EP1658992A1 - Method for producing tactile security features on security documents - Google Patents

Method for producing tactile security features on security documents Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1658992A1
EP1658992A1 EP04027803A EP04027803A EP1658992A1 EP 1658992 A1 EP1658992 A1 EP 1658992A1 EP 04027803 A EP04027803 A EP 04027803A EP 04027803 A EP04027803 A EP 04027803A EP 1658992 A1 EP1658992 A1 EP 1658992A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
paper
based substrate
surface area
laser
printing
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04027803A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
José Antonio Aido Parque Tecnolo. Ramos de Campos
Carlos Aido Parque Tecnologico Soriano Reyes
Adolfo Aido Parque Tecnologico Garcia Marin
Emilio Aido Parque Tecnologico Pérez Picazo
Paloma Varela FNMT-RCM Garcia de Oteyza
Fco.Javier FNMT-RCM Gamo Aranda
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.)
European Central Bank
Original Assignee
European Central Bank
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
Application filed by European Central Bank filed Critical European Central Bank
Priority to EP04027803A priority Critical patent/EP1658992A1/en
Publication of EP1658992A1 publication Critical patent/EP1658992A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
    • B41M3/14—Security printing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
    • B41M3/16—Braille printing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
    • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
    • B42D25/20—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof characterised by a particular use or purpose
    • B42D25/29—Securities; Bank notes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for producing safety features on security documents, particularly banknotes, comprising a paper-based substrate.
  • banknotes The identification and/or authentication of banknotes is a long-standing problem.
  • security means for banknotes have been developed and are being developed to allow users and/or machines to discriminate among genuine and forged banknotes and/or to discriminate among different values of banknotes.
  • Nd:YAG Neodimium Doped Yttrium Garnet
  • CO2 lasers for reasons of costs and the available power mainly being used for cutting plain sheet metal and for welding applications, operating at radiation power over 20 kW
  • the Nd:YAG lasers with regard to its good crystal parameters being the most widely used laser crystal for solid-state crystal material.
  • Nd:YAG lasers are widely spread and equally available for radiation power at multi-kW range, but operating at lower radiation power ranges Nd:YAG lasers are used for cutting and marking of micro-mechanic and electronic components.
  • Marking by lasers is accomplished via colour change and surface structuring. Papers, cardboards etc. are laser marked either by removing a paint and revealing a different coloured base material or by carbonizing the paper/cardboard material. The latter gives a brownish contrast.
  • the laser commonly used for marking papers and cardboards are CO2 lasers.
  • lasers are also used as marking means for identification and/or authentification.
  • Typical applications are marking of smart cards such as ID cards, phone cards for cellular phone and credit cards.
  • the other way of marking is to create a kind of recast on the top layer. This kind of marking can be found, e.g., on all European EC cards where the name, card and account number is marked that way.
  • CO2 lasers are also used in the security printing industry for perforating security documents. Microperforations are a way of increasing the security of banknotes. Some high-denomination Swiss banknotes are microperforated. But these laser-based microperforations have no tactile information so far.
  • Tactile features are routinely used in the security printing industry to help visually impaired people in recognizing and identifying valuable documents as well as a method for preventing security document counterfeiting.
  • Conventional printing methods such as intaglio or silk-screen, are used to add a tactile structure on valuable documents.
  • a laser beam is focused on a predetermined surface area of the paper-based substrate for providing tactile structures on the surface area.
  • the laser beam is generated from a laser capable of rising the paper fibers of the paper-based substrate so as to provide embossed structures without removing the surface layers. It is an essential feature of the laser beam that the relief of the paper-based substrate is changed for providing the embossed structure without burning the paper-based substrate, so that its colour does not change.
  • the embossed structures may be provided on a predetermined surface area on one side or both sides of the paper-based substrate.
  • the predetermined surface area may define a picture, text, character etc.
  • a low energetic laser is preferably used for providing the embossed structures on the paper-based substrate.
  • Nd:YAG lasers performed at the fundamental wavelength are not suitable in order to achieve a noticeable tactility on paper-based substrates, neither in continuous nor in pulse mode, even using different pulse widths, pulse frequencies and/or repetition rates.
  • the experiments performed by the inventor have shown that a Nd:YAG laser with frequency quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is most appropriate to get a tactility on paper-based substrates.
  • the effect achieved when using this laser is a selective rising of the paper fibers which were processed by the laser beam leading to an increase of surface area in order to provide embossed structures.
  • the surface area of the paper-based substrate is printed. Since the surface area on which the printing is provided being the same surface area as the surface area on which the embossed structure is provided, the surface area has both visible and tactile properties.
  • the surface area may be processed with the laser beam either before or after printing the document.
  • a printing method particularly intaglio or silk-screen, is used for providing a tactile structure on said area of said substrate and in a second step said area already having said tactile structure is processed with said laser beam for improving the tactile properties of the conventionally processed paper-based substrate.
  • the embossed structure is preferably protected by a protective layer applied on the surface area, which maintains the rising of the fibers.
  • Fig. 1 shows a view of the front side of a banknote.
  • the banknote comprises a paper-based substrate 10. On the front side 20 as well as the reverse side of the paper-based substrate there is provided a graphical design printing 30.
  • the banknote comprises further security means, such as a security thread 40 made of a metal strip and a hologram 50.
  • the graphical design printing comprises different graphical structures on different surface areas of the paper-based substrate.
  • One of the graphical structures is the value of the bank note.
  • the number "100" is printed using conventional printing methods, such as intaglio or silk-screen, providing a visible and tactile structure 60.
  • a laser beam of a Nd:YAG laser with frequency quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is focused on the predetermined area of the paper-based substrate, on which the number "100" is printed.
  • the tactility of the predetermined surface area is improved.

