Title of Invention	"VALUE AND SECURITY PRODUCT WITH LUMINESCENT SAFETY ELEMENT AND PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CHECKING THE AUTHENTICITY VISUALLY AND BY MACHINE"
Abstract	A value and security document, for example a banknote, identity card or the like, is described, which is provided with luminescent security elements that can be excited in the alternating electromagnetic field. Furthermore, a process for the manufacture thereof is described, which by the gravure printing process applies the required inks and substances on the value and security product. In addition, also an arrangement adapted to the respective security technology is described for checking the authenticity visually and by machine, wherein in particular electrical fields as well as optical radiation, preferably in the UV-wavelength range, are used for the excitation of the so-called phosphor inks, and by secondary excitation mechanisms additional optical effects can be; obtained in the visible wavelength range.

Title of Invention

"VALUE AND SECURITY PRODUCT WITH LUMINESCENT SAFETY ELEMENT AND PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CHECKING THE AUTHENTICITY VISUALLY AND BY MACHINE"

Abstract

A value and security document, for example a banknote, identity card or the like, is described, which is provided with luminescent security elements that can be excited in the alternating electromagnetic field. Furthermore, a process for the manufacture thereof is described, which by the gravure printing process applies the required inks and substances on the value and security product. In addition, also an arrangement adapted to the respective security technology is described for checking the authenticity visually and by machine, wherein in particular electrical fields as well as optical radiation, preferably in the UV-wavelength range, are used for the excitation of the so-called phosphor inks, and by secondary excitation mechanisms additional optical effects can be; obtained in the visible wavelength range.

