Apparatus and method for manufacturing Curved decorative structures

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for manufacturing a deco structure in which a deco film can be adhered to a substrate having a curved shape without damage. A deco structure according to some embodiments, and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the same, comprises: a variable printing step of printing a variable printing layer on a sheet of a prepared substrate using a silk printing method; a substrate forming step of forming the shape of the sheet of the substrate such that the inner side of the variable printing layer becomes a back surface, thereby forming the substrate into a three-dimensional solid shape; a deco film manufacturing step of manufacturing a deco film by forming at least one UV pattern layer having a UV pattern formed on a removable transfer film and a hot melt layer; and an adhesive step in which the substrate formed in the substrate forming step and the deco film manufactured in the deco film manufacturing step are bonded by the hot melt layer. The substrate formed in the substrate forming step comprises the back surface, the side surface, and a curved surface connecting the back surface and the side surface. In the adhesive step, the hot melt layer is bonded to the back surface having a surface parallel to the hot melt layer among the back surface, the side surface, and the curved surface, and the boundary between the back surface and the curved surface can be distinguished by the variable printing layer.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing a deco structure, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for manufacturing a deco structure having a pattern design applied to a curved three-dimensional solid shape. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, as the aesthetic value of products has become increasingly important across industries, significant attention is being focused not only on general furniture and building materials but also on the exterior design of high-tech electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs. In particular, back covers protect the rear surface of electronic devices from external physical impacts and foreign substances. To ensure product rigidity, these back covers are manufactured using materials such as plastic, glass, metal (e.g., mainly aluminum), and ceramic. Meanwhile, recently, diverse colors or patterns have been applied to these back covers to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the product in addition to its primary function. Such back covers can be composed of multiple layers to possess both an aesthetically pleasing appearance and excellent protective properties (e.g., durability, heat dissipation, fire resistance). For example, a back cover can be manufactured by bonding a substrate with a decoration film (hereinafter referred to as "deco film"), which has a design printed on a polycarbonate (PC) film, etc., via an adhesive layer. At this time, while it is easy to bond the substrate and the deco film when the substrate has a flat shape, if the substrate has a three-dimensional shape, the curved parts may not bond or air bubbles may form. Furthermore, in this case, the surface of the curved parts may not be formed evenly, leading to a bumpy phenomenon where wrinkles or wavy deformations occur on the surface. In particular, when bonding the deco film to a convex area of ​​the substrate surface, various problems may occur, such as the deco film stretching, causing the layers of the deco film to separate, or the print color quality deteriorating due to ink breakage. Specifically, defects caused by this phenomenon may occur at the corners between the back and side of the back cover. Therefore, improvements in back cover manufacturing technology are required to ensure close bonding between the three-dimensional substrate and the deco film. The problem to be solved

[0003] The present invention has been devised in response to the aforementioned background technology, and one of the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a smartphone back cover and a method for manufacturing the same that can improve the quality of the smartphone back cover.

[0004] In addition, one of the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve is that a deco film can be adhered to a substrate having a curved shape without damage.

[0005] The technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification and the attached drawings. means of solving the problem

[0006] A deco structure according to some embodiments of the present invention for achieving the aforementioned technical problem, and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the same, comprises: a variable printing step of printing a variable printing layer on a sheet of a prepared substrate using a silk printing method; a substrate forming step of forming the shape of the sheet of the substrate such that the inner side of the variable printing layer becomes a back surface, thereby forming the substrate into a three-dimensional solid shape; a deco film manufacturing step of manufacturing a deco film by forming at least one UV pattern layer having a UV pattern formed on a removable transfer film and a hot melt layer; and an adhesive step in which the substrate formed in the substrate forming step and the deco film manufactured in the deco film manufacturing step are bonded by the hot melt layer, wherein the substrate formed in the substrate forming step comprises the back surface, the side surface, and a curved surface connecting the back surface and the side surface, and in the adhesive step, the hot melt layer is bonded to the back surface having a surface parallel to the hot melt layer among the back surface, the side surface, and the curved surface, and the boundary between the back surface and the curved surface can be distinguished by the variable printing layer.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the variable printing layer may be printed on the portion to be formed into the curved portion and the side portion during the substrate forming step.

[0008] According to some embodiments, the method includes a substrate laser processing step for laser cutting the substrate formed in the substrate forming step along the outer side of the variable printing layer, and a deco film laser processing step for laser cutting the deco film manufactured in the deco film manufacturing step so that, when viewed from above, the deco film has the same size and shape as the back surface included in the individual unit substrate cut in the substrate laser processing step, and in the bonding step, the individual unit substrate and the individual unit deco film cut in the deco film laser processing step can be bonded together.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the bonding step comprises placing the individual unit substrate on a jig and heating it for a certain period of time, placing the hot melt layer of the individual unit deco film on the substrate so as to face the back surface included in the individual unit substrate, and a forming pad located on the upper side of the jig and equipped with a heater moves toward the jig to press the individual unit substrate and the individual unit deco film, and the heater may generate heat while pressing.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the individual unit deco film can be additionally heated while the individual unit deco film is placed on the back surface included in the individual unit substrate.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the hot melt layer may be based on a polyurethane (PU) material containing an isocyanate compound having an NCO group chemical structure so as to melt by heat and harden in a wet state.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the transfer film can be removed from the deco film after the adhesion step.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the deco film may further include at least one intermediate layer formed of a material including polyurethane, at least one deposition layer formed in the form of an inorganic thin film by a physical or chemical deposition method to have a three-dimensional effect, and at least one silk printing layer formed by a silk printing method. In this case, the intermediate layer may be removed from the deco film together with the transfer film.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the transfer film is composed of a material including TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) or a composite of TPU and PP (Polypropylene), and the deco film may have a structure in which the intermediate layer, the UV pattern layer, the deposition layer, the silk printing layer, and the hot melt layer are sequentially laminated on the transfer film.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the UV pattern layer and the hot melt layer can be formed on the transfer film by the same printing device. Effects of the invention

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the quality of the deco structure can be improved.

[0017] In addition, according to some embodiments of the present invention, a deco film can be adhered to a substrate having a curved shape without damage.

[0018] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description in the claims, etc. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0019] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a finished deco structure according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section cut along the line AA' of Figure 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a printing device according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an adhesive device according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a printing device according to another embodiment. Figure 6 is a flowchart for a method of manufacturing the deco structure of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a drawing that sequentially shows the process of manufacturing the substrate of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the UV pattern layer formation step and the deposition layer formation step of Figure 6 in sequence. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the hot melt layer formation step of Figure 6 in sequence. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the adhesion step and the transfer film removal step of Figure 6 in sequence. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention described below may be modified and implemented in various forms, and the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Except where the applicant has arbitrarily selected terms and described their meanings in detail in this specification, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are generally used in current widespread usage while considering their functions in the invention; however, these may vary depending on the intent of a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, case law, or the emergence of new technologies. Furthermore, terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted to include meanings and concepts consistent with the technical concept of the present invention.

[0021] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Additionally, terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms, and said terms may be used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. Furthermore, in the drawings, the shapes and sizes of the components may be exaggerated to emphasize clear explanations. Also, expressions such as "upper side," "lower side," "top," "bottom," "side," "top surface," and "bottom surface" described below are based on the direction depicted in the drawings, and it should be noted in advance that they may be expressed differently if the direction of the object changes. Additionally, when a part is described as being "on" or "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "immediately on" another part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when it is said that one part is "directly above" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Furthermore, saying that something is "above" or "on" a reference part means that it is located above or below the reference part, and it does not necessarily mean that it is located "above" or "on" in the direction opposite to gravity.

[0022] In context, the expression "less than" may be used to include the meaning of "less than," and the expression "greater than" may be understood to include the meaning of "greater than." Unless otherwise defined, all terms used, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted in a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined below.

