Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C11/00—Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00
  • A45C11/16—Jewel boxes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
  • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
  • B42D25/30—Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery
  • B42D25/305—Associated digital information
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
  • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
  • B42D25/30—Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery
  • B42D25/36—Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery comprising special materials

Definitions

• the invention relates to a product, a security card or plate for this product, a reading device for use in cooperation with the product and a method for producing the product according to claims 1, 15, 17 and 21 respectively. ⁇ .
• the object of the invention is to create a product, a card or brochure for this product, a reading device for use in cooperation with the product and a method for the production of the product making it possible to put precious stones, such as diamonds or similar, in the circuit of financially negotiable securities.
• fig. 1 is an exploded view of the product with a container and precious stones, the transparent case of the container being drawn for reasons of clarity as if it were opaque, the graphic representation on the upper side of the card or security plate does not being drawn,
• fig. 2 is a plan view, from above, of the product, the container case being drawn as if it were only transparent in the section of the stone holder for reasons of clarity
• fig. 3 is a section of the product along line III - III of FIG. 2,
• fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the surface adjacent to the card housing or security plate
• fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of the surface opposite the card housing or security plate
• fig. 6 is a cross section of the stone holder alone
• fig. 7 is a cross section of a single insert having a housing for a precious stone
• fig. 8 is a cross section of the housing alone
• fig. 9 is a side view of a precious stone
• fig. 10 is a view, from above, of the precious stone shown in FIG. 9,
• fig. 11 is a block diagram of a reading device for reading at least one piece of information represented by the electronic chip
• fig. 12 an exploded view of a product with a container, the coating of which consists of three originally separated parts,
• fig. 13 a longitudinal section of a variant of a stone holder
• fig. 14 is a section through another product corresponding to the section shown in FIG. 3, fig. 15 is a part of FIG. 14 in larger scale and
• fig. 16 is a section through the stone holder alone of the product shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.
• the product intended to serve as a negotiable financial object illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a container 1 which cannot be opened without destruction.
• the container 1 is externally generally in the form of a parallelepiped or a flat plate with a rectangular outline. In the projection shown in Figure 2, that is to say in a view perpendicular to the plane defined by the container, the latter however has rounded corners.
• the container 1 has in the projection shown in FIG. 2 preferably the same shape and the same dimensions as a credit card according to the international standard and therefore has a length of 85.5 mm and a width of 54 mm.
• the thickness of the container is between 5 and 7 mm and for example 5.5 to 6 mm.
• the container or more précisé ⁇ ular coating consists primarily of two parts separated, namely a housing 3 having generally the contour of a flat plate and r map or five flat security plate.
• the housing 3 and the security card or plate 5 have in a rectangular view to said plane the same outline and completely cover each other.
• the security card or plate is however thinner than the case and has a thickness similar or identical to that of standard credit cards.
• the security card or plate therefore has for example a thickness of 0.76 mm to 0.78 mm.
• the housing 3 again drawn separately in FIG. 8, has an exterior surface 3a opposite the card or security plate 5 and an internal surface 3b and voi ⁇ sine with the card or security plate.
• the housing is provided with a hollow 3c forming the interior space of the container 1.
• the hollow 3c is oblong, generally has - with the exception of the rounded corners in a view perpendicular to the plane defined by the housing - the shape of a parallelepiped as well as a longitudinal direction parallel to the two long edges of the housing.
• the hollow 3c is also close to one of the long edges of the housing 3.
• the length of the hollow 3c comprises at least three quarters of that of the housing 3 while the width of the hollow 3c is less than half and even a third the width of the housing.
• the hollow 3a has an opening opening into the surface 3b and is limited to the side opposite the card or security plate by a solid bottom formed by a section of the housing.
• the surface 3a of the housing 3 comprises a recess 3d with a circular contour having only a small depth in comparison with the thickness of the housing and being arranged between the recess 3c and the edge of the housing more distant from the recess 3c in the central part of the housing.
• the surface 3b of the housing 3 has - when the housing is not yet connected to the card or security plate - ribs 3e, 3f, 3g projecting from the sections adjacent to the surface 3b and, moreover, drawn on an exaggerated scale in the section shown in Figure 8.
• the rib 3e is arranged near the periphery of the housing and extends without interruption along the entire periphery and therefore along the four edges of the housing.
• the rib 3e therefore surrounds most of the surface 3b and in particular the opening of the hollow 3c.
• the rib 3f has the shape of a circle and is in a projection perpendicular to the plane defined by the container 1 and its housing 3 under the hollow 3d.
• the rib 3g is parallel to the long edges of the housing and is located approximately in the middle between these long edges and the sections of the rib 3e following these two edges.
• the bottom of the hollow 3c is provided with a groove forming a line of weakness 3h.
• the housing 3 consists of a single piece of a synthetic material and, more precisely, of a semi-hard or hard thermoplastic material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and / or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) .
• the housing is in general, that is to say with the exception of the areas where these surfaces are provided with a relief or printed at least diaphanous and preferably perfectly transparent and clear in daylight.
• the material of the housing however preferably comprises at least one additive - such as a pigment dye - which makes the housing temporarily colored is therefore causes a color change in an artificial electromagnetic radiation, in particular in an artificial ultraviolet light having at least in part an appropriately fixed wavelength or range of wavelengths.
