RU2671095C2 - Protective strip and secured document containing such strip - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: document security.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of finance, in particular to banknotes and methods for preventing counterfeiting. In the method, a protective strip is proposed, intended for a partial inclusion in the structure of a secured document, said strip projects onto the surface of said document in the form of a set of windows and comprises a transparent or translucent substrate material coated on one or the other of its opposite sides with at least three different and superimposed layers (51, 52, 53). Second intermediate layer (52) has an optical characteristic different from the optical characteristic of first and third layers (51, 53), wherein second intermediate layer (52) is opaque and comprises at least two regions (520) that are at least partially uncoated, these two regions (520) having different contours, respectively. First (51) and third (53) layers comprise at least one pattern, wherein a portion of the pattern of first layer (51) can be seen through one of the two areas, which at least partially do not have a coating, while at least a portion of the pattern of third layer (53) can be seen through the other of the two areas, which at least partially do not have a coating, the patterns being different from each other.EFFECT: increased reliability of preventing counterfeits.9 cl, 21 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a security strip intended to partially include in the structure of a security document at least partially composed of fibers.

It also refers to a security document equipped with such a strip.

In order to prevent counterfeiting of security documents: such as banknotes, it was suggested that various security measures be used, such as watermarks, fibers, inserts, etc.

According to other technologies, an elongated element made of synthetic material is introduced into the paper of the security document, forming a protective strip or thread, which complicates the manufacture of fakes, and also facilitates the authentication of the document by central banks, if it is equipped with automatically detected means (electrically conductive or magnetic), as well as medium by the user, that is, a simple person, according to visual signs, called signs of the first level.

The integration of this thread or strip is carried out at the time of manufacture of a sheet of paper, which ultimately forms a security document.

This integration can be carried out by the method of "immersion", in which case the thread is completely immersed in the mass of paper.

It was also proposed to introduce a security thread so that it was visible when reflected only in the form of a set of windows.

This means that the thread included in the mass of paper periodically comes to the surface of one of the sides of the banknote, which explains the use of the term “window”.

Thus, the windows are visible when reflected, while the immersed parts are visible only when scanned. The term "reflection" should be understood as a phenomenon in which rays of incident light are reflected from the surface of the substrate.

In practice, with this integration technology, the security thread is visible only from the top of the paper and only partially, that is, at the level of the windows. The present invention is intended to make up for this drawback. It is also intended to facilitate the authentication of a security document that contains this strip, in particular by a simple user.

The invention also aims to complicate the manufacture of this strip in order to limit and maximize the complexity of the manufacture of strips by inappropriate persons who are not manufacturers of securities. Thus, the first object of the present invention is a protective strip intended for partial inclusion in the structure of a security document, at least partially consisting of fibers, and this strip protrudes onto the surface of the specified document in the form of a set of windows and contains a transparent or translucent substrate material coated on one or the other of its opposite sides with at least three different and applied to each other coating layers.

According to the invention, among these three layers, called respectively the first layer, the second intermediate layer and the third layer, this strip contains a second intermediate layer, which has an optical characteristic different from the optical characteristic of the first and third layers. The second intermediate layer is opaque and contains at least two regions that are at least partially uncoated, these regions having different contours, respectively, and the first and third coating layers contain at least one pattern, while part of the pattern of the first layer is viewed through one of these two areas, at least partially uncoated, while at least part of the pattern of the third layer is viewed through the other of these two areas, at least partially uncoated x coating, while these figures differ from each other.

Due to this combination of features, the presence of an opaque intermediate layer allows you to apply additional layers on it from both sides, which will be viewed from the front side and from the back of the strip, respectively. In addition, since the intermediate layer contains partially uncovered areas with different contours, they form additional visible security signs, which facilitates the authentication of the strip by a simple user. Accordingly, this complicates the task of the counterfeiter.

In addition, given that part of the pattern of the first layer is scanned through one of these areas and that part of the pattern of the third layer is also scanned through another region, this makes the manufacture of the strip extremely difficult, which makes it difficult to make the claimed strip by fraudsters.

In this way, a screen effect, i.e. a filter effect, is obtained. In other words, the surfaces of the drawings are “filtered” by the shape of the regions and give different information depending on which side they are looking at the strip, from the front or from the back. This stencil effect allows you to create different, but inextricably linked to each other information elements.