[0023] Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that a person skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a finished deco structure according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-section cut along the line A-A' of FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the back edge of the substrate (100) is shown as being right-angled for ease of understanding, but the back edge of the substrate (100) may have a slight curvature. Meanwhile, FIG. 2 shows a transfer film removed from the finally finished deco structure as a dotted line.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a deco structure (10) according to some embodiments may include a substrate (100) and a deco film (200).

[0028] In some embodiments, the substrate (100) may include various electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, laptop computers, smartwatches, and wireless earphone cases. Additionally, the substrate (100) may include various components that constitute the exterior of the aforementioned electronic devices. For example, the substrate (100) may include a front cover, a back cover, a side frame, a button cover, a camera lens cover, and other decorative panels. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the substrate (100) may be composed of various materials such as metal or metal alloys, plastics, etc. For example, the substrate (100) may include metals such as magnesium (Mg) or magnesium (Mg) alloy, aluminum (Al), stainless steel (SS), etc., or alloys thereof, and may include various plastic materials such as PET, ABS, PC, POM, etc. However, the substrate (100) is not limited to the examples described above and may include various items such as general furniture or building materials.

[0029] Meanwhile, the deco film (200) according to some embodiments may be a film for a back cover that forms the back surface of a housing forming the overall appearance of an electronic device. In some other embodiments, the deco film (200) may be a film used for glass, etc., configured to protect a touch screen forming the front surface of an electronic device.

[0030] In addition, for the sake of understanding, the following description provides examples in which the substrate (100) according to some embodiments is a smartphone back cover and the deco film (200) is adhered and transferred onto the substrate (100) which is the back cover. Accordingly, the deco structure (10) according to some embodiments can be understood as a structure in which the deco film (200) is adhered and transferred onto the substrate (100).

[0031] According to some embodiments, the substrate (100) may be composed of a sheet containing materials such as polycarbonate (PC), polycarbonate polymethyl methacrylate (PCPMMA), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), etc. Meanwhile, as described above, in some other embodiments, the substrate (100) may be composed of various other plastic sheets such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and / or glass, or a metal or metal alloy including aluminum (Al).

[0032] A substrate (100) according to some embodiments may have a three-dimensional solid shape. For example, the substrate (100) may have the shape of a back cover of a smartphone. Specifically, the substrate (100) may have a three-dimensional solid shape composed of a back portion (120), a side portion (140), and a curved portion (160). Here, the back portion (120) and the side portion (140) may be composed of generally flat surfaces, and the back portion (120) may form the back surface of a smartphone back cover, and the side portion (140) may form the side surface of a smartphone back cover. Meanwhile, the curved portion (160) may be composed of generally curved surfaces and may connect the back portion (120) and the side portion (140) to each other. In some other embodiments, the substrate (100) may be stacked in a multilayer structure such that the back portion (120), side portion (140), and curved portion (160) are repeated, or may have a shape of a horizontal structure in which they are repeated.

[0033] The back surface (120), side surface (140), and curved surface (160) according to some of the embodiments described above may be formed by forming or injecting the sheet of the substrate (100) as described below. Here, the forming method may be a method of forming the back surface (120), side surface (140), and curved surface (160) by applying heat, pressure, or mechanical force to the sheet constituting the substrate (100) to deform the shape of the sheet. Meanwhile, the injection method may be a method of forming the material in a liquid state to have a three-dimensional shape by curing it using a mold having a specific shape. A printing process to partially form a printed layer may be performed before or after the process of forming or injecting the sheet of the substrate (100).

[0034] In some embodiments, for the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160) to be formed on the sheet of the substrate (100) by a forming or injection method, the sheet of the substrate (100) must protrude upward. During this process, tensile force may be applied to the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160), and some deformation may occur in the original sheet shape of the substrate (100) in those parts. Meanwhile, the back portion (120) may not be deformed by the forming or injection method. Furthermore, as described above, a variable printing layer (F) may be formed using a silk printing method on the sheet of the substrate (100) corresponding to the part where some deformation occurs in the original sheet shape of the substrate (100) before forming by the forming or injection method, such as the part where the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160) are to be formed. Here, the silk printing method may be a technique for printing on a sheet using a screen printer composed of a screen frame, a mesh, a squeegee, and an ink supply unit, but is not limited thereto. For the sake of understanding, the back portion (120), side portion (140), and curved portion (160) according to some embodiments are described as examples formed by a forming method, and the variable printing layer (F) is also described in detail below.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the deco film (200) may be positioned on the substrate (100). For example, the deco film (200) may be adhered to the substrate (100) and transferred onto the substrate (100). Specifically, the deco film (200) may be positioned on the back surface (120) of the substrate (100). That is, the deco film (200) may be positioned only within the area where the variable printing layer (F) is formed. This is to position the deco film (200) on the back surface (120), which is a non-variable part, so as to minimize distortion caused by the three-dimensional shape of the substrate (100) when the deco film (200) is adhered to and transferred onto the substrate (100), as described later.

[0036] In some embodiments, the deco film (200) may include a transfer film (210), an intermediate layer (220), a UV pattern layer (230), a deposition layer (240), a silk printing layer (250), and a hot melt layer (260). The transfer film (210), the intermediate layer (220), the UV pattern layer (230), the deposition layer (240), the silk printing layer (250), and the hot melt layer (260) may have a structure in which they are sequentially laminated along one direction.

[0037] A transfer film (210) according to some embodiments may be provided to transfer a deco film (200) onto a substrate (100). Additionally, the transfer film (210) may be a release film that maintains stability even under high temperature and high pressure conditions and can be removed from a finished deco structure (10). In some embodiments, the transfer film (210) may be formed in the form of a sheet made of at least one material. For example, the transfer film (210) may be composed of a sheet containing a material such as a TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), a composite of TPU and PP (Polypropylene), etc. Accordingly, structural stability of each layer (220 to 260) constituting the deco film (200) and complete adhesion with the substrate (100) can be ensured.

[0038] According to some embodiments, an intermediate layer (220) may be formed on a transfer film (210). The intermediate layer (220) may be composed of a sheet containing a material such as PU (Polyurethane). That is, the intermediate layer (220) may be composed of a sheet containing a material having strong adhesion along with flexibility and durability. The intermediate layer (220) may be removed together with the transfer film (210) when the transfer film (210) is removed from the finally completed deco structure (10), and the surface of the completed deco structure (10) may be configured so that the UV pattern layer (230) is exposed.

[0039] In some embodiments, a UV pattern layer (230) may be formed on an intermediate layer (220). The UV pattern layer (230) may be formed to have a specific pattern by a printing device (300 or 300a) described later. In some embodiments, the UV pattern layer (230) may exhibit a haze, i.e., a fine blur or hazy effect, as light is scattered from its surface. This haze may improve the aesthetics of the smartphone back cover by optimizing the optical properties and functions of the UV pattern layer (230), thereby enhancing the visual three-dimensionality of the specific pattern formed on the UV pattern layer (230) or controlling the transparency of the material. Meanwhile, according to some other embodiments, the UV pattern layer (230) may be composed of multiple layers, and each layer may be formed to have a different pattern.

[0040] In some embodiments, a deposition layer (240) may be formed on a UV pattern layer (230). The deposition layer (240) protects the UV pattern layer (230) and allows the three-dimensional effect of the UV pattern layer (230) to be clearly visible. The deposition layer (240) may be formed in the form of an inorganic thin film to exhibit various three-dimensional effects, such as matte and / or glossy effects, two-tone colors, multi-colors, and depth. For example, the deposition layer (240) may include a multi-colored color deposition layer or a gradient deposition layer. Additionally, while the image in FIG. 2, etc., illustrates an example in which only one deposition layer (240) is formed, it is not limited thereto. For example, in some other embodiments, the deposition layer (240) may be composed of multiple layers, and each layer may be formed to have different colors and different effects.

