Apparatuses and methods for printed security features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459287-B2
Application number	US-202318188298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2023
Priority date	Oct 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A card comprising:
a base; an image including content, wherein the image is provided on a surface of the base; an image-wise security feature provided on the surface of the base, wherein the image-wise security feature is substantially transparent and represents at least some of the content of the image, the image-wise security feature including a clear polymer material and providing a visual effect that is distinct and distinguishable from the image; and a protective top coat that is substantially transparent and applied onto the surface of the base, covering the image and the image-wise security feature, wherein the protective top coat includes the clear polymer material.

2 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image-wise security feature is at a lower resolution than the content of the image.

3 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image comprises a photograph, and the image-wise security feature is a line representation of at least a portion of the photograph.

4 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image comprises text, and the image-wise security feature is a representation of the text.

5 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image-wise security feature at least partially overlaps the image.

6 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image and the image-wise security feature are unique to a card holder that is associated with the card.

7 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image-wise security feature has a more matte appearance than the protective top coat.

8 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image is provided by a dye that diffuses into the base.

9 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image is a color image.

10 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the clear polymer material of the image-wise security feature includes an additive, and the clear polymer material of the protective top coat is additive free.

11 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image-wise security feature has the same material composition as the protective top coat.

12 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the image comprises a signature, and the image-wise security feature is a representation of the signature.

13 . The card of claim 1 , wherein the protective top coat is a uniform coating that covers all of the surface of the base.

14 . A card comprising:
a base; an image including content, wherein the image is provided on a surface of the base; a protective top coat that is substantially transparent and includes a clear polymer material, the protective top coat applied onto the surface of the base, covering the image; and an image-wise security feature applied over the protective top coat such that the protective top coat is disposed between the image-wise security feature and the image, wherein the image-wise security feature is substantially transparent and represents at least some of the content of the image and provides a visual effect that is distinct and distinguishable from the image and wherein the image-wise security feature includes the clear polymer material of the protective top coat.

15 . The card of claim 14 , wherein the image comprises a photograph, and the image-wise security feature is a line representation of at least a portion of the photograph.

16 . The card of claim 14 , wherein the image comprises a signature, and the image-wise security feature is a representation of the signature.

17 . The card of claim 14 , wherein the protective top coat is a uniform coating that covers all of the surface of the base.

18 . The card of claim 14 , wherein the image-wise security feature at least partially overlaps the image.

19 . The card of claim 14 , wherein the clear polymer material of the image-wise security feature includes an additive, and the clear polymer material of the protective top coat is additive free.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Renz Robert Phillip
• Mcalpine Morven

Classifications

• B42D25/29

  Securities; Bank notes · CPC title

• B41M5/38264

  Overprinting of thermal transfer images · CPC title

• B42D25/24

  Passports · CPC title

• B42D25/48

  Controlling the manufacturing process · CPC title

• B42D25/328

  Diffraction gratings; Holograms · CPC title