According to other preferred and non-limiting features of this strip:

- these different optical characteristics are selected from different colors, brightness, opacity / transparency and / or contrast;

- these areas do not have coverage;

- these areas are partially uncoated and have the form of a raster grid;

- it contains at least a fourth additional layer;

- the specified fourth layer is opaque and superimposed on part of the pattern of the third layer; and

- the layer farthest from the substrate is coated with a transparent protective layer, such as a film or varnish.

Another object of the invention is a security document, such as a banknote. It contains a strip with one or the other of the previous features, which is included inside this document, protruding to the surface of at least one of its visible sides in the form of a set of windows.

Preferably, the security document is locally coated with a decolorizing agent, that is, a substance that improves the visibility of the strip where it does not protrude onto the surface of at least one of the visible sides of the document.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of several preferred strip embodiments. This description is presented with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified top view of a security document, in this case a banknote in which a strip is partially included, while the security patterns contained in this strip are not shown.

FIG. 2 is a view from the opposite side, that is, from the back of the document shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a strip in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a partial perspective view of three layers included in the claimed strip.

FIG. 4B and 4C are respective frontal views, that is, views from the front side of the strip and from the reverse side of the same strip, which are located one above the other.

FIG. 5A-5C, 6A-6C, 7A-7C, 8A-8C, 9A-9C are views corresponding to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C according to other embodiments of the strip.

The security document 1 shown in FIG. 1 and 2, is in this case a banknote.

According to a variant not shown, it may be another security document, such as a passport.

Preferably, this security document is made of cotton paper with or without chemical paste, cellulose-based paper, or any other material containing fibers of various types and weights, including at least a portion of synthetic fibers. For example, a hybrid substrate may be used in which polymer (s) and paper are combined.

As you know, strip 2 is partially included in document 1, speaking at the level of its upper surface corresponding to the front side 10 of the banknote, in the form of a set of windows.

The strip is located along the smaller transverse size of the banknote. The letter P denotes the zones of the strip 2, which are included in the mass of the banknote and, therefore, are not fully visible, in contrast to the zones F of the windows, as shown in FIG. one.

If you look at the back side of the same banknote 1 (see Fig. 2), you can detect the presence of strip 2, but it is completely covered by the fibers of the document, that is, it forms a complex N, immersed in the mass along its entire length.

In FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a strip in accordance with the present invention.

However, this image is presented as information only. In particular, the dimensional scale of the various elements of the strip 2 is not respected. Not all layers that are symbolically shown as dots are shown.

As shown in this figure, the claimed strip contains a transparent or at least translucent material of the substrate 4, such as a film of plastic material.

For example, we are talking about a polyester film, not limited to having a thickness of about 10-12 microns.

On the bottom side of this substrate material, that is, in the direction of the back side 11, there is an adhesive layer 3 or a mixture of adhesives, designed to connect the entire protective strip 2 with the fibrous material of the document into which it must be inserted.

On the second side of the substrate material 4 there is a set of 5 layers, the composition of which will be described below with reference to the following figures.

The set of layers is covered with a protective layer 6, for example, of a plastic film or varnish. Preferably, they are completely transparent.

In a particular embodiment, the same material can be used as for the substrate 4.

This coating is designed to protect the information contained at the level of layers 5, and at the same time provides the ability to read it.

Finally, from the front, everything is covered with another adhesive layer 7, preferably (but not necessarily) of the same composition as layer 3.

To simplify the drawing in FIG. 4A, only the different layers of set 5 are shown. These three layers 51, 52, 53 are superimposed on top of each other, and the first layer 51 is a layer adjacent to the substrate material 4.

This figure intentionally shows only a small part of the strip 2, however, of course, this strip is extended on both sides of the elements shown and forms a sufficiently long part so that it can be included along the transverse dimension of the security document.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 4B and 4C, then in FIG. 4B shows what can be seen on the front side, that is, in the viewing direction from above the layer 53. In FIG. 4C shows what can be seen on the back of the kit.

According to the invention, and in this embodiment, a set of three superimposed layers 51, 52, 53 is provided. For clarity, these layers are limited by peripheral lines forming a rectangle. However, this figure is only imaginary, and should be considered only the elements that will be described as printed or printed.

Thus, the layer 51 is formed by a combination of opaque patterns, for example, made by printing using a coating of black ink.

These figures represent, in this case, for example, a winding transverse line and the abbreviation “FCOF”, printed inside out with a painted over “O”.

