JPH0811330A - Data recording method and apparatus and data recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the preciseness of an image at an irradiation point by forming a color layer thermally destructible by laser beam and a surface layer not absorbing laser beam on the thermal recording layer of a data recording medium and constituting the laser beam of a plurality of beams and scanning the beams by the direction components of the orthogonal axis of orthogonal coordinates. CONSTITUTION:Laser irradiators 4-6 are integrated with a collimator unit emitting high output laser to arrange the same to parallel beam. The irradiation target of the laser irradiators 4-6 is set so that a sight is adjusted to the color layer of a plastic card P wherein the thermal recording layer is composed of a color layer thermally destructible by laser beam and a surface layer not absorbing laser beam is formed on the thermal recording layer so as to become one spot. By matching three fine laser beams with the same sight, the length of a beam path direction of a beam waist can be extended and a diameter can be finely taken. By this constitution, by the up, down, left and right scanning of laser beam, the thermal recording layer is positioned within a beam waist range even when the incident beam on the plastic card P becomes an acute angle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information recording method, an information recording apparatus and an information recording medium for recording an image by a non-contact method, and particularly, to create an information recording medium capable of additional recording with high security. The present invention relates to an information recording method, an information recording device, and an information recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an information recording medium, an identification card such as a plastic ID card, a driver's license, or a foreign national registration card, passport, departure card, student ID, employee ID, savings passbook, credit card , Prepaid cards, certification cards, etc. are known.

As a method of recording on such an information recording medium, the thermal head is brought into contact with the surface of a plastic card or the like via a transfer ribbon or directly, and the information recording medium such as a plastic card is controlled by controlling the heating of the thermal head. Images are recorded including characters on the surface.

[0004]

However, when an image is recorded by such a thermal head, it is very difficult to add confidentiality to the additional items, and therefore it is described in such a certificate or certification card. Change matters,
When it is necessary to add additional information such as postponing the expiration date, the additional information is currently added by reissuing it or by endorsing it with a seal or the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to perform precise image recording on the surface of an information recording medium, and at the same time, it is impossible to falsify information even though the information can be additionally recorded. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information recording method, an information recording device, and an information recording medium that have high confidentiality.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an information recording method according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an information recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer sensitive to laser light formed on a support. A method of recording information by irradiating a laser beam with image data determined on the basis of assumed orthogonal coordinates on the information recording medium, wherein the thermal recording layer of the information recording medium can be thermally destroyed by the laser beam. A colored layer is formed, and a surface layer that does not absorb the laser light is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer, and the laser light is generated by a plurality of beams having a common irradiation target determined based on the image data. The plurality of beams are configured to be scanned by a directional component of an orthogonal axis of the Cartesian coordinates.

An information recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is based on orthogonal coordinates assumed on the information recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer which is sensitive to laser light formed on a support. Is an information recording device for irradiating a laser beam with image data represented by the following, irradiation control is performed based on the image data, and a plurality of beams are directed toward a common irradiation target set on the information recording medium. It has a laser irradiating means for irradiating, and a horizontal scanning mirror and a vertical scanning mirror for scanning the irradiation targets of the plurality of beams in the component direction of the orthogonal coordinates based on the image data.

An information recording medium according to a third aspect of the present invention is an information recording medium for information recording in which a heat sensitive recording layer which is sensitive to laser light is formed on a support, and the heat sensitive recording layer of the information recording medium is It is characterized in that it has a colored layer that is visibly colored when it is thermally destroyed by the laser light, and has a surface layer that does not absorb the laser light on the thermosensitive recording layer.

An information recording medium according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the information recording medium according to the third aspect, wherein the heat-sensitive recording layer absorbs a laser beam by a heat-sensitive agent that is thermally destroyed by the laser beam. It is characterized by comprising one or more layers impregnated with.

An information recording medium according to claim 5 of the present invention is the information recording medium according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the surface layer is an optical filter which transmits the wavelength region of the laser light. And

An information recording medium according to claim 6 of the present invention is the information recording medium according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein at least the outermost surface layer portion of the surface layer is higher than the thermal breakdown temperature of the thermosensitive recording layer. It is a heat-sensitive layer that is thermally destroyed at a low temperature.

