JP3358231B2 - Information carrier and information reproducing apparatus handling the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information carrier capable of reproducing information by an information reproducing apparatus using infrared rays and an information reproducing apparatus for handling the information carrier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an information carrier capable of reproducing information by an information reproducing apparatus using infrared rays, for example, an infrared absorbing substrate such as carbon black or a part of leuco dye is coated on a substrate having infrared reflectivity. There is a type in which a pattern is provided with an infrared absorbing ink to which a substance is applied. Note that a so-called bar code pattern, which is formed of a plurality of fine lines, is often used as the pattern.

[0003] Such an information carrier can reproduce information with an information reproducing apparatus using infrared rays. That is, when an infrared ray is applied to a portion of the base on which the pattern is provided, the infrared ray is absorbed. When an infrared ray is applied to a portion of the base where the pattern is not provided, the infrared ray is reflected. Therefore, information can be reproduced by detecting the amount of reflected infrared light and performing a predetermined process such as binarization.

Meanwhile, since the infrared absorbing material such as carbon black and leuco dye applied to the infrared absorbing ink has a light absorbing property even in a visible light region, the above (barcode) pattern is mechanically processed by an information reproducing apparatus. The pattern was read and visually recognizable.

[0005] For this reason, when the information carrier is an object requiring security, such as securities or ID cards, there is a drawback that the above-mentioned pattern is visually observed and thus easily becomes a target of forgery or falsification.

It is to be noted that a black infrared ray transmissivity obtained by mixing a process ink having a property of transmitting infrared rays and having an absorption in the visible light region is produced, and is concealed by printing over the above pattern. A method of creating a part and concealing a pattern has also been considered (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-134782).

However, when such a method is adopted, the black concealed portion is exposed on the surface, so that the design is apt to be restricted, and the application is limited due to this. In addition, the presence of the concealing portion makes it easy to imagine the existence of a barcode pattern, and as in the case where the pattern is visually observed, there is a disadvantage that it becomes a target of forgery or falsification.

Accordingly, the present applicant has ^proposed that Fe ²⁺ and / or C
An infrared-absorbing ink (Japanese Patent Application No. 4-258256) has been proposed which comprises a phosphate-based white crystalline powder material containing u2 ⁺ and phosphorus pentoxide as a main component. Since the infrared absorbing ink has a white color or a light color, it is almost difficult to visually observe the ink without providing the concealing portion.

[0009] However, the above-mentioned proposal makes it difficult to visually observe the pattern, but since the pattern is clearly visible when viewed with an infrared camera or the like, which has recently become easy to obtain, the security for the infrared camera or the like is apparent. Sex must also be considered.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is needless to say that it is difficult to visually observe a pattern in which information is recorded. An object of the present invention is to provide an information carrier in which it is difficult to find a pattern and an information reproducing apparatus that handles the information carrier.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems According to the invention according to claim 1, at least a surface of the substrate has infrared reflectivity.
A pattern consisting of an infrared absorbing ink containing an infrared absorbing material that absorbs less in the visible light region, and a resin and an organic low molecular weight material dispersed in the resin as main components, and the transmission and reflection of the infrared light depending on the temperature Is an information carrier characterized in that a reversible layer that changes reversibly is sequentially laminated.

A second aspect of the present invention is based on the premise of the first aspect, wherein the infrared absorbing material contains Fe ²⁺ and / or Cu ²⁺ and contains phosphate as a main component. An information carrier comprising a white crystalline powder material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, based on the premise of the first aspect, an information carrier is characterized in that a printing layer is provided on the reversible layer with an infrared transmitting ink.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a pattern formed of an infrared absorbing ink containing an infrared absorbing substance having a low absorption in a visible light region; An information reproducing apparatus for handling an information carrier, characterized by sequentially stacking reversible layers whose main components are a dispersed organic low-molecular substance and whose infrared transmission and reflection reversibly change depending on the temperature. Means for heating the reversible layer to an infrared transmitting state, means for irradiating an infrared ray to the information carrier in which the reversible layer is in the infrared transmitting state, and detecting the amount of reflected light from the information carrier; Means for reproducing the information recorded on the information carrier from the above, display means for displaying the information, and means for heating the reversible layer to an infrared reflection state, That is the information reproducing apparatus.

