Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
Security Element with Intaglio Printing Motif
The invention relates to a security element for security papers, documents of
value and the like, having a front side and a rear side, a security feature ap-
plied to the rear side and an intaglio printing motif subsequently applied to
the front side.
Security documents and documents of value, the commercial or utility value
of which exceeds the material value by far, are generally made recognisable
as genuine by means of appropriate measures and distinguishable from imi-
tations and forgeries. For this purpose they are mostly provided with special
security elements which ideally can not be imitated, or only with a great deal
of complexity, and can not be forged.
Of particular significance here are those security elements which can be iden-
tified by the user without any aids and can be recognised as genuine, but
which at the same time can only be produced with a high degree of technical
complexity or financial expenditure. Examples of such security elements are
water marks which can only be inserted into the document of value during
the paper production, or printed images produced using the intaglio printing
method which are characterised by a characteristic tactility which can also be
easily recognised by the layman and which can not be reproduced by any
other printing methods and in particular by photocopying machines or
scanners.
The line or intaglio printing technique, in particular the steel intaglio
print-
ing technique, is of great significance to the printing of security papers and
documents of value. Intaglio printing is characterised in that in order to
produce a desired printed image indentations, in particular linear indenta-
tions, are engraved into the printing plates. These indentations are produced
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by means of an appropriate engraving tool or by means of etching. Typically,
the engraved lines are up to approximately 180 pm deep and up to several
100 p.m wide. In order to transfer as far as possible all of the ink from the
engraved lines onto the paper when printing, very great forces are applied
between the plate cylinder and the counter-pressure cylinder. The counter-
pressure cylinders are generally covered here with special thin rubber blan-
kets.
In comparison to other commonly used printing techniques, the intaglio
printing technique allows on the one hand a very thick application of ink.
Moreover, the paper can also be pressed into the engraving of the printing
plate due to the high levels or printing pressure, even in the ink-free
regions,
and in this way be provided with an embossed relief structure. The thick
layer of ink produced using the intaglio printing method together with the
partial deformation of the surface of the paper can also easily be felt manu-
ally by the layman and so can also be detected easily as a sign of genuineness
by means of its tactility. The tactility can not be imitated using a photocop-
ier, and so the intaglio printing technique offers high value protection
against forgeries.
With conventional data carriers printed with two-sided intaglio print the
tactility of the motif elements is restricted, however, to the front side of
the
data carriers since during production the rear side of the data carrier is gen-
erally printed first in a first printing operation, and the relief elements of
the
rear side are then levelled by the high level of counter-pressure during the
second intaglio printing operation in order to produce the front side. All of
the glossy elements which are applied to the rear side before the intaglio
print embossing of the front side are also affected by the contact with the
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rough counter-cylinder or the counter-pressure blanket, and so there is a
clear loss of gloss strength.
Upon this basis, the underlying object of the invention is to specify a
security
element of the type specified at the start which avoids the disadvantages of
the prior art. In particular, the security element should combine a front side
motif produced using intaglio printing with security features of the highest
quality on the rear side.
According to the invention, with a generic security element provision is
made such that the intaglio printing motif includes at least one embossed
elevation lying opposite the security feature which protects at least a
partial
region of the security feature during the intaglio printing step.
The at least one elevation advantageously extends two-dimensionally here.
It is advantageously formed with a rounded outline shape, in particular as a
circle, oval or as any free form with rounded corners.
The elevation can of course also have an outline shape which is at least par-
tially not rounded, therefore e.g. a free form with non-rounded corners. Ac-
cordingly, an outline shape in the form of a pointed droplet is also conceiv-
able. As stated below however, security elements with a pointed or angular
outline shape tear more easily, and this is why they are not favoured.
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Within the front side intaglio printing motif the at least one elevation can
be
free from any motif function, appear decoratively in the background and
essentially only serve to protect the rear side security feature. However, it
can itself also contribute to the front side intaglio printing motif and in
par-
ticular form a pattern, symbol or coding.
It should be noted at this point that in the present application "intaglio
print-
ing" means very generally printing using the intaglio printing method. As
already mentioned, with intaglio printing it is possible just to emboss
certain
regions of the substrate, whereas other regions are embossed and at the same
time provided with ink in the embossed region. The regions which are only
embossed are called "blind embossed" regions, whereas simultaneous intro-
duction or application of embossing and ink is generally called "ink applica-
tion" intaglio printing. Therefore, even though the term "intaglio printing"
includes both ink application intaglio printing and blind embossing, the
formation of the elevation on the front side of the substrate is generally im-
plemented as blind embossing, whereas a tactile security feature lying oppo-
site the elevation on the rear side of the substrate can be produced both by
blind embossing and by ink application intaglio printing as an embossed
element plus ink application.