An information recording medium according to claim 7 of the present invention is the information recording medium according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that a separation layer is provided between the support and the heat-sensitive recording layer. To do.

The information recording medium according to claim 8 of the present invention is the information recording medium according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the main component of the heat-sensitive recording layer is a leuco dye, a metal centering on tin, or a resin. It is characterized by containing at least one of a metal mainly composed of a mixture of a polymer and an organic polymer, a leuco dye system combining a developer and a color-reducing agent, and a liquid crystal.

[0014]

According to the information recording method of the first aspect of the present invention, since the colored layer which can be thermally destroyed by the laser beam is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer of the information recording medium, the colored layer can be irradiated by the laser beam. Is thermally destroyed and becomes visible.

Next, since the surface layer which does not absorb the laser beam is formed on the heat-sensitive recording layer, the attenuation amount of the power of the laser beam passing through the coloring layer is small. Further, since the laser light is composed of a plurality of beams that are irradiated toward a common irradiation target, each beam can be thinned and the precision of the image (including characters) at the irradiation point can be improved. Further, even if each beam is thin, each beam is applied to a common irradiation target, so that sufficient heat can be secured at the irradiation target and the image recording speed can be increased. When the beam is scanned along the orthogonal axis, for example, in the horizontal direction, the moving speed of the irradiation position on the object changes according to the scanning angle of the beam with respect to the beam having the shortest distance to the object. The light irradiation target is determined based on the image data, the image data is represented by the Cartesian coordinates set on the information recording medium, and the plurality of beams are vector-scanned by the directional component of the Cartesian coordinates. The amount of change in the scanning angle per unit time is reduced, and it is easy to correct the change in the moving speed of the irradiation position corresponding to the scanning angle.

Further, since the vector scanning is performed, it is possible to effectively irradiate only the recorded image without being limited to the finite resolution as in the raster scanning, and it is possible to perform high-speed drawing with high print quality and high resolution.

Further, in the information recording apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the irradiation target is determined by the image data represented by the orthogonal coordinates set on the information recording medium, and a plurality of common irradiation targets are set toward the irradiation target. The beams are irradiated, and the irradiation targets of the plurality of beams are scanned by the horizontal scanning mirror and the vertical scanning mirror so as to be along the component direction of the orthogonal coordinates. Therefore, the same operation as the image recording method of claim 1 can be obtained. To be

According to the information recording medium of claim 3 of the present invention, since the colored layer which can be thermally destroyed by the laser beam is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer of the information recording medium, the colored layer can be irradiated with the laser beam. Is thermally destroyed and becomes visible. Further, since the surface layer that does not absorb the laser light is formed on the thermal recording layer, the attenuation amount of the power of the laser light passing through the coloring layer is small.

According to the information recording medium of claim 4 of the present invention, the heat-sensitive recording layer comprises one or more layers in which the heat-sensitive agent which is thermally destroyed by the laser beam is impregnated with the photothermal conversion agent which absorbs the laser beam. ， The absorption capacity of laser light becomes high, and the beam can be made thin.

According to the information recording medium of claim 5 of the present invention, if the surface layer is an optical filter that transmits the wavelength region of the laser beam, the laser beam outside the specific wavelength region can be shielded. Remarkably improve the information tampering prevention effect.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when at least the outermost surface layer of the surface layer is a heat sensitive layer which is thermally destroyed at a temperature lower than the thermal destruction temperature of the heat sensitive recording layer, for example, a thermal head or Even if it is tampered with by a contact heating recording means such as a thermal needle, the surface layer protecting the heat-sensitive layer is thermally destroyed, so that the anti-counterfeiting effect is high.

According to the information recording medium of claim 7 of the present invention, when a separation layer is provided between the support and the thermosensitive recording layer, the thermosensitive recording layer separates when the surface layer is peeled off and tampering is attempted. It cannot be tampered with.