• at least one additive - such as a pigment dye - which makes the housing temporarily colored is therefore causes a color change in an artificial electromagnetic radiation, in particular in an artificial ultraviolet light having at least in part an appropriately fixed wavelength or range of wavelengths.
• a stone holder 7 drawn separately in FIG. 6 is inserted into the recess 3c of the housing 3 and dimensioned so that its outline corresponds at least approximately to that of the recess 3c and that it can be properly placed in the latter.
• the two surfaces of the stone holder 7 adjacent to the bottom of the hollow 3c and to the card or security plate 5, respectively, are designated by 7a and 7b, respectively.
• the stone holder 7 is provided with at least one solid bottom hole 7c, preferably several, for example, ten solid bottom holes 7c which have a cylindrical shape and are arranged on a straight line extending parallel to the long ones edges of the stone holder 7 and therefore also of the housing 3.
• the openings of the solid-bottom holes 7c open into the surface 7a.
• the surface 7b is provided with two ribs 7d which extend parallel to the two long edges of the surface 7b at least along part of the length of the stone holder 7.
• each rib 3e, 3f, 3g, 7d and immediately adjacent to it is a groove.
• the total area of a pair of grooves assigned to one of said ribs corresponds in a cross section at least approximately to the area of the part of the rib rising above the flat part of the surface 3b or 7b, respectively.
• Each hole 7c contains an insert 9.
• Each insert 9 - one of which is drawn separately in FIG. 7 - has a cylindrical contour whose dimensions correspond, at least roughly, to those of the solid bottom hole 7c so that each insert 9 can be properly placed in a hole 7c.
• Each insert 9 has a housing 9a consisting of a hole with a solid bottom, the opening of which opens into the surface of the neighboring insert at the bottom of the hollow 3c of the housing 3.
• Each housing 9a comprises a bottom part 9b and a part d '' mouth 9c.
• the bottom part 9b is conical and the mouth part 9c is cylindrical and shorter than the bottom part 9b.
• the stone holder 7 and the inserts 9 are for example made of a synthetic and thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride.
• the stone holder 7 and the inserts 9 are opaque and for example have a blue color.
• the product comprises several, namely ten precious stones 11.
• Each precious stone 11 consists of a diamond cut in the shape of a brilliant as shown in Figures 9 and 10 and therefore includes a flag located in Figure 9 below and a crown with a table 11a constituted by a flat surface which is perpendicular to the axis of the precious stone 11.
• Each precious stone 11 is placed separately in one of the housings 9a.
• products can be made available with containers containing precious stones 11 with different dimensions and weights. We can plan to put stones belonging to a number, for example about fifteen different orders of magnitude in the containers.
• each housing 9a corresponds at least approximately to that of the conical enveloping surface of the gemstone gate 11 placed in the housing concerned.
• the axial dimension of the mouth portion 9c of a housing 9a corresponds at least approximately to the axial dimension of the crown of the precious stone.
• the table 11a of each precious stone 11 placed in a housing 9a is then at least approximately flush with the surface 7a of the stone holder 7.
• the stone holder 7 and the inserts 9 contained in the container therefore constitute means presenting and limiting in coopera ⁇ tion with the section of the housing forming the bottom of the hollow 3c of the housings 9a which hold the precious stones 11 which are placed there with a small radial and axial play, or preferably at less practically free of play.
• Each precious stone 11 is in any case held in the housing 9a allocated so that the same side, namely the table 11a, of the precious stone always remains close to the bottom of the hollow 3c regardless of the momentary position of the container 1 and the movements to which the container is subjected.
• the section of the case 3 constituting the bottom of the hollow 3c is - like the other parts of the case which are not provided with any relief or printed signs - transparent and clear, the precious stones 11 contained in the container 1 and in particular their necks ⁇ rows are clearly visible from the outside of the container 1 through said section of the housing on an opaque and blue background outlined by the stone holder 7 and the inserts 9.
• the surface of the security card or plate 5 which is adjacent to the housing 3 and is therefore directed towards the interior of the container is designated by 5a is visible - in plan view - in FIG. 4.
• the other surface of the security card or plate which is opposite the box 3 and is therefore on the outside of the container 1 is designated by 5b is visible - in plan view - in Figure 5.
• the main part of the security card or plate 5 consists of at least two sheets laminated mutually of a synthetic material and, more precisely, of a semi-hard or hard thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride.
• the security card or plate 5 also comprises, in addition to said main part, a computer device used for storing and processing digital data and comprising an electronic circuit constituted by an electronic chip 13.
• the electronic chip is connected by lamination and / or by a adhesive with the rest of the card or security plate 5 and comprises on the face opposite to the housing 3 electrical contacts 13a for consti ⁇ kill connections accessible from outside the con ⁇ content.
• the place of the electronic chip 13 and especially the place and / or the arrangement of the electrical contacts 13a of the electronic chip 13 in relation to the edges of the card to the security plate 5 is preferably different from the place and / or the 'arrangement specified in international standards IS07816 for electronic chips integrated in credit cards. This ensures that the electronic chip 13 can only be connected to a reading device which is particularly suitable for this purpose and not to the reading devices intended to read information from the electronic chips of said credit cards.
• the security card or plate 5 is unlike the housing 3 generally more or less opaque but has a diaphanous or translucent zone having a certain permeability for light without making it possible to clearly distinguish objects through, for a purpose which will be further explained more in detail.
