GB2110597A

GB2110597A - Transfer of visual and/or machine readable data into books

Info

Publication number: GB2110597A
Application number: GB8228852A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Westmacott Caithness; Roderick Wilson Froud; Ronald Purvis
Original assignee: AERO PRINT Ltd
Current assignee: AERO PRINT Ltd
Priority date: 1981-10-12
Filing date: 1982-10-08
Publication date: 1983-06-22

Abstract

A process employing electro- photography for transferring visual and/or machine readable data from an original onto a substrate incorporating or carrying security matter uses a photoconductive film 11 as an intermediary medium and the substrate is a page or inside cover of a book, e.g. a passport. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out this process and to a security item so-produced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transfer of visual and/or machine readable data into books This invention relates to the transfer of visual and/or machine readable data into books, e.g.

passport books.

The preparation of a passport requires the insertion of personal information and a photograph of the passport holder. Traditionally the personal information is handwritten on one of the pages of the passport and an original photograph of the holder is stuck on the same page or another page. To restrict the likelihood of forgery it is known for the photograph to be covered by a transparent cover sheet. For the same purpose the page on which the photograph is stuck may also carry printed matter of a security nature, at least part of which is covered by the photograph.

An object of the preferred aspects of the invention is to provide a technique of transferring such personal information as may be required in the internationally agreed format into a passport by a machine instead of manually and in a manner which is visually acceptable and/or can be machine readable.

Xerography can be employed for copying documentation and to a degree photographs. It has also been suggested that xerography could be used to reproduce a photograph onto the pages of a cheque book or in the production of identity cards, but the quality of reproduction achieved is unacceptable in the field envisaged by the present invention.

This invention utilises a particular form of electrophotography. The term electrophotography includes the broad spectrum of related processes which use photo-electric effects to reproduce text and photographic images on a variety of substrates. The basic process requires the formation of an electrostatic charge image referred to as the latent image on a dielectric surface. A substantially even distribution of electrical charge is applied to the surface and the data to be recorded is projected imagewise onto the charged surface. If the surface is selected to be suitably photoconductive then in the areas of high light intensity the charge leaks to ground leaving the charge pattern intact in the areas of low light intensity thus forming the latent image.The latent image is made visible by the application of toner particles having an electrical charge of opposite polarity to that of the latent image. These toner particles are transported to the photoconductive surface in a developer and are attracted to and adhere to the electrical charge pattern.

The photoconducting dielectric material may be a known type of film on which the toner particles may be fused to form a permanent image.

Alternatively it is known to use the film as an intermediary between an original carrying a photograph and a substrate of plastics material for the production of conventional identity cards.

An image of the photograph is formed on the film from which it is thermally transferred onto the plastics substrate using a heated roller. Such a technique is clearly not applicable for transferring an image of a photograph or other information onto a paper substrate. There also remains the -impossibility of using this technique on a preformed book.

This invention is based upon the discovery and development of a process and apparatus which permits the electrophotographic transfer of visual and/or machine readable data to the pages or inside cover of a book carrying or incorporating security features, in particular a passport. This process/apparatus uses a substantially modified photoconductive film transfer medium technique and permits a highly convenient automated solution to, inter alia, the problem of providing a machine readable passport.

According to the invention there is provided a process employing electrophotography for transferring visual and/or machine readable data from an original onto a substrate, wherein the intermediary transfer medium of the electrophotographic process is a photoconductive film and the substrate is a page or inside cover of a book incorporating or carrying security matter.

Preferably the security matter is printing of a security nature applied to the surface of the substrate onto which the data is to be transferred.

The substrate may incorporate devices to render it sensitive to chemical solvents that may be used fraudulently to effect alterations of personal data appearing thereon. The formulation of substrate and printing must therefore not react to any of the chemicals used in the transference process and both substrate and inks must be compatible with the process.

It is also preferred that at least part of the data is transferred onto an area of the substrate incorporating or carrying at least part of the security matter, especially when the data is a photograph.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises producing a paper original bearing the required data, positioning the original at an exposure station, feeding an electrically charged photoconductive film to the exposure station, forming an electrostatic latent image of the original on the film at the exposure station by illuminating the original and exposing it to the film via a lens and partially or entirely through a half tone screen, developing the image on the film, and elctrostatically transferring the image onto the substrate at a transfer station, the book being held stationary at the transfer station and open at the required page or inside cover.

The substrate is preferably held in a transfer drawer having an electrode to which an electrical potential is applied whilst the portion of the film bearing image to be transferred is brought into contact with the substrate by a soft faced platen.

After the image is transferred, the film is preferably partially reversed to restrict the loss of excess unused film.

The process may also include a subsequent step of laminating the substrate, either on one side or both sides of the substrate.

The invention also provides electrophotographic apparatus for carrying out the process defined above, means being provided for holding a book open at the required page or inside cover whilst the image is transferred thereon from the photoconductive film.

