JP3489773B2 - Thermal recording card - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat sensitive recording card, and more particularly to a heat sensitive recording card applicable to a field requiring a security function such as an ID card or a prepaid card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently used ID cards, prepaid cards, etc. using a heat-sensitive recording system are generally used.
Various security functions are provided to prevent unauthorized use due to forgery or falsification. As an example of such a security function, for example, by providing an invisible identification code (bar code, etc.) that can be detected only by infrared rays on a part of a thermal recording card, it is possible to determine the authenticity of the card, and to make unauthorized use due to forgery or falsification Is being prevented.

In addition to the invisible identification code that can be detected only by infrared rays, a heat-sensitive recording section made of a reversible heat-sensitive recording material is provided on either side of the card, and the heat-sensitive recording section can be used for photographs and high-grade recording. There is known a configuration in which a figure is recorded in a displayable manner and a security function is realized based on both the displayed information and the information obtained from an invisible identification code.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-309090, a thermosensitive recording layer made of a reversible thermosensitive recording material is provided on the front surface side of a support constituting a card, and the back surface of the support is provided. A bar code with infrared absorption on the side is provided at a position corresponding to the heat-sensitive recording layer on the front side, and when the bar code part that absorbs infrared rays becomes locally high in temperature, this heat is transferred to the heat-sensitive recording layer. A configuration utilizing a phenomenon in which a bar code pattern is transferred and transferred to the thermal recording layer has also been proposed.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the conventional structure as described above. As shown in the figure, the conventional thermal recording card 1
In the case of 01, a bar code 103 having an infrared absorbing property is formed on the back side 101b, and a part of the bar code 103 is constructed so as to correspond to the thermosensitive recording layer 102 on the front surface side.

The bar code 103 is invisible, and therefore its pattern cannot be observed with the naked eye. When the bar code 103 is irradiated with infrared rays, the temperature of the bar code pattern portion rises, and this temperature rise is transmitted to the heat sensitive recording layer 102, whereby the state change occurs only in the portion of the heat sensitive recording layer 102 corresponding to the pattern. Then, the pattern is transferred to the thermal recording layer 102 and displayed in a visible state. When the judgment or verification based on the pattern displayed in the visible state is completed in this way, the thermal recording layer 10 is heated using a thermal head, a hot stamp or the like.
By applying heat to 2, the pattern displayed in the visible state is erased.

[0007]

However, the recording portion on the back surface typified by the above bar code is, for example, several μm.
Since the recording portion on the back surface and the heat-sensitive recording layer 102 have the above-mentioned thickness and overlap in position, the unevenness due to the thickness becomes an obstacle when the heat-sensitive recording layer 102 is heated by a thermal head or a hot stamp. There was a problem that it could not be erased easily.

Further, in the conventional card, the recording portion on the back surface typified by the bar code 103 is formed at a position close to the peripheral edge portion and the card end portion of the card 101. As described above, there is also a drawback that the card edge portion is easily curled due to its thickness. The curled state of the card is shown in the explanatory view of FIG. In the figure, the warp c at the end of the card 101 is a curl. When the curl c occurs in this way, when the card 101 is loaded on the card reader / writer, the mechanism does not become familiar with the mechanism.
There is a possibility that inconvenience may occur in the card transportation.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems and drawbacks of the prior art, and its purpose is to improve reliability in erasing prints and to reduce card deformation such as curl. To provide.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a thermal recording card according to the present invention has a thickness of 75 μm to 250 μm.
One side of support made of μm plastic film
Side is provided with a reversible thermosensitive recording layer, and the reversible thermosensitive recording layer is provided.
A reversible recording display portion is formed in a partial area of the recording layer,
Invisible information recording area structure forming the other of the convex portion than the thickness 1μm of the backside of the support is provided, wherein the invisible information
The information recording area is provided outside the area corresponding to the reversible recording display section through the support , or the invisible area.
At least a part of the information recording area is provided in contact with the area of the back surface corresponding to the reversible recording display section through the support .

According to the heat-sensitive recording card of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the reversible recording display portion and the invisible information recording area are not positionally overlapped with each other. Even when the reversible recording display section is heated by the device, uniform heating is performed, and erasing failure does not occur. That is, the reliability in erasing the print is improved.

Furthermore, it is possible to use a composite function of information recording by the reversible recording display section and information recording by the invisible information recording area, and a security card that is difficult to forge or falsify is realized.

Alternatively, the heat-sensitive recording card according to the present invention is characterized in that at least a part of the invisible information recording area is provided in the central portion of the heat-sensitive recording card.

