DE102011119730A1 - Data carrier with tactile security feature - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a data carrier, in particular value document, such as a banknote, identity card and the like, with a substrate (7) which has at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides by a polymeric cover layer (9a, 9b). According to the invention, it is provided that the substrate (7) and the polymeric cover layer (9a, 9b) have substantially congruently arranged, tactile detectable embossed structures (2, 3, 4) which act on the polymeric cover layer (9a , 9b) and the substrate (7) are produced, and that the embossed structures have a relief height of a total of 20 microns to 400 microns.

Description

The invention relates to a data carrier, in particular a document of value, such as a banknote, identification card and the like, with a substrate which has at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides in each case over the entire surface by a polymeric cover layer.

The invention further relates to a method and an embossing tool for producing such a data carrier.

Data carriers, such as security, value and identity documents, but also other valuables, are provided with security features for security purposes, which permit verification of the authenticity of the data carrier and at the same time serve as protection against unauthorized reproduction.

It is also known to provide data carriers, in particular value documents, with a tactile detectable security feature. Studies, such as that conducted by the Bank of Canada, have shown that tactility plays an important role in assessing the authenticity of banknotes.

Furthermore, it is known to provide value documents, in particular banknotes, with a substrate material of paper or polymer. However, a disadvantage of these value documents, irrespective of the substrate used, is that, in particular, value documents with high circulation are exposed to considerable wear and contamination, so that the circulation times of these value documents are low. In particular, it is known that substrates made of paper become relatively quickly soiled and become limp due to absorption of moisture, i. H. the typical sound and the typical grip of this substrate are largely lost. On the other hand, substrates made of a polymer material show a very low resistance to tearing, which is why tears must be used to replace damaged substrates. Ultimately, the circulation resistance of documents of value made of pure paper or polymer substrates can therefore sometimes be relatively low.

Furthermore, it is known that data carriers having a substrate which has at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides by a polymeric cover layer under certain climatic conditions can have a higher resistance to circulation than data carriers made of paper or polymer.

Object of the present invention is to further improve data carriers of the type mentioned in terms of their security against imitation and their circulation resistance and at the same time to obtain the most important for the assessment of the authenticity of banknotes properties as completely as possible.

This object is achieved by the data carrier and the manufacturing method and the embossing tool for producing a data carrier according to the invention with the features of the independent claims.

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a generic data carrier, in particular a value document, such as a banknote, identification card and the like, comprises substantially congruently arranged tactile detectable embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer. The embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer are produced by the action of an embossing tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate and have a relief height of 20 μm to 400 μm in total.

The phrase "substantially congruent" embossed structures means that an embossed structure is disposed in the substrate from above it, i. H. congruent embossed structure is covered in the polymeric cover layer. Coincident embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer result from the inventive simultaneous action of an embossing tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate arranged thereunder. The action of the embossing tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate is namely at the same time, d. H. in a process step. The embossed structures according to the invention are thus present as tactile detectable embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer arranged above it. Of course, a data carrier having such embossing structures according to the invention may also have embossed structures which are present only in the substrate or in the polymeric cover layer.

The relief height of 20 μm to 400 μm provided for the tactile embossable embossed structures according to the invention is to be understood as the height of the embossing structures present in the polymeric cover layer and substrate relative to the surface of the unembossed polymeric cover layer and the unembossed substrate, as described below with reference to the figures will be explained in more detail.

The embossing structures according to the invention having a relief height of up to 400 μm can be perceived very haptically by the user of the data carrier, so that the data carrier can be clearly checked for authenticity. By the invention, therefore, the imitation security of a generic data carrier is further increased. Furthermore, the inventors have found that the embossed structures introduced into the data carriers according to the invention with substrate and double-sided polymeric cover layer have a higher circulation resistance than embossed structures which are incorporated in a pure paper or polymer substrate. This surprising finding will be explained in more detail below in the text and is economically of great advantage, since data carriers with greater circulation resistance must be replaced less frequently and thus costs for the circulation of these data carriers can be reduced. Without being bound to an explanation, the increased circulation resistance of the embossing structures of the invention to embossed structures in paper or polymer data carriers is currently explained by the fact that the special combination of polymeric cover layer and paper-containing substrate causes too little or no damage to the data medium when the inventive device acts Embossing tool leads. The polymeric cover layer on the surface of the paper-containing substrate therefore appears to protect the substrate from injury, in particular substrate tearing, when the embossing tool acts.