The invention according to claim 5 is based on the premise of the invention according to claim 4, and further detects infrared light on the information carrier whose reversible layer is in an infrared reflection state and detects the amount of light reflected from the information carrier. And an information reproducing apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged view of the information carrier (1) of the present invention,
A pattern (3) made of an infrared absorbing ink containing an infrared absorbing material having little absorption in a visible light region on a substrate (2), and a resin and an organic low-molecular substance dispersed in the resin as main components, and the temperature is controlled. Thus, a reversible layer (4) whose transmission and reflection of infrared rays reversibly changes is formed.
Each layer can be formed via an adhesive as needed.

The substrate (2) can be used alone or in combination with plastics such as polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, and polystyrene, paper, synthetic paper, and the like.
The substrate (2) has physical properties required according to the use of the information carrier such as a card or a sheet, for example, strength, rigidity, concealment,
It is possible to select from the above materials in consideration of light opacity and the like. If sufficient infrared reflectivity (60% or more in the near-infrared region, for example, at a wavelength of 780 nm) cannot be obtained with the substrate alone, an infrared-reflective layer coated with an infrared-reflective substance such as titanium dioxide is formed on the surface. You may.

The pattern (3) composed of an infrared-absorbing ink containing an infrared-absorbing substance having low absorption at least in the visible light region has a visible light region (wavelength 380 nm to 70 nm).
0 nm) and an absorption of 60% or more in the near-infrared region (wavelength 780 nm), that is, a layer provided by partially applying an infrared-absorbing ink exhibiting white or pale color. is there. The reason that the infrared absorbing ink needs to have low absorption in the visible light region is that the concealability of the reversible layer described later is not so large, and the pattern may be visually observed with the infrared absorbing ink having a large absorption in the visible light region. It is.

It should be noted that such an infrared absorbing ink is used for
As an infrared absorbing substance to be used, Fe ²⁺And / or Cu²⁺
Phosphate white containing phosphorus and pentaoxide as a main component
Color crystal powder material, infrared absorption glass or heat ray absorption
Phosphate glass and sulfur
Glass-based powder materials such as acid glass can be exemplified.

That is, the invention according to claim 2 corresponds to claim 1
Assuming that the information carrier according to
It is characterized by being composed of a phosphate-based white crystal powder material containing e ²⁺ and / or Cu ²⁺ and containing phosphorus pentoxide as a main component.

In the invention according to the second aspect, the phosphate-based white crystal powder constituting the infrared absorbing substance contains at least 20% by weight of Fe ²⁺ and / or Cu ²⁺ and contains phosphorus pentoxide (P ₂
O ₅ ) as a main component, preferably 40-70% by weight of the above phosphorus pentoxide, Fe ²⁺ and / or C
Crystal powders containing 30 to 70% of each u ²⁺ are desirable.
This phosphate-based white crystal powder is obtained by melting and crystallizing a phosphate-based composition having the above composition to obtain a phosphate-based white crystal and powdering the same. is there. The phosphate-based white crystal powder may contain the following compounds as required.

Al ₂ O ₃ 2.0 to 10.0% by weight B ₂ O ₃ 1.0 to 30.0% by weight MgO 3.0 to 10.0% by weight ZnO 0 to 3.0% by weight K ₂ O 0 to 15.0% by weight BaO 0 to 10.0% by weight SrO 0 to 1.0% by weight Ni, Co, Se trace amount

When such a material is applied, it has an advantage that the film thickness of the pattern can be set thin because of its excellent infrared absorbing ability.

Although the infrared absorbing ability is slightly inferior to that of the phosphate-based white crystal powder, an infrared-absorbing substance of a glass-based powder material can also be used.

More specifically, this glass-based powder material is a powder material containing phosphorus pentoxide (P ₂ O ₅ ) as a main component and containing iron oxide and / or copper oxide in an amount of 1.0% by weight or more. Preferably, phosphorus pentoxide is 35.0% by weight.
It is a glass-based powder material containing 80.0%, iron oxide and copper oxide each in an amount of 0 to 3.0%.

Incidentally, the following compounds may be contained in the glass-based powder material as required. That is,

Al ₂ O ₃ 2.0 to 10.0% by weight B ₂ O ₃ 1.0 to 30.0% by weight MgO 3.0 to 10.0% by weight ZnO 0 to 3.0% by weight K ₂ O 0 to 15.0% by weight BaO 0 to 10.0% by weight SrO 0 to 1.0% by weight Ni, Co, Se trace amount

And the above-mentioned infrared absorbing substance, and
A resin binder such as a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, a saturated polyester, or a polyurethane elastomer is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent to obtain an infrared absorbing ink, and using this ink, a well-known printing means such as letterpress, intaglio, lithographic, or stencil. By printing a pattern such as a bar code, a two-dimensional code, a character, and a number on the substrate, the film thickness is 1 to 10 μm.
The above pattern set to about m is formed.

