Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7939124.html
Timestamp: 2019-07-22 23:13:23
Document Index: 20188774

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 06125552', 'Application No. 06125555', 'Application No. 06125558', 'Application No. 07104951', 'Application No. 07104954']

Method of producing an information carrier - Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
United States Patent 7939124
Leenders, Luc (Herentals, BE)
Terrell, David (Lint, BE)
11/738057
283/72, 283/94
B24D15/00
427/7, 283/94, 283/72
Download PDF 7939124 PDF help
20080136160 METHOD OF PRODUCING AN INFORMATION CARRIER 2008-06-12 Leenders 283/72
6837959 Carrier of information, and ID card 2005-01-04 Daems et al. 156/269
6723383 Preparation of images on a substrate surface utilizing an opaque coating composition that becomes transparent upon printing 2004-04-20 Nigam
6364993 Material containing a water activatable coating 2002-04-02 Netsch et al.
5660925 Tamper-indicating and authenticating label 1997-08-26 Cooley et al.
4499211 Open-cell/microporous molded article 1985-02-12 Walch et al.
4252601 Writing liquid for use with an opaque recording material for forming transparencies for overhead projection and the like 1981-02-24 Ceintrey
4032691 Recording material 1977-06-28 Kido et al.
3827726 IDENTIFICATION CARDS 1974-08-06 McVoy et al.
3675948 PRINTING METHOD AND ARTICLE FOR HIDING HALFTONE IMAGES 1972-07-11 Wicker
3414998 Counterfeitproof, encapsulated identification card 1968-12-10 Berger
3279826 Credential 1966-10-18 Rudershausen et al.
EP0390638 1994-02-23 Base-sheet for security document, with a transparent coating
EP1362710 2006-05-24 Improved carrier of information, and id card
EP1398175 2004-03-17 Carrier of information bearing a watermark
GB1073433A 1967-06-28
JP10157280 June, 1998 RECORDING MATERIAL
WO1981001389A1 1981-05-28 DEMAND AND TIMED RENEWING IMAGING MEDIA
WO2004052655A1 2004-06-24 OPAQUE OR SEMI-OPAQUE LAYER COATED INK-JET RECORDING MEDIUM
JPH10157280A 1998-06-16
Schiro, Ryan
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/869,602 filed Dec. 12, 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/869,607 filed Dec. 12, 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/869,609 filed Dec. 12, 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/908,523 filed Mar. 28, 2007; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/908,533 filed Mar. 28, 2007, which are all incorporated by reference. In addition, this application claims the benefit of European Application No. 06125552 filed Dec. 7, 2006; European Application No. 06125555 filed Dec. 7, 2006; European Application No. 06125558 filed Dec. 7, 2006; European Application No. 07104951 filed Mar. 27, 2007; and European Application No. 07104954 filed Mar. 27, 2007, which are all also incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a method for producing an information carrier.
A large set of ID cards are usually prepared on a large web or sheet by a step and repeat process, after which the web or sheet is cut into multiple items with the appropriate dimensions each representing a personal ID card. Smart cards and ID cards now have the standardized dimensions of 85.6 mm×54.0 mm×0.76 mm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,691 discloses a recording material which comprises a support having thereon a highly thermally insulating porous resin layer and a metal, dye or synthetic resin which is thermally deformed, foams, colors, discolors, sublimes, evaporates, or becomes transparent, translucent or opaque when exposed to radiation having a high energy density.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,925 discloses an authenticatible, tamper-indicating label, comprising: a normally opaque, transparentizable microporous film having first and second major surfaces, a first indicia proximate said first surface a second indicia on said first surface, and an adhesive proximate said first surface; wherein said microporous film can be changed from an opaque state to a transparent state by application of a first liquid that is not a solvent for said first and second indicia to said microporous film to thereby sufficiently fill the pores of said microporous film to cause said film to become transparent; wherein when said microporous film is in its opaque state, said first and second indicia are not visually perceptible when said label is viewed from said second surface, and when said microporous film is in its transparent state, at least said first indicia is visually perceptible when said label is viewed from said second surface, thereby providing an indication of the authenticity of said label; and wherein application of a second liquid that is a solvent for said second indicia causes at least a portion of said second indicia to migrate through said microporous film to said second major surface, thereby providing a permanent visually perceptible indication of tampering.
The inventions of EP-A 1 362 710 and EP-A 1 398 175 both disclose a porous opaque ink receiving layer comprising a pigment and a binder, which is capable of being transparentized with a UV-curable lacquer. There is a need to extend the security possibilities for providing additional security features to the information carriers disclosed in EP-A 1 362 710 and EP-A 1 398 175. There is also the need for the possibility of personalizing the information carrier i.e. incorporating personal details of the information card carrier e.g. an image or other identification. In particular, it has hitherto not been possible to personalize machine readable information covered by an opaque layer with a process which enables the personalization process to be carried out locally.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide information carriers with transparentizable opaque porous layers with additional security features, which are capable of being individualized by the incorporation of details of the person or object associated with the information carrier.
