EP0516790A1 - MAGNETIC, METAL SECURITY THREAD WITH NEGATIVE LETTERING. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a security document, in particular a bank note, identity card or the like, comprising a security element, which is provided with signs, drawings etc. visually readable at least in backlighting and which is electrically conductive and has additional materials for mechanized control, as well as a process for the manufacture of such a security element. The security element preferably consists of a transparent film strip having a visually verifiable negative writing and being additionally provided with electrically conductive and magnetic materials.

Description

 Magnetic, metallic security thread with

Negative writing

The invention relates to a security document, in particular a bank note, identity card or the like, with a security element which is provided with characters, patterns etc. which can be read at least visually in transmitted light and which is electrically conductive and has additional substances for machine testing and a Method for producing such a security element.

From DE-PS 27 54 267 it is known to provide a security element, generally called a security thread, with several security features. In particular, this document describes the combination of a magnetic authenticity feature with another physical feature, such as electrical conductivity or luminescence. An important selection criterion for the security features to be combined is that these features cannot easily be recognized and imitated by a forger. This requirement naturally increases counterfeit protection. On the other hand, however, it also means that average persons who handle such security documents are also not able to recognize these security features and that security documents that are equipped with such a thread cannot be checked for authenticity without appropriate mechanical aids.

To avoid this disadvantage, EP-OS 0 330 733 therefore proposes a security element which can be checked both visually and by machine. For this purpose, a translucent plastic film is coated with metal and this coating is provided with cutouts in the form of characters or patterns. Also contains the security thread in the areas congruent with the recesses coloring and / or lucescent substances, by means of which the signs or patterns differ in color contrasting from the opaque metal coating under suitable lighting conditions. A special method is used to produce the recesses, the so-called negative writing. Before the thread material is metallized, a printed image corresponding to the later cutouts is printed and only then is the metal coating applied. Printing inks or lacquers are used for the application of the printed image, which can then be chemically dissolved again under the metal coating, so that recesses are formed in the metal layer at the locations of the printed image, since this is also removed.

The security thread described in EP-OS 0 330 733 already meets a very high security standard. On the one hand, the electrical conductivity can be checked mechanically by means of the continuous metallic coating, and on the other hand, the negative writing serves as a visual authenticity feature that can be easily recognized by the viewer. In addition, the thread has an additional feature which is not readily recognizable by the viewer, namely the luminescence in the area of the negative writing, which can also be checked by machine. However, it is disadvantageous that, in order to record the two properties that can be checked by machine, a possible test device must have an optical sensor in addition to a conductivity sensor. Because of the necessary light source, lens systems, filters etc., optical sensors are relatively complex and voluminous. The test device is thus also correspondingly complex and large.

For this reason, the invention is based on the object of providing a security element for security documents with at least two machine-checkable security features. paint to create, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and yet combines the advantages of visual and mechanical verifiability.

The object is achieved by the features mentioned in claims 1, 21 and 22.

The essence of the invention can be seen in the combination of magnetic security feature and negative writing, which offers several advantages. First of all, the security element according to the invention advantageously combines the positive aspects of the security elements which have become known in the prior art, the quick and simple visual verifiability on the one hand and the possibility of mechanical testing which is not readily recognizable from the outside on the other hand. Because the negative writing, which is embedded in a reflective environment, can be easily recognized by the human eye and can be easily checked for authenticity by the viewer. In addition, it is possible to underpin the visual test result of the security document mechanically using a magnetic field measurement or, if necessary, to revise it. The metallic reflective environment of the negative writing ensures that the security light does not disturb the overall impression of the data carrier or security document in the incident light, but can be recognized very strikingly in the transmitted light.

In addition, in contrast to luminescence, there are many coding possibilities available for the detection of the magnetic properties, since the counterfeiter is not able to recognize which of the magnetic properties, such as permeability, magnetization, remanence, etc., is used as a test criterion . Protection against counterfeiting can therefore be increased even further by using a magnetic authenticity feature. Since the measurement of the electrical conductivity and that of the magnetic properties is possible with relatively little hardware expenditure, there is a further, economic advantage that the security element according to the invention despite several test options (electrical conductivity and a magnetic property), of which at least two can be detected by machine, can be measured with a relatively simple sensor. In this way, multiple and thus increased counterfeit protection can be achieved without additional changes to the test device and costs.

