Patent Grant
8137899
This invention relates to a data carrier with an optically variable structure having an embossed structure and a coating contrasting with the surface of the data carrier, the embossed structure and the coating being so combined that at least partial areas of the coating are completely visible upon perpendicular viewing but concealed upon oblique viewing so that a tilt effect arises upon alternate perpendicular and oblique viewing. The invention further relates to an embossing die for producing such an optically variable structure.
It has been known for some time to equip data carriers, such as bank notes, papers of value, credit or ID cards or the like, with optically variable security elements, in particular optically variable diffraction structures, such as holograms. The protection of holograms from forgery is based on their different optical impression visually well recognizable upon a change of viewing angle, which cannot be reproduced by copying machines. Copying machines can only reproduce the appearance of the hologram at one certain viewing angle. A data carrier with such a hologram is known for example from EP 0 440 045 A2. This print proposes applying the hologram as a prefabricated element or an embossing to a lacquer layer applied to the data carrier.
However, there are also other optically variable security elements that can be provided on a data carrier. It is thus known for example from CA 1 019 012 to provide a bank note with a printed parallel line pattern in a partial area of its surface. To produce the optically variable effect, a line structure is additionally embossed into the data carrier in the area of the printed line pattern so as to form flanks that are only visible at certain viewing angles. Selective arrangement of the printed line pattern on the flanks of like orientation of the embossed line structure makes the line pattern visible upon oblique viewing of the flanks provided with the lines. Upon oblique viewing of the flanks on the back the line pattern is not recognizable.
The antiforgery effect of such embossed optically variable security elements can be further improved by producing additional visually recognizable effects by selectively changing the line pattern or embossed structure. Examples of such additional effects are described in WO 97/17211.
In known optically variable security elements the line print is fundamentally disposed on a flank of the embossed structure so that the reversal of contrast or tilt effect is very sharp but only occurs in a very narrow viewing angle range. For a visual check of known optically variable elements this precise viewing angle range must thus be found, so that these optically variable elements are not very suitable for a fast visual check.
The problem of the present invention is to improve these known embossed security elements not only with respect to forgery-proofness against reproduction but also with respect to visual checkability.
This problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Developments are the subject matter of the subclaims.
According to the invention the optically variable structure consists of a print and an embossed structure superimposed on said print. The total area provided with print and embossed structure is divided into partial areas where either the print or the embossing is varied uniformly over the total surface. The other part (embossing or print) is executed in the same way in all partial areas, i.e. has the same regularities in all areas.
The invention will be explained in the following with reference to a constant print and varying embossed structure.
Different partial embossed structures according to the invention are present for example when the partial embossed structures are disposed with a phase shift, have different screen widths or are differently oriented, i.e. the partial embossed structures extend at an angle to each other, in the individual partial areas. A further possibility of producing different partial embossed structures is to dispose the partial embossed structures so as to be mutually shifted in the individual partial areas. The extending direction of the partial embossed structures remains the same.
Preferably, the partial embossed structures are executed as screen structures. The partial embossed structures can be triangular, but also trapezoidal, sinusoidal, semicircular or another shape. Preferably, the partial embossed structures are each executed as a line screen with constant screen width.
The print is preferably likewise formed as a screen structure, whereby the individual screen elements can be designed at will. However, a line screen with constant screen width is preferably used. According to a preferred embodiment, this line screen consists of printed lines of any color design. Printed screen and embossed structure are coordinated with each other, preferably such that the width of the printed screen lines is somewhat smaller than the flanks of the embossed structure lines. Printed screen and embossed structure normally extend parallel or largely parallel. Printed screen and embossed structure need not necessarily extend rectilinearly, they can also be formed as wavy lines, etc. The line widths are between 25 microns and 300 microns, preferably between 55 microns and 150 microns. If the line screen is composed of printed, spaced-apart lines, a ratio of about 1:1 is preferably selected for the ratio of printed to unprinted area. If a line width in the order of magnitude of about 100 microns is additionally selected, the lines can practically no longer be resolved by the eye and a homogeneous color effect arises. That is, the line screen is visually perceived only as a homogeneous colored surface. The lines can additionally be executed thicker in certain areas and represent for example a halftone image or another motif in this way. Alternatively, the lines can also have gaps in order to produce an additional visually recognizable pattern.
