Manufacturing and control of foil stamping methods, foil stamping devices, add-on units, transfer plate units, and transfer plates.

Abstract

By separating the functions of the transfer plate that imparts the transfer shape from the heat source, the need to continuously maintain the transfer plate as a high-temperature primary heat source is reduced, making it easier to use a variety of transfer plates that can be manufactured quickly and at low cost. [Solution] Heat is applied to the object to be transferred 2 from the side opposite to the transfer target surface, and the heat is transferred to the heat transfer foil 3 via the object to be transferred 2. A transfer plate 4 having a convex transfer portion 5 corresponding to a predetermined pattern is placed on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil 3, and the heat transfer foil 3 is pressed by the convex transfer portion 5 while utilizing the heat transferred via the object to be transferred 2, thereby transferring the transfer layer to the object to be transferred 2. The transfer plate 4 can be formed by laser processing, machining, additive manufacturing, molding, casting, lamination, or assembly, etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foil stamping technique for transferring a transfer layer of a thermal transfer foil to a transfer target object by heat and pressure. More specifically, heat is input from the side of the transfer target object opposite to the transfer target surface, at least part of the heat is passed through the transfer target object in the thickness direction to be transmitted to the thermal transfer foil, and from the side of the thermal transfer foil opposite to the transfer target object, the present invention relates to a foil stamping method, a foil stamping apparatus, a retrofitting unit for existing apparatuses, a transfer plate unit, a transfer plate manufacturing method, a control device, a program, and a product manufacturing method using these, in which pressing force is applied by a transfer plate having a convex transfer portion corresponding to a predetermined transfer pattern.

[0002] The present invention is particularly applicable to uses where different characters, patterns, symbols, logos, designs, numbers, identification information and other patterns for small lots, each individual item, each customer, each order or each pattern data are foil-stamped with a transfer plate prepared in a short time. However, the present invention is not limited to specific applications such as bookbinding, packaging, cards, leather products, fabric products, and resin products.

Background Art

[0003] In conventional foil stamping processing, a method is widely used in which a heating die made of brass, copper, magnesium, zinc, steel or other metals is attached to a heater or a heating table, and the thermal transfer foil is pressed against the transfer target object while the heating die itself is maintained at a high temperature. In this method, the heating die fulfills both the function of supplying heat to the thermal transfer foil and the function of providing a transfer shape such as characters, patterns, symbols, and logos.

[0004] As plates for foil stamping processing, in addition to metal plates, photosensitive resin plates, photopolymer plates, silicone rubber plates, urethane rubber plates, composite plates and the like are known. Configurations for preheating a plate or a base material, configurations for preheating a thermal transfer foil, configurations for transferring a foil by a roller, configurations for holding a plate by magnetic force, and the like are also known.

[0005] However, metal heating dies tend to be time-consuming and expensive to produce, engrave, etch, electroform, finish, install, replace, store, clean, and temperature control. In particular, when foil stamping different names, titles, logos, or designs on each item, the cost of producing the dies and the preparation time tend to be excessive relative to the value or quantity of the items being processed.

[0006] Even when using relatively inexpensive and easily processed materials such as resin, wood, cellulose-based materials, laminates, or other materials as printing plates, if these plates are continuously maintained at high temperatures as the primary heat supply element for the thermal transfer foil, softening, crushing, warping, chipping, charring, thermal expansion, dimensional changes, surface roughness, deterioration of the adhesive layer, or permanent deformation may occur, potentially reducing the transfer contour, positional accuracy, or repeatability.

[0007] Furthermore, the time it takes to reach the transfer temperature and the temperature distribution change depending on the combination of the heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thickness, surface condition, and pressing conditions of the transfer target, thermal transfer foil, transfer plate, and support. For this reason, simply replacing the plate material with a cheaper material may not consistently yield the desired foil stamping quality. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] The following documents can be cited as prior art references.

[0009] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 4,906,316 (Hot stamping method for preheating thermal transfer foil to transfer temperature and transferring it using a variable print head, etc.)

[0010] [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 4,893,555 (Apparatus for preheating a transfer object and applying foil stamping with a heated die)

[0011] [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2007 / 040312 (A foil stamping machine equipped with a means for preheating the material to be transferred)

[0012]

Patent Document 4

[0013]

Patent Document 5

[0014]

Patent Document 6

[0015]

Patent Document 7

[0016]

Patent Document 8

[0017]

Patent Document 9

[0018]

Patent Document 10

[0019]

Patent Document 11

[0020]

Patent Document 12

[0021] [Patent Document 13] JP 2024-132061 A (Foil stamping printing die having a fixed uneven pattern shape portion)

[0022] [Patent Document 14] JP 2025-068944 A (Stamp holder for foil stamping machine that holds a stamping die by biasing a plurality of locations)

[0023] [Patent Document 15] U.S. Patent No. 9,399,368 (Hot stamping arrangement for preheating a thermal transfer foil before transfer by a die)

[0024] [Patent Document 16] U.S. Patent No. 3,817,172 (Heating die in which a heater is disposed on the back side of a silicone rubber plate)

[0025] [Patent Document 17] EP 495,957 A1 (Method for locally or intermittently heating a thin, elastically deformable transfer plate to control contact time and cooling time)

[0026] [Patent Document 18] EP 3,208,088 A1 (Foil stamping apparatus for partially heating foil by laser through a transparent pressing member)

[0027] [Patent Document 19] U.S. Patent No. 4,744,294 (Retrofit apparatus for converting an existing cylinder press to heated foil stamping use) [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0028] The first objective of the present invention is to separate the functions of the transfer plate that imparts the transfer shape and the heat source that supplies heat to the thermal transfer foil, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to continuously maintain the transfer plate at a high temperature as the main heat supply member to the thermal transfer foil.

[0029] A second objective of the present invention is to make transfer plates produced by laser processing, machining, additive manufacturing, molding, casting, lamination, assembly, and other relatively short-time and low-cost methods available without excessively limiting the material name or manufacturing method.

[0030] A third objective of the present invention is to provide a configuration that is not limited to a configuration in which the foil itself is preheated separately to the transfer temperature at an upstream position, or to sequential transfer of dots or characters using a heat-sensitive variable print head, but rather to a configuration that can form multiple separate transfer areas with one or a few pressing operations using a fixed convex transfer part corresponding to a predetermined completed pattern.

[0031] The fourth objective of the present invention is to enable foil stamping of the present invention by utilizing existing heating presses, thermocompression presses, bookbinding presses, and other devices as heat sources and pressure sources on the transfer surface side, and by adding a transfer plate support section, positioning section, heat insulation section, cooling section, or control section.

[0032] The fifth objective of the present invention is to set or control temperature, pressing force, pressing time, position, interval, transport, and cooling according to the combination of the object to be transferred, thermal transfer foil, and transfer plate, thereby making it easier to suppress defects such as insufficient transfer, foil tearing defects, bleeding, plate deformation, damage to the object to be transferred, and other defects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0033] In a foil stamping method according to one aspect of the present invention, heat input is applied to the side of the object to be transferred that is opposite to the transfer target surface, and at least a portion of the heat input is passed through in the thickness direction of the object to be transferred and transmitted to the heat transfer foil placed on the transfer target surface side. On the side of the heat transfer foil opposite to the object to be transferred, a transfer plate having a convex transfer portion corresponding to a predetermined transfer pattern is placed, and while utilizing the heat transmitted through the object to be transferred, a pressing force is applied to the heat transfer foil directly or via an intervening member by the convex transfer portion.