Surprisingly it has been found that the writing or modification of machine readable information can be realized in a layer or element, or pattern in the layer or element, capable of machine readable change covered by an opaque porous layer. This is achieved by temporarily transparentizing the opaque porous layer with a liquid and in the resulting transparentized state using a visible, UV or IR light source to modify or write the machine-readable information in the layer or element capable of machine readable change or in a pattern in the layer or element. Evaporation of the liquid then restores the opacity of the covering layer and this opacity can be rendered permanent by penetration by a lacquer, which does not transparentize the opaque porous layer, with optional subsequent curing, thereby realizing machine readable information which can no longer be changed.
Aspects of the present invention are realized by a method for producing an information carrier comprising the steps of: (1) providing an information carrier precursor comprising a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration having an image-receiving side and a non-image-receiving side, the receiving layer configuration comprising at least one pigment and at least one binder, wherein at least one constituent layer of the receiving layer configuration is opaque; at least the outermost layer on the image-receiving side or a layer in diffusive contact with the outermost layer on the image-receiving side is opaque and porous; and the receiving layer configuration is capable of being rendered substantially transparent by penetration by a lacquer; and a layer or element, or pattern in the layer or element, capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing UV, visible or IR radiation, the layer or element being either the surface of the rigid sheet or support or interposed between the rigid sheet or support and the non-image-receiving side of the receiving layer configuration; (2) pattern-wise or integrally at least partially transparentizing the receiving layer configuration with a vaporizable liquid thereby providing a transparent pattern on the at least partially transparentized receiving layer; (3) using a light source to write a pattern or modify the pattern in the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorption of UV, visible or IR radiation after transmission through at least part of the transparentized areas of the receiving layer configuration; evaporating the vaporizable liquid; and after the vaporizable liquid has been evaporated pattern-wise or integrally rendering the receiving layer configuration permanently at least partially non-transparent with a non-transparentizing lacquer, thereby producing an information carrier.
The term “porous layer”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means a layer with pores, which can be in the ingredients of the layer and/or in addition to the ingredients of the layer e.g. a layer containing a porous ingredient is a porous layer.
The terms “opaque” and “non-transparent” layer, as used in disclosing the present invention, refer to a layer where less than 10% of the incident light is allowed to pass through the layer. In a “substantially transparent” layer at least 50% of the incident visible light, preferably more than 65 and particularly preferably more than 75%, passes through the layer.
The term “transparentizing lacquer”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means a liquid under the application conditions, which comprises at least one polymer and/or at least one wax and/or at least one polymerizable substance (e.g. monomers and oligomers) and can solidify upon cooling, become solid upon evaporation of solvent or harden/cross-link upon exposure to heat, moisture or radiation e.g. visible light, UV-radiation and electron beams i.e. is curable which transparentizes the receiving layer configuration
The term “capability of being rendered substantially transparent by a “vaporizable liquid”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means that the receiving layer configuration at least becomes transparent upon penetration of the liquid and is maintained as long as the liquid is present.
The term “at least partially non-transparent”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means not completely non-transparent but insufficiently non-transparent to prevent the pattern in the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing UV, visible or IR radiation being changed by UV, visible or IR radiation.
The terms “on”, “onto” and “in”, as used in disclosing the present invention, have very precise meanings with respect to a layer: “on” means that penetration of the layer may or may not occur, “onto” means at least 90% on the top of i.e. there is no substantial penetration into the layer, and “in” means that penetration into the respective layer or layers occurs. With printing digitally stored information “onto” a porous receiving layer configuration, we understand that an image is provided “on and/or in” the receiving layer configuration. In the case of ink jet printing, if the ink remains on top of the receiving layer configuration, the image is provided “onto” the receiving layer. If the ink penetrates into the porous receiving layer configuration, it is “in” the layer
The term “impact printing process”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means a printing process in which contact is made between the medium in which the print is produced and the printing system e.g. printers that work by striking an ink ribbon such as daisy-wheel, dot-matrix and line printers, and direct thermal printers in which the thermographic material is printed by direct contact with heating elements in a thermal head and printers in which a master is covered with an ink layer on areas corresponding to a desired image or shape, after which the ink is transferred to the medium, such as offset, gravure or flexographic printing.
The term “pattern”, as used in disclosing the present invention, includes holograms, images, representations, guilloches, graphics and regular and irregular arrays of symbols, images, geometric shapes and non-geometric shapes and can consist of pixels, continuous tone, lines, geometric shapes and/or any random configuration.
Vaporizable transparentizing liquids include water, organic solvents, mixtures of water with organic solvents and solvent mixtures. Selection is dependent upon the refractive index of the liquid, its ease of evaporation, its viscosity and its ability to wet the pores in the receiving layer configuration and therefore enable penetration of the receiving layer configuration. If the pores have a hydrophilic character, hydrophilic liquids with the requisite refractive index will be required and if the pores have a hydrophobic character, hydrophobic liquids with the requisite refractive index will be required. The refractive index should differ from that of the pigment used in the receiving layer configuration by no more than 0.1, with a difference of 0.04 being preferred and a difference of 0.02 being particularly prepared.