Advantageously, the embedding structures according to the invention can be introduced by means of an embossing tool according to the invention with production processes known for such data carriers, at least in the technical field of value documents, whereby the invention is also economically very interesting in this respect.

In the case of the data carrier according to the invention with a substrate which has at least one paper layer, in the simplest case it may be a substrate which is formed from exactly one paper layer. However, the paper layer, taken in isolation, can have a certain amount of polymeric fibers without losing the characteristics typical of banknote rating, such as the typical tone and feel of such a paper substrate.

In a preferred embodiment, the relief height of the embossed structures in the substrate and polymeric cover layer is 40 μm to 320 μm in total, preferably 60 μm to 300 μm and very particularly preferably 80 μm to 280 μm. The fact that the preferred areas of the relief height of the embossed structures are narrower than the claimed from 20 microns to 400 microns, is due to the fact that the preferred areas on the one hand ensure a particularly good haptic perception by the user, on the other hand corresponding to this relief height engraving depths in the embossing tool can be generated relatively well. This in turn means that embossing tools can be used to produce the preferred relief heights in the substrate and polymeric cover layer for a large number of produced data carriers and also have a long life. In other words, the preferred relief heights have a good security against counterfeiting and can furthermore be manufactured reliably and cost-effectively from a technical and economic point of view.

The total relief height of the embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer is advantageously from 30% to 95%, preferably from 50% to 90% and very particularly preferably from 65% to 85% of the engraving depth of the engravings present in the embossing tool for producing the embossing tools. It is understood that the ratio of the relief height of the embossed structure in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer to the engraving depth in the embossing tool depends on the material composition and the thickness of the inserted data carrier to be embossed and the maximum technical depth of the engraving in the embossing tool.

With particular advantage, the embossing structures are embossed structures produced in the gravure printing process, in particular intaglio printing processes. The gravure printing process, in particular intaglio printing process, in which the substrate is subjected to even higher pressures during the embossing process than in the gravure printing process, makes it possible to reliably introduce the embossed structures according to the invention with defined embossing height into the data carrier.

Furthermore, the gravure printing process or the intaglio printing process offers the advantage that, at the same time as the embossed structures, an imprint arranged congruently with the embossing structures can be applied to the data carrier. In such a case, those engravings that later become Production of embossed structures are provided with imprint, filled with a printing ink, which forms the imprint later. When the embossing tool acts on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate, on the one hand the embossed structure according to the invention is introduced into the polymeric cover layer and substrate, and on the other hand the embossed structure is provided with a congruent imprint. In the case of intaglio printing, it is then spoken of a color-guiding intaglio printing. Those engravings of the intaglio printing plate which are not filled with one color merely lead to the formation of the embossed structure according to the invention when the embossing tool acts on the data carrier. In such a case, a so-called "blind embossing" is spoken. Such blind embossing accordingly forms an embossed structure in the color of the substrate and the covering layer arranged above it. If the substrate and the polymeric cover layer are colorless, a colorless relief is obtained accordingly.

However, due to so-called "shadowing effects", the user can still visually differentiate an embossed structure produced by blind embossing from the unembossed region of the data carrier. In the gravure printing method, tactile detectable embossed structures can furthermore be produced with particularly great advantage, in which regions with printing and congruent embossing structure as well as blind embossed regions, which have only one embossed structure, are produced directly next to one another, which results in a highly tamper-proof tactile embossed structure. In addition, with the gravure printing method, in particular intaglio printing method, an ideal registration of the tactile embossed structures to other elements is possible, which are also produced in gravure printing, in particular intaglio printing or in other process steps, for. B. generated in the background pressure. As a result, the security against counterfeiting of the data carrier is further increased.

