Patent Publication Number: US-2021187993-A1

Title: Laminated body

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a laminated body having a laser color development layer. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, there was a card in which a laser color development layer was laminated above a support (base material) (for example, Patent Document 1). 
     However, if a print layer by offset printing or the like is provided below the laser color development layer in the case of the conventional card, the print layer is damaged due to heat generated in the laser color development layer as a result of laser beam irradiation. For this reason, in the conventional card, the damaged print layer was observed as blurred around the print information of the laser color development layer, and the quality deteriorated, accordingly.
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2006-103221   

     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated body in which a print layer is provided below a laser color development layer without lowering quality. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     The present invention solves the above-described problem by the following solving means. In order to facilitate understanding, reference symbols corresponding to the embodiments of the present invention are attached, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, components described with the reference symbols may be modified as appropriate, and at least a portion thereof may be replaced by another component. 
     In a first aspect of the invention is a laminated body including a base material ( 10 ), a print layer ( 20 ) laminated above the base material, a barrier layer ( 30 ) laminated above the print layer and having translucency, and a laser color development layer ( 40 ) laminated above the barrier layer and having translucency, in which the barrier layer suppresses damage to the print layer due to heat generated in the laser color development layer by laser irradiation. 
     In a second aspect of the invention is the laminated body according to the first aspect, in which a thickness t (mm) of the barrier layer ( 30 ) is 0.01≤t≤0.05. 
     In a third aspect of the invention is the laminated body according to the first aspect, in which a thickness t (mm) of the barrier layer ( 30 ) is 0.01≤t≤0.02. 
     In a fourth aspect of the invention is the laminated body according to any one of the first to third aspects, further including a protective layer ( 50 ) provided above the laser color development layer ( 40 ), having translucency, and protecting the laser color development layer. 
     In a fifth aspect of the invention is the laminated body according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the barrier layer ( 30 ) has optical diffraction structure. 
     In a sixth aspect of the invention is the laminated body according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the laminated body ( 1 ,  201 ) is a card. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a laminated body in which a print layer is provided below a laser color development layer without lowering quality. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are views illustrating a card  1  according to a first embodiment; 
         FIGS. 2A to 2C  are photographic images illustrating results of a verification test 1 of trial products  1 A and  1 B according to the first embodiment; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are photographic images illustrating comparison between a trial product  1 C according to the first embodiment and a comparative product  101 C; and 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views illustrating a card  201  according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a card  1  according to a first embodiment. 
       FIG. 1A  is a view of the card  1  as viewed from upward. 
       FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view of the card  1  (a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 1A ). 
     In the embodiments and the drawings, for facilitating description and understanding, the description will be made based on an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. 
     The coordinate system represents a left-right direction X (left side X 1  and right side X 2 ), a longitudinal direction Y (lower side Y 1  and upper side Y 2 ), a thickness direction Z (lower side Z 1  and upper side Z 2 ) with reference to the state of  FIG. 1A . 
     In the drawings, the configuration in the thickness direction Z is illustrated in an exaggerated manner as appropriate. 
     [Configuration of Card  1 ] 
     In the embodiment, an example where the card  1  (laminated body) is an identification card (ID card) of an employee issued by a company will be described. 
     The card  1  includes an offset print layer  20 , a barrier layer  30 , a laser color development layer  40 , and a transparent layer  50  which are laminated in this order on a base material  10  from the lower side Z 1  to the upper side Z 2 . 
     The base material  10 , the barrier layer  30 , the laser color development layer  40 , and the transparent layer  50  are formed with a resin sheet such as PC, PET, PET-G, or PVC or a sheet material of an alloy of these resins. Thermal welding or the like performed by heat pressing is applied for bonding these layers to each other. 
     In the embodiment, an example in which layers are provided only on the upper side Z 2  of the base material  10  is described, but other layers may be provided on the lower side Z 1  of the base material  10  as needed. 
     The base material  10  is a member that serves as a base of the card  1 . The base material  10  is a layer that does not transmit light. The color of the base material  10  is, for example, white or the like. 
     The offset print layer  20  is laminated on the base material  10  by directly performing offset printing. The printing method is not limited to offset printing, but other alternative printing methods (silk printing and the like) may be used. 
     The print content of the offset print layer  20  is print information  21  in which a plurality of combinations of symbols “Δ◯□” are arranged and print information  22  of characters “ID CARD.” In  FIG. 1A , for convenience sake, the print information  21  is indicated by a broken line. 