Boiling point Refractive index at 20° C. with
[° C.] sodium line at 589.3 nm
2-butanol 99.5 1.397
n-butyl acetate 126.1 1.394
chloroform 61.2 1.4458
cyclohexane 80.7 1.426
cyclopentane 49.3 1.406
dichloromethane 39.8 1.4241
diethylene glycol 244.8 1.4475
1,4-dioxane 101.0 1.4224
ethylene glycol 198.9 1.4318
methylethylketone 79.6 1.379
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone 202.0 1.488
heptane 98.4 1.3878
Isobutyl alcohol 107.9 1.396
octane 125.7 1.3974
tetrachloroethylene 121.2 1.506
tetrahydrofuran 66.0 1.4072
toluene 110.6 1.497
trichloroethylene 87.0 1.4767
2,2,4-trimethylpentane 99.2 1.391
water 100 1.333
According to a first embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration.
According to a second embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the permanent pattern is applied to the outermost surface of the receiving layer using a conventional printing technique, with non-impact printing or impact printing being preferred and ink-jet printing being particularly preferred.
According to a third embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the method of applying a permanent pattern to the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration is a non-impact printing technique selected from the group consisting of electrophotographic printing, electrophoretic printing and ink-jet printing.
According to a fourth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the method of applying a coloured permanent pattern to the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration is an impact printing technique selected from the group consisting of thermal dye sublimation printing, thermal dye transfer printing, screen printing, offset printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing.
According to a fifth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the permanent pattern is applied using a conventional printing process only to the opaque, porous parts of the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration remaining after permanent pattern-wise transparentization.
According to a sixth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the application of the pattern to the outermost layer is performed subsequent to the writing or the modifying of the pattern in the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorption of UV, visible or IR radiation.
According to a seventh embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the light source is a laser.
According to an eighth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, a hologram is written on or applied to the outermost surface of the information carrier.
According to a ninth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, an embossable layer is applied to the outermost surface of the information carrier and the embossable layer is then embossed e.g. as a hologram.
According to a tenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, a UV-hardenable black image is printed on the outermost surface of the information carrier and the black image is UV-hardened to form a relief image.
According to an eleventh embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, a metal fibre or strip is applied to the outermost surface of the information carrier in a hardenable composition.
According to a twelfth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the permanent pattern applied to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration is a digitally stored set of information, applied, for example, by means of ink jet printing, thermal dye sublimation printing or thermal dye transfer printing. Printing techniques using toner particles can however also be used.
According to a thirteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the method further comprises applying a permanent pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration and the permanent pattern applied to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration is a digitally stored set of information, which is personalized information different for each individual item present on the information carrier. For instance, this personalized information may be a unique individual card number assigned to the future bearer of the card, or the expiry date of the validity of the card, or personal data of the future bearer, e.g. a date of birth, and/or a photo. Again, when the information carrier is meant to be cut in multiple ID cards, the ink jet printing step is repeated over multiple areas of the support in register with the security print pattern when present, thereby providing each item with different personalized information.
When the information carrier is meant to be cut in multiple ID cards, the application and curing of the varnish is repeated over multiple areas of the information carrier fully or partially in register with the multiple different items already present consisting of optional security print and personalized information.
According to a fourteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the pattern-wise or integrally at least partial non-transparentization of the receiving layer configuration is carried out by coating, printing, spraying or jetting a lacquer composition on the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration, with the lacquer preferably being curable and particularly preferably being radiation curable e.g. UV-curable. In the case of pattern-wise at least partial transparentization, the at least partial transparentization is preferably carried out by ink-jet printing. As explained above the better the match of the refraction indices of the lacquer composition and the pigment in the receiver layer the better the transparency.
Apparatuses for UV-curing are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. For example, UV-curing can be carried out with medium pressure mercury vapour lamps with or without electrodes, or pulsed xenon lamps. These ultraviolet light sources are usually equipped with a cooling installation, an installation to remove the ozone produced and optionally a nitrogen inflow to exclude air from the surface of the product to be cured during radiation processing. A UV-light intensity of 40 to 240 W/cm in the 200-400 nm spectral region is usually employed. An example of a commercially available UV-curing unit is the DRSE-120 conveyor from Fusion UV Systems Ltd., UK with a VPS/1600 UV lamp, an ultraviolet medium-pressure electrodeless mercury vapour lamp. The DRSE-120 conveyor can operate at different transport speeds and different UV power settings over a width of 20 cm and a length in the transport direction of 0.8 cm. Moreover, it can also be used with metal halide-doped Hg vapour or XeCl excimer lamps, each with its specific UV emission spectrum. This permits a higher degree of freedom in formulating the curing composition: a more efficient curing is possible using the lamp with the most appropriate spectral characteristics. A pulsed xenon flash lamp is commercially available from IST Strahlentechnik GmbH, Nürtingen, Germany.