• the housing 3 and the security card or plate 5 are made mutually and directly integral, that is to say without any intermediate element, along the ribs 3e, 3f and 3g of the housing 3 and therefore in particular close to the edges of the housing 3 and of the security card or plate 5 along the entire peripheries of the housing and of the security card or plate by ultrasonic welding.
• the stone holder 7 is also made integral with the card or security plate by ultrasonic welding along the ribs 7d.
• the ribs 3e, 3f, 3g and 7d drawn in FIGS. 8 and 6 on an exaggerated scale are deformed during ultrasonic welding, the deformation being facilitated by the grooves on the two sides of each rib.
• the material of the ribs can additionally penetrate into the card or security plate and mix with the material of the latter. After welding, the housing 3 and the stone holder 7 are therefore in contact through their entire surfaces 3b and 7b, respectively, with the surface 5a adjacent to the card or safety plate 5.
• the weld bead resulting from the rib 3e closes the interior of the container 1 and in particular the space containing the precious stones 11 so at least substantially and preferably perfectly sealed.
• the casing 3 and the security card or plate 5 constituting the coating of the container 1 together encloses the precious stones 11 after welding so that the security card or plate cannot be detached from the rest of the container and the precious stones 11 cannot be removed from the container 1 without damaging and / or destroying the housing 3 and / or the security card or plate 5 and without leaving visible traces on the container.
• the coating of the container 1 is moreover at least substantially - that is to say with the exception of a certain deformability and in particular elastic flexibility - rigid and above all non-foldable as was the case for certain sachets previously used as containers for precious stones.
• the product issuing body can prepare and put a number of products in the circuit of financially negotiable securities. These products may all include con- contents with the same shapes and dimensions.
• the qualities and sizes of the precious stones contained in the different containers may be the same or different.
• the definitions of these qualities can be based for precious stones constituted by diamonds on the color gradation and on the graduation of clarity according to the nomenclature of the "Gemological Institute of America".
• the color gra ⁇ dation according to the "Gemological Institute of America” contains the degrees D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T , U, V,, X, Y, Z.
• the clarity graduation according to the "Gemological Institute of America” contains the degrees FL, IF, WS1, WS2, VS1, VS2, SU, SI2, II, 12, 13. These sequences of degrees indicate progressively a decrease in the quality of diamonds.
• Each of the four qualities attributed to the products can be defined for a color zone extending over several - preferably at least two and at most five and for example three or four - degrees of color close to the pair of the graduation sequence according to the "Gemological Institute of America” and by a clarity zone extending over several - preferably at least two and at most five and for example three or four - degrees of clarity neighboring to the pair of the graduation sequence according to " Gemological Institute of America ".
• the prepared products can comprise precious stones 11 with a number of different nominal total masses.
• the total nominal mass of the precious stones contained in a container may for example have one of the five values 0.2 g, 0.4 g, 0.6 g, 0.8 g, 1 g.
• the effective total mass of a set of precious stones contained in a container may differ within a certain tolerance of the nominal total mass allocated. The issuing body, however, guarantees that the effective total mass is at least equal to the nominal total mass allocated and preferably greater than this.
• the effective total masses are preferably at most 5% greater than the nominal total mass allocated and have, for example, values between 100.3% and 100.5% of the nominal total mass allocated.
• the masses of the individual precious stones of a product are advantageously at least 50% and at most 170% and preferably between 70% and 150% of the average mass of the precious stones contained in the container of the product in question. Because the effective total masses differ only relatively little from the nominal total mass assigned, the average masses of the precious stones are very close to a nominal individual mass being identical to the nominal total mass divided by the number of precious stones of the product in question .
• the average masses of the products with ten precious stones and the five total minimum masses 0.2 g, 04, g, 0.8 g, 1 g are therefore approximately identical to the nominal individual masses of 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 g , 80 mg and 100 mg, respectively.
• the effective individual masses of gemstones belonging to products with the five nominal total masses are for example
• a nominal total mass of 0.2 g corresponds for example to a nominal total weight of 1.962 mN or - indicated with the "carat" unit normally used for precious stones - of 1 carat.
• the actual weights however depend on altitude above the sea and other external influences. If the precious stones 11 placed in a container 1 are selected so that their effective total mass is a little greater than the nominal total mass, it can also be ensured that the effective total weight is also always at least equal to the corresponding nominal total weight. at nominal total mass.
• a product consisting of a container and ten precious stones contained in the container can therefore belong to one of the four possible qualities and have one of the five possible total nominal weights. Consequently, the different products each comprising a container and ten precious stones can belong to one of twenty possible categories. It follows from the definitions of the quality zones and the mass zones assigned to the individual gemstones that all gemstones, i.e. diamonds with brilliant cut, which have a degree of color between D and J, a degree of clarity between FL and SI2 and a mass between 16 mg and 112 mg can be used for at least one of the twenty product categories.
• the precious stones are moreover distributed advantageously in such a way on the individual products that all the products with the same nominal quality have approximately the same average degree of color and approximately the same average degree of clarity.
• the container 1, that is to say the housing 3 and especially the card or security plate 5 serve as an information carrier for visual information visible to the human eye from the outside of the container. It is noted in this text that most of the interior surface 5a of the security card or plate is visible through the housing 3.
