Heat-sensitive recording materials and method for authenticity checking

• US 6,632,773 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH (Mitsubishi Paper Mills Limited)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Flensburg GmbH (Mitsubishi Paper Mills Limited)
• Inventors: Reimann, Michael, Wagner, Wolfgang, Stork, Gerhard, Süssenbach, Karsten, Kranz, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, BRUCE H
• Application Number:
  US09/554,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 503/201, 503/206, 503/204
• US Class Current: 503/201
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 2205/36 Backcoats; Back layers
• 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: B41M 5/323 Organic colour formers, e.g. leuco dyes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/41 Base layers supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/42 Intermediate, backcoat, or covering layers B41M5/405 takes precedence; multilayer thermal transfer systems in general B41M5/38214
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/423 characterised by non-macromolecular compounds, e.g. waxes
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/46 Elements suited for chemical verification or impeding chemical tampering, e.g. by use of eradicators
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/48 Elements suited for physical verification, e.g. by irradiation

Abstract

A method of checking the authenticity of a heat-sensitive recording material having a carrier paper with a recording layer which is arranged on one face and which contains colorant formers and organic colorant acceptors that react with one another when heated; and a security feature provided as a water-soluble dye which fluoresces under UV radiation, the dye being applied without binder in a pattern, invisible under daylight, to a surface of a face of the carrier paper opposite the face provided with the recording layer, so that the entire surface has the pattern, the water-soluble dye being applied at a mass per unit area between 0.01 and 40 mg/m², the method comprising the step of wetting the surface of the layer opposite the recording layer with an alkaline substance.

Claims

1. A heat-sensitive recording material with security feature, comprising:

a carrier paper with a recording layer arranged on one face and which contains colorant formers and organic colorant acceptors that react with one another when heated; and

a security feature provided as a water-soluble dye which fluoresces under UV radiation, the dye being applied without binder in a pattern, invisible under daylight, to a surface of a face of the carrier paper opposite the face provided with the recording layer, so that the entire surface has the pattern, the water-soluble dye being applied at a mass per unit area between 0.01 and 40 mg/m².

2. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, wherein the dye is applied in a regular pattern.

3. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, wherein the dye is applied in an irregular pattern.

4. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, wherein the water-soluble dye, when in contact with an alkaline substance, forms a coloration which fluoresces under daylight.

5. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, wherein the water-soluble dye is applied at a mass per unit area between 0.05 and 7.5 mg/m².

6. The heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, wherein the water-soluble dye is a dye based on pyrene sulfonate.

7. The heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 6, and further comprising an additional security feature, the additional security feature being a water-soluble azine dye that is invisible to the naked eye that is incorporated in the carrier paper so that, when the face of the recording material opposite the recording layer has its surface wetted with one of an organic solvent and an acid a striking coloration is effected;

and a further security feature applied as a layer to the face of the carrier paper opposite the recording paper, the security layer having a dye which is based on pyrene sulfonate and is only ;

barely visible in one of an acid and neutral pH range so that when in contact with an alkaline substance the dye enters into a coloring reaction which leads to a coloration that fluoresces and persists under daylight.

8. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 7, wherein azine dye in an amount from 0.005 to 0.1% by weight is incorporated in the carrier paper.

9. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claims 8, wherein azine dye in an amount from 0.01 to 0.03% by weight is incorporated in the carrier paper.

10. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 7, wherein the dye based on pyrene sulfonate is applied at a mass per unit area between 0.01 and 40 mg/m².

11. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 10, wherein the dye based on pyrene sulfonate is applied at a mass per unit area between 0.05 and 7.5 mg/m².

12. A heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 1, and further comprising an additional security feature which is a water-insoluble azine dye, that is invisible to the naked eye, incorporated in the carrier paper so that when a face of the recording material opposite the recording layer has its surface wetted with one of an organic solvent and an acid a striking coloration is effected.

13. A method of checking the authenticity of a heat-sensitive recording material having a carrier paper with a recording layer which is arranged on one face and which contains colorant formers and organic colorant acceptors that react with one another when heated;

and a security feature provided as a water-soluble dye which fluoresces under UV radiation, the dye being applied without binder in a pattern, invisible under daylight, to a surface of a face of the carrier paper opposite the face provided with the recording layer, so that the entire surface has the pattern, the water-soluble dye being applied at a mass per unit area between 0.01 and 40 mg/m², the method comprising the step of wetting the surface of the layer opposite the recording layer with an alkaline substance.

14. A method of checking the authenticity of a heat-sensitive recording material as defined in claim 13, including wetting the surface with a test pen.