JP7515158B2 - How to print on false hair - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing method for printing patterns, pictures, letters, etc. onto false hair.

Hairpieces worn on the head by people are generally colored all over, either by dyeing the entire hairpiece or by forming it from a material that contains pigments. On the other hand, some people print patterns, pictures, letters, etc. on the hairpiece to enhance its fashionability. One such type of hairpiece is the hairpiece described in Patent Document 1. The hairpiece described in Patent Document 1 has improved design by using sublimation paper to print symmetrically on both sides.

JP 2007-146359 A

Unlike clothing, false hair is made up of many single fiber threads that run in the same direction, and the warp and weft threads are not intertwined. Because of this structure, it is possible to dye it in the same way as cloth, but if printing is done in the same way as with cloth, there is a risk that the ink will not adhere properly.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its main objective is to provide a printing method that can effectively print false hair.

The first configuration is a method for printing on false hair, which includes a flattening step for forming a flat portion on one side of the false hair, and a printing step for depositing ink on the flat portion.

The false hair consists of single fiber yarns with a circular cross section aligned on one side, and the surface in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction is a continuous arc surface. Because of this shape, when printing is performed, printing is only performed near the top end of the arc, and the dye does not adhere sufficiently. In this regard, with the first configuration, printing is performed after a flat portion is formed by a flattening process, so the area on which the dye can be applied can be expanded.

In the second configuration, in addition to the first configuration, the printing step is a step of heating the sublimation paper with ink attached to it while pressing it against the flat portion using a thermal transfer machine capable of applying heat and pressure, and the flattening step is a step of forming the flat portion using the thermal transfer machine.

In the second configuration, there is no need to prepare separate equipment to perform the flattening process, and furthermore, the printing process can be performed without moving the false hair after the flattening process, which reduces the cost of performing the printing method and the complexity of the work involved during execution.

The third configuration is the same as the second configuration, except that the heating temperature and the pressing pressure are equal in the flattening process and the printing process.

In the third configuration, sublimation printing is performed under the same conditions as those used to form the flat portion, so that the false hair does not shrink or deform when heated and pressed by the thermal transfer machine. This makes it possible to effectively prevent misalignment of the print caused by the false hair shrinking or deforming.

The fourth configuration is any one of the first to third configurations, and in the flattening process, the false hair is placed on a member that is softer than the false hair.

The side opposite the printed side is the side that comes into contact with the person's hair, and if that side is also flattened, there is a risk that it will not blend in well with the hair. In this regard, in the fourth configuration, the false hair is placed on a member that is softer than the false hair, so flattening of the surface opposite the surface to be flattened can be suppressed.

The fifth configuration is any one of the first to fourth configurations, and in the printing process, the ink is sucked from the side of the false hair opposite the surface to be printed.

In the fifth configuration, the ink is sucked in so that it penetrates into the spaces between the fiber single threads, allowing for more vivid printing.

The sixth configuration is the same as the first configuration, but in the printing process, the false hairs and the sublimation paper with the ink attached are enclosed in a flexible container, the pressure inside the container is reduced, and the container is heated.

In the sixth configuration, the pressure inside the container is reduced, and the container is compressed by external pressure, creating an environment equivalent to that achieved when using a thermal transfer machine.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a false hair. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a planarization process. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a false hair that has been subjected to a flattening process. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a printing process. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of a false hair on which printing has been performed. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a false hair that has been printed without undergoing a flattening process. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a cross section that has been flattened so as not to form the cross section into a semicircular arc. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an overview of a printing process according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of a suction plate in a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an overview of a printing process according to a third embodiment.

First Embodiment
The printing method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The false hair 10 on which a pattern is printed by the printing method according to this embodiment is composed of a large number of fiber single threads 11. The fiber single threads 11 are formed in a shape similar to human hair, and have a diameter of about 50 to 150 μm, similar to human hair, and a circular cross section. The material of the fiber single threads 11 is chemical fiber such as polyester fiber, acrylic fiber, polyamide fiber, etc., or a mixture of multiple chemical fibers. The length of the entire false hair 10 can be changed in various ways depending on the application, and is about several cm to several tens of cm. The width can also be changed in various ways depending on the application, and is about several cm to 20 cm.

A fixed part 12 is provided at one end in the length direction of the numerous fiber single threads 11 in the false hair 10. The fixed part 12 is formed by sewing with a sewing machine or by bonding with an adhesive, or by both methods. By providing this fixed part 12, the numerous fiber single threads 11 are fixed so that they do not shift relative to each other.

