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 Value-attesting or security instrument, such as a banknote, Identity card or the like with embedded security element, which contains substances that possess electroluminescent properties and emit an electromagnetic radiation upon excitation in an electrical alternating field, wherein a substantially planar electrode, arrangement (19) with electrodes (24,25) juxtaposed in approximately the same plane and timing between them a field gap (26) Is present on the value-attesting or security instrument (1), the electroluminescent substances (5) being pervadable by the field lines of the electrical alternating field that can be generated in the field gap (26)
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 areas, wherein wavelengths in the non- visible UV-range up to the range visible by the human eye of typically 360 to 780 nrn, but also in the infrared range, are aimed at and realised.
In the DE 43 10 082 A1 electroluminescence foils are proposed, which are made frome inorganic, electroluminescent pigment(s) and thermoplastic plasto by means 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 desing 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 the DE 43 15 244 A1 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 produces film layers which would have to be provided with additional special coatings 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-substances are arranged on top of one another.
The objective of the invention is, therefore, proceeding from the DE 41 26 051 Al, to further 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 security document..
This objective is achieved by the technical teachings of claim 1, which provide that the EL-active security elements are applied directly onto the surface of the substrate during the printing operation.
Several different possibilities can be used for this, 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 modem 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 another,
With the state 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 the exemplified embodiments do not require a contact on the value and security product.
In contrast to 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 me invention the capacitor "plates" arc made to Iic next to one another in substantially the same plane and me fieid required for the excitation is produced in the field gap between them), a transparent, electrically conductive layer is required, which is obtained by means of so-called ITO-pastes (Indium-Tin-Oxidc). The same is also achieved, furthermore, by pie-coated transparent foils or glasses.
Typically biaxially orientated and thermally stabilised polyester foils are used, coated with electrically conductive tin oxide, indium-tin-oxide (ITO) 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 ohm/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 transmirtance in the visible wavelength range together with a better surface conductivity. The main advantage of the ITO-pastes printing. teclinique - used according to the invention - lies, however, in the relatively simple application and the practically unlimited graphic design possibilities, which may be advantageous in particular for more complex systems with regard to the electrical connections.
As such ITO-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 the 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 are obtained.
Therefore, according to the invention in different forms, which, however, among one another claim protection individually or in combination with one 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 outside 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 lie photoluminescence excitation by
suitable light sources, in particular in the UV-wavelength 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 filters) 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 nm and 213 nm, furthermore a solid body laser
with corresponding frequency-doubling or quadrupling to 236 mn 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 phospor powders arc mixed in, similar to those used in fluorescent tubes, so that with these radiation in the visible wavelength range is produced and can be perceived by the human eye without further 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 OVI-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 and 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. ZnS, CdS), which are doped or activated with metals such as Cu, Mn, Ag and are suitable for printing designs by means of gravure printing. It is also possible to produce electroluminescent security elements on the basis of organic polymers.
The electrodes are made lateral (i.e. lying areaily 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, me field lines of which pass at least partly through the print image produced by the EL-substances and accordingly cause the electroluminescent security elements to light up, so that 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 an carbon and/or 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 connections are 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 paste 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 to 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
polyurethane dispersion for optimum ponding 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 fines 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-dispersiou systems and/or systems filled with barium titanate (BaTiO3)
are used so as 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, Printings of potionally 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
operation
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 2000C and pressures up to 50 kp/cm2.
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 printing inks or pastes, 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 proposed 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 printing inks.
