JPH04320876A - Printing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form the accurate pattern faithful to the shape of the image line part of an intaglio when the precise pattern of the color filter used in a liquid crystal color television or a CCD camera is printed. CONSTITUTION:An intaglio 8 held to a flat plate shape and having the recessed part 1 whose inside surface is composed of an ink repelling material formed thereto corresponding to an image line part is brought into contact with an object 6 to be printed so that the non-image line part 2 is closely bonded to the object 6 to be printed and ink 5 is injected in the recessed part 1 to fill the space surrounded by the recessed part 1 of the intaglio 8 and the object 6 to be printed with the ink. Thereafter, the object to be printed is irradiated with light having an ink photosensitive wavelength from the rear thereof to cure the ink 5 in the recessed part and the intaglio 8 is peeled off from the object 6 to be printed to make it possible to form a pattern excellent in shape accuracy.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing method and a printing apparatus that are applicable to manufacturing precision patterns for color filters used in liquid crystal color television receivers and CCD cameras.

0002

[Prior Art] Generally, color filters used in LCD color televisions, CCD cameras, etc. have pixels of three colors, red, green, and blue, arranged in stripes or matrix. A thin black stripe or grid (
(orthogonal grid).

Conventionally, methods for manufacturing such color filters include a method in which photosensitive gelatin is patterned and then dyed, and a method in which a light-sensitive colored photoresist in which pigments are dispersed is patterned. Because it requires many steps, the manufacturing cost is high.

[0004] In contrast to these methods, in order to reduce the number of steps, a method using intaglio printing has also been used. As shown in FIG. 7, a groove 1 corresponding to the image area (hereinafter, this groove is also referred to as image area 1) and a portion 2 other than the groove corresponding to the image area (hereinafter, The intaglio plate 3 on which the non-image area 2 is formed is wound around and attached to the plate cylinder 4, and after applying ink 5 to the image area 1 of the intaglio plate, the plate is pressed against the glass substrate and the ink is applied. The board 6
This is a method of transferring images to

[0005]

However, in this case, although the number of steps is reduced, there is a drawback that good pattern accuracy and ink film surface flatness cannot be obtained. That is,
As shown in FIG. 7, the ink 5 deposited on the image area 1 of the intaglio plate is pulled and split between the plate and the substrate during printing, so that the ink film 7 transferred onto the glass substrate 6 is It creates unevenness, and for the same reason, it creates a flat pattern (
(not shown) also cannot print according to the pattern. The reason for this is thought to be that adhesiveness exists between the plate and the ink during printing.

[0006] Another drawback of the conventional method is that when printing is continued for a long time, the viscosity of the ink that remains in the printed area without being transferred increases due to changes over time, and in some cases, this solidified ink may become viscous. It may transfer to the glass substrate and form an extremely thick part, or it may adhere to the ink plate, ink form roller, etc., causing poor inking.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing method and a printing apparatus capable of forming a pattern with high accuracy and faithful to the shape of the continuous line portion of an intaglio plate.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an intaglio plate whose inner surface of the recesses is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink, and after bringing the intaglio plate into close contact with the substrate, the recesses of the intaglio plate are Ink is injected into the space surrounded by the printed material, and the ink in the recesses is cured to print.

[0009]

[Operation] In the present invention, after the ink filled in the recesses is cured by the method described above, when the intaglio plate is separated from the printing substrate,
Due to the difference in adhesive strength, the hardened ink remains on the substrate.

0010

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Note that the same parts as in the conventional example are given the same numbers and detailed explanations are omitted.

In FIG. 1(a), an image area 1 and a non-image area 2 are formed on a flat intaglio plate 8 by photolithography, and the pattern of the image area 1 is striped in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. They are lined up at regular intervals. The material of the intaglio plate 8 is Teflon, which does not have adhesive properties with ink, and the intaglio plate 8 has several holes 9 with a diameter of about 1 mm for each independent recess 1. It communicates with the cavity 11 of the stainless steel back plate 10 provided at the top,
All the cavities 11 communicate with each other. Further, the back plate 10 includes a vacuum exhaust device 12 and an ink supply device 1.
3 is attached, and the ink supply device 13 supplies the ink 5 stored in the tank 14 to the back plate 10 and the intaglio plate 8 under nitrogen gas pressure.

In FIG. 1(b), after the intaglio plate 8 is brought into contact with the glass substrate 6 which is the printing target, the concave image area 1 of the intaglio plate 8 and the hollow part 11 in the back plate 10 are removed by the evacuation device 12. A state is shown in which the non-image area 2 of the intaglio plate 8 is brought into close contact with the glass substrate 6 under vacuum.

