JP2010173161A - Information carrier which enables authenticity determination - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information carrier capable of determining authenticity by a printed image printed on the information carrier varying by a viewing angle. <P>SOLUTION: The first image is printed by a coloring ink having a color different from a base material in a printing image area on the surface of the base material such as paper or a card and the second image comprising a line pattern of a transparent ink containing an iris color pearl pigment and in which the direction of the line pattern of the image and the direction of the line pattern of a background are different is laminated on the same, thereby the information carrier is characterized by that the first image and the second image are visually perceived by being changed with each other according to an observation angle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  In the field of valuable printed matter such as banknotes, passports, securities, identification cards, cards, and passports, which are security printed matter that requires anti-counterfeiting effects, the present invention can provide an image that can be seen by changing the observation angle. The present invention relates to an information carrier for anti-counterfeiting or authenticity determination imparted with a changing effect.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, forgery-preventing elements and printing techniques that have a new design and a high anti-counterfeiting effect are desired for information carriers such as valuable printed matter that require security. For this reason, there are many cases where an optical security element, such as a hologram, is attached, in which an image changes depending on an observation angle. However, the anti-counterfeit printed matter exhibiting optical changes as described above generally requires expensive and special equipment and materials, so an additional manufacturing process is required. There was a problem that it was not appropriate.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present applicant forms a swelled image line using pearl pigment, and the background image portion and the message image portion have different image line angles. Thus, the invention relating to a printed matter that can be determined as authenticity by the effect that the message image portion changes from positive to negative or from negative to positive only when viewed from an oblique direction in a state where light is incident on the printed matter. Applications have been filed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  The printed matter disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 has a background image and a message image formed by an image line structure that is raised on the surface of the base material, and an image line pattern of the background image The line pattern of the message image is formed at different angles. Since this printed matter is formed using an iris pearl pigment, in the angular region where diffuse reflection light is dominant, the above-mentioned message image is hardly visible to the naked eye, and regular reflection light is dominant from diffuse reflection light. As the angle region changes, the background image and the message image having a bulge reflect light different from each other with respect to the incident light, so that the above-described message image is visually recognized as a negative image or a positive image. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine authenticity by visual inspection.

  However, security elements such as holograms in recent years have been increasing from those in which one image becomes a latent image or visualized to two or more images that switch depending on the observation angle, and can be manufactured at low cost. Similar technologies have been required for security elements. Therefore, in one embodiment of the printed matter disclosed in Patent Document 2, the first image is printed, the second image is printed, and the first image is at least partly printed. In addition, when measured with a color difference meter, the L * a * b * color system has a region where L * is 90 or more, and the second image is a translucent ink having a specular gloss or a pigment having a planar orientation. Some of the inks are characterized by being printed with a line drawing with a translucent ink containing. This is because, when the printed matter is observed from the direction in which the total light amount obtained by adding the regular reflection light and the diffuse reflection light is substantially equal between the first image and the second image, the first image of the first image is visually observed. When the image is observed more clearly than the second image, and the total light quantity is observed by gradually changing the angle of the printed material from the substantially equal direction to the different direction between the first image and the second image, The image 1 gradually becomes difficult to be visually recognized by the naked eye, and is then visually recognized again. That is, the printed matter has an effect of switching between the first image and the second image by changing the observation angle.

Japanese Patent No. 3718712 Republished WO2003 / 013871

  In the printed matter disclosed in Patent Document 1, the message image is not visible as a latent image in an angle region where diffuse reflected light is dominant, and the message image is negative / positive in an oblique observation where regular reflected light is generated. The invention is to invert and visualize the image, and is not to switch two different images alternately to visualize.

  Moreover, in the printed matter described in Patent Document 2, in the case where an image that is visually recognized by an observer is to obtain a switch effect in which the image changes from the first image to the second image, an image line having a climax is displayed. Before printing, it is necessary to form a first image in advance, and this first image is a light image including a region of L * a * b * color system and L * of 90 or more. There was a need. For this reason, it is difficult to determine the information of the first image with low visibility in the printed matter that changes into the first image and the second image.

  The present invention has the effect that the image information recognized by the eyes of the observer changes the first image to the second image by changing the observation angle, and the information has visibility. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information carrier capable of determining authenticity which cannot be reproduced by a color copying machine, and is characterized by being high.

  According to the present invention, a first image formed by a colored ink having a color different from that of the substrate is formed on a printed image region on at least a part of the surface of the substrate, and the first image is formed on the first image. A second image formed by a transparent ink containing a material having a color flip-flop property is laminated, and the first image is formed in an area ratio of 50 to 100%, on which An information carrier in which a second image is formed with an area ratio of 60% or more and 100% or less, wherein the second image includes at least one image line group constituting an image portion and at least one constituting a background portion. The image line group is composed of at least two image line groups, and each of the at least two image line groups is composed of an energetic image line, and includes all the image line groups included in the second image. The direction of the stroke is the same for each stroke group. Is information carrier, wherein a each of at least 5 ° higher angles are different.