In a possible embodiment of the security element according to the invention, a plastic thread is both coated with metal and printed with magnetic ink, the magnetic and metallic areas viewed in the running direction of the thread. B. are arranged alternately on the thread. However, the metallic and magnetic areas can optionally also be applied in the longitudinal direction or provided stacked one above the other. In all cases, the metallization has a negative writing, as is known from EP-OS 0 330 733.

In a preferred embodiment, the machine-testable magnetic paint is present as a full-surface coating beneath the metallization, which is only interrupted in the area of the negative writing which is introduced by the method according to the invention.

In the previously known method for producing a security element with negative writing, such as. B. described in EP-OS 0 330 733, it was not possible to include a full-surface magnetic paint in the structure of the security element. Because of its reflective properties, the metallization must represent the outermost layer of the security element, so that the opaque magnetic ink must inevitably be printed between the soluble printing ink, which will later produce the negative writing, and the metal coating. However, the magnetic color is relatively poorly soluble chemically. It is therefore not possible to produce the negative characters using the known method, since the magnetic layers cannot be triggered, or cannot be triggered entirely, from the layer structure, and the contours of the characters therefore only appear incomplete.

In contrast to this, the method according to the invention is particularly well suited for a full-surface magnetic layer structure combined with electrically conductive layers. The method according to the invention uses a heat-softenable or vaporizable color to apply the negative print image instead of the chemically soluble colors.

Since security threads are produced in web form and then cut into strips of a predetermined width, the method according to the invention offers the advantage that both the magnetic ink and the metallization can be applied over the entire surface without taking into account the negative print image underneath. As a result, the method is very efficient and therefore also inexpensive.

Process examples and developments of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures. For better clarity of the figures, the scale and proportions are not shown.

In it show:

1 shows a banknote with an embedded security thread, 2 supervision of the security thread in an embodiment according to the invention,

3 supervision of a further embodiment of the security thread according to the invention,

4 supervision of a further variant of the security thread according to the invention,

Fig. 5 section A-B of that shown in Fig. 4

Variant of the security thread according to the invention before the introduction of the negative writing,

6 section A-B after the introduction of the negative typeface,

7 variant for thread construction of the thread shown in FIG. 4 in section A-B,

Fig. 8 another variant of the thread structure of the in

4 thread shown in section A-B,

1 shows a security 1 with an embedded security element 2, which is designed as a so-called window security thread. This embodiment ensures that the element is clearly visible both in reflected and transmitted light, at least in some areas. For this purpose, the security thread is virtually woven into the paper mass, so that it comes directly to the document surface at regular intervals, which is indicated by the hatched boxes.

2, 3 and 4, possible embodiments of the security element 2 according to the invention are shown in supervision. 2 shows the security element 2, consisting of a transparent plastic film, which, viewed in the running direction, is alternately provided with metallic and magnetic regions 3, 4. The metallization 3 has cutouts 5, the so-called negative writing, in the form of any characters, numbers or patterns, etc., in which the transparent carrier material underneath is visible. The metallic areas 3 are separated by bars of mostly black printed magnetic paint 4.

Such a thread can be produced in various ways. For example, a plastic film can be completely coated with metal and then provided with a negative writing in accordance with one of the processes known from EP-OS 0 330 733. The text is repeatedly inserted in a parallel arrangement of rows and columns, bars of magnetic paint are applied over this film parallel to the columns at appropriate intervals, so that the negative writing appears completely between these bars at least once. In the last step, the web is cut into threads parallel to the rows, as is known from the register, for example from EP-OS 0 381 112.

Alternatively, the text can be inserted in a parallel column arrangement in such a way that it is offset by half the line spacing in adjacent columns, as shown in FIG. 3. Likewise, the bars made of magnetic ink 4 can be printed parallel to the lines 3, as can also be seen in FIG. 3. In this case, it must be ensured that the magnetic strips are arranged laterally in register with the negative writing. The plastic film, which is otherwise prepared analogously to the method described above, is cut into threads with a width of approximately 1.2 mm, the approximately 0.8 mm wide metallization 3, which shows the visible negative writing 5 carries, is framed symmetrically by about 0.2 mm wide magnetic strips 4.

