JP6700888B2 - Printing device, printing method, card manufacturing method, and card - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing device, a printing method, a card manufacturing method, and a card.

  As a printing device, the ink of an ink ribbon (ink film) is sublimated or melted by a thermal head to transfer an image to a transfer body (intermediate transfer film), and the transferred image is transferred to the transfer body. There is known a re-transfer type printing apparatus which transfers and prints again onto a card base to form a card, and is described in Patent Document 1.

  In addition, a technique for preventing visual readability by superimposing an image as secret information that is difficult to read with infrared light absorbing ink and an image as general information that can be read visually with visible light absorbing ink on the printed material in a superimposed manner. Are known and are described in Patent Document 2.

Japanese Patent No. 4337582 JP, 2002-205384, A

A card such as a credit card or an ID card is required to have security that makes it difficult to visually read the confidential information when the confidential information is printed.
Security is also required for a card on which an image is printed by the retransfer printing device described above, regardless of the printing method.

  Therefore, it is considered to obtain a card having a security property by using the infrared light absorbing ink and the visible light absorbing ink even in the retransfer printing apparatus.

In retransfer printing, sublimable ink and meltable ink are available ink types.
As a technique of thermal transfer printing including a retransfer method, generally, an image formed by a sublimable ink and an image formed by a sublimable ink or an ink of any type can be superimposed and transferred on an image formed by transfer.
On the other hand, it is impossible to superimpose and transfer the image with the sublimable ink on the image formed by transfer with the meltable ink.

In the retransfer method, for example, images of inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan are superimposed to color the transferred image, and each color ink is a sublimable ink.
On the other hand, as for the infrared ray absorbing ink for printing the secret information, the fusible ink is in a situation where it is easy to obtain.
Therefore, in order to improve the security by superimposing and transferring the sublimable ink and the fusible ink, there is a restriction on the order in which the sublimable ink and the fusible ink are superposed and transferred.

  Therefore, when forming a color image and an image as secret information in an overlapping manner, first, three color sublimable inks are superposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer film to form a color transfer image as general information. Next, it is considered to superimpose and transfer an image as secret information with a fusible infrared light absorbing ink (hereinafter also referred to as IR ink) on the formed color transfer image.

However, the characteristics of the infrared absorbing ink are not zero although the light absorption in the visible light wavelength region is small. Therefore, depending on the conditions, there is a concern that it may be visually recognized as light gray.
Specifically, there is a possibility that the confidential information printed with the infrared light absorbing ink may be visually recognizable depending on the pattern of the color transfer image formed as general information or the irradiation condition of the external light that illuminates the card. Is concerned.

  In such a situation, since the retransfer method can print a high-quality image, a card manufactured by the retransfer printing device is printed with confidential information using infrared absorbing ink. It is desired to have a high degree of security that is hard to be visually read.

  Therefore, the problems to be solved by the present invention include a printing apparatus and a printing method that can obtain a transferred material having a high level of security, a card having a high level of security, and a method of manufacturing a card for manufacturing the card. To provide.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configurations or procedures.
1) A printing apparatus which does not have a function of superimposing and transferring an ink of a second ink type on a transfer image formed by transferring an ink of a first ink type to a transfer target,
After the ink of the second ink type is transferred to the first transfer body to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the ink of the first ink type is formed on the first transfer image. And a second transfer image is superimposed on the first transfer image to form a first transfer image member, and the second transfer member different from the first transfer member is transferred to the second transfer member. Ink of the ink type is transferred to form a third transfer image, and then the ink of the first ink type is transferred onto the third transfer image to form a solid image on the third transfer image. A transfer unit that forms a second transfer image member on which a certain fourth transfer image is superimposed;
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, and a third transfer image, and a retransfer unit that superimposes the transfer images in this order,
A printing device comprising:
2) After transferring the sublimable ink to the first transfer object to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the fusible ink is transferred onto the first transfer image. A first transfer image is formed by superimposing a second transfer image on the first transfer image, and sublimable ink is transferred to a second transfer target different from the first transfer target. To form a third transfer image, then meltable ink is transferred onto the third transfer image, and a fourth transfer image that is a solid image is superimposed on the third transfer image. Transfer unit for forming a transfer image body of
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, and a third transfer image, and a retransfer unit that superimposes the transfer images in this order,
A printing device comprising:
3) After transferring the sublimable ink to the first transfer target to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the fusible ink is transferred onto the first transfer image. A first transfer image is formed by superimposing a second transfer image on the first transfer image, and sublimable ink is transferred to a second transfer target different from the first transfer target. To form a third transfer image, then meltable ink is transferred onto the third transfer image, and a fourth transfer image that is a solid image is superimposed on the third transfer image. Transfer step of forming a transfer image body of
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, a third transfer image, and a retransfer step of superimposing the transfer images in this order,
And a printing method.
4) A method of manufacturing a card, which uses the printing apparatus according to 1) or 2) to manufacture a card that is a retransferred object on which the transfer images are superimposed.
5) Card base,
From the card base side,
A first layer of an image formed with an ink of a first ink type;
A second layer of a solid image formed by an ink of a second ink type;
A third layer of the solid image formed by the ink of the first ink type;
A fourth layer of the image formed with the ink of the second ink type;
Have
Said second ink type of the ink, Ri ink type of ink der that can not be transferred to overlap on the first ink type of ink transfer image formed by transferring to a transfer member,
The first layer has an infrared ray absorbent, the second to fourth layer is a card, characterized in Rukoto to have a visible light absorbent.
6) Card base,
From the card base side,
A first layer of an image formed by the fusible ink,
A second layer of a solid image formed of the sublimable ink,
A third layer of a solid image formed by the fusible ink,
A fourth layer of the image formed by the sublimable ink,
Have
The first layer has an infrared ray absorbent, the second to fourth layer is a card, characterized in Rukoto to have a visible light absorbent.

