DE102010010448A1 - Materials is superimposed on outer surface of object as layer, where material is locally changed in its optical appearance on electric or electronic driveway, where device comprises mechanical, electrical and electronic components - Google Patents

Abstract

The material is superimposed on an outer surface of an object (1) as a layer. The material is locally changed in its optical appearance on an electric or electronic driveway. The changes of the optical appearance of the material, is repeated on the electric or electronic driveway. An external device (3) comprises mechanical, electrical and electronic components (9) which are provided for changing the optical appearance of the materials on the electric or electronic driveway.

Description

Materials that are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical appearance and methods and apparatus for applying graphics to those materials

1. The technical field

This invention relates to materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical appearance, and to an apparatus and method for applying graphics to these materials. The graphics can also be texts. In a particular application, the materials that are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical appearance are plastic cards used as badges, customers, check cards, or the like, as well as means for generating the graphics on these plastic cards.

2. State of the art

In everyday life there is an incalculable number of cases in which visually detectable information for a temporary period should be displayed permanently. Examples include a variety of labels, doorplates with door numbers and names of employees in offices, the labeling of office folders, price tags.

The transfer of this visually recognizable information such as graphics or text is largely done by printing on paper. But other planar objects get visually detectable information by being printed. Examples are plastic cards, boxes or information signs.

The prior art can be collectively described as technically realizing the display of regularly changing static graphic information either by printing on paper, printing on other materials such as plastic cards, or by displaying on a display. Electronic paper is becoming increasingly popular as a special form of display.

The Utility Model DE 20 2009 000382 U1 "Electronic display for regularly changing, stationary information" can be derived from the state-of-the-art: "The management and organization of stationary information that changes at variable intervals is usually done on paper. Plans, posters, article awards are for example printed on paper and manually attached to the devices provided or introduced. "
"Current solutions to this problem mainly use LCD displays with network connection. The disadvantage of these solutions, however, is the large space requirement and the sometimes high power consumption, which makes a permanent power supply necessary. "

In this utility model DE 20 2009 000382 U1 is described as a solution, an electronic display in which an electronic paper is used as a display technology and its information to be displayed by means of RFID transmitted to the display. This device is also equipped with a standard controller and a backup battery.

The display of visually detectable information currently takes place to a large extent via liquid crystal displays (English liquid crystal display, LCD). These are displays that operate on the principle that liquid crystals affect the polarization direction of light when a certain amount of electrical voltage is applied.

LCDs are used on many electronic devices, such as consumer electronics, gauges, cell phones, digital clocks, and calculators. Head-up displays and video projectors also use this technology.

The advantage of this technique is above all the high image quality. Disadvantages of this technology are its considerable price, the need for comprehensive electronics for controlling the LCD display and a permanent power supply.

Because of these disadvantages, prior art liquid crystal displays are unsuitable for the applications mentioned at the outset, such as doorplates or the layout of plastic cards.

Furthermore, planar, in their optical view, electrically or electronically variable materials are known, the texts or images permanently display, without the need for a maintenance voltage is required. This is especially the so-called electronic paper. Information on this can be found in common media.

By electronic paper is meant in this context very thin displays in which attempts are made to imitate ink or ink on paper. It reflects the light like normal paper. However, the ad can be changed at a later time. Electronic paper is flexible like normal paper.

The first developed electronic paper was called Gyricon and consisted of small, statically charged globules. These were two-tone, black on one side, white on the other. The text content of the paper could be changed by an applied electric field. This rotated the beads up or down so that either the black or white side was visible.

In the 1990s, for another type, small microcapsules were used in which electrically charged white particles floated in colored oil. In earlier versions, the current flow controlled whether the white particles were at the top of the microcapsule (that is, visible to the viewer) or whether they stayed down, so the viewer saw the darker color of the oil at that point.

Microencapsulation is a technique that surrounds solid, liquid or gaseous substances in minute portions with a shell.

Some companies produce electronic paper based on bistable LCDs. These enable a neutral white with high albedo (surface reflection) and resolutions of 200 dpi.

Currently (early 2010) electrophoresis dominates the market of electronic paper applications.

