air is blown onto the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 to increase the viscosity of the ink 41 on the printing surface 4. The drying step (S3) may or may not be performed depending on the viscosity of the ink 41 on the printing plate 50. The pressing step (S4) corresponds to the pressing step OP4 in the method for producing a printed product shown in FIG. 8. Note that the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment includes a step of moving the printing pad 10 above the base 73 between the ink transfer step (S2) and the pressing step (S4). The steps including the ink transfer step (S2), the step of moving the printing pad 10 above the base 73, and the pressing step (S4) may be referred to as the printing step.

[0057] In the repeating process, a printed matter 70 is completed each time the pressing process (S4) is performed. The number of printed matters 70 is not limited to one, and multiple printed matters 70 may be printed simultaneously. When multiple printed matters are printed simultaneously, multiple printing pads 10 may be installed in the printing device 100.

[0058] (Cleaning process) In the cleaning step (S5), the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 after transferring the ink 41 to the printing surface is pressed against a flat cleaning surface of the cleaning device 60. The ink 41 remaining on the printing pad 10 is adhered to the cleaning surface. The cleaning surface is made of paper or adhesive tape, but is not limited to these.

[0059] (Activation process, air blow process, absorption process) The activation step (S6) is the same as the activation step (SP1) in the start step. The air blowing step (S8) is the same as the air blowing step (SP3) in the start step. The absorbing step (S10) is the same as the absorbing step (SP5) in the start step. The air blowing step (S8) and the absorbing step (S10) are performed depending on the amount of liquid, such as water or solvent, adhering to the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10. One of the steps may be omitted, or at least one of the steps may be performed multiple times. The air blowing step (S8) and the absorbing step (S10) are performed before each step, after the condition of the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is confirmed, depending on the activation state of the printing surface 4. The condition of the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 is confirmed in the confirmation steps (S7 and S9), and if the activation state of the printing surface 4 is appropriate, a repeat determination step (S11) determines whether to perform printing again. If printing is to be performed again (YES in S11), the steps from the ink deposition step (S1) are repeated. If printing is not to be repeated (NO in S11), the production of the printed matter is terminated.

[0060] As described above, the printing device 100 performs the start process at startup and then repeats the process to print on a large number of print objects 70. Note that if the printing pad 10 is in an activated state, the start processes (SP1 to SP5) may be omitted.

[0061] FIG. 10 shows a modified example of the printing pad 10 used in the printing device 100 of the first embodiment. The printing pad 10 according to the first embodiment may include a protective coating layer 3 covering the surface of the substrate 5. The protective coating layer 3 constitutes the outer printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10. The protective coating layer 3 is formed, for example, by attaching a 0.5 mm silicone rubber sheet to the surface of the outer layer 2. The protective coating layer 3 prevents silicone oil contained in the soft silicone rubber inside from seeping out onto the printing surface 4. Furthermore, the outer surface of the protective coating layer 3 constitutes the printing surface 4 and is repeatedly pressed against the printing plate 50 and the surface to be printed, so it must be durable against scratches and abrasion. Therefore, the protective coating layer 3 uses a material with higher hardness than the outer layer 2 and is thin enough to conform to the surface to be printed when the printing surface 4 is pressed against it. In the first embodiment, the thickness of the protective coating layer 3 is configured to be as thin as possible, for example, in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm. The material of the protective coating layer 3 is not limited to silicone rubber, and any material can be selected as appropriate as long as it can follow the deformation of the internal layer 1 and the external layer 2. Furthermore, it is desirable that the protective coating layer 3 has sufficient elasticity so that it can be attached along the surface of the substrate 5 in the process of attaching the protective coating layer 3 to the substrate 5. The printing pad 10 may be further formed into a multi-layer structure. For example, the internal layer 1 or the external layer 2 of the printing pad 10 shown in FIG. 10 may be further formed into a multi-layer structure using materials of different hardness.

[0062] The protective coating layer 3 is attached to the surface of the substrate 5. However, if it is damaged, scratched, or worn, it can be peeled off from the surface of the substrate 5 and replaced with a new one. The protective coating layer 3 is less expensive than the substrate 5, and replacement allows the internal substrate 5 to be reused. Therefore, by replacing the protective coating layer 3, the expensive substrate 5 can be reused repeatedly, and the printing surface 4 of the printing pad 10 can be maintained in a state suitable for printing. Ultimately, the printing device 100 according to the first embodiment reduces printing costs. Note that in FIG. 9, the substrate 5 is composed of an internal layer 1 and an external layer 2, but it may also be composed of only the internal layer 1. In other words, the protective coating layer 3 may be provided on a substrate 5 formed only with the internal layer 1. However, when replacing the protective coating layer 3 attached to the substrate 5, the process of peeling off the protective coating layer 3 may scratch the substrate 5 or cause the surface of the substrate 5 to harden or otherwise deteriorate. Therefore, it is desirable for the substrate 5 to be composed of multiple layers, as shown in FIG. 10.