Preferably, the at least one elevation has soft edges with a slight slope.
This
measure reduces on the one hand the risk of paper injuries during the inta-
glio printing step, and on the other hand leads to advantageous tear charac-
teristics of the finished security element. The height of the at least one
eleva-
tion is advantageously between 30 gm and 500 gm, preferably between
50 gm and 250 gm, and particularly preferably between 50 gm and 100 gm.
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In one advantageous embodiment of the invention the protected security
element has a relief structure which can be detected tactilely. In particular,
the security element can be designed to be palpable on both sides.
__ The tactilely detectable relief structure can be e.g. an embossed grid
wherein
a plurality of embossed lines interacting with a background print form an
optically variable security element. These types of optically variable struc-
ture as security elements are described e.g. in WO 97/17211. The optically
variable structures of WO 97/17211 can be provided as a security feature to
__ be protected in the security element according to the invention.
Moreover, also conceivable as a security feature to be protected are fine em-
bossings, in particular angled embossings (e.g. a fishbone pattern) which
can, but do not necessarily have to be, tactilely detectable.
According to another embodiment of the invention which is also advanta-
geous, the protected security feature has a glossy surface, in particular a
gold
glossy surface, a silver glossy surface or a print layer containing glossy pig-
ments, as can be produced for example using the silver-white, gold glossy,
__ metallic glossy or interference pigments made by the company Merck KGaA
under the name Iriodin(R).
According to a further embodiment, a further security feature can also be
applied over or beneath the glossy surface. The further security feature can
__ be e.g. a thermochrome security feature of any design. Of course, the ther-
mochrome security feature in the security element according to the invention
can also be used without a glossy surface as a rear side security feature.
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Within the framework of the present application, security features with a
glossy surface are also understood to be security features with diffraction
structures, in particular holograms, structures with a kinematic effect, matt
structures and embossed microstructures with a structure size (e.g. lattice
spacing) of greater than 3 gm, provided these security features are provided
with a glossy surface, e.g. a glossy, highly refractive layer, a clear lacquer
layer or a metal layer.
The glossy surface and the tactile feature can of course also be present com-
bined within a security feature.
The security feature with the glossy surface can basically be of any form.
However, strip-shaped elements or elements with a non strip-shaped form,
so-called patches, are often used.
The at least one elevation can protect the whole security feature of the rear
side, but it can however also only protect partial regions of the security fea-
ture of the rear side, in the latter case the protected and the non-protected
partial regions advantageously having a different appearance after the inta-
glio printing step. The arrangement of the protected and the non-protected
partial regions then advantageously forms a pattern, symbol or coding. The
different appearance can result, for example, from reduced tactile detectabil-
ity or a reduced gloss strength in the non-protected partial regions.
In one advantageous embodiment the security element described forms part
of a security paper or of a document of value, for example a partial region of
a bank note. In other embodiments the security element is initially produced
as a separate element and is then applied to a security paper or a document
of value, or is inserted into a security paper or document of value. The steps
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which need to be taken for application to or insertion into a security paper
or
document of worth are known sufficiently well to the person skilled in the
art.
In connection with a security element according to the invention which
forms part of a security paper or document of value, an embodiment
wherein the security feature is disposed at least partially in the region of a
window-type through hole or of an opening in the substrate is also conceiv-
able, e.g. a glossy surface in the form of a metallised film, for example a
met-
allised embossed hologram, could form the rear side security feature. Ac-
cording to the invention, the embossed elevation on the front side then pro-
tects at least a partial region of the glossy surface during the intaglio
printing
step, at least one passage opening in the substrate of the security paper or
document of value being disposed in the region of the glossy surface. The
passage opening can be formed both during and after production of the sub-
strate. In the first case an independent security feature is produced due to
the fibres of the so-called "butt hole" projecting irregularly into the cut-
out.
In the second case the cut-out is produced after production of the substrate,
e.g. by punching or laser beam cutting. Auxiliary means appropriate to this
purpose such as punching and cutting devices and lasers are basically
known to the person skilled in the art.
With the embodiment described above with at least one passage opening in
the substrate in the region of the security feature, the opening can also be
disposed in the region of the embossed elevation of the security element. In
each case security against forgery is further increased by this additional
posi-
tioning of the continuous opening in the region of the security element ac-
cording to the invention.