In this case, as the solvent, for example, a glycol derivative such as toluene, methyl isobutyl ketone, xylene, cyclohexanol, isobutyl acetate, cyclohexanone, methyl cyclohexanone, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, or a mixed solvent thereof is used. it can. The infrared absorbing substance is desirably contained in the infrared absorbing ink composition excluding the solvent in an amount of 80% by weight or less. If the content exceeds 80% by weight, the pattern becomes a mat-like shape, and infrared rays are reflected on the surface of the pattern. At the same time, the cohesive force is limited and the adhesiveness is reduced. Further, it is desirable that the resin binder is contained in an amount of 20% by weight or more in the infrared absorbing ink composition excluding the solvent. The infrared absorbing ink may contain an antifoaming agent, a lubricant and the like in addition to the above materials.

The above-mentioned pattern has an absorption in the infrared region, but has little absorption in the visible light region, so that it is difficult to visually observe the pattern. However, the presence of the pattern can be clearly seen by an infrared camera or the like. Therefore, in order to provide security to an infrared camera or the like, the transmission and reflection of infrared rays depend on temperature based on a resin and an organic low-molecular substance dispersed in the resin as a main component on the pattern. A reversible layer that changes reversibly is provided.

A resin and an organic low-molecular substance dispersed in the resin are used as main components to transmit infrared rays depending on temperature,
The reversible layer (4) whose reflection changes reversibly is disclosed in
JP-154198 discloses a recording material comprising a low-molecular-weight organic resin and a transparent resin having similar refractive indices, incompatibility, excellent mechanical strength, and excellent film forming ability. is there. The recording material is heated to a temperature T _1, it becomes transparent state by cooling, heating to high temperature T ₂ than the temperature T _1, the opaque state upon cooling. The cloudiness / transparency was considered to be a reversible reaction only in the visible light region, but the present inventors have found that the transmission / reflection in the near infrared region is also a reversible reaction.

Specific examples of the thermoplastic resin include: vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic acid copolymer, vinyl chloride-acrylate. Vinyl chloride copolymers such as copolymers; polyvinylidene chloride resins; vinylidene chloride copolymers such as vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymers, vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymers; polyamide resins; silicone resins; There are methacrylate resins and copolymers thereof, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The organic low-molecular substance dispersed in the resin material contains at least one atom among oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and halogen, has 10 to 40 carbon atoms, and has a molecular weight of 100 to 700. Yes, and the melting point is 50-
Organic compounds in the range of 150 ° C. are mentioned, and specific examples thereof include higher alcohols such as alkanols, alkanediols, halogen alkanols, and halogen alkanediols; higher aliphatic amines; alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and halogen-substituted products thereof. Cyclic compounds such as cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes and cycloalkynes, saturated carboxylic acids, unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids or esters, amides and ammonium salts thereof; saturated or unsaturated halogen aliphatics or esters thereof; Amides, ammonium salts; acrylic carboxylic acids or their esters, amides, ammonium salts; halogen allyl carboxylic acids or their esters, amides, ammonium salts; thioalcohols or their carboxylic acid esters;
There are thiocarboxylic acids or their esters, amides, ammonium salts and the like, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

An organic solution such as methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, chloroform, ethanol, benzene, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, carbon tetrachloride or the like in which the resin material and the organic low-molecular substance are dissolved, or a solution in which the above resin material is dissolved A dispersion liquid in which organic low-molecular-weight substances are dispersed in the form of fine particles is coated on a pattern made of an infrared-absorbing ink containing an infrared-absorbing substance having a low absorption in the visible light region described above, and dried, depending on the temperature. To provide a reversible layer whose transmission and reflection of infrared rays change reversibly.

In the reversible layer, a dye, an ultraviolet absorber or an infrared absorber may be added to the reversible layer for the purpose of improving its optical properties, or for the purpose of improving the coatability and surface lubricity. A lubricant such as a plasticizer or a surfactant or a flow aid may be added. Further, a protective layer made of a heat-resistant resin or a heat-resistant film may be formed on the layer for the purpose of further improving the resistance to the reversible reaction of transmission and reflection.

