JP2003291535A - Method for forming character graphic by laser marking - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for forming fine characters and graphics of two-dimensional codes or the like on the surfaces of a matter to be printed such as ink blurring paper and a transparent body or the like on which laser marking can not be directly executed. <P>SOLUTION: On the surface of a transparent plastic bag 10, a beltlike printing surface 4 is formed using black ink, on which a laser beam is momentarily radiated with a laser marker to partially sublimate the ink film 6 to remove it, leaving the part as a white cell 2b and the part left with the ink film 6 as a black cell 2a to form the two-dimensional code 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming characters and figures on a printed ink surface by laser marking.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, bar codes printed with striped stripes are used for packaging of products for use in management of products and calculation of sales at the time of sale. However, the striped stripe barcode has a small amount of data that can be recorded compared to the area used, and can be used only for controlling the product number of the product.

Therefore, in recent years, a two-dimensional code formed by a matrix of dot-like bright and dark patterns has been used. This can record up to 12 alphanumeric characters per 1 mm square, and the amount of data per unit area is extremely large compared to a bar code, and a large amount of information can be recorded.
There is an advantage that the reading device can read from any direction of 0 degree. In addition, even if a part of the code is damaged or dirty, it has a function of recovering the data, and since the information can be secretly managed by encrypting the data, its application is spreading.

In the case of creating this two-dimensional code, image software is created on the screen of the personal computer using image software by a matrix of bright and dark patterns. Conventionally, based on the two-dimensional code created from this image data, the two-dimensional code is formed on the display surface by a method such as printing, an inkjet printer, or laser printing.

As shown in FIG. 13, the two-dimensional code 1 divides the inside of a square or rectangle into a matrix of vertical and horizontal directions to form a plurality of cells 2, ... And one cell 2 is filled with black, and this black filled cell is filled. 2a is set to "1", white cell 2b is set to "0", and the arrangement of "1" and "0" is recorded as digital data.

The two-dimensional code 1 is printed or printed on a display surface of paper, plastic, metal, ceramic, etc.
Although it is formed by a method such as laser printing, when cells are formed on a paper by printing or by an ink jet printer, there is a problem that the boundaries of the cells become unclear due to ink bleeding. When the cell contour becomes unclear like this, there is a problem that it is read as wrong data by the reading device, and there is a problem that the advantage of the two-dimensional code that can record a large amount of information because the unit cell cannot be miniaturized. It was

When the two-dimensional code 1 is printed on plastic, the reaction to the laser heat is fast, so that the cell contour becomes unclear. Further, in the case of a transparent plastic film such as polyethylene or vinyl chloride, which is often used for packaging products, there is a problem that a two-dimensional code cannot be formed because the laser beam passes through the film.

[0008]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above problems by forming fine characters and figures such as two-dimensional codes on the surface of an ink-bleeding paper or a printing material such as a transparent body that cannot be directly laser marked. Provided is a method for forming a character pattern by laser marking, which is formed by laser marking, and in particular, a fine two-dimensional code is formed so that copying by copying or the like becomes impossible and security is improved.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a character pattern by laser marking, wherein an ink film is printed on the surface of an object to be printed such as paper, plastic, metal or ceramic, and the ink film is formed on the ink film. It is characterized in that a character or a figure is formed by irradiating a laser beam and thermally decomposing the ink film to sublimate or discolor it.

The method for forming a character pattern by laser marking according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the material to be printed is a transparent plate or film.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a character pattern by laser marking, wherein the laser marking pattern is a two-dimensional code, and the ink film is irradiated with a laser beam to form a dot or a unit cell of a light-dark pattern in which dots are overlapped. It is characterized by forming a two-dimensional code having a light and dark pattern.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method of forming a character pattern by laser marking, the diameter of a dot is defined as the beam diameter of a laser beam, and the length of one side of a unit cell is defined as a two-dimensional code of one dot and one cell. Is formed.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the figure, the two-dimensional code 1 is printed on the printing surface 4 on which the figure on the surface of the paper container 3 is printed.
Is formed. This two-dimensional code 1 is formed by printing a blue ink film 6 on a flat sheet of paper 5 before assembling the paper container 3 as shown in FIG.
The ink film 6 is irradiated with a laser beam, as shown in FIG.
The ink film 6 is partially thermally decomposed to form the two-dimensional code 1 as shown in FIG.

When the two-dimensional code 1 is enlarged, as shown in FIG. 3, the ink film 6 is irradiated with a laser beam to thermally decompose and sublimate the blue ink film 6 into circular dots 7.
Then, the two-dimensional code 1 is formed by combining 16 square white cells 2b, 4 in the vertical direction and 4 in the horizontal direction, and the cells 2a with the blue ink film 6 which is not irradiated with the laser beam in the matrix form. To do.