[0041] According to some embodiments, a silk printing layer (250) may be formed on a deposition layer (240). The silk printing layer (250) may function as a shielding layer formed to block light transmission from the outside of the smartphone back cover. That is, the silk printing layer (250) may function as a shielding layer by printing a dark color on part or all of it using a silk printing method. In some embodiments, the silk printing layer (250) may include various light-absorbing or light-reflecting materials. For example, the light-reflecting material may include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, zinc sulfide, zinc phosphate, calcium carbonate, alumina, silica, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, lithophene (a co-precipitate of barium sulfate and zinc oxide), calcined kaolin, lead carbonate, magnesium oxide, and combinations thereof. The light-absorbing material may include carbon black, spinel black, rutile black, iron black, and combinations thereof. In addition, the silk printing layer (250), like the deposition layer (240), may be composed of multiple layers as per design requirements, although only one layer is shown in FIG. 2, etc., and each layer may be composed of different materials or materials having different compositional ratios.

[0042] According to some embodiments, a hot melt layer (260) may be formed on a silk printing layer (250). The hot melt layer (260) may be formed using a printing device (300, 300a) described later at the final stage of the deco film (200). Additionally, the hot melt layer (260) may be precisely controlled to maintain the required thickness and uniformity during this process. The hot melt layer (260) may be composed based on a material such as polyurethane (PU) containing an isocyanate compound having an NCO- chemical structure. In particular, according to some embodiments, the hot melt layer (260) may be composed of a solvent-free adhesive and may include a moisture-curing hot melt urethane polymer having NCO groups. This hot melt layer (260) is cured through a reaction with moisture and, compared to general polyamide-based, polyester-based, or EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)-based hot melt layers, it can be applied at a low temperature and has excellent heat resistance and durability due to the moisture curing reaction, and has the characteristic of being easy to bond instantly.

[0043] According to some other embodiments, a deposition layer (240) may not be formed on the deco film (200). Additionally, in some other additional embodiments, the deco film (200) may further include a surface coating layer (not shown). According to some embodiments, the surface coating layer may be formed on the deco film (200) and may consist of a glossy or matte coating layer depending on the method of surface coating. The surface coating layer (not shown) may be formed by a flow coating or hard coating method and may have a thickness of 4 μm to 12 μm.

[0045] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a printing device according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an adhesive device according to one embodiment.

[0046] Hereinafter, some devices for manufacturing a deco structure (10) according to some embodiments described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, together with FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0047] According to some embodiments, the printing device (300) can form a UV pattern layer (230) and a hot melt layer (260). For example, the UV pattern layer (230) can be formed on the intermediate layer (220) by the printing device (300) after the intermediate layer (220) is formed on the transfer film (210). Additionally, the hot melt layer (260) can be formed on the silk printing layer (250) by the printing device (300) after the intermediate layer (220), the UV pattern layer (230), the deposition layer (240), and the silk printing layer (250) are sequentially formed on the transfer film (210). A detailed description thereof will be provided later. For the sake of understanding, the UV pattern layer (230) and the hot melt layer (260) are described below as being formed on the deco film (200).

[0048] A printing device (300) according to some embodiments may include a conveying unit (310), a nozzle (320), a liquid supply unit (330), a pattern forming unit (340), and an irradiation unit (350).

[0049] A conveying unit (310) according to some embodiments can convey a deco film (200) within a printing device (300). Specifically, the conveying unit (310) can convey the deco film (200) within the printing device (300) such that the deco film (200) passes sequentially through a nozzle (320), a pattern forming unit (340), and an irradiation unit (350). For example, the conveying unit (310) may be a conveying system composed of a conveyor belt, etc. However, it goes without saying that the conveying unit (310) according to some embodiments can be varied in various ways to a known device capable of conveying a conveying object (e.g., deco film (200)) in addition to a conveyor belt.

[0050] In some embodiments, the nozzle (320) can discharge and apply liquid onto the deco film (200). In some embodiments, a liquid discharge path (H) may be formed inside the nozzle (320), and the nozzle (320) may include a shim (322).

[0051] According to some embodiments, the liquid discharge path (H) functions as a path through which liquid flows. Additionally, the liquid discharge path (H) may include an inlet hole and an outlet hole. Furthermore, the liquid discharge path (H) may be configured to be fluidly connected to a liquid supply line (334) described below. As described below, since the liquid supply line (334) is connected to be fluidly connected to a liquid storage unit (332), the inlet hole may be a hole through which liquid stored in the liquid storage unit (332) flows in. For example, the inlet hole may be formed at the side end of the nozzle (320). Meanwhile, the outlet hole may be a hole through which liquid flowing in from the inlet hole passes through the liquid discharge path (H) and flows out from the nozzle (320). For example, the outlet hole may be formed at the end of the nozzle (320). In some embodiments, the liquid discharge path (H) may have a generally 'L' shape, consisting of a passage extending from the inlet hole to the center of the nozzle (320) and a passage extending from the center of the nozzle (320) to the outlet hole, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0052] In some embodiments, the shim (322) may be disposed inside the nozzle (320). For example, a space capable of fluidly communicating with the aforementioned liquid discharge path (H) may be further formed inside the nozzle (320), and the shim (322) may be disposed in that space. This space may be formed on the central side of the nozzle (320) and may be located above the liquid discharge path (H). The thickness and vertical length of this space may be changed based on design requirements such as the type and characteristics of the liquid supplied to the deco film (200) (e.g., viscosity of the liquid), the characteristics of the layer already formed on the deco film (200), and the thickness of the layer to be formed on the deco film (200). Meanwhile, in some other embodiments, the nozzle (320) may not have the shim (322).

[0053] In addition, in some embodiments, a heating device (not shown), such as a heater that applies heat to the liquid discharge path (H), may be further provided inside the nozzle (320) to heat the liquid flowing through the liquid discharge path (H). In some other embodiments, such a heating device may be provided on the liquid supply line (334). Such a heating device may control the temperature of the liquid discharged onto the deco film (200) or melt the liquid discharged onto the deco film (200).

[0054] In some embodiments, the liquid supply unit (330) may supply at least one liquid to the nozzle (320). Additionally, the liquid supply unit (330) may supply different types of liquid to the nozzle (320). In some embodiments, the liquid supply unit (330) may discharge liquid onto the deco film (200) through the nozzle (320). In some embodiments, the liquid discharged from the nozzle (320) may contain resin. For example, the liquid may be a resin having acrylic, epoxy, or urethane photocurable resin as the main component. The resin may be selected with a suitable viscosity according to the discharge precision, and the solid content may be controlled according to the thickness of the UV pattern layer (230) to be finally formed. Additionally, for example, the thickness of the resin discharged onto the deco film (200) may vary depending on the hardness of the compression roller (346) described later, the degree of pressure applied by the compression roller (346) onto the deco film (200), the speed at which the compression roller (346) moves, etc.

[0055] In some additional embodiments, the liquid discharged from the nozzle (320) may be melted and discharged onto the deco film (200) to be applied. Here, the liquid may be an adhesive (hereinafter referred to as PU adhesive) composed of a material such as PU, which forms the basis of the aforementioned hot melt layer (260). At this time, a heating device provided on the nozzle (320) or the liquid supply line (334) may heat and melt the material to a temperature of 80°C to 130°C to apply the PU adhesive onto the deco film (200).

[0056] According to some embodiments, the liquid supply unit (330) may include a liquid storage unit (332) and a liquid supply line (334).

[0057] In some embodiments, the liquid storage unit (332) may store and supply liquid. Additionally, the liquid storage unit (332) is configured to be connected to the liquid supply line (334) to communicate fluidly. For example, the liquid storage unit (332) may consist of a tank for storing liquid and a pump for supplying liquid to the liquid supply line (334). In some other embodiments, the liquid storage unit (332) may be a reservoir. However, it is not limited thereto, and the liquid storage unit (332) may be modified into various known devices capable of storing and supplying fluid.