Full Text	The present invention relates to security documents with graphic security features, preferably produced by gravure printing, which can be made to light up-in the form of dots, lines and/or £i"eas, wherein 'wavelengths in the: nor.!-visible UV-range up to the range visible by the human eye of typically 360 to 780 rim, but also in the infrared range, tire aimed at and realised. In the BE 43 10 082 Al electroluminescence foils are proposed, which are made from inorganic, electroluminescent pigment(s) and Thermoplastic plast.c by maim of extrusion or co-extrusion. In principle, the extrusion or co-extrusion of such a system on security papers would be conceivable, but the graphic design possibilities: appear to be limited by the process logistics and it would seem that the entire manufacturing process for producing a security document and the authenticity checking arrangements required for same become very complicated. In fee DE 43 15 244 Al a process; for the manufacture of an electroluminescent film is described by use of the sputter technique. Also this process could, in principle, be envisaged for the manufacture of security documents, but such a manufacturing process entails an extremely high expenditure in respect of the vacuum chambers required for this technique and, furthermore, it is very difficult to integrate it into a possible manufacturing operation and it moreover 3 .;-'res film layers which would have to be prov-.f ! with ar^M •.( spe?' " .;;s so as to meet the high mechanical stresses on security documents. The DE 41 26 051 Al in turn proposes a security document with embedded areal security element (security thread) which consists of several, layers and has electroluminescent properties, A disadvantage of this arrangement is that it has a relatively high surface structure as the electrodes required to excite the EL-substa,D.ces are arranged on top of one another. The objective of the invention Is, therefore, proceeding from the DE 41 26 051 Al, to farther develop a value and security product in such a way that the EL-active security features produce a substantially thinner layer on the surface of the iiecurity document,. This objective is achieved by the technical teachings of claim 1, which provide that rlie EL-active security elements are applied directly onto the surface of the substrate during the printing operation. Several different possibilities can be used for tins, which are all claimed as inventive. In addition to applying the EL-substances by steel gravure printing, also other printing processes that use the teachings described here are claimed as inventive, i.e. especially the waterless offset printing, wet offset printing., screen printing, non-impact printing techniques and modern digital printing processes. The same objective is, moreover, also achieved by the technical teachings of the independent claim 7, which instead of a layering on top of one another of the: electrodes - as known from the, state of the art - provides for the areal arranging next to one another of such electrodes at least partly on the value and security product and/or on the testing device. The advantage of the invention is, therefore, that it is possible to dispense with the provision of a multi-layer, areal EL-system wherein the layers are arranged on top of one {mother, Wir.h the stale of the art there exists the risk that the known laminate structure, which also with regard to continuous stress has to meet extremely high demands, does not have the required wear resistance. Another disadvantage: a security thread does not form an integral part of a value and security product and can be removed. This .arrangement requires contacts applied on the value and security product, whereas with the invention some of ihe exemplified embodiments do not require a contact on the value and security product, In contrast: 10 the conventional electroluminescence (in the following referred to as EL) systems which are provided between flat electrodes, with one embodiment variant of the present invention this after all relatively thick structure is dispensed with in that the electrical field is made lateral, i.e. areal. For an EL,-plate capacitor structure (with which now according to the invention the capacitor "plates" arc made to lie next to one another in substantially the same plane and the field required for the excitation is produced in the field gap between mem), a transparent, electrically conductive layer is required, which is obtained by means of so-called ITO-pastes (Indium Tin-Oxide). The same is also achieved, furthermore, by pre-coated transparent foils or glasses. Typically biaxially orientated and thermally stabilised polyester foils are used, coated with electrically conductive tin oxide, indium-tin-oxide (1TG) by the vacuum evaporation or sputtering technique, or generally transparent., electrically conductive metallised surfaces with surface resistance values in the range of a few ohm/square for glass substrates and typically 20 ohro/square up to 300 ohm/square and above. High-quality EL-systems require a uniform luminance and maximum light efficiency. Glass substrates, because of the high thermal loading capacity during coating processes, generally offer a higher quality solution with greater light transmittance in the visible wavelength range together with a better surface conductivity. This main advantage of the ITO-pastes printing technique - used according to the invention - lies, however, in the relatively simple application and the practically unlimited graphic design possibilities, which may he advantageous in particular for more complex systems with regard to the electrical connections. As such ITQ-screen printing pastes hardly permit surface resistance values under 300 to 400 ohm/square, with the invention so-called bus-bars, i.e. edges with a good electrical conductivity, are used. As a result thereof uniform electrical fields are obtained and accordingly a uniform luminance.. Furthermore, with this technique the connection of the ITO-electrode can be arranged in a functionally favourable manner and finally ihe ITO-electrode layer thickness can be reduced to a minimum in favour of a greater transparency. According to the invention bus-bars in the printing technique are printed by means of silver, carbon, copper etc. pastes, or a combination of these elements and with these surface resistance values in the range of a few 10 milli-ohm/square lire obtained. Therefore, according to the invention in different forms, which, however, among one another claim, protection individually or in combination with on.e another, the following embodiments are described: 1. a lateral electrode arrangement on the value and security document, 2. an electrode arrangement in lateral or opposite arrangement outsid.e the security document, i.e. in a reading device, 3. a lateral electrode arrangement on a transparent cover substrate in the reading device, 4. an electrically conductive coating of the rear of the security document (prior to the graphic design processes) and provision of EL-security elements on the front and provision of a transparent cover substrate with electrically conductive coating on the side facing the security element. 5. excitation by an alternating electromagnetic field, 6. excitation by a system based on the photoluminescenee excitation by suitable light sources, in particular in the UV-wavelengtJi range, and the use of suitable luminescent substances based on silicates, phosphates, tungstates, germanates, borates etc, activated mainly with Mn, but especially on a Zn2SiO4:Mn basis and the excitation by the 253,65 nm line of a Hg low pressure discharge lamp (visible light eliminated by means of short-pass iilters) and the excited emission of light in the visible green-range, 7. excitation of the EL-system by an extremely narrow-band light source in the form of a frequency-tripled or quadrupled Nd:YAG laser with the wavelengths 266 urn and 213 mn, furthermore a solid body laser with corresponding frequency-doubling or quadrupling to 236 nm as well as an excimer laser with light in the UV-B (320 to 260 nm as per USA-FDA) or UV-C (260 to 200 mn) wavelength range used for the excitation of special luminous substances adapted to the wavelength in question, wherein in addition luminous substances or so-called phuyplitti powders are mixed hi, similar ki Lhusc used hi fluorescent tubes, so that with these radiation in the visible wavelength range is produced and can be perceived by the human eye without farther aids. 8. In an alternative embodiment, instead the excitation by IR-radiation with suitable wavelength for materials with specific IR-absorption and emission in the visible range is provided. Also OVl-pigments (optically variable pigments) or liquid crystals can be used in addition to the EL-pigments or can be mixed into them. In a preferred embodiment the value stud .security product has security elements based on so-called micro-encapsulated inorganic compounds of the groups II and VI of the periodic system (e.g. 2^nS, CdS), which are doped or activated with metals such as Cu, ME, Ag and are suitable for printing designs by means of gravure printing. It is also possible to produce electroluminescent security elements on die basis of organic polymers. The electrodes are made lateral (i.e. lying areally next to one another) by means of conductive gravure printing inks, wherein in the resultant, also roughly areally arranged field, gap between the electrodes an alternating electromagnetic field is produced, the field lines of which pass at least partly through the print image produced by the EL-substaiices and accordingly cause the electroluminescent security elements to light up, so thai these can be used for the authenticity test carried out visually and by machine. In a preferred embodiment an electrically conductive gravure printing ink is used based on carbon and/ctr silver or on a mixture of the two or on silvered and/or gilded metallic; pigments; or mica pigments in association with suitable binders based on polyurethanes and/or aliphatic polyesters and corresponding diluting agents, wherein in particular the two electrode con elections arc made in a non-oxidising surface form. As dielectric and insulation layer, preferably an aqueous polyurethane layer is applied on the unprepared surface of the security document - preferably a banknote - prior to the actual graphic designing, and subsequent to this the phosphor pas,te is printed so as to obtain a good and elastic adhesive bond with excellent; surface resistance. In this case the luminescent security feature preferably consists of a graphic design of individual dots and lines, In addition, above / underneath / next to the luminescent elements., suitable graphically fashioned, transparent inks may be provided, so as 1:0 obtain different colour/light effects. A process for producing the security document comprises the following process steps: Graphic design of the substrates, in particular special security papers in the range of approximately 80 to 200 gr/m2 weight per unit area, by graphic printing processes, in particular gravure printing, aqueous offset printing, wet offset printing, screen printing, :non-impact printing and by means of other modern, digital printing processes, Optionally printing of an adhesion promoter In the form of an aqueous polyuretbane dispersion tor optimum bonding and embedding of the subsequent print layers, Printing of the lateral electrodes by means of conductive pastes and, depending on the system,, repeating this operation several tines so as to obtain a surface resistance which resistance for the selected geometry of the security element displays an adequate power supply or a sufficiently low surface resistance, Printing of an insulation ink, in particular one with a high elasticity, a good bonding to the substrate, to the conductive coating and to the subsequent phosphor ink:, as well as with an as high as possible dielectric constant, for which, in particular, aqueous polyurethane-dispersion systems and/or systems filled with barium titanate (BaTiQ3) are used, so aa to increase the dielectric constant, Printing of the phosphor paste or phosphor pastes that light up in different colours - optionally adding so-called spacers which serve to avoid damage to the micro-encapsulated luminescent pigments by too high a pressure during the printing operation, PriatiEg of optionally translucent inks for additional graphic and security design features, Printing of optionally passivating, electrically conductive inks on the electrical connection points in the form of special conducting inks or pastes , especially on the basis of carbon and gold, Printing of an elastic, transparent, abrasion-resistant and properly adhesive protective layer, in particular based on aqueous polyurethane dispersions, Hardening of the aforementioned prints following each