According to this structure, since the non-visible information recording area is formed in the central portion of the card, the card is less likely to warp, and therefore the conveyance failure caused by curling is improved.
In addition, since the flatness of the card is ensured, a magnetic recording function can be added. Also, if the support for holding the invisible information recording area is adhered to the heat-sensitive recording card entirely or partially with an adhesive layer, the conveyance failure due to curling is similarly improved.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a front surface of a first embodiment of a thermal recording card according to the present invention. 2 is a schematic view showing the back surface of the thermal recording card shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thermosensitive recording card 1 according to the present invention has a reversible recording display portion 2 in a partial area of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer provided on the front surface 1a. Is formed, and further, a non-visible information recording area 3 forming a convex portion is provided on the back surface 1b, and the non-visible information recording area 3 is
It is provided outside the region corresponding to the reversible recording display unit 2.

Here, it is preferable that the invisible information recording area 3 is arranged so that at least a part of the invisible information recording area 3 is located at the center of the thermal recording card 1. The invisible information recording area 3 is formed by a bar code, a high-level graphic including data recording and a photograph by a recording material such as a magneto-optical recording layer or an optical recording layer, and each has a convex portion with a thickness of 1 micron or more. And formed on the thermal recording card 1.

FIG. 3 shows a thermal recording card 11 according to the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the back surface of 2nd Embodiment of. In this embodiment, the invisible information recording area 13 is provided so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the area corresponding to the reversible recording display section 12.

As shown in each of the above-described embodiments, in the present invention, the reversible recording display section 2 provided on the front surface 1a.
Then, the invisible information recording area 3 provided on the back surface 1b is configured so as not to overlap positionally. With this configuration,
The unevenness formed by the convex invisible information recording area 3 does not affect the reversible recording display section 2.

Therefore, when the reversible recording / display unit 2 is heated by a heating device (thermal head or hot stamp) to erase the print, the flatness of the contact portion with the heating device can be ensured and uniform heating can be performed. Therefore, erasing failure does not occur. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of such a function. This improves the reliability in erasing the print.

Further, the reversible recording display section 2 or 12
Information recording and the invisible information recording area 3 or 13
It is possible to use a composite function with information recording by, and realize a security card that is difficult to forge or falsify.

The invisible information recording area 3 or 13
Is provided at the center of the thermal recording card 1 or 11, the card is less likely to warp as compared with the conventional card (see FIG. 7), and thus the conveyance failure caused by curling can be eliminated, The handling function can be improved.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the thermal recording card 31 has an aluminum vapor deposition layer 26 on one surface (upper surface in the drawing) of a support 27 having a thickness of 50 to 350 μm.
The reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21 is adhered to the upper surface of the aluminum vapor deposition layer 26 by the adhesive layer 25. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21 is provided, for example, in the entire area (entire surface). Further, a protective layer 22 is provided on the upper surface of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21, and a printing layer 23 and a printing protective layer 24 are sequentially formed on the upper surface.

On the other hand, an infrared reflection layer 30 is provided on the other surface (lower surface in the figure) of the support 27, and an infrared absorption layer 28 and a hiding layer 29 are formed on the surface of the infrared reflection layer 30. ing. The infrared absorbing layer 28 and the masking layer 29 constitute the convex invisible information recording area.

The infrared reflective layer 30 is formed by printing a bright color paint such as white to a thickness of 1 to 2 μm. The infrared absorption layer 28 is formed by printing black ink having carbon black as a pigment to a thickness of 1 to 2 μm, for example. The concealing layer 29 is formed by printing an infrared-transparent black ink mixed with, for example, three primary color pigments of red, yellow, and blue so as to fill the gap of the infrared absorbing layer 28.

Further, it is preferable to provide a colored layer in addition to the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21 and have the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21 on the colored layer in order to make the reversible visible image easily visible. In this case, the colored layer may be composed of two or more kinds of portions having different reflectances for visible light.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As described above, in the thermosensitive recording card of the present invention, the flatness of the card is ensured, so that the magnetic recording function can be easily added. Therefore, by providing the magnetic recording layer 31 on the lower surface of the support 27 as shown in FIG. 5 or 6, a part of the magnetically recorded information can be displayed on the thermosensitive recording layer. This further enhances the convenience of the reversible thermosensitive recording card.