[0063] (Effect of Print 70) The printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment is formed by pressing a printing pad against the surface of the printing pad to transfer ink placed on the surface of the printing pad, and includes a substrate 73 made of a light-transmitting material and having a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on the visible surface, a printed image region 40 which is an area where ink 41 is placed on at least one surface of the substrate 73, and a non-printed region 72 which is an area where ink 41 is not placed on one surface 70a. The printed image region 40 is provided in an area that includes the three-dimensional surface structure formed on one surface of the substrate 73, and transmits less light than the non-printed region 72. With this configuration, when the printed matter 70 is placed near a light source, such as an automobile taillight, headlight, or backlight, and light passes through the printed matter 70, a difference in the amount of light transmitted between the printed image area 40 and the non-printed area occurs. For example, the printed image area 40 appears darker because it transmits less light than the non-printed area 72, whereas the non-printed area 72 appears as if light had passed through the substrate 73 itself. If the substrate is red and made of a light-transmitting material, the printed matter 70 transmits red light and appears as if a red lamp is lit. Furthermore, when the light source is not lit, the color of the ink 41 disposed in the printed image area 40 can be made similar to the color of the substrate 73, making the printed image area 40 less noticeable when viewed from the other side of the printed matter 70. If the substrate 73 of the printed matter 70 is colorless and transparent or nearly colorless and transparent, the printed image area 40 can be made less noticeable by using ink 41 of a similar color to the background color visible through the substrate 73. Note that the above-described printed matter 70 is not limited to a case where ink 41 is placed on one surface 70a, and the same effect can be achieved even if ink 41 is also placed on the other surface 70b.

[0064] (Modification of printed matter 70) FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where the printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment is used in a lighting device 90. In the lighting device 90, the printed matter 70 used as a lighting cover 91 is arranged to cover a light source 92 and a reflective surface 93. The lighting cover 91 has a three-dimensional surface structure 76 with concaves and convexes, i.e., depth, on one surface 70a facing the light source 92 so that the lit state of the light source can be seen not only from the front of the lighting device 90 but also from oblique directions, and so that light can be irradiated over a wide area around it. Note that in FIG. 11, the printed matter 70 is shown as having a single recess 74 disposed in the center of the curved surface as the three-dimensional surface structure 76. However, this is not limited thereto, and the printed matter 70 may have more recesses 74 on one surface 70a of the base 73, or the recess 74 may have a modified shape. The three-dimensional surface structure 76 may also obscure the internal light source 92 when the printed matter 70 is lit when viewed from the other surface 70b of the printed matter 70. The printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment can be used as such a lighting cover 91. By appropriately changing the shape of the printed image area 40, the shape of the part of the lighting cover 91 that emits strong light can be freely formed.

[0065] The amount of light transmitted through the printed image area 40 can be controlled by adjusting the density of the ink 41, as shown in printed areas 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d. The printed image area 40 includes a first printed area and a second printed area, and the first printed area can be configured to have a higher ink density than the second printed area. For example, by configuring the first printed area as in printed area 71a shown in FIG. 4 and the second printed area as in printed area 71b shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to create a difference in the amount of light transmitted through the printed image area 40, which has a low light transmittance, and it is also possible to make a fine pattern appear on the printed matter 70 when the light source 92 is turned on.

[0066] The print image area 40 may also be composed of multiple print image areas 40. Each of the multiple print image areas 40 may include the first print area and the second print area described above, and two adjacent print image areas 40 among the multiple print image areas 40 may be configured so that the second print areas included in each of the multiple print image areas 40 overlap. This configuration, for example, allows the entire image formed by combining the multiple print image areas 40 to have a substantially uniform ink 41 distribution density. This makes it possible, for example, to form the print image area 40 over a wide area on one side of the base 73. Even when one side 70a of the base 73 has a complex three-dimensional surface structure, a pressing process is performed to form the print image area 40 only in an area where the surface of the printing pad 10 is likely to adhere when pressed against the base 73. By repeating this pressing process multiple times, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of missing ink 41 transfers. Therefore, the printed matter 70 is suitable for use as a lighting cover 91 having a three-dimensional surface structure 76.

