EP0119344A1 - Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anticopying paper therefor - Google Patents

Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anticopying paper therefor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0119344A1
EP0119344A1 EP83304762A EP83304762A EP0119344A1 EP 0119344 A1 EP0119344 A1 EP 0119344A1 EP 83304762 A EP83304762 A EP 83304762A EP 83304762 A EP83304762 A EP 83304762A EP 0119344 A1 EP0119344 A1 EP 0119344A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
document
light
millimicrons
information
wavelength
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP83304762A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0119344B1 (en
Inventor
Norman A. Gardner
Michael P. Voticky
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/475,791 external-priority patent/US4632429A/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AT83304762T priority Critical patent/ATE32274T1/en
Publication of EP0119344A1 publication Critical patent/EP0119344A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0119344B1 publication Critical patent/EP0119344B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
    • G03G21/04—Preventing copies being made of an original
    • G03G21/043—Preventing copies being made of an original by using an original which is not reproducible or only reproducible with a different appearence, e.g. originals with a photochromic layer or a colour background

Definitions

  • This invention relates to rendering documents resistant to photocopying, and inter alia provides an extremely novel and useful anti-photocopying paper.
  • a document has information appearing thereon with at least a portion of the information being located on a front face of the portion of the document, and the front face portion has a colour with a sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render the document portion substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information-readable manner, that is to say with the information having a similar low reflection spectral response, and said document portion being capable of transmitting visible light from the rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face thereof.
  • the reflection spectral response is advantageously substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons, preferably substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 650 millimicrons, and more preferably substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
  • the portion of the document carrying information which is not to be photocopied preferably has a transmission factor averaging 3% in the visible light range.
  • the transmission factor ranges from substantially zero for light with a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons.
  • the information will be in a substantially black relatively non-translucent colour.
  • the document is particularly resistant to photocopying since photocopiers require the document to have an adequate reflection spectral response for light of wavelengths to which the photocopier responds. Most photocopiers do not respond to light with a wavelength above about 625 millimicrons, and are most unlikely to respond to light with a wavelength above about 650 millimicrons. A document in accordance with the present invention therefore is very effectively resistant to photocopying.
  • a document in accordance with the present invention can be very easily read by means of visible light transmitted through the document from the rear.
  • the visible light may simply be daylight or other ambient light or may be a light which is specifically intended for reading a document in accordance with the present invention.
  • the low reflection spectral response may be provided by applying a suitable ink to a suitable paper or by applying a suitable pre-manufactured colour film to a suitable paper.
  • a document comprises a sheet of coloured paper having a transmission factor indicated by the line T and a reflection spectral response indicated by the line R.
  • Figure 1 also shows the typical spectral response of the human eye by the line E and a possible spectral response of a photocopier by the line P.
  • the line P indicates that the spectral response of the photocopier decreases to zero at a wavelength of about 650 millimicrons, with a cut-off at about 625 millimicrons, the term "cut-off" being usually applied to the wavelength at which the spectral response has fallen to less than about 10%.
  • the transmission factor T of the paper increases substantially linearly from zero at a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% at a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons, therefore averaging about 3% over the visible light range encompassed by the line E. Above the visible light range, the transmission factor increases substantially linearly to about 10% for light with a wavelength of about 1,000 millimicrons.
  • the reflection spectral response R is very low (substantially zero) below about 700 millimicrons, i.e. less than about 1%, and is also of this order at wavelengths above 700 millimicrons up to about 1,000 millimicrons.
  • the paper may for example be that sold by Kimberley Clark Corporation under the trade mark UV ULTRA II covered on the front face with matt finished "black” ink (such as produced by Cal/Ink Limited or Sinclair & Valentine Limited) to give the required transmission factor.
  • Information is then typed, printed or otherwise applied in black or similar dark colour on the front face of the paper so that it is relatively non-translucent.
  • Any kind of information may of course be applied, including printed, written or drawn text, graphs or illustrations.
  • the information may be applied to the paper by means of a photocopier from an original document which is not resistant to photocopying.
  • anti-photocopying paper in accordance with the invention will be used as the copy paper in a photocopying machine, with the result that the information will appear on the paper as baked black carbon deposits.
  • the photocopy will be unreadable because the information on the photocopy will not be distinguishable from the background. In other words, the photocopy will show the background in the same colour as the information since the reflection spectral response of the paper is substantially zero below about 700 millimicrons.
  • the document is illustrated from behind, either by positioning the document so that ambient daylight or artificial light or special artificial light passes therethrough from behind, the information can be easily read by the human eye when viewed from the front because the black or substantially black information will be sufficiently contrasting with the background which is lightened by the transmitted light.
  • Figure 2 shows the relative eye response when viewing the document.
  • Line 1 shows the eye response to viewing by light transmitted through the paper
  • line 2 shows the eye response to viewing by reflected incident light.
  • the transmitted light is easily seen in contrast to the information, particularly at wavelengths to which the human eye is most responsive as indicated by line E in Figure 1.
  • the eye With reflected light, the eye merely perceives the paper to be substantially black and substantially indistinguishable from the information.
  • the invention is of course applicable to any security documents, including lottery tickets, show and sports events tickets, postal and fiscal stamps, stock shares and bond certificates, credit cards, personal and bank cheques, travellers cheques and bank notes.

