JPH0468135B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for laminating films such as printed matter.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, it has been widely practiced to laminate a plastic film on the surface of printed matter to protect the printed surface, impart water resistance and oil resistance, and to gloss the printed surface. This laminating method involves applying an adhesive dissolved in an organic solvent to a plastic film in the coating section of a laminating device, evaporating the organic solvent through a drying process, and bonding the adhesive-coated surface of the plastic film and the printed matter by thermocompression. It is done by. Further, as a method that does not use an organic solvent, JP-A-60-184826 is known. When laminating a print lamination film consisting of two layers, a base film layer and a heat-sensitive adhesive resin layer, onto printing paper, the surface is placed between a heated metal roll and an auxiliary roll provided along the film transport direction. A device is used in which a metal endless belt with a mirror finish is stretched, and a pressure roll is provided opposite to these heated metal rolls via the metal endless belt. The film for print lamination and the printing paper are fed between the rolls so that the base film layer is placed on the metal endless belt side and the printing paper is placed on the pressure roll side, and the print lamination film is placed on the printing paper. This is a method for polishing by laminating a film by thermocompression and then transporting it in close contact with an endless metal belt.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the above-mentioned method using an organic solvent has problems with work safety such as the risk of fire, health management of workers, and environmental protection such as odor and air pollution. In addition, in this method, when thermocompression bonding the plastic film and printed matter, the higher the temperature, the better the gloss will be, but since the organic agent cannot be completely evaporated during the drying process, residual organic solvents may It foams and looks bad. When thermocompression bonding is performed in a low temperature range to suppress this foaming phenomenon, there are disadvantages such as lack of gloss.

In addition, in the method that does not use organic solvents, the film for plant lamination is not preheated and the fifth layer is heated.
As shown in the figure, since the print lamination film is laminated onto the printing paper at the contact point between the heating metal roll and the pressure roll through the endless metal belt, there is no preheating effect on the film. Therefore, this film is not sufficiently melted or softened, and air tends to accumulate between the printing paper and the film, making it difficult to bond them neatly. Also, when this device is stopped, if polyethylene film is used for this film,
This film melts and is easily cut at the point where it comes into contact with the heating metal roll through the endless metal belt, making it difficult to work by raising the temperature of the heating metal roll. Furthermore, in the case of the conventional example described above, preheating with hot air or infrared rays may be considered, but this would cause the film to shrink and cause curling after lamination. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is easily possible to preheat the film by winding it around a heated metal roll via an endless metal belt, but curling may occur as in the case described above. Easy,
There is also a risk of the film breaking.

In addition, in the conventional example, the print lamination film is laminated onto the printing paper using a pair of heated metal rolls and pressure rolls, so the laminating force is small, and there is a risk that the film may peel off from the printing paper in some cases. There is.

Furthermore, in the conventional example, especially when polyethylene film is used as a film for print lamination, polyethylene does not have good adhesive properties, so the film peels off from the printing paper after lamination, and in effect, the polyethylene film is used as a film for print lamination. I couldn't use it.

Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present applicant has developed a heat-sealable film that has a good luster and a smooth surface without causing any problems in terms of environmental conservation, without foaming or air accumulation, and Our first objective is to provide a print lamination method that does not cause curling or film breakage during thermocompression lamination.
The purpose of

In addition to the first object, a second object is to provide a print laminating method that increases the thermocompression laminating force.

In addition to the first and second purposes, the thermo-compression film can be easily laminated with a thermo-compression film, and in particular, even if a polyethylene film is used as the thermo-compression film, the thermo-compression film will not peel off from the printed matter. 3rd to provide lamination method
The purpose of

Furthermore, a fourth object is to provide a print laminating apparatus for achieving the first, second, and third objects.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above first object, the print laminating method of the first invention includes a method for laminating a heat fusion film on a printed matter by thermocompression bonding, the surface of which is mirror-finished. When the film is passed between a heating roll and a pressure roll that are facing each other via an endless metal belt, first and second film drawing rolls that rotate at approximately the same circumferential speed as the heating roll are brought into contact with each other. At the same time, the heat-sealable film is passed through the first and second film draw-out rolls in a film preheating section, which has the heating roll in contact with the second film draw-out roll via the metal endless belt. The endless metal belt is wound around the heating roll and preheated, and the printed matter and the heat-sealing film are fed so that the printed matter is positioned on the pressure roll side, and the heat-sealed film is bonded to the printed matter. Films are laminated by thermocompression.

