ES2724550T3 - Customizable Security Element - Google Patents

Abstract

Customizable security element comprising a carrier substrate and an optically variable layer; characterized in that the security element has the following succession of layers: a) a carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet, which has a laser-engravable black metallic coating, or a coating of a heat-activable dye; or of a paper that has a direct thermal coating; b) optionally, a laminating adhesive layer; c) a layer of a material with liquid crystals, or a lacquer with a color change effect;

Description

DESCRIPTION

Customizable Security Element

The present invention refers to a security element, which can be used as a label or as a security feature for valuable documents, objects, packaging and the like; and to which you can easily provide personal information.

WO 01/62509 A1 cited on page 1 of the description discloses a customizable security element, which has a carrier layer, an adhesive layer and a liquid crystal layer.

The object of the present invention is to make available a security element, which after its manufacture can be easily provided with personal information, and which has a pleasant optical appearance. Therefore, the object of the invention is a customizable security element having a carrier substrate and an optically variable layer; characterized in that the security element has the following succession of layers:

a) a carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet, which has a laser-engravable black metal coating; or a carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet or paper, which has a coating of a heat-activating dye;

b) optionally, an adhesive layer of lamination;

c) a layer of a material with liquid crystals, or a lacquer with a color change effect;

Another object of the invention consists in a process for the manufacture of a customizable security element, characterized by the following procedural steps:

a) preparation of a first carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet, which has a laser-engraved black metallic coating on a surface; or of a flexible plastic sheet or paper having a coating of a heat-activating dye.

b) preparation of a second carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet;

c) application of a layer of material with liquid crystals on the second carrier substrate;

d) optionally, application of an adhesive layer of lamination on the layer of material with liquid crystals; e) lamination of the layer structure of the first carrier substrate against the layer present on the second carrier substrate;

f) extraction of the second carrier substrate;

g) printing of the security element with a direct thermal process, whereby the color change effect of the layer of material with liquid crystals becomes visible in the printing area;

or

^b 1 ^{) application of a lacquer layer with color change effect on the second carrier substrate;}

^c 1 ^{) optionally, application of an adhesive layer of lamination on the lacquer layer with a} color ^{change effect} ;

^d 1 ^{) lamination of the layer structure of the first carrier substrate against the layer present on the second} carrier substrate;

^e 1 ^{) extraction of the second carrier substrate;}

^f 1 ^{) Engraving of the security element with a laser beam, whereby the color change effect of the lacquer layer} with a color change effect is erased in the printing area.

Eventually, the first substrate may be provided with a self-adhesive coating on the surface that is located in opposition to the laser-engravable black metal coating, or to the coating of a heat-activatable dye.

As the first carrier substrate, for example, flexible plastic sheets are considered, for example, of PI, PP, MOPP, PE, PPS, PEEK, PEK, PEI, PSU, PAEK, LCP, PEN, PBT, PET, PA, PC, COC, POM, ABS, PVC, PTFE, ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoropropylvinyl ether-fluorocopolymer), MFA (tetrafluoromethylene-perfluoropropylvinyl ether-fluorocopolymer), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethyl (PV) fluoride (PV) vinylidene), and EFEP (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropyleneofluoroterpolymer).

Preferably, PET carrier substrates are used. The carrier sheets preferably have a thickness of 5-700 mm, preferably 5-200 mm, especially preferably 5-50 mm.

In addition, the first carrier substrate may be composed of a paper. This paper substrate is composed of cellulose or cellulose-free paper or a paper compound, for example with plastics; wherein said paper substrate may have a weight of 20-500 g / m2, preferably 40-200 g / m2.

The first carrier substrate may have a laser-engravable black metal coating, for example composed of non-stoichiometric metal oxides, or mixtures of metals and metal oxides.

For example, in application EP 1567363 B a suitable laser engravable black metallized is described.

Alternatively, the plastic sheet may have a coating of a heat-activating dye (direct thermal coating).

