EP2271503A1

EP2271503A1 - Apparatus for, and method of, applying a plurality of inlays to cover pages of personalization documents, and personalization document

Info

Publication number: EP2271503A1
Application number: EP09737948A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Axel Schwarzmeier; Thomas FLÖCK; Thomas Pfeffer; Bertram Burkhardt
Original assignee: Muehlbauer GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Muehlbauer GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2008-05-02
Filing date: 2009-03-25
Publication date: 2011-01-12
Also published as: DE102008022001A1; WO2009132904A1

Abstract

The invention discloses an apparatus for, and a method of, applying a plurality of inlays (27) to cover pages (2a-r) of a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process, having a film - applying device (10) for arranging (8) in each case at least one adhesive film (16), or an adhesive-film portion (16) on each cover page (2a-c) and/or each inlay, having a combining device (30) for combining (29) a respective cover page (2a-f) and a respective inlay (27) in order to produce a laminated construction (57) such that the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive-film portion (16) is arranged therebetween, and having a first heating device (37, 38, 41) for heating the adhesive film (16), or the adhesive-film portion (16), in the laminated construction (57) to a first temperature.

Description

Apparatus and method for applying a plurality of inlays on cover pages of personalization documents and personalization document

description

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for applying a plurality of inlays on cover pages of a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process according to the preambles of claims 1 and 8 as well as a personalization document according to the preamble of claim 12.

For personalization documents, especially passbooks, it is necessary in the new generation of passports that so-called inlays, which often have an electronic component, such as a chip or a chip module, and an antenna, which is connected to the chip or the chip module, contain forgery-proof links with cover pages of passport books. For this purpose, the respective inlay has hitherto been glued permanently into the passbook by means of an adhesive, which is applied to the cover page of the passbook, preferably on the inside. This has the consequence that the inlay is permanently connected to the cover page and an unwanted detachment of the inlay from the cover page has the destruction of at least one of the two parts result.

Such adhesive processes in which the liquid or gel-like adhesive must be applied to each cover page of a passport, require a lot of time both in terms of the application process as well as the necessary curing time, so that a production of a larger number of such passports within a common device by means of a production process can only be done slowly. As a result, the device has a low throughput record of passbooks or personalization documents to be produced in general.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for applying a plurality of inlays to cover pages of a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process that generates a high number of personalization documents with integrated inlays per unit time can be. Likewise, a personalization document manufactured by the above method or apparatus will be shown.

This object is achieved on the device side by the features of patent claim 1 and the method side by the features of claim 8 and the product side by the features of claim 12.

The core idea of the invention is that in a device for applying a plurality of inlays on cover pages of a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process, the following devices are preferably arranged one behind the other: a film applicator for arranging at least one adhesive film or one adhesive film section on each Cover page and / or each inlay; a merging means for merging each of a cover side and a respective inlay to produce a multi-layer structure such that the adhesive film or the adhesive film portion is disposed therebetween; and first heating means for heating the adhesive sheet or the adhesive sheet portion in the multi-layer structure to a first temperature.

A method according to the invention comprises the steps of arranging in each case at least one of the adhesive films or one of the adhesive film sections on each cover page and / or each inlay, which preferably has at least one electronic component, such as a chip, and at least one antenna, by means of the film applicator device each one of the cover pages and each one of the inlays by means of the merging device for producing a multi-layer structure such that the adhesive film or the adhesive film portion is interposed therebetween, and heating the adhesive film or the adhesive film portion in the multi-layer structure to a first temperature by means of the first heating means. The personalization document, which is thus made up of a multi-layer structure consisting of a cover page, an adhesive film and an inlay, wherein the adhesive film is present as a soft and liquid adhesive film during the heating process and thus connects inextricably with the layers to be bonded, can thus be used in an inline process. Process within a common device, the additional work modules, which are not described here in more detail and can serve to personalize the personalization document or passport, may have to be produced in a simple and fast way. Long curing times and long application times for the application of an adhesive on surfaces of the cover pages are no longer to be considered here, since the adhesive film can be applied quickly and easily by means of a roll-up method and heated by means of a fast and continuously feasible heating process with the adhesive contained therein and cooled so that no significant time delays occur within the inline process.