The magnetic recording layer 31 can be provided in contact with the back surface of the support 27 on the opposite side from the reversible thermosensitive recording layer. As the magnetic recording layer 31, iron oxide, parium ferrite, or the like and resin can be used.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the infrared reflection layer 30, the infrared absorption layer 28 and the masking layer 29 may be formed on the upper surface of the print protection layer 24. Note that a configuration in which the magnetic recording layer 31 is omitted in FIG. 16 is also possible. As shown in FIG. 12, by providing the non-visible information recording area on the thermal recording card using the adhesive layer 32, it is possible to easily provide a function to any portion other than the center,
The adhesive layer 32 absorbs the distortion in the invisible information recording area. The adhesive layer is a commonly used adhesive layer.

Further, in the heat-sensitive recording card of the present invention, a part of the information recorded in the invisible information recording area can be displayed on the reversible heat-sensitive recording layer.

As described above, in the heat-sensitive recording card of the present invention, in addition to the reversible heat-sensitive recording layer as a recording portion, a magnetic storage layer, an IC chip and / or a rewritable bar code, and light reflection on the support. Those provided with a layer and / or those provided with a protective layer on the recording layer are included. With this configuration, reliability in printing and erasing is improved, and since the composite function can be effectively used, a security card that is difficult to forge or falsify can be realized. Further, it is possible to improve the conveyance failure caused by the curl of the card.

The materials used in the thermal recording card of the present invention will be described below. As the reversible thermosensitive recording material used in the thermosensitive recording card of the present invention, two kinds of materials having the temperature-transparency characteristic shown in FIG. 10 or 11 can be applied.

FIG. 10 is a state change diagram of the first type thermal recording material. The recording layer containing a resin base material and an organic low molecular weight substance dispersed in the resin base material as a main component becomes, for example, as shown in FIG. is there. When it is heated to a temperature between T1 and T2, it becomes transparent, and in this state, it remains transparent even when it is returned to room temperature below T0. It is considered that this is because the organic low-molecular-weight substance goes through a semi-molten state between the temperatures T1 and T2 and reaches the temperature T0 or lower, and the crystal grows from polycrystal to single crystal. Further heating to a temperature of T2 or higher results in a semi-transparent state (C) intermediate between maximum transparency and maximum opacity.
Next, when this temperature is lowered, the first cloudy opaque state (A) is restored without taking the transparent state again.

It is considered that this is because the organic low molecular weight substance is melted and cooled at a temperature of T2 or higher to precipitate polycrystals. In addition, this opaque state is T0
After being heated to a temperature between T1 and cooled to room temperature, that is, a temperature of T0 or lower, a state between transparent and opaque can be obtained. Also, the transparent material that has become transparent at room temperature returns to the cloudy and opaque state again when heated to a temperature of T2 or higher and returned to room temperature. That is, both opaque and transparent forms at room temperature and intermediate states thereof can be obtained.

Therefore, the surface of such a reversible thermosensitive recording layer can be selectively heated by, for example, a thermal head to form a cloudy image on a transparent background or a transparent image on a cloudy background. Further, such image formation and deletion can be repeated many times.

The reversible recording layer can also form an image by pressure. The image forming principle in this case is as follows. First, it is assumed that the recording layer is in a cloudy and opaque state, for example. When such a cloudy recording layer is pressed, it becomes transparent, and when it is further heated, it becomes semitransparent between the maximum transparency and the maximum opacity. Next, when the temperature is lowered, the initial cloudiness and opacity is restored. When pressure is applied to this product again, it becomes transparent. Therefore, for example, after heating the entire reversible recording material having such a recording layer, it is cooled to room temperature to become cloudy and opaque, and a transparent image is formed, for example, by applying image-wise pressure with a dot impact print head. Also in this case, image formation and erasing can be repeated many times.

As this type, in addition to the above-mentioned one which becomes transparent when heated to a low first temperature and then cooled, becomes cloudy when heated and cooled to a higher second temperature,
There are those that develop black, red, blue and the like at a lower first specific temperature and erase at a higher second specific temperature.

FIG. 11 is a state change diagram of the second type thermal recording material. In the recording material of the type shown in FIG. 10, contrary to the heat-sensitive recording material of FIG. 10, a recording material in a transparent (colorless) state (D) or a cloudy (coloring) state (A) is used, for example, the melting point temperature of the matrix forming material. When it is heated to a transparent (colorless) state, it is fixed to a transparent (colorless) state when cooled to room temperature.