The second layer 52, which may be called intermediate, has an optical characteristic different from the optical characteristic of the first layer. By the expression “different optical characteristics” it should be understood that if these two layers are observed with the naked eye, they can be immediately distinguished from each other, in particular, according to their different color, brightness, opacity / transparency or contrast.

A characteristic of the intermediate layer 52 is its opacity.

You can use any material that is actually opaque, and preferably this layer is performed by applying a metal coating, such as printing with ink containing metallic particles with a sheen of gold, silver, copper, etc. In an embodiment, it is possible to apply a vacuum deposition of a thin layer of a metal, for example aluminum or opaque copper, then locally remove this metal by washing with soda or water to obtain zones that are not coated.

This layer 52 partially overlaps the first layer 51.

In addition, it has several areas 520 in the form of a negative, that is, they have no coverage, and these areas have different contours.

In this case, we are talking about the first area 520, which is made in the form of a window forming the number "5", and another area 520, which is the number "2014", written down on the contrary.

In this embodiment, it is also possible to note the presence of a third region 520 ', also formed by the number "5". We will discuss this area in more detail below.

A third layer 53 is applied to this intermediate layer 52, which also has a pattern 530, in the form of a stylized image of the letter “O” and four squares.

Preferably, but not necessarily for the drawings of the layer 51, the same materials are used as for the layer 53.

As shown in FIG. 4B, when viewed from the back, four squares of the layer 53 completely overlap the region of the intermediate layer 52 formed by the number "2014". On the other hand, through the region 520 formed by the number "5", it is possible to detect the presence of an underlying layer 51, which allows you to read this number "5".

Finally, the additional area 520 'is vertically from above above the place where at the level of layer 51 there is no printed image.

If you observe from the back (Fig. 4C), that is, from the bottom of the substrate material 4, then through the zone 520 formed by the date “2014”, you can notice the presence of the underlying layer 53 and in this case small squares, which allows you to read the date “2104” while zone 520, formed by the number “5”, is completely covered by the painted letter “O” of the abbreviation “FCOF”, made in black paint.

From this description it follows that the intermediate layer 52 allows you to clearly distinguish between layers 51 and 53, as well as present on them drawings.

However, the presence of uncovered zones of various shapes in the intermediate layer allows you to see different, but inextricably linked in design information, depending on the observation from the front side or from the back side, which allows you to authenticate a protected document equipped with this strip.

In FIG. 5A-5C, the nature of layers 51 and 52 is reversed. The same applies to layers 52 and 53. Thus, the functionality of this structure is identical to that shown in FIG. 4A-4C, but the visual characteristic is different.

In FIG. 6A-6C show five different layers.

So, the presence of the first layer 51, containing the drawings 510, is noted. An opaque intermediate layer 52 is present on this layer, some zones 520 of which are not coated.

Here, too, these zones 520 have different contours.

A third layer 53 is applied to this second layer, which preferably has the same composition as layer 51. This layer forms the patterns designated 530.

An additional layer, which may be called the fourth layer 54, is applied to the set of 5 layers 51, 52 and 53. This layer 54 has a composition identical or different from the composition of the second layer 52.

In this case, they have the same composition.

This fourth layer 54 also has openwork zones, since the only area in which the covering material is located is limited in this case by a circle 540.

Finally, the fifth layer 55 is applied on top of everything. Preferably it has a composition different from the first and third layers. Preferably, this layer 55 is a paint with an effect selected from optically variable, rainbow, liquid crystal types to obtain color-changing effects depending on the viewing angle. This layer may be translucent and contains patterns 550 that are located directly above patterns 530 and 510 or 540.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the set 5 is observed from the front when reflected, the fifth layer 55 contains the first information formed by the drawings 550. The opaque coating of the layer 54 has uncoated areas overlapping with the layer 55, and the layer 53 may preferably contain another message in the form of a negative, which is not overlaps with layers 55 and 53.

Coating 53 is visible from the front only through the uncovered areas of the layer 54. Accordingly, coating 53 is visible from the back (Fig. 6C) only through the uncovered areas of the layer 52. The information shown in this set 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 above uncoated areas and when overlapping layers 52 and 54, differs when observed with reflection on one side, respectively, on the other side.

In the example shown in FIG. 7A-7C, the nature of the layers 51 and 52, on the one hand, and 53 and 55, on the other hand, change pairwise.

