Security label having security element and method of making same

• US 6,805,926 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Crane Security Technologies Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Technical Graphics Security Products, LLC
• Inventors: Cote, Paul F., Gartner, Gerald J., Curdo, Stephen B., Wolpert, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH-PANDEY, ARTI R
• Application Number:
  US10/081,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 428/29, 428/30, 428/211, 428/906.6, 428/913, 428/916, 428/354, 428/343, 428/40.1, 428/542.6, 380/572.1, 283/71, 283/72, 283/85-89, 283/91, 427/7
• US Class Current: 428/29
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0292 tamper indicating labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0297 including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

A security label having one or more security elements is used on or in association with items, such as consumer products, that have value and are susceptible to counterfeiting. The security label is preferably used as a primary label directly affixed to the item or product. The security element(s) can be affixed to an outer or inner label surface, embedded within the label film or paper layer and/or laminated between two or more layers. One type of security element includes a security thread having indicia formed thereon that are not easily reproduced or duplicated. Another type of security element includes a machine-readable security element that provides encoded machine-readable verification data.

Claims

1. A security label for use on an item to verify the authenticity of said item, wherein said security label comprises:

(a) at least one base layer; and

(b) at least one security element disposed proximate to at least one layer of said security label, wherein said at least one security element comprises a substrate having verification indicia formed on at least one surface thereof for verifying the authenticity of said item, wherein said verification indicia are selected from the group of visually detectable verification indicia, machine-detectable verification indicia, machine-readable verification indicia, machine-detectable and machine-readable verification indicia, and combinations thereof, and wherein said visually detectable verification indicia are visible from at least one side of said security label.

3. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein one said base layer is an outermost layer of said security label, and wherein at least one said security element is laminated to an outer surface of said outermost base layer.

4. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein at least one said security element is at least partially embedded in at least one said base layer.

9. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein at least one said security element is a visually detectable security element.

10. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein said security element is a machine-detectable security element.

11. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein said security element is a machine-detectable and machine-readable security element.

12. The security label of claim 11, wherein said security element is an encoded security element comprising a substrate having verification indicia comprising encoded and non-encoded regions contained thereon.

13. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein said security label is a primary label, and wherein said item is a consumer product.

14. The security label of claims 1 or 2, wherein one said base layer is an outermost layer of said security label, and wherein an outer surface of said outermost base layer contains indicia representing information about said item.

2. A security label for use on an item to verify the authenticity of said item, wherein said security label comprises:

(a) at least one base layer;

(b) at least one adhesive layer disposed on at least a portion of at least one said base layer, for adhering said base layer and said security label to said item; and

(C) at least one security element disposed proximate to at least one layer of said security label, wherein said at least one security element comprises a substrate having verification indicia formed on at least one surface thereof for verifying the authenticity of said item, wherein said verification indicia are selected from the group of visually detectable verification indicia, machine-detectable verification indicia, machine-readable verification indicia, machine-detectable and machine-readable verification indicia, and combinations thereof, and wherein said visually detectable verification indicia are visible from at least one side of said security label.

5. The security label of claim 2, wherein at least one security element is laminated between one said base layer and one said adhesive layer.

6. The security label of claim 2, wherein one said adhesive layer is an innermost layer of said security label, and wherein at least one said security element is laminated to an outer surface of said innermost adhesive layer.

7. The security label of claim 2, wherein at least one said adhesive layer includes a pressure sensitive adhesive.

8. The security label of claim 2, wherein one said adhesive layer is an innermost layer of said security label, wherein said security label further comprises a release layer covering and protecting said innermost adhesive layer, and wherein said release layer is removed prior to adhering said security label to said item.

15. A verifiable consumer product comprising a security label affixed to a surface thereof, wherein said security label comprises:

(a) at least one base layer;

(b) at least one adhesive layer disposed on at least a portion of at least one base layer, wherein an innermost adhesive layer affixes said security label to a surface of said consumer product; and

(C) at least one security element disposed proximate to at least one layer of said security label, wherein said at least one security element comprises a substrate having verification indicia formed on at least one surface thereof for verifying the authenticity of said item, wherein said verification indicia are selected from the group of visually detectable verification indicia, machine-detectable verification indicia, machine-readable verification indicia, machine-detectable and machine-readable verification indicia, and combinations thereof, and wherein said visually detectable verification indicia are visible from at least one side of said security label.