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The invention also comprises a method of producing a security element for
security papers, documents of value and the like, wherein
- a substrate is provided having a substrate front side and a substrate
rear side,
- a security feature is applied to the substrate rear side, and
- an intaglio printing motif is subsequently applied to the front side of
the substrate,
according to the invention the intaglio printing motif being embossed with at
least one elevation lying opposite the security feature of the rear side of
the
substrate, by means of which at least a partial region of the security feature
is
protected during the intaglio printing step.
The invention further comprises a security paper for the production of
documents of value or the like and a data carrier, such as for example a bank
note, identity card or the like, security papers and data carriers being
equipped according to the invention with a security element of the type de-
scribed above.
The invention further contains an intaglio printing plate for embossing the
front side of a security element the rear side of which is provided with a se-
curity feature to be protected, provision being made according to the inven-
tion such that the engraved motif of the intaglio printing plate has an inden-
tation in the region of the security feature to be protected which
incorporates
at least a partial region of the security feature during the intaglio printing
step.
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The at least one indentation is advantageously formed here to extend two-
dimensionally. It is preferably formed with a rounded outline shape, in par-
ticular as a circle, oval or as any free form with rounded corners in order to
minimise the risk of cracks in the steel intaglio printing plate. As with the
elevation of the security element, the corresponding indentations of the
printing plate can have outline shapes which are at least partially not round
or curved. Since printing plates with pointed or angular indentations crack
more easily, such indentations are presently not favoured.
The at least one indentation can be without a motif function within the en-
graved motif and essentially only serve to protect the rear side security fea-
ture. However, it can itself also contribute to the front side intaglio
printing
motif and in particular form a pattern, symbol or coding.
Preferably, the at least one indentation has soft edges with a slight slope.
This measure reduces on the one hand the risk of paper injuries during the
intaglio printing step, and on the other hand leads to advantageous tearing
characteristics of the finished security element.
The edge angle and the length and the shape of the edges can contribute to
the appearance of the front side intaglio printing pattern or the rear side se-
curity feature. In general it is considered that the steeper the edge of the
in-
dentation, the richer in contrast the appearance of the embossing for the ob-
server.
For example, the edge of the indentation can have a stepped contour com-
prising a plurality of steps with the same or different step heights and/or
step depths. Correspondingly, the peripheral region of the elevation formed
in the security element will have a stepped contour.
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It is also conceivable for the edge of the indentation to have at least two re-
gions which are characterised by a certain edge slope and between which a
shoulder- or step-shaped region is disposed. Correspondingly, the elevation
of the security element has at least two regions in the peripheral region with
the same or a different edge slope which are respectively separated from one
another by a shoulder- or step-shaped region.
The engraving depth of the at least one indentation can be up to approxi-
mately 2/3 the thickness of the printing plate and is in particular between
30 gm and 500 gm, preferably between 50 gm and 250 gm, and particularly
preferably between 50 gm and 100 gm.
In general it should be noted that the engraving depth in the intaglio print-
ing plate is chosen to be somewhat greater than the desired height of the ele-
vation of the security element because the height of the elevation from past
experience is generally only approximately 90 % of the engraving depth, e.g.
with an engraving depth of 100 gm, theoretically an elevation of only
100 gm is achieved, whereas in practice in general an elevation height of only
approximately 90 gm is achieved.
The at least one indentation can be designed to incorporate the whole secu-
rity feature of the rear side or also to incorporate just partial regions of
the
security feature of the rear side. In the latter case the at least one
indentation
is advantageously formed or positioned such that the position of the incor-
porated and of the non-incorporated partial regions of the security feature
forms a pattern, symbol or coding.
It should be mentioned at this point that the security element can be made of
any substrate suitable for the intaglio printing method. Particularly
preferred
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are paper and paper-type substrates. No conditions are attached to the type
of paper, and so conventional papers made from the fibres of annual plants,
in particular cotton fibres or pulp fibres can be used, in particular cotton
vel-
lum papers. But also papers which are made at least partially of synthetic
fibres, preferably polyamide fibres, are conceivable. The proportion x of
polymeric material of the substrate can therefore move from 0 < x ... 100 % by
weight.
If the substrate is made 100 % by weight of a polymeric material, a synthetic
film, e.g. a polyester film, is particularly preferred. Furthermore, the film
can
be monoaxially or biaxially stretched. The stretching of the film means
among other things that it obtains polarising properties which can be used as
a further security feature. The auxiliary means required in order to take ad-
vantage of these properties, such as polarisation filters, are known to the
per-
son skilled in the art.
If paper is used as a substrate, this can also be combined on one side or on
both sides with synthetic films. Very generally, it can be advantageous if the
substrate material is a multi-layered composite which has at least one layer
of paper or of a paper-type material. This type of composite is characterised
by an exceptionally high level of stability which is very advantageous for the
durability of the security feature and moreover increases security against
forgery.
