Abstract:
A multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method includes the steps of forming a color film on a surface of a substrate or a third pattern structure by providing a chromogenic material by lithography, gravure, flexographic printing, screen printing and physical vapor deposition in a transcribed printing process. Using the color film to match with different 3D pattern structures to form a multilayer 3D pattern which can be applied to the housing of various different electronic products not only can improve the aesthetic appearance, it can also enclose the color film within the 3D pattern to prevent the 3D pattern from falling off or fading; thus, the lifetime of the pattern can be improved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to the field of pattern transfer printing on a substrate surface, in particular to a multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus thereof 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    As science and technology advance, various 3C products including Smartphones, tablet PCs and notebook computers are introduced into the market. Particularly, the Smartphones and tablet PCs integrated with wireless network and mobile network allow people to obtain the latest information anywhere anytime, so that the use of Smartphones or tablet PCs has become an indispensable part of our daily life. 
         [0005]    To pursue the visual aesthetic appearance, decorations including patterns or colors are generally added to the housing of the 3C products or materials such as leather or silicone are used to create the visual aesthetic look of the conventional 3C products. Since most of the housings are made of material, therefore 3D patterns can be directly manufactured on the surface of the 3C products by plastic injection molding. On the other hand, 2D patterns or color decorations can be made by bake painting or spraying, not only causing pollutions, but also requiring a secondary process to assure the durability of the product and prevent the patterns or colors from falling off or fading. 
         [0006]    In addition, conventional manufacturing technologies or metal surface processing technologies including chemical coloring, electrolytic coloring, decorative coloring and metal surface etching technologies of the 3C products with a metal housing are limited, and thus having a high cost and the difficulty of improving the aesthetic appearance of the products. Most of the aforementioned surface decoration and processing technologies just can provide a planar decoration and processing of the surface of the housing, but they cannot achieve the 3D decorative effect or satisfy the user requirement for the aesthetic appearance of the products. 
         [0007]    Therefore, the inventor of the present invention invented an UV light curing 3D graphic transcription method as disclosed in. With reference to  FIG. 1  for the transcription method of R.O.C. Pat. No. 1385078, the method comprises the following steps: 
         [0008]    S11: Provide a mother board processed by an anti-adhesion treatment and having a first graphic structure. 
         [0009]    S12: Provide a sub-film coated with a first light curing adhesive. 
         [0010]    S13: Roll and laminate the sub-film with the mother board to permeate the first light curing adhesive into the first graphic structure. 
         [0011]    S14: Cure the first light curing adhesive with light and fowl a second graphic structure on the sub-film. 
         [0012]    S15: De-mold the sub-film and the mother board. 
         [0013]    S16: Provide a substrate coated with a second light curing adhesive. 
         [0014]    S17: Bake the substrate. 
         [0015]    S18: Transcribe the second graphic structure to the substrate, so that a third graphic structure is formed on the substrate, while simultaneously light curing the second light curing adhesive. 
         [0016]    S19: Process the substrate with illumination, so that a 3D graphic pattern is formed on a surface of the substrate to improve the aesthetic appearance. 
         [0017]    However, the inventor of the present invention further improves the foregoing patented invention by combining colors to the original UV light curing 3D graphic transcription method of producing 3D patterns and provides a manufacturing method for showing a multi-layer 3D pattern and improving the aesthetic look and durability significantly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus thereof to cover a color film by a 3D pattern structure and change the original 3D pattern structure into a multi-layer structure, so as to achieve the effect of improving the aesthetic look of the substrate. In the meantime, the color film is protected by the 3D pattern structure to prevent the color film from falling off or fading, so as to enhance the durability significantly. 
         [0019]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a preferred embodiment of a multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: providing a mother board, a sub-film and a substrate, wherein the mother board is processed with an anti-adhesion treatment and has a first pattern structure, and the sub-film is a translucent material with a side coated with a first light curing adhesive; rolling and laminating the sub-film with the mother board, and forming a second pattern structure onto the sub-film after the transcribed printing and the light curing take place sequentially; de-molding the sub-film and the mother board; providing a chromogenic material, and forming a color film on a surface of the substrate; coating a second light curing adhesive on the color film; transferring and printing the second pattern structure onto the second light curing adhesive, such that the color film is included between the substrate and the second light curing adhesive, while simultaneously light curing the second light curing adhesive to form a third pattern structure with a multi-layer pattern; providing a mold, and heating the substrate simultaneously, so that the substrate and the third pattern structure are extensible; using the mold to punch and shape the substrate and the third pattern structure, so that the extensible substrate and third pattern structure will not be cracked by punching; and processing the substrate with an illumination treatment. 
