EP2919997B1 - Method for producing a security feature for a valuable and/or security product, and valuable and/or security product - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for generating a security feature for a value and / or security product, for example for a security and / or security document or security element, as well as such a value and / or security product. A security and / or security document may, for example, be a personal document, in particular an identity card, or a means of payment, in particular a banknote. Such documents are typically produced in standardized formats, for example in the ID 1, ID 2 or ID 3 format according to ISO 7810. The documents can basically consist of or contain an organic polymer or a ceramic material, paper, cardboard or metal. Cards and card-shaped components of book-type documents may preferably be made of laminated polymer films. To test the authenticity and / or coding of information, these products have security features.

The security features used in the value and / or security products can only serve to prove the authenticity of the products regardless of their nature or by their user. Such security features are, for example, guilloches, watermarks, embossing prints, tipping pictures, holograms, the special paper of banknotes and the like. Personalizing, for example, personalizing, security features also contain in coded form or in plain text information about the nature of the document and / or about its owner and / or about an object to which the document is assigned. Such information may include a face image / portrait (for example in the form of a photograph) of the owner, his or her personal data such as name, date of birth, place of birth, signature, a personal identifier such as a membership number, or biometric data of the holder, such as fingerprints. Iris and retina detection. Another security feature that individualizes the document can be, for example, a serial number of the document or the chassis number of a motor vehicle to which the document is assigned.

In DE 692 07 751 T2 There is described a printing method in which the article to be printed is coated with a cold transfer adhesive at the locations corresponding to a desired printing motif. Subsequently, a coating film carried by a printing material is transferred cold and under pressure. The coating film may be formed by a thin coating layer, in particular of metal, such as gold, silver or aluminum.

In DE 10 2011 115 617 A1 Furthermore, a cold foil transfer device is described. It is stated that with cold foil stamping machines a transfer layer can be transferred to the printing substrate under pressure and preferably without the action of heat. As a rule, an adhesive is printed with a printing unit upstream of the transfer unit so that a printed image of adhesive remains on the printing material. Within the film transfer unit, a transfer layer corresponding to the print image is then imagewise removed from the transfer film used, so that it adheres to the sheet. In this case, the transfer layer can essentially be partially transferred in the areas exposed to adhesive. It is stated that with the transfer devices labels or holograms can be held on a transfer film and transferred as a transfer layer to the substrate.

In EP 1 736 324 A2 For example, a method and apparatus for making any pattern of a metallic or metallized layer on a substrate is described. For this purpose, an activatable adhesion promoter is digitally printed with the aid of a digital printing method in areas and passerhaltig with the pattern to be produced on the surface of a substrate. Then, the metallic or metalized layer is applied over a large area and with contact on the surface of the substrate, whereupon the adhesion promoter is activated in order to achieve a bonding of the metallic or metallized layer to the surface of the substrate in the region of the pattern to be produced. Subsequently, the metallic or metallized layer is lifted over a large area, wherein the adhesive areas remain on the substrate. By adding fluorescent or luminescent dyes to the adhesion promoter additional security elements can be created.

Out DE 10 2009 007 002 A1 goes out a sheet-fed press for cold foil transfer. Here, an inkjet printing device is arranged in the transport direction of the sheet before the coating unit for applying an adhesive for the film transfer.

There is a constant need for novel, in particular individualizing, for example personalizing, security features for value and / or security products, which secure these products against counterfeiting and / or falsification and / or copying. In particular, an object underlying the present invention is to find a security feature that encodes at least one property of the value and / or security product and / or a property of a person or item associated with the product. In addition, the present invention has the essential further object of providing a cost-effective, simple and quickly realizable security feature. The security feature is thus intended to increase the security level compared to conventional security and / or security documents or security elements. The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a solution for advanced security features that are easy to manufacture and therefore cost.

As far as used in the description and in the claims of the present application, the term "value and / or security product", which may be in particular a security and / or security document or a security element is used, including, for example, a passport, Identity card, driver's license, an access control card or other ID card, a vehicle registration document, vehicle registration document, visa, check, means of payment, in particular a banknote, check, bank, credit or cash card, customer card, health card, chip card, company ID card, proof of eligibility , Membership card, gift or shopping voucher, bill of lading or other proof of entitlement, tax stamp, postage stamp, ticket, token, token, adhesive label (for example for product assurance) or any other document. A product according to the invention may also be a security element, for example a sticker, label or the like, which has the security feature according to the invention and which can be permanently connected to a precursor of a value and / or security document in order to form the value and / or security document , The product may be, for example, a smart card. The value and / or security document may be in ID 1, ID 2, ID 3, or any other normalized or non-normalized format, such as in a booklet form, such as a passport-like item, or, for example, in card form. A value and / or security product is generally a laminate of a plurality of document layers, which have been connected in register under the influence of heat and under increased pressure. These products should meet the standardized requirements, for example ISO 10373, ISO / IEC 7810, ISO 14443. The product layers consist, for example, of a carrier material which is suitable for lamination.

The valuable and / or security product may be formed from a polymer selected from a group comprising polycarbonate (PC), in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), derivatives thereof, such as glycol modified PET (PETG), Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and derivatives thereof, and / or paper and / or cardboard and / or glass and / or metal and / or ceramic. In addition, the product can also be made of several of these materials. It preferably consists of PC or PC / TPU / PC. The polymers may be either unfilled or filled. In the latter case they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The above information relates both to films to be joined together and to liquid formulations applied to a precursor, such as a protective or topcoat. Preferably, the product is from 3 to 12, preferably 4 to 10 films produced. A laminate formed in this way can finally be coated on one or both sides with the protective lacquer. Overlay layers formed in this way protect a security feature arranged underneath and / or give the document the required abrasion resistance. The security feature is preferably formed on at least one of the inner layers of the product.