The polymeric cover layer, which is in each case arranged over the full area on the two surfaces of the substrate, preferably consists of PET, PP, PE, LDPE, LLDPE, PA, PC, BOPP, PVC or natural biopolymers. Such polymeric materials have a particularly long life, but are not as good verprägbar such. B. paper or materials that have a high proportion of paper. However, the data carrier according to the invention combines, on the one hand, the long service life of the polymeric cover layers and the substrate protected by these cover layers, and the good embossability of the substrate with at least one paper layer.

The polymeric cover layer advantageously has a thickness of from 0.8 μm to 20 μm, preferably from 2 μm to 12 μm, and very particularly preferably from 2 μm to 8 μm. Cover layers with such small thicknesses already noticeably improve the circulation stability of the data carrier, but at the same time also permit embossing structures with a very large embossing height due to the substrate used according to the invention having at least one paper layer. Furthermore, the characteristic properties of the substrate, which are particularly important for the evaluation of the authenticity of banknotes, remain essentially completely preserved. That is, the typical sound of the paper-containing substrate or the grip of such substrates is only slightly affected by the thin polymer cover layers.

It should be mentioned at this point that in addition to the data carrier according to the invention with a substrate having at least one paper layer and the entire surface is covered by a polymeric cover layer on both sides, the invention can in principle be used in data carriers having a polymeric substrate, which on both sides each is fully covered by a paper layer. Such a construction with internal polymer and outer layers of paper essentially corresponds to a data carrier made of paper in terms of sound and typical feel, but the circulation resistance of the data carrier due to the outer layer of paper, as already mentioned above, is not as good as in the case of Inventive data carrier according to the invention with outer polymeric cover layer. Consequently, in principle also data carriers with internal polymer and outer layers of paper can be provided with an embossing tool according to the invention with the embossing structures according to the invention.

Also conceivable is a data carrier which has an inner polymer substrate and outer polymeric outer layers. In such a polymeric data carrier, the polymeric substrate layer and the polymeric cover layers may be formed from the same or different polymeric materials and joined together by suitable methods. Advantageously, z. B. one or more polymeric materials are selected, which can be equipped well with the embossing structures according to the invention by means of embossing tool according to the invention.

Finally, a data carrier is conceivable which has only one polymer layer and which is provided with an embossing tool according to the invention with the embossing structures according to the invention.

Particularly in the case of the data carriers described above, which are formed entirely from polymeric material, the embossed structures according to the invention can be arranged in a transparent or translucent region of the data carrier, so that the tactile embossable embossed structures are arranged in a see-through region of the data carrier and the counterfeit security of the data carrier is further increased ,

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the polymeric covering layer has a transparent, translucent or opaque coating, in particular a paint receiving layer. Accordingly, in such embodiments, the polymeric overcoat layer disposed on the substrate is provided with a coating, in particular a paint accepting layer, to facilitate the application of further layers or security elements, such as imprints, films, holograms, etc. Furthermore, by such a color accepting layer, the color of the substrate can be adjusted as desired, since the ink-accepting layer is in front of the polymeric cover layer and the substrate from the view of the viewer. The polymeric cover layer is usually provided with such a transparent, translucent or opaque coating before the embossing structures according to the invention are produced. A transparent coating ideally has a transmittance of 100%, although this value is generally not exactly reached in practice. In the context of the present invention, a transparent coating accordingly has a transmittance of 90% to 100%. For the purposes of the present application, a transmittance is the transmittance for light, in particular for light in the visible wavelength range between 400 nm and 800 nm, d. H. for light, as it is usually perceived by the viewer. In other words, in the context of the present invention, the transmittance is the quotient, the radiant power transmitted through the material and the radiant power radiated onto the layer. However, depending on the application, the transmittance may also relate only to a single wavelength or to other wavelength ranges, for example to the near W or IR wavelength range adjoining the visible spectral range.

In the context of the present application, a translucent or semitransparent layer has a transmittance of from 10% to 90% and particularly preferably from 20% to 80%.

Furthermore, an opaque coating has a transmittance of 0%, although this value is generally not exactly achieved in practice.

In a particularly preferred embodiment it is further provided that the embossed structures are at least partially arranged so that they arranged on the disk elements, in particular security elements, such. As imprints, films, holograms, to some extent from wear, especially abrasion, protect. The inventors have found that embossing structures with a sufficiently high relief height can protect other elements, which in particular have a lower relief height, from wear, in particular abrasion. As a result, the circulation resistance of a data carrier can be further increased with such abrasion resistant embossing patterns.