Abstract

According to the invention, a laser beam is focused on a predetermined surface area of a paper-based substrate of a security document, particularily a banknote, for providing tactile structures on the surface area. The laser beam is generated from a laser capable of rising the paper fibers of the paper-based substrate so as to provide embossed structures (60) without removing of the surface layers. A Nd:YAG laser with frequency quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is most appropriate to provide structures on the paper-based substrate of the banknote.

Description

    Background of the invention
  • The present invention relates to a method for producing safety features on security documents, particularly banknotes, comprising a paper-based substrate.
  • The identification and/or authentication of banknotes is a long-standing problem. In order to solve this goal, security means for banknotes have been developed and are being developed to allow users and/or machines to discriminate among genuine and forged banknotes and/or to discriminate among different values of banknotes.
  • In the security printing industry there are used special papers, special inks and patterns, the inclusion of watermarks and security threads as well. For example, some of these techniques are disclosed in US-A-4, 462 866, US-A-4 652 015, US-A-4 943 093 and US-A-5 161 829.
  • Laser techniques prevailingly applying CO2 gas lasers and Nd:YAG (Neodimium Doped Yttrium Garnet) solid state lasers playing a key role in industrial material processing are commonly used to code, mark, etch, engrave, weld or cut components or products which are manufactured from a variety of materials. While CO2 lasers for reasons of costs and the available power mainly being used for cutting plain sheet metal and for welding applications, operating at radiation power over 20 kW, the Nd:YAG lasers, with regard to its good crystal parameters being the most widely used laser crystal for solid-state crystal material. Nd:YAG lasers are widely spread and equally available for radiation power at multi-kW range, but operating at lower radiation power ranges Nd:YAG lasers are used for cutting and marking of micro-mechanic and electronic components.
  • Marking by lasers is accomplished via colour change and surface structuring. Papers, cardboards etc. are laser marked either by removing a paint and revealing a different coloured base material or by carbonizing the paper/cardboard material. The latter gives a brownish contrast. The laser commonly used for marking papers and cardboards are CO2 lasers.
  • Most applications for markings are usually performed using CO2-lasers at wavelengths of 9.3-10.6 µm corresponding to infrared light, while Nd: YAG lasers in turn are commonly used at the fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm.
  • In the security printing industry lasers are also used as marking means for identification and/or authentification. Typical applications are marking of smart cards such as ID cards, phone cards for cellular phone and credit cards. There are basically two different ways of marking these cards. Due to the extreme short pulses the lower layer of so called multi layer cards can be marked by changing the colour of the pigments without touching the transparent top layer. The other way of marking is to create a kind of recast on the top layer. This kind of marking can be found, e.g., on all European EC cards where the name, card and account number is marked that way.
  • CO2 lasers are also used in the security printing industry for perforating security documents. Microperforations are a way of increasing the security of banknotes. Some high-denomination Swiss banknotes are microperforated. But these laser-based microperforations have no tactile information so far.
  • Tactile features are routinely used in the security printing industry to help visually impaired people in recognizing and identifying valuable documents as well as a method for preventing security document counterfeiting. Conventional printing methods, such as intaglio or silk-screen, are used to add a tactile structure on valuable documents.
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing safety features on paper-based security documents, particularly banknotes, allowing users and/or machines to discriminate among genuine and counterfeited banknotes and/or to discriminate among different values of banknotes.
  • This object is solved with the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
  • According to the invention, a laser beam is focused on a predetermined surface area of the paper-based substrate for providing tactile structures on the surface area. The laser beam is generated from a laser capable of rising the paper fibers of the paper-based substrate so as to provide embossed structures without removing the surface layers. It is an essential feature of the laser beam that the relief of the paper-based substrate is changed for providing the embossed structure without burning the paper-based substrate, so that its colour does not change.
  • The embossed structures may be provided on a predetermined surface area on one side or both sides of the paper-based substrate. The predetermined surface area may define a picture, text, character etc.
  • According to a first aspect of the invention, a low energetic laser is preferably used for providing the embossed structures on the paper-based substrate.
  • Due to statements of experts based on executed experiments Nd:YAG lasers performed at the fundamental wavelength are not suitable in order to achieve a noticeable tactility on paper-based substrates, neither in continuous nor in pulse mode, even using different pulse widths, pulse frequencies and/or repetition rates. However, the experiments performed by the inventor have shown that a Nd:YAG laser with frequency quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is most appropriate to get a tactility on paper-based substrates. The effect achieved when using this laser is a selective rising of the paper fibers which were processed by the laser beam leading to an increase of surface area in order to provide embossed structures.
  • According to a further aspect of the invention the surface area of the paper-based substrate is printed. Since the surface area on which the printing is provided being the same surface area as the surface area on which the embossed structure is provided, the surface area has both visible and tactile properties.
  • The surface area may be processed with the laser beam either before or after printing the document. According to a further aspect of the invention, in a first step a printing method, particularly intaglio or silk-screen, is used for providing a tactile structure on said area of said substrate and in a second step said area already having said tactile structure is processed with said laser beam for improving the tactile properties of the conventionally processed paper-based substrate.
  • The embossed structure is preferably protected by a protective layer applied on the surface area, which maintains the rising of the fibers.
  • For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentalities shown.
    • Fig. 1
    is a view of a banknote comprising a predetermined printed surface area, and
    Fig. 2
    the banknote of Fig. 1 comprising a predetermined printed surface area processed with the method according to the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a view of the front side of a banknote. The banknote comprises a paper-based substrate 10. On the front side 20 as well as the reverse side of the paper-based substrate there is provided a graphical design printing 30. The banknote comprises further security means, such as a security thread 40 made of a metal strip and a hologram 50.
  • The graphical design printing comprises different graphical structures on different surface areas of the paper-based substrate. One of the graphical structures is the value of the bank note. The number "100" is printed using conventional printing methods, such as intaglio or silk-screen, providing a visible and tactile structure 60.
  • According to the invention, a laser beam of a Nd:YAG laser with frequency quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is focused on the predetermined area of the paper-based substrate, on which the number "100" is printed. As a result of the processing of the paper-based substrate with the laser beam the tactility of the predetermined surface area is improved.

