JP4581343B2 - Information medium with display function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information medium with a display function such as an IC card used in the distribution business, retail business, manufacturing industry, office, etc., in particular, a pass ticket, a prepaid card, a boarding ticket, an admission ticket, an ID card, a game card, a point. The present invention relates to an information medium with a display function used as a card, cash card, credit card, telephone card, boarding pass, or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An IC card includes a contact type IC card that transmits and receives data by connecting an external terminal of the card and a terminal of an external processing device, an antenna coil that transmits and receives data by electromagnetic waves, and a semiconductor element for data processing. A non-contact type IC card that is built-in and capable of realizing reading and writing with an external processing device by a so-called wireless method has been developed.
[0003]
Among the above, contactless IC cards have been introduced as commuter passes, driver's licenses, cash cards, credit cards, and the like. A non-contact type IC card generally includes a resin substrate, a metal antenna coil provided on the resin substrate, and an IC chip connected to the antenna coil. When electromagnetic waves are emitted from the reading device side to the non-contact type IC card, an induced voltage is generated in the antenna coil to operate the IC chip.
[0004]
Such contact-type or non-contact-type IC cards have the inconvenience that content information such as balance cannot be seen. Therefore, an IC card with a display function in which an image display unit is integrated has been proposed.
[0005]
As the display mechanism of the IC card, for example, those using TN liquid crystal or heat-sensitive rewritable using leuco dye have been proposed, but the display is difficult to see or the number of rewrites is limited because it is a contact type. There are drawbacks (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0006]
In contrast, optically writable electronic paper using a photoconductor and cholesteric liquid crystal has a bright and easy-to-view display and has the advantage of being free from wrinkles during rewriting due to non-contact rewriting. It is excellent as a display mechanism.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-91273
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Such an IC card with a display function is expected to be used as a highly functional paper card having a small amount of digital information such as a barcode. Specific uses are distribution books, medical records, production instructions, and the like. When such an application is assumed, an IC card with a display function is required to have the same usability as paper. In other words, the same flexibility as paper, such as twisting when picking up a large number of sheets or picking them up on a flat surface such as a desk, or bending the card when putting it in or out of the card folder attached to the wall Sex and firmness are required.
[0009]
However, a conventional IC card employs a rigid thermoplastic resin (for example, PFT-G) as a substrate, and the thickness of the card is standardized, so there is a problem that there is almost no flexibility. . For this reason, there is a problem that it is difficult to put in and out of the card folder, and that the operability is poor particularly in the case of large cards used for distribution books, medical records, production instructions and the like. Moreover, there is a problem that the IC chip portion is exposed even if the card is simply made thin to give flexibility.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a card-shaped information medium with a display function that can be flexible without reducing the thickness.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, an information medium with a display function according to claim 1 is provided on a substrate, a flexible portion formed on the substrate, and the flexible portion. A display layer on which an image is displayed, a semiconductor element provided on the substrate, a flexible layer, the display layer, a resin layer surrounding and holding the semiconductor element, and an antenna for transmitting and receiving data The flexible portion is present in the entire region facing the display layer when viewed from the image display surface of the display layer, and the flexible portion is the display layer and the antenna. It is characterized by being sandwiched between .
[0012]
According to the information medium with a display function of the first aspect, since the card-like member has the flexible portion between the substrate and the display layer, the information medium with the display function can be provided with great flexibility. . That is, when a bending force is applied to the entire card-like member, the entire card-like member is bent without being broken by the flexible portion. Therefore, in addition to conventional IC cards such as commuter passes, driver's licenses, cash cards, and credit cards, operability can be achieved even in fields where large cards such as distribution books, medical records, and production instructions are desired. It is possible to realize an information medium with a display function that can be easily inserted into and removed from a card folder.
[0014]
Further, by forming the flexible portion over substantially the entire surface of the card-like member, it is possible to provide turning such operability and card flexibility, similar flexibility and stiffness and paper. Therefore, the entire card-like member can be easily bent, and an information medium with a display function that can be easily inserted into and removed from a card folder or the like and has good operability can be realized.
[0015]
As the flexible part, for example, a rubber elastic body according to claim 2 , a porous body according to claim 3 , a void layer according to claim 4 , or the like is used. By adjusting the material and thickness of such a flexible portion, the flexibility of the card-like member can be adjusted.
[0016]
An information medium with a display function according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the information medium with a display function according to the fourth aspect, wherein the gap layer is formed around a resin sealing the semiconductor element. It is a feature.
