WO2020078863A1

WO2020078863A1 - A security document

Info

Publication number: WO2020078863A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/077676
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dariusz Dabrowski; Piotr DYMALA
Original assignee: Polska Wytwornia Papierow Wartosciowych S.A.
Priority date: 2018-10-18
Filing date: 2019-10-14
Publication date: 2020-04-23
Also published as: BG4170U1

Abstract

A security document comprising a substrate layer (11) and a shiny layer (12) formed on the substrate layer, wherein:the shiny layer comprises a central zone (22) located between lateral zones (21, 23); wherein each of the zones (21, 22, 23) comprises a plurality of stamped parallel strips (31, 32, 33); wherein a width of a single strip (31, 32, 33) doest not exceed 100 micrometers and a distance (D) between two adjacent strips (31, 32, 33) of a single zone (21, 22, 23) does not exceed 100 micrometers;and wherein at least one strip (32) of the central zone (22) is inclined with respect to its closest strip (31) of one lateral zone (21) and with respect to its closest strip (33) of another lateral zone (23) at an angle deferent than 180°.

Description

A SECURITY DOCUMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a security document comprising an oprically variable security feature, that contains an image that seems to move along with a change of a viewing angle.

BACKGROUND

Security documents include banknotes, identity documents, diplomas or various certificates, testimonies, and the like.

These security documents may have a substrate made of a cellulose material (such as paper), plastic material (such as polycarbonate (PC) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) or another suitable material (such as a mixture of cellulose and plastic). One or more security elements may be formed on the substrate to limit forgery of the security document.

There are known security elements that are optically variable, such as holograms, wherein a 3D image is generated as a result of light diffraction. There are known kinematic holograms wherein the hologram image may change its shape, location and/or size, depending on its viewing angle.

There are also known security elements formed by foil stamping (e.g. a metallic foil stamping), by pressing a foil to the substrate with a stamp. As a result of the stamping process, the foil is integrated with the substrate according to the shape of the stamp. The known security elements of that type do not exhibit the features which are typical to the kinematic holograms.

There is a need to provide a security document with an alternative security element that is optically variable and that contains an image that seems to move along with a change of a viewing angle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein a security document comprising a substrate layer and a shiny layer formed on the substrate layer, wherein: the shiny layer comprises a central zone located between lateral zones; wherein each of the zones comprises a plurality of stamped parallel strips; wherein a width of a single strip doest not exceed 100 micrometers and a distance (D) between two adjacent strips of a single zone does not exceed 100 micrometers; and wherein at least one strip of the central zone is inclined with respect to its closest strip of one lateral zone and with respect to its closest strip of another lateral zone at an angle deferent than 180°.

At least one strip of the central zone may be inclined with respect to its closest strip of one lateral zone as well as with respect to its closest strip of another lateral zone at an angle from 90° to 178°, wherein the strips of the lateral zones forming the angles with the same strip of the central zone are arranged on the same side of the line being an extension of this strip of the central zone.

The central zone and the lateral zones may have a shape of parallel bands. The central zone and the lateral zones may have a shape of rings.

The central zone and the lateral zones may have non-regular shapes.

The central zone may be adjacent to at least one lateral zone.

The document may comprise a gap between the central zone and at least one lateral zone.

The strips of at least one lateral zone and/or the strips of the central zone may be straight.

The strips of at least one lateral zone and/or the strips of the central zone may be curved.

The document may comprise a plurality of the central zones and a plurality of the lateral zones.

The document may further comprise a backing layer which adheres to the substrate layer, the backing layer comprising a window.

An area of the shiny layer may form a shape of a word mark and/or a shape of a graphic mark and/or of a shape of denomination of a banknote.

The document may further comprise transparent areas.

The document may further comprise relief areas and/or raster areas.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, descriptions and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is presented by means of example embodiments in a drawing in which: Fig. 1 presents a first embodiment of a security document in a cross-sectional view,

Fig. 2 presents the first embodiment of the security document in enlargement showing details of construction of striped zones forming a security element,

Figs. 3A - 3C present schematically a working principle of the security element,

Fig. 4 presents a second embodiment of the security document with the striped zones in a form of bands,

Fig. 5 presents a third embodiment of the security document with the striped zones in a form of rings,

Fig. 6 presents a fourth embodiment of the security document with a blank in a form of a numerical sign,

Figs. 7A - 7B present a fifth embodiment of the security document with the striped zones of repetitive patterns,