[0058] In some embodiments, one end of the liquid supply line (334) may be connected to the liquid storage unit (332), and the other end may be connected to the aforementioned nozzle (320), specifically to an inlet hole formed in the nozzle (320). Accordingly, the liquid stored in the liquid storage unit (332) may be supplied onto the deco film (200) by sequentially passing through the liquid supply line (334) and the nozzle (320). Meanwhile, although not illustrated, the liquid supply line (334) may be equipped with an opening / closing valve, a flow control valve, a mass flow controller (MFC), etc. Additionally, the liquid supply unit (330) according to some embodiments described above may be provided in multiple numbers. For example, if N different types of liquid (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2) need to be discharged onto the deco film (200), the liquid supply unit (330) may also be provided in N numbers.

[0059] Additionally, although not illustrated, the nozzle (320) according to some embodiments may change its position along a direction parallel to the direction in which the deco film (200) is conveyed by the conveying unit (310). That is, the nozzle (320) can uniformly apply liquid onto the deco film (200) while changing its position by a known device such as a linear motor. Specifically, the nozzle (320) can supply liquid onto the deco film (200) while moving to one end of the deco film (200) and the other end opposite thereto, thereby uniformly applying it in the form of a continuous film. At this time, the recognition of the one end and the other end of the deco film (200) can be made by a camera (not shown) or a detection sensor (not shown) installed at the bottom of the nozzle (320), and during this process, the deco film (200) can maintain a fixed position. However, this is not limited thereto, and in some other embodiments, liquid may be discharged onto the deco film (200) while the deco film (200) is moved by the aforementioned conveyor (310) while the position of the nozzle (320) remains fixed.

[0060] A pattern forming unit (340) according to some embodiments forms a UV pattern on a deco film (200) in which a liquid is supplied and uniformly applied in the form of a continuous film. For example, the pattern forming unit (340) can form a UV pattern layer (230) in which a UV pattern is formed by pressurizing the layer applied from the liquid supply unit (330). Meanwhile, in additional embodiments, the pattern forming unit (340) can flatten the thickness of the hot melt layer (260) by pressurizing the layer applied from the liquid supply unit (330), and can strengthen the adhesion of the hot melt layer (260) to another layer (e.g., a silk printing layer (250)) formed on the deco film (200).

[0061] In some embodiments, the pattern forming unit (340) may include a mold body (342), a mold pattern (344), and a compression roller (346).

[0062] According to some embodiments, the mold body (342) may generally be formed in a plate shape. Specifically, the lower portion of the mold body (342) is composed of a central portion and an edge portion surrounding it, and the lower edge portion of the mold body (342) may have a shape protruding toward the deco film (200). The deco film (200) may be positioned to be pressed in the lower central portion of the mold body (342). Meanwhile, a plurality of mold patterns (344) protruding toward the deco film (200) may be formed in the lower central portion of the mold body (342). For example, the mold patterns (344) may include various shapes such as fine protrusions, grooves, grid shapes, sawtooth shapes, other functional or decorative shapes, pattern shapes formed by ultra-precision machining, or holographic pattern shapes. In addition, unlike the illustrated example, the plurality of mold patterns (344) can form a group of at least one number, and the groups of each mold pattern (344) can be spaced apart from each other.

[0063] In some embodiments, the mold body (342) may be configured to move along the direction toward and opposite to the deco film (200) by any one of various known devices, such as a manual or hydraulic / pneumatic cylinder, a linear actuator, or a screw jack. That is, the mold body (342) may move toward the deco film (200) to press and compress the deco film (200). The deco film (200) may be surrounded by the side of the protruding lower edge portion of the mold body (342) as the mold body (342) moves. Accordingly, the upper portion of the deco film (200) is compressed by the mold patterns (344) formed in the lower central portion of the mold body (342), and accordingly, certain UV patterns having a shape complementary to the mold patterns (344) may be formed on the deco film (200).

[0064] In some embodiments, the compression roller (346) may move while applying pressure to the top of the mold body (342) while the deco film (200) is compressed by the movement of the mold body (342). As the compression roller (346) presses the mold body (342), pressure may be transmitted to the deco film (200) through the mold body (342). As a result, the mold pattern (344) and the deco film (200) are in close contact with each other, so that a predetermined UV pattern can be formed clearly and accurately on the deco film (200). Meanwhile, in some additional embodiments, the hot melt layer (260) may be adhered more closely to another layer (e.g., silk printing layer (250)) formed on the deco film (200).

[0065] In some additional embodiments, the mold pattern (344) may be installed so as to be detachable from the mold body (342). That is, the mold body (342) from which the mold pattern (344) has been removed may press and compress the deco film (200). Accordingly, the deco film (200) may be pressed by the generally flat surface of the mold body (342).

[0066] According to some embodiments, the irradiation unit (350) can cure the deco film (200). For example, the irradiation unit (350) can irradiate UV (Ultraviolet rays) onto the deco film (200) having a predetermined UV pattern formed thereon. According to some additional embodiments, the irradiation unit (350) can irradiate IR (Infrared rays) onto the deco film (200) having a PU adhesive formed thereon.

[0067] In some embodiments, the irradiation unit (350) may include a source (352) and a support frame (354) that fixes and supports the source (352). A plurality of sources (352) may be provided, and the plurality of sources (352) may be spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the source (352) may irradiate at least one of UV or IR onto the deco film (200) as described above to cure a UV pattern or melt a PU adhesive, but is not limited thereto.

[0068] According to some other embodiments, an additional heating unit (not shown) for heating the deco film (200) may be further disposed between the liquid supply unit (330) and the pattern forming unit (340). The heating unit disposed between the liquid supply unit (330) and the pattern forming unit (340) can heat the liquid supplied onto the deco film (200) to pre-cur it into a roughly gel state. At this time, the heating unit may irradiate IR or LED light onto the deco film (200) for a certain period of time.

[0069] An adhesive device (400) according to some embodiments can bond a substrate (100) and a deco film (200) to complete a deco structure (10). An adhesive device (400) according to some embodiments may include a chamber (410), a jig (420), a jig plate (430), and a forming pad (440).

[0070] In some embodiments, the chamber (410) may be configured to have an internal space. A jig (420), a jig plate (430), and a forming pad (440) may be placed in the internal space of the chamber (410), and it may function as a space where the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) are bonded. Additionally, the internal space of the chamber (410) may be provided as a space sealed from the external environment. Meanwhile, although the cross-section of the chamber (410) is shown as having a rectangular shape in FIG. 4 and the like, it is not limited thereto.

[0071] In some embodiments, a vacuum hole (not shown) may be formed in the chamber (410). The vacuum hole may be formed in the bottom wall of the chamber (410), but is not limited thereto. The vacuum hole is configured to communicate with the internal space of the chamber (410) and may be connected to a separately provided vacuum line. The atmosphere of the internal space of the chamber (410) can be controlled by the vacuum line, and accordingly, the pressure of the internal space of the chamber (410) can be changed according to design requirements.

[0072] According to some embodiments, the jig (420) may be coupled to the jig plate (430) and positioned within the internal space of the chamber (410). A substrate (100) may be placed on and supported in the jig (420). For example, the upper part of the jig (420) may be formed to have a shape corresponding to the substrate (100). As described above, the substrate (100) may have a three-dimensional solid shape having a back portion (120), a side portion (140), and a curved portion (160), and the upper part of the jig (420) may also be formed to interlock with the three-dimensional solid shape of the substrate (100). Accordingly, when the material (100) is seated on the jig (420), the upper outer surface of the jig (420) can come into contact with the inner surface of the back portion (120), the inner surface of the side portion (140), and the inner surface of the curved portion (160), respectively.