According to the information recording medium of claim 8 of the present invention, the main component of the heat-sensitive recording layer is a leuco dye, a metal centered on tin, a metal centered on a mixture of a resin and an organic polymer, Since the main component is at least one of a leuco dye system and a liquid crystal in which a color developer and a color-reducing agent are combined, it is sufficiently colored and visualized even if the thermal energy of the laser is small.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information recording medium according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> First, FIG. 2 shows a sectional structure of an information recording medium for recording an image including characters by the information recording method of the present embodiment. In this embodiment, the information recording medium is a plastic card P such as an ID card or a driver's license, and the plastic card P is the support 1
And a thermosensitive recording layer 2 and a surface layer 3. In addition to the above ID cards, membership cards, prepaid cards, IC cards, credit cards, passports, departure cards, student ID cards, employee ID cards, savings passbooks, identification cards, patches, etc. can be used as information recording media. An inspection certificate such as a seal, an owner's certificate, a national registration certificate in a foreign country, etc. are considered.

In this embodiment, the support 1 is a polymer material having heat resistance higher than the heat-sensitive temperature of the heat-sensitive recording layer 2,
For example, it is a plate-shaped member made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ABS resin, polycarbonate (PC), etc., but it may be a notebook or notebook type, or thinner than the plate. It may be in the form of a flexible film, a label, an adhesive seal, or a tag.

A thermosensitive recording layer 2 is formed on the support 1 as a portion for recording with a laser beam. The main components forming the heat-sensitive recording layer 2 are leuco dyes, tin, tin alloys such as tin and bismuth, antimony, etc., liquid crystals, leuco systems combining a developer and a color reducer, resins and organic polymers. It consists of any one of the mixed systems.

As the leuco dye, 3,3-bis (p-
Dimethylaminophenyl) -6-dimethylaminophthalide, 3,3-bis (p-dimethylaminophenyl) phthalide, 3- (p-dimethylaminophenyl) -3-
(1,2-dimethylindol-3-yl) phthalide,
3- (p-dimethylaminophenyl) -3- (2-methylindol-3-yl) phthalide, 3,3 bis (1,2-dimethylindol-3-yl) -5-dimethylaminophthalide, 3,3 3-bis (1,2-dimethylindol-3-yl) -6-dimethylaminophthalide, 3,3-bis (9-ethylcarbazole-3
-Yl) -6-dimethylaminophthalide, 3,3-bis (2-phenylindol-3-yl) -6-dimethylaminophthalide, 3-p-dimethylaminophenyl-3- (1-methylpyrrole) There are triallylmethane dyes such as -3-yl) -6-dimethylaminophthalide. Other leuco dyes include 4,4′-bis-dimethylaminobenzhydrylbenzyl ether,
N-halophenyl-leukoauramine, N-2,
Diphenylmethane dyes such as 4,5-trichlorophenylleucoauramine, or thiazine dyes such as benzoylleucomethylene blue and p-nitrobenzoylleucomethylene blue, 3-methyl-spiro-dinaphthobilan, 3-ethyl-spiro-dinaphthobilan,
Spiro dyes such as 3-phenyl-spiro-dinaphthobilan, 3-benzyl-spiro-dinaphthobilan, 3-methyl-naphtho (6'-methoxybenzo) spirobilan, 3-propyl-spiro-dibenzobilane, rhodamine-B-anilino There are lactam dyes such as lactam, rhodamine (p-nitroanilino) lactam and rhodamine (o-chloroanilino) lactam. Further, leuco dyes include 3-diethylamino-
7-methoxyfluorane, 3-diethylamino-6-
Methoxyfluorane, 3-diethylamino-7-methoxyfluorane, 3-diethylamino-7-chlorofluorane, 3-diethylamino-6-methyl-7-chlorofluorane, 3-diethylamino-6,7-dimethylfluorane, 3- (N-ethyl-N-p-toluidino) -7-methylfluorane, 3-diethylamino-
7-acetyl-N-methylaminofluorane, 3-diethylamino-7-N-methylaminofluorane, 3
-Diethylamino-7-dibenzylaminofluorane,
3-diethylamino-7-N-chloroethyl-N-methylaminofluorane, 3-diethylamino-7-N-diethylaminofluorane, 3- (N-ethyl-Np-
Toluidino) -6-methyl-7-phenylaminofluorane, 3- (N-ethyl-Np-toluidino) -6
-Methyl-7- (p-toluidino) -fluorane, 3
-Diethylamino-6-methyl-7-phenylaminofluorane, 3-diethylamino-7- (2-carbomethoxy-phenylamino) fluorane, 3- (N-cyclohexyl-N-methylamino) -6-methyl-7-
Phenylaminofluorane, 3-Pyrrolidino-6-methyl-7-phenylaminofluorane, 3-Piberidino-6-methyl-7-phenylaminofluorane, 3-
Diethylamino-6-methyl-7-xylidinofluorane, 3-diethylamino-7- (o-chlorophenylamino) fluorane, 3-dibutylamino-7- (o-
Other examples include fluorane dyes such as chlorophenylamino) fluorane and 3-pyrrolidino-6-methyl-7-p-butylphenylaminofluorane.

