Braille body, inkjet printer, and braille body forming method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414170-B2
Application number	US-201816114263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

When forming a gloss layer, an UV curable ink in a semi-cured state is cured when spread more than when forming matte layers, whereby a surface smoothness of the gloss layer becomes higher than the matte layers, and on the other hand, the matte layers can be formed thick. Therefore, a braille body having the necessary height and the smooth tactual sense while having a layered structure can be formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A braille body comprising:
a plurality of layers that are laminated, wherein
the plurality of layers are formed with an electromagnetic wave curable ink, a thermosetting ink, or a thermoplastic ink,
among the plurality of layers, one or more layers other than an uppermost layer touched by a human are a matte layer, and
at least the uppermost layer is a gloss layer having a higher surface smoothness than the matte layer.

2. The braille body according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a primer layer disposed between the plurality of layers and a base material to fix the plurality of layers to the base material.

3. The braille body according to claim 2 ,
wherein the plurality of layers include a first layer, and a second layer, which is a layer located lower than the first layer, and
the first layer covers the second layer, and at least one part of a peripheral edge of the first layer is attached to the primer layer.

4. The braille body according to claim 2 , wherein
in the plurality of layers, an area in plan view becomes larger toward a layer located higher, each upper layer covering a lower layer below,
the primer layer has a larger area in plan view than each of the lower layers, and
a peripheral edge of each upper layer is attached to an upper surface of the primer layer.

5. The braille body according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers are formed by an inkjet type printing.

6. An inkjet printer for forming a braille body including a plurality of layers, the inkjet printer comprising:
a print head that ejects an ink, wherein the ink is an electromagnetic wave curable ink, a thermosetting ink, or a thermoplastic ink;
a curing unit that cures the ink ejected from the print head; and
a controller that drives the print head and the curing unit, wherein
the controller carries out
a first process of driving the print head to eject the ink, and driving the curing unit to cure the ink ejected from the print head, and
a second process of driving the print head to eject the ink, and driving the curing unit to cure the ink ejected from the print head in a state where a surface smoothness of the ink is higher than in the curing of the first process, and
among the plurality of layers, one or more layers other than an uppermost layer touched by a human are formed through the first process, and at least the uppermost layer is formed through the second process.

7. The inkjet printer according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a primer layer forming portion that forms a primer layer on a base material, wherein the primer layer is for fixing the plurality of layers to the base material, wherein
the controller further carries out a third process of driving the primer layer forming portion to form the primer layer,
the first process and the second process are carried out after the third process so that an area in plan view becomes larger toward a layer located higher in the plurality of layers, and each upper layer covers a lower layer below,
the primer layer has a larger area in plan view than each of the lower layers, and
a peripheral edge of each upper layer in the plurality of layers is attached to an upper surface of the primer layer.

8. A braille body forming method of forming a braille body including a plurality of layers on a base material, the braille body forming method comprising steps of carrying out
a first process of ejecting an ink through an inkjet method, and curing the ejected ink, wherein the ink is an electromagnetic wave curable ink, a thermosetting ink, or a thermoplastic ink, and
a second process of ejecting the ink through the inkjet method, and curing the ejected ink in a state where a surface smoothness of the ink is higher than in the curing of the first process, and
among the plurality of layers, one or more layers other than an uppermost layer touched by a human are formed through the first process, and
at least the uppermost layer is formed through the second process.

9. The braille body forming method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a step of carrying out a third process of forming a primer layer on a base material, wherein the primer layer is for fixing the plurality of layers to the base material before the first process and the second process, wherein
the first process and the second process are carried out so that an area in plan view becomes larger toward a layer located higher in the plurality of layers, and each upper layer covers a lower layer below,
the primer layer has a larger area in plan view than each of the lower layers, and
a peripheral edge of each upper layer in the plurality of layers is attached to an upper surface of the primer layer.

Assignees

• Mimaki Eng Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kanai Yuta

Classifications

• B41M7/0081

  using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• G09B21/02

  Devices for Braille writing (typewriters for Braille B41J3/32) · CPC title

• B41J3/32 Primary

  for printing in Braille or with keyboards specially adapted for use by blind or disabled persons · CPC title

• G09B21/003

  using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays · CPC title