JPH08123925A - Optical card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an optical card which has a simple production process and is provided with a fine track pattern. CONSTITUTION: With respect to an optical card C which has an optical recording material layer between a transparent protective layer and a card base material, laser light R is irradiated through a mask 14 to form a track pattern on the optical recording material layer. Otherwise, laser light R is scanned and irradiate to form the track pattern on the optical recording material layer. The part irradiated with laser light R of the optical recording material layer is changed, for example, fused by heat, and a large difference in reflection factor is brought about between this part and the other part which is not irradiated with laser light R, thereby forming the track pattern. Since laser light R is used to directly form the track pattern on the optical recording material layer, the production process is simple, and the track pattern of high precision is formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical card used for credit cards, cash cards, medical cards and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a so-called optical card in which an optical information recording unit is built in a plastic card has been developed as a card type medium having a storage capacity larger than those of a magnetic card and an IC card. This optical card recording method is performed by writing digital information to be recorded as fine point information on an optical recording material layer according to a predetermined rule, and providing an optical reflection portion and a non-reflection portion. Further, the reading of the information recording portion is to reproduce the information storage data by converting the reflectance change of the recording material layer into an electric signal by a sensor and performing signal processing. In writing and reading such information, the information recording section is provided with a track pattern for guiding the laser beam.

The above-mentioned optical card generally has an optical recording material layer provided between a transparent protective layer and a card base material, and the track pattern having irregularities is integrally formed on one surface of the transparent protective layer. It is manufactured by forming a thin film of TeOx or the like on the pattern surface of the transparent protective layer, and adhering a card base material thereto with an adhesive. As a method for forming the track pattern on the transparent protective layer, generally known 2P method (Photo Polymer method), injection method, casting method and the like are adopted.

[0004]

Among the track pattern forming methods described in the prior art, the 2P method is a method in which a mother plate is once created from a patterned original plate and this mother plate is used as an original plate for mass duplication. A transparent protective layer patterned by patterning is obtained. As described above, the 2P method currently involves complicated steps. On the other hand, the injection method, the casting method and the like have a problem that it is difficult to form a fine track pattern, though the steps are relatively simple.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical card having a simple track pattern and a fine track pattern. .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is to irradiate a laser beam through a mask in an optical card having an optical recording material layer between a transparent protective layer and a card substrate. Is characterized in that a track pattern is formed on the optical recording material layer, or a track pattern is formed on the optical recording material layer by scanning and irradiating laser light.

[0007]

In the optical card having the above-described structure, the portion of the optical recording material layer irradiated with the laser light undergoes a change such as melting due to heat, and the reflectance between the portion not irradiated with the laser light is large. Due to the difference, a track pattern is formed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an optical card according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the optical card of the present embodiment, an optical recording material layer 2 is provided on the lower surface of the transparent protective layer 1, and the optical recording material layer 2 is sandwiched in between and the card substrate 3 is provided. Is laminated via the adhesive layer 4, and the surface hardened layer 5 is laminated on the outer side of the transparent protective layer 1. The optical recording material layer 2 has a track pattern 2t formed by laser irradiation.

The manufacturing process of the optical card having the above structure is as follows.

First, a sheet-molded polycarbonate having a thickness of 0.4 mm (molecular weight 25000) is used as a transparent protective layer 1, and a hard coat agent (UH-001 manufactured by Toray) is spin-coated or roll-coated on the transparent protective layer 1. The surface-hardened layer 5 was formed by coating. Next, TeOx was sputtered to form the optical recording material layer 2 at a predetermined position on the back side of the transparent protective layer 1. The thickness of the formed optical recording material layer 2 is 500Å. On the other hand, silk offset printing is performed on both sides of a 0.26 mm opal white core sheet.
This is sandwiched between two 0.05mm oversheets,
A card base material 3 having a three-layer structure was created by heat fusion. In addition,
A magnetic tape of 650 Oersted was formed on one surface of the oversheet. Then, the optical recording material layer 2 was sandwiched so that the card base material 3 and the transparent protective layer 1 were laminated with the urethane adhesive layer 4 interposed therebetween, whereby an optical card was produced.

A track pattern 2t is formed on the optical recording material layer 2 of the optical card manufactured as described above by using laser light.
To form. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the laser light R emitted from the semiconductor laser 11, which is a light source, is reflected by the lens 1
2 and 13 were used to make parallel light, and the parallel light was irradiated onto the optical card C through the mask 14 corresponding to the track pattern. As a result, a predetermined portion of the optical recording material layer 2 was melted by heat, and the same track pattern 2t as the pattern of the mask 14 could be formed.

As another method, as shown in FIG. 3, the laser light R emitted from the semiconductor laser 21 is passed through a reflecting mirror 22 and a condenser lens 23, and then the reflecting mirror 2
The laser beam R was scanned so as to reciprocate a predetermined number of times by swinging 2. As a result, a predetermined portion of the optical recording material layer 2 was melted by heat, and a linear track pattern 2t could be formed. In this case, the reflection mirror 2
It is also possible to form the track pattern 2t on the optical recording material layer 2 by moving the entire optical system and scanning the laser beam R without using 2.

When the optical card C having a track pattern thus manufactured was written and read by a laser beam, the track card 2t was used as a guide for good operation.

[0015]

As described above, the optical card of the present invention has a track pattern formed directly on the optical recording material layer by using a laser beam. Therefore, the track pattern is formed by the conventional 2P method. It is possible to form a track pattern which is simpler in manufacturing process and more accurate than the above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an optical card according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of forming a track pattern on an optical recording material layer by laser light.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing another specific example of forming a track pattern on an optical recording material layer by laser light.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transparent Protective Layer 2 Optical Recording Material Layer 3 Card Base Material 4 Adhesive Layer 5 Surface Hardening Layer C Optical Card R Laser Light 11 Semiconductor Laser 12, 13 Lens 14 Mask 21 Semiconductor Laser 22 Reflection Mirror 23 Condenser Lens

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical card having an optical recording material layer between a transparent protective layer and a card substrate, wherein a track pattern is formed on the optical recording material layer by irradiating laser light through a mask. Optical card to do. 2. An optical card having an optical recording material layer between a transparent protective layer and a card substrate, wherein a track pattern is formed on the optical recording material layer by scanning and irradiating laser light. Optical card.