MXPA01009392A - Decorative foil - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a decorative foil (1) having a layered structure consisting of at least two layers (2;3). The layers (2;3) comprise a, for example transparent, base foil (2) which on one side is coated with a reflective layer (3). A protective layer (4) can be applied to protect the reflective layer (3) from external influences. The moulding area (7) of the base foil (2) faces the reflective layer (3) and has a structure in the form of groups of geometrical shapes, which is obtained by moulding. The area occupied by each group has a width of between 30&mgr;m and 300&mgr;m. Elements (14) of the group which are reproduced on the base foil (2) by moulding have a substantially rectangular cross-section. The area taken up by each group is composed of element areas (9 to 11), which are situated in a plane (8) parallel to the moulding area (7), and remainder areas (13) which remain in their original state in the plane of the moulding area (7). The areas occupied by the groups are separated from each other in the moulding area (7) plane by background sections.

Description

DECORATIVE METALLIC PAPER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a decorative metallic paper as set out in the classification portion of claim 1. Said decorative metallic papers have a reflection surface similar to a mirror and are used for the decorative packaging of products and / or to safeguard products from pirated copies, when for aesthetic reasons or for reasons of cost, security elements such as colored holograms, mosaics with diffraction gratings etc. are not used. A decorative metallic paper of the type set out in the open part of this application is known from WO 82/03202. A paper carrier is laminated on one side to smooth the first surface. The smooth surface is then metallized by the deposition of aluminum vapor in such a way that the plastic layer is enclosed between the metal layer and the paper. That decorative metallic paper can be processed as paper, and is of a metallic appearance on the first outer side. The metallic outer side can be printed additionally. EP 0 209 362 A2 describes a decorative metallic paper in which firstly, the metallic layer is applied on both sides of a decorative metallic foil, wherein the first side has a surface as smooth mirror and the other side has an opaque surface. The highly reflective or opaque surface of the decorative metallic paper is laminated on paper. A coating of additional lacquer applied on the free metal layer provides an improved abrasion resistance of the metal layer. The decorative metallic paper can be processed as paper and printed on the metal side. It is also known that documents such as security-bearing papers or bonds, tickets, bank notes and so on, are provided with strips and rhombuses of metallic hot stamping paper so that a photocopy of the document can be clearly detected as a copy under lighting in the region of metallized hot foil metallic paper. These metallic decorative papers with a mirror finish are already available in the market and do not carry any characteristic with reference to the manufacturer of the product. In addition, EP 0 209 362 A2 mentions papers that are laminated with metal foil or covered with very thin metal foils and that can also have a stamp. By virtue of their applicability for cutting and bending at high speed, such metallized papers are used, for example, in the cigar industry as a packaging material. The enhancement structures in ink or metal paste are applied to the substrate on banknotes or pass by means of engraving printing, as is known for example, from DD 228 669 A5. Only this is under a predetermined condition, in terms of seeing that it is possible to recognize a latent image produced by the enhancement structures. U.S. Patent Application No. 5 772 248 teaches stamping on metallic paper as a latent image that is visible to the naked eye. The object of the invention is to provide a low-cost, high-quality decorative metallic paper having a reflective property similar to the mirror and notorious authentic characteristics that are difficult to copy. According to the invention, the specific object is achieved by the characteristics recited in the characterization portion of claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The decorative metallic paper comprises at least two layers, a metallic base paper covered on one side with a reflection layer. However, the reflection layer is advantageously accommodated between the base metal paper and a protective layer. A shaping surface of the base metal paper, which faces towards the reflection layer, has a structure, obtained by shaping, of groups of geometric shapes. A surface occupied by the group is between 30μm and 300μm wide. Elements of the group, which are formed in the base metal paper, are of a cross section in substantially rectangular form, where the surface occupied by the group consists of element surfaces that are arranged in a plane parallel with respect to the surface of conformation, and the residual surfaces in the plane of the shaping surface. The surfaces occupied by the groups are separated by regions from a subsequent area in the plane of the shaping surface. The embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail below and are illustrated in the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a die and two embodiments of a decorative metal foil, Figure 2 shows a laminate, Figure 3 shows a cut of a die with structures of geometric shapes, Figure 4 shows a sectional view of another form of decorative metal foil, Figure 5 shows a group of geometric shapes, Figure 6 shows a regular arrangement of the groups. , Figure 7 shows a strip-shaped strip design with the groups, Figure 8 shows the decorative metallic foil with clues, and Figure 9 shows an illuminated kinoform. In Figure 1, the reference 1 represents a decorative metallic paper, a metallic base paper 2, a reflection layer 3, a protective layer 4, a base layer 5, a shaping layer 6, a shaping surface 7 metallic paper 2 and 8 of base a plane parallel with respect to the forming surface 7 and element surfaces 9 to 11 that are in the parallel plane 8. The reflection layer 3 is applied to the shaping surface 7. The two embodiments of the decorative metallic paper 1, shown in Figure 1, differ from the basic metallic paper 2.; while in the case of the modality on the left it is provided with a metallic paper 2 of solid base whereas in the case of the modality on the right the metallic paper 2 of base is a laminate 12 that is formed from the layer 5 of the base, the conformation layer 6 and optionally presents the layers (not shown here) between the base layer 5 and the conformation layer 6. The reflection layer 3 is shown in Figure 1 only to the left of the drawing as a "layer", by means of a double line, while to the right in the drawing and then only shown as a highlighted line. The shaping surface 7 of the base metal paper 2 is structured by a method of forming by elements 14 of a die 15 in such a way that the elements 14 cause the local parts of the reflection layer 3 with the shaping surface 7 to be they move in the form of surfaces 9 to 11 of elements by a practically equal distance d in the parallel plane 8. The structure produced by the shaping of the elements 14 in the base metal paper 2 (or in the laminate 12) has protrusions for example of a substantially rectangular cross section. In a first embodiment, the surfaces of the die 15 that come into contact with the reflection layer 3 are polished. The dimensions A of the element surfaces 9 to 11 are between 250 nm and 300 μm, that is, it is possible to produce shaping configurations with a resolution of 4000 dots / mm or 100,000 dpi. The characteristics of the decorative metallic paper 1 are raised portions in the form of cylinders, prisms, truncated conics, truncated pyramids, etc., with the element surfaces 9 to 11 as upper surfaces. The surfaces 9 to 11 of the element have as their limit the contours of the geometric shapes such as letters, digits, graphic characters, logos, etc., and are produced in the form of raised portions above the forming surfaces 7, for example in the form of a text. The structured reflection layer 3 divided from a thick micrometer is preferably coated with the protective layer 4 so that the reflection layer 3 is accommodated between the base metal paper 2 and the protective layer 4 and is protected from external influences . The reflection layer 3 is visible through the base metal paper 2 and / or through the protective layer 4. It looks like a metallic mirror surface if the material of the reflection layer 3 is a metal (Al, Ag, Au, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pd, Ti and so on). If in contrast the reflection layer 3 comprises a transparent dielectric (Ti02, ZnS, ZnO, Nd203 etc.) with a refractive index of more than 1.8 per light in the visible range, the decorative metallic paper 1 is generally transparent if the metallic foil 2 of base and protective layer 4 are transparent. However, the surface portions of the decorative metallic paper 1, in which the incident light in the surface portions and the viewing direction satisfies precisely the condition of reflection that shines like a mirror; which produces a particularly decorative effect. The structure formed in the reflection layer 3 can be seen in full detail only by means of a strong magnifying lens. Both the element surfaces 9 to 11 as well as the residual surfaces 13 between the element surfaces 9 to 11 placed in the height direction appear uniformly luminous to the person looking at them, but reflecting the lateral surfaces of the structures that do not they satisfy the same vision conditions as the element surfaces 9 to 11 and the residual surfaces 13 and therefore appear as a brightness value different from the element surfaces 9 to 11 and the residual surfaces 13. In addition, the combined effects occur at the edges of the element surfaces 9 to 11 so that the contours of the element surfaces 9 to 11 are so clearly emphasized relative to the element surfaces 9 to 11 and the residual surfaces 13 that the information provided by the structure (text, graphics, emblem, trademarks, etc.) can be observed. The packaging with the decorative metallic paper 1 is advantageous for sealed, expensive or high-value products as the structure in the decorative metallic paper 1 used for the packaging provides an indication of the authenticity of the original product, a verification that can be carried out at any time and anywhere without