Currently the product Electronic Ink of E Ink Corporation has found the widest distribution. Elektronik Ink consists of microcapsules containing pigment particles.

Another technology that is currently being used to develop flexible displays is microsystem technology. The displays are for example designed so that they contain two metal membranes, between which there is an air gap. The distance between the two metal plates is manipulated by an electric field. Incident light is reflected differently by the lower metal membrane, depending on how far away the other membrane is.

The patent DE 602 16 420 T2 "Electro-optical displays with multi-layer structure, which is achieved by varying rates of polymerization" contains essential statements on the state of the art of displays, in particular flexible plastic displays.

Electrophoretic displays, cholesteric displays, the Xerox gyricon display, and liquid crystal displays are the technologies for flexible plastic displays.

In particular, this document also problems of device displays and the resulting motivations to improve them.

"Commercially, it is highly desirable for an electronic display to be as thin and lightweight as possible, while providing a high level of robustness and protection against forces, including, but not limited to, electronic displays. a. caused by blows, pressure, bending and falling down. "

The publication DE 10 2006 027 175 A1 describes, for example, the technical realization of the layout of "plastic cards that are used as ID, customer, check cards or the like". The prior art discloses this disclosure: "For example, ID cards contain bar code, magnetic stripe or memory chip information about the cardholder; Frequently, additional information about the card holder, such as name, address, authorizations, is printed visually on the surface. In order to make the plastic cards largely counterfeit-proof, for example, security prints, embossing and / or holograms are applied. " And further: "The printing of the cards is generally done by screen printing or thermal transfer printing and is usually a one-time process. Also known is a method that allows multiple printing, but this with limited quality and monochrome ".

The publication DE 102 10 329 A1 describes a "device for processing sheet-shaped information carrier, which are provided on at least one side with a thermosensitive layer ...". The applied graphics or texts can be deleted, so the information carrier is writable several times. The device may in particular be designed to provide plastic cards with a layout.

3. The problem underlying the invention

In the published patent application DE 10 2006 027 175 A1 is mentioned as a problem in the prior art in relation to plastic cards: "Since on the one hand the printing of plastic cards in principle or in a suitable quality is only possible once and on the other this only with specially designed printers is possible, the plastic card surfaces are unchangeable and not considered correctable. If, for example, the name, address, authorization or validity characteristics of a card holder change, a new employee card must be elaborately created. If the plastic card surfaces are used as an advertising medium, the advertising can only be very general or very short term valid. "

The same applies to the applications mentioned labels, door plates, price tags.

Electronic paper is always carried out in the prior art together with the electronics for changing the content to be displayed as a device. This has the technical cause that the electrodes for generating the electric field must be arranged very close to the microcapsules in order to achieve an acceptable graphic resolution. The electrodes are therefore integrated into the layer structure of the electronic paper. The design of the electronic paper as a separate device may be undesirable. This is especially the case when an object is unfavorably changed by the additional electronics in its properties. For example, on a plastic card, the additional processor and the necessary power supply are difficult to accommodate and incur additional costs.

Due to the technical design of the electronic paper as a device also physical properties of the paper, such as the flexibility, and thereby its handling lost.

It is the object of the invention to technically enable the application of visually detectable information while avoiding the drawbacks of the prior art by allowing an often repeatable application of permanent, visually perceptible information to the item to be provided with the information its actual shape is unaffected and is inexpensive.

The invention is intended to offer a solution, in particular in the event that the material to be provided with text or graphics has a fixed format and is in circulation in large quantities. A typical application are plastic cards that are used as badge, customer, check cards or the like.

4. The invention

The invention proposes the application of texts and graphics 12 on an outer surface of an object 1 to realize that the outer surface of this article with a layer 2 is provided, which is locally variable by electrical or electronic means in their visual appearance. This property is used to text or graphics on this layer 12 to create. The visual appearance of the mentioned graphics 12 must be maintained permanently, without the need for a maintenance voltage is necessary. For the generation of texts and graphics 12 is an external device 3 provided by electrical or electronic means the outer layer 2 of the object 1 so affected that the text or the graphic 12 be generated. According to the invention for the technical design of the optically variable layer 2 the outer surface and the external device 3 the respective state of the art can be applied.