In addition, in order to achieve the second object, the print laminating method of the second invention includes the step of thermocompression laminating the printed matter immediately after thermocompression laminating the heat fusion film on the printed matter by the print lamination method of the first invention. The printed matter is cooled by passing between a cooling roll and a pressure roll that are in contact with each other via an endless metal belt.

In addition, in order to achieve the third object, the print laminating method of the third invention includes the above-mentioned step before sending the heat-adhesive film used in the print laminating methods of the first and second inventions to the film preheating section. Corona discharge is applied to the surface of the heat-adhesive film to facilitate thermocompression lamination of the heat-adhesive film to printed matter.

Furthermore, in order to achieve the fourth object, the print laminating apparatus of the fourth invention is provided along the transfer direction of the heat-adhesive film in order to achieve the print laminating methods of the first to third inventions. A metal endless belt stretched between a heating roll and a holding roll and having a mirror-finished surface, and first and second film pull-out rolls rotating at approximately the same circumferential speed as the heating roll. and the heating roll is brought into contact with the second film pull-out roll through the metal endless belt, and the heating roll and the pressure roll are brought into contact with each other through the metal endless belt. It consists of a film preheating section provided on the upstream side in the transfer direction of the heat-sealable film from the opposite contact point, and a cooling roll and a pressure roll that are in contact with each other via an endless metal belt. A cooling section provided downstream in the transport direction and near the contact point between the heating roll and the pressure roll, which are in contact with each other, and a corona discharge are applied to the heat-sealing film before being sent to the film preheating section, resulting in printed matter. The present invention includes a corona treatment section that facilitates thermocompression lamination of the heat sealing film.

[Effect]

According to the print laminating method of the first invention having the above configuration, the circumferential speed of the first and second film pull-out rolls is equal to the circumferential speed of the heating roll, that is,
The transfer speed is equal to the mirror-finished endless metal belt, and since the heat-sealing film is in close contact with these rolls, it is difficult to curl, the heat-sealing film does not break, and sufficient preheating is possible. The mirror surface of the endless belt can be transferred to the surface of the heat-sealing film, and there is no air between the heat-sealing film and the printed matter, and the heat-sealing film can be neatly heat-sealed and laminated onto the printed matter. . Further, the heat-fused film can be easily peeled off from the metal endless belt after being cooled and hardened.

Further, according to the second invention, after the heat-sealing film is thermocompression-bonded and laminated on the printed matter by the print lamination method of the first invention, the printed matter is immediately laminated with a cooling roll that is in contact with the printed material via an endless metal belt. In order to be cooled by passing between the pressure roll and the thermocompression laminated printed matter, the thermocompression-laminated printed matter passes through an endless metal belt, so there is a time lag in heat transfer at the contact point between the cooling roll and the pressure roll. The result is the same as applying pressure, the thermo-compression bonded laminate becomes more complete, cooling is also performed, and the heat-fused film can be easily peeled off from the metal endless belt.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, if a corona discharge is applied to the surface of the heat-sealing film before sending it to the film preheating section, the heat-sealing film after heat-sealing lamination becomes difficult to peel off from the printed matter. This tendency is particularly strong when the heat-adhesive film is made of polyethylene.