In this embodiment, sublimation printing is used as a printing method for the false hair. The thermal transfer machine 20 used for sublimation printing is equipped with an upper iron 21 and a lower iron 22, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The upper iron 21 and the lower iron 22 are made of a metal such as iron, and the opposing surfaces of the upper iron 21 and the lower iron 22 are parallel flat surfaces. In addition, a heater (not shown) capable of heating the upper iron 21 is provided inside the upper iron 21, and dry heat pressing can be performed. In addition, the heating temperature of the heater can be changed by a control unit (not shown) or the like.

The flattening process carried out before the printing process will now be described. In the flattening process, as shown in FIG. 2, a mat 23 is laid on the lower iron 22 of the thermal transfer machine 20. This mat 23 is made of a material that is softer than the fiber monofilaments 11, for example, a synthetic resin such as urethane. The top of the mat 23 is covered with a lower sheet 24. This lower sheet 24 is made of, for example, heat-resistant silicone, and does not melt when heated by the upper iron 21.

The false hair 10 is placed on the lower sheet 24. In this case, the fixing part 12 of the false hair 10 is placed so that it is located outside the area sandwiched between the upper iron 21 and the lower iron 22. The upper side of the false hair 10 is covered by the upper sheet 25. This upper sheet 25 is made of the same material as the lower sheet. When placing the false hair 10 in this way, it is better to comb it with a comb or the like before placing it. This is to ensure that one side of the false hair 10 faces the upper iron 21 almost evenly.

After arranging it as described above, the upper iron 21 is pressed downward to apply pressure to the top surface of the false hair 10 while heating it, thereby performing dry heat pressing. The temperature at this time is set slightly lower than the melting point of the fiber single thread 11, and if the false hair 10 is made of polyester fiber, it is, for example, 220 to 240°C. This flattening process flattens the upper side of the fiber single thread 11 of the false hair 10, forming a flat portion 11a, and the cross section becomes semicircular, as shown in Figure 3.

Next, the printing process that is carried out after the flattening process will be described. In the printing process, the design printed on the sublimation paper 26 is printed on the side of the false hair 10 where the flat portion 11a is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the sublimation paper 26 is placed on the upper side of the false hair 10 in place of the upper sheet 25. That is, after the flattening process, the mat 23 and the lower sheet 24 are placed on the upper side of the lower iron 22, and the false hair 10 is placed on top of that. Then, while maintaining this state, only the upper sheet 25 is removed and the sublimation paper 26 is placed on the upper side of the false hair 10.

The sublimation paper 26 contains disperse dyes in a thin film on the surface. The disperse dyes do not seep out to the back side of the sublimation paper 26, and when high heat is applied, the disperse dyes on the transfer surface are sublimated, allowing the design to be transferred to the false hair 10. As the disperse dye, for example, anthraquinone-based disperse dyes can be used.

As described above, the sublimation paper 26 is placed above the false hair 10, and then the upper iron 21 is pressed downward to apply pressure to the top surface of the sublimation paper 26 while heating it, thereby performing dry heat pressing. The pressure and temperature in this case are set to be equal to those in the flattening process. In this way, the disperse dye is transferred to the flat portion 11a of the fiber single yarn 11, and a disperse dye layer 27 is formed as shown in FIG. 5.

After the printing process, a process of applying a fabric softener or the like to the false hair 10 may be added. Also, a process of applying an antistatic agent or the like may be added to prevent the generation of static electricity.

As a comparative example of the above-mentioned printing method, FIG. 6 shows a case where only the printing process is performed without the flattening process. In this case, the disperse dye layer 27 is formed on the arc surface of the fiber single yarn 11, but the disperse dye layer 27 is not formed between the fiber single yarns 11. In other words, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a gap S between each disperse dye layer 27.

In addition, in the flattening process, the cross section of the fiber single thread 11 may not be semicircular, but may be shaped so that an arc with a central angle of more than 180° remains on the outer surface while forming a flat portion 11a, as shown in FIG. 7. Even in this case, a wider disperse dye layer 27 can be formed than when the flattening process is not performed. However, if an arc with a central angle of less than 180° remains on the outer surface, the thickness of the fiber single thread 11 becomes too thin, which may reduce the strength of the false hair 10.

With the above configuration, the printing method for the false hair 10 according to this embodiment has the following effects.