Abstract

© A document has information appearing thereon, with at least a portion of the information being located on a front face of a portion of the document. The front face portion has a colour with a sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render the document portion substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information-readable manner. The document portion is capable of transmitting visible light from the rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face.

Description

  • This invention relates to rendering documents resistant to photocopying, and inter alia provides an extremely novel and useful anti-photocopying paper.
  • The present day ready availability of photocopiers has given rise to the problem of rendering documents or portions thereof resistant to photocopying. It is now unduly easy for a person to make an unauthorized photocopy of a document carrying confidential information, unless the document is resistant to photocopying. Various attempts have been made to render documents resistant to photocopying by covering information on a document with a transparent film which permits the information to be seen by the human eye but which prevents an adequate photocopy being made. United States patents Nos. 3,887,742 and 4,118122 disclose proposals of this kind but for one reason or another, neither of these proposals provides a satisfactory solution to the problem of rendering documents resistant to photocopying.
  • Our United States patent application Serial-No. 443,819, filed November 23, 1982, discloses and claims (inter alia) an antiphotocopying paper which has substantial advantages over the prior art. The anti-photocopying paper which is the subject of United States patent application Serial No. 443,819 has a colour with a reflection spectral response of less than about 10% for light with a wavelength below about 600 millimicrons and yet which is sufficiently visually contrasting with information, when the information is typed thereon or otherwise applied thereto, to enable the information to be read by the human eye when the paper is viewed under white light.
  • We have now discovered an even more improved manner of rendering documents resistant to photocopying.
  • In accordance with this further invention, a document has information appearing thereon with at least a portion of the information being located on a front face of the portion of the document, and the front face portion has a colour with a sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render the document portion substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information-readable manner, that is to say with the information having a similar low reflection spectral response, and said document portion being capable of transmitting visible light from the rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face thereof.
  • The reflection spectral response is advantageously substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons, preferably substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 650 millimicrons, and more preferably substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
  • The portion of the document carrying information which is not to be photocopied preferably has a transmission factor averaging 3% in the visible light range. Advantageously, the transmission factor ranges from substantially zero for light with a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons. Usually, the information will be in a substantially black relatively non-translucent colour.
  • Thus, in accordance with the present invention, the document is particularly resistant to photocopying since photocopiers require the document to have an adequate reflection spectral response for light of wavelengths to which the photocopier responds. Most photocopiers do not respond to light with a wavelength above about 625 millimicrons, and are most unlikely to respond to light with a wavelength above about 650 millimicrons. A document in accordance with the present invention therefore is very effectively resistant to photocopying.
  • On the other hand, a document in accordance with the present invention can be very easily read by means of visible light transmitted through the document from the rear. The visible light may simply be daylight or other ambient light or may be a light which is specifically intended for reading a document in accordance with the present invention. The low reflection spectral response may be provided by applying a suitable ink to a suitable paper or by applying a suitable pre-manufactured colour film to a suitable paper.