printing Optionally, as the last step, for stabilisation purposes. and to improve the quality of the security document, a kind of thermo-pressing may take place at temperatures up to 200°C and pressures up to 50 kp/cmz. The invention, in a preferred embodiment according to the above description, accordingly consists, among others, in that for the first time, by means of electrically conductive gravure priming inks or paste;;, laterally arranged electrodes can be arranged in such a way that because: of the: extremely high resolution or fineness of the print image obtained by means of the gravure printing technique, geometries become possible which permit high electric field strengths and accordingly the electroluminescence excitation of typical zinc sulphide phosphor layers. In this sense, the gravure printing technique jproposed according to the invention, because of the extremely high resolution and the nevertheless several micro-metres thick layer thickness, represents a very favourable. solution for the. present invention. However, the making of the various; gravure inks or pastes requires special adaptation to considerably smaller pigment diameters compared to screen pria.ti.ng inks. Essential for the invention is the use of micro-encapsulated elements with EL-phosphor pastes in the gravure printing process, and for dm capsule diameters of a few micro-metres (e.g. in the range of 0,2 to 40 micrometres) are used. In a further development of the embodiment, novel substances are used, i.e. luminescent substances based on silicates, phosphates, tungstates, german-ares, borates etc, activated mainly with Mn, but especially also based on Zn2SiO4:Mn (> typical substances for fluorescent tubes). Such substances are excited by lie 253,65 ran line of a Hg low pressure discharge lamp' (visible light eliminated by means of short-pass filters) and the emission of light takes place in the visible green-range, Also laser light sonnies sire used. for the photaluminescence excitation, which excite a UV-ligiit emission which then by means of the usual luminescent substances are made to emit visible light. In addition ro excimer lasers with their known UV-emission lines, especially diode lasers aad Nd:YAG lasers with suitable frequency multipliers are available as possible, other light sources according to the invention. Alternatively, suitable discharge lamps with band pass filters are used. In addition certain EL-substances can be covered by UV-filter layers in the: form of printing inks, e.g. pigments filled with TiO2, in such a way that no excitation of the EL-substances by UV-light takes place, but exclusively by excliatioa in the electromagnetic field. This is. iccuiiuiieiidcd above: all for the testing by machine of the security document with the testing, device according to the invention, with which - in a preferred embodiment -- visible light is no longer used for the testing. The subject of the present invention is represented not only by the subject: of the individual patent claims, but also by the combination of this individual patent claims among one another. All details and characteristics disclosed in the documents, including the. abstract, in particular the spatial lay-out illustrated in the drawings, are: claimed as forming the essence of the invention in so far as, individually or combined, they are new compared to the state of the art. In rite following the invention will be described in greater detail with, reference to drawings illustrating several embodiments. From the drawings and -heir description further features forming the essence of the invention, and advantages of the invention will be noted, Figure 1: shows a section through a banknote according to the invention with ,an EL-subsitance, Figure 2: shows an enlarged section through the banknote of Figure 1 in a first embodiment, Figure 3: shows a second embodimer,it, Figure 4: shows a third embodiment, Figure 5; shows a fourth embodiment, Figure 6: is a top view onto a value and security product with security features. Figure 8: shows a section through a value and security product according to the invention in another embodiment,- 'Figures 9 to 11: show further embodiments of security documents, Figure 12: shows a section through a value aud security product with lateral electrodes provided on the surface, Figure 13. is. a top view onto the auaugemeat of Figure 12, Figure 14; shows another embodiment of a security document with an. area! electrode, Figure 15: shows the arrangement of a security document in a testing device in a first embodiment, Figure 16: shows the arrangement of a security document in a testing device hi a second embodiment, Figure 17: is the enlarged view of lateral electrodes, Figure- 10; shows another cmbodiiucul of (lie aniuigciiicuL uf a wecurhy document in a testing device modified compared to Figure 16, Figure 19: shows another exemplified embodiment of the arrangement of a scuuily tiut..uuiciit in a. lesikig device, Figure 20, 21. show further embodiments of the layout of the security docurnent in conjunction with different embodiments of the testing device, Figure 22: shows the constructional design of a testing device in section, Figure 23: shows a top view onto the arrangement of Figure 22, Figure 24: is the top view onto aa electrode arrangement for use in the testing device, Figures 25, 26: show various embodiment!, of the arrangement of electrodes in the testing device, Figures 27, 28: show various possibilities of iJie construction of testing devices, Figures 30, 31: show the top view and the enlarged top view onto an electrode arrangement in a testing device. In the following description a value and security product 1 .is described in the form of a banknote, although the invention is not limited to this. The value and security document 1 in Figures I to 14 consists, therefore, essentially of a paper which - in the illustrated exemplified embodiment -is made of colicn fibres. Embossings are provided on the surface, so that in section these embossings are shown by various reliefs 3 and a corresponding embossing base 4, from which it can be noted that the tinted gravure printing ink used for printing the biinknote (value and security product 1) has been deposited on the reliefs 3, According to the invention it is now provided in a first embodiment that the EL-active substances 5 are applied, on the embossing base 4 outside the tinted gravure printing ink 2. The depth of the embossing of such a value and security product 1 is approximately 1-80 micro-metres, wherein the height of the tinted gravure printing ink deposit on the paper amounts to approximately 20% of the depth of the embossing, i.e. approximately 1 to 20 micro-metres. The distance 6 accordingly amounts to approximately 1 to 60 micro-metres. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of Figure 1, from which it cm be seen. that the EL-substances 5 are arranged out:;ide the gravure printing area, Figure 3 shows in a modified exemplified embodiment that the EL-substanees 5 can also be arranged underneath the tinted gravure printing ink 2 in the area of the reliefs 3 and, therefore, are covered by the tinted gravure printing ink 2. Figure 3 shews furthermore that the EL-subsitances project into a surface coating 7 of the security document 1 or - as shown in Figure 4, they may also be arranged on the surface coating 7 and underneath the tinted gravure printing ink 2, Figure 5 shows as a further exemplified embodiment that these: EL-active substances 5 are mixed as micro-capsules 8 into the tinted gravure printing ink 2 and are printed with same, With die given exemplified embodiments according to the aforementioned drawings, security features 9, 10 according to the Figures 6 and 7 can be produced. In Figure 6 such EL-substances are fashioned as a ring of stars of a Europe symbol, whereas in Figure 7 these EL-active substances are fashioned as a figure inside the ring of stars. It goes without saying that any shapes and any arrangements of the substances are possible on the value and security product, either in an obvicus or also in a concealed form. Figures 8 and 9 show furthermore that the EL-substances are: mixed in pigmem fyun into the tinted gn.v\ire printing ink 2 and a bonding agent 11 is used here, In addition, according to Figure 9, also fluorescent inks 12 can be mixed in, so that with, the fluorescent inks 12 used here, the light emission of the EL-subsinnces w:ll cause a characteristic lighting up of the security features 9. Figures 10 and 11 show that in addition to. using fluorescent inks, also translucent printing inks 13, 14 can be used, in which case different: colour inks, e.g. green and red printing inks, can be printed in separate places so as to give the EL-substances that light up in one single colour, a different, visually visible colour, In addition, according to Figure 11 the sale! inks may also be covered with a translucent printing ink adding a UV-filter, or the translucent inks 13, 14 may also be applied underneath the EL-layer. All exemplified embodiments described in the foregoing refer to the specific embodiment according to the invention, wherein the value and security product is used without electrodes tor the electromagnetic excitation, of the EL-siibEtanceti and wherein the excitation of these EL-subsuuices .5 takes place by an external alternating electromagnetic field produced in a testing device. In che following exemplified embodiments another specific embodiment will now be described with which the electrodes required to produce the alternating electromagnetic field are provided either completely on the value and security product or at least one electrode is arranged on the value and secunty product whereas tb.e cither electrode is provided in the testhig apparatus. Figures 12 .and 13 show that an electrode arrangement 19, consisting; of two electrodes 24, 25, is provided on the surface of the security document 1, wherein the two: electrodes 24, 25 are arranged, as areal elements next to one another (lateiai) and between them form a zigzag shaped, insulating field gap 26, in the area of which the said alternating electromagnetic field required for exciting the EL-substances 5, is produced In the illustrated exemplified embodiment the wo electrodes 24, 25 are covered at least partly by an insulating printing ink 17, and tiae two electrodes 24, 15 are produced by conductive printing inks 16. on which suitable contacts 18 are provided, an. alternating voltage being applied to the contacts 18. This; is shown in Figure 13, where it can be seen that the said alternating voltage is applied at the connections 20. The EL-aclive substance 5 is embedded in the tinted gravure printing ink 2 and is positioned at least partly above the field gap 26, so that the field lines produced In the field gap 26 pas;; through the security feature arranged on the field gap 26 and cause same to light up. Figure 14 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment according to Figures 12 and 13, that "m another embodiment it suffices to provide on lie underside of the security document 1 a roughly areal electrode 32 hi the form of a conductive printing ink 16 and to also provide same with a contact, in which case the value and security product 1 in accordance with the exemplified embodiments of Figures 1 to 11 is then provided with an EL-print image 29. The counter-electrode (not illustrated) is arranged here on a carrier of a testkig device, which will still be described in greater detail with reference to the other drawing;;. The alternating field 36 produced between the two electrodes then passes through the EL-active substances and'causes sfirrie to light up. As a typical example it caa be mentioned here that the height of the tinted gravure printing ink above the base of the security document 1 (height 21) typically amounts to 10 to 20 micro-metres, whereas the thickness 22 of the security document 1 typically is 100 micro-metres at a weight per unit area of 90 g per square metre., and the thickness 23 of the bottom areal elecuode 32 is approximately 3 to 10 micro-metres. With reference to Figures 15 to 31 various embodiments of testing devices will be described and at the same time also still other shapes of security documents with different arrangements of EL-active substances will be indicated. In Figure 13 can be seen thai a testing device consists essentially of two carriers 28, 30 arranged at a distance from one smother, wherein preferably the top carrier 25 facing the observer is made transparent and, for example, is made of glass or plastic with a transparent, electrically conductive coating provided on the inside, which fonns the one electrode 33. Applied to this electrode is the one contact 34, which with its one pole is connected.to the connection 31, live opposite electrode 32 is applied, for example, as aluminium-eSloxal onto tile inside surface of the bottom