Latent image printed material

Abstract

To provide a latent image printed material that allows improvement of authenticity verification and counterfeit prevention effect.SOLUTION: A latent image printed material includes a printing pattern that comprises an image recognized as uniform density, the printing pattern being disposed in a printing area of at least a part of a substrate and comprising multiple lines of a color different from the substrate, wherein the lines disposed in the printing area differ at least partially in at least one of angle and shape, the latent image being visualized by a reading device that reads the difference in at least one of the angle and shape of the lines, and the printing pattern including a luminescent image having the lines formed with a luminescent material and a latent image laminated on a part of the luminescent image and formed with a transparent material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to latent image prints that can be output by a printing press in the field of valuable printed matter such as banknotes, passports, securities, identification cards, cards, and travel tickets that require anti-counterfeiting effects. [Background technology]

[0002] It is important to prevent counterfeiting and alteration of security printed materials such as banknotes, passports, securities, certificates, and important documents. One of these counterfeit prevention measures is a latent image print, in which characters, figures, etc. are made into latent images that cannot be recognized visually by adding means and effects to the printed pattern, such as halftone dot or line arrangement, multi-layer structure, and special materials. Among such latent image prints, there is known a latent image print in which lines that are the same in shape, size, and color but arranged at different angles are provided in the latent image portion and background portion (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The latent image prints of Patent Documents 1 and 2 can be visualized using a reading device that extracts edges. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6976527 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7323112 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the latent image prints of Patent Documents 1 and 2 may be reproduced not only by a reading device but also by a copying machine, so there is room for improvement in the authenticity discrimination and anti-counterfeiting effects of latent image prints that are printed with only a latent image pattern consisting of lines arranged at different angles.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a latent image print that can improve the ability to distinguish authenticity and the effectiveness of preventing counterfeiting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The latent image printed matter according to the present invention is a printed matter comprising a printed pattern having an image visually recognized as a uniform density, in at least a part of a printing area of a substrate, in which a plurality of image lines are arranged on the substrate, and the image lines arranged in the printing area are partially different in at least one of angle and shape, so that the latent image can be visually recognized at an observation angle in the specular reflection light area, and a latent image different from the latent image is visualized by a reading device that reads the difference in at least one of the angle or shape of the image lines, and the printed pattern includes (i) a photoluminescent image formed by a photoluminescent material, and a latent image formed by a transparent material that is laminated on a part of the photoluminescent image, or (ii) It comprises a glossy image formed by a glossy material and, under the glossy image, a latent image of a transparent material having a higher gloss than the substrate or a color that is the same as the substrate, or (iii) it comprises a glossy image in which a portion of the image line is formed by a glossy material and a latent image in which the remaining image line except for a portion of the image line is formed by a colored ink of the same color as the glossy material, or (iv) it comprises a glossy image in which an image line having a partially different density is formed by a glossy material and, over the image line with a lower density in the partially different density image line, a latent image in which an image line is formed by a colored ink of the same hue as the glossy material.

[0007] Furthermore, the latent image print of the present invention is characterized in that the printed pattern further includes image lines forming a visible image made of a photoluminescent material in an area that does not overlap with the image lines forming the photoluminescent image. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the latent image print of the present invention, the printed pattern printed on the substrate includes not only a glossy image but also a latent image, thereby improving the authenticity discrimination ability and the anti-counterfeiting effect. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a latent image print according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print pattern according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a glitter image according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method for visualizing a glossy image of a printed pattern. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a latent image according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams for explaining a method for making a latent image of a print pattern appear. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another configuration of the latent image according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print pattern according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print pattern according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the arrangement of image lines constituting a glitter image and image lines constituting a latent image according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print pattern according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another configuration of a print pattern according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print pattern according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a glitter image according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the best mode for carrying out the invention, and various other modes are possible within the scope of the technical concept described in the claims.