Incidentally, such embossed structures can advantageously prevent z. B. a freshly applied to the polymeric cover layer of a data carrier according to the invention imprint is transferred to the lying directly in the production of this printing medium. In other words, such sufficiently high embossed structures can serve as a kind of spacer between adjacent banknotes, and prevent the transfer of the not yet dried ink from one to the other data carrier during the production. The resulting reduced scrap leads to lower production costs than is the case for data carriers without such spacers.

Furthermore, the embossing structures described above can also improve the flatness of a stack formed from a multiplicity of identical data carriers, in particular banknotes, and otherwise prevent slippage of the data carriers in the stack (anti-slip protection). It is understood that the improvement of the flatness or slip resistance is also given in stacked sheets, each with a variety still be separated to disk.

• a) ein Substrat, das wenigstens eine Papierschicht aufweist und das beidseitig vollflächig von einer polymeren Deckschicht abgedeckt ist, bereitgestellt, und werden
• b) durch Einwirken eines Prägewerkzeugs auf die polymere Deckschicht und das Substrat im Wesentlichen deckungsgleich angeordnete, taktil erfassbare Prägestrukturen im Substrat und der polymeren Deckschicht erzeugt, die eine Reliefhöhe von insgesamt 20 μm bis 400 μm aufweisen.

The invention also includes a method for producing a data carrier of the type mentioned above. In the method according to the invention

• a) a substrate having at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides of the entire surface of a polymeric cover layer, provided, and are
• b) produced by the action of a stamping tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate substantially congruent, tactile detectable embossed structures in the substrate and the polymer cover layer having a relief height of 20 microns to 400 microns total.

The embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer are advantageously produced with a relief height of a total of 40 μm to 320 μm, preferably from 60 μm to 300 μm and very particularly preferably from 80 μm to 280 μm.

With particular advantage, furthermore, the embossed structures are produced in the process according to the invention in such a way that the total relief height in the substrate and polymeric cover layer is 30% to 95%, preferably 50% to 90% and very particularly preferably 65% to 85% of the engraving depth for the production of the Embossed structures in the stamping tool existing engraving corresponds.

The embossed structures in the data carrier according to the invention are produced in a preferred process variant by a gravure printing process, in particular intaglio printing process.

In another variant of the method, it is further preferred that an imprint arranged congruently with the embossed structures is produced simultaneously with the embossed structures. As already mentioned, the printing arranged congruently with the embossed structures is produced by means of a gravure printing plate, the engravings corresponding to the embossing structures being filled with ink to form the imprint and then the intaglio printing plate being pressed with filled engravings at high pressure onto the data carrier.

Finally, in a further variant of the method, it is preferred that the polymeric covering layer, in particular before production of the embossed structure, be provided with a transparent, translucent or opaque coating, in particular ink-accepting layer.

Also conceivable is a variant of the method, in which the embossed structures are at least partially generated so that they arranged on the disk elements, in particular security elements, such. As imprints, films, holograms, to some extent from wear, especially abrasion, protect.

As already mentioned, the data carrier can basically consist of one or more polymeric layers or else have an inner polymer substrate and paper layers lying on both sides. In such cases, the embossed structures are produced by the action of an embossing tool on the polymeric layer or layers and on the outer paper layer and the polymeric substrate, respectively.

Furthermore, the invention comprises an embossing tool for producing a data carrier according to the invention, a method according to the invention with an embossing tool surface, which has an engraving in which the ratio of the width to the depth of the engraving (aspect ratio) is between 1: 1 and 1: 3. The inventors have found that embossing tools having embossed structures with an aspect ratio of 1: 1 to 1: 3, are well suited for the production of tactile structures on the disk, and at the same time the embossing tools by the engraving in the embossing tool surface is not yet in the strength are impaired. The risk of cracks in the embossing tool is thus reliably prevented or reduced to a minimum.

Further exemplary embodiments and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures, in the representation of which a representation true to scale and proportion has been dispensed with in order to increase the clarity.

Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a data carrier according to the invention with tactile detectable embossed structures in substrate and polymeric cover layer,

2 a cross section through the disk of 1 along the line AA 'and

3 a cross section through an inventive embossing tool.

The invention will now be explained using the example of a data carrier in the form of a so-called "composite film banknote". 1 shows in Aufsieht a schematic representation of the banknote 1 , with several tactile detectable embossed structures 2 . 3 and 4 , which are arranged substantially congruent in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer. Furthermore, the banknote points 1 still authenticity features, which are z. B. with the reference numeral 5 marked imprint that is not necessarily tactile must be designed detectable. Also, the security thread partially embedded in the banknote substrate 6 is another authenticity feature of the disk 1 , where the security thread 6 is in turn partially disposed on the substrate surface (hatched areas) and in such areas also by the polymeric cover layer for the user of the data carrier is felt, since the security thread 6 due to the thin polymeric cover layer 9a or of the adhesive 8th between substrate 7 and topcoat 9a remains palpable. The data carrier according to the invention with the tactile embossed structures 2 . 3 and 4 will now be referring to 2 explained in more detail.

How out 2 is apparent, is the substrate 7 the composite foil banknote 1 Covered on both sides in each case over the entire surface of a polymeric cover layer, which in the embodiment shown by the reference numeral 9a and 9b is designated. The polymeric cover layers 9a and 9b are there by means of an adhesive 8th stuck to the substrate 7 connected. In terms of at the in 1 , and 2 It should be noted that preferably paper, in particular cotton paper, is used for the substrate 7 is used. Of course, however, it is also possible to use a substrate material which has a certain proportion of polymeric material.

As in 2 shown are the polymeric cover layers 9a and 9b with a thickness of about 0.5 microns to 12 microns by means of an adhesive 8th on the surface of the substrate 7 applied. The adhesive application can z. B. 2 g / m ² , which corresponds to a thickness of a few micrometers.

For the polymeric cover layers 9a and 9b it may be advantageous to a PET film having a thickness of 0.8 .mu.m to 8 .mu.m, in particular of about 6 microns. It is also conceivable in such a case, however, that one film consists of a first material and the other film is on the second surface of the substrate 7 is made of a second material, for example BOPP or PET of the same or different thickness. The slides 9a and 9b be in the embodiment shown in 1 and 2 by a suitable Folienkaschierungsverfahren, in particular a Druckkaschierungs-, Spaltkaschierungs- or Luftkaschierungsverfahren on the substrate 7 applied. Of course, it is also possible to apply the polymeric cover layers to the substrate by a curtain coating, extruder coating method or by a low-level metering system. The method used for applying the polymeric outer layers and the materials used for the outer layers and the substrate should be chosen in each case so that an embossed structure with high relief height can be introduced by the action of the embossing tool according to the invention. In addition, the introduced embossed structures should retain their shape and relief height as long as possible, which they have after their production.

At the in 2 shown execution farm is the thickness of the substrate 7 and the further layers, in particular the polymeric cover layers 9a . 9b and the glue 8th , chosen so that the unembossed disk, ie the disk without the embossing structures according to the invention, a total thickness of approx. 125 microns to 135 microns. Of course, an inventive data carrier with respect to the aforementioned thickness of about 125 microns to 135 microns, also be significantly thinner or thicker and therefore have a thickness of about 80 microns to 170 microns. In particular cases, the thickness of the data carrier may even be less than 80 μm and more than 170 μm.

The disk 1 also has the embossed structures according to the invention 2 . 3 and 4 which are essentially congruent in the substrate 7 and the polymeric cover layer 9a are arranged. The embossed structures 2 . 3 and 4 be with an embossing tool according to the invention 10 generates, which corresponds to the embossing patterns corresponding engravings 11 . 12 has (see 3 ). The question tool 10 , which is a gravure printing plate, is subjected to very high pressure on the polymeric cover layer 9a and the underlying substrate 7 pressed, so that by deformation of the substrate 7 and the polymeric cover layer 9a After removal of the embossing tool, the haptically detectable relief structures 2 . 3 and 4 remain in the disk. On the relief structures 2 . 3 and 4 opposite side of the data carrier depressions are produced by the deformation of the data carrier in the embossing, which generally have a depth of about 20 microns and more and therefore are also tactile detectable. In 2 are the ones to the relief structures 3 and 4 corresponding recesses with the reference numerals 13 respectively. 14 Mistake.