Insofar as the term 'security feature' is mentioned in the description and in the claims of the present application, this is to be understood as a feature which preferably causes an optical impression which can be determined by means of optical recognition methods and which is produced by an optically perceptible design. Alternatively, an electrical or magnetic identifier can also be stored and read out. The design of an optical, in particular visually, perceptible security feature can be monochrome or multicolored, black / white or gray tones. The design may include visual, especially visual, perceptual individualizing information. The security feature may be configured to be directly perceived by a user, or it may be a machine-readable feature. In the latter case, the security feature is detected by means of, for example, electromagnetic radiation, spatially resolved receiving device and perceived by a viewer or evaluated by means of a device provided for this purpose.

As far as in the description and in the claims of the present application, the term 'pattern' is called, it is to be understood as a two-dimensional arrangement of at least one structure on a substrate surface. A pattern may have any abstract shape, such as lines, areas, any combination, or alternatively characters, such as alphanumeric characters, or images, such as the photograph of the document owner or representations of particular objects. Any other information can also be displayed graphically. The two-dimensional arrangement can be formed, in particular, by adhesion regions in which adhesion promoters are located, wherein adjacent adhesion regions are separated from one another by free regions in which no adhesion promoter is located. An adhesion area is formed by a coherent two-dimensional structure (arbitrarily shaped area on the substrate surface). The adhesion promoter forms a layer on the substrate surface, the adhesion promoter being located only in the adhesion region (s) on the surface. This layer is thus formed by the adhesive located in the adhesion areas.

1. (a) Bereitstellen eines Substrats; das Substrat weist zwei Oberflächen auf, eine erste Oberfläche an einer Oberseite und eine zweite Oberfläche an einer Unterseite des Substrats; das Substrat ist insbesondere ein Flachmaterial;
2. (b) Bereitstellen mindestens eines eine Vorderseite und eine Rückseite aufweisenden Applikationselements; die Vorderseite des Applikationselements ist vorzugsweise diejenige Seite, die dem Betrachter zugewandt sein soll, im Falle eines Applikationselements beispielsweise mit einer Metallschicht oder mit einem Linsenraster demzufolge diejenige Seite, die die Metallschicht bzw. das Linsenraster aufweist; die Rückseite des Applikationselements ist für die Befestigung auf einer Unterlage, im vorliegenden Falle auf dem Substrat vorgesehen;
3. (c) Erzeugen jeweils einer Schicht eines Haftvermittlers auf mindestens einer der Oberflächen des Substrats oder auf der Rückseite des Applikationselements, sodass sich der Haftvermittler ausschließlich in mindestens einem an einen oder mehrere Freibereiche angrenzenden Adhäsionsbereich auf der mindestens einen Oberfläche des Substrats oder auf der Rückseite des Applikationselements befindet, nicht aber in dem mindestens einen Freibereich;
4. (d) Aufbringen des jeweiligen Applikationselements mit seiner Rückseite auf die mindestens eine mit der jeweiligen Schicht des Haftvermittlers versehene Oberfläche des Substrats oder Aufbringen des Applikationselements mit seiner den Haftvermittler aufweisenden Rückseite auf eine der Oberflächen des Substrats;
5. (e) Verbinden des jeweiligen Applikationselements in den Adhäsionsbereichen mit der mindestens einen Oberfläche des Substrats, wobei das jeweilige Applikationselement in den Freibereichen mit der mindestens einen Oberfläche des Substrats nicht verbunden bleibt;
6. (f) Mechanisches Entfernen von nicht mit der mindestens einen Oberfläche des Substrats verbundenen Teilen des Applikationselements.

The objects underlying the present invention are achieved by a method for generating a security feature for a value and / or security product, which comprises the following method steps:

1. (a) providing a substrate; the substrate has two surfaces, a first surface on an upper surface and a second surface on a lower surface of the substrate; the substrate is in particular a flat material;
2. (b) providing at least one application element having a front side and a back side; the front side of the application element is preferably that side which is to face the viewer, in the case of an application element, for example with a metal layer or with a lenticular, consequently that side which has the metal layer or the lenticular grid; the back of the application element is provided for attachment to a substrate, in the present case on the substrate;
3. (c) producing in each case a layer of an adhesion promoter on at least one of the surfaces of the substrate or on the back of the application element so that the adhesion promoter is present exclusively in at least one adhesion region adjacent to one or more free areas on the at least one surface of the substrate or on the back side of the substrate Application element is located, but not in the at least one free area;
4. (d) applying the respective application element with its rear side onto the at least one surface of the substrate provided with the respective layer of the adhesion promoter or applying the application element with its back side having the adhesion promoter to one of the surfaces of the substrate;
5. (e) bonding the respective application element in the adhesion regions to the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the respective application element in the free regions remains not connected to the at least one surface of the substrate;
6. (f) mechanically removing parts of the application element not connected to the at least one surface of the substrate.

In accordance with the invention, the at least one layer of the adhesion promoter is produced in process step (c) by means of a digital printing process, and the application element is applied in a surface region on a surface of the substrate in which a layer having a lightening color is present, which is visible Spectral region is luminescent, or in which the substrate is colored with visible in the spectral range emitting dyes.

1. (a) ein Substrat; das Substrat weist zwei Oberflächen auf, eine erste Oberfläche an einer Oberseite und eine zweite Oberfläche an einer Unterseite des Substrats;
2. (b) jeweils ein mittels eines Haftvermittlers mit mindestens einer der Oberflächen des Substrats verbundenes Applikationselement, wobei sich das Applikationselement ausschließlich in mindestens einem an einen oder mehrere Freibereiche angrenzenden Adhäsionsbereich befindet, nicht aber in dem mindestens einen Freibereich.

