METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT COMPRISING A CONCEALED MAGNETIC STRIP, AND ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT THEREBY OBTAINED

Abstract

A method for producing an electronic document (30) comprising a concealed magnetic strip, comprising a step (22) of providing a surface (310) of an electronic document body (30), a step (23) of applying of a magnetic strip (33) to at least part of the surface (310) of the electronic document body (30), a visible surface (34), formed by the surface (310) of the body covered at least in part by the magnetic strip (33), having a Delta E contrast equal to or less than 15, and a step (24, 25, 26) of applying a decor (32) that covers the surface (310) of the body over the magnetic strip (33), the decor (32) having a thickness of at most 10 μm and having an opacity ratio at wavelengths in the visible domain of at least 70%; and a corresponding electronic document (30).

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A method for producing an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip comprising: a step of providing a surface of an electronic document body; a step of applying a magnetic strip to at least part of the surface of the electronic document body, a visible surface, formed by the surface of the body covered at least in part by the magnetic strip (33), having a Delta E contrast equal to or less than 15; and, a step of applying a decor covering the surface of the body over the magnetic strip, the decor having a thickness of at most 10 μm and having an opacity ratio at wavelengths in the visible domain of at least 70%.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of applying the magnetic strip to at least a part of the surface of the body comprises a step of printing an ink on at least the part of the surface of the body, the ink being designed to form the magnetic strip.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of applying the magnetic strip to at least part of the surface of the body comprises applying the magnetic strip over the entire surface of the body.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of applying the magnetic strip to at least part of the surface of the body includes a step of providing a tape, the tape comprising a backing and the magnetic strip, applied to the backing, and a step of transferring the magnetic strip from the backing of the tape onto the surface of the body.

17. The method according to claim 13, comprising a step of providing a substrate comprising a surface of any color then a step of applying a layer of a second color to the surface of the substrate of any color, the second color layer forming the surface of the body of the document.

18. The method according to claim 13, comprising a step of providing a substrate tinted throughout with a second color over at least part of its thickness from an upper surface, the upper surface of the substrate tinted throughout forming the surface of the body of the second color.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of applying a decor comprises a step of applying a decor background to the surface of the body, over the magnetic strip, and/or a step of applying an illustration layer.

20. An electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip comprising: a body comprising a surface; a magnetic strip applied to at least part of the surface of the body, the surface of the body covered at least in part by the magnetic strip forming a visible surface having a Delta E contrast equal to or less than 15; and, a decor applied to the surface of the body and covering the magnetic strip, the decor having a thickness of at most 10 μm and having an opacity ratio at wavelengths in the visible domain of at least 70%.

21. The electronic document according to claim 20, wherein the magnetic strip covers the entire surface of the body.

22. The electronic document according to claim 20, wherein the decor comprises a decor background, the decor background being applied to the surface of the body and covering the magnetic strip, and/or an illustration layer.

23. The electronic document according to claim 20, wherein the body of the electronic document comprises a substrate comprising a surface of any color and a layer of a second color applied to the surface of the substrate of any color, the second color layer forming the surface of the body of the document to which the magnetic strip is applied.

24. The electronic document according to claim 20, wherein the body of the electronic document comprises a substrate tinted throughout with a second color over at least part of its thickness from an upper surface, the upper surface of the substrate tinted throughout forming the surface of the body of the document to which the magnetic strip is applied.

Description

[0094] The invention, according to an example embodiment, will be better understood and its advantages will be better seen by reading the following detailed description, given as a non-limiting example, referring to the appended drawings wherein:

[0095] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the main steps of a traditional method for producing a document comprising a concealed magnetic strip;

[0096] FIG. 2 schematically represents a method for producing an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip according to an exemplary implementation of the invention;

[0097] FIG. 3 schematically represents a method for producing an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip covering the entire surface of the body according to another exemplary implementation of the invention; and

[0098] FIG. 4 illustrates, in cross-section, an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0099] The identical features depicted in the above-mentioned figures are identified by identical numerical references.

[0100] FIG. 1 presents the main steps of a method 10 for producing an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip according to the prior art.

[0101] Such a method 10 typically comprises a step 11 of assembling at least one magnetic strip on a surface of an electronic document body.

[0102] Traditionally, a magnetic strip is black, possibly gray, while the body of the electronic document, and a fortiori its surface to which a magnetic strip is applied, is white.

[0103] There is therefore a significant contrast between the magnetic strip and the body.

[0104] In order to conceal the magnetic strip, the method then typically comprises a step 12 of applying a silver layer (i.e., considered gray in color, for example by screen printing), which then represents a first step to break the contrast between the white of the body and the black of the magnetic strip. To achieve satisfactory coverage, the silver layer generally has a thickness of at least 4 μm.

[0105] Then, the method generally comprises a step 13 of applying a layer of white color (also called “white layer”), for example also by screen printing), which then represents a second step to reduce the contrast between the white of the body and the black of the magnetic strip, but in addition, this white layer serves as a background to then apply a decor to the surface of the electronic document, as shown here in steps 14 and 15.

[0106] Thus, for example, the method then comprises a step 14 of applying illustrations, for example by lithography, to the background formed by the white layer; then the method comprises a step 15 of applying a varnish, for example by screen printing, to protect the illustrations.

[0107] Consequently, with such a method, the resulting electronic document comprises at least two so-called “concealing” layers over the magnetic strip, namely the silver layer (applied here in step 12) and the white layer (applied here in step 13), then the illustration layer (from step 14 here) and the varnish layer (from step 15 here).

[0108] The assembly of layers applied during steps 12 to 15 generally represent a thickness of between 7 μm and 12 μm and this assembly tends to diminish the capabilities of the magnetic strip.

