Coating film tranfer tool with a transfer head

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a coating film transfer tool capable of transferring and coating a coating film rapidly, accurately and easily by supplying and winding the coating film transfer tape smoothly. A transfer head(9)of a coating film transfer tool(1)includes a tape supply surface(11)in which a transfer object surface side thereof is flat and a tape winding surface(12)in which a top end of an opposite side thereto is curved such that it is swollen outward. Both the surfaces intersect with each other so as to form a transfer edge(9) in a straight line. As a result, a beginning point of the coating film on the coating film transfer tape can be confirmed securely and the stiffness of the transfer head is improved thereby making it possible to cut the coating film sharply. Therefore, a partial peeling or the like never occurs, thereby beautiful finishing, and accurate transfer and coating being carried out. After use, the tape winding surface having a curved portion guides the coating film transfer tape securely, preventing a separation, cutting and the like, so that the feeding and supply of the coating film transfer tape can be carried out smoothly.

Description: This invention relates to a coating film transfer. tool according to the preamble of the claim. Such coating film transfer tool is for use with a fluorescent tape, tape adhesive or the like as well as a correcting tape to correct a writing error caused by a writing instrument like a ball point pen or the like, and comprises a transfer head. In a conventional transfer head for use in a coating film transfer tool, at a front end thereof is formed a sharp application edge (EP-A-0 427 870) or a round application edge (JP-A-10-217688, 10-138693). If the front end of the transfer head has a sharp application edge according to the conventional art, when the corrective paint on the surface of the corrective paint transfer tape is cut off after the transfer and coating of the corrective paint to a desired position is terminated, a sufficient pressure can not be transmitted concentratedly and equally to the corrective paint transfer tape, because the tape has no proper support along a portion of the transfer head in a direction upward the sharp edge, so that a partial peeling or the like occurs thereby making it difficult to carry out transfer and coating of the corrective paint accurately. Further unexpected vibrations can occur resulting in such an inconvenience as slippage from the transfer head and cutting of the tape. Further, when this transfer head is molded by synthetic resin, production of dies for that transfer head is very difficult because the front end of the transfer head is in a sharp edge or thin, so that there is a fear that production cost may be raised. In case the application end of the transfer head is round, when the corrective paint on the surface of the corrective paint transfer tape is cut by pressure after the transfer and coating of the corrective paint to a desired position is terminated, the corrective paint transfer tape comes into a contact with the transfer object surface through a surface contact, because the end of the transfer head is round. Consequently, a pressure necessary for cutting the corrective paint by pressure is not transmitted concentratedly and equally to the corrective paint transfer tape, so that the corrective paint on the surface of the corrective paint transfer tape can not be cut in a straight line. As a result, a partial peeling or the like occurs thereby making it difficult to carry out accurate transfer und coating of the corrective paint. Therefore, it is difficult to make the non-used portion of the corrective paint transfer tape accurately on a transfer starting point on the transfer object surface and then start pressing by the transfer head from that transfer starting point. Further, it is also difficult to accurately confirm the beginning point of the corrective paint transfer tape because of a partial peeling or the like caused on the surface of the corrective paint transfer tape. Therefore, sometimes, the corrective work can not be carried out rapidly and accurately. Accordingly the present invention has been made to solve the above problems and therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a coating film transfer tool having a transfer head capable of transferring and applying a coating film from the surface of a transfer tape to an object surface accurately and easily by properly and smoothly feeding and winding the coating film transfer tape along the transfer head while enabling well defined cut edges at the ends of the coating film applied to the object surface. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a coating film transfer tool having a transfer head which includes a flat supplying or feeding surface to oppose the object surface and a curved top end surface. A linear transfer edge is formed by the intersection between both of these surfaces. An angle α between the supplying surface and the curved top end surface at the linear transfer edge is less than 90°. The top end of the surface is curved such that the radius R of the curvature is in a range of 0.3 to 1.5 mm. In the coating film transfer tool of the embodiment of the present invention, in case the transfer head constituting the coating film transfer tool is intended to be brought into a firm contact with the transfer object surface through the coating film transfer tape, the transfer edge at the front end of the transfer head meets the beginning point of the coating film transfer tape. Thus, a user can always make sure of the beginning point of the non-used portion of the coating film transfer tape accurately. Therefore, the user can transfer and apply the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape to the transfer object surface rapidly, accurately and easily. The transfer head includes the flat supplying surface to oppose the object surface and the the curved top end surface. The transfer edge is formed in a straight line by an intersection between both of these surfaces. The top end of the transfer head on an opposite side to the flat supplying surface is curved so that the front end of the transfer head is thick thereby intensifying stiffness of the transfer head. Therefore, despite increased frequencies of use of the coating film transfer tool, the front end of the transfer head is difficult to deform. Even if a pressure is applied to cut off the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape after transfer and coating of the coating film to a desired position is finished, that pressure is transmitted securely to the coating film transfer tape through the linear transfer edge, so that a partial peeling or the like never occurs. As a result, the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape is cut sharply in a straight line. Further, because the top end of the transfer head is curved such that the radius R is 0.3 to 1.5 mm, the coating film transfer tape after use is guided by the front end of the transfer head such that it keeps a firm contact with the back of the tape. As a result, even if the tape is wound by the winding reel rapidly, the tape is prevented from vibrating vertically and horizontally with respect to the winding direction of the coating film transfer tape. As a