The object on which the present invention is based is also achieved by a value and / or security product which has the following features:

1. (a) a substrate; the substrate has two surfaces, a first surface on an upper surface and a second surface on a lower surface of the substrate;
2. (B) in each case one by means of a coupling agent with at least one of the surfaces of the substrate connected to the application element, wherein the application element is located exclusively in at least one adjoining one or more free areas Adhäsionsbereich, but not in the at least one free area.

In accordance with the invention, the application element in the at least one adhesion region in the form of an individualizing marking is arranged in a structured manner on the at least one surface of the substrate and applied in a surface region on a surface of the substrate in which a layer having a lightening color is located is luminescent in the visible spectral range, or in which the substrate is colored with dyes emitting in the visible spectral range.

With the method according to the invention, it is possible to modify security features produced with a cold or hot foil refining process in such a way that they form an individualizing marking. Thus, commercial cold and hot stamping foils can be applied individualizing. The security features may be present in the form of the application elements or be parts of the application elements and be applied to the substrate surface using the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the application elements Be transfer elements. For example, an emboss hologram, a kinegraphic element, an optically variable device (OVD) or other security element made with a printing process, or any other security element intended for application to a precursor (blank) of a security and / or security document may be included the process applied to the blank and then patterned on this to form an individualizing pattern. For this purpose, the adhesion promoter is applied in a structured manner to the substrate or to the back side of the application element before the element is applied using the digital printing method. As a result, the printed adhesion promoter is produced in the form of the preferably individualizing pattern on a surface of the substrate or the back of the application element. The pattern of the bonding agent is from the Adhesion areas formed adjacent to the free areas between the Adhäsionsbereichen. The parts of the adhesion promoter located in the adhesion areas form adhesion promoter structures there. Since the digital printing method is suitable for forming different patterns from print image to print image, an associated identification feature can be generated on the document for each document, person or object to which the document is to be assigned. The applied element may in turn already be a security feature exhibiting security element, for example, an authenticity feature or a genus of the value and / or security product determining feature. In general, this element will not contain any individualizing information. The structuring of this element predetermined by the adhesion promoter layer achieves a superposition of this security feature with the structuring of the security feature according to the invention. The security feature according to the invention can in particular be individualizing.

Compared with a conventional cold or hot foil stamping method, another advantage of the method according to the invention is that no embossing tools, that is, for example, printing plates for applying the adhesive or hot stamping dies, are required. Therefore, the method is not only extremely flexible but also inexpensive and inexpensive.

A further advantage of the invention lies in structuring printing inks, for example a color which can be printed only by screen printing or intaglio printing, such as, for example, an optically variable ink (OVI), as is known, for example, from bank notes, by means of a digital printing process. For this purpose, the OVI is first applied to a film surface, for example by screen printing. Subsequently, this film is used as described above as an application element.

The substrate may be in the form of a film or in the form of a more rigid article than a film, such as a plate or card. The substrate may be in the form of a sheet or sheet or card or ribbon. It can be single-layered or formed from several layers. It may be made from any of the polymers mentioned for the value and / or security product and may be present unfilled or filled with fillers, such as pigments, reinforcing materials, such as fibers. The substrate can therefore be transparent or translucent (not light or hardly light absorbing, but light scattering) or opaque his. It may also be uncolored or colored (ie, absorbing in the visible, UV, and / or IR spectral region, and / or emitting dyes, including luminescent substances) in these spectral regions. The substrate may be a precursor (blank) for a security and / or security document and, in addition to the security feature to be formed by the method according to the invention, further security features, such as guilloches, a security thread, microfilm, a fluorescent print pattern or a see-through pass.

The two-dimensional distribution of the free areas and the adhesion areas on the surface of the substrate can be arbitrary. It can be provided that only one free area and an adhesion area or an open area and a plurality of adhesion areas or a plurality of free areas and a plurality of adhesion areas are located on each of the surfaces. The free areas and the adhesion areas may be in a regular arrangement with respect to each other or in an irregular (stochastic) arrangement. The adhesion regions can be present, for example, in a hexagonal arrangement, wherein the free regions separate the adhesion regions from one another. The adhesion areas can be formed for example by simple geometric shapes, for example by circles, squares, rectangles, hexagons, elongated structures, such as lines, ellipses, and the like. Adhesion areas in several of these forms can occur together. If there are multiple adhesion areas, they are isolated from each other, ie they do not touch. Adhesion ranges can be rasterized or un-rasterized. The adhesion areas together form a two-dimensional structure which, for example, encodes information and preferably forms an individualizing pattern. For example, the pattern may form one or more alphanumeric or other characters, an image, a crest, a logo, or the like. The layer of the adhesion promoter may be formed on one or both surfaces of the substrate or on the back of the application element. According to a particularly preferred development of the present invention, the at least one adhesion promoter layer is designed in the form of an individualizing, for example personalizing, marking which is formed by adhesion promoter structures. For this purpose, the adhesion areas and the free areas are to be arranged in a suitable form to each other. For example, the individualizing marking can be identified by the owner of the value and / or security document by lettering with owner-specific data, for example by the name, address, birthday or birthplace lettering, or an image representation, for example by the face image of the document holder or Reproduction of his signature, be formed for an object, such as a motor vehicle, for example, by its VIN and for the document itself, for example, by a serial number.

The adhesion promoter is preferably applied to one or both surfaces of the substrate or to the back side of the application element by means of a non-impact printing method. The non-impact printing method can be an ink jet printing method (inkjet printing method) in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the ink-jet printing process may be a drop-on-demand printing method (single-ink drop printing) or a continuous ink-jet printing method (with a continuous printing-medium jet). Preferred is a drop-on-demand printing method. Alternatively, any other digital printing method may be used, for example, a dispenser method or a xerographic method.