It is also conceivable to use a multi-layered, paper-free composite material
as
the substrate material. These materials can also be used advantageously in
specific climatic regions of the earth.
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All materials used as a substrate material can have additives which serve as
genuineness features. One thinks in the first instance here of luminescent
materials which are preferably transparent in the visible wavelength range
and in the non-visible wavelength range can be stimulated by an appropriate
auxiliary means, e.g. a UV or IR radiation-emitting radiation source in order
to produce a visible luminescence, or at least a luminescence which is detect-
able using auxiliary means. Other security features can also be used advan-
tageously provided they do not affect, or only slightly affect the observation
and/or tactile detectability of the security document according to the inven-
lion.
With paper as a substrate the paper layer generally has a weight of 50 g/m2
to 100 g/m2, and preferably 70 g/m2 to 90 g/m2. Of course any appropriate
weight can be used depending on the application method. The paper can be
processed in a single layer and in multiple layers. With multiple layer papers
the layers of paper can comprise the same or different types of paper and in
turn be combined with synthetic films.
By means of the invention the following advantages in particular are
achieved:
- The special properties of the combined security features of the front
and the rear side can be recognised by the user without any auxiliary
means.
- All of the known advantages of embossed elements with a tactilely
detectable relief structure can now be realised both on the front and
on the rear side of the security elements.
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- The protective indentations can contribute to the design of the front
side intaglio printing motif and/or to the design of the rear side secu-
rity feature and produce further genuineness features in combination
with the latter.
Further exemplary embodiments and advantages of the invention are de-
scribed in the following by means of the figures. For better clarity an illus-
tration true to scale and in proportion is dispensed with in the figures.
The figures show as follows:
Fig. 1 a diagrammatic view of the front side of a bank note with a
front side intaglio printing motif and a tactilely detectable, rear
side security feature drawn in with dashes,
Fig. 2 a view of the rear side of the bank note from Fig. 1 in the region
of the security feature,
Fig. 3 a cross-section through the bank note in the region of the secu-
rity feature 14 along line III-III of Fig. 2,
Fig. 4 in (a) to (e) intermediate steps when producing according to
the
invention a two-sided intaglio print embossing,
Fig. 5 a view of the rear side of a bank note according to a further
ex-
emplary embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 6 in (a) to (c) intermediate steps when producing according to
the
invention a security element with a rear side glossy surface and
a front side intaglio print embossing,
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Fig. 7 a view of the rear side of a bank note according to yet another
exemplary embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 8 a section of a bank note produced according to the invention,
(a) being a view of the front side, (b) being a view of the rear
side,
Fig. 9 in (a) to (c) intermediate steps when producing according to
the
invention a security element with a glossy element and a partial
embossed structure according to a further exemplary embodi-
ment of the invention,
Fig. 10 in (a) a view of the rear side of a bank note in the region of
yet a
further exemplary embodiment of the security element accord-
ing to the invention, in (b) and (c) intermediate steps when
producing according to the invention the security element from
Fig. 10(a), in (d) a cross-section through the bank note in the re-
gion of the security element along line 10d-10d of Fig. 10(a),
Fig. 11 in (a) a view of the rear side of a bank note with a security ele-
ment according to the invention according to yet a further ex-
emplary embodiment of the invention, in (b) a cross-section
through the bank note in the region of the security element
along line 11b-11b of Fig. 11(a), and
Fig. 12 a view of a section of the multiple use bank note sheet with
four adjacent bank notes according to the invention.
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The invention is now described in greater detail using the example of a bank
note. For this purpose Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the front side of
a bank note 10. In addition to the denomination, a serial number and other
design and security elements not shown in the figure, the front side of the
bank note has a portrait illustration 12 produced in intaglio print.
In addition, the rear side of the bank note 10 includes a security feature 14,
likewise produced in intaglio print, with a tactilely detectable relief
structure
which is drawn in with dashes in the front side view of Fig. 1.
As mentioned, with conventional forms produced with two-sided intaglio
print, the tactility of the motif elements is restricted to the front side of
the
bank note since the rear side is generally produced in a first printing opera-
tion so that the rear side relief elements are levelled by the counter-
pressure
during the second intaglio printing operation in order to produce the front
side.
In order to illustrate the basic principle of the embodiments according to the
invention, Fig. 2 shows a view of the bank note 10 in the region of the secu-
rity feature 14 from the rear side of the bank note, and Fig. 3 a cross-
section
through the bank note in the region of the security feature 14 along line
of Fig. 2. With the sectional illustration of Fig. 3 the rear side of the bank
note 18 therefore faces upwards, and the front side of the bank note 16
downwards.