That is, when the two-dimensional code 1 is formed on the paper 5 made of pulp fibers by printing, the ink bleeds due to the capillary phenomenon of the pulp fibers and the cell contour becomes unclear. However, according to the method of the present invention, printing is performed in advance. The ink film 6 is formed by the above method, and when the ink film 6 is dried, it is instantaneously irradiated with a high-heat laser beam to sublimate and fly the ink film 6, so that there is no ink bleeding and a minute amount of information with a large amount of information. The dimension code 1 can be formed.

According to this method, the two-dimensional code 1 can be formed by changing the record information for each product with the laser marker, and the product name, the content, the manufacturing number, the manufacturing date, and the manufacturer name. , A lot of information about manufacturing plants, etc.
It can be recorded on the two-dimensional code 1 having a small area of less than mm square. Furthermore, since the method of the present invention partially removes the ink film 6, it is less affected by the state of the pulp fibers forming the paper 5, and the fine two-dimensional code 1 can be formed.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The mark printing surface 4 of the stock certificate 9 for preventing forgery is irradiated with a laser beam to sublimate and fly the ink film 6, and the paper 5 is removed. The two-dimensional code 1 having a light and dark pattern is formed by the exposed white portion and the ink film 6. According to this method
Since the dried ink film 6 is instantaneously irradiated with a laser beam to sublimate the ink film 6, it is possible to form a fine two-dimensional code 1 without ink bleeding and to encode the two-dimensional code 1. Since information can be incorporated, security is improved and forgery can be prevented.

Further, according to the present invention, since a dozen or more characters can be recorded on the two-dimensional code 1 having a small area of 1 mm square or less, cards such as cash cards, credit cards, prepaid cards, gift cards, checks, bills, etc. Securities,
By embedding the minute two-dimensional code 1 in the characters and patterns printed on banknotes, even when copying with a scanner of a copier or a personal computer, the cells 2 with bright and dark patterns cannot be reproduced, and the copied ones can be read. Since it cannot be identified by the device, it is possible to easily determine the authenticity and prevent the forgery.

By embedding the fine two-dimensional code 1 formed by the method of the present invention in the letters or patterns of the indication of the place of origin or the seal of quality assurance, the symbolized place of origin or quality can be recorded and copied or copied. Counterfeiting can be discriminated, and by attaching this sticker to bags and packaging containers for food and products to be shipped, the reliability of the place of origin and quality can be secured.

That is, although the two-dimensional code 1 can be formed by offset printing or an ink jet printer, this increases the area of the unit cell 2 and facilitates copying and making. However, according to the present invention, once the ink film 6 is formed. After the formation, the laser beam is irradiated to partially remove or change the color of the ink film 6, so that one side of the unit cell 2 is 10 to 50.
It is possible to form a minute two-dimensional code 1 of about μm that cannot be reproduced by copying, and it is possible to significantly improve security.

Further, even if a transparent plastic bag 10 made of polyethylene, vinyl chloride or the like, which is often used for packaging parts and medicines, is irradiated with a laser beam, the laser beam is transmitted therethrough. Cannot mark. Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, a band-shaped printing surface 4 is formed with white ink on the surface of a transparent plastic bag 10, and a laser beam is instantaneously irradiated onto the printing surface 4 to form an ink film 6. The two-dimensional code 1 is formed by partially sublimating this portion to form a black cell 2a and the remaining portion of the white ink film 6 to a white cell 2b.

In this method, the two-dimensional code 1 is printed.
The dry ink film 6 is partially removed as compared with the method of forming the two-dimensional code 1 in which the cell outline is clear and fine.
Can be formed. When the two-dimensional code 1 is read by the reading device, the remaining portion of the white ink film 6 is recognized as the white cell 2b, and the portion of the transparent plastic bag 10 exposed by removing the ink film 6 is not stored. In the case of a dark color system, the black cell 2a is used because light is transmitted and not reflected.
Can be recognized as

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a band-shaped printing surface 4 is formed with black ink on the surface of a transparent plastic bag 10 and a laser beam is momentarily irradiated with a laser marker. The two-dimensional code 1 is formed by irradiating and partially sublimating the black ink film 6. This is because the portion where the transparent plastic bag 10 is exposed by irradiating the laser beam to remove the black ink film 6 and the stored item is white, the transmitted light is reflected by the stored item and the white cell 2
The remaining portion of the black ink film 6 that is recognized as b can be recognized as the black cell 2a.

