JP2536811Y2 - prepaid card - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a prepaid card (hereinafter referred to as a prepaid card), and more particularly to a prepaid card having a function of displaying the degree of use of a card, a lottery function, and a game function. It's about cards.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a prepaid card, as seen in, for example, a telephone card, includes a magnetic recording unit on which information is magnetically recorded and a printing unit for indicating the number of effective times. When the user inserts these magnetic cards into the reader / writer of the main unit, the read head in the reader / writer reads the information on the balance or the remaining number recorded on the magnetic unit, and the read information is displayed on the display of the main unit. Then, driving of the main body is started at the same time. Next, when the user uses the main body for the required amount or the required number of times within the balance or remaining number of cards, the stoppage signal indicated on the main body by the user indicates that the used amount or the number of usages is stored in the magnetic portion. Alternatively, it is updated by subtracting it from the remaining number, and the reduced or reduced number is displayed by a punched hole or the like on the printing section of the effective number display so as to be visible, and the driving of the main body is stopped. When the display on the main unit displays the balance or the remaining number of times, the driving of the main unit is automatically stopped.

On the other hand, prepaid cards, like telephone cards, have a very high market demand and will be used in various fields in the future.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, the above prepaid cards include:
There were various problems as follows. That is, first, since the reduction or the number of times of reduction is displayed on the card by a punch hole or the like in the printing portion of the display of the number of effective times, a punch mechanism or the like must be provided in the main body, and hardware is correspondingly expensive. Had become something. In addition, since the above-described display means is used, there is a problem in maintenance such that dust is generated by punching holes and remains in the main body, which makes it difficult to take measures. Further, since the display means as described above is used, it is difficult to confirm the reduction or the number of reductions only by looking at the punched holes, and even when the reduction or the number of reductions becomes very small, the user is warned of the fact. I couldn't do that. Furthermore, at the stage where magnetic cards and readers for reading them have become quite widespread as of today, and the number of people having technical knowledge about them has increased, counterfeiting and tampering may be relatively easy.

On the other hand, recently, a stamp card using a single color of heat-sensitive coloring has been known. This type of stamp card does not cause the above-mentioned maintenance and cost problems, but it still has the problem of not being able to call attention to users and the fact that forgery and falsification are easily performed. What remains.

In addition, such a prepaid card has a right to receive some kind of service according to the set amount or a right to exchange it for a product, etc. It can be considered equivalent to buying and selling these rights. The sales amount of this prepaid card tends to increase more and more because of its convenience and convenience. However, this prepaid card has no main use other than the above-mentioned purchase and sale of rights, and the card itself has little value as a commodity.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and it is not necessary to use a punch mechanism and the like, so that hardware can be reduced in cost and maintenance can be improved, and the display can be easily checked to alert the user. It is an object of the present invention to provide a prepaid card which can promote counterfeiting and tampering, promote the value of the product, and increase the desire to use the card.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a prepaid card in which a coloring layer which develops color by heat, light or pressure is provided on at least one surface of a card base having a magnetic recording portion. In the color-forming layer, before use,
At the time of use, a part of the design or the character pattern is displayed without recognizing the existence thereof, and at the time of use, the entire design or character pattern is displayed on the coloring layer.

Here, it is particularly desirable that the symbol pattern is a bingo game pattern. Further, it is desirable that the character pattern is “hit” or “out”.

[Operation] Therefore, in the prepaid card of the present invention, the coloring layer does not recognize its existence at the time before use, and displays a part of a design or a character pattern at the time of use to use it. At the point in time, the entire pattern or character pattern is displayed on the coloring layer, so that the pattern or character pattern gradually appears from the unrecognizable coloring layer every time the card is used. Can be made interested in what kind of design or the like is displayed when the card is used, and as a result, the desire to use the card can be increased.

