Multi-Luminescent Security Element and Value or Security Product Containing Said Security Element

Abstract

In order to increase the security of value or security documents 100, a multi-luminescent security element 400 is provided which contains at least one first luminescence means 510 and at least one second luminescence means 520. The first luminescence means 510 can be excited under first excitation conditions Sp-1 for the purpose of luminescence, and the second luminescence means 520 can be excited under second excitation conditions Sp-2 for the purpose of luminescence, said second excitation conditions Sp-2 differing from the first excitation conditions Sp-1. The multi-luminescent security element 400 is additionally equipped with at least one absorber means 600 which prevents an excitation of the at least one first luminescence means 510 under the second excitation conditions Sp-2 for the purpose of luminescence.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A multi-luminescent security element comprising: (a) a first luminescence means having a first excitation spectrum; (b) a second luminescence means having a second excitation spectrum, wherein the second excitation spectrum does not completely overlap with the first excitation spectrum, such that a non-overlapping part of the first excitation spectrum exists, that does not overlap with the second excitation spectrum; and (c) an absorber means that absorbs electromagnetic radiation at the second excitation spectrum but does not absorb electromagnetic radiation in a subrange of the non-overlapping part of the first excitation spectrum; (d) wherein the first luminescence means is excitable by radiation of both the first excitation spectrum and the second excitation spectrum, and wherein in said security element said absorber means absorbs radiation of the second excitation spectrum by which the first luminescence means is excitable, to prevent excitation of said first luminescence means by radiation of the second excitation spectrum such that said first luminescence means is excitable by the radiation of said subrange of the non-overlapping part of the first excitation spectrum, and wherein the second luminescence means is excitable by radiation of the second excitation spectrum.

10. The security element of claim 9, further comprising two element volume areas spatially separate from one another, wherein the first luminescence means is contained in a first element volume area and the second luminescence means is contained in a second element volume area.

11. The security element of claim 10, wherein the first element volume area comprises the absorber means.

12. The security element of claim 10, wherein the first element area is surrounded by a shielding area comprising the absorber means.

13. The security element of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive.

14. The security element of claim 9, further comprising a filament comprising at least two element areas, the element areas being separate from one another in the longitudinal direction of the filament and/or arranged concentric to one another.

15. The security element of claim 9, further comprising (i) two filaments connected to one another or (ii) a filament and an adhesive area wherein an element area is formed by at least some of the filament(s) and/or adhesive area.

16. The security element of claim 9, wherein the first excitation spectrum is from 315 to 380 nm and the second excitation spectrum includes one or both of 200 to 280 nm and 280 to 315 nm.

17. A value or security product comprising the security element of claim 9.

18. The security element of claim 9, wherein the first luminescence means is present in a first volume area and the absorber means is present in the first volume area and/or completely surrounds the first volume area, thus preventing the excitation of the first luminescence means when the security element is excited with radiation having a wavelength within the second excitation spectrum.

19. The security element of claim 18, wherein the second luminescence means is present in a second volume area that does not contain the absorber means and is not completely surrounded by the absorber means.

Description

[0045] Below, the present invention is explained in further detail in reference to figures, wherein the represented examples have merely exemplary character and do not represent a limitation of the scope of the described invention. Individually, the figures show:

[0046] FIG. 1: a diagrammatic isometric representation of a value or security document in the form of a personalized card with a security feature having security elements according to the invention;

[0047] FIG. 1A: a diagrammatic view of a security feature in a variant relative to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 2: a representation of the excitation of two luminescence means in two different element areas under different excitation conditions in a wavelength diagram;

[0049] FIG. 3: a diagrammatic view of a colored fiber in longitudinally sectioned representation in a first embodiment;

[0050] FIG. 4: a diagrammatic cross section through the colored fiber of FIG. 3;

[0051] FIG. 5: a diagrammatic view of a colored fiber in a longitudinally sectioned representation in a second embodiment;

[0052] FIG. 6: a diagrammatic view of a colored fiber in a longitudinally sectioned representation in a third embodiment;

[0053] FIG. 7: a diagrammatic cross section through a colored fiber in a fourth embodiment;

[0054] FIG. 8: a diagrammatic cross section through a colored fiber in a fifth embodiment;

[0055] FIG. 9: a diagrammatic cross section through a colored fiber in a sixth embodiment.