[0011] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a plan view of a latent image print 1 according to the first embodiment. The latent image print 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a printed pattern 20 in a printing area 11 of a substrate 10. As the substrate 10, paper, film, a composite substrate in which paper is coated with a film, or the like can be used as long as the printed pattern 20 can be formed thereon.

[0012] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the printed pattern 20 according to the first embodiment. The printed pattern 20 shown in Fig. 2 includes a glossy image 21 and a latent image 22 superimposed on the glossy image 21.

[0013] (Photoluminescent image) First, the glossy image 21 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, the glossy image 21 has a plurality of units 210 separated into a grid pattern. Each unit has one first image line 211 or one second image line 212. The first image line 211 and the second image line 212 are formed from a glossy material having a color different from the color of the substrate 10. Here, the glossy material refers to a material that generates strong specularly reflected light when light is incident on it, and is a material that has either a light-dark flip-flop property in which the brightness increases (becomes lighter) upon specular reflection, or a color flip-flop property in which the hue changes (the color changes) upon specular reflection, or both of these properties.

[0014] Specific glittering materials having a light-dark flip-flop property include common metal powder pigments such as gold, silver, aluminum powder, copper powder, zinc powder, tin powder, brass powder, iron phosphide, etc. On the other hand, glittering materials having a color flip-flop property include common pearl pigments such as rainbow colored pearl pigments and scale-like pigments, as well as functional pigments such as glass flake pigments and cholesteric liquid crystal pigments.

[0015] In the glossy image 21 shown in FIG. 3 , the first and second streaks 211 and 212 are formed as straight lines of equal length. However, in the present invention, the shapes of the first and second streaks 211 and 212 may be not only straight lines but also dotted or broken lines, curved lines, or wavy lines, as long as the first and second streaks 211 and 212 can be distinguishably extracted by a reading device that extracts edges. Furthermore, the shapes of the first and second streaks 211 and 212 are not limited to linear shapes and may be geometric shapes such as ellipses or triangles. In this case, one of the first and second streaks 211 and 212 may be linear and the other may be geometric. The following description will be given of an example in which the first and second streaks 211 and 212 are formed as straight lines.

[0016] The first object 211 and the second object 212 have the same area ratio in each unit 210. Here, the area ratio refers to the proportion of the area of the first object 211 or the second object 212 to the area of the unit 210, which has a certain area within the printing area 11. By configuring the first object 211 and the second object 212 arranged in each unit 210 to have the same area ratio, the area ratios of the first object 211 and the second object 212 arranged throughout the entire printing area 11 are equal, and the printed pattern 20 is perceived as having a uniform density.

[0017] In the present invention, the first object line 211 and the second object line 212 have different inclination angles with respect to the horizontal direction, corresponding to the design of the latent image visualized by a reading device that extracts edges. Fig. 3 shows an example in which the design of the latent image visualized by a reading device is the letter "A." The first object line 211 is inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction and the second object line 212 is inclined at -45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction and is arranged in the area surrounding the letter "A." That is, this example shows an example in which the angles between the first object line 211 and the second object line 212 differ by 90 degrees. Note that, as described above, the angle between the first object line 211 and the second object line 212 is not limited to 90 degrees, as long as the first object line 211 and the second object line 212 can be distinguished by a reading device that extracts edges.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for visualizing a glossy image 21 of a printed pattern 20. The glossy image 21 can be visualized using a reading device 100 shown in FIG. 4. The reading device 100 is, for example, a smartphone. This smartphone has a camera function for capturing an image of the printed pattern 20, an image processing function for processing the image captured by the camera function to visualize the glossy image 21, and a display function for displaying the visualized glossy image 21.

[0019] In this embodiment, the reading device 100 visualizes the glossy image 21 by reading the difference in at least one of the angle and shape of the first object line 211 and the second object line 212. Specifically, as described in Japanese Patent No. 6976527, a differential filter is applied to each unit 210 of the glossy image 21 in accordance with the angle of the object line, thereby creating a difference in the number of white pixels in the output image. For example, the differential filter makes the first object line 211 less likely to have its edges emphasized, and makes the second object line 212 more likely to have its edges emphasized.

