JP7615724B2 - card - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to cards.

In recent years, contact and non-contact electronic and magnetic cards have been issued in the service industry, for example in banks, companies, schools, and government offices. Since personal information is recorded on the cards used in these fields, security measures (anti-counterfeiting measures) are taken to prevent them from being easily counterfeited or altered.

For example, a security treatment is known in which letters, pictures, etc. are printed on the surface of a card using fluorescent ink that fluoresces in response to ultraviolet light. When such a card is irradiated with ultraviolet light, the letters, pictures, etc. printed with the fluorescent ink glow and become visible, making it possible to determine the authenticity of the card.

However, it was necessary to prepare an ultraviolet irradiator to verify the authenticity, which was time-consuming.

JP 2015-3430 A

The objective of this disclosure is to provide a card that is easy to verify authenticity.

The card of the present disclosure comprises a first substrate, a first ultraviolet absorbing layer provided on one side of the first substrate, a second ultraviolet absorbing layer provided on the other side of the first substrate, an image receiving layer on which a thermal transfer image is formed, the image receiving layer being provided between the first substrate and the first ultraviolet absorbing layer or on the side of the first ultraviolet absorbing layer opposite the first substrate, and an authenticity determining layer including a photochromic material, the authenticity determining layer being provided between the first ultraviolet absorbing layer and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to easily determine the authenticity of a card without using special equipment such as an ultraviolet irradiator.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a card according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which the image receiving layer is peeled off from the card. FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view of a counterfeit card, and FIG. 4b is an external view of the counterfeit card. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a counterfeit card. FIG. 6a is a diagram showing how the authenticity of a card is determined, and FIG. 6b is a diagram showing the appearance of a counterfeit card seen through the card. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a card according to another embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the ultraviolet absorbing layer is peeled off from the card. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a counterfeit card. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a counterfeit card.

The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings, the width, thickness, etc. of each part may be shown diagrammatically compared to the actual embodiment in order to make the description clearer, but this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present disclosure. In addition, in this specification and each drawing, elements similar to those described above with reference to the previous drawings are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a card 1 according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the card 1. The card 1 is, for example, a contactless IC card.

An image G1, such as the name and face photo of the card user, is formed on the surface of the card 1. Inside the card 1, an IC chip 3, an antenna coil 4 electrically connected to the IC chip 3, etc. are provided. These components are embedded inside the card 1, so they are not visible on the outside of the card 1.

When card 1 is passed through a magnetic field generated by radio waves from an external device (reader/writer), the number of magnetic lines passing through antenna coil 4 changes, generating power in antenna coil 4. This power can be used to operate IC chip 3. IC chip 3 includes a memory, a processor (CPU), a control circuit, a transmission/reception circuit, etc., and transmits and receives data to and from external devices.

As shown in FIG. 2, the card 1 comprises a card core layer 10, a first adhesive layer 11, a first white substrate 12, a first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13, and an image receiving layer 14, which are laminated in this order on one surface side (front side) of the card core layer 10, and a second adhesive layer 15, a second white substrate 16, and a second ultraviolet absorbing layer 17, which are laminated in this order on the other surface side (rear side) of the card core layer 10.

(Card core layer)
The card core layer 10 accommodates and protects the inlet 2. The card core layer includes a hot melt adhesive, for example, a heat-curable hot melt adhesive, a two-component curable hot melt adhesive, an ultraviolet-curable hot melt adhesive, a moisture-curable hot melt adhesive, or the like.

The inlet 2 has a film-like inlet substrate 6, an IC chip 3 and an antenna coil 4 arranged on the inlet substrate 6, and a reinforcing plate 7 that protects the IC chip 3. In addition, an authenticity discrimination layer 5 is formed on the inlet substrate 6.

The inlet substrate 6 is made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a film made of a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer. The antenna coil 4 is made of a conductor such as a metal (e.g., Al, Cu, Ag). The reinforcing plate 7 is made of a metal such as stainless steel.

The authenticity determination layer 5 contains a photochromic material. For example, the photochromic material is a material that changes color, such as developing a color or changing color tone, when irradiated with ultraviolet light. Examples of such materials include leuco, cyanine, aniline, merocyanine, spirooxazine, and azo dyes. The authenticity determination layer 5 containing a photochromic material changes color irreversibly in response to the accumulated amount of ultraviolet light absorbed. For example, the authenticity determination layer 5 is colorless or white before ultraviolet light irradiation, and becomes colored (other than white) when ultraviolet light is irradiated. It is preferable that the authenticity determination layer 5 takes about one hour to change color when placed in a room exposed to sunlight.