The printing agent which is applied to the surface (s) of the substrate or to the back of the application element with a printing unit, preferably with a non-impact printer, particularly preferably with an inkjet printer, is the adhesion promoter. The adhesion promoter may be in the form of a cold foil adhesive, a hot foil adhesive, a lacquer, an ink or the like. The printing agent may be provided in the form of a solution of the coupling agent in which it is dissolved or suspended in a solvent or without the use of a solvent. The printing agent may also contain suitable anti-foaming agents, modifiers, wetting agents, surfactants, flow agents, dryers, catalysts, (light) stabilizers, preservatives, biocides, organic viscosity adjusting polymers, buffering systems and the like commonly included in inks for use in ink-jet printing , The adhesion promoter is designed to enter into a firm connection with the substrate surface and with the application element under suitable conditions, for example by activation by means of temperature increase or irradiation with electromagnetic radiation of suitable wavelength, for example UV radiation. At least in the case of activation by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation, the adhesion promoter crosslinks during irradiation and forms the compound. The adhesion promoter may contain, for example, at least one polymer which is tacky at room temperature or formed by it, and / or at least one polymer which becomes tacky only at elevated temperature, for example 100 ° C. to 300 ° C., and / or at least a polymer that is not initially cured and then cured under the action of electromagnetic radiation becomes, whereby the solid connection with the substrate surface and with the application element is brought about. For example, the primer may be a varnish, for example an acrylic resin-based varnish. The acrylic resin can cure under UV irradiation. The adhesion promoter can also be cured by mechanical pressing, for example when using a suitable cyanoacrylate adhesive. The adhesion promoter is preferably transparent or translucent. He can also be opaque in principle. It can be uncoloured or colored.

The application element may be in the form of a ribbon or bow or patch or the like. It may have a very small thickness, for example 5 microns. The thickness may also be greater, for example 50 μm or even greater, for example 100 μm or 250 μm or 500 μm or even 1 mm. In the latter cases, the application element is less flexible and twistable but rather more or less rigid. The application element may have a carrier foil which carries a functional element, wherein optionally a separating foil or separating layer may be present between the carrier foil and the functional element, all these elements forming the application element. Alternatively, the application element is formed exclusively from the functional element. The carrier film of the application element can be formed, for example, from polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate. The release film / layer can be formed, for example, from an oligo- or polyalkylene, for example paraffin, polyethylene or polypropylene, or a silicone polymer. The release film / layer serves to detach itself from the latter during or after the application of the functional element to the substrate surface, so that the functional element remains on the substrate surface, as far as it has come into contact with the adhesion promoter. The adhesive strength between the release film / layer and the carrier film on the one hand and the adjacent layers or layers of the functional element on the other hand is preferably large enough to the parts of the functional element located in the free areas, overcoming the cohesive forces within the functional element from those in the adhesion areas to be able to separate functional element parts so that the latter remain on the substrate surface when the application element is removed.

The functional element is also in the form of a foil or element that is less flexible and twistable than a foil. The functional element can be constructed in one or more layers / layers depending on its function. Each of these layers can be formed of polymer, metal, by a polymer layer, lacquer layer, color layer or the like. Each of the polymers used may be one of those specified for the value and / or security product Polymers and be transparent, translucent or opaque. The polymers may also be unfilled or filled with fillers. They may further be undyed or dyed with dyes absorbing and / or emitting in the visible, UV and / or IR spectral region, including luminescent substances, and / or pigments, including luminescent pigments and optically variable pigments. Each of the layers may be configured differently with respect to the polymer or other materials, dyes and fillers. The metal layer may be made of silver, gold, aluminum or another metal. Furthermore, alloys are also conceivable which have certain colorations of the metal, wherein different metals and / or metal alloys can be structured, ie arranged in a specific pattern. The metal may be applied to a polymer layer or cantilevered by conventional methods such as vapor deposition, sputtering, electrochemical deposition, lamination, and the like. The structure of the functional layer depends on the type of security feature formed therewith.

The application element is a security element in a preferred development of the present invention. Alternatively, it can also be an exclusively decorative element. The functional element can accordingly be formed by or contain an inventive security feature. The security element may in particular be a light-diffractive and / or refractive and / or light-reflecting and / or light-absorbing and / or light-emitting and / or electrically conductive and / or magnetizable element. In particular, the application element can be formed by an element provided with an optically variable pigment, a polarization filter, an interference filter, a hologram, a kinegraphic element, a tilting image, an optically variable device (OVD), a magnetic strip or a metal dielectric optical thin film. A metal-dielectric optical thin film is to be understood as meaning optically variable films based on interference effects (see Optical Document Security, RL van Renesse, Artech House, Boston, 3rd edition, 2005, page 231). Most preferably, the application element can be an OVD , an OVI (optically variable ink) supporting element, ie, an element having at least one layer provided with optically variable pigment / layer, an electrically conductive element suitable, for example, for forming an OLED (organic light emitting diode) or LED (light emitting diode) Metallic effect element, a metallic reflective element, a magnetic element, for example for individualizing magnetic strips, a metal dielectric optical thin film, a light polarizing element, an interference element, an element with iridescent colors, a holographic element, such as an embossed hologram, or another diffractive element or the like his. These elements may each be in the form of a film. Optionally, the functional layer of the element is present on a base layer. Alternatively, the element may also be a self-supporting functional element. The said functional elements of the security elements can furthermore be present on the carrier foil formed, for example, in the form of a band. For example, the security element can have a light-diffractive element, in particular a hologram or an OVD, which is a transfer element and is supported by the carrier foil. An OVD (kinegraphic element) may be a diffractive structure showing different representations at different viewing angles. As a result of the mechanical removal of the parts of the application element which are located in the free areas of the adhesion promoter layer, the transferred pattern after removal from the substrate appears as a negative of the pattern of the adhesion regions in the withdrawn remainder of the application element.