FIG. 1(c) shows that after the ink 5 is supplied from the ink supply device 13 to the recess 1 of the intaglio plate 8 in a vacuum state and the recess 1 is filled with ink 5, the ink photosensitive wavelength is applied from the lower surface side of the glass substrate 6. The figure shows a state in which ultraviolet light 15 having the following properties is being irradiated. The ink 5 in the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is cured by the ultraviolet rays 15. Cavity 11 inside back plate 10
The ultraviolet rays do not reach the ink 5 existing in the ink 5 because it is blocked by the intaglio 8, and therefore no curing occurs.

FIG. 1(d) shows a state in which the intaglio 8 is peeled off from the glass substrate 6 after the ink 5 in the intaglio recesses 1 has hardened. Since the ink 5 does not have adhesive properties to Teflon, which is the material of the intaglio 8, the cured ink 5 does not adhere to the intaglio 8 and is completely peeled off from the intaglio 8.
A hardened ink film 7 is formed on the glass substrate 6 in the same shape.

The configuration and operation of a printing apparatus according to the printing method of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2(a), a flat intaglio 8 and a back plate 10 are held together by a support frame 16, and a vacuum exhaust device 12 and an ink supply device 13 are connected to the back plate 10 through piping. It is connected. The support frame 16 is movable up and down. During printing, the support frame 16 moves downward, and the non-image area 2 of the intaglio plate 8 comes into contact with the glass substrate 6 placed on a glass printing table 17 that transmits ultraviolet rays. After that, the vacuum evacuation device 12 is operated to evacuate the space surrounded by the intaglio recess 1 and the glass substrate 6 and the back plate inner cavity 11, so that the non-image area 2 of the intaglio 8 and the glass substrate 6 are brought into close contact with each other. do. Next, the ink supply device 13 supplies the photocurable ink 5 to the evacuated portion described above. Here, the ultraviolet lamp 1 installed under the printing table 17
8, the ink is irradiated with light 15 having an ink-sensitive wavelength to harden the ink 5 filling the intaglio depressions 1.

In FIG. 2(b), when the support frame 16 is moved upward, the hardened ink 5 does not have adhesiveness to the inner surface of the intaglio recess 1, so the shape of the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is formed on the glass substrate 6. It is maintained as it is and remains as an ink film 7.

In the embodiments of the printing method and printing apparatus described above, Teflon was used as the material for the intaglio plate 8, but it is also possible to use silicone resin, or the surface of the material such as metal, glass, or resin may be subjected to mold release treatment. It may be something that has been applied.

If the material of the intaglio 8 has high rigidity, there is no need to separately provide the back plate 10, and the intaglio 8 may have a two-layer structure so that the upper layer functions as a back plate.In this case, the ink supply device 13, Vacuum exhaust device 12
is provided directly on the back side of the intaglio 8.

The pattern of the intaglio recesses 1 is not limited to a stripe pattern, but may also be a matrix pattern.

In this embodiment, only the evacuation device 12 is used as a means for bringing the intaglio plate 8 and the printing material into close contact, but in order to ensure the adhesion, the evacuation device 12 and a press device may be used together.

[0022] As the ink supply means in this embodiment, after creating a vacuum, pressurized feeding using high-pressure nitrogen gas was used, but vacuum injection may be performed by only evacuation.

Regarding the method of peeling off the intaglio plate 8 from the printing material, in this embodiment, the intaglio printing plate and the printing material were moved upward while keeping the distance between them parallel, but it is also possible to gradually peel the intaglio plate 8 from one end.

Next, an embodiment of the printing method of the present invention in which thermosetting ink is heated with infrared rays will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3(a), an image area 1 and a non-image area 2 are formed on a flat intaglio plate 8 by photolithography, and the pattern of the image area 1 is striped in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. They are lined up at regular intervals. The material of the intaglio 8 is Teflon, and the intaglio 8 has several holes 9 with a diameter of about 1 mm for each independent recess 1. back plate 1
It communicates with the cavity 11 of 0. All the cavities 11 communicate with each other. A vacuum evacuation device 12 and an ink supply device 13 are attached to the back plate 10. The ink supply device 13 supplies ink 5 stored in a tank 14 to the back plate 10 and the intaglio plate 8 under nitrogen gas pressure.

In FIG. 3(b), after the intaglio plate 8 is brought into contact with the glass substrate 6 that is the printing target, the recess 1 of the intaglio plate 8 and the cavity 1 in the back plate 10 are removed by the evacuation device 12.
1 is evacuated and the non-image area 2 of the intaglio plate 8 is brought into close contact with the glass substrate 6.