Any of such leuco dyes can be mixed with any of the developers and binders described below.

Examples of the color developer include activated clay, acid clay, attapulgite, bentonite, colloidal silica, inorganic acid substances such as aluminum silicate, 4-tert-butylphenol, 4-hydroxydiphenoxide, α
-Naphthol, β-naphthol, 4-hydroxyacetophenol, 4-tert-octylcatechol, 2,2'-dihydroxydiphenol, 2,
2'-methylenebis (4-methyl-6-tert-isobutylphenol), 4,4'-isopropylidenebis (2-tert-butylphenol), 4,4'-
sec-Butylidenephenol, 4-phenylphenol, 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenylphenol, 2,2'-methylenebis (4-chlorophenol), hydroquinone, 4,4'-cyclohexyridinediphenol, novolac type phenol resin ,
There are phenolic compounds such as phenolic polymers.

In addition to these, benzoic acid, p-tert-butylbenzoic acid, trichlorobenzoic acid, theephthalic acid, 3-sec-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3-cyclohexyl-4-, can also be used as the color developer. Hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, 3-isopropylsalicylic acid, 3-tert
-Butylsalicylic acid, 3-benzylsalicylic acid, 3-
(Α-Methylbenzyl) salicylic acid, 3-chloro-5-
(Α-Methylbenzyl) salicylic acid, 3,5-di-te
rt-butylsalicylic acid, 3-phenyl-5- (α, α
-Dimethylbenzyl) salicylic acid, aromatic carboxylic acids such as 3,5-di-α-methylbenzylsalicylic acid, and these phenolic compounds, aromatic carboxylic acids and, for example, zinc, magnesium, aluminum, calcium,
Examples thereof include organic acidic substances such as salts with polyvalent metals such as titanium, manganese, tin and nickel, and mixtures thereof.

As the binder, cellulose esters such as nitrocellulose, cellulose phosphate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose myristate, cellulose palmitate, acetic acid / cellulose propionate, and acetic acid / butyrate, methyl cellulose, Cellulose ethers such as ethyl cellulose and propyl cellulose, vinyl resins such as polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone,
Copolymer resins such as styrene-ptadiene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-butadiene co-acrylonitrile copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polymethyl acrylate,
Acrylic resins such as polybutyl acrylate, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, poly (4,4 'isopropylidene diphenylene-co-1,4-cyclohexylene diene Methylene carbonate), poly (ethylenedioxy-3,
3'-phenylene thiocarbonate), poly (4,4 ')
-Isopropylidene diphenylene carbonate-co-terephthalate), poly (4,4'-isopropylidene diphenylene carbonate), poly (4,4'-sec-
Butylidene diphenylene carbonate), poly (4,
4'-isopropylidenediphenylene carbonate-block-oxyethylene) and other polyarylate resins,
Polyamides, polyimides, epoxy resins, phenolic resins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyolefins such as chlorinated polyethylene can be mentioned.

When the heat-sensitive recording layer 2 alone cannot efficiently absorb a laser or the like, a light-absorbing agent such as a polymethylene-based, cyanine-based, metal complex-based or diimmonium-based light-absorbing agent is contained in the heat-sensitive recording agent. Alternatively, it is provided as a layer on the thermal recording material as a light absorbing layer.