[0020] Next, the reading device 100 averages the image output by the differential filter per unit area and converts it into a density value. Finally, the reading device 100 displays the processed luminescent image 21 on the screen, and the letter "A" is visualized. Note that the image captured by the reading device 100 is not limited to a still image, but may also be a video. In the case of a video, the above-described process is repeated frame by frame. The reading device 100 may also be configured to acquire an image using a scanner connected to a computer, and then display the visualized image on a display screen through processing by software installed on the computer.

[0021] Furthermore, as described in Japanese Patent No. 7323112, the reading device 100 may display the glossy image 21 as a color image based on a color preset according to at least one of the angle and shape of the first object line 211 and the second object line 212. The printed pattern described in Japanese Patent No. 7313112, for example, is configured such that the first object line 211 and the second object line 212 shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3 have different angles corresponding to the color components of the latent image displayed as a color image. The reading device colors the first object line 211 and the second object line 212, which have different angles, in different colors, thereby visualizing the color latent image from the glossy image 21. Specifically, the reading device converts the first object line 211 to blue and the second object line 212 to yellow, thereby visualizing the letter "A" in blue and its surroundings in yellow. However, the reading device 100 described here is one means for visualizing the glossy image 21 of the printed pattern 20, and does not limit the form of the latent image print of the present invention.

[0022] (latent image) Next, the latent image 22 will be described. The latent image 22 is the letter "B" as shown in Fig. 5(a), and a third object line 221 formed of a transparent material is disposed in the area of the letter "B" as shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 5(a). The third object line 221 is layered on a part of at least one of the first object line 211 and the second object line 212.

[0023] Fig. 5(b) is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which the third object 221 is superimposed on parts of the first object 211 and the second object 212. As shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 5(b), the angles at which the first object 211 and the second object 212 are arranged are different in the region of the character "A" and the region surrounding it, and the third object 221 is superimposed on the first object 211 and the second object 212 corresponding to the region of the character "B." The enlarged view of Fig. 5(b) shows an example in which the third object 221 constituting the latent image 22 is superimposed on the first object 211 and the second object 212 and is also superimposed on part of the base material 10; however, it is sufficient that the third object 221 is superimposed on at least the first object 211 and the second object 212. This is to obtain contrast with the glossy image 21 on which the third object line 221 is not laminated in order to observe the latent image 22, and the principle by which the latent image 22 can be observed will be described later. Note that the third object line 221 is made of a transparent material, and therefore does not affect the visibility of the glossy image 21.

[0024] As a transparent material, for example, a transparent ink can be used. The transparent ink may be either glossy or matte, as long as it is transparent. However, in order to obtain contrast for the latent image visible under specular reflection, it is preferable to use a matte transparent ink, which has a lower gloss than the photoluminescent material. Furthermore, functional materials such as luminescent pigments such as fluorescent pigments, phosphorescent pigments, and phosphorescent pigments, IR-absorbing pigments, photochromic pigments, thermochromic materials, etc., may be added to this transparent ink. In this case, various functions can be added in addition to the image switching effect. Furthermore, blending these inks with functional materials with high light-blocking properties, such as titanium, can obtain higher contrast.

[0025] Fig. 6(a) is a schematic diagram for explaining a method for making a latent image 22 of a print pattern 20 appear. Fig. 6(b) is a diagram showing the latent image 22 made to appear by the method shown in Fig. 6(a).

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6(a), when the illumination light source 201, printed pattern 20, and viewpoint 202 are positioned to form a specular reflection region, the latent image 22 shown in FIG. 6(b) appears. The specular reflection region is a region where, when light from the illumination light source 201 is incident on the glitter image 21 at an incident angle of -45°, the viewpoint 202 receives strong reflected light from a region with a light-receiving angle of approximately 45°. This specular reflection region contains a large amount of specular reflection light. In the positional relationship shown in FIG. 6(a), the glitter image 21 formed of a glitter material strongly reflects light, while the region of the letter "B" where the latent image 22 is formed of a transparent material has reduced reflected light, resulting in a difference in gloss. This difference in gloss results in the appearance of the latent image 22 of the letter "B" shown in FIG. 6(b). The range near the light-receiving angle of 45° varies depending on the transparent ink used for the third image line 221.

