EP2920001B1 - Set of a plurality of value and/or security products and method for producing a security feature - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a total of several copies of a value and / or security product, and a method for producing a security feature. A security and / or security document may, for example, be a personal document, in particular an identity card, or a means of payment, in particular a banknote. Such documents are typically produced in standardized formats, for example in the ID 1, ID 2 or ID 3 format according to ISO 7810. The documents can basically consist of or contain an organic polymer or a ceramic material, paper, cardboard or metal. Cards and card-shaped components of book-type documents may preferably be made of laminated polymer films. To verify authenticity, these products have security features.

The security features used in the value and / or security products can only serve to prove the authenticity of the products regardless of their nature or by their user. Such security features are, for example, guilloches, watermarks, embossing prints, tipping pictures, holograms, the special paper of banknotes and the like. Customizing, for example, personalizing security features also contain in coded form or in plain text information about the type of document, about the user and / or about an object to which the document is uniquely assigned. Such information may be a face image (a photograph) of the user, his personal information such as name, birthday, place of birth, signature or a personal identifier such as a membership number. Another security feature that individualizes the document can be, for example, a serial number of the document or the chassis number of a motor vehicle to which the document is assigned.

Out DE 102 04 870 A1 it is known to apply a security feature by introducing fibers into a value carrier, for example a banknote or a badge. These Fibers can be made detectable by irradiation with light of a certain wavelength. The introduction of such fibers is known when scooping the paper of a banknote. The fibers form a security feature with randomly distributed features.

In DE 10 2009 040 747 B3 is further stated, fluorescent mottled fibers, which consist at least partially of an adhesive to apply to a film or a document. These fibers also have a first and a second luminescent substance (biluminescence). The adhesive ensures that the mottled fibers can be more easily integrated into plastic-based documents. When sprinkling onto the surface of a film, an adhesive strength is produced by the adhesive, so that the fibers are not fixed to a document during a subsequent lamination, but already when scattered onto the surface of the film. The glue also creates a permanent bond between the mottled fibers and the document so they can not be removed from the document.

For applying the mottled fibers to a substrate, for example a security and / or security document, is in DE 10 2010 063 015 A1 a device suitable for this purpose with a grit holder specified whose inner surface is at least partially uneven and which has at least one slot-shaped scattering opening.

There is a constant need for novel, in particular individualizing, for example personalizing, security features for value and / or security products, which secure these products against counterfeiting and / or falsification and / or copying. In particular, an object underlying the present invention is to find a security feature that encodes at least one property of the value and / or security product and / or a property of a person assigned to the product or of an item associated with the product. In addition, the present invention has the essential further object of providing a cost-effective, simple and quickly realizable security feature. The security feature is thus intended to increase the security level compared to conventional security and / or security documents or security elements.

As far as used in the description and in the claims of the present application, the term "value and / or security product", which may be in particular a security and / or security document or a security element is used, including, for example, a passport, identity card, driver's license, an access control card or other ID card, a vehicle registration document, vehicle registration document, visa, check, means of payment, in particular a banknote, check, bank, credit or cash card, customer card, health card, chip card, company identity card, proof of eligibility, membership card, gift - or shopping voucher, bill of lading or other proof of entitlement, tax stamp, postage stamp, ticket, token, token, adhesive label (for example for product protection) or any other document. A product according to the invention can also be a security element which has the security feature according to the invention and which can be permanently connected to the document, for example a sticker, label or the like in order to provide the document with the security feature. The product may be, for example, a smart card. The security and / or value document may be in ID 1, ID 2, ID 3, or any other normalized or non-normalized format, such as a booklet form, such as a passport-like item. A value and / or security product is generally a laminate of a plurality of document layers, which have been connected in register under the influence of heat and under increased pressure. These products should meet the standardized requirements, for example ISO 10373, ISO / IEC 7810, ISO 14443. The product layers consist, for example, of a carrier material which is suitable for lamination.

Insofar as the term 'security feature' is used in the description and claims of the present application, it is to be understood as a feature which produces an optical impression, which can be detected by means of optical recognition methods, including with the human eye, which is indicated by a (on or multi) colored, in particular luminescent, or black / gray / white pattern of particles of spreading material, in particular of fibers, very particularly preferably of mottled fibers, arranged in a relative arrangement to one another. The optical impression can either be directly perceived and evaluated by a viewer or detected by means of a device receiving electromagnetic radiation with spatial resolution and, in the latter case, perceived by a viewer or evaluated by means of a further device provided for this purpose. Insofar as the term 'spreading material' is used in the description and in the claims of the present application, this means a multiplicity of particles. They may be particles of any shape, such as platelet, stick, spherical or irregularly shaped particles (granules), fibers and other elongated bodies characterized by a large ratio of their length to their diameter, and the like , The particles typically have a size (a diameter of the granules or fibers) of 10 to 500 μm, preferably 30 to 150 μm, and most preferably 40 to 100 μm. For example, a filament with, for example, 25 dtex (ISO 1144), which is cut into filament pieces (fibers), can be used to produce fibers. The particles of the material to be spread can be in several types, which differ from each other, for example, by a color perceptible to the human eye, its shape, diameter, thickness, fiber length and the like. The color is based on the color impression, which is caused by the hue and / or brightness of the color when illuminating the material to be scattered with electromagnetic radiation.

The object underlying the present invention is achieved by an assembly according to claim 1.

