DE102004062922A1 - Data carrier with tactile feature, manufacturing process and application - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

The The invention relates to a data carrier or to a Document with a largely transparent or translucent Characteristic on the surface, that can be felt at least with the fingertips.

Of the disk is in particular a credit card, an identification card, a Driver's license, one Loyalty card, passport, identity card, banknote and like card-, sheet- or book-shaped document.

The tactile feature is in the form of raised points, lines and areal graphically designed shapes that are individually on a largely finished media be applied and at least with fingertips are palpable and are designed to be largely transparent or translucent and their surfaces high gloss or dull are such a watermark-like additional Represent security feature.

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

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

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

In order to However, it can not be a finished volume with such a tactile Feature equipped because of the embedding of a surface relief paper strip take place in a laminating in the course of the manufacturing process got to.

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

It is the rest It is known to individualize identity cards by having at least one card combination a paper layer or other laser-writable film included is. For the customization of this card is with a laser scanner through the surface written through the card in the writable inlay, where also the surface blackened the card so that becomes tactile characteristics corresponding to those in the map inscribed, personalized features.

disadvantage However, this manufacturing process is that the blackening on the surface the card are difficult to see because they are above the underlying superimposed in the map hidden areas of darkness are.

Besides that is it is not possible to perform such a method on a finished card, at the personalization has already taken place and at the only additional one additional, personalized security feature should.

TASK OF THE INVENTION

task The invention is the cost-effective production a tactile, individual and almost transparent, respectively translucent feature on a data carrier with high application speed and big Variability.

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

OBJECT THE INVENTION

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

It Further, a manufacturing method for such a tactile feature on a disk by means of InkJet technology and special inks and drying methods indicated and it can be very cost-effective an additional individual tactile characteristic with high production speeds and a high resolution or fineness of the tactile feature on a largely finished disk getting produced.

The Feature lies in the form of points, lines or area graphic Forms that applied individually on the largely finished volume becomes. The feature can be performed with a high gloss to matte finish.

at a pointy or line-like training is a slight lenticular shape given their height by various parameters can be controlled digitally and individually. For example, can the feature is a silhouette of a biometric feature, such as a Be a photo or a signature of a person or a number or a name or encoded information and the like. The feature can basically also in the form of braille.

advantage the measures according to the invention is that at an already finished and personalized Card additional Safety features later can be attached. For this purpose, it is provided, the record of the personalized feature for controlling an inkjet printer to use that at another, anywhere on the map this personalized feature by a surface-printed on the card repeated.

Of course it is the invention is not limited to the personalized record Characteristic for to use the control of the inkjet printer. Likewise, in another embodiment, the personalized feature by a Scanners or the like are read out and the resulting Data can used to control the inkjet printer.

Important when installing the additional security feature is that now created a tactile surface on the disk which is in sublime lines, points or other formative, three-dimensional elements on the surface of the card and sit up prefers the personalized one inscribed in the card or laminated in the card Feature as a surface relief to repeat.

In order to will be an extra Security against the change of the personalized or inscribed in the card Feature created.

From is particularly advantageous if as surface relief a lens structure is printed, the transparent or at least semi-transparent is so that the underlying parts of the card through this three-dimensional lens structure are well observable and still additionally optical be enlarged.

In order to Is it possible, below the surface relief structure to embed further features in the card, which by the on the card printed lens structures shown optically enlarged become.

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

The However, the invention is not optically more effective on the preparation Lens structures as surface relief limited. It can all other tactile Features on the surface The card can be printed sublimely without being optical effective lens structures is.

The Production of the data carrier with a tactile feature done by means of inkjet printing and can thus be personalized on a largely finished volume be realized with very high number of points per unit area. Due to the high required throughput speed or quantity per minute only a certain area of a document, in particular a card, and it is preferred this area according to the working width of the ink jet nozzle head, for example 12.7 mm or 25.4 mm or 50.8 mm, in the direction of passage.

The maximum resolution is doing transversely to the direction of passage through the density of the inkjet nozzles or through a possible inclination of the inkjet nozzle head determined and the resolution in the direction of flow is due to the relative speed of the disk to the inkjet nozzle head certainly.

When choosing the InkJet ink is on a good scratch-resistant adhesion to the surface of the data carrier gers, for example, based on PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and mixtures of the above thermoplastics and it is paid attention to a good UV resistance or extensive freedom from yellowing.

Further the inkjet ink can by usual Inkjet systems based on piezo, thermal or continuous InkJet system will be applied and it will be the resolution, so the fineness and variability the single pixel and the area density and thus also the height and variability the height given the individual pixels.

at The choice of inkjet ink can also be between UV curable Inks and phase transition or hot melt inks distinguished be and can basically both Types are used. Usually is the addition of inorganic fine pigments in a hot melt inkjet ink easier to realize.

The Drying or curing of Applied inkjet ink can be obtained by means of suitable UV irradiation and / or thermal and / or NIR radiation exposure realized become. additionally For example, the process may take place in an inert atmosphere, such as nitrogen. take place and it can thereby achieved a matting of the surface become.

Become standard embossments by mechanical stamping principles with heights of typically 450 μm up to 480 μm carried out and it is used as a document substrate usually one of several Layers of laminated card body used in PVC laminates. Such embossments are also blind People feelable.

at the use of polycarbonate laminates or special PET and / or ABS film combinations, the usual for volumes with long Lifetime requirement, this is mechanical embossing with conventional embossing equipment almost impossible, because the strength of such document substrates is much higher as with usual PVC-based document bodies.

Further This is standard in the art high embossing Documents with internal antennas or general in internal structures very critical, possibly even impossible because whose function is disturbed or destroyed by the deformation would.

