Method for producing security document blanks that can be personalized in color, security documents personalized in color, and method for personalization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895921-B2
Application number	US-201314412763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2013
Priority date	Jul 5, 2012
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A method for producing a document blank or a security document includes providing a substrate layer having a metal layer or applying a metal layer to a substrate layer, forming a color-effective pattern in or on the metal layer, in which the pattern has a pixel structure and each pixel includes at least two subpixels which cause a monochromatic color effect, and joining together the substrate layer and at least one further transparent substrate layer to form a document body. A security document blank, a personalized security document and a method for the laser personalization of security document blanks in color are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a colored security document blank to be personalized by laser or a security document, the method comprising the following steps:
providing a substrate layer with a metal layer or applying a metal layer on a substrate layer, the metal layer being structured into subpixel regions;
forming a regular color-effective pattern on the metal layer, the pattern having a pixel structure with pixels and each pixel including at least two respective differently colored subpixels each bringing about a monochromatic color effect;
assigning to each subpixel a subpixel region being separate and at a distance from neighboring subpixel regions, and
bonding the substrate layer to at least one further transparent substrate layer to form a document body.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises structuring the metal layer or providing the metal layer in a structured form.

3. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises producing the subpixel regions by vapor deposition.

4. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises forming the subpixel regions using a lithographic method.

5. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises at least one of producing or applying the subpixels as partial holograms of a hologram forming the color-effective pattern.

6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises forming the color-effective pattern by applying colorants on or introducing colorants into the metal layer.

7. A security document blank for color personalization by laser, the security document blank comprising:
a document body having a metal layer structured into subpixel regions and a regular color-effective pattern formed on said metal layer;
said subpixel regions being separate and spaced apart from one another;
said color-effective pattern having a pixel structure with pixels and each of said pixels including a plurality of differently colored subpixels;
at least two respective subpixels being assigned to each one of said pixels and each bringing about a monochromatic color effect;
each of said subpixel regions being assigned a respective one of said subpixels of said color-effective pattern; and
at least one transparent substrate layer covering said metal layer and said color-effective pattern.

8. A method for producing a security document using color personalization by laser of a security document blank, the method comprising the following steps:
producing a security document blank using the method according to claim 1 ;
capturing at least one of colored individualization or personalization information;
ascertaining the subpixels and associated areas of the metal layer having a color effect which must be canceled by demetalization in order to achieve a desired colored representation of the at least one of individualization or personalization information;
generating a focused pulsed laser beam; and
directing the focused pulsed laser beam onto the metal layer for locally demetalizing the ascertained areas of the metal layer to be demetalized in a targeted manner and removing the color effect of the subpixels assigned to the areas having been demetalized in a targeted manner.

9. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises blackening a laserable plastic layer disposed under the metal layer by further targeted irradiation with focused laser radiation through one or more locally demetalized areas of the pixel for at least one of forming a black or gray color effect of a pixel or tinting a mixed color of the pixel resulting from remaining color-effective subpixels after local demetalization of at least one area assigned to a subpixel of the pixel.

10. A security document, comprising:
a document body having a metal layer structured into subpixel regions and a regular color-effective pattern formed on said metal layer;
said subpixel regions being separate and spaced apart from one another;
said color-effective pattern having a pixel structure with pixels and each of said pixels including a plurality of differently colored subpixels;
at least two respective subpixels being assigned to each one of said pixels and each bringing about a monochromatic color effect;
each of said subpixel regions being assigned a respective one of said subpixels of said color-effective pattern;
at least one transparent substrate layer covering said metal layer and said color-effective pattern; and
subpixel regions being assigned to said subpixels and demetalized in said metal layer to store an information item in color in said document body.

Assignees

• Bundesdruckerei Gmbh
• Bundesdruckeri GmbH

Inventors

• Springmann Edward

Classifications

• G03H1/0248

  Volume holograms · CPC title

• B42D25/41

  using electromagnetic radiation (B42D25/435 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B42D25/373

  Metallic materials · CPC title

• G03H2001/303

  Interleaved sub-holograms, e.g. three RGB sub-holograms having interleaved pixels for reconstructing coloured holobject · CPC title

• B42D25/45

  Associating two or more layers · CPC title