DE102010014866B4 - Method for generating at least one security feature in a flat substrate and security or value document - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for producing at least one security feature in a flat substrate (1), comprising the following method steps: (a) Generation of n groups of recesses (2) in at least one area on at least one side of the flat substrate (1) and / or n groups of openings (3) in at least one area of the flat substrate (1), where n is an integer greater than 1, and thereafter (b) filling the recesses (2) of the n groups of recesses (2) and / or the openings (3) the n groups of apertures (3) with a filler (4) such that a flat surface is formed on each side of the flat substrate (1) provided with the recesses (2) and / or apertures (3) in the filling material (4) of each group of recesses (2) and / or each group of openings (3) there is at least one marking substance which is different from the marking substances of every other group of recesses (2) and / or each other group of openings (3) is different, and wherein the filling material (4) and the material of the flat substrate (1) are formed of the same base polymer and the flat substrate (1) contains none of the marking substances.

Description

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to a method for producing at least one security feature in a flat substrate as well as a security or value document in which the security feature according to the invention is located. The security or value document may be, for example, a passport, identity card, driver's license, ID card, credit card, bank card, cash card or customer card.

Background of the Invention and Related Art:

From the prior art, it is known to integrate different security features in a security or value document in order to prevent or at least considerably complicate the imitation or falsification of the document. Such security features are produced for example with special markers, such as fluorescent pigments or optically variable dyes (OVI), or with special techniques, for example using mottled fibers, by printing micro-writing, the generation of a register printing or the production of a see-through window. By combining several such techniques, the imitation or falsification is already considerably more difficult.

For example, in DE 10 2006 051 524 A1 describes a security element comprising a substrate having a recess penetrating the substrate, an imprint on the substrate adjacent to the recess, and a visually verifiable security feature, wherein the imprint and the recess together contribute to an information-conveying indicia or pattern. The security feature provides a self-reversible color impression that is variable by an external stimulus, and is arranged to obscure the information-conveying character or pattern without the external stimulus and to facilitate visual recognition of the information-conveying character or pattern under the influence of the external stimulus. For example, an external stimulus in the document is a physical stimulus, such as temperature. In one example, a plurality of recesses are formed in the substrate adjacent to multiple pressure areas, which together give the number "20". Above is a film with applied color printing, for example with a thermochromic pigment.

In DE 199 34 434 A1 is a value and security product described with micro-channels, which may be introduced at different angles to the surface of the value and security document. The microchannels can be filled with different media. The filling can be formed gaseous, powdery, solid continuous or partially filled. For example, the microchannels can be filled with solid and gaseous media. The filling can consist of safety-relevant substances, for example gaseous detectable substances, fluorescent or luminescent substances (gases or solids) and magnetizable substances. In examples, several microchannels are in the form of an 'A' or in the form of a 'B'. At least one of the surfaces of the security and value document may be covered by a foil under which the microchannels are located.

In US 6,328,342 B1 a tape-shaped data carrier for protecting objects and documents against counterfeiting and copying is disclosed. The data carrier is formed by at least one polymer layer, of which at least one has through holes. The through-holes may be filled with various materials, for example luminescent material.

WO 00/43216 A1 relates to a tamper-resistant document having a security feature in the form of patterned holes, at least some of which pass only partially through the document. The documentary material allows light only to a limited extent.

However, there is always a need for previously unknown security features to prevent the imitation and falsification as possible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel security feature for a security or value document which can not be reproduced by an imitator or forger or only extremely difficult to reproduce.

Description of the invention:

Insofar as the term "flat substrate" is used below in the description and the claims, it is to be understood as an object which has two main sides which are opposite one another and are preferably arranged parallel to one another, whose spacing is substantially less than the length of the edges of the main sides , A flat substrate consists in particular of a film, a paper, a composite material of film and / or paper or a card-shaped document.

