Security elements in covers of secure article by ultrasonic welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565057-B2
Application number	US-202318855029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2023
Priority date	Apr 8, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

Provided is a secure article, preferably a multi-page article, comprising a front cover, a reverse cover, and at least one security element. The security element can be provided on, and/or, in the front cover and/or the reverse cover, and can be produced by ultrasonic welding. The security element comprises or consists of an optically variable element. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed, is:

1 . A secure article, including a multi-page article, comprising:
a front cover; a reverse cover; and at least one security element;
wherein the security element is provided on and/or in the front cover and/or the reverse cover,
in that the security element is produced by ultrasonic welding, and in that the security element comprises or consists of an optically variable element; in that the security element comprises at least one diffractive structure that is configured to diffract impinging electromagnetic radiation, the diffractive structure being formed by a surface of the security element and/or being a periodic structure.

2 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein the security element comprises or consists of at least one embossing and/or at least one debossing and/or at least one deformation and/or at least one melted area.

3 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the security element is at least regionally fluorescent; the security element is a diffractive element; the security element is water-mark like.

4 . The secure article according to claim 3 , wherein the embossing and/or debossing and/or deformation and/or melted area at least regionally exhibits the fluorescence or generates a diffraction of impinging electromagnetic radiation or generates a water-mark like appearance.

5 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diffractive structure comprises or consists of a plurality of slits, each slit presenting a depth or height h, said depth or height h being comprised between 0.25 μm and 1 μm, and wherein two adjacent slit present a distance d between each other, said distance d being comprised between 2 μm and 25 μm.

6 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein the front cover and/or the reverse cover comprises one or more textiles and/or one or more fabrics and/or one or more paper-based compounds and/or one or more cardboard-based compounds and/or one or more plastics and/or one or more polymers.

7 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein the front cover and/or the reverse cover comprises at least one coating element, and
wherein the security element is at least partially provided in the coating element.

8 . The secure article according to claim 7 , wherein the coating element comprises one or more pigments and/or one or more metallic compounds including aluminium and/or one or more inks.

9 . The secure article according to claim 1 , wherein the security element is an integral component of the front cover and/or of the reverse cover and/or of the coating element.

10 . The secure article according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional security element being produced by ultrasonic welding, and wherein the additional security element is at least partially produced on and/or in the security element.

11 . A method of producing a secure article as claimed in any one of the preceding claims , the method comprising the steps of:
providing a front cover; providing a reverse cover; and providing at least one security element; wherein the security element is provided on and/or in the front cover and/or the reverse cover, and in that the security element is produced by ultrasonic welding, and, in that the security element comprises or consists of an optically variable element;
further comprising the step of providing at least one sonotrode comprising at least one structure to be debossed and/or embossed into the front cover and/or the reverse cover, whereby the security element is generated, and/or
further comprising the step of providing at least one anvil comprising at least one structure to be embossed and/or debossed into the front cover and/or the reverse cover, whereby the security element is generated.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the security element is produced before or after the front cover and the reverse cover are assembled so as to form the secure article.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of providing at least one coating element on the front cover and/or the reverse cover and producing the security element at least partially in the coating element, and/or
further comprising the step of producing at least one additional security element by ultrasonic welding, the additional security element being at least partially produced on and/or in the security element, and wherein the security element and the additional security element are generated simultaneously and/or with a common sonotrode and/or anvil.

Assignees

• Thales Dis France Sas

Inventors

• Syrjanen Taru
• Lappalainen Kristian

Classifications

• B42D25/425

  by deformation, e.g. embossing · CPC title

• B42D25/333

  Watermarks · CPC title

• B42D25/328

  Diffraction gratings; Holograms · CPC title

• B42D25/405

  Marking · CPC title

• B42D25/24 Primary

  Passports · CPC title