[0034] In one aspect of the present invention, the thermal transfer foil is not preheated to a transferable temperature by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred before reaching the pressing position. The separate heat input may include a heating element in contact with either side of the thermal transfer foil, hot air, radiation, induction heating, or other heating. This allows the heat path through the object to be transferred to be used as the main heat path necessary for transfer.

[0035] In one aspect of the present invention, the transfer plate or the transfer plate support is not provided with a plate-side heating source for maintaining the heat transfer foil at a transferable temperature. The transfer plate may be used at room temperature, may be temporarily heated by the object to be transferred, the heat transfer foil, or surrounding members during pressing, and may be preheated auxiliaryly to the extent that it does not impair shape retention.

[0036] In one aspect of the present invention, the convex transfer portion of the transfer plate corresponds to all or a portion of the completed pattern to be transferred, and a pattern including multiple transfer areas that are separated from each other is transferred with a single pressing motion or a single roller pass. This allows for a processing method different from the method of sequentially forming dots or characters by scanning a needle or character wheel.

[0037] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a foil stamping apparatus comprising: a heating unit that supplies heat to the object to be transferred from one side of the object to be transferred; a transfer plate support unit that supports a transfer plate positioned on the opposite side of the object to be transferred from the heat transfer foil; and a pressing mechanism that moves the heating unit and the transfer plate support unit relative to each other to clamp the object to be transferred, the heat transfer foil, and the transfer plate.

[0038] Another aspect of the present invention provides an add-on unit comprising a mounting portion for utilizing the heating surface or heating section of an existing device as a heat source on the side of the object to be transferred, and a plate support portion for positioning the transfer plate on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil, and optionally comprising a heat insulating portion, a cooling portion, a pressure distribution portion, a height adjustment portion, a positioning portion, or a control portion.

[0039] A transfer plate unit according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a transfer member having a convex transfer portion corresponding to a predetermined transfer pattern, and a support portion that detachably supports the transfer member on a foil stamping device, and may further comprise at least one of a positioning portion, a mounting portion, a heat insulating portion, a heat dissipation portion, a cooling portion, a warp suppression portion, a pressure distribution portion, an elastic following portion, or a height adjustment portion.

[0040] In a method for manufacturing a transfer plate according to another aspect of the present invention, character information, graphic information, vector information, bitmap information, three-dimensional shape information, coordinate information, dimensional information, or processing information derived therefrom is acquired, and a convex transfer portion having a geometric correspondence with said information is formed by at least one of laser processing, machining, additive manufacturing, molding, casting, duplication, lamination, or assembly.

[0041] A control device according to another aspect of the present invention controls the foil stamping apparatus by determining at least one of the following based on information regarding the object to be transferred, the thermal transfer foil, the transfer plate, or the state of the apparatus: heating temperature, heating time, pressing force, pressing time, pressing speed, distance between the heating unit and the transfer plate, transport amount, cooling conditions, or stopping conditions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0042] According to the present invention, since heat is supplied to the thermal transfer foil from the side of the object to be transferred, and the shape and pressing force can be applied from the opposite side of the thermal transfer foil by the transfer plate, the need to continuously maintain the transfer plate at a high temperature as the main heat supply member to the thermal transfer foil can be reduced.

[0043] The heat resistance required for transfer plates can be relaxed from continuous high-temperature durability equivalent to conventional heated types to the ability to maintain shape during at least one or a predetermined number of presses. This makes it easier to expand the options for materials, manufacturing methods, and plate structures.

[0044] In embodiments where transfer plates can be manufactured directly from design data or with fewer intermediate steps, at least some of the processes of metal plates, chemical corrosion, electroforming, long-term outsourcing, or permanent plate storage can be omitted or simplified. As a result, the preparation time, number of parts, and workload required for individual foil stamping in small batches or for each individual item can be reduced.

[0045] By separating the heat source from the transfer shape application unit, it becomes easier to selectively apply heat insulation, cooling, heat dissipation, warping suppression, pressure distribution, or height adjustment to the transfer plate support unit, thereby making it easier to suppress plate deformation or transfer unevenness.

[0046] In the case of attaching an add-on unit to an existing heating press, the heating mechanism and pressing mechanism of the existing device can be utilized, and the individually designed transfer plate can be replaced, thus simplifying the manufacturing and installation of new equipment.

[0047] In the detection and control configuration, it becomes possible to set conditions according to the combination of the material to be transferred, foil, and plate, and to stop or cool, retry, or switch to manual verification in case of abnormality, thereby improving foil stamping quality and safety. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0048] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration and thermal pathways of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a foil stamping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which an insulating section, a heat dissipation section, or a cooling path is provided on the transfer plate side.

[0051] [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which the preheating position and the pressing position of the object to be transferred are separated.

[0052] [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing a roller-type pressing mechanism.

[0053] [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which an intervening member is placed between the transfer plate and the heat transfer foil.

[0054] [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing examples of integrated, component-assembled, laminated, and surface-reinforced transfer plates.

[0055] [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the information flow from order information or design information to the manufacture of the transfer plate and the application of foil stamping.

[0056] [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which the heating section and pressing mechanism are controlled using information on temperature, load, displacement, identification, or position.

[0057] [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which an add-on unit is attached to an existing heating press.

[0058] [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of applying foil stamping to book covers and other materials according to individual orders.

[0059] [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing a configuration using an external computing device, server, or storage medium.

[0060] [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the processes involved in abnormality detection, stopping, separation, cooling, alarm, or condition resetting.

[0061] [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the differences in thermal paths and functional division between a conventional method and one aspect of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0062] (Definitions of Terms and Scope) Embodiments of the present invention are described below. However, the following configurations, materials, numerical values, processing sequences and applications are illustrative, and the technical concept of the present invention is not limited thereto. The configurations of each embodiment can be combined, omitted, substituted, integrated or divided to the extent that they do not contradict the technical context.

[0063] In this specification, "thermal transfer foil" means a medium having a metal layer, pigment layer, colored layer, glossy layer, holographic layer, transparent layer, adhesive layer, functional layer, or a laminate thereof, which can be transferred from a carrier to a transfer target by the action of heat and pressure. This includes continuous rolls of foil, sheet foil, individual foils, sheets, ribbons, or tapes, and includes what are generally referred to as hot stamping foil, thermal transfer foil, transfer film, etc.

[0064] "Transfer target" refers to an object or part thereof that receives the transfer of the foil. This includes single-layer materials, laminated materials, three-dimensional objects, curved objects, flexible materials, and rigid materials. "Transfer target surface" refers to the surface to which the transfer layer of the heat transfer foil adheres, and "opposite surface" refers to the surface opposite or approximately opposite to the transfer target surface in the thickness direction of the transfer target object.

[0065] "Transferring heat through the object to be transferred" means that at least a portion of the heat flow from the heating element passes through the interior or thickness direction of the object to be transferred and reaches the heat transfer foil placed on the transfer target surface side. The heat flow may further pass through a support plate, buffer material, protective material, or intermediate member that is in contact with the object to be transferred.

[0066] A "transfer plate" refers to a component that imparts a predetermined pressure distribution and shape to a heat transfer foil. It may be in the form of a plate, block, sheet, belt, cylinder, roller, segmented piece, or assembly of parts. A "convex transfer portion" refers to a region that protrudes from the periphery or generates locally high pressure when pressed. This is not limited to geometrically clear steps, but includes regions that generate a substantial convex function due to differences in hardness, thickness, elastic modulus, or support state.

[0067] A "fixed pattern" refers to a transfer pattern that is held in a completed or unified form on the transfer plate during a single pressing motion or a single roller pass. The fixed pattern may be formed by a combination of interchangeable letter components, pins, tiles, or partial plates, and may be rearrangeable before or during pressing.

