[PROBLEM] To provide a packaging and a display material which permit printing in distinct fashion by a laser, and which are of high transparency. [SOLUTION MEANS] A display material having at least one layer permitting printing as a result of laser irradiation, the display material being such that the printing occurs due to change in color caused by the laser irradiation in at least one region of said layer; when a digital microscope is used to carry out cross-sectional observation of said printed region and a nonprinted region, a significant difference in at least any one of RGB values indicating color elements is observed; and thickness of said printed region is not less than 5μm but not greater than 200 μm.

[PROBLEM] To provide a packaging and a display material which permit printing in distinct fashion by a laser, and which are of high transparency. [SOLUTION MEANS] A display material having at least one layer permitting printing as a result of laser irradiation, the display material being such that the printing occurs due to change in color caused by the laser irradiation in at least one region of said layer; when a digital microscope is used to carry out cross-sectional observation of said printed region and a nonprinted region, a significant difference in at least any one of RGB values indicating color elements is observed; and thickness of said printed region is not less than 5μm but not greater than 200 μm.

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for imaging and cutting a label from a linerless label substrate 6, the substrate 6 comprising: a paper or polymeric film base layer; a colour change layer, incorporating a colour change compound operable to change colour in response to illumination by a laser 1; an adhesive layer; and a release layer adapted to have low adherence to the adhesive layer. The label substrate 6 is transported from a storage reel to an imaging area. At the imaging area, the label substrate 6 is selectively illuminated by laser 1 to form an image in the colour change layer. Subsequently, further laser illumination is used to cut the label substrate 6 thereby providing a single label for application to an object. The invention is characterised in that the laser spot size is varied for imaging and cutting.

The present invention provides a laser marking ink composition with which a laser marking layer that enables recording with satisfactory visibility can be formed. This laser marking ink composition is a laser marking ink composition containing a binder resin (A), and titanium oxide (B) that causes color development in the laser marking layer by irradiation with laser light, wherein the titanium oxide (B) comprises at least one surface-treated titanium oxide (B.sub.I) selected from the group consisting of alumina-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.1), alumina-silica composite-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.2), and ATO-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.3), and at least one of condition 1 such that a ratio of a content of the surface-treated titanium oxide (B.sub.I) to a content of the binder resin (A), (B.sub.I/A), is 2.5 to 6.5 on a solid content mass ratio basis and condition 2 such that a ratio of a content of the titanium oxide (b.sub.3) to a content of the binder resin (A), (b.sub.3/A), is 1.0 to 6.5 on a solid content mass ratio basis is satisfied.

The present invention provides a laser marking ink composition with which a laser marking layer that enables recording with satisfactory visibility can be formed. This laser marking ink composition is a laser marking ink composition containing a binder resin (A), and titanium oxide (B) that causes color development in the laser marking layer by irradiation with laser light, wherein the titanium oxide (B) comprises at least one surface-treated titanium oxide (B.sub.I) selected from the group consisting of alumina-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.1), alumina-silica composite-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.2), and ATO-treated titanium oxide (b.sub.3), and at least one of condition 1 such that a ratio of a content of the surface-treated titanium oxide (B.sub.I) to a content of the binder resin (A), (B.sub.I/A), is 2.5 to 6.5 on a solid content mass ratio basis and condition 2 such that a ratio of a content of the titanium oxide (b.sub.3) to a content of the binder resin (A), (b.sub.3/A), is 1.0 to 6.5 on a solid content mass ratio basis is satisfied.

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for imaging and cutting a label from a linerless label substrate 6, the substrate 6 comprising: a paper or polymeric film base layer; a colour change layer, incorporating a colour change compound operable to change colour in response to illumination by a laser 1; an adhesive layer; and a release layer adapted to have low adherence to the adhesive layer. The label substrate 6 is transported from a storage reel to an imaging area. At the imaging area, the label substrate 6 is selectively illuminated by laser 1 to form an image in the colour change layer. Subsequently, further laser illumination is used to cut the label substrate 6 thereby providing a single label for application to an object. The invention is characterised in that the laser spot size is varied for imaging and cutting.

A softgel capsule is provided including a fill material and a shell composition The shell composition includes a marking formulation including a marking component. The marking component includes a metal oxide. Laser irradiation is applied to the softgel capsule at a wavelength of about 1000 nm to about 2200 nm, causing the marking component to cause a visible effect. A method of marking and marking formulation is also provided.

A softgel capsule is provided including a fill material and a shell composition The shell composition includes a marking formulation including a marking component. The marking component includes a metal oxide. Laser irradiation is applied to the softgel capsule at a wavelength of about 1000 nm to about 2200 nm, causing the marking component to cause a visible effect. A method of marking and marking formulation is also provided.

To provide an information writable film that is chemical and abrasion resistance, and is suitable for high contrast white laser marking. The information writable film comprises a writable film layer 110 and a reading assistance layer 120. The writable film layer 110 is formed into a film shape by thinly stretching a material, which material is a mixture of a color former composition for coloring white when receiving the particular wavelength laser beam by changing its physical and chemical characteristic and a transparent plastic composition. The reading assistance layer 120 is provided enhancing the contrast ratio. The writable film layer 110 is provided with laser coloring properties and chemical and abrasion resistance. During writing, an identification code is written by laser by coloring the color former in the writable film layer 110. During reading, the contrast ratio is enhanced by superimposing the color of the reading assistance layer 120.

To provide an information writable film that is chemical and abrasion resistance, and is suitable for high contrast white laser marking. The information writable film comprises a writable film layer 110 and a reading assistance layer 120. The writable film layer 110 is formed into a film shape by thinly stretching a material, which material is a mixture of a color former composition for coloring white when receiving the particular wavelength laser beam by changing its physical and chemical characteristic and a transparent plastic composition. The reading assistance layer 120 is provided enhancing the contrast ratio. The writable film layer 110 is provided with laser coloring properties and chemical and abrasion resistance. During writing, an identification code is written by laser by coloring the color former in the writable film layer 110. During reading, the contrast ratio is enhanced by superimposing the color of the reading assistance layer 120.