  The card of the present invention has a high degree of security. Further, according to the printing apparatus, the printing method, and the card manufacturing method of the present invention, a card having a high degree of security can be obtained.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a printing apparatus PR that is an example of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the printing device PR. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the ink film 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the intermediate transfer film 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining transfer from the ink film 1 to the intermediate transfer film 2. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the transfer image members PT1 and PT2 transferred and formed on the intermediate transfer film 2. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the transfer image body PT1 is retransferred to the card substrate C1. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the transfer image body PT2 is retransferred to the card substrate C1 side. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining a card C that is an example of the card according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the ink film 11 used in the printing method B, which is a modification of the printing method A of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the transfer image body PT3 transferred and formed on the intermediate transfer film 2 in the printing method B. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the transfer image body PT3 is retransferred to the card base C2. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a card CA that is a modified example of the card C.

  The printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the printing apparatus PR of the example.

(Example)
The printing apparatus PR is equipped with a band-shaped ink film 1 in which ink layers of different colors are sequentially formed and a band-shaped intermediate transfer film 2 to which the ink of each ink layer of the ink film 1 can be transferred. A certain card substrate C1 is supplied to perform a retransfer printing operation.

  In the retransfer operation in the printer PR, the ink of each ink layer of the ink film 1 is superimposed and transferred onto the transfer region (frame 2f) of the intermediate transfer film 2 (also referred to as “transfer target”) to form a transfer image, This is an operation of transferring (retransferring) the formed transfer image to the card substrate C1 which is a retransferred body. As a result, the card C on which the retransfer image is printed is obtained. The card C is a so-called ID card, credit card, or the like.

  The printing apparatus PR has a configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to perform printing on the retransferred object including the transfer operation and the retransfer operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer PR has an ink film transport unit HB1 capable of selectively transporting the ink film 1 stretched between a pair of mounted reels R1 in the sending and rewinding directions.
Further, the printing device PR has a transfer film transport unit HB2 capable of selectively transporting the intermediate transfer film 2 stretched between a pair of mounted reels R2 in the feeding and rewinding directions.
Further, the printing apparatus PR has a card transport unit HC capable of transporting the card base C1 supplied from the outside in the feed direction and the return direction which are the left and right directions in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink film transport unit HB1 includes motors M1a and M1b that drive the pair of reels R1.
The transfer film transport unit HB2 has motors M2a and M2b that drive the pair of reels R2.
The card transport unit HC includes a pair of pressure-bonding rollers 3 and 3 that rolls by sandwiching the card base C1 from both sides to transport the card base C1, and a motor M3 that drives one pressure-bonding roller 3.

  The printing device PR has a control unit 6 that controls the overall operation. The operation of the motors M1a, M1b, M2a, M2b, M3 is controlled by the control unit 6.

The ink film transport unit HB1 has an ink film sensor 7a that detects the marker 1m (see FIG. 3) of the ink film 1.
The transfer film transport unit has a transfer film sensor 7b that detects a marker 2m (see FIG. 4) of the intermediate transfer film 2.
The card transport unit HC has a card base 7 and a card sensor 7c for detecting the presence or absence of the card C at a predetermined transport position.
The ink film sensor 7a, the transfer film sensor 7b, and the card sensor 7c are, for example, optical sensors.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 6 includes detection signals from the ink film sensor 7a, the transfer film sensor 7b, and the card sensor 7c, and encoders (not shown) for the motors M1a, M1b, M2a, M2b, and M3. ), the operating conditions such as the moving direction and the moving amount of the ink film 1, the intermediate transfer film 2, and the card C (including the card base C1) are grasped.

  In FIG. 1, the printing apparatus PR has a transfer unit TB including a roller 4, a thermal head 5, and a separation/contact driving unit 5K that separates and moves the thermal head 5 from the roller 4.

  The running paths of the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 are set so as to run in parallel at the transfer portion TB.