[0056] In the figures, identical reference numerals designate elements having the same function or the same elements.

[0057] FIG. 1 represents a value or security document 100 in the form of a card which is a security document having a security feature 200. This security card can be formed, for example, as a laminate 105 made of several layers that consist substantially of polycarbonate. The laminate forms a substrate for the application of a security feature made of security elements according to the invention, for example, colored fibers or planchettes, wherein the security elements can be arranged on the surface of the document or within the document on a film forming the layers of the document. The document has a front side 101 and a back side (not visible). Individual ones of these layers can be dyed opaquely with pigments. The card has, for example, the format ID 1 according to ISO/IEC 7810. The card can have a thickness of 800 μm, for example. In addition to other security features, such as a facial image 102 of the card owner on a passport photograph 300 and two data fields 103, 104 in which individual information on the owner is stored printed in clear text and/or in coded form, the card has the security feature having the security element according to the invention.

[0058] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the security feature 200 containing the security elements 400 according to the invention partially overlaps with the passport photograph 300 and the data field 103. As a result, a manipulation of the passport photograph and of the data field can be detected subsequently. The security elements, here colored fibers, are arranged in the most regular possible distribution in the field provided for this purpose, wherein their alignment is, however, disordered.

[0059] In an alternative design of the security feature 200, the security elements 400, for example, colored fibers, are arranged in strip-shaped fields 210,220,230,240 arranged separate from one another and extending parallel to one another, in a barcode-like arrangement (FIG. 1A). The colored fibers are again arranged uniformly within these fields, but in a disordered distribution with regard to their alignment (colored fibers not shown). In the fields 210, 230, colored fibers according to the invention of a first type are contained, and in the fields 220, 240 colored fibers according to the invention of a second type are contained.

[0060] The colored fibers of these two types can be biluminescent colored fibers, for example, as described below in the figure description and as represented in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. These types can differ, for example, with regard to the luminescence means and absorber means contained therein, so that under illumination with electromagnetic radiation of different energy, a different appearance of the colored fibers in the fields is also obtained. For example, the colored fibers in the fields 210, 230 can luminesce when excited with excitation radiation at the energies E.sub.1 and E.sub.2, and the colored fibers in the fields 220, 240 can luminesce when excited with excitation radiation at the energies E.sub.3 and E.sub.4, which are different from E.sub.1 and E.sub.2.

[0061] A security element 400 of the type according to the invention in a first embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. This security element is formed by a colored fiber which consists of a strand made of two filaments 410, 420 extending parallel to one another and of a sheathing 450 made of an adhesive material and surrounding said filaments. This colored fiber can have a length of 2 mm, for example. Each of the two filaments can have a diameter of 50 μm, for example. For example, the two filaments are made of polyamide, PA6.6, for example. The colored fiber can be produced, for example, by an extrusion method in which polyamide granulate is melted and then extruded through spinnerets arranged next to one another, so that the two filaments are formed and connected to one another due to their initial tackiness at elevated temperature. An adhesive coating 450 encasing this double filament can be formed by a hot melt adhesive or a reactive adhesive. For the production of the adhesive coating around the double filament, the adhesive material is extruded simultaneously with the two filaments from additional spinnerets arranged around the two spinnerets for the filaments, so that the adhesive material comes to be applied regularly around the double filament. After the production of the extrusion strand, the said strand can be chopped into short segments, resulting in colored fibers having a certain length.

[0062] The structure of this colored fiber 400 is represented diagrammatically in cross section in FIG. 4. The first filament 410 forms a first element area 430 and the second filament 420 forms a second element area 440. The two element areas each extend over the entire length of the filaments. In the first filament 410 and thus the first element area 430, there are pigment particles of a first luminescence means 510, for example, of a pigment that can be excited by UV-A radiation, for example, Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell) at a concentration of, for example, 3% by weight relative to the filament material, which luminesces red when excited by UV-A radiation. In addition, the first filament contains, finely distributed, an absorber means 600 which absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the UV-B and UV-C range. It is, for example, microscale or nanoscale ZnO at a concentration of 1% by weight relative to the filament material. In the second filament 420 and thus in the second element area 440, there are pigment particles of a second luminescence means 520, for example, of a pigment that can be excited by UV-C radiation, for example, ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped) at a concentration of, for example, 5% by weight relative to the filament material.

[0063] Since UV-C radiation is absorbed very strongly by various materials, including the material of the card 100, the colored fibers forming the security feature are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the surface of the card, for example, immediately beneath the thin top coat of lacquer.

[0064] Before the lamination, these security elements 400 (colored fibers) have been scattered preferably onto a surface of the laminate from which the card 100 is produced, wherein as regular as possible a distribution is achieved, which is, however, statistical with regard to the alignment of the elements (FIG. 1). By heating the laminate film at the time of the application by scattering, the hot melt adhesive material of the security element softens, so that said security elements are attached to the film. If the adhesive is a reactive adhesive, the film onto which the colored fibers have been scattered is illuminated with appropriate radiation, for example, UV radiation, in order to cure the adhesive and thus establish a connection with the film.

[0065] The operating mode of the security elements is further explained in reference to FIG. 2.

[0066] In FIG. 2, for the two element areas 430 (area A) and 440 (area B), the absorption of the respective luminescence means 510, 520 or of the absorber means 600 as a function of the excitation wavelength λ is presented.

[0067] In the upper representation, the conditions for the area A (element area 430) are reproduced. The area A contains a pigment luminescent substance as first luminescence means 510 (pigment Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell)), which luminesces red and has an absorption in the UV-A range (curve a). In addition, the area A contains an absorber means 600 (ZnO) which absorbs in the UV-B and UV-C range (curve b). In case of irradiation of electromagnetic radiation in the UV-A range (first excitation conditions Sp-1), said radiation is absorbed by the first luminescence means, so that said luminescence means luminesces in the visible spectral range (curve i). In the case of irradiation of electromagnetic radiation in the UV-B or UV-C range (second excitation conditions Sp-2), this radiation is absorbed by the absorber means, so that it cannot be absorbed by the first luminescence means. As a result the first luminescence means 510 located in the first element area 430 does not luminesce under these excitation conditions (Sp-2).

[0068] In the lower representation, the conditions for the area B (element area 440) are reproduced: The area B contains the second luminescence means 520 (ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn), which luminesces green and which has an absorption in the UV-B and UV-C range (curve c). This area contains no absorber means 600. In the case of irradiation of electromagnetic radiation in the UV-A range (first excitation conditions Sp-1), this radiation is not absorbed by the second luminescence means. On the other hand, in the case of irradiation of electromagnetic radiation in the UV-B or UV-C range (second excitation conditions Sp-2), this radiation is absorbed by the second luminescence means, so that this second element area 440 luminesces green (curve ii).

[0069] By irradiation of electromagnetic radiation of different energy (UV-A, first excitation conditions Sp-1, on the one hand, or UV-B/UV-C, second excitation conditions Sp-2, on the other hand), the two element areas A, B (430, 440) luminesce in different colors, namely with the pure luminescence colors of the respective luminescence means 510, 520. In this way, a luminescence switchability is created.

[0070] In FIG. 5, a second embodiment of a security element 400 according to the invention in the form of a colored fiber is shown. This fiber is formed from a single filament 410, which is surrounded by an adhesive sheathing 450. The adhesive again can be a hot melt adhesive or also a reactive adhesive. It is used to firmly anchor the fibers in the value or security document 100. Multiple element areas 430, 440 are formed in the filament, which, together with areas 460 that contain no luminescence means, alternatingly follow one another in the axial direction. In the first element areas 430, pigment particles of a first luminescence means 510 as well as an absorber means 600 are contained, and in the second element areas 440, pigment particles of a second luminescence means 520 are contained.

[0071] As in the case of the first embodiment, which is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, only the first element areas 430 luminesce red, for example, when excited with a UV-A radiation (first excitation conditions Sp-1) since the first luminescence means 510 contained therein is formed, for example, by the pigment Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell) which absorbs this radiation, and an excitation of the second luminescence means 520, formed, for example, by the pigment ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped), in the second element areas 440 is not possible due to absence of absorption of UV-A radiation. On the other hand, in the case of an excitation with UV-B or UV-C radiation (second excitation conditions Sp-2), only the second element areas 440 luminesce green, for example, since the pigment ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped) which absorbs this radiation is contained there, and since an excitation of the first luminescence means 510 is not possible due to the absorber means 600 contained in the first element areas 410. Under no excitation conditions do the areas 460 luminesce.

[0072] In FIG. 6, a third embodiment of a security element 400 according to the invention in the form of a colored fiber with three different filaments 410, 420, 470 is shown, which in each case form element areas 430, 440, 480 each extending over the entire filament. The individual filaments are interwoven with one another. The filaments can be formed from PA6.6, for example. The filament strand made from the three filaments is surrounded, in addition, with an adhesive coating 450 made from a hot melt adhesive or a reactive adhesive, for example.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first filament 410 forms a first element area 430. The second filament 420 forms a second element area 440, and the third filament 470 forms a third element area 480. Each one of these filaments contains a luminescence means, namely the first filament 410 contains a first luminescence means 510, the second filament 420 contains a second luminescence means 520, and the third filament 470 contains a third luminescence means 530. The first luminescence means 510 absorbs radiation in the UV-A, UV-B and in the UV-C range. The second luminescence means 520 absorbs radiation exclusively in the UV-C range, and the third luminescence means 530 absorbs radiation exclusively in the UV-B and in the UV-C range. Furthermore, the first filament 410 contains a first absorber means 610 and the third filament 470 contains a second absorber means 620.

[0074] The first and the second absorber means 610, 620 absorb UV-C radiation, so that, in the case of excitation of the colored fiber 400 with UV-C radiation (third excitation conditions Sp-3), the second luminescence means 520 in the second filament 420 luminesces exclusively. The first absorber means 610 additionally absorbs UV-B radiation, so that, in addition, in the case of excitation of the colored fiber with UV-B radiation (second excitation conditions Sp-2), the third luminescence means 530 in the third filament 470 luminesces exclusively. In the case of irradiation of UV-A radiation (first excitation conditions Sp-1), only the first luminescence means 510 in the first filament 410 thus luminesces, since this radiation is not capable of exciting the two other luminescence means 520, 530. In the case of irradiation of UV-B radiation, furthermore, only the third luminescence means 530 in the third filament 470 luminesces, since the first absorber means 610 in the first filament 410 absorbs this radiation and thus prevents the excitation of the first luminescence means 510 in this filament, and since this radiation, in addition, is not capable of exciting the second luminescence means 520 in the second filament 420. Thus, finally, in the case of irradiation of UV-C radiation, only the second luminescence means 520 in the second filament 420 luminesces, since the two absorber means 610, 620 in the two other filaments 410, 470 absorb this radiation and thus prevent the excitation of the luminescence means 510, 530 contained therein.

[0075] In yet another embodiment, which is shown in cross section in FIG. 7, a filament 410 of a colored fiber 400 comprises an inner first element area 430 and a second element area 440 surrounding the former element area. The two areas of the filament can be formed from PA6.6, for example. Furthermore, this filament can be surrounded by an adhesive coating 450 which is formed by a hot melt adhesive or by a reactive adhesive, for example.

[0076] The first element area 430 contains, for example, pigment particles of a first luminescence means 510 which absorbs, for example, in the UV-A range (first excitation conditions Sp-1), as well as an absorber means 600, which absorbs in the UV-B and UV-C range. This luminescence means can again be the pigment Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell) and the absorber means can be ZnO. In the second element area 440, there are pigment particles of a second luminescence means 520, for example, which is excited in the UV-C range (second excitation conditions Sp-2). The pigment particles can again be ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped). In the case of excitation of the colored fiber 400 with UV-A radiation, only the first luminescence means 510 in the first element area 430 is excited to luminesce red. On the other hand, in the case of irradiation of UV-C radiation, the second luminescence means 520 in the second element area 440 is excited exclusively to luminesce green, since the absorber means 600 in the first element area 430 prevents the excitation of the first luminescence means 510.