[0027] According to the latent image print 1 of the first embodiment described above, the printed pattern 20 has not only the glitter image 21 that is read and displayed by the reading device 100, but also the latent image 22 that appears in the specularly reflected light region. By forming two types of latent images in the printed pattern 20 in this way, that is, a latent image that is visualized by the reading device and a latent image that appears in the specularly reflected light region, it is possible to improve the ability to distinguish authenticity and the effect of preventing counterfeiting.

[0028] In the latent image print 1 of the first embodiment, the latent image 22 may be configured such that a third object line 221 is disposed in the area surrounding the letter "B" as shown in Fig. 7(a). In this case, the latent image 22 is viewed in a state in which the high-gloss area (the area surrounding the letter "B") and the low-gloss area (the area of the letter "B") are inverted compared to the latent image 22 viewed due to the gloss difference shown in Fig. 6(b). Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7(b), by varying the area ratio of the third object line 221, the gloss difference of the latent image 22 viewed under specular reflection light can be partially varied. Specifically, when the third image line 221 is formed using transparent matte ink, the higher the area ratio of the third image line 221 that overlaps the first image line 211 and the second image line 212, the lower the glossiness in that area. Therefore, the area ratio of the third image line 221 that overlaps the first image line 211 and the second image line 212 can be varied depending on the glossiness of the desired latent image 22.

[0029] In the latent image print 1 of the first embodiment, the glittering material for forming the glittering image 21 can be the metal powder pigment or pearl pigment described above, but depending on the glittering material used and the size of the first object line 211 (second object line 212) to be formed, the first object line 211 (second object line 212) may be pale and have low contrast with the substrate 10. In that case, in order to improve the readability of the first object line 211 (second object line 212) by the reading device 100, the glittering image 21 may be formed using a color material (ink) mixed with a color pigment or a color dye.

[0030] (Second embodiment) FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the printed pattern 20 provided on the latent image print 1 according to the second embodiment, where FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of the glossy image 31 and FIG. 8(b) is a diagram showing the configuration of the latent image 32. The printed pattern 20 according to the second embodiment includes the glossy image 31 shown in FIG. 8(a) and the latent image 32 layered below the glossy image 31 shown in FIG. 8(b). In the second embodiment, the glossy image 31 visualized by the reading device and the latent image 32 appearing in the specularly reflected light region will be described using the same example as in the first embodiment. The configuration of the printed pattern 20 will be described below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0031] The glossy image 31 shown in Fig. 8(a) has the same configuration as the glossy image 21 described in the first embodiment. That is, in the glossy image 31, as shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 8(a), one first object line 311 or one second object line 312 is arranged in each of a plurality of units 310 divided into a grid pattern. The first object line 311 and the second object line 312 correspond to the first object line 211 and the second object line 212, respectively, of the glossy image 21 of the first embodiment.

[0032] As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8( b), the latent image 32 has a third object 321. The third object 321 is layered under at least one of the first object 311 and the second object 312. The third object 321 is formed of a material with a higher gloss than the substrate 10. Examples of a material with a higher gloss include a transparent material and a material with a color matching the substrate 10. This transparent material can be, for example, a transparent ink. If the substrate 10 is white, the third object 321 can be formed with a white glossy ink, and if the substrate 10 is yellow, the third object 321 can be formed with a yellow glossy ink. Note that the term "color matching" here may refer to colorimetric color matching in which chromaticity values match, or may refer to color matching as perceived by humans. In colorimetric color matching, for example, a color difference ΔE of 3 or less is considered to be color matching.