breaking the seal. From the point of view of the buyer or the seller, the packaging reduces the risk of unconsciously acquiring or offering a pirated copy. The slight increase in packaging cost on the other hand protects the manufacturer of the original products from financial damage due to pirated copies. The base metal paper 2 is either a solid thermoplastic foil or a laminate 12 comprising at least two layers, for example the base layer 5 and a thermoplastic forming layer 6 which is fixedly connected to the base layer 5 . The base layer 5 comprises, for example, a thermoplastic metallic paper or a paper. The thermoplastic layer 6 is applied in the form of a lacquer to the base layer 5 or laminated on the base layer 5, such as a thermoplastic metal foil. The primed layers can be provided between the base layer 5 and the conformation layer 6 in order to prevent the laminate 12 from dividing. The base metal paper 2 is preferably transparent if the base metal paper 2 forms the outer side of the decorative layer 1, in which respect it can be colorless ("clear as glass") or in colors. If the protective layer 4 is transparent and forms the outer side of the decorative metallic paper 1, the metallic base paper 2 may be opaque or completely non-transparent. Figure 2 shows the laminate 12 which is known from WO 82/03202 mentioned above and which has a paper as a base layer 5. The base layer 5 comprises paperboard or paper, referred to herein as "paper", to which is applied on an optionally present side of the intermediate primer layers 16 and a polymeric layer 17 (polyolefins, polyesters, PVC, etc.), in the specific sequence. The polymer layer 17 can be used directly in place of the forming layer 6 to form the die 15 (Figure 1). In another embodiment, in addition to the polymeric layer 17, the conformation layer 6 shown in the dashed line in Figure 2 can be applied to the polymeric layer 17. The decorative metallic papers 1 based on the laminate 12 with the paper base layer 5 are used predominantly in the packaging industry since this special decorative metallic paper 1 has the advantage that it can be processed as paper, ie at high speed. If the paper is of cardboard quality, the decorative metallic paper 1 can be used for example for the production of decorative boxes. The decorative metallic paper 1 with a thin paper (weights per square meter in the range between 17 g / m2 and 80 g / m2) serves, for example, as a decorative covering for a box and so on. The thermoplastic metallic paper for the base metal paper 2 (Figure 1) or for the base layer 5 advantageously comprises polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PETP) or polycarbonate (PC)) or polyolefins (polyethylenes (PE), polypropylene (PP) etc.) or other plastic material suitable for the production of metallic paper. In particular, the polyester metallic papers are clear as the non-colored glass and even in thin thickness they offer a high level of tensile strength as required for the packaging material. The coloring of the plastic material produces the partial transfer of the metallic paper for a limited part of the visible spectrum; It is transparent with respect to a decorative color (for example red). According to the use of decorative metallic paper 1, the thickness of the thermoplastic metallic paper is of a value in the range between a few micrometers and a few millimeters, but preferably between 5 and 100 μm. The optionally present conformation layer 6 is usually applied in the form of a lacquer. Transparent lacquers on a nitrocellulose and / or acrylate base (for example polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA) or one of the UV hardening lacquers have proven to be successful. However, the forming layer 6 can also be laminated in the form of a thin metallic paper of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), PETP, PC, PE or PP, onto the base layer 5. The thickness of the shapeless shaping layer 6 obtains at least the distance d, preferably in the shaping layer 6 it will be applied thicker by some micrometers so that the structure is completely contained in the shaping layer 6. According to EP 0 386 316 A1, the embossing structures are formed into a metallic paper in the form of a strip between a laminated die and the back-pressure backup laminator in a continuous operation process. Stretched on the laminating die is a die sleeve which on its outer peripheral surface has a negative of the structure being formed. Figure 3 shows a section of the peripheral surface, the die 15 of the die sleeve. The peripheral surface has surface structures comprising, for example, the regularly grouped groups of elements 14 (Figure 1). The arrangement between the groupings are areas 18 that are free of the elements 14. The peripheral surface is thus composed of the surfaces of the back, which is occupied by the areas 18, and the group surfaces 19, where the Group surface 19 is formed from the residual surfaces 13 and the stamp surfaces 20 to 22 of the elements 14. The surfaces of the areas 18 and the residual surfaces 13 of the die surfaces 23 determine the plane of the surface 7 of conformation. The stamp surfaces 20 to 22 together form a surface ratio that is at least 20% of the peripheral surface that is smaller than the surface portion of the die