4 shows another embodiment of the security element according to the invention. Purely externally, this security thread 2 does not differ from the known security threads. Because only the transparent writing 5 can be seen in its metallic surroundings 3. However, the differences become evident when considering the layer structure of the thread 2.

5 and 6 show the section AB of the preferred embodiment of the security element 2 according to the invention shown in FIG. 4 before and after the introduction of the negative writing 5. As in the previous examples, a transparent plastic film 10 serves as the carrier material . This is first printed with an activatable printing ink 13 in the area of the later negative writing. Then the film is metallic 11, z. B. with aluminum, vaporized, over this

Layer structure, a magnetic printing ink 4 is also provided over the entire surface. The outermost layer forms a further vacuum-deposited metallization 3.

The drawing does not allow an estimate of the individual layer thicknesses, which is why some typical data are given below for illustration: the carrier film 10 has a thickness of approximately 10-30 μm, the activatable printing ink 13 moves between 0.5 and 2 μm, while each of the metallizations is only approx. 1/100 μm thick, and the magnetic paint has a layer thickness of 1 - 5 μm.

The inner metal coating ensures that the security thread, due to the transparency of the carrier material, offers the same external appearance regardless of the side. This is necessary to follow the thread to be able to check the embedding in the document in the same way.

By activating the printing ink 13, cutouts are formed in the three layers 11, 4 and 3 lying above it, corresponding to the printing ink, and thus form the negative writing 5. In a last step, the thin metal layer and the cutouts can be protected before cutting the Web a transparent lacquer layer 20 of about 10 microns thick are sprayed. On the other hand, it is also possible, as indicated in FIG. 6, to dip the finished thread with a protective layer.

Suitable activatable printing inks are, for. B. wax-containing emulsions, similar to those used in transfer ribbons. When heated, these emulsions soften and thereby reduce the adhesion to the carrier film, so that in these poorly adhering areas, supported by mechanical treatment, such as. B.

Ultrasound, brushing or rubbing, both the softened printing ink and the layers above it can be removed.

The printing inks for applying the negative image can, however, also contain foaming additives, as are customary in the production of foams. These blowing agents split off gas under the influence of heat and produce foam structures in a polymer matrix. The decomposition process takes place irreversibly and within a defined temperature interval. In connection with the invention, blowing agents with an activation temperature around 200 * C, such as. B. Azodicarbonamide. As in the case of the wax-containing emulsions, the gas development and the associated increase in volume reduce the adhesion to the carrier film. In addition, the ones above them bulge Layers corresponding to the increase in volume of the printing ink to the outside and thus offer a good point of attack for the mechanically acting treatment methods, so that the negative writing can be worked out cleanly. Alternatively, the blowing agents can also be added to the printable ink in microencapsulated form.

A simplification in the structure of the layer sequence shown in FIG. 3 results if a solvent for the metal layers is additionally added to the activatable printing inks described above. It is sufficient if the color is slightly acidic or alkaline, because in practice it is only vapor-deposited aluminum. In this way, the first metal coating can be applied directly to the carrier film and only in the following the printed image, as it will appear later as a negative image, is printed, with the result that the layers can be removed even more easily. Because here the detaching printing ink acts practically from the center in two opposite directions, which increases the effectiveness of the detachment of the layers before the mechanical treatment. Acid or alkali residues in the thread are not to be feared, since the negative writing is washed with water after removal.

The activation of the printing ink producing the negative writing can of course also be triggered by other physical effects, such as laser beam, electron beam, pressure, cold, etc.

The method according to the invention can also be used expediently if a print image is to be carried out with a color layer instead of a metallic layer, which itself cannot be printed, but rather, B. only by doctor blade or other full-surface coatings is to be brought. In this case, a negative print image is printed under the color and this is removed according to the invention.