The infrared absorbers include polymethine, naphthoquinone, anthraquine, triphenylmethane,
Aminium-based and diimmonium-based organic dyes,
There are phthalocyanine-based, naphthalocyanine-based, dithiol-based metal complexes, infrared absorbing glass containing Fe ²⁺ and / or Cu ²⁺ , and other metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal hydroxides and the like.

Further, the surface layer 3 does not absorb a laser beam having a wavelength in the visible region and is thermally destroyed at a temperature lower than that of the heat-sensitive recording layer 2, for example, a polyester type, polymethylmethacrylate type, acetic acid. A copolymer of vinyl and vinyl chloride, an epoxy resin, PET, vinyl chloride or the like having a glass transition temperature (Tg) lower than that of the thermal recording layer 2 is used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information recording apparatus of the present embodiment has three laser irradiators 4 as laser irradiating means.
5 and 6, a horizontal scanning mirror 7 and a vertical scanning mirror 8. The laser irradiators 4, 5 and 6 are irradiation-controlled based on the image data, and irradiate a plurality of beams toward a common irradiation target assumed on the plastic card P to perform writing.

In this embodiment, each of the laser irradiators 4-6 is used.
Is capable of emitting a high-power (100 mW) laser, and is integrated with a collimator unit that aligns the emitted laser light into a parallel light beam with a diameter of 10 μm or less.
The irradiation targets of the three laser irradiators 4 to 6 are adjusted so as to form one spot on the thermal recording layer 2 of the plastic card P. In this way, by focusing three thin laser beams on the same aim, compared with the case where a thick laser beam is focused by a focusing lens,
The length of the beam waist in the optical path length direction can be increased and the diameter of the beam waist can be reduced. As a result, when the laser beam is scanned vertically and horizontally on the information recording medium, even if the incident angle θ of the laser beam with respect to the plastic card P gradually becomes an acute angle from π / 2, the thermal recording is performed within the range of the beam waste. Since the layer 2 is located, the resolution can be kept high and highly accurate image depiction can be performed. In addition, this laser irradiator 4-6
The laser switching controller 10 of the control unit 9 switches writing based on the image data.

The image data drawn on the plastic card P is transmitted to the control unit 9 by a personal computer (not shown) connected to the control unit 9. The image data is
The plastic card P is composed of a large number of pixels represented by orthogonal axes, and is represented by the position of the pixel to be recorded, the density of each pixel, and the order of the pixels to be drawn. For example, the position of the pixel Pn is represented by the assumed XY coordinates on the plastic card P, and the pixel Pn + 1 to be recorded next is, for example, the pixel Pn + 1 closest to the pixel Pn is selected and the pixel Pn + 1 is selected. After selecting Pn + 1, the beam intensity is set based on the density of the pixel Pn + 1. Control unit 9
Holds the image data signal transmitted from the personal computer in the memory temporarily, and then causes the laser switching controller 10 to emit laser light according to the order and density of the pixels to be drawn.

The emitted laser light is used for the horizontal scanning mirror 7
And the vertical scanning mirror 8 perform vector scanning. That is, the horizontal scanning mirror 7 is provided with the electromagnetic rotary actuator 11, and the pixel P sent from the control unit 9 is transmitted.
The electromagnetic rotary actuator 11 is driven based on the drive signal of the X component of n, and the horizontal scanning mirror 7 is scanned in the horizontal direction. Similarly, the vertical scanning mirror 8 is also provided with an electromagnetic rotary actuator 12, and the electromagnetic rotary actuator 11 is driven based on the drive signal of the y component of the pixel Pn sent from the control unit 9 to move the horizontal scanning mirror 7 in the horizontal direction. To be scanned.

The laser switching controller 1
0 indicates that the horizontal scanning mirror 7 and the vertical scanning mirror 8 have the pixel P.
After taking values corresponding to the X component and the Y component of n, a command signal is transmitted to the laser irradiators 4 to 6 so as to output laser light having an intensity corresponding to the density of the pixel Pn, and the laser irradiator 4 ~ 6
Emits a laser beam based on the command signal.