[0068] "Shape retention" means that, during at least one foil stamping or a predetermined number of foil stampings, no softening, crushing, warping, chipping, burning, abrasion, dimensional change, permanent deformation, or delamination occurs to the extent that it would hinder transfer by the raised transfer portion. The determination of shape retention may be based on the transfer result, the dimensions of the plate, the surface condition, or a combination thereof.

[0069] "Transferable temperature" refers to the temperature state at which at least a portion of the transfer layer becomes transferable to the object, given the combination of heat transfer foil, object to be transferred, and pressing conditions. It is not limited to a single temperature value at a specific measurement point, but may also be expressed as the local temperature, temperature history, or heat quantity of the adhesive layer or transfer layer.

[0070] The term "main heat supply component" or "main heat path" refers to a component or heat path that supplies at least a substantial portion of the heat required for the transfer to be completed. This does not immediately exclude incidental heat received by the transfer plate from its surroundings, short-term preheating, weak auxiliary heating for temperature uniformity, or localized heating to prevent condensation.

[0071] (Basic Configuration and Heat Path) In the basic configuration shown in Figure 1, a heating unit 1, a transfer object 2, a heat transfer foil 3, and a transfer plate 4 having a convex transfer unit 5 are arranged in this order or substantially in this order. Heat from the heating unit 1 is input from the opposite side of the transfer object 2, passes through the transfer object 2, and is transferred to the heat transfer foil 3. The transfer plate 4 is pressed from the side of the heat transfer foil 3 opposite to the transfer object 2.

[0072] The arrangement of the heating unit 1 and the transfer plate 4 in the vertical, horizontal, or diagonal directions is not limited. The heating unit 1 may be on the upper, lower, or side. The pressing direction may be vertical, in the horizontal plane, diagonally, or in the rotational contact direction. The object to be transferred 2, the heat transfer foil 3, and the transfer plate 4 may be fixed and the heating unit 1 may be moved, or the heating unit 1 may be fixed and the other components may be moved.

[0073] The object to be transferred 2 and the heat transfer foil 3 may be placed on top of each other before heating begins, or after preheating the object to be transferred 2. The transfer plate 4 may be placed before, during, or after heating. Heating and pressing may be performed simultaneously, partially overlapping, or chronologically separated.

[0074] The heat supplied from the heating element 1 to the transfer target 2 can be generated by conduction, convection, radiation, induction heating, resistance heating, or a combination thereof. Heat transfer within the transfer target 2 is primarily by conduction, but may be accompanied by other heat transfer methods depending on the presence of voids, water content, fibers, lamination, or porous structure.

[0075] In one embodiment, there is no separate foil preheating unit that heats the thermal transfer foil 3 to a transferable temperature by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred 2 before the thermal transfer foil 3 reaches the pressing position. In another embodiment, auxiliary heat is applied to the thermal transfer foil 3, but the transfer is achieved by the heat through the object to be transferred 2 alone, or by a combination of that heat and the auxiliary heat, and the thermal transfer foil 3 alone is not preheated to a transferable temperature by the auxiliary heat alone.

[0076] In one embodiment, the transfer plate 4 and the transfer plate support 6 are not provided with plate-side heaters to maintain the heat transfer foil 3 at a transferable temperature. The temperature of the transfer plate 4 may be near room temperature before pressing, the ambient temperature, or lower than the transfer target 2. In another embodiment, the plate is heated supplementarily to prevent condensation, equalize the temperature, or adjust material properties, but the plate is not used as the main heat source as in conventional heating types.

[0077] (Heating method) The heating unit 1 may be a flat plate heater, heating plate, heating block, heating stand, heating roller, heating belt, heating shoe, heating jig, heat transfer medium circulating member, or heat storage member that comes into contact with the object to be transferred 2. Protective paper, release sheet, cushioning material, heat conductive sheet, metal plate, elastic plate, or heat-resistant film may be interposed between the heating unit 1 and the object to be transferred 2.

[0078] Non-contact heating methods may include hot air, superheated steam, infrared radiation, near-infrared radiation, far-infrared radiation, radiant heat, lasers, microwaves, high-frequency waves, electromagnetic induction, dielectric heating, optical heating, or combinations thereof. The object to be transferred 2 or a conductive layer, magnetic layer, absorption layer, or heat-generating layer contained in the object to be transferred 2 may be selectively heated.

[0079] The heating unit 1 may be positioned at the pressing position, or it may be positioned at a preheating position different from the pressing position, as shown in Figure 4. Heat may be stored in the transfer object 2 at the preheating position, and then pressed after transport. Heating may be performed in multiple stages, with a waiting time provided for temperature uniformity.

[0080] Heating may be performed over the entire surface of the object to be transferred 2, or it may be limited to the area to be transferred, its surrounding area, or multiple selected areas. Heaters in multiple zones may be individually controlled to adjust the temperature distribution according to the thickness, heat capacity, moisture content, or pattern area of ​​the object to be transferred 2.

[0081] As a design example, the set temperature of the heating unit 1 can be selected from the ranges of 40°C to 250°C, 60°C to 200°C, or 80°C to 180°C, depending on the target foil and the material to be transferred. However, these are exemplary design ranges, and the actual transfer surface temperature, plate temperature, or foil adhesive layer temperature may differ.

[0082] (Pressing method and process sequence) The pressing mechanism 7 can consist of a manual lever, a screw, an eccentric cam, a toggle, a spring, a weight, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric actuator, a linear motor, a servo motor, a press, a roll nip, or a combination thereof.

[0083] Pressing can be performed by surface pressing between flat plates, line contact between a flat plate and a roller, nip contact between multiple rollers, rotational contact between a cylindrical plate and a cylindrical support, contact between a belt and a roller, partial pressing by a stamp head, or passing pressing during continuous conveyance.

[0084] The entire completed pattern may be transferred in a single pressing motion, or, depending on the area or the need to conform to a curved surface, the completed pattern may be divided into multiple partial plates and transferred in multiple pressing motions. In the case of multiple motions, the relative positions can be aligned using a positioning unit or reference mark.

[0085] The pressing force can be controlled as a set value, load, pressure, torque, spring displacement, cylinder pressure, motor current, or pressure per unit contact area. The pressing time can be controlled as a holding time above a predetermined load or a holding time above a predetermined temperature, from the start of contact to separation.

[0086] As a design example, the pressing time can be selected from 0.01 seconds to 120 seconds, 0.05 seconds to 30 seconds, or 0.1 seconds to 10 seconds, and the average surface pressure can be selected from 0.01 MPa to 20 MPa, 0.05 MPa to 10 MPa, or 0.1 MPa to 5 MPa. However, the local pressure of the convex transfer portion 5 may differ from the average surface pressure.

[0087] In this specification, "average surface pressure" or "apparent average contact pressure" means the value obtained by dividing the pressing load by the estimated or calculated actual contact area of ​​the convex transfer portion, unless otherwise specified. The average pressure based on the total area of ​​the circumscribing rectangle or other circumscribing region of the transfer pattern may be lower than the apparent average contact pressure, depending on the proportion of the area occupied by the strokes, lines, points, or other convex transfer portions.

[0088] The actual contact area of ​​the convex transfer portion may be determined based on vector data, bitmap data, contour data, binarized image, three-dimensional shape data, measured projected area, or discoloration area of ​​the pressure-sensitive medium of the transfer pattern. The actual local pressure may be non-uniform depending on the character shape, corners, flatness of the plate, elasticity, intervening material, surface condition of the object to be transferred, and pressing mechanism.

[0089] The sequence of heating, foil placement, plate placement, pressing, holding, separation, cooling, and foil peeling can be changed according to the transfer conditions. For example, the object to be transferred 2 may be preheated, the heat transfer foil 3 and transfer plate 4 may be placed and pressed, then cooled to a predetermined temperature in the pressed or separated state, and then the foil carrier may be peeled off.