Insofar as the term "film" is used below in the description and in the claims, this usually means a flexible semi-finished product made of an organic polymer or a ceramic material. Under an organic polymer are basically silicones to understand. Typically, a film consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), blends of these polymers and glass-polymer composite films. The film may also consist of a composite material of several of the aforementioned materials or a mixture of the aforementioned materials. Furthermore, a foil is also to be understood as meaning metal foils and metallized plastic foils. For example, banknotes are made of special paper. The film thickness is usually in the range of 20 microns to 1 mm. The film can be part of a security or value document or, alternatively, be independent and dependent on other document components.

Insofar as the term "paper" is used below in the description and in the claims, it is to be understood as a paper which usually consists of a fiber composite. Papers can be coated and are then generally referred to as coated papers. By this is meant, for example, a metallized paper.

Insofar as the term "security or value document" is used below in the description and in the claims, this typically refers to a passport, identity card, driver's license, ID card, credit card, bank card, cash card or customer card, which consists of a layer network , For example, from a polymer layer composite produced. For example, the layer composite may typically be a composite of polymer layers, which may optionally also contain layers of other materials, for example of cardboard, paper, textiles, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, or so-called prepregs.

Insofar as the term "marking substance" is used below in the description and in the claims, it is to be understood as meaning a substance which, owing to its physical properties, can be distinguished from a matrix in which it is located, for example because of its light absorption, luminescence , magnetic properties, electrical properties or reflectivity, wherein the aforementioned properties may also depend on other factors influencing, for example, the ambient temperature (thermochromic markers) or the light incidence angle (OVI).

The above object is achieved by a method for generating at least one security feature in a flat substrate and by a security or value document in which the security feature is located. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

• (a) Erzeugen von jeweils n Gruppen von Ausnehmungen in mindestens einem Bereich auf mindestens einer Seite des flachen Substrates und/oder n Gruppen von Durchbrechungen in mindestens einem Bereich des flachen Substrates, wobei n eine ganze Zahl größer als 1 ist; und danach
• (b) Ausfüllen der Ausnehmungen der n Gruppen von Ausnehmungen und/oder der Durchbrechungen der n Gruppen von Durchbrechungen mit einem Füllmaterial, sodass eine ebene Oberfläche auf jeder der mit den Ausnehmungen und/oder Durchbrechungen versehenen Seite des flachen Substrats gebildet wird, wobei sich in dem Füllmaterial jeder Gruppe von Ausnehmungen und/oder jeder Gruppe von Durchbrechungen jeweils mindestens ein Markierungsstoff befindet, der von den Markierungsstoffen jeder anderen Gruppe von Ausnehmungen und/oder jeder anderen Gruppe von Durchbrechungen verschieden ist, und wobei das Füllmaterial und das Material des flachen Substrats aus demselben Basispolymer gebildet sind und das flache Substrat keinen der Markierungsstoffe enthält.

The method according to the invention comprises the following method steps:

• (a) generating in each case n groups of recesses in at least one area on at least one side of the flat substrate and / or n groups of openings in at least one area of the flat substrate, where n is an integer greater than 1; and then
• (b) filling the recesses of the n groups of recesses and / or the perforations of the n groups of openings with a filling material such that a planar surface is formed on each side of the flat substrate provided with the recesses and / or openings, wherein the filling material of each group of recesses and / or each group of openings is in each case at least one marking substance which is different from the marking substances of any other group of recesses and / or any other group of openings, and wherein the filling material and the material of the flat substrate are made the same base polymer are formed and the flat substrate does not contain any of the markers.

As a recess is here to be understood a recess which is open only to one side of the flat substrate, while an opening has connections to both sides of the flat substrate. The recesses may be perpendicular to the surface of the flat substrate or at an angle other than 90 °, i. obliquely, be introduced into the substrate. In particular, different recesses can be introduced at different angles. The advantage of this is that the recesses can be observed with appropriate selection of the filling material from different angles.