As can best be seen when considering the two figures together, the tactilely
detectable security feature 14 of the rear side of the bank note is totally in-
corporated by an embossed indentation 20V which forms part of the intaglio
printing motif applied to the front side of the bank note and by means of
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which the security feature 14 is protected during the second printing opera-
tion for producing the front side motif from the effect of the counter-
pressure
conditions.
With regard to the terminology, it should be noted that indentations on the
rear side of the bank note appear on the front side of the bank note as eleva-
tions. As viewed from the front side 16 onto which the intaglio printing mo-
tif with the portrait illustration 12 is applied, the indentation 20V is
therefore
an elevation 20E, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In the following therefore the ele-
ment 20V, 20E is called the indentation 20V if it is observed from the stand-
point of the rear side security feature 14, and the elevation 20E if it is ob-
served from the standpoint of the front side intaglio printing motif 12.
With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the indentation 20V extends two-
dimensionally and has a rounded outline shape, in the exemplary embodi-
ment in the form of an elongated oval, by means of which the risk of plate
cracks when printing is reduced. As explained in more detail below, the
embossing depth of the indentation 20V is chosen to be large enough to cor-
respond to the design of the security feature 14 so as to incorporate the
tactile
security feature.
So that no paper injuries occur during the printing operation, the indentation
20V is formed with soft edges 22, i.e. edges with a slight slope. For example,
the elevation 20E can have an embossed height 20H of approximately
200 gm which is achieved from the surface of the paper by means of edges
with a length of 115 gm to 235 gm, i.e. with an average edge angle of ap-
proximately 40 to approximately 60 . The tear resistance of the bank note
paper also remains high when using soft edges.
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It should also be noted that with an embossing height 20H of e.g. 100 gm and
a paper thickness of approximately 90 gm, the elevation 20E measured from
the rear side of the bank note 18 is approx. 190 gm.
The elevation 20E itself does not have to have any motif function within the
front side intaglio printing motif. Due to its form and position it can in
fact
largely appear visually in the background and only serve to protect the rear
side security feature 14 during the intaglio printing step. Other embodi-
ments wherein the elevation 20E or a plurality of such elevations serve a mo-
tif function in addition to their protective function are described below.
The procedural steps when producing according to the invention a two-
sided intaglio print embossing are illustrated in Fig. 4. First of all, Fig.
4(a)
shows a data carrier 30 to be printed, for example the bank note substrate of
the bank note 10. In a first printing operation the rear side 18 of the data
car-
rier 30 is first of all embossed in intaglio print using a rear side plate 32,
and
a tactile security feature 14 is thus produced in particular, as shown in Fig.
4(b).
As shown in Fig. 4(c), the data carrier 30 embossed on the rear side is then
turned over, and its front side 16 is also embossed in intaglio print using a
front side plate 34. In addition to the engraved regions for the portrait
illus-
tration 12 and other motif elements not shown in the figure, the front side
plate 34 includes here in particular an indentation 36 in a region which cor-
responds to the region around the tactile security feature 14 of the substrate
to be protected.
The tactile security feature 14 with its relief structure is incorporated
during
the second intaglio printing step by the indentation 36, as shown in Fig.
4(d),
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and so is protected from the levelling effect of the counter-pressure condi-
tions by means of the counter-pressure cylinder or a counter-pressure blan-
ket. After turning over again, the data carrier 30, which is now intaglio
print
embossed on both sides, has on its rear side 18 a tactilely easily detectable
security feature 14 and on its front side 16, in addition to further intaglio
printing motif elements 12, an elevation 20E or indentation 20V lying oppo-
site the security feature 14, as shown in Fig. 4(e).
The engraved depth of the indentation 36 leads in the print to a correspond-
ing embossing depth of the indentation 20V. Engraving depths of up to ap-
proximately 2/3 of the thickness of the front side plate 34 are used, in par-
ticular engraving depths in the region of 50 gm and 500 gm, the region of
between 150 gm and 250 gm being particularly preferred. Since the height of
the tactilely detectable markings is typically between approximately 30 gm
and approximately 100 gm, security features with such markings can be in-
corporated well by the indentations 36 of the front side plate 34 described
and be effectively protected from the effect of the counter-pressure condi-
tions.
In order to incorporate the whole security feature 14, the indentation 36 ex-
tends two-dimensionally and furthermore has a rounded outline shape, in
the exemplary embodiment in the form of an elongated oval, in order to re-
duce the risk of plate cracks. In order to rule out paper injuries with the
print, the indentation 36 is formed with soft edges 38 with a slight slope
(see
Fig. 4(c)).