After drawing the pixel Pn, the horizontal scanning mirror 7 and the vertical scanning mirror 8 are scanned based on the X and Y components of the pixel Pn + 1 closest to the pixel Pn, and then the pixel Pn is scanned.
In order to output a laser beam with an intensity corresponding to the concentration of n + 1,
A command signal is transmitted to the laser irradiators 4 to 6, and the laser irradiators 4 to 6 emit laser light based on the command signal.

From the laser irradiator 1 to the plastic card P
In this embodiment, the optical path length up to 300 mm is sufficiently set to 300 mm, and since three narrow beams are aimed and irradiated, the thermosensitive recording layer 2 has a diameter of about 100 μm.
Even if the following beams are irradiated, the focus error and the Fθ error can be cleared without the Fθ correction lens. Therefore, even with a relatively low power and inexpensive laser, the number of lens systems is small, so that the efficiency is high and the image can be rendered at high speed.

Next, a case where an image is additionally recorded by the information recording method of this embodiment will be described.

Here, a driver's license is given as an example of an information recording medium for recording an image. For example, when the address is changed or the license expiration date is updated, the thermosensible recording layer 2 is added to the driver's license so that the information can be additionally recorded by the information recording device of the above-mentioned embodiment.
The additional recording area 13 is provided.

In the case of additional recording, the laser light emitted from the laser irradiators 4 to 6 passes through the surface layer 3 and reaches the thermal recording layer 2. In the heat-sensitive recording layer 2, the heat-sensitive recording layer alone or a polymethine-based, cyanine-based, metal complex-based, diimmonium-based, naphthoquinone-based, anthraquine-based, triphenylmethane-based, aminium-based, diimmonium-based or the like heat-sensitive recording layer is irradiated by laser light. Dyes, phthalocyanine-based, naphthalocyanine-based, dithiol-based metal complexes, infrared absorbing glass containing Fe ²⁺ and / or Cu ²⁺ , other metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal hydroxides, etc. Since the laser light is absorbed by the light absorbing agent and heat is generated by photothermal conversion, an image is additionally recorded in the additional recording area 13 of the thermal recording layer 2. It should be noted that the additional image is not only an additional item, but if, for example, a stamp or a micromark of the publisher is added, the security is further enhanced. With this information recording method, a fine and high-quality recorded image can be obtained because of the smooth drawing of the vector scan and the non-contact thermal recording.

When tampering is performed with the thermal head, the heat of the thermal head is transferred by heat conduction from the surface layer 3 and, as a result, the surface layer 3 is thermally destroyed before recording on the thermal recording layer 2. It turns out that it has been tampered with. In this way, tampering is extremely difficult.

Although the horizontal scanning mirror 7 and the vertical scanning mirror 8 are rotated by the usual electromagnetic rotary actuator in the above embodiment, the swing angle can be increased by using a galvano mirror by other means.

For example, in FIG. 3, the metal base 14
Alternatively, an elastic hinge 15 may be provided to finely operate the reflection mirror 16, and a driving voltage may be applied to the piezoelectric ceramic 18 provided between the metal base 14 and the support plate 17 to cause fine movement to operate. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the linear force of the voice coil 19 may be used as the driving force. According to the scanning by the piezoelectric ceramic 18 and the voice coil 19, since the mass of the mirror reflection 16 and the support plate 17 is small, high-speed and high-precision scanning can be realized by controlling the energization.

Next, another embodiment of the information recording medium will be described.

FIG. 5 shows a plastic card of the second embodiment. In this plastic card, the thermal recording layer 21 itself on the support 20 is absorptive of laser light. The heat-sensitive recording layer 21 is a mixture of photothermal conversion agents in advance, which enhances the absorption of laser light. The upper surface of the thermal recording layer 21 is coated with a surface layer 22.

FIG. 6 shows a plastic card of the third embodiment. In the plastic card of FIG. 6, the heat-sensitive recording layer 24 on the support 23 is divided into a light-heat absorbing layer 25 made of a light absorbing agent such as polymethine-based, cyanine-based, metal complex-based, or diimmonium-based light-absorbing layer. At the time of irradiation, the boundary between the surface layer 26 and the photothermal conversion layer 25 is slightly thermally destroyed, but since the laser light has a temperature much lower than the heat conduction from the outermost surface layer by the thermal head, the thermal destruction as can be seen from the appearance. I will not receive it. Therefore, additional writing with laser light is possible, but tampering with the thermal head is not possible.

