Abstract:
An overlaminate for application to identification card substrates includes a plurality of overlaminate patches. Each patch has an end and is sized in accordance with the identification card substrates. A linking portion connects the ends of the overlaminate patches. A security mark is located in a predetermined position on each patch. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing the above-identified overlaminate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/237,669, filed Oct. 3, 2000, and entitled “OVERLAMINATE PATCH HAVING IMPROVED SECURITY.” 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an overlaminate for use in laminating identification cards. More particularly, the present invention relates to an overlaminate having a security marking thereon.  
           [0003]    Identification cards are widely used to carry information relating to the card holder. The use of identification cards is becoming more and more widespread and they are used for many purposes, such as driver licenses, identification badges, etc. Overlaminates are commonly applied to identification card substrates, such as plastic cards, to protect the printing or substrate from abrasion, chemical attack from plasticizers such as those found in vinyl wallet windows, and from ultraviolet radiation. Examples of such overlaminates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,807,461 and 4,617,080, which are incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0004]    For many applications, identification cards are used for security purposes to distinguish authorized individuals from non-authorized individuals. Accordingly, it is important that identification cards be easily authenticated and difficult to counterfeit.  
           [0005]    Many complex methods, which are expensive to implement, have been developed for improving the protection of identification cards from counterfeiting and tampering while providing an easy means for authenticating the cards. Although these methods are suitable for large budget operations, smaller operations having more limited budgets would find it difficult to justify their expense. As a result, small operations rely upon more simple methods of preventing counterfeiting of their identification cards.  
           [0006]    One such method involves placing security markings, such as holograms, over a surface of the identification card. Such security markings are typically formed in patterns and are randomly positioned on the identification card. The resulting identification cards are difficult to counterfeit since the security markings can not be easily copied. A quick check of the authenticity of the identification card can then be made by simply identifying that the security marks are present on the identification card. This application of patterned security markings to an identification card improves protection from counterfeiting and is fairly inexpensive to implement.  
           [0007]    Even so, there is a continuing need for improved counterfeit protection of identification cards that is easy to implement and cost-effective for low budget operations.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    The present invention relates to an overlaminate for application to identification card substrates. The overlaminate includes a series of overlaminate patches each having an end and sized in accordance with the identification card substrate to which they are to be applied. A linking portion connects the ends of adjacent overlaminate patches together thereby forming a series of linked overlaminate patches. At least one security mark is located in a predetermined position on each patch. The authenticity of the resulting identification card to which an overlaminate patch of the present invention is applied can be checked by verifying not only the existence of the security mark, but also the location of the security mark on the card.  
           [0009]    Additional aspects of the present invention relate to methods for manufacturing the above-described overlaminate. In accordance with one of the methods, an overlaminate strip is provided on which a series of security marks are formed. Next, a patch cutting device is aligned relative to at least one of the security marks. Finally, a series of linked patches are cut from the overlaminate strip using the patch cutting device such that each patch contains at least one security mark in a predetermined location.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another method, an overlaminate strip is provided and cut into a series of overlaminate patches. Next, a security marking device is aligned with the patches. Finally, a security mark is formed on the patches in a predetermined location using the aligning marks. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is top plan view of an overlaminate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 2A and 2B are side plan views examples of a die-cut roller and a punch cutter, respectively.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a side plan view of a security marking device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a shim of a security marking device illustrating a repeat length of security marking elements.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of forming an overlaminate strip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an overlaminate strip having security marks and aligning marks formed thereon, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an overlaminate strip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a series of a link of patches having an aligning mark formed thereon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an overlaminate, generally designated as  10 , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Overlaminate  10  is cut from a continuous web or strip of laminate  12 , depicted by the dashed lines in FIG. 1. Overlaminate  10  includes a series of laminate patches  14 , each of which can be sized in accordance with the substrate that is to be laminated.  