As a result of the curing the cohesive force of the receiving layer configuration and the adhesive force between the receiver and the support are strongly improved rendering in this way the information carrier tamper proof since it has become strongly resistant to mechanical and chemical influences.
water based: drying mechanism involves absorption, penetration and evaporation;
The methods for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, use an information carrier precursor comprising a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration comprising a single layer or multiple layers, each layer comprising at least one binder and at least one pigment, the receiving layer configuration being opaque and porous and capable of being transparentized by penetration with a vaporizable liquid; a layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing radiation; and optionally an opaque element between the side of the receiving layer configuration closer to the support and the support, which may be contiguous or non-contiguous with the side of the receiving layer configuration closer to the support.
According to a fifteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the information carrier precursor further comprises an opaque element between the side of the receiving layer configuration nearer the support and the support.
The receiving layer configuration comprises at least one pigment and at least one binder, wherein at least one constituent layer of the receiving layer configuration is opaque; at least the outermost layer on the image-receiving side or a layer in diffusive contact with the outermost layer on the image-receiving side is opaque and porous; and the receiving layer configuration is capable of being rendered substantially transparent by penetration by a lacquer. Such opaque and porous layers preferably comprise at least one pigment and at least one binder.
Multiple layers comprising the receiving layer configuration can be coated or printed simultaneously or sequentially and may have the same or different compositions e.g. to vary the porosity of the individual layers.
The composition of individual layers in the receiving layer configuration can be modified after deposition by coating or printing by, for example, pattern-wise or non-pattern-wise deposition of a substance in a form which can mix with, e.g. upon partial dissolution of the uppermost part of the layer, or diffuse into layer.
Suitable surfactants are any of the cationic, anionic, amphoteric, and non-ionic ones as described in JP-A 62-280068 (1987). Examples of the surfactants are N-alkylamino acid salts, alkylether carboxylic acid salts, acylated peptides, alkylsulphonic acid salts, alkylbenzene and alkylnaphthalene sulphonic acid salts, sulfosuccinic acid salts, α-olefin sulphonic acid salts, N-acylsulphonic acid salts, sulphonated oils, alkylsulphonic acid salts, alkylether sulphonic acid salts, alkylallylethersulphonic acid salts, alkylamidesulphonic acid salts, alkylphosphoric acid salts, alkyletherphosphoric acid salts, alkylallyletherphosphoric acid salts, alkyl and alkylallylpolyoxyethylene ethers, alkylallyl-formaldehyde condensed acid salts, alkylallylethersulphonic acid salts, alkylamidesulphonic acid salts, alkylphosphoric acid salts, alkyletherphosphoric acid salts, alkylallyletherphosphoric acid salts, alkyl and alkylallylpolyoxy-ethylene ethers, alkylallyl-formaldehyde condensed polyoxyethylene ethers, blocked polymers having polyoxypropylene, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylalkylethers, polyoxyethyleneether of glycolesters, polyoxyethylene ether of sorbitan esters, polyoxyethylene ether of sorbitol esters, polyethyleneglycol aliphatic acid esters, glycerol esters, sorbitane esters, propyleneglycol esters, sugar esters, fluoro C2-C10 alkylcarboxylic acids, disodium N-perfluorooctanesulfonyl glutamate, sodium 3-(fluoro-C6-C11-alkyloxy)-1-C3-C4 alkyl sulfonates, sodium 3-(ω-fluoro-C6-C8-alkanoyl-N-ethylamino)-1-propane sulphonates, N-[3-(perfluorooctanesulfonamide)-propyl]-N,N-dimethyl-N-carboxy-methylene ammonium betaine, fluoro-C11-C20 alkylcarboxylic acids, perfluoro-C7-C13-alkyl-carboxylic acids, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid diethanolamide, Li, K and Na perfluoro-C4-C12-alkyl sulphonates, N-propyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)perfluorooctane sulphonamide, perfluoro-C6-C10-alkylsulphonamide-propyl-sulphonyl-glycinates, bis-(N-perfluorooctylsulphonyl-N-ethanolaminoethyl)-phosphonate, mono-perfluoro C6-C16 alkyl-ethyl phosphonates, and perfluoroalkylbetaine.
Furthermore, the constituent receiving layers may be lightly crosslinked to provide such desired features as waterfastness and non-blocking characteristics. However, the degree of cross-linking should be such that neither the diffusion of the functional species or functional species precursor nor the penetration of the lacquer should be substantially affected. Crosslinking is also useful in providing abrasion resistance and resistance to the formation of fingerprints on the element as a result of handling. There are a vast number of known crosslinking agents—also known as hardening agents—that will function to crosslink film forming binders. Hardening agents can be used individually or in combination and in free or in blocked form. A great many hardeners, useful for the present invention, are known, including formaldehyde and free dialdehydes, such as succinaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, blocked dialdehydes, active esters, sulphonate esters, active halogen compounds, isocyanate or blocked isocyanates, polyfunctional isocyanates, melamine derivatives, s-triazines and diazines, epoxides, active olefins having two or more active bonds, carbodiimides, zirconium complexes, e.g. BACOTE 20, ZIRMEL 1000 or zirconium acetate, trademarks of MEL Chemicals, titanium complexes, such as TYZOR grades from DuPont, isoxazolium salts substituted in the 3-position, esters of 2-alkoxy-N-carboxy-dihydroquinoline, N-carbamoylpyridinium salts, hardeners of mixed function, such as halogen-substituted aldehyde acids (e.g. mucochloric and mucobromic acids), onium substituted acroleins and vinyl sulphones and polymeric hardeners, such as dialdehyde starches and copoly(acroleinmethacrylic acid), and oxazoline functional polymers, e.g. EPOCROS WS-500, and EPOCROS K-1000 series, and maleic anhydride copolymers, e.g. GANTREZ AN119.
The constituent receiving layers and the optional supplementary layers used in the information carrier precursor, according to the present invention, may also comprise a plasticizer such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerol monomethylether, glycerol monochlorohydrin, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, urea phosphate, triphenylphosphate, glycerolmonostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, tetramethylene sulphone, n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, n-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.
The receiving layer pigment may be chosen from the inorganic pigments well-known in the art such as silica, talc, clay, hydrotalcite, kaolin, diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, basic magnesium carbonate, aluminosilicate, aluminium trihydroxide, aluminium oxide (alumina), titanium oxide, zinc oxide, barium sulphate, calcium sulphate, zinc sulphide, satin white, boehmite (alumina hydrate), zirconium oxide or mixed oxides. In a preferred embodiment the main pigment is chosen from silica, aluminosilicate, alumina, calcium carbonate, alumina hydrate, and aluminium trihydroxide.
According to a sixteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the pigment is an inorganic pigment.
According to a seventeenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the pigment is silica.
silica-silica gel 1.55
porous alumina 1.6
pigment e.g. MARTINOX GL-1
Useful aluminium trihydroxides include Bayerite, or α-Al(OH)3, such as PLURAL BT, available from SASOL, and Gibbsite, or γ-Al(OH)3, such as MARTINAL grades from Martinswerk GmbH, MARTIFIN grades, such as MARTIFIN OL104, MARTIFIN OL 107 and MARTIFIN OL111 from Martinswerk GmbH, MICRAL grades, such as MICRAL 1440, MICRAL 1500; MICRAL 632; MICRAL 855; MICRAL 916; MICRAL 932; MICRAL 932CM; MICRAL 9400 from JM Huber company; HIGILITE grades, e.g. HIGILITE H42 or HIGILITE H43M from Showa Denka K.K., HYDRAL GRADES such as HYDRAL COAT 2, HYDRAL COAT 5 and HYDRAL COAT 7, HYDRAL 710 and HYDRAL PGA, from Alcoa Industrial Chemicals.
According to an eighteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the receiving layer configuration comprises at least one latex in at least one receiving layer. Upon varying the pigment/latex ratio between 2 and 6.5 (2, 2.2, 2.45, 2.70, 2.75, 3.5, 3.78, 4.25, 5 and 6.25) with SYLOID® W-300 as pigment it was found that the amount of ink bleeding decreased with increasing pigment/latex ratio. At too high ratios of pigment/latex the receiving layer becomes too powdery. With SYLOID® W-300 the best image sharpness was observed at a weight ratio of total pigment to total latex of 3.29. Furthermore, the presence of very high latex concentrations prohibitively reduces the rub-resistance of the printed image.
According to a nineteenth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the receiving layer configuration comprises at least one latex in at least one receiving layer and the weight ratio of total pigment to total latex is in the range 3:1 to 6.5:1.
Layer or Element Capable of a Machine-Readable Change
The information carrier precursor used in the methods for producing an information carrier comprises a layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing UV, visible or IR radiation and the methods incorporate a step in which a light source is used to write a pattern in the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorption of UV, visible or IR radiation.
Lasers suitable for realizing the human-readable or machine-readable change are Nd-YAG, carbon dioxide and diode lasers e.g. AlGaAs laser diodes.
According to a twentieth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the machine-readable change is an inductive, magnetic or electrical change.
According to a twenty-first embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing IR-radiation comprises a polymer resin.
According to a twenty-second embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing IR-radiation comprises a ferroelectric polymer.
According to a twenty-third embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing IR-radiation comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer e.g. a polythiophene, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene), a polyaniline, a polyacetylene or a polypyrrole.
According to a twenty-fourth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorbing IR-radiation comprises a metal.
According to a twenty-fifth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the rigid sheet or support comprises at least one layer and/or a multilayer laminate or co-extrudate. Examples of suitable co-extrudates are PET/PETG and PET/polycarbonate.
The support can be a sheet or web support. According to a seventeenth embodiment of the information carrier precursor, according to the present invention, the support is a web support.
The support for use in the present invention can be transparent, translucent or opaque, and can be chosen from paper type and polymeric type supports well-known from photographic technology. Paper types include plain paper, cast coated paper, polyethylene coated paper and polypropylene coated paper. Polymeric supports include cellulose acetate propionate or cellulose acetate butyrate, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyimides, polyolefins, poly(vinylacetals), polyethers and polysulfonamides. Other examples of useful high-quality polymeric supports for the present invention include opaque white polyesters and extrusion blends of polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene. Polyester film supports and especially polyethylene terephthalate are preferred because of their excellent properties of dimensional stability. When such a polyester is used as the support material, a subbing layer may be employed to improve the bonding of the receiving layer configuration to the support. Useful subbing layers for this purpose are well known in the photographic art and include, for example, polymers of vinylidene chloride such as vinylidene chloride/acrylonitrile/acrylic acid terpolymers or vinylidene chloride/methyl acrylate/itaconic acid terpolymers.
In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention the support is coloured or whitened polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate.
The term “non-transparentizing lacquer”, as used in disclosing the present invention, means a liquid under the application conditions, which comprises at least one polymer and/or at least one wax and can solidify upon cooling, become solid upon evaporation of solvent or harden/cross-link upon exposure to heat, moisture or radiation e.g. visible light, UV-radiation and electron beams i.e. is curable which does not transparentize the receiving layer configuration.
The substantial penetration of the receiving layer configuration by the non-transparentizing lacquer can be realized by controlling the penetration time and/or the viscosity of the composition. The viscosity of the non-transparentizing lacquer composition is adjusted to ensure rapid penetration and hence rapid permanent opacity.
According to a twenty-sixth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, in the event of pattern-wise transparentization of the receiving layer configuration, the non-transparentized areas of the receiving layer configuration are penetrated with a non-transparentizing lacquer.
According to a twenty-seventh embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the non-transparentizing lacquer is a curable lacquer e.g. thermally curable, electron beam curable or photopolymerizable.
According to a twenty-eighth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the lacquer is a radiation curable lacquer.
According to a twenty-ninth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the non-transparentizing lacquer is a photopolymerizable lacquer.
Avoidance of transparentization depends upon the refraction indices of the pigment and of the lacquer which penetrates the receiving layer configuration not matching each other with the refractive index difference being greater than 0.12. Therefore, the choice of ingredients for the lacquer has to be such as to fulfil this requirement. Additional constraints on the composition of the lacquer are determined by whether the non-transparentizing lacquer is required to be curable and if curable which curing process has been selected.
According to a thirtieth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the refractive index of the pigment and the refractive index of the non-transparentizing lacquer differ by more than 0.12.
poly(4-methoxystyrene) 1.5967
Polyvinyl carbazole 1.695
Transparentizing Lacquer Composition
The transparentization process depends upon the refractive index of the pigment in the opaque and porous layer and the refractive index of the lacquer which penetrates the opaque and porous constituent layer or layers of the receiving layer configuration matching each other as closely as possible. The closer the match of the refraction indices, the better the transparency which will be obtained after impregnation of the receiver layer with the lacquer. Therefore, the choice of ingredients for the lacquer has to be such as to fulfil this requirement. Additional constraints on the composition of the lacquer are determined by whether the lacquer is required to be curable and if curable which curing process has been selected.
In a transparentizing lacquer the refractive index of the pigment and the refractive index should differ by no more than 0.1, preferably by not more than 0.04 and particularly preferably by no more than 0.02.
The use of typical UV-curable lacquers, such as acrylate/methacrylate-based lacquers, have a refractive index of 1.47 to 1.49 which provides a good match of refractive index with SIPERNAT® 570 with a refractive index of 1.45 to 1.47 and hence penetration of receiving layer configurations comprising SIPERNAT® 570 with such lacquers results in good transparency.
The substantial penetration of the receiving layer configuration by the transparentizing lacquer can be realized by controlling the penetration time and/or the viscosity of the composition. The viscosity of the transparentizing lacquer is adjusted to ensure rapid penetration and hence rapid transparentization.
The transparentizing lacquer is preferably a curable lacquer e.g. thermally curable, electron beam curable or photopolymerizable, with a radiation curable lacquer being preferred and a photopolymerizable lacquer being particularly preferred.
Curable Lacquer Ingredients
It is also possible to use monofunctional (meth)acrylic acid esters as monomer provided they are not too volatile and do not spread an unwanted odour. Suitable compounds include n-octylacrylate, decylacrylate, decylmethacrylate, stearylacrylate, stearylmethacrylate, cyclohexylacrylate, cyclohexylmethacrylate, phenylethylacrylate, phenylethylmethacrylate. The most preferred compounds comprise one or more (meth)acrylate functional groups.
Photopolymerizable lacquers may also contain a minor amount of a heat polymerization inhibitor which prevents premature polymerization before the UV curing step. Examples of such inhibitors include p-methoxyphenol, hydroquinone, aryl- or alkyl substituted hydroquinone, t-butylcatechol, pyrogallol, copper(I) chloride, phenothiazine, chloranil, naphtylamine, α-naphthol, 2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresol, etc. A preferred polymerization inhibitor is 2-methyl hydroquinone. The heat polymerization inhibitors are preferable used in an amount of 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts of monomer.
According to a thirty-first embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the lacquer further contains at least one colorant e.g. a dye or a pigment.
According to a thirty-second embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the information carrier is an identification card selected from the group consisting of an identity card, a security card, a driver's license card, a social security card, a health card, a membership card, a time registration card, a bank card, a pay card and a credit card.
According to a thirty-third embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the information carrier is in the form of a flexible sheet e.g. any page of a passport or a page of a passport with personalized data of the bearer.
According to a thirty-fourth embodiment of the method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, the information carrier is an admission document e.g. a visa, a ticket for an event and lottery tickets.
The method for producing an information carrier, according to the present invention, can be utilized in the security field not only encompassing personalized documents such as passports, driving licenses, identity cards (ID cards) and admission documents such as visa's and entry tickets, but also the authentification and identification of goods to avoid counterfeiting, tampering and fraud such as lottery tickets, share certificates, transaction documents, labels on luggage and the packaging of pharmaceuticals and high value products in general.
A 100 μm thick sheet of transparent polyethylene terephthalate subbed with subbing layer No 1 was coated with the porous receiver layer dispersion with the composition given in table 1:
Composition of porous receiver layer dispersion
Poval ™ PVA R3109, a silanol modified polyvinyl 2.3 g
alcohol from KURARAY CO.
Polysol ™ EVA P-550, a 50% aqueous 100 g
emulsion of an ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate
copolymer from SHOWA HIGH POLYMER CO.
using a 100 μm wirebar followed by drying at 50° C. producing an opaque porous layer with a layer thickness of 22 μm and an optical density of 0.19 measured with a MacBeth RB918-SB densitometer with a visible filter and with a black sheet of cardboard with a density of 1.35 placed under the transparent polyethylene terephthalate support. With a white background beneath the transparent polyethylene terephthalate support an optical density of 0.06 was measured with a visible filter indicating a certain transparency, although the “opaque” porous layer provides a white non-transparent film due to the extremely high haze of the layer of 97% as measured with a Haze-Gard Plus apparatus from BYK-GARDNER according to ASTM D1003.
Model experiments were carried out with liquids to determine what refractive index difference was acceptable with the above-described opaque porous layer without a prohibitive decrease in optical density (OD). The results are given in Table 2 together with the optical density obtained upon transparentization with the lacquer with the composition given in Table 3 below:
OD (visible filter/black back-
Refractive index at ground) of “opaque”
20° C. with sodium porous layer
Liquid line at 589.3 nm upon wetting with the liquid
deionized water 1.3325 0.70
methylethylketone 1.379 1.13
dichloromethane 1.4241 1.26
toluene 1.497 1.37
On the basis of the optical density achieved with the lacquer given in Table 3, extrapolation gives a value for the refractive index of the pigment in the opaque porous layer of ca. 1.52.
The photosensitive elements used in INVENTION EXAMPLE 2 were prepared by coating the solution in Table 3 below onto polyethylene paper to a wet thickness of 100 μm. After allowing the layers to dry for 2 minutes at room temperature the layers were dried in a drying cupboard at 50° C. for 3 minutes.
Photo- Photo- Photo-
acetone [g] 40 40 40
2-butanone [g] 40 40 40
Dodecyl benzylsulphonic acid [g] 0.7 — 0.7
Leuco crystal violet 0.4 0.4 0.4
Photoinitiator PI 01 0.6 0.6 0.6
2-mercaptobenzoxazole [g] — — 0.2
Cellulose acetate butyrate: 10 10 10
CAB 381-20 from EASTMAN [g]
91.5 90.8 91.7
Photosensitive elements 1 to 3 were exposed through a grey level wedge with a constant of 0.15 with different light sources and different exposure times: 180 s and 360 s in contact with a UV-A lightbox with 8 Philips TL 20 W/10 UVA tubes, 600 s in contact with a DL3000SP UV-source in vacuum and 300 s with the DL3000SP but under glass and very near the lamp. The optical densities before and after the different exposures were measured in transmission through a red filter with a Macbeth RD918-SB densitometer. The results are summarized in Table 4.
Optical density through a red filter
after 180 s after 360 s after 600 s after 300 s
Photo- prior exposure exposure DL300SP DL300SP exposure
sensitive to under glass under glass exposure very near lamp
element nr exposure with UVA with UVA under vacuum and under glass
1 0.44 1.03 1.21 1.05 1.68
2 0.24 0.34 0.37 0.36 0.94
3 0.42 0.81 0.93 0.89 1.73
An isopropanol droplet was applied to a sheet with a porous layer on a 100 μm thick subbed transparent polyethylene terephthalate support prepared as described in INVENTION EXAMPLE 1 and the sheet covered with a 23 μm thick PET-film. The optical density of the thereby transparentized sheet with a porous layer on a black background monitored at one minute intervals are given in Table 5.
time elapsed since application Optical density of sheet with macro-
isopropanol droplet [min] porous layer on a black background
These results show that the density remained substantially unchanged over a period of 10 minutes.