[0073] In some embodiments, the forming pad (440) may be positioned to face the jig (420). For example, the forming pad (440) may be spaced apart from the upper side of the jig (420) within the internal space of the chamber (410). The lower part of the forming pad (440) may be composed of a central part and an edge part surrounding it, similar to the mold body (342) of the printing device (300) described above. The lower edge part of the forming pad (440) may be formed to protrude in a direction toward the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420). Accordingly, a space surrounded by the lower edge may be formed on the lower side of the lower central part of the forming pad (440). Meanwhile, the positions of the jig (420) and the forming pad (440) may be changed by a driving device not shown, either toward each other or in a direction opposite to each other. The driving device for changing the position of the jig (420) and the forming pad (440) may be configured to be hinge-coupled with the aforementioned servo motor, stepper motor, gear motor, etc., so as to move closer to or further away from the jig (420) by rotational movement. In some other embodiments, it may be the same or similar as the example of the device for changing the position of the mold body (342). Also, in some embodiments, when the jig (420) or the forming pad (440) is moved in a direction facing each other by the aforementioned driving device, the substrate (100) seated on the jig (420) and the deco film (200) attached thereto may be surrounded and compressed by the forming pad (440). That is, the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) are positioned within the space surrounded by the lower edge portion of the aforementioned forming pad (440), and the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) may be pressed and compressed by the forming pad (440). At this time, according to some exemplary embodiments, a portion of the inner lower edge portion of the forming pad (440) may come into contact with a portion of the side portion (140) and / or curved portion (160) of the substrate (100) seated on the jig (420).

[0074] In addition, in some embodiments, a heater (442) may be provided in the forming pad (440). The heater (442) provided in the forming pad (440) may heat the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420) or the deco film (200) bonded to the substrate (100). However, this is not limited thereto, and in some other embodiments, a separate heating device (e.g., a device for irradiating IR, a heater, etc.) may be further installed in the chamber (410) to heat the substrate (100) and / or the deco film (200).

[0076] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a printing device according to another embodiment.

[0077] Hereinafter, a printing device according to several different embodiments is described with reference to FIG. 5. Except where additionally described, the printing device according to several embodiments described below has a structure and function that are mostly identical or similar to the printing device according to several embodiments described with reference to FIG. 1 to 4. Accordingly, identical or similar components use the same reference numerals as those cited in FIG. 1 to 4, and descriptions of duplicate content are omitted.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, a printing device (300a) according to some embodiments may include a return unit (310), a nozzle (320), a liquid supply unit (330), a pattern forming unit (360), a first irradiation unit (370), and a second irradiation unit (380).

[0079] The first irradiation unit (370) and the second irradiation unit (380) according to some embodiments may be generally the same or similar to the irradiation unit (350) described with reference to FIG. 3, etc. Meanwhile, the pattern forming unit (360) may be positioned between the nozzle (320) and the first irradiation unit (370) in the conveying direction of the deco film (200), and the first irradiation unit (370) may be positioned between the pattern forming unit (360) and the second irradiation unit (380).

[0080] In some embodiments, the pattern forming unit (360) may be equipped with a rotating mold roller. For example, the pattern forming unit (360) may be composed of a mold pattern and an auxiliary roller installed to engage with the mold pattern and rotating in correspondence with the rotation of the mold roller. In some embodiments, patterns identical or similar to the mold pattern (344) described with reference to FIG. 3, etc. may be formed on the surface of the mold roller. As the mold roller rotates and comes into contact with the pre-cured liquid on the deco film (200), UV patterns complementary to the pattern formed on the surface of the mold roller may be formed on the deco film (200).

[0081] In some other embodiments, instead of a pattern being formed on the surface of the mold roller, a pattern slave is provided on the surface of the mold roller, and the pattern slave may be configured to come into contact with the deco film (200) so that a UV pattern is imprinted on the deco film (200).

[0082] Additionally, in some additional embodiments, patterns can be configured to be detachable on the surface of the mold roller, in which case the mold roller can press the molten PU adhesive applied on the deco film (200) while in contact. Furthermore, in some additional embodiments, the molten PU adhesive applied on the deco film (200) can be pressed by the mold roller and the deco film (200) in contact without the pattern slave being provided on the surface of the mold roller.

[0083] According to some embodiments, the first irradiation unit (370) may irradiate LED light onto a deco film (200) coated with a predetermined liquid. In this case, the source of the first irradiation unit (370) may be an LED. Specifically, the first irradiation unit (370) may irradiate IR or LED light to pre-cur the liquid coated on the deco film (200) into a roughly gel state. According to some additional embodiments, the first irradiation unit (370) may irradiate IR or LED light to melt the PU adhesive coated on the deco film (200). That is, the first irradiation unit (370) may irradiate IR or LED light to maintain the molten state of the PU adhesive coated on the deco film (200), thereby allowing the PU adhesive to be uniformly coated on one side of the deco film (200) (e.g., one side of the silk printing layer (250)).

[0084] Meanwhile, according to some embodiments, the second irradiation unit (380) may irradiate light onto the deco film (200) on which a predetermined UV pattern is formed. For example, the source of the second irradiation unit (380) may include a mercury lamp or a metal lamp. The UV pattern formed on the deco film (200) may be completely cured by the light irradiated from the second irradiation unit (380). According to some additional embodiments, the PU adhesive applied in a molten state on the deco film (200) may be further heated by the second irradiation unit (380). This process may be more effective if the PU adhesive applied on the deco film (200) is designed to be thick.

[0085] Meanwhile, according to some other embodiments, the printing device (300a) may be provided with only one of the first irradiation unit (370) and the second irradiation unit (380). Also, according to some other embodiments, the printing device (300a) may not be provided with a pattern forming unit (360). In this case, a liquid such as resin may be applied to the deco film (200) and cured (or partially cured) to express only the texture of the pattern without forming a predetermined UV pattern. Furthermore, in some additional embodiments, in this case, only the operation of applying PU adhesive to the deco film (200) and further melting it may be performed. That is, the process of pressing the PU adhesive applied to the deco film (200) may be omitted.

[0087] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for a method of manufacturing the deco structure of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the substrate formation step of FIG. 6 in sequence. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the UV pattern layer formation step and the deposition layer formation step of FIG. 6 in sequence. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the hot melt layer formation step of FIG. 6 in sequence. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the adhesion step and the transfer film removal step of FIG. 6 in sequence.

[0088] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a deco structure according to several embodiments will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10. In the following, the reference numerals cited in FIGS. 1 to 4 will be used as they are. Additionally, to assist in this, the case in which the printing device of FIG. 3 is used when manufacturing a deco film will be described as an example.

[0089] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 10, a method for manufacturing a deco structure (e.g., a smartphone back cover) according to some embodiments may include a substrate manufacturing step (S100), a deco film manufacturing step (S200), an adhesive step (S300), and a transfer film removal step (S400). In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing step (S100), the adhesive step (S300), and the transfer film removal step (S400) may be performed in a chronological order. Meanwhile, the deco film manufacturing step (S200), the adhesive step (S300), and the transfer film removal step (S400) may also be performed in a chronological order. In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing step (S100) and the deco film manufacturing step (S200) may be performed simultaneously, or one may precede the other.

[0090] In some embodiments, the substrate manufacturing step (S100) may include a variable part printing step (S110), a substrate forming step (S130), and a substrate laser processing step (S150). The variable part printing step (S110), the substrate forming step (S130), and the substrate laser processing step (S150) may be performed sequentially.

