EP0615489B1 - Impression sur films plastiques - Google Patents

Impression sur films plastiques Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0615489B1
EP0615489B1 EP92924796A EP92924796A EP0615489B1 EP 0615489 B1 EP0615489 B1 EP 0615489B1 EP 92924796 A EP92924796 A EP 92924796A EP 92924796 A EP92924796 A EP 92924796A EP 0615489 B1 EP0615489 B1 EP 0615489B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plastics film
document
layer
plastics
particulate
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92924796A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0615489A1 (fr
Inventor
Mark Jennings
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
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Individual
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Publication date
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Publication of EP0615489A1 publication Critical patent/EP0615489A1/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
    • B41M5/0256—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet the transferable ink pattern being obtained by means of a computer driven printer, e.g. an ink jet or laser printer, or by electrographic means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M1/00—Inking and printing with a printer's forme
    • B41M1/26—Printing on other surfaces than ordinary paper
    • B41M1/30—Printing on other surfaces than ordinary paper on organic plastics, horn or similar materials

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to printing and more particularly, though not exclusively, to the printing of plastics to produce documents which are harder to copy; it also relates to the construction of the document produced, intermediate products made, and their methods of manufacture.
  • the colourants used can be removed from plastics by the use of solvents such as acetone, thereby leaving the documents open to alteration.
  • solvents such as acetone
  • attempts have been made to bond a further plastics layer over the printed layer thereby enclosing the ink.
  • Two major problems have, however, become apparent. Firstly, it has been found that plastics, for example, PVC or polyester/polyethylene film will not fully bond to itself or each other where one or the other has been coloured with an ink or dye stuff.
  • the present invention can be used to provide products which substantially do not bleed or which bleed at controlled rates.
  • a process for printing a plastics film comprising printing a colourant onto a layer of particulate or colloidal material, which material is releasably bound to a backing; transferring the colourant onto a first plastics film by placing the first plastics film over the printed layer and subjecting the plastics film and printed layer to a substantially constant heat, and removing the backing characterised in that the particulate or colloidal material has a particle size of from 5 to 0.006 ⁇ m (microns).
  • the particulate or colloidal material is inorganic.
  • a second plastics film is bonded to the first plastics film, thereby encapsulating the colourant in the plastics.
  • the plastics film is a polyester film coated with polyethylene, such as that purchased from Morane (Banbury, U.K.) under the trade name Morafast.
  • plastics such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride may be used, but the ink can be removed with acetone.
  • the bonding properties of polyethylene make it preferred and the ink is, after bonding, unaffected by acetone.
  • the ink or dye is transferred to the polyethylene coated surface.
  • the colourant used may be any ink or dye but the following are preferred: diethylene glycol based ink using food dyes as colourants.
  • the material of a particulate or colloidal nature is preferably silica, a sand, silicon, clay or chalk.
  • Silica is most preferred and is referred to throughout the remainder of the specification, although the above alternatives can be used also.
  • the particles are provided in a coating with latex (e.g. PVA) or starch.
  • latex e.g. PVA
  • starch e.g. PVA
  • the backing is a dense paper exceeding 80 gm -2 (gms per square metre) to avoid tearing when the paper is removed, although other materials could be used.
  • the paper has a low level of loose fibres or no loose fibres. Parchment paper is preferred and is produced by dipping paper in conc. H 2 SO 4 and then washing.
  • the colourant or ink can be applied by hand, or by machine.
  • Suitable machines include, for example, computer controlled printers, dot matrix, laser and ink jet printers or printing plates etc, but ink jet printers are preferred.
  • the ink can be transferred to the plastics film by bringing the plastics film into contact with the surface of the material having a particulate nature, which material has been printed over, and subjecting it to a constant heat. This can be done by passing the two layers through a standard laminator. The temperature required will depend on the plastics used and the thickness of the sheets.
  • the backing layer usually paper
  • the backing layer can then be peeled off, with washing and scrubbing if necessary, to leave a printed plastics sheet which has absorbed the ink. Consequently, it is more difficult to remove the inks by the use of solvents than with conventionally printed plastics.