The information medium with a display function according to the invention described in claim 6 is the information medium with a display function according to claim 5, wherein the element substrate of the semiconductor element is separated from the substrate of the card-like member body, The element substrate and the substrate are electrically joined by a flexible substrate.
An information medium with a display function according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the information recording medium according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the display layer is made of an optically writable cholesteric liquid crystal. It is a feature.
[0017]
According to the information medium with a display function according to the seventh aspect , since the display layer is formed of the optically writable cholesteric liquid crystal, a bright and easy-to-view display can be realized, and since the rewriting is non-contact, it is difficult to rewrite. Easy to see even if the display layer is curved.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an information medium with a display function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0019]
In the information medium 10 with a display function shown in FIG. 1, each layer is schematically represented in a straight line and the thickness with respect to the width is increased in order to make the configuration of the functional component easy to understand. However, it is a card-like member having a small thickness with respect to the width.
[0020]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the card-shaped information medium with a display function 10 includes a substrate 12 made of a thermoplastic PET-G resin (modified polyester resin). On this substrate 12, a circuit connecting the antenna 14 and the IC chip 16 and a power supply line to the electronic paper (display unit) 18 are formed by etching. A memory IC chip 16 is directly mounted on the substrate 12 on the display unit side of the substrate 12. In addition, although PET-G resin is used as the substrate 12, other resins such as polyimide and olefin may be used.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2, the information medium 10 with a display function has a metal loop-shaped antenna 14 molded with a resin fixed on a substrate 12. The antenna 14 is made of a metal such as copper or aluminum, and is formed by a method of etching a metal foil, a method of electroplating or electrodepositing a metal, a method of printing a conductive paste containing metal powder, or the like.
[0022]
The IC chip 16 includes a memory, a CPU, a power supply circuit, a communication circuit, and the like, and is connected to the antenna circuit by an anisotropic conductive film or bump connection. The IC chip 16 is sealed with a resin 20 to prevent breakage due to external force. If necessary, two iron plates 22 and 23 are adhered from the outside of the resin 20 with adhesives 24 and 25, and the IC chip. 16 is protected.
[0023]
Such an information medium 10 with a display function can transmit and receive data and drive power by an antenna 14, can process data by an IC chip 16, and realizes reading and writing with an external processing device in a wireless manner. It is a contactless card that can be used.
[0024]
The electronic paper 18 provided with the display unit 18a is fixed to the substrate 12 wired on both surfaces via a flexible unit 26 made of silicone rubber which is an elastic resin. Further, a terminal 38 for supplying power to the electronic paper 18 is connected to the wiring pattern 37 on the back side through a through hole 36 made of silver paste, eyelet or the like. In FIG. 1, the flexible portion 26 appears to be mounted on the antenna 14 to show the antenna 14. However, as described above, the flexible portion 26 is fixed to the substrate 12 with an adhesive (not shown). .
[0025]
Resins 28 and 30 made of PET-G are heat-pressed and fused from the outside of the substrate 12 on which functional components such as the antenna 14, the IC chip 16, and the electronic paper 18 are mounted. Further, in order to protect the electronic paper 18 and form a printing base, transparent resins 32 and 34 are bonded from the outside of the resins 28 and 30.
[0026]
At this time, if the flexible part 26 is not provided and the cross section is filled with the functional parts such as the antenna 14, the IC chip 16, and the electronic paper 18 and the PET-G resin as in the prior art, the card has high rigidity and is difficult to bend. It becomes a structure. In this embodiment, since the flexible portion 26 made of elastic silicone rubber is provided without filling the space between the substrate 12 and the electronic paper 18 with PET-G resin, the flexibility of the entire card is provided. Can be bent easily. For this reason, an information medium with a display function that is easy to put in and out of a card folder and has good operability can be realized even in a field where operation of a large card is desired in addition to a normal size IC card.
[0027]
As the silicone rubber forming the flexible portion 26, for example, vinyl methyl silicone rubber, methyl silicone rubber, phenyl methyl silicone rubber, fluoro silicone rubber, or the like can be used.
[0028]
In this embodiment, silicone rubber is used as the flexible portion 26, but other rubber elastic bodies (elastomers) can also be used. For example, isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, butyl rubber, urethane rubber, fluorine rubber, SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber), EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene rubber, these And blended rubber. These rubber materials may be foamed or non-foamed.
[0029]
Since the information medium 10 with a display function needs to maintain display even when it is carried, a display unit 18 a of a memory display method is used for the electronic paper 18.