[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 7, first, a sheet (S) of the substrate (100) may be prepared to perform the substrate manufacturing step (S100). As previously described, the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) may include materials such as polycarbonate (PC), polycarbonate polymethyl methacrylate (PCPMMA), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), etc. Once the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) is prepared, a variable part printing step (S110) may be performed. The variable part printing step (S110) may be performed using a screen printer via a silk screen printing method, and a variable printing layer (F) may be printed on the sheet (S) of the substrate (100). The variable printing layer (F) may be a layer that is printed in advance via a silk screen printing method on a part corresponding to the part whose shape will be deformed into a side part (140) and a curved part (160) of the substrate (100) in the substrate molding step (S130) described later. Meanwhile, the inner portion of the variable printing layer (F) may be a portion corresponding to the back portion (120) formed in the substrate forming step (S130) described later. In some other embodiments, the variable printing layer (F) may be printed in a known MDD (Micro Dry process Decoration) facility in addition to a screen printer. In some embodiments, the variable printing layer (F) printed on the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) in the variable portion printing step (S110) may be composed of at least one layer. That is, the variable printing layer (F) may be printed repeatedly on the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) multiple times through a silk screen printing method. In this case, the structural stability of the portion that is deformed in the substrate forming step (S130) described later, namely the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160) corresponding to the variable printing layer (F), may be further improved. Meanwhile, FIG. 7 and others are shown as having a total of eight variable printing layers (F) formed on the sheet (S) of the substrate (100), having a right-angle shape with generally rounded corners, but the number and shape are not limited thereto.Each of these variable printing layers (F) can be separated into individual units of substrates (100) by the substrate laser processing step (S150) described later.

[0092] Meanwhile, in FIG. 7, diagonal lines and shading are indicated to distinguish between the part where the side portion (140) is to be formed and the part where the curved portion (160) is to be formed, respectively; however, it should be understood that a variable printing layer (F) can be formed collectively on the part where the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160) are to be formed.

[0093] In a substrate forming step (S130) according to some embodiments, the substrate (100) can be formed. Specifically, in the substrate forming step (S130), heat and pressure or mechanical force can be applied to the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) on which the variable printing layer (F) is formed to form it. Accordingly, the shape of the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) can be deformed. At this time, in some embodiments, the shape of the substrate (100) can be deformed so that the inner part protrudes upward relative to the variable printing layer (F). Accordingly, the substrate (100) may have a back surface (120) and a side surface (140) which are generally flat surfaces, and a curved surface (160) which is generally formed with a curve and connects the back surface (120) and the side surface (140). Meanwhile, during this process, tensile force is applied to the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160), and the aforementioned variable printing layer (F) is printed on the outer surface of the corresponding portion, allowing it to protrude upward from the sheet (S) of the existing substrate (100). According to some other embodiments, the substrate (100) may be deformed by an injection method in addition to a forming method during the substrate molding step (S130).

[0094] In the substrate laser processing step (S150) according to some embodiments, the substrate (100) can be cut by processing it using a laser. In the substrate laser processing step (S150), the deformed parts protruding from the substrate (100) can be cut into individual units of the substrate (100). The criteria for the parts to be cut by the laser can be determined and distinguished by the variable printing layer (F) printed in the aforementioned variable part printing step (S110). That is, in the substrate laser processing step (S150), the substrate (100) can be cut along the outer side of the variable printing layer (F) to prepare individual units of the substrate (100). Meanwhile, in some other embodiments, the substrate (100) may be physically cut using a blade or the like.

[0095] According to some embodiments, the deco film manufacturing step (S200) may include a UV pattern layer formation step (S210), a deposition layer formation step (S230), a silk printing layer formation step (S250), a hot melt layer formation step (S270), and a deco film laser processing step (S290). The UV pattern layer formation step (S210), the deposition layer formation step (S230), the silk printing layer formation step (S250), the hot melt layer formation step (S270), and the deco film laser processing step (S290) may be performed sequentially.

[0096] In the UV pattern layer formation step (S210) according to some embodiments, a UV pattern layer (230) may be formed on the deco film (200). To perform the UV pattern layer formation step (S210), a transfer film (210) may be prepared. In some embodiments, the aforementioned intermediate layer (220) may be formed on the transfer film (210), but for ease of understanding, it will be collectively referred to as the transfer film (210) below. In some embodiments, the transfer film (210) may be composed of a sheet containing a material such as TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), a composite of TPU and PP (Polypropylene), as described above. In this case, the size of the transfer film (210) sheet may correspond to the size of the sheet (S) of the substrate (100) prior to the substrate laser processing step (S150), but is not limited thereto; it is sufficient to have a size that can be adhered to each individual unit of the substrate (100) manufactured through the laser processing step (S150).

[0097] In some embodiments, the UV pattern layer formation step (S210) may be performed by the printing device (300) described above. Specifically, although not illustrated, a transfer film (210) may be introduced into the printing device (300) by a conveyor (310) and positioned at a location corresponding to a nozzle (320). Subsequently, a liquid, for example, resin, may be discharged onto the transfer film (210) from the nozzle (320). During this process, the position of the nozzle (320) or the conveyor (310) may be changed to discharge the liquid onto the transfer film (210), thereby allowing the liquid to be evenly applied to the entire surface of the transfer film (210). Accordingly, a base layer (M) may be formed on the transfer film (210).

[0098] Subsequently, the transfer film (210) is moved by the conveying unit (310) to a position corresponding to the pattern forming unit (340) of the printing device (300), and the mold body (342) of the pattern forming unit (340) is moved to a position in contact with the base layer (M) to press the base layer (M). In this process, the mold pattern (344) formed on the mold body (342) can form patterns on the base layer (M) that have a shape complementary to the mold pattern (344). Such patterns having a complementary shape may be the aforementioned UV pattern (P). Meanwhile, while the mold pattern (344) and the base layer (M) are in contact with each other, the compression roller (346) can move on the upper surface of the mold body (342). Through this process, the base layer (M) can be further pressed from the mold body (342) to form a clearer UV pattern (P) on the base layer (M), and the thickness and flatness of the base layer (M) formed on the transfer film (210) can be controlled. For example, the hardness, pressure (MPa), and rotational speed of the compression roller (346) can be controlled so that the thickness of the base layer (M) is 10 μm or more. In addition, according to some exemplary embodiments, the mold pattern (344) may be placed only in the area corresponding to the area where the back portion (120) of the substrate (100) is formed, among the entire area of ​​the base layer (M) formed on the transfer film (210). Subsequently, the position of the mold body (342) is changed again in a direction opposite to the direction facing the transfer film (210), and the deco film (200) can be moved to the curing unit (350) by the transport unit (310).

[0099] Although not illustrated, a curing unit (350) according to some embodiments may irradiate UV onto a base layer (M) on which a UV pattern (P) is formed. In this process, the UV pattern (P) and the base layer (M) may be completely cured to form a UV pattern layer (230). According to some embodiments, a source (352) may irradiate UV onto a deco film (200), for example, a base layer (M) on which a UV pattern (P) is formed, with an amount of light of approximately 500 to 700 mj, an illuminance of approximately 100 mw, and an irradiation rate of approximately 2,000 to 2,500.

[0100] Meanwhile, in some other embodiments, if the mold pattern (344) is not formed on the mold body (342) or if the mold pattern (344) is provided detachably on the mold body (342), the flat surface of the lower central portion of the mold body (342) may come into contact with the base material layer (M), and the compression roller (346) may move on the upper surface of the mold body (342) to further press the base material layer (M). Through this process, the UV pattern (P) may not be formed on the UV pattern layer (230), and only the texture of the pattern may be expressed through the UV pattern layer (230).