carrier 30 arid is also connected to the other pole of the connection 33 by wa.y of the contact 34. Between the two electrodes 32, 33, an alternating electromagnetic field 36 is, therefore, produced which passes through the value and security jproduct 1 introduced between the carriers 28, 39, so that this alternating field also passes through the EL-active substances and accordingly causes Hie created EL-print image 29 to light up. Figure 16 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment of Figure 15, tiiat an electrode arrangement 35 may also be provided on only one carrier 28, In which case an electrode arrangement is used as shown, for example, by the electrode arrangement 19 in Figure 13 or - in Jinother embodiment - as shown by the electrode arrangement according to Figure 17, The top carrier IS again consists of a transparent glass or plastic, and in this case a planar electrode arrangement 33 is used which is illustrated in more detail in Figure 17. This electrode ammgement is formed by electrode fingers 39, 40 that engage into one another in the manner of fingers, wherein the electrode fingers 39, 40 between them form the field gap 26 and are insulated from one another. The overall arrangement is provided on an insulation. layer 41 of, for example, Si-oxide, the electrode lingers 40 being conductivity connected to one anoiiher by a base conductor 38, whereas the electrode fingers 39 are conductively connected by a. base conductor 38a (see Figure 24). The base conductors 38, 38a preferably consist of a layer of gold, whereas the electrode fingers 39, 40 consist of the ITO-paste described in the foregoing or of a transparent layer of gold. Figure 18 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment according to Figure 16, 'that in addition on the inside of the top carder 28 a fluorescence layer 42 may be provided, v^hich is made to light up by the emission given off by the BL~pri;at image, Claimed as inventive here is that the lighting up of the fluorescent layer 42 takes place either in the visible range or also in the invisible range. An exemplified embodiment modified compared to Figure 16 is shown in Figure 19, where it can be seen that the previously described electrode arrangement 35 is provided in this case on a bottom carrier 28, and the alternating fields produced by the electrode arrangements pass through the value and security document 1 from below, so that it can easily be observed from rhe top through the transparent carrier 30 without it being necessary here to arrange an electrode arrangement hi the line of sight. Figures 16, 18 and 19 show that the alternating field 37 produced by the electrode arrangement 35 in each instance passes through the security document 1 •• at least in the area of the EL-print format 29. In Figure 20 it iss showa that the emission 43 given off by the EL-print image 29 impacts as primary emission on the fluorescent layer 42, which in turn produces a secondary emission 44 which can either be detected in the visible range by an observer 27 or • in the non-visible range -- can be evaluated by a testing device. Figure 21 shows, using the exemplified embodiment of Figure 14, that the value and security document may also be provided on one side - e.g. the underside - with an electrode 32 \s'hich is contacted by a cuutact 34., The other contact if; arranged as area! contact on the inside of the top, transparent carrier 28, in which case the said electrode arrangement is covered by an insulation layer, so that the Mi-area ITO or gold coating forming the electrode is covered if at all possible over the entire area by the insulation layer 41. The other contact 34 is in conductive contact with this layer Figures 22 to 31 illustrate various, more: concrete embodiments of a testing device far detecting the emission of the EL-print format 29. The tasting device according to Figures 22 to 24 again consists essentially of the two opposite carriers 28, 30, between which an alternating electromagnetic field is produced, wherein on the one side of these carriers 28, 30 a housing 49 is provided which at the top carries a switch 50 and which accommodates suitable batteries 46 for the power supply £ind an electronic conductor plate 47, on which the electronics 48 are provided. By pressing the switch 50, the alternating electromagnetic field is produced, which passes at least partly through the EL-print image 39 which forms the security feature 9, 10, and causes; same to light up. Figure 24 now shows that the electrode arrangement 35 described in the foregoing may be arranged either on the inside of the bottom carrier 30 or on the inside of the top carrier 28. Figurs-? 5*5 and 26 show that the electrode fxngcis 39, 40 are arranged at a mutual distance from one another and between them form parallel field' gaps 26, The overall arrangement is then connected by way of its own conductive contact surfaces 52 to the contacts 34, In addition, a luminescent layer 51 may sltll be provided on the inside of the aimer 28. The function of this lumineHcent layer has already been, explained with reference to Figure 20. In contrast to the aforementioned electrodes that engage into one another in the manner of fingers, Figures 27 and 28 show electrodes 53, 54 which are also arranged opposite one another and are contacted by way of corresponding connections 31. In addition - according to Figure 28 - an illumination source 55 of any kind (see the general description low pressure: discharge lamp, laser arrangement etc.) may still be used to achieve an additional excitation of the EL-print image. Here, in all cases the to be tested value and security product 1 is introduced into the testing device through the feed gap 56, Figures 30 and 31 show how the electrode arrangement 35 is integrated here ia the resting dev;lce. Here it can be seen that the contacts 34 make contact at the contact surfaces 52 and axe introduced directly into the electronics, to which a power supply 57 can be connected. In a preferred embodiment the electrode arrangement 35 comprises electrode fingers 39, 40 provided at a mutual distance and insulated from one another, wherein conductor strip widdis 58 of typically 100 micro-metres are preferred, at a conductor strip distance 50 of preferably 50 micro-metres. For insulation purposes an oxide layer is provided over the entire arrangement by means of the vacuum evaporation, technique. We Claim: 1. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substance, characterized in that the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28,30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports (28, 30) being transparent, and in that an electrode arrangement (35) capable of generating an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, is provided on at least one of the supports (28, 30) and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recongnizable. 2. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein both electrodes are located on one side of a fixed support (28 or 30), in the form of a common electrode arrangement (35). 3. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 1 to 2, wherein the electrode arrangement (35) has a substantially planar configuration, with electrodes (39, 40) which are arranged side by side on approximately the same plane and form between them a field gap (26), wherein the electroluminescent security features are pervaded by the flux lines of the electrical alternating filed that are generated in the field gap (26). 4. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrode arrangement (35) consists of electrode fingers (39, 40) interdigitating with each other in comb-like fashion, which electrode fingers (39, 40) form between them a serpentine field gap (26). 5. Test apparatus as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrode arrangement is deposited on an insulation layer (41). 6. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substances, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28, 30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports being transparent, and in that electrodes (32, 33: 53, 54) generating between them, in the manner of parallel-plate capacitors, an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, are arranged on both supports (28, 30) and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recognizable. 7. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two electrodes (32, 33) are arranged opposite each other on the supports (28, 30), and in that the value-attesting and security product (1) is insertable into a gap (56) between the electrodes (32, 33). 8. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substances, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28, 30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports being transparent, and in that a first electrode (16, 32) and a second electrode (45) generating between them an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, are respectively arranged on the value-attesting and security product (1) and on one of the supports (28), and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recongnizable. 9. Test apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a fluorescent coating (42) which produces a secondary radiation in the visible range from a visible or invisible primary radiation emitted by the electroluminescent security features (29) is arranged on one of the support plates (28 or 30). 10. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents that have EL-active security features at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substances, the testing device comprising: Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent; an electrode arrangement on at least one of said supports, said electrode arrangement being capable of producing an alternating electric field that penetrates the value/security instrument at least at those points where the EL-active security features are located, thus exciting the EL-active security features so that they emit photons that can be evaluated either visually or by machine. 11. The testing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein both electrodes are located on one side of one of said stationary supports in the form of a common electrode arrangement. 12. The testing device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said electrode arrangement is essentially planar with electrodes located in approximately the same plane and lying adjacent to one another that form a field gap between each other, wherein the EL-active security features are penetrated by the field lines of the alternating electric field produced in the filed gap. 13. The testing device as claims in claim 12, wherein said electrode arrangement consisting of electrode fingers that mesh with one another, said electrode fingers forming a meandering field gap between each other. 14. The testing device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said electrode arrangement is applied onto an isolation layer. 15. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents having EL active security features at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substance, the testing device comprising: Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent; Electrodes located at both said supports and producing an alternating electric field between each other similar to a place condenser, said electric field penetrating the value/security instrument at least at the points where the EL-active security features are located, resulting in the EL-active security features being excited to the point of emitting photons that can be visually or mechanically evaluated. 16. The testing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein both said electrodes are located opposite one another on said supports and the value/security instrument is placed in an inlet gap between said electrodes. 17. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents having EL active security features located at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substances, the testing devices comprising: Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent; A first electrode located on the value/security instrument; and A second electrode located on one of said supports resulting in an alternating electric field being produced between said two electrodes that penetrates the value/security instrument at least at the points where the EL-active security features are located, thus resulting in the EL-active security features being excited to the point of emitting photons that can be visually or mechanically evaluated. 18. The testing device as claimed in one of claims 10, 11, 15, 16 or 17, wherein at one of said support plates a fluorescent layer is located that produces secondary radiation in the visible range from primary radiation (visible or invisible) emitted from one of the EL-active security features.