In the above description, the case where the two-dimensional code 1 is formed on the ink film 6 has been described. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the printing surface 4 printed in a band shape with the black ink is formed on the surface of the transparent plastic bag 10. It may be formed and irradiated with a laser beam to form the numeral 11, the bar code 12, the deformed bar code 12A in which the bar is inclined, and the like. Also in this case, it is easy to change the recorded contents according to the information of the stored items.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a thick printing surface 4A is formed on the surface of a transparent plastic bag 10 with a dark color ink, and a light color ink is thinly formed thereon. A printing surface 4B is formed, and a laser beam is irradiated onto the printing surface 4B to partially remove the light-colored ink film 6B on the front surface side.
The two-dimensional code 1 having a light-dark pattern is formed by exposing the lower dark ink film 6A.

On the surface of the transparent plastic bag 10,
When forming the two-dimensional code 1 or the bar code 12, the laser beam may be irradiated after forming the printing surface 4 on the plastic bag 10 that is created in advance.
The bag 10 may be formed after the printing and the marking with the laser marker are continuously performed in the process of feeding out from the roll sheet in the production line of 0.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The two-dimensional code 1 is formed on the printing surface 4 of the transparent heat-shrinkable film 15 wrapped around the surface of the PET bottle 14 containing drinking water. It is a thing.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to a laminating bag 16 in which plastic films 19A and 19B are laminated on both sides of an aluminum foil 17 for containing retort food. This is printed with dark ink on the surface of the plastic film 19A.
And the laser beam is irradiated onto the ink to form the ink film 6
Is removed to form the two-dimensional code 1. When the two-dimensional code 1 is read by the reading device, the portion where the dark color ink film 6 remains is recognized as the black cell 2a, and the removed portion transmits light through the transparent plastic film 19A and the aluminum foil 17 is removed. It is reflected on the surface and recognized as a white cell 2b.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11A, a tablet 20 is put in the storage portion 18 of a plastic film 19 having a cylindrical storage portion 18 formed therein. Then, the aluminum foil 17 laminated with the plastic film 19B closes the bottom opening portion of the storage portion 18, and the contact surface between the aluminum foil 17 and the plastic film 19A is joined by embossing to make the tablet 20 encapsulated. 21.

A black printing surface 4 is printed on the inner upper surface of the storage portion 18 of the tablet package 21 and the flat surface portion 22 of the plastic film 19B located below this, and the printing surface 4 is printed.
The two-dimensional code 1 is formed as shown in FIG.

In this manufacturing method, black printing is performed in advance on predetermined portions of the plastic films 19A and 19B, the plastic film 19B and the aluminum foil 17 are laminated, and a laser beam is irradiated to remove the black ink film 6. The two-dimensional code 1 is formed, and the aluminum foil 17 and the plastic film 19B laminated on the bottom surface of the plastic film 19 in which the tablets 20 are placed in the storage portion 18 are stacked,
The periphery of the storage portion 18 is joined by embossing.

By thus irradiating the tablet package 21 with the laser beam to form the two-dimensional code 1, the two-dimensional code 1 formed on the tablet package 21 is read by the reading device when the medicine is dispensed at the pharmacy. The type of tablet 20 can be confirmed. Also, for each tablet 20,
A lot of information such as drug name, manufacturer name, manufacturing number, manufacturing date, etc. can be recorded, and it is possible to prevent erroneous medicines from being dispensed and to easily manage inventory.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The two-dimensional code 1 is divided into a total of 36 irradiation areas of 6 rows and 6 columns, black ink is printed, and a laser beam is emitted. The dots 7 are formed by irradiating each irradiation area to remove the ink film 6 in a circular shape. In this case, the diameter of the dot 7 is the same as the length of one side of the white unit cell 2b. In other words, in this case, since the white unit cell 2b is composed of one white dot 7, it becomes the two-dimensional code 1 of 1 dot 1 cell,
It is possible to form a fine two-dimensional code 1 of about 1 mm square.

[0034]

[Example] The printing surface 4 of a laminated bag in which plastic films were laminated on both sides of an aluminum foil had a diameter of 40 μm.
By irradiating the laser beam to partially remove the ink film,
12 × 12 unit cells each having 58 μm on one side are combined in a matrix to form a two-dimensional code of 0.7 mm square on one side. When this is read by a reading device, 9-digit numerical data can be read. did it. Further, when a copy of this two-dimensional code was read by a reading device, it was unreadable.