  The information carrier of the present invention is characterized in that the difference between the maximum area ratio and the minimum area ratio of the first image is 20% or more and 50% or less.

  The information carrier of the present invention is characterized in that the first image is a multi-gradation image in which gradation is expressed within a range of an area ratio of 50% to 100%.

  The information carrier of the present invention is characterized in that the second image is formed in the range of the image line width of 30 μm to 1000 μm.

  The information carrier according to the present invention is characterized in that the height of the swelled image line of the second image is in the range of 3 μm to 150 μm.

  The material having color flip-flop used in the present invention contains at least one of an iris pearl pigment, a scale-like pigment, a scale-like mica pigment, a scale-like metal pigment, a glass flake pigment, and a cholesteric liquid crystal pigment. And

  In the present invention, in order to improve the orientation of the iris pearl pigment, the scaly pigment, the scaly mica pigment, the scaly metal pigment, the glass flake pigment, and the cholesteric liquid crystal pigment, which are materials having color flip-flop properties, It is characterized in that a surface treatment for imparting water repellency and oil repellency to the surface is performed.

  Since this invention is the above structure, the following effect arises. When the information carrier of the present invention capable of authenticating authenticity is observed under visible light, in the observation angle region where diffuse reflected light is dominant, a color pigment is used to show the difference in area ratio due to the fineness or roughness of the image line. In the observation angle region where only the formed first image is visible and the specular reflection light and the diffuse reflection light are mixed, two or more images made of transparent ink having color flip-flop properties on the first image. A second image formed by the difference in the angle of the line group can be visually recognized.

  Further, as compared with Patent Document 2, if the area ratio of the first image is limited in the present invention, the L * value of the L * a * b * color system need not be limited to 90 or more. It can be formed, and the visibility of the first image can be kept high. In addition, since the hue can be changed by freely selecting a color pigment, the degree of freedom in design is high.

  According to the present invention, since the image information recognized by the human eye changes to different image information by changing the observation angle, it is possible to easily determine whether the image information is true or false, and the color copier cannot reproduce it. It is possible to provide a possible information carrier capable of determining authenticity.

It is a figure which shows the information carrier (1) in embodiment and Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 1st image (4) in embodiment and Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 2nd image (5) in embodiment and Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows three observation areas by the positional relationship of an information carrier, a light source, and an observer's viewpoint. (A) is an enlarged view for explaining the visibility of the horizontal image line (13) and the vertical image line (14) constituting the second image (5). (B) is sectional drawing between broken line DD 'of a horizontal direction image line (13). (C) is sectional drawing between broken line EE 'of a vertical direction image line (14). (A) is a second image composed of vertical lines on the first image having an area ratio of 100% among the four image elements forming the print image (3) of the information carrier (1). 1 shows an image element 1 in which are stacked. (B) shows a second image composed of vertical lines on the first image having an area ratio of 50% among the four image elements forming the print image (3) of the information carrier (1). 2 shows an image element 2 on which are stacked. (C) is a second image composed of horizontal lines on the first image having an area ratio of 50% among the four image elements forming the print image (3) of the information carrier (1). The image element 3 on which are stacked. (D) is a second image composed of horizontal lines on the first image having an area ratio of 100% among the four image elements forming the print image (3) of the information carrier (1). Shows an image element 4 in which are stacked. In the first embodiment of the present invention, among the four image elements forming the information carrier (1), the image element 2, the image element 3, and the image element 4 when the image element 1 in FIG. 6 is a graph showing changes in color difference ΔE. (A) is a visual recognition when the information carrier (1) in embodiment and Example 1 of this invention is observed with the observation angle A. FIG. (B) is a visual recognition when the information carrier (1) in the embodiment of the present invention is observed at an observation angle B. FIG. It is a figure which shows the information carrier (1 ') in Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 1st image (4 ') in Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 2nd image (5 ') in Example 2 of this invention. (A) is a visual recognition figure when the information carrier (1 ') in Example 1 of this invention is observed with the observation angle A. FIG. (B) And (c) is a visual recognition figure when the information carrier (1 ') in Example 1 of this invention is observed at the observation angle B. FIG. It is a figure which shows the information carrier (1 '') in Example 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 1st image (4 '') in Example 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 2nd image (5 '') in Example 3 of this invention. (A) is a visual recognition figure when the information carrier (1 '') in Example 2 of the present invention is observed at an observation angle A. FIG. (B) And (c) is a visual recognition figure when the information carrier (1 '') in Example 2 of the present invention is observed at observation angle B.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information carrier (1) according to the present invention, in which a print image area (circle area in the figure) is provided on at least a part of the surface of a base material (2) such as white paper. A first image (4) shown in FIG. 2 is formed in the region by colored ink, and a transparent ink containing a material having color flip-flop properties is shown in FIG. 3 on the first image (4) in the printed image region. The print image (3) is formed by laminating the second image (5), and the visual image of the print image (3) changes from “A” to “B” by changing the observation angle. It is a carrier (1).

