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Devices as print media. Printing media with an optical birefringence layer

Despite the development trend modern technologies, their level is not yet so high that we can completely abandon the printing industry. This has already been proven by many research centers and laboratories. Having studied the reports, it is safe to say that this issue was fully examined through the "microscope" and "chewed" in detail in front of a global audience. Therefore, we do not recommend rushing to throw your peripheral equipment into the trash can. Although, you yourself will not do this, especially after you read this article to the end.

Printed vs. Digital media

The material printed on paper, compared to digital information, much more effectively affects human development. After all, this is how people get tactile and user experience, and also form an important associative array. However, the information contained on paper may soon lose its relevance; in this regard, a modern gadget will be much more reliable. It is also worth noting that print is inferior to digital in terms of scaling, distribution and analytics. But printed material is very difficult to plagiarize.

Research data

The first to disprove the imminent disappearance of paper media were neuroscientists. They showed in practice that the human brain perceives better printed information than digital. For example, a company like True Impact compared the effect of mail and e-mail advertising. During the experiment, it turned out that the traditional mailing is easier to understand, since 75% of those who viewed it remembered the information contained in the letter. Concerning Email, then everything is much worse there, only 44% were able to remember at least something. You should not be surprised by such indicators. The fact is that most of us email ads are immediately sent to spam without even reading the content. At the same time, the envelope in the mailbox, one way or another, attracts attention, and our curiosity makes us study what we have received.

Another study was carried out by Temple University. To get more accurate data, they did an MRI of the brain during the experiment. And as it turned out, the printed material was able to easily activate the ventral area of the "gray liquid", which is responsible for the evaluation and causes a strong feeling to purchase this or that product. Yes, the digital media also showed itself well, but nevertheless, the real perception of physical material is remembered much better, more accurately and faster (Bangor University also talked about this in 2009).

conclusions

The result is unambiguous, printed (paper) media, if it ever sinks into oblivion, it will not be very soon. In addition, we should not forget that today 3D printing is intensively developing, which has every chance to occupy an important niche in human life for a long time. In turn, we strongly recommend that you take advantage of both types of information media, especially for those involved in marketing activities.

What is the most precise definition of the term "printer"? A computer printer, or simply a "printer" (from English Print - "print") - a device for obtaining a "hard copy" (printing on various types of media, mainly paper) of texts, images, graphics - in other words, documents that were originally stored in a digital form. Initially, a computer printer meant a peripheral device connected to a PC through one of the widely used interfaces (including wireless or network). This definition is now somewhat outdated. Since, firstly, there are many ways to output data to a printer without the "mediation" of a computer - for example, directly from flash cards, digital video and photo cameras, built-in fax modems. Secondly, a fairly common class of MFPs has appeared, which are a combination of a printer, scanner, other input devices, plus a built-in "mini-computer" for pre-print data processing. What does the abbreviation "MF" mean? The MFP is a multifunctional device. In relation to devices for creating a "hard copy" of documents, this abbreviation, as a rule, means a printer that is structurally, logically and programmatically integrated into one whole with one or more data processing devices and auxiliary solutions. A classic MFP is a printer combined with a scanner, resulting in a device for printing, scanning and copying in one housing. The addition of a fax modem card and telephone line interface turns the device into an office MFP with fax processing capability. Modern MFPs, as a rule, are universal - they have several interfaces at once, slots for flash cards, built-in memory for storing data, etc. What does the abbreviation SOHO mean in relation to printers? The abbreviation SOHO - Small Office, Home Office, that is, "Small or home office", means that the printer or MFP of this class is designed to meet the needs of a group of workers in a small office, or home needs, for printing documents. Unlike enterprise print devices, SOHO class printers tend to have moderate performance and a limited set of relevant interfaces. It is these printers that are most often called "personal", or simply "desktop". What determines the maximum print speed of the printer, why is it sometimes less than that declared by the manufacturer? The maximum print speed listed in official specifications usually reflects the capabilities of the printer's printing mechanism. In practice, the speed depends on many factors, such as the type of interface, the quality of the driver used - even the type of document or its content. For GDI printers, the speed of printing can also be significantly affected by the performance of the computer. Also quite often manufacturers as top speed prints of one or another model indicate the conditions for the output of a document with approximately 5% page filling with text; much less often - with 20% filling with a raster and / or text. In practice, a distinction is made between constant print speed and print speed, taking into account the output of the first page, sometimes printing the first page is given as a separate characteristic, since the longer output time depends on a number of indirect reasons; for example, in laser printers - from heating the "stove". What is a "GDI printer"? Processing of incoming print data and converting them into a form acceptable for the printing mechanism in any, even the simplest printer, is carried out using the built-in processor. In principle, it can be called a "printer controller", but that's not the point. Any built-in processor (controller) of the printer is necessarily controlled using some command description language. Such languages include, for example, Postscript, PCL, ESC/P, HPGL, Lineprinter, Xerox XES/UDK, Luminous LN02Plus and many others. Another thing is the GDI printer. In fact, GDI, or Graphic Device Interface, is nothing more than a library of certain functions of the Windows operating system for outputting information to graphic peripherals such as displays or printers. Thus, the processor of a "GDI printer" is exactly the case when the definition of "controller" is more appropriate in relation to it. Unlike printers with a powerful built-in processor, the GDI printer controller only outputs information to the printer's buffer memory. The information received by the print program is a page description that reproduces graphic primitives already prepared for printing - lines, text, etc., for the processing of which GDI functions are called. The printer driver for a particular version of Windows translates this information into the printer's internal language. In other words, a decent part of the work of preparing an image for printing in the case of the GDI model falls not on the printer, but on the computer. The advantages of such a "work organization" are enormous: you do not have to overpay for a fairly expensive printer electronics; for PC owners of even average power, the issue of a small additional load on the CPU is simply invisible. True, there are also disadvantages, although in our time they are rather arbitrary, if we are not talking about working from a platform other than Windows. Well, who now, for example, needs printing from DOS? Previously, some models also had difficulty using as a network printer in mixed networks. In practice, it is not uncommon for different manufacturers to specify their own varieties of the GDI system as the control language in the printer specifications. For example, for Samsung printers, this is SPL, or SPL-Color - Samsung Printing Language. What is DPI? DPI, or Dots per inch (dots per inch) is an established measure of print resolution, which means the number of individual dots that are linearly placed during printing on a segment of one inch, or 25.4 mm. For inkjet printers, it refers to the number of ink droplets, for laser printers, it refers to the number of distinguishable toner particles sintered under the influence of electrographic transfer.

Of course, the more dots per inch the printer can accommodate, the better the print quality will be. In other words, a 1200 dpi printer will produce better detail than a 600 dpi printer. Dot-matrix printers, where dots are formed by imprinting ink from an ink ribbon under the influence of needles, have the lowest resolution. In practice, vertical and horizontal (linear) print resolutions are also distinguished. Sometimes the vertical resolution differs significantly due to the use of motors with different media shift pitches. What is "LPI"? LPI, or Lines per inch (lines per inch) - print resolution in halftone systems, means how close the lines in the halftone grid can be printed when printed. Higher LPI means more detailed print results with greater clarity. As a rule, this characteristic is used when working with printing equipment, where when printing magazines and newspapers, they are guided by a system of halftones.

