The present disclosure relates to a security structure including a non-opaque, preferably transparent, substrate. The substrate supports metal elements forming a revealing pattern. The metal is thin enough for the metal to be non-opaque. A lacquer is placed at least partially, preferably exactly, on top of the metal elements. The lacquer may be in contact with the metal elements.

A card includes a layer of deformable material embossed with a three dimensional (3-D) pattern. A first layer is in direct contact with and overlies the embossed deformable layer. A second layer is in direct contact with and underlies the embossed deformable layer. The first layer is of conformable material and extends within the embossed pattern for filling, setting and maintaining the embossed pattern in a fixed condition. The second layer is of conformable material and conforms to the embossed pattern set in the deformable layer.

The invention includes a method for forming a card with an embedded three dimensional (3-D) image and the resultant card formed by the method. The method includes forming a first assembly which includes a layer of deformable material and an overlying layer of pattern conforming material. An engraved laminating plate is applied to the deformable layer during an engraving and laminating step applied to the first sub-assembly under predetermined pressure and selected temperature conditions for embossing the deformable layer with a well defined and sharp pattern. Then, a second assembly including a pattern conforming layer is laminated with the first assembly to embed and secure the pattern between the two conformable layers.

A laminate sheet includes a base film formed from a recyclable, biodegradable, degradable, and/or compostable material, a metal or reflective film layer disposed over the base film, and heat resistant layer disposed over the base film.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thin volume hologram sheet to be embedded sufficiently resistant to a mechanical stress such as a stress including a tensile stress, a shear stress and a compression stress at the time of processing even under a heating condition, a forgery prevention paper and a card using the same. The object is achieved by providing a volume hologram sheet to be embedded comprising a volume hologram layer, and a substrate disposed only on one side surface of the volume hologram layer using an adhesion means, wherein a peeling strength of the volume hologram layer and the substrate is 25 gf/25 mm or more.

Disclosed herein is a method for forming a surface relief microstructure, including the steps of A) applying a curable composition to at least a portion of the frontside of the paper substrate, B) contacting at least a portion of the curable composition with surface relief microstructure, C) curing the composition by using at least one UV lamp which is arranged on the backside of the paper substrate, and D) depositing a metallic layer, and optionally a layer of a transparent high refractive index material, on at least a portion of the cured composition, wherein the UV lamp has an emission peak in a UV-A range of 320 nm to 400 nm and additionally in a near VIS range of 400 nm to 450 nm, the curable composition comprises a photoinitiator which absorbs in the UV-A range and also in the near VIS range.

A method and an apparatus for forming a surface relief microstructure, especially an optically variable image on a paper substrate are provided, the method comprising the steps of: A) applying a curable composition to at least a portion of the frontside of the paper substrate; B) contacting at least a portion of the curable composition with surface relief microstructure, especially optically variable image forming means; C) curing the composition by using at least one UV lamp (1, 2, 3) which is arranged on the backside of the paper substrate; D) optionally depositing a layer of a transparent high refractive index material and/or a metallic layer on at least a portion of the cured composition, wherein the lamp (1, 2, 3) having emission peak(s) in the UV-A and near VIS range and the curable composition comprises at least a photoinitiator which absorbs in the UV-A region and preferably in the near VIS range. A paper product obtainable uses the method and an apparatus for forming a surface relief microstructure on a paper substrate. Surface relief microstructures, such as holograms may be replicated rapidly and with accuracy on a paper substrate by using the method and the apparatus.

A composite security device is provided that is made up of a first polymer film that constitutes or embodies a security feature in the form of at least one high value material, and a second polymer film that constitutes, embodies, or is coated with one or more additional security features. The first polymer film is positioned on and adhered to a surface of the second polymer film, which has a width or diameter greater than the width or diameter of the first polymer film By way of the present invention, the high value material is applied to only a part of the security device, leaving remaining parts of the device available for one or more additional materials that do not impact upon the effect of the high value material.

The invention concerns a process for producing a film element having mutually registered metallic layers (11, 16) and a film element which can be produced by such a process. A first metallic layer (11) provided on a first surface of a flexible single-layer or multi-layer carrier film (10) and a masking layer (13) provided on the second surface of the carrier film (10), opposite to the first surface, are structured in accurate register relationship with each other by means of mutually synchronized structuring procedures. After structuring of the first metallic layer (11) and the masking layer (13) one or more further layers are applied to the first metallic layer (11). Applied to the one or more further layers (15) is a second metallic layer (16) to which a first photoactivatable layer (17) is applied. The first photoactivatable layer (17) is structured by means of trans-exposure through the masking layer (13), the first metallic layer, the one or more further layers and the second metallic layer (16) from the side of the masking layer (13) by means of electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength to which the first photoactivatable layer (17) is sensitive, or the first photoactivatable layer is exposed controlledly through the masking layer from the side of the film body that is opposite to the masking layer.

A system (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) for producing a security element (4), in particular a vignette for a windshield (6) of a means of transport, is specified. This comprises a carrier element (3) with a first and a second surface, wherein a first sub-element (1) of the security element (4) is arranged in a first area (31) of the first surface and a second sub-element (2) of the security element (4) is arranged in a second area (32) of the first surface separated from the first area (31) by a fold edge (33). These sub-elements (1, 2) can be made to overlap with the first sub-element (1) by folding of the carrier element (3) along the fold edge (33) and can be adhered by means of an adhesive (25) arranged on the side of the second sub-element (2) facing away from the carrier element (3). An individualization feature (14) can be attached to a side of the first (1) and/or the second (2) sub-element facing away from the carrier element (3). Furthermore, a method for producing a security element (4) by means of such a system (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600), as well as a security element (4) obtained thereby, is specified.