In the case where a reversible layer is provided on the above-mentioned pattern so as to be in a reflection state, the pattern cannot be detected even by using an infrared camera, so that falsification or falsification of the information can be surely prevented.

Further, when printing (5) is performed on the reversible layer with an infrared-permeable ink, visible information can be loaded without affecting information reproduction by the information reproducing apparatus.

Next, an information reproducing apparatus for handling the information carrier will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an example of the information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

The information reproducing apparatus moves the information carrier 1 to the left (FIG.
An information carrier transport means (not shown) for transporting from the middle A) to the right (B in FIG. 2); As means for detecting the amount of light reflected from the body (the invention according to claim 5), a first light-receiving element b for irradiating infrared rays to the information carrier and a light receiving element b for detecting infrared rays reflected from the information carrier is used. As a means for heating the reversible layer to an infrared transmitting state by heating the reversible layer, a first heat roller 7 capable of heating the reversible layer of the information carrier to a temperature T _1, and a reversible layer in the infrared transmitting state A laser light source for irradiating infrared rays to the information carrier and a light receiving element for detecting infrared rays reflected from the information carrier as means for irradiating infrared rays to the information carrier and detecting the amount of reflected light from the information carrier. A second infrared irradiating / detecting unit 8 composed of a photodetector, a binarizing device for digitally converting a current value from a light receiving element as means for reproducing information recorded on the information carrier from a reflected light amount, as display means for displaying information from the apparatus, and the CRT unit, as a means for an infrared reflective state by heating the reversible layer, the second heat roller 9 capable of heating the reversible layer to a temperature T ₂ of the information carrier Have.
The first infrared irradiation / detection unit 6 and the second infrared irradiation / detection unit 6
The detecting unit 8, the first heat roller 7, and the second heat roller 9 may be the same (also used).

Next, reproduction of information in the information reproducing apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the information carrier is moved to the lower portion of the first infrared irradiation / detection unit of the information reproducing apparatus, and infrared light having a wavelength of 780 nm is incident on the information carrier to detect the amount of reflected light. Described invention / S1). Next, the information carrier is moved while being pressed against the first heat roller 7, and the reversible layer is heated to be in an infrared transmitting state (S2). An infrared ray is incident on the body, and the amount of reflected light is detected (S3). The reflected light amount (voltage value) was binarized, and the recorded information was reproduced and displayed on a CRT device (S4). Finally, the information carrier is moved to the second heat roller 7.
After the reversible layer was heated and brought into an infrared reflection state (S5), the information carrier was carried out of the information reproducing apparatus.

If a predetermined amount of reflected light is not obtained as a result of the infrared ray being incident in S1, it is regarded that the information carrier has been forged or falsified, and the information carrier is not subjected to any subsequent processing and the information carrier is replaced with the information reproducing apparatus. Take it out.

[0043]

According to the information carrier according to the present invention, a pattern composed of an infrared absorbing ink containing an infrared absorbing material having low absorption in the visible light region on a substrate having at least a surface having infrared reflectivity can be visually recognized. I won't let you. Further, a reversible layer whose main component is a resin provided thereon and an organic low-molecular substance dispersed in the resin, and whose infrared transmission and reflection reversibly changes depending on the temperature, is usually used. Information cannot be read by infrared cameras.

An information reproducing apparatus which handles the information reproduces information after heating the reversible layer of the information carrier to allow transmission of infrared rays, and further heats the reversible layer of the information carrier to reflect infrared rays. After being made possible, it can be removed.

[0045]

【Example】

<Example 1> First, an infrared-absorbing ink containing an infrared-absorbing substance having low absorption in the visible light region is manufactured.

The cupric phosphate-based composition having the following composition was melted and crystallized to obtain a cupric phosphate-based white crystalline compound.

[Copper-Containing Phosphate-Based Composition] P ₂ O ₅ 50.0 parts by weight CuO 49.5 parts by weight ZnO 0.5 parts by weight

It should be noted that a copper bulb (CuK
When X-ray diffraction was performed using α), the diffraction angle (2θ)
= 28.14, 30.07, 30.34, 44.01, and it was confirmed that crystallization had occurred.

Next, the cupric phosphate-based white crystals were pulverized into powder and used as an infrared absorbing pigment to prepare an ink having the following composition.

