EP1386754B1 - Data carrier and security element with visually detectable or machinally readable detection of manipulation - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a data carrier and a security element with a visually visible and / or machine-readable tamper evidence.

Security elements are used in many areas to ensure the counterfeit security of sensitive goods. For example, such security features are used in data carriers, in particular value documents, such as identity cards, cards, banknotes, packaging materials for sensitive goods, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, electronic components, labels, seals and the like, for example in the textile industry.

Especially in packaging, manipulations, i. unauthorized opening of the packaging, removal or replacement of parts and the like be detectable. In order to be able to carry such a proof at the same time and to be able to rule out that the security feature has been exchanged, these features should also be designed to be forgery-proof.

US-A-5,913,543 discloses the preamble of claim 1.

Security elements with visually visible features are for example off EP - A 0 330 733 known. There are security elements, in particular security threads consisting of a translucent plastic film, an over the entire security element extending opaque coating having recesses in the form of the coding to be introduced, in particular in the form of characters and patterns described. Coincidentally, coloring and / or luminescent substances can be present at least in the areas defined by the recesses, by which the coding differs from the opaque coating under the corresponding influence of light in contrasting color.

From the WO 99/13157 Security films for securities are known in which on a translucent film, a metallic coating is applied, which is not complete in the finished film, but has recesses that should be clearly visible in transmitted light. The production of these films takes place in that a carrier film is printed with a highly pigmented printing ink, wherein the inking is not the entire surface, the ink is dried to form a porous paint, then a metallic cover layer is applied and in a further step, the highly pigmented ink by washing is removed with a solvent, optionally also under mechanical action. Thus, even in those areas in which the ink is removed, the metallic cover layer mitentfernt, whereby the recognizable in transmitted light recesses are formed.

Although these features are relatively forgery-proof, mechanical manipulation can not necessarily be demonstrated.

It is also known, in particular in multilayer constructions for such security features, to provide an intermediate layer which has a partially different adhesion to the substrate. This intermediate layer is provided with an adhesive layer and applied to the carrier. If one then tries to subtract the security feature from the ground, then this seemingly homogeneous intermediate layer is destroyed in a defined way due to the different areas of adhesion. Although the fractures are difficult to put together exactly, often a manipulation is not immediately obvious at first sight.

The different adhesion regions are produced, for example, by partial application of a release layer and / or an adhesion layer on the carrier substrate. The different adhesive areas often have defined shapes, eg: in the form of patterns, characters, lines, letters, geometric figures and the like.

On closer inspection, although it is generally recognizable that the intermediate layer was destroyed, so that a manipulation has taken place, with very cautious and cautious approach, but the destruction is often not recognizable at first glance.

The object of the invention was therefore to provide a security feature in which mechanical manipulations can be detected not only visually, but optionally also by machine.

The subject matter of the invention is therefore a security feature with one or more functional features, characterized in that the security feature has an intermediate layer applied to a carrier material with different adhesion regions, which has a visually recognizable and / or machine-readable electrical, optical and / or magnetic feature.

When the intermediate layer is destroyed by detachment, the intermediate layer and thus the machine-readable feature are damaged, as a result of which the electrical, optical or magnetic properties of the intermediate layer are irreversibly changed. This change is machine-readable and may also be detectable without contact.

For example, carrier foils are preferably flexible plastic foils, for example, from Pl, PP, MOPP, PE, PPS, PEEK, PEK, PEI, PSU, PAEK, LCP, PEN, PBT, PET, PA, PC, COC, POM, ABS, PVC in question. The carrier films preferably have a thickness of 5 to 700 .mu.m, preferably 8 to 200 .mu.m, more preferably 12 to 50 .mu.m.

Furthermore, metal foils, for example Al, Cu, Sn, Ni, Fe or stainless steel foils having a thickness of 5-200 μm, preferably 10 to 80 μm, particularly preferably 20-50 μm, may also serve as the carrier substrate. The Films can also be surface-treated, coated or laminated, for example with plastics or painted.