The security feature is thus formed by, for example, filling recesses and / or apertures formed in a pattern in the flat substrate with a filling material so that the solid film body is restored after the recesses have been formed. Through the backfilling results a visually perceptible effect at the places where the filled with the filling material recesses are located. An optically perceptible effect already results if, for example, only minimal differences between the composition of the filling material and the material of the flat substrate are established, so that, for example, the color (pigmentation) of the two materials and / or their transparency differ. By a difference of the compositions, for example, a different reflectivity, different roughness, a different gloss or a different refractive index can result. An optically perceivable effect can also be produced by an optically perceivable interface between the filler material and the material of the flat substrate within the recess. This interface can be recognized by a user if at least one of the materials is transparent or at least translucent.

According to the invention, therefore, preferably information is introduced by means of targeted formation of recesses in the flat substrate and subsequent filling of the recesses with the filling material. As a result, information, for example transmitted light information, can be created without a recess in the material. A major advantage of this type of security feature is its great freedom of design, since in the filling of the recesses serving filling material markers can be mixed. These additional marking substances can further secure the document so that the filling material deviates from the material of the document body, in particular with regard to the material properties.

Another advantage of this novel security feature is that the information introduced by depressions, for example, be protected from contamination. In addition, the mechanical and performance characteristics of the document are improved by the filling of the recesses.

For example, the novel security feature may be incorporated into a film or paper sheet if it is self-contained and independent of other components of a security or value document, that is, only a flat substrate in isolation. In an alternative procedure, for example, the film or the paper sheet may already be integrated into a layer composite from which, for example, a security or value document is to be formed if the security feature is formed in accordance with the invention. In the latter case, the flat substrate is located on one of the outer sides of the already existing layer composite. Otherwise, the recesses could not be placed in the flat substrate and the recesses would not be refilled afterwards. If the flat substrate, for example a film or a paper sheet, is to be arranged inside in the finished security or value document, the recesses are formed and refilled before the laminate is laminated with further layers above the flat substrate with the security feature according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in method step (a), material is removed from the flat substrate, or the film material is displaced. In particular, a laser ablation method, a laser cutting method, a stamping method, a milling method, a chemical etching method or a combination of these methods can be considered as a method for removing material. In principle, however, other methods can also be used. As a method for displacing material is used in particular an embossing process, an engraving process, for example using a thermal needle, or a combination of these methods and optionally also another method.

After the formation of the recesses, the recesses are backfilled according to the invention with the filling material. For this purpose, especially a conventional printing method or a dosing can be applied. For example, planographic printing, high-pressure, gravure printing, through-printing, doctoring, but also other methods come into consideration as the printing process. For a dosing process, a dispenser may be used, for example with a microsyringe process. Furthermore, a digital printing method can be used, for example, inkjet printing. For example, with the aid of the ink-jet printing method, individual recesses can be selectively controlled and, above all, filled with preferably in each case different additives which, for example, have different luminescence properties. The processes can also be combined so that, for example, the recesses are first partially filled with inkjet and then completely filled in, for example by doctoring.

Under certain circumstances, a mask, for example a thin protective film or a thin sheet with suitable perforations at the pressure points, which allows a targeted filling of the recesses and / or openings, even in a coarse printing method can be used.

For filling the recesses, for example, a curable polymer can be used as the filling material. This polymer can for example, an acrylic polymer or a methacrylic polymer. The polymer may be thermosetting. It is preferred if the polymer is UV-curing.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, a first group of recesses is filled in and a second group of recesses is not filled. Particularly preferably, the second group of recesses are perforations.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the recesses are filled in such a way that an angle results between the surface of the film and / or the surface of the filling so that the surface of the film and / or the paper and the surface of the backfilling are not in one plane and not parallel to each other.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the curable polymer is transparent or translucent in the visible spectral range.

