Information Media

Abstract

To provide an information medium capable of acquiring an inhibitory effect of forgery and falsification by preventing a security pattern from being seen at a glance to be in a latent image state without any problem of recording a visual image after forming a medium and making the security pattern look like a watermark on a specific observation condition.SOLUTION: In an information medium, a window open layer 3 and a printing layer 4 are sequentially laminated integrally on both surface and rear sides of a pattern layer 2, a security pattern part is provided with a pattern layer on a base material 2d, visible light transmits the base material, and a security pattern 2a having low transmittance of the visible light is formed in the security pattern part. In the window open layer, a part overlapping the security pattern part is a window part 3a having high transmittance of the visible light and the other part is a low transmittance part 3b having low transmittance of the visible light, a printing pattern 4a is entirely formed on the printing layer, the visible light transmits the window part when the visible light is irradiated, and a security pattern can be seen from the outside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information medium in the form of a card, booklet, or the like, which carries various information such as personal information, and more particularly to an information medium which allows easy viewing of information and has excellent anti-counterfeiting capabilities. [Background technology]

[0002] Information media that carry personal information and various other information include card-like media such as ID cards, credit cards, and driver's license cards, sheet-like media such as visas, and booklet-like media such as passports.

[0003] Since all of these information media carry important personal information such as facial photographs and ID numbers, and are used for various authentication purposes, they are susceptible to malicious forgery, counterfeiting, and tampering, and therefore it is common for them to be equipped with preventative features (collectively referred to as anti-counterfeiting features). Conventionally known anti-counterfeiting features for information media include holograms, watermarks, and fluorescent inks.

[0004] These anti-counterfeiting features are widely adopted because implementing the features themselves is technically difficult, and because they are laminated on the surface of the area where personal information, such as a face photo, is recorded, any physical tampering with the personal information will also damage these features, making it easy to detect any tampering.

[0005] However, even when these anti-counterfeiting features are provided, it is possible to, for example, scrape off the back side of the information medium 10 opposite the side on which these anti-counterfeiting features 11 are laminated, as shown in Figure 4, to scrape out the facial photograph section 12 and replace it with a different facial photograph 13, so new security features were required.

[0006] For example, in the field of IC cards, when an antenna pattern 23 is formed on an IC card 20 by metal etching, a security pattern 22 is simultaneously formed by metal etching so as to overlap a position where a visual image 21 such as a facial photograph is formed, as shown in Fig. 5. This security pattern 22 is formed on the inner layer side of the visual image 21 such as a facial photograph, and since the security pattern 22 is also scraped off by scraping off 24 from the back side, it is considered possible to detect tampering. On the other hand, this security pattern 22 by metal etching can impede the visibility of the facial photograph itself when viewed from the direction of the white arrow, and is not necessarily preferable.

[0007] It has also been proposed to apply watermark technology, which is often applied to paper-based media such as banknotes, to cards. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an authentication card in which a watermark image is engraved into a black printed layer on the card, and authenticity can be easily determined by comparing the watermark image with a visual image created by dye-sublimation transfer. However, such cards require a lot of work to engrave one by one, and shavings can adhere to the card. In addition, engraving can cause unevenness in the thickness of the card, which can cause problems when recording visual images such as letters and images after the medium is formed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-118395 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an information medium which has the effect of preventing counterfeiting and tampering by allowing a visual image to be recorded without any problems even when the image is recorded after the medium is formed, and in which the security pattern is invisible at first glance as a latent image, and which appears like a watermark under specific observation conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides An information medium in which a window layer and a printing layer are laminated in this order on both sides of a pattern layer, The pattern layer is a base material having a security pattern portion provided thereon, The substrate is transparent to visible light, The security pattern portion is formed with a security pattern having low visible light transmittance, the window layer has a window portion having a high visible light transmittance in a portion overlapping the security pattern portion, and the other portion has a low visible light transmittance in a portion having a low visible light transmittance; The printing layer has a printing pattern formed on the entire surface thereof, The information medium is characterized in that when visible light is irradiated, the visible light passes through the window portion, making the security pattern visible from the outside.

[0011] In the above information medium, The security pattern may be made of metal.

[0012] In the above information medium, An antenna pattern may further be formed on the pattern layer.

[0013] In the above information medium, The security pattern and the antenna pattern may be formed by metal etching.

[0014] In the above information medium, The window portion may be made of a transparent material, and the low transmittance portion may be made of an opaque material.