         [0020]    In another a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method comprises the steps of: providing a mother board, a sub-film and a substrate, wherein the mother board is processed with an anti-adhesion treatment and has a first pattern structure, and the sub-film is a translucent material having a side coated with a first light curing adhesive and the other side coated with a second light curing adhesive; rolling and laminating the sub-film with the mother board, and forming a second pattern structure on the sub-film after the transfer printing and the light curing steps take place sequentially; de-molding the sub-film and the mother board; transfer-printing the second pattern structure onto the second light curing adhesive, while simultaneously light curing the second light curing adhesive to from a third pattern structure; providing a chromogenic material, and forming a color film onto the third pattern structure; coating a third light curing adhesive onto the color film; transcribing and printing the second pattern structure onto the third light curing adhesive, so that the color film is included between the third pattern structure and the third light curing adhesive, while simultaneously light curing the third light curing adhesive to form a fourth pattern structure with a multi-layer pattern; providing a mold, while simultaneously heating the substrate, so that the substrate and the fourth pattern structure are extensible; using the mold to punch and shape the substrate, the third pattern structure and the fourth pattern structure, so that the extensible substrate, third pattern structure and fourth pattern structure will not be cracked by punching; and processing the substrate with an illumination treatment. 
         [0021]    Experiments show that the transcription rate of the aforementioned two preferred embodiments is up to 1:0.99, and the present invention further heats up to an appropriate temperature during the punching and shaping processes in order to prevent the substrate from being cracked by punching. 
         [0022]    Wherein, the first pattern structure is manufactured by a process selected from the group of etch molding, laser engraving, drill molding, and sand-blast molding, and patterns with different depths, widths, intervals, surface glosses (roughness) and angles can be produced to meet the pattern effect and requirement for different applications. 
         [0023]    In addition, the step of providing a chromogenic material, and forming a color film on a surface of the substrate is achieved by a method selected from the group of lithography, gravure, flexographic printing, screen printing and physical vapor deposition, and the chromogenic material used in the physical vapor deposition method is one selected from the group of nitrate, carbide, carbonitride, oxide and nitrogen oxide. With these chromogenic materials, different colors such as brown, yellow, green, gray, dark blue, gold, light gray, dark gray, black, purple and dark green can be produced, and these colors are helpful in layering and color mixing applications. 
         [0024]    The aforementioned two preferred embodiments adopt a multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a carrying platform, having a ridge formed separately on both lateral edges of the carrying platform and corresponding to the thickness of the substrate and the sub-film, and the two ridges being disposed parallel to each other to form a rail, and the substrate and the sub-film being disposed between the rail; a heating module, installed in the carrying platform, for heating the substrate to 60 degrees-300 degrees Celsius; a transfer printing module, installed at the top of the carrying platform, and having a roller and an UV illuminating unit, and a predetermined interval being form between the roller and the rail for accommodating the substrate and the sub-film, and the roller uniformly pressing the sub-film on the substrate for transcribing and printing; a substrate fixture, having a fixed clamping unit and a movable clamping unit, and the fixed clamping unit being installed on a side of the carrying platform, and the movable clamping unit being installed on the other side of the carrying platform, and the fixed clamping unit and the movable clamping unit clamping both ends of the demolded sub-film; and an ejector, installed between the carrying platform and the movable clamping unit, such that when the roller presses the sub-film down to the substrate, the movable clamping unit is driven by the sub-film to move downwardly, and when the ejector moves upward, the movable clamping unit is driven by the sub-film to move upwardly in a direction towards the carrying platform. 
         [0025]    Wherein, the predetermined interval is achieved by adjusting the height of the pair of ridges and the downward pressure of the roller to improve the transcription rate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a flow chart of R.O.C. Pat. No. 1385078; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are flow charts of second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a manufacturing apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a partial schematic view of a carrying platform of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    The technical content of the present invention will become apparent by the detailed description of the following embodiments and the illustration of related drawings as follows. 
       First Preferred Embodiment 
       [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  for a flow chart and a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, a multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: 
         [0035]    S1-1: Provide a mother board  1 , a sub-film  2  and a substrate  3 , wherein the mother board  1  is processed with an anti-adhesion treatment and has a first pattern structure  11 , and the sub-film  2  is a translucent material with a side coated with a first light curing adhesive  21 . It is noteworthy that the mother board  1  is a flat board made of material selected from anyone of stainless steel, electroformed plate and quartz glass. And the first pattern structure  11  of the mother board  1  is manufactured by methods such as etch molding, laser engraving, drill molding, or sand-blast molding to create patterns with different depths, widths, intervals, surface glosses (roughness) and angles to meet the pattern effect and requirements for different applications. 
         [0036]    As shown in Table 1, the sub-film  2  is a film made of a plastic material selected from polycarbonate (PC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Laser 
                 Drill 
                   
