EP1676715A1 - Data carrier with tactile element, manufacturing process and use - Google Patents

Abstract

Data carrier with computer generated tactile features applied to a a data carrier (2) as end product. An independent claim is included for preparation of a data carrier with tactile features on its surface, e.g. using an ink jet process.

Description

The invention relates to a data carrier or to a document with a largely transparent or translucent feature on the surface, which can be felt at least with the fingertips.

The data carrier is in particular a credit card, an identification card, a driving license, a customer card, a passport, an identity card, a banknote and the like card, sheet or book-shaped document.

The tactile feature is designed in the form of raised points, lines and flat graphically designed structures that are applied individually on a largely finished data carrier and are at least finger-touched and largely transparent or translucent executed and whose surfaces are executed high gloss or matt and so represent a watermark-like additional security feature.

Description of the Prior Art

In EP 0 944 678 B1 (Markem Corporation, Keene New Hampshire (US); "Heat Resistant Hotmelt Ink"), an ink composition for use in hot melt ink jet printing having the composition esteramide resin, tackifying resin, a wax other than the ester amide resin, and a colorant wherein the ink is heat-resistant at a temperature of at least 140 ° C and is further suitable for use in 3D printing

In EP 1 359 201 A1 (Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Tokyo (Jp) and Maxell Seiki, Ltd., Kyoto (Jp); "Ink for printing, printed matter, printing method, and printer ") is a photocurable inkjet printing ink for the production of Braille font specified, with fine inorganic particles can be installed with dimensions less than 0.1 microns and also the pressure on IC cards is listed.

The attachment of tactile features on the surface of a data carrier has become known, for example, with the subject matter of DE 27 56 692 C2. There, a multi-layer identification card is equipped with a manually palpable, relief-like surface by the surface relief is provided as a directly accessible steel print on a paper strip which is embedded without joints and edges in the top layer.

However, this does not mean that a finished data carrier can be equipped with such a tactile feature because the embedding of a paper strip having a surface relief must take place in a laminating layer in the course of the production process.

In DE 33 14 327 C1 an identity card is described with high embossed data, in which the highly embossed data are superimposed by a security pattern, which is inscribed with a laser beam writer in the ID card. This also results in tactile features on the surface of the ID card, which are not individualized and in particular can not be attached to a finished card.

Incidentally, it is known to individualize ID cards in that at least one paper layer or another laser-inscribable film is contained in the card composite. To individualize this card is written with a laser beam writer through the surface of the card in the writable inlay, whereby the surface of the card is blackened so that there are tactile characteristics according to the inscribed in the card, personalized features.

Disadvantage of this manufacturing process, however, is that the blacks on the surface of the card are difficult to see because they are superimposed on the underlying, hidden in the map areas of blackening.

In addition, it is not possible to perform such a method on a finished card in which the personalization has already taken place and in which only a further, personalized security feature is to be attached.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is the cost-effective production of a tactile, individual and almost transparent or translucent feature on a data carrier with high application speed and high variability.

The solution of this object is achieved by the features of the independent claims.

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention enables the cost-effective production of a shadow image of an individual biometric or personalized feature or a corresponding information in the form of a tactile, largely transparent or translucent high-gloss or matt feature on a largely finished data carrier by means of inkjet technology.

Furthermore, a manufacturing method for such a tactile feature on a data carrier by means of inkjet technology and special inks and drying methods is specified, and thus it can be very cost-effectively an additional individual tactile feature with high Production speeds and high resolution or fineness of the tactile feature are produced on a largely finished volume.

The feature is present in the form of points, lines or planar graphic structures, which is applied individually on the largely finished volume. The feature can be performed with a high gloss to matte finish.

In a point-like or line-like training is given a light lenticular shape whose height can be controlled digitally and individually by various parameters. For example, the feature may be a silhouette of a biometric feature, such as a photograph or a signature of a person, or a number or name or encoded information and the like. The feature can in principle also be in the form of braille.

Advantage of the measures according to the invention is that additional safety features can be added later on an already finished and personalized card. For this purpose, it is provided to use the record of the personalized feature to control an inkjet printer that repeats this at a different, arbitrary position of the card this personalized feature by a surface-printed on the card.