In another embodiment, the application element can also be produced by printing a color, in particular an optically variable ink (OVI). For this purpose, for example, a commercially available OVI color screen-printed over the entire surface of a film, for example, a 50 micron or 100 micron thick PC film, printed. After curing, for example thermally or by means of UV, this so-printed film can be used as an application element according to the invention.

The security feature according to the invention can be arranged on a surface or on both surfaces of the application element. If it is only located on one of the surfaces, it can be located either on the front or on the back. Alternatively or additionally, a color (ink) may be printed on the front side and / or the back side of the application element and / or incorporated in the material of the application element. More preferably, the ink (ink) may contain particles and / or pigments, which more preferably have a particle size of at least 10 microns in at least one of the particle directions. For example, mica particles and glass beads capable of producing an OVI may be incorporated, for example, in a paint (ink) applied to one of the application elements. In general, such particles and pigments are not printable using an ink jet printer. Instead, such colors can be printed, for example, by screen printing and intaglio printing.

The application element is pressed onto the substrate surface, if appropriate under the action of heat, so that the functional element and the substrate surface come into intimate contact with one another via the adhesion promoter layer in the adhesion regions, so that a preferably insoluble bond is formed there between the functional element and the substrate surface. A firm connection of the element to the substrate surface by means of the adhesion promoter can, depending on its type, be made with increasing temperature and / or under the irradiation of electromagnetic radiation for hardening the adhesion promoter. An increase in temperature is required when the primer is a hot melt adhesive having adhesion-promoting properties under the elevated temperature conditions.

The parts of the application element which are not connected to the surface of the substrate via the adhesion promoter are removed mechanically therefrom so that the application element is finally structured. For mechanical removal, these parts of the application element are removed, for example, by peeling. For this purpose, the application element is preferably in the form of a band, so that the band can be lifted off the surface again after joining the parts of the element lying in the adhesion areas.

Alternatively, the parts of the application element located in the free areas can also be removed mechanically by a method using a tool which when bonded to the surface of the application element forms an adhesive strength therewith which is less than the adhesion strength of the application element Application element to the bonding agent, but is large enough to overcome the cohesion of the application element counteracting cohesive forces, so that it stands out in the free areas located element parts, while the remaining element parts remain on the substrate surface. For this purpose, the tool is pressed onto the surface of the application element so that it enters into a connection with this, and then lifted from this again.

In a further preferred development of the present invention, the following additional process step follows at process step (e):
(G) coating the parts of the application element connected to the at least one surface of the substrate with a lacquer.

The paint is particularly preferably applied to the application element after process step (f).

Alternatively, the surface of the substrate on which the structured application element is located may also be gathered together with another single-layer film or a film composite (multilayer film) and then firmly bonded thereto, for example by means of a lamination process. A further possibility is that a further film can be laminated or adhered to the surface of the substrate having the structured application element, in particular a volume hologram, a film with a surface hologram (for example a kinegraphic element) or a scratch-resistant film.

Consequently, the substrate provided with application element structures or functional element structures present in the adhesion regions can be additionally provided with an external protective or topcoat layer in order to produce the finished value and / or security product and to give it the required abrasion and scratch resistance and the underlying Security feature according to the invention to protect against access from the outside. For this purpose, it is possible to use all conventional lacquers which have the necessary abrasion and scratch resistance. The protective lacquer is to form a protective layer that readily reveals the underlying security feature. For this purpose, the protective lacquer is preferably transparent. If necessary, it can also be translucent. The protective lacquer layer should also be uncoloured. However, it may also have a color in the visible spectral range. Furthermore, the protective lacquer layer may be transparent or opaque in spectral ranges other than the visible spectral range (for example, the IR, UV spectral range). The protective lacquer may include the structure of the security feature according to the invention by filling the intermediate spaces between the functional element structures and penetrating to the substrate surface during application. Since the pattern of the security feature according to the invention thus protrudes into the protective lacquer layer, it is likewise individualized by the security feature according to the invention, in particular personalized, and thus also secured against counterfeiting and distortion.

If the adhesion promoter is transparent or translucent and the applied security element is coated with the outer protective lacquer layer, a further preferred embodiment of the present invention that can be used as a security feature results since the application element structures or functional element structures seem to float within the layer in this case, because these structures rest on the one hand on the adhesion promoter structures and on the other hand are covered by the protective lacquer layer. This optical effect arises in particular when both layers (adhesion promoter layer and protective lacquer layer) are transparent. It is very particularly preferred if the adhesion promoter layer and the protective lacquer layer have the same refractive index, so that an interface between the two layers in the free regions is not recognizable. In this case, an optically uniform (monolithic) paint block is formed, which encloses the functional element structures on all sides. Preferably, the primer and the resist in this embodiment are formed of the same material.

In yet another preferred development of the present invention, a further security feature is located on one of the surfaces of the substrate, for example a security feature produced by means of a printing method. The layer of the adhesion promoter is at least partially produced on the further security feature, and the application element is thus also at least partially applied to this further security feature. This protects this further security feature against counterfeiting and falsification. The further security feature can be, for example, the facial image of the owner of the security and / or security document. A security element forming this security feature can be, for example, a printed passport photograph. Furthermore, the application element or functional element can also be applied to a non-individualizing security printing, for example guilloches or an iris print. In this case, this security feature is perceptible only by the viewer in the free areas kept free by the application or functional element. As a result, this further security feature can be customized.

According to the present invention, the application element is applied in a surface area on a surface of the substrate in which there is a surface texture which improves the visibility of the pattern of the application element after mechanical removal. This improved visibility is achieved by a layer on the surface that has a whitening color. The layer is luminescent in the visible spectral range (fluorescent, phosphorescent), for example by photo- or electroluminescence. For this purpose, it is possible to use customary dyes absorbing in the visible spectral range which contain luminescent substances. This layer may be located exclusively in an area which is occupied by the application element or may also be larger than this layer area, so that the layer is either visible only in the free areas or also projects laterally from the application element. The layer can be printed. It can completely fill in the layer area or even be present in the form of a pattern, for example with a pattern that exclusively fills the free areas or in a further pattern that is not precisely arranged and / or designed with the free and adhesion areas. In this embodiment, the primer layer is formed on said layer.