  • One embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
    • Figure 1 is a graph showing the reflection spectral response and transmission factor of anti- photocopying paper in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and also showing the average spectral response of the human eye and a typical spectral response of a photocopier, and
    • Figure 2 is a graph showing the readability of information on the paper when viewed by means of reflected incident light and by means of transmitted light.
  • Referring first to Figure 1, a document comprises a sheet of coloured paper having a transmission factor indicated by the line T and a reflection spectral response indicated by the line R. Figure 1 also shows the typical spectral response of the human eye by the line E and a possible spectral response of a photocopier by the line P.
  • It will be noted that the line P indicates that the spectral response of the photocopier decreases to zero at a wavelength of about 650 millimicrons, with a cut-off at about 625 millimicrons, the term "cut-off" being usually applied to the wavelength at which the spectral response has fallen to less than about 10%.
  • The transmission factor T of the paper increases substantially linearly from zero at a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% at a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons, therefore averaging about 3% over the visible light range encompassed by the line E. Above the visible light range, the transmission factor increases substantially linearly to about 10% for light with a wavelength of about 1,000 millimicrons.
  • The reflection spectral response R is very low (substantially zero) below about 700 millimicrons, i.e. less than about 1%, and is also of this order at wavelengths above 700 millimicrons up to about 1,000 millimicrons.
  • The paper may for example be that sold by Kimberley Clark Corporation under the trade mark UV ULTRA II covered on the front face with matt finished "black" ink (such as produced by Cal/Ink Limited or Sinclair & Valentine Limited) to give the required transmission factor.
  • Information is then typed, printed or otherwise applied in black or similar dark colour on the front face of the paper so that it is relatively non-translucent. Any kind of information may of course be applied, including printed, written or drawn text, graphs or illustrations. Frequently, the information may be applied to the paper by means of a photocopier from an original document which is not resistant to photocopying. In such a case, anti-photocopying paper in accordance with the invention will be used as the copy paper in a photocopying machine, with the result that the information will appear on the paper as baked black carbon deposits.
  • If an attempt is made to photocopy the resultant document, the photocopy will be unreadable because the information on the photocopy will not be distinguishable from the background. In other words, the photocopy will show the background in the same colour as the information since the reflection spectral response of the paper is substantially zero below about 700 millimicrons.
  • On the other hand, if the document is illustrated from behind, either by positioning the document so that ambient daylight or artificial light or special artificial light passes therethrough from behind, the information can be easily read by the human eye when viewed from the front because the black or substantially black information will be sufficiently contrasting with the background which is lightened by the transmitted light.
  • Figure 2 shows the relative eye response when viewing the document. Line 1 shows the eye response to viewing by light transmitted through the paper, and line 2 shows the eye response to viewing by reflected incident light. When viewing by transmitted light, the transmitted light is easily seen in contrast to the information, particularly at wavelengths to which the human eye is most responsive as indicated by line E in Figure 1. With reflected light, the eye merely perceives the paper to be substantially black and substantially indistinguishable from the information.
  • The invention is of course applicable to any security documents, including lottery tickets, show and sports events tickets, postal and fiscal stamps, stock shares and bond certificates, credit cards, personal and bank cheques, travellers cheques and bank notes.
  • Other embodiments and examples of the invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

Claims (27)

