Attachment device and attachment method

A sticking apparatus configured to stick a decorative material, which is attached to a sticking film, on an object housed in a container by changing a pressure inside a first space defined by the container and the sticking film and a pressure inside a second space defined by a lid body and the sticking film and thereby elastically deforming the sticking film, the sticking apparatus comprising:

• a gas flow circuit that includes a first flow channel communicating with the first space, a second flow channel communicating with the second space, and a converging flow channel into which the first and second flow channels converge;
• a suction mechanism connected to the converging flow channel and configured to suction gas from the gas flow circuit;
• a first measuring unit configured to measure the pressure inside the first space;
• a second measuring unit configured to measure the pressure inside the second space;
• and
• a flow rate regulating unit provided in the second flow channel and configured to regulate a flow rate of the gas in the second flow channel based on the measured pressure inside the first space and the measured pressure inside the second space.

A sticking method of sticking a decorative material, which is attached to a sticking film, on an object housed in a container by changing a pressure inside a first space defined by the container and the sticking film and a pressure inside a second space defined by a lid body and the sticking film and thereby elastically deforming the sticking film, the sticking method comprising:

• a first step of positioning the object on a jig provided in the container and exposing at least part of the object through a receiving surface of a restricting section so as to face the sticking film, the restricting section being disposed in a location that is close to or in contact with the object;
• a second step of, after the first step, depressurizing the first and second spaces and at this time, causing air in the first space to flow through a hole portion formed in the receiving surface;
• and
• a third step of, after the second step, sticking the decorative material on the object by introducing air into the second space to thereby elastically deforming the sticking film toward the object, while causing air to flow through the hole portion from a side of the first space closer to the sticking film toward another side thereof across the receiving surface from the sticking film, and restricting elastic deformation of the sticking film around the object by the receiving surface.

A sticking method of sticking a decorative material, which is attached to a sticking film, on an object housed in a container by changing a pressure inside a first space defined by the container and the sticking film and a pressure inside a second space defined by a lid body and the sticking film and thereby elastically deforming the sticking film, the sticking method comprising the steps of:

• suctioning gas in a gas flow circuit by a suction mechanism, the gas flow circuit including a first flow channel communicating with the first space, a second flow channel communicating with the second space, and a converging flow channel into which the first and second flow channels converge, the suction mechanism being connected to the converging flow channel;
• measuring the pressure inside the first space by a first measuring unit;
• measuring the pressure inside the second space by a second measuring unit;
• and
• regulating a flow rate of the gas by a flow rate regulating unit provided in the second flow channel based on the measured pressure inside the first space and the measured pressure inside the second space.