Furthermore, an adhesive can also be used to fill in the recesses and / or perforations as filling material. This may be useful if the adhesion between the flat substrate and a layer laminated with the substrate, for example a polymer layer, is low, because at the interface between the flat substrate and the layer, for example, a large-area print layer, for example an offset Printing layer, or for example an internal diffractive element, such as an alphagram from Hologram Industries, or an internal light image, which is produced, inter alia, by means of laser engraving or inkjet. Such a layer composite typically suffers from low adhesive strength, so that the individual layers can be relatively easily separated from one another by a counterfeiter and, for example, a photographic image can be exchanged. By using an adhesive as a filler in the recesses, the adhesion between the flat substrate and the further layer can be significantly improved. Thus, by using an adhesive as filling material, on the one hand, a security feature can be formed, and on the other hand, it can be prevented that the layers are easily separable from one another. For example, a separation of a security element used for personalization can be made considerably more difficult in this way.

Alternatively, the filler can also consist of a polymer which is not an adhesive, but is, for example, a curable polymer, and which contains an adhesive as an additive.

According to the present invention, the at least one recess and / or the at least one opening is filled by the filling material in such a way that a flat surface is formed on each of the sides of the flat substrate provided with the at least one recess and / or at least one opening that is, the recess created by the recess is completely removed from the filler, so that the surface no longer has any unevenness. In this case, there are no haptic effects. However, apparently no material has been removed or a deformation made, so that the security feature is not readily apparent. If the composition of the filling material differs from that of the flat substrate, however, the filled recess can readily be visually perceived. For this reason, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filling material may differ from the material of the flat substrate, in particular by at least one physical and / or chemical property, for example by color, refractive index, density or luminescence. According to the invention, the filling material and the material of the film and / or of the paper have an identical base polymer, and the filling material additionally has a marking substance. The marker, for example, is a dye, a luminescent substance or a substance which increases the refractive index of the base polymer.

Information generated by the novel security element may be either personalized or individualized or identical for all documents of one type. Individualized information is, for example, the coding of a specific value of a value document or the coding of the output country in an identity document. Personalization and customization can be generated, for example, with the help of a laser (laser engraving or laser-generated blackening in the film material).

The presentable with the novel security feature information, for example, images, including photographs, and coats of arms, also alphanumeric strings, for example in the form of texts or sequences of numbers or mixed letters and numbers and / or other strings, barcodes, hatching, guilloches, hidden information to be latent images and microfilm.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of recesses are produced which have different depths, different diameters and / or different geometries. Under geometry of the recess is understood their three-dimensional shape. Its possible geometries are exemplified: calotte shape, cylindrical shape or conical shape. For example, if the flat substrate is made of a transparent material, the filling material can be seen in the different deep recesses in the flat substrate, so that the filling can be registered at different depths. Alternatively, differently deep, filled recesses can be registered, for example, even if the filling material is transparent, but the material of the flat substrate is not. In this case, the different thickness of the material layers of the flat substrate between the recesses and the opposite side of the flat substrate can be registered by their different light transmittance.

According to the invention, the filling material used to fill each group of recesses and / or each group of openings contains at least one marking substance, in order to be able to recognize distortions on the incorporated information or to secure a document part via the method according to the invention. As a result, for example, optically recognizable information can be integrated into the flat substrate, for example by mixing a luminescent dye into the filler, so that the flat substrate, upon irradiation with excitation light for the luminescent dye, such as UV-C light, represents a luminescence pattern of the filled recesses. Incidentally, if the filler has the same composition as the material of the flat substrate, the filled recesses are not readily recognizable, as long as the dye is not excited or the luminescent light is in a spectral range that can only be detected with technical aids, for example in the IR range. or UV range.

Other types of markers which may be present in the filler are, for example, color pigments or dyes, white pigments, black pigments, laser-sensitive fillers, mottled fibers and optically variable inks or inks. In a filler, a marker may be included. However, these markers in a filler can of course also be combined with each other. They are used depending on the type of security feature desired.

According to the invention n groups of recesses and / or openings are generated, where n is an integer greater than 1. In this case, each group of the n groups of recesses and / or openings is filled with a filling material, in each of which there is at least one marking substance which is different from the at least one marking substance of every other group of recesses and / or openings. As a result, complex information can be generated that can only be visualized with suitable observation technology. For example, two interpenetrating patterns of filled recesses can be generated which contain luminescent luminescent dyes in different spectral ranges. For example, if one luminescent dye produces a red luminescence and the other a green luminescence, under appropriate conditions, patterns can be visualized that would not be detectable using a single luminescent dye.