A recording material in a transparent (colorless) state (D) or a cloudy (coloring) state (A) is, for example, 57 degrees Celsius to 6 degrees Celsius.
When it is heated to a temperature of 8 degrees, it becomes cloudy (coloring), and when it is cooled to room temperature, it is fixed as cloudy (coloring). Materials of this type include those that become transparent when heated to a higher first temperature and then cooled, and opaque when heated and cooled to a lower second temperature, and higher first
There are those which decolorize when heated to a temperature of 2 and cooled, and develop black, red, blue and the like when heated to a lower second temperature and cooled.

As the support 27, a plastic film such as PET, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetate, or a pigment (especially white) dispersed therein is usually used. As the transparent support, a plastic film made of the same material as the support is used, but has a light transmittance of 50.
% Or more, more preferably 70% or more, and particularly preferably 80% or more. The thickness of the transparent support is 50 μm to 35 μm.
The thickness is preferably about 0 μm, more preferably 75 μm to 250 μm.

As a material for the protective layer 22 (thickness: 0.1 to 5 μm) laminated on the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 21, a silicone rubber, a silicone resin, a polysiloxane graft polymer, an ultraviolet curing resin or an electron beam curing is used. Resin etc. are mentioned. In any case, a solvent is used at the time of coating, but it is desirable that the solvent is difficult to dissolve the resin of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer and the organic low molecular weight substance. Examples of the solvent that hardly dissolves the resin and the organic low molecular weight substance in the heat-sensitive recording layer include n-hexane, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol. In particular, alcohol solvents are preferable from the viewpoint of cost.

Further, an intermediate layer may be provided between the protective layer and the reversible thermosensitive recording layer in order to protect the reversible thermosensitive recording layer from the solvent and the monomer component of the protective layer forming liquid. As the material for the intermediate layer, the following thermosetting resins and thermoplastic resins can be used in addition to those listed as the resin base material in the reversible thermosensitive recording layer. That is, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, saturated polyester, unsaturated polyester, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polycarbonate, polyamide and the like can be mentioned. The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably about 0.1 to 2 μm.

[0043]

As described above, the heat-sensitive recording card according to claim 1 of the present invention is configured such that the reversible recording display portion and the invisible information recording area do not positionally overlap with each other, and therefore, the convex shape The unevenness formed by the non-visible information recording area does not affect the reversible recording display section, and uniform heating is performed when the reversible recording display section is heated by the heating device, resulting in defective erasing. The effect is not to. That is, the configuration of the present invention improves the reliability in erasing print.

Furthermore, a composite function of information recording by the reversible recording display unit and information recording by the invisible information recording area can be used, and a security card that is difficult to forge or falsify can be realized.

Alternatively, in the heat-sensitive recording card according to claim 2 of the present invention, since at least a part of the invisible information recording area is provided in the central portion of the heat-sensitive recording card, the card is hard to warp. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the conveyance failure caused by curling and improve the card handling function. Further, since the flatness of the card is ensured, there is an effect that the magnetic recording function can be easily added.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a front surface of a first embodiment of a thermosensitive recording card according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the back surface of the thermal recording card shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a back surface of a second embodiment of the thermosensitive recording card according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of functions of the thermosensitive recording card according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of curl.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a back surface of a conventional thermal recording card.

FIG. 10 is a state change diagram of the thermal recording layer.

FIG. 11 is a state change diagram of another heat-sensitive recording layer.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a thermal recording card according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Thermal recording card 1a front side 1b Back side 2 Reversible recording display 3 Invisible information recording area 21 Reversible thermosensitive recording layer 22 Protective layer 23 Print layer 24 Print protection layer 25 Adhesive layer 26 Aluminum vapor deposition layer 27 Support 28 Infrared absorbing layer 29 Concealment layer 30 infrared reflective layer 31 Magnetic layer 32 Adhesive layer

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-7-200760 (JP, A) JP-A-7-309090 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B42D 1/00-15/10 B41M 5/36

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plastic plate having a thickness of 75 μm to 250 μm.
Reversible thermosensitive recording on one side of the support made of black film
A recording layer is provided and a partial area of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer
A reversible recording display portion is formed on the back side of the other side of the support.
A non-visible information recording area having a structure in which a convex portion having a thickness of 1 μm or more is formed is provided on the surface side, and the non -visible information recording area is a supporting area.
The reversible recording display is provided outside the region corresponding to the reversible recording display unit via the holder , or at least a part of the non-visible information recording region is supported via the support. A thermal recording card, characterized in that it is provided in contact with the area of the back surface corresponding to the section. Wherein said invisible information recording area, the thermosensitive recording card according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part regions are provided located at the central portion of the heat-sensitive recording card. Wherein the invisible information recording area thermosensitive recording card according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has an adhesive layer between the support and the visible information recording area.