[0101] In some embodiments, when a UV pattern layer (230) is formed on a transfer film (210), a deposition layer formation step (S230) may be performed. In the deposition layer formation step (S230), a deposition layer (240) may be formed on the transfer film (210), for example, the UV pattern layer (230). The deposition layer (240) may be formed in the form of an inorganic thin film on the UV pattern layer (230) using non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM), which includes known physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. Here, when depositing oxide semiconductors or GaAs, the physical vapor deposition method may be performed by melting a compound to produce a solid-state target and volatilizing it with heat or an electron beam (E-Beam). At this time, the raw material may be blown away in a gaseous state through heat, a laser, an electron beam, etc., and the gaseous raw material may be converted into a solid state when it comes into contact with the deco film (200). In addition, the chemical vapor deposition method may be an industrial method for creating thin films such as silicon using chemical reactions in manufacturing processes such as ICs. This chemical vapor deposition method can be used to manufacture silicon oxide films, silicon nitride films, amorphous silicon films, etc. When energy is applied to a gas containing chemical substances with heat or light, or when plasma is generated by exciting it with high frequency, the raw material is radicalized, and its reactivity is greatly increased so that it can be adsorbed and deposited on the deco film (200).

[0102] In some embodiments, the deposition layer (240) may be formed in the form of an inorganic thin film on the deco film (200) to exhibit various three-dimensional effects such as matte and / or glossy effects, two-tone colors, multi-colors, and depth. For example, the deposition layer (240) may be a multi-colored color deposition layer or a gradient deposition layer. In some exemplary embodiments, the aforementioned deposition layer (240) may be formed in an electron beam deposition apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, an evaporation source installed within the vacuum chamber, an electron gun positioned adjacent to the evaporation source and scanning a deflected electron beam into the evaporation source, a support member installed within the vacuum chamber opposite the evaporation source and supporting the deco film (200) so that particles evaporated from the evaporation source are deposited, and a gas injection member positioned adjacent to the support member and injecting a reaction gas into the vacuum chamber. In this case, the deposition layer (240) may be targeted to have a thickness of several hundred Å.

[0103] After a deposition layer (240) is formed on a deco film (200) according to some embodiments, a silk printing layer formation step (S250) may be performed. In the silk printing layer formation step (S250), at least one silk printing layer (250) may be formed on a transfer film (210), for example, a deposition layer (240). The silk printing layer (250) may be formed by a silk printing method using a known screen printer as described above, and may perform a shielding function on the deco film (200). At this time, the silk printing layer (250) may be formed to have a thickness of 5 to 10 μm per layer.

[0104] When a silk printing layer (250) is formed on a deco film (200) according to some embodiments, a hot melt layer formation step (S270) may then be performed. In the hot melt layer formation step (S270), a hot melt layer (260) may be formed on a transfer film (210), such as the silk printing layer (250). According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the hot melt layer formation step (S270) may be performed in a printing device (300) in the same way as the UV pattern layer formation step (S210) described above.

[0105] Specifically, the deco film (200) on which the silk printing layer (250) is formed can be moved by the conveying unit (310) to a position corresponding to the nozzle (320). Subsequently, the nozzle (320) can discharge a liquid, for example, PU adhesive, onto the silk printing layer (250) of the deco film (200). At this time, the PU adhesive is applied uniformly to the entire surface of the silk printing layer (250) while changing the position of the nozzle (320) or the conveying unit (310), just as in the example described above.

[0106] In some embodiments, when dispensing PU adhesive onto the silk printing layer (250), a heating device, such as a heater provided inside the nozzle (320), may generate heat to melt the PU adhesive. Additionally, as described above, in some other embodiments, a heating device provided on the liquid supply line (334) may generate heat to supply the PU adhesive to the nozzle (320) in a molten state, and the nozzle (320) may dispense the molten PU adhesive onto the deco film (200). At this time, the heating device provided on the nozzle (320) or the liquid supply line (334) may maintain the temperature of the PU adhesive dispensed onto the deco film (200) at 80°C to 130°C.

[0107] Next, when the PU adhesive according to some embodiments is uniformly applied onto the silk printing layer (250), the deco film (200) can enter a position corresponding to the pattern forming unit (340). At this time, the mold body (342), with the mold pattern (344) removed, can be moved to press the PU adhesive applied onto the silk printing layer (250). Subsequently, while the mold body (342) is pressing the applied PU adhesive, the pressing roller (346) can move from the top of the mold body (342) to further press the PU adhesive. At this time, the hardness, pressure, rotation speed, etc. of the pressing roller (346) can be adjusted so that the thickness of the applied PU adhesive is approximately 5 μm or more. For example, the pressing roller (346) can press the applied PU adhesive at a pressure of 0.2 MPa and a speed of 2,000 mm / min. In this process, the applied PU adhesive can be compressed and pressed to form a uniform thickness. Accordingly, the flatness of the applied PU adhesive can be improved. Meanwhile, in some other embodiments, instead of the mold body (342), a separate plate with a generally flat bottom surface may be provided and moved to compress the PU adhesive. Afterward, the mold body (342) is repositioned in a direction opposite to the direction toward the deco film (200), and the deco film (200) can be moved to the curing unit (350) by the conveyor (310).

[0108] In some embodiments, a curing unit (350) can further melt the PU adhesive by irradiating IR onto a PU adhesive that is applied and pressed on a silk printing layer (250), thereby allowing the PU adhesive to be adhered to the deco film (200) and thus forming a uniform hot melt layer (260). At this time, the source (352) can irradiate IR having a temperature range of 80°C to 100°C onto the PU adhesive for 1 minute. Afterward, when the deco film (200) is placed in a wet state, such as in a state where heat is not applied and it is exposed to the atmosphere, the hot melt layer (260) formed on the deco film (200) can be cured.

[0109] Next, in some embodiments, a deco film laser processing step (S290) may be performed. In the deco film laser processing step (S290), the deco film (200) may be cut into individual deco films (200) using a laser. Each individual deco film (200) may be cut to have a shape and size corresponding to the back portion (120) of each individual substrate (100) formed through the aforementioned substrate manufacturing step (S100). In some other embodiments, the deco film (200) may also be cut using a physical method such as a blade.

[0110] In some embodiments, when the deco film (200) is cut into individual units of deco film (200), an adhesive step (S300) may be performed. In the adhesive step (S300), the individual units of deco film (200) and individual units of substrate (100) may be adhesively bonded to each other. The adhesive step (S300) may be performed by the adhesive device (400) described above. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, individual units of substrate (100) may be placed on a jig (420) of the adhesive device (400). The individual units of substrate (100) placed on the jig (420) may be heated before being bonded to each other with the individual units of deco film (200).

[0111] In some embodiments, the substrates (100) may be heated by a heater (442) provided in the forming pad (440) as described above. For example, the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420) may be heated to a temperature of 80°C to 100°C for 20 to 30 seconds. At this time, the heat generated from the heater (442) may be concentratedly transferred to the back surface (120) of the substrate (100). However, this is not limited thereto, and in some other embodiments, the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420) may be heated to a temperature of 80°C to 100°C for 20 to 30 seconds by IR irradiated from a separate heating device further provided in the chamber (410), or by heat. Through this process, the back surface (120) of the substrate (100) can be made to a state where it can be easily adhered to the deco film (200). At this time, the forming pad (440) may be positioned spaced apart from the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420). For better understanding, the following description uses an example of heating the substrate (100) and / or the deco film (200) using a heater (442).

[0112] In some embodiments, when the substrate (100), particularly the back portion (120), is sufficiently heated, a deco film (200) can be placed on the substrate (100). At this time, the deco film (200) can be placed so as to correspond to the back portion (120) of the substrate (100), and the hot melt layer (260) formed on the deco film (200) can be placed so as to face the substrate (100). In particular, the substrate (100) has a variable printing layer (F) formed thereon that indicates a portion whose shape is deformed during the substrate molding step (S130), and when the deco film (200) is placed on the substrate (100), it is placed in the inner region of the variable printing layer (F). Accordingly, when the deco film (200) and the substrate (100) are bonded together by heat, the deco film (200) can be prevented from being damaged by the side portion (140) and the curved portion (160) of the substrate (100) that are not parallel to the lower surface of the deco film (200) (e.g., hot melt layer (260)). That is, since the structure of the deco film (200) can not be deformed, the UV pattern (P) formed on the deco film (200) can not be distorted, and the quality of the deco film (200) can be guaranteed by minimizing the breaking of the inks in each layer.