  As a base material (2), what is necessary is just to have a plane which can carry printed images (3), such as resinous base materials, such as plastic cards, besides paper-made base materials, such as a quality paper and a coated paper.

  In the present specification, in the step of forming the first image (4) and the second image (5) on a printed image of a certain area on the base material, a condition in which the ratio that can cover the base is expressed in%. The area ratio will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a first image (4) of the information carrier (1). In order to satisfactorily switch the printed image (3) of the information carrier (1) of the present invention from “A” to “B”, the first image (4) has an area ratio of 50% to 100%. Form. In particular, when the first image is expressed as a binary image composed of the image portion (6) and the background portion (7), the difference between the image portion (6) and the background portion (7) is 20%. If it is 50% or less, the image can be visually recognized more clearly without impairing the switchability.

  The first image is not limited to a binary image composed of an image portion and a background portion. For example, a gradation image in which the entire first image is expressed in an area ratio of 50% to 100%. However, the same effect can be obtained.

The colored ink used in the first image (4) may be formed with any color ink of red, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, etc., as long as it is formed within the range of the appropriate area ratio. Good. Note that the brightness of the first image (4), ^{L *} Although it is less than 90, preferably, ^{L *} is 50 to less than 90. For example, when the color is blue, the area ratio is 50% and the lightness is about L ^* , and when the area ratio is 100%, the lightness is about L ^* .

  As the printing method for forming the first image (4), offset printing that allows easy lamination of printing layers is preferable. However, a general printing method such as letterpress printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, intaglio printing, and ink jet printer may be used. There is no particular limitation.

  FIG. 3 is a second image (5) formed on the print image area where the first image (4) is printed. The second image (5) is composed of an image portion (8) and a background portion (9) which are formed by a clear image line using a transparent ink having color flip-flop properties.

  The image portion (8) is formed of a group of image lines constituting the image “B”, and the image line group includes a plurality of image lines arranged in parallel with a predetermined image line width, a predetermined pitch, and the first direction. Consisting of The background part (9) is formed from a group of lines constituting the background of the image “B”, and the line group of the background part (9) is the same as the line group of the image part (8). A plurality of image lines having a line width and the same pitch, and a plurality of image lines arranged in parallel with a second direction having a different image line direction from the image line group of the image portion (8). The image portion (8) is composed of a plurality of image lines in which an image line having a predetermined image line width is formed with a predetermined pitch, and the plurality of image lines are arranged in parallel in a first direction. The image portion of “B” is formed by the image line group. The background portion (9) is composed of a plurality of image lines in which an image line having the same image line width as the image portion (8) is formed with the same pitch as the image line group of the image portion (8). The line group formed by arranging the line direction in parallel with the second direction different from the line direction of the line group constituting the image part (8) forms the background part of “B”.

  Since the image line group constituting the image portion (8) and the image line group constituting the background portion (9) have the same image line width and pitch, they are converted into area ratios and have the same area ratio. Generally, since a printed image is recognized by a difference in area ratio, by making the area ratios of the image portion (8) and the background portion (9) the same, in the observation of the diffused light region described later. It is produced so that the difference between the image part (8) and the background part (9) can hardly be recognized with the naked eye.

  Further, the second image is shown in FIG. 3 by the angle difference between the direction of the image line group constituting the image portion (8) and the direction of the image line group constituting the background portion (9). Since the image of “B” shown in FIG. 4 is formed, in the observation of the observation angle region (observation angle B) in which diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light described later are mixed as shown in FIG. It is visually recognized as a binary image composed of the area of the image part (8) and the area of the background part (9). The difference between the first direction and the second direction is not visually recognized as a different tone unless it is different by 5 ° or more. When the difference between the first direction and the second direction is 90 °, the image portion (8 ) And the background portion (9) are most clearly viewed as a binary image with negative-positive reversal.

  In order for the information carrier of the present invention to obtain good image switchability, the area ratio of the second image (5) is 60% or more for each of the image portion (8) and the background portion (9). If the area ratio is less than that, the second image (5) in the observation angle region (observation angle B) in which diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light described later are mixed as shown in FIG. Since the concealability of the first image (4) due to the visualization of the image becomes low and both images are viewed at the same time, it is not preferable for obtaining good image switchability.