FIG. 3(c) shows ink 5 being supplied from the ink supply device 13 to the recesses 1 of the intaglio plate 8 in a vacuum state, and infrared rays 19 being emitted from the lower surface of the glass substrate 6 while the recesses 1 are filled with the ink 5. Shows the state of irradiation. Infrared 1
9, the ink 5 in the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is hardened. The infrared rays 19 do not reach the ink 5 existing in the cavity 11 inside the back plate 10 because it is blocked by the intaglio 8, so that no curing occurs.

FIG. 3(d) shows a state in which the intaglio 8 is peeled off from the glass substrate 6 after the ink 5 in the intaglio recesses 1 has hardened. Since the ink 5 does not have adhesive properties to Teflon, which is the material of the intaglio 8, the cured ink 5 does not adhere to the intaglio 8 and is completely peeled off from the intaglio 8.
A hardened ink film 7 is formed on the glass substrate 6 in the same shape.

The configuration and operation of the printing apparatus according to the printing method of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4(a), a flat intaglio 8 and a back plate 10 are held together by a support frame 16, and a vacuum exhaust device 12 and an ink supply device 13 are connected to the back plate 10 through piping. It is connected. The support frame 16 is movable up and down, and when printing, the support frame 16
moves downward, and the non-image area 2 of the intaglio plate 8 comes into contact with the glass substrate 6 placed on a printing stand 20 made of special glass that transmits infrared rays 19. After that, the vacuum evacuation device 12 is operated to evacuate the space surrounded by the intaglio recess 1 and the glass substrate 6 and the back plate inner cavity 11, so that the non-image area 2 of the intaglio 8 and the glass substrate 6 are brought into close contact with each other. do. Next, the ink supply device 13 supplies the ink 5 to the evacuated portion described above. Here, the ink 5 is irradiated with infrared rays 19 from an infrared lamp 21 provided under the printing table 20, and the intaglio depressions 1 are
The ink 5 filled with the liquid is cured.

In FIG. 4(b), when the support frame 16 is moved upward, the hardened ink 5 does not have adhesiveness to the inner surface of the intaglio recess 1, so the shape of the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is formed on the glass substrate 6. It is maintained as it is and remains as an ink film 7.

In the embodiments of the printing method and printing apparatus described above, the proviso mentioned after the explanation of FIG. 2 is also valid here.

An embodiment of the printing method of the present invention in which thermosetting ink is heated by conduction heating will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5(a), an image area 1 and a non-image area 2 are formed on a flat intaglio plate 8 by photolithography, and the pattern of the image area 1 is striped in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. They are lined up at regular intervals. The material of the intaglio 8 is Teflon, and the intaglio 8 has several holes 9 with a diameter of about 1 mm for each independent recess 1. back plate 1
The cavities 11 are all in communication with each other. Further, a vacuum evacuation device 12 and an ink supply device 13 are attached to the back plate 10, and the ink supply device 13 supplies thermosetting ink 5 stored in a tank 14 to the back plate 10 and the intaglio plate using nitrogen gas pressure. 8
It is designed to be supplied to

In FIG. 5(b), after the intaglio plate 8 is brought into contact with the glass substrate 6 that is the printing target, the recess 1 of the intaglio plate 8 and the cavity 1 in the back plate 10 are removed by the evacuation device 12.
1 is evacuated and the non-image area 2 of the intaglio plate 8 is brought into close contact with the glass substrate 6.

In FIG. 5(c), ink 5 is supplied from the ink supply device 13 to the recess 1 of the intaglio plate 8 in a vacuum state, so that the recess 1 is filled with the ink 5, and then the ink 5 is applied to the printing table 22 from the bottom side of the glass substrate 6. This shows a state in which conductive heating is performed using the built-in resistance wire heater 23. The ink 5 in the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is cured by heating. Cavity 11 inside back plate 10
Since the ink 5 existing in the ink 5 is prevented from being heated by the intaglio 8, curing does not occur.

FIG. 5(d) shows a state in which the intaglio 8 is peeled off from the glass substrate 6 after the ink 5 in the intaglio recesses 1 has hardened. Since the ink 5 does not have adhesive properties to Teflon, which is the material of the intaglio 8, the cured ink 5 does not adhere to the intaglio 8 and is completely peeled off from the intaglio 8.
A hardened ink film 7 is formed on the glass substrate 6 in the same shape.

