AU2013284331A1

AU2013284331A1 - Security identification

Info

Publication number: AU2013284331A1
Application number: AU2013284331A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Peter Allen; Yuri Sokol
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-25
Filing date: 2013-06-20
Publication date: 2015-01-22
Also published as: WO2014000022A1; AU2013101752A4

Abstract

A batch of virgin plastic pellets wherein the pellets have data tags of microscopic size embedded therein.

Description

WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -1 SECURITY IDENTIFICATION [0001] The present invention relates to the incorporation of coded security identification tags in a wide variety of different products with the primary objective of distinguishing the genuine from the counterfeit. 10002] Previous applications of the present applicants including International Patent Application PCT/AU2011/001558 teach the application of security identification tags of microscopic size to a variety of different products using techniques which are specifically adapted to the product in question. The products include such items as fabric labels, labels of paper and card, swing tickets, electrical cables, strapping, wrapping packaging and more besides. 100031 The present invention in contrast relates to means by which the tags are supplied to manufacturers and processors in a form which enables the tags to be incorporated into a range of different products being produced without the need to modify existing production equipment and/or without the need for specialised equipment. [00041 According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a batch of virgin plastic pellets wherein the pellets have data tags of microscopic size embedded therein. 100051 Further according to this aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a plastic product having data tags of microscopic size embedded therein, comprising providing a batch of virgin plastic pellets at least some of which have the data tags embedded therein and converting the pellets into product by moulding or extrusion. [00061 In practice it is envisaged that batches of the pellets (so-called master batches) with embedded data tags are supplied to manufacturers to mix with regular plastic pellets (or alternatively may be supplied pre-mixed) for processing into products using standard techniques such as extrusion, injection moulding, vacuum forming, blow moulding and so forth using the same machinery that manufacturers using those techniques WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -2 would usually possess. As such, plastic products which are currently made without security identification can now be made with security identification by means of embedded coded security tags simply by using the virgin plastic pellets of the invention and essentially without requiring any downstream changes to their machinery or processes. [0007] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a plastic film coated with a pressure sensitive or heat sensitive adhesive, the coating or the film having data tags of microscopic size embedded therein. [0008] Further according to this aspect, there is provided a method of producing a product having data tags of microscopic size applied thereto, comprising providing transparent laminate film carrying or incorporating the data tags with major surfaces of the tags being substantially parallel to the surface of the film, and laminating a product, particularly a printed surface of a product, with the film. 10009] In practice rolls of laminate film of this form can be supplied to manufacturers and downstream processors so that, when required, products having printed indicia can be laminated with the security laminating film using standard laminating machinery and techniques. [000101 Another aspect of the present invention relates to security seals for deterring against unauthorised access. 1000111 Security seals for use as a deterrent against unauthorised access are used in a wide variety of situations where access can only be obtained when the seal is broken whereby a broken condition of the seal or absence of the seal will provide evidence of likely unauthorised access. Typical uses for such seals are to provide evidence of access into bags or containers, access into the interior of equipment casings such as electricity meters, access into the interior of shipping containers and access of personnel from one space to another. Typically, security seals for these purposes comprise a body and a tie held by the body and applied in such a way that access cannot be obtained without cutting the tie whereby the presence of the cut tie or the complete absence of the seal following WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -3 cutting of the tie will establish evidence of probable access. The tie may be of plastic or wire and may be integrally formed with the body, particularly in the case of a plastic tie, or separately formed but in either case there is a permanent connection between the tie and the body which can only be broken by cutting the tie. In many cases the body of the seal will carry unique identifying coding printed or stamped into the body to reduce the risk of a seal being broken to obtain unauthorised access and then being replaced by a new seal of same appearance as the original. Although this may in itself be sufficient deterrence, in some situations where persons are willing to go to greater lengths to obtain access without detection, it is likely that a replacement seal of identical appearance and with the same coding as the original could be obtained. [000121 The present invention in its other aspect relates to a security seal having identification coding of such a form that it reduces to a significant extent the risk of a replica or counterfeit seal being obtained. Advantageously, the seal is moulded using a master batch of virgin plastic pellets with data tags embedded therein, mixed with virgin plastic pellets without embedded data tags. [000131 According to this other aspect of the invention, there is provided a security seal having a moulded plastic body in which data tags are embedded at the time of moulding, the tags being of microscopic size with data on the tags being readable within the plastic under magnification. [000141 Further, according to this other aspect of the invention, there is provided a security seal of the type comprising a body and a tie carried by the body, the tie having a free end attachable to, the body after application of the seal to form a loop which is required to be cut to remove the seal, wherein the body is moulded in a plastic having embedded therein data tags of microscopic size, the plastic having a degree of transparency sufficient to permit reading of data on the tags under magnification. 1000151 The invention in its various aspects will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -4 [00016] Figure I shows a group of integrally moulded plastic seals incorporating embedded data tags in accordance with the invention; [000171 Figure 2 is an enlarged view to better illustrate the presence of the tags; and [00018] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a twist seal having embedded data tags in accordance with the invention, the seal being shown in its applied state in which an associated wire tie is shown in its looped condition anchored to the body of the seal. 1000191 The various different aspects of the invention to be disclosed herein utilise coded identification tags (data tags) of a microscopic size that is barely discernible to the naked eye but having data readable under magnification. The data tag is a planar sheet cut into a required shape such as circular, square, hexagonal or octagonal. The data tag has a unique identification number or other code permanently etched onto its surface or formed through its thickness and for additional security its surface may also carry an optical variable device (OVD) or quantum interference device (QID) in the form of an image which can be generated by an electron beam or laser or by chemical etching or deposition giving the appearance of a hologram. The data tag is dimensioned in microscopic sizes of approximately 0.3 to 0.5mm in width although in some. cases the width could be larger than Imm, and of only several microns in thickness, 6 to 10 microns in one practical example. In this size, the tag is barely visible to the naked eye and generally will require careful examination by a user before it can be observed and is so thin that it is unlikely to be sensitive to detection by touch. However a magnifying device such as a portable microscope, or electronic magnifier such as digital microscope or digital microscope camera can be used to examine the tag to identify the identification code on its surface; the required magnification will be of the order of x45 to xlOO. A "smart phone" with an attached portable microscope may also be used. In the form just described by way of example, the tag is cut from metal sheet, preferably nickel, although other metals such as tungsten, titanium, aluminium, gold, platinum or molybdenum could alternatively be used. Moreover, instead of incorporating an OVD or QID as part of the security coding, a logo or other image could be created on the tag by a photographic process as could a unique alphanumeric code.

WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -5 100020] In the embodiment of the invention consisting of the use of a master batch of virgin plastic pellets in which the tags are embedded, it will be understood that the pellets can be of any required plastic composition depending on the type of plastic it is intended to be mixed with. In this respect, there are two primary classes of plastic, flexible (such as PE, LDPE, HDPE, PET, etc.) and hard, non flexible (such as PC). Master batches made of a plastic from one or other of these two classes will be compatible with the other plastics in the class regardless of its precise composition. The density of the tags within the pellets is variable according to the requirements of the downstream user but an average of approximately 40 to 90 tags per pellet or 0.016g to 0.018g will be suitable for most applications. The required tag density in the final product is obtained by mixing those pellets of the master batch with pellets of the same class of plastic material but without tags to produce a final mix of required tag density and this can readily be varied as required by varying the ratio of master batch pellets in the mix. In the final mix which may either be supplied to the user or made up by the user from the supplied master batch, the bulk of the mix will consist of pellets without the embedded tags. By way of example only, in the final mix the pellets of the master batch with embedded tags may constitute between just 1% and 4% of the overall pellets in the mix and this should be suitable for most practical applications. Even with these low amounts of master batch pellets, we have determined that when the mix is melted and forced under pressure through the different components of plastic moulding or extrusion equipment the tags populate the entire plastic mass relatively evenly. [000211 The mix of pellets thus provided can be used to form a wide variety of plastic products using conventional plastic processing techniques and machinery such as rigid, semi-rigid or flexible plastic products, plastic films, and plastic bags. Irrespective of the particular plastic used and the fabrication method, the resulting product will include a number of the coded security identification tags. The specific number of tags per product will be dependent on the density within the mix of plastic pellets as determined by the requirements of the user, and in some cases just a few tags per product may be all that is needed.

WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -6 [000221 In an alternative embodiment of the invention, rolls of thin transparent laminating film (sometimes referred to as a 'glazing film') including the data tags are supplied to downstream manufacturers and processors. In one example the film has a thickness of from approximately 11 microns to 22 microns and may consist of PET, PP or BOPP, for example. For laminating purposes that film is coated with a layer of pressure sensitive or heat sensitive adhesive and the data tags are incorporated into that adhesive layer as a stage in the manufacture of the film either by pre-mixing the tags with the adhesive prior to application to the film or applying the data tags to the adhesive in a succeeding step. Although the density of the tags can be determined by the particular requirements of the downstream user, for most applications a density of between 10,000 and 15,000 tags per m 2 of film is likely to be sufficient. [000231 In the completed film with tags, the tags are oriented with their major surfaces substantially parallel to the surface of the film. This is effected during manufacture of the film by passing the film, together with the adhesive with applied tags between rollers under high pressure. In one process, the adhesive to which the tags are applied is carried by a paper substrate coated with silicon or other non-stick coating. The film and substrate are passed through an oven, and during passage through the oven the substrate is applied to the film by passage of both between pressure rollers which cause the adhesive with tags to the be adhered to the surface of the film and the tags to be orientated within the adhesive layer so that they are parallel to the surface of the film. The adhesive layer is relatively thin, usually less than 10 microns when the tags themselves are 6 microns in thickness. The parallel orientation of tags to the surface of the film is important to the ability readily to read the security-data on the tags under magnification as discussed above. Typically, for most applications of the film the tags will have a surface area (per side) of from about 0.1 mm 2 to 0.25mm 2 which provides an area sufficient to carry significant security data which can be easily read while maintaining the overall size of the tag to a size barely discernable to the naked eye. [000241 In application, the film with pressure sensitive adhesive is applied by cold pressing the film onto the product to be laminated, and the film with heat sensitive WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -7 adhesive is applied to the product by heated rollers. The choice of adhesive will be determined by the nature of the product being laminated. [00025] Although the security coded laminating film can be applied to a variety of different articles at the choice of the end user, a major usage is likely to be the application of the film to printed boxes, packages, and labels, and printed identification documents, credit/debit cards, drivers licences, security passes and the like, with the film being applied at the final stage of production to provide a high level of security. The film could even be cut into thin strips for example for use as tear strips or tear tape in various packaging applications. [000261 In a variation, the identification tags could be incorporated into the film itself, rather than the adhesive layer, by fabricating the film from virgin plastic pellets embedded with the data tags. As part of the manufacturing process, the film is subject to rolling under high pressure which will have the effect of orienting the tags with their major surfaces substantially parallel to the surface of the film for the reasons discussed above. In this form, although the film could be supplied to the downstream user already coated with adhesive, it could be supplied without adhesive with the downstream user then applying an adhesive to suit its particular requirements. [00027] Another aspect of the invention concerns security seals which advantageously are produced using a master batch of virgin plastic pellets with embedded data tags as described above. 1000281 Figure I shows a group of integrally moulded plastic security seals each comprising a body 2 from which extends an integral plastic tie 4. The inner end of the body 2 includes an anchoring portion 6 with a central aperture though which the free end of the tie is inserted when the tie is formed into a loop during application of the seal. The internal structure of the aperture includes a locking tang which permits the tie to be moved through the aperture in an insertion direction but which locks against the tie being withdrawn in the reverse direction. That action may also be assisted by the presence of ratchet-like teeth along the length of the tie. As security seals of this general type are very WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -8 well known and widely available, the detailed structure will readily be understood by those skilled in the art and no further explanation is necessary. [000291 The outer part of the body 2 beyond the anchoring portion 6 is of a size to carry identification coding which as shown is an alphanumeric coding but may be any suitable coding including barcoding. [000301 In accordance with this aspect of the invention the seal is moulded from a suitable plastic, polypropylene for example, with embedded coded identification tags (data tags) of microscopic size that is barely discernible to the naked eye but having data readable under magnification. The characteristics of the data tags have been extensively described earlier in this specification. 1000311 The tags are incorporated into the mix of virgin plastic pellets prior to moulding into seals. Preferably, this is achieved by providing a master batch of pellets in which the tags are embedded and mixing pellets from the master batch with virgin plastic pellets without embedded tags. As discussed previously, the pellets of the master batch may have an average of approximately 40 to 90 tags per pellet of 0.016g to 0.018g, and the pellets from the master batch with embedded tags may constitute between just 1% and 4% of the overall pellets in the mix. Even with that relatively small amount of master batch pellets it has been determined that when the mix is melted and forced under pressure through the different components of the plastic moulding apparatus the tags populate the entire plastic mass relatively evenly. The final mix establishes a substantially transparent moulded product or at least a product having sufficient transparency which enables the data tags to be viewed within the thickness of the moulded product. The enlarged view of the body (Figure 2) shows the data tags 12 quite clearly. Although the tags will be distributed throughout the seal including the tie, those on the relatively flat part of the body outwardly of the anchoring portion are those which are more readily discernible and there will inevitably always be some tags which have an orientation approximately parallel to the surface of that flat portion so that the data encoded into the tags can readily be readable using appropriate magnification as discussed above. In practice we have determined that the ratio of master pellet tags within the overall mix prepared for moulding should be such WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 -.9 as to provide approximately 20 to 35 tags per moulded seal and with that number it will always be ensured that there will be at least some tags which are positioned and orientated so as to be readily readable under appropriate magnification. [000321 It is to be noted that instead of introducing the tags using pellets from a master batch and which is the preferred method, the required quantity of tags could simply be mixed with raw virgin plastic pellets prior to moulding. [000331 Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of a twist seal in accordance with the invention. The seal comprises a clear plastic body 20 incorporating a twist lock 22. The tie 24 is of wire having one end pre-installed into the twist lock. To form the required loop in the tie the other end is applied into the body to engage with the twist lock 22 which is then rotated in order to anchor the wire which cannot then be removed. As with the previous embodiment, this type of seal is very well known and widely available and its detailed construction will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and accordingly no further explanation is necessary. A flat tab 26 extends integrally from the main body of the seal and that carries appropriate identification data such as alphanumeric data and/or barcoding. [000341 The main body 20 of the seal including the tag 26 is integrally moulded in a transparent plastic with embedded data tags 12 as described in connection with the previous embodiment and those within the tag 26 are readily discernible. [000351 Although only two specific types of security seal have been described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to any type of security seal made from moulded plastic. The embedded data tags within the plastic carry unique identification data and the possibility of an original seal with embedded data being replaced by an otherwise identical counterfeit seal is so remote as to be virtually nonexistent.