[0090] (Fixed pattern and transfer form) The convex transfer portion 5 can correspond to letters, numbers, symbols, logos, outlines, surfaces, lines, dot sequences, halftones, continuous patterns, identification codes, two-dimensional codes, decorative patterns, or combinations thereof. The convex transfer portion 5 may be formed as a mirror image of the transfer result, or as an upright image depending on the transfer direction or the presence or absence of an intermediate member.

[0091] In one embodiment, the convex transfer section 5 has multiple separate regions included in the completed design, either integrally or with their relative positions fixed, and transfers these multiple regions with a single pressing operation. This makes it possible to form individual designs without using a variable print head that scans point by point or character by character.

[0092] The top surface of the convex transfer portion 5 may be flat, curved, rough, finely uneven, elastic, or have multiple heights. The sides may be vertical, inclined, stepped, rounded, or undercut. The choice depends on the transfer contour, foil tearing, durability, and ease of processing.

[0093] The protrusion amount of the convex transfer portion 5 can be selected from, for example, 0.01 mm to 20 mm, 0.05 mm to 10 mm, or 0.1 mm to 5 mm. The overall thickness of the transfer plate 4 can be selected from, for example, 0.05 mm to 100 mm. These values ​​can be changed depending on the material, support method, and pressing method.

[0094] (Material of the transfer plate) The material of the transfer plate 4 is not determined solely by the material name, but is selected based on the target temperature history, pressing force, number of pressings, design dimensions, support method, processing accuracy, and compatibility with the object to be transferred 2 and the heat transfer foil 3. Other parts of the transfer plate 4 may be made of different materials or have a different structure, as long as at least the raised transfer portion 5 can maintain its shape during the planned foil stamping.

[0095] As thermoplastic resins, acrylic resins, methacrylic resins, polymethyl methacrylate, cast acrylic, extruded acrylic, high heat-resistant acrylic, modified acrylic, impact-resistant acrylic, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyoxymethylene, polyamide, nylon, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetheretherketone, polyetherimide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, and other shape-retaining thermoplastic resins may be used.

[0096] As thermosetting resins or tool materials, phenolic resins, epoxy resins, melamine resins, unsaturated polyester resins, polyurethane resins, polyimide resins, epoxy tool boards, urethane tool boards, resin model boards, artificial wood, chemical wood, casting resins, compression molding resins, and other rigid resins may be used.

[0097] As photocurable materials, acrylate-based, methacrylate-based, epoxy-based, or hybrid photocurable resins, heat-resistant photopolymer resins, photopolymer resins for tools, hard photopolymer resins, tough photopolymer resins, and photocurable resins filled with ceramics, glass, minerals, or fibers may be used.

[0098] As the elastic or flexible material, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone, heat-resistant rubber, urethane rubber, elastomer, thermoplastic elastomer, or composites thereof may be used. The elastic material may form the convex transfer portion 5 by itself, or it may be used in combination with a rigid support or a rigid surface layer for curved surface conforming or pressure uniformization.

[0099] As wood-based or cellulose-based materials, wood, hardwood, end grain, bamboo, high-density fiberboard, medium-density fiberboard, low-density fiberboard, birch plywood, basswood plywood, laminated veneer, compressed wood, resin-impregnated wood, wood-plastic composites, paper laminates, vulcanized fiber, paper phenol, cloth phenol, paper honeycomb, or laminates thereof may be used.

[0100] As fiber-reinforced materials or composite materials, glass fiber reinforced resins, carbon fiber reinforced resins, aramid fiber reinforced resins, mineral-filled resins, ceramic-filled resins, metal powder-filled resins, wood powder-filled resins, glass epoxy laminates, G10, FR-4, and other laminates may be used.

[0101] As metallic materials, aluminum and its alloys, magnesium and its alloys, zinc and its alloys, copper, brass, bronze, iron, steel, stainless steel, nickel, titanium, electroformed metals, sintered metals, cast metals, or combinations thereof may be used. This invention does not exclude metals, and may include differences in the division of functions compared to conventional methods that use a metal plate as the main heat source for high-temperature maintenance.

[0102] As ceramic or inorganic materials, alumina, zirconia, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, machinable ceramics, glass ceramics, stone, gypsum-based materials, cement-based materials, or composites thereof may be used.

[0103] The transfer plate 4 does not need to be made of a single material. For example, a body made of inexpensive and easily processable resin or wood material may be provided with protrusions, thin layers, pins, lettering elements, or surface coatings made of metal, ceramic, hard resin, or wear-resistant material. A hard surface layer may be combined with a support layer having heat insulation or elasticity.

[0104] Surface treatments that can be applied include polishing, cutting, grinding, blasting, flame treatment, plasma treatment, corona treatment, impregnation, annealing, heat treatment, hardening treatment, resin coating, metal plating, electroless plating, vapor deposition, sputtering, thermal spraying, hard coating, release coating, wear-resistant coating, lubricating coating, or combinations thereof.

[0105] Even if the material is prone to softening or deforming at a specific temperature, it may still be usable by combining a heat path through the transfer target 2, a short pressing time, an insulating section 9, a cooling path 10, a protrusion with low heat capacity, a replaceable structure, or a single-use structure.

[0106] (Manufacturing method and equipment for transfer plates) The convex transfer portion 5 and the transfer plate 4 can be formed by material removal, material addition, molding, duplication, lamination, assembly, surface modification, or a combination thereof. The choice of manufacturing method is based on the line width, area, depth, surface roughness, quantity, material, required number of cycles, and manufacturing time of the design.

[0107] Laser processing can be performed using carbon dioxide lasers, semiconductor lasers, fiber lasers, ultraviolet lasers, excimer lasers, pulsed lasers, or continuous wave lasers for cutting, engraving, ablation, surface modification, or drilling. Laser processing includes methods such as removing unwanted parts from a single plate to leave a convex transfer portion 5, cutting out multiple plates and stacking them, or forming separate parts.

[0108] Machining methods that can be used include numerically controlled milling machines, machining centers, routers, engraving machines, lathes, drilling machines, grinding machines, sandblasting, cutting tools, punching, die cutting, water jets, abrasive jets, ultrasonic machining, electrical discharge machining, electrolytic machining, or manual machining.

[0109] For additive manufacturing, fused deposition modeling (FDM), material extrusion, stereolithography, digital photoprocessing, liquid crystal mask stereolithography, selective laser sintering, powder bed fusion, multi-jet fusion, material jetting, binder jetting, metal additive manufacturing, ceramic additive manufacturing, or sheet additive manufacturing may be used. After manufacturing, cleaning, secondary curing, heat treatment, impregnation, polishing, cutting, or coating may be performed.

[0110] For molding or reproduction, injection molding, compression molding, transfer molding, hot press molding, vacuum forming, resin casting, vacuum casting, silicone mold reproduction, urethane casting, plaster mold, electroforming, casting, sintering, photopolymer plate making, photosensitive resin plate making, flexographic plate making, letterpress plate making, or a combination thereof may be used.

[0111] For lamination or assembly, cut sheets, paper, film, metal foil, resin boards, or wood boards may be laminated or fixed by adhesive, welding, heat pressing, screws, rivets, clamps, magnets, fittings, press-fitting, pins, or frames. Letter members, pattern members, pins, tiles, blocks, or embedded members may be arranged to form a fixing pattern.

