EP1373986A1 - Hologram carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a hologram carrier comprising a hologram surface and a reference surface for facilitating capture of the hologram surface by means of a device. The reference surface thus comprises at least one graduation which is arranged on the device for device-oriented interlocking with a complementary embodiment.

Description

Title: Hologram bearer

description

The present invention relates to a hologram carrier.

Holograms are suitable for storing large amounts of data in a small space. This is advantageous if the available space is small or the design of a product should not be impaired by characteristic information, as is often the case with barcodes or the like.

It is known in principle that holograms can be inscribed in polymer materials or, if necessary, embossed by hot stamping or other methods. In this regard, reference is made, for example, to the German utility model 298 16 802.2.

Such holograms can easily be attached to objects in order to accommodate a large amount of information in a very small area. For example, such holograms on an object can replace the bar code that is widespread in department stores and / or information can be stored on parcels, mail items and the like. However, paradoxically there is a problem due to the small size of the hologram, in particular in view of the low visual contrast of the imprinted and / or embossed patterns compared to delt, transparent polymer material. Reading out the hologram information is thereby made significantly more difficult.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a hologram carrier in which the information contained in the hologram can be found more easily and / or introduced at the correct location.

The aim of the present invention is achieved with a hologram carrier according to the independent claim. Preferred embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

A first aspect of the present invention thus provides a hologram carrier with a hologram surface and a reference surface to facilitate hologram surface detection by a device, in which the reference surface comprises at least one gradation arranged to engage with a complementary embodiment on the device in order to align the device.

A first basic idea can thus be seen in the fact that, in order to adjust a device on a possibly very small hologram surface, a mechanical alignment is permitted which, after roughly locating the support, which can be readily made possible, is a reader or writing device approximately to bring it into the correct position and then to align the device by engaging gradation with complementary training on the device. If, as with barcode reading pens, a manually gripped device is used, the high sensitivity of the fingertips can be used for the alignment. The gradation can be deepened, for example in the form of an embossing and / or a punched-out. This is advantageous because typically the thickness of the hologram support will be shaped by durability considerations, for example resistance to tearing, and then typically no additional material has to be applied for the gradation while increasing the thickness. Alternatively, however, it is also possible to provide the gradation as an increased step. This is particularly worthwhile if the '' device is to be positioned very quickly and this is to be achieved by pushing the device over the hologram holder up to the gradation.

In a preferred embodiment, both gradations and depressions can be provided. Overall, this increases the available depth with which the complementary training provided on the device can engage.

It is preferred if the gradation provides a level difference of at least 0.5 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm. Significantly smaller gradation heights or depths result in an inadequate or difficult to achieve alignment on uneven ground, for example on corrugated cardboard from shipping boxes, while a level difference of more than 3 mm on typical material substrates no longer offers any significant advantages.

The hologram carrier of the present invention can comprise gradations which are formed by relief embossing, punched-out and / or laser processing and can thus be mass-produced without problems. The hologram carrier will be formed at least partially from a polymer material. In particular, at least the hologram surface will be formed from polymer material in a preferred embodiment. Preferred polymer materials are, for example, stretched PMMA and the like.

In a first preferred case, the hologram surface will represent a free surface provided for generating a hologram; this "' ^* can be described by a reader / writer which intervenes with the gradation (s). Alternatively or in addition, the hologram surface can also have a finished hologram, for example in order to provide product identification as in the case of a barcode or a verification of origin.

It is also possible to provide several hologram patterns next to one another, some or at least one of which is prefabricated. For example, postage information can be pre-coded for parcel service and the like and, after the hologram carrier has been stuck onto a package or letter, address information can be written in, preferably alongside the above-described hologram surface. Writing next to the hologram area described above simplifies the calculation of the hologram pattern required for coding the data to be stored.

The hologram carrier can be designed to be attached to an object such as a package or other goods to be labeled, in particular self-adhesive on the back. It should be mentioned that there is the possibility, for example, of providing a roll with separable holo- carriers of the gram, to prescribe them on the roll and / or to introduce a hologram in the roll production.

The embossing can also serve as the orientation of a specified rotary angle.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the hologram carrier will have further attachment surfaces on which the device can be placed on the hologram carrier aligned by the gradation. "In particular, the gradations can be designed as trough-shaped depressions or block-shaped elevations, which in particular have edges that drop off at least almost at right angles, in order to interact with a complementary formation that penetrates them.

The gradations and / or attachment surfaces can be oriented and designed such that a number of different reading devices can be aligned, in each case in such a way that only individual parts of the hologram pattern or different hologram surfaces can be read out.

Protection is also claimed for writing and / or reading devices which are designed for complementary engagement with the hologram carrier.

The invention is described below only by way of example with reference to the drawing. In this shows

1 shows a hologram carrier according to the invention on a surface with the device attached;

2 shows a plan view of the hologram carrier; 3 shows an arrangement of different recesses forming gradations on a hologram carrier;

4 shows examples of the different alignment of CCDs relative to a hologram pattern AB depending on the complementary designs provided on the device for engaging with the gradations of FIG.

5 shows a hologram carrier according to the present invention with increased data security.