One possibility of the technical design of the optically changeable layer 2 is the use of electrophoresis, as it is also used for the production of flexible plastic displays. This is done on the outside surface of the object 1 an electrode 4 applied over which a layer of microcapsules 6 , which contain pigment particles, is arranged, in turn, through a transparent protective layer 7 is covered.

Unlike flexible displays, no second external electrode is disposed in the optically variable layer.

The change in the optical properties of the outer layer is effected by an external device 3 , This device 3 includes those in the optically modifiable layer 2 missing counter electrodes and the electronics 9 for driving these electrodes. For changing the optical properties of the outer layer 2 of the article are the electrodes 8th the external device to the layer with the microcapsules 6 to bring with the pigment particles.

To bring the electrodes 8th To realize auxiliary devices may be useful. For card-shaped or plate-shaped objects 1 a clamping device is proposed which comprises a plate on which the card or plate is then deposited. This is by means of a mechanical device to the electrodes 8th brought to the external facility.

The electrodes 8th may be formed in the form of simple geometric surfaces as a continuous metallic layer.

In a further technical embodiment, the electrodes 8th the device 3 be formed as individually controllable electrodes, each generating a pixel on the optically variable layer. With such electrodes 8th For example, raster graphics can be created on the layer in black and white, in different shades of gray and in color.

In a first embodiment, the counterelectrodes are arranged such a planar that they provide the graphic to be provided with a layer 2 completely covers.

Another possibility is proposed, the electrodes 8th the external device 3 to train as a roller. The outer layer 2 is thus only quasi linear, that is, on a very narrow surface, touched.

As another option, the electrodes 8th to design it technically is to form them as an arbitrary planar arrangement of electrodes and to move them in one or two dimensions movable with respect to the surface to be designed.

In a further embodiment, the arbitrary article is provided with a graphic layer 2 under the electrodes 8th the external device 3 moved in one or two dimensions.

In a refinement of the method, it is proposed, before applying a new graphic, the already existing graphics by means of an erasing electrode of the external device 3 to remove.

5. In what way the invention is industrially applicable

• – Die Plastikkarten müssen nicht mehr bedruckt werden, wenn sie äußerlich gekennzeichnet oder gestaltet werden sollen, das spart Zeit-, Material- und Investitionsaufwand.
• – Die Plastikkarten müssen nicht mehr durch neue Plastikkarten ausgetauscht werden, wenn sich beispielsweise die persönlichen Angaben zum Karteninhaber ändern, das spart wiederum Zeit-, Material-, Investitions- und Logistikaufwand.
• – Die Plastikkarten können äußerlich durch optisch verlässliche und kurzfristig veränderbare Gültigkeitsmerkmale gekennzeichnet werden, das erhöht die Nutzungssicherheit.
• – Die Plastikkarten können bei der Nutzung als Kundenkarten kurzfristig mit neuen Informationen für den Inhaber versehen werden, wie beispielsweise temporäre Wertanzeigen, aktuelle Angebote, gezielte Werbeaufdrucke oder Mitteilungen.”

In the published patent application DE 10 2006 027 175 A1 For example, plastic cards are described on the surface of which displays are arranged over the entire surface. "This allows you to give the plastic cards at any time a randomly designed modified layout. By the proposed technical embodiment, for example, the following advantages are achieved:

• - The plastic cards no longer need to be printed if they are externally marked or designed, which saves time, material and investment.
• - The plastic cards no longer need to be replaced with new plastic cards, for example, change the personal details of the cardholder, which in turn saves time, material, investment and logistics.
• - The plastic cards can be externally marked by optically reliable and short-term changeable validity features, which increases the security of use.
• - The plastic cards can be provided in the use of customer cards at short notice with new information for the owner, such as temporary value, current offers, targeted advertising imprints or messages. "

Other applications are conceivable in the labeling of a wide variety of goods. For example, reusable packets could be provided with an address field from a layer that is electrically or electronically changeable in its optical view. This address field would then be repeatedly described.