[0033] In the printed pattern 20 configured as described above, the glossy image 31 can be visualized using the reading device 100 described in the first embodiment, similar to the glossy image 21. Meanwhile, the latent image 32, like the latent image 22, appears when the illumination light source 201, the printed pattern 20, and the viewpoint 202 are positioned in a manner that results in a specularly reflected light region. Note that, in the latent image print 1 of the second embodiment, the region where the latent image 32 is formed using a material with a higher gloss than the substrate 10 has a smooth surface, and the specularly reflected light of the glossy image 31 layered thereon is intensified. As a result, the region "B" where the latent image 32 is formed is glossier than the surrounding regions, and the latent image 32 appears.

[0034] According to the latent image print 1 of the second embodiment described above, the printed pattern 20 has not only the glitter image 31 that is read and displayed by the reading device 100, but also the latent image 32 that appears in the specular reflection light region. By forming two types of latent images in the printed pattern 20 in this way, that is, a latent image that is visualized by the reading device and a latent image that appears in the specular reflection light region, it is possible to improve the authenticity discrimination ability and anti-counterfeiting effect, as in the first embodiment.

[0035] (Third embodiment) FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the printed pattern 20 included in a latent image print 1 according to a third embodiment, with FIG. 9(a) showing the configuration of a glossy image 41 and FIG. 9(b) showing the configuration of a latent image 42. The printed pattern 20 according to the third embodiment includes the glossy image 41 shown in FIG. 9(a) and a latent image 42 shown in FIG. 9(b) formed on the same plane as the glossy image 41 without overlapping it. In the third embodiment, the glossy image 41 visualized by the reading device and the latent image 42 appearing in the specularly reflected light region will be described as examples similar to those in the first embodiment. The configuration of the printed pattern 20 will be described below with reference to FIG. 9.

[0036] As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 9( a), the glossy image 41 has a plurality of units 410 divided into a grid pattern. Each unit 410 has one first object line 411a, one first object line 411b, one second object line 412a, or one second object line 412b. The first object line 411a and the second object line 412a correspond to the first object line 211 and the second object line 212, respectively, of the glossy image 21 according to the first embodiment. The first object line 411b and the second object line 412b are dotted objects. Note that the second object line 412a shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 9( a) is not illustrated at an angle corresponding to the actual letter "A," but is illustrated for the convenience of explaining the configuration of the glossy image 41 according to the third embodiment.

[0037] As shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 9(b), the latent image 42 has a third object line 421. Note that the third object line 421 shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 9(b) is not illustrated to correspond to the actual letter "B", but is an example of the arrangement of the third object line 421 for the convenience of explaining the configuration of the latent image 42 in the third embodiment.

[0038] The third object 421 is disposed between the dotted lines of the first object 411b and the second object 412b. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the first objects 411a, 411b and the second objects 412a, 412b that constitute a part of the glossy image 41 shown in Fig. 9(a) and the third object 421 that constitutes a part of the latent image 42 shown in Fig. 9(b), in which the first object 411b and the third object 421 form one object. Similarly, the second object 412b and the third object 421 form one object.

[0039] The third object line 421 is formed with a colored ink that is the same color as the glittering material of the first object line 411b and the second object line 412b. If the glittering material is silver, the third object line 421 is formed with, for example, gray ink. If the glittering material is gold, the third object line 421 is formed with, for example, ochre ink.

[0040] In the printed pattern 20 configured as described above, the glitter image 41 and the latent image 42 are formed as lines that appear to be in different directions, similar to the glitter image 21 of the first embodiment, and can therefore be visualized using the reading device 100. On the other hand, like the latent image 22, the latent image 42 appears when the illumination light source 201, printed pattern 20, and viewpoint 202 are positioned in a manner that results in a specularly reflected light area. Note that in the latent image print 1 of the third embodiment, the area surrounding the letter "B" formed with the glitter material reflects light more strongly than the area of the letter "B" formed with colored ink, causing the latent image 42 to appear.

