Patent ID: 7997496

Claim:
A process for preparing a laminated printable plastic identity card containing at least one entrapped Diffractive Optical Variable Image Device (DOVID) element, the process comprising the steps of: (1) obtaining a base sheet comprising at least one base card; (2) obtaining at least one DOVID appliqué comprising a DOVID element, an attachment means comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a protective layer, the DOVID appliqué having a thickness of about 25 micrometers to about 50 micrometers; (3) customizing the at least one DOVID appliqué as by an individualized printing process; the individualized printing process being a member selected from the group consisting of: bar code printing, sequential number printing, name printing, logo printing, graphics printing and text printing; (4) aligning by hand the at least one DOVID appliqué with the at least one base card as by a positioning means, the positioning means being a member selected from the group consisting of at least one alignment mark and a template, the attachment means of the DOVID appliqué being positioned next to the at least one base card; (5) pressing by hand the at least one DOVID appliqué to the at least one base card to remove air bubbles and to obtain at least one prelamination card (prelam card), the prelam card comprising a multi-layer structure comprising a base card, an attachment means comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive, a DOVID element, the DOVID element comprising a diffractive structure and a reflectivity element, and a protective layer; (6) laminating the at least one prelam card with a transparent laminating layer on at least one side of the prelam card, the at least one side being the side containing the at least one DOVID element, to obtain a laminated printable plastic identity card containing at least one entrapped DOVID element.