surface 23 on the peripheral surface. The surface structures of the die 15 can be raised or lowered; for example the embodiment on the right has raised stamp surfaces 20 and 21 above the die surface 23 while in the left-hand mode, the stamp surfaces are recessed on the die surface 23. The stamp surfaces 20 and 21 are displaced for example by a distance d and the stamp surfaces 22 move by another distance d with respect to the die surface 23 and by virtue of the shaping effect of the elements 14 on the metallic paper 2 of base (Figure 1) or laminate 12 (Figure 2) produce the recesses of the substantially rectangular cross-section. By offering the advantage of a better shaping effect, the elements taper in some way towards the stamp surfaces 20 to 22 so that the recesses are of a trapezoid cross section. The element surfaces 9 (FIG. 1) through 11 (FIG. 1) and the residual surfaces 13 (FIG. 1), after forming the base metal foil 2, have the structures very thin of the stamp surfaces 20 to 22 and the die surface 23. A well-known process for forming the die structures 15 in the thermoplastic metal paper is stamping or screen printing with the heated die 15. The die 15 heats the surface of the thermoplastic metal paper in such a way that the elements 14 penetrate the metal paper surface and displace the element surfaces 9 to 11 of the elements 14 in the parallel plane 8 (Figure 1) by the distance d. . The distance d is from a value in the range between 0.05 μm and 10 μm. The preferred values for d are between 0.1 μm and 2 μm. Another process involves the shaping of the structure of the die 15 on the surface of a hardening lacquer that was caused to harden by means of UV radiation. In that process, the reflection layer 3 (Figure 1) is applied after the shaping operation to the structure by means of the die 15. As Figure 4 shows the protective layer 4, it covers the layer 3 of structured reflection. The protective layer 4 is applied in the form of a lacquer that flows easily on a base of nitrocellulose and / or acrylate, in one or more layers. The recess in the metal base sheet 2 is completely filled and leveled. The thickness of the layer, measured above the plane of the shaping surface 7, is of a value in the range of 0.5 μm to 10 μm. The shaped structures are completely covered with the protective layer 4 in order to prevent direct access to the forming surface 7 which is now structured. If the protective layer 4 on the reflection layer 3 will be particularly resistant to scratches, the recommendation is to use one of the lacquers that harden by means of ultraviolet radiation and which is used for the protection of strongly stressed surfaces in relation to the cards of credit, ID cards, IC cards and so on. In the embodiment to the left in Figure 4, the structure that is formed in the base metal paper 2 has recesses of a trapezoidal cross section. The condition with respect to the view of such structure is less limited than in the case of structures of the rectangular cross section. In the case of very thin structures, for example a double line in the right-hand mode, the rectangular cross-sections can not be formed cleanly and may have rounded edges in cross-section. If the decorative metallic paper 1 will be connected to a substrate 24, the protective layer 4 is adapted for connection to the substrate 24, whether an additional adhesive layer 25 is applied to the surface of the protective layer 4, which is remote from the substrate. the reflection layer 3 (mode to the left) or the material of the protective layer 4 is suitable for the connection to the substrate 24 (mode to the right). Both cold adhesives, for example rubber based adhesives and also hot adhesives, are known for that use. Hot adhesives develop their adhesive properties only at elevated temperatures, for example a hot adhesive based on polymethyl methacrylate of about 110 ° C. The thickness of the adhesive layer 25 or the adhesive protective layer 4 depends on the surface roughness of the substrate 24 and the nature of the adhesive material. The cold adhesive is of a thickness of about 10 μm for a smooth surface of the substrate 24 to 30 μm for a rough substrate surface. With respect to the thickness of the hot adhesive material, approximately 1 μm is sufficient for a smooth surface of the substrate 24, at 10 μm for a rough substrate surface. The adhesive layer 25 or the protective layer 4 bondable with the base of a cold adhesive is covered with a protective metal paper 26 which can be easily removed from polyester or silicone paper in order to prevent the decorative metallic paper 1 from sticking when that is not required. The protective metal paper 26 is separated before the decorative metallic paper 1 is applied to the substrate 24. The decorative metallic paper 1 can be cut into narrow strips or labels 27 of a few square centimeters, as indicated in Figure 4 by interrupted lines. The transfer band 28 facilitates the application to the tags 27 and accommodates on the side of the base metal paper 2, which is remote from the reflection layer 3. The connection of the transfer web 28 to the base metal paper 2 is made by means of a separating layer 29, for example of a wax, and can be easily removed after the tag 27 has been glued to the substrate 24. The fabrication of the