Systems and methods for producing solid ink laminate security features

• US 8,925,609 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hunter, Jonathan B, Gibson, George A., Hoover, Linn C
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US13/586,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20140048204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 156/277, 156/278, 156/280, 156/308.2, 156/309.6, 156/384, 156/387, 156/538, 156/556, 156/580, 156/583.1
• US Class Current: 156/387
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/406 Bright, glossy, shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/00 Labels, badges
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/185 Laminating sheets, panels or inserts between two discrete plastic layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1744 Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship

Abstract

A system and method are provided that employ an ink jet process to dispose a non-aqueous solid ink product on a flexible clear film layer as an image receiving substrate to create multi-layer tamper-evident closures including tape, wrapping, labeling, marking or sealing products, in which visual information is embedded. These processes provide manufacturers of the multi-layer tamper-evident closures ability to present variable image content in ways that would be difficult to counterfeit. The solid ink product undergoes easily observable image changes when it is twisted in a manner that creates a shear force between the layers.

Claims

1. A system for producing a tamper-evident mark for product packaging, comprising:

an image formatting device that directs deposition of a solid ink image onto a portion of an imaging substrate, the imaging substrate comprising at least one of a plastic or paper material;

wherein a data storage device stores information regarding a packaging on which the tamper-evident mark is to be disposed, the image formatting device acquiring from the data storage device the stored information regarding the packaging, and formatting the solid ink image such that the tamper-evident mark corresponds to a portion of an image on the packaging;

a lamination control device coupled to a processor, to the image formatting device, and to the data storage device, wherein the data storage device having instructions operative on the processor to produce a laminated structure with a high gloss finish from stacked layers of film, ink, and optional adhesives by;

positioning a first or base film layer in the image formatting device that is usable to form non-aqueous solid ink images on the first or base film layer as the imaging substrate;

optionally applying a first adhesive layer on the first or base film layer, wherein the first adhesive layer may include positioning of a separate adhesive layer, or otherwise, may include coating the first or base film layer with an adhesive product;

depositing a solid ink image layer on the first or base film layer or otherwise deposited on the adhesive covered first or base film layer, wherein an image is multi-colored pictorial, textual, or both images of any design;

optionally applying a second film layer on the deposited solid ink image layer;

optionally applying a second adhesive layer on the deposited solid ink image layer or on the second film layer;

positioning a second or top film layer on the first or base layer and the deposited solid ink image layer;

applying heat, pressure, or both to the stacked layers to laminate the stacked layers into a composite laminated structure that encapsulates the solid ink image layer;

wherein application of torsional stress on the laminated structure creates a fracture at the solid ink image layer causing a greying of the solid ink image to indicate tampering.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the solid ink image being deposited on the portion of the imaging substrate using a super-fine ink jet process that jets solid ink from at least one ink jet nozzle in a direct-to-film process or a transfer process.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging substrate and the second or top film layer being a flexible packaging material composed of a bi-axially oriented polypropylene material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging substrate and the second or top film layer having an adhesive applied to at least a portion of the surface that faces the other of the imaging substrate and the second or top film layer, the adhesive comprising at least one of (1) a heat activated adhesive compound coated on the substrate and the covering film and (2) a separate heat activated adhesive layer interposed between the imaging substrate and the solid ink image and the solid ink image and the second or top film layer.