     The print content of the offset print layer  20  is not limited thereto, but, may be a figure, a pattern, or the like, for example. In addition, the offset print layer  20  may be a monochromatic print with black or the like or may be a color print with a plurality of colors. 
     The barrier layer  30  has translucency and is colorless and transparent. As described later, the barrier layer  30  suppresses the damage to the offset print layer  20  due to heat generated in the laser color development layer  40 . 
     In addition, the barrier layer  30  is not limited to being configured to be laminated on an entire surface of the card  1 . For example, the barrier layer  30  may be laminated only on the laser color development layer  40  or only on a portion where the print information appears by laser color development. In addition, although the barrier layer  30  is easy to manufacture in a form of one layer, the barrier layer  30  is not limited thereto. The barrier layer  30  may have a form in which two or more layers of the same material or different materials are laminated. 
     The laser color development layer  40  has translucency and is colorless and transparent. The laser color development layer  40  includes a color developer. Accordingly, the area irradiated with a laser beam in the laser color development layer  40  generates heat and develops a black color. In the embodiment, such color development is also referred to as “laser printing,” “laser character printing,” or the like. 
     For convenience sake, it is illustrated in the drawings that the laser color development layer  40  develops the color only partially in the thickness direction Z. 
     However, in general, the color is developed over an entirety of the laser color development layer  40  in the thickness direction Z. 
     In addition, the material of the laser color development layer  40  may not include a color developer as long as the material develops color by irradiation with a laser beam. The developed color may be other than black. 
     The print content of the laser color development layer  40  includes a photographic image  41  of an employee and an identification number  42  which is text information. As the upper surface of the card is viewed from upward, the photographic image  41  and the identification number  42  overlap with the print information  21  of the offset print layer  20 . In addition, the barrier layer  30  and the laser color development layer  40  are not limited to being colorless and transparent. The colors of the barrier layer  30  and the laser color development layer  40  may be any colors as long as the print information of the laser color development layer  40  and the offset print layer  20  is visible. 
     The transparent layer  50  is a layer having translucency like the barrier layer  30 . The transparent layer  50  is a protective layer for protecting the laser color development layer  40 . In a case where the laser color development layer  40  has a sufficient strength or the like, the transparent layer  50  may be omitted. 
     [Observation Mode] 
     The upper surface of the card is observed as described below. 
     The print information  21  and  22  of the offset print layer  20  are observed through the laser color development layer  40  and the transparent layer  50  (refer to an arrow A 20   a ). 
     In addition, in the area where the print information  21  of the offset print layer  20  overlaps with the photographic image  41  and the identification number  42  of the laser color development layer  40 , the print information  21  of the offset print layer  20  can be observed at the gaps of the color development portion of the laser color development layer  40  through the laser color development layer  40  and the transparent layer  50  (refer to an arrow A 20   b ). 
     The photographic image  41  and the identification number  42 , which are the print information of the laser color development layer  40 , are observed through the transparent layer  50  (refer to an arrow A 40 ). 
     [Manufacturing Method] 
     The card  1  is manufactured according to the following processes. 
     (Offset Print Layer Forming Process) 
     By performing offset printing on the base material  10 , the offset print layer  20  is formed. 
     (Lamination Process) 
     The barrier layer  30 , the laser color development layer  40  in a state before laser printing, and the transparent layer  50  are laminated in this order from the lower side Z 1  on the base material  10  having been subjected to offset printing, and the layers in lamination are bonded to each other by heat pressing or the like. 
     In this case, instead of bonding the entire layers simultaneously, a laminated sheet in which some of the layers have been laminated may be manufactured in advance. For example, the laminated sheet in which the barrier layer  30 , the laser color development layer  40 , and the transparent layer  50  are bonded to each other may be manufactured in advance, and this laminated sheet and the base material  10  may be bonded by heat pressing or the like. Such a laminated sheet may be commercially purchased. 
     In addition, the card  1  may be manufactured by a multiple cards method. In other words, in card manufacturing, individual cards may be manufactured by a punching process and the like after a laminated body in which a plurality of cards  1  are arranged is manufactured. 
     (Laser Print Process) 
     Using a laser irradiation apparatus, the upper surface of the card is irradiated with a laser beam. After transmitting through the transparent layer  50  which is a transparent layer, the laser beam reaches the laser color development layer  40  and develops a color in the laser color development layer  40  (refer to an arrow B 40   a ). 