Preferably the apparatus comprises a photoconductive film, and means for feeding the film successively to a charging station at which there are provided means for electrically charging the photoconductive layer of the film, an exposure station at which there is a carrier for an original and means for illuminating the original and exposing it to the film via a lens and partially or entirely through a half-tone screen whereby an electrostatic latent image of the original is formed on the film, a developing station having means for developing the image, and a transfer station at which there is provided both a transfer drawer for holding the book stationary and open with the required page or inside cover adjacent an electrode to which an electrical potential may be applied and also a platen for bringing the film into contact with the page or inside cover to effect a transfer of the image thereto.

Means may be provided for reversing the direction of movement of the film.

There may also be provided means for subsequently laminating the substrate, either on one side or both sides of the substrate.

The invention further provides a security item comprising a substrate having transferred thereon by electrophotography visual and/or machine readable data from an original, wherein the electrophotographic technique employed uses as an intermediary transfer medium a photoconductive film and the substrate is a page or inside cover of a book incorporating or carrying security matter.

Preferably the book is a passport.

The substrate may be laminated on one or both sides subsequently to the data being transferred thereon.

By way of example, a specific embodiment in accordance with the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an input card bearing data to be transferred onto a page or inside cover of a book; Figure 2 shows apparatus for transferring the data of Figure 1 by an electrophotographic process using a photoconductive film as an intermediary medium; and Figure 3 is a section through a specific transfer drawer for holding open a passport.

This example concerns the transfer of visual and/or machine readable data including in this embodiment written or typewritten information and a continuous tone photograph, either black and white or coloured, onto a substrate comprising a page or inside cover of a traditional passport book, the page or inside cover carrying printed matter of a security nature. Alternatively the page or inside cover may incorporate security matter, e.g. a watermark. The pages of the passport may be conventional paper or a known form of plasticised paper.

Figure 1 shows an original form which is filled in with the bearer's name, nationality, date of birth and other personal details. A photograph of the bearer is attached and his personal details encoded using machine readable numerals. This form then comprises an original data input card 10 for the electrophotographic copier of Figure 2.

The copier uses as an intermediary medium a photoconductive film 11 which in this embodiment is Kodak Ektavolt recording film SO102 which has a photoconductive layer coated on top of a transparent conductive layer which provides grounding during the charging and developing steps. The conductive layer is itself coated on a transparent dimensionally stable polyester film base.

Referring to Figure 2, the film 11 is fed by a forward drive roller 12 from a supply spool 13 to a take up spool 14. The supply spool 13 is provided with a follower 27 which is spring-loaded to prevent back-spooling and is also attached to a microswitch arrangement 28 for indicating when the film level reaches a predetermined minimum.

Between the two spools the film is first passed over a reverse drive roller 15 the purpose of which is described below and through a corotron 1 6 to sensitize the film in the dark before exposure. The corotron 1 6 is a high-voltage device which produces positively charged ions which are deposited onto the surface of the photoconductive layer.

The film then passes over spaced guide rollers 17, 1 8 between which is the exposure station 19.

As the charged section of film passes the exposure station it is exposed to the original date input card 10 which has been inserted in a carrier 29 held in position by a releasable latch. The card is illuminated by flash guns 30 via a lens 20 partially or entirely through a half-tone screen 21. An electrostatic latent image of the card 10 is thereby formed on the film which is made visible by the application of a developer at a developing station 22. The developer carries charged toner particles which are attracted to the pattern of electrical charges on the film.

After the developing station 22 is a transfer station 23, and downstream of the transfer station are the forward drive roller 1 2 and the take up spool 14.

In the transfer station the film 11 is stopped over the page or inside cover of the book onto which the image is to be transferred. In this embodiment the book is a traditional passport book carried by a transfer drawer 26 which is inserted transversely to the direction of movement and held by a releasable latch. The drawer 26 is capable of holding the passport book open at the selected inside cover or page which overlies a stainless steel plate electrode. Around the electrode is a thin slot to allow a vacuum to be applied to attract the cover or page onto the electrode. The film is brought into contact with the inside cover or page by a soft faced platen 24, and a transfer bias voltage is applied to the electrode causing toner to be attracted from the film to the inside cover or page.The platen 24 is operated by a solenoid and is hinged about its leading edge whereby it acts in a squeegee manner pressing downwardly on one edge first. The image is thereby electrostatically transferred onto the inside cover or page. After transfer has taken place the platen 24 is raised and the film rises with it, being held in position by a rod 32. As the platen approaches the upper rest position a pivoted lever 31 at the trailing edge of the platen engages a stop pin 33 on the casing and drops downwardly into its position shown. Attached to the free end of the lever is the rod 32 which extends transversely beneath the film. When the platen is lowered the rod holds the film in contact with the underside of the platen, However, when the platen is raised the rod defines a slot beneath the platen through which the film may be threaded.The rod 32 thus acts to ensure that the film strips off the inside cover or page onto which the image has been transferred. This is important because after the transfer of the image has taken place and the palten 24 has been raised, the direction of movement of the film is reversed by operation of the reverse drive roller 1 5 to return at least part of the immediately preceding unused film to a point on the film path before the corotron 16.

