EP2353883B1 - Safety element with integrated authentication check - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a security element for value documents, such as banknotes, securities and the like, which consists of a plastic film laminate and has an integrated authenticity check.

Security elements for value documents, banknotes or securities are known. These security elements have a wide variety of security features and can be applied to the value documents or completely or partially embedded in the substrate of the value documents.

Applied security elements generally have less protection against counterfeiting because they are easily accessible on the surface of the value document and tampering is easier to perform.

The imitation of at least partially embedded security elements, however, is more difficult to perform.

The docent WO 2008/017869 discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention was to provide a security element which has absolute protection against counterfeiting and is visually recognizable on the surface of a value document.

The invention therefore provides a security element according to claim 1.

Suitable as a base and / or top layer films are flexible plastic films, for example, from PI, PP, MOPP, PE, PPS, PEEK, PEK, PEI, PSU, PAEK, LCP, PEN, PBT, PET, PA, PC, COC, POM , ABS, PVC, PTFE, ETFE (Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether fluorocopolymer), MFA (tetrafluoromethylene-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether fluorocopolymer), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), PVF (polyvinyl fluoride), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), and EFEP (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene). fluoroterpolymer).

The plastic films preferably have a thickness of 5 to 700 .mu.m, preferably 5 to 200 .mu.m, particularly preferably 5 to 50 .mu.m.

Furthermore, base or cover layer may also consist of paper or composites of paper, for example composites with plastics having a weight per unit area of 20 to 500 g / m ² , preferably 40 to 200 g / m ² .

Base and cover layers are laminated against each other to form a laminate in such a way that they are connected to one another in strip form at least at their longitudinal edges. Between these laminated longitudinal edges, an open channel is created, which opens up a multitude of possibilities for integrating security elements.

In one embodiment, at least one of the mutually laminated films or one of the substrates already has one or more security features.

In this case, security features in the form of characters, structures, lines, symbols, texts, forms and the like come into question as security features. Preferably, these characters, structures, lines, symbols, texts, shapes are in the form of micro-prints or embossings.

A sliding element is then inserted into the open channel formed between the longitudinal edges of the laminate, which is also provided with security features corresponding to the security feature or features present on one or both plastic films of the laminate.

By moving the sliding element, the security features of this sliding element can be brought into register with the safety features present on the base layer or cover layer or both layers of the laminate, or new or completed forms, images, characters, symbols, logos and the like become recognizable.

The sliding element may consist of the same or different material as the base or cover layer of the laminate.

Furthermore, the sliding element can also consist of a metal foil, for example an Al, Cu, Sn, Ni, Fe or stainless steel foil with a thickness of 5-200 μm, preferably 10 to 80 μm, particularly preferably 20-50 μm. The film can also be surface-treated, coated or laminated, for example, with plastics or painted.

As security features that are applied to the base and / or cover layer and / or sliding element, all known security features come into question, such as optical, optically active, optically variable, electrically conductive and / or magnetic features.

To apply a feature with optical properties, pigmented or unpigmented paint or coating compositions can be used. As the pigments, there may be used any known pigments, for example, inorganic-based pigments such as titanium dioxide, zinc sulfide, kaolin, ITO, ATO, FTO, aluminum, chromium and silicon oxides, or organic-based pigments such as phthalocyanine blue, i-indolidine yellow, dioxazine violet and the like It is also possible to use colored and / or encapsulated pigments in chemically, physically or reactively drying binder systems. Examples of suitable dyes are 1,1- or 1,2-chromium-cobalt complexes.

Solvent-containing paint and / or paint systems, aqueous and solvent-free paint systems can be used.

Suitable binders are various natural or synthetic binders.

Furthermore, paints or lacquers with luminescent, for example phosphorescent or fluorescent properties, lacquers with a defined refractive index or thermochromic colors can be applied.

By specific arrangement of the optical features on base, cover layer and / or sliding element complementary optical pattern (for example, a rainbow color gradient), symbols, characters, images, logos and the like can be generated.

By superimposing different optical features, additive or subtractive color mixtures can be created which further increase the security against counterfeiting.

To apply a feature with electrical properties, the paint to be applied or the paint to be applied, for example graphite, carbon black, conductive organic or inorganic polymers, metal pigments (for example copper, aluminum, silver, gold, iron, chromium and the like), metal alloys such as copper Zinc or copper-aluminum or amorphous or crystalline ceramic pigments such as ITO, ATO, FTO and the like may be added. Furthermore, it is also possible to use doped or non-doped semiconductors, such as, for example, silicon, germanium or doped or undoped polymeric semiconductors or ion conductors, such as amorphous or crystalline metal oxides or metal sulfides, as an additive. Furthermore, polar or partially polar compounds, such as surfactants or non-polar compounds, such as silicone additives or hygroscopic or non-hygroscopic salts, can be used or added to the lacquer to adjust the electrical properties of the layer.