[0015] In the above information medium, The security pattern may be invisible due to reflected light from the surface when illuminated with visible light. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the information medium of the present invention, only the printing pattern of the printing layer is visible under observation conditions using reflected light, but when observed under observation conditions using transmitted light, a security pattern with low visible light transmittance on a substrate through which visible light transmits can be seen through the light that has passed through the window portion, providing a security effect similar to that of a watermark, and an information medium is obtained in which there is no unevenness in the thickness of the medium and the security pattern does not affect the formation or appearance of visual images such as facial photographs viewed with other reflected light. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a layer structure of an information medium of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a layer structure of an information medium of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a mode of observing an information medium of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional method for replacing a face photograph from the back side of an information medium. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a layer structure of a conventional information medium in which a metal pattern is provided over a face photograph portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In addition, in the embodiments shown below, technically preferable limitations are imposed for carrying out the invention, but these limitations are not essential requirements for the present invention.

[0019] Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the layer structure of the information medium of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of the information medium of the present invention. The information medium 1 of the present invention is configured such that at least a window layer 3 and a print layer 4 are sequentially laminated on both the front and back sides of a pattern layer 2 at the center, and are integrated by bonding them together by thermal lamination or the like. Although not particularly shown, an adhesive layer or the like may be provided separately as necessary. Note that Fig. 1 shows only one side.

[0020] The pattern layer 2 is formed by patterning metal such that the antenna pattern 2b is formed on a base material 2d that transmits visible light, and the security pattern 2a is formed on the security pattern portion of the base material 2d, and an IC chip 2c electrically connected to the antenna pattern 2b is mounted on the base material 2d. There are no particular limitations on the base material 2d as long as it is a material that transmits visible light, but typically a transparent or semi-transparent plastic sheet or a light-colored sheet such as white can be preferably used.

[0021] When the security pattern 2a and the antenna pattern 2b are formed of metal, aluminum, copper, silver, gold, etc. can be suitably used, but there is no particular limitation as long as they have good conductivity. The security pattern 2a does not need to be electrically connected to the antenna pattern 2b, etc. The method of forming the security pattern 2a and the antenna pattern 2b is not particularly limited, and different methods may be adopted for each. The security pattern 2a does not necessarily need to be made of metal as long as it is made of a material with low visible light transmittance, but it is efficient to form it by the same method, and it can be formed by a known metal etching technique.

[0022] The metal security pattern 2a can be formed to be thinner than the substrate 2d, so that there is no substantial step when the layers are bonded together. Furthermore, it is easy to embed the security pattern 2a in the substrate 2d by heating during processing such as thermal lamination. Therefore, the information medium 1 can be made flat and without steps, and even when printing is performed on the surface after lamination, the printing quality is not affected.

[0023] The pattern shape of the security pattern 2a is not particularly limited, and may be any picture, letter, symbol, mark, etc. whose contents can be directly confirmed by visual inspection, or may be formed as a pattern in which the individual information of the information medium 1 is coded into a barcode or the like or encrypted.

[0024] The windowed layer 3 is laminated on both the front and back sides of the patterned layer 2. The portion of the patterned layer 2 that overlaps with the security pattern 2a when laminated is a window portion 3a that has high transmittance to visible light, preferably a transparent window portion, and the other portion is a low-transmittance portion that has low transmittance to visible light, preferably an opaque portion 3b that is opaque. That is, the windowed layer 3 is shaped like a window in which a transparent window portion 3a is embedded in a part of an opaque sheet. When the windowed layer 3 is laminated, the antenna pattern 2b and the IC chip 2c are covered by the opaque portion 3b and cannot be seen, and the security pattern 2a can be seen through the transparent window portion 3a. There is no particular limitation on the material of the windowed layer 3, but typically, a suitable material can be selected from various plastic sheets to suit the characteristics.

[0025] To form the window portion 3a, a part of the opaque sheet that will become the opaque portion 3b is hollowed out in a window shape. A transparent material of the same thickness is fitted to the carved shape to ensure there are no steps, and each layer is heat laminated and attached together, and then glued or fused at the same time, to form the entire piece into a flat sheet.

[0026] The opaque portion 3b can be formed by using an opaque material, a dark-colored material that is substantially opaque, or a light-colored material that is sufficiently thick to be substantially opaque.

[0027] A printed layer 4 is laminated on the upper layer of the windowed layer 3. The printed layer 4 may be formed by printing a printed pattern 4a directly on the upper layer of the windowed layer 3 by appropriately applying a known printing method such as gravure printing, offset printing, or flexographic printing, or may be formed by printing the printed pattern 4a on a transparent, semi-transparent, or light-colored sheet 4b such as white, and laminating this sheet 4b on the windowed layer 3. The sheet 4b may be transparent and laminated so that the printed pattern 4a is on the inner layer side. Alternatively, each layer may be laminated and bonded together by lamination or the like, and then printing may be performed on the surface.

[0028] The printing pattern 4a is formed over the entire surface, so it also covers the transparent window portion 3a. The design of the printing pattern 4a is not particularly limited and may include any design, mark, logo, text information, etc., but it is preferable to avoid forming a solid black ink pattern on the window portion 3a. The designs of the printing patterns 4a printed on the printing layers on both the front and back sides may be different or the same.