Of course, the invention is not limited to using the record of the personalized feature for driving the inkjet printer. Likewise, in another embodiment, the personalized feature may be read by a scanner or the like and the data obtained therefrom may be used to drive the inkjet printer.

Important in the attachment of the additional security feature is that now a tactile surface is created on the disk, which sit in raised lines, points or other shaping, three-dimensional elements on the surface of the card and preferably the inscribed in the card or laminated in the card , repeat personalized feature as surface relief.

This provides additional security against the change in the personalized feature inscribed or laminated in the card.

It is particularly advantageous if the surface relief is printed on a lens structure which is transparent or at least semitransparent, so that the underlying parts of the card are easily observable by this three-dimensional lens structure and additionally optically enlarged.

This makes it possible to embed further features below the surface relief structure in the card, which are represented optically enlarged by the printed on the card lens structures.

Of course, it is also provided in another embodiment of the invention that the optically active lens structure is printed on the embedded in the card personalized features, so that these features are represented enlarged by the printed, three-dimensional lens structure.

However, the invention is not limited to the production of optically effective lens structures as surface relief. All other tactile features on the surface of the card can be printed sublimely without being optically effective lens structures.

The production of the data carrier with a tactile feature is done by means of inkjet printing and can thus be realized on a largely finished volume individually with a very high number of dots per unit area. Due to the high required throughput speed or number of pieces per minute, only a certain area of a document, in particular a card, can be printed on, and this area is preferably corresponding to the working width of the inkjet nozzle head, for example 12.7 mm or 25.4 mm or 50 mm , 8 mm, in the direction of travel.

The maximum resolution is determined transversely to the passage direction by the density of the inkjet nozzles or by a possible inclination of the inkjet nozzle head and the resolution in the direction of passage is determined by the relative speed of the data carrier to the inkjet nozzle head.

When choosing the inkjet ink is to ensure a good scratch-resistant adhesion to the surface of the disk, for example, based on PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and blends of said thermoplastics and it is on a good UV resistance respected extensive freedom from yellowing.

Furthermore, the inkjet ink can be applied by conventional inkjet systems based on a piezo, thermal or continuous inkjet system and it is thus the resolution, ie the fineness and variability of the individual pixels and the area density and thus the height and variability the height of the individual pixels.

Further, when selecting the inkjet ink, a distinction can be made between UV curable inks and phase-change or hot-melt inks, and basically both types can be used. Usually, incorporation of inorganic fine pigments in a hot melt inkjet ink is easier to realize.

The drying or hardening of the applied inkjet ink can be realized by means of suitable UV irradiation and / or thermal and / or NIR irradiation. In addition, the process can be carried out in an inert atmosphere, for example nitrogen, and it can thereby be achieved a matting of the surface.

Conventional embossings are carried out by mechanical embossing principles with heights of typically 450 microns to 480 microns and it is used as a document substrate usually a multi-layer laminated card body of PVC laminates. Such embossments are also palpable by blind people.

When using laminates of polycarbonate or special PET and / or ABS films combinations that are commonly used for data carriers with long service life requirement, this mechanical stamping with conventional embossing equipment is almost impossible, since the strength of such document substrates is much higher than in conventional PVC-based document bodies.

Furthermore, this is common in the prior art embossing in documents with internal antennas or generally in internal structures very critical, possibly even impossible, since their function would be disturbed or destroyed by the deformation.
The novel attachment of such tactile features is not subject to these limitations and can also be realized with a much greater design diversity and thus with much higher security features.
The additional coating of the surface of the tactile features by, for example, a metallic foil is given in addition.

For high-resolution and relatively thin features, preference is given to using UV-drying inkjet inks, and these represent a cost-effective variant which adheres well to the surface.
Often, the surface to which the tactile feature is to be applied is prepared by an appropriate surface structuring in the course of lamination.
In addition, a corresponding coating can be provided. This coating can be applied by conventional printing methods on the single card or preferably in multiple use on the overlay film prior to lamination and thus provides good adhesion with good resolution. Such a coating can be done with a primer or primer.