What are the main types of printing technologies called and what are they?

laser printing- conditional general simplified name of electrographic dry printing systems, when the raster of the printed page prepared by the processor is applied to the photosensitive drum by a laser or a similar light source; then, with the help of static electricity (due to the potential difference), a special toner is transferred to the drum. Next, the toner is transferred to a paper carrier, where it is subsequently fixed ("fixed") with the help of heat, sometimes additional pressure. This is a very, very simplified description. laser printer named thanks to key element design - semiconductor laser. Typically, a laser printer is somewhat more expensive than inkjet models of similar performance, but due to the high capacity of a typical toner cartridge and a number of other parameters such as high speed, durability, low print price (especially in the case of a monochrome laser printer) is more preferable for use in the office for printing documents.

Laser printers come in both monochrome and color. A variety of laser printers can be considered light-emitting diode (LED) printers. LED and laser digital printing technologies are similar to the use of electrography, however, if in the first case a laser unit is used as a light source to form a surface charge on a photosensitive drum or tape, then an LED printer has a line (or several - if we are talking about a color model) of thousands of LEDs , through focusing lenses illuminating the surface of the photosensitive drum / tape immediately across the entire width.

Despite the constant rivalry between these very similar varieties of "laser" technologies, it is not so easy to give unambiguous leadership in any advantage to any of them, because, as always, it is not the principle of printing that is more important, but the quality of implementation on this stage technology development. inkjet printing- the principle of printing, in which the imprint on the media is formed by ink drops "shot" from the nozzles of the print head. As a rule, the size of ink drops of modern printers is measured in units of picoliters (10 -12, one trillionth of a liter), respectively, the print resolution with this method of imprint formation is thousands of dots per inch.

The printheads of modern inkjet printers have tens and hundreds of nozzles; The "matrix" arrangement of the nozzles increases the speed of printing and better blending of the colors of the miniature ink droplets for more realistic results.

Most modern inkjet printers are color models, that is, they print with ink of several colors at once, with rare exceptions - for example, monochrome ultra-fast inkjet models are very popular in the banking sector. There are also "inkjet photo printers" - as a rule, models with a large number of different colors of ink, up to ten, the ink of which more accurately conveys the photorealistic color gamut on special photo paper for inkjet printing. Typical jet printer While generally inexpensive to manufacture, other benefits include significantly better photo quality than a typical laser printer. The disadvantages of inkjet printing include the fact that often the cost of a printer is comparable to the price of a new set of ink cartridges. Sometimes users resort to buying alternative cartridges or CISS systems, which does not always have a favorable effect on print quality and the duration of storage of results. Inkjet printing is much more demanding on media, besides, ink, if the printer is not used for a long time, tends to dry out, which sometimes leads to the need to replace the print head. In general, modern inkjet printing is significantly different from samples of a decade or even five years ago: the printing speed has been significantly increased, the cost of a print has been reduced, many issues have been resolved using various types of media and ink drying. Solid ink printing- technology for transferring molten wax ink through holes whose diameter is less than the thickness of a human hair, from stationary printheads to a rotating drum, from which the image is then transferred to the media.

The basis of the technology is a special pigment ink capable of maintaining a solid state at room temperature, melting at temperatures above 60°C and instantly hardening with slight cooling.

The advantages of the technology are the reproduction of bright colors on almost any surface, excellent coverage of the sRGB gamut by CMYK ink; simple design of the color printing mechanism that transfers solid ink in one pass of the media; high speed. There is also a drawback - high ink consumption during a "cold start" for preparation and calibration. sublimation printing. Sublimation (Dye-sublimation) printers in the process of forming a print use the heating of special ribbons, as a result of which the color dye is transferred to the media. Sublimation printers are the most common single color printers and are usually used to print on media such as plastic cards, paper or canvas. However, color models are also common, where several ribbons with dyes of several colors are used for transfer. The advantages of sublimation printing include excellent quality of color reproduction; moreover, using ribbons with the most exotic dye colors, such as silver, gold or neon shades, you can get unique color combinations when decorating the same business cards. The disadvantages of sublimation printers include a low print speed and, as a rule, a rather high cost of a print. Thermal printing, thermal transfer- the principle of printing, which uses a special carrier that changes its color after heating. Typical example Such a printer is a fax on thermal paper, where the special media roller, after local heating, is capable of transmitting the "facsimile" character of the original. A typical use for thermal printing is the aforementioned faxes (recently being vigorously replaced by plain paper laser faxes), cash registers, ATM terminal printers. The disadvantages of the technology are obvious - low resolution and the need to use a special medium. Pros - none Supplies other than the carrier. Perhaps, within the framework of this material, we will confine ourselves to details only about the above methods of printing, as they are really relevant today. In fact, there are many other ways in the world to transfer information to paper. For example, plotters that draw an image using special ink pens or felt-tip pens; dot-matrix printers that “beat off” letters or pseudographics with their needles on paper through an ink ribbon; ancient teletypes and "chamomile" printers that print characters in ready-made characters. As well as digital minilabs, linear, electrolytic printers and other types of exotics that are hardly relevant in a modern home or office.

What is CMYK?

The name of the color model is CMYK, made up of the first letters of the colors that form it, these are Cyan (cyan, blue), Magenta (magenta, purple), Yellow (yellow) and Key (key, that is, black, black). Without risking going too far into color theory in the FAQ, let's confine ourselves to the following simplified explanation. As a result of color printing, we are dealing with reflected colors - in the general case, represented by the CMYK color model with subtraction colors when CMYK colors partially or completely overlap certain colors, usually on a white background. At one time, the CMY model was also common, when the black color was formed by a complex "fill" of other primary colors. At the same time, on the monitor screen, the colors are formed differently, additive, that is, the summing model. For example, the RGB color model is the result of a combination of primary colors - red (Red), green (Green) and blue (Blue); here "white color" is formed by the maximum brightness of the primary colors, and black is the result of the lack of brightness of all channels. In the CMYK color model, as you can easily see, things are completely opposite: white is the carrier, black is the result of a combination of primary ink colors (or a "key" black ink specially introduced to save costs). Accurate reproduction of the color gamut of the image when printing, maximum correspondence to the image on the monitor is a very difficult task, depending on many factors - the type of paper used, various printer and driver settings. Many printers have the ability to use the printer driver to select preset color schemes and also install them manually. Also, many printers come with ICC color profiles, which are used by ICM, the color management system built into Windows.

To add realism to photographs by improving the printing of halftones, manufacturers of inkjet photo printers supplement the CMYK color model with additional ink cartridges with additional "transitional" shades. It can be "light magenta", "photo black", neutral grey", turquoise" and other shades of ink, depending on the implementation of the technology and the marketing fantasy of the manufacturer.

What is SNPC?

CISS is a continuous ink supply system, a solution for inkjet printers with a print head that is not combined with an ink cartridge, when ink is supplied not from regular cartridges, but from external containers of increased volume. Unlike business-class inkjet and plotter solutions, where external continuous ink supply systems are common (see diagram below), CISS for home printing are usually made in a handicraft or semi-handicraft way. At the same time, "craftsmen" have to design a supply system from used cartridges and silicone cables, and at the same time bypass or reset the settings of smart chips.

What are the main characteristics of print media?