Claims

1. A batch of virgin plastic pellets wherein the pellets have data tags of microscopic size embedded therein.

2. A plastic film coated with a pressure sensitive or heat sensitive adhesive, the coating or the film having data tags of microscopic size embedded therein.

3. A plastic film according to claim 2, wherein the tags have major surfaces substantially parallel to the surface of the film to facilitate reading the data on the tags by optical or digital magnification instruments.

4. A batch of virgin plastic pellets or plastic film according to any one of claims I to 3, wherein the tags have a surface area of from about 0.1mm 2 to 0.25mm 2 of its opposed major surfaces and a thickness of only several microns, and are formed from metal sheet, the tags having identification code readable under magnification.

5. A plastic film having data tags of microscope size embedded therein, wherein the tags have major surfaces substantially parallel to the surface of the film to facilitate reading the data on the tags by optical or digital magnification instruments.

6. A method of manufacturing a plastic product having data tags of microscopic size embedded therein, comprising providing a batch of virgin plastic pellets some of which have the data tags embedded therein and converting the pellets into product by moulding or extrusion.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the batch is provided by mixing pellets from a master batch of pellets with embedded tags with pellets without embedded tags to provide a mix of required tag density, the pellets with embedded tags constituting between about 1% and 4% of the overall pellets in the mix. WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 - 11

8. A method according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the pellets with embedded tags each include about 40 to 90 tags.

9. A method of producing a product having data tags of microscopic size applied thereto, comprising providing transparent laminate film carrying or incorporating the data tags with major surfaces of the tags being substantially parallel to the surface of the film, and laminating a product, particularly a printed surface of a product, with the film.

10. A security seal having a moulded plastic body in which data tags are embedded at the time of moulding, the tags being of microscopic size with data on the tags being readable within the plastic under magnification.

11. A security seal of the type comprising a body and a tie carried by the body, the tie having a free end attachable to the body after application of the seal to form a loop which is required to be cut to remove the seal, wherein the body is moulded in a plastic having embedded therein data tags of microscopic size, the plastic having a degree of transparency sufficient to permit reading of data on the tags under magnification.

12. A security seal according to claim 11, wherein the tie is of plastic and is formed integrally with the body.

13. A security seal according to claim 11, wherein the tie is formed separately from the body.

14. A security seal according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein a part of the body is substantially flat, or an extension of the body is substantially flat, to provide a zone in which the embedded data tags are more readily readable under magnification.

15. A security seal according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the tags have a surface area of from about 0.1mm 2 to 0.25mm 2 of its opposed major surfaces and a thickness of only several microns, and are formed from metal sheet, the tags having identification code readable under magnification. WO 2014/000022 PCT/AU2013/000664 - 12

16. A security seal according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the data tags are incorporated into a mix of virgin plastic material prior to moulding.

17. A security seal according to claim 16, wherein the mix for moulding is formed by mixing pellets from a master batch of pellets with embedded tags with pellets without embedded tags to provide a mix of required tag density.