  • printed plastics can also be bonded to a further plastic sheet to encapsulate the ink or dye making the product "tamper proof". This is of particular importance in documents of a security nature.
  • a printed plastics document obtainable by the above specified process and wherein a second plastics film is laminated to the first plastics film to encapsulate the colourant and the layer of particulate or colloidal material having a particle size of from 5 to 0.006 ⁇ m (microns).
  • the particle size of most or substantially all the particles is from 5 microns to 0.006 ⁇ m (microns) in diameter, more preferably from 1 ⁇ m to 0.006 ⁇ m.
  • the particle size can be determined by passing particles through a graded series of sieves and determining which sieves the particles will or will not pass through.
  • the plastics film used may be formed from any of the plastics hereinbefore mentioned, but the preferred plastics film is a polyester/polyethylene laminate.
  • the layer of particles is formed on the polyethylene side of the laminate.
  • the layer of particulate or colloidal material preferably should not be exposed to an atmosphere of above 40% humidity for any lengthy period of time (e.g. not for longer than 20 minutes).
  • the second plastics film should then be laminated to the first plastics film at a temperature of at or above 177°C (350°F). This also applies to the silica, plastics layers and/or paper prior to being used for a product intended not to bleed.
  • the said layer preferably should be exposed to an atmosphere of above 40% humidity (e.g. 40 to 80% humidity).
  • the first plastics film can be subjected to a very fine water mist. Desirably the layer takes in no further moisture from the atmosphere.
  • the second plastics film then desirably is laminated to the first at a temperature at or below 177°C (350°F).
  • a mark akin to a "water mark” can be introduced.
  • the mark as it is hereafter referred may be produced as follows:
  • a sheet of paper preferably with a weight in excess of 80 g/m 2 , but lower weights can be used, and having coated thereon fine particles of silica has a design embossed thereon using a metal die or other means for embossing paper.
  • the impression is made on the coated side so that the coated side is depressed, although it will work, though less effectively, the other way round.
  • the embossed sheet is then placed, particle side down over a first plastics sheet and the two sheets are passed through a laminator in the same way as has been described with reference to the transfer of inks from the coated sheet.
  • the backing paper is then removed, and when a second plastics film is bonded to the first film, a mark is visible which mark contains no inks and does not appear to the hand to be raised or lowered in the end product.
  • a sheet comprising a parchment paper backing and having thereon a layer of silica, has a design printed on the silica layer.
  • the inks or dyes used are standard printing dyes and the design is applied by a computer controlled printer, printing plate or other means.
  • a part of the coated surface is raised by embossing the paper with a metal die having a raised design thereon.
  • the printed sheet is then covered, for example, with a 100 ⁇ m (microns) thick polyester plastics sheet with a 16 ⁇ m (micron) thick polyethylene coat on at least one side, so that the polyethylene coat faces the silica coated surface of the printed sheet.
  • the two are heated to a temperature at which the polyethylene melts sufficiently to take up ink.
  • this temperature will desirably be between 32°C (90°F) and 60°C (140°F), preferably about 38°C (about 100°F) and can be achieved by passing the respective sheets through, for example, a pouch or role laminator.
  • the polyester sheet is preferably above 30, e.g.
  • the polyethylene coat is preferably from 12, e.g., up to 20 ⁇ m (microns)thick. It is desirable that the heat applied is constant and that sufficient pressure is exerted to expel any air from between the sheets.
  • the backing paper is then removed. Generally it can be peeled off, but if it is well stuck down it can be soaked and scrubbed as necessary.
  • the raised parts caused the polyethylene to be "pushed out” as the paper was laminated to the plastics.
  • the paper having been removed, and laminated a distinctive mark is left.
  • the amount of heat used in lamination affects the clarity of the mark. The hotter the lamination the less clear the resulting mark. Generally a lamination temperature of greater than 49°C (120°F) is used.
  • the silica layer is sandwiched between two polyethylene layers.
  • the Examples illustrated by the Table were performed using parchment paper and a diethylene glycol ink comprising a food dye.
  • the ink was prepared by treating yellow food dye obtainable under the trade mark "GOLD SEAL" (from Clayton & Jowett Ltd, Runcorn, England) until its volume was reduced by 75% due to evaporation. 100 ml of the remaining liquid was then mixed with diethylene glycol to give a level of 20% u/v glycol in the final ink.
  • the paper was loaded with an even layer of silica at a particle size of 0.010 ⁇ m (microns) and at a level of 10 g silica/m 2 and was then printed with the dye.
  • the printed layer was then placed against a polyester (150 ⁇ m (microns) thick) /polyethylene (16 ⁇ m (microns) thick) plastics film and heated at a temperature sufficient to transfer the printed layer to the plastics film polyethylene layer and the parchment paper was then removed.