As direct thermal coating, for example, coatings containing for example leuco dyes are considered. However, commercial paper may also be used commercially provided with a heat-activatable dye. This design has a dull white appearance.

On a second carrier substrate of a flexible plastic sheet, a coating of a material with liquid crystals, or a layer of a lacquer with effect of color change possibly transparent is applied.

Alternatively, the lacquer with a color change effect can be applied directly to the coating present on the first carrier substrate.

In this case, the plastic sheet may be composed of the same material as the first carrier substrate, although it may also be composed of another material than the first substrate.

This coating of a material with liquid crystals may be composed of a dye containing pigments of material with liquid crystals. In particular, the pigments are made up of cholesteric liquid crystals or a mixture of cholesteric and nematic liquid crystals. In addition, the coating of a material with liquid crystals can be performed as a polymer layer.

By lacquer with a color change effect, a printing ink is understood, which has pigments that show a color change effect, that is, the so-called interference pigments.

Eventually, then the two carrier substrates can be laminated against each other by a laminating adhesive; wherein the layers present in the respective carrier substrates limit each other. Then, a self-adhesive coating may eventually be applied on the surface of this carrier substrate located as opposed to the coating of the second carrier substrate. With the help of this self-adhesive coating, the security element can be fixed as a label on the object to be secured.

The security element according to the invention can be customized below or later. In this way, the printing can be adapted respectively to the desired requirements or carried out according to the client's specifications.

In the case in which in the conformation of the layers of the security element a direct thermal coating is present, with the help of a direct thermal printer an impression is made.

Printing can be presented in the form of characters, letters, numbers, symbols, images, or also in the form of an encoding, such as a barcode.

The printout may contain, for example, information relevant to safety, such as coding, product specification data, manufacturing data, batch identification or the like.

By printing, the color of the direct thermal coating is modified in the printed areas, dark areas arise in the shape of the print.

In this way, in front of this now dark background, observing with incident light, the color change effect of the coating of material with liquid crystals becomes visible.

In the case where the security element has a black laser-engravable coating, the security element is engraved with the help of a laser. Here, at first, the color change effect is visible on the entire security element, after the laser treatment, the color change effect is erased in the recorded areas.

A suitable black laser engravable metallic is described, for example, in application EP 1567363 B.

Figures 1 to 3 show structures of the security label according to the invention.

In the figures, they mean:

1 ^{a paper substrate having a coating of a heat activatable dye;}

1 ^{a plastic sheet having a coating of a heat-activating dye;}

2 ^{an adhesive layer of lamination}

3 a layer of a material with liquid crystals;

3a a layer of a lacquer with color change effect;

4 a plastic sheet;

5 a black metallic;

6 ^{a self-adhesive coating;}

7 the object to be secured;

8 ^{an area, in which the security element presents an impression;}

9 an area, in which the security element has no impression;

10 ^{an area, in which the security element has a laser engraving;}

11 ^{an area, in which the security element does not have a laser engraving;}

12 ^printing;

13 laser engraving;

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the security element according to the invention, in which ^{a paper substrate} 1 is ^{provided , which has a coating with a heat-activating dye, with a layer} of a material 3 with liquid crystals, joined by an adhesive layer of lamination 2.

Next, the security element is printed in a direct thermal process from the side of the layer of material 3 with liquid crystals.

Figure 1a shows the status after printing of the security element of Figure 1.

^{In zone} 8 ^{, the security element is provided with an impression 12.}

Through the dark background that arises in this way in the printing area, the color change effect becomes clear and bright in the printing area 12 (letters H and F). Outside the printed area, that is in zone 9, the effect of color change is extremely weak or not at all observable.

This is represented in the plan view of the security element of Figure 1 a, shown in Figure 1 b. In figure 2, an embodiment of the security element according to the invention is shown, in which a plastic sheet 4 with a laser-engravable black metallic layer 5 is provided. A layer of a lacquer with a color change effect 3a is applied directly to this layer 5.

The security element here has a full surface color change effect.