The relief height of the embossed structures in the data carrier 1 is doing by the engraving depth in the gravure plate 10 certainly. For example, corresponds to the embossed structure 4 , which has the largest relief height R, an engraving with great depth, for example, the depth T ₂ , while for the relief structure 3 with smaller relief height R an engraving lesser depth, z. B. the engraving 11 with the low T ₁ corresponds. It is understood that the structure 3 by two engravings corresponding to the reference numerals 11 provided engraved must be generated.

The relief height R of the tactile embossed structure 2 . 3 and 4 arises as in 2 shown as the maximum height of the embossed structure 2 . 3 and 4 with respect to the non-embossed surface of the polymeric cover layer. The relief height R thus indicates how far the tactile embossed structure 2 . 3 and 4 protrudes with respect to the substrate surface.

To the embossed structure 2 It should be noted that these on the one hand, the embossed structures produced by blind embossing 2a has, for their generation, the gravure printing plate 10 with appropriate engravings on the polymeric cover layer 9a was pressed. Furthermore, the tactile embossed structure 2 an embossed structure 2 B with a print 20 on. The embossed structure 2 B with imprint 20 was created by the corresponding engravings of the gravure plate 10 were filled with paint, the color when exposed to the intaglio printing plate 10 on the polymeric topcoat 9a on the simultaneously produced embossing structures 2 B as imprint remained. The embossing height of the latter embossed structures 2 B with imprint 20 is RA. As in 2 Shown are embossed structure 2a and embossed structure 2 B with imprint 20 arranged in the immediate vicinity and generated by means of a printing plate in a process step. This procedure makes it possible to produce tactile embossing structures with very large protection against counterfeiting, since such closely spaced tactile areas with and without ink application can be imitated only with great difficulty. But also a small spacing of embossed structure 2a and embossed structure 2 B with imprint 20 , z. B. about 2 mm to 5 mm, resulting in a very tamper-proof structure.

The relief height of tactile detectable embossed structures 2 and 3 be about 200 microns or about 160 microns and are thus less than the relief height of the embossed structure 4 , which is about 280 microns. Thus, it becomes clear that the embossed structure 4 , which represents a so-called "blind embossing", the remaining areas of the data carrier, in particular the likewise tactile detectable embossed structures 2 and 3 , protects against wear, especially abrasion. It should be remembered that the in 2 In cross-section shown embossed structure 4 in similar form at several points of the data carrier 1 is arranged (see 1 ). The embossed structures 4 Therefore, not only act as a protective structure against abrasion, but also as a spacer when the freshly printed banknotes 1 z. B. stacked on top of each other. An imprint arranged on the banknote 50 , which is not completely dried immediately after printing, is characterized by the embossing structures acting as spacers 4 protected against partial transfer to an adjacent banknote. It should also be noted that the relief height of the embossed structures 2 . 3 and 4 in the embodiment according to 1 and 2 about 65% to 85% of the engraving depth of the production of the embossed structures in the embossing tools (intaglio printing plate 10 ) existing engravings 11 and 12 is. The width of the engraving b ₁ and b ₂ z. B. each be about 200 microns. Further, the plate thickness d of the intaglio plate 10 about 0.75 mm. Of course, a plate thickness of about 1 mm is possible, which allows correspondingly greater engraving depths and thus greater relief heights of the embossed structures. With regard to the embossing tool surface according to 3 It should also be noted that when using a suitable engraving tool, in particular a gravure stylus, the angle at the tip of this tool should be about 40 °.

In principle, however, it is also conceivable to produce the corresponding engravings by means of laser ablation instead of a gravure tool. It is thus possible to produce engravings with a flank angle of 60 ° to 80 °. However, the edges of the engraving in the embossing tool when manufactured by laser ablation are not quite as smooth as when using a gravure tool.