• This visible information can be constituted by polychrome graphic representations printed on a flat surface and / or by reliefs. Several of these visible pieces of information serve mainly or inter alia to specify the origin and the issuing body of the product and / or possibly the manufacturers of the container 1, of the box 3, of the security card or plate 5 of the electronic chip. 13 and the origin of the precious stones 11 contained in the container.
• the information used for this purpose may be identical on the containers of all the products issued or at least on a certain number of these containers.
• This group of information includes among others the signs 21 and 23 on the housing 3, the signs 31, 37 and 41 on the surface 5a of the card or security plate 5 and the signs 33, 35, 39 and 43 on the surface 5b of the security card or plate.
• the sign 21 in the hollow 3d of the case consists of a relief and represents a symbol serving as an acronym for the issuing body and is formed by a stylized diamond cut in brilliant with a punctuated background.
• This sign 21 makes the section of the housing 3 which supports it, that is to say the bottom of the hollow 3d more or less opaque and avoids at least a clear view through said section of the housing so that the welding has been made along the rib 3f is not visible from the outside of the container.
• the signs 31, 33, 35 printed on the two faces of the security card or plate 5 represent a stylized diamond with the same shape as that of the sign 21. At least one of the four lateral surfaces perpendicular to the plane defined by the container 1 and for example each of these four lateral surfaces carries at least once the sign 23 constituted for example by a relief representing the word DES. This same word is printed as a sign .37 in several places on the surface 5a and as a sign 39 on the surface 5b of the card or security plate 5 and constitutes an abbreviation of the words DIAMOND EXCHANGE STANDARD printed as a sign or indication 43 on the surface 5b of the security card or plate. The .
• the surface 5a also includes the sign or indication 41 representing the name of the issuing body INTERDAMOND EXCHANGE STANDARD.
• the security card or plate 5 also includes printed information specifying the number, type and / or quality and nominal total weight and / or total nominal mass of the precious stones 11 contained in a container and therefore giving information on the equivalent value of the product. To this information belongs the sign or indication 51 printed on the surface 5b and specifying the number of precious stones 11 contained in the container, the signs or indications 53, 55 printed on the two surfaces 5a and 5b, respectively, and specifying the quality by one of the Greek letters mentioned before and whose name is also indicated in Latin letters in addition to the Greek letter.
• the signs 57, 59 also printed on the two surfaces 5a and 5b, respectively, of the security card or plate 5 specify the nominal total weight of the precious stones and therefore also give a measurement for the nominal total mass of the precious stones 11, the value of the nominal total weight being indicated in carat.
• a sign 27 which is visible from the outside of the container through the housing 3 and is at least partly alphanumeric, comprising for example a letter, a number with several numbers and also lines and / or points.
• a sign 61, at least partly alphanumeric and identical to the sign 27 is printed on the outer surface 5b of the card or security plate 5.
• These two identical signs 27, 61 include at the beginning a letter, namely the first letter of the name written in Latin letters of the Greek letter specifying quality. This letter follows - separated by an oblique line - a two-digit number specifying the carat weight. To this number follows - separated by a line - an identification number used to identify an individual product and container and therefore different for each individual product.
• At the end of the signs 27, 61 is a two-digit number serving as the number or check digit linked according to an algorithm defined in the identification number.
• the housing can optionally be additionally provided with at least one sign which is invisible in daylight to the human eye, but becomes visible to the human eye and / or can be detected and / or read by a detection element. and / or reading in an artificial ultraviolet radiation or possibly in another artificial electromagnetic radiation having at least partly a wavelength or a wavelength range suitably fixed.
• This sign can be formed by a bar code representing the same alphanumeric information or at least the same number as signs 27 and 61.
• the precious stones 11 cannot be removed from the container 1 without destroying the latter.
• the container 1 is constructed in such a way that it is practically impossible to open it, to substitute the precious stones with falsified and / or artificial stones and / or being of lower quality and / or having less weight without easily leaving traces detectable.
• polyvinyl chloride and / or polymethyl methacrylate of which the coating of the container consists substantially is relatively sensitive to high temperatures and changes appearance and especially color if it is heated as it would be for example the case if someone tried to cut the container with a fine saw or a thin beam produced by a laser.
• the signs and / or indications on the housing 3 and the security card or plate 5 already mentioned and serving as information visible to the human eye about the origin and the counter value of the products and for specifying a product in ⁇ dividual also serve to avoid that the containers can be opened without this being visible and that the products are falsified.
• the products also include, in addition to the visual information mentioned, particularities to avoid the preparation of false products.
• the parts of the lateral surfaces of the housing which are not occupied by the signs 23 are provided with a stripe 25 in relief made up of fine ribs perpendicular to the plane defined by the container 1.
• This stripe 25 helps in cooperation with the signs 23 to this that the container 1 cannot be opened by cutting the case along these edges and then - after the exchange of the precious stones - closed without anyone noticing.
• the security card or plate 5 comprises at least one security character and, preferably several of these charac ⁇ ters detectable from outside the container. Some of these security features are visible to the naked human eye, that is to say without any auxiliary device, but are naturally even more clearly visible using a magnifying glass.
• the security card or plate 5 also comprises at least one security character which can only be detected with the aid of an auxiliary device. The various security characters make it practically impossible for a falsifier to copy the security card or plate without a copy being able to be recognized as such.