Fig. 7 shows a variant of the structure of the in Fig. 4 in

Supervision shown security elements 2, in which to generate the negative writing in addition to the above. activatable printing inks also the chemically releasable printing inks known from the prior art can be used. In this case, the carrier material 10 is printed in a multicolor printing machine with metallic strips 40 and congruently with the magnetic ink 4. The activatable printing ink 13 which generates the negative writing is introduced into the gap between the strips in a third printing unit. The carrier material prepared in this way receives a full-surface metallic coating 3, which is then removed again in the area of the negative writing by activating the printing ink 13. As in the previous example, the thread can also be provided with a protective, transparent lacquer layer.

A metal pigment-containing printing ink is used for printing the metallic strips 40, whereas the outer metal coating preferably consists of vacuum-evaporated aluminum.

FIG. 8 shows a similar thread structure, but in contrast to the previously described methods, it is possible to dispense with the use of an activatable printing ink in the production thereof. Analogous to the thread shown in FIG. 7, the carrier material 10 is first printed with metallic strips 40 and coincidentally with magnetic ink 4. In a third printing unit, a printing ink containing metal pigment, such as e.g. B. silver bronze, printed such that they have recesses in the form of negative signs 5 has.

In this example, 40, 30 printing pigments containing metal pigment or imitation metal colors, such as, for example, are used for both metallizations. B. silver bronze used. Such printing inks can of course also be used advantageously in the other examples described.

In all the examples of the security element according to the invention shown so far, the electrical conductivity is determined by the properties of the metallic reflecting layers, in particular the visually visible layers 3. However, variants are also possible in which the conductivity is generated or at least carried along by appropriate admixing of the magnetic layer with electrically conductive material. The reference number 25 in FIG. 8 indicates such an admixture, which may consist of soot particles, for example.

This has the additional advantage that cracks running across the entire thread width in the metallically conductive layer, e.g. B. in layer 3 of the thread shown in Fig. 4, do not lead to complete loss of electrical conductivity. Because in this case the

Current flow through the adjacent conductive magnetic layer and thus bridges the crack. In this way, the feature of electrical conductivity can also be used as an authenticity feature if the layer to be checked has defects.

With correspondingly limited demands on the signal size of the electrical conductivity and magnetism, it is also possible to add both the electrically conductive and the magnetic pigments to a single printing ink, which is printed on the carrier material with a recessed negative writing. This Negative writing is printed on the carrier material. This offers the advantage that the thread material can be provided with the three security features, electrical conductivity, magnetism and negative writing, in a single printing operation.

It is also possible to distribute the characteristics over only two layers. In a first step, the carrier material is provided with a partially permeable, electrically conductive layer, such as a wafer-thin vapor-deposited or sputtered metal or oxide layer. This layer primarily carries the electrical conductivity. A metallic pigment layer containing magnetic pigment, i. H. a metal or imitation metal color, printed with recessed negative writing. In this way, a larger electrical signal can be generated and a process step can still be saved.

Instead of the magnetic material, any other machine-testable material can of course also be used.