Backwound film is not taken up again on the supply spool 1 3 but is allowed to collect in a scoop 25 which also serves as a light baffle and a structural member. The latch on the carrier for the original data input card 10 is released immediately after the transfer step and the latch on the transfer drawer 26 is released when rewinding is complete. The original input data card and the passport book or other substrate can then be replaced and the cycle repeated.

If desired the cycle may include an additional step of laminating the substrate in known manner beneath a transparent layer of plastics material or between two such layers after the image has been transferred onto the substrate.

Figure 3 is a more detailed cross section through a particular transfer drawer for holding open a passport at a particular page or inside cover. The drawer comprises a block 41 of insulating material in which is set the transfer electrode 42 and the assembly thus formed is mounted in metal sideplates 43 which run in guides which allow the drawer to be withdrawn from the machine transversely to the direction of motion of the film.

To produce an image in a passport book the drawer is withdrawn using spring loaded handle 44 the action of which opens a clamp at 45. The passport book is opened at the required inside cover or page 49 and the cover or page is inserted through the open clamp 45 until it engages on stops 46 at the back and sides of the drawer.

Releasing the handle 44 clamps the cover or page in place.

Any prior part of the passport book ahead of the inside cover or page to be imaged rests against the front baffle whilst any subsequent part following the inside cover or page to be imaged rests under the insulating block 41.

To print, the drawer containing the passport book is pushed in. As motion commences a microswitch is tripped causing air to be withdrawn from the underside of the electrode 42 along duct 47, thus holding the cover or page 49 firmly in contact with the electrode. At the end of its travel the drawer is latched in place.

The developed film 48 is brought to rest over the inside cover or page 49 and brought into contact with it by the transfer platen. The stops which initially determine the position of the cover or page are spring loaded and are depressed by the action of the platen. A voltage is applied to the electrode 42 to induce toner to transfer to the inside cover or page. The voltage is removed and the film raised from the inside cover or page.

The film is rewound during which time drying of the image may take place. At the end of rewinding, the drawer latch is released and withdrawal of the drawer interrupts pumping of the underside of the electrode 42.

The passport book may then be removed from the drawer.

Although the above description refers to passports, it will be appreciated that the generality of the invention is not so limited.

Claims

1. A process employing electrophotography for transferring visual and/or machine readable data from an original onto a substrate, wherein the intermediary transfer medium of the electrophotographic process is a photoconductive film and the substrate is a page or inside cover of a book incorporating or carrying security matter.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the security matter is printing of a security nature applied to the surface of the substrate onto which the data is to be transferred.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least part of the data is transferred onto an area of the substrate incorporating or carrying at least part of the security matter.

4. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising producing a paper original bearing the required data, positioning the original at an exposure station, feeding an electrically charged photoconductive film to the exposure station, forming an electrostatic latent image of the original on the film at the exposure station by illuminating the original and exposing it to the film via a lens and partially or entirely through a half-tone screen, developing the image on the film, and electrostatically transferring the image onto the substrate at a transfer station, the book being held stationary at the transfer station and open at the required page or inside cover.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the substrate is held in a transfer drawer having an electrode to which an electrical potential is applied whilst the portion of the film bearing the image to be transferred is brought into contact with the substrate by a soft faced platen.

6. A process as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein after the image is transferred, the film is partially reversed to restrict the loss of excess unused film.

7. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a subsequent step of laminating the substrate, either on one side or both sides of the substrate.

8. Electrophotographic apparatus for carrying out a process as claimed in claim 1, wherein means are provided for holding a book open at the required page or inside cover whilst the image is transferred thereon from the photoconductive film.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, comprising a photoconductive film, and means for feeding the film successively to a charging station at which there are provided means for electrically charging the photoconductive layer of the film, an exposure station at which there is a carrier for a paper original and means for illuminating the original and exposing it to the film via a lens and partially or entirely through a half-tone screen whereby an electrostatic latent image of the original is formed on the film, a developing station having means for developing the image, and a transfer station at which there is provided both a drawer for holding the book stationary and open with the required page or inside cover adjacent an electrode to which an electrical potential may be applied and also a platen for bringing the film into contact with the page or inside cover to effect a transfer of the image thereto.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, including means for reversing the direction of movement of the film.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, including means for subsequently laminating the substrate, either on one side or both sides of the substrate.

12. Security item comprising a book having data transferred onto a page or inside cover of the book by a process or apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

13. Security item comprising a substrate having transferred thereon by electrophotography visual and/or machine readable data from an original, wherein the electrophotographic technique employed uses as an intermediary transfer medium a photoconductive film and the substrate is a page or inside cover of a book incorporating or carrying security matter.

14. Security item as claimed in claim 13, wherein the security matter is printing of a security nature applied to the substrate prior to the transfer of the data thereon.

15. Security item as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein at least part of the data transferred overlies at least part of the security matter.

16. Security item as claimed in any one of claims 1 3 to 15, wherein the substrate is laminated on one or both sides subsequently to the data being transferred thereon.

17. Security item as claimed in any one of claims 1 3 to 16, wherein the book is a passport.

1 8. A process of transferring visual and/or machine readable data substantially as hereinbefore described.

1 9. Apparatus for transferring visual and/or machine readable data substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. Security item substantially as hereinbefore described.