JPH04323076A - Base material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a competition, a lottery or the like of a 'scratching type' by forming a base material on which a message to be visually observed but unseen is printed of a recording sheet and an image forming element for forming a reactant to be seen by eyes in reaction with supplementing image forming elements. CONSTITUTION: The base material 8 comprises a sheet 10 having a coating of a microcapsule 11 formed in plane thereon. The microcapsule 11 contains suitable supplementing dye components which are first unseen for its background but become visible by chemically reacting with a dye precursor 14. The capsule 11 is coated with a layer 12 of a component for reducing a photosensitivity, and the layer 12 is placed in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of a desired message. To make this message 13 visible, a supply source of the precursor 14 is traced across the material 8, and thus only the area 15 of the layer of the retained capsule 11 thus exposed is reacted with the precursor 14.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a substrate having a visible but invisible message printed thereon. The present invention also relates to a writing instrument for obtaining invisible messages.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is often a need for substrates that carry invisible messages and that can be quickly made visible. An example is "scratch and win" competitions and raffles. Currently, the message is printed on the card using regular ink, and then an opaque film is applied over the message. When the card is sold, the message (usually a number) becomes visible by scratching the surface film.

0003

Although these cards are highly enjoyable, they are relatively expensive to make. The film is also susceptible to damage when the card is bent or worn.

The object of the invention is to provide a substrate provided with a message which can subsequently be made visible. Another object is to provide a method for creating an invisible message that can be later viewed visually.

[0005]

Accordingly, the present invention comprises a substrate having a recording sheet and a first image-forming component on the recording sheet, the first image-forming component reacting with complementary image-forming components. The first image-forming component is placed on the recording sheet in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of the desired message, or in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of the desired message. is placed on a substrate with a photosensitivity reducing component on the recording sheet, and the photosensitivity reducing component does not compensate for the formation of reactants that are visible when the matching imaging component is applied over the first imaging component. .

[0006] Complementary imaging components can be applied to the substrate by a suitable dispensing device, such as a writing implement.

[0007]

[Operation] The first image forming component is preferably a chemically reactive, colorless dye component encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules on the recording sheet. The dye component may be any suitable colored compound capable of changing from colorless to colored when contacted with an acidic substance.

Microcapsules are formed with a shell or wall of polymeric material. Microcapsules range in diameter from 0.1 microns to 500 microns.

The first imaging component may also be in the form of a coating containing a dye precursor capable of reacting with a complementary dye component; coatings of phenolic resins or reactive clays are suitable examples.

In another embodiment, the recording sheet may be a flat sheet of paper. The first imaging component is printed on a flat sheet of paper in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of the desired message. When complementary imaging components are then applied to the substrate, the components react to make the message visible.

The present invention also provides a message-forming device having a dispensing device containing complementary imaging components and a substrate as described above.

The present invention also provides a method for obtaining an invisible message that subsequently becomes visible, the method comprising: (i) a primary component capable of reacting with complementary, matching imaging components to produce a visible reactant; (ii) applying a photosensitivity reducing component onto the substrate in a pattern corresponding to the positive or negative image of the desired message; The photosensitivity reducing component is one that prevents the formation of reactants that are visible when complementary imaging components are applied over the first imaging component.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for obtaining an invisible message that subsequently becomes visible, the method comprising:
(i) providing a substrate with a first image-forming component sprayed or printed thereon; and (ii) applying the first image-forming component onto the substrate in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of a desired message. and a step of spraying or printing.

The present invention also provides a method for making a message visible by applying complementary imaging components over areas of the message, the complementary imaging components being a first
Reacts with the imaging component to create a visible message in areas where the photosensitivity reducing substrate is not applied, or if no photosensitivity reducing component is present, in areas where the first imaging component is applied. Create a message that looks like this.

The invention thus provides the advantage that the desired message can be provided in invisible form at a relatively low cost and with a good degree of security. The message can also be easily made visible by tracing over it with a pen containing complementary dye elements.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a conventional carbonless copying apparatus. The device has a top sheet 1 with microcapsules 3 coated on the back side. Capsule 3 is initially colorless (at least neutral), but contains dye precursors that chemically react to form color. The upper sheet is technically ``
Known as "after carbon" sheet.

The bottom sheet 2 has a coating 4 on its surface. The coating 4 has a dye component capable of reacting with the dye precursor contained within the capsule 3 to form a color. Usually the coating 4 comprises a phenolic resin or a reactive clay. The lower sheet 2 is technically called the "front carbon" sheet. When the two sheets are placed in the copy form assembly, top sheet 1 is placed over bottom sheet 2, and the covered side of top sheet 1 is
It is placed in contact with the covering 4 of the lower sheet 2. When pressure is applied to the top sheet 1, it ruptures the capsules 3 below the point of applied pressure (e.g. by the pen 5) and the dye precursors contained within the capsules 3 are thus released and released into the bottom sheet 2.
It reacts in region 6 with the dye component in the upper coating 4. The reaction of the dye precursor with the dye component of the coating 4 produces a visible or colored liquid on the coating 4, which subsequently dries. In this way, a copy of the message written on top sheet 1 occurs on bottom sheet 2.