Next, the security element is engraved by means of a laser. The safety element after laser engraving is shown in Figure 2a. There, the black metallic is destroyed in zone 10, in essence the effect of color change is almost completely erased in this area. The color change effect is practically imperceptible in zone 10 (letters H and F), within zone 11, the color change effect is clearly and brightly recognized.

Figure 2b shows the security element of Figure 2a, in plan view after laser engraving. Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the security element according to the invention, which can be used for example in the form of a security label. In this case, on a substrate bearing a plastic sheet 1a provided with a coating of a heat-activating dye, a layer of a liquid crystals material 3 is joined together by an adhesive layer of lamination 2. On the surface located in opposition to ^{this layering is applied a self-adhesive coating} 6 ^.

The security element is then printed by a direct thermal process, as indicated in ^Figure 1 ^.

Then, the security element can be joined with the element that must be secured by the ^{self-adhesive coating} 6 ^.

The security elements according to the present invention are eventually appropriate, according to the corresponding preparation in or on data carriers, particularly in valuable documents such as identity documents, cards, banknotes or labels, stamps and the like, but also as packaging material, for example, in the pharmaceutical, electronic and / or food industry, for example, in the form of blister sheets, folding boxes, covers, wrap sheets and the like.

For use as security elements on data carriers, substrates or, the sheet materials are preferably cut into strips, threads or patches, where the width of the strips or threads preferably reach 0.05-10 mm. , and the patches preferably have a width, or a length, means of 0.3-20 mm.

For use in or on packages, the sheet material is preferably cut into strips, bands, threads or patches; wherein the width of the threads, of the strips, or of the bands, preferably reaches 0.05-50 mm, and the patches preferably have an average width and length of 2-30 mm.

The security elements according to the invention, provided with a self-adhesive coating, are used as labels to secure data carriers, products or packaging.

Claims (7)

1. Customizable security element comprising a carrier substrate and an optically variable layer; characterized in that the security element has the following succession of layers: a) a carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet, which has a laser-engravable black metallic coating, or a thermosetting dye coating; or of a paper that has a direct thermal coating; b) optionally, an adhesive layer of lamination; c) a layer of a material with liquid crystals, or a lacquer with a color change effect; 2. Safety element according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser-engravable metal coating is composed of non-stoichiometric metal oxides, or mixtures of metals and metal oxides. 3. Security element according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the layer of a material with liquid crystals is composed of a printing ink containing pigments of a material with liquid crystals, such as pigments of cholesteric liquid crystals or of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystals. 4. Security element according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the layer of material with liquid crystals is a polymer layer. 5. Security element according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the lacquer with a color change effect is composed of a printing ink containing interference pigments. 6 ^{. Procedure for the manufacture of a customizable security label, characterized by the following} procedure steps: a) preparation of a first carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet, which has a laser-engraved black metallic coating on a surface; or of a flexible plastic sheet or paper having a coating of a heat-activating dye. b) preparation of a second carrier substrate composed of a flexible plastic sheet; c) application of a layer of material with liquid crystals on the second carrier substrate; d) optionally, application of an adhesive layer of lamination on the layer of material with liquid crystals; e) lamination of the layer structure of the first carrier substrate against the layer present on the second carrier substrate; f) extraction of the second carrier substrate; g) printing of the security element with a direct thermal process, whereby the color change effect of the layer of material with liquid crystals becomes visible in the printing area; or ^b 1 ^{) application of a lacquer layer with color change effect on the second carrier substrate; c} 1 ^{) optionally, application of an adhesive layer of lamination on the lacquer layer with a} color change ^effect ; ^d 1 ^{) lamination of the layer structure of the first carrier substrate against the layer present on the} second carrier substrate; ^e 1 ^{) extraction of the second carrier substrate; f} 1 ^{) Engraving of the security element with a laser beam, whereby the color change effect of the} lacquer layer with a color change effect is erased in the printing area. 7. Use of the security elements according to one of claims 1 to 5, as security elements or security labels in or on data carriers, products or packaging.