Claims (10)

  1. A method for producing safety features on security documents comprising a paper-based substrate with the step of providing tactile structures on the paper-based substrate, characterized in that a laser beam is focused on a surface area of the paper-based substrate, the laser beam being generated from a laser capable of rising the paper fibres of the paper-based substrate so as to provide embossed structures without removing of the surface layers.
  2. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that a low energetic laser is used for providing said embossed structures on said paper-based substrate.
  3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a Nd:YAG (Neodimium Doped Yttrium Garnet) solid state laser with a frequency-quadrupled wavelength (266 nm) is used for providing said embossed structures on said paper-based substrate.
  4. A method according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that a printing is provided on the surface area of said paper-based substrate, the surface area on which the printing is provided being the same surface area as the surface area on which the embossed structure is provided.
  5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that in a first step the printing is provided on said surface area of said paper-based substrate and in a second step the embossed structure is provided on said surface area of said paper-based substrate.
  6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that in the first step a printing method is used for providing a tactile structure on said area of said substrate and in the second step said area already having said tactile structure is processed with said laser beam for increasing the tactility of said tactile structure.
  7. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that in a first step the embossed structure is provided on said surface area of said paper-based substrate and in a second step the printing is provided on said surface area of said paper-based substrate.
  8. A method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a protective layer is applied on said surface area of said paper-based substrate.
  9. A method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said security document is a banknote comprising said paper-based substrate.
  10. A method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said paper-based substrate is a sheet of paper.
EP04027803A 2004-11-23 2004-11-23 Method for producing tactile security features on security documents Withdrawn EP1658992A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04027803A EP1658992A1 (en) 2004-11-23 2004-11-23 Method for producing tactile security features on security documents

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04027803A EP1658992A1 (en) 2004-11-23 2004-11-23 Method for producing tactile security features on security documents

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1658992A1 true EP1658992A1 (en) 2006-05-24

Family

ID=34927496

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04027803A Withdrawn EP1658992A1 (en) 2004-11-23 2004-11-23 Method for producing tactile security features on security documents

