JPH10272875A - Method of forming variable information - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a method for forming variable information on a form by laser irradiation without using a conventional printing means such as an ink jet printer, a laser printer or a thermal printer. A variable information description section provided with a laser light absorbing and coloring layer provided on a predetermined portion of a surface of a base material is irradiated with a laser beam controlled based on data of variable information input in advance. A method for forming variable information 5 on the surface of the laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 by selectively coloring the surface of the laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 by the laser irradiation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming variable information carried on forms, and more particularly, to a method of forming a laser light absorbing and coloring layer surface applied to a substrate surface of forms by laser irradiation. The present invention relates to a characteristic information forming method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, addresses, names, telephone numbers, IDs
The forms on which variable information such as numbers and amounts are printed include, for example, various notices, certificates, and DMs addressed to individuals. The variable information printed on these is usually applied by a printing means such as an ink jet printer, a laser printer, or a thermal printer.

On the other hand, in recent years, the development of laser technology has been remarkable. In particular, the technology of freely deflecting laser light with a variable mask, a plotter mechanism (moving device in the X and Y directions), a polygon mirror, and the like has recently been rapidly increasing. Its usage is expanding. This laser technology has been extended to the field of paper processing.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 107782 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-65479, laser beam irradiation can also be used for processing a sewing line for creating a form.

[0004]

In response to the progress of laser technology in the field of paper processing, if the processing of sewing lines and the like is widespread by laser irradiation, the printing of variable information on forms will be difficult. If it is performed by laser irradiation rather than by means, formation of variable information corresponding to paper processing by laser irradiation can be achieved.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming variable information on documents by laser irradiation without using a conventional printing means such as an ink jet printer, a laser printer, or a thermal printer.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have provided a laser light absorbing and coloring layer in a variable information description section of a form, and irradiate the laser light absorbing and coloring layer with a laser to select the layer. It has been found that the above object can be achieved by specifically coloring the laser light absorbing coloring layer, and the present invention has been made.

That is, according to the method of forming variable information of the present invention, a variable information description portion provided with a laser light absorbing and coloring layer at a predetermined portion of a substrate surface is controlled based on data of variable information input in advance. Irradiating the laser light, the laser irradiation to selectively color the laser light absorption coloring layer surface,
Thus, variable information is formed on the surface of the laser light absorbing and coloring layer.

According to the variable information forming method of the present invention, the variable information recording section is provided with the laser light absorbing and coloring layer, so that the variable information is supplied in a continuous state based on the variable information data input to the laser irradiation device. By irradiating the laser to the laser light absorbing and coloring layer of each unit form and coloring it sequentially,
Printing is easy and efficient.

[0009]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view of a form on which variable information is printed by the variable information forming method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a method for controlling a variable information forming process.

As shown in FIG. 1, a form 1 on which variable information is printed by the method for forming variable information according to the present invention is configured as a “membership certificate”, and a title, a company name, a description, etc. In addition to the general information 6, a predetermined portion thereof is provided with a variable information recording section 4 provided with a laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3, and the variable information recording section 4 is further provided with a laser light absorbing and coloring layer. A password as a variable information 5 and a membership number formed by selectively coloring 3 are formed.

The laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 according to the present invention comprises:
It is preferable to apply a laser marking ink containing a leuco dye, a developer, a light-to-heat conversion dye, and the like.
More specifically, leuco dyes selected from triallyl methanephthalide dyes, diphenylmethane dyes, spiro dyes, thiazine dyes, lactam dyes, etc., activated clay, acid clay, aluminum silicate, bisphenol S, 2, Selected from 2 ', 6,6'-tetramethyl-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol, 2,2', 6,6'-tetrabromo-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and the like A laser that is obtained by mixing a developer, and, if necessary, a photothermal conversion dye selected from a cyanine dye, an anthraquinone dye, a naphthalocyanine dye, a naphthoquinone dye, an indophenol dye, etc., into a vehicle of a printing ink. Those coated with marking ink are preferred.

As shown in FIG. 2, the laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 provided in the variable information writing section 4 with such laser marking ink is coated with an infrared laser such as a carbon dioxide gas laser or a YAG laser. The irradiated part develops color,
The variable information 5 is formed.