The thermal head 5 presses the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 against the roller 4 by the operation of the separation/contact driving unit 5K, and heats the ink film 1 based on the image signal supplied from the control unit 6 to The ink is transferred to the transfer area (frame 2f) of the intermediate transfer film 2.
The operations of the separation/contact drive unit 5K and the thermal head 5 are controlled by the control unit 6.

That is, the transfer operation in the transfer section TB cooperates with the operations of the ink film transporting section HB1 and the transfer film transporting section HB2 to move the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 in a predetermined transporting direction with the thermal head being pressed. This is an operation of transferring by heating of No. 5.
By this transfer operation, the ink of the ink film 1 is two-dimensionally transferred to the transfer area (frame 2f) of the intermediate transfer film 2, and a desired transfer image based on the image signal is formed.

The types of ink of the ink film 1 are sublimable ink and meltable ink, as described later.
The transfer portion TB is capable of superimposing and transferring an image with any ink type of sublimable ink and fusible ink onto the image formed by transfer with the sublimable ink.
On the other hand, the transfer portion TB does not have a function of superimposing and transferring with the sublimable ink on the image transferred and formed with the meltable ink. When superimposing transfer is attempted with a sublimable ink on an image on which a meltable ink has been transferred and formed, when the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 are pressure-bonded and then separated, the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 stick to each other. This is because problems such as tearing of the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film occur.
That is, when the meltable ink is the first ink type and the sublimable ink is the second ink type, the transfer portion TB causes the second image on the transfer image formed by transferring the ink of the first ink type. It can be said that it does not have a function of superposing and transferring the inks of the above ink types.

  The printer PR includes a heat roller 15 and a retransfer unit TB2 including a separation/contact drive unit 15K that separates and contacts the heat roller 15 with respect to the card substrate C1 on the transport path.

In the retransfer section TB2, the heat roller 15 presses the intermediate transfer film 2 against the card base C1 and heats it by the operation of the separation/contact drive section 15K.
Simultaneously with this pressure heating, the card substrate C1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 are moved in a predetermined transport direction, so that the transfer operation of the transfer portion TB causes the transfer formed in the transfer area (frame 2f) of the intermediate transfer film 2 to be transferred. The image is separated by the peeling layer 2b (described later) and transferred (retransferred) again to the card substrate C1.
The card base C1 becomes a card C on which a retransfer image is formed.

  Next, the ink film 1 will be described. FIG. 3A is a plan view of the ink film 1, and FIG. 3B is a side view.

The ink film 1 has a strip-shaped base film 1a and an ink layer 1b formed on one surface thereof.
In the ink layer 1b, an ink set 1p in which eight ink layers having different characteristics are formed in a frame-sequential manner is repeatedly provided in the band direction (the direction in which the ink film 1 extends).

  A marker 1m is formed as a light non-transmissive portion on the boundary between adjacent ink layers. The length of each ink layer in the band direction is constant at a predetermined length.

  The ink set 1p includes, in order, a Y ink layer 1Ya that is a yellow ink layer, an M ink layer 1Ma that is a magenta ink layer, a C ink layer 1Ca that is a cyan ink layer, and an infrared light absorbing ink layer. The IR ink layer 1iR, the second Y ink layer 1Yb, the second M ink layer 1Mb, the second C ink layer 1Cb, and the W ink layer 1W that is a white ink layer.

  The Y ink layers 1Ya and 1Yb, the M ink layers 1Ma and 1Mb, and the C ink layers 1Ca and 1Cb are sublimable ink layers. The IR ink layer 1iR and the W ink layer 1W are fusible ink layers.

  As the fusible white ink used for the W ink layer 1W, an ink having a sufficiently high absorption of visible light (so-called high hiding property ink) is used.

  Next, the intermediate transfer film 2 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the intermediate transfer film 2. FIG. 4A is a plan view of the intermediate transfer film 2, and FIG. 4B is a side view.

The intermediate transfer film 2 has a strip-shaped base portion 2a, a peeling layer 2b laminated on one surface of the base portion 2a, and an ink receiving layer 2c laminated on the peeling layer 2b via a protective layer 2d.
The ink receiving layer 2c is a layer that receives a sublimable ink. The ink receiving layer 2c is separated by a plurality of markers 2m, which are light non-transmissive regions, to have a predetermined length in the band direction.

A plurality of regions in the ink receiving layer 2c, which are divided by the marker 2m and are arranged in the band direction, are referred to as a frame 2f. In addition, each region of the ink receiving layer 2c that is divided by the marker 2m and that is arranged in the band direction is also referred to as a transfer target.
The predetermined length in the band direction of the frame 2f matches the length in the band direction of each ink layer of the ink film 1.

  The control unit 6 operates the ink film transporting unit HB1 and the transfer film transporting unit HB2 to transport the ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 independently in either the feeding or rewinding direction to obtain a desired ink layer. And cue with the desired frame.

  As a result, the printing device PR transfers the ink of the ink layer of the ink film 1 to the frame 2f of the intermediate transfer film 2, and then transfers the ink of another ink layer of the ink film 1 to the transferred frame 2f. Can be superimposed and transferred.