[0113] Additionally, during the process of placing the deco film (200) onto the substrate (100), the heater (442) of the forming pad (440) can generate heat and transfer heat to the deco film (200). Accordingly, the hot melt layer (260) that had hardened in a wet state can be reshaped into a partially melted state.

[0114] Next, in some embodiments, when the deco film (200) is placed on the substrate (100), the forming pad (440) can move toward the jig (420) to press both the substrate (100) and the deco film (200). At this time, a portion of the inner lower edge portion of the forming pad (440) may come into contact with a portion of the side portion (140) and / or curved portion (160) of the substrate (100) placed on the jig (420), and a portion of the lower central portion of the forming pad (440) may come into contact with the upper surface of the deco film (200) placed on the substrate (100) (e.g., the upper surface of the transfer film (210)). While the forming pad (440) presses the substrate (100) and the deco film (200), the heater (442) can generate heat, and the internal atmosphere of the chamber (410) can be changed to a high-pressure state by a vacuum line not shown. Accordingly, the hot melt layer (260) formed on the deco film (200) is melted and bonded to the substrate (100). That is, through this process, the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) can be bonded to each other. Meanwhile, in some other embodiments, the forming pad (440) may be maintained in a fixed position, and the jig (420) may be configured to move to press the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) located between the jig (420) and the forming pad (440).

[0115] In some embodiments, when the substrate (100) and the deco film (200) are bonded together, the forming pad (440) is separated by changing its position, and the transfer film (210), which is a release film formed on the deco film (200), can be removed from the deco film (200). When the removal of the transfer film (210) from the deco film (200) is completed, the manufacture of the deco structure (10) can be completed.

[0116] In some other embodiments, the deco film (200) may have additional layers formed in addition to the aforementioned UV pattern layer (230), deposition layer (240), and silk printing layer (250) according to design requirements, or at least one of the UV pattern layer (230), deposition layer (240), and silk printing layer (250) may be omitted. Additionally, the UV pattern layer (230) may be composed of multiple layers having different patterns, the deposition layer (240) may be composed of multiple layers having different characteristics, and the silk printing layer (250) may be composed of materials having different composition ratios.

[0117] In some other embodiments, the substrate laser processing step (S130) and the deco film laser processing step (S290) may be performed at once after the bonding step (S300). That is, after bonding the entire sheet (S) of the substrate (100) and the entire sheet of the deco film (200) in which each layer is formed together, they may be cut into individual deco structures (10) through laser processing.

[0118] In addition, the manufacturing method described above may be similarly carried out by using the printing device (300a) of FIG. 5 instead of the printing device (300) of FIG. 3. For example, a UV pattern (P) may be formed on a base layer (M) using a pattern forming unit (360), and IR or LED light may be irradiated onto the base layer (M) using a first irradiation unit (370) to pre-cur the base layer (M) and the UV pattern (P) into a roughly gel state. At this time, for example, the wavelength may be 395 nm and the light intensity may be 250 mJ / cm². 2 and luminous intensity 180 mW / cm² 2 LED light can be irradiated onto the base layer (M). Subsequently, the base layer (M) can be heated using a metal halide lamp or a mercury lamp of the second irradiation unit (380). At this time, for example, in the case of a mercury lamp, the light output is 2,000 mJ / cm² 2 and luminous intensity 180 mW / cm² 2The base layer (M) on which a UV pattern (P) is formed can be fully cured by irradiating it with mercury light. However, the type, amount, and intensity of the light described above may vary depending on design requirements and, of course, may differ depending on the required thickness of the base layer (M). For example, if the thickness of the base layer (M) needs to be formed relatively low, the amount of light from the mercury lamp may be 800 to 1,000 mJ / cm² 2 and luminous intensity is 180 mW / cm² 2 It can be controlled and irradiated onto the base layer (M).

[0119] Meanwhile, when forming the hot melt layer (260), a PU adhesive is applied to the silk printing layer (250), and IR heat is irradiated onto the applied PU adhesive using the first irradiation unit (370) so that the PU adhesive is melted, thereby allowing the PU adhesive to be uniformly applied over the entire surface of the silk printing layer (250).

[0120] The above detailed description is illustrative of the present invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention may be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, modifications or alterations are possible within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed herein, the scope equivalent to the disclosed content, and / or the scope of the art or knowledge. The above-described embodiments describe the best state for implementing the technical concept of the present invention, and various modifications required in specific fields of application and uses of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the above detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, the appended claims should be interpreted as including other embodiments.

Claims

Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a deco structure comprising: a variable printing step of printing a variable printing layer on a sheet of a prepared substrate using a silk printing method; a substrate forming step of forming the shape of the sheet of the substrate such that the inner side of the variable printing layer becomes a back surface, thereby forming the substrate into a three-dimensional solid shape; a deco film manufacturing step of manufacturing a deco film by forming at least one UV pattern layer having a UV pattern formed on a removable transfer film and a hot melt layer; and an adhesive step in which the substrate formed in the substrate forming step and the deco film manufactured in the deco film manufacturing step are bonded by the hot melt layer, wherein the substrate formed in the substrate forming step comprises the back surface, the side surface, and a curved surface connecting the back surface and the side surface, and in the adhesive step, the hot melt layer is bonded to the back surface having a surface parallel to the hot melt layer among the back surface, the side surface, and the curved surface, and the boundary between the back surface and the curved surface is distinguished by the variable printing layer. Claim 2 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 1, wherein the variable printing layer is printed on the portion to be formed into the curved portion and the side portion during the substrate molding step. Claim 3 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 1, comprising: a substrate laser processing step of laser cutting the substrate formed in the substrate forming step along the outer side of the variable printing layer; and a deco film laser processing step of laser cutting the deco film manufactured in the deco film manufacturing step so that, when viewed from above, the deco film has the same size and shape as the back surface included in the individual unit substrate cut in the substrate laser processing step, and in the bonding step, the individual unit substrate and the individual unit deco film cut in the deco film laser processing step are bonded together. Claim 4 In paragraph 3, the bonding step is characterized by placing the individual unit substrate on a jig and heating it for a certain period of time, placing the hot melt layer of the individual unit deco film on the substrate so as to face the back surface included in the individual unit substrate, and a forming pad located on the upper side of the jig and equipped with a heater moves toward the jig to press the individual unit substrate and the individual unit deco film, and the heater generates heat while pressing. Claim 5 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 4, characterized by additionally heating the deco film of the individual unit while the deco film of the individual unit is placed on the back surface included in the substrate of the individual unit. Claim 6 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 4, wherein the hot melt layer is composed based on a polyurethane (PU) material containing an isocyanate compound having an NCO group chemical structure so as to melt by heat and harden in a wet state. Claim 7 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the transfer film is removed from the deco film after the adhesion step. Claim 8 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 1, wherein the deco film further comprises at least one intermediate layer formed of a material including polyurethane, at least one deposition layer formed in the form of an inorganic thin film by a physical or chemical deposition method to have a three-dimensional effect, and at least one silk printing layer formed by a silk printing method. Claim 9 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 8, wherein the transfer film is composed of a material including TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) or a composite of TPU and PP (Polypropylene), and the deco film has a structure in which the intermediate layer, the UV pattern layer, the deposition layer, the silk printing layer, and the hot melt layer are sequentially laminated on the transfer film. Claim 10 A method for manufacturing a deco structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the UV pattern layer and the hot melt layer are formed on the transfer film by the same printing device.

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