JP2017205949A - Latent image printed matter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a latent image printed matter which can be produced without using ink having special optical characteristics, can enhance a quantity of reflected light generated from a semicylindrical streak, and has high visibility of an appearing latent image by determining the reflected light to be only reflected light derived from the semicylindrical streak surface.SOLUTION: A printed image is formed which is formed by laminating a semicylindrical element group formed of a material containing a resin and a reflected layer that has a colored hue different from that of a base material on the semicylindrical element group, where a base image has the same hue as that of a latent element group under the divided and/or compressed latent element group and diffused reflected light and has at least one optical characteristics of light-dark flip-flop properties or color flip-flop properties. The reflected layer has the shape and the size equal to those of each of the latent elements, and has a latent image camouflage element group formed of a plurality of latent image camouflage elements obtained by subtracting a concentration of a latent element by a concentration of a printed image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  In the field of security printed matter such as banknotes, passports, securities, identification cards, cards, and passports that require anti-counterfeiting effects, the present invention allows image change effects or video effects. The present invention relates to a latent image printed material having high authenticity discrimination and counterfeit resistance that produces a good visual effect.

  The image change effect of switching between multiple images and the moving image effect of moving images tend to be eye-catching and difficult to counterfeit. . A typical technology with these effects is holograms, which are widely used in various forms with change effects and video effects, and are also affixed to security prints that require high security such as banknotes and passports. It has been.

  On the other hand, in addition to holograms, there are also true / false discriminating elements that use known techniques such as parallax barriers and lenticulars, and that have image change effects in which multiple images are switched by slight angle changes, and video effects that make the images appear to move. Already exists.

  However, although holograms are used for various security printed materials such as banknotes, there are significant problems in the complexity of the manufacturing process and high manufacturing costs compared to general printed materials. Since the true / false discrimination element using a parallax barrier or lenticular requires a clear layer or lens, the base material is almost limited to plastic, and the printed material must have a certain thickness (at least about 150 μm). However, it cannot be used for printed matter with a limited thickness, and tends to be used only for plastic cards that allow a certain thickness.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present applicant is a technique for forming a latent image line group by superimposing a latent image line group on a high-gloss and ridge-like line group. An application has been filed for a forgery prevention technique that realizes an effect of changing a plurality of latent images in accordance with an observation angle (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). In this technique, when light is incident on the saddle-shaped image line at a specific angle, only the surface of the image line of the saddle-shaped image line group that forms an angle orthogonal to the incident light strongly reflects the light. By utilizing the phenomenon, only a part of the latent image of the latent image line group superimposed on the surface of the image line reflecting the light is visualized by the difference in reflected light amount and color. This technology can be formed with a thickness of about one-tenth that of a parallax barrier or lenticular, and the manufacturing technology can be easily implemented by utilizing conventional plate making technology and printing technology. And it has the outstanding characteristic that the printed image provided with the change effect similar to a hologram can be formed at the same cost as a general printed matter.

  Further, as a technique applying these techniques of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a phenomenon in which a set of fine patterns is enlarged and visually recognized by sampling as a moire (moire expansion phenomenon) or an integral photography system There exists a technology in a form that realizes a special three-dimensional visual effect and a moving image visual effect using the image line configuration (see, for example, Patent Document 3, Patent Document 4, and Patent Document 5). This technique has an effect that a latent image appearing under specular reflection light appears to move to the left and right with a stereoscopic effect according to the angle of incident light and the observation position of the observer.

  In addition, there is a technique that realizes the effects of the techniques of Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 5 by a combination of embossing and a reflective layer (see, for example, Patent Document 6). This technique forms a group of energetic lines using embossing, so that a non-image between the saddle-shaped image line and the saddle-shaped image line in all the techniques from Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 5 is obtained. This technique eliminates the need for the printing control of the position of the saddle-shaped image line and the latent image line, which is necessary in the prior art by eliminating the line portion.

Japanese Patent No. 4682283 Japanese Patent No. 4660775 Japanese Patent No. 4844894 Japanese Patent No. 5131789 Japanese Patent No. 5200284 JP2013-240918A

  The techniques described in Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 5 are such that a part of the surface of the ridge-shaped image line that rises strongly reflects light, and the latent image image line superimposed on the surface of the image line that reflects light. This is a technology in which the latent image appears on the principle that only the color is visualized, and the surface of the image that reflects the light of the saddle-shaped image changes by changing the inclination of the printed matter, thereby changing the latent image. . In these techniques, the visibility of a latent image that appears during regular reflection is substantially determined by the difference in color (color difference) of the saddle-shaped image line under diffuse reflected light and regular reflected light. For this reason, in order to make a latent image with high visibility appear, it has been necessary to provide special optical characteristics such as a hook-shaped image line strongly reflecting light or changing the color of reflected light. . In order to impart such special optical characteristics to a specific image line, it is common to use a method in which a functional material having special optical characteristics is mixed with ink forming the image line. Representative examples of these functional materials include pearl pigments, metallic pigments, glass flakes, and effect pigments. In addition, the same effect can be obtained by using commercially available inks having characteristics that are rich in color change, such as OVI (Optical Variable Ink), CSI (Color Shifting Ink), cholesteric liquid crystal ink, and the like. Thus, an image printed using an ink containing a pigment having excellent optical characteristics or an ink having excellent optical characteristics exhibits excellent optical characteristics derived from the pigment or ink. However, unlike a flat printed image line without a normal thickness, imparting excellent optical characteristics to such a ridged image line having a bulge using such a special ink has the following problems. there were.

  Of the functional materials contained in these inks, many of the functional materials represented by pearl pigments have a thin and flat scale pen shape. In the case of a pigment having such a shape, when all the pigments are lined up in the same direction (leafed), the amount of light reflected is the largest and the effect is enhanced. When the light is arranged at random, the amount of reflected light becomes extremely small, and the effect becomes remarkably low. When the printed image line is flat and has no thickness like a normal printed matter, there is almost no freedom to change the angle of the pigment in the ink film of the image line, so the scale-like functionality in the ink Since the material is naturally flattened during the drying process and the orientation of all pigments is uniform, an effect of a certain level or more can always be obtained without special measures. However, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), the pigment (c) is randomly inclined and fixed in different directions in the ink resin (a) in the ridge-like image line that rises. There has been a problem that the amount of reflected light generated from the line is reduced, and the visibility of the appearing image is reduced.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), in the ridge-like image line that rises, the amount of reflected light is reduced and the visibility of the image is reduced as described above. Had the problem that different images appeared at the same time. This will be specifically described with reference to FIG. When light is incident at an angle at which the specific latent image line (b1) of the saddle-shaped image line should be visualized, the specific latent image line to be sampled by the reflected light (d) derived from the surface of the image line (B1) is visualized. However, since the ink resin (a) constituting the bowl-shaped image line is transparent, incident light enters the interior (a) of the image line and is derived from the inner surface of the image line by the pigment (c) fixed at a random angle. Reflected light (e) occurs, and another latent image line (b2) that should not be sampled may be visualized at the same time. As a result, there is a problem that an appearing image becomes an unclear image. As described above, when a ridge-like image line that rises with an ink containing a scale pen-like functional material is formed, the amount of reflected light decreases, and inappropriate reflection of light from the inner surface of the ridge-like image line occurs. As a result, the visibility of the appearing image is lowered, or the appearing image becomes an unclear image.