[Composition of Infrared Absorbing Ink] 30 parts by weight of pigment (a cupric phosphate-based white crystalline compound containing cupric acid) 10 parts by weight of vinyl acetate chloride resin (trade name: Elex A, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) Saturated polyester (Toyo) Spinning Co., Ltd. brand name Byron 103) 5 parts by weight Polyurethane elastomer 12 parts by weight (Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. brand name N-2304) Isocyanate curing agent 3 parts by weight Triethylenediamine 0.5 part by weight Solvent (toluene / methyl isobutyl ketone) 60 parts by weight

The infrared absorbing ink has an absorptance of 1 in the visible light region (wavelength 380 nm to 700 nm).
0% or less, but 80% at near infrared of 780 nm.
% Absorption.

Next, a bar code pattern was printed using the above ink on a card-like substrate having infrared reflectivity made of polyethylene.

[Composition for Reversible Layer Formation] Behenic acid (7 parts by weight) Eicosane diacid (1 part by weight) 1,4-ciscyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (0.7 parts by weight) 1,4-transcyclohexanedicarboxylic acid ( 0.3 parts by weight) 100 parts by weight in total in parentheses: 300 parts by weight of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer (product name: SREC A, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) 30 parts by weight of isocyanate (manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation) Curing agent Duranate 24A-100) Triethylenediamine (curing accelerator) 3 parts by weight Toluene 300 parts by weight Tetrahydrofuran 1200 parts by weight

The composition for forming a reversible layer was printed over the entire surface of a substrate on which a barcode pattern had been printed to obtain an information carrier.

In the information carrier according to Example 1, it was difficult to visually confirm the presence of the barcode pattern, and it was difficult to recognize the barcode pattern even by using an infrared camera. In addition, information can be reproduced using the information reproducing apparatus.

<Example 2> A portion of the information carrier obtained in Example 1 was printed using an infrared-transparent yellow process ink (trade name: FDOL, manufactured by Toyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd.).
A printing layer was provided.

In the information carrier according to Example 2, it was difficult to visually confirm the presence of the barcode pattern, and it was also difficult to confirm the barcode pattern using an infrared camera. In addition, information can be reproduced using the information reproducing apparatus.

[0058]

As described above, according to the information carrier according to the present invention, it is needless to say that it is difficult to visually observe the pattern on which the information is recorded. Have difficulty. In the information reproducing apparatus, a pattern can be made to appear in the apparatus to reproduce information.

Therefore, it is possible to provide security to an infrared camera or the like in a normal state.

[0060]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an information carrier according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 information carrier 2 substrate 3 pattern 4 reversible layer 5 printing layer 6 first infrared irradiation / detection unit 7 first heat roller 8 second infrared irradiation / detection unit 9 second heat roller 10 information reproducing device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-297192 (JP, A) JP-A-4-189196 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41M 3/14 B42D 15/10

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pattern comprising an infrared-absorbing ink containing an infrared-absorbing substance having low absorption in a visible light region on a substrate having at least a surface having an infrared-reflecting property, a resin and an organic low-molecular compound dispersed in the resin. An information carrier characterized by comprising a reversible layer having a substance as a main component and sequentially reversibly changing its transmission and reflection of infrared rays depending on temperature. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said infrared absorbing material is Fe ²⁺ and / or C 2.
2. The information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier is made of a phosphate-based white crystal powder material containing u2 ⁺ and containing phosphorus pentoxide as a main component. 3. The information carrier according to claim 1, wherein a printing layer is provided on the reversible layer with an infrared-permeable ink. 4. A pattern comprising an infrared-absorbing ink containing an infrared-absorbing substance having a low absorption in a visible light region on a substrate having at least a surface having an infrared-reflecting property, a resin and an organic low-molecular compound dispersed in the resin. An information reproducing apparatus for handling an information carrier, wherein a reversible layer is formed by sequentially laminating a reversible layer whose main component is a substance and whose transmission and reflection of infrared rays reversibly changes depending on temperature. Means for heating the substrate to an infrared transmitting state, means for irradiating infrared rays to the information carrier in which the reversible layer is in the infrared transmitting state, and detecting the amount of light reflected from the information carrier, and recording on the information carrier from the amount of reflected light. An information reproducing apparatus, comprising: means for reproducing the information thus obtained; display means for displaying the information; and means for heating the reversible layer to bring it into an infrared reflection state. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for irradiating infrared rays to the information carrier in which the reversible layer is in an infrared reflection state and detecting the amount of light reflected from said information carrier. Information playback device.