1, a hologram carrier 1, generally designated 1, comprises a hologram surface 2 on which a hologram is embossed and a gradation 3 for aligning a complementary formation 4 on a device 5 for reading out the hologram 2.

The hologram carrier 1 is formed from transparent PMMA and is provided with an adhesive layer 7 on the rear side 6 facing away from its recess 3 and the hologram surface 2. The hologram support 1 has a total thickness of 1 mm (not shown to scale in FIG. 1), the recess 3 having a depth of 0.5 mm. The edges 3a, 3b of the gradation 3 lie perpendicular to the general surface la of the hologram carrier 1.

The projection 4 on the device 5 is designed for a complementary, play-free interaction with the recess 3. In the area around the complementary formation 4, the reading device 5 has support surfaces 8, which are intended to rest on the hologram support areas 1b surrounding the recess 3. The device 5 has an internal energy source 5a, in the form of a rechargeable battery, a central control 5b, an LCD display matrix 5c and a laser light source 5d and a CCD 5e, an actuating button 5f being provided to activate the device.

The laser light source 5d is oriented in such a way that the beam 9 emitted by it emits onto the hologram surface when the complementary formation 4 is inserted into the recess 3 in such a way that a reproduced from the hologram on the CCD 5e, i.e. reconstructed pattern is generated.

The hologram support and the reader of the present invention are used as follows:

First of all, a hologram carrier with a prefabricated hologram is attached to a backing 6 on its back using its self-adhesive layer 7.

In order to read out the information, the reading device 5 is now roughly placed where the carrier 1 with the recess 3 is recognizable. The complementary training 4 of the device is then moved in the direction of the recess 3. As soon as the user of the device 5 senses that the complementary formation 4 is in engagement with the recess 3, the button 5f is actuated to excite the laser light source 5d, whereupon a laser light beam 9 onto the very narrow and barely, if at all, imperceptible to the naked eye Hologram falls such that a hologram pattern is projected onto the CCD 5e. The hologram pattern obtained on the CCD 5e is evaluated in the control and processing unit 5b and related information is displayed on the LCD matrix. As soon as the user has read the LCD information, the device is deactivated by releasing the button 5f. It should be mentioned that the device does not necessarily have to be operated manually and that, in particular, mechanical engagement of a reading and / or writing device with a gradation on a hologram carrier is also possible. It should also be pointed out that the hologram surface does not necessarily have to be separated from the gradation; in particular, the hologram surface can be provided within a recess, for example if the recess as well as the hologram prefabrication is carried out by embossing in polymer material. It should also be mentioned that the beam geometry shown was chosen only as an example and for graphic reasons.

A preferred development of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. Here three sets of different recesses 3 are provided on the hologram carrier 1, namely the recesses 3ι, 3 and the recesses 3m. Each of these gradation groups includes a reader in which the laser light source 5d shines onto the hologram surface 2 at the same angle, but the CCD 5e, as indicated in FIG. 4 for a hologram pattern “AB”, is shifted in such a way that either the complete hologram pattern can be recorded (case 3ι) or only a part of it (cases 3n and 3m), such an arrangement is useful to prevent unauthorized persons from reading out all the information contained in the hologram; only possible with suitable reading devices 3. It should be pointed out that instead of shifting the CCD, there are other possibilities to prevent complete reading out of all information by unauthorized persons by coding with the gradations. A hologram carrier for particularly harsh conditions is shown in FIG. 5. Here, the gradations 3 are arranged symmetrically on the hologram carrier 1 and four hologram surfaces spaced apart from one another are provided, each with identical holograms. In this way, should one of the four hologram surfaces become completely illegible, for example by bumping, soiling or the like, by simply rotating the reader in a direction offset by 90 ° from the starting position, it can be ensured that the redundantly provided information can still be read out easily , The small size of the holograms allows, despite the redundant provision of the hologram, a still small area of the hologram carrier with a high information content.

It should be mentioned that the gradation cannot be achieved by means of a depression. Rather, an increased level can also be provided.

Claims

claims Hologram carrier with a hologram surface and one. Reference surface for facilitating hologram surface detection by a device, the reference surface comprising at least one gradation which is arranged on the device for engaging engagement with a complementary configuration. Hologram support according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the gradation is deepened. 3. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gradation is increased. 4. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of gradations is provided. 5. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that both increases and depressions are provided among the plurality of gradations. 6. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that gradations with a level difference of at least 0.5 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm are provided. 7. hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gradation is realized by a relief embossing. 8. hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gradation comprises a punching. 9. hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is at least partially formed from a polymer material. 10. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hologram surface is formed from polymer material. 11. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hologram surface comprises a surface provided for generating a hologram. 12. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hologram surface has an area with a finished hologram. 13. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed to be self-adhesive. 14. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the back is self-adhesive. 15. Hologram support according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference surface comprises mounting surfaces on which the device can be placed on the hologram support aligned by the at least one gradation. 16. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device is a writing instrument. 17. Hologram carrier according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are a large number of different gradations which are arranged to position a plurality of devices, in particular for reading and / or writing different information. 18. Hologram reading device with an arrangement for detecting a hologram surface on a hologram carrier, with one Training to engage with a complementary training arranged on the hologram carrier for device alignment.