In a further preferred development of the present invention, it can further be provided that the substrate or the security and / or security document is completely transparent at least in the region in which the adhesion promoter layer and the application element are applied to one of the surfaces of the precursor or of the product are. As a result, the pattern of the application element is also visible from the back of the substrate or document. For example, a window may be located in the otherwise opaque substrate or document in this area.

To generate a pattern for the structured formation of the adhesion promoter layer, the template provided for this purpose can be converted into a halftone halftone pattern by, for example, generating a grid of pixels or lines in different dot size or line width. As a result, a light / dark effect is formed, so that contrasting pattern areas are formed. This pattern is used to create the pattern of the primer layer.

The at least one substrate, on the at least one surface of which the security feature according to the invention is located, can be formed by a respective product layer or by the product itself. Alternatively, a precursor for the value and / or security product, for example a blank which does not yet have all the product layers, but most of the security features of the document, can also be used as the substrate.

In addition to the security feature produced according to the invention, the security and / or security product can have at least one further security feature which is either individualizing or not individualizing. Other security features include guilloches, watermarks, embossing prints, a security thread, microfilm, tipping, Durchlichtpasser and the like. Furthermore, the document may also comprise electronic components, for example an RFID circuit with antenna and RFID microchip, electronic display elements, LEDs, touch-sensitive sensors and the like. For example, the electronic components may be hidden between two opaque layers of the document.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine Identitätskarte, beispielsweise einen Firmenausweis, mit einem mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Sicherheitsmerkmal in einer ersten Ausführungsform; (A) in einer schematischen Draufsicht; (B) in einer schematischen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 2

zeigt eine Identitätskarte, beispielsweise einen Firmenausweis, mit einem mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Sicherheitsmerkmal in einer zweiten Ausführungsform; (A) in einer schematischen Draufsicht; (B) in einer schematischen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 3

zeigt eine Identitätskarte, beispielsweise einen Firmenausweis, mit einem mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Sicherheitsmerkmal in einer dritten Ausführungsform; (A) in einer schematischen Draufsicht; (B) in einer schematischen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 4

zeigt eine Identitätskarte, beispielsweise einen Firmenausweis, mit einem mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Sicherheitsmerkmal in einer vierten Ausführungsform; (A) in einer schematischen Draufsicht; (B) in einer schematischen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 5

zeigt eine Identitätskarte, beispielsweise einen Firmenausweis, mit einem mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Sicherheitsmerkmal in einer fünften Ausführungsform; (A) in einer schematischen Draufsicht; (B) in einer schematischen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 6

zeigt die aufeinander folgenden Verfahrensschritte des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in einer schematischen Darstellung in einer ersten Verfahrensvariante;

Fig. 7

zeigt die aufeinander folgenden Verfahrensschritte des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in einer schematischen Darstellung in einer zweiten Verfahrensvariante;

Fig. 8

zeigt das Abziehen des Trägerbandes von dem Substrat in einer schematischen Perspektivdarstellung.

For a more detailed explanation of the present invention serve the following figures.

Fig. 1

shows an identity card, for example a company ID, with a security feature produced by the method according to the invention in a first embodiment; (A) in a schematic plan view; (B) in a schematic sectional view;

Fig. 2

shows an identity card, such as a company card, with a security feature produced by the method according to the invention in a second embodiment; (A) in a schematic plan view; (B) in a schematic sectional view;

Fig. 3

shows an identity card, for example a company ID, with a security feature produced by the method according to the invention in a third embodiment; (A) in a schematic plan view; (B) in a schematic sectional view;

Fig. 4

shows an identity card, for example a company ID, with a security feature produced by the method according to the invention in a fourth embodiment; (A) in a schematic plan view; (B) in a schematic sectional view;

Fig. 5

shows an identity card, for example a company ID, with a security feature produced by the method according to the invention in a fifth embodiment; (A) in a schematic plan view; (B) in a schematic sectional view;

Fig. 6

shows the successive process steps of the method according to the invention in a schematic representation in a first process variant;

Fig. 7

shows the successive process steps of the method according to the invention in a schematic representation in a second process variant;

Fig. 8

shows the removal of the carrier tape from the substrate in a schematic perspective view.

In the figures, like reference numerals designate elements having the same function or elements.

In the Fig. 1 to 5 For example, five embodiments of corporate ID cards 100 that represent a security document are illustrated with security features 200 according to the present invention. This security card may for example be formed as a laminate 105 of several layers, which consist essentially of polycarbonate. This laminate forms a substrate for the application of the security feature 200 according to the invention. The company card has a front side 101 and a back side (not visible). Some of these layers may be opaque colored with pigments. For example, the card has the format ID 1 according to ISO / IEC 7810. For example, the card may have a thickness of 800 μm. In addition to other security features, such as a facial image 102 of the cardholder on a passport photo 300 and a data field 103 in which the owner's individual information is printed in plain text and / or encoded form, the card comprises the security feature 200 made by the method of the present invention ,

This security feature 200 is an alphanumeric string formed of a leading letter (A) and multiple digits (000000) in the illustrated embodiments. This string may, for example, represent a personalization feature for the cardholder, for example, his identity number in the card issuing company. It can also be a serial number of the card itself. In the five embodiments illustrated, the number is formed in each case by a structured film, which is applied to the substrate 105 in the form of an application element 210, which has a front side 211 and a rear side 212, and is fixed there. This film may for example be a transfer element / functional element in the form of an OVD (optically variable device) or an OVI element (optically variable ink). Several such elements in the form of individual patches can first be applied to a band-shaped carrier foil 213 (FIG. Fig. 6, 7 . 8th ) be strung up. These are commercially available. Thus, it is not necessary to describe their structure in detail. The patches are on the carrier foil fastened by means of a release film, so that they adhere there, but can easily be removed by train. The carrier film may be formed of polyester and the release film of a silicone polymer.