There are many different grades of media on the market today, designed for a wide variety of applications - from budget office printing to the production of high-quality copies of paintings with an imitation of the structure of the canvas. Especially demanding for the selection of the correct media is inkjet printing, where the ink - pigment or emulsion, enters into a chemical reaction with the surface of the media. Even for cases of ordinary office printing of documents, it is desirable to select the appropriate type of paper; it is all the more important in photo printing, when a number of additional requirements are added to the choice of surface structure - matte, glossy, semi-gloss, structural, etc. Typically, printer manufacturers recommend paper grades for use with their inks. own production, motivating this by an accurate knowledge of the types of chemical reactions that occur during the interaction of ink and paper. The use of alternative types of media from third-party companies, as well as the use of alternative inks, is a separate topic, unambiguous advice cannot be given here. Laser printing, although less "sensitive" to the choice of media, also allows you to get top scores when using paper grades recommended for this purpose due to the nature of the toner transfer and the heat fusing process. Especially when it comes to color laser printing. In general, carriers are normalized according to a huge list of characteristics. Here are just the most important of them:

Density (g/m², grams per square meter). For office printing, the optimal density is within 80 g / m² - 130 g / m²
Whiteness - determines the degree of reflection of light from the sheet, measured as a percentage
Media contaminants - internal (chemicals, adhesives) from manufacturing and external (dust) e.g. due to static
Acid / alkaline reaction - during an acid reaction, the carrier quickly ages, turns yellow, becomes brittle; in the case of alkaline, it has better reflectivity. Sometimes gluing layers is practiced to slow down the penetration of liquids (ink, dyes) into the sheet, to fix paper fibers
Moisture content - 4.5% moisture is standard
Rigidity is a parameter that varies depending on the arrangement of the fibers and is always higher in the direction across the fibers.
Smoothness
Porosity - affects both feed reliability and print quality
Paper caliber (thickness) - completely depends on the density and subsequent calendering (pressing), after which the paper becomes thinner, smoother. A higher caliber indicates a stiffer grade of paper.
Electrical conductivity - a parameter due to which, in wet conditions, image gaps occur, and in dry conditions, a background appears and sometimes sheets stick together.
Heat resistance - fixing the toner with a laser printer involves heating the paper to + 100 ° C and above. Non-specialized paper then becomes brittle and sometimes turns yellow
Friction - a parameter that determines the ease of separation of sheets in a pack from each other
Opacity is an important parameter for duplex printing
Edge quality after cutting - with poor cut quality, dust settles on the print path and accelerates its wear

Hard to imagine modern life without a printer. Scripts are printed in schools, abstracts are printed at the university, contracts are printed at work, and even at home it is extremely necessary for us to transfer this or that information to paper. There are several types of printers, they are classified by type of printing, by format, by size, and even by type of printed materials. Consider the principle of printing inkjet and laser printers.

How an inkjet printer works

We will try to highlight the principle of printing an inkjet printer briefly. Its print quality is slightly worse than that of a laser. However, their cost is much lower than that of laser ones. An inkjet printer is ideal for home use. It is easy to operate and easy to maintain. The principle of printing inkjet and laser printers are markedly different. This is manifested both in the ink supply technology and in the design of the equipment. Therefore, let's first talk about how an inkjet printer prints.

Its principle of operation is as follows: an image is formed in a special matrix, and then this matrix prints the image on the canvas using liquid dyes. Another type of inkjet printer is equipped with cartridges that are installed in a special unit. In this case, with the help of the print head, ink is supplied to the print matrix, and it transfers the image to paper.

Methods for storing ink and applying it to paper

There are three ways to apply ink to a canvas:

Piezoelectric method;
. gas bubble method;
. drop-on-demand method.

The first method, when printed, leaves an ink dot on the canvas, due to the piezoelectric element. With its help, the tube is compressed and unclenched, preventing excess ink from getting onto the paper.

Gas bubbles, also known as injected bubbles, leave an imprint on the web due to high temperatures. Each nozzle of the printing matrix is equipped with which heats up in a fraction of a second. The resulting gas bubbles are pushed through the nozzle and transferred to the consumable.

The drop-on-demand method also uses gas bubbles in the process. But it is a more streamlined technology that greatly increases the speed and quality of modern printing.

An inkjet printer stores ink in two ways. There is a separate removable tank from which ink is supplied to the print head. The second way to store ink uses a special cartridge, which is also located in the print head. To replace the cartridge, you must also replace the head itself.

Let's talk about inkjet printers

Inkjet printers have gained particular popularity due to the possibility When printing, the image is formed by superimposing the main tones on each other of different saturation. The set of primary colors bears the abbreviation CMYK. It includes: yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

Initially, a three-color set was offered, which included all of the above tones, except for the black shade. But when overlaying yellow, cyan and magenta, at 100% saturation, it was not possible to achieve black. The result was a brown or gray color. Therefore, it was decided to add black ink.

Features of the inkjet printer

The main indicators of the quality of the printer include noise, print speed, print quality and durability.

Operational properties of the printer:

Printing principle - inkjet. The ink is fed through special nozzles and printed on the canvas. Unlike needle printers, where applying ink is a shock-mechanical process, inkjet printers are very quiet. How the printer prints is not audible, you can only distinguish the noise of the engine that moves the print heads. does not exceed 40 dB.
The print speed of an inkjet printer is much faster than that of a needle printer. The print quality also depends on this indicator. Printer printing principle: the higher the speed, the worse the print. If you choose high quality printing, the process slows down and the ink is applied more thoroughly. The average of such a printer is approximately 3-5 pages per minute. More modern models increased this figure to 9 pages per minute. Color print takes a little more time.
The font is one of the main advantages of an inkjet printer. The quality of font display can only be compared with a laser printer. You can improve print quality by using good quality paper. It should have fast absorbing properties. good picture obtained on paper with a density of 60-135g/m². Copier paper with a density of 80 g / m² also showed itself well. For fast drying of ink use function of heating of paper. Despite the fact that the principle of printing an inkjet and a laser printer is completely different, high-quality equipment allows you to achieve a similar effect.
Paper. Unfortunately, the inkjet printer is not designed to print on roll media. And to get multiple copies, you will have to use multiple printing.

Disadvantages of Inkjet Printing

As it turned out above, inkjet printers print with liquid dyes using a matrix. The image is formed from dots. The most expensive part in a printer is the print head, some companies have integrated the print head of the printer into the cartridge to reduce the overall dimensions of the device. The principle of printing inkjet and laser printers are significantly different from each other.

The disadvantages of such a printer include:

Low print speed.
If the printer has not been used for a long time, the ink may dry out.
Consumables have a high cost and a small resource.

Benefits of Inkjet Printing

Attractive price, perfect price-performance ratio.
The printer has very modest dimensions, which allows it to be placed in a small office without creating inconvenience to the user.
Cartridges are easy to refill yourself, just buy ink and read the instructions.
Connectivity With large print volumes, this will significantly reduce costs.
High quality photo printing.
Wide range of print media.

A little about the laser printer

A laser printer is a type of equipment designed to print text or images on paper. The history of this type of equipment is very unusual. And it has a marketing approach, unlike an inkjet printer, during the creation of which hundreds of scientific concepts were developed.