decorative metallic papers 1 is based on the metallic base paper 2 connected to the transfer web 28. After the application of the last layer, ie the adhesive layer 25 or the adhesive protective layer 4 or the protective metal paper 26, the labels 27 are stamped out of the decorative metallic paper 1 of the last layer towards the transfer belt 28 without being cut through it ("cut"). Between faces") . After the tag 27 sticks on the substrate 24, the transfer band 28 is separated (Figure 4, right side). The documents, banknotes, passes of all kinds, etc., by means of such a tag 27, acquire simple protection against photocopy and at the same time the structure in the decorative metallic paper 1 forms a characteristic of the tag 27, which is easy to verify. Figure 5 is a plan view of the section of the decorative metallic paper 1 with a group 30 of the surfaces 9 to 11 of elements and the residual surfaces 13 within the group surface 19. The group surface 19 is a fictitious rectangle that is used for description purposes and which with each side touches at least one surface 9 to 11 of element. The group surface 19 is surrounded by the areas 18 that separate the groups 30 from each other. The element surfaces 9 to 11 of a group 30 are in the parallel plane 8 (Fig. 1) and are displaced from the conformation plane 7 (Fig. 1) by the distance d associated with the group. In the case of incident light, spreading effects occur at the edges of the surfaces 9 to 11 of elements so that the contours of the element surfaces 9 to 11 can be detected with the magnifying lens device as a difference in contrast to the relationship of the contours. If the element surfaces 9 to 11, the residual surfaces 13 and the areas 18 are restrictive, then in the view in Figure 5, the edges of the letters, which are emphasized in black, correspond to the contours that are accentuated by differences by contrast. The ability to detect the surfaces 9 to 11 of the element is increased by the choice of the trapezoid cross-section of the structures, as shown in Figure 4 or by means of double edges delimiting the structures. When viewed with the naked eye, the decorative metallic paper 1 is metallic bright and can not be distinguished from an unstructured metallic paper. The dimensions of the group surface 19 shown by means of the example in the drawing of Figure 5 are approximately 340 μm in length and 75 μm in width, with the line width for the surfaces 9 to 11 of element being assume to be 15 μm. In such a way, the information of "TEXT" can be clearly read, the dimensions of the group surface 19 are to be properly selected having regard to the prescribed magnifying lens device to verify the decorative metallic paper 1, in which with respect to the default magnification lens will be at least 10. Since the viewing distance when using a magnifying lens is less than the usual 30 cm called "micromark", with letters, characters and so on between 30 μm and 300 μm in height can Recognize yourself clearly Figure 6 shows a portion of the decorative metallic paper 1. The groups 30 are arranged in regular spaces on the entire surface of the decorative metallic paper 1 and are separated by surface regions that are not occupied by the groups 30, which are in a subsequent area 31. One of the groups 30 is shown as being viewed through a magnifying lens 32. The contours of the element surfaces 9 to 11 are visible under the strong magnifying lens. The density of the groups 30 in the decorative metallic paper 1 depends on the use and the length of the group 30. The proportion of the surfaces 9 to 11 of the element to the area of the decorative metallic paper 1 is less than 20%, preferably between 1% and 10% The optically variable diffraction patterns are known, in the form of a hologram and in KINEGRAM technology, in accordance with EP 0 105 099 Bl. The diffraction patterns often have reflection surfaces. As an additional security feature, instead of the reflection surfaces, they have surface portions with the design of the groups 30 and the rear area 31. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the groups 30 are arranged in rows in text bands 33. For additional decoration purposes, the text bands 33 are on the edge with the narrow lines 34 or double lines 35 of the line widths in the region of 0.05 mm or less. For example, the surfaces of lines 34 or double lines 35 occupy with diffraction gratings and implement using KINEGRAM technology. The combination of these two different technologies produces on a tag 27 an optically variable guilloche pattern 36 which is visible to the naked eye, of a diameter of the order of magnitude of centimeters and with information that can only be recognized when seen through the lens 32. of increase. That tag 27 is suitable by virtue of the mirror effect as an anticopy measure and is pasted as a feature of authenticity on the substrate 24 (document, pass, card, etc.). Figure 8 shows embodiments of decorative metallic paper 1 with indicia 37 that are printed further on base metal paper 2 (text, images, emblems, etc.). The first mode, on the left, has the indicia 37 only on the outer side of the base metal paper 2, which is remote from the reflection layer 3, while the other modality on the right, has indicia 37 on both sides of the 2 metallic base paper. The information printing articles or references on the base metallic paper 2 on at least one of the two sides thereof can provide a contribution with respect to the indications of origin or with respect to the artistic configuration of the decorative metallic paper 1. The indicia 37 are protected from abrasion if they are printed on the inner side of the base metal paper 2, which is towards the reflection layer 3. The structure of the decorative metallic paper 1 shown in Figure 8 requires the method of forming a die 15 (Figure 3) whose die surfaces 20 (Figure 3) through 22 (Figure 3) and / or the surface 23 of the die (Figure 3). 