SECURITY DOCUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SECURITY DOCUMENT

Abstract

A security document has a carrier element which has a surface with a principal plane and a personalization region. A personalization layer is applied to the surface, such that the surface of the carrier element in the personalization region is configured with a plurality of structure elements uniformly aligned with each other and raised with respect to the principal plane. The structure elements of the plurality of structure elements are configured immediately adjacent to each other and the structure elements are configured with a center distance between vertical axes of the respective structure elements of less than 250 μm.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A security document having a carrier element which has a surface with a principal plane and a personalization region, wherein in the personalization region a personalization layer is applied to the surface, wherein the surface of the carrier element in the personalization region is configured with a plurality of structure elements uniformly aligned with each other and raised with respect to the principal plane, wherein the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements are configured immediately adjacent to each other and wherein the structure elements are configured with a center distance between vertical axes of the respective structure elements of less than 250 μm.

16. The security document according to claim 15, wherein at least one structure element of the plurality of structure elements, in cross-section perpendicular to the principal plane, has at least partly an arc-shaped contour.

17. The security document according to claim 16, wherein the arc-shaped contour is configured with a radius of at most 125 μm.

18. The security document according to claim 15, wherein at least one structure element of the plurality of structure elements is configured in a dome-shaped manner on the side facing away from the carrier element.

19. The security document according to claim 15, wherein at least one structure element of the plurality of structure elements is configured as a spherical segment and the sectional area of the spherical segment faces the carrier element.

20. The security document according to claim 15, wherein at least one structure element of the plurality of structure elements is configured as a semicircular rod.

21. The security document according to claim 15, wherein the personalization layer is configured at least partly as a tilt image.

22. The security document according to claim 15, wherein the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements respectively have a height with respect to the principal plane of 10 μm to 60 μm.

23. The security document according to claim 15, wherein the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements are aligned with each other as a uniform grid.

24. The security document according to claim 15, wherein the personalization layer is applied only with colorful color particles.

25. The security document according to claim 15, wherein a respective structure element of the plurality of structure elements is configured at least partly transparent.

26. The security document according to claim 25, wherein a respective structure element of the plurality of structure elements is configured as an optical lens.

27. A method for manufacturing a security document with a wear-protected personalization layer, comprising the steps of: a) supplying a carrier element with a surface and a principal plane; b) determining a personalization region of the surface with a plurality of structure elements which are uniformly aligned with each another, immediately adjacent to each other and raised with respect to the principal plane, with a center distance between vertical axes of the respective structure elements of less than 250 μm; c) applying the personalization layer onto the surface in the personalization region; and d) supplying the security document having the carrier element and the applied personalization layer.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of raised structure elements is configured by lamination at the carrier element.

Description

[0053] Further features of the invention may be found in the claims, in the figures and the description of the figures.

[0054] Embodiment examples of the invention will hereinafter be explained more closely with reference to schematic drawings.

[0055] There are shown:

[0056] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment example of a security document according to the invention with a plurality of structure elements, the structure elements being configured as semicircular rods;

[0057] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a further embodiment example of the security document, the structure elements being configured as a hemisphere;

[0058] FIG. 3 a schematic sectional view perpendicular to a principal plane of the security document of a further embodiment example of the security document, a surface of a carrier element of the security element being configured outside a personalization region in the principal plane; and

[0059] FIG. 4 a further schematic sectional view perpendicular to the principal plane of a further embodiment example of the security document, the surface outside the personalization region being configured offset parallel to the principal plane.

[0060] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a security document 1 according to the invention. According to the embodiment example, the security document 1 is configured as a card, for example an identity card. The security document 1 has a carrier element 2. The carrier element 2 is configured of plastic, for example. The carrier element 2 can be configured in a single-layer or multilayer manner, for example.

[0062] The carrier element 2 has a surface 3 which according to the embodiment example is the front side of the card. The carrier element 2 can also have several surfaces, for example a front side and a back side.

[0063] The surface 3 has a principal plane 4 and a personalization region 5. According to the embodiment example, the principal plane 4 extends in the region of the surface 3 which is located outside the personalization region 5.

[0064] The personalization region 5 has a personalization layer 6. According to the embodiment example, the personalization layer is a color photo which shows a human face. However, the personalization layer 6 can also be configured as a diverse individual print or diverse individual lettering. In particular, the personalization layer 6 is characterized in that the personalization layer 6 is applied to the surface 3 of the carrier element 2 for a long time, i.e. preferably at least for a period of several months, in particular at least one year or even up to ten years.

[0065] The carrier element 2 is configured with a plurality of structure elements 7 in the personalization region 5. The structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7, also referred to as structure elements 7 for short, are configured in a raised manner with respect to the principal plane 4, in particular such that they protrude from the carrier element 2 or are directed away with respect to the same. In addition, according to the embodiment example, the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 are arranged uniformly.

[0066] According to the embodiment example of FIG. 1, the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 have, in cross-section perpendicular to the principal plane 4, at least partly an arc-shaped contour 8.