Essential for the invention is the use of micro-encapsulated elements with EL-phosphor pastes in the gravure printing process, and for this 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-ates, borates etc, activated mainly with Mn, but especially also based an Zn2SiO4:Mn (= typical substances for fluorescent tubes). Such substances
are excited by the 253,65 nm line of a Hg low pressure discharge lamp (visi :le light eliminated by means of short-pass filters) and the emission of light takes place in the visible green-range Also laser light sources are used for the photoluminescence excitation, which excite a UV-light emission. which then by means of the usual luminescent substances are made to emit visible light.
In addition to excimer lasers with their known UV-emission lines, especially diode lasers and 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 excitation in the electromagnetic field. This is recommneded above all for the lesting 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 the individual patent claims among one another.
All details and characteristics disclosed in me documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial lay-out illustrated in the drawings, are claimed as forming the essence of the invention is so far as, individually or combined, they are new compared to the state of the art
The present invention relates to value-attesting or security
instrument, such as a banknote, Identity card or the like with
embedded security element, which contains substances that
possess electroluminescent properties and emit an
electromagnetic radiation upon excitation in an electrical alternating field, wherein a substantially planar electrode, arrangement (19) with electrodes (24,25) juxtaposed in approximately the same plane and timing between them a field gap (26) Is present on the value-attesting or security instrument (1), the electroluminescent substances (5) being pervadable by the field lines of the electrical alternating field that can be generated in the field gap (26)
The present invention also relates to Process for the production of a security document which is printed with several Intaglio printing inks (2) by the steel engraving technique, the said process comprising the following steps:
1.graphic printing at substrates, In particular of
special security papers with a substance of up to 200g/m2, by means of intaglio printing techniques, screen printing techniques and other printing processes,
2. printing a planar electrode, arrangement (19) with electrodes (24,25) juxtaposed in approximately the same and plane and forming between them a field gap (26), by means of conductive pastes.
3. at least partially overprinting the electrodes with an electrically insulating barrier Ink,
4. at least partially overprinting the electrodes with an electroluminescent substance,
5. printing passivating, electrically conductive inks in the form of conductive, in particular carbon- or gold-based, inks and / or pastes on to the electrical connecting points.
6. printing en elastic, transparent, abrasion-resistant
protective coating, based In particular on aqueous poly-
urethane dispersions,
In the following the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to drawings illustrating several embodiments. From the drawings and their 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-substance,
Figure 2: shows an enlarged section through the banknote of Figure 1 in a first embodiment.
Figure 3: shows a second embodiment,
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 and security product with lateral electrodes provided on the surface,
Figure 13: is a top view onto the arrengement of Figure 12,
Figure 14: shows another embodiment of a security document with an areal 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 in a second embodiment.
Figure 17 is the enlarged view of lateral electrodes,
Figure 10; shows another embodiment of the arrangement of a security
document in a testing device modified compared to Figure 16,
Figure 19: shows another exemplified embodiment of the arrangement of a security docoment in a testing device,
Figure 20, 21: show further embodiments of the layout of the security document 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 an electrode arrangement for use in the testing device
Figures 25, 26: show various embodiments of the arrangement of electrodes
in the testing device,
Figures 27, 28: show various possibilities of the 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 is the form of a banknote, although the invention is not limited to this. The value and security document 1 in Figures 1 to 14 consists, therefore, essentially of a paper which - in the illustrated exemplified embodiment -is made of cottcn fibres. Embossings are provided on the surface, so that in section thes; embossings are shown by various reliefs 3 and a corresponding embossing base 4, from which it can be noted mat me tinted gravure printing ink used for printing the banknote (value and security product 1) has been deposited on me 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 can be seen that the EL-substances 5 are arranged outside tie gravure printing area.
Figure 3 shows in a modified exemplified embodiment that the EL-subslances 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 shows furthermore that the EL-substances 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 3 into the tinted gravure printing ink 2 and are printed with same.
With the 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 EL-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
pigment form into the tinted gravure 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-substances will 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, car 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 said 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 for the electromagnetic excitation of the
EL-substances and wherein the excitation of these EL-substances 3 takes place by an external alternating electromagnetic field produced in a testing device.