The surface field has a predetermined field area size, shape, orientation and orientation on the substrate surface. By the respective number n of the particles in the surface field (s), values are assigned to this field (s) (field values). If the spreading material is formed by particles of several types, the particles may differ from one another by their color, size, such as their diameter and / or length and / or thickness, their shape or the like. Particles of one type then have the same color and / or size and / or shape or the like, and a type may already exist if there is coincidence between the particles in only one of these parameters, but not other parameters. For example, red particles may belong to a type, regardless of their shape and size. The grit can be formed by particles of two types or of three types or of four types or of even more types. If particles of several types differ in perceptible color by the human eye, this can be done either by illumination be produced with light in the visible spectral range and / or by excitation of the particles for luminescence, wherein the excitation by means of electromagnetic radiation in the UV, visible or IR spectral region can take place.

At least one of the security features is located on at least one exterior of the security and / or security product, i. on the outside of a document or security element, or it is located in at least one interior level in the security and / or security product. Preferably, the security feature is visually or at least mechanically detectable by means of optical methods from the outside.

1. (a) Zunächst wird mindestens ein Substrat mit jeweils mindestens einer Substratoberfläche bereitgestellt.
2. (b) Ferner werden Teilchen eines Streugutes mindestens eines Typs bereitgestellt.
3. (c) Schließlich werden die Teilchen des Streugutes auf die mindestens eine Substratoberfläche aufgebracht und dort vorzugsweise fixiert, wobei die Teilchen des Streugutes erfindungsgemäß in einer jeweils vorgegebenen Anzahl n in mindestens einem Oberflächenfeld auf die mindestens eine Substratoberfläche aufgebracht werden. Die Anzahl der Teilchen in einem der Oberflächenfelder bildet jeweils einen Wert dieses Oberflächenfeldes.

The object underlying the present invention is also achieved by a method for producing a security feature for a value and / or security product. This production process comprises the following process steps:

1. (a) First, at least one substrate is provided, each with at least one substrate surface.
2. (b) Further, particles of a spreading material of at least one type are provided.
3. (C) Finally, the particles of the material to be spread are applied to the at least one substrate surface and preferably fixed there, wherein the particles of the material to be spread are applied to the at least one substrate surface in a respectively predetermined number n in at least one surface field. The number of particles in one of the surface fields each forms a value of this surface field.

In particular, the particles may be fibers, most preferably mica fibers. Unless otherwise stated, the following statements in the description of the invention are representative of the term "particles of a material to be spread" in each case referring to fibers, although this is not intended to be limiting, but also includes generalizing other types of spreading material.

The security feature is therefore formed according to the invention by fibers of one or more types which are applied in an exactly predetermined number n in at least one surface field on the at least one substrate surface, fibers of one type can be arranged in a surface field or in multiple surface fields and fibers of several types likewise in each case one surface field or in each case several surface fields. As a result, the respective surface field is assigned a value which corresponds to the number n of fibers in this surface field (field value). This field value can be used for coding information, in particular for coding one or more specific properties of the product itself and / or a person and / or an object to which the product is assigned. Thus, for each copy of a value and / or security product having a particular attribute of such a property, for example, a particular denomination of a bill or a particular feature of a person associated with an ID card, the field value may always be the same. Value and / or security products with different attributes of such a property, for example different issuing sites of identification documents, can then have a different number of fibers arranged in the respective surface field, wherein in the given example each of the issuing sites is assigned a specific field value. The field value may encode any property of the product, person and / or object, such as the issuer of the product, the issuing country, the type of product, the year of issue, or the like. In each case a specific attribute of such a property can be assigned a predetermined field value. In addition, in order to be able to check the authenticity of the attribute determined via this field value, the product may additionally contain the attribute of the property in plain text or with another method in coded form.

By placing a predetermined number of fibers in at least one with respect to its size, shape, position and orientation defined surface area on the at least one substrate surface, a novel feature is created that as an authenticity feature and / or as information coding feature for the value and / or Security product is used. It is easy to manufacture and therefore inexpensive. By the fibers are applied in a certain amount of fiber on the value and / or security product and thus are easily localized locally, a better detectability of the fibers is ensured.

In contrast to conventional value and / or security products which contain mottled fibers in stochastically distributed form, for example banknotes or identity documents, the fibers according to the present invention are contained within the at least one surface field in the predetermined number. This excludes a varying number of fibers in the surface field from product to product instance. However, the application and fixation of the fibers in the surface field on the at least one substrate surface does not preclude the addition of fibers outside the surface field on the substrate surface whose type is identical to or different from that of the fibers arranged within the surface field. For example, similar fibers (fibers of the same type) may also be located outside of this field on the substrate surface with the fibers located within the surface field. In particular, the fibers located outside the surface field may be stochastically distributed in a conventional manner (in terms of their position and orientation). Since the fibers within the surface field in this case do not differ from those outside the field, the surface field for a viewer is not readily apparent if he does not know its location on the at least one substrate surface. This is particularly the case if the fibers are not present within the surface field in a predetermined arrangement to each other, but are also stochastically arranged within the surface field in terms of their position and orientation, and especially if the fiber density inside and outside the surface field at least approximately is the same size. With such an arrangement of fibers thus a very particularly forgery-proof security feature is formed, which can be extremely difficult manipulated or imitated by a counterfeiter due to lack of knowledge about the presence of at least one surface field and in any case of its location, shape and size.