In addition, by providing a color developing layer that develops color by heat or the like to display the degree of use of the card, it is unnecessary to use a conventional punch mechanism and the like, and it is possible to reduce hardware costs and improve maintenance. Can be planned.

Further, by displaying the card use degree by providing a coloring layer that develops color by heat or the like, the display of the use degree becomes extremely easy to confirm, and it becomes extremely difficult to perform forgery or falsification. be able to.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a prepaid card according to the present invention when a bingo game is printed on the front surface. In FIG. 1, on one surface of a prepaid card base 1, a hatched area (hereinafter, referred to as a color forming layer) 2A of a 5 × 5 area 2 representing a bingo game is printed using an ink which is colored by heat. In the state before use, which area is colored but cannot be seen. When this prepaid card is used, heat is applied to any area on the surface according to the frequency of use, and heat is applied to all areas at the end of use, so that the area printed with the coloring ink develops color. The user of the prepaid card recognizes that the prepaid card is a “hit” if the coloring layer 2A is arranged vertically, horizontally, or diagonally in the 5 × 5 area 2 at the end of use. it can.

In order to print such a pattern, it is necessary to use a heat-sensitive ink that develops color by heat and cannot be recognized before printing. As the heat-sensitive ink, an ink composed of a dye, a developer, a polymer binder and an organic solvent and having the following characteristics is used.

First, in this embodiment, since the thermal ink is used by printing on the card surface, durability after coloring, such as water resistance, chemical resistance, and plasticizer resistance, is required. Therefore, the thermoplastic resin in the thermal ink used in the present embodiment, that is, the polymer binder is a resin soluble in an organic solvent and insoluble in water. Further, in the state where the developer and the dye are dissolved, fogging occurs in the coating liquid or after the coating film is dried. Therefore, an organic solvent that can be used is an aromatic hydrocarbon or an aliphatic hydrocarbon.

Hereinafter, each component of the thermal ink used in the present example will be described in detail. First, to use an organic solvent,
Developers that cause the leuco dye to develop color when heated are limited. When a color developer soluble in an organic solvent is used, the color develops in the coating solution or the color develops during the coating, resulting in fogging. Therefore, it is necessary to select a compound which is insoluble in, for example, an aromatic hydrocarbon or an aliphatic hydrocarbon-based solvent and which can form a leuco dye upon heating as a color developer. The following compounds can be considered as such compounds.

Benzyl-p-hydroxybenzoate, 4-methylbenzyl-p-hydroxybenzoate, 4-methoxybenzyl-p-hydroxybenzoate, 4,4'-hydroxy-3,5'diallyldiphenylsulfone, methyl-
Bis (hydroxyphenyl) acetate, ethyl-bis (hydroxyphenyl) acetate, 4- (3-chlorobenzyloxy) phenyl-4'-hydroxyphenylsulfone, 4- (3-methylbenzyloxy) phenyl-
4'-hydroxyphenylsulfone, 4-benzyloxyphenyl-4'-hydroxyphenylsulfone, 3,4-
And dihydroxyphenyl-p-trisulfone. However, it is not limited to these.

The thermoplastic resin used in the present embodiment, that is, the polymer binder in the thermal ink is insoluble in water as described above, and is soluble in a solvent of an aromatic hydrocarbon or an aliphatic hydrocarbon. Any of them can be used. Specifically, for example, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polybutyl acrylate, polystyrene, acrylic-styrene copolymer, polyester resin, poly-α-methylstyrene, ABS resin, cumarone resin, nitro Cellulose and the like can be mentioned. These resins are insoluble in water and insoluble in common solvents such as alcohols, petroleum, oils and fats.

Further, as the normally colorless or light-colored leuco dye which is colored by the hot developer used in the present embodiment, those generally used for thermal paper can be used. Specifically, for example, as an example of a leuco dye that can be used as a blue color, there is a compound having the following structural formula.

Further, as an example of the compound used in the black system, there is a compound having the following structural formula.

Further, as a compound used in the red system, there is a compound having the following structural formula.