  When it is desired to form the second image as a ternary image instead of a simple binary image, the image line group constituting the second image is defined by the first direction and the second direction only in the direction of the image line. This can be achieved by using three types of image line groups different from the third direction. At this time, the difference in shading due to the difference in the direction of the image line of each image line group is caused by the angle difference in the direction of the image line. Therefore, the angle difference in the image line direction of each image line group is less than 5 °. Therefore, the angle difference must be at least 5 °. If the second image is formed with a plurality of types of image line groups that satisfy the above conditions and differ only in the direction of the image lines, the same number of multi-value images as the types of image line groups can be obtained.

  If the angle difference between the image line groups forming the image element of the second image is 5 ° or more, an observation angle region (observation angle B) in which diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light described later are mixed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, since the timing of occurrence and disappearance of interference light in each region is shifted, it can be visually recognized as different tones. In addition, when it is desired to increase the contrast difference between the regions of the second image and improve the visibility of the second image, it is desirable that the angle difference in the direction of the image line of each region is 30 ° or more. .

  The second image (5) is formed using a transparent ink having a color flip-flop property. The color flip-flop property referred to in this specification means that only light and dark changes when light enters. Unlike the light-and-dark flip-flop, the hue also changes when light enters. Examples of pigments having these characteristics include scaly mica pigments, scaly metal pigments, glass flake pigments, and cholesteric liquid crystal pigments. The transparent ink having the color flip-flop property is an ink in which any one of the pigments having the color flip-flop property is mixed. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the transparent ink containing the iris pearl pigment is used. When viewed in a diffused light region (observation angle A), which will be described later, it is colorless and transparent. ) Expresses the interference color of pearl.

  When the pearl pigment is used for the transparent ink for forming the second image (5), the size of the pearl pigment particles is selected according to the printing method to be used, and is preferably 1 μm to 50 μm. The average particle size is more preferably about 5 μm to 15 μm. The thickness of the pearl pigment is preferably about 1 μm. As described above, any pearl pigment may be used. However, in order to improve the orientation (leafing effect) of the scaly pigment, the pigment is oriented on the surface of an image having a bulge of 3 μm to 150 μm. It is preferable to perform the treatment. Specifically, the pigment can be oriented on the surface of the image area of the printing portion by performing a surface treatment of the pigment such as water repellency and oil repellency treatment as described in JP-A-2001-106937, for example. It becomes possible to make the interference color of pearl by specular reflection light appear more vividly.

  In addition, the line width of the image line group of the image part that forms the second image and the image line group of the image line group of the background part may be in the range of 30 μm to 1000 μm, for example, and is 30 μm or less. The reproducibility of the image line by printing or the like is difficult, and conversely, if the line width is 1000 μm or more, the image line is too thick to stand out even if it is transparent ink, and it is not preferable. In view of visibility and aesthetics, the range of 60 μm to 400 μm is preferable.

  As a printing method for forming the second image, a screen printing method capable of using a pearl pigment having a relatively large particle diameter is preferable in order to bring out a high color change effect. However, the second image has sufficient color. On the condition that it has flip-flop properties and can be imaged, it can also be implemented by flexographic printing, gravure printing, and intaglio printing.

  Next, in explaining the principle that the printed image (3) of the information carrier (1) changes depending on the observation angle, an observation angle region in this specification such as a diffused light region and a regular reflection light region is defined. Regarding the information carrier on which only the second image (5) is printed, the change of the image in the viewing angle region to be visually recognized will be briefly described.

(Definition of observation angle area)
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a positional relationship and an observation angle region between the information carrier (1), the light source (10), and the observer's viewpoint (11). In this specification, the direction perpendicular to the printed image surface of the information carrier is defined as 0 °, the angle of the incident direction of the light source is 0 ° to −90 °, and the opposite direction of the light source is 0 ° to 90 °. And For example, when light is incident on the printed image (3) side surface of the information carrier (1) from −45 °, the specularly reflected light is predominantly recognized in the vicinity of the light receiving angle of 45 °. That is, when the angle of the viewpoint to be observed is changed from −20 ° to 75 °, the observation angle region changes from the diffused light region to the specularly reflected light region and becomes a diffused light region.

  Therefore, in this specification, the observation angle region in which the diffuse reflection light having a light reception angle of −20 ° to 15 ° is dominant is “observation angle A”, and the regular reflection light having a light reception angle of 45 ° ± 5 ° is dominant. The angle region is defined as “observation angle C”, and the observation angle region in which the diffuse reflection light and the regular reflection light at the light reception angles of 15 ° to 40 ° and 50 ° to 75 ° are defined as “observation angle B”.

  When only the second image (5) formed with the transparent ink having the above-described color flip-flop property is observed by observing the diffused light region (observation angle A), it is transparent and is not visually recognized. When the second image (5) is observed in the observation angle region (observation angle B) where the regular reflection light and the specular reflection light are mixed, the image forming the letter “B” with the intensity of the interference color light of the iris pearl pigment Appears, and the printed matter is slightly inclined to reverse the density from negative to positive or from positive to negative. The principle of appearance of this image and inversion of light and shade will be described below.