FIG. 7 shows the plastic card of the fourth embodiment, in which the photothermal conversion layer 27 of FIG.
It is formed above and provided below the heat-sensitive recording layer 24.
According to the plastic card of FIG. 7, since the photothermal conversion layer 27 is formed in the deep portion of the support body 23, the thermal destruction of the surface layer 26 due to the irradiation of laser light is also eliminated.

FIG. 8 shows a plastic card of the fifth embodiment. In the plastic card of FIG. 8, a thermosensitive recording layer 24 is formed on a support 23, and a photothermal recording layer 27 is further formed on the support 23, and a heat-resistant flame-retardant surface layer having heat resistance is formed on the photothermal conversion layer 27. 28, and the outermost surface layer is an easily rupturable surface layer 29 that is immediately heat-destructed by direct heating to enhance the tampering prevention effect.

FIG. 9 shows a plastic card of the sixth embodiment. The plastic card shown in FIG.
The separation layer 30 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate, and when the layers of the thermal recording layer 24 and above are peeled from the support 23, the separation layer 30
It is designed to come off. It goes without saying that the separation layer 30 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 9 and can be applied to the layer structure shown in FIGS.

[0055]

According to the information recording method of the first aspect of the present invention, since the coloring layer which can be thermally destroyed by the laser beam is formed on the heat-sensitive recording layer of the information recording medium, it is possible to irradiate the laser beam. The colored layer is thermally destroyed and becomes visible.

Next, since the surface layer which does not absorb the laser beam is formed on the heat-sensitive recording layer, the attenuation amount of the power of the laser beam passing through the coloring layer is small. Further, since the laser light is composed of a plurality of beams that are irradiated toward a common irradiation target, each beam can be thinned and the precision of the image (including characters) at the irradiation point can be improved. Further, even if each beam is thin, each beam is applied to a common irradiation target, so that sufficient heat can be secured at the irradiation target and the image recording speed can be increased. When the beam is scanned along the orthogonal axis, for example, in the horizontal direction, the moving speed of the irradiation position on the object changes according to the scanning angle of the beam with respect to the beam having the shortest distance to the object. The light irradiation target is determined based on the image data, the image data is represented by the Cartesian coordinates set on the information recording medium, and the plurality of beams are vector-scanned by the directional component of the Cartesian coordinates. The amount of change in the scanning angle per unit time is reduced, and it is easy to correct the change in the moving speed of the irradiation position corresponding to the scanning angle.

Further, since the vector scanning is performed, it is possible to effectively irradiate only the recorded image without being limited to the finite resolution as in the raster scanning, and it is possible to perform high-speed drawing with high printing quality and high resolution.

Further, in the information recording apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the irradiation target is determined by the image data represented by the rectangular coordinates set on the information recording medium, and a plurality of common irradiation targets are set toward the irradiation target. The beams are irradiated, and the irradiation targets of the plurality of beams are scanned by the horizontal scanning mirror and the vertical scanning mirror so as to be along the component direction of the orthogonal coordinates. Therefore, the same operation as the image recording method of claim 1 can be obtained. To be

According to the information recording medium of claim 3 of the present invention, since the coloring layer which can be thermally destroyed by the laser beam is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer of the information recording medium, the coloring layer can be irradiated with the laser beam. Is thermally destroyed and becomes visible. Further, since the surface layer that does not absorb the laser light is formed on the thermal recording layer, the attenuation amount of the power of the laser light passing through the coloring layer is small.

According to the information recording medium of claim 4 of the present invention, the heat-sensitive recording layer comprises one or more layers in which a heat-sensitive agent which is thermally destroyed by laser light is impregnated with a photothermal conversion agent which absorbs the laser light. ， The absorption capacity of laser light becomes high, and the beam can be made thin.

According to the information recording medium of the fifth aspect of the present invention, if the surface layer is an optical filter that transmits the wavelength region of the laser beam, the laser beam outside the specific wavelength region can be shielded. Remarkably improve the information tampering prevention effect.