The novel attachment of such tactile features is subject to these restrictions not and can also with a much larger design Variety and so with much higher security features will be realized.

The additional Coating the surface of the tactile features by, for example, a metallic foil additionally given.

For high-resolution and relatively thin Features can preferably UV-drying InkJet colors are used and these represent a cost effective and good on the surface adhesive variant.

often becomes the surface, on which the tactile feature is to be applied, by a appropriate surface structuring prepared in the course of lamination.

there can additionally a corresponding coating can be provided. This coating can with usual Printing process on the single card or preferably in multiple use be attached to the overlay film before lamination and provides such a good adhesion with good resolution. Such a coating can be done with a primer or primer.

The Use of hotmelt or phasechange inkjet systems is one another possibility for producing such tactile features.

there Inks are in largely solid state to temperatures in the range 60 ° C to 150 ° C and about that brought and to the surface applied.

The Special feature is also the type of pretreatment of the printable surface because one possible good adhesion with sufficient graphic resolution must be given.

The Use of ink jet nozzle systems, up to about 300 ° C heated can and can for example, to apply transparent PMMA, the Production of very high tactile characteristics with very good optical Properties. Exemplary here is the product of the company Microfab Technologies, Inc. in Plano, TX 75074, USA.

Also here is the preparation of the document surface with adhesives or Very important to primers to ensure good adhesion at graphically appropriate resolution to reach.

Some embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawing figures described in more detail.

there shows:

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

2 FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier with tactile features, FIG.

3 : An exemplary embodiment of a data carrier with tactile features.

In 1 is a schematic representation of a section through a data carrier ( 2 ) with tactile characteristics ( 6 . 7 . 8th ). This section through the tactile data medium ( 1 ) is shown only as an example.

In particular, the data carrier body ( 5 ) are executed very differently and has been shown for simplicity, only one element. Usually this data carrier body ( 5 ) of several thermoplastic printed or unprinted layers and it can also be built paper layers.

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

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

The high-resolution tactile feature ( 6 ) has a rather small thickness in the range 0.5 .mu.m to 3 .mu.m and up to 100 .mu.m at a relatively high resolution of some 100 dpi up to some 5,500 dpi.

The low-resolution tactile feature ( 7 ) is formed with thicknesses in the range of 1 to 5 microns and up to 480 microns or 500 microns at a moderate resolution of 20 dpi to 600 dpi.

The tactile feature with lenticular effect ( 8th ), however, has thicknesses of 30 μm to 500 μm, and it is preferably used in the range of 200 dpi and below. The creation of such lenticular effects has the advantage that the underlying areas of the card are optically enlarged and are therefore easy to read.

When InkJetverfahren can a variety of systems are used. For high-resolution and relatively thin tactile Characteristics, UV-drying inkjet inks are a cost-effective and good on the surface liable possibility. Often the surface becomes on which the tactile feature is to be applied, by a appropriate surface structuring prepared in the course of lamination. It can additionally one appropriate coating can be provided. This coating can with usual Printing process on the single card or preferably in multiple use be placed on the overlay film prior to lamination.

One Another, very suitable inkjet method is based on the use of hotmelt or phasechange inkjet systems. It will be Printing inks in largely solid state at temperatures in the range 60 ° C to 150 ° C and above and then on the surface applied.

One Another special process uses inkjet nozzle systems, which can be up to about 300 ° C are heated can and so for example, can apply transparent PMMA. exemplary Here is the company Microfab Technologies, Inc. in Plano, TX 75074, Called USA.

In 2 an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier ( 2 ) with tactile characteristics ( 10 . 12 ). Especially with personalized ID cards, such as an identification card or a passport, an additional individual security feature is desired. Silhouettes in the form of fluorescent images or lasered images or holographically imaged images are state of the art.

In all cases, the record of the personalized image ( 9 ) for the generation of the silhouette ( 10 ) be used.

By analogy, this also applies to a signature ( 11 . 12 ). The particular advantage of this type of shadow generation is that the graphic information underneath is not covered.

Scratch resistance and adhesion of the features ( 6 . 7 . 8th . 10 . 12 . 15 . 17 ) on the surface of the cover laminate ( 3 ) must of course be extremely high.

In order to increase the value as an additional security feature, the feature substance ( 6 . 7 . 8th ) organic dyes and / or organic fine pigments and / or inorganic fine pigments or microencapsulated pigments based on organic / inorganic systems are incorporated.

to visual and / or machine verification for authenticity and / or to read the information of the feature can be irradiation with light of one or more wavelengths with narrowband or broadband character of the UV range over the visible wavelength range can be used to near infrared and it can then the response signal in terms of Emission wavelength and the temporal response are verified.

In 3 an exemplary embodiment of a data carrier ( 2 ) with tactile characteristics ( 15 . 17 ) as a shadow of well-legible features ( 14 . 16 ). In this example, tactile characteristics ( 15 . 17 ) with lenticular effect ( 8th ) and thereby the tactility can be increased.

1

Disk with tactile characteristic

2

Disk or document

3

overlaminate (Overlay: PVC, PET, PET-G, ABS, PC and blends from the

mentioned thermoplastics)

4

graphic layout

5

Disk body (single layer, Laminate package)

6

tactile Feature high resolution

7

tactile Characteristic low resolution

8th

tactile Feature with lenticular effect

9

image of the volume owner (inside in the document; printed

or lasered)

10

silhouette of the volume owner

11

signature (inside the document, printed or lasered)

12

silhouette the signature

13

Passage width an inkjet print

14

number (inside in the document or embossed or lasered)

15

silhouette the number

16

Surname (inside in the document or embossed or lasered)

17

silhouette of the name

Claims (18)

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