Claims
- 1. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:floating a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward; dissolving the base sheet, while conveying the base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; applying an adhesion onto the print layer after or while the base sheet is dissolved; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer, wherein the step of dissolving the base sheet is carried out in a water tank having a bottom shallower than a water tank in which the step of transferring the print layer is carried out.
- 2. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:floating a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward; applying an adhesion onto the print layer, while conveying the base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; dissolving the base sheet, while conveying the base sheet kept floated on the water; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer after the base sheet has been dissolved, wherein the step of dissolving the base sheet is carried out in a water tank having a bottom shallower than a water tank in which the step of transferring the print layer is carried out.
- 3. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:floating a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward; applying an adhesion onto the print layer, while conveying the base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer, while dissolving the base sheet while conveying the base sheet kept floated on the water, wherein the steps before the step of transferring are carried out in a water tank having a bottom shallower than a water tank in which the step of transferring is carried out.
- 4. A printing apparatus for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising:a water tank having an upstream end and a downstream end, for containing water such that the water flows from the upstream end to the downstream end; water flow forming means provided at the water tank, for forming a water flow at the water surface from the upstream end to the downstream end; a transfer sheet feed section provided adjacent to the water tank, for feeding a transfer sheet toward the water surface, the transfer sheet comprising a water-soluble base sheet which is dissolved in the water and a print layer of the pattern formed on a surface of the base sheet; adhesion application means for applying an adhesion onto the print layer fed from the transfer sheet feed section and conveyed on the water surface; and object moving means for holding the object and for pressing the object against the print layer to transfer the print layer onto a surface of the object, wherein the water tank is formed to be shallower in an upstream side of the object moving means for transferring the print layer, than in a side of the object moving means.
- 5. A printing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:a partition member detachably provided in the water tank in a lateral direction perpendicular to a direction in which the water flows therein, for dividing the transfer sheet at every predetermined length in a conveying direction and for preventing the print layer from spreading; and partition member conveyer means provided inside side surfaces of the water tank, for supporting the partition member at both end portions thereof.
- 6. A printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the water flow forming means is a water feed pipe on which water injection holes for injecting water toward the downstream end are formed at a predetermined interval.
- 7. A printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the water flow at the water surface is set to be slightly faster than a feeding speed of the transfer sheet fed from the transfer sheet feed section, thereby to apply a tension force to the transfer sheet so that a wrinkle is not formed on the transfer sheet.
- 8. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:cutting a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, at a predetermined length; floating the base sheet cut at the predetermined length onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward, while partitioning the cut base sheet from another cut base sheet; dissolving the cut base sheet, while conveying the cut base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; applying an adhesion onto the print layer after or while the cut base sheet is dissolved; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer.
- 9. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:cutting a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, at a predetermined length; floating the base sheet cut at the predetermined length onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward, while partitioning the cut base sheet from another cut base sheet; applying an adhesion onto the print layer, while conveying the cut base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; dissolving the cut base sheet, while conveying the cut base sheet kept floated on the water; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer after the cut base sheet has been dissolved.
- 10. A printing method for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising steps of:cutting a water-soluble base sheet having a surface on which a print layer of the pattern is provided, at a predetermined length; floating the base sheet cut at the predetermined length onto a surface of water in a water tank, with the print layer facing upward, while partitioning the cut base sheet from another cut base sheet; applying an adhesion onto the print layer, while conveying the cut base sheet kept floated on the surface of the water by making a water flow in a constant direction in the water tank; and transferring the print layer onto the object by pressing the object against the print layer, while dissolving the cut base sheet while conveying the cut base sheet kept floated on the water.
- 11. A printing apparatus for performing printing by transferring a pattern formed on a base sheet, onto an object, comprising:a water tank having an upstream end and a downstream end, for containing water such that the water flows from the upstream end to the downstream end; water flow forming means provided at the water tank, for forming a water flow at the water surface from the upstream end to the downstream end; a transfer sheet feed section provided adjacent to the water tank, for feeding a transfer sheet toward a cutting section, the transfer sheet comprising a water-soluble base sheet which is dissolved in the water and a print layer of the pattern formed on a surface of the base sheet; a cutting section for cutting the transfer sheet at a predetermined length while shifting the transfer sheet from the transfer sheet feed section to the water surface; adhesion application means for applying an adhesion onto the print layer shifted from the cutting section to the water surface; and object moving means for holding the object and for pressing the object against the print layer to transfer the print layer onto a surface of the object.
- 12. A printing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:a partition member provided in the water tank in a lateral direction perpendicular to a direction in which the water flows therein, for partitioning the transfer sheet cut at the predetermined length from another cut transfer sheet; and partition member conveyer means provided inside side surfaces of the water tank, for supporting the partition member at both end portions thereof.
- 13. A printing apparatus according to claims 11, wherein the water flow forming means is a water feed pipe on which water injection holes for injecting water toward the downstream end are formed at a predetermined interval.
- 14. A printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the water flow at the water surface is set to be slightly faster than a shifting speed of the transfer sheet shifted from the cutting section, thereby to apply a tension force to the transfer sheet so that a wrinkle is not formed on the transfer sheet shifted to the water surface.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
9-58041 |
Mar 1997 |
JP |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/180,550 filed Nov. 10, 1998 and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,764, which is the U.S. national stage of PCT/JP97/03032, filed Aug. 29, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
839672 |
Jun 1998 |
DE |
422925 |
Jan 1935 |
GB |