• the signs, indications and images represented on the card or security plate 5 and being printed and / or constituted by a relief made by an engraving and / or an imprint and / or the like may include and / or be constituted by at least one feature graphic serving as a security character.
• a graphic particularity can for example be constituted by certain numbers or letters having planned "faults" such as discontinuities in the lines and / or ornaments etc.
• the security card or plate 5 comprises as a security character at least one guilloche and namely guilloches 71, 73 which are printed on the areas of the surfaces 5a, 5b bearing the signs 53, 55, 57, 59.
• These guilloches 71, 73 may have at least in part at least one color which is only very badly or not at all copiable with the polychrome electrostatic photo ⁇ copiers currently known for making electrographic copies in color as it is for example the case for brown and / or iridescent colors.
• the guilloches are for example polychome and have several colors of the same kind.
• the security card or plate 5 may include as a security character at least one more sign and / or a graphic representation 75, 77 of a different kind from the guilloches to make an electrographic copy different from the original and therefore recognizable as copy.
• These signs or graphic representations 75, 77 include a design with elements such as a number of parallel lines of which at least the extension in one direction and / or the color density is below the reproduction capacity of the apparatus for making copies. electrographic. This object can be achieved - depending on the color and kind of the electrocopier used - by making said dimension for example the thickness of said lines less than 0.5 mm or even at most 0.05 mm and or by making the color density less than 0.25.
• the elements in question can also have instead or in addition to this a color in particular an iridescent color which is not copiable at all with the polychrome electrostatic photocopiers known at present.
• These signs or graphic representations are preferably polychrome and can very well be combined, that is to say masked by a guilloche. Signs or graphic representations of this kind are disclosed in patent CH-A-645,308.
• the card or plate includes - as already mentioned - a diaphanous section or zone but not entirely transparent. This section or zone is provided with at least one opacity sign 81.
• An opacity sign is a sign which corresponds to a watermark in a paper but and is made of a synthetic material and which is hardly visible or not at all in the incident lighting but becomes relatively well and clearly visible in the light penetrating the section or area provided with the sign of opacity 81.
• the two words DES of the sign 81 are written elsewhere so that one of them appears in letters "normal” and the other in reverse letters by looking on each of the two surfaces 5a and 5b of the security card or plate 5.
• the opacity sign 81 can be produced by forming the section or zone comprising the opacity sign of two laminated sheets or layers, the mutual surfaces of which in contact with each other have a relief structure which have different light permeabilities, one of these sheets or layers being relatively transparent and the other relatively opaque. More detailed information on signs of opacity and possibilities for producing them can be found in patent CH-A-650,732.
• the surface 5b comprises at least one latent image 83 which forms another security character.
• a latent image is an image which changes the visual appearance for an observer as a function of the angle of incidence of the light and / or the angle of observation. Since the latent image 83 is superimposed on another graphical representation, the outline of the occupied surface section is indicated only schematically for reasons of clarity. A person looking at the la ⁇ tent image 83 recognizes - depending on the angle of observation - several words DES or the stylized diamond already mentioned several times.
• a latent image can be produced for example by giving the area of the surface 5b intended to carry the latent image a fine and particular structure of relief and by printing on this surface area in color. Additional information for constituting latent images on a surface - of security paper - can be found in patents CH-A-611,211 and CH-A-617,889.
• the surface 5b also supports luminescent signs 87 which are distributed over large parts of said surface but of which only one is drawn representing again the stylized diamond. These luminescent or, more precisely, fluorescent signs are invisible to the naked human eye in daylight but become visible to the naked human eye when they are irradiated with ultraviolet radiation.
• the electronic chip 13 also constitutes a security character and comprises at least one memory with several memory addresses and defining at least one access area and preferably several access areas.
• the electronic chip also includes a wired logic circuit and / or a processor and is constituted and / or programmed in such a way that each information stored in a particular access area of the memory can only be read if one brings to the electronic chip an identification signal corresponding to an identifi ⁇ cation which has been assigned to said access area and programmed and / or stored in the electronic chip during the product manufacturing process.
• the manufacturer of the electronic chips introduces and makes memorize at least one piece of information in at least one access area and for example different pieces of information in different access areas of the memory.
• the manufacturer who produces the security cards or cards and equips them with an electronic chip has at least one piece of information memorized.
• the product issuing organization enters at least one piece of information in the memory.
• the information entered into the memory of the electronic chip is coded with cryptographic codes and therefore stored in the form of cryptograms.
• the stored information makes it possible, in combination with the signal or the identification signals, to verify whether the electronic chip 13 of a particular product has actually been manufactured by the intended manufacturer, integrated into the security card or plate 5 by the manufacturer planned and processed by the body issuing the finished product.
• the memory has different access zones, these can for example constitute, in conjunction with the identification signals, a hierarchical order. Each access zone then corresponds to a particular access level.
• the electronic chip can for example be constituted and / or programmed so that part of the information entered by the manufacturer of the electronic chip is stored in an access area to which only said manufacturer has access.
• the electronic chip 13 is formed and / or programmed to form locking and / or fuse means ensuring, among other things, that it is only possible to store information once.
• These locking and / or fuse means include for example electrical connections which are irreversibly interrupted after the information has been stored in memory and / or is constituted so as to ensure that an attempt to modify the stored information causes an irreversible locking and / or an irreversible deterioration of the locking and / or fuse means so that the stored information can no longer be read.