1. A document having information appearing thereon, with at least a portion of the information being located on a front face of a portion of the document, said front face portion having a colour with a sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render said document portion substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information-readable manner, and said document portion being capable of transmitting visible light from the rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face thereof.
2. A document according to claim 1 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for -light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons
3. A document according to claim 1 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
4. A document according to claim 1 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
5. A document according to claim 1 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor ranging from substantially zero for light with a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons.
6. A document according to claim 1 wherein said information is of a substantially black relatively non-translucent colour, and said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons.
7. A document according to claim 6 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
8. A document according to claim 6 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
9. A document according to claim 8 wherein said transmission factor ranges from substantially zero for light with a wavelength about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength about 700 millimicrons.
10. A method of rendering a document with information thereon resistant to photocopying, said method comprising providing said information on a front face of a document having a colour with a sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render the document substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information-readable manner and which is capable of transmitting visible light from a rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contract between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face thereof.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons.
12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
13. A method according to claim 10 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
14. A method according to claim 10 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor ranging from substantially zero for light with a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons.
15. A method according to claim 10 wherein said information is of a substantially black relatively non-translucent colour.and said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons.
16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said transmission factor ranges from substantially zero for light with a wavelength about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength about 700 millimicrons.
19. Anti-photocopying paper having a front face having a colour with sufficiently low reflection spectral response to render the document substantially incapable of being photocopies in an information readable manner, after information has been typed or otherwise applied to said front face, and said paper being capable of transmitting visible light from a rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the relatively non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the document when visible light is transmitted through the document from the rear face to the front face thereof.
20. Paper according to claim 19 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons.
21. Paper according to claim 19 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
22. Paper according to claim 19 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
23. Paper according to claim 19 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor ranging from substantially zero for light with a wavelength of about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength of about 700 millimicrons.
24. Paper according to claim 19 wherein said information is of a substantially black relatively non-translucent colour, and said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons.
25. Paper according to claim 24 wherein said document portion has a transmission factor averaging about 3% in the visible light range.
26. Paper according to claim 24 wherein said reflection spectral response is substantially zero for light with a wavelength below about 700 millimicrons.
27. Paper according to claim 26 wherein said transmission factor ranges from substantially zero for light with a wavelength about 450 millimicrons to about 5% for light with a wavelength about 700 millimicrons.
EP83304762A 1983-03-16 1983-08-17 Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anticopying paper therefor Expired EP0119344B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT83304762T ATE32274T1 (en) 1983-03-16 1983-08-17 METHOD OF MAKING DOCUMENTS COPY-RESISTANT AND SUITABLE NON-COPY PAPER.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/475,791 US4632429A (en) 1981-05-25 1983-03-16 Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anti-copying paper therefor
US475791 1983-03-16

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0119344A1 true EP0119344A1 (en) 1984-09-26
EP0119344B1 EP0119344B1 (en) 1988-01-27

Family

ID=23889168

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83304762A Expired EP0119344B1 (en) 1983-03-16 1983-08-17 Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anticopying paper therefor

Country Status (12)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0119344B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS59174870A (en)
AT (1) ATE32274T1 (en)
AU (1) AU560208B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1214805A (en)
DE (1) DE3375527D1 (en)
DK (1) DK243283A (en)
FI (1) FI79671C (en)
HK (1) HK98688A (en)
NO (1) NO171099C (en)
NZ (1) NZ205794A (en)
ZA (1) ZA833659B (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4951163B2 (en) * 2008-07-03 2012-06-13 美津濃株式会社 Sports gloves

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3852088A (en) * 1972-03-20 1974-12-03 Ibm Security document system and method
FR2247067A5 (en) * 1973-10-04 1975-05-02 Arjomari Prioux Non-photocopiable security document - allows markings to be read by eye but reflects uniform light when illuminated
US3887742A (en) * 1972-04-13 1975-06-03 Richard E Reinnagel Copy resistant documents
GB2096055A (en) * 1979-09-17 1982-10-13 Auken John A Van Anti-copying systems for copying machines

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS55100587A (en) * 1979-01-29 1980-07-31 Toppan Printing Co Ltd Image forming material

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3852088A (en) * 1972-03-20 1974-12-03 Ibm Security document system and method
US3887742A (en) * 1972-04-13 1975-06-03 Richard E Reinnagel Copy resistant documents
FR2247067A5 (en) * 1973-10-04 1975-05-02 Arjomari Prioux Non-photocopiable security document - allows markings to be read by eye but reflects uniform light when illuminated
GB2096055A (en) * 1979-09-17 1982-10-13 Auken John A Van Anti-copying systems for copying machines