3), instead of a mirror-smooth surface, has a structure 38 and 39 of microscopically fine enhancement respectively which in the forming process is transferred on the element surfaces 9 to 11 and on the rear surface 31 respectively. The opaque isotropic or anisotropic structures or a quinoform structure known from the Swiss patent application No. 653 782 can be used as a highlighting structure 31. The element surfaces 9 to 11 (Figure 1) have the same enhancement structure 38 at least within a group 30 (Figure 6). The adjacent groups 30 can differ by virtue of the enhancement structures 38 which are oriented in different ways so that a first micromark can be seen in the first direction and a second micromark will be read after the rotation of the decorative metallic paper 1, in another address. The differences in height within the structure 38 and 39 of enhancement respectively are in the range of between 10 nm and 5000 nm. The opaque isotropic structures gather the incident light independently of the direction of its incidence uniformly throughout the half space by means of the opaque structure (= isotropic). A surface of the decorative metallic paper 1 that is occupied with the opaque isotropic structure has a matte gloss of low light intensity. The opaque anisotropic structure is of a matt appearance in an orientation relative to incident light; in another orientation, after the opaque structure has been turned around an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the decorative metallic paper 1, the opaque structure shines, but this brightness is markedly weaker than the light intensity of the reflective surface. adjacent. The element surfaces 9 of a whole group 30 have the same opaque structure. Adjacent groups 30 may differ by isotropic opaque structures involving different orientations. Thus, in one direction of the first micromark can be detected with a high level of contrast and the second micromark can be detected with a low level of contrast in relation to the posterior area 31 (Figure 6) and in another direction, the first micromarca has the low contrast and the second micromark has the high contrast. The die surface 23 or the die surfaces 20 to 22 may also contain hidden information and for that purpose are provided with a particular relief structure 39 and are used in combination with the mirror surface for the stamp surfaces 20 to 22 or the surface 23 of the die for printing the structure of the decorative metallic paper 1. This enhancement structure which is formed in the metallic base paper 2 provides the gathering of incident inconsistent light with normal illumination in a manner similar to an opaque structure so that, when viewed with the magnifying lens 32 (Figure 7), the element surfaces 9 to 11 appear as either reflective surfaces in the rear area 31 metallicly opaque or as the opaquely shiny metal surfaces in the rear reflector area 31. Figure 9 shows a section of the decorative metallic paper 1 with the structure 39 of particular enhancement (Figure 8). With the illumination with a beam 40 of coherent parallel light from a laser diode or a laser 41, the structure 39 of particular enhancement deflects the coherent incident light in such a way that the reflected light projects an additional item of hidden information, there the logo 42 with the letters "L &G" on a sieve 43 accommodated above the decorative metallic paper 1. A representative of these particular enhancement structures 39 is quinoform, a computer generated hologram. The hidden information is reconstructed in coherent light, irrespective of whose quinoform location is illuminated or how large the area is illuminated, but the image quality of the protected information is deteriorated, or the smaller area is illuminated. This behavior is also known in relation to Fourier holograms in which all the image information of the hologram is present in each surface element. In the actual configuration of the quinoform, the enhancement profile computed by means of a computer is repeated on the surfaces 9 (FIG. 5) to 11 (FIG. 5) of the element or in the area 31 (FIG. 6) later in a regular tracer frame whose Tracking areas 44 have typical dimensions in the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, while the details of enhancement calculated subdivided the tracked area into tracer elements whose typical dimensions are in the micrometer range, preferably in the range of 0.5 μm. at 5 μm. For lighting purposes, the laser light source 41 is used, whose parallel light beam 40 produces a point of light in the decorative metallic paper 1, which completely illuminates at least one tracking area 44, for good image quality.