• the line of weakness 3h of the housing extends - in a rectangular projection to the surfaces 3a, 3b, 5a, 5b of the housing 3 and of the security card or plate 5 - in the section of the electronic chip or even in the section of the microchip or even crosses this section.
• the security card or plate 5 is possibly also itself provided with a weakening line 93 which is parallel to the long edges of the security card or plate 5, is at least approximately opposite the line of weakening 3h and extends at least on one side of the electronic chip 13 to the latter and / or crosses it.
• This weakening line 93 can for example be formed by a row of fine holes with a solid bottom or penetrating the card or security plate or by a fine groove or possibly be invisible from the outside.
• Each precious stone 11 optionally itself includes a sign or an indication 97 used to specify the organism. nism issuing the product and / or certain properties of the stone and / or identifying an individual gemstone.
• the sign or indication 97 is registered or recorded before the precious stone is locked in the container for example in a part of the table 11a as drawn or elsewhere using a ray emitted by a laser by a similar method to that used for optical data recording on discs.
• the sign or indication 97 can be made so that it extends only over a small fraction of the surface of the precious stone and is at least practically invisible to the naked human eye and even during a magnifying glass inspection and therefore does not diminish the value of the gemstone. If the product is finished and precious stones having signs or indications 97 are enclosed in the container 1, the information represented by the signs or information 97 can be detected and read with a device using an emission produced by a laser and penetrating into The box.
• a reading device for reading the information stored in the electronic chip 13 is drawn in FIG. 11 and designated by 101.
• This device comprises a box and a guidance and transport device 103.
• the last limit - for example next to the front plate of the box - a slot for inserting the container 1 of a product and includes guide means for guiding the container 1 pushed manually into the slot.
• the device 103 further comprises means of transport and ejection with an electric motor 103a for transporting and ejecting the container 1 out of the slot.
• the reading device 101 also comprises a coupling element 105 with contacts adapted to be connected separately with the electrical contacts 13a of the electronic chip 13 integrated in the card or security plate 5 of a product and therefore for coupling the electronic chip 13 electrically with the reading device 101.
• the reading device 101 also includes a computer 107, a keyboard 109, a display device 111, a connection to the network 115, a power supply device 117 and a radiation source 119 arranged for example on the front plate of the box and adapted to emit ultraviolet rays.
• the computer 107 is electrically connected with the coupling element 105, the motor 103a, the keypad 109 and the display device 111 and possibly also with a printer arranged outside the box and / or with any a set of information processing.
• the keypad 109 comprises keys for entering the numbers 0 to 9 and possibly also letters and / or other signs.
• the keypad 109 further comprises a key connected to the power supply device 117 to turn the reading device 101 on and off and an eject button to trigger the ejection of a container and therefore put when running the motor 103a via the computer 107 and / or possibly directly.
• the current supply device 117 is connected with the radiation source 119 and - as indicated by arrows - with the other components of the reading device needing electrical energy.
• REPLACEMENT SHEET by welding. Then, it is optionally further verified for example with a device using at least one suitable physical method such as a spectrometric and / or optical method using for example rays penetrating the case 3 if the container actually contains natural precious stones.
• the device may include at least one radiation source, for example at least one laser for producing a visible or invisible emission and a spectrometer and / or spectrocomparator. It is also possible, for example, to check, for example microscopically, whether the quality and dimensions of precious stones correspond to the quality and weight, respectively, specified on the card or security plate.
• an authorized person of the issuing body records in the electronic chip 13 using a recording device comprising a computer the information corresponding to the alphanumeric indication represented by the signs 27 and 61 and possibly other information, specifying for example the body issuing the complete product, the date of issue, the number and / or individual characters of the precious stones contained in the container, etc.
• the products can then be put as valuables in the circuit of financially negotiable values and be negotiated.
• the equivalent value of an individual product can be set at the start, i.e. when a number of products are first issued by the issuing body on the basis of the value of the precious stones belonging to the product and de ⁇ depends naturally on the quality and the total weight of the gemstones in the product. Then, the equivalent value of a particular product is established at a given time, that is to say on the date when the product is traded according to supply and demand.
• the counter values or quotations of the different categories of products may be published by the product issuing body and / or a body recognized by said body regularly and preferably every day in the press, in particular in the international financial press, and also on the international network of financial telecommunications.
• the issuing body may also undertake to buy a product for a trade-in amount linked for example to the daily quotation according to a fixed convention.
• Reading devices 101 can be installed in various places of sale and purchase, in particular in banks or other institutions accredited by the issuing body. These reading devices can be used and operated by the body issuing the products itself and / or by other bodies, such as banks, authorized by the issuing body and recognizing it. If a product owner wants to check whether it is a true product or to be paid the equivalent value of a product, he can return this product to the issuing body or to a cooperating body with this one. A person from the organization receiving said product can visually check whether the container is intact and - by inspecting the various security characters of the security card or plate 5 - whether it is actually a product put in circulation by the issuing body.
• the housing 3 which is normally - that is to say in daylight - clear, includes an additive making the housing colored in artificial ultraviolet light, it can also be checked, whether the housing temporarily obtains the color predetermined when it is subjected to ultraviolet radiation emitted by the radiation source 119. But in particular, one can push the container 1 of the product into the slot of the guide and transport device 103 of the reading device 101 and connect the chip electronics 13 of the product electrically through the coupling element 105 with the computer 107.