The authenticity determination layer 5 is formed by printing a photochromic material in a pattern such as letters or pictures on the inlet substrate 6. As described below, the authenticity of the card 1 can be determined by the color change of the authenticity determination layer 5.

The thickness of the card core layer 10 is preferably 150 μm or more and 200 μm or less. By making the thickness of the card core layer 10 within the above numerical range, the inlet 2 can be completely contained within the card core layer 10, and unevenness caused by the inlet 2 can be prevented from occurring on the card surface.

(Adhesive Layer)
The first adhesive layer 11, which bonds the card core layer 10 and the first white substrate 12, and the second adhesive layer 15, which bonds the card core layer 10 and the second white substrate 16, may contain a resin that melts or softens with heat to develop adhesiveness. Examples of the resin include vinyl resins such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), polyesters such as PET and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), (meth)acrylic resins such as polyacrylate and polymethacrylate, cellulose resins such as cellulose diastase, polyamide, polyimide, polyurethane, and the like.

(White substrate)
The inlet substrate 6 on which the authenticity discriminating layer 5 is formed is disposed between the first white substrate 12 and the second white substrate 16 so that discoloration of the authenticity discriminating layer 5 cannot be detected at first glance and discoloration of the authenticity discriminating layer 5 can be detected when the card is seen through the inlet substrate 6. The first white substrate 12 and the second white substrate 16 are, for example, white PET, which is a PET resin to which a white pigment has been added. Examples of the white pigment include titanium white, magnesium carbonate, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, silica, talc, clay, and calcium carbonate. The thickness of the white substrate is, for example, 30 μm or more and 800 μm or less.

(Ultraviolet absorbing layer)
The first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer 17 are formed by adding an ultraviolet absorbing agent to a binder, and other additives such as a surfactant, an antistatic agent, a light stabilizer, and an antioxidant may be added. As the ultraviolet absorbing agent, a known compound may be used, and specific examples thereof include salicylic acid-based, benzophenone-based, benzotriazole-based, and cyanoacrylate-based compounds. The thickness of the ultraviolet absorbing layer is, for example, 0.5 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

In addition, the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 has a stronger adhesive strength to the image receiving layer 14 than to the first white substrate 12.

(Image Receiving Layer)
The image receiving layer 14 is a layer on which a thermal transfer image is formed by receiving a sublimation dye (visible dye) transferred from a thermal transfer sheet or by transferring a pigment from the thermal transfer sheet. The image may be, for example, the name or face photo of the card user.

The image-receiving layer 14 contains a resin material. There are no limitations on the resin material, so long as it is a resin that is easily dyed with a dye. Examples include polyolefin, vinyl resin, (meth)acrylic resin, cellulose resin, polyester, polyamide, polycarbonate, styrene resin, polyurethane, and ionomer resin. The image-receiving layer can contain two or more of the above resin materials.

The image receiving layer 14 may be a receiving layer on which an image has been formed, transferred from an intermediate transfer medium onto the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13.

The sublimation dyes used in image formation are not particularly limited as long as they are conventionally known. For example, diarylmethane dyes, triarylmethane dyes, thiazole dyes, merocyanine dyes, methine dyes such as pyrazolone methine, indoaniline dyes, azomethine dyes such as acetophenone azomethine, pyrazoloazomethine, imidazole azomethine, imidazoazomethine, and pyridone azomethine, xanthene dyes, oxazine dyes, cyanomethylene dyes such as dicyanostyrene and tricyanostyrene, and thiazine dyes. Examples of such dyes include azo dyes such as azine dyes, acridine dyes, benzene azo dyes, pyridone azo, thiophene azo, isothiazole azo, pyrrole azo, pyrar azo, imidazole azo, thiadiazole azo, triazole azo, and diaz azo, spiropyran dyes, indolinospiropyran dyes, fluoran dyes, rhodamine lactam dyes, naphthoquinone dyes, anthraquinone dyes, and quinophthalone dyes.

In a card 1 configured in this manner, the authenticity determination layer 5 is provided between the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer 17, so that in a genuine card 1, the authenticity determination layer 5 does not discolor and is not visible.

A counterfeiter attempting to counterfeit card 1 obtains a genuine card 1 and peels off the image receiving layer 14 on which image G1 is formed, as shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 is also peeled off together with the image receiving layer 14.