     This laser printing process may be performed by a card manufacturer or by a company to which the card is to be delivered in a case where the company owns a laser irradiation apparatus. 
     Through the above-described processes, the card  1  can be manufactured. 
     Herein, in the laser printing process, the laser color development layer  40  generates heat by laser irradiation. 
     The heat generated in the laser color development layer  40  transfers to the barrier layer  30  and then to the offset print layer  20  (refer to an arrow B 40   b ). Accordingly, the barrier layer  30  functions as a thermal insulator, and the heat generated in the laser color development layer  40  does not directly transfer to the offset print layer  20 . Accordingly, the barrier layer  30  exhibits a function and an effect which enable the suppression of the damage to the offset print information caused by the heat generation. 
     [Verification Test] 
     A trial product according to the first embodiment and a comparative product were manufactured, and a verification test was performed to verify the above-described function and effect in detail. 
     The configuration of the trial product according to the first embodiment, the configuration of the comparative product, and the laser irradiation apparatus will be described below. 
     It should be noted that the configuration described below is an example. 
     A trial product according to the first embodiment (refer to  FIG. 1 ) 
     A transparent layer  50 : a polycarbonate (PC) resin, 10 μm 
     A laser color development layer  40 : a PC resin or an alloy resin of a PC resin, 50 μm 
     A barrier layer  30  (similar to the transparent layer  50 ): a PC resin, 10 μm 
     A base material  10 : a PC resin or an alloy resin of a PC resin, 100 μm 
     In an offset print layer  20 , a pattern  23  of light color was provided over an entire upper surface of the base material  10 . However, the pattern  23  is not a type of solid printing. 
     Accordingly, the upper surface of the base material  10  is visible in the area where the pattern  23  is not provided. 
     Comparative Product 
     A comparative product has a configuration obtained by removing the barrier layer  30  from the trial product. 
     A transparent layer: a PC resin with a thickness of 10 μm 
     A laser color development layer: a PC resin or an alloy resin of a PC resin, 50 μm 
     A base material: a PC resin or an alloy resin of a PC resin, 100 μm 
     An offset print layer  20  is similar to that of the trial product. 
     A laser irradiation apparatus: Laser Marker CLM-20 produced by NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION. 
     [Verification Test 1] 
     In a verification test 1, it was verified whether or not there was damage to the offset print layer  20  caused by the intensity of a laser beam. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are photographic images illustrating results of trial products  1 A and  1 B of the verification test 1 according to the first embodiment. 
     (Intensity of Laser Beam) 
     With respect to the intensity of the laser beam, the intensity of the laser beam itself and the dot interval (that is, dot density) were changed as described below. 
     The intensity of the laser beam itself: The irradiation intensity (Pow) of the laser irradiation apparatus was changed by 5% from 25 to 100%. 
     The dot interval (Step): The dot interval was changed in steps of 5 μm from 30 to 55 μm. 
     Print information  43  and  143  of laser printing are character information indicating the condition of the intensity of the laser beam, respectively. 
     Result of Verification Test 1 
     Trial Products  1 A and  1 B According to the First Embodiment 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , with respect to the trial products  1 A and  1 B, the entire print information  43  was clearly (sharply) observable. 
     In addition, with respect to the trial products  1 A and  1 B, it was observable that the color darkened gradually from gray to black depending on the intensity of the laser beam. Furthermore, as illustrated in  FIG. 2C , there was no damage to the offset print layer  20  even with respect to the character printing “Pow 100% Step 30 μm” having the largest heat generation. Accordingly, the print information  43  of the offset print layer  20  was clearly observable. 
     As a result, with respect to the trial products  1 A and  1 B, it was verified that there was no damage to the offset print layer  20  at each of the applied intensities of the laser beam. 
     Although detailed description is omitted, a comparative product (not illustrated) in which the offset print layer  20  was omitted from the trial products  1 A and  1 B according to the first embodiment, that is, a comparative product in which the base material  10  was plain was also manufactured. 
     When the print information of laser printing of the comparative product and the print information of laser printing of the trial products  1 A and  1 B according to the first embodiment were visually observed with eyes, no difference in quality was verified between the two products. In other words, in the trial products  1 A and  1 B according to the first embodiment, there was no deterioration in quality due to attaching the offset print layer  20 . 
