Security document having a transparent or translucent support and containing interference pigments

• US 6,210,777 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1996
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
• Original Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
• Inventors: De Baets, Daniel, Vermeulen, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): YAMNITZKY, MARIE ROSE
• Application Number:
  US08/656,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 428/195, 428/411.1, 428/913, 428/914, 428/323, 428/324, 428/403, 428/204, 428/207, 250/365, 283/85, 283/902, 283/72
• US Class Current: 428/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 Security printing securities B42D25/29
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/04 Transparent material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/10 Metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/14 Photosensitive material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/20 Coloured material; Pigments or inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/24 Colours
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/36 visible in transmitted light, e.g. in a window region
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/378 Special inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/42 by photographic processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 8/423 for obtaining security documents, e.g. identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/902 Anti-photocopy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/251 : Mica

Abstract

A security document which contains at least one layer and a transparent or translucent support and at least one image or pattern serving for identification purposes, characterized in that the document contains at least one light interference pigment distributed uniformly or patternwise in or on at least one layer of the document and/or contains the pigment in the support.

Claims

1. A security document comprising:

a transparent or translucent support with a visible light-blocking capacity less than 80%, said support having a first side and a second side opposite said first side;

an image or pattern for identification purposes, at said first side or at said second side of said support;

a first layer at said first side of said support;

a first light interference pigment distributed uniformly or patternwise in or on said first layer;

wherein said document, by presence of said first light interference pigment, has at least in certain areas a first color when viewed with light transmitted through the document and a second color, said second color being different from said first color, when viewed with light reflected by the document.

2. Document according to claim 1, wherein said document contains mixtures of different light interference pigments.

3. Document according to claim 1, wherein said first light interference pigment is distributed uniformly in said first layer, wherein said document further comprises a second layer at said second side of said support, and

wherein a second light interference pigment, which is different from said first light interference pigment, is distributed uniformly in said second layer.

4. Document according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first layer and said second layer has underneath and/or on top thereof a second pattern containing common light-reflecting pigments and/or dyes having no light interference properties.

5. Document according to claim 4, wherein said second pattern has a color substantially the same as a color selected from a color seen in transmission mode of said first light interference pigment, a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment, a color seen in transmission mode of said second light interference pigment and a color seen in reflection mode of said second light interference pigment.

6. Document according to claim 1, wherein said first light interference pigment is distributed patternwise in said first layer and wherein said first layer has underneath and/or on top thereof a third pattern containing common light-reflecting pigments and/or dyes having no light interference properties.

7. Document according to claim 1, wherein said first light interference pigment is distributed patternwise in said first layer and wherein said first layer has underneath and/or on top thereof a third layer having a color substantially the same as a color selected from a color seen in transmission mode of said first light interference pigment and a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment.

8. Document according to claim 1, wherein said document contains a photographically obtained image or pattern.

9. Document according to claim 8, wherein said photographically obtained image or pattern is produced by means of developed photosensitive silver halide directly in a light-sensitive material or in a non-light-sensitive image receiving material.

10. Document according to claim 8, wherein said photographically obtained image or pattern is produced by means of a non-impact printing technique in which analog or digital input signals for controlling printing stem from photo-signals originating from a visible original.

11. Document according to claim 8, wherein said photographically obtained image or pattern is formed by a silver salt diffusion transfer process in an image-receiving material containing an image receiving layer comprising development nuclei.

12. Document according to claim 8, wherein said photographically obtained image or pattern is formed by a dye diffusion transfer process in an image-receiving material containing a mordant for a dye transferred from an image-wise exposed and developed silver halide emulsion material.

13. Document according to claim 1, wherein said first light interference pigment comprises mica platelets coated with a metal oxide.

14. Document according to claim 13, wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of TiO₂, ZrO₂, Fe₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃.

15. Document according to claim 13, wherein said mica platelets coated with said metal oxide have a second coating of carbon.

16. Document according to claim 13, wherein said mica platelets have a largest surface diameter between 5 and 200 μ

m.

17. Document according to claim 13, wherein said first light interference pigment has a thickness between 0.1 and 0.6 μ

m.

18. Document according to claim 1, wherein said first light interference pigment is present in said document in a coverage of 0.3 g/m² to 10 g/m².

19. Document according to claim 1, wherein said support has been coated directly by sputtering with a thin metal oxide layer or has been coated with said thin metal oxide layer on top of said first layer and wherein said thin metal oxide layer has substantially the same color as a color selected from a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment and a color complementary to a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment.

20. Document according to claim 1, wherein underneath and/or on top of said first light interference pigment a guilloche line pattern with rainbow effect has been printed using light reflecting pigments and wherein at least one rainbow color of said guilloche line pattern with rainbow effect is a color selected from a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment and a color complementary to a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment.

21. Document according to claim 20, wherein at least one rainbow color of said guilloche line pattern is obtained by printing metallic pigments.