  The principle that the image portion (8) and the background portion (9) of the second image (5) are visually recognized with negative-positive reversal will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 (a) shows the formation of a swelled horizontal image line (13) and a vertical image line (14) on the left side of the base material (2 ') with a transparent ink containing an iris pearl pigment. It is a top view when placing a light source (10). 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along DD ′ of the horizontal image line 13 of FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is the vertical image line 14 of FIG. 5A. It is sectional drawing between EE '.

  The raised horizontal image line (13) in FIG. 5 (a) is an image line in the same direction as the incident light inserted from the light source (10), and therefore, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. When the incident angle of (10) is −45 °, when the observer (11) has an observation angle of 45 °, the specularly reflected light region is observed (observation angle C), and the interference color of the pearl pigment is the strongest visible. Is done. However, if the observation angle is gradually changed from the observation angle C to the observation angle B, the interference effect is weakened. In particular, the interference color of the pearl pigment does not appear in the observation region of the diffuse reflected light (observation angle A). Since it is transparent, it is not visually recognized in this observation area.

  On the other hand, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 5 (c), the swelling vertical image line (14) in FIG. 5 (a) is an image line orthogonal to the incident light inserted from the light source (10). When the angle of incidence of the light source (10) is set to -45 ° and the observation angle of the observer (11) is close to 0 °, the pearl pigment is applied to the portion a. When the observation angle of the observer (11) is around 45 °, the interference color of the pearl pigment appears at the portion b, and the observation angle of the observer (11) is close to 90 °. Sometimes, the interference color of the pearl pigment appears in the portion c. When the vertical image line (14) expresses the interference color of the pearl pigment in the portion b, the horizontal image line (13) on the same substrate also expresses the interference color of the pearl pigment. The difference between the vertical and horizontal image lines cannot be discriminated, but when an interference color appears in the part a or the part c, the latent image formed by the direction of the image line can be visually recognized. it can.

  That is, a color change occurs continuously in the vertical direction line (14) orthogonal to the direction of the light source (10), and the same in the horizontal direction line (13) and the vertical direction line (14). Even when viewed from the observation angle, the intensity of the interference color is different, and the timing of the occurrence and disappearance of the interference color is shifted. Therefore, the horizontal image line (13) and the vertical image line (14) are diffused. In the observation angle region (observation angle B) where the reflected light and the regular reflected light are mixed, there is an effect that the image is visually recognized by reversing the density from negative to positive or from positive to negative. The above is the principle that the image changes depending on the viewing angle region for the information carrier on which only the second image (5) is printed. When the second image (5) is visualized, the underlying first image (4) is concealed, and when the second image (5) is latent, the first image (4) is visually recognized. Therefore, the effect that the printed image (3) changes from the first image (4) to the second image (5) according to the observation angle can be obtained.

(Principle of the observation situation of the information carrier)
FIG. 1 is a view showing an information carrier (1) in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Specific examples will be described based on the information carrier (1) shown in the mode for carrying out the invention.

  FIG. 2 is a first image (4) of the information carrier (1), and a general UV dry offset ink is applied to the area of the printed image (3) on the white paper as the base material (2). It is formed by UV offset wet offset printing using a certain blue colored ink “T & K TOKA Best Cure Vector Carton Ai”.

  The first image (4) includes an image portion (6) and a background portion (7). The image portion (6) has a halftone dot area ratio of 100%, and the background portion (7) has a halftone dot. An image of “A” is formed by providing a difference in the dot area ratio of the image portion (6) and the background portion (7).

  After printing the first image (4), the second image (5) shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the print image area where the first image (4) is printed. A transparent ink containing a pigment (gold) was used to form a screen by UV drying.

  The second image (5) is composed of a line group constituting the image part (8) and a line group constituting the background part (9), and the line group constituting the image part (8) The image line group constituting the background portion (9) has the same image line width, but forms an image forming “B” by providing a 90 ° difference in the direction of the image line. In both the image portion (8) and the background portion (9), image lines having an image line width of 0.3 mm are continuously arranged at a pitch of 0.4 mm. This drawing line has a configuration corresponding to 75% (0.3 / 0.4) in terms of area ratio, and the height of this drawing line is about 10 μm.

  An image in which the printed image (3) of the information carrier (1) of the present invention is visually recognized according to the observation angle and the principle thereof will be described below. Since the first image is formed with a colored ink and the second image is formed with a transparent ink containing an iris pearl pigment, the second image (5) is obtained at an observation angle A in FIG. The image “A”, which is the first image (4) configured by the difference in area ratio between the image portion (6) and the background portion (7) formed of blue ink, is not visually recognized. However, at the observation angle B, the incident light is reflected on the printed image (3), so that a pearl interference effect occurs, and the image “B” as the second image (5) is strongly visually recognized. If the second image (5) is configured to cover the first image (4) with an area ratio exceeding 60%, the first image (4) is a dark colored image as in the present invention. However, the first image (4) is almost completely hidden by the interference effect of the high pearl, and only the second image is visually recognized. Therefore, when the information carrier (1) of the present invention is produced by superimposing the second image (5) on the first image (4), the first image (4) is observed at the observation angle A. The image “A” is visually recognized, and at the observation angle B, the image “B” as the second image (5) is visually recognized, and the observation angle region of the observer is changed from the observation angle A to the observation angle B. By tilting, the visual image is switched from “A” to “B”, and the true / false judgment can be easily made without using the determination tool.

  When the difference in the area ratio between the image part (6) and the background part (7) forming the first image (4) is not appropriate, the first image (4) at the observation angle A (observation of the diffused light region). It is difficult to visually distinguish the image portion (6) and the background portion (7), or the first image (4) is observed at an observation angle B (observation of a region where diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light are mixed). Since it appears mixed with the second image (5), in order to realize a clear switch effect between the first image (4) and the second image (5), the first image (4 ) In the image area (6) and the background area (7) in the range of an appropriate area ratio.

  With respect to the effect that the first image and the second image are visually recognized by switching, the printed image (3) of the information carrier (1) is displayed using the blue colored ink shown in FIG. 6 (a). On the image formed at an area ratio of 100%, an image element 1 formed by overlapping a transparent ink containing an iris color pearl pigment on a vertical line with an image line width of 0.3 mm and an image line pitch of 0.4 mm; A transparent ink containing an iris color pearl pigment has an image line width of 0.3 mm and an image line pitch of 0.4 mm on an image formed with a blue colored ink shown in FIG. A transparent ink containing an iris pearl pigment on the image element 2 formed by overlapping the vertical lines and the image shown in FIG. 6C formed with a blue colored ink at an area ratio of 50%. Is formed by overlapping lines with a line width of 0.3 mm with horizontal lines with a pitch of 0.4 mm. A transparent ink containing an iris color pearl pigment is formed on the image element 3 thus formed and an image formed with a blue colored ink shown in FIG. An image element 4 formed by overlapping horizontal lines with an image line pitch of 0.4 mm, an observation angle A indicating a diffused light area when the image element 1 is used as a reference, and diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light are mixed. This can be explained from the graph of FIG. 7 showing the color difference ΔE of each image element at the observation angle B indicating the observation angle region and the observation angle C indicating the regular reflection light region.

  Four measurement patches of 50 mm × 50 mm having the same layer structure as that of the image element 1 to the image element 4 are manufactured, and light is irradiated from the light source 10 of 45 ° to each image element, and the light reception angle is −20 °. A graph comparing L * a * b * at 80 ° and comparing the color differences ΔE of the image element 2, the image element 3, and the image element 4 with the image element 1 as a reference is a broken line (12-2) in FIG. ), A broken line (12-3), and a broken line (12-4). The measuring device was measured using a variable angle spectrophotometric system GCMS-4 type (Murakami Color Research Laboratory).

  In FIG. 7, the smaller the value of the color difference ΔE, the more difficult it is to distinguish from the image element 1, so that it is visually recognized as the same image as the image element 1, and the larger the value of ΔE, the easier it is to distinguish from the image element 1. This indicates that the image element 1 is visually recognized as a different image. The data indicating the image element 2 is a polygonal line (12-2), the data indicating the image element 3 is a polygonal line (12-3), and the data indicating the image element 4 is a polygonal line (12-4).

(Observation of observation angle A)
At the observation angle A (diffuse light region: light reception angle −20 ° to 15 °) of the graph of color difference ΔE in FIG. 7, a broken line (12− 2) and the value of the broken line (12-3) which is data indicating the image element 3 is ΔE is 10 or more, and the numerical value of the broken line (12-4) which is data indicating the image element 4 is ΔE is 1 or less. . Therefore, the image element 1 and the image element 4 are the image portion of the first image (4) having the area ratio of 100% formed with the color ink regardless of the area ratio difference of the transparent ink containing the upper-layer iris pearl pigment. 6), the image element 2 and the image element 3 have an area ratio of 50% formed with colored ink regardless of the area ratio difference of the transparent ink containing the iris pearl pigment in the upper layer. It is visually recognized to the same extent as the background portion (7) of the first image (4).