     In addition, in other trial products (not illustrated) according to the first embodiment, fine characters, figures, and the like such as microtaggants which are hard to visually distinguish with eyes were laser-printed. When such fine characters and the like were observed with a magnifying glass, there was no crush, that is, the characters and the like were clear. In addition, by the trial product, it was verified that printed characters with a character size of 0.135 μm were distinguishable. 
     [Verification Test 2] 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are photographic images to show a comparison. 
       FIG. 3A  is a photographic image of a trial product  1 C according to the first embodiment, and  FIG. 3B  is a photographic image of a comparative product  101 C. 
     In the verification test 2, characters “31” are printed by laser character printing on the trial product  1 C according to the first embodiment and the comparative product  101 C, as print information  43  and  143 , respectively. The character size is 7 pt. The print conditions for the two products are the same. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the trial product  1 C according to the first embodiment had almost no damage to a portion of the pattern  23  (ink) of the offset print layer  20 , and the outline of the print information  43  (that is, the outline of a character “31”) was sharp. 
     On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG. 3B , in the comparative product  101 C, damage (burning) occurred to the pattern  123  (ink) of the offset print layer. This is because the heat generated in the laser color development layer transferred directly to the offset print layer. 
     The damage to the offset print layer in the comparative product  101 C occurred within and around the area of the print information  143  of the laser color development layer. Accordingly, the characters of comparative product  101 C were observed as blurred. For this reason, the quality of laser character printing of the comparative product  101 C was significantly inferior to that of the trial product  1 C according to the first embodiment. 
     [Verification Test 3] 
     In a verification test 3, damage to the offset print layer  20  was verified by performing laser printing of a black-and-white photograph of a person&#39;s face. In other words, the fineness of the laser-printed photograph was verified. 
     The area of laser printing and the size of the image of a person are as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The intensity of the laser beam was adjusted by allowing the intensity of the laser beam itself to be constant and adjusting only the dot interval (dot density). 
     (Result of Verification Test 3) 
     Although the photographic image of the verification test 3 is omitted, in the trial product according to the first embodiment, no damage occurred to the offset print layer. For this reason, it was successful that shades of gray of an intermediate color were clearly expressed. Accordingly, it was successful that the shades of the color of the skin of a person were clearly reproduced. 
     In addition, similarly to the above-described verification tests 1 and 2, the hair was printed without blurring and in dark black color, so that thin black lines were expressed successfully. 
     On the other hand, in the comparative product, damage occurred to the hair and the offset print layer surrounding the hair like the verification test 2. Accordingly, the hair was observed as fuzzed up. 
     In addition, in the comparative product, there was a problem in that, if the laser irradiation was performed with the intensity of the laser beam lowered to such an extent that the hair was not fuzzed up, the color of the entire laser-printed image became light. 
     By the above-described verification tests 1 to 3, it was verified that the trial product according to the first embodiment suppressed the damage to the offset print layer caused by the laser irradiation, and it was also verified that even delicate print like a photograph was clearly reproducible. Accordingly, the trial product according to the first embodiment allowed the expression power (gradation and the like) of the print to be larger than that of the comparative product. 
     In addition, it was verified that the trial product according to the first embodiment caused no damage to the offset print layer  20  even if the intensity of the laser beam was set to be stronger than that of the comparative product. Accordingly, it is possible for the trial product according to the first embodiment to allow the range of the intensity of a laser beam which is a print condition to be set larger than that for the comparative product. It is possible for the trial product according to the first embodiment to expand the range of selection of dot intervals which is a setting condition of a laser irradiation apparatus, for example. Accordingly, the trial product according to the first embodiment can be easily manufactured since the setting of print conditions of the trial product is easier than that of the comparative product. [Thickness of Barrier Layer  30 ] 
     As demonstrated in the above-described verification test, it was verified that, even if a thickness of the barrier layer  30  was 10 μm (0.01 mm), the offset print layer  20  was sufficiently protected from the heat generated in the laser color development layer  40 . Herein, the thickness of a typical card (for example, a credit card and the like) is about 0.8 mm. For this reason, even if the thickness of the barrier layer  30  is sufficiently small as compared with the total thickness of the card  1 , the offset print layer  20  can be protected from heat generation. 
     Accordingly, providing the barrier layer  30  neither causes the card to become extremely thick, nor requires other layers to be extremely thin in order to maintain the total thickness. As a result, the card  1  can be used not only for identification cards but also for credit cards and the like including a film substrate having, for example, a coil antenna. 