The ink film 1 and the intermediate transfer film 2 described above are mounted on the printing device PR by the user. Then, a general image which is a pattern set by the user and an image including secret information are formed on the card base C1 by the printing method A described below to form a card C. The control unit 6 inputs the data related to the general image and the data related to the image including the secret information via an input unit (not shown), and controls the transfer unit TB and the like based on the data. It should be noted that this input unit inputs data indicating an image from outside the printing device PR via a USB memory or network communication.
In the following description, the secret information is the character string “JV”.

In the printing method A, the transfer device PT1 and the transfer image member PT2 are formed on the two frames 2fA and 2fB of the frame 2f of the intermediate transfer film 2 by the transfer device by the superimposing transfer. To be done.
Then, the transfer image body PT1 and the transfer image body PT2 are superimposed and retransferred onto the card base C1 to obtain a card C having the card image PF1 formed on the card base C1.
In the printing method A, it is preferable that the two frames 2fA and 2fB are adjacent frames because the transport distance of the intermediate transfer film 2 becomes short.

  Next, details of the printing method A will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Procedure A1)
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the control unit 6 sets the inks of the Y ink layer 1Ya, the M ink layer 1Ma, and the C ink layer 1Ca in the ink film 1 as solid images of the highest densities, and sets the intermediate transfer film 2 On the frame 2fA as the first area of the above, for example, the transfer is performed in this order.

That is, the image PYa formed by the ink of the Y ink layer 1Ya, the image PMa formed by the ink of the M ink layer 1Ma, and the image PCa formed by the ink of the C ink layer 1Ca are respectively transferred to the frame 2fA as solid images having the highest density. ..
As a result, the ink of each color is received by the ink receiving layer 2c of the frame 2fA, and the transfer image PB in which the image PYa, the image PMa, and the image PCa are superimposed is formed.
It can be said that this is because the transfer portion TB forms the transfer image PB by superimposing and transferring the sublimable inks of a plurality of colors.
Further, the transferred images PB are formed as images that are visually recognized as black over the entire surface by superimposing and transferring the inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan at the highest density.

(Procedure A2)
Next, the control unit 6 superimposes and transfers the secret information “JV” as the transfer image PiR onto the transfer image PB using the ink of the IR ink layer 1iR. The transfer image PiR that has been superposed and transferred is the left-right inverted version of the secret information “JV”.

  Since the transfer image PB is an image of sublimable ink, the transfer image PiR of the ink of the fusible ink of the IR ink layer 1iR can be superimposed and transferred onto the transfer image PB.

By performing (Procedure A1) and (Procedure A2) in this way, as shown in FIG. 6, the transfer image PB is formed on the frame 2fA of the ink receiving layer 2c, and the transfer image PiR is superposed and transferred thereon. It
The transfer image PB and the transfer image PiR formed thereon are collectively referred to as a transfer image body PT1.

(Procedure A3)
The control unit 6 superimposes and transfers the inks of the Y ink layer 1Yb, the M ink layer 1Mb, and the C ink layer 1Cb onto the frame 2fB of the intermediate transfer film 2 so as to be a horizontally reversed image of the image designated by the user. .. The transfer order is not limited, but the order in which they are formed on the ink film 1 is preferable in terms of operation efficiency because the amount of movement of the ink film 1 is small.
That is, in this example, the image PYb formed by the ink of the Y ink layer 1Yb, the image PMb formed by the ink of the M ink layer 1Mb, and the image PCb formed by the ink of the C ink layer 1Cb are arranged in the frame 2fB as the second area. Transfer in sequence.

By this superposition transfer, the inks of the respective colors are received by the ink receiving layer 2c of the frame 2fB, and the transfer image PCR specified by the user in which the image PYb, the image PMb, and the image PCb are superposed is formed.
It can be said that the transfer portion TB forms the transfer image PCR by superimposing and transferring the inks of a plurality of colors that are sublimable inks.
The transfer image PCR is formed as a monochrome or color image by superimposing the inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan in a density and pattern corresponding to the image designated by the user.

(Procedure A4)
Next, the control unit 6 superimposes and transfers the ink of the W ink layer 1W onto the transfer image PCR as a white solid transfer image PW with the highest density.
Since the transfer image PCR is an image with sublimable ink, the image with the ink of the W ink layer 1W of the fusible ink can be superposed and transferred.

By performing (Procedure A3) and (Procedure A4) in this way, as shown in FIG. 6, a transfer image PCR is first formed on the frame 2fB of the ink receiving layer 2c, and a white solid transfer image is formed thereon. PW is superimposed and transferred.
The transfer image PCR and the transfer image PW formed thereon are collectively referred to as a transfer image body PT2.

  When the formation of the transfer image body PT1 on the frame 2fA and the formation of the transfer image body PT2 on the frame 2fB are completed by (procedure A1) to (procedure A4), the control unit 6 transfers the transfer image body PT2 to the card base C1 at the retransfer unit TB2. Retranscription is performed as follows.