  As one method for avoiding this problem, there is a method using a scale pen-like pigment whose surface has been subjected to a special water / oil repellent treatment as in the technique described in Patent Document 2. In this case, as shown in FIG. 17 (a), since the pigment (c) leaves along the rise of the surface of the saddle-shaped image line immediately after printing, the pigment as shown in FIG. Compared with the state inclined in different directions, a larger amount of reflected light can be obtained. In addition, when light is incident as shown in FIG. 17B, the pigment (c) exists only on the surface of the hook-shaped image line, so that inappropriate reflected light derived from the inner surface of the mask-shaped image line does not occur. Only the reflected light (d) derived from the surface of the saddle-shaped image line is generated, only the appropriate latent image line (b1) is sampled and visualized, and originally the latent image line to be sampled at a different incident light angle (B2) is not visualized. As described above, a wrinkle image as shown in FIG. 16A is created by creating a structure in which the pigment (c) is leafed along the rise of the surface of the wrinkle image line as shown in FIG. There are ways to solve the problems that arise with lines. However, the special surface treatment of this pigment has a problem that it takes a lot of labor and cost. In addition, scale pen-like pigments that have been subjected to water and oil repellency treatments have poor adhesion to the ink resin, as well as a state where the pigment is exposed on the surface of the image line and the pigment is sufficiently covered with the ink resin. Since there was no state, there was a problem of fastness that the pigment was easy to fall off when the surface of the image line was rubbed.

  Moreover, even if it is a saddle-shaped line group where the orientation of the pigment is random as shown in FIG. 16 (a) or a saddle-shaped line group where the pigment is leafed as shown in FIG. 17 (a), In order to achieve high visibility and sharpness as a common requirement for the saddle-shaped line group, the line-shaped shapes of the respective saddle-shaped line lines are all complete with a certain raised height. It is necessary to have a homogeneous three-dimensional structure, and the surface of the saddle-shaped image line is required to have a smooth surface structure without fine irregularities. In order to realize such a wrinkled image line structure, it is desirable that the ink has a high viscosity. On the other hand, in order to give the above-mentioned special optical characteristics to the wrinkled image line group, it is desirable that the viscosity of the ink is low so as not to inhibit the orientation of the pigment. As described above, the ink conditions for satisfying special optical characteristics for the saddle-shaped image line group and the ink conditions for realizing a uniform and smooth three-dimensional structure as the image line shape are contradictory. It has been difficult to simultaneously realize these different requirements at a high level for a single image line formed in an instant by printing.

  The technique of Patent Document 6 is a technique for artificially forming a saddle-shaped image line group by embossing, but compared with other techniques for forming a saddle-shaped image line group by printing, the three-dimensional image of the saddle-shaped image line. In terms of quality stability, the uniformity of the shape is somewhat inferior, and the three-dimensional structure tends to disappear due to external factors such as friction, bending, and swelling of the base material due to moisture, and the shape of the saddle-shaped image line is maintained over a long period of time. There was a problem. In particular, when the base material is high-quality paper and the reflective layer is directly printed on the base material, the amount of reflected light tends to decrease due to the fine uneven structure due to the deviation of the fibers of the base material. In other words, the amount of reflected light cannot be obtained as much as that of the technology from Patent Document 5 to Patent Document 5, and the visibility and sharpness of the latent image appearing under specularly reflected light are inferior.

  Moreover, in all the techniques from Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 6, there is a form in which a latent image that appears under specular reflection light is formed with transparent ink. In the form in which the latent image is formed with transparent ink, if the optical characteristics of the ink cannot be designed properly or the amount of ink transferred is small, the light shielding property of the latent image can reach sufficient performance. Without being able to completely suppress the reflected light of the base-like image line. In such a case, a sufficient color difference does not occur between the area where the latent image is superimposed on the saddle-shaped image line and the area where the other saddle-shaped image line is exposed, and the resulting latent image appears. There is a problem that the contrast of the image becomes weak and the image becomes unclear.

  The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and without using ink having special optical characteristics, the amount of reflected light generated from a ridge-like image line having a rise is increased and the reflected light is increased. In addition, the present invention provides a latent image printed matter characterized in that only the reflected light derived from the surface of the saddle-shaped image line has high visibility and clarity.

  The latent image printed matter of the present invention includes a printed image on at least a part of a base material, and the printed image is a saddle-like element in which a plurality of saddle-like elements formed of a resin-containing material are arranged at a constant pitch. A latent image element group in which a plurality of latent image elements having a color different from that of the substrate and having a base image divided and / or compressed are arranged on the group, and a latent image element under diffuse reflected light A reflective layer having the same hue as the group and having at least one of light / dark flip-flop property or color flip-flop optical property is laminated, and the reflective layer has a shape and a size larger than each of the latent image elements. A latent image camouflage element group comprising a plurality of latent image camouflage elements having the same density, the latent image camouflage element group having a density obtained by subtracting the density of the latent image element from the density of the printed image, and the latent image element group When The base image appears as a latent image when viewed under specular reflection light, and the latent image changes and / or is dynamically viewed when the observation angle relative to the substrate is changed. And

  Further, the latent image printed matter of the present invention is characterized in that the printed image represents significant information because the density of the reflective layer is partially different.

  The latent image printed material of the present invention does not require that the saddle-like element group itself has special optical characteristics such as light and dark flip-flops or color flip-flops as in the prior art. A reflective layer that is printed on top of it bears. Since the reflective layer may be produced by focusing on the purpose of realizing excellent optical characteristics, it is easy to realize required special optical characteristics.

  In addition, the reflective layer is not formed on the base material, but overlaps the ridge-shaped element formed of the ink resin. The amount of light reflected by the reflective layer printed on the ink resin is increased significantly by adding the amount of light according to the amount of reflected light of the underlying ink resin in addition to the amount of light reflected by the reflective layer itself. The amount of reflected light of the reflective layer printed on the ink resin is larger than the amount of reflected light of the reflective layer printed on the high-quality paper or coated paper with the same ink. For this reason, the amount of reflected light can be increased as compared with the conventional saddle-shaped element group, and the visibility of the latent image appearing under the regular reflected light is improved.

  The latent image printed material of the present invention does not require that the saddle-shaped element group itself has special optical characteristics such as light-dark flip-flop or color flip-flop as in the prior art. For this reason, the ridge-like element group should have a certain bulge, each of which is homogeneous, and should use ink specifically designed to form a bulge with a smooth surface and less unevenness. As a result, it was possible to form a group of saddle-like elements with higher quality than before, and as a result, the clarity of the latent image was improved.