The adhesive film is in this case of heat-activated adhesive material, ie it is from a certain temperature, such as max. 140 ° C, preferably 1 10 ° C, activated and thereby softened. If this happens in the state in which the adhesive film is already arranged between the inlay and the cover side, such softening of the adhesive film or the adhesive film section into a soft and liquid film state results in a non-detachable connection with the surfaces of the layers to be joined instead of. Here, the adhesive thermosetting properties, which make it impossible to melt after its successful activation and cooling by reheating this. This is due to the property of the adhesive which does not repeatedly soften by reheating, thus preventing undesirable separation of the inlay from the cover side of the personalization document. Thus, through the use of such an adhesive film or such an adhesive film section, there is another security feature for personalization documents, in particular passport books and their cover pages (eCover). Rather, such a subsequent separation of the inlay from the cover page would lead to a destruction of the eCover in its form. Adhesives of other properties are also conceivable. It does not necessarily have thermosetting properties, which are preferred. Before applying the inlay on the cover page this can be checked in its functionality.

The device has at least one conveyor belt, but preferably a plurality of conveyor belts arranged one behind the other, wherein each conveyor belt is preferably assigned in each case to one or more work modules.

On the conveyor belt, the cover pages and the later multi-layer structures of the personalization document are arranged in at least one row one behind the other. The conveyor can be moved in one direction of travel and optionally stopped to perform a work operation such as the heating operation. Alternatively, the conveyor belts or the conveyor belt can be moved continuously and the processing stations act on the cover pages or the products to be achieved, such as personalization documents, which are arranged on the conveyor belts, either only for a short time or by being moved in the direction of movement.

A second heating device is used for preheating the adhesive film or the adhesive film section before, during or after its incorporation into the multilayer structure to a second temperature lower than the first temperature. This preheating process has the task of ensuring that the individual layers are fixed to one another for the subsequent operation, with a preferred second temperature in the range of 50 ° C. or less.

This pre-heating process serves as an attachment process and can be carried out in one, two or more steps. For example, an arrangement of the adhesive film on a surface of a cover page and the subsequent preheating for attachment purposes is conceivable, and in a second step after the application of the inlay or Prelaminats on the already applied adhesive film, a repeated brief preheating to Anheftzwecken possible. Only then does the final first heating process take place, which at a very high temperature, for example of max. 140 ° C, preferably 1 10 ° C, leads to an activation of the adhesive film or of the adhesive film section and thus connects both the inlay or the prelaminate and the cover page or another side of the personalization document. The previous tacking process also serves primarily to make the multi-layered structure of the multiple Maintain layers in its shape while the lamination process or the actual adhesive activation process is performed.

The first heating device has at least one first heating plate arranged on the multilayer structure on the upper side and at least one second heating plate arranged on the multilayer structure, wherein both heating plates can be supplied to the multilayer structure from above and below and during a standstill of the multilayer structure which is arranged on a conveyor belt , or during the Sicheignbewegens by a Mitbewegung the heating device warming acting on the multi-layer structure and thus the adhesive film.

Viewed in the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, a cooling device is arranged behind the heating device, which preferably consists of an upper-side cooling plate and a lower-mounted cooling plate. These two cooling plates act on top and bottom of the multi-layer structure, wherein the multilayer structure is in turn arranged on the conveyor belt and either stopped briefly or during the cooling process by Mitbewegung the cooling device is moved on.

The cooling device serves primarily for rapid cooling of the heat-activated adhesive substance of the adhesive film or of the adhesive film section and allows rapid processing of a large number of personalization documents arranged one behind another within a common device and the common production method.

