JP2009113392A - Latent image display medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printed matter in which a latent image can not be observed from the front but is good in visibility when observing slantwise by arranging a plurality of lens arrays so as to shift by a phase modulation method. <P>SOLUTION: A latent image display medium includes a colored region disposed regularly on one surface of substrate and having a plurality of collective pixels composed of n colors different from that of the substrate (where n is an integer not less than 2), and a lens region disposed regularly and having a plurality of lenticular pixels made of translucent material stacked on each pixel or stacked so as to stride evenly over each pixel of the collective pixels, the lens region having a latent image region in which the phase of a part of the region is shifted in the predetermined direction, whereby a latent pattern can be observed by the difference between the color of the pixel in the colored region corresponding to the latent region and the color in the other color region by light refraction when varying an observing angle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printed matter in which securities such as banknotes, stock certificates, bonds, and various certificates and important documents need to be prevented from being counterfeited and duplicated.

  Since the value of securities such as banknotes, stock certificates, bonds, and various certificates and important documents must be guaranteed or maintained, the line filter or lenticular lens is printed on the printed matter with a special printing pattern. There are a printed matter in which a latent image pattern appears by superimposing discriminating tools such as the above, and a method of determining authenticity of a printed matter by visually confirming the presence or absence of the latent image pattern.

  For example, a printed material in which a latent image pattern appears by overlapping discriminating tools composed of line filters and its authenticity determination method include a background image portion printed with a line drawing line, and a line image with a different angle from the background image portion. There is a printed matter having a latent image pattern portion printed with lines. Although the background image portion and the latent image pattern portion of the printed material are difficult to see at a glance, the background image portion and the latent image pattern portion when the line filter is superimposed on the printed material at a predetermined angle. There is known a method for distinguishing and visually distinguishing.

  As an example, each pixel constituting a pixel pattern in which an image appears by superimposing a lens array (such as a fly-eye lens, a honeycomb lens, or a lenticular lens) on a substrate has at least two types of screen lines. In addition, in a printed matter composed of halftone dots of at least two types of screen angles, a specific image can be obtained by superimposing lens arrays because the halftone dot area ratio of each pixel constituting the pixel pattern is the same if it is genuine. In the case of a copy, the pixels reproduced by the size of the screen lines or the halftone dot angle are destroyed by copying, and an image different from the specific image appears by changing the density of the pixels. There is a printed matter (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  Further, by regularly printing a pattern such as letters and figures on the back surface of a substrate made of transparent plastic or the like, a pattern layer regularly arranged and a plurality of minute lenses having irregularities on the substrate surface are regularly or There is a decorative sheet characterized by laminating randomly arranged transparent layers (for example, see Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-324949 A JP 2004-174997 A

  However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-324949 has an annoyance of changing the direction (angle) in which the discriminating tools are superimposed according to the direction of the printed matter. Further, there is a problem that an image formed by a line filter or the like is limited to a single-color multi-tone image.

  Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-324949 uses the characteristics of input / output resolution, and the input / output resolution of an image is increased or the moire is reduced in recent digital devices such as copying machines and ink jet multifunction peripherals. With the development of correction functions such as functions, there is a risk that the occurrence of pixel density may be suppressed by a copy or moire reduction function so that the pixel pattern is not collapsed.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-174997 is characterized in that a latent image is not developed and a pattern such as a character is formed three-dimensionally, and when viewed from the front, the pattern formed on the ground is visible. There was a problem that.

  The present invention provides a color region in which a plurality of collective pixels composed of pixels of n colors (n is an integer of 2 or more) different from the base material are arranged on one surface of the base material, and stacked or aggregated on each pixel. The lens area is made up of a plurality of regularly arranged lens-like pixels made of transparent material that are layered evenly across each pixel, and a part of the lens area is out of phase in a predetermined direction. By changing the observation angle, the latent image pattern can be confirmed by the difference in color between the color of the pixel in the color area corresponding to the latent image area and the other color area by changing the observation angle. A latent image display medium characterized by the above.

  The present invention is the latent image display medium, wherein the latent image areas are arranged in the lens area with a ½ pitch phase shifted in a predetermined direction.