Fig. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein a
bank note 40 is provided on its rear side shown in the view in Fig. 5 with a
security feature 42 with a glossy surface, for example a silver or gold glossy
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surface applied by screen printing. If after production of the glossy surface
an intaglio printing motive is then applied to the front side of the bank note
in the usual way, the gloss strength of the security feature is reduced by the
contact with the rough counter-pressure cylinder or with the counter-
pressure blanket. In this way the visual appearance of the security feature
becomes considerably more matt.
But here too the invention finds a remedy, as illustrated by means of the pro-
cedure shown in Fig. 6. First of all Fig. 6(a) shows a data carrier 50, to the
rear side 54 of which a security feature 42 with a glossy surface has been ap-
plied, for example using the screen printing method. The front side 52 of the
data carrier is then provided with intaglio print using a front side plate 56,
the front side plate 56 having, in addition to engraved regions not shown, in
particular an indentation 58 in the region of the security feature 42.
During the printing operation the security feature 42 is incorporated by the
indentation 58 and so is protected from the matting effect of the counter-
pressure conditions by means of the counter-pressure cylinder or the coun-
ter-pressure blanket, as shown in Fig. 6(b). Consequently, on its rear side 54
the data carrier 50 intaglio print embossed on the front side has a high gloss
security feature 42. On the front side 52, in addition to the further elements
of the intaglio printing motif, the data carrier 50 has an elevation 60E lying
opposite the security feature 42, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6(c). It should
be
noted here again that the element 60E, 60V on the data carrier 50, as viewed
from the front side, constitutes an elevation 60E, and as viewed from the rear
side, however, an indentation 60V.
The indentations 58 of the intaglio printing plate, as shown in Fig. 5 and
Fig.
6, can totally incorporate the shiny surface of the security feature. It is
also
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possible, however, to protect only partial regions of the glossy surfaces by
means of the indentations so that after the intaglio printing step the rear
side
security feature has partially high gloss and partially matted surface
regions.
This type of embodiment is described in greater detail below with reference
to Fig. 10(a) to Fig. 10(d).
By means of these types of embodiment further genuineness features can be
produced, as initially illustrated by means of Fig. 7, which shows a view of
the rear side of a bank note 70 according to the invention. With the exem-
plary embodiment of Fig. 7 a metallic glossy security strip 72, e.g. a strip
comprising a metallised hologram, is applied to the rear side of the bank
note 70. In order to produce the front side intaglio printing motif a printing
plate is used which has a series of indentations of a pre-specified width and
with pre-specified spacing in addition to further engraved regions in the re-
gion of the security strip 72.
By means of these indentations in the printing plate indentations 74V are
produced in the bank note 70, as observed from the rear side, with the pre-
determined widths and spacings. As already explained in the description of
Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the metallic gloss of the security strip 72 is retained on
the
inside of the indentations 74V so that the security strip 72 also has high
gloss
partial regions 76 here after the intaglio printing step. However, the regions
78 of the security strip 72 outside of the indentations 74V appear considera-
bly more matt by means of the contact with the counter-pressure cylinder or
the counter-pressure blanket after the printing step.
The different glosses of the regions 76 and 78 of the security strip 72 can
now
easily be detected and evaluated visually or mechanically. For example, the
sequence of the widths and gaps of the high gloss regions 76 produce a bar-
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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code or some other coding scheme in which the denomination of the bank
note or any other individualising detail is encoded.
The indentations of the intaglio printing plate aligned to the rear side secu-
__ rity features can also themselves generally be arranged in the form of pat-
terns, symbols or codings. Upon the transfer of this arrangement during the
intaglio printing step to a data carrier, corresponding genuineness features
thus appear on the opposite side of the latter.
__ As already described, the intaglio print produces on the one hand a
tactilely
detectable security feature on the front side of the data carrier. At the same
time the indentations on the rear side of the data carrier protect partial re-
gions of the security feature disposed here. If the protected and the non-
protected partial regions have a different appearance, the arrangement
__ formed by the indentations of the printing plate can also be detected and
evaluated on the rear side of the data carrier.