Furthermore, according to the fourth invention, the heat-adhesive film is corona-treated in the corona treatment section to facilitate adhesion of the heat-adhesive film to the surface of the printed matter, and then the heat-adhesive film is treated in the preheating section without causing curling or breakage of the film. By preheating and passing the heat sealing film and printed matter between a heating roll and a pressure roll that are in contact with each other via an endless metal belt, the heat sealing film is thermocompression-bonded and laminated onto the printed matter, and then immediately cooled. Since the heat-sealing film is cooled by the heat transfer time lag, the result is the same as applying pressure again with a heating roll, and the heat-sealing film can be easily peeled off from the metal endless belt.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a preferred apparatus (print laminating apparatus of the present invention) to which the print laminating method of the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 indicates a print laminating device, and the pre-laminate device 1 is used for sheet-fed printed matter (printed matter).
A heat-adhesive film 3 is thermocompression-bonded and laminated on the printing surface of the paper feeder 4 that supplies the sheet-fed printed matter 2, and a sheet-fed printed material 2 sent out from the paper feeder 4.
a registration section 5 for transferring and aligning the heat-sealing film 3; a supplying section 6 for the heat-sealing film 3; a corona processing section 7 for corona-treating the heat-sealing film 3 supplied from the supplying section 6; Heat fusion film 3
and a film preheating section 8 for preheating the thermal adhesive film 3, which is unwound from the supply section 6 onto the printing surface of the sheet-fed printed matter 2 transferred from the registration section 5, in the direction of transfer of the thermal adhesive film 3. A laminate part 12 that performs thermocompression lamination and polishing by heat transfer via a metal endless belt 11 stretched between a heating roll 9 and a holding roll 10 provided along the laminate part 12; a cooling section 13 that cools and press-bonds the thermofusible film 3 and printed matter 2 that have been thermocompression laminated, a cutter section 14 that cuts the thermocompression laminated thermofusible film 3, and a laminated sheet-fed printed matter 2. '.

The paper feeder 4 is provided with a mounting table 16, and the aforementioned sheet-fed printed matter 2 is placed on this mounting table 16 with its printed side facing up. This mounting table 16
is movable up and down, and the uppermost sheet-fed printed matter 2 is placed at the same height on the upper surface of the conveyor 17 in the registration section 5, which is provided approximately horizontally between the upper part of the feeder 4 and the laminating section 12. It will be adjusted so that
As illustrated in FIG.
Sent to 2.

The heating roll 9 and the holding roll 10 are provided in the laminating section 12 along the direction in which the heat sealing film 3 is transferred. The metal endless belt 11 is stretched between the heating roll 9 and the holding roll 10. and,
This metal endless belt 11 uses a stainless steel plate with a mirror surface. Metal endless belt 1, which is a stainless steel plate with a mirror surface
1, it becomes possible to transfer a specular state to the surface of the thermal adhesive film 3 by softening or melting the thermal adhesive film 3 with the heating roll 9. Further, if the heat-sealing film 3 is cooled and hardened, it can be easily peeled off from the metal endless belt 11.

Furthermore, this laminating portion 12 is provided with a heating side pressure bonding roll 18 that is in contact with the heating roll 9 . And, this heating side pressure bonding roll 18 has
A hydraulic cylinder (not shown) is provided, and it is possible to freely apply the necessary linear pressure between the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic cylinder.

Further, the supply section 6 includes the heat-adhesive film 3.
A roll (paper tube) 19 on which paper is wound is provided. As described above, the corona treatment section 7, the film meandering adjustment roll 20, and the wrinkle smoothing expander roll 21 are provided on the delivery side of the heat-sealable film 3 unwound from the roll 19, respectively. When a corona discharge is applied to the surface of the heat-adhesive film 3 in the corona treatment section 7, this heat-adhesive film has good adhesion when it is thermocompression laminated to the sheet-fed printed matter 2. be. This effect is particularly high in the case of polyethylene film. The heat-sealing film 3 that has passed through these rolls 20 and 21 is preheated by the film preheating section 8 before being sent to the contact point A with the heating roll 9 and the heating-side pressure roll 18.