Microcapsules 3 generally have a core of filler material surrounded by a wall or shell of polymeric material. The filler material is encapsulated within a substantially continuous polymeric wall. Capsules range in diameter from about 0.1 to 500 microns.

Referring to FIG. 2, a first embodiment of a substrate 8 containing an invisible message is shown. Base material 8
is formed of a sheet 10 having a coating of capsules 11 on one side thereof. The sheet 10 thus corresponds to the rear carbon sheet 1 shown in FIG. 1, but in this case is the front carbon sheet.

Capsule 11 contains a suitable complementary dye component which is initially invisible against its background but can become visible by chemical reaction with the dye precursor. An example of dye components that do not complement each other is crystal.
Violet lactone, benzoyl locomethylene blue, rhodamine, lactam, P-troon, Mitchler hydrol sulfate, and various other colored compounds that can change from invisible to colored forms when in contact with acidic substrates. Contains.

Complementary dye components are microcapsules 1
1 and the capsule 11 is glued to the sheet 10 in a known manner. Any suitable adhesive can be used, such as polyvinyl alcohol adhesive. Commercially available self-copying paper sheets can be used, one example of which is the self-copying paper sold by Kanzaki Co. under the trade name "Phoenix."

A layer 12 of a photosensitivity reducing component is then applied onto the capsule 11. The layer 12 is laid out in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of the desired message. A top view of the substrate 8 is shown in FIG. 3, which shows the message 13.

The components reducing the photosensitivity are invisible to the human eye against the background, and the message 13 formed by the layer 12 is not visible.

A source of dye precursor 14 is traced across substrate 8 to make message 13 visible. layer 12
Only those areas 15 of the layer of the capsule 11 that are left exposed can react with the dye precursor 14 since they contain components that reduce the photosensitivity. If layer 12 is laid down in a pattern corresponding to the negative image of the desired message, message 13 itself appears colored. If layer 12 instead
If Message 13 is placed in a pattern that corresponds to the positive image of the message, the background will be colored and Message 13 will appear to be the opposite.

The photosensitivity reducing component can be any substrate that prevents reaction between the complementary dye components contained within the capsule 11 and the dye precursor 14. This may involve chemically neutralizing the complementary dye components within the dye precursor 14 or capsule 11, or by using an impermeable substrate to stop one or the other dye component from coming into contact with each other. done by. A suitable example of a photosensitivity-reducing ingredient that prevents reactions is the photosensitivity-reducing ink sold as "Phoenix" by Kanzaki Co., Ltd., Morrisons, Auckland, New Zealand. Printing. Inks. It is a mixture of a photosensitivity-reducing ink sold by Machinery, Inc., and an ethyleneediaminetetraacetic acid filler. Fillers are used in the mixture to reduce browning of the desensitizing component, which makes the image visible. Other fillers that provide a matte appearance can also be used.

The dye precursor 14 can be made of known ingredients such as clay,
The material is selected from treated clays, aromatic carboxylic acids such as salicylic acid, derivatives of aromatic carboxylic acids and their metal salts, phenolic developer materials, acidic polymeric materials such as phenol-formaldehyde polymers, metal-modified phenolic resins, and the like. Many other examples are also available and known.

Dye precursor 14 is contained within a pen 16, such as a felt-tipped pen. Pen 16 releases dye precursor 14 to react with complementary dye components within capsule 11. The pen may also contain a solution in which the dye precursor 14 is held suspended or dissolved.

The pen 16 may be any pen commonly used in industry to check whether the front carbon sheet is in working condition. Alternatively, dye precursor 14 may be applied using a roller, spray, or other dispensing device. This is especially the case when large messages are being restored.

Another embodiment is shown with reference to FIG. In this example a layer 17 containing components that reduce the photosensitivity.
is applied to the side of the sheet 18 opposite to the side to which the capsules 17 are applied. The photosensitivity reducing component in layer 17 percolates through sheet 18 and reduces the photosensitivity of the complementary dye component in capsule 21. Dye precursor 14 is absorbed by sheet 18 and reacts with complementary dye components contained within capsules 21 in areas 20 to which layer 17 is not applied. Therefore, visible reactants occur approximately within region 20.