Full Text

The present invention relates to security documents with graphic security features, preferably produced by gravure printing, which can be made to light up-in the form of dots, lines and/or £i"eas, wherein 'wavelengths in the: nor.!-visible UV-range up to the range visible by the human eye of typically 360 to 780 rim, but also in the infrared range, tire aimed at and realised.
In the BE 43 10 082 Al electroluminescence foils are proposed, which are made from inorganic, electroluminescent pigment(s) and Thermoplastic plast.c by maim of extrusion or co-extrusion. In principle, the extrusion or co-extrusion of such a system on security papers would be conceivable, but the graphic design possibilities: appear to be limited by the process logistics and it would seem that the entire manufacturing process for producing a security document and the authenticity checking arrangements required for same become very complicated.
In fee DE 43 15 244 Al a process; for the manufacture of an electroluminescent film is described by use of the sputter technique. Also this process could, in principle, be envisaged for the manufacture of
security documents, but such a manufacturing process entails an extremely
high expenditure in respect of the vacuum chambers required for this
technique and, furthermore, it is very difficult to integrate it into a possible
manufacturing operation and it moreover 3 .;-'res film layers which would
have to be prov-.f ! with ar^M •.( spe?' " .;;s so as to meet the high
mechanical stresses on security documents.
The DE 41 26 051 Al in turn proposes a security document with embedded areal security element (security thread) which consists of several, layers and has electroluminescent properties, A disadvantage of this arrangement is that it has a relatively high surface structure as the electrodes required to excite the EL-substa,D.ces are arranged on top of one another.
The objective of the invention Is, therefore, proceeding from the DE 41 26 051 Al, to farther develop a value and security product in such a way that the EL-active security features produce a substantially thinner layer on the surface of the iiecurity document,.
This objective is achieved by the technical teachings of claim 1, which provide that rlie EL-active security elements are applied directly onto the surface of the substrate during the printing operation.
Several different possibilities can be used for tins, which are all claimed as inventive. In addition to applying the EL-substances by steel gravure printing, also other printing processes that use the teachings described here are claimed as inventive, i.e. especially the waterless offset printing, wet offset printing., screen printing, non-impact printing techniques and modern digital printing processes.
The same objective is, moreover, also achieved by the technical teachings of the independent claim 7, which instead of a layering on top of one another of the: electrodes - as known from the, state of the art - provides for the areal arranging next to one another of such electrodes at least partly on
the value and security product and/or on the testing device.
The advantage of the invention is, therefore, that it is possible to dispense with the provision of a multi-layer, areal EL-system wherein the layers are arranged on top of one {mother,
Wir.h the stale of the art there exists the risk that the known laminate structure, which also with regard to continuous stress has to meet extremely high demands, does not have the required wear resistance. Another disadvantage: a security thread does not form an integral part of a value and security product and can be removed. This .arrangement requires contacts applied on the value and security product, whereas with the invention some of ihe exemplified embodiments do not require a contact on the value and security product,
In contrast: 10 the conventional electroluminescence (in the following referred to as EL) systems which are provided between flat electrodes, with one embodiment variant of the present invention this after all relatively thick structure is dispensed with in that the electrical field is made lateral, i.e. areal.
For an EL,-plate capacitor structure (with which now according to the invention the capacitor "plates" arc made to lie next to one another in substantially the same plane and the field required for the excitation is produced in the field gap between mem), a transparent, electrically conductive layer is required, which is obtained by means of so-called ITO-pastes (Indium Tin-Oxide). The same is also achieved, furthermore, by pre-coated transparent foils or glasses.

Typically biaxially orientated and thermally stabilised polyester foils are used, coated with electrically conductive tin oxide, indium-tin-oxide (1TG) by the vacuum evaporation or sputtering technique, or generally transparent., electrically conductive metallised surfaces with surface resistance values in the range of a few ohm/square for glass substrates and typically 20 ohro/square up to 300 ohm/square and above.
High-quality EL-systems require a uniform luminance and maximum light efficiency. Glass substrates, because of the high thermal loading capacity during coating processes, generally offer a higher quality solution with greater light transmittance in the visible wavelength range together with a better surface conductivity. This main advantage of the ITO-pastes printing technique - used according to the invention - lies, however, in the relatively simple application and the practically unlimited graphic design possibilities, which may he advantageous in particular for more complex systems with regard to the electrical connections.
As such ITQ-screen printing pastes hardly permit surface resistance values under 300 to 400 ohm/square, with the invention so-called bus-bars, i.e. edges with a good electrical conductivity, are used. As a result thereof uniform electrical fields are obtained and accordingly a uniform luminance.. Furthermore, with this technique the connection of the ITO-electrode can be arranged in a functionally favourable manner and finally ihe ITO-electrode layer thickness can be reduced to a minimum in favour of a greater transparency. According to the invention bus-bars in the printing technique are printed by means of silver, carbon, copper etc. pastes, or a combination of these elements and with these surface resistance values in the range of a few 10 milli-ohm/square lire obtained.
Therefore, according to the invention in different forms, which, however, among one another claim, protection individually or in combination with on.e another, the following embodiments are described:
1. a lateral electrode arrangement on the value and security document,
2. an electrode arrangement in lateral or opposite arrangement outsid.e
the security document, i.e. in a reading device,
3. a lateral electrode arrangement on a transparent cover substrate in the
reading device,
4. an electrically conductive coating of the rear of the security document
(prior to the graphic design processes) and provision of EL-security
elements on the front and provision of a transparent cover substrate
with electrically conductive coating on the side facing the security
element.
5. excitation by an alternating electromagnetic field,
6. excitation by a system based on the photoluminescenee excitation by
suitable light sources, in particular in the UV-wavelengtJi range, and
the use of suitable luminescent substances based on silicates,
phosphates, tungstates, germanates, borates etc, activated mainly with
Mn, but especially on a Zn2SiO4:Mn basis and the excitation by the
253,65 nm line of a Hg low pressure discharge lamp (visible light
eliminated by means of short-pass iilters) and the excited emission of
light in the visible green-range,
7. excitation of the EL-system by an extremely narrow-band light source
in the form of a frequency-tripled or quadrupled Nd:YAG laser with
the wavelengths 266 urn and 213 mn, furthermore a solid body laser
with corresponding frequency-doubling or quadrupling to 236 nm as
well as an excimer laser with light in the UV-B (320 to 260 nm as per
USA-FDA) or UV-C (260 to 200 mn) wavelength range used for the
excitation of special luminous substances adapted to the wavelength in question, wherein in addition luminous substances or so-called phuyplitti powders are mixed hi, similar ki Lhusc used hi fluorescent tubes, so that with these radiation in the visible wavelength range is produced and can be perceived by the human eye without farther aids.
8. In an alternative embodiment, instead the excitation by IR-radiation with suitable wavelength for materials with specific IR-absorption and emission in the visible range is provided.
Also OVl-pigments (optically variable pigments) or liquid crystals can be used in addition to the EL-pigments or can be mixed into them.
In a preferred embodiment the value stud .security product has security elements based on so-called micro-encapsulated inorganic compounds of the groups II and VI of the periodic system (e.g. 2^nS, CdS), which are doped or activated with metals such as Cu, ME, Ag and are suitable for printing designs by means of gravure printing. It is also possible to produce electroluminescent security elements on die basis of organic polymers.
The electrodes are made lateral (i.e. lying areally next to one another) by means of conductive gravure printing inks, wherein in the resultant, also roughly areally arranged field, gap between the electrodes an alternating electromagnetic field is produced, the field lines of which pass at least partly through the print image produced by the EL-substaiices and accordingly cause the electroluminescent security elements to light up, so thai these can be used for the authenticity test carried out visually and by machine.
In a preferred embodiment an electrically conductive gravure printing ink is used based on carbon and/ctr silver or on a mixture of the two or on silvered and/or gilded metallic; pigments; or mica pigments in association with suitable binders based on polyurethanes and/or aliphatic polyesters and corresponding diluting agents, wherein in particular the two electrode con elections arc made in a non-oxidising surface form.
As dielectric and insulation layer, preferably an aqueous polyurethane layer is applied on the unprepared surface of the security document - preferably a banknote - prior to the actual graphic designing, and subsequent to this the phosphor pas,te is printed so as to obtain a good and elastic adhesive bond with excellent; surface resistance.
In this case the luminescent security feature preferably consists of a graphic design of individual dots and lines,
In addition, above / underneath / next to the luminescent elements., suitable graphically fashioned, transparent inks may be provided, so as 1:0 obtain different colour/light effects.
A process for producing the security document comprises the following
process steps:
Graphic design of the substrates, in particular special security papers in the range of approximately 80 to 200 gr/m2 weight per unit area, by graphic printing processes, in particular gravure printing, aqueous offset printing, wet offset printing, screen printing, :non-impact printing and by means of other modern, digital printing processes, Optionally printing of an adhesion promoter In the form of an aqueous