(Observation of observation angle B)
At an observation angle B (region where diffuse reflection light and regular reflection light are mixed: light reception angles of 15 ° to 40 ° and 50 ° to 75 °) in the color difference ΔE graph of FIG. The numerical values of the broken line (12-3) that is the data indicating the image element 3 and the broken line (12-4) that is the data indicating the image element 4 are the numerical values of the broken line (12-2) that is the data indicating the image element 2. There is a large difference compared to the color difference ΔE, and at an observation angle of 35 ° and 55 °, ΔE is a large value of 50 or more. Further, at this observation angle B, the broken line (12-3) which is data indicating the image element 3 and the broken line (12-4) which is data indicating the image element 4 are almost the same value. Therefore, in the observation angle region B, the image element 3 and the image element 4 have the horizontal line direction of the transparent ink containing the upper-layer iris pearl pigment regardless of the difference in the colored ink area ratio of the lower layer. Whereas the image portion (8) of the second image (5) is visually recognized to the same extent, the image element 1 and the image element 2 have an upper-layer iris pearl regardless of the area ratio of the lower-layer colored ink. It can be seen that the line angle of the transparent ink containing the pigment is visually recognized as the background portion (9) of the second image (5).

  That is, the information carrier (1) has two images as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 formed by four image elements. Specifically, the first image (4) is image element 1 And an image part (6) composed of the image element 4 and a background part (7) composed of the image element 2 and the image element 3. At the observation angle A, the image element 1 and the image element 4 become the image part (6). However, since the image element 2 and the image element 3 are visually recognized as different colors, they are visually recognized as the background portion (7).

  On the other hand, the second image (5) includes an image portion (8) of the second image (5) composed of the image element 3 and the image element 4, and a second image (5) composed of the image element 1 and the image element 2. The image element 1 and the image element 2 are visually recognized at the same level at the observation angle B, whereas the image element 3 and the image element 4 are visually recognized as different colors. Therefore, it is visually recognized as the second image (5). Therefore, since the information carrier (1) of the present invention has different visibility in the observation angle regions of the four image elements, the image changes depending on the observation angle. At the observation angle A, the first image is At the observation angle B, the second image is dominantly viewed by the observer.

  8 (a) and 8 (b) show a first image (4) and a second image of the information carrier (1) of the present invention in a viewing environment under a multiple light source according to a normal office. It is the result of confirming the switch effect of image (5). FIG. 8 (a) shows a visually observed image when the information carrier (1) of the present invention is observed in a state where the information carrier (1) is not held over the ceiling illumination. The first image (4) is blue. It was clearly recognized as an image of “A”. FIG. 8B shows an observation state in a region where the diffuse reflection light and the regular reflection light are mixed in the print image (3) in a state where the information carrier (1) of the present invention is held over the ceiling illumination. In this case, only the second image (5) can be recognized in a state where the pearl interference color is shaded in the image portion (8) and the background portion (9), and In the second image (5), it was confirmed that the gradation was gently reversed as the angle of the incident light was changed. The black part in FIG. 8B is a part where the gold color which is actually an interference color of the iris pearl pigment is strongly visually recognized, and the white part is a part where the blue color which is the color of the colored ink is strongly visually recognized. It is. From the above results, it can be confirmed that the information carrier (1) of the present invention exhibits a clear switching effect between the first image (4) and the second image (5) according to the difference in observation angle. At the same time, it was confirmed that the second image (5) was expressed by the interference color of pearl.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an information carrier (1 ′) in Example 2 of the present invention. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the second image is not a simple binary image but an expressive multi-tone image.

  A print image (3 ′) of the information carrier (1 ′) is formed using the first image (4 ′) shown in FIG. 10 and the second image (5 ′) shown in FIG. Each area ratio of the first image (4 ′) is 100% of the area ratio of the image portion (6 ′) forming the character information of “NPB” (trademark registration number: 4657835), and the background portion (7 ′ ) Was 60%, and the red ink “Dai cure Scepter DT Process Red” manufactured by Dainippon Ink & Chemicals, Inc. was used as the colored ink.

  The second image (5 ′) shown in FIG. 11 has a pitch of 0.4 mm for all of the star image portions (8′-1, 8′-2, 8′-3) and the other background portions (9 ′). The image line with a line width of 0.3 mm is continuously arranged, but the image angle of the background part (9 ′) is 90 °, whereas the star image part (8′-1, 8′-2, 8′-3), a region (8′-1) with a line angle of 0 °, a region (8′-2) with a line angle of 30 °, and a region with a line angle of −30 °. (8'-3) are formed by three lines with different angles. These image lines have a configuration corresponding to 75% (0.3 / 0.4) in terms of area ratio. A transparent ink containing an iris pearl pigment having the composition shown in Table 2 was similarly formed on the first image (4 ′) and formed by the UV dry screen printing method.

  In this embodiment, the visual effect of the formed information carrier (1 ′) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12A is an image visually observed when the printed image (3 ′) of the information carrier (1 ′) is observed at an observation angle A, and the first image (4 ′) is The first image (4 ′) is visually recognized as red “NPB” character information as shown in FIG. 12A. FIGS. 12B and 12C show the second image (5 ′) visually observed when the printed image (3 ′) of the information carrier (1 ′) is observed at the observation angle B. It is an image. Since the star image portions (8′-1, 8′-2, 8′-3) of the second image have different line angles, the amount of reflected light that reflects light with respect to incident light is different. And a shade of red, which is an interference color of the iris pearl, is generated. Therefore, the second image (5 ′) expressed with the gradation corresponding to the difference in the line angle is visually recognized.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an information carrier (1 ″) in Example 3 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the first image is not a simple binary image but an expressive multi-tone image.