Figs. 8A - 8C present an exemplary arrangement of the striped zones on the substrate layer of the security document,

Fig. 9 present a sixth embodiment of the security document with a backing layer with a window,

Fig. 10A presents the security document comprising an area of raster print, Fig. 10B presents the security document comprising a relief area,

Fig. 11A presents a seventh embodiment of the security document,

Fig. 1 1 B presents the strips visible to the observer in the form of the pattern shown in Fig. 1 1A,

Fig. 12A presents an eighth embodiment of the security document,

Fig. 12B presents the strips visible to the observer in a form of the pattern shown in Fig. 12A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig 1 presents a security document in a cross-sectional view. The security document comprises a substrate layer 1 1 , which is preferably matt, with a shiny layer 12 made of a shiny material.

The substrate layer 1 1 may be made of various materials, e.g. paper, plastic (such as polycarbonate (PC) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC)), paper mixed with plastic fibers, or paper mixed with plastic (i.e. a hybrid substrate). The shiny layer 12 may be made of various materials. For example, it can be made of a metallic foil. It can also have a form of coating, such as a metal coating, metallic paint, iridescent coating, shiny varnish or optically variable paint. The shiny layer 12 may be applied on the substrate layer 1 1 by means of various techniques such as offset printing, typo-offset printing, typographic printing, screen printing, flexographic printing, hot-stamping or cold-stamping.

The shiny layer 12 is glossy when illuminated with light (such as visible light), whereas the substrate layer 1 1 , when illuminated with the same light, exhibits a gloss which is different than the gloss of the shiny layer 12. Particularly, in case the substrate layer 12 is matt, the substrate layer 1 1 doest not show any gloss.

As shown in Fig. 2, in enlargement, the shiny layer 12 comprises at least three zones 21 , 22, 23, each comprising strips 31 , 32, 33 formed within the material of the shiny layer 12. The zones include a central zone 22 with a plurality of parallel strips

32 formed in this zone. The central zone 22 is located between two lateral zones 21 , 23, wherein each lateral zone 21 , 23 comprises a plurality of parallel strips 31 , 33, which are formed in the respective lateral zone 21 , 23.

The strips 31 , 32, 33 of each zone 21 , 22, 23 may be formed by means of various techniques, such as steel-engraving printing (without a paint) or dry stamping.

An important aspect of all the embodiments presented herein is that at least one strip 32 of the central zone 32 is inclined with respect to its closest strip 21 of one lateral zone 31 as well as with respect to its closest strip of another lateral zone

33 at an angle that is different from 180°.

Preferably, at least one strip 32 of the central zone 22 is inclined with respect to its closest strip 31 of one lateral zone 31 and with respect to its closest strip 33 of another lateral zone 33 at an obtuse angle in a range from 90 to 178°, wherein these strips 31 , 33 of the lateral zones 21 , 23 are formed on the same side of line 40 which forms an extension of the strip 32 of the central zone 22. The strips forming the obtuse angles, namely 31 and 32 or 32 and 33 may be in contact with each other, or they may be spaced apart from each other. In the latter case, the angle may be measured at an intersection of the lines that form an extension of these two strips that are spaced apart.

In Fig. 2, the strip 32 of the central zone 22 and its two closest strips 31 , 33 of the lateral zones 21 , 23 are marked schematically by bold lines, whereas the lateral zones 21 , 23 as well as the central zone 22 are marked by dashed lines to improve the clarity of the drawing.

Each strip 31 , 32, 33 in the area of the single zone 21 , 22, 23 has a width no more than 100 micrometers. For example, each strip 31 , 32, 33 may have a width in the range from 10 to 100 micrometers, preferably 50 micrometers. Moreover, a distance D (shown in Fig. 1 ) between two adjacent strips in the area of a single zone does not exceed 100 micrometers.

The strips 31 , 32, 33 of at least one zone 21 , 22, 23 may be straight or curved or straight and curved. For example, the strips have a wavy shape

The features discussed above, including the dimensions of the strips, their mutual arrangement, and preferably also a obstruct angles, provide to the observer a visual impression of movement of the strips between the central zone 22 and the lateral zones 21 , 23. This movement is schematically illustrated in Fig. 3 and it imparts a technical effect and utility to the security element.

