EP3580066B2 - Data carrier with a window security element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a data carrier, in particular a value or security document, with a substrate in which a window security element is embedded.

Data storage media such as banknotes, shares, bonds, certificates, vouchers, checks, high-value tickets, but also other documents that are susceptible to forgery, such as passports or other identification documents, are often provided with security elements for security purposes, which allow the authenticity of the valuable document to be verified and at the same time serve as protection against unauthorized reproduction.

The security elements can be designed in the form of a window security element that is fully or partially embedded in the data carrier, for example a window security thread. Window security threads are security threads that are neither applied to a surface of a data carrier substrate nor fully embedded in the substrate. Rather, they are partially embedded in the substrate in such a way that they are only visible in certain window areas on one or both opposite surfaces of the substrate.

As with other security elements incorporated into a data carrier, there is a risk that window security elements can be dissolved from an original document, for example by moisture or with the help of solvents, and then fragmented and used to produce several counterfeit documents.

printed matter DE 10 2015 000 690 A1 relates to a data carrier according to the preamble of claim 1, with a substrate with at least one paper layer in which a window security thread is embedded, which is visible in certain window areas on the surface of the data carrier substrate.

Proceeding from this, the invention is based on the object of specifying a data carrier of the type mentioned at the outset with a particularly high level of security against forgery.

• das Fenstersicherheitselement in Längsrichtung eine Abfolge von mit Sicherheitsmerkmalen versehenen Prüfbereichen und eine Abfolge von zwischen den Prüfbereichen liegenden Freibereichen ohne Sicherheitsmerkmale aufweist, und
• das Fenstersicherheitselement mit seiner Abfolge von Prüfbereichen und Freibereichen registriert zu der Abfolge von Fensterbereichen und Stegbereichen in das Substrat eingebettet ist, so dass die Sicherheitsmerkmale der Prüfbereiche in den Fensterbereichen in reflektiertem Licht sichtbar sind und die Freibereiche in den Stegbereichen verborgen sind.

This object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The invention contains a data carrier, in particular a valuable or security document, with a substrate in which an elongated window security element is embedded with a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular thereto, which is visible on a surface of the substrate in a sequence of window areas and concealed in a sequence of web areas lying between the window areas. According to the invention, it is provided that

• the window security element has a longitudinal sequence of test areas provided with security features and a sequence of free areas without security features between the test areas, and
• the window security element with its sequence of test areas and free areas is embedded in the substrate in a manner registered to the sequence of window areas and web areas, so that the security features of the test areas in the window areas are visible in reflected light and the free areas are hidden in the web areas.

The window areas and web areas are advantageously arranged in a regular sequence. In particular, the window areas can all have the same shape and size and neighboring window areas can be the same distance from each other. In other, equally advantageous designs, the window areas and web areas are arranged irregularly. For example, the window areas can have different shapes and/or sizes, and the distances between neighboring window areas can also vary.

In an advantageous embodiment, the security features have essentially the same appearance in all test areas. In principle, however, it is also possible for the security features to have different appearances in different test areas.

The security features of the test areas are advantageously formed by diffractive structures, in particular holograms, holographic grating images or hologram-like diffraction structures, or by achromatic structures, in particular matt structures, micromirror arrangements, blaze gratings with a sawtooth-like groove profile or Fresnel lens arrangements. Security features can also contain luminescent or magnetic substances. Mere prints without any further security-effective function do not constitute security features in the sense of the present description. A security-effective function can be obtained, for example, by using optically variable, magnetic or luminescent colors. According to a development of the invention, the window security element can be provided with a devaluation notice in at least one free area, which is not visible in reflected light or in transmitted light when the security element is embedded. The devaluation notice can in particular be formed by a devaluing print, for example with the word "void", "invalid", "incorrect" or the like.

The substrate preferably comprises a paper layer in which the window areas and web areas or the window area and the overlap area are formed.