[0067] The arc-shaped contour 8 has a radius 9 which according to the embodiment example is in particular up to 70 μm. A center point 25 of the radius 9 or point of origin of the radius 9 lies in the principal plane 4 according to the embodiment example.

[0068] However, in an embodiment not shown, the center point 25 of the radius 9 can also be arranged offset from the principal plane 4, in particular in the direction of the interior of the carrier element 2, i.e. opposite to the surface 3.

[0069] In particular, the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 according to FIG. 1 are respectively configured as semicircular rods 10. A flat principal area 11 of the respective semicircular rod 10 is arranged in the principal plane 4.

[0070] According to the embodiment example of FIG. 2, the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 are respectively configured as a spherical segment 12. A sectional area 13 of the respective spherical segment 12 faces the carrier element 2. Furthermore, the sectional area 13 is arranged in the principal plane 4.

[0071] According to FIG. 1 as well as according to FIG. 2, the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 are arranged uniformly.

[0072] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a cross-sectional view of the structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 perpendicular to the principal plane 4, as it may be present for both the semicircular rods 10 according to FIG. 1 and the spherical segments 12 according to FIG. 2.

[0073] Furthermore, a respective structure element of the plurality of structure elements 7 has a height 14 with respect to the principal plane 4. The height 14 is in particular between 10 μm and 60 μm.

[0074] A respective structure element of the plurality of structure elements 7 has a vertical axis 15. According to the embodiment example, the vertical axis 15 is perpendicular to the principal plane 4. Furthermore, the vertical axis 15 runs in particular through the point of the respective structure element 7 which is furthest away from the principal plane 4 and/or from the carrier element 2. The structure elements 7 are configured with a center distance 16 between the vertical axes 15 of the structure elements 7 of less than 180 μm, preferably less than 150 μm, more preferably less than 130 μm, in particular less than 100 μm. Preferably, the center distance 16 is at least 50 μm, more preferably 80 μm, in particular 100 μm.

[0075] The structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 are arranged immediately adjacent to each other, i.e. a distance between the structure elements 7 is substantially equal to zero. Preferably, the structure elements 7 are arranged immediately adjacent to each other in two dimensions, in particular parallel to the principal plane. However, the structure elements 7 can also be immediately adjacent to each other in only one dimension, as is shown in FIG. 2.

[0076] The structure elements of the plurality of structure elements 7 are aligned with each other in particular as a uniform grid 17.

[0077] The personalization layer 6 is preferably applied only with colorful color particles 18. Any non-colorful color particles 19 remaining in comparison to the colorful color particles 18, in particular the black color particles, are preferably not applied to the surface 3, but integrated or embedded into the carrier element 2.

[0078] The personalization region 5 extends in particular only partly over the surface 3. Alternatively, the personalization region 5 may also extend completely over the entire surface 3.

[0079] The principal plane 4 is arranged in particular in the plane of the principal area 11 or the sectional area 13.

[0080] The basic idea of the security document 1 is to create the personalization layer 6, which on the one hand enables the use of standard inkjet inks with a less good bond to the surface 3 or to the substrate (card surface or document surface), but also to enable polycore inks with a very good bond to the substrate and to simultaneously exhibit a high stability of the personalization or of the personalization layer 6 against mechanical and/or chemical influences.

[0081] The security document 1 as well as a method for manufacturing the security document 1 can increase the long-term resistance of cards and identity documents having external personalization or personalization layer 6.

[0082] Furthermore, the security document 1 can be made more forgery-proof by the plurality of structure elements 7. Often, known security documents are forged by ironing a new personalization layer over an original personalization layer. In the embodiment example of the security document 1 with the structure elements 7, ironing over the existing personalization layer 6 leads to the fact, that the structure elements 7 melt at least partly or are compressed at least partly. Such a forgery can then be recognized more easily than when a known security document is ironed over.

[0083] According to FIG. 3, the structure elements 7 or the plurality of structure elements 7 are respectively configured as the spherical segment 12, and the principal plane 4 extends at least partly in the surface 3 of the carrier element 2 outside the personalization region 5. According to FIG. 4, the structure elements 7 or the plurality of structure elements 7 are respectively configured as a semicircular rod 10, the principal plane 4 runs at least partly, in particular parallel, offset to the surface 3 of the carrier element 2 outside the personalization region 5. But it is also possible that the configuration of the structure elements of FIG. 3 is combined with the course of the surface 3 outside the personalization region 5 of FIG. 4 and that the configuration of the structure elements of FIG. 4 is combined with the course of the surface 3 outside the personalization region 5 of FIG. 3.

[0084] According to a further embodiment example, the personalization layer 6 is configured as a tilt image 20. The tilt image 20 shows changing information depending on the viewing angle from which the personalization layer 6 is viewed. The tilt image 20 has in particular at least two different images 21, 22. The images 21, 22 here are preferably configured in such a way that a first image 21 is visible if a second image 22 is concealed by the plurality of structure elements 7 and vice versa. The first image 21 here is applied in particular to a first side area 23 of the respective structure elements 7 and the second image 22 is applied in particular to a second side area 24 of the respective structure elements 7, the first side area 23 being substantially opposite the second side area 24.