  In addition, even if the surface of the image line lacks smoothness and the surface of the image surface has minute irregularities when the ridge-like element group is printed, the surface of the image is formed by the ink film of the reflective layer formed by post-printing. Since the unevenness is covered, an effect of further smoothing the surface of the drawing line of the saddle-like element group is born. This action improved the clarity of the latent image that appears under specular reflection light.

  In the latent image print of the present invention, the reflected light derived from the printed image is predominantly reflected from the surface of the image line. For this reason, unlike the conventional technique, the latent image line that should not be sampled is not visualized and appears, and the appearance of the latent image is improved as compared with the conventional technique.

  In the latent image printed matter of the present invention, the latent image element group has a specific color other than transparent. For this reason, when the latent image element group overlaps the bowl-shaped element group, there is almost no difference in color between the diffuse reflection light and the regular reflection light. For this reason, unlike the case of forming with a transparent ink of the prior art, there is no problem that the reflected light of the undercoat image line cannot be suppressed and the latent image becomes unclear, and the latent image has a high contrast. And is clearly visible.

  The saddle-like element group of the latent image printed material of the present invention does not disappear due to external factors unlike the saddle-like element group formed by embossing by the conventional technique, and is more stable in quality. In addition, since it is not necessary to use a special water- and oil-repellent pigment for forming the reflective layer, the surface of the image line may be rubbed and the pigment may fall off, as in the case of the conventional articulated element. And improved robustness compared to the prior art.

The latent image printed matter of this invention is shown. The schematic diagram of the latent image printed matter of this invention is shown. 3 shows a group of hook-like elements of the latent image printed material of the present invention. 2 shows a latent image element group of the latent image printed material of the present invention. The lamination order of the latent image printed matter of this invention is shown. FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a printed image of the present invention reflecting incident light. The effect of the latent image printed matter of the present invention is shown. 2 shows a latent image element group of a moire enlargement method for a latent image printed material according to the present invention. The effect of the latent image printed matter of the present invention is shown. 3 shows an IP system latent image element group of a latent image printed material according to the present invention. The effect of the latent image printed matter of the present invention is shown. The latent image printed matter in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown. The schematic diagram of the latent image printed matter in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown. The structure of the reflection layer of the latent image printed matter in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown. The effect of the latent image printed matter in the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The saddle-like image line of the conventional latent image printed matter is shown. The saddle-like image line of the conventional latent image printed matter is shown.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and includes various other embodiments within the scope of the technical idea described in the scope of claims.

(First embodiment)
First, as a first embodiment, a basic configuration of a latent image printed material (1) according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a latent image print (1) of the present invention. The latent image printed material (1) has a printed image (3) on a substrate (2). The base material (2) only needs to have a flat surface on which the printed image (3) can be formed, and the material is not particularly limited, such as fine paper, coated paper, plastic, metal, and the like. In addition, there is no restriction | limiting in particular also about the color and magnitude | size of a base material (2).

  The color of the printed image (3) should not be transparent or the same color as the base material, but any other color may be used. Specifically, it will be described later as colors of the reflective layer (6) and the latent image element group (5). In FIG. 1, alphabets “A” and “B” can be visually recognized in the printed image (3), but this is a deformation for simply expressing the configuration. “B” is completely invisible under diffuse reflection.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of the print image (3). The printed image (3) is formed by forming a latent image element group (5) and a reflective layer (6) on a bowl-shaped element group (4). Significant information that appears during regular reflection is included in the latent image element group (5). In this example, the latent image element group (5) includes the first latent image element group (5A) representing the alphabet “A” as the first significant information and the alphabet “B” as the second significant information. The second latent image element group (5B) representing In the reflective layer (6), there are a background portion (6A) having a constant density, and a latent image camouflage element group (6B) which is inverted in density with the same shape and size as the latent image element group (5). . When the latent image printed matter (1) is actually formed, the latent image element group (5) and the reflective layer are in a positional relationship where the latent image element group (5) and the latent image camouflage element group (6B) are completely fitted. (6) is laminated on the bowl-shaped element group (4).

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a bowl-shaped element group (4) formed on the substrate (2). The saddle-like element group (4) shown in FIG. 3 is a straight line having a constant width (W1), and the saddle-like elements (7) having a saddle shape having a constant rising height are arranged in a line. It consists of More specifically, the hook-like elements (7) are continuously arranged at a constant pitch (P1) in a first direction (S1 direction in the figure) orthogonal to the image line direction. In addition, although the enlarged view of FIG. 3 shows a state where there is a non-image portion where the base material (2) is exposed between the bowl-shaped element (7) and the bowl-shaped element (7), the bowl-shaped element (7) may be arrange | positioned without a clearance gap and the saddle-like element group (4) without a non-image-line part may be comprised. In the present embodiment, the saddle-like element group (4) will be described with respect to an example in which the saddle-like element group (4) in the present invention is configured by a collection of saddle-like image lines having swells. It is not limited to the above, but as a bowl-shaped pixel form described in Japanese Patent No. 4682283 and Japanese Patent No. 4660775, it is simply arranged at a constant pitch vertically and horizontally as a bowl-shaped element group (4). Also good.

  The saddle-like element group (4) needs to be made of a material containing resin. The resin here refers to a resin having a certain gloss that hits a varnish component of a general printing ink such as a urethane resin, an acrylic resin, an alkyd resin, an epoxy resin, a polyester resin, and a phenol resin. The configuration in which irregularities are directly formed on the base material (2) by watermarks or embossing does not satisfy the essential requirements of the present invention. This is because when the base material (2) is made of the same material, the effect of raising the amount of light reflected by the reflective layer (6) formed on the bowl-shaped element group (4) cannot be obtained. is there. Moreover, since the amount of reflected light of the saddle-shaped element group (4) finally plays a role of raising the amount of reflected light of the reflective layer (6), it is preferable that the amount of reflected light of the saddle-shaped element group (4) is high. That is, the higher the gloss of the bowl-shaped element group (4), the higher the visibility of the final latent image. The color of the material containing the resin that forms the bowl-shaped element group (4) is not particularly limited, and may be transparent or translucent, or may be a colored material including a coloring pigment or a coloring dye. Good.

  In general, when the ridge-like element group (4) is formed by UV curable screen printing, the higher the viscosity of the screen ink, the higher the height of the ridge-like element (7), and each ridge-like element ( The three-dimensional solid shape of 7) tends to be uniform with each other. Such a uniform structure of the saddle-like element (7) is extremely preferable for enhancing the visibility and clarity of the latent image. Therefore, in forming the saddle-like element group (4) of the present invention, the viscosity It is preferable to use a high ink. When the high viscosity ink is used in the form in which special optical characteristics must be imparted to the bowl-shaped element group (4) itself as in the prior art, the orientation of the functional material in the ink is adversely affected, Since the optical properties are lowered, it is necessary to use an ink having a low viscosity, and the three-dimensional solid shape of the bowl-shaped element (7) is usually sacrificed. On the other hand, the reason why the uniform ridge-like element (7) can be formed using high-viscosity ink is that the ridge-like element (7) does not need to be responsible for realizing special optical properties. This is one of the great advantages of the invention. If emphasis is placed on the formation of a uniform three-dimensional ridge-like element (7), the ink viscosity is desirably more than 1.5 Pa · s.

