Credit and identification cards having pieces of diffraction grating therein

• US 4,547,002 A
• Filed: 11/10/1983
• Issued: 10/15/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Banknote S/A
• Original Assignee: US Banknote Corporation
• Inventors: Colgate, Gilbert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US06/550,401
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 264/132, 264/140, 264/160, 283/75, 283/74, 283/76, 283/77, 283/106, 283/107-112, 283/904, 283/85-91
• US Class Current: 283/91
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/28 Paper or card board
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/30 Plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/02 Nature of the markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/328 Diffraction gratings; Holograms
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/425 by deformation, e.g. embossing
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/42 Ribbons or strips filaments D21H15/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

An information bearing credit or identification card in which pieces of a diffraction grating, preferably an embossed hologram, are randomly distributed in a plastic or paper card so that light reflecting therefrom uniquely and visually differentiates the grating and hence the card. The pieces may be mixed in the plastic pig or with the paper prior to rolling or sprinkled in the plastic or other substrate during rolling.

Claims

1. An information bearing card with a substrate having an extended surface with a plurality of pieces of a diffraction grating randomly distributed therein and each, in response to incident light, reflecting light having unique optical characteristics uniquely and visually identifying the grating and therefore the card source.

2. A card as in claim 1 wherein said substrate is paper.

3. A card as in claim 1 wherein said substrate is plastic.

4. A card as in claim 3 wherein said plastic is PVC.

5. A card as in claim 1 wherein the diffraction grating is a hologram embossed on a polyester sheet.