In the 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
security product whereas the other electrode is provided in the testing
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 twe electrodes 24, 25 art arranged as areal elements next to one another (lateral) 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 two electrodes 24, 25 are covered at least partly by an insulating printing ink 17, and the two electiodes 24, 2.5 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-active 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 pass 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 in another embodiment it suffices to provide on the underside of the security document 1 a roughly area] electrode 32 in 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 than provided with an
EL-print image 29. The counter-electrode (not illustrated) is arranged here on a carrier of a testing devia:, which will still be described in greater detail with reference to the other drawings.
The alternating field 36 produced between the two electrodes then passes through the EL-active substances and causes same to light up. As a typical example it can 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 electrode 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 15 can be seen that a testing device consists essentially of two carriers 28, 30 arranged at a distance from one another, wherein preferably the top carrier 28 facing the observer is made transparent and, for example, is mace of glass or plastic with a transparent, electrically conductive coating provided on the inside, which forms the one electrode 33. Applied to this electrode is the one contact 34, which with its one pole is connected to the connection 31.
The opposite electrode 32 is applied, for example, as ahimlnjum-eloxal onto the inside surface of the bottom carrier 30 and is also connected to the other
pole of the connection 33 by way of the contact 34.
Between the two electrodes 32, 33, an alternating electromagnetic neld 36 is, therefore, produced which passes through the value and security product 1 introduced between the carriers 28, 39, so that this alternating field also passes through the EL-active substances and accordingly causes the created EL-print image 29 to light up.
Figure 16 shows, in deviation from the exemplified embodiment of Figure 15, that an electrode arrangement 35 may also be provided on only one carrier 28, in which case an electrode arrangement is used as shown, for exannle, by the electrode arrangement 19 in Figure 13 or - in another embodiment - as shown by the electrode arrangement according to Figure 17.
The top carrier 28 again consists of a transparent glass or plastic, and in this case a planar electrode arrangement 35 is used which is illustrated in more detail in Figure 17. This electrode arrangement 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 fingers 40 being conductively connected to one another by a base conductor 36, 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 carrier 28 a fluorescence layer 42 may be provided, which is made to light up by the emission given off by the EL-print 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 limbodiment 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 the top through the transparent carrier 30 without it being necessary here to arrange an electrode arrangement in 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 is shown 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, mat the value and security document may also be provided on one side - e.g. the underside - with an electrode 32 which is contacted by a contact 34. The
other contact is arranged as areal contact on the inside of the top, transparent earner 28, in which case the said electrode arrangement is covered by an insulation layer, so that the full-area ITO or gold coving form ng 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 for detecting the emission of the EL-print format 29.
The testing 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 and 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-prinr. 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.
Figure 25 and 26 show that the electrode fingers 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 still be provided on the inside of the carrier 28. The function of this luminescent layer has already been explained with reference to Figures 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 in the resting device. Here it can be seen that the contacts 34 make contact at the contact surfaces 52 and are introduced directly into the electronics, to which a power supply 57 can be connected. In a preferred embodiment the electrode arrangement 35 comprises electrode ringers 39, 40 provided at a mutual distance and insulated from one another, wherein conductor strip widths 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.
List of reference numerals
1 Value and security product 30 Carrier
2 Tinted gravure printing ink 31 Connections
3 Relief 32 Electrode
4 Embossing base 33 Electrode
5 EL-substance 34 Contact
6 D stance 35 Electrodearrangetnent(Fig. 17)
7 Surface coating 36 Alternating field
8 Micro-capsule 37 Alternating field
9 Security feature 38 Base conductor 38a
10 Security feature 39 Electrode finger
11 Bending agen:: 40 Electrode finger
12 Fluorescent ink 41 Insulation layer
13 Translucent printink ink 42 Fluorescent layer
14 Translucent printing ink 43 Emission
15 Translucent printing ink 44 Emission with UV-filter 45 Coating
16 Conductive printing ink 46 Battery
17 Insulating printing ink 47 Conductor plate
18 Contact 48 Electronics
19 Electrode arrangement (Fig. 14) 49 Housing
20 Connection 50 Switch
21 Height 51 Luminescent layer
22 Thickness 52 Contact area
23 Thickness 53 Areal electrode
24 Electrode 54 Area! electrode
25 Electrode 55 Mumination source
26 Field gap 56 Feed gap
27 Observer 57 Power supply
28 Carrier 58 Width
29 EL-print image 59 Distance