[0029] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a mode of observing the information medium of the present invention. When the information medium 1 constructed by laminating in the above-mentioned mode is observed by the light reflected from the surface under illumination by a normal light source 5 as shown in Fig. 3(a), the image of the printed pattern 4a is visible to the observer 6, and the security pattern formed on the inner layer side is hidden and cannot be seen.

[0030] On the other hand, when the information medium 1 is held up to illumination light from a normal light source 5 as shown in Figure 3(b) and observed using transmitted light, the ink forming the printed pattern 4a of the printed layer 4 is generally transparent to improve color reproducibility when colors are layered, so that at least a portion of the illumination light passes through the printed layer 4 and is blocked by the opaque portion 3b but passes through the transparent window portion 3a, so that the security pattern 2a formed of metal on the pattern layer 2 appears to the observer 6 as a light-blocking pattern in the window portion 3a.

[0031] In this way, on the information medium 1, portions with different transmittance of visible light are formed, so that when observed with reflected light, the security pattern 2a is concealed and only the difference in the printed pattern 4a can be confirmed. However, when observed with transmitted light, it appears like a watermark, and therefore has the same effect as a watermark and serves to deter counterfeiting and tampering, and can be used as a security function.

[0032] In addition, in the window portion 3a, the printed pattern 4a and the security pattern 2a are seen to overlap when viewed with transmitted light, and by adjusting the transmittance of the window portion 3a and the light intensity of the light source, a gradation pattern having three or more gradations is actually expressed. For example, when a medium suspected of counterfeiting or tampering is discovered, if the matching of the transmittance of each material itself or each pattern is not perfect, a gradation pattern different from the original gradation pattern will be visible, making it possible to detect the counterfeit. EXAMPLES

[0033] The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to examples. An information medium was prototyped with the following configuration, and the effects were visually observed. <Configuration> The layer structure was the same as that shown in FIG. <Material> Pattern layer (2) White polycarbonate Makrofol ID4-4-010207 Thickness 125μm (Manufactured by Covestro) with aluminum etched antenna + security pattern. Windowed layer (3) Opaque part: White polycarbonate Makrofol ID4-4-010207 Thickness: 125 μm (manufactured by Covestro) Window: transparent polycarbonate Makrofol ID6-2-000000 Thickness: 125 μm (manufactured by Covestro) Printing layer (4) Sheet: White polycarbonate Makrofol ID4-4-010207 Thickness: 100 μm (manufactured by Covestro) Printing: Printing ink FD0 New PT series (manufactured by Toyo Ink Co., Ltd.) <Lamination machine> Mini test press machine MP-WNH (heating) / MP-WC (cooling) <Test> (1) With the above layer structure, the security pattern was aligned so that it would be in the window area, and then temporarily fixed with a soldering iron (partially fused by applying heat). At this time, the transparent polycarbonate of the window area and the white polycarbonate of the opaque area were not integrated, but each was temporarily fixed individually to the adjacent layer, so that the registration was aligned and no misalignment would occur. (2) Heat lamination and cooling were performed using a mini test press machine to fuse and integrate each layer. Heating: 190℃, 10min, 5MPa Cooling: Water cooling 10min 5MPa (pressure and temperature are displayed on a mini test press) (3) When the laminated information medium was inspected, the security pattern was obscured and not visible when observed under reflected light under fluorescent lighting, but when observed under transmitted light, a gradation difference occurred in the window area, allowing the security pattern to be visually confirmed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1...information medium 2. Pattern layer 2a Security Pattern 2b Antenna pattern 2c...IC chip 2d...Base material 3. Windowed layer 3a Window section 3b...opaque area 4...printing layer 4a Printing pattern 4b...Sheet 5...Light source 6. Observer

Claims

1. An information medium in which a window layer and a printing layer are laminated in this order on both sides of a pattern layer, The pattern layer is a base material having a security pattern portion provided thereon, The substrate is transparent to visible light, The security pattern portion is formed with a security pattern having low visible light transmittance, the window layer has a window portion having a high visible light transmittance in a portion overlapping the security pattern portion, and the other portion has a low visible light transmittance in a portion having a low visible light transmittance; The printing layer has a printing pattern formed on the entire surface thereof, An information medium, characterized in that when visible light is irradiated, the visible light passes through the window portion, making the security pattern visible from the outside.

2. 2. The information medium according to claim 1, wherein the security pattern is made of metal.

3. 3. The information medium according to claim 1, wherein an antenna pattern is further formed on the pattern layer.

4. 4. The information medium according to claim 3, wherein the security pattern and the antenna pattern are formed by metal etching.

5. 5. The information medium according to claim 1, wherein the window portion is made of a transparent material, and the low transmittance portion is made of an opaque material.

6. 6. The information medium according to claim 1, wherein the security pattern is invisible due to reflected light from the surface when visible light is irradiated onto the security pattern.

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