polyuretbane dispersion tor optimum bonding and embedding of the subsequent print layers,
Printing of the lateral electrodes by means of conductive pastes and, depending on the system,, repeating this operation several tines so as to obtain a surface resistance which resistance for the selected geometry of the security element displays an adequate power supply or a sufficiently low surface resistance,
Printing of an insulation ink, in particular one with a high elasticity, a good bonding to the substrate, to the conductive coating and to the subsequent phosphor ink:, as well as with an as high as possible dielectric constant, for which, in particular, aqueous polyurethane-dispersion systems and/or systems filled with barium titanate (BaTiQ3)
are used, so aa to increase the dielectric constant,
Printing of the phosphor paste or phosphor pastes that light up in
different colours - optionally adding so-called spacers which serve to
avoid damage to the micro-encapsulated luminescent pigments by too
high a pressure during the printing operation,
PriatiEg of optionally translucent inks for additional graphic and
security design features,
Printing of optionally passivating, electrically conductive inks on the
electrical connection points in the form of special conducting inks or
pastes , especially on the basis of carbon and gold,
Printing of an elastic, transparent, abrasion-resistant and properly
adhesive protective layer, in particular based on aqueous polyurethane
dispersions,
Hardening of the aforementioned prints following each printing
Optionally, as the last step, for stabilisation purposes. and to improve
the quality of the security document, a kind of thermo-pressing may take place at temperatures up to 200°C and pressures up to 50 kp/cmz.
The invention, in a preferred embodiment according to the above description, accordingly consists, among others, in that for the first time, by means of electrically conductive gravure priming inks or paste;;, laterally arranged electrodes can be arranged in such a way that because: of the: extremely high resolution or fineness of the print image obtained by means of the gravure printing technique, geometries become possible which permit high electric field strengths and accordingly the electroluminescence excitation of typical zinc sulphide phosphor layers.
In this sense, the gravure printing technique jproposed according to the invention, because of the extremely high resolution and the nevertheless several micro-metres thick layer thickness, represents a very favourable. solution for the. present invention. However, the making of the various; gravure inks or pastes requires special adaptation to considerably smaller pigment diameters compared to screen pria.ti.ng inks.
Essential for the invention is the use of micro-encapsulated elements with EL-phosphor pastes in the gravure printing process, and for dm capsule
diameters of a few micro-metres (e.g. in the range of 0,2 to 40 micrometres) are used.
In a further development of the embodiment, novel substances are used, i.e. luminescent substances based on silicates, phosphates, tungstates, german-ares, borates etc, activated mainly with Mn, but especially also based on Zn2SiO4:Mn (> typical substances for fluorescent tubes). Such substances
are excited by lie 253,65 ran line of a Hg low pressure discharge lamp' (visible light eliminated by means of short-pass filters) and the emission of light takes place in the visible green-range, Also laser light sonnies sire used. for the photaluminescence excitation, which excite a UV-ligiit emission which then by means of the usual luminescent substances are made to emit visible light.
In addition ro excimer lasers with their known UV-emission lines, especially
diode lasers aad Nd:YAG lasers with suitable frequency multipliers are available as possible, other light sources according to the invention. Alternatively, suitable discharge lamps with band pass filters are used.
In addition certain EL-substances can be covered by UV-filter layers in the: form of printing inks, e.g. pigments filled with TiO2, in such a way that no excitation of the EL-substances by UV-light takes place, but exclusively by excliatioa in the electromagnetic field. This is. iccuiiuiieiidcd above: all for the testing by machine of the security document with the testing, device according to the invention, with which - in a preferred embodiment -- visible light is no longer used for the testing.
The subject of the present invention is represented not only by the subject: of the individual patent claims, but also by the combination of this individual patent claims among one another.
All details and characteristics disclosed in the documents, including the. abstract, in particular the spatial lay-out illustrated in the drawings, are: claimed as forming the essence of the invention in so far as, individually or combined, they are new compared to the state of the art.
In rite following the invention will be described in greater detail with, reference to drawings illustrating several embodiments. From the drawings and -heir description further features forming the essence of the invention, and advantages of the invention will be noted,
Figure 1: shows a section through a banknote according to the invention with ,an EL-subsitance,
Figure 2: shows an enlarged section through the banknote of Figure 1 in a first embodiment,
Figure 3: shows a second embodimer,it, Figure 4: shows a third embodiment, Figure 5; shows a fourth embodiment,
Figure 6: is a top view onto a value and security product with security
features.
Figure 8: shows a section through a value and security product according to the invention in another embodiment,-
'Figures 9 to 11: show further embodiments of security documents,
Figure 12: shows a section through a value aud security product with lateral electrodes provided on the surface,
Figure 13. is. a top view onto the auaugemeat of Figure 12,
Figure 14; shows another embodiment of a security document with an. area! electrode,
Figure 15: shows the arrangement of a security document in a testing device in a first embodiment,
Figure 16: shows the arrangement of a security document in a testing device hi a second embodiment,
Figure 17: is the enlarged view of lateral electrodes,
Figure- 10; shows another cmbodiiucul of (lie aniuigciiicuL uf a wecurhy
document in a testing device modified compared to Figure 16,
Figure 19: shows another exemplified embodiment of the arrangement of a scuuily tiut..uuiciit in a. lesikig device,
Figure 20, 21. show further embodiments of the layout of the security docurnent in conjunction with different embodiments of the testing device,
Figure 22: shows the constructional design of a testing device in section, Figure 23: shows a top view onto the arrangement of Figure 22,
Figure 24: is the top view onto aa electrode arrangement for use in the testing device,
Figures 25, 26: show various embodiment!, of the arrangement of electrodes in the testing device,
Figures 27, 28: show various possibilities of iJie construction of testing devices,
Figures 30, 31: show the top view and the enlarged top view onto an electrode arrangement in a testing device.
In the following description a value and security product 1 .is described in the form of a banknote, although the invention is not limited to this. The value and security document 1 in Figures I to 14 consists, therefore, essentially of a paper which - in the illustrated exemplified embodiment -is made of colicn fibres. Embossings are provided on the surface, so that in section these embossings are shown by various reliefs 3 and a corresponding embossing base 4, from which it can be noted that the tinted gravure printing ink used for printing the biinknote (value and security product 1) has been deposited on the reliefs 3,
According to the invention it is now provided in a first embodiment that the EL-active substances 5 are applied, on the embossing base 4 outside the tinted gravure printing ink 2. The depth of the embossing of such a value and security product 1 is approximately 1-80 micro-metres, wherein the height of the tinted gravure printing ink deposit on the paper amounts to approximately 20% of the depth of the embossing, i.e. approximately 1 to 20 micro-metres.
The distance 6 accordingly amounts to approximately 1 to 60 micro-metres.
Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of Figure 1, from which it cm be seen. that the EL-substances 5 are arranged out:;ide the gravure printing area,
Figure 3 shows in a modified exemplified embodiment that the EL-substanees 5 can also be arranged underneath the tinted gravure printing ink 2 in the area of the reliefs 3 and, therefore, are covered by the tinted gravure printing ink 2.
Figure 3 shews furthermore that the EL-subsitances project into a surface coating 7 of the security document 1 or - as shown in Figure 4, they may also be arranged on the surface coating 7 and underneath the tinted gravure
printing ink 2,
Figure 5 shows as a further exemplified embodiment that these: EL-active substances 5 are mixed as micro-capsules 8 into the tinted gravure printing ink 2 and are printed with same,
With die given exemplified embodiments according to the aforementioned drawings, security features 9, 10 according to the Figures 6 and 7 can be produced. In Figure 6 such EL-substances are fashioned as a ring of stars of a Europe symbol, whereas in Figure 7 these EL-active substances are fashioned as a figure inside the ring of stars.
It goes without saying that any shapes and any arrangements of the substances are possible on the value and security product, either in an obvicus or also in a concealed form.
Figures 8 and 9 show furthermore that the EL-substances are: mixed in
pigmem fyun into the tinted gn.v\ire printing ink 2 and a bonding agent 11 is used here,
In addition, according to Figure 9, also fluorescent inks 12 can be mixed in, so that with, the fluorescent inks 12 used here, the light emission of the EL-subsinnces w:ll cause a characteristic lighting up of the security features 9.
Figures 10 and 11 show that in addition to. using fluorescent inks, also translucent printing inks 13, 14 can be used, in which case different: colour inks, e.g. green and red printing inks, can be printed in separate places so as to give the EL-substances that light up in one single colour, a different, visually visible colour,
In addition, according to Figure 11 the sale! inks may also be covered with a translucent printing ink adding a UV-filter, or the translucent inks 13, 14 may also be applied underneath the EL-layer.
All exemplified embodiments described in the foregoing refer to the specific embodiment according to the invention, wherein the value and security product is used without electrodes tor the electromagnetic excitation, of the EL-siibEtanceti and wherein the excitation of these EL-subsuuices .5 takes place by an external alternating electromagnetic field produced in a testing device.
In che following exemplified embodiments another specific embodiment will now be described with which the electrodes required to produce the alternating electromagnetic field are provided either completely on the value and security product or at least one electrode is arranged on the value and