Further, as carrier substrates also paper or composites with paper, for example, composites with plastics with a grammage 20-500 g / m ^2, preferably 40-200 g / m ^2. be used.

Furthermore, woven or nonwovens, such as continuous fiber webs, staple fiber webs and the like, which may optionally be needled or calendered, may be used as the carrier substrates. Preferably such fabrics or webs of plastics, such as PP, PET, PA, PPS and the like, but it can also be woven or nonwovens of natural, optionally treated fibers, such as viscose fiber webs are used. The fabrics or nonwovens used have a basis weight of about 20 g / m ² to 500 g / m ² . Optionally, these fabrics or nonwovens may be surface treated.

Hologram films OVI films, if appropriate in combination with other security elements, can also be used as carrier substrates.

The different adhesive areas are produced by applying a release layer or an adhesive layer to the carrier substrate.
Suitable release layers are, in particular, known poorly adhering coating compositions, for example based on methacrylate. Furthermore, even very thinly applied oil layers, polyamide, polyethylene or fluoropolymer wax layers can be used as a release layer.

The release layer is partially applied to the carrier substrate. For the application of the release layer, any common printing method can be used, preferably methods with which thinnest layers of 0.01 to 50 .mu.m can be applied exactly, for example spraying, vapor deposition, brushing, Roller application method, gravure, screen, offset and digital printing and the like.

The intermediate layer is then applied to this release layer.

This intermediate layer has machine-readable features.

Thus, for example, an electrically conductive layer having characteristic electrical characteristics, for example resistance, conductance, capacitance, inductance, total impedance, can be applied. These electrical parameters can now also be read without contact.

To adjust electrical properties, 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 are added. Furthermore, doped or non-doped semiconductors such as, for example, silicon, germanium or doped or non-doped polymeric semiconductors or ion conductors, as well as amorphous or crystalline metal oxides or metal sulfides can also be used as 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.

By combining these systems, electronic components such as diodes, resistors, transistors or even complete circuits can be built with the help of these systems.

As a layer with electrical properties and a partial metal layer can be applied, the partial application by means of a Etching (application of a full-surface metal layer and subsequent partial removal by etching) or by means of a Demetallisierungsverfahrens can be done.
When using a demetallization process, a solvent-soluble ink (optionally in the form of an inverse coding) is applied in a first step.

The application of the paint can be done by any method, for example by gravure printing, flexographic printing, screen printing, digital printing and the like. The color or lacquer used is soluble in a solvent, preferably water, but it is also possible to use a dye soluble in any solvent, for example in alcohol, esters and the like. The color or the colored lacquer can be customary compositions based on natural or artificial macromolecules. The soluble color may be pigmented or unpigmented. As pigments, all known pigments can be used. Particularly suitable are TiO ₂ , ZnS, kaolin and the like.

Subsequently, the printed carrier substrate is treated by means of an in-line plasma (low pressure or atmospheric plasma), corona or flame process. High-energy plasma, for example Ar or Ar / O ₂ plasma, cleans the surface of toning residues of the printing inks. The necessary sharp delimitation of the contours of the recesses, which is necessary for the necessary precision of the coding is achieved. At the same time, the surface is activated. In this case, terminal polar groups are generated on the surface. This improves the adhesion of metals and the like to the surface.

To avoid Tonungsresten example, between the doctor blade and pressure roller, a blow bar can be located, with a plurality of nozzles arranged over the entire width. Through these nozzles filtered air with defined humidity, possibly heated or cooled, with the same Guided speed on the printing cylinder, whereby the thin layers dry on the cylinder and can not be applied to the carrier substrate.

Instead of such a blow bar can also be used over the entire width located lR-drying device.