As a feature with electrical properties, a partial metal layer can also be applied, whereby the partial application can take place by means of an etching process (application of a full-area metal layer and subsequent partial removal by etching) or by means of a demetallization process.

When using a demetallization process in a first step, a solvent-soluble ink (optionally in the form of an inverse coding) is applied, then, optionally after activation of the carrier substrate by a plasma or corona treatment, the metallic layer is applied, whereupon the soluble ink layer Treatment with a suitable solvent, including the existing metallization in these areas is replaced.

Paramagnetic, diamagnetic and also ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel and cobalt or their compounds or salts (eg oxides or sulfides) or alloys of rare earth metals such as cobalt / samarium alloys may be used to impart a magnetic property.

Particularly suitable are magnetic pigment pigments with pigments based on Fe oxides, iron, nickel, cobalt and their alloys, barium or cobalt ferrites, hard and soft magnetic iron and steel grades in aqueous or solvent-containing dispersions. Examples of suitable solvents are i-propanol, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, methoxypropanol and mixtures thereof.

The pigments are preferably incorporated in acrylate polymer dispersions having a molecular weight of from 150,000 to 300,000, in acrylate-urethane dispersions, acrylate-styrene, nitrocellulose or PVC-containing dispersions, or in solvent-containing dispersions of this type.

The magnetic layer can also be applied, for example, partially in the form of a code, for example in the form of a so-called barcode, which then optionally also be readable by machine, wherein the parts of the code can be applied to base and / or cover layer and / or sliding element.

By superposition of the magnetic layers on the individual layers, features with different coercivities can also be formed.

The code can be changed by introducing or shifting the sliding element in the channel so that a new code is created, which in turn is machine readable. For verification of the security element, therefore, the sliding element can, for example, be successively brought into a plurality of different positions between base and cover layer and the code read out at each position, resulting in a significantly higher security against forgery than with simple codes.

Further suitable security features are also surface structures, for example surface reliefs, diffraction structures, diffraction gratings, holograms, lenses, microlenses, prisms, microprisms and the like, wherein these structures may optionally also be metallised or partially metallised.

The optically active layer can be produced in a known manner, for example by embossing in a radiation-curable or thermoplastic lacquer layer. Such a method is for example in EP-A 1 310 381 described.

As a reflection layer for the optically active structures, both the metallic conductive layer and the metallic or metallic appearing coating can be used. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a high refractive index (HRI) layer, ie a layer having a higher refractive index than that of the lacquer forming the optically active layer, as a reflection layer.

The reflection layer can be arranged, for example, on the base layer, the optically active layer on the sliding element. If the optically active layer is arranged on the cover foil, the reflection layer can be arranged for example on the sliding element, or the sliding element consist of a metal foil.

Further, features that exhibit different color effects (e.g., color shift effect) at different viewing angles may also be applied. These features then consist of at least one electromagnetic wave reflecting layer, a spacer layer and a layer formed by metallic clusters or a metallic thin film, wherein the layers can be arranged on the different components of the security element (base, cover, and / or sliding element) and only show the desired color shift effect after assembling all components.

In the Fig. 1 - 4th Exemplary embodiments are shown.

In the FIGS. 1 to 4 2 indicate the cover layer, 3 the base layer of the laminate 1.

4 indicates the laminated edges of the laminate, FIG. 5 shows the open channel between these edges. FIG. 6 indicates the sliding element inserted into the channel 5.

In FIG. 1 is the basic structure of the security element according to the invention 1, consisting of the base layer 3, the cover layer 2, the mutually laminated edges 4, between which an open channel 5 is formed, shown.

The sliding element 6 is inserted into the open channel 5.

The channel can be open on both end edges, or closed before insertion of the sliding film at an end edge.

The base layer or the cover layer may also be formed by the substrate of the value document to be secured.

In FIG. 1 a is shown an embodiment in which the base layer 3 is formed by the substrate 3a of the value document.

The security element according to the invention can also be at least partially embedded in a value document. The security features may in this case be recognizable on one or both sides of the value document in an opening.

With appropriate at least partially opaque design of the sliding element (printing, metallization or use of a metal foil or a paper as a sliding element) then on both sides and different security features can be seen. These different security features can be generated by applying different partial features on both sides of the sliding element or to corresponding base and cover layer.

