PROCESS FOR SECURING AN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT AND SECURE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT

• US 20120049506A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Nikkila, Jarmo
• Granted Patent: US 10,259,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 283/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/24 Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/24 Colours
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/43 by removal of material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/435 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for securing an identification document and to a secure identification document. More particularly, the process uses UV sensitive ink(s) to define a pattern only visible under UV radiations. The process is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: printing a first layer of a transparent ablation varnish (13), printing a layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s) over said first layer of transparent ablation varnish, removing parts of the layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s), by means of a laser beam, some remaining areas of said UV sensitive ink(s) defining said pattern to be revealed in color under UV radiations, and some areas, where the UV sensitive ink(s) has been removed and the laser beam has interacted with the ablation varnish (13), absorbing the UV radiations with effect of creating black color.

Claims

1. A process for securing an identification document by using UV sensitive ink(s) to define a pattern only visible under UV radiations, said process comprising:

printing a first layer of a transparent ablation varnish (13),

printing a layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s) over said first layer of transparent ablation varnish,

removing parts of the layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s), by means of a laser beam, some remaining areas of said UV sensitive ink(s) defining said pattern to be revealed in color under UV radiations, and some areas, where the UV sensitive ink(s) has been removed and the laser beam has interacted with the ablation varnish (13), absorbing the UV radiations with effect of creating black color.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said layers of transparent ablation varnish (13) and UV sensitive ink(s) (14) are printed onto an at least translucent portion (17;

12).

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said layers of transparent ablation varnish (13) and UV sensitive ink(s) (14) are printed onto an opaque paper layer.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein laser engraving step for drawing said pattern to be revealed is made by means of a YAG Laser beam.

5. A secure identification document comprising a pattern made with UV sensitive ink(s), whereby the pattern can only be revealed under UV radiations, said document further comprising:

a layer (13) of a transparent ablation varnish that is provided under a layer (14) of said UV sensitive ink(s),

said pattern being defined into and through the layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s) by means of a laser beam.

6. A secure identification document according to claim 5, wherein the layers of transparent ablation varnish (13) and UV sensitive ink(s) (14) are applied onto an at least translucent portion (12;

17).

7. A secure identification document according to claim 6, wherein said at least translucent portion is a layer (12) defining the whole surface of the document.

8. A secure identification document according to claim 6, wherein said at least translucent portion defines a see-through portion (17) through the whole thickness of the document.

9. A secure identification document according to claim 5, wherein the layers of transparent ablation varnish (13) and UV sensitive ink(s) (14) are applied onto an opaque paper layer.

10. A secure identification document according to claim 5, wherein the layer of transparent ablation varnish (13) has a thickness comprised between 5 and 24 μ

m.

11. A secure identification document according to claim 5, wherein the layer of UV sensitive ink(s) (14) is around 1.4 and 2 g/m².