22. Document according to claim 20, wherein fluorescent or phosphorescent pigments have been mixed with a pigment selected from the group of said first light interference pigment and said light reflecting pigments used for printing said guilloche line pattern.

23. Document according to claim 20, wherein at least one rainbow color of said guilloche line pattern is obtained by printing a transparent varnish loaded with a fluorescent or phosphorescent pigment.

24. Document according to claim 20, wherein at least one bi-fluorescent pigment has been mixed with a pigment selected from the group of said first light interference pigment and said light reflecting pigments used for printing said guilloche line pattern, and wherein when exposed to ultraviolet light said at least one bi-fluorescent pigment shows light of two different wavelength ranges, one of said two different wavelength ranges is different from a wavelength range of colors, when observed under visible light conditions, of said light reflecting pigments used for printing said guilloche line pattern and is different from a wavelength range of color, when observed under visible light conditions and in reflection mode, of said first light interference pigment and another of said two different wavelength ranges corresponds with a color selected from a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment and a color complementary to a color seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment.

25. Document according to claim 1,

further comprising at least one additional light interference pigment;

wherein a guilloche line pattern with rainbow effect has been printed, using light reflecting pigments, in perfect see-through print register on said first side and said second side of said support;

wherein said light reflecting pigments on said first side of said support each have a color that is selected from colors seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment and of said at least one additional light interference pigment;

wherein said light reflecting pigments on said second side of said support each have a color complementary to a color selected from colors seen in reflection mode of said first light interference pigment and of said at least one additional light interference pigment; and

wherein said guilloche line pattern has portions at a side selected from said first side and said second side of said support, which portions complete a printed pattern or cover at least partly a photograph or printed pattern that is present at a side of said support opposite said selected side.

26. Document according to claim 1,

further comprising at least one additional light interference pigment;

and

comprising a plurality of patterns partly covering each other, each pattern of said plurality of patterns containing a light interference pigment selected from the group of light interference pigments consisting of said first light interference pigment and said at least one additional light interference pigment; and

wherein each selected light interference pigment has a color shift different from color shifts of other selected light interference pigments;

wherein, out of said plurality of patterns, a pattern more remote from an observer has higher covering power than a pattern printed thereon which is more transparent;

thereby obtaining a document that shows, in an area having said plurality of patterns partly covering each other, a continuously changing color shift upon gradual change of observation angle to the document.

27. Document according to claim 1, wherein said document is in a form of a laminate.

28. A security document comprising:

a transparent or translucent support TS with a visible light-blocking capacity less than 80%, said support having a first side and a second side opposite said first side;

an image or pattern for identification purposes, at said first side or at said second side of said support;

a first layer at said first side of said support;

a second layer at said second side of said support;

a light interference pigment A distributed uniformly or patternwise in said first layer;

a light interference pigment B distributed patternwise in said second layer;

a second pattern containing common light-reflecting pigments R on top of said first layer;

a third pattern containing said common light-reflecting pigments R underneath said second layer;

wherein said document, by presence of said light interference pigment A, has at least in certain areas a first color when viewed with light transmitted through the document and a second color, said second color being, different from said first color, when viewed with light reflected by the document.

29. A security document comprising:

a transparent or translucent support TS with a visible light-blocking capacity less than 80%, said support having a first side and a second side opposite said first side;

an image or pattern for identification purposes, at said first side or at said second side of said support;

a first layer at said first side of said support;

a second layer at said second side of said support;

a light interference pigment A distributed patternwise in said first layer;

a light interference pigment B distributed uniformly or patternwise in said second layer;

a second pattern containing common light reflecting pigments R1 underneath said first layer having a color complementary to a color of said light interference pigment A when seen with reflected light;

a third pattern underneath said first layer containing said common light reflecting pigments R1 mixed with colored fluorescent or phosphorescent pigments or dyes RF;

a plurality of fourth patterns underneath said first layer containing solely said pigments or dyes RF;

a fifth pattern underneath said second layer containing metallic pigments M;

a sixth pattern underneath said second layer containing light reflecting pigments R2 having a color complementary to a color of said light interference Pigment B when seen with reflected light;

a seventh pattern underneath said second layer containing metallic pigments M mixed with said common light reflecting pigments R2;

wherein said document, by presence of said light interference pigment A, has at least in certain areas a first color when viewed with light transmitted through the document and a second color, said second color being different from said first color, when viewed with light reflected by the document.

30. A security document comprising:

a transparent or translucent support with a visible light-blocking capacity less than 80%, said support having a first side and a second side opposite said first side;

an image or pattern for identification purposes, at said first side or at said second side of said support;

a light interference pigment distributed uniformly or patternwise in said support;

wherein said document, by presence of said light interference pigment, has at least in certain areas a first color when viewed with light transmitted through the document and a second color, said second color being different from said first color, when viewed with light reflected by the document.