[0041] According to the latent image print 1 of the third embodiment described above, the printed pattern 20 has not only the glitter image 41 that is read and displayed by the reading device 100, but also the latent image 42 that appears in the specularly reflected light region. By forming two types of latent images in the printed pattern 20 in this way, that is, a latent image that is visualized by the reading device and a latent image that appears in the specularly reflected light region, it is possible to improve the authenticity discrimination ability and the anti-counterfeiting effect, as in the first and second embodiments.

[0042] In the latent image print 1 of the third embodiment, as long as the photoluminescent material forming the first image lines 411a, 411b and the second image lines 412a, 412b and the colored ink forming the third image line 421 are in a color-matching relationship, functional materials such as luminescent pigments such as fluorescent pigments, phosphorescent pigments, and phosphorescent pigments, IR-absorbing pigments, photochromic pigments, thermochromic materials, and the like may be added to the colored ink forming the third image line 421, and if the functional material is transparent, it can be added without changing the color of the colored ink.

[0043] (Fourth embodiment) FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printed pattern 20 provided on a latent image print 1 according to a fourth embodiment, with FIG. 11(a) showing the configuration of a glossy image 51 and FIG. 11(b) showing the configuration of a latent image 52. The printed pattern 20 according to the fourth embodiment includes the glossy image 51 shown in FIG. 11(a) and the latent image 52 superimposed on the glossy image 51 shown in FIG. 11(b). In the fourth embodiment, the glossy image 51 visualized by the reading device and the latent image 52 appearing in the specularly reflected light region will be described using the same examples as in the first embodiment. The configuration of the printed pattern 20 will be described below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0044] As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 11( a), the glossy image 51 has a plurality of units 510 divided into a grid pattern. Each unit has one first object line 511 or one second object line 512. The first object line 511 and the second object line 512 correspond to the first object line 211 and the second object line 212, respectively, of the glossy image 21 according to the first embodiment. However, among the plurality of first objects 511, the density of some of the first objects 511 is lower than the density of the remaining first objects 511. Among the first objects 511 shown in FIG. 11( a), the first objects with lower density are indicated by the symbol "511'." Similarly, among the plurality of second objects 512, the density of some of the second objects 512 is lower than the density of the remaining second objects 512, and the second objects with lower density shown in FIG. 11( a) are indicated by the symbol "512'."

[0045] As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 11( b), the latent image 52 has a third object 521. The third object 521 is layered on top of a first object 511′ and a second object 512′, which have lower density. The third object 521 is formed with a colored ink of the same hue as the luster material of the first object 511 and the second object 512. For example, if the first object 511 and the second object 512 are formed with a silver luster material, the third object 521 is formed with black ink. The third object 521 shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 11( b) does not correspond to the actual letter “B,” but illustrates an example of the arrangement of the third object 521 for the convenience of explaining the configuration of the latent image 52 in the fourth embodiment.

[0046] In the fourth embodiment, the printed pattern 20 is also visually perceived as having a uniform density, so the density of the first line 511 is equal to the density obtained by adding together the densities of the first line 511', which has a lower density than the first line 511, and the third line 521, and the density of the second line 512 is equal to the density obtained by adding together the densities of the second line 512', which has a lower density than the second line 512, and the third line 521, and the glossy image 51 and the latent image 52 are formed in this manner.

[0047] In the printed pattern 20 configured as described above, the glitter image 51 and the latent image 52 are formed as lines that appear to be in different directions, similar to the glitter image 21 of the first embodiment, and can therefore be visualized using the reading device 100. On the other hand, like the latent image 22, the latent image 52 appears when the illumination light source 201, printed pattern 20, and viewpoint 202 are positioned in a manner that results in a specularly reflected light area. Note that, in the latent image printed matter 1 of the fourth embodiment, similar to the latent image printed matter 1 of the third embodiment, the latent image 52 appears when the area surrounding the letter "B" formed with the glitter material strongly reflects light compared to the area of the letter "B" formed with colored ink.