In addition, as an example of a compound used in a green color, there is a compound having the following structural formula.

Furthermore, as an example of a compound used in orange, there is a compound having the following structural formula.

As described above, only one example is given for each color, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Further, if necessary, an auxiliary additive for improving the sharpness of color development, for example, calcium carbonate, silica, alumina, fine powder such as talc, and an ultraviolet absorber for improving color development weather resistance, oxidizing agent and the like are added. This does not impair the characteristics of the thermal ink used in the present embodiment.

As described above, in the prepaid card with the bingo game function according to the present embodiment, the following various effects can be obtained.

(A) In order to display the frequency of use of the card, the coloring layer 2A which develops color by heat is provided and displayed, so that a punch mechanism or the like as in the related art is not required, and the cost of the hardware is reduced. It is possible to improve maintenance.

(B) The use frequency of the card is indicated by providing the coloring layer 2A which develops color by heat, so that the display of the use frequency is extremely easy to confirm, and the remaining frequency is very small. In such a case, it is possible to urge the user to call attention to that effect, and it is possible to make it extremely difficult to forge or falsify.

(C) The bingo game function and the lottery function of "winning" and "losing" make it possible to use the card for its original purpose, as well as to add the attractiveness of the product to the product value of the card. And it is possible to significantly increase the willingness to use the card.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be implemented as follows.

(A) For example, instead of a bingo game, some design or character pattern may be printed, and the design or character may be used with the use of a prepaid card.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a prepaid card having an area on which a character pattern representing a lottery "hit" or "losing" is printed. That is, the prepaid card causes the character pattern printed on the prepaid card base 3 to gradually develop a color from the end of the card according to the frequency of use of the card, and the character pattern area 4 appearing at the end of use.
Corresponds to a character designated in advance, a lottery product can be obtained as "hit".

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a prepaid card having an area on which a symbol pattern is printed. That is,
In this prepaid card, for example, the above-described heat-sensitive ink of the above-described color (Y, M, C, B) is printed on one surface of a prepaid card base 5 having a magnetic recording portion by silk or gravure printing as a heat-sensitive color developing body that develops color by heat. The pattern 6 is formed by printing in the form of a halftone dot and the like, and the thermosensitive coloring body is colored only at an arbitrary portion in accordance with the number of valid times or the amount of money associated with the use of the card, or the number of invalid times or the amount of invalid money (for example, 50 degrees). In the case of a telephone card, if 15 degrees are used, 15/50 of pattern 6 will be colored, and if all 50 degrees are used, 50/50 part of pattern 6 (the entire pattern 6) will be colored. is there. In this case, the design 6 may be formed by printing only one color of thermal ink.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a prepaid card having an area on which symbols and character patterns are printed.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the prepaid card is made of a multicolor heat-sensitive ink formed on a surface of a prepaid card base 5 having a magnetic recording portion by silk, gravure printing, or the like as a heat-sensitive coloring member that develops color by heat. A pattern 6 is formed by printing in a dot pattern, and the thermosensitive coloring body is colored only at an arbitrary portion in the same manner as in FIG. The same heat-sensitive ink is printed as a halftone dot by silk, gravure, etc. to form the lottery "hit" and "miss" characters 7 as the heat-sensitive color-forming body, and the card uses this heat-sensitive color-forming body The color is developed when it has been completed. In this case, only the character 7 may be provided without providing the design 6, and when the design 6 is provided, printing may be performed using ordinary printing ink.