The film preheating section 8 includes the heating roll 9.
First and second film pull-out rolls 22 and 23 are provided, respectively, which rotate at substantially the same peripheral speed as the circumferential speed. The first film pull-out roll 22 and the second film pull-out roll 23 are in contact with each other.
Also, the second film pull-out roll 23 and the heating roll 9
and are in contact with each other via the metal endless belt 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat-sealable film 3 whose meandering has been corrected and wrinkled by the film meandering adjustment roll 20 and the wrinkle-removal expander roll 21 is rotated counterclockwise as a first film. The second film pull-out roll 22 and the second film pull-out roll 23 rotating clockwise pass through the contact point B as if being pulled together, and furthermore, the second film pull-out roll 22 and the heating roll 9 pass through the opposite contact point B as if being pulled together. At the contact point C, it is brought into close contact with the preheating section 9a of the heating roll 9 via the metal endless belt 11, and is preheated. This preheating softens or partially melts the heat-adhesive film 3. This heat-fused film 3
As shown in FIG. 3, it has a two-layer structure consisting of at least a base film layer 3a and an adhesive layer 3b. The base film layer 3a is OPP, CPP,
Made of PVC, PET, etc. Further, the adhesive layer 3b is made of a heat-sensitive adhesive resin, and the base film layer 3a is made of a heat-sensitive adhesive resin.
It is desirable to use a solvent-free type with a lower melting point. The hot melt film 3 is made by applying, co-pressing, extruding, or laminating a base film layer 3a with an adhesive layer 3b.

The printed surface of the sheet-fed printed matter 2 sent to the laminating section 12 is pressed against the heating roll 9 of the laminating section 12 by the thermal adhesive film 3 supplied from the film preheating section 8. In the process of passing through the contact point A with the roll 18, the sheet is laminated by thermocompression bonding. That is, the non-printing surface of the sheet-fed printed matter 2 is brought into contact with the heating side pressure roll 18, and the base film layer 3a of the heat-sealing film 3 is brought into contact with the heating roll 9 via the metal endless belt 11.
Therefore, the sheet-fed printed matter 2 is placed so that the printed surface of the sheet-fed printed matter 2 comes into contact with the adhesive layer 3b of the heat-sealing film 3.
The heat-sealing film 3 is located at a contact point A between the heating roll 9 of the laminating portion 12 and the heating-side pressure-bonding roll 18.
sent to. As mentioned above, the metal endless belt 1
1 is wrapped around the heating roll 9 and is sufficiently heated, so the heating roll 9 and the heating side pressure bonding roll 1
8 and the opposite contact point A, the heat-adhesive film 3 is instantaneously laminated onto the printing surface of the sheet-fed printed matter 2 by thermocompression bonding. The thermocompression laminated sheet printed matter 2 is immediately cooled in the cooling section 13 while being in close contact with the metal endless belt 11 .

That is, the cooling unit 13 is disposed near the heating roll 9 between the heating roll 9 and the holding roll 10, and is connected to the cooling roll 24, the cooling side pressure roll 25 that is in contact with the cooling roll 24, and It consists of a water spouting pipe 26 and a draining roll 27.
A hydraulic cylinder (not shown) is provided on the cooling side pressure roll 25, and it is possible to freely apply a necessary linear pressure between the cooling side pressure roll 25 and the hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, the thermocompression-laminated sheet printed matter 2 is transferred between the cooling roll 24 and the cooling-side pressure roll 25 in close contact with the metal endless belt 11, and is further pressed and cooled. At this time, the cooling roll 24 and the cooling-side pressure roll 25 are arranged near the laminating section 12, and the thermocompression laminated printed matter 2 is
Since the metal endless belt 11 is used, there is a time lag in heat transfer at the contact point D between the cooling roll 24 and the cooling side pressure roll 25, and the effect is the same as applying pressure again with the heating roll 9. The thermocompression lamination becomes more complete and cooling is also performed. Then, the water is drained with a drain roll 27,
The metal endless belt 11 and the base film 3a of the heat-sealing film 3 are separated by the holding roll 10, and transferred to the cutter section 14, where the heat-sealing film 3 is cut for each sheet of printed matter 2, and the paper Print-laminated sheet printed matter 2' is stacked in the stacking section 15.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As detailed above, according to the print laminating method of the first invention, the heat-adhesive film can be preheated without curling or film breakage, and
The mirror surface of the endless metal belt is transferred as is, and the printed material is heat-pressed and laminated in a clean state without air. Therefore, printed laminate products with a beautiful and glossy surface can be obtained, and since no organic solvents are used, there is no particular problem in terms of environmental protection, and there are no foaming phenomena on the printed laminate surface. .