secunty product whereas tb.e cither electrode is provided in the testhig apparatus.
Figures 12 .and 13 show that an electrode arrangement 19, consisting; of two electrodes 24, 25, is provided on the surface of the security document 1, wherein the two: electrodes 24, 25 are arranged, as areal elements next to one another (lateiai) and between them form a zigzag shaped, insulating field gap 26, in the area of which the said alternating electromagnetic field required for exciting the EL-substances 5, is produced
In the illustrated exemplified embodiment the wo electrodes 24, 25 are covered at least partly by an insulating printing ink 17, and tiae two electrodes 24, 15 are produced by conductive printing inks 16. on which suitable contacts 18 are provided, an. alternating voltage being applied to the contacts 18. This; is shown in Figure 13, where it can be seen that the said alternating voltage is applied at the connections 20.
The EL-aclive substance 5 is embedded in the tinted gravure printing ink 2 and is positioned at least partly above the field gap 26, so that the field lines produced In the field gap 26 pas;; through the security feature arranged on the field gap 26 and cause same to light up.
Figure 14 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment according to Figures 12 and 13, that "m another embodiment it suffices to provide on lie underside of the security document 1 a roughly areal electrode 32 hi the form of a conductive printing ink 16 and to also provide same with a contact, in which case the value and security product 1 in accordance with the exemplified embodiments of Figures 1 to 11 is then provided with an
EL-print image 29. The counter-electrode (not illustrated) is arranged here on a carrier of a testkig device, which will still be described in greater detail with reference to the other drawing;;.
The alternating field 36 produced between the two electrodes then passes through the EL-active substances and'causes sfirrie to light up. As a typical example it caa be mentioned here that the height of the tinted gravure printing ink above the base of the security document 1 (height 21) typically amounts to 10 to 20 micro-metres, whereas the thickness 22 of the security document 1 typically is 100 micro-metres at a weight per unit area of 90 g per square metre., and the thickness 23 of the bottom areal elecuode 32 is approximately 3 to 10 micro-metres.
With reference to Figures 15 to 31 various embodiments of testing devices will be described and at the same time also still other shapes of security documents with different arrangements of EL-active substances will be
indicated.
In Figure 13 can be seen thai a testing device consists essentially of two carriers 28, 30 arranged at a distance from one smother, wherein preferably the top carrier 25 facing the observer is made transparent and, for example, is made of glass or plastic with a transparent, electrically conductive coating provided on the inside, which fonns the one electrode 33. Applied to this electrode is the one contact 34, which with its one pole is connected.to the connection 31,
live opposite electrode 32 is applied, for example, as aluminium-eSloxal onto tile inside surface of the bottom carrier 30 arid is also connected to the other
pole of the connection 33 by wa.y of the contact 34.
Between the two electrodes 32, 33, an alternating electromagnetic field 36 is, therefore, produced which passes through the value and security jproduct 1 introduced between the carriers 28, 39, so that this alternating field also passes through the EL-active substances and accordingly causes Hie created EL-print image 29 to light up.
Figure 16 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment of Figure 15, tiiat an electrode arrangement 35 may also be provided on only one carrier 28, In which case an electrode arrangement is used as shown, for example, by the electrode arrangement 19 in Figure 13 or - in Jinother embodiment - as shown by the electrode arrangement according to Figure 17,
The top carrier IS again consists of a transparent glass or plastic, and in this case a planar electrode arrangement 33 is used which is illustrated in more detail in Figure 17. This electrode ammgement is formed by electrode fingers 39, 40 that engage into one another in the manner of fingers, wherein the electrode fingers 39, 40 between them form the field gap 26 and are insulated from one another. The overall arrangement is provided on an insulation. layer 41 of, for example, Si-oxide, the electrode lingers 40 being conductivity connected to one anoiiher by a base conductor 38, whereas the electrode fingers 39 are conductively connected by a. base conductor 38a (see Figure 24). The base conductors 38, 38a preferably consist of a layer of gold, whereas the electrode fingers 39, 40 consist of the ITO-paste described in the foregoing or of a transparent layer of gold.
Figure 18 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment according to Figure 16, 'that in addition on the inside of the top carder 28 a fluorescence layer 42 may be provided, v^hich is made to light up by the emission given off by the BL~pri;at image, Claimed as inventive here is that the lighting up of the fluorescent layer 42 takes place either in the visible range or also in the invisible range.
An exemplified embodiment modified compared to Figure 16 is shown in Figure 19, where it can be seen that the previously described electrode arrangement 35 is provided in this case on a bottom carrier 28, and the alternating fields produced by the electrode arrangements pass through the value and security document 1 from below, so that it can easily be observed from rhe top through the transparent carrier 30 without it being necessary here to arrange an electrode arrangement hi the line of sight.
Figures 16, 18 and 19 show that the alternating field 37 produced by the electrode arrangement 35 in each instance passes through the security document 1 •• at least in the area of the EL-print format 29.
In Figure 20 it iss showa that the emission 43 given off by the EL-print image 29 impacts as primary emission on the fluorescent layer 42, which in turn produces a secondary emission 44 which can either be detected in the visible range by an observer 27 or • in the non-visible range -- can be evaluated by a testing device.
Figure 21 shows, using the exemplified embodiment of Figure 14, that the value and security document may also be provided on one side - e.g. the underside - with an electrode 32 \s'hich is contacted by a cuutact 34., The
other contact if; arranged as area! contact on the inside of the top, transparent carrier 28, in which case the said electrode arrangement is covered by an insulation layer, so that the Mi-area ITO or gold coating forming the electrode is covered if at all possible over the entire area by the insulation layer 41. The other contact 34 is in conductive contact with this layer Figures 22 to 31 illustrate various, more: concrete embodiments of a testing device far detecting the emission of the EL-print format 29.
The tasting device according to Figures 22 to 24 again consists essentially of the two opposite carriers 28, 30, between which an alternating electromagnetic field is produced, wherein on the one side of these carriers 28, 30 a housing 49 is provided which at the top carries a switch 50 and which accommodates suitable batteries 46 for the power supply £ind an electronic conductor plate 47, on which the electronics 48 are provided. By pressing the switch 50, the alternating electromagnetic field is produced, which passes at least partly through the EL-print image 39 which forms the security feature 9, 10, and causes; same to light up.
Figure 24 now shows that the electrode arrangement 35 described in the foregoing may be arranged either on the inside of the bottom carrier 30 or
on the inside of the top carrier 28.
Figurs-? 5*5 and 26 show that the electrode fxngcis 39, 40 are arranged at a mutual distance from one another and between them form parallel field' gaps 26, The overall arrangement is then connected by way of its own conductive contact surfaces 52 to the contacts 34, In addition, a luminescent layer 51 may sltll be provided on the inside of the aimer 28. The function of this lumineHcent layer has already been, explained with reference to Figure 20.
In contrast to the aforementioned electrodes that engage into one another in the manner of fingers, Figures 27 and 28 show electrodes 53, 54 which are also arranged opposite one another and are contacted by way of corresponding connections 31.
In addition - according to Figure 28 - an illumination source 55 of any kind (see the general description low pressure: discharge lamp, laser arrangement etc.) may still be used to achieve an additional excitation of the EL-print image. Here, in all cases the to be tested value and security product 1 is introduced into the testing device through the feed gap 56,
Figures 30 and 31 show how the electrode arrangement 35 is integrated here ia the resting dev;lce. Here it can be seen that the contacts 34 make contact at the contact surfaces 52 and axe introduced directly into the electronics, to which a power supply 57 can be connected. In a preferred embodiment the electrode arrangement 35 comprises electrode fingers 39, 40 provided at a mutual distance and insulated from one another, wherein conductor strip widdis 58 of typically 100 micro-metres are preferred, at a conductor strip distance 50 of preferably 50 micro-metres.
For insulation purposes an oxide layer is provided over the entire arrangement by means of the vacuum evaporation, technique.