         [0020]    Web  12  is generally provided on a supply spool (not shown) and is typically a transparent material that can be laminated onto a suitable substrate, such as a card. Web  12  is preferably a polyester film with a thermal transfer adhesive on one surface, which is used to attach the laminate material to the substrate. A removable backing layer (not shown) could be attached to the adhesive side of web  12  to prevent the contamination of the adhesive and allow for easier handling of web  12 .  
         [0021]    Overlaminate  10  can be cut from web  12  using a patch cutting device  16 . Examples of suitable patch cutters  16  include, a die-cut roller  16 A or a punch cutter  16 B, which are respectively shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Other types of conventional patch cutting devices can also be used. Web  12  is generally fed from a supply roll  24  through the patch cutter to a take-up roll  25  with the assistance of guide rollers  27 , as shown in FIG. 2A. Patch cutter  16  is adapted to trim the sides of web  12  with a patch cutting component  100  (FIG. 2B) while maintaining a link between each patch  14  at a linking portion  15  as shown in FIG. 1. Linking portion  15  forms a weakened connection between adjoining ends  18  of individual patches  14  to form a series of linked patches  14 . The linking portion  15  preferably weakens the tear strength between the ends  18  of adjoining patches  14  by, for example, including suitable perforations to allow the patches  14  to be conveniently separated. In addition, corners  20  of the individual patches  14  can be rounded to conform to the shape of the substrate onto which they are to be applied. Patch cutter  16  has a repeat length D 1  defined as the length between a start of one patch  14  to the start of an adjacent patch  14 , as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, repeat length D 1  is the length of a single patch  14 , however, it may be longer in the event that individual patches  14  are separated slightly.  
         [0022]    Patch cutter  16 A generally includes conventional patch cutting components or dies (not shown) mounted to a roller  22 . The patch cutting components on cutting roller  22  trim web  12  to form the linked patches  14  of overlaminate  10  as web  12  is fed through patch cutter  16 A. Patch cutter  16 B includes at least one patch cutting component  30  that is actuatable to punch-cut individual patches from web  12  by engaging cutting base  32 . As web  12  is fed through patch cutter  16 B, patch cutting component  30  is repeatedly actuated to form the linked patches  14 .  
         [0023]    As will be discussed in greater detail below, one embodiment of patch cutter  16  includes a sensor  34  that is used to align the patch cutting component  30  relative to another mark or reference point on web  12 . Sensor  34  can be a conventional optical or mechanical sensor depending on the type of aligning mark that is used.  
         [0024]    Each patch  14  of overlaminate  10  also includes at least one security mark  28 , shown in FIG. 1, that is formed on a surface  36  using a suitable security marking device. When a patch  14  is applied to a identification card substrate, it simplifies the process of authenticating the identification card and provides more protection from counterfeiting since security mark  28  is preferably difficult to copy. Additionally, security mark  28  is positioned on each patch  14  in approximately the same location to provide an additional authentication check and increase protection from counterfeiting. As a result, identification card substrates laminated with a patch  14  will have more security from counterfeiting than identification cards having only randomly located security marks. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, security mark  28  is combined with a pattern of randomly located security marks to hide the presence of security mark  28 .  
         [0025]    Security mark  28  is a conventional security mark that can be visible to the naked eye, become visible through the use of a viewing tool, or be detectible only by specialized detection equipment. The security marking device typically includes security marking elements to form the security mark  28  on overlaminate  10 . In one embodiment of the invention, security mark  28  is a hologram that is formed on each patch  14  using security marking device  40  in the form of a hologram embossing roller, shown in FIG. 3. Hologram embossing roller  40  is typically fed a supply of overlaminate web  12 , or a series of linked patches formed by patch cutter  16  as described above, from a supply roller  42 . Web  12  is fed between pinch roller  44  and main roller  46  of hologram embossing roller  40  and is collected by a take up roll  48 . Main roller  46  includes a shim  50 , which is wrapped around the circumference of main roller  46 . Shim  50 , best shown in FIG. 4, includes security marking elements  52  which, for this example, are hologram embossing elements that are adapted to emboss one or more security marks  28  in the form of holograms on web  12  when web  12  is sandwiched between pinch roller  44  and shim  50 .  
