Color two-dimensional barcode and automobile part equipped with said color two-dimensional barcode

Abstract

We provide color 2D barcodes that can reduce the reduction in readability due to color bleeding. The color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention records information by combining color cells formed on the surface of a substrate. The substrate has a surface on which a plurality of protrusions are separated into a grid by a plurality of grooves, Ink is applied to the top surfaces of the convex portions, and each convex portion forms one color cell, thereby providing a color two-dimensional barcode that can suppress deterioration in readability due to color bleeding.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a two-dimensional color barcode and an automobile part equipped with the two-dimensional color barcode. [Background technology]

[0002] Two-dimensional barcodes such as QR Code (registered trademark) are matrix-type two-dimensional codes that can be read by a scanner and can record digital information by combining square cells. They are widely used in manufacturing and logistics sites for things like warehousing, inventory management, picking, and delivery management.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a color two-dimensional barcode that can record more information than a black-and-white QR code (registered trademark). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-229299 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when printing a color 2D barcode on a substrate such as resin or metal, which ink does not penetrate, color bleeding is likely to occur between adjacent cells, making it impossible to correctly recognize the color of the cells and reducing readability.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems associated with the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a two-dimensional color barcode that can suppress deterioration in readability due to color bleeding. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research into achieving the above object, the inventors discovered that the above object can be achieved by forming a groove between adjacent color cells, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] That is, the color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention records information by combining color cells formed on the surface of a substrate. The substrate has a surface on which a plurality of protrusions are separated into a grid by a plurality of grooves, Ink is applied to the top surfaces of the convex portions, and one convex portion forms one color cell.

[0009] The automobile part of the present invention is characterized by including the above-mentioned color two-dimensional barcode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, a groove is formed between adjacent color cells, so that a two-dimensional color barcode can be provided that can suppress deterioration in readability due to color bleeding. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a color two-dimensional barcode. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an example of a color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of a color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention will now be described in detail. As shown in Figure 1, a color two-dimensional barcode records information using a combination of color cells formed on the surface of a substrate.

[0013] In the color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention, the surface of the substrate is divided into a grid by a plurality of grooves and has a plurality of convex portions with square top surfaces formed thereon, as shown in FIGS. Ink is applied to the top surface of the convex portion, and one convex portion forms one color cell.

[0014] As described above, the color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention has grooves formed between adjacent color cells, so that ink applied to a color cell, i.e., the top surface of a convex portion, does not wet and spread to the top surfaces of the convex portions of color cells adjacent to that color cell.

[0015] Therefore, even if the substrate is one that does not allow ink to penetrate, color bleeding between adjacent color cells does not occur, and deterioration in readability can be suppressed.

[0016] The color cells can be formed by forming a plurality of straight grooves on the surface of the substrate and applying ink to the top surfaces of the projections separated by the grooves by an inkjet method.

[0017] Examples of methods for forming grooves on the surface of a substrate include laser processing, embossing, etching, and die casting.

[0018] The substrate may be made of a material that is impermeable to ink, such as metal, resin, or ceramic.

[0019] The ink may be any ink that can be printed by an inkjet method, such as pigment ink, UV ink, or structural color ink.

[0020] The depth of the grooves formed on the surface of the substrate is sufficient to receive the ink flowing down from the top surfaces of the convex portions and prevent it from overflowing onto the top surfaces, and is adjusted according to the amount of ink to be applied.

[0021] This makes it possible to prevent color bleeding between adjacent color cells, since the height of the ink surface that flows down from the top surface of the convex portion and accumulates in the groove is lower than the top surface of the convex portion.

[0022] The width of the groove is preferably shorter than the length of one side of the square top surface of the convex portion. Ink that has flowed down from the top surfaces of multiple adjacent convex portions collects in the grooves, so the color of the ink inside the grooves is a mixture of the multiple inks that have flowed down, which can result in a misreading if the scanner recognizes the grooves as color cells.

[0023] The width of the groove is shorter than the length of one side of the top surface, so that the area of ​​the groove is smaller than the area of ​​the color cell, and by setting the scanner so that it does not recognize the groove as a color cell if the area is less than a predetermined value, it is possible to prevent the groove from being recognized as a color cell and being read erroneously.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, the groove preferably has a V-shaped cross section, and the width of the V-shape gradually narrows from the center to the outside of the two-dimensional color barcode.

[0025] The width of the V-shaped groove narrows from the center of the color 2D barcode toward the outside, so that ink that flows down into the groove is discharged to the outside of the color 2D barcode by capillary action, and even if ink remains in the groove, its width narrows, preventing the groove from being recognized as a color cell and improving the readability of the color 2D barcode.

[0026] As described above, the color two-dimensional barcode of the present invention is highly readable even when the substrate is one that does not allow ink to penetrate, and therefore can be suitably used for inventory management, for example, by attaching it to automobile bodies, interior materials, and various automobile parts such as batteries. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1. Color 2D barcode 2 color cells 3 grooves 4 Base material 5. Ink

Claims

1. A color two-dimensional barcode in which information is recorded by a combination of color cells formed on a substrate surface, The surface of the substrate has a plurality of convex portions separated in a grid pattern by a plurality of grooves, A color two-dimensional barcode characterized in that ink is applied to the top surfaces of the convex portions, and each convex portion forms one color cell.

2. 2. The color two-dimensional bar code according to claim 1, wherein the height of the ink surface in the groove is lower than the top surface of the convex portion.

3. 3. The color two-dimensional bar code according to claim 2, wherein the width of the groove is shorter than the length of one side of the top surface of the convex portion.

4. The cross-sectional shape of the groove is V-shaped, 4. The two-dimensional color barcode according to claim 3, wherein the width of the V-shape gradually narrows from the center to the outside of the two-dimensional color barcode.

5. 5. The color two-dimensional barcode according to claim 4, wherein the ink is an ink-jet ink.

6. An automobile part provided with the color two-dimensional barcode according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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