It was not until 1969 that Xerox began to develop the principle of printing a laser printer. For several years, scientific work was carried out, many methods were used to improve the existing apparatus. In 1978, the first copier appeared in the world, which used a laser beam to create a print. The printer turned out to be huge, and the price did not allow anyone to purchase this unit. After some time, Canon became interested in the development, and in 1979 the first desktop laser printer was released. After a lot of companies started optimizing copiers and releasing new models, however, the principle of printing a laser printer has not changed.

How a laser printer prints

Prints obtained in this way have high operational characteristics. Moisture is not terrible for them, they are not afraid of erasing and fading. Images obtained in this way are very high quality and durable.

Printing principle of laser printer briefly:

The laser printer applies the image to the canvas in several stages. The toner (special powder) melts and sticks to the paper under the influence of temperature.
A squeegee (special scraper) removes unused toner from the drum into the waste accumulator.
The caronator polarizes the surface of the drum, and by means of electrostatic forces assigns a positive or negative charge to it.
The image is formed on the surface of the drum using a rotating mirror that directs it to the right place.
The drum moves along the surface of the magnetic shaft. There is toner on the shaft, which sticks to those places on the drum where there is no charge.
After the drum rolls over the paper, leaving the toner on the canvas.
At the final stage, the paper with the toner sprayed on it is rolled through the oven, where the substance melts under the influence of high temperatures and reliably adheres to the paper.

The printing principle of a laser printer has much in common with the technology used in copiers.

Color laser printers and their main differences

The printing process on a color printer differs from black and white in the presence of several shades, which, when mixed in a certain proportion, are able to recreate all the colors known to us. Color laser printers use four separate compartments for each ink color. This is their main difference.

Printing on a color printer consists of the following steps: image analysis, bitmap, arrangement of colors and their corresponding toners. Then the charge distribution is formed. Afterwards, the procedure is the same as for black and white printing. The ink sheet passes through an oven where the toners are melted and firmly bonded to the paper.

Their advantage lies in the fact that the principle of printing a laser printer allows you to achieve very thin beams that discharge the desired areas. As a result, we get a very high-quality high-resolution image.

Advantages of modern laser printers

The benefits of laser printers include:

High print speed.
Persistence, clarity and endurance of prints (they are not afraid of a humid microclimate).
High resolution image.
Low printing cost.

Disadvantages of laser printer printing

The main disadvantages of laser printers:

During operation of the equipment, ozone is released. So, you need to work with him in a well-ventilated area.
High power consumption.
Bulky.
High cost of equipment

Based on all the pros and cons, we can conclude that inkjet printers are great for home use. They have affordable price and small dimensions, which is important for many users.

A laser printer is suitable for offices and other institutions where there are a lot of black and white printouts and document processing speed is important.

Before purchasing large quantities of paper or specialty letterhead, make sure your supplier meets the media requirements described in the Printer Media Guide.

Some types of paper may meet all the requirements in this chapter or the Printer Media Guide, but the print quality will still be poor. This may be caused by inappropriate printing conditions or other external circumstances that HP cannot control (for example, extreme temperature and humidity).

Problems may occur if you use paper that does not meet the specifications listed here or in the media specifications guide.

Unwanted paper types

The machine can print on various types of paper. Using paper that does not meet specifications may result in poor print quality and may cause paper jams.

Don't use too rough paper. Use paper with Sheffield smoothness between 100 and 250.

Do not use paper with cutouts or perforations, or paper other than standard 3-hole perforated paper.

Do not use non-uniform forms.

Do not use paper that has already been printed on or that has passed through a photocopier.

Do not use paper with a background image when printing a flood.

Do not use embossed paper or letterhead that has been screen printed.

Do not use paper that has a highly textured surface.

Do not use special powders or other materials designed to prevent printed forms from sticking together.

Do not use paper with a color coating applied after the paper is made.

Paper that can damage the device

In rare cases, paper can cause the device to fail. The following types of paper should be avoided as they may damage the machine:

Do not use paper with staples attached.

Do not use transparencies, labels, photo paper, or glossy paper designed for inkjet printers or other low temperature printers. Use only those media and or intended for the printer (where to order or order, how to make a request).

Do not use embossed or coated paper, or any other media that cannot withstand the fusing temperature of this machine. Do not use letterhead or paper printed with inks or inks that cannot withstand the temperature of the fuser.

Do not use media that releases hazardous contaminants, melts, bends, or discolours when subjected to the temperature of the fuser.

General media specifications

Envelopes

The design of the envelopes is essential. The fold lines on envelopes can be different not only within batches coming from different manufacturers, but even within a box from the same manufacturer. The quality of printing on envelopes depends to a large extent on the quality of the material from which the envelopes are made. When choosing envelopes, the following requirements must be taken into account.

Density. Envelope paper must not be heavier than 105 g/m2 (28 lb) or the paper may jam.

Form. Envelopes must be neatly folded before printing, allowing for curl up to 5 mm (0.2 in.). In addition, there must be no air in the envelopes.

Manufacturing quality. Envelopes should not have wrinkles, slits or other damage.

Temperature. You must use envelopes that can withstand the temperature and pressure of the machine.

Format. Only the following sizes of envelopes can be used.

Minimum: 76 by 127 mm (3 by 5 in.)

Maximum: 216 x 356 mm (8.5 x 14 in.)

Use only envelopes recommended for laser printers. Using other envelopes may damage the device. To prevent serious media jams when printing on envelopes, always use Tray 1 and the rear output bin. You can use the envelope for printing only once.

Envelopes with seams at both ends

Envelopes with seams at both ends have vertical seams instead of diagonal seams. It is very likely that these envelopes will wrinkle. Make sure the seam line reaches the corner of the envelope as shown below.

Acceptable Envelope Design

Invalid Envelope Design

Envelopes with adhesive strips or flaps

Envelopes with an adhesive strip covered with a protective film or with multiple fold-over seal flaps must use an adhesive that meets the temperature and pressure requirements of the device. Additional flaps and bands can cause kinks, wrinkles, and even fuser failure.

Margins on envelopes

The table below shows the typical address fields for #10 or DL size envelopes.

Envelope storage

Proper storage of envelopes contributes to good print quality. Envelopes should be stored horizontally. Air remaining in envelopes causes air bubbles to form, which can cause envelopes to jam during printing.

Use only labels recommended for laser printers. Use of other labels may damage the device. To prevent serious media jams when printing on labels, always use Tray 1 and the rear output bin. A label page can only be printed once. Reprint on part of the page is also not allowed.

Label shape

When choosing a label, consider the workmanship of each of its components.

Adhesive backing: The adhesive backing must be resistant to temperatures up to 200° C (392° F) during printing.

Location. Use only labels that do not have exposed adhesive backing between labels. Labels may peel off the liner if it has open areas. This results in hard-to-remove media jams.

Curl: Sheets of labels to be printed should not be more than 5 mm (0.2 in.) off-flat.

Manufacturing quality. Do not use labels with folds, bubbles, or other signs of peeling.

Select envelopes in the printer driver.

Transparencies

The transparencies used in the device must be able to withstand temperatures of 200° C (392° F), the maximum temperature that the printer will experience during printing.

Use only transparencies recommended for laser printers. Using other transparencies may damage the device. To prevent serious media jams when printing on transparencies, always use Tray 1 and the rear output bin. You can only use transparencies for printing once. Reprinting on the transparencies section is also not allowed.

Select transparencies in the printer driver.