In each of the five embodiments, application element structures 215 are connected to the substrate 105 via adhesive structures 225 (adhesion promoter structures). The adhesive 220 may be, for example, a cold adhesive, which adheres to the substrate surface 101 at room temperature and to which the application element structures are also adhesively bonded. The adhesive can be cured, for example, by additional UV irradiation or by evaporation of a solvent. In each of the embodiments, the application element 210 is structured in the form of the alphanumeric string, i. it is located on the card surfaces only at the locations formed by the string. The areas forming this string are present through the adhesive in the form of the adhesion regions 230. In the adjacent free areas 240 there are neither the application element nor the adhesive.

In the first embodiment ( Fig. 1 ), the adhesive 220 in the form of the string forms structured adhesive structures 225 on the substrate surface 101. The adhesive structures are located exclusively in the adhesion regions 230. There are free regions 240 between the adhesion regions. Application element structures 215, which originate from an applied and partially withdrawn application element 210, adhere to the adhesive structures. These structures are thus also structured on the substrate 105 in the form of the character string. The adhesive structures may have been applied first to the substrate surface or first to the application element.

In the second embodiment ( Fig. 2 ) is in the form of the string structured and connected by means of the adhesive 220 with the substrate surface 101 application element 210 is additionally applied to an on the substrate surface located further security feature 300 '. This further security feature extends over a rectangular field and may for example also be formed by a transfer element. For example, it may be a holographic film. In this case, the application element may be, for example, a film coated with OVI ink. By overlaying the holographic foil with the application element 210 structured in the form of the string, the holographic or OVI foil is individualized. Also in this case, the adhesive structures first applied to the substrate surface or first to the application element.

In the third embodiment ( Fig. 3 ) is in the form of the string structured and connected by means of the adhesive 220 with the substrate surface 101 application member 210 partially applied to the printed on the substrate surface passport photo 300 of the cardholder and partially directly on the substrate surface. Individual adhesive structures 225 and application element structures 215 extend from the substrate surface 101 onto the passport photo. Due to the partial overlay of the passport photo of the cardholder with the character string, a forgery or falsification of the badge card, for example by exchanging the facial image, is made more difficult because it would also destroy the security feature 200 produced according to the invention. Also in this case, the adhesive structures may have been applied first to the substrate surface or first to the application element.

In the fourth embodiment ( Fig. 4 ) is the string-structured application element 210 as in FIG Fig. 1 applied over the adhesive structures 225 directly to the substrate surface. The application element structures 215 can also be seen in isolation in this case. After connecting and structuring the application element, a protective lacquer layer 250 has additionally been applied to the card surface. Both the adhesive under the application element structures and the protective lacquer are colorless and transparent. The protective varnish has the same refractive index as the adhesive. Preferably, the same material is used for the adhesive and the resist. The adhesive and the protective lacquer therefore surround the application element structures of the security feature 200 on all sides. When considering the security feature according to the invention, therefore, the formed structures of the alphanumeric string seem to float in the paint matrix formed by the adhesive and the protective lacquer. The individual adhesive structures 225 are in Fig. 4B indicated by a dashed line. Due to the lack of existing interfaces between the adhesive structures and the lacquer layer, however, these are no longer recognizable. Also in this case, the adhesive structures may have been applied first to the substrate surface or first to the application element.

In the fifth embodiment ( Fig. 5 ) is applied in the form of the string and applied by means of the adhesive 220 to the substrate surface 101 application member 210 is applied to a printed on the substrate surface layer 280 containing a luminescent substance, which does not absorb in the visible spectral range and is therefore colorless, but which emits light when excited with UV radiation in the visible spectral range. By overlaying the luminescent substance layer with the application element structures 215, the former is individualized. The alphanumeric string appears as a dark structure in the luminous field of the layer 280 upon excitation of the luminescent layer with UV radiation. The adhesive structures may have been first applied to the luminescent layer or first to the application element.

A first variant of the manufacturing method according to the invention for the security feature 200 is shown schematically in FIG Fig. 6 shown. The illustration shows the method in the individual steps on the basis of a progressing in the transport direction T band of the substrate 105, which is conveyed from left to right. Of course, any other format for a substrate may be used instead of a substrate tape, for example a substrate sheet. On the substrate application elements are applied, which are provided in the form of a tape. This band is formed by a carrier tape 213 and functional elements 210 applied thereto. The carrier tape is not shown separately.

In a first step, the substrate 105, for example a polycarbonate film, is supplied from the left to a printing unit 400. The printing unit in the present case is an inkjet printer, of which only a single print head is shown. The printer applies adhesive material 220 (adhesion promoter) in a structured arrangement in the form of adhesive structures 225 to the substrate surface 101, so that the adhesive distribution on the substrate surface corresponds to the desired pattern. In the present case, the adhesive is printed in the form of the alphanumeric string in the upper right corner of the substrate. Since the printer is controllable for individual pattern generation, the string may differ on successive substrates, for example, A000000, A123456, A543987, etc. Thus, individual character strings associated with the cardholders may be generated.

After passing through the printing unit 400, the substrate 105 is fed to a laminating unit 500 in which it initially passes a gap between a pressure roller 510 and a first counterpressure roller 511. At this point, the substrate is brought into contact with individual application elements 210, which are supported by a carrier foil 213 (not shown). These elements are in the adhesion regions 230 with the adhesive structures 225 brought into contact on the substrate surface 101 and connected by the contact pressure generated by means of the pressure roller 510 and the first counter-pressure roller 511 with these.

