Security element or document and process of producing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020384792-A1
Application number	US-201816604969-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is described a security element (EL) or document (BN), such as a banknote, comprising (i) a substrate (S) with first and second sides (I, II) and exhibiting at least one window region (W) made of a substantially transparent material, (ii) a micro-optical structure (OP) provided on the first side (I) of the substrate (S) and extending over at least a part of the window region (W), and (iii) a printed feature (P1-P3) printed on the second side (II) of the substrate (S) over at least a part of the window region (W), the printed feature (P1-P3) being provided in register with the micro-optical structure (OP) to produce an optically-variable effect (EF) upon looking at the printed feature (P1-P3) from the first side (I) of the substrate (S) through the micro-optical structure (OP) and the window region (W). The security element (EL) or document (BN) further comprises a protective layer (L) acting as printable primer layer and provided on the second side (II) of the substrate (S) over the window region (W) and on top of the printed feature (P1-P3),

First claim

1 . A security element or document, such as a banknote, comprising:
a substrate with first and second sides and exhibiting at least one window region made of a substantially transparent material; a micro-optical structure provided on the first side of the substrate and extending over at least a part of the window region; and a printed feature printed on the second side of the substrate over at least a part of the window region, the printed feature being provided in register with the micro-optical structure to produce an optically-variable effect upon looking at the printed feature from the first side of the substrate through the micro-optical structure and the window region, wherein the security element or document further comprises a protective layer acting as printable primer layer and provided on the second side of the substrate over the window region and on top of the printed feature, which protective layer covers the printed feature when seen from the second side of the substrate and further acts as a contrast-enhancing layer for the optically-variable effect, wherein the printed feature is a multicolour feature printed by Simultan offset printing, wherein the protective layer is overprinted on top of the printed feature, wherein the protective layer is a layer having a substantially uniform colour appearance that closely matches that of an unprinted surface of the substrate, wherein the protective layer is applied by screen printing.

2 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , wherein the micro-optical structure consists of an array of micro-lenses, especially hemicylindrical or hemispherical micro-lenses.

3 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , wherein the micro-optical structure is provided onto the window region, preferably by hot-stamping, in the form of a foil carrying the micro-optical structure.

4 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , wherein the micro-optical structure is formed directly onto the window region, especially by embossing or casting.

5 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , wherein the protective layer has a substantially white appearance.

6 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is made of a UV-cured material.

7 . The security element or document as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a functional layer that is interposed between the printed feature and the protective layer,
which functional layer is preferably a mirror-effect layer or an optically-responsive layer that produces an optical response when subjected to an illumination stimulus outside of the visible spectrum, especially UV light.

8 . The security element or document according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group of substrates consisting of:
(i) a paper substrate comprising at least one opening extending through the substrate and filled with transparent material where the at least one window region is provided; (ii) a polymer substrate comprising at least one transparent layer of polymer material which polymer substrate is provided on each side with an opacifying layer, each opacifying layer exhibiting at least one opening where the at least one window region is provided; and (iii) a paper-polymer hybrid substrate comprising at least one transparent layer of polymer material bonded to at least one paper layer, which paper layer is provided with at least one opening extending through the paper layer where the at least one window region is provided.

9 . The security element or document according to claim 1 , further comprising a printed pattern that is printed on top of the protective layer, especially by intaglio printing.

Assignees

• Kba Notasys Sa

Inventors

• Thony Emmanuel
• Guillerey Hervé
• Brichon Mathieu
• Berthon Aurélie
• Schaede Johannes

Classifications

• B42D25/36

  comprising special materials · CPC title

• B42D25/351 Primary

  Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows · CPC title

• B42D25/29

  Securities; Bank notes · CPC title

• B42D25/309

  Photographs · CPC title