Next, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b, the counterfeiter attaches the printed layer 20 on which the counterfeit image G2 is formed onto the first white substrate 12. For example, the image G2 is one in which the facial photograph has been changed to that of another person. In this way, the card is counterfeited.

When the image receiving layer 14 is peeled off from this counterfeit card, the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 is also peeled off, allowing ultraviolet light to reach the authenticity discriminating layer 5. As the cumulative amount of ultraviolet light absorbed by the authenticity discriminating layer 5 increases, the authenticity discriminating layer 5 gradually discolors, as shown in Figure 5.

When determining the authenticity of a card, the card is viewed through as shown in Figure 6a. In the case of a genuine card, the authenticity discrimination layer 5 has not discolored, so the appearance is as shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, in the case of a counterfeit card, the authenticity discrimination layer 5 has discolored, so that the authenticity discrimination layer 5 can be seen as watermark characters, as shown in Figure 6b. The authenticity of the card can be determined based on the presence or absence of watermark characters.

In this way, according to this embodiment, authenticity can be determined by the simple task of looking through the card without using special equipment such as an ultraviolet irradiator.

The authenticity determination layer 5 changes gradually as the cumulative amount of ultraviolet light absorbed increases, and immediately after the manufacture of a counterfeit card, the authenticity determination layer 5 remains undiscolored and invisible. This makes it difficult for a counterfeiter to notice that security processing has been applied.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the authenticity discriminating layer 5 is provided on the inlet substrate 6, but the authenticity discriminating layer 5 can be provided on any layer between the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer 17.

The layer structure of the card 1 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, an image receiving layer 14 may be provided on a first white substrate 12, and a release layer 18 and a first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 may be laminated in this order on the image receiving layer 14. In this example, the authenticity discriminating layer 5 is provided between the image receiving layer 14 and the release layer 18.

As shown in Figure 8, the counterfeiter peels off the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 and the release layer 18. The authenticity discriminating layer 5 remains on the card. As shown in Figure 9, the counterfeiter attaches the printing layer 20, on which the counterfeit image G2 is formed, onto the image receiving layer 14 to create a counterfeit card.

When counterfeiting a card, the first ultraviolet absorbing layer 13 is peeled off, allowing ultraviolet light to reach the authenticity discriminating layer 5. As the cumulative amount of ultraviolet light absorbed by the authenticity discriminating layer 5 increases, the authenticity discriminating layer 5 gradually discolors, as shown in Figure 10. By looking through this counterfeit card, the discolored authenticity discriminating layer 5 can be seen like a watermark, making it possible to identify the card as a counterfeit.

In the above embodiment, a configuration was described in which a first white substrate 12 is provided on one side of the card core layer 10 that houses the inlet 2, and a second white substrate 16 is provided on the other side, but the substrate is not limited to white substrates, and substrates of other colors can be used. However, it is preferable that the substrate is not transparent in order to prevent the inlet 2 from being seen.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the card 1 is an IC card equipped with an IC chip, but the IC chip (card core layer 10) and the second white substrate 16 may be omitted.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail using specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Card 2 Inlet 5 Authenticity discrimination layer 6 Inlet substrate 10 Card core layer 11 First adhesive layer 12 First white substrate 13 First ultraviolet absorbing layer 14 Image receiving layer 15 Second adhesive layer 16 Second white substrate 17 Second ultraviolet absorbing layer

Claims (6)

A first substrate;
A first ultraviolet absorbing layer provided on one surface side of the first base material;
a second ultraviolet absorbing layer provided on the other surface side of the first base material;
an image receiving layer on which a thermal transfer image is formed, the image receiving layer being provided between the first substrate and the first ultraviolet absorbing layer or on a surface of the first ultraviolet absorbing layer opposite to the first substrate;
an authenticity determination layer provided between the first ultraviolet absorbing layer and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer and including a photochromic material;
Equipped with
The photochromic material is a material that changes color or changes color tone when irradiated with ultraviolet light . The card according to claim 1, wherein the photochromic material irreversibly changes color when irradiated with light. The card according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a card core layer and a second substrate disposed between the first substrate and the second ultraviolet absorbing layer, in that order from the first substrate side. The card core layer contains an inlet;
The inlet includes an inlet substrate, and an IC chip and an antenna coil disposed on the inlet substrate,
The card according to claim 3 , wherein the authentication layer is formed on the inlet substrate. The card according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first substrate is a white substrate. The card according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the authentication layer is colorless or white before discoloration.

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