  • the resultant product comprising the plastics film and the printed layer was then left at the humidity level and exposure time given in the Table before finally laminating a second layer of the plastics material to the first layer at the temperature given in the Table.
  • the length of time taken for the ink used to bleed i.e. for the printing to become blurred to the naked eye) was determined by regular inspection and is given in the Table.
  • Bleeding could be effected with other ink jet inks provided that after removing the backing paper the layer of silica is exposed to an atmosphere of at least 40% humidity and the temperature at final lamination was below 177°C (350°F).
  • Yellow, magenta and cyan food dyes are obtainable under the trade mark "GOLD SEAL" and can be used to form ink jet inks as aforesaid, (except that 75% rather than 50% of the volume of the dye is evaporated). By mixing these dyes in appropriate proportions different colours can be produced, as desired.
  • GOLD SEAL trade mark
  • TABLE 1 Example Length of Time to Bleed Temp. to Transfer Print humidity % length of time Exposed temp.
  • bleeding it is desirable in certain circumstances for bleeding to occur after a given time. This is the case, for example, where a ticket or card is intended to be valid for a limited period only, the expiry of this period being indicated by bleeding of the ink.
  • the time can be varied at which bleeding occurs.
  • cards can be produced which will normally only bleed after several months (see e.g. Example 2). However, bleeding can be accelerated by puncturing or tearing the card to expose the silica to the atmosphere.
  • the label can be formed with a line or point of weakness to which it is attached via a tag, to the consumer product. When the label is removed from the tag, tearing along the line of weakness exposes the silica to accelerate bleeding.
  • a further refinement of this technique is for the tag of the label to be attached to the consumer product via adhesive which coats a removable holographic image on the tag.
  • adhesive which coats a removable holographic image on the tag.
  • any part of the top-most layer, if the item is tilted accordingly, is all that can be viewed, so that in the case of a credit card, this top part could be printed with the name, signature and account number of an authorised user.
  • a hybrid document can be produced i.e. one embodying the printed plastics described with an insert of printed paper or a material which can be marked when pressure is applied thereto. Since the printed material used will eventually fade in time, it is preferred in some embodiments to coat the plastics with a material which reflects ultra-violet light or to use an ultra-violet resistant polyester, which light is responsible for the fading.
  • the fading of the ink due to exposure to U.V. light can be used advantageously.
  • tickets such as concert or football tickets may have certain information printed in an ink which on exposure to a high dosage of ultra-violet light will be destroyed.
  • fibre optics are placed across the whole of the card information such as A/C number, name, etc., plus any other information, can be etched in and read by an automatic reader by moving the card relative to the reader.
  • a magnetic strip can, however, be fixed/sprayed onto or into a product of the present invention if desired.
  • a person will read the transparent document against a plain background. If the document is placed against, for example, a white background the details of the document will show up clearly.
  • a plain hinged back can be affixed to the document.
  • the person inspecting the card can both see the card clearly, and by raising the flap can see that no changes or insertions have been made.
  • 3D images can be made by the fact that for example: - mountains and sky can be printed on a first film, trees and bushes on a second etc. If, as has been found, clear film is inserted between these printed films, an effective 3D effect can be made or at least some depth of field achieved.
  • Another addition to the security aspect includes printing a document so small, that it cannot be read by the naked eye, but can be read with the use of a magnifying glass.
  • security can be enhanced by applying a prism effect.
  • the plastics incorporates a number of prisms - some running in one direction and some running in another. To read a document a correcting card is required or the card can be tilted to a certain angle to be able to read it.
  • security can be enhanced by the addition of a foil, preferably metal which has been embossed with lettering or design.
  • This foil is encapsulated between the sheets of plastics material.
  • this foil can be encapsulated in a plane state so that e.g., with credit cards, if the card is stamped with round letters and/or numbers these can be easily read by the naked eye.
  • the card can be used as part of an electrical circuit or a switch to cause a short circuit to, say, light up a bulb or open a door (i.e. as a key card).
  • Another embodiment of the invention is to print either some or all of the document with white ink/dye etc. This will stop photocopying, as no photocopier can print white.