The at least one surface field is preferably a self-contained surface on one of the substrate surfaces. For example, the at least one surface patch may be square or rectangular in shape, circular, or have a more complex shape, such as a star, crest, or the like. In principle, the surface field can occupy the entire substrate surface, ie be identical to it. However, it preferably occupies only a part of the entire substrate surface. The position and the orientation of the surface field on the substrate surface are arbitrary. The surface field can in the middle or at one of the edges and there in the middle or not in the middle or in one of the corners and in these cases be placed on at least one edge of the substrate surface. In particular, it may be arranged with its edges parallel to the substrate surface edges, when both the substrate and the surface field are substantially square or rectangular. The surface field may, for example, be formed by one or more strips running between two opposite edges of the substrate surface, wherein a plurality of strips may run parallel to one another or not parallel to one another.

In a preferred development of the present invention, a plurality of surface fields may be located on a substrate surface or in each case on a plurality of substrate surfaces of the same value and / or security product, for example two, three, four, five or even more surface fields. Or it can each be a surface field on multiple substrate surfaces of the product. Each of these surface fields may have the same field value, or the surface fields may have different field values. If there are multiple surface fields, each may code, for example, for a property of the product, the person and / or the object other than the other surface fields, for example a second surface field in a motor vehicle letter a first surface field for the year of manufacture of the motor vehicle to which this letter is assigned for the motor vehicle manufacturer and a third surface field for the motor vehicle model. If multiple surface fields are present, the field values of these fields can also be combined with each other, for example, the approval date can be divided into three subdata, for example in day, month and year, by the field value in each case one of three surface fields coded. There are also other possible combinations that code for other product, person and / or item properties and their attributes.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, fibers are arranged on the at least one substrate surface in the respective surface field, which belong to at least two different fiber types, for example two, three, four, five or even more fiber types, of which in each case a predetermined number of fiber types in which at least one surface field is located. As a result, a surface field may have two or more field values which correspond to the respective fiber number n _i . On the other hand Also, the fiber type itself contains additional information that can serve to code a property of the product, the person, and / or the object.

In a further preferred development of the present invention, the fibers in the at least one surface field can furthermore be arranged in a predetermined arrangement (position, position) and / or orientation / orientation. For example, one, two, three, four, five or six fibers may be arranged in a surface patch in a respective pattern in which the eyes located on a conventional six-sided dice are located. As different fiber arrangements are possible for each number of fibers in a surface field, each fiber arrangement in a surface field constitutes further information which can also code a property of the product, the person and / or the object. The same applies not only to the relative arrangement of the fibers to each other but also to their orientation in the surface field when it comes to elongated grit particles (parallel or perpendicular to each other, orientation relative to the substrate surface). It is conceivable that the fibers may be randomly positioned in the surface field, but with a given orientation, or with a random orientation, but with a given positioning in the surface field, or both in the positioning in the surface field and in orientation not stochastically but arranged in a predetermined pattern.

Fibrous particles of the material to be spread, in particular mottled fibers, can be designed differently in terms of their shape and geometry and thus form different types. For a characterization, in addition to or as an alternative to the color, the following parameters can determine the type: the length, the diameter and / or the cross-sectional shape. A typical fiber length is in a range of 2 to 25 mm, preferably about 6 mm. The diameter is for example in a range of 20 to 150 microns, preferably 50 to 60 microns. The cross-sectional shape is preferably circular or oval, but may also be formed, for example, star-shaped or otherwise. Examples of this are in DE 103 24 630 A1 whose disclosure content, at least with regard to these cross-sectional shapes and the production of such grit particles, is incorporated by reference into the present application.

The surface area provided with the fibers is preferably formed in a single plane on or in the value and / or security product. But it is also possible that the surface fields are divided into several levels on or in the product. For example, a first part of a surface field, for example a first half, may be located in a first product plane and a second part in a second plane spaced from the first plane. A first portion of the predetermined number of fibers may be in the first portion of the surface panel in the first plane, and a second portion of the fibers may be located in the second portion of the surface panel in the second level. For example, if there are two types of fibers, all fibers of the first type may be in the first part of the surface field in the first product plane and all fibers of the second type in the second part in the second plane. The division of the surface field can be recognized at least with the aid of optical magnification means and can also be used as a security feature. In a corresponding manner, a plurality of surface fields can also be arranged in each case on one of several product levels on / in the value and / or security product.

The above design options of arranged in one or more surface fields fibers (in terms of number, different types, spatial arrangement) can also be used only to verify the authenticity of the value and / or security product.

For a verification of the authenticity of the valuable and / or security product and / or of the product, the person and / or the subject information, a determination of the number and optionally the geometric arrangement of the fibers in a surface field and / or a determination of their respective Type be performed with the naked eye directly or by means of a device suitable for this purpose.

The color of the fibers can be generated by illumination with electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range and / or by their excitation to luminescence, so that they appear to the human eye (one or more) colored or white or gray or black.

The color of the fibers is caused in this case by spectrally uneven absorption of the irradiated electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range, so that only individual color components are remitted. For example, fibers of different types can therefore absorb and remit different color components of the visible spectral range. Preferably, the fibers of one type are each uniformly colored in themselves, ie they reflect light with substantially the same electromagnetic spectrum at all their surface locations. However, they can also produce different color impressions on different surface areas. For example, the fibers may be formed of multiple strands of differently colored materials. To produce the respective color impression by absorbing visible light, at least one dye and / or at least one pigment are added to the fiber material, and / or the fibers are coated with at least one dye and / or at least one pigment. As dyes and pigments, it is possible to use all commercially available materials which are compatible with the fiber material and which survive the processing conditions for the production of the fibers and their introduction into and / or application to the fibers. Such dyes and pigments are also common for the production of printing inks. The fibers can be transparent, translucent or opaque.

In the case of illumination with an excitation radiation for luminescence, it is preferable to use electromagnetic radiation not in the visible spectral range, but for example ultraviolet (UV) radiation, in particular UV-A radiation (380 to 315 nm) and / or UV-B radiation (315 to 280 nm), very particularly preferably UV-A radiation, for example with 365 nm, and / or optionally also UV-C radiation (280 to 200 nm), for example up to 200 nm, in particular 254 nm. The luminescence may in particular be photoluminescence in the form of fluorescence or phosphorescence with both Stokes and anti-Stokes shift. Alternatively, the excitation radiation can also be in another spectral range, for example in the visible or infrared (IR) range. Accordingly, fibers of different types absorb the excitation radiation and luminesce spectrally differently in the visible spectral range, so that different types of fibers produce different color impressions. Preferably, the fibers of one type luminesce uniformly, ie they emit light at all locations with substantially the same electromagnetic spectrum. In principle, it is of course also possible to use fibers which are formed from different parts, so that different luminescence emanates from the different parts and therefore these different parts produce different color impressions. For example, the fibers may consist of multiple strands with different ones Luminescent substances may be formed (see, for example DE 10 2009 040 747 A1 , mono- or bi-luminescent fibers). Preferably, however, the fibers of each type are formed only from one material each, which causes a uniform color impression.

In one embodiment, fibers of the first type are excitable with UV-A radiation, but not with UV-B radiation, and fibers of the second type are excitable with UV-B radiation, but not with UV-A radiation. As a result, the one area with the fibers of the first type is visible under UV-A excitation, the other area under excitation with UV-B radiation. Upon irradiation of both UV-A and UV-B, both types of fibers are simultaneously detectable, such that a color-gradient structure can be visualized from the fibers of the first type to the fibers of the second type.

In another embodiment, fibers of the first type are excitable with UV-A and UV-B radiation and fibers of the second type are excitable with UV-B radiation, but not with UV-A radiation. As a result, the color gradient is directly visible under UV-B excitation, but under UV-A excitation only the fibers of the first type are visible.

To produce the respective color impression by means of luminescence, at least one luminescent substance is added to the fiber material, and / or the fibers are coated with at least one luminescent substance. As luminescent substances it is possible to use all commercially available materials which are compatible with the fiber material and which survive the processing conditions for producing the fibers and their introduction into and / or application to the fibers, namely both organic and inorganic luminescent substances, for example rhodamine 6G, fluorescein and rare earth (luminophore) doped materials which form a host lattice for the luminophores, in particular substances doped with terbium, gadolinium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, cerium and / or europium, for example oxides, oxinates, sulphides, oxysulphides, Oxynitrides, phosphates or vanadates, can be used. The pigments preferably have a particle size of less than 10 microns, preferably less than 8 microns and most preferably less than 6 microns. The pigments formed herewith can additionally be coated with organic substances in order to increase the quantum yield of the luminescence.

The fibers can either luminesce exclusively and be colorless or nearly colorless to the human eye when illuminated in the visible spectral range, or appear colored to the human eye only when illuminated in the visible spectral range, but have no luminescence when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation outside the visible spectral range, or They can appear colored as well as additionally luminesce for the human eye when illuminated in the visible spectral range.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fibers may be at least partially formed by an adhesive, for example, the fibers at least partially on the outside of an adhesive. The adhesive should be at least partially exposed on the outside of the fibers, so that the fibers are fixed there when hitting the at least one substrate. The glue can form a fiber part. For example, the fibers may be formed of a plurality of coaxial strands, at least one of which is formed by the adhesive. The adhesive may therefore be adjacent to strands of another material on the outside of the fibers. Or the glue can completely surround a fiber core, something like a coat. The adhesive material may contain at least one of the substances responsible for the color of the fibers when illuminated in the visible spectral range and / or for the luminescence of the fiber. By means of the adhesive, the fibers can be fixed in the at least one surface field, so that their predetermined number and optionally predetermined arrangement and / or orientation in the field during the manufacturing process for the value and / or security document is maintained.

In a further preferred development of the present invention, the adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive, ie an adhesive which melts when heated. Alternatively, the adhesive may also be a reactive adhesive, for example an acrylate adhesive. The hotmelt adhesive has, for example, a softening temperature of 50 to 200.degree. C., preferably of 80 to 120.degree. The adhesive is preferably not tacky at room temperature. Thus, the fibers can be well isolated at room temperature. The hotmelt adhesive may for example be formed from polyamide or from a polyamide copolymer. In particular, the adhesive may be formed of polyamide 12, polyamide 6 or polyamide 6.6. Preferably, the adhesive is formed of polyamide 6 or a copolymer of polyamide. This glue can encase a core of the fibers. This core may for example be formed from polyamide 6.6. Alternatively, instead of polyamide, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, cellulose or their derivatives, such as viscose or cellophane, into consideration. Polyamide is preferred. When the fibers are applied to the at least one substrate surface, the fibers are fixed there, for example by heating. For this purpose, the substrate can be heated immediately before the application of the fibers.

As an alternative or in addition to the adhesive which forms at least part of the fibers, the at least one substrate surface in another preferred development of the present invention can also be provided with an adhesive, for example with a hot-melt adhesive or with a reactive adhesive. In this case, the fibers are applied to the provided with the adhesive surfaces of the substrate and fixed there, for example by heating.

In order to be able to place and fix the fibers in a predetermined number in the surface field on the at least one substrate surface, a metering device for the fibers is provided. By means of this metering device several individual fibers are placed one after the other or simultaneously in the surface field. During or immediately after, the fibers are fixed on the substrate surface. To place individual fibers, these are first separated. For this purpose, a separating device can be used. For example, fibrous fibers may be separated from the strand by means of the singulator and placed on the surface simultaneously with the separation or immediately after separation. For example, the separating device may have a cutting device for separating individual fibers from the strand. Preferably, the fibers are sequentially separated from the strand. A preferred method of severing is to cut each strand section from the strand and place these sections as fibers on the surface. The strand may, for example, be wound up or may be produced immediately prior to the separation of the individual strand sections, for example in an extrusion or other strand formation process. For example, a fiber may be sheared from the strand (s) after extruding a strand length corresponding to a fiber length from an extrusion die of an extrusion device (with one or more spinnerets) or from another strand forming device. The separated part forms a fiber, which is conveyed for example by means of a manipulator in the surface field and placed there, so that it can be fixed there. Alternatively, the spinneret of the extrusion device can also be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the surface field, so that the formed fiber strand already reaches the substrate surface during its formation. After contact with the surface or shortly before the fiber strand is then separated, so that the fiber reaches the surface. For the placement of individual fibers on the substrate surface whose surface tension is adjusted so that they are manageable and not adhere to the manipulation device or the stranding tool or repelled by this uncontrolled. Since the fiber material is typically formed by a dielectric, its surface tension can be controlled by a separately generated electrostatic surface charge on the fibers. In order to place the fibers on the substrate surface, the manipulator or stranding device is moved relative to the substrate surface in order to be able to place the fibers at specific locations on the surface in a targeted manner. The fibers then adhere there, for example by means of the adhesive or by means of a surface charge of the fibers with respect to the substrate surface, suitably adjusted for this purpose. If the fibers are equipped with a hot-melt adhesive, for example, the substrate surface may be heated, so that the adhesive of the fibers at least partially melts on contact with the surface, so that an adhesion of the fiber to the surface forms.

Accordingly, first, a filament suitable for producing the fibers may be provided, and a respective fiber may be separated from the filament, for example, cut off, so as to be applied to the surface of the substrate in the surface field.

The fibers are fixed during or after application to the substrate surface. In the case of hot melt fixable fibers they are fixed by introducing heat and in the case of fixable by means of a reactive adhesive fibers by irradiation of electromagnetic radiation, such as UV radiation. When using fixable by means of a hot melt adhesive fibers, these can be fixed for example by means of a hot press roll on the surface. Alternatively or additionally, the substrate surface may also be sticky.

The substrate, on the at least one surface of which the fibers are applied and fixed there, can be gathered together with further substrates, for example further polymer films or other film-like materials, such as paper, as layers to form a stack, so that the surface provided with the fibers / n outside and / or arranged inside is / are. The latter is beneficial because of a falsification or falsification of the product then only extremely difficult, because the fiber plane / s would / n this be exposed. If the stack is welded to a monolithic laminate by the application of heat and pressure, it is preferred that the fibers also fuse with the surrounding material, thereby further complicating delamination. If the security feature is on the outside of the laminate after lamination, it can be protected from tampering by subsequent coating with a protective varnish or protective film. In addition, this protective lacquer or protective film serves to protect the product against mechanical damage (scratches) during use. Furthermore, on the outside, a diffractive film can be attached. If the substrate and other substrate layers are formed of polycarbonate, the lamination typically in a hot / cold laminating press in a first step at 170 to 200 ° C and a pressure of 50 to 600 N / cm ² and in a second step with cooling carried out at about room temperature and under the same pressure. In the case of polyethylene terephthalate, lamination takes place at a higher temperature, for example at 220 ° C. The polymer films typically have a thickness of from 25 to 150 μm, preferably from 50 to 100 μm. The laminates produced can, for example, represent card-shaped objects or be singulated into card-shaped individual uses. In principle, the laminate can also be a construction for a multilayer banknote.

If the at least one substrate surface covered with the fibers is located in the value and / or security product, at least those parts of the product which are located between the at least one substrate surface and the fibers by the viewer are preferably transparent or at least translucent and more preferred colorless or optionally only slightly colored in order to be able to recognize the at least one surface area with the fibers. On the other hand, product material located beyond the at least one substrate surface on which the at least one surface field is arranged may also be opaque and optionally colored. Of course, this outlying product material may of course also be transparent or translucent and colorless.