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0119344B1 (en) 1988-01-27
JPS59174870A (en) 1984-10-03
DK243283A (en) 1984-09-17
DE3375527D1 (en) 1988-03-03
NZ205794A (en) 1987-02-20
JPH0513318B2 (en) 1993-02-22
AU560208B2 (en) 1987-04-02
FI831891A0 (en) 1983-05-26
NO171099C (en) 1993-01-27
FI79671B (en) 1989-10-31
FI831891L (en) 1984-09-17
NO171099B (en) 1992-10-19
ATE32274T1 (en) 1988-02-15
HK98688A (en) 1988-12-16
DK243283D0 (en) 1983-05-30
AU1811083A (en) 1984-09-20
NO831896L (en) 1984-09-17
ZA833659B (en) 1984-10-31
CA1214805A (en) 1986-12-02
FI79671C (en) 1990-02-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4632429A (en) Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anti-copying paper therefor
US5704651A (en) Counterfeit resistant documents and methods
US5403040A (en) Optically variable and machine-readable device for use on security documents
AU2003293901A1 (en) Security element for valuable documents
US4281921A (en) Plural color anti-copying systems for xerographic and electrostatic copying machines
EP0119344A1 (en) Method of rendering documents resistant to photocopying and anticopying paper therefor
GB1574614A (en) Security sheet material
NO171100B (en) DOCUMENT PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION AND RESPONSIBLE FOR PHOTOCOPYING
US7625613B2 (en) Copy-resistant security paper
FI80638C (en) DOCUMENT, FOERFARANDE FOER FOERHINDRANDE AV FOTOKOPIERING AV DOKUMENTET OCH FOER FOTOKOPIERING OLAEMPLIGT PAPPER.
JPH07101190A (en) Forgery proof forms
JPH06187523A (en) Information recording medium
GB2096055A (en) Anti-copying systems for copying machines
EP0601640B1 (en) Identification document
JP2001353952A (en) Printing medium and printed matter having forgery preventing properties
JPH0458033B2 (en)
EP1087329A2 (en) Document with a region protected by a masking layer
JP3606486B2 (en) Pressure sensitive copy slip
JPH10133581A (en) Forgery preventive seal
EP0539974A1 (en) Method for preventing color copying of documents
IL103519A (en) Low contrast color combination for preventing copying via color photocopying
JPH07195873A (en) Slip for fax-ocr
JPH06102797A (en) Copy impossible system for copying machine
IT1278046B1 (en) Wire or safety insert to prevent photocopying of paper for banknotes (security paper) and documents in general
JPS63311288A (en) Method for preventing recopying in black-and-white

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI LU NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19850306

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19860225

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: ST. ASSOC. MARIETTI & PIPPARELLI

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI LU NL SE

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 32274

Country of ref document: AT

Date of ref document: 19880215

Kind code of ref document: T

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 3375527

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19880303

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
ITTA It: last paid annual fee
PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: AT

Payment date: 19920814

Year of fee payment: 10

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Payment date: 19920821

Year of fee payment: 10

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CH

Payment date: 19920824

Year of fee payment: 10

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 19920831

Year of fee payment: 10

Ref country code: BE

Payment date: 19920831

Year of fee payment: 10

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Payment date: 19921125

Year of fee payment: 10

EPTA Lu: last paid annual fee
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19930817

Ref country code: AT

Effective date: 19930817

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Effective date: 19930818

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LI

Effective date: 19930831

Ref country code: CH

Effective date: 19930831

Ref country code: BE

Effective date: 19930831

BERE Be: lapsed

Owner name: VOTICHY MICHAEL P.

Effective date: 19930831

Owner name: GARDNER NORMAN A.

Effective date: 19930831

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Effective date: 19940301

NLV4 Nl: lapsed or anulled due to non-payment of the annual fee
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

EUG Se: european patent has lapsed

Ref document number: 83304762.4

Effective date: 19940310

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20010801

Year of fee payment: 19

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20010802

Year of fee payment: 19

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20010803

Year of fee payment: 19

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20020817

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20030301

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20020817

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20030430

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST