Abstract:
The booklet comprises a number of sheets between a cover, and each sheet has a front side and a rear side. At least one data page is provided that is joined to the cover in a fixed manner. The data page comprises a flexible layer and this flexible layer projects with an area out of a data carrier. On this area, the data page is joined to the cover and to the remaining sheets. The flexible layer is flatly joined to at least one other layer, for example, by welding or bonding and is thus inseparably bound without a mechanical joining part.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of producing a booklet, in particular identity papers. 
     The invention additionally relates to a data page, manufactured according to this method and a booklet manufactured according to this method. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Identity papers and, in particular, passports contain personal data which should be integrated as securely as possible into the booklet or passport. In order to increase the security, it is known to introduce data pages as data carriers into passports. As a result, security against manipulations can also be increased substantially. These data pages contain at least one personalization page and can be made of comparatively rigid plastic, for example polycarbonate. If such rigid data pages are bound in, for example sewn in, then under certain circumstances the passport or the booklet can no longer be closed completely. In addition, given frequent use and, in particular, frequent bending of the booklet, fractures can arise in the plastic of the data page. 
     In the prior art, a plurality of solutions have already been presented as to how data pages which are intrinsically difficult to bend could be bound into the booklet. 
     For example, EP 1 008 459 A discloses a method of producing a booklet which has a plurality of paper sheets and a cover and a plate as data carrier. In order to bind the plate in, a band is provided, which is connected mechanically to the plate. In order to connect the band to the plate, a plastic strip is provided which has studs which engage in corresponding apertures in the band and therefore connect the band mechanically to the strip. In addition, the strip is adhesively bonded or welded to the band. Connecting the band to the plate is comparatively complicated, and the strip needed for the connection represents an additional part, which has to be produced and mounted and increases the thickness of the data page. 
     WO 98/19870 discloses a passport having a data page made of thermoplastic material, which has an opaque core layer (inlet layer) and a flexible thermoplastic layer. The flexible thermoplastic layer is sewn directly into the book. Here, too, there is the problem of the brittleness of the thermoplastic material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on the object of providing a method of the type cited which avoids the aforementioned difficulties. The method is to permit the production of a booklet in which the data carrier is bound in more simply and nevertheless securely. 
     In the method according to the invention, a flexible layer is connected directly to the data carrier, the flexible layer having further connecting means which connect the said layer substantially non-detachably to the data carrier. The apertures are formed in particular by mesh openings of a textile. In particular during lamination, material of the data carrier penetrates into the apertures or mesh openings. An additional part for a mechanical connection is not required in this method. The region of the flexible layer projecting out of the data carrier is, for example, sewn in directly. 
     The flexible layer according the invention is a textile, for example a woven fabric or a thin sheet that is flexible and provided with apertures. According to a development of the invention, it forms a central layer between two outer layers, which contain the data provided for personalization. This results in a particularly durable connection. According to a development of the invention, the data carrier forms an inner layer or an inner region between two flexible layers. These two layers are produced in particular from a woven fabric or a textile. 
     According to a development of the invention, the flexible layer is bound in by lamination. As a result, a particularly intimate and substantially non-detachable connection between the flexible layer and the data carrier can be achieved. This results in particularly high security against forgery and manipulation. This is the case even when the flexible layer is bound into the data carrier only in some regions. Here, too, the flexible layer can be on the inside or outside. 
     According to a development of the invention, the flexible layer has mesh openings or other apertures or cutouts. The two outer layers are connected to each other through these apertures, in particular laminated, adhesively bonded or welded to each other. The security against manipulation can therefore be increased still further. 
     According to a development of the invention, the flexible layer extends over the entire region of the data carrier. The flexible layer preferably has the mesh openings or apertures in the entire region of the data carrier, through which the laminated layers are connected to each other, for example laminated, welded or adhesively bonded. 
     According to a development of the invention, the laminated layers of the data carrier are produced from polycarbonate. By using this material, for example, a very permanent and substantially non-detachable connection through a fabric can be produced by means of lamination, adhesive bonding or welding. In this case, too, the data carrier can be an inner layer which is bound into flexible layers. 
     According to a development of the invention, the flexible layer, in particular in the protruding region, is provided with security features, in particular with embossing, printing, pigmentations or threads woven in. The security against manipulation is increased still further as a result. This means that it is virtually impossible to replace the data carrier by another without being noticed, in that the connection to the flexible material is detached. The threads woven in or bound in can also be loose. As a result, it is virtually impossible to replace the data carrier or the data page without being noticed. 
     According to a development of the invention, the flexible layer is a folded sheet, which is connected to the booklet at a fold, for example sewn in. The protruding flexible region can in this case be comparatively narrow and, for example, can have a size of a few millimeters, for example 2-3 mm. The data carrier is laid in between the two parts of the sheet and firmly connected to these parts. The connection can be made by lamination. The data carrier can be a thin sheet or an injection-moulded part and can contain an electronic component, in particular a chip. Likewise, an antenna, which permits the non-contact transmission of data, can be arranged between the parts of the sheet. 
     The invention additionally relates to a data page and a booklet and, in particular, a passport which contains such a data page and is produced by this method. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below using the drawing, in which: 
         FIGS. 1-5  each show a section through a data page according to the invention, 
         FIG. 6  shows a view of the data page according to  FIG. 5 , 
         FIG. 7  shows, in schematic form, a three-dimensional view of a booklet according to the invention, this being open, 
         FIG. 8  shows a section through the booklet according to  FIG. 7 , 
         FIG. 9  shows, in schematic form, a section through a variant of a booklet according to the invention and 
         FIG. 10  shows, in schematic form, the mounting of the data carrier. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The booklet  1  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  represents identity papers and, in particular, a passport and has a conventional cover  23 , conventional sheets  31  bound into the cover  23  and a data page  2 , which is personalized and is produced in the form of a plate from comparatively rigid plastic. The data page  2  has, for example, a portrait  28  applied in the laser process and further data  29  which are necessary for the usual personalization. For instance, these data  29  include the date of birth, the home town and a person number. The data page  2  thus identifies the authorized carrier of the booklet  1  and is secured against manipulation. 
     The data page  2  shown in  FIG. 1  is produced by lamination. Two data carriers  9  are produced from polycarbonate, for example, and can be provided with the aforementioned data  28  and  29 . Likewise, data can be contained in a chip  42  or another suitable electronic component. The chip  42  is arranged in one of the data carriers  9 , for example laminated in. Laminated in between these two data carriers  9  is a flexible layer  3 , which is bound into the data page  2  by a region  3   a  and, for example, is produced from polyethylene terephthalate. The binding is carried out by means of a lamination process, in which the two data carriers  9  are connected to the flexible layer  3  in the region  3   a . The region  3   a , as can be seen, extends over the entire region of the two data carriers  9 . The flexible layer  3  has a region  3   b  which protrudes from the two data carriers  9 . This region  3   b  is strip-like and substantially narrower than the two data carriers  9 . In this region  3   b  there extends a sewing point  8 , at which the flexible layer  3  is sewn into the booklet  1 . This sewing point  8  correspondingly forms a bending point, according to  FIG. 8 . A design with only one data carrier  9  is also conceivable. On the opposite side of the flexible layer  3  there can then be a layer without data. This is also true of the following designs, in which a flexible layer is arranged between two outer layers. 
     The flexible layer  3  is, for example, a textile, for example a woven fabric or knitted fabric or a thin flexible sheet provided with cutouts or apertures, in particular a thin flexible plastic film. The flexibility of the layer  8  is comparable with that of conventional sheets of a passport or is even higher. In the protruding region  3   b , security embossments  32  or else other security features are provided, for example security imprints or pigmentations. If the flexible layer is a woven fabric, then security threads, not shown here, can be introduced into the region  3   b , for example woven in loosely. The two data carriers  9  are thus firmly connected to the flexible layer  3  and cannot be separated from the matter without being noticed. The thickness D of the data page  2  preferably lies in the range of the usual standards and stipulations, in particular in accordance with ICAO, Doc. 9303. 
       FIG. 2  shows the data page  24  according to a variant. In the latter, a flexible layer  4  is provided which is likewise a thin flexible sheet or a woven fabric, for example. The flexible layer  4  has a region  4   a  which is bound in between two data carriers  11  and which extends over these data carriers  11  only in some regions. In this region  4   a  there are provided apertures  15 , in which connecting points  10  are formed. The apertures  15  can also be mesh openings of a textile. The two outer data carriers  11  are connected, for example by means of lamination, to a central layer  11   b , which substantially has the same thickness as the flexible layer  4 . The two outer data carriers  11  are, for example, connected substantially non-detachably to the central layer  11   b  and to the flexible layer  4 , for example by means of welding, lamination or by means of adhesive bonding. The flexible layer  4  is therefore bound into the data page  24  substantially non-detachably. A protruding region  4   b  of the flexible layer  4  is used to bind or sew the data page  24  into the booklet  1  or into the passport. 
       FIG. 3  shows a data page  25  which is formed in a similar way to that according to  FIG. 2 . A flexible layer  5  has a region  5   a  which, on its two surfaces, has adhesive areas  12 , at which two outer data carriers  13  are connected to the flexible layer  5 . Likewise, a protruding region  5   b  is provided here for sewing the data page  25  into the booklet  1 . Here, too, the flexible layer  5  is a central layer between the two outer data carriers  13 . The data carriers  13  can be multi-layer laminates. 
       FIG. 4  shows a data page  26  which has a flexible layer  6  which is bound in between two data carriers  14 . Arranged between the data carriers  14  is a central layer  14   b , whose thickness corresponds to that of the flexible layer  6 . The flexible layer  6  has a region  6   a  which is arranged between the two outer data carriers  14  and is connected to the latter. This region  6   a  is strip-like and extends only to some extent over the two outer data carriers  14 . The central layer  14   b  is likewise connected to the two data carriers  14  and to the flexible layer  6 . The connection can be made by lamination, welding or by adhesive bonding. As can be seen, the flexible layer  6  has no apertures. However, it can also consist of a woven fabric which has security features, for example security threads drawn in or woven in, in a protruding region  6   b . The data carriers  14  and the layer  14   b  can have one layer or many layers. 
     The data page  27  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  has a flexible layer  7  which has a plurality of apertures  17  which, according to  FIG. 6 , are distributed over the entire region of two thin sheets. At these apertures  17 , adhesive bonding, welding or lamination connecting points  16  are formed, which connect the data carriers  18  to each other and to the flexible layer  7  in the region  7   a . The apertures  17  can be distributed regularly or irregularly. The data carriers  18  can be transparent or partially transparent, so that these connecting points  16  or apertures  17 , according to  FIG. 6 , are visible as a pattern. The apertures  17  are circular here, but non-round, for example polygonal or oval apertures, are also conceivable. In this case, too, the apertures  17  can be mesh openings of a textile. 
       FIG. 8  shows how the data page  27  can be bound into a booklet. In the region of a sewing-in point  8 , the data page  27  is connected to the cover  23  and further sheets  31 , in particular sewn in. At this point, a bend  30  is formed. Since the flexible layer  7  in the protruding region  7   b  is very thin and flexible, the data page  27  behaves substantially like a conventional sheet  31 . It is also important that the data page  27  can be produced with a comparatively thin wall thickness D in its entire region, in particular by means of lamination. 
       FIG. 9  shows a booklet, in particular a passport, according to a variant. The booklet  33  has a cover  34  which is folded as usual at a spine  35  and into which a plurality of sheets  36  are bound in a known manner. The booklet  33  additionally has a data page  37  which has a flexible layer  38  having a fold  39  which runs parallel to the spine  35 . Arranged between two parts  38   a  and  38   b  of the layer  38  is a data carrier  41 , which can be a plastic film or else an injection-moulded part. 
     Embedded in the data carrier  41  is an electronic component and, in particular, an electronic chip  42 , which is connected to the antenna  43  indicated in  FIG. 10 . The chip  42  contains data which can be read without contact. The chip  42  can also have a contact interface. The antenna  43  can also be located completely in the data carrier  27 . Also conceivable is the integration of a dual chip module into the data carrier  27 , which can be addressed by a contact area and without contact via an antenna. A chip  42  is also possible in the data carriers according to  FIGS. 1-5  and  8 . The layer  41  preferably also contains data that can be detected visually and which, for example, are applied in a known manner by means of a laser. 
     The flexible layer  38  is firmly connected to the data carrier  41  according to the invention by means of lamination. During lamination, the data carrier  41  is softened and fuses to the flexible layer  38 . The flexible layer  38  is a plastic film or a textile, in particular a woven fabric. A textile or a woven fabric permits an intimate and substantially non-detachable connection between the flexible layer  38  and the data carrier  41 . As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , a strip-like region  38   c  protrudes from the data carrier  41 , and this region  38   c  is thus flexible and at least substantially more flexible than the other region of the data page  37 . Provided in the fold  39  of this flexible region  38   c  is a sewing-in point  40 , which extends along the fold  39  and at which the data page  37  is firmly committed to the sheets  36  and the cover  34 . 
     According to  FIG. 10 , the flexible layer is bound in at the sewing-in point  40  before the data carrier  41  is connected to this flexible layer  38 . The data carrier  41  is thus laminated to the flexible layer  38 , after the flexible layer  38  has been bound into the booklet  33  and, in particular, has been sewn in. When the data carrier  41  is bound in, it is connected to the inner side  44  of the flexible layer  38 , so that the data page  37  shown in  FIG. 9  is produced. A design in which the chip  42  and the antenna  43  are applied directly to the flexible layer  38 , for example adhesively bonded on, is conceivable. Then, the two parts  38   a  and  38   b  of the layer  38  are connected to each other, for example fused or adhesively bonded to each other. This design has the advantage that the data carrier  41  or the chip  42  and the antenna  43  can also be introduced into the booklet  33  subsequently. It is thus possible for a booklet  33  to be produced which has the flexible layer  38  but still no data carrier  41 . The flexible layer  38  is then sewn into the booklet  33 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The two parts  38   a  and  38   b  are thus not yet connected to each other but firmly bound in or sewn in. This permits simple and economical and intrinsically conventional production of the booklet  33 . If a data carrier  41  is needed, then the layer  31  can be incorporated in the flexible sheet  38  by means of lamination.