(Procedure A5)
As shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 6 retransfers the transfer image body PT1 formed on the frame 2fA of the intermediate transfer film 2 to the image forming surface C1s which is one surface of the card base C1. The retransferred transfer image body PT1 is formed as a retransfer image body PT1S (referred to as a first transfer layer).
Retransfer of the transfer image member PT1 is performed by separating the protective layer 2d and the ink receiving layer 2c from the peeling layer 2b.
The retransfer image member PT1S is layered in the order of the transfer image PiR as secret information and the black transfer image PB from the image forming surface C1s side. Further, the protective layer 2d is attached to the surface.

(Procedure A6)
After forming the retransfer image member PT1S, the control unit 6 retransfers the transfer image member PT2 formed in the frame 2fB onto the retransfer image member PT1S, as shown in FIG. The retransferred transfer image body PT2 is formed on the transfer image body PT1 via the protective layer 2d as a retransfer image body PT2S (referred to as a second transfer layer).
The retransfer image body PT2S is layered in the order of the transfer image PW and the transfer image PCR which is the user image from the side of the retransfer image body PT1S.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of the card C. As shown in FIG. 9, a card in which a card image PF1 of four layers is formed on the image forming surface C1s of the card substrate C1 by a transfer image including secret information by the above-mentioned (procedure A1) to (procedure A6). C is obtained. In FIG. 9, the protective layer 2d is not shown.

The four layers of the card image PF1 formed by retransfer on the image forming surface C1s of the card C are as follows.
That is, from the side of the white image forming surface C1s of the card substrate C1, the first layer of the transfer image PiR including the secret information of the infrared absorbing ink (IR ink) which is a meltable ink, and the entire surface of the sublimable ink become black. They are the second layer of the transfer image PB, the third layer of the transfer image PW that is entirely white with the fusible ink, and the fourth layer of the transfer image PCR that is a color (including monochrome) user image with the sublimable ink.

As described above, the first layer of the fusible ink, the second layer of the sublimable ink, the third layer of the fusible ink, and the fourth layer of the sublimable ink in this order from the image forming surface C1s side. As described above, when it is attempted to print using only one frame 2fA, the transfer portion TB is in the reverse order of each layer as viewed from the image forming surface C1s side with respect to one frame 2fA, (1) Sublimation It is necessary to perform the transfer operation in the order of the functional ink, (2) fusible ink, (3) sublimable ink, and (4) fusible ink.
However, as described above, the transfer portion TB cannot perform the transfer operation of the sublimable ink described above (3) because the sublimable ink cannot be superimposed and transferred onto the image transferred with the fusible ink.
Therefore, the transfer portion TB cannot perform the transfer operation in the above order, and cannot form the layers in the above order on the card base C1.

  In the card image PF1 of the card C, if the transfer image PiR, which is the secret information of the first layer, is to be viewed, the card C has a high visible light concealing property (visible light absorbing property) from above in FIG. , The whole black layer of the second layer and the whole white layer of the third layer.

That is, even if the transfer image PiR formed by the infrared absorbing ink is a single layer and can be visually recognized as a light gray color, in the card C, the entire black layer and the entire white layer having a high hiding property in visible light are provided. Will be seen through the two layers of.
Therefore, it is practically impossible to visually read the confidential information.

Further, as described above, the transfer image PiR of the infrared light absorbing ink has a light gray color when visible. Therefore, normally, the fusible ink having a higher hiding property is effectively covered by the entire white layer of the third layer.
When the transferred image PiR has dark eyes in the light gray range, it is effectively hidden by the entire black layer of the second layer.

In the card C, the fourth layer, which is a user image, is formed on the white third layer. As a result, the user image can be visually recognized with high brightness and saturation, and the card C has high quality.
Further, according to the printing apparatus PR of the present embodiment, since the general image having the pattern set by the user is formed as the fourth layer on the white third layer, the general image is It is preferably created by the user on the assumption that it is superimposed on white.
Since the image forming surface C1s of the card substrate C1 which is the retransferred member is generally white in general, the user image printed on the retransferred member is also created on the assumption that the background is generally white. It is often done. Therefore, even when the confidential information is printed by the printer of the present embodiment, the user image created on the assumption that the general background is white can be used.

As described above, when the secret information of the card image PF1 is to be visually recognized, the card C is viewed through the two black and white layers, the black layer and the white layer.
Therefore, regardless of the darkness of the transferred image PiR on the gray scale, the black and white layers are well concealed regardless of the darkness, making visual interpretation impossible. Therefore, the card C has a high degree of security.

  As described above in detail, the card C in which the card image PF1 is formed on the card base C1 has a high degree of security. Further, the printing apparatus PR can form the card image PF1 on the card base C1 to manufacture the card C having a high degree of security.

  The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the configuration and procedure described above, and may be modified within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention.