  The reflective layer (6) formed on the saddle-like element group (4) is a printed film having light-dark flip-flop properties or color flip-flop properties and excellent light reflection properties, and will be described in detail below. To do. The reflective layer (6) includes a latent image camouflage element group (6B) including a plurality of latent image camouflage elements (6b). For convenience of explanation, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) and the latent image camouflage element group (6B) are included. The detailed configuration of the image camouflage element (6b) will be described later.

  The reflective layer (6) is theoretically most effective in forming an area ratio of 100% (solid) in order to improve the visibility of a latent image that appears during regular reflection. However, since there are cases where printing troubles such as peeling and picking may occur, it is desirable to configure the reflective layer (6) with an upper limit of about 85% in order to avoid these problems. Further, in the design, when the density of the printed image (3) is desired to be kept low (to make it appear lighter), or as in the example described in the second embodiment, the area ratio difference is included in the reflective layer (6). However, in some cases, the area ratio may have to be partially reduced by giving priority to the design of the light and shade. Further, depending on the optical characteristics of the ink used for the reflective layer (6), the outline of the latent image that appears when formed with a high area ratio may become unclear. In such a case, as a matter of course, the dot area ratio of the reflective layer (6) may be designed to be low.

  The reflective layer (6) is formed on the group of saddle-shaped elements (4) that have been printed and already cured. Since the reflective layer (6) is composed of an ink layer having a constant thickness, when the reflective layer (6) overlaps with the bowl-shaped element group (4), the foundation-like bowl-shaped element group (4) rises. The rough three-dimensional structure such as height and width is reflected as it is, but on the other hand, the slight unevenness on the surface of the streak-like element group (4) is somewhat flat immediately after printing due to the film thickness of the reflective layer (6). Buried in. For this reason, the surface when the reflective layer (6) overlaps with the bowl-shaped element group (4) is smoother than the surface of the bowl-shaped element group (4), and as a result, the base image appears under specular reflection light. The sharpness of the (latent image) is improved. The reflective layer (6) does not need to be formed only on the bowl-shaped element (7), and is also formed on the non-image portion between the bowl-shaped element (7) and the bowl-shaped element (7). Also good.

  The reflective layer (6) needs to have a characteristic of strongly reflecting light when light is incident. Specifically, when light is incident, brightness (brightness) is increased, so-called light / dark flip-flop characteristics, or hue is changed when light is incident, so-called color flip-flop characteristics. It is necessary to have at least one of the optical characteristics. Bright and dark flip-flop properties can be easily imparted by blending common metal pigments such as aluminum, brass and iron oxide into the ink. Further, the color flip-flop property can be imparted by blending a functional pigment having the color flip-flop property into the ink. Specific examples of functional materials having color flip-flop properties include pearl pigments, cholesteric liquid crystals, glass flake pigments, metal powder pigments, and scale pen-like metal pigments. Of course, the reflective layer (6) may be formed not only by blending the functional pigment into the ink but also by using an ink that is commercially available as an ink having light-dark flip-flop properties and color flip-flop properties. . Commercially available inks having light and dark flip-flop properties include gold ink and silver ink, OP varnish and gloss varnish having high gloss of the resin itself, and commercially available inks having color flip-flop properties include CSI (Color Shifting Ink) and OVI (OVI). Optical Variable Ink) and liquid crystal ink.

  Here, the color of the reflective layer (6) under diffusely reflected light will be described. First, the reflective layer (6) must be opaque and must not have the property of transmitting incident light. Moreover, the reflective layer (6) must be colored in a specific color different from the base material (2). This is an optical characteristic necessary to prevent the internal reflection light from being generated from the inside of the bowl-shaped element (7) when light is incident on the reflective layer (6) superimposed on the bowl-shaped element (7). Yes, by satisfying this condition, all the reflected light generated when light enters the reflective layer (6) superimposed on the bowl-shaped element (7) is reflected on the bowl-shaped element (7). It becomes surface reflection light generated from the surface of the image line of the layer (6), and the clarity of the latent image which is one of the effects of the present invention can be ensured.

  Next, the latent image element group (5) will be described with reference to FIG. The latent image element group (5) includes a plurality of pieces of significant information that is a basis of a latent image that appears during regular reflection. In the present embodiment, the letter “A” of the alphabet that is the first significant information is the first base image, the letter “B” of the alphabet that is the second significant information is the second base image, An example of the latent image element group (5) including two pieces of significant information will be described. In the present embodiment, the first significant information represented by the first base image is represented by the first latent image element group (5A) shown in FIG. 4B and the second base image represented by the second base image. Is represented by the second latent image element group (5B) shown in FIG. In the first latent image element group (5A), the first latent image element (8A) having a constant image line width (W2) is in the same first direction (S1 direction) as the bowl-shaped element group (4). The second latent image element group (5B) is continuously arranged in the shape of a line at the same pitch (P1), and the second latent image element group (5B) has a constant image line width (W3). Is arranged continuously in the same first direction (S1 direction) as the saddle-like element group (4) at the same pitch (P1). The first latent image element (8A) has the same line width (W2), and the second latent image element (8B) must have the same line width (W3). The image line width (W2) of the latent image element (8A) and the image line width (W3) of the second latent image element (8B) may be the same or different.

  Here, the positional relationship between each first latent image element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) will be described. The first latent image element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) must not overlap. Specifically, the first latent image element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) need to be out of phase in the first direction (S1). FIG. 4A shows a state in which the pitch (P1) is shifted by one half as an example. If the first latent image element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) are arranged so as to overlap each other, the first significant information and the second significant information are obtained at a specific observation angle under specular reflection light. Such an arrangement must be avoided because an indistinct image appears in which significant information overlaps. In the following description, the latent image element (8) will be described when referring not to the individual latent image elements (8A, 8B) but to the entire latent image elements.

  As described above, the information (image) that the producer intends to appear as a latent image under specular reflection light is the base image, and the base image is subjected to processing such as division and compression according to the configuration of the present technology. The obtained image is the latent image element group (5), and each element constituting the latent image element group is the latent image element (8).