The substrate may be single-layered, but may also be multi-layered, with the window security element in the latter case preferably being embedded inside the multi-layered substrate. A multi-layered The substrate is in particular a paper-foil composite or a foil composite, for example a three-layer composite with a layer sequence of foil/paper/foil or foil/foil/foil or paper/foil/paper. A composite with the layer sequence foil/foil/paper/foil/foil can also be considered a multi-layer substrate.

A registered installation of a window security element can be carried out in particular according to one of the methods described in the publication WO 2004/050991 A1 The disclosure content of this document is incorporated into the present application. Alternatively, the registered incorporation can be carried out using a reference feature provided on the security element, for example a negative text. Registration marks can also be used, which are provided at a distance of one sheet length, for example, and are cut away during separation into individual copies and are therefore no longer visible in the finished data carrier.

In a further embodiment, an elongated window security element can also be incorporated into two or more layers of multilayer substrates. These window security elements can be arranged in such a way that together they provide information.

Further embodiments and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures, in which a true-to-scale and true-to-proportion reproduction was omitted in order to increase clarity.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Banknote mit einem Papiersubstrat und einem in das Papiersubstrat eingebetteten Fenstersicherheitsfaden,

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Querschnitt der Banknote im Bereich des eingebetteten Fenstersicherheitsfadens entlang der Linie II-II der Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Aufsicht auf den noch nicht eingebetteten Fenstersicherheitsfaden der Figuren 1 und 2,

Fig. 4

eine Aufsicht auf einen Fenstersicherheitsfaden nach einem anderen Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Fig. 5

einen in das Papiersubstrat einer Banknote eingebetteten Fensterpatch nach einer nicht beanspruchten Ausgestaltung, und

Fig. 6

eine Aufsicht auf den noch nicht eingebetteten Fensterpatch der Fig. 5.

They show:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a banknote with a paper substrate and a window security thread embedded in the paper substrate,

Fig. 2

a schematic cross-section of the banknote in the area of the embedded window security thread along line II-II of Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3

a view of the not yet embedded window security thread of the Figures 1 and 2 ,

Fig. 4

a plan view of a window security thread according to another embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 5

a window patch embedded in the paper substrate of a banknote according to an unclaimed embodiment, and

Fig. 6

a view of the not yet embedded window patch of the Fig. 5 .

The invention will now be explained using the example of banknotes with embedded window security elements. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a banknote 10 with a paper substrate 12 and a window security thread 14 embedded in the paper substrate 12. The window security thread 14 protrudes in regularly arranged window areas 16 on the surface of the banknote 10, while it is embedded in the web areas 18 in between in the interior of the banknote 10.

In this example, the window security thread runs parallel to the short edge of the banknote. Of course, variants are also conceivable in which the thread runs parallel to the long edge. Designs with a thread running diagonally in the banknote or in any arrangement are also conceivable. This applies to every elongated window security element and every data carrier.

The window security thread 14 contains security features 20, for example in the form of holograms, which are visible in the window areas 16 of the banknote 10 when viewed from above. In the web areas 18, security features are not visible in either incident or transmitted light.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of the banknote 10 in the area of the embedded window security thread 14 along the line II-II of the Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a top view of the not yet embedded window security thread 14 itself. The window security thread 14 has a sequence of test areas 26 and free areas 28 in its longitudinal direction, whereby the test areas 26 are each provided with a security feature 20. In the exemplary embodiment, for illustration purposes, all test areas contain the same holographic representation of the value number "10" of the banknote against a patterned background. The free areas 28 lying between the test areas 26 are designed without any security features and are formed, for example, by the bare carrier film of the security thread.

How best to see in cross section in Fig. 2 As can be seen, the window security thread 14 with its test areas 26 and free areas 28 is embedded in the substrate in such a way that it is registered with the sequence of window areas 16 and web areas 18 that the security features 20 of the test areas 26 in the window areas 16 are visible in reflected light and the free areas 28 are hidden in the web areas 18.