The printing method of the above-described embodiment is a method of utilizing two frames of the intermediate transfer film 2 and performing retransfer twice to the card base C1.
Instead of the two retransfers, one frame of the intermediate transfer film 2 may be used and the card CA having the card image PF2 may be obtained by one retransfer to the card base C1. This modification will be described.

(Modification)
In the modified example, an ink film 11 having a different ink set configuration from the ink film 1 is used. Further, a card base C2 whose image forming surface color is different from that of the card base C1 is used.
The printer PR and the intermediate transfer film 2 are the same as those in the embodiment.

  First, the ink film 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

The ink film 11 has a strip-shaped base film 11a and an ink layer 11b formed on one surface thereof.
In the ink layer 11b, an ink set 11p in which five ink layers having different characteristics are sequentially formed is repeatedly provided in the band direction (the direction in which the ink film 11 extends).

  The ink set 11p includes, in order, a Y ink layer 11Y that is a yellow ink layer, an M ink layer 11M that is a magenta ink layer, a C ink layer 11C that is a cyan ink layer, and a W ink layer that is a white ink layer. 11W, and an IR ink layer 11iR layer which is an infrared light absorbing ink layer.

  The Y ink layer 11Y, the M ink layer 11M, and the C ink layer 11C are sublimable ink layers. The W ink layer 11W and the IR ink layer 11iR are ink layers of meltable ink.

The color of the image forming surface C2s of the card base C2 is black by printing in advance. Of course, the card base C2 itself may be made of black resin. When the hiding property of the W ink is sufficiently high, the color of the image forming surface C2s may be formed from light gray to white.
In the following description, as shown in FIG. 12, the card base C2 has a black processing layer C1a formed in advance on one surface of the card base C1. That is, the image forming surface C2s of the card base C2 is black.

  The printing device PR, in a state where the above-mentioned ink film 11 and the intermediate transfer film 2 are mounted by the user, prints the general image of the design and the image of the secret information set by the user by the following printing method B by the card base C2. Then, the card CA is manufactured.

In the printing method B, the transfer image body PT3 is formed on the frame 2fC which is one of the frames 2f of the intermediate transfer film 2 by the superposition transfer by the printing apparatus PR.
Then, the transfer image body PT3 is re-transferred to the card base C2 to obtain a card CA in which the card image PF2 is formed on the card base C2.

  Details of the printing method B will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13.

(Procedure B1)
The control unit 6 causes the inks of the Y ink layer 11Y, the M ink layer 11M, and the C ink layer 1C in the ink film 11 to be a horizontally reversed image of the image designated by the user on the frame 2fC of the intermediate transfer film 2. Overlay transfer. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the transfer image PCR2 is formed on the frame 2fC of the ink receiving layer 2c of the intermediate transfer film 2 in a horizontally reversed image of a desired pattern and in a desired color (monochrome or color). .

  The transfer order in the superimposed transfer is not limited, but the order in which they are formed on the ink film 11 is preferable in terms of operation efficiency because the movement amount of the ink film 11 is small.

(Procedure B2)
The controller 6 superimposes and transfers the ink of the W ink layer 11W on the ink film 11 onto the ink receiving layer 2c on which the transfer image PCR2 is formed to form a transfer image PW2. The transferred image PW2 is solid white transferred at the highest density.

(Procedure B3)
The control unit 6 superimposes and transfers the image including the secret information onto the transfer image PW2 with the ink of the IR ink layer 11iR in the ink film 11 to form the transfer image PiR2.

  As described above, by performing (Procedure B1) to (Procedure B3), the transfer image PCR2 is formed on the frame 2fC of the ink receiving layer 2c, and the white solid transfer image PW2 is superposed and transferred on the transfer image PCR2. A transfer image PiR2 including secret information is superimposed and transferred onto the top of the image.

  The transfer image PCR2, the transfer image PW2, and the transfer image PiR2 are collectively referred to as a transfer image body PT3.

  After forming the transfer image body PT3 on the frame 2fC, the control section 6 executes retransfer to the card base C2 in the retransfer section TB2 as follows.

(Procedure B4)
As shown in FIG. 12, the control unit 6 retransfers the transfer image body PT3 formed on the frame 2fC of the intermediate transfer film 2 to the image forming surface C2s which is one surface of the card base C2, and the retransfer image body PT3S. To form.
The retransfer image body PT3S is layered in this order from the image forming surface C2s side to the transfer image PiR2 as secret information, the white solid transfer image PW2, and the transfer image PCR2 that is the user image.

  As shown in FIG. 13, which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the card CA, through the above-mentioned (procedure B1) to (procedure B4), the black image forming surface C2s of the card substrate C2 has three layers by the transfer image. A card CA on which the retransfer image member PT3S is formed is obtained.

  In the following description, the retransfer image body PT3S of the card CA is also referred to as a card image PF2 because it is associated with the card image PF1 of the card C.