[0077] In yet another (fifth) embodiment, two filaments 410, 420 form a colored fiber 400 (FIG. 8). These two filaments extend parallel to one another and are connected to one another. The second filament 420 is formed by a hot melt adhesive or a reactive adhesive, for example. The first filament 410 is formed from PA6.6, for example. The first filament consists of a core which forms a first element area 430 and which extends over the entire length of the colored fiber. In the first element area, for example, pigment particles of a first luminescence means 510 are located, for example, Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell). This luminescence means absorbs exclusively in the UV-A range (first excitation conditions Sp-1). In a sheathing 490 surrounding the first element area, which can also be formed from PA6.6, a first absorber means 600 is contained, which absorbs in the UV-B and UV-C range, for example, ZnO. The second filament 420 forms a second element area 440 which also extends over the entire length of the colored fiber and in which, for example, pigment particles of a second luminescence means 520, for example, ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped), are contained. By irradiation of UV-C radiation (second excitation conditions Sp-2), the second luminescence means luminesces green in this element area. In this case, the adhesive thus forms the second element area 440. In addition, the absorber means is not contained in an element area which contains a luminescence means, but rather is contained in the shielding area 490 which thus shields the first element area 430 against the irradiation of higher energy radiation.

[0078] In FIG. 9, yet another (sixth) embodiment of the present invention, which is formed by a security element 400 in the form of a colored fiber, is represented in cross section. In this case, the colored fiber is formed by two filaments 410, 420 which extend parallel to one another and are connected to one another. The two filaments can be formed from PA6.6, for example. This double filament is additionally sheathed with an adhesive coating 450 made from a hot melt or reactive adhesive, for example.

[0079] The first filament 410 forms a first element area 430 which extends over the entire length of the colored fiber 400 and which contains, for example, pigment particles of a first luminescence means 510 which absorbs in the UV-A range, for example, and which is, for example, Lumilux® 740 (Honeywell), as well as, for example, pigment particles of a second luminescence means which absorbs, for example, exclusively in the UV-C range, for example, ZnSiO.sub.4:Mn (doped), as well as an absorber means 600 which absorbs in the UV-B and UV-C range. The second filament 420 forms a second element area 440 which also extends over the entire length of the colored fiber. This filament contains exclusively the pigment particles of the second luminescence means 520.

[0080] In the case of an excitation of the colored fiber 400 with UV-A radiation (first excitation conditions Sp-1), the first luminescence means 510 in the first filament 410 luminesces exclusively, since the second luminescence means 520 in the first filament 410 and in the second filament 420 cannot be excited under these conditions. Therefore, under these first excitation conditions Sp-1, the colored fiber exhibits a red luminescence in the first element area 430, i.e., in the area of the first filament. In the case of an excitation of the colored fiber with UV-C radiation (second excitation conditions Sp-2), the second luminescence means 520 in the second filament 420 luminesces exclusively, since the absorber means 600 in the first filament 410 prevents the absorption of this radiation both by the first luminescence means 510 and also by the second luminescence means 520 and thus their excitation to luminescence. Thus, the colored fiber, under these excitation conditions Sp-2, exhibits a green luminescence exclusively in the second element area 440, i.e., in the area of the second filament.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0081] 100 Value or security product, value or security document, security card [0082] 102 Facial image [0083] 103 Data field [0084] 104 Data field [0085] 105 Laminate [0086] 200 Security feature [0087] 210 Strip-shaped field [0088] 220 Strip-shaped field [0089] 230 Strip-shaped field [0090] 240 Strip-shaped field [0091] 300 Passport photograph [0092] 400 Security element, colored fiber [0093] 410 (First) filament [0094] 420 (Second) filament, adhesive area [0095] 430 First element area (area A) [0096] 440 Second element area (area B) [0097] 450 Adhesive, (adhesive) sheathing, adhesive coating [0098] 460 Element area without luminescence means [0099] 470 Third filament [0100] 480 Third element area [0101] 490 Sheathing, shielding area [0102] 510 First luminescence means [0103] 520 Second luminescence means [0104] 530 Third luminescence means [0105] 600 Absorber means [0106] 610 First absorber means [0107] 620 Second absorber means [0108] a Wavelength dependency of the absorption of the first luminescence means [0109] b Wavelength dependency of the absorption of the absorber means [0110] c Wavelength dependency of the absorption of the second luminescence means [0111] i Wavelength dependency of the luminescence of the first luminescence means [0112] ii Wavelength dependency of the luminescence of the second luminescence means [0113] Sp-1 First excitation condition [0114] Sp-2 Second excitation condition [0115] Sp-3 Third excitation condition