[0067] 12 to 14 show modified examples of the printed matter 70 shown in FIG. 11. In FIG. 12, the printed image area 40 is arranged not only on the surface 70a facing the light source 92 but also on the other surface 70b. In FIG. 13, the printed matter 70 is arranged only on the other surface 70b. Even if the arrangement of the printed image area 40 is changed as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the printed matter 70 can still be used to adjust the amount of light transmitted or to highlight a pattern. In FIG. 14, a lighting cover 91 is provided on the outside of the printed matter 70. The printed matter 70 is not used as an exterior cover, but is used to adjust the amount of light transmitted or to highlight a pattern inside the lighting device 90. In FIGS. 12 to 14, the shapes of the printed matter 70 and the lighting cover 91 can be changed as appropriate.

[0068] (Modification of Ink 41) 4, the printed area 71 is formed by an aggregate of dots of ink 41, and the amount of light transmitted through it is controlled by the area ratio between the first portion 42 where the ink 41 is disposed and the second portion 43 where no ink 41 is disposed and the surface of the substrate 73 is directly exposed. However, the amount of light transmitted through it can be controlled not only by adjusting the density of the ink 41, but also by adjusting the thickness of the ink 41 itself.

[0069] FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of an example of portion A in FIG. 1. The amount of light transmitted by the ink 41 can also be controlled by its thickness. The printed area 71e shown in FIG. 15 is formed to be approximately twice as thick as the printed area 71d. If the printed areas 71d and 71e are formed using ink 41 with the same composition, the printed area 71d will transmit more light than the printed area 71e. The ink 41 is a mixture of a liquid, such as a solvent, pigment, and resin. The resin hardens upon drying or exposure to ultraviolet light and adheres to the surface 70a of the printed object 70. If the ink 41 contains a high proportion of pigment, the amount of light transmitted by the printed areas 71d and 71e will be reduced. However, the amount of light transmitted can also be reduced by making the ink 41 thicker, as in the printed area 71e. When transferring the ink 41 using the printing pad 10, there is a limit to the thickness of the ink 41 that can be formed in a single transfer. Therefore, the printed area 71e may be formed by multiple transfers. That is, the print area 71e may be made up of multiple layers of ink 41.

[0070] For example, if the print area 71e shown in Figure 15 is the first print area and the print area 71d is the second print area, the ink 41 is thicker in the first print area than in the second print area, which causes the first print area to transmit less light than the second print area.

[0071] Each of the multiple print image areas 40 may be made of ink 41 with a different mixture ratio of pigment and resin. In other words, print areas 71d and 71e in Fig. 15 are formed to the same thickness, and by using ink 41 with a different mixture ratio of pigment and resin, the amount of light transmitted can be adjusted.

[0072] 15, the printed areas 71d and 71e are the same thickness and contain the same types of pigment and resin in the ink 41. However, the first printed area, 71e, contains more pigment than the second printed area, 71d. This results in the first printed area transmitting less light than the second printed area.

[0073] Furthermore, the amount of light transmitted through each of the multiple printed image regions 40 can be controlled by changing the density of the ink 41, the thickness of the ink 41, and the components of the ink 41, and the color that is visible when light passes through can also be controlled. The color that is visible when light passes through can be adjusted mainly by the type of pigment contained in the ink 41 and the color of the resin.

[0074] Furthermore, since the printed matter 70 according to the first embodiment can have multiple print image areas 40 formed on the surface 70a, different color inks 41 may be used for each of the multiple print image areas 40. Furthermore, each of the multiple print areas 71 included in one print image area 40 may be made of inks 41 of different colors.

[0075] Note that even if a first print area with a relatively low light transmittance and a second print area with a relatively high light transmittance are provided depending on the thickness of the ink 41 and the ratio of pigment and resin contained in the ink 41, when combining two adjacent print image areas 40 to form an entire image, the second print areas of the two print image areas 40 may be overlapped. This makes it possible to configure the entire image so that the amount of light transmittance is uniform across the entire area.

[0076] For example, in the lighting device 90 shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, the color of the ink 41 used in the multiple printed image areas 40 can be changed by providing multiple printed image areas 40 or by combining multiple printed image areas 40. For example, if the base 73 is colored and transparent, such as a transparent red, when viewed from the surface 70b, the red color of the base 73 is basically visible when the light source 92 is not lit. However, when the light source 92 is lit, light transmitted through both the printed image areas 40 and the base 73 is visible, so a different color can be visible. Alternatively, if the base 73 is colorless and transparent, the colors of the multiple printed image areas 40 can be visible, and the printed item 70 is viewed as a lighting cover 91 having multiple colored areas. With this configuration, optical components that were previously molded using two-color resin materials can be constructed using a single-color material. This allows parts that previously required multiple molding steps, such as two-color molding, to be integrated, and areas of multiple colors can be created by printing, allowing parts to be manufactured inexpensively with fewer steps.