Card stock and heavy media

The device allows you to print various types of cards from the input tray, including index cards and postcards. Some types of cards feed into the machine better than others. This is because their structure is more suitable for the material feed mechanism of a laser printer.

For best performance, do not use paper heavier than 199 g/m2. Paper that is too thick can cause problems with the feed mechanism, uneven stacking in the tray, paper jams in the machine, poor toner fusing, poor print quality, or excessive mechanical wear.

Printing on thicker paper is possible. To do this, the tray must not be loaded to the maximum mark, and the paper must be Sheffield-type smoothness from 100 to 180 units.

In the software application or printer driver, select Heavyweight (106g/m2 to 163g/m2; 28lb to 43lb bond) or Card Stock (135g/m2 to 216g/m2; 50 to 80 lb. bond paper) or print from a tray that is set to use thick paper. Because this setting affects all jobs, you should reset the machine to its original settings after printing is complete.

Card design

Smoothness: 135 to 157 gsm cards should have a Sheffield smoothness of 100 to 180 gsm. 60 to 135 gsm cards must have Sheffield smoothness of 100 to 250 gsm.

Form. The stack of cards should lie horizontally. The bulge must not exceed 5 mm.

State. Do not print with cards that have wrinkles, tears, or other defects.

Card printing

Set the margins: at least 2 mm from the edges.

For card stock, use Tray 1 (135 g/m2 to 216 g/m2; 50 to 80 lb cover).

Use only cards recommended for laser printers. Using other cards may damage the device. To prevent serious media jams when printing on card stock, always use Tray 1 and the rear output bin.

Letterheads and preprinted forms

Letterhead is a high-quality paper that is mostly watermarked, sometimes with cotton fiber, comes in a variety of colors and matches the paper used to make envelopes. Printed forms are made on paper various types, both quality and recycled.

Most manufacturers supply a wide range of laser-optimized papers. They make sure their paper is great for laser printing. Some types of paper with a rough surface, such as drawing paper, laid paper, or canvas, may require a special fuser mode that is available on some printer models to achieve acceptable toner fixation.

When printing on laser printers, slight variations in quality may occur. These deviations are invisible when printed on plain paper. However, you can see them when printing on preprinted forms because the lines and margins are already placed on the page.

To avoid problems when using preprinted paper, embossed designs, and letterhead, follow these guidelines:

Avoid using forms printed with low temperature inks (used in some types of thermography).

Use preprinted and letterhead that has been printed using lithography and engraving.

Use letterhead printed with heat-resistant inks that will not melt, vaporize, or bleed when heated to 200°C for 0.1 second. Usually oxidized and oil-based paints meet these requirements.

When preprinting letterhead, make sure the moisture content of the paper has not changed and that you are not using materials that change the electrical and physical properties paper. Forms should be stored in a moisture-proof environment to prevent dampening.

Avoid processing preprinted paper that has already been used or has been coated in any way.

Do not use embossed paper or embossed letterhead.

Do not use paper that has a textured surface.

Do not use paper that has spray on the surface or other materials that prevent letterhead from sticking to each other.

To print one-sided covering letter on letterhead and then a multi-page document, load letterhead paper face up in Tray 1, and plain paper in Tray 2. The machine will automatically start printing on paper from Tray 1.

Select the correct fuser mode

The device automatically adjusts the fuser mode according to the media type set for the tray. Thick paper (such as card stock) requires a high fuser setting to better bond the toner to the paper, while transparencies require a lower fuser setting to prevent damage to the machine. Generally, the default setting provides the best performance for most types of print media.

The fuser mode can only be changed if the media type is set for the tray being used. Once a media type has been set for a tray, the fuser mode for that type can be changed from the Administration menu under the Print Quality submenu on the product control panel.

Using the High 1 or High 2 fuser setting improves the adhesion of the toner to the paper, but may cause other problems such as excessive paper curl. If the fuser is set to High 1 or High 2, the machine may print at a slower speed. The table below lists the fuser mode settings that are most appropriate for each type of supported print media.

Media Type	Fuser mode settings
plain paper
Letterhead
letterhead
Transparencies
Perforated paper
Labels
high quality
Recycled


stack of cards

To reset the fuser modes to their default modes, open the Administration menu on the device control panel. Click Print Quality, then Fuser Options, and then Restore Options.

Selecting print media

This machine supports a variety of media such as cut-sheet paper with up to 100% recycled fiber content; envelopes; labels; transparencies and custom size paper. Weight, composition, grain, and moisture content are critical parameters that determine device performance and print quality. Paper that does not meet the guidelines specified in this guide may cause the following problems:

Decreased print quality

To frequent paper jams

Premature wear of the device and the need for repair

Using media that does not meet HP specifications may damage the device and require repair. HP warranties and service agreements do not cover such repairs.

Supported Media Sizes

Supported media types

60 - 199 g/m2 (16 - 53 lb.)	100 sheets
	100 sheets
60 to 120 g/m2 (16 to 32 lb)	100 sheets
60 to 120 g/m2 (16 to 32 lb)	100 sheets
60 - 120 g/m2 (16 - 53 lb bond paper)	100 sheets
60 to 120 g/m2 (16 to 32 lb)	100 sheets
60 to 120 g/m2 (16 to 32 lb)	100 sheets
60 - 199 g/m2 (16 - 53 lb.)	Up to 100 sheets
60 - 75 g/m2 (16 - 20 lb.)	100 sheets
60 - 199 g/m2 (16 - 53 lb.)	Up to 100 sheets
	Up to 60 sheets
75 - 90 g/m2 (20 - 24 lbs.)	10 envelopes
Thickness 0.10 - 0.14 mm (4.7 - 5 mils)	Up to 60 sheets

Loading media

Envelopes, labels, transparencies, and other special media can only be loaded in Tray 1. Tray 2 and optional Tray 3 can only be loaded with paper.

Placing a Document on the Scanner Glass

Use the scanner glass to copy, scan, or fax small, light (less than 60 g/m2 or 16 lb.) custom items such as receipts, newspaper clippings, photographs, and old or worn documents.

Place your document face down on the scanner glass so that the top left corner of the document aligns with the top left corner of the scanner glass.

Use the ADF to copy, scan, or fax a document up to 50 pages (depending on page thickness).

1. Load the document into the ADF face up with the document fed from the beginning.

2. Push the stack into the automatic document feeder until it stops.

3. Adjust the media guides against the edges of the media.

Loading Tray 1 (MP Tray)

Tray 1 holds up to 100 sheets of paper, 75 transparencies, 50 sheets of labels, or 10 envelopes.

1. Open Tray 1 by lowering the front cover.

2. Pull out the plastic tray extension. If the media you are loading is longer than 229 mm (9 inches), you must also open the optional tray extension.

3. Slide the media width guides slightly wider than the media width.

4. Place the media in the tray (short edge first, face up). The media should be centered in the tray using the media guides. The height of the media stack must not exceed the height limiters located on the media guides.

5. Slide the guide tabs inward on both sides until they touch the media stack, but without the clip. Make sure the media is loaded under the tabs on the width guides.

Adding media to Tray 1 during printing is not allowed. This may cause a media jam. Do not close the front door while printing is in progress.

Tray 1 operation setting

The MFP can be set to print from Tray 1 if that tray is loaded, or to print only from Tray 1 if you want to print on a special type of media.