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1658992A1 (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1892329A1 (en) * 2006-08-23 2008-02-27 Banque De France Sheet of fibrous material comprising tactile safety elements
EP2174797A1 (en) 2008-10-07 2010-04-14 European Central Bank Laser-marked document showing a colour-shift effect
EP2174796A1 (en) 2008-10-07 2010-04-14 European Central Bank Laser-marked document showing a fixed colour in a surrounding with a colour shift effect
WO2012007420A1 (en) * 2010-07-12 2012-01-19 Bundesdruckerei Gmbh Method for producing a security document having raised customized haptic markings and security document
CN102712207A (en) * 2009-12-04 2012-10-03 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element and method for producing such a security element
CN102905909A (en) * 2009-12-04 2013-01-30 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element, and method for producing such a security element
US9297941B2 (en) 2011-07-21 2016-03-29 Giesecke & Deverient Gmbh Optically variable element, in particular security element

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4740269A (en) * 1985-10-11 1988-04-26 Oesterreichische Nationalbank Process and apparatus for applying authenticating coding to value-carrying paper
DE10232786A1 (en) * 2002-07-18 2004-02-12 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Security document, valuable document or bank note on security paper, has security marking sensed by touch, in form of laser-generated relief structure
DE10247591A1 (en) * 2002-10-11 2004-04-22 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Security document, valuable document or bank note on security paper, has security marking sensed by touch, in form of laser-generated relief structure

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4740269A (en) * 1985-10-11 1988-04-26 Oesterreichische Nationalbank Process and apparatus for applying authenticating coding to value-carrying paper
DE10232786A1 (en) * 2002-07-18 2004-02-12 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Security document, valuable document or bank note on security paper, has security marking sensed by touch, in form of laser-generated relief structure
DE10247591A1 (en) * 2002-10-11 2004-04-22 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Security document, valuable document or bank note on security paper, has security marking sensed by touch, in form of laser-generated relief structure

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1892329A1 (en) * 2006-08-23 2008-02-27 Banque De France Sheet of fibrous material comprising tactile safety elements
FR2905126A1 (en) * 2006-08-23 2008-02-29 Banque De France FIBROUS SHEET HAVING TOUCH SAFETY ELEMENTS.
EP2174797A1 (en) 2008-10-07 2010-04-14 European Central Bank Laser-marked document showing a colour-shift effect
EP2174796A1 (en) 2008-10-07 2010-04-14 European Central Bank Laser-marked document showing a fixed colour in a surrounding with a colour shift effect
CN102905909A (en) * 2009-12-04 2013-01-30 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element, and method for producing such a security element
CN102712207A (en) * 2009-12-04 2012-10-03 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element and method for producing such a security element
CN102905909B (en) * 2009-12-04 2015-03-04 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element, and method for producing such a security element
CN102712207B (en) * 2009-12-04 2015-06-17 德国捷德有限公司 Security element, value document comprising such a security element and method for producing such a security element
US9176266B2 (en) 2009-12-04 2015-11-03 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Security element, value document comprising such a security element and method for producing such a security element
US9827802B2 (en) 2009-12-04 2017-11-28 Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology Gmbh Security element, value document comprising such a security element, and method for producing such a security element
US10525758B2 (en) 2009-12-04 2020-01-07 Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology Gmbh Security element, value document comprising such a security element, and method for producing such a security element
WO2012007420A1 (en) * 2010-07-12 2012-01-19 Bundesdruckerei Gmbh Method for producing a security document having raised customized haptic markings and security document
US9297941B2 (en) 2011-07-21 2016-03-29 Giesecke & Deverient Gmbh Optically variable element, in particular security element

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8622433B2 (en) Security document
EP2991839B1 (en) Method of providing a security document with a security feature, and security document
US8827314B2 (en) Security document
US9938667B2 (en) Method of providing a security document with a security feature, and security document
AU2007229741B2 (en) Data storage medium and method for manufacturing it
JP2005532937A5 (en)
AU2009270482B2 (en) Data carrier comprising a printed variably magnetic security feature
US9844970B2 (en) Secure laser marking personalisation
MXPA02006507A (en) Data carrier with a printed security element and gravure production method thereof.
EP1658992A1 (en) Method for producing tactile security features on security documents
EP2817789B1 (en) Audible document identification for visually impaired people
PL206953B1 (en) Value document
EP3732056B1 (en) Identification document with several visual markings and method for manufacturing thereof
CA3068508C (en) Data carrier with tactile printed area for ink writing data
WO2023089190A1 (en) A method of manufacturing a security sheet and a security sheet
JP2002154261A (en) Genuineness distinguishing device and valued printed matter
Moreau NotaMark industrial laser marking system: a new security marking technology
ZA200500466B (en) Security document

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

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL HR LT LV MK YU

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20061123

AKX Designation fees paid

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20070227

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

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20070911