[0109] Consequently, a method 20 according to an exemplary implementation of the invention is shown schematically in FIG. 2.

[0110] The method 20 for producing an electronic document comprising a concealed magnetic strip according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention then comprises for example a step 23 of applying a magnetic strip 33 of a “first” color, for example here a black color, to a part of a surface 310 of an electronic document body (shown here at step 22), the surface 310 being of a “second” color, for example herein also a black color.

[0111] In the present exemplary embodiment, an electronic document is cut out from a board that can contain several series of electronic document formats (for example 24).

[0112] Herein, for illustrative purposes, the figures represent a board that can contain three series of several formats, hence the presence of three magnetic strips 33.

[0113] The body of the document then has a visible surface 34 formed by the surface 310 of the uncovered body and by one of the magnetic strips 33.

[0114] Thus, a Delta E contrast is then determined between the second color, of the surface 310 of the unmasked body, and the first color, of the magnetic strip 33.

[0115] Considering that they are both black, the Delta E contrast is then herein less than 10, or even substantially close to zero (0).

[0116] In addition, the method comprises for example a step 24, 25, 26 of applying a decor 35, 36, 37 over the magnetic strip 33.

[0117] The decor 35, 36, 37 has a thickness of at most 10 μm and is opaque to wavelengths in the visible range.

[0118] This decor is applied by traditional printing methods, such as offset printing and screen printing. In the context of this example of the invention, the single-color layers are produced by screen printing, while the multi-colored layers are produced by offset.

[0119] Thus, not only is it possible to dispense with a silver concealing layer, but in addition it is possible to apply fewer layers over the magnetic strip.

[0120] Herein, the decor comprises for example a decor background 35, an illustration layer 36 and a protective layer 37.

[0121] Consequently, the method comprises a step 24 of applying a decor background 35 over the magnetic strip 33.

[0122] The decor background 35 is for example a solid color layer, for example of white color as shown here by way of example only, and it could be otherwise. According to another example, the decor background may comprise a pattern and/or be of several colors (polychrome or monochrome of several levels).

[0123] Thus, the magnetic strip 33 is then arranged between the decor background 35 and the surface 310 of the second color of the body.

[0124] The method also comprises a step 25 of applying an illustration layer 36 over the decor background 35.

[0125] The decor background 35 is then comprised between the magnetic strip 33 and the illustration layer 36.

[0126] The illustration layer 36 thus shows here that three series of electronic documents are formed here, in line with the three magnetic strips 33 produced on the surface 310.

[0127] And finally, the method also comprises a step 26 of applying a protective layer 37, herein over the illustration layer 36.

[0128] The protective layer 37 is for example a varnish, for example a clear varnish.

[0129] For example, in the present example illustrated in FIG. 2, the step 24 of applying a decor background 35 over the magnetic strip 33 is carried out by screen printing; the step 25 of applying an illustration layer 36 over the decor background 35 is carried out by offset; and the step 26 of applying a protective layer 37, herein over the illustration layer 36, is preferably also carried out by screen printing.

[0130] In addition, in the implementation example of FIG. 2, the method comprises a step 21 of providing a substrate 31 comprising a surface of any color, herein of white color, then a step 22 of applying a layer of the second color to the surface of the substrate 31 of any color, the second color layer forming the surface 310 of the body of the document.

[0131] The substrate 31 then forms at least part of the body of the electronic document. According to an example not shown, steps 21 and 22 could be grouped together by producing a substrate 31 of the second color, for example tinted throughout, for example black.

[0132] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the method steps are identical to those of FIG. 2.

[0133] The example of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 2 in that the magnetic strip 33 is designed to cover the entire surface of an electronic document body.

[0134] In this case, the magnetic strip 33 covers an entire surface of the board in which the electronic document is subsequently cut.

[0135] In this case the Delta E contrast is then 0 (zero).

[0136] By virtue of this zero contrast, it would be possible to dispense with the decor background 35 (this step is however represented here by analogy with FIG. 2 and taking into account the patterns shown schematically for illustrative purposes, but it is optional), thus leaving a greater possibility of choice of the layers constituting the illustration layer 36 and the protective layer 37 to obtain new visual aesthetic effects.

[0137] An example of an electronic document 30 obtained at the end of a method such as represented in FIG. 2, or FIG. 3, is shown schematically in FIG. 4, in cross-section.

[0138] In this figure, the electronic document 30 with concealed magnetic strip comprises: [0139] A body comprising a surface 310, of a second color, [0140] A magnetic strip 33, of a first color applied, to at least part of the surface 310 of the body, and [0141] A decor 32 applied to the surface 310 of the body and covering the magnetic strip 33.

[0142] The surface 310 of the body covered at least in part by the magnetic strip 33 and the magnetic strip thus form a visible surface 34 having a Delta E contrast equal to or less than 15, or even 10.

[0143] In the case of an electronic document 30 obtained at the end of the method as represented in FIG. 3, the magnetic strip 33 covers the entire surface 310 and the visible surface 34 is then formed by the magnetic strip 33. The Delta E contrast is then close to zero, or equal to zero.

[0144] The decor 32 has a thickness of at most 10 μm and is opaque to wavelengths in the visible range.

[0145] Herein, the decor 32 comprises a decor background 35, an illustration layer 36 that is applied to the decor background 35, and a protective layer 37 that is applied to the illustration layer 36.

[0146] The protective layer 37 is for example a varnish, for example a clear varnish.

[0147] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the body of the electronic document 30 comprises a substrate 31 comprising a surface of any color and a layer of the second color applied to the surface of the substrate 31 of any color, the second color layer forming the surface 310 of the body of the document 30 to which the magnetic strip 33 is applied.

[0148] However, the substrate 31 could be tinted throughout by the second color, at least over part of its thickness from its surface forming the surface 310 of the second color.