The valuable and / or security product may be formed from a polymer selected from a group comprising polycarbonate (PC), in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), derivatives thereof, such as glycol modified PET (PETG), Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (P1), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), especially thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene Styrene copolymer (ABS) and its derivatives, and / or paper. In addition, the product can also be made of several of these materials. It preferably consists of PC or PC / TPU / PC. The polymers may be either unfilled or filled. In the latter case they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The above information relates both to films to be bonded together and to liquid formulations applied to a precursor, such as a resist. The product is preferably prepared from 3 to 12, preferably 4 to 10, films. A laminate formed in this way can finally be coated on one or both sides with a protective lacquer. Overlay layers formed in this way protect a security feature arranged underneath and / or give the document the required abrasion resistance. The security feature is preferably formed on at least one of the inner layers.

The at least one substrate, on the at least one surface of which the at least one surface field is located, is thus formed in each case by a product layer or by the product itself. Alternatively, a precursor for the value and / or security product, for example a blank which does not yet have all the product layers, but most of the security features of the document, can also be used as the substrate.

The value and / or security product according to the invention can have, in addition to the security feature according to the invention, at least one further security feature which is either individualizing or not individualizing. Other security features include guilloches, watermarks, embossing prints, a security thread, microfilm, tipping pictures, holograms, optically variable pigments, luminescent colors, transmitted light register and the like. Furthermore, the document may also comprise electronic components, for example an RFID circuit with antenna and RFID microchip, electronic display elements, LEDs, touch-sensitive sensors and the like. For example, the electronic components may be hidden between two opaque layers of the document.

Fig. 1

zeigt ein erfindungsgemäßes Wert- und/oder Sicherheitsprodukt in Form einer Ausweiskarte (ID-Karte) mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitsmerkmal; (A) schematische perspektivische Darstellung bei Beleuchtung mit sichtbarem Licht; (B) schematische perspektivische Darstellung bei Beleuchtung mit UV-Licht;

Fig. 2

zeigt zwei Exemplare einer Substratoberfläche mit bei UV-Beleuchtung lumineszierenden Melierfasern mit einem Oberflächenfeld in der Draufsicht;

Fig. 3

zeigt unterschiedliche Beispiele für Oberflächenfelder mit Melierfasern in unterschiedlicher Anordnung und Orientierung;

Fig. 4

zeigt unterschiedliche Beispiele für Oberflächenfelder mit unterschiedlicher Form;

Fig. 5

zeigt eine Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen und Fixieren von Fasern auf einem Substrat, das auf einem Transportband befördert wird, in einer schematischen Seitenansicht;

Fig. 6

zeigt eine Dosiervorrichtung zum Aufbringen von Melierfasern in einem Oberflächenfeld auf eine Substratoberfläche in einer schematischen perspektivischen Darstellung;

Fig. 7

zeigt einen Schnitt durch eine Melierfaser mit Kern und Mantel.

For a more detailed explanation of the present invention serve the following figures.

Fig. 1

shows an inventive value and / or security product in the form of an identity card (ID card) with the security feature according to the invention; (A) schematic perspective view when illuminated with visible light; (B) schematic perspective view when illuminated with UV light;

Fig. 2

shows two copies of a substrate surface with luminescent in UV illumination mottled fibers with a surface field in plan view;

Fig. 3

shows different examples of surface fields with mottled fibers in a different arrangement and orientation;

Fig. 4

shows different examples of surface fields with different shape;

Fig. 5

shows a device for applying and fixing fibers on a substrate, which is conveyed on a conveyor belt, in a schematic side view;

Fig. 6

shows a metering device for applying mica fibers in a surface field on a substrate surface in a schematic perspective view;

Fig. 7

shows a section through a mottled fiber core and mantle.

In the following description of the figures, like reference numerals designate elements having the same function.

The ID card 100 according to the invention has a front side 101 and a rear side (not shown) (FIG. Fig. 1A, 1B ). The front side has multiple fields 102, 103, 104 of personal data (for example, the facial image, name, date of birth of the card holder, and a personal number) identifying the card holder. These data are generated inside on an inner surface 310 of a substrate 300 in the card ( Fig. 2 ), ie, for example, under a protective coating to prevent manipulation of this card and also to avoid mechanical damage to the card.

Furthermore, this card 100 has a security feature 200 according to the invention. This feature is formed by a surface panel 210 in which mica fibers 220 are made of polyamide. For example, the mottled fibers have a diameter of 40 μm and a length of 5 mm. The mottled fibers are not visible when illuminated with electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range (VIS) ( Fig. 1A ). At most, by a slight intrinsic color and / or by light scattering, these fibers can also be under normal lighting be perceived. The field itself is not visible because its outlines are not marked. In Fig. 1A, 1B the field is marked for illustrative purposes only. By illuminating the security feature with UV radiation (UV), for example at 365 nm, the mottled fibers can be made visible in the surface field ( Fig. 1B ). For this purpose, the mottled fibers contain one or more luminescent substances which can be excited by UV radiation and emit luminescence radiation in the visible spectral range. For example, if it is a europium-doped oxysulfide, the excited mottled fibers luminesce red. The mottled fibers are fixed for example by means of a hot melt adhesive on the card surface. For this purpose, the fibers consist in part of an envelope 221 which is formed from a hot-melt adhesive made of polyamide 6 and which encloses a core 222 made of polyamide 6.6 ( Fig. 7 ). The luminescent substances are contained for example in the enclosure.