We Claim:
1. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substance, characterized in that the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28,30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports (28, 30) being transparent, and in that an electrode arrangement (35) capable of generating an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, is provided on at least one of the supports (28, 30) and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recongnizable.
2. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein both electrodes are located on one side of a fixed support (28 or 30), in the form of a common electrode arrangement (35).
3. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 1 to 2, wherein the electrode arrangement (35) has a substantially planar configuration, with electrodes (39, 40) which are arranged side by side on approximately the same plane and form between them a field gap (26), wherein the electroluminescent security features are pervaded by the flux lines of the electrical alternating filed that are generated in the field gap (26).
4. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrode arrangement (35) consists of electrode fingers (39, 40) interdigitating with each other in comb-like fashion, which electrode fingers (39, 40) form between them a serpentine field gap (26).
5. Test apparatus as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrode arrangement is deposited on an insulation layer (41).
6. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substances, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28, 30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports being transparent, and in that electrodes (32, 33: 53, 54) generating between them, in the manner of parallel-plate capacitors, an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, are arranged on both supports (28, 30) and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recognizable.
7. Test apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two electrodes (32, 33) are arranged opposite each other on the supports (28, 30), and in that the value-attesting and security product (1) is insertable into a gap (56) between the electrodes (32, 33).
8. Test apparatus for visually and/or mechanically testing the genuineness of value-attesting or security documents which have security features provided with electroluminescent substances, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the test apparatus has two parallel supports (28, 30) between which the document to be tested is insertable, at least one of the supports being transparent, and in that a first electrode (16, 32) and a second electrode (45) generating between them an electrical alternating field which pervades the value-attesting and security product (1) at least in the places where the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are disposed, are respectively arranged on the value-attesting and security product (1) and on one of the supports (28), and the electroluminescent security features (9, 10, 29) are thereby excited so that they emit photons which are visually or mechanically recongnizable.
9. Test apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a fluorescent coating (42) which produces a secondary radiation in the visible range from a visible or invisible primary radiation emitted by the electroluminescent security features (29) is arranged on one of the support plates (28 or 30).
10. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents that have EL-active security features at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substances, the testing device comprising:
Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent;
an electrode arrangement on at least one of said supports, said electrode arrangement being capable of producing an alternating electric field that penetrates the value/security instrument at least at those points where the EL-active security features are located, thus exciting the EL-active security features so that they emit photons that can be evaluated either visually or by machine.
11. The testing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein both electrodes are located on one side of one of said stationary supports in the form of a common electrode arrangement.
12. The testing device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said electrode arrangement is essentially planar with electrodes located in approximately the same plane and lying adjacent to one another that form a field gap between each other, wherein the EL-active
security features are penetrated by the field lines of the alternating electric field produced in the filed gap.
13. The testing device as claims in claim 12, wherein said electrode arrangement consisting of electrode fingers that mesh with one another, said electrode fingers forming a meandering field gap between each other.
14. The testing device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said electrode arrangement is applied onto an isolation layer.
15. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents having EL active security features at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substance, the testing device comprising:
Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent;
Electrodes located at both said supports and producing an alternating electric field between each other similar to a place condenser, said electric field penetrating the value/security instrument at least at the points where the EL-active security features are located, resulting in the EL-active security features being excited to the point of emitting photons that can be visually or mechanically evaluated.
16. The testing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein both said electrodes are located opposite one another on said supports and the value/security instrument is placed in an inlet gap between said electrodes.
17. A testing device to visually and/or machine test the authenticity of value/security documents having EL active security features located at certain points thereon, said features containing electroluminescent substances, the testing devices comprising:
Two supports on the testing device parallel to one another between which the document to be tested is placed, at least one of said supports being transparent;
A first electrode located on the value/security instrument; and
A second electrode located on one of said supports resulting in an alternating electric field being produced between said two electrodes that penetrates the value/security instrument at least at the points where the EL-active security features are located, thus resulting in the EL-active security features being excited to the point of emitting photons that can be visually or mechanically evaluated.

18. The testing device as claimed in one of claims 10, 11, 15, 16 or 17, wherein at one of said support plates a fluorescent layer is located that produces secondary radiation in the visible range from primary radiation (visible or invisible) emitted from one of the EL-active security features.

Documents:

2703-del-2005-abstract.pdf

2703-del-2005-Claims-(06-04-2010).pdf

2703-del-2005-claims.pdf

2703-del-2005-Correspondence-Others-(06-04-2010).pdf

2703-del-2005-correspondence-others.pdf

2703-del-2005-description (complete).pdf

2703-del-2005-drawings.pdf

2703-del-2005-form-1.pdf

2703-del-2005-form-18.pdf

2703-del-2005-form-2.pdf

2703-DEL-2005-Form-3-(06-04-2010).pdf

2703-del-2005-form-3.pdf

2703-del-2005-form-5.pdf

2703-del-2005-GPA-(06-04-2010).pdf

2703-del-2005-gpa.pdf

2703-del-2005-Petition 137-(06-04-2010).pdf

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Patent Number

258621

Indian Patent Application Number

2703/DEL/2005

PG Journal Number

05/2014

Publication Date

31-Jan-2014

Grant Date

24-Jan-2014

Date of Filing

10-Oct-2005

Name of Patentee

BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH

Applicant Address

ORANIENSTRASSE 91, D-10958 BERLIN, GERMANY.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	BENEDIKT AHLERS	SCHLESISCHE STRASSE 29, D-10997 BERLIN, GERMANY.
2	ARNIM FRANZ-BURGHOLZ	HASENHEIDE 73, D-10997 BERLIN, GERMANY.
3	ROLAND GUTMANN	STRASSE 621/18, D-12349 BERLIN, GERMANY.
4	WOLGANG SCHMIDT	FALSTAFFWEG 7, D-13593 BERLIN, GERMANY.
5	FRANK KAPPE	GLOCKENTURMSTRASSE 36, D-14055 BERLIN, GERMANY.

PCT International Classification Number

G07D 7/12

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	197 08 543.1	1997-03-04	Germany