Referring to FIG. 6, an embodiment corresponding to the front carbon sheet is shown. In this example, sheet 2
2 has a coating 23 containing a dye precursor (such as dye precursor 14 described above). Dye precursor is sheet 22
For example, a suitable adhesive may be used to adhere the dye precursor to the sheet 22, such as the starch/latex adhesive used to adhere the dye precursor to the sheet 22. A layer of photosensitivity reducing component 24 is then applied over coating 23, as described above.

Layer 24 is shown as a separate layer from coating 23 for ease of illustration. The components that reduce the photosensitivity are absorbed into the coating 23, leaving only one layer or coating visible.

Complementary dye components (such as those contained within the capsules in the embodiment of FIG. 2) are then applied to the substrate sheet 22 to produce the message as described above. A pen 25, such as pen 16 in Figure 4, can be used to apply complementary dye components.

Another embodiment of the pre-carbon substrate is shown in FIG. Layer 2 of components that reduce photosensitivity in this example
7 is applied to the side of the sheet 28 opposite to the side on which the coating 29 containing the dye precursor is applied. The photosensitivity-reducing components in layer 27 are absorbed through sheet 28 and deposited in coating 29.
reacts with the dye precursor within. Thus, when pen 30 containing complementary dye components is traced over coating 29 (or over the surface of sheet 28 containing layer 27), the complementary dye components react with the dye precursor as described above. .

In all embodiments, an ink pattern is printed or sprayed onto the substrate to aid in spreading and obscuring the dye and photosensitivity reducing components.

In another embodiment, a CF ink (eg, an ink sold by Med under the trade name "Opus")
is printed on a flat paper substrate in a pattern corresponding to the positive or negative image of the desired message. An ink pattern is also printed on the substrate to help spread and obscure the CF ink. To make the message visible, a complementary dye component to the CF ink is traced across the sheet to make the message visible. Therefore, in this embodiment, the photosensitivity reducing component is unnecessary as only those areas of the sheet covered by the CF ink will be colored. The matching dye component (which is the CF ink), which is not complementary in this example, can be viewed as the photosensitive component.

The sheet to which the dye component is applied may be any suitable sheet, such as paper, cardboard, plastic, etc. The type of sheet used is dictated by the functionality provided to the substrate.

[0037] Obviously the message may be a letter, a number, a word mark, a plan.

Examples of specific substrates made according to the present invention will be described below.

A flat, white, commercially available pre-carbon paper is manufactured by Kanzaki (
Company). This paper is sold as ``Phoenix.'' The sensitivity reducing ink mixture was sprayed or printed onto the surface of the paper having complementary dye components of the pre-carbon. The sensitivity reducing ink mixture contains 70 parts by weight of "Phoenix" sensitivity reducing ink and 6 parts by weight.
(The ink base is sold by Morrison and consists of 25 parts ethylene diaminate trathetic filler and 10 parts matte filler by weight.) For example, fillings are sold as ``siloids'']). Regular blue ink is used to print the pattern on the same side of the pre-carbon paper, making the ink further diffused and invisible, reducing the sensitivity. The message was restored by tracing the pre-carbon paper with an ordinary felt-tip pen containing a dye precursor that complemented the dye content of the pre-carbon paper.

In this case, the dye precursor reacted to produce a blue color.

[0041]

The present invention provides a simple and convenient method for hiding messages that can later be made visible, and this method has particular applications, particularly in competitions, grants, donations, and defense.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a common form assembly.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a pre-carbon sheet (CF) coated with a layer of reduced photosensitivity;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A--A of FIG. 3, illustrating the application of complementary imaging components to create a visible message.

FIG. 5 is a drawing of a rear carbon sheet (CB).

FIG. 6 is a drawing of another front carbon sheet (CF).

FIG. 7 is a drawing of another front carbon sheet (CF).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Capsule 4 Coating 5 Pen 6 Area 8 Base material 10 sheets 11 Capsule 12 layers 13 Message 14 Dye precursor 15 Area 16 Pen 17 layers 18 Sheet 19 Pen 20 Area 21 Capsule 22 Sheet 23 Coating 24 layers 25 Pen 27 layers 28 Sheet 29 Coating 30 pen

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A recording sheet comprising a recording sheet and a first image-forming component on the recording sheet, wherein the first image-forming component is capable of reacting with a complementary image-forming element to form a visible reactant. and the first image forming component is placed on the recording sheet in a pattern corresponding to a desired positive or negative image of the message, or has a photosensitivity reducing component on the recording sheet, and The photosensitivity reducing component is placed on a substrate that is placed in a pattern corresponding to a positive or negative image of the message, and the photosensitivity reducing component is applied when the complementary imaging component is applied onto the first imaging component. , a substrate that prevents the formation of said visible reactants. 2. A message forming tool comprising a base material according to claim 1 and a dispensing device for dispensing said complementary image forming components.