Advantageously, at least some of the recesses and / or some of the apertures together form one or more pieces of information. For example, a plurality of recesses may be arranged in a dot matrix to each other, which together represent a photograph of the document holder. However, the dot pattern coding the light image may also be part of the entire dot matrix, so that two groups of recesses are formed, of which one group can be made visible, for example via a luminescent dye. According to another example, a plurality of line-shaped recesses may be formed and refilled, which are arranged in the form of guilloches. In the same way, surface elements can also be arranged in a suitable form relative to one another so that, for example, a country emblem or the value of a banknote is displayed in a numerical representation or as a barcode. With the method according to the invention, it is also possible to produce penetrating patterns that can be visualized either under identical detection conditions or under different detection conditions. The information can be combined with each other.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the information or the information is or are machine-readable. The person skilled in the art is known for this purpose suitable display systems.

Once the novel security feature is made, the flat substrate provided with the security feature can be laminated with at least one further film, for example with an overlay film (protective film), which is preferably transparent or translucent. Alternatively or additionally, a preferably transparent or translucent lacquer layer can also be applied to the flat substrate. In still further embodiments, the flat substrate may also be coated with an Identigram with or without diffractive elements. This can be achieved that the filling of the recesses not worn or one is exposed to harmful influence, for example, by solvents.

The security or value document according to the invention has a flat substrate, the flat substrate having in each case according to the invention a recess in at least one area on at least one side of the flat substrate and / or opening in at least one area of the flat substrate. The at least one recess and / or the at least one opening are filled according to the invention with a filling material.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the figures described below:

1 shows a schematic representation of the process steps of the invention;

2 shows a confrontation of an apertured document, which are filled (a), and an apertured document, which are not filled (b), in incident light illumination with white light;

3 Figure 12 shows a confrontation of an apertured document filled (a) and an apertured document which are unfilled (b) in transmitted light illumination with UV;

4 Figure 11 shows a confrontation of an apertured document filled (a) and an apertured document which are unfilled (b) in incident illumination with UV-A;

5 Figure 11 shows a confrontation of an apertured document filled (a) and an apertured document not filled (b) in incident illumination with UV-B.

Like reference numerals in the figures indicate like elements.

In 1 is the inventive method for producing the novel security feature in a film 1 shown schematically in three consecutive process steps. In process step (a), the film is present. It is for example a PET film with a thickness of 40 microns. With a laser targeted different depths recesses 2a . 2 B . 2c and two through holes passing through the film 3a . 3b introduced (process step (b)). Subsequently, these recesses are backfilled with a printing process. This is a filler 4a . 4b based on an acrylate polymer that is UV-curable and each contains a marker, filled in the recesses and openings: the recesses 2a . 2 B . 2c contain a first luminescent dye in the filler 4a , which upon excitation with UV light, a visible luminescence, for example in green color, and the openings 3a . 3b a second luminescent dye in the filler 4b which emits luminescence in the IR region when excited by visible light.

In an alternative embodiment it is assumed that the material of the film 1 made of white opaque PET and the filling material 4 made of transparent acrylate polymer. In this case, the breakthroughs 3a . 3b when viewed in transmitted light readily visible while the recesses 2a . 2 B . 2c barely visible. If the filler material in this case is filled with a fluorescent dye, light passing through the film could excite this dye, so that the recesses would glow in the color of the fluorescent light.

2 is a detail of a security document shown under incident light illumination with white light. Approximately in the middle of the cutout are punched out, which represent a sequence of numbers. In the right-hand illustration (b), the cut-outs are unfilled in a conventional manner. In the left-hand illustration (a), the punches are filled with a UV-cured acrylate polymer containing a luminescent marker in the visible spectral region. There is no different visual impression.