[0048] According to the latent image print 1 of the fourth embodiment described above, the printed pattern 20 has not only the glitter image 51 that is read and displayed by the reading device 100, but also the latent image 52 that appears in the specularly reflected light region. By forming two types of latent images in the printed pattern 20 in this way, that is, a latent image that is visualized by the reading device and a latent image that appears in the specularly reflected light region, it is possible to improve the authenticity discrimination ability and the anti-counterfeiting effect, as in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0049] 12A and 12B are diagrams showing other configurations of the glossy image 51 and the latent image 52 of the fourth embodiment. The glossy image 51 shown in FIG. 12A is a diagram showing a configuration in which a single first object 511 and a single second object 512 arranged in a unit 510 include objects (511', 512') with partially low density. The latent image 52 shown in FIG. 12B is a diagram showing a third object 521 superimposed on the low density portions of the first object 511' and the second object 512' shown in FIG. 12A. In the configuration shown in FIG. 12A, the third object 521 is superimposed on the low density portions of the first object 511' and the second object 512', so that the print pattern 20 is visually recognized as having a uniform density. The third line 521 shown in Figure 12(b) is finer (at least one of thinner and shorter) than the third line 521 shown in Figure 11(b), and therefore the outline of the pattern shown by the latent image 52 can be expressed in detail.

[0050] By partially varying the area ratio of the third image 521 in the fourth embodiment, it is also possible to express, for example, the shading of the latent image 52 formed with black ink (not shown). As described above, the glossy image 51 layered below the latent image 52 has partially different densities of the first image 511 and the second image 512 formed with silver ink according to the shading of the latent image 52, and the print pattern 20 is visually recognized as having a uniform density. When the latent image 52 expressed in shading with black ink is observed under specular reflection light, the glossy image 51 below it appears low in areas with a high black ink area ratio, and high in areas with a low black ink area ratio, resulting in the appearance of the latent image 52.

[0051] In the latent image print 1 of the fourth embodiment, as long as the overlapping portion of the third image line 521 is in the same range of density as the first image line 511 and the second image line 512, functional materials such as luminescent pigments such as fluorescent pigments, phosphorescent pigments, and phosphorescent pigments, IR absorbing pigments, photochromic pigments, thermochromic materials, etc. may be added to the colored ink forming the third image line 521, and if the functional material is transparent, it can be added without changing the color of the colored ink forming the third image line 521.

[0052] (Fifth embodiment) 13 is a plan view of a latent image print 5 according to the fifth embodiment. Here, the same components as those in the latent image print 1 according to the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The latent image print 5 according to the fifth embodiment has a printed pattern 60 in the printing area 11 of the substrate 10. The printed pattern 60 includes a visible image 21A of the letter "C" that appears partially darker when observed visually, and differs from the printed pattern 20 according to the first embodiment in that the printed pattern 60 includes a fourth object 231 that constitutes the visible image 21A in addition to a first object 211, a second object 212, and a third object 221.

[0053] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a photoluminescent image 21 according to a fifth embodiment. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 14, the fourth object 231 is disposed in an area of each unit 210 of the photoluminescent image 21 that does not overlap with the first object 211 or the second object 212. This is because it affects the reading accuracy when the latent image is visualized using the reading device 100. The fourth object 231 is formed of the same photoluminescent material as the material that forms the first object 211 and the second object 212. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 14, for each unit 210 in which the area ratios of the first object 211 and the second object 212 are equal, the fourth object 231 is disposed in the area of the letter "C." This increases the area ratio of the object formed by the photoluminescent material in part, making the letter "C" visible.