Screening the print is unnecessary if optically variable inks are used, i.e. inks having different optical effects depending on the angle of vision. These may be high-gloss, e.g. metallic, layers or inks that change their color effect themselves in angle-dependent fashion, as is the case e.g. with liquid-crystal pigment inks.
According to a preferred embodiment, the inventive optically variable structure consists of a print in the form of a printed line screen and an embossed structure superimposed on said screen whose partial embossed structures likewise consist of embossed line screens, which are for example mutually shifted from partial area to partial area. Due to the different arrangement of the partial embossed structures, the relative position between the printed line screen and the embossed line screen changes from partial area to partial area. Ideally, the printed lines are located completely on a flank of the first partial embossed structure in a first partial area. If the partial embossed structure of a second partial area is shifted relative to the first partial embossed structure, the printed line screen can for example cover the zeniths of the second partial embossed structure in said second partial area, i.e. the printed lines extend onto both flanks of the second partial embossed structure. In the next partial area the printed screen is again located completely on the flank of the partial embossed structure or is again shifted and thus disposed completely on the back flank. Corresponding variation of the shift of the different partial embossed structures can thus serve to produce any relative arrangements between the individual partial embossed structures and the print.
When this optically variable structure is viewed perpendicular to the data carrier surface, the viewer only recognizes the screenlike print. When the data carrier is tilted or the viewing angle changed, however, parts of the print are concealed by the embossed structure. Since the partial embossed structures are oriented differently relative to the print, different parts of the print are covered in the individual partial areas of the embossed structure. In some partial areas, larger parts of the unprinted spaces of the print formed as a line screen are covered for example, so that the viewer perceives this partial area as a darker surface in comparison with perpendicular viewing.
At a certain viewing angle all unprinted spaces of the line screen are concealed by the partial embossed structure in the above-described first partial area, so that the viewer perceives only the colored lines in this partial area. In other partial areas, however, parts or all of the printed lines are covered at the same viewing angle. These partial areas therefore appear to the viewer to be lighter or in the color of the data carrier in comparison with perpendicular viewing, since the share of perceptible unprinted spaces is greater. The contrasts are especially strong and thus striking if all unprinted spaces are covered in a partial area of the embossed structure and all printed lines of the line screen print in a directly adjoining one at a certain viewing angle.
At a certain viewing angle the viewer thus perceives the optically variable structure as areas contrasting with respect to brightness, color tone or color. Upon a change of viewing angle, the color effect or the brightness and thus also the contrast with the other partial areas changes at least in some partial areas since the printed line screen is not disposed precisely on the flanks of the partial embossed structures in all partial areas, and thus different shares of the printed line screen are shadowed even upon small changes of viewing angle. In this way the viewing angle range in which the optically variable structure shows a tilt effect is considerably enlarged.
The invention moreover has the advantage that the optically variable structures can be produced much more easily than optically variable structures known from the prior art despite the high forgery-proofness. Since application of the print and production of the embossed structure are effected in different working steps, tolerances necessarily occur in practice, which primarily lead to a parallel shift of print and embossed structure. That is, here, too, it can happen that parts of the print are disposed not only on the flanks but also in the area of the embossed structure zeniths. These tolerances can greatly dampen the tilt effect of known optically variable security elements, which is based on the sharp jump in contrast between the appearance upon perpendicular and upon oblique viewing.
In contrast, shifts between print and embossed structure are deliberately produced in the inventive optically variable security element. The frequent change of these shifts produced by the different partial embossed structures constantly causes new light-and-shadow relations or strong changes in contrast between the partial areas to arise upon a change of viewing angle, so that tilting creates the impression that the partial areas of different lightness and darkness or color are moving within the optically variable security element.
Additional tolerances between embossed structure and print that occur in production only superimpose this effect, not fundamentally altering the optical effect of the inventively protected surface area of the data carrier.