Optionally, simultaneously with the application of the plasma or corona or flame treatment, a thin metal or metal oxide layer can be applied as adhesion promoter, for example by sputtering or vapor deposition. Particularly suitable are Cr, Al, Ag, Ti, Cu, TiO ₂ , Si oxides or chromium oxides. This adhesion promoter layer generally has a thickness of 0.1 nm to 5 nm, preferably 0.2 nm to 2 nm, particularly preferably 0.2 to 1 nm.

As a result, the adhesion of the partially or completely applied structured functional layer is further improved.

Subsequently, the actual functional layer is applied.

This layer may consist of a metal, a metal compound, or an alloy. As the metal layer, layers of Al, Cu, Fe, Ag, Au, Cr, Ni, Zn and the like are suitable. Examples of suitable metal compounds are oxides or sulfides of metals, in particular TiO ₂ , Cr oxides, ZnS, ITO, ATO, FTO, ZnO, Al ₂ O ₃ or silicon oxides. Suitable alloys are, for example, Cu-Al alloys, Cu-Zn alloys and the like.

Furthermore, an electrically conductive polymer layer can also be applied as the electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive polymers may be, for example, polyaniline or polyethylenedioxythiophene.

Such a structure can also function as an antenna, wherein contact surfaces for connecting one or more microcircuits can be provided on the antenna structure. If further information is to be stored, the antenna structure may serve as a direct contact pad for conventional smart card chip systems, conventional electronic circuits, and the like.

Furthermore, printed electronic circuits made of electrically conductive polymers and / or vapor-deposited metallic layers and / or semiconductors can also be applied in conjunction with conductive polymers.

Such a feature is then readable either by direct electrical contact or non-contact via radio frequencies, for example in the range of 15.3 kHz, for example in defined ranges from 120 kHz to about 5 GHz.

The conductive polymers may be applied to the support material in the form of a dispersion in a dispersing agent. Suitable dispersants are, for example, inert solvents, preferably aqueous solvents or alcohols, such as i-propanol. If desired, it is also possible to add matrix polymers, for example soluble or dispersed or emulsified polyesters, polyurethanes, polystyrene sulfonates, polyacrylates or ethylene acrylate copolymers, as matrix polymers to the polymer dispersions.
For example, polyethylene dioxythiophene can be used particularly advantageously with polystyrene sulfonate as the matrix polymer.
The particle size of the polymers in the dispersion is preferably 20-500 nm.

However, it is also preferable to apply the soluble monomers or prepolymers to form the electrically conductive polymers and to polymerize them out in situ. Both free-radical and redox or photoinitiators, for example UV initiators, can be used as catalysts.
In this case, the corresponding monomer or prepolymer is mixed with the catalyst and applied immediately to the carrier substrate.
Catalyst residues and other contaminating reaction products may also be removed in situ, or optionally subsequently removed from the bed by treatment with a solvent, generally water. Optionally, volatile components may also be removed by drying with an IR dryer, a convection dryer, and the like.

Paramagnetic, diamagnetic and also ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel and cobalt or their compounds or salts (for example oxides or sulfides) or alloys of rare earth metals, such as, for example, cobalt / samarium alloys, can be used to apply a layer having magnetic properties.

Particularly suitable are magnetic pigment inks 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.
Preferably, the pigments are incorporated in acrylate polymer dispersions having a molecular weight of 150,000 to 300,000, in nitrocellulose, acrylate-urethane acrylate styrene, or PVC as dispersions or in dissolved systems.

The magnetic layer may, for example, be applied partially in the form of a code, for example in the form of a so-called barcode. When partial detachment of the partial magnetic layer then individual parts of the barcode are replaced, the manipulation can then be detected by reading the barcode with a suitable scanner.

For applying a layer with defined optical properties, paints or lacquers with luminescent, for example phosphorescent or fluorescent properties, or lacquers with a defined refractive index are applied.

