Abstract
The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a foil having a variable strip geometry, which makes it possible to supply a foil that bears a complex security feature. The present invention is further directed to a corresponding data carrier having the foil supplied, and to the foil itself. The invention further relates to an extruder system for manufacturing a foil having a variable strip geometry and to a computer program product having control commands that implement the proposed method and/or operate the proposed extruder system.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a foil having a variable strip geometry for employment in a data carrier, having: extrusion of at least one first surface and at least one second surface, in such a manner that the surfaces form the foil in a sequence that alternates orthogonally to an extrusion direction, wherein a varying is effected of at least one of the surfaces with respect to its geometry; wherein the varying of the geometry is effected by means of a transverse movement of at least one roller of an extruder.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the varying of the geometry is effected in the extrusion direction and/or orthogonally to the extrusion direction.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first surface and the at least one second surface differ with respect to their width.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein several first surfaces and several second surfaces are provided, wherein the first surfaces are of equal width and the second surfaces are of equal width.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surfaces is formed from different materials.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surfaces is composed of several partial surfaces.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surfaces is formed in a meandering manner, strip-shaped manner and/or with varying width.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surfaces is arranged diagonally within a foil surface.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein color pixels are arranged on the foil by means of a matrix block having punctiform and/or elliptical passages.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of first surfaces is greater than the number of second surfaces of the foil.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1: a foil having alternating surfaces according to the prior art;
(2) FIG. 2: a foil having alternating surfaces that are varied according to the invention;
(3) FIG. 3: a foil having alternating and drop-shaped strips or surfaces according to one aspect of the present invention;
(4) FIG. 4: a foil having diagonal surfaces according to one aspect of the present invention;
(5) FIG. 5: a foil having alternating strips and/or surfaces and materials or material properties that change in a slowly flowing manner in the flow direction according to one aspect of the present invention;
(6) FIG. 6: a foil having alternating strips and/or surfaces and materials or material properties that change in the flow direction according to one aspect of the present invention;
(7) FIG. 7: an extruder system for manufacturing the foil according to the invention according to one aspect of the present invention;
(8) FIG. 8: a schematic nozzle block and a position-variable distributor rail and nozzle lips according to one aspect of the present invention;
(9) FIG. 9: a schematic distributor rail in a side view according to one aspect of the present invention;
(10) FIG. 10: varying a melt flow according to one aspect of the present invention;
(11) FIG. 11: a matrix block for an extruder according to one aspect of the present invention; and
(12) FIG. 12: a flow chart of a method for supplying a foil having a variable strip geometry according to one aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
(13) FIG. 1 shows a foil having a fixed strip geometry in such a manner that a first surface is arranged on the left-hand side, whereupon a second strip-shaped surface follows. This in turn is followed by a first surface and a strip-shaped second surface. This follows in an alternating manner until a first surface laterally closes the foil. As shown on the right, the strip geometry always follows the running direction of the extruder and is not varied during the manufacturing process. This means that merely straight surfaces are created on the foil and the corresponding instruments do not have to be readjusted, i.e. varied. This is referred to in the present case as a fixed strip geometry.
(14) FIG. 2, on the other hand, shows a varied strip geometry in such a manner that in the manufacturing process the corresponding components, for example a distributor rail or at least one roller, are varied, and thus the variation pattern is also realized in the surface geometry. As can be seen in FIG. 2, on the left side a second surface follows a first surface, as a result of which a first surface is arranged leftmost and rightmost. The second surface can be referred to as a strip-shaped surface which is configured in a meandering shape. As can be seen in the present FIG. 2, the strip geometry is varied, as a result of which precisely no straight and fixed strip geometry is created. This is advantageous according to the invention, since control staff can recognize such a strip geometry without employing technical aids. Thus, it can also be determined whether the variable strip geometry is present as a security feature in a value document.
(15) FIG. 3 likewise shows a variable strip geometry in which corresponding variation units have to be readjusted. Thus, in the extrusion direction, first a straight surface or strip follows which is then widened and subsequently tapered in such a manner that a drop shape is formed. The second surfaces are thus varied in such a manner that they are first formed in a strip-like manner, then in drop-shaped manner, then in turn in a strip-shaped manner and in a drop-shaped manner.
(16) FIG. 4 shows alternating surfaces, wherein the second surfaces are each formed in a strip shape. The diagonal strips can also be combined with the pattern according to FIG. 3, for example.
(17) FIG. 5 shows a foil with alternating strips and surfaces and materials and/or material properties that change in slowly flowing manner in the flow direction. This structure can be combined with the variation of the strip geometry proposed according to the invention. It is particularly advantageous here that conventional manufacturing techniques can be combined with the technique according to the invention or the proposed method.
(18) FIG. 6 shows a foil with alternating strips and surfaces and materials and/or material properties that change immediately in the flow direction. It can be seen in the present figure that the second surface, i.e. the strips, are subdivided in such a manner that a predetermined structure or coloring is attained. Thus, it is possible, for example, to split the second surface into partial surfaces and to also employ different materials with different colors for this purpose. This also represents a particularly secure feature, since the special geometry of the second surfaces can be reworked only with considerable technical effort.
(19) FIG. 7 shows an extruder system as is known with respect to the general type of construction, but which is adapted in such a manner that at least one roller carries out a transverse movement. As is shown in the present figure, the roller is guided along the arrows in the longitudinal direction, as a result of which at the end of the extruder, i.e. at the bottom in the present figure, a wave-shaped second surface is created in the foil. The foil at the lower end of FIG. 7 thus corresponds to the proposed foil having five first surfaces and four second surfaces, which are each varied with respect to their geometry during the manufacturing process.
(20) FIG. 8 shows a schematic nozzle block in which the distribution can be effected to the left and right in the block in the coat-hanger system. As indicated by the arrows in the present FIG. 8, the distributor rail is configured to be position-variable and can be varied both in accordance with its longitudinal direction and also with respect to its height. In this case, for example, foils can be manufactured as are shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.
(21) FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a distributor rail having passages for a first extruder and a second extruder. The construction of the rail must be such that a uniform mass pressure is always present during displacement.
(22) FIG. 10 shows a rail with variable height. In this case, a first position is indicated in the upper half of FIG. 10 and a second position of the rail is indicated in the lower half. As is shown on the left, the height h1 and h2 thus varies. The smaller melt flow in the extruder B is usually compensated by a greater melt flow of the extruder A. Thus, a foil according to FIG. 3 can also be manufactured.
(23) FIG. 11 shows on the left side a matrix block which can be configured in such a manner that different materials can be pressed therethrough and thus color pixels or color points can be applied to the foil or can be introduced into the foil. In this case, it is possible in turn to mix a further color according to a known superimposition of individual colors. Thus, for example, magenta, cyan, yellow and black are suitable as starting colors. A large number of further colors can be produced therefrom. The person skilled in the art recognizes here how he has to adjust the mixing ratio.
(24) FIG. 12 shows in a schematic flow chart a method for manufacturing a foil having a variable strip geometry for employment in a data carrier or a security document. An extrusion 100 follows of at least one first surface and at least one second surface, in such a manner that the surfaces form the foil in a sequence that alternates orthogonally to the extrusion direction, wherein a varying 101 is effected of at least one of the surfaces with respect to its geometry. The person skilled in the art recognizes here that the aforementioned method steps can be carried out iteratively and/or in a different sequence.