It is in principle also possible to realize the invention inversely, as mentioned above, i.e. making the embossed structure the same in all partial areas and providing different partial prints in the partial areas. However, this version is much more complicated to produce. Print deviations and tolerances are much more conspicuous and can disturb the general impression. Moreover, the variation of the print is also recognizable upon perpendicular viewing due to the printed line shift and can impair the total printed image of the data carrier or prevent a possibly desired camouflage of the partial areas upon perpendicular viewing. On the other hand, this effect can also be selectively utilized if the partial areas are to be recognizable at all viewing angles so that the viewer is better prepared for the tilt effects.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the optically variable structure consists of a printed line screen of constant screen width and an embossed structure whose partial areas form a two-dimensional matrix. The matrix has m partial areas in the horizontal direction and n partial areas in the vertical direction, where m, n≧1, preferably m, n≧2. The partial embossed structures provided in the partial areas are likewise executed as line screens with constant screen width. Preferably, the partial embossed structures and the line screen of the print have the same screen width. However, the width of an embossed line normally does not correspond to the width of the printed line since the printed line screen and the embossed structure can not always be applied in exact register and it is thus ensured that part of the lines of the print screen always come to lie on the flanks of the embossed screen at least far enough for a shadowing effect to occur at least in partial areas upon oblique viewing, this being responsible for the visually recognizable contrasts. Preferably, the width of an embossed line is 100 microns to 300 microns. The embossed lines can be directly adjacent or disposed at a distance in the range of about 10 microns to about 60 microns.
The partial areas or partial embossed structures of the matrix are advantageously directly adjacent and are recognizable solely due to their different relative position with respect to the print and the entailed visual effects. The different relative position between print and partial embossed structure can be produced in different ways.
Thus, the partial embossed structures of two adjacent partial areas can be mutually shifted. Preferably, the shift is a fraction of the screen width. A further possibility is to select different extending directions for adjacent partial embossed structures. Preferably, the partial embossed structures extend at an angle of 1 to 5°, preferably 1 to 3°, to each other.
According to a further embodiment, at least one of the partial areas of the inventive embossed structure has an information embossing in addition to the partial embossed structures. The information embossing is an embossing that preferably has the same design, e.g. the same screen elements and screen width, as the partial embossed structure but is shifted or at an angle relative to the partial embossed structure. Preferably, the information embossing is shifted by half a screen width or at an angle of 90° relative to the partial embossed structure. As explained above, the shift or different orientation between information embossing and partial embossed structures leads to different light/dark contrasts upon oblique viewing, so that the areas provided with the information embossing become visually recognizable. These areas preferably have the outline contours of characters, numerals, patterns or the like.
Further, at least one of the partial areas can only have partial embossed structures within the outline form of characters, patterns, images, etc. In this case the remaining area of the partial area is unembossed, or smoothed by the bearing surface of the embossing die and the bearing pressure necessary during embossing. The embossed information therefore stands out from the unembossed or smoothed surroundings as a matt “rough” surface structure. Here, too, the partial embossed structures preferably form a line screen, which preferably extends at an angle of 45° to the contour lines of the outline form. This has the advantage that a high number of embossed lines are disposed within the contour lines of the outline form, thereby ensuring a sufficient play of light and shadow or viewing-angle-dependent appearance. A thus designed partial area stands out in distinctly recognizable fashion in particular against the light.
The visual impression of the information embossing can be further accentuated if it is separated from the surrounding partial embossed structure by an unembossed, preferably narrow edge contour. The data carrier is preferably smoothed or calendered by the embossing tool in the area of this edge contour, so that a strongly reflective and shiny surface arises in this area. The unembossed edge contour is also very suitable for better visual accentuation of optically variable structures as are already known from the prior art.
Especially high-contrast and visually very striking optically variable structures are produced if the partial embossed structures are mutually shifted in adjacent partial areas by one third of the screen width and at least 50 percent of the partial embossed structures have an information embossing that is shifted relative to the partial structure by a fraction, in particular half, of the screen width. The other 50 percent of the partial embossed structures preferably have an information embossing extending at an angle of 90° to the partial embossed structure. The information embossing can have any outline forms. Thus, it can be present in the form of characters, patterns, images or the like. It is preferable to use characters yielding readable information. The embossed structure or the partial areas can also have any outline forms. The information embossings and/or partial areas are advantageously provided additionally with an unembossed edge contour.