[0112] Examples of low-cost and short-time plate-making methods include engraving cast acrylic or extruded acrylic with a carbon dioxide laser, processing high-density fiberboard or wood with a laser or router, numerically controlled cutting of phenolic board or tool resin board, fabrication of heat-resistant stereolithography resin with a desktop stereolithography device, fabrication of polycarbonate, nylon, ABS, or ASA with a material extrusion type 3D printer, lamination of cut sheets, casting of silicone or urethane into a simple mold, and assembly of interchangeable letters or pins.

[0113] The plate-making process may be direct plate-making, in which the raised transfer portion 5 is formed directly from the design data, or it may be indirect plate-making, which involves a prototype, matrix, female mold, intermediate plate, or master. In one embodiment, without going through a metal plate, chemical etching, electroforming, metal surface coating, or numerically controlled cutting process using a cutting tool, laser processing is performed on an acrylic sheet material based on processing data having a geometric correspondence with the transfer pattern to directly form the raised transfer portion 5 of the non-metallic transfer plate 4. Position control or numerical control of the laser processing device itself is not included in the "numerically controlled cutting process using a cutting tool" mentioned above.

[0114] (Plate making from digital information) As shown in Figure 8, order information 16 or design information may be acquired, design data 17 and processing data 18 may be generated, a transfer plate may be manufactured 19, and foil stamping 20 may be performed. The order information 16 may include customer name, title, date, number, logo, text string, image, layout, color, foil type, type of material to be transferred, quantity, delivery date, or a combination thereof.

[0115] Design data 17 may include text information, font information, outlines, vectors, bitmaps, three-dimensional shapes, contours, coordinates, dimensions, mirror images, margins, cutouts, thin line correction, thickening correction, shrinking correction, plate thickness, raised part height, or positioning information. Machining data 18 may include tool path, laser scanning path, mask, exposure data, build slice, machining sequence, depth, speed, output, feed, or material information.

[0116] The design data 17 and processing data 18 may be generated by a control unit 24 integrated with the foil stamping device, or they may be generated in a separate terminal, external computing device 30, server, or cloud environment. The data may be transmitted by wire, wireless, portable storage medium, printed marks, codes, or work instructions.

[0117] Data may not be stored, and processing or control may be performed based on received signals or temporary information. Part of the processing may be reviewed, modified, or approved by a person. Design, processing, and foil stamping may be performed by the same business operator, or they may be divided among multiple businesses or locations.

[0118] (Transfer plate unit and positioning) The transfer plate 4 can be configured as a single plate-shaped member, an assembly of multiple parts, or a detachable transfer plate unit. The transfer plate unit may include a transfer member, a support part 6, a mounting part, a positioning part, a heat insulating part 9, a heat dissipation part, a cooling path 10, a warp suppression part, a pressure distribution part, an elastic following part, or a height adjustment part.

[0119] For mounting or positioning, holes, slots, grooves, notches, steps, pins, dowels, screws, engaging claws, magnetic members, suction, vacuum, clamps, guides, frames, reference surfaces, alignment marks, camera recognition marks, mechanical stoppers, or combinations thereof may be used.

[0120] To adjust the flatness or height of the transfer plate 4, shims, screws, eccentric members, springs, elastic bodies, air bags, fluid bags, flexible support plates, or individual height adjustment elements may be provided. The height of each convex transfer section 5 may be adjusted to conform to the unevenness or thickness differences of the object to be transferred 2.

[0121] The heat-insulating section 9 can be composed of an air layer, a porous material, resin, ceramic, wood material, paper material, a low thermal conductivity material, a heat shielding plate, or a support structure that reduces the contact area. The cooling path 10 can be composed of a flow path for air, water, oil, or other fluids, a heat sink, heat dissipation fins, a heat conductive member, a Peltier element, or a mechanism that moves the plate into a safe position between pressure points.

[0122] Transfer plate 4 may be intended for repeated use, a predetermined number of uses, or a single use. Plates intended for single use or a few uses may be manufactured after an individual order is placed and then discarded, recycled, stored for record-keeping, or returned to the customer after use.

[0123] (Intervening Member) The intervening member 8 shown in Figure 6 can be placed between the transfer plate 4 and the heat transfer foil 3, between the heating unit 1 and the object to be transferred 2, or between the object to be transferred 2 and the heat transfer foil 3. The intervening member 8 may be a heat-resistant film, protective paper, release paper, release film, cushioning sheet, rubber, felt, nonwoven fabric, pressure distribution plate, heat conductive sheet, heat insulating sheet, thin plate, flexible film, or a laminate thereof.

[0124] The intervening member 8 can be used for at least one of the following purposes: protecting the plate surface, protecting the foil carrier, preventing foil from adhering to the transfer plate 4, improving release properties, equalizing pressure, adjusting local pressure, conforming to curved surfaces, adjusting heat transfer, suppressing heat flow to the plate, protecting the surface of the transfer object 2, or reducing transfer unevenness.

[0125] (Add-on unit) The add-on unit shown in Figure 10 can be attached to existing heating presses 26, heat presses, laminating presses, bookbinding presses, ironing presses, heat presses, or other heating and pressing devices. The heating surface of the existing device is used as the heating section 1, and heat is supplied from the opposite side of the object to be transferred 2.

[0126] The add-on upper adapter 27 can adjust the position, surface pressure, or thermal contact between the heating surface of the existing device and the object to be transferred 2. The add-on plate support unit 28 holds the transfer plate 4 on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil 3 and can be attached to the lower base, upper base, frame, workbench, or independent support base of the existing device.

[0127] The add-on unit may operate solely by mechanical mounting, or it may receive temperature, pressure, or start signals from the existing device. It may be detachable without modifying the existing device, and electrical wiring, sensors, or a control unit 24 may be added.

[0128] (Detection, Determination, and Control) The control unit 24 shown in Figure 9 acquires information from at least one of the temperature detection unit 21, load / displacement detection unit 22, identification / position detection unit 23, or external input, and can control the heating unit 1, pressing mechanism 7, transport mechanism, cooling unit, or stop / alarm unit 25. The control unit 24 may be integrated into the device, or it may be located in a separate control panel, terminal, external computing device 30, or server.

[0129] Temperature information can be obtained from the heating unit 1, the opposite side of the object to be transferred 2, the transfer target surface, the thermal transfer foil 3, the transfer plate 4, the transfer plate support 6, the ambient air, or from contact-type temperature sensors, thermocouples, resistance thermometers, thermistors, infrared sensors, thermal images, temperature-changed color members, or estimated temperatures at multiple locations therein.

[0130] Load or pressure information can be obtained from load cells, pressure sensors, strain gauges, cylinder pressure, spring displacement, motor current, torque, acoustic signals, or device settings. Interval or displacement information can be obtained from linear scales, encoders, pulse counts, distance sensors, optical sensors, magnetic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, images, or mechanical gauges.

[0131] Identification information for the object to be transferred 2, the thermal transfer foil 3, or the transfer plate 4 can be obtained from images, characters, barcodes, two-dimensional codes, wireless identification, magnetic information, electrical contacts, shape, holes, notches, color, reflection, transmission, spectral information, thickness, weight, order information, device settings, past processing history, or user input.

[0132] Position information can be obtained as outer edge, corner, hole, notch, printing, alignment mark, image features, reflective mark, magnetic mark, mechanical stopper, encoder value, transport distance, time, or pulse count. Positioning may be performed using operating time, transport amount, or relative amount from a reference point, even without directly saving coordinate values.

[0133] The control unit 24 can determine conditions by thresholding, rule processing, interpolation, regression, statistical processing, optimization, constraint satisfaction, state transitions, probability estimation, Bayesian estimation, image matching, character recognition, feature point matching, machine learning, neural networks, or a combination thereof. Human verification or approval may be included as part of the processing.