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic paper 18 has a photoelectric conducting layer 52 made of a composite of a charge generation material that generates charges by light irradiation and a charge transport material that generates charge transfer by an electric field, on an electrode 50. Is formed. A light absorption layer 54 is formed on the photoconductive layer 52, and a display layer 56 made of cholesteric liquid crystal is formed on the light absorption layer 54. Further, a transparent electrode 58 is provided on the display layer 56. The transparent electrode 58 is obtained by printing an ITO electrode on a film made of PET resin. A voltage is applied to the electrode 50 and the transparent electrode 58 from a terminal 38, respectively.
[0031]
The electronic paper 18 applies a voltage between the transparent electrode 58 and the electrode 50 from the power source 38 while irradiating a light image through the transparent electrode 58. As a result, the resistance of the photoconductive layer 52 is changed, and the orientation of the cholesteric liquid crystal forming the display layer 56 is changed, whereby the color light according to the helical pitch of the liquid crystal can be selectively reflected. Display / non-display can be realized.
[0032]
The photoconductive layer 52 includes (a) inorganic semiconductor material; amorphous silicon, compound semiconductor such as ZnSe, CdS, (b) organic semiconductor material; anthracene, polyvinylcarbazole, etc. A composite of a charge generation material that generates a charge and a charge transport material that generates a charge transfer by an electric field; examples of the charge generation material include perylene-based, phthalocyanine-based, bisazo-based, dithiopytochelopyrrole-based, squarylium-based, Examples of charge transport materials such as thiapyrylium / polycarbonate compounds include trinitrofluorene, polyvinylcarbazole, oxadiazole, pyralizone, hydrazone, stilbene, triphenylamine, triphenylmethane, and diamine. compound and was added LiClO ₄ polyvinyl Ruaruko - ion conducting material such as Le and polyethylene oxide, the laminate as a composite form, the mixture may be utilized, such as microcapsules.
[0033]
In this embodiment, PET-G resin is used as the resins 28 and 30 constituting the information medium 10 with a display function, but in addition, olefin resin, ionomer, polyvinyl chloride, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-). Styrene) resin, AS (acrylonitrile-styrene) resin, polystyrene, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl butyral resin, EVAC (ethylene-vinyl acetate resin), cellulose derivative resin, urethane resin, polyamide resin, nylon, A thermoplastic resin such as polyacetal, polycarbonate, fluororesin, polyetherimide, polyimide or the like alone, a mixture, or a copolymer may be used.
[0034]
Next, a second embodiment of the information medium with a display function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0035]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member demonstrated in 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 4, the information medium with a display function 100 is formed with a flexible portion 102 made of foamed urethane instead of the silicone rubber (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. Providing such a flexible portion 102 increases the flexibility of the information function-equipped information medium 100 as a whole and can be easily bent. Further, by using urethane foam as the material of the flexible portion 102, there is an advantage that the entire information medium 100 with a display function becomes lighter and easier to handle.
[0037]
In this embodiment, foamed urethane (porous polyurethane resin) is used as the material of the flexible portion 102, but other porous resins may be used. For example, porous fluororesins (PTFE (tetrafluoroethylene polymer), PFA (ethylene tetrafluoride / perfluorovinyl ether copolymer), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), FEP (tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene) Copolymer), ETFE (ethylene / tetrafluoroethylene copolymer), PCTFE (ethylene trifluoride chloroethylene polymer, etc.), porous polyolefin resin (PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene)), porous polysulfone Resin (polysulfone polymer), porous polyester resin (PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate)), porous polyamide resin (polyamide), porous polyimide resin (polyimide, polyamideimide), porous Polyacrylic resin (polyacrylonitrile polymer, Tacrylic acid alkyl ester, N-alkyl (meth) acrylamide, carboxy (meth) acrylate), porous polystyrene resin (hydroxystyrene resin), porous polyketone resin (polyetherketone resin), porous silicone resin (silicone) Gel) and the like. When producing a porous resin, for example, a foaming method, a sintering method, a stretching method, an extraction method, a track etching method, a melt phase separation method, a phase change method, etc. can be used, and an optimum method is selected according to the material. be able to.
[0038]
Next, a third embodiment of the information medium with a display function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0039]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member demonstrated in 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0040]
As shown in FIG. 5, in the information medium 110 with a display function, a space filled with air is formed as the flexible portion 112 instead of an elastic body such as silicone rubber (see FIG. 1).
[0041]
In the information medium 110 with a display function, an opening corresponding to the dimensions of the flexible portion 112 is formed in the resin 30 in advance so that a gap is formed between the electronic paper 18 and the antenna 14. The PET-G resins 28 and 30 are heat-pressed and fused from the outside of 12.