In 3 is the in 2 shown section of the security document under illumination with UV light in transmitted light and view in the visible spectral range shown. The unfilled cutouts (b) are only slightly recognizable. In contrast, the punched holes (b) filled in the manner according to the invention are easily recognizable because the marking material in the filler material luminesces under UV excitation. The number sequence can therefore be read easily.

In 4 is the same section as in the previous examples according to 2 . 3 shown with unfilled (b) or filled (a) punched out. In this case, the security document was illuminated with UV-A incident light and examined in the visible spectral range. While the number sequence in the case of unfilled punched out are virtually unrecognizable, it is very well readable by the luminescence of the marker contained in the filler in the punchings.

5 again shows the same section of the security document as the previous ones 2 . 3 . 4 , In this case, the security document was illuminated with UV-B incident light and examined in the visible spectral range. Similar to the case of 4 the sequence of digits is virtually invisible in the case of unfilled punch-outs (b), while the filled-out impressions (a) are visible, albeit the numerical sequence is UV-B due to the lower extinction of the marker present in the filler in the punches Range is less readable in the UV-A range.

Claims (13)

Method for generating at least one security feature in a flat substrate ( 1 ), comprising the following method steps: (a) generating in each case n groups of recesses ( 2 ) in at least one area on at least one side of the flat substrate ( 1 ) and / or n groups of breakthroughs ( 3 ) in at least one region of the flat substrate ( 1 ), where n is an integer greater than 1, and thereafter (b) filling in the recesses ( 2 ) of the n groups of recesses ( 2 ) and / or the openings ( 3 ) of the n groups of openings ( 3 ) with a filling material ( 4 ), so that a flat surface on each of the recesses ( 2 ) and / or perforations ( 3 ) provided side of the flat substrate ( 1 ) is formed, wherein in the filler material ( 4 ) each group of recesses ( 2 ) and / or each group of openings ( 3 ) is at least one tag which is different from the tag of each other group of recesses ( 2 ) and / or any other group of openings ( 3 ), and wherein the filler material ( 4 ) and the material of the flat substrate ( 1 ) are formed from the same base polymer and the flat substrate ( 1 ) contains none of the markers. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of recesses ( 2 ), which have different depths, different diameters and / or different geometries. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that (to fill the recesses 2 ) and / or perforations ( 3 ) a curable polymer as filler material ( 4 ) is used. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the curable polymer in the visible spectral range is transparent or translucent. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in method step (b) a printing or metering method is used. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that when performing the printing or dosing process for accurate filling of the recesses ( 2 ) and / or perforations ( 3 ) a mask is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in method step (a) a method for removing material or a method for displacing material is used. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the method for removing material is a laser ablation method, a laser cutting method, a stamping method, a milling method, a chemical etching method or a combination of these methods. Method according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the method for displacing material is an embossing method, an engraving method or a combination of these methods. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some of the recesses ( 2 ) and / or perforations ( 3 ) together form one or more information. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the information or the information is machine-readable / are. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flat substrate provided with the at least one security feature ( 1 ) is laminated with at least one other film. Security or value document comprising a flat substrate ( 1 ), wherein the flat substrate ( 1 ) each n groups of recesses ( 2 ) in at least one area on at least one side of the flat substrate ( 1 ) and / or n groups of breakthroughs ( 3 ) in at least one region of the flat substrate ( 1 ), where n is an integer greater than 1, wherein the recesses ( 2 ) and / or the openings ( 3 ) with a filling material ( 4 ) are filled so that a flat surface on each of the with the recesses ( 2 ) and / or perforations ( 3 ) provided side of the flat substrate ( 1 ) is formed, and wherein in the filler material ( 4 ) of each group of Recesses ( 2 ) and / or each group of openings ( 3 ) is at least one tag which is different from the tag of each other group of recesses ( 2 ) and / or any other group of openings ( 3 ), and wherein the filler material ( 4 ) and the material of the flat substrate ( 1 ) are formed from the same base polymer and the flat substrate ( 1 ) contains none of the markers.

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