As an illustration Fig. 8 shows a section of a bank note 80 produced accord-
ing to the invention, Fig. 8(a) showing a view of the front side 82, and
__ Fig. 8(b) a view of the rear side 84. The front side of the bank note 82 is
pro-
vided with an intaglio printing motif which, in addition to further motif
elements, also includes a plurality of square elevations 86E the relief struc-
ture of which can be felt easily by the user with his finger. These elevations
86E can be arranged regularly or encode pre-determined information by
__ their arrangement.
Even before the intaglio printing step for producing the front side motif a
security strip 88 with a silver gloss was printed onto the rear side 84 of the
bank note 80 in the region of the elevations 86E. During the subsequent in-
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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taglio printing step this security strip 88 now comes into contact over a
large
area with the rough counter-pressure cylinder or the counter-pressure blan-
ket, and in this way is largely roughened and matted. An exception is
formed only by those partial regions of the security strip 88 which lie oppo-
site the elevations 86E of the front side which appear on the rear side of the
bank note as an indentation 86V. In these partial regions the glossy surface
is protected during the intaglio printing and the original gloss strength is
retained.
The tactilely detectable arrangement of the elevations 86E on the front side
82 can therefore be detected visually or mechanically on the rear side 84 by
means of the different levels of gloss strength of the partial regions within
and outside of the indentations 86V.
The production of a security element with a glossy element and a partial em-
bossed structure according to a further exemplary embodiment of the inven-
tion is illustrated in Fig. 9. For this purpose Fig. 9(a) shows a data carrier
90
on the rear side of which 94 a security feature 96 with a glossy surface has
been applied, for example by the screen printing method. The front side 92
of the data carrier is then provided with an intaglio printing motif using a
front side plate 98, as shown in Fig. 9(b). In addition to engraved regions
(not shown), the front side plate 98 has in particular an indentation 100 in
the
region of the security feature 96 with a glossy surface. Unlike the embodi-
ment of Fig. 6, disposed within the indentation 100 is a partial embossed
structure 102 which produces an embossed structure 106 in a partial region
104 on the front side 92 of the data carrier lying opposite the security
feature
96, as shown in Fig. 9(c).
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A further embodiment of the security element according to the invention is
shown in Fig. 10(a). Fig. 10(a) shows a view of a bank note in the region of a
security feature from the rear side of the bank note. In this embodiment the
security feature is composed of a tactile security feature 114 produced by
intaglio printing and a glossy surface 116 disposed over the whole surface of
the security feature 114 (see Fig. 10(b)). In this embodiment a tactile
feature
and a glossy surface in combination are thus provided as the security fea-
ture.
As can be seen furthermore from Fig. 10(a), the glossy surface 116, which can
be for example a silver or gold glossy surface applied by screen printing, is
not only applied over the whole surface of the tactile security feature 114,
but
also over the whole surface in the region of the indentation 20V and in a spe-
cific region around the indentation 20V on the bank note. As shown in the
following by means of Figures 10(b) to 10(d), the glossy surface 116 accord-
ing to Fig. 10(a) has the peculiarity, moreover, that it shows very high gloss
strength in the region of the indentation 20V, but in the region of the bank
note outside of the indentation 20V shows substantially less gloss strength.
The glossy surface with high gloss strength disposed in the region of the in-
dentation 20V is indicated by reference number 116G, whereas the matted
regions of the glossy surface outside of the indentation 20V are identified
with reference number 116M.
As already mentioned, the reduced gloss strength of the glossy surface 116M
results from the contact of the glossy surface with the rough counter-
pressure cylinder or with the counter-pressure blanket during the printing
operation of the front side of the security element. A bank note with a secu-
rity element according to the invention according to Fig. 10(a) is character-
ised by exceptionally high security against forgery since, in addition to the
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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tactilely detectable intaglio print on the rear side of the security element
or of
the bank note, a glossy surface is provided which has very high gloss
strength in the region of the indentation 20V, and substantially less gloss
strength outside of the indentation 20V. Accordingly, the edge 119 of the
indentation 20V separates the high gloss regions 116G of the glossy surface
from the matted regions 116M of the glossy surface by means of a more or
less sharp "edge". It is practically impossible for forgers to reconstruct
this
type of transition with simple means.
The production of the security element according to Fig. 10(a) is now de-
scribed in greater detail by means of Figures 10(b) and 10(c). First of all, a
glossy surface 116, for example a silver glossy surface, was applied to a data
carrier 130, for example a bank note substrate, using the screen printing
method. The rear side 18 was then embossed using a rear side plate 132 (not
shown) so that a tactilely detectable security feature 114 was produced over
the whole surface of which a glossy surface 116 is disposed. As can be seen
from Fig. 10(b), on the rear side of the security element or data carrier 130
the
glossy surface 116 covers a region which is larger than the extension of the
indentation 20V which is still to be introduced (see Fig. 10(d)). It should be
noted at this point that the embossing of the rear side 18 can also basically
be
implemented before applying the glossy surface. However, the version de-
scribed above, wherein the glossy surface 116 is applied by simultaneous
printing together with other imprints of the bank note and the tactile feature
114 is then produced by the intaglio printing method, is preferred.