The configuration and operation of the printing apparatus according to the printing method of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6(a), a flat intaglio 8 and a back plate 10 are held together by a support frame 16, and a vacuum exhaust device 12 and an ink supply device 13 are connected to the back plate 10 through piping. It is connected. The support frame 16 is movable up and down, and during printing, the support frame 16 moves downward and places the intaglio plate 8 on the glass substrate 6 placed on the printing table 22.
The non-image area 2 of the two contacts. The printing table 22 has a resistance wire heater 2
It has 3 built-in. After that, the vacuum evacuation device 12 is operated to evacuate the space surrounded by the intaglio recess 1 and the glass substrate 6 and the back plate inner cavity 11, so that the non-image area 2 of the intaglio 8 and the glass substrate 6 are brought into close contact with each other. do. Next, ink 5 is applied to the evacuated area by the ink supply device 13.
supply. Here, the ink 5 filling the intaglio depressions 1 is heated and hardened by the resistance wire heater 23 provided on the printing table 22.

In FIG. 6(b), when the support frame 16 is moved upward, the hardened ink 5 does not have adhesiveness to the intaglio 8, so the shape of the recess 1 of the intaglio 8 is maintained on the glass substrate 6. and remains as an ink film 7.

In the embodiments of the printing method and printing apparatus described above, the proviso mentioned after the explanation of FIG. 2 is also valid here.

[0042]

As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention cures the ink while filling the space between the concave portion of the intaglio and the glass substrate, and then removes the intaglio. It is possible to print accurately and faithfully to the pixel pattern. Therefore, it is possible to provide a printing method and a printing apparatus that can inexpensively produce color filters with fine patterns used in color televisions and the like.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing an example of the printing method of the present invention using photocurable ink.

[Fig. 2] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a printing device using the same photocurable ink.

[Figure 3] Process diagram showing an example of a printing method when heating with infrared rays using the same thermosetting ink

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of a printing device in which the same thermosetting ink is heated with infrared rays.

[Fig. 5] Process diagram showing an example of a printing method when heating is performed by conduction heating using the same thermosetting ink.

[Fig. 6] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a printing device in which the same thermosetting ink is heated by conduction heating.

[Figure 7] Process diagram showing the conventional printing method

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printing area 2 Non-printing area 5 Ink 6 Glass substrate (printed material) 12 Vacuum exhaust device (adhesion means) 13 Ink supply device (
Supply means) 15 Light at ink sensitive wavelength 18 Ultraviolet lamp (light irradiation means) 19
Infrared ray 21 Infrared lamp 23 Resistance wire heater

Claims (6)

[Claims] Claim 1: An intaglio plate is held in a flat plate shape and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink, and the non-image area is in close contact with the substrate. After injecting photocurable ink into the recesses and filling the space between the recesses of the intaglio plate and the non-printed material with the ink, light having an ink-sensitive wavelength is irradiated from the back side of the printing material to inject the photocurable ink into the recesses. A printing method in which the ink is cured and the intaglio is removed from the non-printed material. 2. An intaglio plate that is held flat and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink; supplying means for supplying photocurable ink into a space surrounded by the concave portion and the printing substrate; light irradiation means for irradiating the ink with light having an ink-sensing wavelength from the back side of the printing substrate; and removal for removing the intaglio from the printing substrate. Printing device equipped with means. 3. An intaglio plate is held in a flat plate shape and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink, and the non-image area is in close contact with the substrate. After injecting thermosetting ink into the recesses and filling the space between the recesses of the intaglio plate and the printing material with ink, infrared rays are irradiated from the back side of the printing material to harden the ink inside the recesses. , a printing method in which the intaglio is removed from the substrate. 4. An intaglio plate that is held flat and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink; a supply means for supplying thermosetting ink into a space surrounded by the concave portion and the printing material, a light irradiation means for irradiating the ink with infrared rays from the back surface of the printing material, and a removal means for removing the intaglio from the printing material. Device. 5. An intaglio plate is held in a flat plate shape and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesion to ink, and the non-image area is in close contact with the substrate. After injecting thermosetting ink into the recess and filling the space between the recess of the intaglio plate and the printing material with the ink, conduction heating is applied from the back side of the printing material to harden the ink in the recess. , a printing method in which the intaglio is removed from the substrate. 6. An intaglio plate that is held flat and has a recess corresponding to the image area, and the inner surface of the recess is made of a material that does not have adhesive properties with ink; A printing apparatus comprising: a supply means for supplying thermosetting ink into a space surrounded by a concave portion and a printing medium; a heating means for conductively heating the ink from the back surface of the printing medium; and a removing means for removing the intaglio from the printing medium.