In Fig. 2 a specific embodiment of the security feature 200 according to the invention is shown on a substrate 300. In this case, two copies of the same type of substrate for a value and / or security document are shown. Apart from other security features, which are not shown in this case, this substrate has on its surface 310 a surface field 210 defined in terms of its shape, position and orientation on the surface, the exact ten mottled fibers 220 (n = 10) in a random arrangement regarding their position and orientation. These mottled fibers may also be excitable for luminescence by means of UV radiation, for example. For this purpose, the mottled fibers can be provided with a terbium-doped oxysulfide. The luminescent substance luminesces green upon irradiation with the UV light.

Outside the surface field 210, the mottled fibers 230 of the same type, ie with the same luminescent substance and of the same size, are scattered and fixed onto the substrate surface 310, these mottled fibers likewise being randomly distributed on the surface 310. Since the surface field on the substrate surface 310 is not marked, it is not recognizable by a viewer. Even when irradiated with UV light, with which the mica fibers 220 located within the surface field are made visible, their position and size are imperceptible because of the entire surface application of mottled fibers. Therefore, the security feature 200 is not detectable by a third party. This holds true as long as the size and location of the surface field are unknown. In contrast, if the position of the surface field is known, the number n of mottled fibers present in the field may be be determined and thus the authenticity of this security feature having ID card 100 are verified.

If the number n of mottled fibers 220 encodes an attribute of a property of a document 100, the person or object to which this document is associated, then this further information can be read from the number n of mottled fibers in the surface field 210. For example, the document may be an identification document, for example the ID card of Fig. 1 , be. The field value resulting from the number n of mottled fibers in the surface field may in this case code, for example, for the issuing location of the ID card. In addition, this information may be located elsewhere on the ID card so that the information encoded with the field value may be compared with the information located elsewhere to verify the authenticity of the ID card.

In Fig. 3 Examples of arrangements of mottled fibers 220, 220 'are shown in a surface panel 210 located on a surface 310 of a substrate 300:

Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C each show eleven mottled fibers 220 in the surface panel 210 (n = 11) belonging to a mica fiber type in terms of their color, shape and size and which are not randomly distributed but placed in a regular array. Fig. 3A shows eleven mottled fibers arranged in three rows of four, three and four mottled fibers, respectively. The mottled fibers are aligned parallel to each other and standing vertically. Fig. 3B also shows eleven mottled fibers arranged in three rows of four, three and four mottled fibers, respectively. The mottled fibers are alternately vertically or horizontally oriented in the upper and lower rows and exclusively horizontal in the middle row. Fig. 3C also shows eleven mottled fibers arranged in three rows of three, five and three mottled fibers, respectively. The mottled fibers are in turn aligned parallel to each other and standing vertically.

FIGS. 3D, 3E and 3F each show nine mottled fibers 220, 220 'in the surface field 210 (n = 9) belonging to two types of mottled fibers. In the fields are four mottled fibers of the first type 220 (n ₁ = 4) and five mottling fibers of the second type 220 '(n ₂ = 5). These types of mica fibers can differ from one another, for example, with regard to the luminescence color. For example, the mordant fibers of the first type 220 may be a luminescent green luminescent substance and the mottle fibers of the second type 220 'may be a red luminescent one Contain luminescent substance. Fig. 3D shows a regular arrangement of these mica fibers with three fibers in three rows and alternating arrangement of the two types and alternating orientation in each case 45 ° to the vertical or horizontal inclined orientation. Fig. 3E shows a random arrangement with regard to the position and orientation of the mottled fibers of the two types. Fig. 3F again shows a regular arrangement of the mottled fibers of the two types, each with three Melierfasern in three rows and alternating arrangement of the two types, but each with parallel alignment to each other.

Fig. 4 11 shows further examples of arrangements of mottled fibers 220 in a surface field 210 on the surface 310 of a substrate 300:

Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C show surface fields 210 in various shapes located on a substrate surface 310. These surface fields each contain seven mottled fibers 220 of the same type (n = 7). In all cases, the mottled fibers in the field are randomly distributed in terms of their position and orientation. Fig. 4A shows a circular, Fig. 4B a rectangular and Fig. 4C a star-shaped surface field.

Fig. 4D FIG. 5 shows a surface panel 210 distributed on two surfaces 310, 310 'of a respective substrate 300, 300', which are spaced apart from each other, for example two tops of abutting polymer sheets. A first part 211 of the surface field 210 is located on the first substrate surface 310 and a second part 212 of the surface field 210 is on the second substrate surface 310 '. Both parts together form the surface field 210. In the surface field are a total of seven mottled fibers 220, 220 '(n = 7) in a random distribution in terms of their location, but not in terms of their orientation, since all mottled fibers are arranged parallel to each other. In the first part 211 of the surface field are four mottled fibers of a first type (n ₁ = 4) and in the second part 212 are three mottled fibers of a second type (n ₂ = 3). For verification of a document 100 formed with these substrates 300, 300 ', for example, it may simply be the case that there are seven mottled fibers in the entire surface field, but not how they are divided into the two subfields. Or the distribution of the mottled fibers on the two subfields is always observed as indicated, so that a deviation from this distribution would indicate a manipulation.