In addition, according to the print laminating method of the second invention, after thermocompression lamination, the material is immediately cooled by passing between a cooling roll and a pressure roll, so there is an effect similar to that of thermocompression bonding again. Cooling is also performed at the same time that the crimped laminate is completed, allowing the heat-fused film to be smoothly peeled off from the endless metal belt. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the first invention, the heat-fused film is difficult to peel off and can be peeled off smoothly from the metal endless belt, so that a printed laminated product without surface roughness can be obtained.

Further, according to the print laminating method of the third invention, after the heat-fusible film is unwound, the surface thereof is subjected to corona treatment to facilitate thermocompression bonding, so that the heat-fusible film is less likely to peel off from the printed matter. This is particularly effective when polyethylene is used in the heat-adhesive film. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, it is possible to obtain a printed laminated product in which the heat-sealing film does not easily peel off from the printed matter.

Furthermore, since the print laminating apparatus of the fourth invention embodies the methods of the first, second, and third inventions, it is possible to produce prints having the effects of the first, second, and third inventions. Laminated products can be easily obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of an apparatus to which the print laminating method of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a feeding state of sheet-fed printed matter. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the heat-sealable film, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of thermo-compression lamination, and FIGS. 5 to 7 are views of the heat-sealable film before conventional heat-seal lamination. It is a schematic diagram showing a supply state. 1... Print laminating device, 2... Sheet-fed printed matter (printed matter), 3... Heat-adhesive film, 7...
Corona treatment section, 8...Film preheating section, 9...Heating roll, 10...Holding roll, 11...Metal endless belt, 13...Cooling section, 18...Heating side pressure roll (press roll), 22 ...first film drawer roll, 23...second film drawer roll,
24... Cooling roll, 25... Cooling side pressure roll (pressure roll).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In order to heat-press and laminate a heat-fusion film on a printed matter, the film is passed between a heating roll and a pressure roll that are in contact with each other via an endless metallic belt whose surface is mirror-finished. At this time, the first and second film pull-out rolls, which rotate at substantially the same circumferential speed as the heating roll, are brought into contact with each other, and the second
In the film preheating section, which is formed by bringing the heating roll into contact with a film pull-out roll via the metal endless belt, the heat-sealed film is passed through the first and second film pull-out rolls and then heated to the metal endless belt. The printed material and the heat-sealing film are heated by being wound around the heating roll through the pressure roll, and the printed material and the heat-sealing film are fed so that the printed material is positioned on the pressure roll side, and the heat-sealing film is thermocompression-bonded to the printed material. A print laminating method characterized by laminating. 2. Immediately after thermocompression-bonding and laminating the heat-adhesive film onto the printed matter, the thermocompression-laminated printed matter is cooled by passing it between a cooling roll and a pressure roll that are in contact with each other via an endless metal belt. The print laminating method according to claim 1. 3. Before sending the heat-sealing film to the film preheating section, corona discharge is applied to the surface of the heat-sealing film,
3. The print laminating method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat-adhesive film is easily laminated by thermocompression onto the printed matter. 4. An endless metal belt stretched between a heating roll and a holding roll provided along the transfer direction of the heat-fused film and having a mirror-finished surface, and a peripheral speed approximately equal to the circumferential speed of the heating roll. The first and second film pull-out rolls rotating at a high speed are brought into contact with each other, and the heating roll is brought into contact with the second film pull-out roll via the metal endless belt, and the metal endless belt is a film preheating section provided on the upstream side in the transfer direction of the heat-sealing film from the contact point between the heating roll and the pressure roll, which are in contact with each other through the heating roll, and a cooling roll which is in contact with the other through the metal endless belt. a pressure roll, the heating roll and the pressure roll facing each other via the metal endless belt; 1. A print laminating apparatus comprising: a corona treatment section that applies corona discharge to the heat-adhesive film before being sent to a printing section to facilitate thermocompression lamination of the heat-adhesive film to printed matter.