In the case of this embodiment, the laser beam absorbing and coloring layer 3 is coated with an ultraviolet curable laser marking ink on the variable information recording section 4 by solid printing using an offset printing machine connected to general printing. However, when such a laser marking ink is not used, for example, instead of the vehicle of the printing ink, polyvinyl alcohol,
When using a laser marking paint using an aqueous binder such as gum arabic or methyl cellulose, the laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 is applied in advance by a special coating machine before general printing.

Next, a method for forming variable information according to the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. A continuous form W provided with a large number of feed holes H in the marginal portion is formed by connecting a large number of unit forms S via a folding / cutting sewing machine line. General information necessary for the "membership certificate" is printed in advance.

The feed hole H is engaged with a tractor pin of the tractor device T, and the continuous form W is transferred in a predetermined direction by driving the tractor device T. A variable information forming device is arranged on the transfer path of the continuous form W. The variable information forming device converts the traveling direction of the laser beam emitted from the laser beam oscillator L having a built-in variable mask. A plotter mechanism (not shown) movable in the width direction and the transport direction of the continuous form W to form variable information
And two pairs of rotatable polarizing mirrors M, M, and the like.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4, the tractor device T is connected to an encoder E for detecting the feed amount of the continuous form W. The encoder E converts the rotation amount of the tractor device T into a pulse signal. Feed amount is detected. When the converted pulse signal is sent to the control unit C, the control unit C performs timing corresponding to the feed amount, that is, at the time when the variable information writing unit 4 reaches the laser irradiation position, based on the input variable information data, A control signal is issued to the laser light oscillator L and the drive unit of the polarization mirrors M, M to control them. Also, an input device K such as a keyboard and a display device B such as a CRT are connected to the control unit C, and input pattern data of desired variable information and check operation conditions.

Further, in the apparatus of this embodiment, an optical detection sensor D for detecting that the variable information writing section 4 of each unit form S has reached the laser irradiation position is also arranged on the transfer path of the continuous form W. The detection signal is also sent to the control unit C. Note that a detection mark (not shown) is provided at the marginal portion of each unit form S for detecting the laser irradiation position.

When the portion where the variable information of each unit form S is to be irradiated with the laser beam by the encoder E and the optical detection sensor D, an irradiation operation signal is transmitted from the control unit C to the laser light oscillator L, and each polarization beam is emitted. A drive signal is also sent to the drive units of the mirrors M and M, whereby pulse laser light corresponding to the input variable information data is irradiated, and the laser light absorbing and coloring layer 3 of the irradiation unit is selectively colored. Thus, desired variable information 5 is formed.

In this embodiment, a suction drum V for stabilizing the focus is provided at the laser irradiation position so that the focal length of the laser light does not shift during the irradiation of the laser light. An appropriate tension is applied between G and G to prevent the form from being loosened. However, other than this method, for example, a large diameter roll is wound at a predetermined wrap angle, and a laser irradiation unit is set on the wrap portion. And so on.

Further, in this embodiment, in order to form arbitrary variable information, a laser light oscillator having a built-in variable mask and a laser irradiating device having a rotatable polarizing mirror incorporated in a plotter mechanism are provided. Although used, the present invention is not limited to this, and various far / near infrared type laser irradiation devices used for laser image formation can be used.

[0021]

As described above, according to the variable information forming method of the present invention, by providing the laser light absorbing and coloring layer in the variable information description section, the variable information data input to the laser irradiation device can be obtained. By sequentially coloring each laser light absorbing coloring layer of each unit form supplied in a continuous state,
The advantage is that printing can be performed easily and efficiently, and the formation of variable information corresponding to paper processing by laser irradiation can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view of a form on which variable information is printed by a method for forming variable information according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of a method for forming variable information according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control method of a variable information forming process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Form having variable information 2 Base material 3 Laser light absorbing and coloring layer 4 Variable information writing section 5 Variable information W Continuous form S Unit form H Feed hole T Tractor device L Laser light oscillator M Polarizing mirror C Control unit E Encoder

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A laser beam controlled based on data of variable information input in advance to a variable information description portion provided with a laser light absorbing and coloring layer on a predetermined portion of a substrate surface,
A method for forming variable information, wherein the laser irradiation selectively forms a color on the laser light absorbing and coloring layer surface, thereby forming variable information on the laser light absorbing and coloring layer surface.