For example, when applying fluorescent lacquer layers, the structured release layer is incorporated between the different fluorescent layers. In the case of destruction or manipulation by at least partial detachment, the original fluorescence is retained in the adhering areas of an opaque layer, a mixed color is produced in the other areas, and in the case of a transparent layer a defined mixed color is visible before detachment, which is changed after detachment.
When applying varnishes with a defined refractive index, the varnish / foil or foil / foil system has a specific refractive index. When destroying a layer, for example by detachment, the refractive index changes in particular due to air inclusions between the layers.

The individual features described may be applied individually or in any combination.

A metallized layer may, for example, also be provided with a seal coating for contacting the metallized regions with a chip, the security feature then acting as an antenna. The chip may be, for example, a Si-based printed structure or a polymeric microcircuit.

By the destruction then changes the natural frequency, the manipulation is clearly detectable.

A conductive polymer layer can also be applied via a metallic, isotropically or anisotropically conductive layer. This conductive polymer layer is stretchable and may form a conductive bridging layer in the event of stretching which results in the destruction of the metallic layer. However, this also changes the conductivity of the structure, the change can, as described above, be read, the manipulation can be detected.

The partial functional layer can have various shapes, for example in the form of patterns, lines, geometric figures, letters and the like, whereby depending on the composition and appearance of the layer, additional visual features may be present which indicate possible manipulation.

Furthermore, it is also possible to apply a full-surface functional layer to the partially applied release layer or adhesive layer. By a detachment attempt, this full-surface layer is then destroyed, there are then defined functional machine-readable properties, which are also optionally contactlessly measurable and can clearly detect any manipulation.

The security features may also contain other functional layers, which layers may be similar, identical or different to the described layers.
Optionally, the coated film produced in this way can also be protected by a protective lacquer layer or further refined, for example, by laminating or the like.

The protective lacquer layer can be colorless or one or more colors or even luminescent.

In Fig. 1 and 1a a security element according to the invention with fluorescence features is shown, in Fig. 2 an inventive security element is shown with antenna function.
1, the carrier substrate, 2 the release layer or the adhesive layer, 7 a protective lacquer layer.
In the Fig. 1 and 1 a 3 and 4 respectively denote layers of different fluorescence colors.

In Fig. 2 5 is a metallic layer, 6 is a layer of electrically conductive polymers.

The security features according to the invention are used in data carriers, in particular value documents, such as identity cards, cards, banknotes, in packaging materials for sensitive goods, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, electronic components, in labels, seals and the like, for example in the textile industry.

Claims (11)

1. Security feature having one or more functional features, such as visually recognizable and/or machine-readable electrical, optical and/or magnetic features, characterized in that the security feature has an intermediate layer (2) with different adhesive regions, which is applied on a carrier material (1), and at least one functional layer (3, 4, 5, 6) is applied onto the intermediate layer (2), which functional layer, owing to the different adhesive regions of the intermediate layer, is destroyed during detachment such that one or more defined functional features are produced.
2. Security feature according to Claim 1, characterized in that applied onto the intermediate layer (2) is a contiguous functional layer (3, 4, 5, 6) which, owing to the different adhesive regions of the intermediate layer (2), is destroyed during detachment such that one or more defined functional features are produced.
3. Security feature according to Claim 1, characterized in that the functional features are applied partially.
4. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a metallized layer (5) with a sealing coating is provided with a chip for making contact with the metallized regions and acts as an antenna.
5. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the security feature has an electrically conductive layer of conductive polymers (6).
6. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electrically conductive metallic layer(s) (5) is/are provided with a conductive polymer layer (6) as a bridging layer.
7. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a magnetic feature which is, if appropriate, machine-readable.
8. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it has an optical, if appropriate fluorescent, feature.
9. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the security feature has one or more further functional and/or decorative layers.
10. Security feature according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is provided with a protective lacquer layer.
11. Use of the security features according to one of Claims 1 to 10 in data carriers, in particular valuable documents, such as passports, cards, banknotes, in packaging materials for sensitive goods, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, electronic devices, in labels, seals and the like.

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