According to a further embodiment, the inventive embossed structure has a plurality of directly adjacent partial areas where the extending direction of the partial embossed structures is varied by a small angle in each case, so that the optical impression of motion arises when the data carrier is tilted or upon a change of viewing angle. The extending direction is preferably changed by an angle of 1 to 3° in each case.
In a special embodiment, the color effect of the security element can be varied by a print comprising lines of different width and color, whereby these lines can be printed over each other. In a first step a line screen of spaced-apart lines all having the same color is printed. These lines are printed in a second printing operation with lines of smaller line width and a different color, preferably black. Preferably, half the line width of the first printed line is used and the second line disposed centrally over the first line.
However, the line screen can also consist of lines of different color that are directly adjacent and disposed alternatingly. It is also possible to use a checkerboard pattern composed of lines of different color, with spaced-apart lines of one color being disposed in each square of the checkerboard. Special effects can also be achieved by a line background wherein the lines are designed in different color within a certain area of the pattern.
Inks to be used for the print are not only conventional inks but also special inks with special-effect pigments, such as interference-layer or liquid-crystal pigments, magnetic pigments, electrically conductive pigments or luminescent pigments. Any metallic-looking inks are also possible. The print can likewise consist of metallic screen elements, which are applied to the data carrier by hot stamping for example. The term “print” also stands for all-over coatings, as mentioned above. In particular in the case of viewing-angle-dependent effect layers, such as interference-layer or liquid-crystal layers, diffraction structures or purely metallic layers, the combination with the inventive embossed structure can likewise lead to special, visually well recognizable effects.
In a special embodiment, the data carrier is a paper of value, in particular a bank note, to which the uniform coating according to the invention is preferably printed by offset. The embossed structure is then embossed by an embossing die in overlap with the inventive uniform coating. The embossing die used is preferably a steel intaglio printing plate into which the embossed structure is engraved in accordance with the desired form. The embossed structure can be transferred to the data carrier together with other printed images provided in the steel intaglio printing plate, which, unlike the embossed structure, are preferably ink-carrying.
However, any other embossing dies can also be used. Thus, the embossing dies can be produced for example by etching techniques or photopolymer washout processes. The term “embossing die” moreover includes embossing dies of any form, such as rotary embossing units.
Additional effects can be produced if the optically variable structure has, in addition to the inventive print, an optically variable coating. This may be a print of any design in optically variable inks. These optically variable inks preferably contain interference-layer pigments without body color or liquid-crystal pigments. This optically variable coating, which can be present in any outline form, e.g., as a pattern, character, logo or the like, is preferably applied by screen printing or flexography. The data carrier or data carrier material is preferably provided with this screen print in a first step. The inventive coating and embossed structure are then applied. The screen print background at the same time has a stabilizing effect on the embossed structure since the paper substrate loses part of its elasticity and can absorb less moisture.
To make the inventive embossed structure more resistant to environmental influences and damage, it is expedient to “freeze” the embossed structure by means of lacquering. For this purpose the “zeniths” of the embossed structures are coated with transparent lacquer and the depressions of the embossed structures filled at least partly with transparent lacquer. Lacquering is especially expedient if embossed structures with a triangular cross-sectional profile are used, since with this profile the apexes of the triangles might wear out especially fast during use. Such wear might considerably weaken the “tilt effect” occurring at alternate different viewing angles. Embedding the embossed structure in transparent lacquer or strengthening the relief by a lacquer coating can either prevent or at least reduce deformation of the embossing during use. Lacquering is preferably done using special transparent lacquers by different methods, preferably screen printing or flexography. To accelerate the drying phase of the preferably thick transparent lacquer layers, it is further preferable to use UV-curing lacquers. The lacquer can contain special feature substances such as luminescent substances, or special-effect pigments such as liquid-crystal or interference-layer pigments. It might also be expedient to first apply the lacquer layer, which can be matt or shiny, and thereover a layer containing the special-effect pigments. In this case it is also possible to apply the lacquer layer all over the note and only the lacquer layer provided with special-effect pigments in the area of the inventive security element.