To prove the advantageous effects achieved by the invention, the comparative measurements discussed in more detail below were carried out.

comparative measurements

In a first comparative measurement, a substrate made of cotton, plastic and a cotton substrate according to the invention with a polymeric cover layer arranged on both sides on both sides were first provided with a gravure printing plate with embossed structures (embossing without color: "blind embossing"). The thickness of the data carrier according to the invention before embossing was about 130 microns. The results are shown in Tables 1, 2 and 3 below: Table 1: Cotton substrate embossed at 80 ° C. Depth of the engraving in the embossing tool Relief height; Average of 48 measurements Relief height to engraving depth Minimal relief height Maximum relief height 210 μm 181 μm 86% 170 μm 189 μm 250 μm 222 μm 90% 212 μm 232 μm 300 μm 269 μm 90% 255 μm 282 μm 350 μm 306 μm 87% 283 μm 326 μm Table 2: substrate cotton embossed with polymeric cover layers of PET at 80 ° C on both sides Depth of the engraving in the embossing tool Relief height; Average of 48 measurements Relief height to engraving depth Minimal relief height Maximum relief height 210 μm 168 μm 80% 160 μm 178 μm 250 μm 200 μm 80% 190 μm 230 μm 300 μm 241 μm 80% 227 μm 253 μm 350 μm 271 μm 77% 249 μm 283 μm Table 3: substrate "GUARDIAN" embossed at 80 ° C. Depth of the engraving in the embossing tool Relief height; Average of 48 measurements Relief height to engraving depth Minimal relief height Maximum relief height 210 μm 62 μm 30% 54 μm 69 μm 250 μm 75 μm 30% 69 μm 80 μm 300 μm 90 μm 30% 78 μm 100 μm 350 μm 107 μm 31% 96 μm 121 μm

As can be seen from Tables 1 and 2, at a given engraving depth of the intaglio printing plate, the relief height of the imprint structures thus produced in the pure cotton substrate is slightly higher than in the substrate according to the invention with polymeric cover layer on both sides. On the other hand, the relief heights in the case of the substrate with polymeric cover layers are substantially higher than the relief heights which were achieved at the same engraving depth in a pure polymer substrate (GUARDIAN) at 80 ° C. (see Table 3). The substrate "GUARDIAN" is a polymer substrate consisting essentially of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). The experimental results, which are reproduced in Tables 1, 2 and 3, clearly demonstrate the surprising finding that when using the cotton substrate according to the invention with polymeric cover on both sides, the relief heights attainable at a certain engraving depth of the embossing tool are much closer to the values of a Cotton substrates are considered to be the values of a pure polymer substrate.

Nevertheless, it can be seen that the embossing tool according to the invention is also suitable for embossing of pure polymer substrates.

In order to demonstrate the excellent circulation stability of the embossed structures according to the invention, paper substrates according to Table 1 or paper-film substrates according to Table 2, which had embossed structures produced with an embossing tool with an engraving depth of 210 μm, were subjected to a circulation simulation test. In the Circulation Simulation Test, the embossed substrates were subjected to a standardized test to simulate the stress in circulation. In the circulation simulation test, the embossed data carriers were first placed in a defined soil solution. After a defined exposure time, the data carriers were dabbed dry and wrinkled by a mechanical device. After a defined number of creasing cycles, the data carriers were roughened with a defined fleece. This cycle of soiling - wrinkling - roughening was repeated in a defined number of passes to simulate a heavy load on the volumes in circulation.

After the circulation simulation test, the relief heights of the embossed structures according to the invention were (again) measured. Table 4: Cotton substrate imprinted at 80 ° C after completion of the circulation simulation test Depth of the engraving in the embossing tool Relief height; Average of 48 measurements Minimal relief height Maximum relief height 210 μm 124 μm 92 μm 158 μm Table 5: Substrate cotton with bilaterally applied polymeric cover layers made of PET embossed at 80 ° C., after completion of the circulation simulation test Depth of the engraving in the embossing tool Relief height; Average of 48 measurements Minimal relief height Maximum relief height 210 μm 152 μm 115 μm 164 μm 250 μm 191 μm 123 μm 228 μm 300 μm 208 μm 170 μm 234 μm

As can be readily seen from Tables 4 and 5, the embossing patterns of the paper-film substrate according to the invention, which were manufactured with an engraving depth in the embossing tool of 210 microns, after completion of the circulation simulation test on a larger average embossing height (152 microns) this is the case with a pure paper substrate (124 μm). The effect according to the invention, embossing structures with a relatively high relief height and at the same time extraordinarily good stability against abrasion and wear, d. H. Good circulation resistance is impressively substantiated by the numerical values in Tables 4 and 5.

For the paper FoHen substrate according to the invention, the embossed structures, which are produced with an engraving depth of 250 .mu.m to 300 .mu.m in the embossing tool, can still be measured well after the circulation simulation test and amount to 191 .mu.m or 208 .mu.m. By contrast, the embossing structures of the pure paper substrate produced with the same engraving depth are largely destroyed, so that reliable relief heights can no longer be specified after passing through the circulation simulation test. The reason for this is that the polymeric cover layers of the data carrier according to the invention protect the tactile embossable embossed structures in the polymeric cover layer and substrate very well from external influences, whereas in the case of a pure paper substrate, in particular the embossed structures with a large relief height are essentially completely destroyed by mechanical influence.

Claims (17)

Data carrier, in particular document of value, such as banknote, identity card and the like, with a substrate which has at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides by a polymeric cover layer, characterized in that the substrate and the polymeric cover layer are arranged substantially congruent, tactile detectable Have embossed structures which are produced by the action of an embossing tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate and which have a relief height of a total of 20 microns to 400 microns. A data carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the relief height of the embossed structures in substrate and polymeric cover layer is 40 μm to 320 μm in total, preferably 60 μm to 300 μm and very particularly preferably 80 μm to 280 μm. A data carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the total relief height of the embossed structures in substrate and polymeric cover layer 30% to 95%, preferably 50% to 90% and most preferably 65% to 85% of the engraving depth of the embossing structures in corresponds to the embossing tool existing engravings. A data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the embossed structures in the gravure printing process, in particular intaglio printing, embossed structures are produced. A data carrier according to claim 4, characterized in that the embossing structures have a congruently arranged imprint. Data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the polymeric cover layer of PET, PP, PE, LDPE, LLDPE, PA, PC, BOPP, PVC or natural biopolymers is formed. A data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the polymeric cover layer has a thickness of 0.8 microns to 20 microns, preferably from 2 microns to 12 microns and most preferably from 2 microns to 8 microns. A data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the polymeric cover layer has a transparent, translucent or opaque coating, in particular ink receiving layer. A data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the embossed structures are at least partially arranged so that they arranged on the disk elements, in particular security elements, such. As imprints, films, holograms, to some extent from wear, especially abrasion, protect. Method for producing a data carrier, in particular a value document, such as a banknote, identity card and the like, in which a) a substrate having at least one paper layer and which is covered on both sides in each case over the entire surface of a polymeric cover layer, is provided b) by means of an embossing tool on the polymeric cover layer and the substrate substantially congruent, tactile detectable embossed structures in the substrate and the polymer cover layer are produced, which have a relief height of 20 microns to 400 microns total. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer are produced with a relief height of 40 μm to 320 μm, preferably from 60 μm to 300 μm and most preferably from 80 μm to 280 μm. A method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the embossed structures are produced such that the total relief height in substrate and polymeric cover layer 30% to 95%, preferably 50% to 90% and most preferably 65% to 85% of the engraving depth of for generating the embossed structures in the embossing tool existing engraving corresponds. Method according to at least one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the embossed structures are produced by a gravure printing method, in particular intaglio printing method. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that simultaneously with the embossing structures to the embossed structures congruently arranged imprint is generated. Method according to at least one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the polymeric cover layer, preferably before production of the embossed structures in the substrate and the polymeric cover layer, is provided with a transparent, translucent or opaque coating, in particular ink-accepting layer. Method according to at least one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the embossed structures are at least partially generated so that they arranged on the disk elements, in particular security elements, such. As imprints, foils, holograms, in a certain Urifang from wear, especially abrasion, protect. Embossing tool for producing a data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 9 in a method according to at least one of claims 10 to 16 with an embossing tool surface having an engraving in which the ratio of the width to the depth of the engraving (aspect ratio) is between 1: 1 and 1: 3.

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