The false hair 10 has single fiber yarns 11 with circular cross sections aligned on one side, and the surface in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction is a continuous arc surface. Because of this shape, when printing is performed, printing is only performed near the top end of the arc, and the dye does not adhere sufficiently. In this embodiment, however, printing is performed after forming a flat portion 11a by a flattening process, so the area on which the dye can be applied can be expanded.

- Because the flattening process and the printing process can be performed using the same thermal transfer machine 20, there is no need to prepare separate equipment to perform the flattening process. Furthermore, the printing process can be performed without moving the false hair after the flattening process. This reduces the cost of performing the printing method and the complexity of the work involved.

- By performing sublimation printing under the same conditions as those used to form the flat portion 11a, the false hair 10 does not shrink or deform due to the heat and pressure applied by the thermal transfer machine 20. Therefore, misalignment of the print caused by the false hair 10 shrinking or deforming can be effectively suppressed.

The side opposite to the printed side is the side that comes into contact with the person's hair, and if the opposite side is also flattened, there is a risk that it will not blend in well with the hair. In this embodiment, the false hair is placed on a mat 23 that is softer than the false hair, so flattening of the surface opposite to the surface to be flattened can be suppressed.

Second Embodiment
In this embodiment, a part of the configuration of the thermal transfer machine 30 shown in FIG. 8 is different from that of the first embodiment. The thermal transfer machine 30 according to this embodiment includes an upper iron 31 having the same configuration as that of the first embodiment. On the other hand, instead of the lower iron 22, a perforated plate 32 is included. The perforated plate 32 is a plate-shaped plate made entirely of metal such as stainless steel, and has a hollow interior. As shown in FIG. 9, a number of holes are provided on the upper surface of the perforated plate 32, and these holes communicate the internal cavity with the outside. Furthermore, a suction device 33 is connected to the internal space of the perforated plate 32. The suction device 33 includes, for example, a fan inside, and can suck air, etc. from the internal space of the perforated plate 32 by rotating the fan. That is, the suction device 33 can suck air, etc. from the upper surface of the perforated plate 32.

In the printing process, a mesh sheet 34 is laid on the top surface of the perforated plate 32. This mesh sheet 34 is a sheet made of roughly woven synthetic resin fibers, and has a heat resistance equal to or greater than that of the single fiber threads 11 of the false hair 10. The false hair 10 is placed on the top side of this mesh sheet 34, and sublimation paper 36 is laid on top of that. This sublimation paper 36 is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description of it will be omitted.

After arranging each component as described above, the upper iron 21 is pressed downward to apply pressure to the upper surface of the sublimation paper 26 while heating it to perform dry heat pressing. At this time, the suction device 33 is operated to suck air from the upper surface of the perforated plate 32. This suction causes ink other than the ink that adheres to the flat portion 11a of the fiber single yarn 11 to form the disperse dye layer 27 to further penetrate downward. In this case, there is a certain effect even when the cross-sectional shape of the fiber single yarn 11 is made semicircular as shown in Figure 5, but when the cross-sectional shape of the fiber single yarn 11 is made to have an arc with a central angle greater than 180° on the outer surface as shown in Figure 7, the ink also adheres to the side of the fiber single yarn 11 to form a disperse dye layer.

The flattening process may be performed using the thermal transfer machine 30 according to this embodiment. In this case, the mat 23, the lower sheet 24, and the upper sheet 25 may be used in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

With the above configuration, the printing method for the false hair 10 according to this embodiment achieves the following effects in addition to some of the effects achieved by the printing method according to the first embodiment.

- The suction device 33 sucks the ink, allowing it to penetrate into the spaces between the fiber single threads 11 of the false hair 10, resulting in more vivid printing.

Third Embodiment
In this embodiment, the printing process is different from the first and second embodiments. As shown in Fig. 10, in this embodiment, a compression bag 40 is used. This compression bag 40 is a bag made of synthetic resin, and can seal the contents inside. The compression bag 40 contains the false hair 10, a sheet 44, and sublimation paper 46. The sheet 44 is the same as the lower sheet 24 shown in the first embodiment, and the sublimation paper 46 is also the same as that shown in the first and second embodiments.

