Identification card with a radiant energy reactive coating

• US 4,544,183 A
• Filed: 08/05/1983
• Issued: 10/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Identification Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Identification Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Parkinson, Dean B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYRANA, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US06/520,667
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 283/75, 283/77, 283/85, 283/91, 283/100, 283/111, 283/112, 283/906, 283/904, 430/10, 430/338, 430/344, 430/271, 430/280, 427/54.1, 346/223
• US Class Current: 283/85
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/20 Coloured material; Pigments or inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/34 Markings visible under particular conditions or containing coded information
• 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 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/324 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/415 using chemicals B42D25/445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/43 by removal of material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/45 Associating two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

A multi-layered engraved identification card includes a base layer having a first color and a color-changeable layer initially having a second color which is changeable to a third color contrasting with the first color upon exposure to radiant energy preferably having a wavelength of from 3,500 to 5,000 Angstroms, for a specified period of time. The color-changeable layer is initially prepared as a solution of a resin, a plasticizer, a radiant energy-sensitive coloring agent for causing the color change, and a solvent in which both the base and the resin of the solution are soluble. Alternatively, the solution may further include a cross-linkable plasticizer with a peroxide to cause the resin of the solution and the plastic of the base to be cross-linked and hence bonded permanently to the base. The engraving may be done after the color-changeable layer is formed on the base, or alternatively, the base may be first engraved and the color-changeable solution applied to the non-engraved surface regions or applied to fill the engraved depressions.

Claims

1. A multilayered identification card comprising:

a base layer having a first color, the base having a plurality of depressions of varying depths engraved therein to define an engraved image in the base; and

a color-changeable layer disposed on and bonded to selected regions of the base layer, the color changeable layer initially having a second color, which color is permanently changeable, upon exposure to radiant energy for a specified period of time, to a third color which contrasts with the first color.

2. The card of claim 2 wherein the second color is permanently changeable to the third color upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

3. The card of claim 2 wherein the color-changeable layer is diffusion-bonded to the base layer.

4. The card of claim 2 wherein the color-changeable layer is applied to the base as a liquid dispersion comprising:

a polymeric binder;

a dye precursor for causing the color-changeable layer to change from the second to the third color when exposed to permanently ultraviolet light;

a free radical former; and

a solvent in which both the base and the resin are soluble.

5. The card of claim 4 wherein the dye precursor is selected from the group consisting of ##STR6## wherein:

R represents a monovalent radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl and aryl;

R₁ represents a member selected from the group consisting of phenyl, α

-naphthyl and β

-naphthyl;

R₂ represents a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl and aralkyl;

and each R₃ represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, halogen and dialkyl amino; and

may be the same or different;

and wherein the free radical former is selected from the group having the formula

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">R--CX.sub.3

wherein R represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl and substituted aryl, and each X represents a halogen atom selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine.

6. The card of claim 4 wherein the dye precursor is diphenylamine, the free radical former is carbon tetrabromide and the third color is a triphenylmethane dye.

7. The card according to claim 5 wherein the color changeable layer is initially a liquid dispersion comprising:

a vinyl copolymer;

a cross-linkable plasticizer reactable with the base;

a solvent in which the vinyl copolymer and the base are soluble;

a peroxide for actuating the cross-linking; and

the dye precursor, whereby the plasticizer and the peroxide are selected to act to react with the base to effect molecular cross-linking between the color changeable layer and the base.

8. The card of claim 6 wherein the color changeable layer is initially a liquid dispersion comprising:

a vinyl copolymer;

a cross linkable plasticizer reactable with the base;

a solvent in which the vinyl copolymer and the base are soluble;

a peroxide for actuating the cross-linking; and

the dye precursor, whereby the plasticizer and the peroxide are selected to act to react with the base to effect molecular cross-linking between the color changeable layer and the base.