Abstract

En utilisant une matière particulaire pour absorber l'encre, cette dernière peut être transférée sur un film plastique avec un haut degré de fidelité. Le film plastique peut être ensuite stratifié avec d'autres films plastiques à des fins de sécurité pour obtenir un document de sécurité. L'humidité et la température de stratification peuvent être différentes afin d'obtenir un document qui ne dégorge pas ou qui dégorge après un certain temps.

Claims (16)

  1. Procédé d'impression d'un film plastique, comprenant l'impression d'un colorant sur une couche de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal, ledit matériau étant lié de manière détachable à un support ; le transfert du colorant sur un premier film plastique en plaçant le premier film plastique sur la couche imprimée et en soumettant le film plastique et la couche imprimée à une chaleur sensiblement constante, et le retrait du support, caractérisé en ce que le matériau particulaire ou colloïdal a une taille de particules comprise entre 5 et 0,006 µm (micromètres).
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel un deuxième film plastique est lié au premier film plastique afin d'encapsuler le colorant et le matériau particulaire ou colloïdal.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel le matériau particulaire ou colloïdal est la silice.
  4. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le support est du papier parcheminé.
  5. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la couche comprend 4 à 8 g/m2 ou 8 à 20 g/m2 de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal.
  6. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, pour produire un document ayant un colorant qui ne coule sensiblement pas, comprenant
    l'impression du colorant sur une couche de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal, ladite couche étant liée de manière détachable à un support ;
    le transfert du colorant sur un premier film plastique en plaçant le film plastique sur la couche imprimée et en soumettant le film plastique et la couche imprimée à une chaleur sensiblement constante ;
    le retrait du support et la stratification d'un deuxième film plastique sur le premier film plastique à une température supérieure ou égale à 177°C (350°F).
  7. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, pour produire un document ayant un colorant qui coule après un certain laps de temps, comprenant
    l'impression du colorant sur une couche de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal, ladite couche étant liée de manière détachable à un support ;
    le transfert du colorant sur un premier film plastique en plaçant le film plastique sur la couche imprimée et en soumettant le film plastique et la couche imprimée à une chaleur sensiblement constante ;
    le retrait du support et l'exposition de la couche de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal à une atmosphère ayant une humidité relative supérieure à 40 % ; et
    la stratification d'un deuxième film plastique sur le premier film plastique à une température inférieure à 177°C (350°F).
  8. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel un matériau sensible aux ultraviolets ou réfléchissant les ultraviolets est intercalé entre les premier et deuxième films plastiques stratifiés.
  9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel une ou plusieurs fibres optiques sont intercalées entre le premier et le deuxième film plastique.
  10. Document pouvant être obtenu par un procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans lequel le premier film plastique est stratifié sur un deuxième film plastique afin d'encapsuler le colorant et la couche de matériau particulaire ou colloïdal.
  11. Document selon la revendication 10, dans lequel un matériau sensible aux ultraviolets, un matériau réfléchissant les ultraviolets et/ou une ou plusieurs fibres optiques sont encapsulés entre le premier et le deuxième film plastique.
  12. Document selon la revendication 11, dans lequel la ou les multiples fibres optiques sont gravées.
  13. Document selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10, 11 ou 12, dans lequel au moins un des films plastiques comprend une partie gauffrée.
  14. Document selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 13, dans lequel le document est une étiquette et comprend une partie ayant un hologramme détachable et un adhésif recouvrant l'hologramme.
  15. Document selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 14, dans lequel le document comprend au moins une zone de faiblesse où le document peut être déchiré manuellement afin d'exposer la silice à l'atmosphère.
  16. Document selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 15, qui comprend en outre une marque ressemblant à un filigrane.
EP92924796A 1991-12-07 1992-12-07 Impression sur films plastiques Expired - Lifetime EP0615489B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB919126048A GB9126048D0 (en) 1991-12-07 1991-12-07 Printing
GB9126048 1991-12-07
PCT/GB1992/002266 WO1993011946A1 (fr) 1991-12-07 1992-12-07 Impression sur films plastiques

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0615489A1 EP0615489A1 (fr) 1994-09-21
EP0615489B1 true EP0615489B1 (fr) 1997-10-15

Family

ID=10705877

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92924796A Expired - Lifetime EP0615489B1 (fr) 1991-12-07 1992-12-07 Impression sur films plastiques

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0615489B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH07502465A (fr)
AU (1) AU670556B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2125137A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69222779T2 (fr)
GB (2) GB9126048D0 (fr)
NZ (1) NZ246064A (fr)
WO (1) WO1993011946A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2111429B1 (es) * 1994-03-22 1999-02-16 Signe Sa Papel de seguridad utilizado contra la duplicacion y/o la modificacion fraudulenta de documentos de seguridad.
ES2142734B1 (es) * 1997-10-24 2001-01-01 Signe Sa Procedimiento para imprimir grafismos de seguridad sobre elementos laminares.
GB0121953D0 (en) * 2001-09-12 2001-10-31 Jennings Mark A method of anti-counterfeit printing fabricating and the production of both security and non-security items including items that show the passing of time by
AT501990B1 (de) * 2005-06-09 2007-03-15 Swarovski & Co Markierter körper aus transparentem material

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS58215392A (ja) * 1982-06-08 1983-12-14 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 透明フイルムへの画像記録方法
FR2583794B1 (fr) * 1985-06-24 1988-09-23 Arjomari Prioux Document de securite utilisant des fibres optiques, procede de fabrication et procede d'authentification.
US5060981A (en) * 1989-09-19 1991-10-29 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Transparent overlay for protecting a document from tampering

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69222779D1 (de) 1997-11-20
WO1993011946A1 (fr) 1993-06-24
GB2277714B (en) 1995-10-25
AU3090592A (en) 1993-07-19
DE69222779T2 (de) 1999-09-16
GB9409907D0 (en) 1994-07-06
GB2277714A (en) 1994-11-09
JPH07502465A (ja) 1995-03-16
EP0615489A1 (fr) 1994-09-21
AU670556B2 (en) 1996-07-25
CA2125137A1 (fr) 1993-06-08
GB9126048D0 (en) 1992-02-05
NZ246064A (en) 1996-02-27

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