Patents by Inventor Naoki Minamikawa

Naoki Minamikawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230021631
    Abstract: A laminate of the present invention includes, in a thickness direction of the laminate, a transfer foil in which at least a patch substrate, a relief forming layer, a reflective layer, and an adhesive layer are sequentially laminated, a protective sheet that is provided on a first side of the transfer foil in the thickness direction, and an information recording sheet that is provided on a second side of the transfer foil facing away from the protective sheet in the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: TOPPAN INC.
    Inventors: Tomo NISHIZAWA, Yasushi OOBA, Naoki MINAMIKAWA, Tomoko KOTEGAWA
  • Patent number: 11305514
    Abstract: A laminate includes a recording layer, a translucent front covering layer and a security foil laminated between the recording layer and the front covering layer and sealed in the laminate. The security foil has a thickness that is ? or less the thickness of the recording layer to prevent or reduce falsification reusing the security foil. The security foil includes a relief layer having a relief surface and a protective layer covering the relief surface. In the thickness direction of the laminate, the protective layer adheres to the recording layer and the relief layer adheres to the front covering layer. The adhesion strength between the security foil and the recording layer is higher than the adhesion strength between the security foil and the front covering layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20220026602
    Abstract: An optical structure includes a multilayer relief that has a first surface having an uneven shape, and a reflection layer that is formed on the first surface and reflects visible light. The multilayer relief includes a first resin layer that contains a non-radiation curable resin as a main component and constitutes the first surface, and a second resin layer that contains a radiation curable resin as a main component and is adjacent to the first resin layer. The first resin layer has a thickness smaller than an unevenness difference of the uneven shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210132271
    Abstract: A transfer sheet includes: a peelable substrate; a resin layer that is in contact with the peelable substrate so as to be peelable and has an uneven structure on a surface opposite to a surface in contact with the peelable substrate; a thin film layer that is located on the uneven structure and has a surface shape following the uneven structure and from which reflected light enhanced by interference emerges; a low transmission layer that is located on a side of the thin film layer opposite to the resin layer and has a lower transmittance for light in a visible range than the thin film layer; and an adhesive layer that is located on a side of the low transmission layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Kawashita, Naoki Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 10814662
    Abstract: A laminate includes a diffraction layer that is optically transmissive and includes a diffraction part with a plurality of diffraction units being repetition of a diffraction unit in a direction extending the diffraction layer, each diffraction unit including at least one diffraction element with a reflective diffraction grating; and an absorption layer that is optically transmissive with a plurality of absorption parts for at least part of visible light, the absorption layer facing the diffraction layer with light passing between the diffraction layer and the absorption layer. The laminate has an observation side opposite where the diffraction layer faces the absorption layer; the diffraction layer has a surface serving as a front surface opposite to the surface facing the absorption layer; and in plan view perpendicular to the front surface of the diffraction layer, each of the absorption parts aligns with one of the diffraction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20200331235
    Abstract: A laminate includes a recording layer, a translucent front covering layer and a security foil laminated between the recording layer and the front covering layer and sealed in the laminate. The security foil has a thickness that is ? or less the thickness of the recording layer to prevent or reduce falsification reusing the security foil. The security foil includes a relief layer having a relief surface and a protective layer covering the relief surface. In the thickness direction of the laminate, the protective layer adheres to the recording layer and the relief layer adheres to the front covering layer. The adhesion strength between the security foil and the recording layer is higher than the adhesion strength between the security foil and the front covering layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10792949
    Abstract: An information recording medium is formed by laminating a transparent protective layer and a base material having laser color-developing properties. The information recording medium includes an intermediate layer that is disposed between the transparent protective layer and the base material. In the information recording medium, the intermediate layer includes a diffraction structure layer that has a diffraction structure, and a first reflective layer that reflects visible light and is destroyed when irradiated with a laser beam. Light, when incident from a transparent protective layer side, causes a diffracted light pattern to appear in the diffraction structure layer so as to be observable from the transparent protective layer side. A laser beam, when applied from the transparent protective layer side, passes through the diffraction structure layer, destroys the first reflective layer, and develops color in the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Ide, Naoki Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 10780729
    Abstract: An individual certificate medium includes an optical security patch in which a relief layer and a metal layer include a first area and a second area. The first area includes an altered region and a portion of the relief layer overlapping with the altered region as viewed in the thickness direction of a recording layer. The second area includes a non-altered region and another portion of the relief layer overlapping with the non-altered region as viewed in the thickness direction. As viewed in the thickness direction, the first area transmits light incident thereon, while the second area absorbs light incident thereon to hide a recording region. In a direction intersecting the thickness direction, the first and second areas cause light incident on the optical security patch to emerge as diffracted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyo Minowa, Naoki Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 10675840
    Abstract: A transfer foil comprises a film-like substrate, and a layered transfer body having a pair of opposing surfaces and having an adhesion layer. A first surface of the pair of opposing surfaces is in contact with the substrate so as to be peelable from the substrate, and the adhesion layer is provided so as to include a second surface of the pair of opposing surfaces. The adhesion layer is a composite, and comprises a plurality of resin particles respectively comprising a first resin, and a layered base material comprising a second resin and filling gaps between the resin particles. The melting point of the second resin is lower than the melting point of the first resin. The transfer foil uses an adhesion layer of a composite of two incompatible resins that have different characteristics, such as melting point and crystallinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 10649120
    Abstract: An optical element includes a conversion layer and a metal piece layer. The conversion layer is provided with a light-incidence surface including an uneven surface, the conversion layer being configured to receive light incident on the uneven surface and output the light from the uneven surface as light in a different state than the incident light. The metal piece layer is configured by a plurality of metal pieces to cover at least part of the uneven surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20200086675
    Abstract: An information recording medium is formed by laminating a transparent protective layer and a base material having laser color-developing properties. The information recording medium includes an intermediate layer that is disposed between the transparent protective layer and the base material. In the information recording medium, the intermediate layer includes a diffraction structure layer that has a diffraction structure, and a first reflective layer that reflects visible light and is destroyed when irradiated with a laser beam. Light, when incident from a transparent protective layer side, causes a diffracted light pattern to appear in the diffraction structure layer so as to be observable from the transparent protective layer side. A laser beam, when applied from the transparent protective layer side, passes through the diffraction structure layer, destroys the first reflective layer, and develops color in the base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka IDE, Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200079132
    Abstract: An individual certificate medium includes an optical security patch in which a relief layer and a metal layer include a first area and a second area. The first area includes an altered region and a portion of the relief layer overlapping with the altered region as viewed in the thickness direction of a recording layer. The second area includes a non-altered region and another portion of the relief layer overlapping with the non-altered region as viewed in the thickness direction. As viewed in the thickness direction, the first area transmits light incident thereon, while the second area absorbs light incident thereon to hide a recording region. In a direction intersecting the thickness direction, the first and second areas cause light incident on the optical security patch to emerge as diffracted light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyo MINOWA, Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10471694
    Abstract: A transparent reflection layer is a visible light refractive index of greater than or equal to 2.0. In a plan view of a plane, the transparent reflection layer is located in a part of the transfer layer. At least a part of the transparent reflection layer is located inside an outline of the transfer layer. A portion of the transfer layer that is nil of the transparent reflection layer is a visible light refractive index of between 1.4 and 1.8 inclusive. The polycarbonate layer encloses the transfer layer. A cross section in a thickness direction of the laminate includes a first cross section that is nil of the transfer layer, a second cross section including the portion of the transfer layer that is nil of the transparent reflection layer, and a third cross section including a portion of the transfer layer that includes the transparent reflection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20190329527
    Abstract: A color developing structure has an uneven layer with an uneven structure on a surface thereof, a multilayer film layer positioned on the uneven structure and having a surface shape that follows the uneven structure, and a protective layer covering the surface of the multilayer film layer. Projections that constitute the uneven structure have a shape with one or more steps, a pattern constituted from projected images of the projections in a virtual plane on which the uneven structure is projected in the thickness direction of the uneven layer includes a pattern comprising a set of a plurality of rectangles in which a length along a second direction is equal to or greater than a length along a first direction, the length of the rectangles along the first direction is equal to or less than subdirection is greater than the standard deviation of the length along the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mai Yoshimura, Kyoko Sakai, Yoko Ichihara, Masashi Kawashita, Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20190232612
    Abstract: A transfer foil comprises a film-like substrate, and a layered transfer body having a pair of opposing surfaces and having an adhesion layer. A first surface of the pair of opposing surfaces is in contact with the substrate so as to be peelable from the substrate, and the adhesion layer is provided so as to include a second surface of the pair of opposing surfaces. The adhesion layer is a composite, and comprises a plurality of resin particles respectively comprising a first resin, and a layered base material comprising a second resin and filling gaps between the resin particles. The melting point of the second resin is lower than the melting point of the first resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190039401
    Abstract: A laminate includes a diffraction layer that is optically transmissive and includes a diffraction part with a plurality of diffraction units being repetition of a diffraction unit in a direction extending the diffraction layer, each diffraction unit including at least one diffraction element with a reflective diffraction grating; and an absorption layer that is optically transmissive with a plurality of absorption parts for at least part of visible light, the absorption layer facing the diffraction layer with light passing between the diffraction layer and the absorption layer. The laminate has an observation side opposite where the diffraction layer faces the absorption layer; the diffraction layer has a surface serving as a front surface opposite to the surface facing the absorption layer; and in plan view perpendicular to the front surface of the diffraction layer, each of the absorption parts aligns with one of the diffraction elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180326710
    Abstract: A transparent reflection layer is a visible light refractive index of greater than or equal to 2.0. In a plan view of a plane, the transparent reflection layer is located in a part of the transfer layer. At least a part of the transparent reflection layer is located inside an outline of the transfer layer. A portion of the transfer layer that is nil of the transparent reflection layer is a visible light refractive index of between 1.4 and 1.8 inclusive. The polycarbonate layer encloses the transfer layer. A cross section in a thickness direction of the laminate includes a first cross section that is nil of the transfer layer, a second cross section including the portion of the transfer layer that is nil of the transparent reflection layer, and a third cross section including a portion of the transfer layer that includes the transparent reflection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10059086
    Abstract: A laminated transfer medium that can be used to make a printed matter or the like which includes a fine relief structure with an improved or even high non-defective rate. The laminated transfer medium can form a transfer laminate which contains a fine relief structure section having a fine relief shape onto a transfer target by using a hot stamp, and characterized in that the laminated transfer medium includes a carrier base, a bonding layer formed on the carrier base, a fine relief structure section having a fine relief shape being disposed on the bonding layer, and an adhesive layer formed on the fine relief structure section, wherein the fine relief structure section is made up of separate discrete pieces positioned to be contained in area to be transferred by using the hot stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Harada, Kazuhiro Yashiki, Naoki Minamikawa
  • Publication number: 20170315277
    Abstract: An optical element includes a conversion layer and a metal piece layer. The conversion layer is provided with a light-incidence surface including an uneven surface, the conversion layer being configured to receive light incident on the uneven surface and output the light from the uneven surface as light in a different state than the incident light. The metal piece layer is configured by a plurality of metal pieces to cover at least part of the uneven surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki MINAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160107430
    Abstract: A laminated transfer medium that can be used to make a printed matter or the like which includes a fine relief structure with an improved or even high non-defective rate. The laminated transfer medium can form a transfer laminate which contains a fine relief structure section having a fine relief shape onto a transfer target by using a hot stamp, and characterized in that the laminated transfer medium includes a carrier base, a bonding layer formed on the carrier base, a fine relief structure section having a fine relief shape being disposed on the bonding layer, and an adhesive layer formed on the fine relief structure section, wherein the fine relief structure section is made up of separate discrete pieces positioned to be contained in area to be transferred by using the hot stamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi HARADA, Kazuhiro YASHIKI, Naoki MINAMIKAWA