  The color of each latent image element (8) constituting the latent image element group (5) under regular reflection light should not be transparent or the same color as the base material (2), and is colored to a specific color. Must be. Further, the color needs to belong to the same hue as the color of the reflective layer (6) under diffuse reflected light. The density of the latent image element group (5) can be determined by subtracting the density of the reflective layer (6) disposed at the same position from the density of the printed image (3). Conversely, the density of the reflective layer (6) can be determined by subtracting the density of the latent image element group (5) arranged at the same position from the density of the printed image (3). In other words, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) existing in the reflective layer (6) is obtained by subtracting the density of the latent image element group (5) from the density of the printed image (3). It can be said that the resulting region is a region having a density different from that of the background portion (6A). These configurations are essential requirements of the present invention for completely hiding the latent image element group (5) under diffuse reflected light.

  Specifically, as in the first embodiment, the density of the latent image element group (5) when the print image (3) has a flat gradation formed simply at a constant density. Is designed to be equal to the density of the surrounding background portion (6A) when the density of the latent image element group (5) and the density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) are added. Explaining with specific numerical values, assuming that the density of the printed image (3), that is, the density of the background portion (6A) is 1.0, the density of the latent image element group (5) is 1.0. If there is, the density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) needs to be 0. If the density of the latent image element group (5) is 0.5, the density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) is 0. .5 is required. Thus, although the latent image element group (5) of the present invention always has a constant density, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) corresponds to the density of the latent image element group (5) as a pair. May be completely white (density 0) or may have a certain density.

  As described above, as an example of a method for designing the density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B), image processing software (for example, an illustrator commercially available from Adobe) or the like is used. 3) First, the layout of the latent image element group (5) is created, the respective densities are set, and then the layout corresponding to the print image (3) and the latent image element group (5) is overlaid to Subtract the concentration of. If the material forming the saddle-shaped element group (4) is transparent or translucent and does not affect the density of the printed image (3), the density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) should be designed as described above. That's fine. On the other hand, when the material forming the hook-shaped element group (4) is colored, the density of the latent image element group (5) is reduced after subtracting the color of the hook-shaped element group (4) from the printed image (3). You can reduce it.

  As described above, in the present invention, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) is configured in the same shape and size as the latent image element group (5), and the positional relationship in which each element group completely fits. Be placed. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) shown in FIG. 2 constitutes the first latent image element group (5A) and the second latent image element group (5B) shown in FIG. And a plurality of camouflage elements (6b) corresponding to each latent image element (8). Each of the plurality of latent image elements (8) shown in FIG. 4 and each of the plurality of latent image camouflage elements (6b) shown in FIG. 2 have the same shape and size and satisfy the above-described density relationship. Thus, when the latent image camouflage element group (6B) and the latent image element group (5) of the reflective layer (6) are fitted together, the latent image element group (5) is completely hidden under the diffuse reflected light. Can be obtained.

  In order to increase the visibility of the base image that appears under specular reflection light, the color represented by the background portion (6A) of the reflection layer (6) under specular reflection, the latent image camouflage element group (6B), and the latent image. It is desirable that the color of the region where the image element group (5) overlaps is greatly different from the color represented by the specular reflection light. Basically, the color of the latent image element group (5) does not change under diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light, so that the color of the reflection layer (6) changes between diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light, that is, The easiest way to improve visibility is to improve the light / dark flip-flop and color flip-flop as much as possible.

  The printing order of the saddle-like element group (4), the latent image element group (5), and the reflective layer (6) on the substrate (2) is the order shown in either FIG. 5 (a) or FIG. 5 (b). There may be. What is important is that the latent image element group (5) and the reflective layer (6) are laminated on the bowl-shaped element group (4), and the latent image camouflage element group (6B) and the latent image in the reflective layer (6) are laminated. The element group (5) overlaps with the matched positional relationship. At this time, as described above, when the latent image camouflage element group (6B) has a white (density 0) configuration, the latent image element group (5) is juxtaposed with the region in a positional relationship where the latent image element group (5) fits. . When the latent image camouflage element group (6B) and the latent image element group (5) have a constant density, the latent image camouflage element group (6B) and the latent image element group (5) are formed to overlap each other. .

  In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the arrangement relationship of the latent image element group (5) stacked on the saddle-like element group (4) is the same as that of the saddle-like element (7) and the first latent image. By arranging the element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) at the same pitch (P1), the first latent image element group (5A) and the second latent image element group (5B) In the range to be formed, one first latent image element (8A) and one second latent image element (8B) are laminated on one bowl-shaped element (7). However, depending on the design and size of the latent image, the first latent image element (8A) or the second latent image element (8B) may be formed alone in the pitch (P1) range. In that case, one first latent image element (8A) or second latent image element (8B) is formed on one bowl-shaped element (7).

  Light when light from a specific light source (9) is incident on a structure having a bulge formed by closely contacting the latent image element (8) and the reflective layer (6) on the bowl-shaped element (7) A schematic enlarged view of the behavior is shown in FIG. In the light incident on the latent image printed matter (1) of the present invention, almost all of the light incident on the reflective layer (6) is reflected on the surface of the reflective layer (6), and the light incident on the latent image element (8) is , Most are absorbed and some are reflected. For this reason, unlike the example of FIG.16 (b) of a prior art, light does not penetrate | invade into the inside of a bowl-shaped element (7), and the internal surface reflected light emitted from the inside of a bowl-shaped element (7) is All the reflected light is reflected on the surface of the image line, and only the appropriate latent image element (8) is sampled according to the angle of the incident light. At this time, the reflected light generated from the reflective layer (6) formed on the ink resin (the ridge-like element (7)) is remarkably increased by increasing the amount of reflected light. In the example of FIG. 6, as an illustration showing the effect of the present invention, incident light is reflected by the reflective layer (6), only the first latent image element (8A) is sampled, and the second latent image element ( 8B) shows a state where sampling is not performed. As a result, the visibility of the base image appearing under regular reflection light is improved, and the sharpness of the image is also improved.

  As described above, in the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention, the latent image element (8) and the reflective layer (6) are formed on the bowl-shaped element (7), and the latent image element (8). By making the reflective layer (6) opaque (colored with a specific color), the amount of reflected light can be increased, and the reflected light can be made only from the surface of the image line.

  Next, the effect of the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7A, when light is incident on the latent image printed material (1) from the left side, the alphabet (A) as the first significant information is visually recognized by the observer (10). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, when light is incident on the latent image printed material (1) from the right side, the alphabet (B) as the second significant information is visually recognized by the observer (10). As described above, there is an effect that the image visually recognized in the printed image (3) changes according to the change in the angle of incident light.