For applying the mottled fibers 220 to the surface 310 of a substrate 300, for example a polymer film piece 300 made of polycarbonate with a thickness of 80 microns, for example, has a format of 10 cm x 25 cm, this is placed on a conveyor belt 400 and in the specified transport direction T to a metering device 500 ( Fig. 5 ). The mottled fibers have, for example, on the outside a sheath 221 made of a hotmelt adhesive. Please refer to the comments on Fig. 1 directed. To ensure that the mottled fibers to be applied initially adhere to the polymer film piece when they are applied, it is preheated. For this purpose, a heating device 600, for example an IR emitter, is provided, under which the polymer film piece is arranged for a short time. For the subsequent application of the mottled fibers, the polymer film piece is then moved with the conveyor belt under the metering device and stopped there, so that all mottled fibers can be applied in the surface field 210 on the polymer film surface. Subsequently, the polymer film is conveyed by means of the conveyor belt so that it passes through a fixing device 700. The fixing device is formed, for example, by a hot press roll with which the hotmelt adhesive of the mottled fibers is melted and the fibers are fixed on the polymer film surface.

In Fig. 6 For example, the metering device 500 is shown during the application of a mica fiber 220 into a surface panel 210 on the polymer surface 310. The metering device is an extrusion head with several spinnerets, from which the material of the mottled fibers to be formed emerges in a molten state. To form mottled fibers consisting of a core 222 and a sheath 221 enclosing the core, the extrusion head comprises a plurality of spinnerets for the sheath material (polyamide 6) disposed about a central spinneret for the core material (polyamide 6.6) (not shown). By simultaneously squeezing both materials from the spinnerets a fiber material is formed, which is approximately the in Fig. 7 having shown fiber structure.

The molten material is pressed down in a filament 225 and cooled, so that the fiber mass passes from the molten to the solid state. The formed fiber filament passes on the polymer film surface 310 in the formation process and lies down with its filament end on this. In this case, due to the elevated temperature of the polymer film 300 in the contact area between the filament and the surface, the cladding 221 of the filament partially softens and thus slightly adheres to the surface at. After producing a sufficiently long filament, the down-hanging and partially already adherent filament portion is cut off by means of a separator 510 located a short distance below the extrusion head so that the filament portion can be laid onto the polymer film surface as a newly formed fiber 220. To place multiple mottled fibers in the same surface field 210 on the polymeric film surface, the extrusion head 500 is also movable parallel to the surface in the x and y directions R _h1 , R _h2 . This allows different positions within the surface field to be approached. In addition, this mobility of the head also serves to move the head during the mica fiber formation process, ie, during deposition of the filament portion on the surface, so that a given orientation of the fibers in the surface field can be realized.

Reference numerals:

100

ID card, document

101

Front side of the ID card

102

Field with personal data

103

Field with personal data

104

Field with personal data

200

safety feature

210

surface field

211

first part of the surface field

212

second part of the surface field

220

Mottled fibers, grit particles, mottled fibers of the first type

220 '

Grit particles, mottled fibers of the second type

221

wrapping

222

core

225

filament

300

Substrate, polymer film, polymer film piece

300 '

substratum

310

Substrate surface, polymer surfaces, polymer film surface

400

conveyor belt

500

Dosing device, extrusion head

510

separating device

600

heater

700

fixing

n

Number of mottling fibers, number of particles of grit

_i

Number of mottled fibers of a certain type

T

transport direction

R _h1

Direction of movement of the extrusion head

R _h2

Direction of movement of the extrusion head

Claims (12)

1. Set of a plurality of copies of a value and/or security product (100), comprising in each case a security feature (200), wherein the security feature (200) is formed by particles (220, 220') of a scattering material arranged on at least one surface (310) of at least one substrate (300), wherein at least one surface field (210) is formed on the at least one surface (310) of the at least one substrate (300), characterized in that the number (n) of particles (220, 220') in the at least one surface field (210) is predetermined in each case, and is therefore the same in all copies of the value and/or security product (100).
2. Set according to claim 1, characterised in that the particles of the scattering material are fibres (220, 220').
3. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the number (n) of the particles (220, 220') of the scattering material in the at least one surface field (210) is coded to provide an item of information.
4. Set according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that there are likewise particles (220, 220') of the scattering material outside the surface field (210) on the surface (310) of the substrate (300).
5. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the particles (220, 220') of the scattering material are arranged on the at least one surface (310) in the at least one surface field (210), which include at least two types of particles (220, 220'), of which in each case a predetermined number (n_i) are located in the at least one surface field (210).
6. Set according to claim 5, characterised in that different types of particles (220, 220') differ from one another by colours which are detectable by the human eye.
7. Set according to claim 6, characterised in that the colour of the particles (220, 220') which can be detected by the human eye can be produced by illuminating with electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum range and/or by excitation of the particles (220, 220') to luminescence.
8. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the particles (220, 220') of the scattering material comprise at least partially an adhesive on the outside.
9. Set according to claim 8, characterised in that the adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive.
10. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a value and/or security product (100), comprising the following method steps:

    (a) providing at least one substrate (300) with in each case at least one surface (310);

    (b) providing particles (220, 220') of a scattering product of at least one type;

    (c) application of the particles (220, 220') of the scattering product onto the at least one surface (310);

    characterised in that the particles (220, 220') of the scattering material are applied in each case in a predetermined number (n) in at least one surface field (210) onto the at least one surface (310).
11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the particles of the scattering product are fibres (220, 220').
12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the provision of particles (220, 220') of a scattering material of at least one type in accordance with method step (b) comprises the following:

    (b1) providing a filament (225) suitable for the production of fibres (220, 220');

    (b2) separation in each case of a fibre (220, 220') from the filament (225) for the application of the fibres (220, 220') in the surface field (210) onto a surface (310) of a substrate (300).

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