According to the information recording medium of the sixth aspect of the present invention, if at least the outermost surface layer of the surface layer is a heat sensitive layer which is thermally destroyed at a temperature lower than the thermal destruction temperature of the heat sensitive recording layer, for example, a thermal head or Even if it is tampered with by a contact heating recording means such as a thermal needle, the surface layer protecting the heat-sensitive layer is thermally destroyed, so that the anti-counterfeiting effect is high.

According to the information recording medium of claim 7 of the present invention, if a separation layer is provided between the support and the thermosensitive recording layer, the thermosensitive recording layer separates when the surface layer is peeled off and tampering is attempted. It cannot be tampered with.

According to the information recording medium of claim 8 of the present invention, the main component of the heat-sensitive recording layer is a leuco dye, a metal centered on tin, a metal centered on a mixture of a resin and an organic polymer, Since the main component is at least one of a leuco dye system and a liquid crystal in which a color developer and a color-reducing agent are combined, it is sufficiently colored and visualized even if the thermal energy of the laser is small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an information recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a layer structure of an information recording medium according to an example of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the driving means of the scanning mirror of the embodiment of FIG.

4 is a sectional view showing another modification of the driving means of the scanning mirror of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of layers of the information recording medium of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a layer of an information recording medium according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of layers of the information recording medium of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of layers of the information recording medium of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of layers of the information recording medium of the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Support 2 Thermal Recording Layer 3 Surface Layer 4 Laser Irradiator 5 Laser Irradiator 6 Laser Irradiator 7 Horizontal Scan Mirror 8 Vertical Scan Mirror 9 Controller 10 Laser Switching Controller 11 Electromagnetic Rotary Actuator 12 Electromagnetic Rotary Actuator

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G11B 19/04 501 H 7525-5D

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An information recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer that is sensitive to laser light formed on a support is irradiated with laser light according to image data determined on the basis of orthogonal coordinates assumed on the information recording medium. An information recording method according to claim 1, wherein a colored layer that is thermally destructible by the laser beam is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer of the information recording medium, and a surface layer that does not absorb the laser beam is formed on the thermosensitive recording layer. The laser light is composed of a plurality of beams having a common irradiation target determined based on the image data, and the plurality of beams are scanned by a directional component of an orthogonal axis of the orthogonal coordinates. And information recording method. 2. A laser beam is applied to an information recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer which is sensitive to the laser beam on a support, by image data represented based on orthogonal coordinates assumed on the information recording medium. An information recording apparatus for irradiating, laser irradiation means for irradiating irradiation based on the image data, and irradiating a plurality of beams toward a common irradiation target set on the information recording medium, and the image data. An information recording apparatus comprising: a horizontal scanning mirror and a vertical scanning mirror for scanning an irradiation target of the plurality of beams in a component direction of the orthogonal coordinates based on the above. 3. An information recording medium for information recording, comprising a heat-sensitive recording layer which is heat-sensitive to laser light on a support, and the heat-sensitive recording layer of the information recording medium is thermally destroyed by the laser light and colored. An information recording medium, which has a colored layer according to claim 1, and a surface layer which does not absorb the laser light on the thermosensitive recording layer. 4. The information recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the heat-sensitive recording layer comprises one or more layers in which a heat-sensitive agent that is thermally destroyed by the laser light is impregnated with a photothermal conversion agent that absorbs the laser light. An information recording medium characterized by the above. 5. The information recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the surface layer is an optical filter that transmits the wavelength region of the laser light. 6. The information recording medium according to claim 3, wherein at least the outermost surface layer of the surface layer is a heat-sensitive layer that thermally breaks at a temperature lower than the heat-breaking temperature of the heat-sensitive recording layer. An information recording medium characterized by the above. 7. The information recording medium according to claim 3, wherein a separation layer is provided between the support and the thermosensitive recording layer. 8. The information recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the main component of the thermosensitive recording layer is a leuco dye, a metal centered on tin, or a mixture of a resin and an organic polymer. An information recording medium containing, as a main component, at least one of a metal, a leuco dye system in which a color developer and a color reducing agent are combined, and a liquid crystal.