The film application device is equipped for arranging the adhesive film or the adhesive film section with at least one deflection roller for deflecting an adhesive film transport belt which conveys the adhesive film in the region of surfaces of the sides of the cover. This allows the adhesive film to be applied continuously in a continuous or discontinuous manner to the surfaces of the cover pages of the personalization documents in the continuous process. In this case, the adhesive film portion may be that portion which is deposited by an endless adhesive film on the portion of a cover page of a personalization document, in which case the successively arranged cover pages are still connected to a common continuous adhesive film. In this case, the adhesive film between the individual cover pages is separated from each other, so that each cover page has its own associated adhesive film. The method for applying a plurality of inlays to the cover pages of the personalization documents is advantageously realized by the device according to the invention.

Further advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims.

Advantages and expediencies can be found in the following description in conjunction with the drawing. Hereby show:

1 shows a schematic representation of a first section of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second section of the device according to the invention; FIG.

3 shows a schematic representation of a third section of the device according to the invention;

4 shows a schematic representation of a fourth section of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic enlarged view of part of the heating and cooling section shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of the structure of a personalization document according to the invention.

In Fig. 1, a first portion of the device according to the invention is shown in a schematic representation. Individual stacks 1 on cover pages of personalization documents, such as passbooks, are fed to a conveyor belt 6a, the cover sides 2a being transferred in an alignment step 3 by means of a pick-and-place device 4 to the conveyor belt 6a, which is underside of a conveyor belt 6a Plate element 7 is held. This corresponds to step 5. The applied cover side 2b is fed by means of the conveyor belt, which is moved in the conveyor belt direction 19, a film applicator 10, by means of which an adhesive film or an adhesive film portion is applied (step 8).

On the cover page 2c of the personalization document, an adhesive film 16 is applied in a rolling process. For this purpose, the adhesive film on a conveyor belt 1 1, which is unwound from a roll 12 and then wound without the adhesive film, which is applied to the cover page on a roll 17, transported and possibly previously heated before it deflects around the guide roller 18a is applied and, if necessary, by pressurization of the two rollers 18a and 18b on a surface of the cover page 2c. Alternatively or additionally, a heating operation of the adhesive film for attachment purposes on the surface of the cover page 2c during the deflection around the roller 18a by heating or heating of the roller 18b done. By means of pulleys 13, 14 and 15, a deflection of the conveyor belt 1 1 takes place between the guide roller 18 a and the winding roller 17.

Subsequently, in a cooling step 9 by means of the cooling elements 20 and 21, a cooling of the layer structure preheated to about 50 ° C. or less from the cover side 2d and the adhesive film arranged thereon takes place.

In Fig. 2, the reproduced in Fig. 1 step of the application of the adhesive film is shown together with the subsequent step of the application of the inlay and a Vorfixierung desselbigen on the already existing layer structure.

Identical and equivalent components are provided with the same reference numerals.

Since the adhesive sheet has been continuously applied to the spaced-apart cover pages 2a-2d, a cutting operation 22 must be performed by means of the cutting devices 23, 24, 25 in order to separate the adhesive film between the individual cover pages. Subsequently, in a step 26, the separation of the sides of the cover, between which the adhesive film has been severed, and the feeding of an inlay 27 takes place. The inlay 27 should be applied to the top of the adhesive film. By means of the roller 28, a separation of the cover pages is carried out at the transition from conveyor belt 6a to the conveyor belt 6b. In a step 29, the placement of the inlay or prelaminate by means of the component 30 now takes place on the cover side 2f, so that now there is a multi-layer structure consisting of the cover side, the adhesive film arranged above it and the inlay or prelaminate arranged thereon.

In a subsequent fixing or attaching step 33, a preheating process to preferably 50 ° C or less is performed by means of the two rollers 31, 32 possibly under pressure to obtain by means of this Vorerwärmungsvorganges a fixation of all layers to each other and with respect to the cover page 2g.