result, it is possible to prevent a slippage, cutting and the like on the transfer tape. Further because the transfer head is thick, production of dies for use in molding is facilitated thereby making it possible to reduce production cost. The invention will now be described with reference to the embodiments shown in drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front view of a coating film transfer tool having a transfer head according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the transfer head according to the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of a front end portion of the transfer head according to the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the transfer head as viewed from below when the coating film transfer tool is on use. Referring to Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a coating film transfer tool. This coating film transfer tool 1 comprises a main unit 2. A supply reel 4 is rotatably journaled within this main unit 2 for feeding the tape to a transfer head 9 held so as to project from a front end opening portion 3 of the main unit 2. The transfer head is provided with guide plates 10 for guiding the coating film transfer tape 8 such that the unused coating film transfer tape 8', such as a corrective paint transfer tape, fluorescent film tape and the like can be wound around the transfer head 9 and comes into a firm contact with an object surface for transfer of the coating film thereto. A winding reel 6 is journaled on a same shaft as that of a winding reel gear 7 meshing with a supply reel gear 5 journaled on the same shaft as that of the supply reel 4. Thereby the winding reel 6 is rotated by the supply reel 4 due to the gear engagement between the supply reel gear 5 and winding reel gear 7 so as to wind the used transfer tape 8" thereon. The transfer head 9 comprises a lower tape supplying surface 11, the guide plates 10 being provided on the right and left of this surface for guiding the coating film transfer tape 8. The side of the tape supplying surface 11 opposite the object surface is flat. An upper tape winding surface 12 has a top end surface which is curved so as to be swollen outward. The tape supplying surface 11 and the curved top end surface intersect with each other so as to form a linear transfer edge 13. Particularly on the transfer edge 13 at the front end of the transfer head 9, an angle α between the tape supplying surface 11 and the curved top end surface of the tape winding surface 12 is less than 90°. A radius R of that curved top end surface of the tape winding surface 12 is 0.3 to 1.5 mm. Upon use of this coating film transfer tool 1, if the transfer head 9 is brought into a firm contact with the object surface, the transfer edge 13 at the front end of the transfer head 9 meets a beginning point of the coating film transfer tape 8' before use. Thus, it is always possible to confirm the beginning point of a non-used portion of the coating film transfer tape 8 accurately. Therefore, the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape 8 can be transferred and applied to the object surface rapidly, accurately and easily. Further, the transfer edge 13 at the front end of the transfer head 9 of the coating film transfer tool 1 is formed in a straight line and the tape supplying surface 11 is flat. The top end of the transfer head 13 on the side of the tape winding surface 12 is curved so that the front end of the transfer head 9 is thick thereby intensifying stiffness of the transfer head 9. Therefore, despite increased frequencies of use of this coating film transfer tool 1, the front end of the transfer head 9 is difficult to be deformed. Even if a pressure is applied to cut off the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape 8 after transfer and coating of the coating film to a desired position is finished, that pressure is transmitted securely to the coating film transfer tape 8 through the linear transfer edge 13, so that a partial peeling or the like never occurs. As a result, the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape 8 is cut sharply in a straight line, thereby making it possible to finish the transfer and coating of the coating film beautifully. Further, because the top end surface of the tape winding surface 12 on the opposite side to the tape supplying surface 11 is curved in which the radius R of the curved surface is 0.3 to 1.5 mm, the coating film transfer tape 8" after use for winding by the winding reel 6 is guided by the front end of the transfer head 9 such that it keeps a firm contact with the tape. As a result, even if the tape is wound by the winding reel 6 rapidly, the tape 8 is prevented from vibrating vertically and horizontally within the restriction of the guiding plate 10 provided on both sides of the transfer head 9. As a result, it is possible to prevent a slippage of the coating film transfer tape 8 from the transfer head 9, cutting thereof and the like. Further, because the transfer head 9 is thick, production of dies for use in molding is facilitated therey production cost being reduced. The beginning point of the coating film on the surface of the coating film transfer tape can be confirmed securely by the transfer edge. Because the stiffness of the transfer head is improved to prevent deformation, the transfer and coating of the coating film can be carried out rapidly, accurately and easily. Because the top end of the transfer head on the tape winding surface side is curved such that it is swollen outward, the front end of the transfer head is thick thereby improving stiffness of the transfer edge. As a result, cutting of the tape along the transfer edge can be carried out sharply in a straight line, thereby making it possible to finish the transfer and coating of the coating film beautifully. Further, because the coating film transfer tape after use is guided and supported from the back, even if vibration occurs due to a rapid winding or the like, the slippage of the tape from the transfer head, cutting of the tape and the like can be prevented.

Claims: A coating film transfer tool comprising a transfer head (9) and a main unit (2) in which there is rotatably joumaled a supply reel (4) for a transfer tape having a coating film thereon for supplying said transfer tape to the transfer head (9) and a winding reel (6) rotating with the supply reel for winding the transfer tape after transfer of the coating film to a substrate with the aid of the transfer head, said transfer head (9) including an upper tape winding surface (12), a linear transfer edge (13), and a curved top end surface provided between said upper tape. winding surface (12) and said linear transfer edge (13), characterized in that said linear transfer edge (13) being formed at an intersection of a lower tape supplying surface (11) of the transfer head (9) with said curved top end surface, said lower tape supplying surface being flat, that an angle (α) less than 90° being defined between said lower tape supplying surface (11) and said curved top end surface at the linear transfer edge (13), and that the curvature of the curved top end surface has a radius R in a range of 0.3 to 1.5 mm.

Inventors: MURAKOSHI YASUO, MURAKOSHI, YASUO
Applicants: TOMBOW PENCIL, TOMBOW PENCIL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65H37
IPC codes: B43L19, B65H35, B65H37