Parameter

Description

The Tray 1 Size setting for Tray 1 is set to Any Size.

Tray 1 Type, which specifies the type of Tray 1, is set to Any Type

Typically, the MFP draws media from Tray 1 first if that tray is open or loaded. If Tray 1 does not always have media, or if Tray 1 is used for manual media feed only, the Tray 1 Size and Type settings should be set to the default values. The default setting for these Tray 1 options is Any. To change the type and size of Tray 1, touch the Trays tab in Status, and then touch Change.

Tray 1 Size and Tray 1 Type are not Custom. forms. and any type

The MFP does not distinguish Tray 1 from other trays, so it does not look for media in Tray 1, but instead looks directly at the tray that contains the media that matches the software settings.

Using the printer driver, you can select media from any tray (including Tray 1) by type, size, or source.

Loading Tray 2 and Optional Tray 3

Trays 2 and 3 can only be loaded with paper.

1. Remove the tray from the machine and remove all paper.

2. Press the bar on the rear paper length guide and adjust it so that the arrow matches the size of the paper you are loading. The guide should click into place.

3. Adjust the media side guides so that the arrow matches the paper size you are loading.

4. Place the paper in the tray and make sure it lies flat and snug against all four corners of the tray. Do not load paper above the height tabs on the paper length guide at the back of the tray.

5. Push down on the paper to lock the metal paper pressure plate into place.

6. Slide the tray into the machine.

Loading special media

To get the best print quality, you need to set the correct media type in the printer driver settings. When using some types of media, the print speed of the machine slows down.

Note In the Windows printer driver, set the media type on the Paper tab by selecting it from the Type drop-down list.

In the Macintosh printer driver, set the media type in the Printer Features pop-up menu by selecting it from the Media Type drop-down list.

Maximum amount of media that can be loaded in Tray 2 or optional Tray 3

Print job management

When a job is sent to the printer, the printer driver controls the selection of the tray from which media is fed into the printer. By default, the printer automatically selects a tray, but you can also select a specific tray based on three user-specified options: Source, Type, and Size. These options are available in the Application Setup, Printing, or printer driver dialog boxes.

Instructs the printer to take paper from a user-defined tray. The printer will attempt to print from this tray, no matter what type or size of media is loaded in it. To start printing, load media of the correct type and size for the print job in the selected tray. After loading media in the tray, the printer will start printing. If the printer does not start printing:

Make sure the tray configuration matches the size and type of print job.

Press OK to have the printer start printing from another tray.

Type or Size

Instructs the printer to use paper or print media from the first tray loaded with media of the selected type or size. Always specify the Type setting for special print media such as labels or transparencies.

Selecting output bins

The multifunction printer has two output bins where finished print jobs are received.

Top bin (feed face down). This bin, located on the top of the MFP, is the default. Finished jobs enter this bin face down.

Rear output bin (face-up feed). This bin, located on the back of the MFP, receives finished jobs face up.

When outputting to the rear bin, duplex printing is not possible.

Printing with the document output to the top output bin

1. Make sure the rear output bin is closed. If the rear output bin is open, the printer outputs documents to this bin.

2. When printing on long media, open the top output bin support.

Printing with the document output to the rear output bin

When Tray 1 and the rear output bin are used at the same time, the paper will pass straight through the print job. The straight paper path avoids folds.

1. Open the rear output bin.

2. Pull out the bin extender when printing on long media.

3. Send a print job from the computer to the machine.

The invention relates to a printing medium and a method for its manufacture. The print medium contains a partial area with a transparent anisotropic layer, which is applied by tools for printing and/or embossing on the structure with a layer orientation. The media also contains a partial area with a colorless embossing and/or unembossed, and/or embossed with a standard optical isotropic clear varnish, while all partial areas, when viewed with the naked eye, regardless of the viewing angle, exhibit indivisibility in partial areas optical image. The proposed invention increases the degree of protection of the relevant documents against forgery. 2 n. and 8 z.p. f-ly, 2 ill.

Drawings to the RF patent 2345899

The invention relates to a printed medium, in particular labels, tax stamps, information or data carriers, entrance tickets, electronic payment cards, etc., and to a method for manufacturing such a printed medium.

The prior art knows the use of a printing medium, for example, to protect and authenticate any products, for example software products, payment cards, etc. It is also known here to use embossed images, also in the form of colorless embossing or in combination with embossed holograms, which are difficult to falsify.

In the description of the application before examination DE 198 45552 A1 describes a print medium, such as, for example, securities, bank notes, identity cards, etc., provided with embossing in a predetermined area. At least part of the embossing is in the form of an inclined plane. Additionally, the region of the printed medium on which the embossing is performed is provided with at least one layer of ink or a multi-layer ink coating, the optical perception of which varies due to the inclined plane depending on the viewing angle, in order to make the embossing more distinguishable to the observer depending on the viewing angle. from the viewing angle.

All prior art print media have the disadvantage that the protection of the product is immediately visible to the naked eye, since the print media is sharply different from the background, respectively, the embossing on the print media is sharply different from the rest of the surface of the print media. The counterfeiter immediately understands that in order to counterfeit a product, it is necessary to counterfeit only a certain print medium. Counterfeiting of such print media can be done so professionally that it is somewhat difficult for both the uninformed person and the expert to distinguish the counterfeit product from the genuine product.

The objective of the invention is to create such a printing medium and a method for its manufacture, which, when viewed with the naked eye, does not reveal the difference in individual areas, respectively, during a simple inspection, a protective embossed image (overprint) cannot be detected, so that the protection of the product, for example, cannot be recognized on the printing medium. .

Due to the implicit recognition of the security of the product on such a print medium, counterfeiting is much more difficult for a counterfeiter, but at the same time, it is possible to immediately and simply detect a counterfeit without a sign according to the invention.

This problem is solved according to the invention in that the print medium is at least partially provided with a transparent anisotropic layer, in particular an optically colorless birefringent layer, in particular deposited on a layer-oriented structure.

Such a print medium can be made in such a way that at least one partial area of the print medium having at least one layer-oriented structure is printed by printing an anisotropic layer, in particular a birefringent layer, for example, from nematogenous liquid crystals. Smectic and chirally nematic liquid crystals can also be used.

In contrast to the prior art, for example, according to the description of the application before examination DE 198 45552 A1, the overprint or embossing made by the method in accordance with the invention is not immediately conspicuous and cannot be detected or, accordingly, cannot be easily detected with the naked eye, since the anisotropic layer is transparent, preferably colorless, and therefore the optical perception is created essentially by the print medium that is viewed through the layer, i.e. by its color and structural representation.

In this case, there is no viewing angle-dependent color effect, and difficult-to-make inclined planes that provide a color effect depending on the viewing angle may, but need not be present. Moreover, we are talking according to the invention for overprinting, which also means embossing, which, without aids, in particular optical, is in no way visually or tactilely distinguishable from colorless embossing or embossing based on commercially available optically isotropic clearcoats. In this way, latent information can be integrated or presented in the overprint, which is revealed through the differences between the anisotropic layer and other areas becoming optically apparent, respectively also through the differences within the anisotropic layer.

The invention can be used, for example, when printing documents that require security, such as, for example, bank notes, securities, credit cards and identity cards. Here, the print medium itself can already be a protected product, as is the case, for example, with banknotes or credit cards, or the print medium is applied as an additional security feature or the print medium in the form of a so-called security stamp ( tag) can be hung on or attached to any product.