  The present invention provides a color region in which a plurality of collective pixels composed of pixels of n colors (n is an integer of 2 or more) different from the base material are arranged on one surface of the base material, and stacked or aggregated on each pixel. A lens-like pixel made of a transparent material laminated so as to evenly spread over each pixel is composed of a lens region regularly arranged, and a part of the lens region has a phase in the first direction. The first latent image area is shifted, and the second latent image area is shifted in the second direction different from the first direction. By changing the observation angle, the refraction of light The latent image display medium is characterized in that two latent image patterns can be confirmed based on a color difference between a pixel color in a color area corresponding to the latent image area and another color area.

  According to the present invention, in the lens area, the first latent image area is arranged with a ½ pitch phase shifted in the first direction, and the second latent image area is ½ pitch phase in the second direction. The latent image display medium is characterized by being shifted.

  The present invention has an m + 1-th latent image region whose phase is shifted in a m + 1 direction (m is an integer of 2 or more) different from the first direction and the second direction in the lens region. A latent image display medium is characterized.

  The present invention is the latent image display medium in which the diameter of the pixel in the color region is 100 to 500 μm, and the diameter of the lens-like pixel in the lens region is 200 to 1000 μm.

  The present invention is a latent image display medium having a light-transmitting intermediate layer between a color area and a lens area.

  Since the latent image display medium of the present invention is arranged by shifting the phase in the arrangement direction of the plurality of lens-like pixels, the latent image cannot be observed from the front, and the clarity of the latent image when the image is tilted (discrimination) Property).

  Further, the latent image display medium of the present invention can form a latent image having a color shift effect by shifting the phase of the arrangement of the lens-like pixels in the latent image region, and a printed matter having a high anti-counterfeit effect can be obtained. Can be provided.

  Further, since the latent image display medium of the present invention is formed by phase-modulating lens-like pixels in the same direction, when two or more colors of ink are used in the color area, a multi-tone latent image is displayed. An image can be expressed.

  In addition, since the latent image display medium of the present invention forms a latent image with lens-like pixels, it is possible to prevent forgery due to copying using a scanner, a copier, or the like.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the best mode for carrying out the invention described below, and various other embodiments are included within the scope of the technical idea described in the scope of claims. .

  In the latent image display medium of the present invention, a part of the regularly arranged lens-like pixels is intentionally shifted by phase modulation, so that the latent image cannot be viewed when viewed from the front, The latent image can be visually recognized by tilting the medium.

(First embodiment)
In FIG. 1, a plurality of pixels 2 are arranged in a matrix on a substrate 1. For example, the pixel 2 includes yellow (hereinafter referred to as “Y”) 2Y, magenta (hereinafter referred to as “M”) 2M, cyan (hereinafter referred to as “C”) 2C, and green (hereinafter referred to as “G”) 2G. A plurality of pixels of each color are arranged in a matrix, and these regions are referred to as a color region 3. In addition, the pixel 2 is one in which the pixels are regularly arranged as an example, and the color region 3 can be an array of characters, symbols, figures, or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of a lens region 4 as an example in which a plurality of convex lenses are arranged as lens-like pixels formed on the pixels 2. As shown in FIG. 2A, the lens region 4 is formed by a convex lens 4a and a convex lens 4b. The first latent image area 5 in the lens area 4 is formed by a convex lens 4b. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the convex lens 4b that forms the first latent image is arranged with the phase shifted in the X direction with respect to the arrangement of the convex lenses 4a. The first latent image region 5 forms the character “1”.

  It is desirable that the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b have the same color, shape, size, and pitch (interval) and are transparent. The convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b can be easily manufactured by resin embossing or screen printing. The pitch between the pixel 2 in the color region and the pitch of the convex lens 4a or convex lens 4b in the lens region is the same as the pitch of the convex lens 4a with respect to the pixel 2, and the convex lens 4b with respect to the pixel 2 is shifted by a half pitch.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a latent image display medium A1 of the present invention. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 3A, the latent image display medium A1 has a lens region 4 and a first latent image region 5. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the latent image display medium A1. As shown in FIG. 3B, the arrangement of the convex lenses 4b is shifted by a half pitch with respect to the arrangement of the convex lenses 4a.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an observation state of the latent image display medium A1. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the latent image display medium A1 is observed from the front, the character “1” composed of the first latent image region 5 cannot be visually recognized. This is because the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b are transparent and have little light refraction, so that the color tone of the pixel 2 can be seen as it is when viewed from the front. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the latent image display medium A1 is tilted and visually recognized, the convex lens 4a in the peripheral lens region 4 and the convex lens 4b in the first latent image region 5 depend on the viewing angle. Since it can be visually recognized in different colors, the character “1” can be visually recognized as a latent image.