[0134] The control unit 24 may change the heating time according to the thickness or thermal properties of the object to be transferred 2, change the target temperature according to the type of thermal transfer foil 3, and change the pressing force or cooling time according to the material or pattern area of ​​the transfer plate 4. The settings may also be updated based on past good product conditions, test specimen results, or user evaluations.

[0135] As shown in Figure 13, if insufficient temperature, overheating, insufficient load, overload, misalignment, improper plate mounting, foil defects, missing transfer body 2, plate deformation, or equipment malfunction is detected or suspected, pressing may be prohibited, heating may be stopped, the heating unit 1 and the transfer plate 4 may be separated, cooling may be initiated, an alarm may be issued, the conditions may be reset, or the system may be switched to manual verification.

[0136] (External computing device, communication and program) The external computing device 30 shown in Figure 12 communicates with at least one of the order terminal 29, plate-making device 19 and foil stamping device 20, and can generate, convert, store or transmit design data 17, processing data 18, device conditions, identification information or processing history.

[0137] Communication can be conducted via wired networks, wireless networks, short-range wireless communication, portable storage media, email, file transfer, print codes, or temporary control signals. Data format, name, compression method, and whether or not data is saved are not limited.

[0138] Control processing or data generation processing can be implemented as a program executed by a computer. The program may be stored in the device's internal memory, an external storage medium, a server, or a distribution system. The program's functions may also be implemented in combination with dedicated circuits, embedded controllers, logic circuits, or human procedures.

[0139] (Transfer Subject and Use) The transfer subject 2 may be paper, cardboard, cardboard backing, packaging material, box, corrugated cardboard, book cover, spine, endpaper, leather, synthetic leather, cloth, nonwoven fabric, textile, wood, wood board, resin board, resin molded product, rubber, film, label, tag, metal plate, painted surface, laminate, or three-dimensional object.

[0140] The transfer target 2 may have a flat surface, a curved surface, a stepped surface, a flexible surface, or localized irregularities. The heating temperature, heating time, pressing force, and the elasticity of the intervening member 8 or transfer plate 4 are adjusted according to the thickness and thermal resistance of the transfer target 2.

[0141] For bookbinding purposes, foil stamping can be applied to the cover, spine, title area, name area, logo area, photo area, cover edge, or case. The name, title, date, or design can be changed for each order, and a corresponding transfer plate 4 can be manufactured and used.

[0142] In addition, it can be applied to packaging boxes, cards, invitations, business cards, certificates, tags, leather goods, textile products, electronic equipment casings, plastic parts, models, souvenirs, industrial markings, identification labels, or security markings. [Examples]

[0143] As Example 1, a transfer plate 4 was fabricated by laser processing an acrylic sheet material, having a raised transfer area 5 corresponding to a predetermined pattern such as a Japanese character string in Mincho font. A test was conducted in which the transfer target surface of the object to be transferred 2 was heated from the opposite side, a heat transfer foil 3 was placed on the transfer target surface side, and pressure was applied with the transfer plate 4 from the opposite side, and a clear foil transfer was confirmed by visual inspection.

[0144] In Example 1, the transfer plate 4 was not subjected to metal plating or metal coating, and the laser-processed acrylic material was used as the transfer area without a numerically controlled cutting process using a cutting tool. Based on the provided records and memories, the external dimensions of the tested transfer patterns ranged from approximately 10 cm × 2 cm to approximately 20 cm × 5 cm. The pressing load was approximately 5 to 10 kgf based on the prototyper's feel, and the pressing time was several seconds.

[0145] Gravitational acceleration is 9.80665 m / s² 2 Assuming that a pressing load of 5-10 kgf is converted to approximately 49.0-98.1 N, and that the load is evenly distributed across the entire circumscribed area, the average pressure for a circumscribed area of ​​approximately 10 cm x 2 cm is estimated to be approximately 24.5-49.0 kPa, and the average pressure for a circumscribed area of ​​approximately 20 cm x 5 cm is estimated to be approximately 4.90-9.81 kPa.

[0146] To evaluate the character area of ​​a typical Mincho typeface, multiple Japanese strings were imaged using standard weights of representative Mincho typefaces, and the ratio of the projected area of ​​the character strokes to the circumscribed area was calculated, which was generally in the range of 16% to 26%. Considering the laser processing width, typeface differences, string differences, and processing errors, and assuming that the projected area of ​​the convex character strokes occupies approximately 15% to 30% of the circumscribed area, the actual contact area of ​​the convex character strokes is approximately 3 cm for a circumscribed area of ​​approximately 10 cm × 2 cm. 2 From 6 cm 2 Approximately 15 cm in a circumscribing area of ​​approximately 20 cm x 5 cm 2 30 cm 2 In this case, the estimated apparent average contact pressure is approximately 81.7 kPa to 326.9 kPa (approximately 0.0817 MPa to 0.3269 MPa) for the former and approximately 16.3 kPa to 65.4 kPa (approximately 0.0163 MPa to 0.0654 MPa) for the latter.

[0147] The aforementioned pressure values ​​are not actual measured values ​​obtained from a calibrated load cell or pressure sensor, but rather calculated values ​​based on an estimate of the load, the circumscribed dimensions, and assumptions about the character area density. Actual character area density and local pressure will vary depending on the characters used, the type and thickness of the Mincho typeface, the spacing between characters, the cutout area, the laser processing width, the flatness of the plate, the intervening members, and the deformation of the object being transferred. Therefore, the aforementioned numerical values ​​are reference values ​​to illustrate an example of feasible conditions and do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0148] As Example 2, a transfer plate 4 having a convex transfer section 5 was fabricated using a three-dimensional printer with a material extrusion additive manufacturing method and a commercially available material extrusion filament, and a foil stamping test was performed in the same layering sequence. Polylactic acid-based, polyester-based, ABS-based, ASA-based, polyamide-based, polycarbonate-based, and other thermoplastic resin materials can be used as the filament.

[0149] As an example of embodiment 3, it is assumed that a transfer plate 4 is directly manufactured from the design data 17 using a heat-resistant photocurable resin, a resin plate for tools, a high-density fiberboard, a phenolic laminate, or a fiber-reinforced resin. For each material, the application conditions can be determined by comparing the transfer contour, plate deformation, surface damage, generated material, and number of durability cycles.

[0150] As an example of the fourth embodiment, a configuration is envisioned in which the opposite side of the object to be transferred 2 is brought into contact with the heating surface of the existing heating press 26, and an add-on plate support unit 28 is placed below or on the opposite side. This makes it possible to perform individual foil stamping using the replaceable transfer plate 4 by utilizing the heating and pressing capabilities of the existing device.

[0151] Examples 1 and 2 above show implemented configurations, and the load and pressure are approximate and estimated values, respectively. Examples 3 and 4 above show technically feasible alternative configurations.

[0152] (Modification) The heating unit 1, transfer plate 4, and pressing mechanism 7 may be housed in a single device, or the heating device, plate support device, control device, or plate-making device may be separate. Information transmission between separate devices is not limited to electronic signals, but may be performed by physical marks, work instructions, component shapes, or human operation.

[0153] The heating, foil stamping, and cooling of the transfer target 2 may be performed at the same station, or they may be separated into multiple stations. The processing order may also be changed, with the foil being placed first and then heated, or the transfer target 2 being heated and then the foil being placed.

[0154] A portion of the thermal transfer foil 3 may be cut, positioned, or temporarily fixed in advance. After transfer, the carrier may be peeled off, excess foil removed, a surface protective layer may be formed, or additional foil stamping may be performed.

[0155] Multiple colors or types of foil may be transferred sequentially or simultaneously. Multiple transfer plates 4 may be exchanged to overlap different patterns. This may be combined with embossing, debossing, stamping, bonding, lamination, or printing.