In FIG. 2 an embodiment is shown in which on the base layer, cover layer and sliding element in each case a part (a, b and c) of a visually recognizable logo is applied.

After introducing the sliding element into the channel formed between the base layer and the cover layer, the final optical feature d is formed.

In this case, the different parts, for example, independently of each other from a colored print (for example, part a and part b) or from an optically active feature (for example, part c) exist. In addition, for example, part c may be provided with fluorescent properties, so that upon irradiation of the security element, a further optical effect is recognizable.

In FIG. 3 a further embodiment is shown in which by joining the three components a, b, c of the security element, a new feature d is formed.

In FIG. 4 is applied to the cover layer 2, an optically active layer in the form of lenses 7. On the base layer 3 and the sliding element 6 respectively different motifs 8 and 9 are applied. Before inserting the Sliding element is the enlarged motif 9 recognizable by the lenses 7, after insertion of the sliding film, the subject 8 appears magnified when viewed through the lenses, as moved by the introduction of the sliding film, the subject 9 from the focus of the lenses and thus blurred and instead the subject 8 lies in the focus of the lenses.

In these embodiments, the security element consisting of base layer, cover layer and sliding element can, for example, as a whole, be applied to a value document or at least partially embedded in a value document.

Another possibility is that the channel remains open at one or both end edges of the value document and only for the verification of the security element, a corresponding sliding element is introduced.

In a further embodiment, instead of the freely movable film in the open channel, a liquid substance or a powdered pigment can be introduced, which causes an analogous effect as the freely movable sliding element by mechanical or physical manipulation, such as displacement by force or applying a magnetic field ,

Preferably, pigmented paints or pure pigments can be used here.

Pigmented colors may have magnetic, thermochromic or UV light-absorbing properties, and the use of metallic pigments is also possible. The color in this application is not to be understood as an ink, but as a liquid matrix in which the pigments can move more or less freely and are thus not fixed in place. As pure pigments, for example, magnetic pigments, metal pigments, thermochromic, fluorescent, colored pigments come into question, which are freely movable and are not fixed in place.

When using magnetic pigments, for example, by applying an external magnetic field, an orientation of the pigments in the magnetic field can take place.

The magnet that serves to apply the magnetic field can be designed in the form of signs, symbols or a logo, so that the magnetic pigments represent the corresponding character, etc., after orientation.

In Fig. 5 a - c, such an embodiment is shown.

2 means the top layer and 3 the base layer.

4 indicates the laminated edges of the laminate 5 represents the open channel, which is sealed after introduction of the pigments, between these edges 4.

Fig. 5 a shows a structure of the corresponding security element. 17 indicate the mobile pigments introduced into the channel.

Fig. 5b shows a magnet 18 which is provided with elevations 19 in the form of a logo.

Fig. 5c shows the orientation of the pigments 17 when the magnet 18 is applied.

The security elements according to the invention can be used to secure value documents, such as securities, banknotes, identity cards, cards and the like.

Claims (9)

1. Security element in the form of a strip or thread, consisting of a two-layer laminate 1 made of a base layer 3 and a cover layer 2, wherein the films and/or substrates forming the laminate 1 are laminated against one another at least at the longitudinal edges 4 and characterized in that an open channel 5 is formed between said longitudinal edges, wherein a security feature is applied on the base layer 2 and/or cover layer 3 and in that either a slide element 6, on which a security feature is applied, or pigments or a pigment suspension are introduced into the open channel 5 and said channel is sealed after the introduction of the pigments or pigment suspension.
2. Security element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the security features on base layer and/or cover layer (3, 2) and/or slide element 6 complete one another to form characters, structures, lines, symbols, texts, shapes, logos.
3. Security element according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the security features on base layer and/or cover layer (3, 2) and/or slide element 6 are at least partially superposed on one another and form a new feature with different properties.
4. Security element according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the security features are features with optical, optically active, optically variable, electrically conductive and/or magnetic properties.
5. Security element according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the security element contains a machine-readable code, which is changed with the introduction of the slide element such that a new code is produced.
6. Security element according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the slide element 6 is inserted into the open channel 5 only for verification of the valuable document onto which the security element is applied or in which the security element is at least partially embedded.
7. Security element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pigments have magnetic, electrically conductive or optical features.
8. Security element according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the security features are visible in a cutout of the valuable document from one side or from both sides of the valuable document.
9. Valuable document having a security element according to one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the security element is applied onto the valuable document or at least partially embedded.

Images