The window security thread 14 therefore only contains security features in those partial areas that are visible when viewed, namely in the inspection areas 26 arranged below the window areas 16. The free areas 28 in between, which are covered by the web areas 18, do not contain any security features. In this way, unlike with conventional designs with continuous security features, it is in principle not possible to pull the window security thread 14 out of a banknote, cut it into pieces and use to produce counterfeit banknotes using the original security features located beneath the web areas.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a window security thread 30 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The test areas 26 of the window security thread 30 are as in the security thread 14 of the Fig. 3 The free areas 32 of the window security thread 30 are not unused, however, but are provided with a cancellation notice 34 in the form of the imprint "void", which prevents further use of the free areas 32 for the production of counterfeit banknotes even if the window security thread 30 is extracted. The cancellation notice 34 is printed in a light color on the carrier film of the security thread 30 and is therefore hidden under the web areas 18 when the window security thread 30 is embedded and is not visible in reflected light or transmitted light.

The in Fig. 5 The unclaimed embodiment shown represents a window patch 40 which is embedded in the paper substrate 12 of a banknote. The window patch
40 protrudes in a coat of arms-shaped window area 42 on the surface of the banknote and is concealed in the covering area 44 lying outside the window area 42. The edge 46 of the window patch 40 is indicated in the figure with dashed lines.

The window patch 40 contains a security feature 50, for example in the form of an achromatic micromirror arrangement, which can be seen in the window area 42 of the banknote when viewed from above and gives the viewer a three-dimensional impression of a value number "10" curved in two spatial directions against a patterned background with a coat of arms-shaped outline. In the overlap area 44, security features are not visible in either incident or transmitted light.

Fig. 6 shows a top view of the not yet embedded window patch 40 with a coat of arms-shaped test area 52 and a free area 54 surrounding the test area. The test area 52 is provided with the described security feature 50, while the surrounding free area 54 has no security features but is instead provided with a cancellation notice 56 in the form of a plurality of "void" imprints.

The window patch 40 is embedded with its test area 52 and free area 54 in the substrate 12 such that the security feature 50 of the test area 52 is visible in the window area 42 in reflected light, while the free area 54 is hidden in the covering area 44.

By printing the free area 54 with the cancellation note "void", the free area of the window patch 40 cannot be used for the production of counterfeit banknotes, even in the event of extraction.

list of reference symbols

10

banknote

12

paper substrate

14

window security thread

16

window areas

18

bridge areas

20

security features

26

test areas

28

outdoor areas

30

window security thread

32

outdoor areas

34

cancellation notice

40

window patch

42

window area

44

coverage area

46

edge

50

security feature

52

test area

54

outdoor area

56

cancellation notice

Claims (9)

1. A data carrier (10), especially a value or security document, having a substrate (12) in which is embedded an elongated window security element, having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular thereto, that is visible at a surface of the substrate in a sequence of window regions (16) and is covered in a sequence of ridge regions (18) that lie between the window regions, wherein

   - the window security element comprises, in the longitudinal direction, a sequence of verification regions (26) furnished with security features (20) and, lying between the verification regions, a sequence of blank regions (28) without security features,

   - the window security element with its sequence of verification regions and blank regions is embedded in the substrate in register with the sequence of window regions and ridge regions such that the security features of the verification regions are visible in the window regions in reflected light and the blank regions are hidden in the ridge regions, and

   - the window security element is furnished in at least one blank region with an invalidation indication that, in the embedded state of the security element, is visible neither in reflected light nor in transmitted light.
2. The data carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the window regions and ridge regions are arranged in a regular sequence.
3. The data carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the security features display substantially the same appearance in all verification regions.
4. The data carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the security features display different appearances in different verification regions.
5. The data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the security feature of the verification region or the security features of the verification regions are formed by diffractive structures, especially holograms, holographic grating images or hologram-like diffraction structures, or by achromatic structures, especially matt structures, micromirror arrangements, blazed gratings having a sawtooth-like groove profile or Fresnel lens arrangements.
6. The data carrier according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the invalidation indication is formed by an invalidating imprint.
7. The data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the substrate comprises a paper layer in which the window regions and ridge regions or the window region and the covering region are formed.
8. The data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the substrate is single-layered.
9. The data carrier according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the substrate is multilayered, the window security element preferably being embedded in the interior of the multilayered substrate.

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