Each strip 31 , 32, 33, due to its formation in the shiny layer 12, can reflect incident light, wherein the dimensions of the strips 31 , 32, 33 as well as their mutual arrangement provide the effect that, upon illumination of the security document with a light, the observer 50 can see only the strips 31 , 32, 33 or only the portions of the strips 31 , 32, 33 that are formed substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the incident light 51 . For example, as shown in Fig 3A, the strips 31 of the first lateral zone 21 that are perpendicular to the direction of incident light 51 are visible to the observer 51 , as schematically marked with a bold line. In turn, the strips of the central zone and the strips of the second lateral zone 32, 33 are not visible to the observer.

In turn, in the case of a change in the direction of incident light 51 , the strips 32 of the central zone 22 (Fig. 3B) or the strips 33 of the second lateral zone 23 (Fig.

3C) are visible to the observer, respectively. The observer can see only the strips, either 32 or 33 that, at the particular moment, are perpendicular to the direction of incident light 51.

When the direction of incident light 51 changes continuously, for example when the observer 50 changes the angle of inclination of the security document with respect to the direction of incident light 51 , the visibility of the strips 31 , 32, 33 changes accordingly. This causes the impression of movement of the strips on the surface of the security document. The shiny layer 12 may include more than three zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips. For example, the shiny layer 12 may include four zones, five zones, six zones, seven zones or more than seven zones of the strips 21 , 22, 23.

Moreover, in one embodiment, the central zone 22 and the lateral zones 21 , 23 of the strips 31 , 32, 33 may be arranged on the substrate layer 1 1 so that the zones are spaced apart from each other. For example, the central zone 22 may be spaced either from one lateral zone or from both lateral zones 21 , 23. For example, the zones may be spaced by a continuous line. In another embodiment, the central zone 22 may be adjacent to the first and second lateral zone 21 , 23, or the central zone 22 may be adjacent to one of the lateral zones either first or second 21 , 23.

The zones 21 , 22, 23 with strips 31 , 32, 33 may have various shapes or designs, for example the zones may have a shape of parallel bands (Fig. 4), concentric rings (Figs. 5, 7A), graphical signs, letters, digits, and/or repetitive patterns such as wallpaper designs (Fig. 7B). Fig. 7A shows in enlargement a repetitive unit of the design shown in Fig. 7B.

The security element in one embodiment comprises a plurality of the zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips 31 , 32, 33. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the security element of the security document may comprise seven striped zones, or the security element may comprise four striped zones as shown in Fig. 5, such the security element exhibits the utility and the technical effect as the embodiment with three zones of the strips.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the central zone has a the form of a ring, whereas the lateral zones form adjacent, concentric rings: one lateral zone forming an inner ring and the other lateral zone forming an outer ring. Depending on the direction of incident light (shown schematically by arrows), the observer can see the zones of the strips in which the strips are formed perpendicularly to the direction of incident light, as schematically marked by a darker color in Figs. 4 and 5.

The shiny layer 12 with the formed zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips may partially or fully cover the substrate layer 1 1 . In the latter case, the shiny layer 12 may have a surface of various shapes, for example a shape of a denomination of a banknote - as shown in Fig. 8C, or a shape of an inscription, or the shape of different graphical elements, such as a full strip 12 formed across the entire width of the security document: Fig. 8B, close to the transparent graphical pattern, for example the pattern of“20”. In another embodiment, the security document may comprise flat areas 60 of the shiny layer 12, i.e. without formed strips, as shown schematically in Fig. 6. The areas which are flat do not exhibit the visual effect described above.

In yet another embodiment, the shiny layer 12 may be provided with a blank, e.g. in the form of graphical sign, wordmark, or numerical sign. Moreover, the security document, additionally to the blank, may comprise different areas, such as raster areas 62 (as shown in Fig. 10A) or relief areas 63 (as shown in Fig. 10B), or another area.

In yet another embodiment, the shiny layer 12 may be applied on the transparent film, and together with that film, the shiny layer 12 may be applied on the substrate layer 1 1 to form zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips 31 , 32, 33, as shown in Fig. 8A and 8B.

Furthermore, the shiny layer 12 may have the zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips formed on the whole surface - as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7A, 7B, or the shiny layer 12 may have the surface in the shape of numerical sign, e.g.,“20”, as well as the flat areas 60 - without formed strips, and the areas of zones 21 , 22, 23 of formed strips - as shown in Fig. 1 1 A. The security document may further comprise the strips formed in the substrate layer 1 1 , within the areas which are not covered with the shiny material. In such the embodiment, the observer can see only the strips formed in the shiny layer. Fig. 1 1 B shows the same embodiment as in Fig. 1 1 A, with marked the strips formed in the shiny layer 12, which are visible to the observer.