Additionally or alternatively, the negative relief of the embossed structure present on the back of the data carrier can also be lacquered or filled to give the security element more stability. The lacquer can be applied by flexography or screen printing for example.
The invention and further embodiments and advantages will be illustrated hereinafter with reference to the Figures, in which:
Optically variable structure 2 consists fundamentally of an embossed structure and a print contrasting with the surface of the data carrier that are so combined that at least partial areas of the coating are completely visible upon perpendicular viewing but concealed upon oblique viewing.
This principle is made clear with reference to the section along A-A shown in
Embossed structure 18 is preferably produced by means of a steel intaglio printing plate. For this purpose the negative of desired embossed structure 18 is engraved into the plate. During the printing operation, data carrier material 1 is pressed into the engraved areas of the plate and lastingly deformed. The high bearing pressure causes the embossing to stand out on the back of data carrier material 1 as well.
To protect embossing 18 from soiling and abrasion, it can be provided with protective layer 16. In the embodiment shown in
Embossed structure 18 shown in
Since tapered engraving tools are usually employed for producing the steel intaglio printing plates, greater engraving depth simultaneously means greater width of the engraved structure. For producing the inventive embossed structure, this means that greater embossing heights or amplitudes also entail greater screen widths. Since the data carrier material is additionally greatly stressed when it must be pressed into very deep engravings of the plate, the screen widths preferably used according to the invention are smaller than 300 microns, preferably smaller than 210 microns. Especially good results can be obtained with embossed lines with a width of about 170 microns. If the embossed lines are to be spaced apart, a distance of about 30 microns should preferably be provided.
Since the embossing is applied after the print, register tolerances must normally be accepted. To ensure that total area 4 provided with the print is provided with desired embossed structure 3, it can be especially advantageous to select embossed structure 3 in somewhat greater dimensions than print 4. The reverse case with embossed structure 3 occupying a smaller surface than print 4 is of course equally possible.
The relative position of the partial embossed structures and print 4 varies within inventive embossed structure 3 from partial area to partial area so that the partial areas differ in color, color tone or brightness at a certain oblique viewing angle, and are thus visually recognizable as contrasting partial areas. Upon a change of viewing angle, the color effects and light/dark impressions of the partial areas vary.
All partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 have same screen width a. However, two adjacent partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are mutually shifted. In the shown example, the shift is fraction 1/x of screen width a. Two adjacent partial embossed structures are preferably mutually shifted by one third of screen width a.
Print 4 was omitted in
However, partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of inventive embossed structure 3 need not fundamentally be mutually shifted by a fraction of screen width a. Any other shift is equally possible. Also, not all of partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 need be mutually shifted. It may be sufficient if only two of partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 are provided with mutually shifted partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The latter also need not necessarily be directly adjacent. Likewise, individual partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 can be provided with partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of different screen width a. The extending direction of individual partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 can also vary relative to the extending direction of adjacent partial embossed structures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. For example, partial embossed structure 6 can be disposed at an angle of 90° to partial embossed structure 11.
In
Information embossing 13 is moreover separated from partial embossed structure 6 by unembossed area 15. In unembossed areas 15, which are shown as narrow black lines in the present examples but can also be executed much wider in practice, the data carrier is smoothed by the pressed-on embossing die during the embossing operation so that area 15 stands out as a light, shiny area upon oblique viewing. This principle can also be applied additionally in all other embodiments. Thus, it is possible to accentuate the edge contour of area 30 or the outline contours of information 12 by corresponding unembossed areas.
In
The examples of partial area 30 shown in
According to a preferred embodiment of the inventive embossed structure, 50 percent of the partial areas are executed according to the variant shown in
Embossed structure 3 need not necessarily be composed of rectangular partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 can have any other outline forms. According to a preferred embodiment, total optically variable structure 2, or embossed structure 3, can have the outline form of a circle, semicircle, trapezoid, pattern, logo or the like within which partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 are disposed with outlines adapted to this total outline contour of optically variable structure 2. The outline forms of individual partial areas 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 can likewise vary.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 44 465 | Sep 2000 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP01/10288 | 9/6/2001 | WO | 00 | 7/15/2003 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO02/20280 | 3/14/2002 | WO | A |
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