[0054] In the fifth embodiment, the observation environment in which the letter "C" can be seen is an environment in which diffuse reflected light, in which the glitter image 21 does not strongly reflect light, is observed, and the letter "C" can be seen when the incident angle and the light receiving angle are different. On the other hand, when the positional relationship is such that the specular reflection light region is formed, the first object line 211, the second object line 212, and the fourth object line 231 formed by the glitter material strongly reflect light, and the first object line 211, the second object line 212, and the fourth object line 231 arranged in the printing region 11 cannot be visually perceived, so the letter "C" disappears, and the latent image 22 of the letter "B" appears, which is formed by the third object line 221 superimposed on the first object line 211 and the second object line 212, as described in the first embodiment.

[0055] In the printed pattern 60 configured as described above, the visible image 21A consisting of the fourth object line 231 can be visualized using the reading device 100 described in the first embodiment, similar to the glossy image 21 consisting of the first object line 211 and the second object line 212. Therefore, it is preferable that the fourth object line 231 has a shape and size that make it difficult for the edges to be emphasized by a differential filter used when visualizing the glossy image 21 by the reading device 100. For example, in the fifth embodiment, as shown in Fig. 14, the fourth object line 231 is formed in the shape of dots that are smaller than the first object line 211 and the second object line 212.

[0056] According to the latent image print 5 of the fifth embodiment described above, the print pattern 60 has a visible image 21A in addition to the glitter image 21 and the latent image 22. When the latent image print 5 is visually observed, the letter "C" in the visible image 21A is visible, and the letter "B" is visible in the specularly reflected light region, creating the effect of a pattern transformation.

[0057] The visible image 21A described in the fifth embodiment and the fourth object lines 231 constituting the visible image 21A may have the same configuration as that of the printed pattern 20 described in the second to fourth embodiments. While the fourth object lines 231 are formed in the dot-like form shown in Fig. 14 in the example described above, the dot shape is not limited to the circle shown in Fig. 14 and may be a triangle, a rectangle, a star, an ellipse, or the like. Furthermore, the fourth object lines 231 constituting the visible image 21A are not limited to a configuration in which one is provided for each unit 210 as shown in Fig. 14. The shading of the visible image 21A can also be expressed by varying the density at which the fine fourth object lines 231 are arranged, as in halftone dot printing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1: Latent image print 10: Base material 11:Print area 20: Printing pattern 21: Photoluminescent image 21A:Visible image 22:Latent image 31: Photoluminescent image 32:Latent image 41: Luminous image 42:Latent image 51: Luminous image 52:Latent image 60: Printing pattern 100: Reading device 211: First line 212: Second line 221: Third line 231: 4th line 311: First line 312: Second line 321: Third line 331: 4th line 411a, 411b: 1st stroke 412a, 412b: 2nd stroke 421: Third line 511, 511': First stroke 512, 512': Second stroke 521: Third line

Claims

1. a printed pattern having an image visually recognized as a uniform density, the printed pattern being formed by arranging a plurality of image lines on the substrate in at least a part of a printing area of the substrate, the image lines arranged in the printing area being partially different in at least one of angle and shape; A printed matter in which a latent image is visible at an observation angle in a specular reflection light region, and a latent image other than the latent image is visualized by a reading device that reads a difference in at least one of the angle or shape of the image line, The printing pattern is (i) A photoluminescent image formed by a photoluminescent material and a latent image formed by a transparent material and laminated on a part of the photoluminescent image, or (ii) A glossy image formed by a glossy material, and a transparent material having a higher gloss than the substrate or a latent image having the same color as the substrate, under the glossy image, or (iii) The image includes a photoluminescent image in which a part of the image line is formed by a photoluminescent material, and a latent image in which the remaining part of the image line is formed by a colored ink of the same color as the photoluminescent material, or (iv) A latent image print comprising a glossy image in which the image lines, each having a different density, are formed using a glossy material, and a latent image in which the image lines, each having a lower density among the image lines, are formed using a colored ink of the same hue as the glossy material.

2. 2. The latent image print according to claim 1, wherein the printed pattern further includes an image line forming a visible image formed by the photoluminescent material in an area that does not overlap with the image line forming the photoluminescent image.

Images