In the above description, the dots 7 are arranged in one row and one column,
Although the case of arranging in 4 rows and 4 columns is shown, 2 rows and 2 columns,
It may be arranged in an n-th order square matrix such as 3 rows and 3 columns or 6 rows and 6 columns. The cells may have a rectangular arrangement of n × m matrix (where m is an integer) such as 2 rows × 4 columns and 3 rows × 6 columns. Further, in the above description, the unit cell is formed by the dot 7, but the cell 2 may be formed by a continuous line by overlapping the dot 7.

In the above embodiment, the case where the laser beam is applied to the ink film 6 to be sublimated and removed is shown. However, the ink film 6 is discolored by the heat of the laser beam, and the dark and light cell portions are changed. It suffices that a contrast is formed by comparing Further, in the above description, the case where it is formed on paper, a transparent plastic film, and an aluminum foil is shown, but it may be formed on a plate material such as an acrylic plate or an aluminum plate. Further, the printing surface 4 may be formed on the surface of a transparent plate such as silicon or glass or a ceramic plate, and a character or a two-dimensional code may be marked there.

[0037]

As described above, claim 1 according to the present invention
According to the method for forming a character pattern by laser marking described above, an ink film is preliminarily printed on the surface of an article to be printed, such as a paper on which ink is bleeding or a transparent body that cannot be laser marked, and the ink film is irradiated with a laser beam. As a result, the ink film is thermally decomposed and sublimated or discolored, the boundary is made clear, and fine characters or figures can be formed.

According to the method for forming a character or figure by laser marking of the second aspect, the character or figure can be easily formed directly on a transparent plate or film which cannot be laser marked.

According to the method for forming a character pattern by laser marking of claim 3, the laser marking pattern is a two-dimensional code, and the ink film is irradiated with a laser beam to form a dot or a unit of a light-dark pattern in which dots are overlapped. Since the cells are formed, a two-dimensional code with clear cell boundaries can be formed, and a large amount of information can be recorded in a small area of 1 mm square or less.

Therefore, it is possible to visually discriminate by forming a fine two-dimensional code by hiding it in characters or patterns printed on the surface of cards, banknotes, securities, labels for producing areas or stickers for quality assurance. It is impossible, and copying and reproduction by copying are impossible, and it is easy to discriminate the authenticity by the reading device, the forgery can be prevented, and the security can be greatly improved.

According to the method for forming a character pattern by laser marking of claim 4, the diameter of the dot is defined as the beam diameter of the laser beam, and this is defined as the length of one side of the unit cell. Since the dimension code is formed, more information can be recorded in a small area.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paper container on which a two-dimensional code is formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of a flat paper sheet having an ink film formed on its surface, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a flat paper sheet having a two-dimensional code formed on the ink film.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view showing the two-dimensional code of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a stock certificate on which a two-dimensional code is formed according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a transparent plastic bag having a two-dimensional code formed on a white printing surface.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a transparent plastic bag having a two-dimensional code formed on a black print surface.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a transparent plastic bag in which numbers and barcodes are formed on a black print surface.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a transparent plastic bag in which a two-dimensional code is formed on the printing surface of two layers of dark color ink and light color ink.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a plastic bottle having a two-dimensional code formed on the printed surface of a heat-shrinkable film.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a laminated bag on which a two-dimensional code is formed.

11A is a cross-sectional view of a tablet package having a two-dimensional code formed therein, and FIG. 11B is a bottom view of the tablet package.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a two-dimensional code with one dot and one cell.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a conventional two-dimensional code.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 two-dimensional code 2 cells 3 paper containers 4 printed side 5 Flat paper 6 ink film 7 dots 9 stock certificates 10 transparent plastic bags 11 numbers 12 barcode 14 PET bottles 16 laminated bags 17 Aluminum foil 18 Storage 19 plastic film 20 tablets 21 tablet packaging

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A character or a figure is formed by printing an ink film on the surface of an object to be printed such as paper, plastic, metal, or ceramic, and irradiating the ink film with a laser beam to thermally decompose the ink film for sublimation or discoloration. A method for forming a character pattern by laser marking, which comprises forming a pattern. 2. The method for forming a character pattern by laser marking according to claim 1, wherein the material to be printed is a transparent plate or film. 3. A two-dimensional code to be laser marked is formed by irradiating an ink film with a laser beam to form a dot or a unit cell of a light-dark pattern in which dots are overlapped to form a two-dimensional code of a light-dark pattern. Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
A method for forming a character pattern by laser marking as described above. 4. The laser according to claim 3, wherein the dot diameter is the beam diameter of the laser beam, and this is the length of one side of the unit cell to form a two-dimensional code of one dot and one cell. A method of forming characters and figures by marking.