The transparent anisotropic layer has, for example, optical polarization effects which cannot be perceived, for example, by the naked eye, but which can be detected by the use of aids, for example, when it comes to the birefringence property, by means of a polarizing filter of a linear or circular type, in particular, when using aid they may become visible to the naked eye.

Particularly preferred can be the use of liquid crystals, such as nematic liquid crystals, respectively including varnishes, which contain such liquid crystals and, when overprinted or embossed, provide such a liquid crystal coating on a printing medium as an anisotropic birefringent layer. Such radiation-curable liquid crystal mixtures are available, for example, from Merck KGaA. These mixtures are practically invisible when applied to a printing medium, but on a suitable background, such as a reflective printing medium, and when used with aids in the form of linear or circular polarizers, they provide pronounced visual optical effects.

Such a liquid crystal layer can be applied, for example, by embossing, preferably on a metallic print carrier with a specular gloss, whereby the resulting coatings, for example with a nematic, can be permanently fixed by a suitable method, for example by irradiation with UV light.

When viewed with the naked eye, these embossed overprints do not differ in any way from the corresponding colorless embossing or embossed overprints made with commercially available clear lacquers. Consequently, they have the usual three-dimensional images caused by the play of chiaroscuro, but even by creating an additional contrast or a color effect dependent on the viewing angle, they do not in any way make the embossing more optically clear. The difference cannot be detected even by touch.

And only when viewed with a linear or circular polarizer, embossed overprints obtained using nematic mixtures become more or less optically distinguishable, for example, due to the brilliance of paints. In this case, color images can additionally depend to a large extent on the (angle) position of the polarizer.

Differences present can be detected not only by the eye of the observer, but also by machine, for example by means of detectors for different polarization directions of the reflected light, so that an automatic control of the printing medium according to the invention is also possible.

The reason for this behavior of liquid crystal components is their spatial orientation, which in turn is largely due to the forces acting during the embossing process, in particular shear forces, as well as the corresponding microstructures of the printing media or embossing tools.

Therefore, when dividing the embossed image into various spatially delimited (partial) areas and when participating in the creation of the embossed image, orienting in certain areas, which differ from each other in their direction of forces, or in the case of structuring certain specific areas of the printing medium or embossing tools, respectively, in different directions, an embossed image is created, the areas of which, when viewed with a polarizer, differ in different optical effects.

The embossed overprints according to the invention are particularly characterized in that, in the presence of colorless embossings or embossings based on commercially available clear lacquers, they are not visible to the naked eye. But in reality, they offer optical information that becomes visible or can be detected, for example, using a polarizer. Therefore, the invention can be used in overprints to protect, for example, securities, bank notes and credit cards, respectively, to increase the security against forgery of the respective documents.

Thus, the print medium, in addition to at least one partial area with an anisotropic layer, preferably includes at least one partial area with inkless embossing and/or one uncoated relief area, and/or at least one partial area with a commercially available optically isotropic clearcoat.

The printed or embossed structures according to the invention can be produced particularly easily, for example by modified flexographic printing. In this case, the rolling of a rigid plate, for example, with a hardness D of about 60-70 Shore, is carried out on a preferably reflective, wear-resistant, deformable print medium, respectively, a printing material, while the pressing cylinder is equipped with an elastic rubber panel, for example, with a hardness A of about 50-60 Shore Shore.

The depth of embossing is controlled by increasing the pressing pressure. Additionally, for example, printed or embossed structures can be obtained by varying the thickness of the plate in the same print area with different embossing depths. Depending on whether printing is carried out with a printing medium using a plate, and if so, either colorless embossings are obtained, or embossings are obtained, which are covered, for example, with isotropic varnishes or especially important in this regard, for example, nematic liquid crystal films with optical birefringence.

The latter are based, for example, on nematogenic liquid crystal mixtures, which are manufactured, for example, by Merck KGaA and can be used, for example, in the form of their melts at a temperature of about 60-70° C. or in the form of their solutions in organic solvents.

Further, the manufacture of the embossing according to the invention can be carried out, respectively, with any embossing tool. It can be carried out in relief, for example by intaglio printing, in which case the embossed structures are engraved in a known manner on a metal plate. Patent publication WO 97/48555, for example, describes an electronic method for manufacturing this kind of intaglio plates. During the printing process, the print material is pressed into the recesses of the engraved metal plate and thus stably formed. To obtain inkless embossing during the printing process, these printing forms are not filled with a printing medium, but are used only to form, that is, to emboss on the printing material.

Regardless of whether a deep or raised embossing is produced in this way, it is not possible for the observer to distinguish, for example, a colorless embossing from an embossing using commercially available (optically isotropic) clearcoats or from an embossing using non-matogenic liquid crystal mixtures. The observer sees rather a single embossed structure, which, as a result of the play of chiaroscuro, transmits ordinary three-dimensional optical images.

However, as a result of, for example, the miniaturization and intersection of individual sealed areas by repeated sealing, a significant microstructure is obtained, which is difficult to fake and which is revealed in the form of various viewing angle-dependent optical effects only when viewed with a linear or circular polarizer.

In typical practice, when a silvery, unstretched, high gloss polyethylene film is embossed, for example, as a print medium using a nematogenic liquid crystal melt at 60°C, an observer using a linear polarizer at the 0° position only sees embossed areas in blue, covered with nematic liquid crystal film. All other regions do not differ from how they would be considered without a polarizer. When the polarizer is rotated 45°, the blue color of the image changes to yellow-red.

Similar color images are seen when the embossed print is analyzed with a circular polarizer. Here the color images change depending on the position of the polarizer, for example between brilliant gold and brilliant silvery blue. At the same time, there are also cases when, depending on the position of the polarizer, the colors do not change significantly, or there are cases when, not every 45°, but, in particular, every 90°, the color changes only slightly between, for example, close to dark brown and close to light brown.

In general, this (dynamic) color behavior depends on a variety of factors, which include, for example, the properties of the print media, the printing method used, the transition and wetting property (Verlaufs- und Benetzungseigenschaft) of the liquid crystal ink, as well as the thickness, uniformity and microstructure of the resulting liquid crystal films.

In general, nematic films, for example, appear much more reflective when viewed with a circular polarizer than when using a linear polarizer. Changing the viewing angle does not in any way affect the resulting color image.

A particular embodiment of the method occurs when, for example, the aforementioned modified flexographic printing method or similar methods are used, which require the application of force during the embossing process, such as shearing force, on (nematogenous) liquid crystal films and embossing tools of which are structured in such a way that the microscopic orientation components of the obtained liquid crystal film is supported in the preferred direction.

If, for example, when using a nematogenous liquid crystal mixture, the first embossing pass is followed by rotation of the image by an angle of preferably 45°, and then another pass follows, a two-color embossed image is presented to the observer when analyzed with a linear or circular polarizer. Multicolor embossing becomes possible when the full range between possible color images is used.

The contact pressure and therefore the depth of the embossing can also be reduced at will so that the embossed structures are no longer visible to the naked eye, but the orientation of the liquid crystals is nevertheless maintained, with the result that, when using a polarizer, at least the corresponding color images appear .