The use of hotmelt or phasechange inkjet systems is another way of producing such tactile features.
This printing inks are brought in largely solid state to temperatures in the range 60 ° C to 150 ° C and above and applied to the surface.
The special feature also represents the type of pretreatment of the surface to be printed, since the best possible adhesion must be given sufficient graphic resolution.

The use of inkjet nozzle systems, which can be heated up to about 300 ° C and thus can apply, for example, transparent PMMA, allows the production of very high tactile characteristics with very good optical properties. By way of example, mention may be made of the product of Microfab Technologies, Inc. of Plano, TX 75074, USA.
Again, the preparation of the document surface with adhesion promoters or primers is very important to achieve good adhesion with graphically suitable resolution.

Some embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawing figures.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Darstellung eines Schnittes durch einen Datenträger mit taktilen Merkmalen,

Figur 2:

eine beispielhafte Ausführung eines Datenträgers mit taktilen Merkmalen ,

Figur 3:

eine beispielhafte Ausführung eines Datenträgers mit taktilen Merkmalen.

Showing:

FIG. 1 :

a schematic representation of a section through a data carrier with tactile features,

FIG. 2 :

an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier with tactile features,

FIG. 3 :

an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier with tactile features.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a section through a data carrier (2) with tactile features (6, 7, 8). This section through the data carrier with tactile feature (1) is shown only as an example.

In particular, the data carrier body (5) can be designed very differently and, for the sake of simplicity, only one element has been represented. Usually, this data carrier body (5) consists of several thermoplastic printed or unprinted layers and it can also be installed paper layers.

The graphic design (4) is also shown only simplified. Usually, an inner layer or core layer is printed. In principle, however, a cover laminate (3) on the inside, ie reversed printed. The cover laminate (3) is usually made of a transparent plastic, such as PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and mixtures of said thermoplastics formed.

Such cover laminates (3) have thicknesses of 50 .mu.m to 150 .mu.m and 200 .mu.m, preferably 50 .mu.m to 120 .mu.m. Below 50 microns thickness, the manipulation is very difficult and prone to junk and, moreover, such cover laminates manufacturing technology can only be made with difficult or with a much more expensive casting method. Often several cover laminates (3) are used and it can thereby the graphic design (4) in different levels and depths of a data carrier (2) are installed.

The high-resolution tactile feature (6) has a rather small thickness in the range 0.5 .mu.m to 3 .mu.m and up to 100 .mu.m at a relatively high resolution of some 100 dpi to some 5,500 dpi.
The lower resolution tactile feature (7) is formed with thicknesses in the range of 1 to 5 microns and up to 480 microns or 500 microns at a moderate resolution of 20 dpi to 600 dpi.
The tactile feature with lenticular effect (8), however, has thicknesses of 30 microns to 500 microns and it is preferably used in the range of 200 dpi and below. The creation of such lenticular effects has the advantage that the underlying areas of the card are optically enlarged and are therefore easy to read.

As an inkjet method, a variety of systems can be used. For high-resolution and relatively thin tactile features, UV-curable inkjet inks are a cost-effective and well-adherent option. Often, the surface to which the tactile feature is to be applied is prepared by an appropriate surface structuring in the course of lamination. In addition, a corresponding coating can be provided. This coating can be applied with conventional printing on the single card or preferably in multiple use on the overlay before lamination.

Another very suitable inkjet process is based on the use of hotmelt or phasechange inkjet systems. This printing inks are brought in largely solid state to temperatures in the range 60 ° C to 150 ° C and above and then applied to the surface.

Another particular method uses ink jet nozzle systems that can be heated up to about 300 ° C and, for example, can apply transparent PMMA. By way of example, mention may be made of Microfab Technologies, Inc. of Plano, TX 75074, USA.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier (2) with tactile features (10, 12). Especially with personalized ID cards, such as an identification card or a passport, an additional individual security feature is desired. Silhouettes in the form of fluorescent images or lasered images or holographically imaged images are state of the art.
In all cases, the record of the personalized image (9) must be used for the generation of the shadow image (10).
By analogy, this also applies to a signature (11, 12). The particular advantage of this type of shadow generation is that the graphic information underneath is not covered.
Of course, the scratch resistance and adhesion of the features (6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17) on the surface of the cover laminate (3) must be extremely high.
In order to increase the value as an additional security feature, organic dyes and / or organic fine pigments and / or inorganic fine pigments or microencapsulated pigments based on organic / inorganic systems can be incorporated into the feature substance (6, 7, 8).