  The principle that produces the above effects will be described. As shown in FIG. 7 (a), when light is incident from the left side of the bulge center of the bowl-shaped element (7), a reflection layer (6) formed on the bowl-shaped element (7) having the bulge; The latent image element (8) absorbs light or reflects light around only the surface that is normal to the incident light. At this time, the latent image element (8) has a stronger effect of absorbing light than that of reflecting light, and the color does not change. On the other hand, the reflective layer (6) has a stronger effect of reflecting light than that of absorbing light, and the color changes. A first latent image element (8A) is formed on the left side of the bowl-shaped element (7), and the first latent image element (8A) is visualized in a color different from that of the surrounding reflective layer (6). Is done. In this case, since all the first latent image elements (8A) on the surface of each bowl-shaped element (7) are visualized at a time, as a result, the first latent image element group (5A) represents the first The letter “A” (first base image), which is significant information, appears. On the other hand, the right surface from the center of the rise of the bowl-shaped element (7), which is not normal to the incident light, cannot reflect light, so the reflective layer (6) and the latent image element (8 ) Does not change, and as a result, the second latent image element (8B) on the right surface is not visualized and the second significant information does not appear.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, when light is incident on the latent image printed matter (1) from the right side, the second latent image element (8B) superimposed on the right side of the bowl-shaped element (7) is provided. The letter “B” of the alphabet which is visualized by the difference in color and is the second significant information represented by the second latent image element group (5B) appears. In this case, the first latent image element (8A) on the left surface is not visualized and the first significant information does not appear.

  As described above, of the latent image element (8) and the reflective layer (6) superimposed on the surface of the image line of the bowl-shaped element (7), a part of the latent image element (normal line with the incident light) ( Only 8) and the reflective layer (6) are visualized by the difference in color, and the other latent image element (8) and the reflective layer (6) are not visualized. As a result, an effect of changing the image visually recognized in the printed image (3) according to the change in the angle of the incident light is produced. The above is the principle that the image change effect of the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention occurs. The image lines, pixel configurations and effects described in Japanese Patent No. 4682283 and Japanese Patent No. 4660775 can all be applied to the latent image print (1) of the present invention.

  In the latent image printed matter (1) described so far, the latent image element group (5) is used to transfer specific significant information to the latent image element (8) as in the techniques described in Japanese Patent No. 4682283 and Japanese Patent No. 4660775. The image forming effect is such that the image change effect is generated by changing from significant information to different significant information by tilting the latent image printed material (1). However, the configuration of the latent image element group (5) of the latent image printed matter (1) of the present invention and the effects produced by the configuration are not limited to this. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4844894 and Japanese Patent No. 5131789, a moving image effect using a “moire enlargement phenomenon” in which moire is enlarged and visually recognized, and in Japanese Patent No. 50028284 As in the technique described, the present invention may be applied to a form that produces an integral photography moving image effect. These will be specifically described below.

  FIG. 8 shows the use of the moire enlargement phenomenon, where the enlarged moire (12A, 12B) appears as a latent image, and the enlarged moire (12A, 12B) that appears by tilting the latent image print (1) moves. This is one form of the latent image element group (5) that can cause a special moving image effect to appear. Since the configuration of the print image (3) other than the latent image element group (5) is exactly the same as the mode in which the image change effect described above occurs, the description thereof is omitted.

  The latent image element group (5) utilizing the moire expansion phenomenon is a latent image element (11A, 11B) in which the base image (11A, 11B) is compressed in a first direction (direction S1 in the figure) orthogonal to the image line direction of the bowl-shaped element (7). The image element (8) has a configuration in which the image elements (8) are continuously arranged in a continuous line at a pitch (P2, P3) slightly different from the pitch (P1) of the bowl-shaped element group (4). In the example of FIG. 8, the latent image element group (5) includes two element groups, and includes a first latent image element group (5A) and a second latent image element group (5B). The first latent image element group (5A) is a first base image (11A) in which the alphabet “J” is compressed in the first direction (direction S1 in the drawing) to obtain the image line width W2. The latent image elements (8A) are continuously arranged in the first direction (direction S1 in the figure) at a pitch (P2) slightly smaller than the pitch (P1) of the bowl-shaped element group (4). The second latent image element group (5B) compresses the alphabet “P” as a second base image (11B) by mirror-inversion in the first direction (direction S1 in the drawing) and the line width W3. The second latent image element (8B) is continuously arranged in the first direction (S1 direction in the figure) at a pitch (P3) slightly larger than the pitch (P1) of the bowl-shaped element group (4). Become.

  The effect of the latent image printed matter (1) when the latent image element group (5) shown in FIG. 8 is used is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the observer's viewpoint (10) is under diffuse reflected light that does not generate strong reflected light, the observer cannot see anything in the printed image (3). However, as shown in FIG. 9B and FIG. 9C, when the observer's viewpoint (10) is under specular reflection light that generates strong reflected light, the observer displays the alphabet in the printed image (3). The enlarged moire (12A) representing the letter “J” and the enlarged moire (12B) representing the letter “P” of the alphabet can be visually recognized. Further, as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C, when the latent image print 1 is tilted or the angle of incident light is changed, the respective enlarged moire (12A, 12B) is obtained. The movement in the first direction (S1 direction) or in the direction opposite to the first direction (S1 direction) can be visually recognized. As described above, in the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention, the moving image effect using the moiré expansion phenomenon completely different from the change effect is generated only by changing the image line configuration of the latent image element group (5). Can do. Note that the principle, effective configuration, conditions, and the like that cause such an effect are as described in Japanese Patent No. 4844894 and Japanese Patent No. 5131789, and in Japanese Patent No. 4844894 and Japanese Patent No. 5131789. The described image line, pixel configuration and the like can be applied to the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention.

  Subsequently, FIG. 10 shows that the base image (13) appears as a latent image using the integral photography method of forming a stereoscopic image, and appears by tilting the latent image print (1). This is one form of the latent image element group (5) capable of producing a moving image effect in which the base image (13) appears to move. Since the configuration of the print image (3) other than the latent image element group (5) is exactly the same as the mode in which the image change effect described above occurs, the description thereof is omitted.

  The latent image element group (5) using the integral photography method for forming a stereoscopic image is based on a first image (direction S1 in the figure) perpendicular to the image line direction of the saddle-shaped element group (4). A plurality of latent image elements (8) obtained by dividing (13) and compressing them are continuously arranged at the same pitch (P1) as the pitch (P1) of the bowl-shaped element group (4). In the example of FIG. 10, the latent image element group (5) is composed of a plurality of latent image elements (8) produced from a base image (13) representing cherry blossom petals. The latent image element group (5) extracts the base image (13) by dividing it at a constant width, and compresses the extracted image in the first direction (S1 direction in the drawing) to obtain the line width W2. The image elements (8) are continuously arranged in the form of lines in the first direction (direction S1 in the figure) at the same pitch (P1) as the pitch (P1) of the bowl-shaped element group (4). Unlike the example of FIG. 8 using the moiré expansion phenomenon, the adjacent latent image elements (8) are compressed by shifting the phase at the time of extraction from the base image (13) by one pitch. Is different.