• the person operating the reading device 101 can then enter with the keypad 105 a personal identification and / or a part or any identification giving access to at least one access area of the memory of the electronic chip 13.
• L computer 107 then brings the electronic chip at least one identification signal enabling it to read at least one item of information stored in the memory of the electronic chip. This or each item of information stored in the electronic chip 13 can therefore only be read when the electronic chip and the reading device 101 have performed a mutual authentication.
• the computer 107 also "has" a key or keys for decoding or decrypting the or each cryptogram representing the information or the information to be read.
• the computer 107 can for example read and decode at least one item of information stored by the manufacturer of the electronic chip, the or at least one item of information stored by the manufacturer of the security card or card and the or at least one item of information stored by the issuing body.
• the computer 107 processes this information read, calculates among other things the number or check digit represented by the last digits of the signs 27 and 61 and checks whether the electronic chip, the security card or plate and the whole product actually come from the manufacturers provided and the issuing body.
• attempts to manipulate the electronic chip 13 and also at least certain ways of attempting to open a container 1 cause a locking and / or deterioration of the locking and / or fuse means or a setting out of service of the electronic chip which.
• the computer 107 can be detected electrically when the electronic chip is connected to the reading device 101 and signaled by the latter. If the computer 107 observes based on the information read that the product is true is intact it signals the display device 111 of the information as shown in FIG. 11 and specifying for example the number of precious stones, the quality, the nominal total weight and above all
• the reading device 101 finds and signals that the electronic chip does not contain the correct and correctly coded information and / or does not is otherwise not in order and / or if there are other traces of rape, the organization can have the product and the precious stones examined, for example, by an expert from the issuing organization before paying the sum of reprise. If it is necessary to open a container
• the container can be opened by breaking it along the 3h weakening line intended for breaking. It is obvious that this method of opening the container causes strong and distinct deterioration of the housing 3, the security card or plate 5 and the electronic chip 13.
• the container 1 therefore constitutes a packaging which offers all the necessary guarantees, not only in terms of identification of the financial value of the product, but also of the possibility of negotiating this product because of its published quotation.
• the variant of the product shown in FIG. 12 takes a container 201, the coating of which consists of a housing 203 and a security card or plate 205.
• the product also includes a stone holder 207, inserts 209 and precious stones 211.
• the housing 203 consists of two initially separate parts, namely a plate 215 and a cover plate 217, the latter being thinner than the plate 215.
• the plate 215 has a hole penetrating into the plate 215 and forming the hollow 215c to accommodate the stone holder 207.
• the cover plate 217 is similarly connected to the card or security plate 205 by ultrasonic welding with the plate 215 so that it can no longer be separated from the plate 215 without deterioration and / or destruction thereof or d 'herself.
• the stone holders 7 and 207 could be replaced by the stone holder 407 drawn in FIG. 13.
• the stone holder 407 has solid bottom holes forming housings 407a whose shapes and dimensions are similar or identical to those of the housings 9a of the inserts 9. It is therefore possible to house the precious stones directly, that is to say without inserts corresponding to the inserts 9, in the housings of the stone holder 407 consisting of a single piece. The use of a stone holder 407 therefore makes it possible to dispense with inserts 9.
• the variant of the product represented in FIG. 14 comprises a container 501, the coating of which consists of a housing 503 and a security card or plate 505.
• the housing 503 is provided with a recess 503c corresponding to the recesses 3c of the housing 3, but being closer to the middle of the container than the hollow 3c.
• a stone holder 507 drawn on a larger scale in FIG. 15 and separately in FIG. 16 is housed in the hollow 503c of the housing 503.
• the stone holder 507 is dimensioned so that its outline corresponds - in a pendular view on the 505 security card or plate - at less approximately than that of the hollow 503c.
• the dimension of the stone holder 507 measured perpendicular to the card or security plate 505 is less than the depth of the hollow 503c.
• the stone holder 507 is housed in the hollow 503c so that its side adjacent to the card or security plate is flush with the corresponding side of the housing 503. There is therefore a free space in the form of a slot between the bottom of the hollow 503c and the stone holder 507.
• the latter is provided with at least one housing 507a and namely several, for example, ten housings 507a.
• Each housing 507a consists of a hole passing through the stone holder.
• Each housing 507a or hole has a first section 507b and a second section 507c.
• the first section 507b is disposed on the side of the stone holder which is opposite the bottom of the recess 503c and decreases conically towards the security card or plate 505.
• the second section 507c is located on the side of the stone holder adjacent to the security card or plate and is cylindrical.
• the diameter of the second section 507c is larger than the minimum diameter is also larger than the maximum diameter of the first section 507b.
• the second section 507c of the housing 507a therefore constitutes an enlargement of the latter.
• the stone holder 507 forms an annular lip 507d which surrounds the first section 507b of each housing 507a and projects towards the axis of the corresponding housing.
• the product comprises precious stones 511, each of which consists of a diamond cut into a brilliant shape and held in one of the housings 507a.
• precious stones 511 each of which consists of a diamond cut into a brilliant shape and held in one of the housings 507a.
• the stone holder 507 is closer to the middle of the container than the stone holder 7. of the first product described, it is possible to move the signs of the card or security plate 505 which correspond to the signs 31, 37 of the card or plate 5 towards the upper edge so that they are visible between the upper edge of the card or security plate 505 and the stone holder 507.