     In addition, products including barrier layers having a thickness of 30 μm (0.03 mm) and 50 μm (0.05 mm) besides the thickness of 10 μm of the barrier layer  30  were manufactured as the trial product according to the first embodiment. There was no difference in print quality among these three trial products. 
     For this reason, it was verified that it is possible to suppress the damage to the offset print layer  20  in the card  1  if the thickness t (mm) of the barrier layer  30  is “0.01≤t≤0.05.” 
     In addition, if the thickness t (mm) of the barrier layer  30  is “0.01≤t≤0.02,” the card  1  has the effect of providing the offset print layer  20  without allowing the card  1  to be extremely thick as described above. 
     In addition, in a case where barrier layers  30  each having a thickness less than 10 μm can be laminated between the base material  10  and the laser color development layer  40 , the thickness of less than 10 μm may be acceptable. 
     In addition, the barrier layer  30  may have a thickness of 50 μm or more as long as it is possible to obtain the effect of suppressing the damage to the offset print layer  20  due to the heat generated in the laser color development layer  40 . 
     As described above, in the card  1  according to the first embodiment, even if the offset print layer  20  is provided on the side Z 1  lower than the laser color development layer  40 , the damage to the offset print layer  20  due to the heat generated in the laser color development layer  40  can be suppressed. Accordingly, the quality of the card  1  is not lowered. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     In the following description and the drawings, the components which perform the same functions as those of the above-described first embodiment are appropriately denoted by the same reference symbols or the same reference symbols of the last portions (lower two digits), and redundant description will be appropriately omitted. 
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a card  201  according to the second embodiment. 
       FIG. 4A  is a view of the card  201  as viewed from upward. 
       FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view of the card  201  (a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 4A ). 
     The card  201  is formed by laminating a Lippmann hologram layer  260  and a transparent layer  270  on a transparent layer  50  of a card according to the first embodiment from the lower side Z 1  to the upper side Z 2 . 
     The Lippmann hologram layer  260  is a layer having a Lippmann type hologram image  261 . 
     The Lippmann hologram layer  260  is excellent in expressing a stereoscopic sense or a sense of depth in up and down directions and in left and right directions. 
     The Lippmann hologram layer  260 , which is extremely difficult to counterfeit since the materials used and the manufacturing process are special, can improve an anti-tampering effect and an anti-counterfeit effect as compared with, for example, an embossed hologram. 
     Contour dimensions of the Lippmann hologram layer  260  are smaller than those of the other layers. The Lippmann hologram layer  260  is arranged at a position overlapping a photographic image  41  of a laser color development layer  40 . 
     The Lippmann hologram layer  260  has translucency. 
     The transparent layer  270  is a layer that protects the Lippmann hologram layer  260  and also has translucency. 
     Accordingly, in the area where the Lippmann hologram layer  260  is provided, the hologram image  261 , the photographic image  41  of the laser color development layer  40 , and a print information  21  of a symbol “Δ◯□” of an offset print layer  20  are observed. 
     In the laser printing process of the card manufacturing process, the heat generated in the laser color development layer  40  transfers to the transparent layer  50  and then to the Lippmann hologram layer  260  (refer to an arrow B 240   c ). 
     For this reason, the transparent layer  50  functions as a thermal insulator like a barrier layer  30 , so that the damage to the Lippmann hologram layer  260  can be suppressed. 
     In addition, it was verified that the card  201  exhibits the effect of suppressing the damage to the Lippmann hologram layer  260  by an actually manufactured trial product. 
     Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made, for example, as the modifications described later, which are within the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the effects described in the embodiments merely have listed the most preferable effects obtained from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments. In addition, the above-described embodiments and the modifications described later can be combined as appropriate, but detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     (Modification) 
     (1) In the embodiment, the card in which the offset print layer is printed right above the base material has been illustrated as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It may be sufficient that the offset print layer is provided between the base material and the barrier layer. For example, a transparent sheet having an offset print layer may be laminated between the base material and the barrier layer in the card. 
     (2) In the embodiment, the example in which the barrier layer is a colorless and transparent layer has been illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The barrier layer may include, for example, an optical diffraction structure having translucency (for example, a transparent emboss hologram or the like). In this case, the forgery suppression effect of cards can be improved. 
     (3) In the embodiment, the example in which the laminated body is a card has been illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The laminated body may be used, for example, for passports, boarding passes of transportation, and the like. 
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1 ,  201  card 
               10  base material 
               20  offset print layer 
               21 ,  22  print information 
               30  barrier layer 
               40  laser color development layer 
               50  transparent layer