JPH0433830A - Method of frosting treatment for card - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention is a method for repeatedly forming and erasing clearly visible recorded images on cards that are used repeatedly, such as commuter passes, admission passes, and various prepaid cards. The present invention relates to a method for frosting the surface of a card.

(Prior Art) Commuter passes for public transportation, permits for entering event venues and buildings, etc. are used repeatedly every day, but due to management reasons, there is no way to check for unauthorized boarding or unauthorized entry.

In recent years, a magnetic card-based check method has been adopted in some areas, but since it is not possible to visually check whether a check has been performed or not, there is a risk of a check being omitted due to a problem with the device, which was inconvenient for both administrators and users. .

Also, various prepaid cards include magnetic cards and I/O cards.
Although a C card is used, the recorded contents cannot be viewed directly, so it is not possible to easily check the payment amount or balance.
There was a problem in terms of guaranteeing the content to users.

Previously, there were methods to print usage details on the card each time the card was used, or to display the approximate value of the remaining amount by punching a hole, but these methods cannot be erased, so the amount of recorded information is limited, and the number of times the card is used is large. Not suitable for cards or cards that require accurate balance display.

Therefore, the present applicant has previously proposed a method that can repeatedly create and erase visible records on commuter passes and various prepaid cards.

The method involves using a card with a smooth layer made of synthetic resin on the surface, forming a heat-erasable frosted surface on the smooth layer, and heat-erasing the frosted surface to return it to a smooth surface. This method creates a visually visible image based on the contrast between the frosted surface and the smooth surface, that is, the difference in light reflectance.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As a method for frosting a card, as shown in a cross-sectional view in FIG. One possible method is to hold card 1 between the two.

However, with this method, the frost plate is worn out or corroded, resulting in poor durability, and once the frost plate is damaged, it may need to be replaced. Furthermore, repeated use may cause the problem that the frosted surface 201 is clogged with transferred substances from the card 1 and surrounding dust. Since this frosting process is often carried out inside automatic vending machines, ticket vending machines, ticket inspection machines, etc., it is difficult to prevent such troubles from occurring.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention constantly and uniformly coats heat-erasable frost on cards such as commuter passes, admission tickets, and various prepaid cards in order to record visually visible records that can be repeatedly formed and erased. The present invention provides a method for stably forming a card by forming a smooth layer of synthetic resin on at least a portion of the surface of the card, and frosting the smooth layer at a temperature above the glass transition temperature and below the melting point of the resin. In order to maintain the distortion, a long frosted tape is sequentially fed out and then pressed against the smooth layer to perform the frosting process.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a card manufactured by the method of the present invention, FIGS. 2(A), CB), and (C) are sectional views showing how to use the card, and FIG. 3 is a cuff frosting method of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional frost treatment method.

To explain the card obtained by the present invention with reference to FIG. 1, the card 1 is made by laminating a smooth layer 11 made of synthetic resin and a support layer 12 such as a strong polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet or paper. A part of the recording surface 11 is used as a recording surface 13, and the other surface is printed 14 to display necessary explanations and decorative designs. Also, usually
The card 1 has functions for storing information, performing calculations, etc. by providing a magnetic layer, etc.

Figure 2 (A), (B), (C) shows how to use this card.
To explain, the recording surface 13 of the card 1 having the smooth layer 11 as shown in (A) is frosted (roughened) as shown in (B) to form a frosted surface 15. By performing this frosting at a temperature that is higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) and lower than the melting point <Tm) of the resin of the smooth layer 11, the frosted surface retains a distortion that tends to return to the original smooth surface by heating.

To record on this card, when the frosted surface 15 of the card is partially heated at a temperature higher than the frosting temperature as shown in <C>, only the heated portion returns to a smooth surface, and the frosted surface 15 becomes smooth. Due to differences in surface reflectance, letters, etc.
Figures, symbols, etc. @16 appear. Heating can be carried out by applying a heated stamp in close proximity or by pressing, by using a laser beam, by using a thermal head used in a normal thermal printer, or the like.

When erasing a record, the entire surface of the recording surface 13 is frosted to erase the image 16. This frost treatment, like the first frost treatment,
Do the following to retain distortion internally. As a result, the card 1 returns to the state shown in (B) before image formation, and can be used repeatedly thereafter.

The present invention relates to frosting from (A> to <B) = or from (C) to (B) in Fig. 2, and as shown in Fig. 3, a long frosted tape 2 is Since it is fed out sequentially, it is pressed against card 1.

As a result, since the frosting process is performed on the new 11 sides of the frosted tape 2, the conventional problems can be solved.

The frosted tape 2 is long and is wound into a roll 21.
It becomes. A predetermined length of frosted tape 2 is pulled out from the roll 21 by the feed roll 5.

Then, the receiver presses the frosted tape 2 onto the card 1 placed on the stand 3 using the pressure head 4, thereby frosting the card 1. The pressurized head 4 is heated to an appropriate temperature by a heater 41.

It is preferable that the entire or surface of the support stand 3 is made of an elastic material such as rubber.

The frosting tape 2 may be fed a predetermined length for each frosting process so that a new side is always frosted, but if the tape 2 has a certain degree of durability, a new side may be fed every few times. You may also choose to release it.

As the frosted tape 2, any suitable material such as metal or plastic can be used, but considering durability, heat resistance, cost, etc., heat-resistant plastic, especially P.
ET tape is preferred.

