Tamper evident adhesive and identification document including same

• US 7,744,002 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-1 Secure Credentialing, LLC (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: L-1 Secure Credentialing, LLC (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Yeh, Tung-Feng, Bi, Daoshen, Jones, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/078,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/380, 235/375, 235/488, 428/347
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/455 using heat
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/465 using chemicals or adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/47 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 11/08 Macromolecular additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2203/338 as tamper-evident tape or label
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2431/00 Presence of polyvinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2433/00 Presence of (meth)acrylic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2467/00 Presence of polyester
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2475/00 Presence of polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/38 Pressure-sensitive adhesives [PSA]
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 9/00 Adhesives characterised by their physical nature or the effects produced, e.g. glue sticks C09J7/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/00 Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A composition is provided for adhering a first article to a second article, the composition comprising a thermally active low Tg polymeric resin; and a multifunctional crystalline polymer. The thermally active low Tg polymeric resin can, for example, comprise 50-99% of the composition. The multifunctional crystalline polymer can, for example, comprise 1-50% of the composition. In one embodiment, the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 5-20% by weight of the composition. In one embodiment, the multifunctional crystalline polymer has a low molecular weight.

Claims

1. A composition for adhering a first polymer laminate layer to a second polymer laminate layer, the composition comprising:

a thermally active polymeric resin; and

a multifunctional crystalline polymer, wherein the composition maintains adhesion between the first and second polymer layers above a temperature at which a plurality of crystals form within the multifunctional crystalline polymer;

wherein the composition forms a plurality of crystals that provide visible evidence of tampering with the adhesion formed between the first and second polymer layers when heated at a temperature above a predetermined temperature.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the thermally active polymeric resin comprises a low Tg polymeric resin that comprises 50-99% of the composition.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 1-50% of the composition.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 1-50% of the composition.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 5-20% by weight of the composition.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer has a low molecular weight.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the thermally active polymeric resin comprises a low Tg polymeric resin that comprises at least one of a high molecular weight low Tg linear amorphous polyester, a polymeric plasticizer, VITEL 3650, polyacrylate, polyethylene vinylacrylate, polyester, and polyurethane.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises at least one of a di-functional polyester, a tri-functional polyester, a multi-functional polyester, polypropylene, polyamide, acetal, high density polyethylene, and VITEL 5833.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature lower than a standard lamination temperature.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is about 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

11. The composition of claim 1, wherein the crystals have a “

snow flake”

like appearance after being subjected to heat above the predetermined temperature, and the “

snow flake”

like appearance provides evidence of tampering with the adhesion between the first and second polymer layers.

12. An identification document, comprising:

an information-bearing layer;

an adhesive layer overlaying at least a portion of the information-bearing layer, the adhesive layer comprising a thermally active low Tg polymeric resin and a multifunctional crystalline polymer; and

a protective layer coupled to the information-bearing layer via the adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is constructed and arranged such that subjecting the identification document to a temperature above a predetermined temperature causes a plurality of crystals to form in the adhesive layer.

13. An identification document, comprising:

an information-bearing layer;

an adhesive layer overlaying at least a portion of the information-bearing layer, the adhesive layer comprising a thermally active polymeric resin and a multifunctional crystalline polymer; and

a protective layer coupled to the information-bearing layer via the adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is constructed and arranged such that subjecting the identification document to a temperature above a predetermined temperature causes a plurality of crystals to form in the adhesive layer.

14. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the crystal formation is substantially irreversible.

15. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the crystals are visible to an unaided human eye.

16. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the thermally active lot Tg polymeric resin comprises 50-99% of the adhesive layer.

17. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 1-50% of the adhesive layer.

18. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises 5-20% by weight of the adhesive layer.

19. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the thermally active low Tg polymeric resin comprises at least one of a high molecular weight low Tg linear amorphous polyester, a polymeric plasticizer, VITEL 3650, polyacrylate, polyethylene vinylacrylate, polyester, and polyurethane.

20. The identification document of claim 13, wherein the multifunctional crystalline polymer comprises at least one of a di-functional polyester, a tri-functional polyester, a multi-functional polyester, polypropylene, polyamide, acetal, high density polyethylene, and VITEL 5833.

21. A laminate for a document comprising:

an outer-laminate layer; and

an adhesive layer including a thermally active polymeric resin, and

a multifunctional crystalline polymer;

wherein the adhesive layer maintains adhesion between the outer-laminate layer and an information bearing document layer above a temperature at which a plurality of crystals form within the multifunctional crystalline polymer; and

wherein subjecting the laminate to a temperature above a predetermined temperature causes a plurality of crystals to form in the adhesive layer.