The mouth of the compression bag 40 is connected to the suction device 43. The suction device 43 has a fan inside, and by operating the suction device 43, the air inside the compression bag 40 can be sucked out and the inside of the compression bag 40 can be decompressed. The compression bag 40 is placed in the pressure vessel 50. The pressure vessel 50 is made of metal, and can be heated while maintaining the internal pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. In this state, a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure is applied to the outer surface of the compression bag 40, and the sublimation paper 46 is pressed against the false hair 10 by this pressure. In this way, the pressure inside the compression bag 40 is reduced, the pressure inside the pressure vessel 50 is pressurized, and the pressure vessel 50 is heated. The temperature at this time is the temperature at which the disperse dye of the sublimation paper 46 sublimates, for example, about 130° to 140°. Note that when placing the compression bag 40 in the pressure vessel 50, the suction device 43 may be removed before placing it in the pressure vessel 50.

With the above configuration, the printing method for the false hair 10 according to this embodiment achieves the following effects in addition to some of the effects achieved by the printing method according to the first embodiment.

- By reducing the pressure inside the compression bag 40, the compression bag 40 is compressed by external pressure, creating an environment equivalent to that when using the thermal transfer machine 20.

- Since the sublimation paper 46, the false hairs 10, and the sheet 44 can be stacked in the compression bag 40 in this order and then decompressed and heated, sublimation printing can be performed on multiple false hairs 10 in a single process.

<Modification>
In the printing process of the first and second embodiments, the dye is transferred using sublimation paper 26, but various other known printing methods such as inkjet printing and screen printing can be used. The ink used is not limited to that shown in the embodiment, and various known inks can be used. In other printing methods, the printing surface is not an arcuate surface but a flat portion, so that a flat layer of ink can be formed similarly to the first embodiment.

- In the first embodiment, the flattening process and the printing process are performed at the same pressure and temperature, but at least one of them may be different.

- In the embodiment, the flattening process and the printing process are performed by a thermal transfer machine 20 having upper and lower irons 21, 22, but at least one of the flattening process and the printing process may be performed using a heatable roller instead of the upper iron 21. Also, rollers may be used instead of the upper iron 21 and the lower iron 22.

The method of forming the flat portion 11a is not limited to that shown in the embodiment, and various modifications are possible as long as a flat surface can be formed on the fiber monofilament 11 having a circular cross section. For example, the flat surface may be formed by heating alone or by applying pressure alone, or pressure may be applied after heating and softening. The flat surface may also be formed by cutting, etc.

- In the second and third embodiments, the flattening process may not be performed, and the printing process shown in the embodiment may be carried out. In this case, in the second embodiment, the upper iron 31 is not used, and a printing method such as screen printing may be adopted with the false hair 10 placed on the perforated plate 32. Even in this case, the ink is sucked in by the suction device 33, so that the ink penetrates to the sides of the fiber single yarn 11, allowing printing to be carried out favorably. In this way, it becomes possible to print without applying heat accompanied by pressure to the false hair 10.

- The flat portion 11a does not have to be formed over the entire longitudinal direction of the fiber single yarn 11, but may be formed only in the area where printing is to be performed.

- It is also possible to form projections and recesses on the upper iron 21 of the thermal transfer machine 20, and then use the projections and recesses to perform embossing before printing.

Hair extensions...10, fiber single yarn...11, flat portion...11a, fixed portion...12, heat transfer machine...20, upper iron...21, lower iron...22, mat...23, lower sheet...24, upper sheet...25, sublimation paper...26, disperse dye layer...27, heat transfer machine...30, upper iron...31, perforated plate...32, suction device...33, sublimation paper...36, compression bag...40, suction device...43, sublimation paper...46.

Claims (5)

A method for printing on false hair, comprising the steps of:
A flattening step of forming a flat portion on one surface of the false hair;
A printing step of depositing ink on the flat portion ,
The printing step is a step of heating and pressing a sublimation paper having ink attached thereto against the flat portion while pressing the same against the flat portion using a thermal transfer machine capable of applying heat and pressure.
The flattening step forms the flat portion by the thermal transfer machine . The printing method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating temperature and the pressing pressure are equal in the flattening step and the printing step . The printing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein in the flattening step, the false hair is placed on a member that is softer than the false hair. The printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein in the printing step, the ink is sucked from a surface of the false hair opposite to a surface to be printed. A method for printing on false hair, comprising the steps of:
A flattening step of forming a flat portion on one surface of the false hair;
A printing step of depositing ink on the flat portion ,
In the printing step, the false hair and the sublimation paper having the ink attached thereto are enclosed in a flexible container, and the container is depressurized and heated.

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