In Fig. 3 is shown in a schematic representation in addition to the already known from Fig. 2 section of the further section of the heat activation of the adhesive film. As can be seen in FIG. 3, a transition takes place between the two conveyor belts 6b and 6c, wherein the cover pages 2h, 2i, 2j and 2k together with the adhesive film arranged thereon and the prelaminate or inlay first form a heating zone 41 and then go through a cooling zone 42. In this lamination process 34 taking place within the heating zone 41 and also in the cooling section, an additional conveyor belt 6d, which runs on top of the conveyor belt 6c, is arranged. The conveyor belt 6d has on the upper side a transport direction according to the arrow 35. On the underside, the conveyor belt 6d the same direction of transport as the conveyor belt 6c on top, namely in the direction of arrow 36th

A first heating plate 37 is disposed on the upper side of the multi-layer structure with the conveyor belt 6d therebetween, and a second heating plate 38 is disposed on the underside of the multi-layer structure with the conveyor belt 6c therebetween. Passing through this heating zone 41 has for the multi-layer structure of the cover page, the adhesive film and the inlay with the result that the adhesive film arranged therebetween briefly to very high temperature, namely, for example, to max. 140 ° C, preferably 1 10 ° C, is heated and thus takes place a heat activation of the adhesive of the adhesive film. This has the consequence that the adhesive film liquefies and permanently connects the surface of the cover page with the inlay.

In a subsequent press zone region 35, by means of the two pressure rollers 43 and 44, pressure is applied from above and below to the multi-layer structure with the cover sides 2i and 2j in order to produce a permanent laminating connection. to deliver. Subsequently, in the cooling region 42, a cooling process is carried out on the multilayer structure with the cover side 2 k by means of a first cooling plate 39 arranged on the upper side and a second cooling plate 40 arranged on the underside. As a result, rapid processing of the previously heated personalization documents can take place in the continuous or discontinuous continuous work process or inline process.

In Fig. 4, a further section of the device according to the invention is shown in a schematic representation. The multilayer structure or the eCover is tested for function with the cover pages 21, 2m and 2n in a test work module in order to be able to check whether functional damage has possibly occurred in the inlay during the previous heating process. For this purpose, another conveyor belt 6e on a running direction according to the arrows displayed. After the test procedure 46, a transfer of the eCover from the conveyor belt 6e to a conveyor belt 6f takes place by means of a pick-and-place device 47 in order to stack the eCover with the cover pages 2o, 2p, 2q and 2r and at the same time one Issue 48 to be made from the entire device.

The inlays can already be tested for function during the feed to the entire device according to the invention in a test method, so that possibly non-functional inlays can be sorted out before the stick-in process takes place.

In Fig. 5 is shown in a schematic representation of the reproduced in Fig. 3 section of the device according to the invention in an enlarged view. It can clearly be seen from this illustration that the heating device 41 consists of an upper heating plate 37 and a lower heating plate 38. The upper-side and lower-side conveyor belts 6c and 6d have a course direction which allows a direction of operation according to the arrow 36.

The multilayer structure 57 is constructed on the underside of the cover pages 2i, 2j and 2k, and on the top side of the inlays 27 and between the adhesive films 16. The two rollers 53 and 54 are pressed onto the multi-layer structure by means of external forces, as represented by the reference numerals 55 and 56, and thus permit a firm connection of the liquefied adhesive film with the layers above or below. The rollers 49, 50, 51 and 52 serve to deflect the conveyor belts 6c and 6d.

In Fig. 6, the personalization document is shown in detail in its construction. It consists on the upper side of the inlay 27, which may for example have the dimensions 190 × 270 mm, and below of the adhesive film 16 and the cover page 2. This is reproduced in both exploded plan view and in side view.