Next, the principle of the present invention will be briefly described with reference to the drawings from the relationship between the pixels in the color area and the pixels in the lens-like area.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram simply showing an example of the principle of the present invention, and illustrates a visual recognition state in each direction of the latent image display medium A1. It is preferable that the lens-like pixels are stacked on each pixel in the color region or stacked so as to evenly cover each pixel in the collective pixel in the color region. As an example, as shown in FIG. 5, the convex lens 4a is arranged at the center of the lattice line of each pixel formed in the order of Y, C, M, G (equal to each pixel), and the convex lens 4b is G, M, C Are arranged in the center of the lattice line of each pixel formed in the order of Y and Y, and are confirmed in the directions of A to D. When observed from the front, the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b are arranged at the center of each pixel, so that the four color tones can be visually recognized. On the other hand, as shown in the table, when the substrate 1 is observed obliquely and in different directions, the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b have different arrangement positions with respect to the pixels 2 of the respective colors. Become. The grid lines are provided for convenience in order to explain the positional relationship (equal) between the pixels in the color area and the pixels in the lens area.

  Therefore, the first latent image region 5 formed by the convex lens 4b has different colors depending on the direction to be confirmed with the lens region 4 formed by the convex lens 4a that is the periphery of the first latent image region 5, The color tone of the lens area 4 and the first latent image area 5 can be distinguished. Therefore, the first latent image region 5 cannot be distinguished from the surrounding lens region 4 even when observed from the front, but can be visually recognized by changing the observation angle.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a latent image printed matter A2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is an example in which a different second latent image region 6 is provided in the first latent image region 5 of the first embodiment, and only a different configuration will be described here. As shown in FIG. 6A, the convex lens 4a forms a lens region 4. Further, the convex lens 4b forms a first latent image region 5 composed of characters “1”. Further, the convex lens 4 c has a second latent image region 6 in the latent image region 5. As shown in FIG. 6B, the convex lenses 4c are arranged on the same extension line (or on the same straight line) in the horizontal direction (X direction) arrangement of the convex lenses 4b.

  However, in the arrangement in the vertical direction (Y direction), they are not arranged on the same extension line (or on the same line) of the convex lens 4b, but are arranged so as to be shifted by phase modulation with respect to the arrangement position of the convex lens 4b. Further, the shape, size, pitch and color of the convex lens are the same. Here, for easy explanation, the phase modulation direction of the convex lens is the XY direction. However, the phase modulation direction is not limited to the XY direction as long as the convex lenses for phase modulation are regularly arranged.

Next, the latent image printed matter A2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7A, when the latent image display medium A2 is observed from the front, the first latent image region 5 and the second latent image region 6 are distinguished from the peripheral lens region 4 and viewed. I can't. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), when the latent image display medium A2 is tilted and observed, the first latent image area 5 and the second latent image area 6 are respectively defined as the peripheral lens area 4. Since the colors change to different colors, two latent images of the character “1” formed by the first latent image region 5 and the character “T” formed by the second latent image region 6 can be visually recognized.

  7C shows an example in which the transparent intermediate layer 8 is laminated on the base material 1 and / or the pixel 2 of the latent image display medium A2, and the lens region 4 is formed on the transparent intermediate layer 8. FIG. By providing the transparent intermediate layer 8, the distance from the pixel 2 to the lens region 4 is increased by the thickness of the transparent intermediate layer 8. Therefore, the amount of movement of the focal point depending on the observation angle is increased, and the latent image discoloration effect can be enhanced. .

  The base material 1 used for the latent image display media A1 and A2 is not particularly limited, such as paper, plastic, film, metal plate, etc., but a material having high glossiness such as plastic or fine paper is desirable. This is because the higher the glossiness, the clearer the latent image appears.

  The pixel size (height and width) and arrangement interval (pitch) of the color area 3 of the latent image display media A1 and A2 are four colors Y, M, C, and G, but are not particularly limited. Absent. Moreover, although the shape is a square, the shape is not particularly limited as long as the shape is regularly arranged, and the shape may be a circle, a square, a rectangle, an ellipse, a polygon, or the like. The printing method for printing the color region 3 is not particularly limited because an offset printing method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, a flexographic printing method, an ink jet printer, a laser printer, or the like can be used. .