For visual and / or mechanical verification for authenticity and / or for reading out the information of the feature, irradiation with light of one or more wavelengths of narrowband or broadband character from the UV region over the visible wavelength range to the near infrared can be used and then Response signal with respect to emission wavelength and the temporal response are verified.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier (2) with tactile features (15, 17) as a shadow image of the easily readable features (14, 16). In this example, tactile features (15, 17) with lenticular effect (8) are used, and thereby the tactility can be increased.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Data carrier with tactile feature

2

Disk or document

3

Cover laminate (overlay: PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and blends of the mentioned thermoplastics)

4

Graphic design

5

Disk body (single layer, laminate package)

6

Tactile characteristic high-resolution

7

Tactile characteristic low resolution

8th

Tactile characteristic with lenticular effect

9

Image of the volume owner (inside the document, printed or lasered)

10

Silhouette of volume owner

11

Signature (inside document, printed or lasered)

12

Silhouette of the signature

13

Pass-through width of an inkjet print

14

Number (inside document or embossed or lasered)

15

Silhouette of the number

16

Name (inside document or embossed or lasered)

17

Silhouette of the name

Claims (18)

Data carrier with a tactile feature (1), characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is computer-generated applied to a largely finished data carrier (2). A data carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the tactile feature has a height of 0.5 microns to 500 microns, preferably 3.0 microns to 480 microns and especially 3.0 microns to 100 microns and is palpable with fingertips. A data carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is transparent or translucent and has a high-gloss or frosted surface and the surface of the data carrier (2) from a cover laminate (3) made of PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and mixtures of said thermoplastics. A data carrier according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) contains feature substances in the form of organic dyes and / or inorganic fine pigments and visually and / or mechanically by irradiation with light of a specific wavelength in the UV and / or visible and / or IR range and / or a special pulse training can be tested and the response signal is used in the form of a wavelength-specific and / or time-resolved emission. A data carrier according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) contains laser dyes. A data carrier according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is a shadow image (10, 12, 15, 17) of a biometric and / or personalized feature (9, 11, 14, 16). A data carrier according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) has a pixel-like resolution of 20 dpi to 5,500 dpi, preferably 50 to 1200 dpi and in particular 100 to 600 dpi. A data carrier according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) has a lenticular design and a height of at least 30 microns to 500 microns and the lenses are circular or oval and formed from line-like structures. A data carrier according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is arranged scratch-resistant on the cover laminate (3) and has a high UV resistance or a Vergilbungsfreiheit. A data carrier according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is a Braille. Method for producing a data carrier with tactile features, characterized in that the data carrier (2) is finished and then the tactile features (6, 7, 8) are applied to its surface. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that an inkjet method is used and the height of the tactile feature 0.5 .mu.m to 500 .mu.m, in particular 3.0 .mu.m to 100 .mu.m and is tactile with fingertips. Method for producing a computer-generated tactile feature (6, 7, 8) on a largely finished data carrier (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 10. Method according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that an inkjet system based on a piezo or thermal or continuous inkjet system is used. Method according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that an ink jet ink based on a UV-curing and / or a hot melt or a phase transition system is used. Method according to one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that a drying or curing system for the applied inkjet ink based on a UV exposure and / or a thermal and / or NIR-radiation treatment is used. Method according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that during the drying and / or during the application of the inkjet ink an inert gas atmosphere, in particular based on nitrogen, is used and thus the surface of the tactile feature (6, 7, 8) is frosted. Application of a data carrier with tactile feature (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16 as a credit card, identification card, driver's license, customer card, passport, identity card, banknote and the like card, sheet or book-shaped document or data carrier.

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