[0156] The drawings are schematic representations, and the dimensional ratios, shapes, line widths, spacing, and positional relationships of each part may not necessarily match those of the actual object. If any differences in shape or dimensions in the drawings are not given technical meaning in the specification, such differences are merely illustrative in the drawings. [Industrial applicability]

[0157] This invention can be used for bookbinding, printing, packaging, cards, leather goods, fabric goods, resin products, souvenirs, industrial markings, and other foil stamping processes. It can also be used for custom manufacturing of transfer plates, sales of replacement plates, sales of add-on units, sales of foil stamping equipment, foil stamping services, design data generation services, or remote control services. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0158] 1 Heating section

[0159] 2 Transferred object

[0160] 3. Heat transfer foil

[0161] 4. Transfer version

[0162] 5. Convex transfer portion

[0163] 6. Transfer plate support section

[0164] 7. Pressing mechanism

[0165] 8 Intervening member

[0166] 9. Insulation section

[0167] 10 Cooling path or heat dissipation part

[0168] 11 Preheating section

[0169] 12 Pressing part

[0170] 13 Heating rollers

[0171] 14 Pressure rollers

[0172] 15 Surface reinforcement layer

[0173] 16. Order information or design information

[0174] 17 Design Data

[0175] 18 Processing data

[0176] 19 Transfer plate manufacturing unit or plate-making equipment

[0177] 20 Foil stamping section or foil stamping device

[0178] 21 Temperature detection unit

[0179] 22 Load / Displacement Detection Unit

[0180] 23 Identification and position detection unit

[0181] 24 Control Unit

[0182] 25 Stop / Alarm section

[0183] 26 Existing heated press

[0184] 27. Aftermarket upper adapter

[0185] 28. Add-on support unit

[0186] 29 Store terminal or order terminal

[0187] 30. External computing device or server

[0188] 31. Storage medium or database

Claims

1. A foil stamping method for transferring a transfer layer of heat transfer foil to a transfer target, A heating step comprising applying heat input to the surface of the object to be transferred that is opposite to the transfer target surface, and allowing at least a portion of the heat input to pass through in the thickness direction of the object to be transferred and be transferred to the heat transfer foil arranged on the transfer target surface side, The arrangement step involves placing a transfer plate having a convex transfer portion corresponding to the pattern to be transferred on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil from the object to be transferred, A pressing transfer step in which, while utilizing the heat transferred to the heat transfer foil via the object to be transferred, pressing force is applied to the heat transfer foil directly or via an intervening member by the convex transfer portion, and the transfer layer in the region corresponding to the convex transfer portion is transferred to the object to be transferred, A foil stamping method, including the one mentioned above.

2. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer foil is not preheated to a transferable temperature by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred before the pressing transfer step.

3. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer plate and the support portion supporting the transfer plate are not provided with a plate-side heating source for maintaining the heat transfer foil at a transferable temperature.

4. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the convex transfer portion corresponds to all or a set of parts of a completed pattern whose relative positions are fixed during a single pressing operation or a single roller pass.

5. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein, in the pressing transfer step, a plurality of transfer areas that are separated from each other are transferred by a single pressing operation or a single roller pass.

6. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer plate is used in a state in which no softening, crushing, warping, chipping, burning, abrasion, dimensional change, permanent deformation, or delamination occurs to the extent that it would hinder transfer by the convex transfer portion during at least one or a predetermined number of foil stamping attempts.

7. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein at least the convex transfer portion of the transfer plate includes a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a photocurable resin, an elastic material, a wood-based material, a cellulose-based material, a fiber-reinforced material, a composite material, a metallic material, a ceramic material, an inorganic material, or a laminate or combination thereof.

8. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the convex transfer portion includes at least one of acrylic resin, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyamide, ABS resin, ASA resin, polyester resin, heat-resistant engineering resin, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, tool resin plate, heat-resistant photocurable resin, silicone, urethane, wood, fiberboard, plywood, compressed wood, paper laminate, cloth laminate, glass fiber reinforced resin, carbon fiber reinforced resin, aluminum alloy, copper alloy, steel, stainless steel, nickel, alumina, zirconia, or machinable ceramic.

9. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer plate comprises a support layer made of a first material and the convex transfer portion, surface layer, pins, character member, design member, or covering layer made of a second material different from the first material.

10. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the convex transfer portion is formed by laser processing, cutting, engraving, grinding, punching, water jet processing, abrasive jet processing, ultrasonic processing, electrical discharge processing, electrolytic processing, additive manufacturing, injection molding, compression molding, transfer molding, casting, duplication, electroforming, casting, sintering, photosensitive resin plate making, lamination, assembly, surface treatment, or a combination thereof.

11. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the convex transfer portion is formed based on processing data having a geometric correspondence with character information, design information, vector information, bitmap information, three-dimensional shape information, coordinate information, or dimensional information.

12. The foil stamping method according to claim 11, wherein the transfer plate includes a non-metallic transfer plate formed directly from the processing data without going through at least one of a metal original plate, a chemical etching process, an electroforming process, and a metal coating process.

13. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the intervening member is a heat-resistant film, protective paper, release sheet, cushioning sheet, elastic sheet, pressure-distributing sheet, heat-conducting sheet, heat-insulating sheet, flexible film, or a laminate thereof.

14. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the heat input is provided by at least one of a heating plate, heating block, heating roller, heating belt, heat transfer medium circulating member, hot air, infrared rays, radiant heat, laser, microwave, high frequency, electromagnetic induction, or dielectric heating.

15. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step is performed before the pressing transfer step, during the pressing transfer step, or both before and during the pressing transfer step.

16. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the pressing transfer step is performed between flat plates, between a flat plate and a roller, between multiple rollers, between a cylindrical transfer plate and a support roller, or between a flexible belt and a roller.

17. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer surface is paper, cardboard, cardboard, backing board, packaging material, box, book cover, leather, synthetic leather, cloth, nonwoven fabric, wood material, resin material, rubber, film, label, tag, metal material, painted surface, or a laminate thereof.

18. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, comprising obtaining information regarding the state of the object to be transferred, the thermal transfer foil, the transfer plate, or the foil stamping apparatus, and determining at least one of the heating temperature, heating time, pressing force, pressing time, pressing speed, interval, conveying amount, cooling conditions, or stopping conditions based on the information.

19. A foil stamping method for transferring a transfer layer of heat transfer foil to a transfer target, A step of heating the heat transfer foil by heat applied from the opposite side of the transfer target surface of the object to be transferred, and by heat passing through the thickness direction of the object to be transferred, A step of transferring the completed pattern, which includes multiple transfer regions that are separated from each other, in a single pressing motion or a single roller pass, using a transfer plate that is positioned on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil from the object to be transferred and has a fixed convex transfer portion corresponding to all or a set of parts of the completed pattern, Includes, A foil stamping method in which, before the transfer, the heat transfer foil is not preheated to a transferable temperature by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred, and the transfer plate is not provided with a plate-side heating source for maintaining the heat transfer foil at a transferable temperature.

20. The foil stamping method according to claim 19, wherein the transfer plate is a transfer plate formed by laser processing, machining, additive manufacturing, molding, casting, lamination, or assembly based on processing data generated for each order or for each design data.