(B) FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the configuration of the prepaid card having an area where the bingo game pattern of FIG. 1 is printed. That is, this prepaid card divides a 4 × 4 thermosensitive coloring layer 9 representing a bingo game into 16 blocks as shown in FIG. 7A, and further divides each block into Y, M as shown in FIG. , C, and B are divided into printing areas, and the order of color development is separately set for Y, M, C, and B of each block. Here, the order of color development is
The thermosensitive coloring layer 9 will be described with reference to 1, 2, 3, and 4 as examples. That is, in the first step, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the colors Y, 1M, 3C, and 4B are developed. Next, the second
In the step, as shown in FIG.
Of M is colored. 3 does not develop color. Next, in the third step, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), 2 B, 3 Y, 4 C
Color. 1 does not develop color. Next, in a fourth step, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), 1 B, 3 M, and 4 C are colored. 2 does not develop color. Finally, in the fifth step, as shown in FIG. 6 (e), 1 M, 2 C, and 3 B are colored. As described above, all colors are developed.

In this case, the order of the steps is determined using data input to the magnetic recording unit of the card. This data is composed of a simple algorithm or a mathematical formula, and includes data indicating how many steps are currently performed and which part is to be colored in each step, depending on the use state of the card. Then, the data is read by the device and the corresponding portion is colored. In the prepaid card of the present embodiment, one color is separately generated for each block, so that
In the middle of the step, it comes out like a halftone dot,
It became a flickering pattern and I did not know what pattern at all,
When all the blocks are colored when the card is used to the end, it is possible to understand what is being drawn, and the fun with the card is further increased.

(C) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, all of the blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 are colored in five steps. For example, in the case of a 50-degree telephone card, 1 to 16 blocks are used. It is sufficient that all the blocks are colored in 50 steps.

(D) In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the thermosensitive coloring layer 9 is used.
Is divided into 16 blocks, and each block is divided into 16 blocks. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
, And each block may be divided into 64 blocks.

(E) In the embodiment of FIG. 5 and FIG.
A lottery function may be provided according to the use rank, for example, bingo is formed after the frequency is completed, or bingo is formed after the frequency is completed, and "hit".

(F) In the above-described embodiment, the description has been made of the configuration in which the heat is applied in the form of a pattern or a character by using the heat-sensitive ink which is colored by heat, but the pattern or the character pattern is formed by using a prepaid card provided with a coloring layer which is colored by light. A configuration in which exposure is performed in a pattern, or a configuration in which a prepaid card provided with a coloring layer that develops color by pressure and which is pressed in a pattern or character pattern may be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, in a prepaid card in which a color layer that develops color by heat, light or pressure is provided on at least one surface of a card base having a magnetic recording portion, At the time before use, at the time of use without recognizing its existence, a part of the design or character pattern is displayed, and at the time of use, the entire pattern or character pattern is Display, which eliminates the need for a punch mechanism, etc., thereby reducing hardware costs and improving maintenance. Further, it is possible to provide a prepaid card capable of further increasing the value of the product and increasing the desire to use the card.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a prepaid card according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 5 are plan views each showing another embodiment of a prepaid card according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. It is a figure for explaining the order of coloring. 1,3,5,8… Prepaid card base, 2… 5 × 5 area, 2A,
9: coloring layer, 4: character pattern, 6: design, 7: character.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Noriyuki Ito 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshiaki Tada 1-15-1 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Toppan Referee Tadayoshi Ueno Judge Norihiko Koizumi Judge Judge Hiromichi Hirase (56) References JP-A-62-16197 (JP, A) JP-A 52-4297 (JP, A) Jpn. -97119 (JP, U) Fully open 1987-60068 (JP, U) Fully open 1987-60-30882 (JP, U) Fully open, 53-15828 (JP, U) Really open, 1988-53326 (JP, U) )

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A prepaid card provided with a coloring layer which develops color by heat, light or pressure on at least one surface of a card base having a magnetic recording section, wherein the coloring layer is present before use. At the time of use, display a part of the design or character pattern, and at the time of use,
A prepaid card wherein all of a pattern or a character pattern is displayed on the coloring layer. 2. The prepaid card according to claim 1, wherein said symbol pattern is a bingo game pattern. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the character pattern is "hit" or "losing".
The prepaid card according to claim 1, wherein