The three layers of the card image PF2 formed by retransfer to the image forming surface C2s of the card base C2 are as follows.
That is, from the black image forming surface C2s side of the card substrate C2, the first layer of the transfer image PiR2 including the secret information of the infrared absorbing ink (IR ink) which is a fusible ink, the entire white of the fusible ink The second layer is the transfer image PW2, and the third layer is the transfer image PCR2 which is a color (including monochrome) user image using sublimation ink.

In the card image PF2 of the card CA, if the transfer image PiR2 including the secret information of the first layer is to be viewed, the card CA is viewed from above in FIG. Will be seen through.
That is, even if the transferred image PiR2 of the infrared ray absorbing ink is a single layer and can be visually recognized as a light gray color, in the card C, it is seen through the entire white layer having a high concealing property.
Therefore, it is difficult to visually read the confidential information.

Further, in the card CA, the background color of the transfer image PiR2 including the secret information is black. As a result, when the transferred image PiR2 has slightly dark eyes, the difference in color from the black background is small, and it is difficult to visually distinguish the difference from the background.
Therefore, the secret information is hidden more effectively.

  Further, in the card CA, the third layer which is the user image is formed on the white second layer. As a result, the user image can be visually recognized with high brightness and saturation, and the card CA has high quality.

In the modified example, a card CA having a high concealing property and a high level of security can be manufactured with a small number of times of transfer and a small number of times of retransfer as compared with the embodiment.
Therefore, the modified example is suitable when it is desired to further suppress the raw material cost and the running cost as compared with the embodiment.

In the examples and the modified examples, when the visible color of the infrared ray absorbing ink used is lighter (whiter), the transferred image PB of the example is black and deformed depending on the degree of the thinness. It is advisable to adjust and set the black color of the black processing layer C1a in the example to be gray (gray black), which is slightly closer to the white side, rather than black. Therefore, the transfer image PB is also referred to as a black-side transfer image.
As a result, the color difference between the visual color of the infrared light absorbing ink and the visual color of the transfer image PB and the visual color of the black processing layer C1a becomes small, and the hiding property becomes high.

When the gray color, which is the visible color of the infrared ray absorbing ink used, is darker (blacker), the white color of the transfer image PW of the embodiment and the transfer image of the modification are depending on the degree of the darkness. It is advisable to adjust and set the white color of PW2 not as pure white but as gray (gray white) slightly shifted to the black side. Therefore, the transfer image PW is referred to as a white-side transfer image.
As a result, the color difference between the visual color of the infrared light absorbing ink and the visual color of the transfer image PW and the visual color of the transfer image PW2 is reduced, and the hiding property is improved.

  By making these adjustment settings, a good concealing effect is exerted regardless of the visual gray shade of the infrared absorbing ink, and high security is stably obtained.

  In the embodiment, the timing (timing) of performing the retransfer is described as being after the transfer image bodies PT1 and PT2 are formed on the two frames 2fA and 2fB of the intermediate transfer film 2 for convenience of description. Of course, the timing of executing the retransfer is not limited to this.

  Specifically, after the transfer image body PT1 is formed on the first frame 2fA of the intermediate transfer film 2, the transfer image body PT1 is retransferred to the card base C1 and then the transfer image body PT1 is transferred to the second frame 2fB. It is also possible to form PT2 and then retransfer the transfer image body PT2 to the card substrate C1 side.

  In the case of manufacturing a plurality of cards C, an intermediate transfer film 2 is continuously formed on a transfer image body to be retransferred to an arbitrary number of card bases C1 and then retransferred to the card base C1. The operations may be performed continuously.

  The second layer (black layer of sublimable ink) and the third layer (white layer of fusible ink) of the card C manufactured in the example shown in FIG. 9 do not cover the entire surface of the card substrate C1. Good. At least, it may cover the range in which the secret information of the first layer (the image layer of the fusible infrared ray absorbing ink) is retransfer-printed.

  Although the control unit 6 has been described as being provided in the printing device PR, the present invention is not limited to this. The control unit 6 may be installed outside and may be connected to the printer PR by wire or wirelessly.

  The material to be retransferred is not limited to the card. The retransferred material may be paper, a resin sheet, or the like. Further, a plurality of re-transferred objects may be configured by dividing a region in a strip-shaped film or the like.

  In the embodiment, the transfer-receiving member is formed in plural by dividing the region in the intermediate transfer film 2 which is one object, but the present invention is not limited to such a structure. Each transfer target may be composed of one object.