  The ink used for printing the pixels 2 of the latent image display media A1 and A2 is not particularly limited, and a known material can be used. The printing method for printing the color region 3 is not particularly limited because an offset printing method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, a flexographic printing method, an ink jet printer, a laser printer, or the like can be used. .

  The shape of the lens-like pixels of the latent image display media A1 and A2 is, for example, a hemispherical convex lens, but the shape of the lens-like pixels is not particularly limited, and may be a circle, a square, a rectangle, an ellipse, or a polygon. It can be shaped. Further, it is desirable that the shape of each lens is the same, but it is not particularly limited. Further, the arrangement interval of the lens-like pixels of the latent image display media A1 and A2 is the same in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, but is not particularly limited.

  The design of the lens area, the first latent image area, and the second latent image area in the latent image display media A1 and A2 of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of letters, numbers, symbols, patterns, etc. A pattern etc. can be used.

  The lens area, the first latent image area, and the second latent image area in the latent image display media A1 and A2 of the present invention may be light transmissive, and known inks, resins, and the like can be used. . The lens area and the latent image area can be formed using a known method such as screen printing or embossing.

  The intermediate layer of the latent image display medium of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a light-transmitting material, and a known material such as PET, laminate, or plastic can be used. Moreover, screen printing etc. can be used for formation of an intermediate | middle layer. The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably selected according to the curvature of the lens.

  Hereinafter, the above-described latent image display medium of the present invention will be described in detail with specific examples.

Example 1
Referring to FIG. 8, a color region 3 formed by pixels 2 using four different colors of ink (C, M, Y, G) on a substrate 1 and a minute transparent convex lens 4a are regularly arranged. A latent image display medium B2 on which a latent image formed of the first latent image area 5 formed by the lens area 4 and the convex lens 4b arranged by phase modulation with respect to the arrangement direction of the convex lens 4a will be described.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), a commercially available photographic paper is used as the substrate 1, and a commercially available ink jet printer using the four colors of C, M, Y, and G as the pixels 2. The color region 3 was formed by printing. The pixel 2 is a square with a side length of 250 μm, and the four color pixels 2 are arranged in a grid pattern. As for the arrangement interval of the pixels 2, the pitch is set to 500 μm in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b are made of screen-printed transparent thick ink (UVPOT50209 Braille Clear made by Teikoku Ink Co., Ltd.) using a 125 mesh screen plate and a hemisphere with a diameter of 400 μm. As convex lenses, a lens region 4 and a first latent image region 5 were formed, respectively. Note that the pitch of the convex lenses 4 a was arranged at 500 μm so as to correspond to the pixels 2. On the other hand, the pitch of the convex lenses 4b is shifted in the direction of about a half pitch X with respect to the peripheral lens region 4. And as shown in FIG.8 (c), it printed on the pixel 2 and produced latent-image display medium B1.

  As shown in FIG. 8D, when the latent image display medium B1 is observed from the front, the lens 4 and the first latent image region 5 cannot be distinguished and visually recognized. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8E, when the latent image display medium B1 is tilted and observed, the first latent image region 5 appears in a different color from the surrounding lens region 4 depending on the viewing angle and the observation direction. Could be observed as a latent image.

(Example 2)
Next, referring to FIG. 9, the first latent image region 5 formed by shifting the convex lens 4b by a half pitch in the X direction from the predetermined pitch of the convex lens 4a, and the second latent image formed by shifting the convex lens 4b by a half pitch in the XY direction. An example of the latent image display medium B2 in which three latent image areas, that is, the image area 6 and the third latent image area 7 formed by shifting by half a pitch in the Y direction will be described. Note that the base material, ink used, printing method, color region, and the like are the same as those of the latent image display medium B1, and therefore only different parts will be described.

  Specifically, the first latent image region 5 is formed by arranging the convex lenses 4b so as to be shifted from the pitch of the convex lenses 4a by a half pitch in the X direction. The arrangement of the convex lenses 4d was shifted from the pitch of the convex lenses 4a by a half pitch in the Y direction to form the third latent image region 7. On the other hand, the arrangement of the convex lenses 4c was shifted from the predetermined pitch of the convex lenses 4a by a half pitch in the X direction and the Y direction to form the second latent image region 6.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, when the latent image display medium B1 is observed from the front, the peripheral lens area 4, the first latent image area 5, the second latent image area 6, and the seventh latent image are displayed. The regions 8 could not be visually recognized separately. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the latent image display medium B2 is tilted and observed, the peripheral lens area 4, the first latent image area 5, the second latent image area 6, and the third latent image area B2 are observed. The latent image area 7 was expressed in different colors depending on the viewing angle and the viewing direction, and the latent image could be observed.