A sandwich was realized by placing the uncoated side of the sheet with the porous layer on the coated side of photosensitive element and after application of a droplet of liquid placing a 23 μm thick PET-film over the porous layer. Photosensitive element 1 in the sandwich was then exposed for 300 s on the UVA lightbox with 8 Philips TL 20 W/10 UVA tubes. This experiment was carried out twice and the optical density of photosensitive element 1 after exposure measured through a red filter in transmission with a Macbeth RD918-SB densitometer. The optical densities realized with the different liquids in the two experiments are given in Table 6.
refractive after 360 s UVA exposure
index of Prior to under glass
liquid liquid exposure experiment 1 experiment 2
none — 0.52 1.00 1.05
methanol 1.328 0.52 1.21 1.33
water 1.333 0.52 1.15 1.16
ethanol 1.361 0.52 1.22 1.34
toluene 1.496 0.52 1.25 1.34
These experiments clearly show that the optical densities realized upon exposing Photosensitive element 1 though a with liquid transparentized porous layer were significantly higher than the optical densities realized upon exposing Photosensitive element 1 though the porous layer without transparentization with a liquid despite the improvised nature of the experiment.
Therefore, security information can be applied using a light-source, such as a laser, in a layer or pattern beneath a porous layer, by applying the security information with the porous layer in a temporarily transparentized state and then rendering the porous layer opaque so that the added security information cannot be visually detected. Such information could, for example, be inductively readable information and the pattern beneath the porous layer could be a pattern of an intrinsically conductive polymer, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).
Invention Examples 3
A 100 μm thick sheet of transparent polyethylene terephthalate subbed with subbing layer 1 was coated with the porous receiver layer dispersion with the composition given in Table 1 of INVENTION EXAMPLE 1 using a 100 μm wirebar followed by drying at 50° C. producing an opaque porous layer with a layer thickness of 22 μm and an optical density of 0.19 measured with a MacBeth RB918-SB densitometer with a visible filter and with a black sheet of cardboard with a density of 1.35 placed under the transparent polyethylene terephthalate support. With a white background beneath the transparent polyethylene terephthalate support an optical density of 0.06 was measured with a visible filter indicating a certain transparency, although the “opaque” porous layer provides a white non-transparent film due to the extremely high haze of the layer of 97% as measured with a Haze-Gard Plus apparatus from BYK-GARDNER according to ASTM D1003.
A sheet of MASTERTOOL™ MT8 from AGFA-GEVAERT N.V., an evaporated bismuth layer on a PET-support with a protective layer, was attached to the above-described porous layer-coated sheet with its support in contact with the protective layer of the sheet of MASTERTOOL™ MT8. A drop of liquid was then applied to the porous layer and a 23 μm thick attached to the surface of the thereby moistened porous layer. This configuration was then exposed to a NdYLF laser at 1047 nm in a laser-exposure unit with the porous layer uppermost at a scanning speed of 2 m/s at an intensity of 1.18×105 W/cm2 (power=450 mW and spot-width=22 μm). The optical density of the bismuth layer was measured with a Macbeth TD 904 densitometer in transmission with a visible filter: prior to exposure, with unmoistened porous layer, with the porous layer moistened with water and with the porous layer moistened with diethylene glycol. The results are summarized in Table 7:
Refractive Optical density measured
index of in transmission
liquid at with a MacBeth
20° C. TD904 densitometer
Before exposure — 3.96
Exposure of Mastertool MT8 sheet — 3.96
through unmoistened porous layer
Exposure of Mastertool MT8 sheet 1.333 1.33
through porous layer moistened
Exposure to Mastertool MT8 sheet 1.4475 0.80
These experiments clearly show that no optical density reduction due to bismuth coalescence was realized upon exposing the sheet of Mastertool MT8 though the porous layer itself, whereas substantial reductions in optical density from 4.96 to 1.33 and 0.80 respectively were observed upon exposure through a with liquid transparentized porous layer for water and diethylene glycol respectively. Moreover, a much high reduction in optical density was observed with diethylene glycol-induced transparentization than with water-induced transparentization, which is consistent with the refractive index of diethylene glycol of 1.4475 being much closer to that of silica that that of water of 1.333.
Therefore, security information can be applied using a light-source, such as a laser, in a layer or pattern beneath a porous layer, by applying the security information with the porous layer in a temporarily transparentized state and then rendering the porous layer opaque so that the added security information cannot be visually detected. Such information could, for example, be inductively readable information and the pattern beneath the porous layer could be a pattern of an intrinsically conductive polymer, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT).
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