• the housing 503 consists of a thermoplastic material, namely polymethyl methacrylate. Box 503 is - like the other boxes described above - clear is transparent in daylight, but preferably includes an additive making the box colored in artificial ultraviolet light.
• the security card or plate 505 comprises at least one layer and for example several layers of polyvinyl chloride and at least on the adjacent side of the housing 503 and the stone holder 507 a layer of polymethyl methacrylate.
• the stone holder 507 consists of a thermoplastic material, for example a mixture of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene.
• the stone holder 507 is moreover like the other stone holders described above opaque and colored.
• the housing 503 is made solid with the security card or plate 505 all around the stone holder 507 by a bonding junction.
• This junction is established during the manufacture of the container using an adhesive comprising a monomer at the base of methyl methacrylate capable of poly erecting with the materials forming the adjacent faces of the housing 503 and of the card or wafer. 505 security.
• the stone holder 507 can also be attached to the card or plate 505 and eventually even directly to the housing 503 by gluing. Since the housing 503 and the stone holder 507 are joined to the card or wafer by gluing and not by ultrasonic welding like the housing 3 and the stone holder 7, the housing 703 and the stone holder 707 do not have need of ribs corresponding to the ribs 3e, 3f, 3g and 7d of the housing 3 and the stone holder 7.
• Each lip 507d surrounding and bordering the first conical section 507b of a housing 507a is flexible and flexible. If a housing 507a is free of precious stone, the lip 507d protrudes radially towards the axis of the housing concerned, as can be seen in FIG. 16. If a precious stone 511 constituted by diamond in the shape of a brilliant is housed in a housing 507a , the table 511a of the diamond touches the bottom of the hollow 503c.
• Crown 511b of diamond is then at least substantially outside the housing 507a in the space between the bottom of the hollow 503c and the stone holder 507, while the pavilion 511c of the diament is at least substantially in the housing 507a is left with a part on the lip 507d which is elastically deformed, namely curved towards the card or security plate 505.
• the lip 507d then clamps the diamond slightly against the bottom of the hollow 503c and holds the diamond substantially immobile.
• the stone holder 507 is dimensioned so that it can hold diamonds having different sizes as described, the lips 507d of the stone holder 507 are then - depending on the sizes of the diamonds - more or less strongly curved.
• the products can still be modified otherwise.
• One can for example accommodate in the containers described in reference to the drawing a number of precious stones which is less than the number of holes in the stone holder.
• a container can therefore contain a number of stones having any value between one and ten.
• one can also vary the number of holes of the stone holders intended to accommodate by means of an insert or directly a precious stone.
• the container outline can also be varied.
• the container could for example have the shape of a polygonal plate with any number of corners or of a circular, elliptical or oval plate.
• the product could be provided with a case whose coating or wall section covering the sides of the precious stones to be viewed is transparent while the rest of the case is partly or entirely made opaque.
• the stone holders and inserts can naturally have, instead of the blue color mentioned, any other color. Possibly we could even give up a separate stone holder and replace the recesses 3c and 215c of the housing 3 and the plate 215, respectively, by a number of housings each of which is arranged to directly accommodate and hold in place a precious stone.
• the locking and / or fuse means of the electronic chip are constituted so that attempts to modify the stored information or data or to read information or data without bringing the signal or signals identification can cause irreversible locking and / or irreversible damage.
• the computing device of a security card can naturally comprise more than a single electronic chip. Possibly one could even use electronic chips which have instead of electrical contacts electromagnetic or opto-electronic coupling means making it possible to establish a coupling by electro-magnetic or optical induction, respectively, and therefore without contacts.
• the computer devices could possibly even even include, in addition to or instead of an electronic circuit, electromagnetic and / or magnetic and / or opto ⁇ electronic and / or optical means for storing and / or processing digital data and for executing, for example, logical operations.
• the diamonds could have the size of brilliant instead of any other size.
• other precious stones for example emeralds, sapphires or rubies, could be wrapped in containers of the kinds shown in the drawing. If we prepare products with diamonds or other precious stones which do not have the brilliant cut, the contours and dimensions of the housings intended to accommodate a precious stone can naturally be adapted to the contours and dimensions of the precious stones to hold those -here in a planned position and in any case so that they always have the same side to a person who looks at them through the section of the container provided. It is understood that the characteristics of the different product variants described can be combined in different ways. One can for example make integral the housing and the stone holder with the card or security plate by a combined junction of bonding and welding.
• the reading device could also be provided with at least one opto-electronic detector electrically connected with the computer and adapted to detect the alphanumeric sign 61 and at least one of the luminescent signs 87.
• the computer could then check whether the alphanumeric sign 61 visible and the information stored in the electronic chip 13 which must represent this sign actually correspond and if the security card or plate 5 actually comprises at least one luminescent sign 87.

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• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Adornments (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4178118

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (10)

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Citations (6)

• 1990
  • 1990-01-06 BR BR909004511A patent/BR9004511A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1990-01-06 EP EP94108012A patent/EP0613628A3/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1990-01-06 JP JP2501045A patent/JPH03503135A/ja active Pending
  • 1990-01-06 WO PCT/EP1990/000026 patent/WO1990007288A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1990-01-06 AU AU48027/90A patent/AU624669B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1990-01-06 EP EP90900175A patent/EP0403621A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (6)

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