Claims

Patent claims: 1. Security document, in particular bank note, ID card or the like, with a security element which is provided with at least visually readable characters, patterns, etc. and which is electrically conductive and has additional substances for machine testing, characterized in that at least one further Fabric (4) with magnetic Properties are provided and the machine-testable substances and the visually readable characters are arranged along the security element in such a way that all properties can be checked along the security element. 2. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that the visually readable characters (5) and the machine-testable material (4) are arranged alternately as seen in the running direction of the thread (2). 3. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine-testable substance (4) is arranged symmetrically on both sides of the visually readable characters (5). 4. Security document according to claim 3, characterized in that the electrically conductive layer (3) has cutouts in the form of the visually readable characters (5). 5. Security document according to claim 3, characterized in that ¬ indicates that a metallic layer (11, 40) is arranged congruently under the machine-testable substance (4). 6. Security document according to claim 5, characterized in that a further metallic layer (3, 30) is arranged above the machine-testable substance (4) and has cutouts in the form of the visually readable characters (5). 7. Security document according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the metallic layers (3, 11, 40, 30) are printing inks containing metal pigments, metal imitation colors or vacuum-evaporated metal layers. 8. Security document according to at least one of claims 1 - 7, characterized in that the machine-testable substance (4) is mixed with an electrically conductive material (25). 9. Security document according to claim 8, characterized in that the electrically conductive material (25) is soot particles. 10. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive layer is a partially permeable metal or oxide layer, over which one is mechanically testable Metal effect layer (4) containing recesses in the form of the readable characters (5) is arranged. 11. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that both the electrically conductive substance and the machine-testable substance are present in a layer which has cutouts in the form of the readable characters (5). 12. Security document according to at least one of the Claims 1-11, characterized in that the machine-testable material (4) is a magnetic paint is. 13. A method for producing a security document according to at least one of claims 1-4, characterized g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a) a transparent carrier film is printed with an activatable printing ink in the form of the legible characters, patterns, etc., b) a metal layer is applied over the entire surface of the carrier film, c) the printing ink is activated in order to produce cutouts in the form of the characters, patterns, etc., d) a magnetic substance is partially applied, e) the film is cut into strips of appropriate width. 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the characters, patterns etc. applied in step a) are printed in parallel row and column form. 15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the characters, patterns etc. applied in step a) are applied in parallel columns and offset by half the line spacing. 16. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the magnetic material is applied in step d) in parallel to the columns bars. 17. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the magnetic substance in step d) is applied in strips parallel to the lines. 18. The method according to at least one of claims 13-17, characterized in that the magnetic substance is mixed with electrically conductive material. 19. The method according to claim 18, characterized g e k e n n ¬ z e i c h n e t that the magnetic substance is mixed with soot particles. 20. The method according to at least one of claims 13 - 19, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by chemical solvents. 21. Method for producing a security element, which is incorporated in a security document, such as a banknote, Identity card or the like can be inserted and which is provided with visually and / or machine-readable signs, patterns etc. that are visible both in transmitted light and in reflected light, so that: a) a transparent carrier film with an activatable printing ink in the form which is later visually and / or machine-readable characters, patterns etc. which are visible both in transmitted light and in reflected light, b) the side of the carrier film which bears the activatable printing ink is provided with a metal layer over the entire surface, c) a further mechanically testable substance is provided over the entire surface of the metallic layer. d) a further full-surface metal coating is applied over the machine-testable substance, e) the activatable printing ink is then activated in order to remove all layers above the carrier film, as a result of which recesses in the form of characters, patterns etc. are formed in the coating, f) the film is cut into strips of appropriate width. 22. A method for producing a security element which can be introduced into a security document, such as a bank note, identity card or the like, and which has visually and / or machine-readable signs, patterns, etc. Visible in both transmitted light and incident light. is provided, by e k e n n ¬ z e i c h n e t that a) a transparent carrier film is provided with metallic strips, b) another mechanically testable substance is provided in register over this strip, c) the carrier film is printed in the gaps between the strips with an activatable printing ink in the form of the legible characters, d) the entire layer structure is provided over the entire area with a metallic layer, e) the activatable printing ink is then activated, which results in the full-surface metal coating Cutouts in the form of characters, patterns, etc. arise, f) the film is cut into strips of appropriate width. 23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that at least one of the metallic layers is a vacuum-evaporated metal layer. 24. The method according to any one of claims 21 or 22, characterized in that at least one of the metallic layers is a metal pigment-containing printing ink or a metal imitation ink. 25. The method according to at least one of claims 21-14, characterized in that the further mechanically testable substance is mixed with an electrically conductive material. 26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that the further mechanically testable substance is mixed with soot particles. 27. The method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the further mechanically testable substance is a magnetic color. 28. The method according to at least one of claims 21 - 27, characterized in that the detachment of the layers above the carrier film is supported by mechanical treatment. 29. The method according to at least one of claims 21 - 28, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is a wax-containing emulsion. 30. The method according to at least one of claims 21-28, characterized in that the activatable printing ink contains foamable additives. 31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that the foamable additives are in the form of microcapsules in the printing ink. 32. The method according to at least one of claims 21 to 31, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by a laser beam. 33. The method according to at least one of claims 21-31, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by heating. 34. The method according to at least one of claims 21 to 31, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by an electron beam. 35. The method according to at least one of claims 21 to 31, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by cold. 36. The method according to at least one of claims 21 to 31, characterized in that the activatable printing ink is activated by printing. 37. The method according to at least one of claims 21 to 36, characterized in that the finished film is provided with a protective transparent lacquer layer before the last process step.