1, 11 ink film 1a, 11a substrate film, 1b, 11b ink layer 1m marker, 1p, 11p ink set 1Ya, 1Yb, 11Y Y ink layer 1Ma, 1Mb, 11M M ink layer 1Ca, 1Cb, 11C C ink layer 1iR, 11iR IR ink layer, 1W, 11W W ink layer 2, intermediate transfer film 2a base, 2b release layer, 2c ink receiving layer 2f, 2fA, 2fB, 2fC frame, 2m marker 3, pressure roller, 4 roller 5, thermal head, 5K separation/contact Drive unit 6 Control unit 7a Ink film sensor, 7b Transfer film sensor 7c Card sensor C, CA card, C1, C2 card base C1a Black processing layer, C1s, C2s image forming surface HB1 ink film transport unit, HB2 transfer film transport unit HC card transport Parts M1a, M1b, M2a, M2b, M3 Motors PB, PiR, PCR, PW, PCR2, PW2, PiR2 Transfer images PF1, PF2 Card images, PR (re-transfer type) printing devices PT1, PT2, PT3 Transfer image bodies PT1S , PT2S, PT3S retransfer image members PYa, PYb, PMa, PMb, PCa. PCb image R1, R2 reel TB transfer section, TB2 retransfer section

Claims (12)

A printing apparatus that does not have a function of superimposing and transferring a second ink type ink on a transfer image formed by transferring an ink of a first ink type onto a transfer target,
After the ink of the second ink type is transferred to the first transfer body to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the ink of the first ink type is formed on the first transfer image. And a second transfer image is superimposed on the first transfer image to form a first transfer image member, and the second transfer member different from the first transfer member is transferred to the second transfer member. Ink of the ink type is transferred to form a third transfer image, and then the ink of the first ink type is transferred onto the third transfer image to form a solid image on the third transfer image. A transfer unit that forms a second transfer image member on which a certain fourth transfer image is superimposed;
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, and a third transfer image, and a retransfer unit that superimposes the transfer images in this order,
A printing apparatus comprising: The ink of the second ink type and the ink of the first ink type forming the fourth transfer image have visible light absorption properties,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink of the first ink type that forms the second transfer image has an infrared ray absorbing property. The first transfer image is a black or gray-black solid black side transfer image,
The second transfer image is an image containing confidential information,
The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fourth transfer image is a white or gray-white solid white side transfer image. The second ink type is a sublimable ink,
The transfer unit forms the first transfer image and the third transfer image by superimposing and transferring sublimable inks of a plurality of colors that are the second ink type. The printing apparatus according to claim 1. After the sublimable ink is transferred to the first transfer object to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the fusible ink is transferred onto the first transfer image to transfer the first ink to the first transfer image. The first transfer image body is formed by superimposing the second transfer image on the first transfer image, and the sublimable ink is transferred to the second transfer target different from the first transfer target. After forming the third transfer image, the second transfer image in which the meltable ink is transferred onto the third transfer image, and the fourth transfer image, which is a solid image, is superimposed on the third transfer image. A transfer unit that forms an image body,
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, and a third transfer image, and a retransfer unit that superimposes the transfer images in this order,
A printing apparatus comprising: The ink of the sublimable ink and the ink of the fusible ink forming the fourth transfer image have visible light absorbing properties,
The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ink of the fusible ink forming the second transfer image has an infrared ray absorbing property. The first transfer image is a black or gray-black solid black side transfer image,
The second transfer image is an image containing confidential information,
The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fourth transfer image is a white or gray-white solid white side transfer image.   The transfer unit forms the first transfer image and the third transfer image by superimposing and transferring a plurality of color sublimation inks. 7. The printing device according to any one of 7. After the sublimable ink is transferred to the first transfer object to form a first transfer image which is a solid image, the fusible ink is transferred onto the first transfer image to transfer the first ink to the first transfer image. The first transfer image body is formed by superimposing the second transfer image on the first transfer image, and the sublimable ink is transferred to the second transfer target different from the first transfer target. After forming the third transfer image, the second transfer image in which the meltable ink is transferred onto the third transfer image, and the fourth transfer image, which is a solid image, is superimposed on the third transfer image. A transfer step for forming an image body,
After the first transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, the second transfer image member is retransferred to the retransfer target member, so that the second transfer image member is seen from the retransfer target member. An image, a first transfer image, a fourth transfer image, a third transfer image, and a retransfer step of superimposing the transfer images in this order,
A printing method comprising:   A card manufacturing method for manufacturing a card, which is a retransfer target, on which the transfer images are superimposed, using the printing apparatus according to claim 1. Card base,
From the card base side,
A first layer of an image formed with an ink of a first ink type;
A second layer of a solid image formed by an ink of a second ink type;
A third layer of the solid image formed by the ink of the first ink type;
A fourth layer of the image formed with the ink of the second ink type;
Have
Said second ink type of the ink, Ri ink type of ink der that can not be transferred to overlap on the first ink type of ink transfer image formed by transferring to a transfer member,
The first layer has an infrared ray absorbent, said second to fourth layer card, characterized in Rukoto to have a visible light absorbent. Card base,
From the card base side,
A first layer of an image formed by the fusible ink,
A second layer of a solid image formed of the sublimable ink,
A third layer of a solid image formed by the fusible ink,
A fourth layer of the image formed by the sublimable ink,
Have
The first layer has an infrared ray absorbent, said second to fourth layer card, characterized in Rukoto to have a visible light absorbent.

Images