A further commercial use is possible in that in electronic paper according to the prior art, ie displays with integrated counter electrode, recesses are realized in this counter electrode and at these points the generation of the graphic according to the invention takes place.

With a handheld device, for example, labels could be made at different locations, for example in price descriptions.

6. Advantageous effect of the invention

Because the graphically changeable surfaces 2 consist only of an electrode, a layer with the microcapsules and the cover layer, they can be produced very inexpensively and therefore in large quantities.

All expensive elements of the invention are in the external writing device 3 concentrated, but with an unlimited number of surfaces 2 can be provided with text or graphics.

From the nature of the graphically changeable surfaces 2 , In particular, the lack of electronic components, the absence of controls and the absence of a housing, there are further advantageous effects. It can be achieved similar properties to those of paper or foil.

In turn, manipulations are possible, as they are also the case with paper, such as information leaflets, way sketches or labels.

7. A way of carrying out the invention in detail

By way of example, an application will be described in more detail. It is to be solved the problem to provide plastic cards with a layout that is changeable without the cards have to be reprinted each time.

To solve the problem, electrophoresis is used as a technology.

This is done on the card carrier layer 13 , which is normally formed as a plastic plate, first a continuous metal layer as an electrode 4 applied. This metal layer 4 For example, it can be vapor-deposited or formed as a metal foil.

On the electrode 4 becomes a layer with the microcapsules 6 applied with pigment particles. ever the smaller the diameter of the microcapsules chosen, the higher the graphic resolution that can be achieved.

On this layer, a layer of transparent, flexible and mechanically durable plastic as an outer protective layer 7 applied. The stronger this protective layer 7 is formed, the better the mechanical protection, but the further the electrodes are 8th the external device is removed during a write operation, and the lower the graphics resolution may be. It may be a compromise.

To create a defined electrical potential of the electrode of the plastic card 4 For example, external contact is recommended. When the electrode 4 is formed as a film, this can be done in a simple manner by the film goes beyond the dimensions of the plastic card at one point and is therefore led out of the layer structure and once kinked on the outside of the card is attached. Alternatively, an electrical access 5 to the electrode 4 through the cover layer 7 and the layer 6 be realized with the microcapsules.

The layer structure described can also be industrially prefabricated into a semifinished product, for example as a film, and then applied to the card.

To apply the visually perceptible information 12 on the plastic card, is still an external device 3 provided, in addition to an electrode assembly 8th and the electronics 9 to drive the same also has the application characteristics of a card printer according to the prior art. For example, it may have a reservoir for a number of plastic cards to be printed consecutively.

This device 3 has a flat stable surface as a tray for a plastic card. Then the plastic card is stored and fixed by suitable means in their position, for example by the pad having shaped pieces in the dimensions of the card. On the shelf, the plastic card is placed so that they with the side to be described the electrodes 8th the device 3 is facing. The electrodes 8th are placed on the plastic card. After placing the electrodes is between the electrode 4 the card and the electrodes 8th the device 3 generates an electric field through which the color particles in the microcapsules 6 be aligned. This is the creation of the graphic 12 completed, the card can now set up 3 be removed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

any object

2

applied to any object layer

3

external device

4

consisting of a continuous metal layer electrode

5

externally accessible contact point

6

Layer with microcapsules with pigment particles

7

transparent cover layer

8th

Electrodes of the external device

9

electronic, electrical and mechanical components

10

Contact point of the external organization

11

Carrier layer of a plastic card

12

graphical representation

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202009000382 U1 [0006, 0007]
• DE 60216420 T2 [0021]
• DE 102006027175 A1 [0025, 0027, 0045]
• DE 10210329 A1 [0026]

Claims (11)

Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and an apparatus and method for applying graphics to these materials, characterized by the following features: 1. On the outer surface of any article, a material is applied as a layer having the following characteristics: 1.1 The visual appearance of the material can be changed electrically or electronically. 1.2 The changes in the visual appearance of the material produced by electrical or electronic means are permanent without the need for a maintenance voltage. 1.3 Changing the visual appearance of the material by electrical or electronic means is repeatable as often as desired. 2. There is one device which has the following features: 2.1 It includes all the mechanical, electrical and electronic components necessary to modify, by electrical or electronic means, the visual appearance of the material referred to in point 1. 2.2 The changes in the visual appearance of said material can be made locally different, so that the respective local change corresponds to the applied graph. 3. The graphic is generated by the following procedure with the facility in the material: 3.1 The device is brought close to the material. 3.2 The device affects the material areally electrical or electronic manner. In this case, the electrical or electronic influence is made locally different such that the graphic is generated in the material. 3.3 The device is then removed from the material. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claim 1, characterized by the following features: 1. On the outer surface of any object, a material is formed as a layer applied, which has the following structure: 1.1 The lowest layer, which is located directly on the outer surface of the object, is an electrode consisting of a continuous metal layer. 1.2 It is a layer with microcapsules with pigment particles arranged above it, wherein the position of the pigment particles within the microcapsules can be influenced by an electric field. 1.3 Above it is a transparent cover layer. 2. There is one device that has the following characteristics: 2.1 It has electrodes. 2.2 It has all the mechanical, electrical and electronic components necessary to handle the Position and control electrodes on the surface of the material. 2.3 An electrical connection to the electrode is made possible in the layer structure on the arbitrary object. 2.4 It can generate graphics in that either 4.1.1 the electrodes are shaped like the graphic to be generated or 2.4.2 the electrodes are locally controlled differently. 3. By the following procedure the graphic is created with the device in the layer: 3.1 The electrodes are brought to the surface of the material changeable in his view. 3.2 Between the electrodes of the device and the electrode in the layer structure, a locally different electric field is established, which affects the arrangement of the pigment particles in the microcapsules of the layer depending on the orientation of the electric field and in this way changes the visual appearance. 3.3 The device is removed from the material. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claim 1, characterized by the following features: 1. On the outer surface of any article, the material applied is a layer having the following characteristics: 1.1 It is implemented in microsystem technology. 1.2 It has locally different states each, in which incident light is reflected or absorbed differently, so that pixels can be realized with different states. 1.3 The condition and thus the visual appearance of a pixel mentioned under 1.2 can be changed by a localized electric field. 1.4 Without an external electric field, the locally limited state will persist permanently. 2. There is one device which has the following features: 2.1 It has electrodes that are able to generate locally different electric fields. 2.2 It has all the mechanical, electrical and electronic components necessary to position and control the electrodes on the surface of the material. 2.3 It can generate graphics by either 2.3.1 the electrodes are shaped like the graphic to be generated or 2.3.2 the electrodes are locally controlled differently. 3. The following procedure creates the graphic in the layer using the device: 3.1 The electrodes are brought to the surface of the material changeable in his view. 3.2 The electrodes of the device build a locally different electric field, the states of 1.2. mentioned pixels in each case influenced differently and changed in this way the visual appearance. 3.3 The device is removed from the material. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the layer is formed on the outer surface of the arbitrary body as a film, which on the External surface of the body is applied. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and an apparatus and method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrodes present in the device are in the form of symbol surfaces. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrodes present in the device have a punctiform formation in linear or planar arrangement. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and an apparatus and method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the device is provided with dot-shaped electrodes comprising an area of several dots long and is wide and movable so that it can be moved over the surface to be provided with texts or graphics to there to occupy the respective points with content. Materials that are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claim 1 to 3, wherein prior to applying a graphic according to the invention by means of an erase electrode, the existing image content is completely removed. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and an apparatus and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein in planar electrodes with symbol representations the adjacent areas are covered with an electrode of opposite charge to color the adjacent microcapsules in opposite directions to achieve a higher contrast. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view and a device and a method for applying graphics to these materials according to claim 1 to 3, wherein the layer is formed on the outer surface of the arbitrary body as a film, which on its Rear side has an adhesive surface and is cut to the extent required only on demand and glued on the outer surface of any body. Materials which are electrically or electronically changeable in their optical view, and an apparatus and method for applying graphics to these materials according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the device is embodied as a portable hand-held device in the form of a stamp.

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