(Example 3)
Next, the latent image display in which the transparent intermediate layer 8 is formed on the base material 1 and / or the pixel 2 and the lens region 4 and the first latent image region 5 are formed on the transparent intermediate layer 8 with reference to FIG. The medium B3 will be described. In addition, since formation of each area | region, such as a base material, used ink, the color area | region 3, and the lens area | region 4, is the same as that of latent image display medium B1 and B2, only a different part is demonstrated.

  Specifically, a transparent film made of PET having a thickness of 0.8 mm is used as the transparent intermediate layer 8, and the lens region 4 and the convex lens 4 b composed of the hemispherical convex lens 4 a having a diameter of 400 μm shown in Example 1 on the film. The first latent image areas 5 were produced.

  In the latent image display medium B3, by providing the transparent intermediate layer 8, the distance from the color region 3 to the convex lens 4a and the convex lens 4b is increased by the thickness of the transparent intermediate layer 8, so that the moving amount of the focal point depending on the observation angle is large. As a result, the discoloration effect of the latent image was enhanced.

Plan view showing one embodiment of the color region Plan view of the lens area and partially enlarged view Plan view and partial sectional view of the latent image display medium A1 The top view which shows the latent image of latent image display medium A1. Schematic showing the principle of the present invention Plan view and partial enlarged view of the latent image display medium A2 The top view which shows the latent image of latent image display medium A2. Plan view showing the latent image display medium B1 Plan view showing latent image display medium B2 Plan view showing the latent image display medium B3

Explanation of symbols

A1, A2, B1, B2, B3 Latent image display medium X displacement Y displacement 1 base material 2 pixels
2C (Cyan pixel)
2M (Magenta pixel)
2Y (Yellow pixel)
2G (Green pixel)
3 Color area 4 Lens area 5 First latent image area 6 Second latent image area 7 Third latent image area 8 Transparent intermediate layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Convex lens

Claims (7)

  A color region in which a plurality of collective pixels composed of pixels of n colors (n is an integer of 2 or more) different from that of the base material are arranged on one surface of the base material; A lens-like pixel made of a transparent material laminated so as to evenly spread over each pixel is composed of a plurality of regularly arranged lens regions, and a part of the lens region is shifted in phase in a predetermined direction. It has a latent image area, and by changing the observation angle, the latent image pattern is confirmed by the difference in color between the pixel color of the color area corresponding to the latent image area and the other color area due to light refraction. A latent image display medium characterized by being capable of performing.   The latent image display medium according to claim 1, wherein the latent image areas are arranged in the lens area with a ½ pitch phase shifted in a predetermined direction.   A color region in which a plurality of collective pixels composed of pixels of n colors (n is an integer of 2 or more) different from that of the base material are arranged on one surface of the base material; A plurality of lens-like pixels made of a transparent material laminated so as to evenly spread over each pixel is composed of a plurality of regularly arranged lens regions, and a part of the lens region is shifted in phase in the first direction. A first latent image region and a second latent image region whose phase is shifted in a second direction different from the first direction. By changing the observation angle, 2. A latent image display medium, wherein two latent image patterns can be confirmed by a difference in color between a pixel color of the color area corresponding to the latent image area and another color area.   In the lens region, the first latent image region is arranged with a ½ pitch phase shifted in the first direction, and the second latent image region is ½ pitch phase in the second direction. The latent image display medium according to claim 3, wherein the latent image display medium is shifted.   The lens area includes an m + 1-th latent image area whose phase is shifted in an m + 1-th direction (m is an integer of 2 or more) different from the first direction and the second direction. The latent image display medium according to claim 3 or 4.   The diameter of the pixel of the said color area | region is 100-500 micrometers, and the diameter of the lens-like pixel of the said lens area | region is 200-1000 micrometers, The said any one of Claim 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Latent image display medium.   The latent image display medium according to claim 1, further comprising a light-transmitting intermediate layer between the color area and the lens area.

Images