[0077] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments. In particular, the combination of components is not limited to the combinations in the embodiments, but can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, it should be noted that the gist (technical scope) of the present invention also includes various modifications, applications, and uses that may be made by those skilled in the art as needed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1 inner layer, 2 outer layer, 3 protective coating layer, 4 printing surface, 5 substrate, 6 top portion, 7 support member, 10 printing pad, 11 vertical movement device, 12 horizontal movement device, 13 flat surface, 20 control device, 20a arithmetic unit, 20b storage device, 40 printing image area, 41 ink, 42 ​​first part, 43 second part, 50 printing original plate, 51 placement surface, 60 cleaning device, 61 activation device, 62 air blowing device, 63 ink placement device, 64 roller, 66 air blower, 66A air blower, 68 temperature sensor, 70 printed matter, 70a surface, 70b surface, 71 printing area, 71a printing area, 71b printing area, 71c printing area, 71d printing area, 71e printing area, 72 non-printing area, 73 Substrate, 74 recess, 75 surface, 76 three-dimensional surface structure, 80 ultraviolet irradiation device, 85 printing plate stage, 86 surface treatment stage, 87 printing stage, 89 jig, 90 lighting device, 91 lighting cover, 92 light source, 93 reflective surface, 100 printing device.

Claims

1. A printed matter formed by pressing a printing surface of a printing pad against a substrate and transferring ink placed on the printing surface, a substrate made of a light-transmitting material and having a three-dimensional surface structure with depth on the visible surface; a print image area, which is an area where ink is placed, provided on at least one surface of the substrate; a non-printing area provided on the one surface, the non-printing area being an area where the ink is not placed; The print image area is provided in a range including the curved surface of the three-dimensional surface structure formed on the one surface, The printed matter transmits less light than the non-printed area.

2. The print image area is a first printing area and a second printing area; The first printing area is The printed matter according to claim 1 , wherein the second printed area transmits a smaller amount of light than the first printed area.

3. The first printing area is The printed matter according to claim 2 , wherein the ink is arranged at a higher density than in the second printing area.

4. The first printing area is The printed matter according to claim 2 , wherein the ink is thicker than the second printed area.

5. The first printing area is The printed matter according to claim 2 , wherein the ink contains a higher proportion of pigment than the second printed area.

6. The print image area is a plurality of print image areas; Each of the plurality of print image areas includes: The first printing area and the second printing area are provided, Two adjacent print areas among the plurality of print image areas are The printed matter according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the second print areas overlap each other.

7. The overlapping portions of the second print areas of the two adjacent print image areas are The printed matter according to claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional surface structure is arranged so as to include a portion having a tangent perpendicular to the pressing direction in a cross section parallel to the pressing direction of the printing pad.

8. A method for producing a printed matter formed by pressing the printing surface of a printing pad against the substrate and transferring ink placed on the printing surface, the method comprising: a printed image area, which is an area on at least one surface of a substrate where ink is placed, and a non-printed area, which is an area on the one surface where ink is not placed; the printed image area, which is formed on the one surface, transmits less light than the non-printed area; a printing step of pressing the printing pad against at least the one surface of the substrate, transferring the ink placed on the printing surface of the printing pad to the one surface, and forming the printing image area to which the ink has been transferred on at least a part of the one surface, The printing step includes: pressing the printing surface against a printing plate having the ink thereon; moving the printing pad with the ink transferred to the printing surface above the substrate; a pressing step of deforming and pressing the printing surface of the printing pad so as to conform to the three-dimensional surface structure of the substrate.

9. The printing step includes: is performed multiple times to form multiple print areas on the one side of the substrate; Each of the plurality of printing areas includes a first printing area and a second printing area, The ink placement density of the first printing area is higher than that of the second printing area, The method for producing a printed matter according to claim 8 , wherein the second print areas of two adjacent print areas among the plurality of print areas are arranged so as to overlap each other.

10. The printing step includes: A method for manufacturing a printed matter as described in claim 9, wherein the second printing area of ​​the two adjacent printing areas is arranged so as to include a portion of the three-dimensional surface structure in a region where the printing pad abuts, in a cross section parallel to the pressing direction of the printing pad, having a tangent perpendicular to the pressing direction.

11. A lighting device comprising: a reflective surface that reflects light; a light source that emits light; and a lighting cover that covers the reflective surface and the light source, The lighting cover includes:

5. A lighting device comprising the printed matter according to claim 1, and disposed with the one surface facing the light source and the reflecting surface.

12. The substrate is colored and transparent, The ink disposed on the one surface is The lighting device of claim 11 , wherein the color is similar to the color of the substrate.

13. The substrate is colorless and transparent, The ink disposed on the one surface is The lighting device according to claim 12 , wherein the color of the light source is similar to the color of the reflective surface.

Images