         [0026]    Similar to patch cutter  16 , the security marking device  40  has a repeat length D 2  that is defined as the length between a start of one security marking element  52  to the start of an adjacent security marking element  52 , as shown in FIG. 4. Additionally, the security marking device can include a sensor  54  (FIG. 3) that is used to align the security marking elements  52  of the security marking device  40  relative to another mark or reference point on web  12 . Sensor  54  can be a conventional optical or mechanical sensor depending on the type of reference that is to be sensed.  
         [0027]    The present invention also relates to methods of manufacturing the above-described overlaminate  10 . In accordance with one embodiment of the invention illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 5, an overlaminate strip or web  12  is provided, at step  60 . At step  62 , a series of security marks  28  are then formed on the overlaminate strip using a security marking device  40 , such as hologram embossing roller. At step  64 , a patch cutter  16  is aligned with the security marks  28  such that each patch  14  will contain a security mark  28  in a predetermined location when patches  14  are cut.  
         [0028]    In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the patch cutter  16  is aligned by matching the repeat length D 1  of the patch cutter with the repeat length D 2  of the security marking device such that the security marks  28  are formed in approximately the same location within each patch  14 . In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, aligning marks  66  are formed on the overlaminate strip  12  in a predetermined location relative to at least one of the security marks  28 , as shown in FIG. 6. The aligning marks  40  can be a visible mark (e.g., crosshairs, a dot, etc.) or a physical mark (e.g., a notch) formed in accordance with conventional marking methods. Sensor  34  (FIGS. 2A and 2B) of patch cutter  16 , is adapted to sense aligning marks  66  and can be used to align patch cutting components  300  with the security marks  28  to ensure that the security marks are formed in a predetermined location within each patch  14  when cut.  
         [0029]    Finally, at step  68  of the method, a series of linked patches  14  are cut using the patch cutting device. This produces an overlaminate  10  having a series of linked patches  14 , each of which includes at least one security mark  28  positioned in a predetermined location.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another method of manufacturing overlaminate strip  10  in accordance with the present invention. At step  70 , an overlaminate strip  12  is provided. At step  72 , a series of linked overlaminate patches  14  are provided. At step  74 , a security marking device  40 , such as a hologram embossing roller, is aligned with the patches  14  such that the security marking elements  52  are positioned to form security marks  28  in a predetermined location on each patch  14 .  
         [0031]    In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the security marking device  40  is aligned by matching the repeat length D 2  of the security marking device with the repeat length D 1  of the patch cutter such that the security marks  28  are formed in approximately the same predetermined location within each patch  14 . In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, aligning marks  66  are formed on either the patches  14 , as shown in FIG. 8, or on a backing material beyond the edges of patches  14 , as indicated in FIG. 1. The aligning marks  66  are formed in a predetermined location relative to a corresponding patch  14 . As mentioned above, the aligning marks  66  can be a visible mark (e.g., crosshairs, a dot, etc.) or a physical mark (e.g., a notch) formed in accordance with conventional marking methods. Sensor  54  (FIG. 4) of security marking device  40 , is adapted to sense aligning marks  66  and can be used to align security marking elements  52  with the patches  14  to ensure that the security marks  28  are formed in a predetermined location within each patch  14  when applied.  
         [0032]    Finally, at step  76  of the method, at least one security mark  28  is formed on each of the patches  14  in a predetermined location. This produces an overlaminate  10  having a series of link patches  14 , each of which includes at least one security mark  28  positioned in a predetermined location.  
         [0033]    To ensure that the aligning marks  66  are accurately positioned relative to patches  14  or security marks  28 , they are preferably generated at the same time the patches  14  are cut or the security marks  28  are formed.  
         [0034]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the patch cutter and security marking device could be combined to eliminate the need to match repeat lengths or use aligning marks by mounting the security marking elements to each patch cutting component. In this manner, each patch cut with the dies will have a security mark in the same location.