This tape can be easily frosted by sandblasting, coating with an inorganic particle-containing layer, or stretching a sheet to which different compatible substances have been added.

This frosting process is performed on the smooth layer 1 in order to retain distortion.
Above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin in No. 1, the melting point (Tm)
At temperatures below Tg, frosting does not cause distortion, or the distortion that occurs is rapidly released without heating.

Further, at a temperature higher than Tm, the formed frost has no distortion and cannot be erased even by reheating, so that the object of the present invention cannot be achieved.

In the case of non-quality resins, they often do not show a clear Tm, but in that case, the flow start temperature is defined as Tm, and in the case of crosslinked resins that generally do not show a Tm, the flow start temperature (
or decomposition temperature) or below. Furthermore, when a mixed resin or a copolymer resin exhibits two or more Tg's, the higher Tg may be used as the reference.

For heating, the pressure head 4 may be heated as shown, or the card 1 may be heated. Also frosted tape 2
If the tape 2 is made of metal, the tape 2 can also be heated.

The condition of the frost is determined by the surface roughness of the frost surface 15 or the 10-point average roughness Rz of J I 5-B-0601.
A range of ~10 μm is preferred.

If Rz is less than 1 μm, even if a smooth image 16 is formed on the frosted surface during recording, it is difficult to determine the presence or absence of the image.
If it exceeds 10 μm, it will take time to smooth the surface during recording, and it will be necessary to increase the heating temperature, which is disadvantageous in terms of equipment.

In the present invention, the resin constituting the smooth layer 11 includes polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polymethyl (meth)acrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polycarbonate, A
Various resins such as BS resin or copolymer resins thereof can be used alone or in combination. Among them, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polymethyl (meth)
Non-grade resins such as acrylate and polycarbonate are preferred because they are easy to handle.

Furthermore, crosslinkable acrylic resins, crosslinkable urethane resins, or the various resins mentioned above can be treated with crosslinking agents, electron beams, gamma rays, etc.
It is also possible to use a resin that has been crosslinked to the extent that it does not lose its heat fluidity.

The thickness of the smooth layer 11 is usually in the range of 5 to 200 μm,
There is no particular limit to the overall thickness of the card 1, but it is 0.1
It is approximately 3 mm.

As this smooth layer 11, a film or sheet formed by extrusion molding or the like may be used, or it may be formed by coating.

The card obtained by the method of the present invention can visually display the main information recorded in the magnetic layer etc. as an image, and can be used for checking entrances and exits to transportation facilities and facilities, restaurants, shops, etc. It can be used to record and display the amount spent and balance on prepaid cards used in vending machines, etc.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the method of the present invention, the frosting process is performed by pressing the long frosted tape onto the card while sequentially drawing it out [7], so the frosting process is always performed in a state where the frosting is free from scratches and clogging. It is possible to add a very clear and uniform frost to the card.

(Example) (Comparative example) A white PET sheet (thickness 150 μm) was used as the support layer 12.
), and a smooth layer 11 (colorless transparent polyvinyl chloride resin with a thickness of 10 μm, 7g 70°C, Tm 202°C) is used on the negative side.
) were laminated, and printing 14 was performed leaving a recording surface 13 of 1010×20, thereby creating a card shown in FIG. 1.

(a) On the recording surface, a frosted plate 2 is prepared by forming a frosted surface with an Rz of 10 μm on a 1010×20 smooth metal plate.
0 and the rubber barley stand 30, using the method shown in Fig. 4 at a temperature of 90°C for 5 hours and 0.5 seconds and a pressure of 20 kg/c.
Frost treatment was performed under n2 conditions.

(b) Next, print a head temperature of 12 on the frosted surface using a thermal head printer (no ink ribbon is used).
Under the conditions of 0°C, 124 dots, and font size of 5 mm square,
Record the words "Admission."

(c) Next, erase the characters by frosting the recording surface under the same conditions as in (a).

When these operations were repeated 200 times, the frost plate 20 became scratched and clogged, and the frost surface became smeared and uneven, reducing the clarity of the characters.

(Example) Rz8 was applied to the same card as the comparative example by sandblasting.
Using a PET tape (thickness 50 μm, width 10 mm) frosted to a μm diameter, pressurize it by the method shown in Figure 3.
Temperature 90°C 1 hour 0.5 seconds, pressure 20 kg/cn
Frost treatment was performed under the following conditions.

A new surface of the PET tape was exposed every five times of frosting.

Next, recording and erasing were performed repeatedly in the same manner as in the comparative example.

As a result, even after over 1,000 times, there was no staining or non-uniformity on the frosted surface, and clear recording was always possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a card made into a V shape using the method of the present invention, FIGS. A sectional view showing a frost processing method, and Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional frost processing method. 1...Card 11...Smooth layer 15...
Frosted surface 16 Image 2 Frosted tape 3 Pressure head Patent applicant Mitsubishi Plastics Co., Ltd. - Re agent Patent attorney Kumiko Kondo 1 Nagi 2 Ro/3 7/

Claims (1)

[Claims] A smooth layer of synthetic resin is formed on at least a portion of the surface of the card, and the smooth layer has a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the resin.
1. A method of frosting a card, which comprises frosting a card at a temperature below its melting point to retain distortion, and carrying out frosting by sequentially unwinding a long frosted tape and pressing it against the smooth layer.