Discrimination medium and discrimination method for discriminating the same

Abstract

A discrimination medium on which printing can be freely performed, which cannot be easily falsified, in which the authenticity can be easily discriminated by unique appearance, and which can be produced at low cost, is provided. A cholesteric liquid crystal layer 10 or a multilayer film 5 , and a breakable print recording layer are laminated in the discrimination medium. The multilayer film 5 has plural light transparent films which are laminated and are different from each other in refraction index. Therefore, the discrimination medium has unique optical characteristics such that a character, a symbol, a pattern, a figure formed by printing by a thermal printer or the like changes in color depending on the viewing angle. A discrimination method using the above optical characteristics of the discrimination medium is provided.

1 . A discrimination medium comprising: 
 a multilayer film having plural light transparent films which are laminated and are different from each other in refraction index, the multilayer film having a surface; and 
 a breakable print recording layer provided at least a portion of at least the surface of the multilayer film,  
 wherein when a predetermined condition is applied to a portion of the breakable print recording layer, the portion of the breakable print recording layer is removed from the discrimination medium.  
   
   
   
       2 . A discrimination medium comprising: 
 a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a circular polarization light selectivity of reflecting predetermined circularly polarized light and having a surface; and    a breakable print recording layer provided at least a portion of at least the surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, 
 wherein when a predetermined condition is applied to a portion of the breakable print recording layer, the portion of the breakable print recording layer is removed from the discrimination medium.  
   
   
   
       3 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises:    a printed layer provided at least a portion of the breakable print recording layer.    
   
   
       4 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the printed layer has substantially the same color as the color of the multilayer film when the multilayer film is viewed from a predetermined direction.    
   
   
       5 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises:    an adhesive layer which is provided to the multilayer film includes a black pigment.    
   
   
       6 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 at least a portion of the multilayer film is subjected to hologram working or embossing.    
   
   
       7 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises: 
 an interlayer peeling structure or a peeling breaking structure at least a portion of the multilayer film.  
   
   
   
       8 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium is provided to an article,    the adhesive layer is composed of transformable adhesive or peelable adhesive, and    one of a character, a symbol, and a pattern is formed and discriminated on the article or the discrimination medium when the adhesive layer is peeled from the discrimination medium.    
   
   
       9 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the breakable print recording layer and the printed layer are provided to at least portions of both sides of the multilayer film.    
   
   
       10 . A discrimination method for discriminating a discrimination medium, wherein the discrimination medium comprising: 
 a multilayer film having plural light transparent films which are laminated and are different from each other in refraction index, the multilayer film having a surface; and 
 a breakable print recording layer provided at least a portion of at least the surface of the multilayer film,  
 wherein when a predetermined condition is applied to a portion of the breakable print recording layer, the portion of the breakable print recording layer is removed from the discrimination medium,  
 wherein the discrimination method comprising:  
 observing the discrimination medium from one or more predetermined viewing angles.  
   
   
   
       11 . A discrimination method for discriminating a discrimination medium, wherein the discrimination medium comprising: 
 a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a circular polarization light selectivity of reflecting predetermined circularly polarized light and having a surface; and    a breakable print recording layer provided at least a portion of at least the surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer,    wherein when a predetermined condition is applied to a portion of the breakable print recording layer, the portion of the breakable print recording layer is removed from the discrimination medium,    wherein the discrimination method comprising:    observing the discrimination medium via an optical filter allowing a predetermined circularly polarized light to selectively pass therethrough.    
   
   
       12 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises:    a printed layer provided at least a portion of the breakable print recording layer.    
   
   
       13 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the printed layer has substantially the same color as the color of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer when the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is viewed from a predetermined direction.    
   
   
       14 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises:    an adhesive layer which is provided to the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and includes a black pigment.    
   
   
       15 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 at least a portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is subjected to hologram working or embossing.    
   
   
       16 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium further comprises:    an interlayer peeling structure or a peeling breaking structure at least a portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.    
   
   
       17 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 the discrimination medium is provided to an article,    the adhesive layer is composed of transformable adhesive or peelable adhesive, and    one of a character, a symbol, and a pattern is formed and discriminated on the article or on the discrimination medium when the adhesive layer is peeled from the discrimination medium.    
   
   
       18 . A discrimination medium according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the breakable print recording layer and the printed layer are provided to at least portions of both sides of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.