Fig. 12A shows yet another embodiment, in which the security document is provided with a shiny layer 12 of the surface forming the numerical pattern of “20”, wherein the shiny layer 12 comprises zones of the strips formed on its entire surface. The strips exhibit the above-described visual effect. Additionally, the security document may comprise the strips formed in areas of the substrate layer 1 1 which are not covered with the shiny layer 12, such that the strips do not exhibit the above- described visual effect of movement. The strips that are formed only in the substrate layer 1 1 are not visible to the observer, as shown in Fig. 12B.

In another embodiment, shown in Fig. 9, the security document, additionally to the shiny layer 12, may comprise further layers, for example, a backing layer 13, which, e.g., may be made of paper comprising blank in the form of window 131 where it may be applied the shiny layer 12 with zones 21 , 21 , 23 of formed strips 31 , 32, 33. The construction of the zones 21 , 22, 23 of the formed strips 31 , 32, 33 constitutes a security element of the security document. The technical effect and therefore the utility of the security element is as follows. The observer can see only certain strips, whereas the other strips remain invisible to the observer, depending on the angle of the incident light. Such effect can be seen only if the security element comprises at least three zones 21 , 22, 23 of the strips 31 , 32, 33 - of the above- described arrangement. According to that, during a fluent change of the viewing angle, the observer has the impression of movement of the strips between the respective zones. Therefore the obtained effect is similar to the effect of kinematic holograms, nonetheless, the security document is obtained by stamping of the strips in the shiny layer 12, therefore in a more simple way than for the hologram.

Moreover, the shiny layer may further comprise flat areas, without formed strips, where the light reflection, the same as in the case of formed strips, is not observed.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. Therefore, the claimed invention as recited in the claims that follow is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

Claims

1 . A security document comprising a substrate layer (11 ) and a shiny layer (12) formed on the substrate layer, wherein:

- the shiny layer comprises a central zone (22) located between lateral zones (21 ,

23);

- wherein each of the zones (21 , 22, 23) comprises a plurality of stamped parallel strips (31 , 32, 33);

- wherein a width of a single strip (31 , 32, 33) doest not exceed 100 micrometers and a distance (D) between two adjacent strips (31 , 32, 33) of a single zone (21 ,

22, 23) does not exceed 100 micrometers;

- and wherein at least one strip (32) of the central zone (22) is inclined with respect to its closest strip (31 ) of one lateral zone (21 ) and with respect to its closest strip (33) of another lateral zone (23) at an angle deferent than 180°.

2. The security document according to claim 1 , wherein at least one strip (32) of the central zone (32) is inclined with respect to its closest strip (31 ) of one lateral zone (21 ) as well as with respect to its closest strip (33) of another lateral zone (23) at an angle from 90° to 178°, wherein the strips (31 , 33) of the lateral zones (21 , 23) forming the angles with the same strip (32) of the central zone (22) are arranged on the same side of the line being an extension of this strip (32) of the central zone (22).

3. The security document according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the central zone (22) and the lateral zones (21 , 23) have a shape of parallel bands.

4. The security document according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the central zone (22) and the lateral zones (21 , 23) have a shape of rings.

5. The security document according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the central zone (22) and the lateral zones (21 , 23) have non-regular shapes.

6. The security document according to any of preceding claims wherein the central zone (22) is adjacent to at least one lateral zone (21 , 23).

7. The security document according to any of claims 1 -5 comprising a gap between the central zone and at least one lateral zone (21 , 23).

8. The security document according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the strips (31 , 33) of at least one lateral zone (21 , 23) and/or the strips (32) of the central zone (22) are straight.

9. The security document according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the strips (31 , 33) of at least one lateral zone (21 , 23) and/or the strips (32) of the central zone (22) are curved.

10. The security document according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of the central zones (22) and a plurality of the lateral zones (21 , 23).

1 1 . The security document according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a backing layer (13) which adheres to the substrate layer (11 ), the backing (13) layer comprising a window (131 ).

12. The security document according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an area of the shiny layer (12) forms a shape of a word mark and/or a shape of a graphic mark and/or of a shape of denomination of a banknote.

13. The security document according to any of the proceeding claims, further comprising transparent areas.

14. The security document according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising relief areas and/or raster areas.