               
               
                 Process 
                 Etch Molding 
                 Engraving 
                 Molding 
                 Sand-blast Molding 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Description 
                 Mask with an 
                 Mask with an 
                 Engrave a 
                 Mask with a 
               
               
                   
                 acid-resisting 
                 acid-resisting 
                 pattern by 
                 sand-blast resisting 
               
               
                   
                 photomask to 
                 photomask to 
                 a diamond 
                 photomask to print 
               
               
                   
                 develop a 
                 etch a pattern 
                 cutter and 
                 a pattern and create 
               
               
                   
                 pattern from a 
                 by laser. Dip a 
                 a CNC 
                 a surface of 
               
               
                   
                 film. Dip a mold 
                 mold in an acid 
                 process 
                 different textures 
               
               
                   
                 in an acid to 
                 to etch to a 
                   
                 by different sand 
               
               
                   
                 etch to a desired 
                 desired depth. 
                   
                 sizes and pressures. 
               
               
                   
                 depth. 
               
               
                 Pattern Depth 
                  &lt;500μ 
                  ≦50μ 
                 ≦15μ 
                  ≦20μ 
               
               
                 Pattern Width 
                     &gt;50μ 
                  &gt;100μ 
                 ≦50μ 
                 ≦200μ 
               
               
                 Pattern Interval 
                 ≧100μ 
                 ≦500μ 
                 ≦50μ 
                 ≦200μ 
               
               
                 Surface Gloss 
                 10°~60° 
                 10°~60° 
                 60°~120° 
                 10°~90° 
               
               
                 Angle 
                 &lt;90° 
                 &lt;90° 
                 &lt;90° 
                 N/A 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0037]    S1-2: Roll and laminate the sub-film  2  with the mother board  1 , and form a second pattern structure  22  on the sub-film  2  after the transcribed printing and the light curing take place sequentially. 
         [0038]    S1-3: De-mold the sub-film  2  and the mother board  1 , and the second pattern structure  22  stays on a surface of the sub-film  2  after the sub-film  2  and the mother board  1  are demolded. 
         [0039]    S1-4: Provide a chromogenic material  4 , and form a color film  41  on a surface of the substrate  3 . It is noteworthy that the chromogenic material  4  is manufactured by a method such as lithography, gravure, flexographic printing, screen printing and physical vapor deposition. Particularly, when the physical vapor deposition method is adopted, the chromogenic material  4  is one selected from the group of nitrate, carbide, carbonitride, oxide and nitrogen oxide to result in different colors as listed in Table 2. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 TYPE 
                 COMPOUND 
                 COLOR 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Nitrides 
                 TiN 
                 Golden--&gt;brown-yellow 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ZrN 
                 Yellow--&gt;green 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Cr2N, CrN 
                 Metallic--&gt;brown 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TaN 
                 Blue--&gt;grey 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (Ti, Al)N 
                 Gold--&gt;dark blue 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (Ti, Zr)N 
                 Golden 
               
               
                   
                 Carbides 
                 TiC 
                 Bright grey 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TiC/Nc 
                 Dark Grey 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TaCx 
                 Yellow--&gt;brown 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SiC 
                 Black 
               
               
                   
                 Carbonitrides 
                 TiCxNy 
                 Red golden--&gt;violet 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ZrCxNy 
                 Silver--&gt;gold--&gt;violet 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (Ti, AlCxNy 
                 Purple 
               
               
                   
                 Oxides 
                 TiO2 
                 Light grey--&gt;blue 
               
               
                   
                   
                 CrxOy 
                 Copper--&gt;dark green 
               
               
                   