  The effect of the latent image printed matter (1) when the latent image element group (5) shown in FIG. 10 is used is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11A, when the observer's viewpoint (10) is under diffuse reflected light that does not generate strong reflected light, the observer cannot see anything in the printed image (3). However, as shown in FIG. 11B and FIG. 11C, when the observer's viewpoint (10) is under specular reflection light that generates strong reflected light, the observer is in the printed image (3). The cherry blossom petals that are the image (13) can be visually recognized. Further, as shown in FIG. 11B and FIG. 11C, when the latent image printed material (1) is tilted or the angle of incident light is changed, the base image (13) is in the first direction. (S1 direction) or a movement in the direction opposite to the first direction (S1 direction) can be visually recognized. As described above, in the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention, the integral photography stereoscopic image forming method completely different from the change effect is obtained by changing the image line configuration of the latent image element group (5). The used moving image effect can be produced. The principle, the effective configuration, the conditions, and the like that cause such an effect are as described in Japanese Patent No. 5200284. The image line and the pixel configuration described in Japanese Patent No. 5200284 are the latent images of the present invention. The present invention can be applied to the configuration of the image print (1).

  As described above, the latent image printed material (1) of the present invention can produce various effects by changing the configuration of the latent image element group (5) superimposed on the bowl-shaped element group (4). As a matter of course, when the configuration of the latent image element group (5) is changed, the configuration of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) paired with the latent image element group (5) is similarly changed. It is necessary to arrange in the reflective layer (6). The above is the description of the first embodiment.

(Second embodiment)
The latent image printed matter (1) according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which the printed image (3) has a single tone and has a single tone, and the printed image (3) has a single tone. A configuration characterized in that arbitrary significant information is represented by a density difference is the second embodiment. In this case, arbitrary significant information is visually recognized even under diffuse reflection light, and different images (base images) appear under regular reflection light. The effect of changing the image between diffuse reflection and regular reflection is the effect under the above-mentioned regular reflection light. Can be added to the effect. A second embodiment will be described below.

  A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the latent image printed matter (1 ′). Under diffuse reflected light, significant information such as alphabet “JPN” is represented in the printed image (3 ′) by a density difference. FIG. 13 shows an outline of the configuration of the latent image printed matter (1 ′) of the second embodiment. The difference in configuration between the latent image printed matter (1) in the first embodiment and the latent image printed matter (1 ′) in the second embodiment is only the configuration of the reflective layer (6 ′). (4 ′) and the latent image element group (5 ′) have exactly the same configuration and materials. About the structure of the part which is not demonstrated in 2nd embodiment, it is the same as that of 1st embodiment.

  FIG. 14 shows the configuration of the reflective layer (6 ′). The reflective layer (6 ′) represents the characters “JPN” configured by the difference in reflection density, and additionally has two types of latent image camouflage element groups (6B-1 ′, 6B-2 ′). Specifically, the background portion (6A ') expressed by a single density, two types of latent image camouflage element groups (6B-1', 6B-2 ') with different shades, and significant information Has an information part (6C ').

  The density of the reflective layer (6 ′) can be determined by subtracting the density of the latent image element group (5 ′) arranged at the same position from the density of the printed image (3). For this reason, the density of the printed image (3 ′) to be visually recognized under diffuse reflected light is determined in advance, and the density of the latent image element group (5 ′) arranged at the same position is reduced therefrom, whereby the reflective layer (6 ') Is determined. Specific examples of density values will be described.

  First, for the density of the printed image (3 ′), the reflection density of the dark portion representing the characters “JPN” is designed as 0.8, the reflection density of the surrounding area is designed as 0.5, and the latent image element group Assume that the reflection density of (5 ′) is designed to be 0.5. In this case, the color density of the background portion (6A ′) of the reflective layer (6) that does not overlap the latent image element group (5 ′) is 0.5, and the reflection density of the information portion (6C ′) is 0.8. . Regarding the latent image camouflage element group (6B-1 ′, 6B-2 ′) overlapping with the latent image element group (5 ′) as a pair, the latent image camouflage element group (6B-1 ′) of the light part is 0. 0.5 is obtained by subtracting 0.5, and the latent image camouflage element group (6B-2 ′) in the dark portion is 0.3 by subtracting 0.5 from 0.8. As described above, when the density of the printed image (3 ′) and the density of the latent image element group (5 ′) are determined, the density of the reflective layer (6 ′) is automatically determined.

  It is necessary to set the density difference in the image that determines the density (gradation) of the printed image (3 ′) within an appropriate range. Specifically, the difference in reflection density between the darkest area and the lightest area in the printed image (3 ′) needs to be 0.1 or more and 1.5 or less. If it is less than 0.1, the visibility of the first significant information under diffuse reflected light is too low, and if it exceeds 1.5, the first significant information under regular reflected light is This is because it does not disappear. Further, since the latent image element group (5 ′) needs to be completely hidden in the shade of the printed image (3 ′), the maximum density of the latent image element group (5 ′) is the diffuse reflection light. It is necessary to make the density lower than the minimum density of the image represented by the lower print image (3 ′).

  The reflection layer (6 ′) and the latent image element group (5 ′) configured with the above-described density relationship are replaced with the latent image camouflage element group (6B-1 ′ and 6B-2 ′) of the reflection layer (6 ′). By disposing the image element group (5 ′) so as to completely coincide with each other, the latent image element group (5 ′) can be completely concealed in the shade of significant information represented by the printed image (3 ′). it can.

  The effect of the latent image printed material (1 ′) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. When the observer's viewpoint (10 ′) as shown in FIG. 15A is under diffuse reflected light, the characters “JPN” are visually recognized inside the printed image (3 ′). In addition, when light is incident on the latent image printed matter (1 ′) from a certain angle as shown in FIG. 15B, the characters “JPN” disappear completely, and the viewer (10 ′) has the first The alphabet “A”, which is significant information, is visually recognized. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15C, when light is incident on the latent image print (1 ′) from another angle, the alphabet (B), which is the second significant information, is displayed to the observer (10 ′). Visible. As described above, the significant information formed in the reflective layer (6 ′) is visually recognized under diffuse reflected light, and the printed image (3) according to the change in the angle of incident light under regular reflected light. ′) It has an effect that the image visually recognized during the change. The above is the description of the second embodiment.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the image change effect has been described as an example in which two latent images are changed. However, the number of latent images is limited to two. is not. That is, if n latent images are to be provided, a latent image element group (5) including the first latent image element group to the nth latent image element group is formed, and the latent image elements overlap each other. It may be arranged so that there is no.

  The height of the swell of the scissors-like element (7) is not particularly limited, but it is not desirable to have a height exceeding 1 mm in consideration of the flowability. Further, when the ridge-like element (7) is formed of ink and the film thickness is less than 2 μm, the image change effect may be low. Therefore, when the bowl-shaped element (7) is formed by an ink film, it is desirable that the thickness is 2 μm or more and 1 mm or less.

  It is desirable that the constant pitch (P1) common to all structures and image lines is 0.01 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. When a pitch of 2 μm or more is formed on the bowl-shaped element (7) with a pitch of less than 0.01 mm, the pitch of the bowl-shaped element (7) that can be reproduced by general printing is almost the limit pitch. In addition, the stability of the printed matter is lacking, and even if the elements can be formed at a pitch of 0.01 mm or less, in most cases, the visibility of the appearing latent image becomes extremely low, which is not appropriate. On the other hand, if the pitch is more than 5.0 mm, the resolution of the image that can be reproduced as a latent image is extremely low, which is not appropriate.