21. A foil stamping apparatus for transferring a transfer layer of thermal transfer foil to a transfer target, A heating unit that supplies heat to the object to be transferred from the side opposite to the transfer target surface of the object to be transferred, and is capable of transferring heat to the heat transfer foil through the thickness direction of the object to be transferred, A transfer plate support portion is provided on the side of the heat transfer foil opposite to the object to be transferred, and is capable of supporting a transfer plate having a convex transfer portion. A pressing mechanism that moves the heating unit and the transfer plate support unit relative to each other, and can clamp the object to be transferred, the heat transfer foil and the transfer plate, Equipped with, The pressing mechanism is a foil stamping apparatus capable of applying pressing force to the heat transfer foil by the convex transfer portion while heat is being transferred to the heat transfer foil via the transfer object.

22. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, which does not include a foil preheating unit that heats the thermal transfer foil itself to a transferable temperature by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred, before the thermal transfer foil reaches the pressing position by the pressing mechanism.

23. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the transfer plate support portion does not include a plate-side heating source for maintaining the heat transfer foil at a transferable temperature.

24. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the transfer plate support is capable of supporting a transfer plate having a plurality of convex transfer portions corresponding to a completed pattern whose relative positions are fixed during a single pressing operation or a single roller pass.

25. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the transfer plate support portion comprises at least one of a heat insulating portion, a heat dissipating portion, a cooling portion, a warping suppression portion, a pressure distribution portion, an elastic following portion, or a height adjustment portion.

26. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising: a detection unit that acquires at least one of temperature, load, pressure, displacement, spacing, position, transfer object identification information, thermal transfer foil identification information, or transfer plate identification information; and a control unit that controls the heating unit or the pressing mechanism based on the information acquired from the detection unit.

27. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the heating unit is positioned at a preheating position different from the pressing position, and further comprises a conveying mechanism for conveying the preheated transfer object to the pressing position.

28. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the heating section or the transfer plate support section includes a roller or a flexible belt.

29. The foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the transfer plate support portion resizable supports the transfer plate and positions the transfer plate by at least one of holes, grooves, notches, pins, steps, engaging portions, magnetic members, clamp portions, guide portions, reference surfaces, or alignment marks.

30. A foil stamping apparatus for transferring a transfer layer of thermal transfer foil to a transfer target, A heating unit that supplies heat to the object to be transferred from the opposite side of the surface to be transferred, On the side of the heat transfer foil opposite to the object to be transferred, there is a transfer plate support that replaceably supports a transfer plate having a fixed convex transfer portion corresponding to all or a set of portions of the completed pattern, A pressing mechanism that transfers the completed pattern, which includes multiple transfer regions that are separated from each other, in a single pressing motion or a single roller pass, Equipped with, A foil stamping apparatus that does not include a foil preheating unit that heats the thermal transfer foil itself to a transferable temperature upstream of the pressing position by a heat input separate from the heat input passing through the object to be transferred, and the transfer plate support unit does not include a plate-side heating source for maintaining the thermal transfer foil at a transferable temperature.

31. A retrofit unit that can be attached to an existing heating and pressing device, A mounting part for using the heating surface of the existing heating and pressing device as a heating section that supplies heat from the opposite side of the transfer target surface of the object to be transferred, A transfer plate support portion is provided on the opposite side of the heat transfer foil from the object to be transferred, and supports a transfer plate having a convex transfer portion. Equipped with, A retrofit unit configured to enable foil stamping by utilizing the heat transferred to the heat transfer foil via the transfer object through the pressing operation of the existing heating and pressing device.

32. A transfer plate unit that is detachably used in a foil stamping device, A transfer member having a convex transfer portion corresponding to a predetermined transfer pattern, A support portion that supports the transfer member, A positioning unit for positioning the transfer member relative to the heat transfer foil, Equipped with, The transfer member is configured to apply a pressing force to the heat transfer foil, which is heated from the opposite side of the object to be transferred through the object to be transferred, using the convex transfer portion, as a transfer plate unit.

33. A method for manufacturing a transfer plate for foil stamping, Assuming that the foil stamping method using the aforementioned foil stamping transfer plate supplies heat to the object to be transferred from the side opposite to the transfer target surface, utilizes the heat path through the object to be transferred as the main heat path necessary for transfer, does not use the foil stamping transfer plate as the main heat supply member for maintaining the heat transfer foil at a transferable temperature, and presses the heat transfer foil with the foil stamping transfer plate from the side opposite to the object to be transferred, A step of selecting, based on at least one of the temperature history, pressing force, and number of presses in the foil stamping, a material capable of maintaining the shape of the convex transfer portion during the planned foil stamping, from among thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, photocurable resins, elastic materials, wood-based materials, cellulose-based materials, fiber-reinforced materials, composite materials, ceramic materials, inorganic materials, or laminates or combinations thereof, as the material for forming the convex transfer portion, A step of acquiring at least one of the following: text information, graphic information, vector information, bitmap information, three-dimensional shape information, coordinate information, or dimensional information, A process of generating processing data that has a geometric correspondence with the pattern to be transferred from the acquired information, A step of forming a convex transfer portion using the selected material based on the processing data, by at least one of laser processing, machining, additive manufacturing, molding, casting, replication, lamination, or assembly, Includes, A method for manufacturing a foil stamping transfer plate, wherein the manufactured transfer plate is used to press a heat transfer foil, which has been heated from the opposite side of the object to be transferred through the object to be transferred.

34. A method for manufacturing custom-made foil-stamped products, A process to obtain individual information regarding characters, patterns, symbols, logos, numbers, or arrangements that differ for each customer, order, or product, A process of manufacturing or assembling a transfer plate having a fixed convex transfer portion corresponding to the individual information, A step of supplying heat from the opposite side of the transfer target surface of the object to be transferred, transferring heat to the heat transfer foil via the object to be transferred, and pressing the heat transfer foil with the transfer plate, A method for manufacturing foil-stamped products with individual specifications, including [specific details omitted].

35. A control device for controlling a foil stamping apparatus according to claim 21 or 30, An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the status of the object to be transferred, the thermal transfer foil, the transfer plate, or the foil stamping device, A determination unit that determines at least one of the following based on the aforementioned information: heating temperature, heating time, pressing force, pressing time, pressing speed, interval, conveying amount, cooling conditions, or stopping conditions. An output unit that outputs a control signal to the foil stamping device based on the determined conditions, A control device equipped with the following features.

36. On the computer, A process for acquiring information regarding the state of the object to be transferred, the thermal transfer foil, the transfer plate, or the foil stamping device, A process for determining at least one of the following for foil stamping by transferring heat from the opposite side of the object to be transferred to the heat transfer foil via the object to be transferred: heating temperature, heating time, pressing force, pressing time, pressing speed, interval, conveying amount, cooling conditions, or stopping conditions. The process involves outputting the determined conditions to the foil stamping machine, A program that executes something.

37. A computer-readable non-temporary recording medium having the program described in claim 36 recorded on it.

38. A foil stamping support system including an external computing device, An acquisition unit that acquires order information or design information, A generation unit that generates both processing data for manufacturing a transfer plate having a fixed convex transfer portion based on the order information or design information, and control conditions for transferring heat from the opposite side of the object to be transferred to the heat transfer foil via the object to be transferred to perform foil stamping. A communication unit that transmits the processing data to the transfer plate manufacturing device and the control conditions to the foil stamping device, A foil stamping support system equipped with the following features.

39. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein at least the convex transfer portion of the transfer plate is formed from a thermoplastic resin filament by a material extrusion additive manufacturing method.

40. The foil stamping method according to claim 1, wherein at least the convex transfer portion of the transfer plate is formed from a laser-processed acrylic sheet material.

41. The foil stamping method according to claim 40, wherein the acrylic sheet material has the convex transfer portion directly formed by laser processing based on processing data having a geometric correspondence with the transfer pattern, without going through any of the processes of preparing a metal original, chemical corrosion, electroforming, metal coating, or numerically controlled cutting using a cutting tool.

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