The functionality of such a set is identical to the functionality of the set shown in the previous figures, but they have different optical characteristics.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8A. 8B and 8C, the first layer 51 is made in the form of a coating of black coating paint.

In addition, it can be noted that this black layer occupies only part of the strip surface.

On this first layer, a second intermediate layer 52 is applied, also made in the form of an opaque coating, for example, metallic, with areas that are not coated.

In particular, we are talking about zones 520, which form the number “2014” among themselves and which are made in the form of a raster grid.

This means that there are many voids in these areas, which are still separated from each other by the coating material.

The shape of the dot and line of the grid, as well as its orientation and its degree of coverage, are parameters well known to those skilled in the art. For example, but not limited to, a grid of round dots of 10 μm in size with a degree of coverage of 50% and with an orientation of 45 ° is proposed.

Finally, a third layer is applied to the second layer 52. It has the same or not the same composition with layer 51; in this case, they have the same composition.

As shown in FIG. 8B, if you observe the set from the front side during reflection, the third layer 53 shows the first information formed by the figures 530 in the form of a negative.

An opaque metallic coating of the second layer 52 contains partially uncoated areas overlapping with the first layer 51. The coating of the layer 51 is observed from the front only through the partially uncoated areas of the layer 52, and accordingly, the coating of the layer 53 is visible from the back only through the partially uncoated areas of the second layer 52 Thus, the parts of the information resulting from the overlapping of three layers 51-53 with partially uncovered areas of the layer 52 differ during observation by reflection from one of the sides, and respectively on the other hand, and have a visual characteristic that is translucent and more tinted than in the example shown in FIG. 4A-4C.

Finally, in the example shown in FIG. 9A-9C, we are talking about the same structure as in the above figures. Only the nature of layers 51 and 52, on the one hand, and layers 52 and 53, on the other hand, changed roles. Thus, the functionality of such a set remains identical, but the visual effect has changed.

In an embodiment not shown, it is possible to locally cover the claimed security document with a decolorizing agent, that is, a substance that improves the visibility of strip 2 where it does not protrude onto the surface of at least one of the visible sides of the document to make the information elements on the first layer 52 more visible set 5.

In yet another embodiment not shown, at least one of the layers 51, 52, 53, 54, or 55 may include substances that are identified by automatic reading by the machine. For example, we are talking about magnetic particles forming a continuous strip, blocks or code in the form of bits. It can also be about conductive, fluorescent, phosphorescent particles, which manifest themselves under infrared radiation or contain a special signal detected by a special device.

Claims (12)

1. A security strip (2) intended to partially include in the structure of a security document (1) at least partially composed of fibers, the strip (2) protruding onto the surface of the document as a set of windows (F) and contains a transparent or translucent material substrate (4) coated on one side or the other opposite side with at least three different and applied to each other layers (51, 52, 53) of the coating, characterized in that among these three layers, respectively called the first layer (51), the second intermediate layer (52) and the third layer (53), the second intermediate layer (52) has an optical characteristic different from the optical characteristic of the first and third layers (51 , 53); the second intermediate layer (52) is opaque and contains at least two regions (520), at least partially not having a coating, and these two regions (520) have correspondingly different contours, the first and third layers (51, 53) of the coating contain at least one pattern (510, 530), part of the specified pattern (510) of the first layer (51) is viewed through one of these two areas (520), at least partially not having coating, while at least a portion of the indicated pattern (530) of the third layer (53) is viewed through the other of the two indicated areas (520), at least partially uncoated, while these patterns (510, 530) are different from each other . 2. The strip according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicated different optical characteristics are selected from the following group: different colors, brightness, opacity / transparency and contrast. 3. The strip according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said regions (520) are completely uncoated. 4. Strip according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that these areas (520) are partially uncoated and have the form of a raster grid. 5. Strip according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that it contains at least a fourth additional layer (54). 6. The strip according to claim 5, characterized in that said fourth layer (54) is opaque and superimposed on part of the pattern (530) of the third layer (53). 7. Strip according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, characterized in that the layer farthest from the substrate (4) is covered with a transparent protective layer (6), such as a film or varnish. 8. A security document, at least partially consisting of fibers, such as a banknote (1), characterized in that it contains a strip (2) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-7, which is included inside the specified document, protruding to the surface of at least one of its visible sides (10, 11) in the form of a set of windows (F). 9. A protected document according to claim 8, characterized in that it is locally coated with a decolorizing substance, that is, a substance that improves the visibility of said strip (2).

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