[0042]
By providing the flexible portion 112 formed of such a gap, the flexibility of the entire information medium 110 with a display function is increased and the information medium 110 with a display function can be easily bent. Further, by utilizing the gap, the desired flexible information medium 110 with a display function can be obtained with the simplest configuration.
[0043]
Next, the modification of 3rd Embodiment of the information medium with a display function based on this invention is demonstrated based on FIG.
[0044]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member demonstrated in 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0045]
As shown in FIG. 6, also in the information medium 120 with a display function of the present embodiment, a gap filled with air is formed as the flexible portion 122. The difference from FIG. 5 is that the gap is not limited to the periphery of the electronic paper 18 but is almost the entire surface of the card including the periphery of the resin 20 sealing the IC chip 16.
[0046]
In this information medium 120 with a display function, an opening corresponding to the size of the gap between the electronic paper 18 and the antenna 14 and the gap around the IC chip 16 is formed in the PET-G resin 124 in advance. The resin 28 and 124 are heat-pressed and fused from the outside of the substrate 12 in a state where the electronic paper 18 and the IC chip 16 are arranged.
[0047]
Thus, by providing the flexible part 122 on almost the entire surface of the information medium 120 with a display function, uniform flexibility can be imparted to the entire surface of the card.
[0048]
Next, another modification of the third embodiment of the information medium with a display function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0049]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member demonstrated in 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 7, also in the information medium with a display function 130 according to the present embodiment, a gap filled with air is formed as the flexible portion 132. 6 differs from FIG. 6 in that the IC chip 16 is separated from the card body substrate 72 together with the substrate 73 and is held in a floating state in the gap forming the flexible portion 132. The flexible substrate 136 is electrically connected to the substrate 72.
[0051]
In the information medium 120 with a display function shown in FIG. 6, uniform flexibility can be imparted over the entire surface of the card by the flexible portion 122, but when an external force is applied to the IC chip 16 portion, the IC chip Since the force is directly applied to the joint between the substrate 16 and the substrate 12, the IC chip 16 is easily removed from the substrate 12. On the other hand, in the information medium 130 with a display function shown in FIG. 7, the IC chip 16 is separated from the substrate 72 together with the substrate 73 and is held in a floating state in the gap forming the flexible portion 132. Therefore, the external force is less likely to be directly applied between the IC chip 16 portion and the substrate 73. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the IC chip 16 from being removed from the substrate 73 and to realize a more robust information medium 130 with a display function.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the information medium with a display function according to the present invention, the card-like member can be provided with a flexible structure, and the entire card-like member is easily bent. For this reason, in addition to IC cards used for commuter passes, driver's licenses, cash cards, credit cards, etc., large-sized cards used for distribution books, medical records, production instructions, etc. have a display function with good operability. An information medium can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an information medium with a display function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an information medium with a display function according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing electronic paper used in the information medium with a display function according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an information medium with a display function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an information medium with a display function according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an information medium with a display function according to a modification of the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an information medium with a display function according to a modification of the third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Information medium 12 with display function Substrate 14 Antenna 16 IC chip 18 Electronic paper 18a Display part 26 Flexible part 28, 30 Resin 72 Substrate 73 Substrate 100 Information medium 102 with display function Flexible part 110 Information medium 112 with display function Flexible part 120 Information medium 122 with display function Flexible part 124 Resin 130 Information medium 132 with display function Flexible part 136 Flexible substrate

Claims (7)

A substrate, a flexible portion formed on the substrate, a display layer provided on the flexible portion on which an image is displayed, a semiconductor element provided on the substrate, and the flexible A card-like member having a portion , a resin layer surrounding and holding the display layer and the semiconductor element, and an antenna for transmitting and receiving data ,
When viewed from the display surface of the image of the display layer, the flexible portion is present in all regions facing the display layer ,
An information medium with a display function, wherein the flexible portion is sandwiched between the display layer and the antenna .   The information medium with a display function according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion is a rubber elastic body.   The information medium with a display function according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion is a porous body.   The information medium with a display function according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion is a void layer. The information medium with a display function according to claim 4, wherein the gap layer is formed around a resin sealing the semiconductor element . 6. The element substrate of the semiconductor element is separated from a substrate of a card-like member body, and the element substrate and the substrate are electrically joined by a flexible substrate. An information medium with a display function described in 1. The information medium with a display function according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display layer is made of an optically writable cholesteric liquid crystal.

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