All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as essential to the invention insofar as they are novel individually or in combination with respect to the prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 stack

2a-r cover pages

3 alignment step

4 pick-and-place device

6a conveyor belt

7 plate element

9 cooling step

10 film applicator

1 1 conveyor belt

12 roll

13, 14, 15, 18a, 18b pulleys

16 adhesive film

17 roll

19 conveyor belt direction

20, 21 cooling elements

22 cutting process

23, 24, 25 cutting devices

26 Separate from each other

27 inlay

28 roll

29 touch down 30 merging device

31, 32 scooter

33 Fixation and attachment step

34 lamination process

35, 36 transport direction

37 first heating plate

38 second heating plate

39 first cooling plate

40 second cooling plate

41 heating zone

42 cooling zone

43, 44 pressure rollers

46 test procedure

47 pick-and-place facility

48 issue

49, 50, 51, 52 rolls

53, 54 rolls

55, 56 acting force

57 Multilayer construction

Claims

claims

1. Apparatus for applying a plurality of inlays (27) on cover pages (2a-r) of a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process, ge ken nzei ch n et by a film applicator (10) for arranging (8) of at least one adhesive film (16) or an adhesive film section (16) on each cover page (2a-c) and / or each inlay, a merging device (30) for merging (29) of one each cover page (2a-f) and one inlay (27 ) for producing a multi-layer structure (57) such that the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film portion (16) is interposed therebetween, and first heating means (37, 38, 41) for heating the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film portion (16) in the multilayer structure (57) to a first temperature.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second heating means (18a, 18b, 31, 32) for preheating the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film portion (16) before, during or after it

Installation in the multilayer structure (57) to a lower temperature than the first temperature.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover pages (2a-r) are arranged on at least one continuously or discontinuously moving conveyor belt (6a-f) in at least one row one behind the other.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first heating device (37, 38, 42) has at least one first heating plate (37) arranged on the multilayer structure (57) on the upper side and at least one Having on the multi-layer structure (57) arranged underneath second heating plate (38).

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, ge ken nzei ch n et by a in the direction of movement (36) of the conveyor belt (6c) behind the first heating means (37, 38, 41) arranged cooling means (39, 40, 42) for cooling the multi-layer structure (57).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling device (39, 40, 42) has at least one first cooling plate (39) arranged on the multilayer structure (57) on the upper side and at least one on the multilayer structure (57) on the underside arranged second cooling plate (40).

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the film application device for arranging the adhesive film or the adhesive film section has at least one deflecting roller for deflecting a film the adhesive film (16) transporting adhesive tape transport belt (11) in the region of surfaces of the cover pages (2c).

8. A method for applying a plurality of inlays (27) on cover pages (2a-r) a plurality of personalization documents in a continuous process, n etnich n et by the steps of

Arranging (8) in each case at least one adhesive film (16) or an adhesive film section (16) on each cover page (2c) and / or each inlay by means of a film applicator device (10),

- Merging (29) of each one cover page (2a-f) and each one inlays (27) by means of a merging device (30) for generating a Multi-layer structure (57) such that the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film portion (16) is interposed therebetween, and

- Heating (41) of the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film portion (16) in the multi-layer structure (57) to a first temperature by means of a first heating device (37, 38, 41).

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of preheating the adhesive sheet (16) or the adhesive sheet portion (16) prior to, during or after its incorporation into the multi-layer structure (57) over the first Temperature lower second temperature.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the cover pages (2a-r) on at least one continuous conveyor belt

(6a-f) are arranged in at least one row in succession.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein the adhesive film (16) or the adhesive film section (16) is arranged around at least one deflection roller (18a) in the region by means of the film application device (10) the surface of the cover pages (2c) is deflected.

12. personalization document having at least one cover page (2a-r) and at least one inlay (27), by a multi-layer structure (57), consisting of a cover page (2a-r), one or arranged on it Adhesive film (16) or adhesive film section (16) and the inlay (27) arranged on the adhesive film (16) / the adhesive film section (16), wherein an adhesive penetrates the adhesive film (16) / the adhesive film section (16)

Heating (41) is activated.