  Using the first image (4 ″) shown in FIG. 14 and the second image (5 ″) shown in FIG. 15, a print image (3 ″) of the information carrier (1 ″) is formed. To do. The area ratio of the first image (4 ″) is 70% to 100% of the area ratio of the image portion (6 ″) forming the “sunflower flower” image, and the background portion (7 ″) ) Is 60%. For the colored ink constituting the first image (4 ″), a black colored ink “Dai Nippon Ink Chemical Co., Ltd. Dai cure Scepter DT Process Black N” was used.

  The second image (5 ″) shown in FIG. 15 is an image portion (8 ″) and a background portion (9 ″) other than “2008”. An image line having a line width of 0.2 mm is continuously arranged. These image lines have a structure corresponding to about 67% (0.2 / 0.3) in terms of area ratio. A transparent ink containing an iris pearl pigment having the composition shown in Table 1 was similarly formed on the first image (4 ″) and formed by the UV dry screen printing method.

  In this embodiment, the visual effect of the formed information carrier (1 ″) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16A shows an image visually observed when the printed image (3 ″) of the information carrier (1 ″) is observed at the observation angle A, and the first image (4). Since “″) is formed of black ink, the first image (4 ″) is visually recognized as an image of“ black sunflower ”as shown in FIG. FIG. 16B and FIG. 16C show the second image (5) visually recognized when the print image (3 ″) of the information carrier (1 ″) is observed at the observation angle B. ″)). Since the image portion (8 ″) and the background portion (9 ″) forming the number “2008” in the second image have different image line angles, the shade of gold that is the interference color of the iris color pearl is different. Arise. Therefore, at the observation angle B, the second image (5 ″) colored with gold which is the interference color of pearl is visually recognized.

1 ′, 1 ″ Information carrier 2 ′, 2 ″ Base material 3 ′, 3 ″ Print image 4 ′, 4 ″ First image 5, 5 ′, 5 ″ Second image 6, 6 ′, 6 ″ Image portion 7, 7 ′, 7 ″ of first image Background portion 8, 8′-1, 8′-2, 8′-3, 8 ″ of first image Second Image portion 9, 9 ′, 9 ″ Second image background portion 10 Light source,
11 Observer 12-2 Polygonal Line 12-3 Showing Color Difference ΔE of Image Element 2 with Image Element 1 as Reference Image Line 12-4 Polygonal Line Showing Color Difference ΔE of Image Element 3 with Image Element 1 as Reference A polygonal line 13 indicating the color difference ΔE of the image element 4 when 1 is used as a reference 13 A horizontal line with a swell 14 A vertical line with a swell

Claims (7)

A printed image region on at least a part of the surface of the substrate is formed with a first image formed by a colored ink having a color different from that of the substrate, and a color flip-flop is formed on the first image. A second image formed by a transparent ink containing a material having the property of being laminated,
The first image is formed with an area ratio of 50% to 100%, and the second image is formed with an area ratio of 60% to 100% thereon,
The second image is composed of at least one image line group constituting an image portion with a plurality of image lines arranged in parallel with the first direction and a plurality of image lines arranged in parallel with the second direction. The at least one drawing line group constituting the background portion is constituted by at least two drawing line groups, and each of the at least two drawing line groups is constituted by a rising drawing line,
The information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the image lines of at least two image line groups included in the second image is different from each other by an angle of at least 5 °.   2. The information carrier according to claim 1, wherein a difference between the maximum area ratio and the minimum area ratio of the first image is 20% or more and 50% or less.   The information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the first image is a multi-tone image expressed by gradation within a range of an area ratio of 50% to 100%.   The information carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an image line in the image line group included in the second image is formed in a range of an image line width of 30 µm to 1000 µm.   The information carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a height of a raised image line in the image line group included in the second image is in a range of 3 µm to 150 µm.   The material having the color flip-flop property includes at least one of an iris pearl pigment, a scaly pigment, a scaly mica pigment, a scaly metal pigment, a glass flake pigment, and a cholesteric liquid crystal pigment. The information carrier according to any one of 1 to 5.   In order to improve the orientation of the above-mentioned iris pearl pigment, scaly pigment, scaly mica pigment, scaly metal pigment, glass flake pigment, cholesteric liquid crystal pigment, surface treatment for imparting water repellency and oil repellency to the pigment surface is performed. The information carrier according to claim 6, wherein the information carrier is provided.

Images