  When the latent image element group (5) is formed by printing as in the latent image printed matter (1) of the embodiment, an offset printing method, a flexographic printing method, or the like capable of relatively high resolution printing is suitable. In addition, it can be formed using a digital printer such as an ink jet printer or a laser printer. When these digital printing machines are used, there is a feature that variable information that gives different information one by one can be easily given.

  In addition, specular reflection in this specification refers to a phenomenon in which strong reflected light is generated at an angle substantially equal to the angle of incident light when light is incident on a substance at an incident angle. Diffuse reflection is This refers to a phenomenon in which weak reflected light is generated at an angle different from the angle of incident light when light is incident on a substance at an incident angle. For example, when an iris pearl ink is taken as an example, it appears colorless and transparent in the diffuse reflection state, but emits light with a specific interference color in the regular reflection state. In addition, observing under specular reflected light refers to a state of observing from a viewpoint at a reflection angle substantially equal to the angle of light incident on the printed material, and observing under diffuse reflected light refers to the angle of light incident on the printed material. It refers to the state of observation at a significantly different angle.

  In addition, the image line in the present invention is a dotted line or a broken line, a straight line, a curved line, a broken line, etc., in which halftone dots, which are small dots of a minimum unit forming a printed image, are continuously arranged in a specific distance. A pixel refers to various graphics such as circles, triangles, polygons including quadrilaterals, stars, etc., or letters, symbols, numbers, etc., which are a collection of at least one printing halftone dot or a plurality of printing halftone dots. .

  Hereinafter, examples of the latent image printed material that is specifically created according to the above-described embodiment will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

(Example)
Examples will be described in the example of the latent image printed material (1) described in the first embodiment. Specifically, description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 as in the first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a latent image print (1) of the example. The latent image print (1) has a silver print image (3) on a substrate (2). For the base material (2), general coated paper (Esprit Coat FM manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.) was used.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of the print image (3). The printed image (3) is formed by forming a latent image element group (5) and a reflective layer (6) on a bowl-shaped element group (4). The latent image element group (5) includes a first latent image element group (5A) constituting the alphabet “A” and a second latent image element group (5B) constituting the alphabet “B”.

  FIG. 3 shows a bowl-shaped element group (4) formed on the substrate (2). In the saddle-like element group (4), saddle-like elements (7) forming a straight line having a width of 0.3 mm are continuously arranged at a pitch of 0.4 mm in a first direction (S1 direction) orthogonal to the linear direction. Become. The substrate-like element group (4) having such an image line composition is screen-printed by a UV drying method using a high-viscosity and transparent screen ink (Clear Imperial Ink Manufacturing Co., Ltd. for UV POT Braille). ) Printed on top. The height of each bowl-like element (7) was about 15 μm.

  The latent image element group (5) will be described with reference to FIG. The latent image element group (5) includes two pieces of significant information, the first significant information, the alphabet “A”, and the second significant information, the alphabet “B”. The first significant information is represented by the first latent image element group (5A) shown in FIG. 4B, and the second significant information is the second latent image element group (5B) shown in FIG. 4C. ). In the first latent image element group (5A), first latent image elements (8A) having an image line width of 0.15 mm are continuously arranged in the first direction (S1 direction) at a pitch of 0.4 mm. In the second latent image element group (5B), the second latent image element (8B) having an image line width of 0.15 mm is continuously arranged in the first direction (S1 direction) at a pitch of 0.4 mm. And configured. The first latent image element (8A) and the second latent image element (8B) were shifted by 0.2 mm corresponding to half the pitch in the first direction (S1 direction). The latent image element group (5) having the above-described configuration was formed on the saddle-shaped element group (4) by wet offset printing with gray ink (UV Tokusho P420C 1/7 matte gray T & K TOKA). .

  The reflective layer (6) shown in FIG. 2 has a halftone dot area ratio of 60%, and a latent image camouflage element group on the saddle-shaped element group (4) using silver ink (manufactured by New Champion Silver DIC) by wet offset printing. (6B) and the latent image element group (5) were printed in the same positional relationship. This reflection layer (6) has an excellent light-dark flip-flop property, which is dark gray under diffuse reflection light and white under regular reflection light. The printed film of the reflective layer (6) was about 1 μm. The density of the main color component (black) of the background portion (6A) of the reflective layer (6) is 0.8, the reflection density of the latent image camouflage element group (6B) is 0.2, and the latent image element group ( The concentration of 5) was 0.6. As a result, the print image (3) was an image representing a flat gradation at a constant density of 0.8.

  The effect of the latent image printed matter (1) of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When light is incident on the latent image printed material (1) from the left side as shown in FIG. 7A, the alphabet (A), which is the first significant information, is included in the bright white light for the observer (10). Were visible in a darker gray color than the surroundings. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, when light is incident on the latent image printed material (1) from the right side, the observer (10) has the alphabet of the first significant information in the bright white light. It was visually recognized in a dark gray color from the periphery of “B”. As described above, it was confirmed that the image visually recognized in the printed image (3) has an effect of changing according to the change in the angle of incident light.

1, 1 'latent image printed matter 2, 2' base material 3, 3 'printed image 4, 4' bowl-shaped element group 5, 5 'latent image element group 5A, 5A' first latent image element group 5B, 5B ' Second latent image element group 6, 6 'Reflective layer 6A, 6A' Background portion 6B, 6B-1 ', 6B-2' Latent image camouflage element group 6b Element 8A First latent image element 8B Second latent image element 9 Light source 10 Observer's viewpoint 11A First base image 11B Second base image 12A First enlarged moire 12B Second enlarged moire 13 Base image

Claims (2)

A printed image is provided on at least a part of a substrate, and the printed image is formed on a group of ridge-like elements in which a plurality of ridge-like elements that are formed of a resin-containing material and are raised are arranged at a constant pitch. A latent image element group in which a plurality of latent image elements having a colored color different from that of the material and having a base image divided and / or compressed are arranged, and the same hue as the latent image element group under diffuse reflection And a reflection layer having at least one of light / dark flip-flop property and color flip-flop property is laminated, and the reflection layer has the same shape and size as each of the latent image elements. A latent image camouflage element group comprising a plurality of latent image camouflage elements, wherein the latent image camouflage element group has a density obtained by subtracting the density of the latent image element from the density of the printed image; and Arranged at the same position as the latent image element group, the base image appears as a latent image when observed under specular reflection light, and the latent image changes and / or moves when the observation angle with respect to the substrate is changed. Latent image printed matter characterized by being visually recognized. The latent image printed matter according to claim 1, wherein the printed image represents significant information because the density of the reflective layer is partially different.

Images