An IR emitter 520 generates a heat increase in the composite of substrate 105, adhesive structures 225 and application elements 210, a temperature increase, so that the adhesive hardens. Thus, a firm connection of the adhesive is made on the one hand with the substrate surface 101 and the other with the application elements.

After passing through the IR radiator 520, the composite of substrate 105, carrier foil 213 and the application elements 210 also passes a gap between a take-off roll 530 and a second counter-pressure roll 531. On these rolls, the carrier foil (and optionally a release foil) with the adhering thereto Residues 210 'of the application element, which were located in the free areas 240 between the adhesive structures 225 and are therefore not connected to the adhesive 220, detached from the substrate again and deducted from this ( Fig. 8 ). On the substrate surface 101 remain the application element structures 215, which are firmly connected to the substrate surface in the adhesion regions 230 in which the adhesive structures 225 are located on the substrate surface 101.

After removal of the carrier film 213 (and the release film) in the withdrawal direction A with the adhering residues 210 'of the application element, the structured and individualized security feature 200 remains on the substrate surface 101. This is now structured by the character string associated with the cardholder.

For the production of the card 100 according to the fourth embodiment ( Fig. 4 ), this is then coated with protective varnish 250. This can for example be formed by the same material as the adhesive 220. This process step is not shown.

The method for producing the security feature 200 according to the invention on a substrate 105 in a second variant of the method is described in FIG Fig. 7 shown schematically. In contrast to the first variant of the method, the adhesive structures 225 are not formed on the substrate surface 101 but on the rear side 212 of the application elements 210. These are then fed into the gap between the pressure roller 510 and the first counter-pressure roller 511, where the adhesive structures come into contact with the substrate surface. Thereafter, the application elements are connected to the substrate as in the first method variant, and the unconnected parts of the application elements are withdrawn from the substrate again.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

Value and / or security product, company ID, card

101

Substrate surface, front side

102

facial image

103

data field

105

Substrates, laminate

200

inventive security feature

210

Application element, functional element

210 '

Remains of the application element, or functional element

211

Front side of the application element

212

Back of the application element

213

Carrier film, carrier tape

215

Application element structure

220

Adhesive, adhesive

225

Adhesive structure, adhesive structure

230

adhesion range

240

outdoor Space

250

Protective coating (layer)

280

(luminescent) layer

300

Security feature, passport photo

300 '

safety feature

400

printing unit

500

laminating

510

pressure roller

511

first counter-pressure roller

520

IR emitters

530

off roll

531

second counter-pressure roller

A

withdrawal direction

T

transport direction

Claims (10)

1. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100), comprising the steps of:

   (a) providing a substrate (105) comprising surfaces (101),

   (b) providing of at least one application element (210), comprising a front side (211) and a rear side (212),

   (c) producing, in each case, one layer of an adhesion promoter (220) on at least one of the surfaces (101) of the substrate (105) or on the rear side (212) of the application element (210), with the result that the adhesion promoter (220) is situated exclusively in at least one adhesion region (230) which is delimited by one or more free regions (240) on the at least surface (101) of the substrate (105) or on the rear side (212) of the application element (210), but not in the at least one free region (240),

   (d) applying the respective application element (210), with its rear side (212) to the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105), which at least one surface (101) is provided with the respective layer of the adhesion promoter (220), or application of the application element (210) with its rear side (212) which has the adhesion promoter (220) to one of the surfaces (101) of the substrate (105),

   (e) connecting the respective application element (210) in the adhesion regions (230) to the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105), wherein the respective application element (210) does not remain connected to the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105) in the free regions (240),

   (f) mechanical removal of parts of the application element (210) which are not connected to the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105),

   wherein the at least one layer of the adhesion promoter (220) is produced in the method step (c) by means of a digital printing method,
   characterised in that the application element (210) is applied in a surface region on a surface (101) of the substrate (105), in which a layer is located which comprises a lightening colour, which is luminescent in the visible spectral range, or in which the substrate is coloured by colouring agents emitting in the visible spectral range.
2. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the digital printing method is an ink-jet printing method.
3. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the respective application element (210) is a security element, which is a light diffracting and/or light refracting and/or light reflecting and/or light absorbing and/or light emitting and/or electrically conductive and/or magnetisable element.
4. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one adhesion promoter layer (220) is configured in the form of an individualising identification marking.
5. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adhesion promoter (220) is transparent or translucent.
6. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the method step (e) is followed by the further method step:
   (f) coating with a lacquer (250) of parts of the application element (210) connected to the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105).
7. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the lacquer (250) is transparent or translucent.
8. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, located on one of the surfaces (101) of the substrate (105) is a further security feature (300, 300'), and that the layer of the adhesion promoter (220) is produced at least partially on the further security feature (300, 300').
9. Method for producing a security feature (200) for a valuable and/or security product (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the application element (210) is applied in a surface region onto at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105), in which a luminescing layer (280) is located.
10. Value and/or security product (100), comprising:

    (a) a substrate (105) comprising surfaces (101), and

    (b) in each case, an application element (210), connected to at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105) by means of an adhesion promoter (220), wherein the application element (210) is located exclusively in at least one adhesion region (230) adjacent to one or more free regions (240), but not in the at least one free region (240) itself,

    wherein the application element (210) is arranged in the at least one adhesion region (230) structured in the form of an individualising identification marking on the at least one surface (101) of the substrate (105),
    characterised in that the application element (210) is applied in a surface region on a surface (101) of the substrate (105), in which a layer is located which comprises a lightening colour which is luminescent in the visible spectral range, or in which the substrate is coloured by colouring agents emitting in the visible spectral range.

Images