                 Oxinitrides 
                 (Ti, Al)OxNy 
                 Brown--&gt;dark blue 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TiOxNy 
                 Transparent--&gt;black 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0040]    S1-5: Coat the color film  41  onto a second light curing adhesive  42 . 
         [0041]    S1-6: Transcribe and print the second pattern structure  22  onto the second light curing adhesive  42 , so that the color film  41  is included between the substrate  3  and the second light curing adhesive  42 , while simultaneously light curing the second light curing adhesive  42  to form a third pattern structure  43  with a multilayer 3D pattern. Wherein, the third pattern structure  43  together with the color film  41  are fixed onto a surface of the substrate  3 . 
         [0042]    S1-7: Provide a mold  5 , while heating the substrate  3  at the same time, so that the substrate  3  and the third pattern structure  43  are extensible. 
         [0043]    S1-8: Use the mold  5  to punch and shape the substrate  3  and the third pattern structure  43 . Since the substrate and the third pattern structure  43  are extensible, therefore the substrate  3  and the third pattern structure  43  will not be cracked during the punching process. 
         [0044]    S1-9: Process the substrate  3  with an illumination treatment. 
       Second Preferred Embodiment 
       [0045]    With reference to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  5  for a flow chart and a schematic view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, the materials used in the multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention are the same as those of the first preferred embodiment, but the steps are slightly different, so that the same numerals are the same elements in both embodiments. The multi-layer 3D pattern manufacturing method of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: 
         [0046]    S2-1: Provide a mother board  1 , a sub-film  2  and a substrate  3 , wherein the mother board  1  is processed with an anti-adhesion treatment and has a first pattern structure  11 , and the sub-film  2  is a translucent material with a side coated with a first light curing adhesive  21 , and a side of the substrate  3  is coated with a second light curing adhesive  42 . 
         [0047]    S2-2: Roll and laminate the sub-film  2  with the mother board  1 , and form a second pattern structure  22  on the sub-film  2  after the transcribed printing and the light curing take place sequentially. 
         [0048]    S2-3: De-mold the sub-film  2  and the mother board  1 . 
         [0049]    S2-4: Transcribe and print the second pattern structure  22  onto the second light curing adhesive  42 , while simultaneously light curing the second light curing adhesive  42  to form a third pattern structure  43 . 
         [0050]    S2-5: Provide a chromogenic material  4  and form a color film  41  on the third pattern structure  43 . 
         [0051]    S2-6: Coat a third light curing adhesive  6  onto the color film  41 . 
         [0052]    S2-7: Transcribe and print the second pattern structure  22  onto the third light curing adhesive  6 , so that the color film  41  is included between the third pattern structure  43  and the third light curing adhesive  6 , while simultaneously light curing the third light curing adhesive  6  to form a fourth pattern structure  61  having a multilayer 3D pattern. 
         [0053]    S2-8: Provide a mold  5 , while simultaneously heating the substrate  3 , so that the substrate  3  and the fourth pattern structure  61  are extensible. 
         [0054]    S2-9: Use the mold  5  to punch and shape the substrate  3 , the third pattern structure  43  and the fourth pattern structure  61 . Since the substrate  3 , the third pattern structure  43  and the fourth pattern structure  61  are extensible, therefore they will not be cracked during the punching process. 
         [0055]    S2-10: Process the substrate  3  with an illumination treatment. 
         [0056]    With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7  for a schematic perspective view of a manufacturing apparatus and a schematic view of a carrying platform of a preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, the manufacturing apparatus  7  used in the foregoing two preferred embodiment comprises a carrying platform  71 , a heating module  72 , a transfer printing module  73 , a substrate fixture  74  and an ejector  75 . 
         [0057]    The carrying platform  71  has a ridge  711  formed separately on both sides of the carrying platform  71 , and the ridges  711  are disposed parallel to each other to form a rail  712 , and the height of the rail  712  is corresponsive to the thickness of the substrate  3  and the sub-film  2  for disposing the substrate  3  and the sub-film  2  in the rail  712 . 
         [0058]    The heating module  72  is installed inside the carrying platform  71  for heating the substrate  3  to 60-300° C. 
         [0059]    The transfer printing module  73  is installed at the top of the carrying platform  71 , and the transfer printing module  73  has a roller  731  and an UV illuminating unit  732 , and a predetermined interval T is formed between the roller  731  and the rail  712  for accommodating the substrate  3  and the sub-film  2 , and the roller  731  uniformly presses the sub-film  2  at the substrate  3  to perform the transcribed printing process. In addition, the predetermined interval T can be achieved by adjusting the height of the pair of the ridges  711  and the downward pressure of the roller  731 , so that the sub-film  2  or the substrate  3  with a different thickness can be used to improve the transcription rate. 
         [0060]    The substrate fixture  74  has a fixed clamping unit  741  and a movable clamping unit  742 , wherein the fixed clamping unit  741  is installed on a side of the carrying platform  71 , and the movable clamping unit  742  is installed on the other side of the carrying platform  71 , and both ends of the sub-film  2  are clamped by the fixed clamping unit  741  and the movable clamping unit  742  respectively. 
         [0061]    The ejector  75  is installed between the carrying platform  71  and the movable clamping unit  742 . When the roller  731  presses the sub-film  2  down to the substrate  3 , the movable clamping unit  742  is driven by the sub-film  2  to move downward. When the ejector  75  moves upwardly, the movable clamping unit  742  is driven by the sub-film  2  to move upwardly in a direction towards the carrying platform  71 . 
         [0062]    While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.