If the surfaces 9 to 11 of the micromark element have the quinoform structure, then the information hidden under illumination of the decorative metallic paper 1 of the laser can not be perfectly reconstructed in the screen if the surface proportion of all micromarcas occupy less than 5% of the area of decorative metallic paper 1. The large mirror ratio of the rear area 31 results in the screen 43 in a bright mirror reflection in which the hidden information can only be weakly recognized. In addition the micromarca acts as a mask that is superimposed on the qiinoforme. In that mask, the diffraction effects occur, the design of the same is superimposed on the reconstructed logo 42 and makes it additionally blurred. It is an advantage thereof to select a modality of the decorative metallic paper 1 in which the entire posterior area 31 is occupied by the quinoform tracing areas 44 and the element surfaces 9 to 11 of the micromarcas have the mirror structure. To the naked eye, the observer sees a decorative metallic paper that shines opaquely in a light form that can not be distinguished from a white metallic paper. The inspection with the magnifying lens 32 (Figure 7) with the oblique illumination reveals the micromark. The hidden information is only visible on the screen 43 when the decorative metallic paper 1 is illuminated with coherent light.

Claims (22)

1. A decorative metallic paper comprising at least one base metal paper and a reflection layer arranged on one side of the base metal paper, with a structure formed on the base metal paper, characterized in that the structure obtained by shaping has recesses and / or portions thereof. elevated arranged in groups, where the recesses and / or the raised portions are formed as cylinders, prisms, truncated cones, truncated pyramids, etc. and as upper surfaces have element surfaces, wherein the dimensions of the element surfaces are in the range between 250 nm and 300 μm, a group surface occupied by the group consists of the element surfaces and residual surfaces and the group surface from a width of between 30 μm and 300 μm, the element surfaces of a group are in a parallel plane displaced by the distance with respect to a shaping surface and the residual surfaces are in the pl anus of the shaping surface, and the groups are separated by regions of a posterior area, which is in the plane of the shaping surface.

2. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a protective layer covers a structured side of the metallic base paper having a reflection layer in such a way that the recesses of the structure in the base metal paper are filled and the The reflection layer is enclosed between the base metal paper of the protective layer.

3. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 1, or claim 2, characterized in that the element surfaces of at least one group are delimited by letter and / or character outlines and the group surface represents a micromark that it can be recognized only with a magnifying lens.

4. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the micromarcas are arranged in text bands and the text bands form a guilloche pattern.

5. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the groups in the back area are accommodated in a pattern that is repeated regularly.

6. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the reflective surface portions of an optically variable diffraction design have the design of the groups in the rear area.

7. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the distance d between each of the parallel planes and the plane of the shaping surface is of a value in the range between 0.05 μm and 10 μm.

The decorative foil paper as set forth in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the element surfaces of at least one of the group are in the form of a mirror surface.

9. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the element surfaces of the at least one group have a microscopically fine embossing structure, wherein a main height h of the embossing structure determines the position of the parallel plane.

10. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that the embossing structures in the case of at least two groups differ by a preferential azimuthal direction of the embossing structures.

11. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that the embossing structure of the element surfaces in the case of at least one group is an opaque isotropic structure.

12. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 9 or claim 10, characterized in that the enhancement structures in the case of at least two groups are opaque anisotropic structures and because the azimuthal orientation of the structure opaque anisotropic group 1 differs from the azimuthal orientation of the opaque anisotropic structure of the other group.

13. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the rear area surrounding the element surfaces is divided into tracking surfaces and that at least one of the tracking areas has the structure of enhancement of a quinoforme.

14. The decorative metal foil as set forth in one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the rear area surrounding the surfaces of the element is a mirror.

15. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the reflection layer comprises one of the metals Al, Ag, Au, Cr, Cu, Pd, Ti or a transparent dielectric.

16. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the base metal paper is a laminate constructed of at least one base layer and a conformation layer and in that the conformation layer is accommodated between the reflection layer and the base layer.

17. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 1 or claim 16, characterized in that the base metal paper is transparent.

18. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the base metal paper has indicia applied by a printing process on at least one side.

19. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the base metallic paper is a laminate constructed of at least one base layer and a conformation layer, the forming layer is arranged between the reflection layer and the Base layer and base layer is a paper and the protective layer is transparent.

20. The decorative metallic foil as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the protective layer or an adhesive layer accommodated on the side of the protective layer, which is remote from the reflection layer, is adapted for connection to a substrate.

21. The decorative metallic paper as set forth in claim 20, characterized in that the base metal paper is connected to a transfer strip on the remote side of the reflection layer by means of a separation layer.

22. The document has a decorative metallic paper as set forth in one of claims 20 and 21, characterized in that the decorative metallic paper covers a part of the substrate and is connected thereto by means of the adhesive layer.