For all embodiments according to the invention, it is essential that an anisotropic layer, in particular a layer with birefringence, for example, from nematogenous liquid crystals, in any printing method, is applied to at least one partial area of the print medium having at least one structure with layer orientation.

Through the structure, the liquid crystals of the anisotropic liquid crystal layer can be acted upon in at least one direction by a force which leads to the alignment of the liquid crystals, in particular along the respective acting force.

Before or during printing of the anisotropic layer, one or more of these structures may be applied to the area to be printed on the print medium. Therefore, the print media used here can be supplied with such a structure already prepared or provided with such a structure only in the printing press, for example, during the application of the printing medium.

The origin and type of the structure is essentially irrelevant, since they have the property of promoting the layered orientation of the anisotropic layer, that is, for example, the crystalline orientation of liquid crystals. Therefore, the print medium can be provided with a mechanical structure and/or an electrostatic structure or a potential pattern, i. e. distribution of charges in accordance with the transmitted optical picture. Separate orientation layers can also be applied in front of the liquid crystal layer. Changes or targeted alignments of the crystal orientation can also be effected by local heating of the deposited liquid crystal layer or by applying electric and/or magnetic fields.

Other forms of implementation of the method, for example, the production of a printing medium according to the invention, concern, for example:

Making positive and negative embossing on the same image (print),

Improvements in optically anisotropic or multicolored print media by the method according to the invention,

The use of pre-embossed printing media with predetermined and locally defined orientation directions of various kinds for mesogenic systems,

Overprinting or applying onto pre-embossed printing media also holographic structures etc., for example, produced by injection molding or other methods of forming relief structures, for example, using nematic liquid crystal mixtures, in this case, in particular, the structuring of embossed areas or reliefs can contribute orientation of textures of optically anisotropic liquid crystal films,

Production of different, thick, optically anisotropic liquid crystal films on the same embossed image, resulting in different color effects,

Applying an additional transparent, optically isotropic or anisotropic top coat, film, etc., for example, to protect against scratches or to increase the security of the embossing against counterfeiting,

Post-embossing of partially or fully cured, optically anisotropic, e.g. nematic liquid crystal films,

Embossed overprints on clear media and overprints reverse side these printed media treated in this way, for example with reflective inks,

Overprinting or coating in the first step of the film substrate, preferably with a fully cured nematic liquid crystal film, the manufacturing process being controlled in such a way that there is only one certain small but sufficient cohesion between the film substrate and the liquid crystal film.

The transfer of certain sections of the liquid crystal film in a second step onto the print medium by treating the reverse side of the suitably printed or coated film substrate with appropriate embossing tools, this process being possible at room temperature, as well as at lower or higher temperatures, as well as under the influence of only very little embossing effort. According to the method of manufacture, a printing medium is preferred that is deformable, has increased adhesion relative to the film substrate, and is capable of reflecting light in such a way that the optical effects according to the invention become visible with the aid of a polarizer.

Examples of implementation and advantages of the invention are explained on the basis of figures 1a, 1b, 1c and 2a, 2b, 2c. They are not drawn to scale, but only represent color diagrams and serve only to illustrate the invention.

In FIG. 1a shows schematically an embossing according to the invention on a silver printing medium with a specular sheen and a simplified color image that can be seen without an optical aid. Essentially only the embossed structure is visible, but no color differences are visible between the inkless embossing areas BP without any lacquer layer, the embossing P+LC with liquid crystal layer, the P+KL embossing with isotropic clear lacquer, and the unembossed LC area including only the liquid crystal layer.

In FIG. 1b shows the same embossing according to the invention as in FIG. 1, on a silver print medium with a specular sheen and simplified as an example, a color image distinguishable with a linear polarizer in the 0° position. Here, color differences are observed based on the orientation of the crystals between the embossed P+LC region and the non-embossed LC region. This area is marked with a bold line.

In FIG. 1c shows the same embossing according to the invention as in FIG. 1a, on a silver print medium with a specular sheen and a simplified representation of a color image distinguishable with a linear polarizer in this case at the 45° position. Here, the P+LC regions and the LC region have a different color image than in FIG. 1b due to the changed position of the polarizer. This other color image is represented by thick dotted lines.

In FIG. 2a shows an embossing according to the invention on a specular silver print medium and a simplified representation of a color image that can be seen without the use of an aid. Here again it can be seen that without polarizing aid the color image for the area KL (isotropic clearcoat without embossing), P1/P2+LC (1/2 embossing with liquid crystal), P+KL (embossing with isotropic clearcoat) BP (liquid crystal without embossing) is identical everywhere.

In FIG. 2b shows an embossing 2a according to the invention on a silver print medium with a specular sheen and a simplified example of a color image that can be seen with a linear polarizer in the 0° position. The KL and P+KL regions show no change in the color image, since only isotropic clearcoat was used here. On the contrary, the areas P1+LC and P2+LC now have two different color images, since the embossings in these areas differ in that they have a different orientation of the liquid crystals. The color image of the LC region may correspond to the image of the P1+LC region.

In FIG. 2c shows an embossing 2a according to the invention on a silver printing medium with a specular sheen and a simplified exemplification of a color image distinguishable with a linear polarizer in this case at the 45° position. Again different color images are observed in the liquid crystal coated areas P1+LC, P2+LC and LC. Here, due to the change in the position of the polarizer, the color image is inverted with respect to Fig. 2b.

CLAIM

1. Printing media containing at least one partial area with a transparent anisotropic layer, characterized in that the specified layer is applied by printing on the structure with layer orientation before and/or during the imprinting process of the specified layer, formed by tools for printing and/ or for embossing, said carrier contains at least one partial area with a colorless embossing and/or unembossed and/or embossed with a standard optical isotropic clear varnish, while all partial areas when viewed with the naked eye, regardless of the viewing angle, exhibit an optical image indivisible over partial regions.

2. Printing medium according to claim 1, characterized in that the anisotropic layer includes colorless birefringent nematic liquid crystals.

3. Printing medium according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a partial area with a standard optical isotropic clear varnish.

4. Printing medium according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial area provided with an optical anisotropic varnish is made recognizable by an auxiliary optical means.

5. Printing medium according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one partial area with an optically anisotropic layer has predetermined areas delimited from each other with different layer orientation, as a result of which, in particular, when using an optical auxiliary means, certain separated areas with different color images.

6. A method of manufacturing a printing medium with an optically anisotropic layer applied to it at least on partial areas, characterized in that the anisotropic layer is applied by printing on at least one partial area of the printing medium, which has at least one a layer-oriented structure formed by the printing and/or embossing tools before and/or during the imprinting process of said anisotropic layer, wherein at least one additional partial area is created in close proximity to this at least one partial area. an area with colorless embossing and/or embossing with an optical isotropic transparent varnish, while all partial areas when viewed with the naked eye, regardless of the viewing angle, exhibit an optical image indivisible over partial areas.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a force acts on the liquid crystals of the anisotropic liquid crystal layer in at least one direction through said structure, which leads, in particular before the anisotropic layer is cured, to align the liquid crystals, in particular along the correspondingly acting strength.

8. Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the area to be imprinted is provided with a mechanical structure and/or an electrostatic structure or potential relief, such structure providing one or more different orientations of the anisotropic layer.

9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the layer-oriented structure is created by a printing roller.

10. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, after the imprinting process, the printing medium is rotated through an angle, followed by at least one more imprinting process.