An offset printing process for manufacturing a laser markable packaging uses a laser markable offset ink and a laser markable varnish or a laser markable dispersion-lacquer in the process to provide a laser markable image or area on the packaging. The laser markable offset ink, offset varnish or offset dispersion-lacquer including a leuco dye and a metal free optothermal converting agent may be used in the offset printing process.

A method of manufacturing a water-insoluble pattern on and/or within a substrate is described. Also described, is a substrate obtained by such a method, a product including such a substrate and the use of the substrate in different applications.

A direct thermal printable construct, such as a ticket, game piece, coupon, collection piece, label, security card, or voucher includes a thermally printable medium and a metallized layer bonded directly or indirectly to the thermally printable medium. A thermosensitive imaging layer of the thermally printable medium is printable by exposing the metallized layer to localized heat of a thermal printer for inducing local changes in the color of the thermosensitive imaging layer that are obscured from view through both the metallized layer and a base substrate of the thermally printable medium. One or more areas of the metallized layer are arranged to be removable by a scratching action using a fingernail or coin for revealing the underlying local changes in the color of the thermosensitive imaging layer.

This application relates to a time-temperature indicator based on increased thermal reactivity of a diacetylene upon melt recrystallization and a method of making it. A diacetylene is crystallized into a low thermal reactivity phase from a solvent system and converted into a higher thermal reactivity phase and low sensitivity to UV light by melt re-crystallization.

A security article includes a laser markable layer and a transparent outer layer or sheet having lenticular lenses on its outer surface, both provided, in this order, on an opaque core support, characterized in that the laser markable layer has a dry layer thickness of less than 50 m. An improved contrast is obtained between interlaced images exposed into the security article of the invention.

A method of producing a security document includes the steps of producing a first part of a color image by color laser marking a security document precursor; and producing a second part of the color image by a second imaging technique different from laser marking. The resulting security document is more difficult to falsify.

A method for the secure protection of a portion of the surface of an official document bearing markings, in which: a transparent security layer (17) is selected, the layer including at least one semi-transparent printed image including at least one transparent binder and at least one thermochromic pigment (14, 13, 12, 11); the semi-transparent printed image reveals at least one semi-transparent visible pattern in a first non-activated state at least a first temperature, such that the markings can be seen through the image, the pattern not being visible in a second activated state at least a second temperature different from the first temperature. A device for the secure protection of a portion of the surface of an official document and such an official document are also described.

The present invention provides a process for manufacturing a security feature for securing a value document, wherein said security feature exhibits a blue color upon viewing in transmitted light and a metallic yellow color upon viewing in Incident light. The manufacturing process comprises the following steps: a) printing a specific UV-Vis radiation curable ink on a transparent or partially transparent region of a substrate of a value document; b) heating the ink layer obtained at step a) at a temperature of about 55? C. to about 100? C. for at least one second so that the ink layer exhibits a metallic yellow color upon viewing in incident light; and c) UV-Vis curing the ink layer obtained at step b) to form the security feature. The manufacturing process according to the present invention enables the expedient production of security features exhibiting a blue color upon viewing in transmitted light and a metallic yellow color upon viewing in incident light and is particularly useful for industrial printing of value documents.

A secure lens sheet or layer suitable for use in a micro-optic system, which is made up of a plurality of joined fine lens arrays (e.g., joined fine lenticular and/or joined fine non-cylindrical lens arrays), is provided. Each array has a lens pitch different from adjacent or contiguous arrays and/or is orientated in a direction different from adjacent or contiguous arrays. A micro-optic security device, which utilizes the inventive secure lens sheet and one or more overlying or underlying arrangements of micro-sized image icons (e.g., line data), is also provided. The image icon arrangement(s) and the secure lens layer are configured such that one or more synthetic images are projected by the security device. These projected images may show a number of different optical effects. With such a combination lens layer, some regions could be optically active when the device is tilted in one direction, some could be active when tilted in the opposite direction, and some areas could be active when the device is tilted in either (or any) direction. The inventive micro-optic security device may be partially embedded in and/or mounted on a surface of a security article (e.g., paper or polymer security document, label, card), or integrated therein.

An information recording medium having a front surface and a back surface has a first color developing layer, a second color developing layer and a third color developing layer. The first color developing layer develops yellow at a temperature not less than a first threshold value. The second color developing layer is arranged at the back surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The second color developing layer develops magenta at a temperature not less than a second threshold value that is lower than the first threshold value. The third color developing layer is arranged at the front surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The third color develops cyan at a temperature not less than a third threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value.