WE CLAIM:
1. Value-attesting or security instrument, such as a banknote, Identity card or the like with embedded security element, which contains substances that possess electroluminescent properties and emit an electromagnetic radiation upon excitation in an electrical alternating field, characterized in that a planar electrode, arrangement (19) with electrodes (24,25) juxtaposed in the same plane and timing between them a field gap (26) Is present on the value-attesting or security instrument (1), the electroluminescent substances (5) being pervadable by the field lines of the electrical alternating field generated in the field gap (26)
2. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electroluminescent sub-stances (5) are disposed more or less in one plane on, or under and parallel with, the electrodes (24, 25) at least in the zone of the field gap (26).
3. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electrode arrangement consists of electrode fingers (24,25) interdigitating with each other so that a serpentine field gap (26) is formed between them.
4. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any one of claims 1-
3, wherein additional fluorescent inks (12) in the form of pigments are
combined with the mixture of printing inks (2) and fixing agents (11).
5. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any one of claims 1-
4, wherein the printed image containing the electroluminescent
substances (5) is covered over with translucent printing inks (13).
6. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein an
ultraviolet filter (15) is additionally combined with the translucent
printing inks (13) or an ultraviolet filter in the form of an encapsulation
of the pigments is provided.
7. Value-attesting or security instrument with a zone having a printed layer in which at least one electroluminescent substance is embedded into the printing ink as security feature, wherein the at least one electroluminescent substance emits an electromagnetic radiation (electroluminescent) through excitation in the electrical alternating field, wherein the thickness of the printed layer is selected so that the electroluminescent can be excited by an electrical alternating filed generated by a planar electrode arrangement with electrodes juxtaposed in the same plane and forming between them a field gap (26), and pervading the zone with electrical field lines.
8. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the thickness of the printed layer in the zone is less than or equal to 40 (am, and preferably less than or equal to 20 jrai.
9. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one binder is added to the printed layer.
10. Value- attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one luminous ink is added to the printed layer.
11. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the printed layer is produced by intaglio printing or offset printing or screen printing
12. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the electroluminescent substance is present in microencapsulated form.
13. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein an ultraviolet filter is provided in the encapsulation.
14. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the planar electrode arrangement is arranged on the value-attesting or security instrument and extends into the zone of the printed layer containing at least one electroluminescent substance, the zone of the printed layer containing at least one electroluminescent substance being arranged at least partly in the field gap and being pervaded by the electrical field lines.
15. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electrode arrangement (35) consists of electrode fingers interdigitating with each other and forming a serpentine field gap between them.
16. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein visible or invisible electromagnetic radiation is emissible from the zone of the printed layer containing at least one electroluminescent substance.
17. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the zone of the printed layer containing at least one electroluminescent substance is covered with a translucent printing ink.
18. Value-attesting or security instrument as claimed in Claim 17, wherein an ultraviolet filter is added to the translucent printing ink.
19. Process for the production of a security document which is printed with several Intaglio printing inks (2) by the steel engraving technique, the said process comprising the following steps:
a) graphic printing at substrates, In particular of special security papers with a substance of up to 200g/m2, by means of intaglio printing techniques, screen printing techniques and other printing processes,
b) printing a planar electrode, arrangement (19) with electrodes (24,25) juxtaposed in approximately the same and plane and forming between them a field gap (26), by means of conductive pastes.
c) at least partially overprinting the electrodes with an electrically insulating barrier Ink,
d) at least partially overprinting the electrodes with an electroluminescent substance,
e) printing passivating, electrically conductive inks in the form of conductive, in particular carbon- or gold- based, inks and/or pastes on to the electrical connecting points.
f) printing en elastic, transparent, abrasion-resistant protective coating, based In particular on aqueous polyurethane dispersions,
g) curing each of the said Impressions after it is printed.

20. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein a bonding agent in the form of an aqueous polyurethane dispersion is applied prior to printing, to provide optimal binding and embedment of the ensuing printed layers.
21. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the barrier Ink used for printing in the 3rd process step contains aqueous polyurethane dispersion systems and/or barium titanate (BaTi03), to increase the dielectric constant.
22. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the electroluminescent substance used for printing in the fourth process step consists of different-coloured electroluminescent pastes to which may be added if required, where the luminous pigments are encapsulated, so-called spacers which prevent the microencapsulated luminous pigments from
being damaged by crushing in the course of printing.
23. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein after the electroluminescent substance used far printing in the fourth process step, translucent inks are over- or under-printed to provide additional graphic design and security features.
24. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein after the last process step, hot pressing at temperatures of up to 200°C and pressures at up to 5 x 106 Pa is performed for the purpose of stabilizing, and improving the quality of, the security document.
25. Process for the production of a security document which is printed with several intaglio printing inks (2) by the steel engraving technique, the said process comprising the following steps:

a) graphic printing of a substrate by means of intaglio printing techniques and/or screen printing techniques and/or other printing processes.
b) printing lateral, substantially planar electrode arrangement with electrodes juxtaposed In approximately the same plane and forming a field gap,
c) printing an insulating substance.
d) printing an ink in which at least one electroluminescent substance is embedded, in a zone located at least partly in the field gap of the electrodes.
e) printing electrically conductive substances on to the connecting points of the electrodes,
f) printing a protective coating transparent to the electroluminescence, each of tie said impressions being subjected to a curing stage after it is printed.
26. Process as claimed in claim 25, wherein the electrically conductive substances are carbon or gold.
27. Process as claimed in claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the transparent protective coating is based on an aqueous polyurethane dispersion.
28. Process as claimed in one of clams 25 to 27, wherein the substrate is a special security paper with a substance of up to 200g/m2.
29. Process as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 28, wherein a bonding agent in the form of an aqueous polyurethane dispersion is applied prior to printing.
30. Process as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the insulating substance has a high dielectric constant, and is realized for example on the basis of an aqueous polyurethane dispersion filled with BaTi03 (barium titanate).
31. Process as claimed in any one or claims 25 to 30, wherein the at least one electroluminescent substance in the ink is present in microencapsulated form.
32. Process as claimed in claim 31, wherein spacers are added to the ink with the electroluminescent substance to prevent damage to the microencapsulated electroluminescent substances in the course of printing.
33. Value-attesting or security instrument substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
34.Process for the production of a security document substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Documents:

554-del-1998-abstract.pdf

554-del-1998-claims.pdf

554-DEL-1998-Correspondence-Others (14-10-2009).pdf

554-del-1998-correspondence-others.pdf

554-del-1998-correspondence-po.pdf

554-del-1998-description (complete).pdf

554-del-1998-drawings.pdf

554-del-1998-form-1.pdf

554-del-1998-form-13.pdf

554-del-1998-form-19.pdf

554-del-1998-form-2.pdf

554-DEL-1998-Form-3 (14-10-2009).pdf

554-del-1998-form-3.pdf

554-del-1998-form-4.pdf

554-del-1998-form-6.pdf

554-del-1998-gpa.pdf

554-del-1998-pct-210.pdf

554-del-1998-pct-220.pdf

554-del-1998-pct-409.pdf

554-del-1998-petition-137.pdf

554-del-1998-petition-138.pdf


Patent Number 259461
Indian Patent Application Number 554/DEL/1998
PG Journal Number 12/2014
Publication Date 21-Mar-2014
Grant Date 13-Mar-2014
Date of Filing 03-Mar-1998
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-10967 BERLIN, GERMANY
3 RONALD GUTMANN STRASSE621/18, 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 G06K19/06
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