As shown in Fig. 10(c), the data carrier 130 provided with the glossy surface
116 and embossed on the rear side is embossed on its front side 16, likewise
in intaglio print, using a front side plate 134. The front side plate 134 in-
cludes here, in addition to engraved regions, not shown in the figure, for a
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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portrait illustration and other motif elements, in particular an indentation
136 in a region which corresponds to the region around the security feature
of the data carrier 130 to be protected.
The tactile security feature 114 and the glossy surface 116 disposed over the
latter is incorporated by the indentation 136 in the second intaglio printing
step. As shown in Fig. 10(c), the glossy surface 116 is however only pro-
tected in the region of the indentation 136 from the levelling effect of the
counter-pressure conditions by means of the counter-pressure cylinder or a
counter-pressure blanket. Outside of the indentation 136, however, the
glossy surface 116 is matted by the effect of the counter-pressure cylinder or
of the counter-pressure blanket so that the regions 116M are formed with less
gloss strength. In the region of the indentation 136, however, the glossy sur-
face 116 has a very high gloss strength (reference number 116G).
Accordingly, on its rear side 18 the data carrier 130 embossed on both sides
by intaglio printing has a tactilely easily detectable security feature 114, a
glossy surface 116G with high gloss strength disposed over the latter, and a
glossy surface 116M with less gloss strength disposed outside of the indenta-
tion. On the front side the data carrier 130 has an elevation 20E or an inden-
tation 20V lying opposite the security feature 114 and further intaglio print-
ing elements (not shown) (see Fig. 10(d)).
Unlike the embodiment shown in Fig. 4(c) and Fig. 4(d), the indentation 136
in the front side plate 134 must have an engraving depth which not only pro-
tects the tactilely detectable marking 114, but also the glossy surface 116G,
from the counter-pressure conditions by means of the counter-pressure cyl-
inder or a counter-pressure blanket. With engraving depths in the region of
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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e.g. 50 gm to 500 gm, the condition specified above can generally be realised
in practice.
As also explained in connection with Figures Fig. 4(a) to Fig. 4(e), the inden-
tation 136 for the embodiment of Fig. 10 also extends two-dimensionally and
has a rounded outline shape, e.g. in the form of an elongated oval, in order
to
reduce the risk of plate cracks. Furthermore, in order to rule out the risk of
substrate injuries when printing, the indentation 136 is formed with soft
edges 138 with a slight slope (see Fig. 10(b)).
A further security element according to the invention is shown in Fig. 11(a)
and Fig. 11(b). Fig. 11(a) shows a view of the rear side of a document of
value
160 wherein a security element according to the invention is disposed in its
peripheral region. In the embodiment shown the security element has a se-
curity feature 124 which is in the form of a two-dimensional, tactile security
feature produced using the intaglio printing method. The security feature
124 is disposed along two long and two short sides of the document of value
160, the security feature along the two long sides being identified by refer-
ence numbers 124a and 124b, and along the two short sides by reference
numbers 124c and 124d. The individual elements 124a, 124b, 124c and 124d
of the security feature form a frame extending peripherally along the sides of
the bank note apart from a break in the region of a corner 161 of the docu-
ment of value 160. Moreover, disposed along the short side of the document
of value having the security feature 124c are further tactilely detectable
secu-
rity features in the form of geometric structures 124e and 124f. Furthermore,
in the region of the corner 161 the document of value has a tactile security
feature 124g. Instead of, or in addition to the tactile security elements 124a
to
124g shown in Fig. 11(a), the document of value 160 could of course also
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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have glossy surfaces or similar security features to be protected on its rear
side.
As can be seen further from Fig. 11(a), the security elements 124a to 124g to
be protected are protected by the indentation 20V according to the invention.
The edge of the indentation 20V is provided on the rear side of the bank note
according to Fig. 11(a) with reference number 119a if it is the indentation
protecting the two-dimensional security elements 124a to 124f. The tactile
feature 124g is protected by an indentation 20V the edge of which is pro-
vided with reference number 119b on the rear side of the document of value
160.
A cross-section through the document of value 160 in the region of the secu-
rity feature 124b is shown in Fig. 11(b). From the illustration of the cross-
section one can see that the security feature 124b was protected by the inden-
tation 20V according to the invention from the levelling effect of the counter-
pressure conditions by the counter-pressure cylinder or the counter-pressure
blanket during the second intaglio printing step, so that the tactility of the
feature 124b has been retained to its full extent on the rear side 18 of the
document of value 160. In the second printing step, while among other
things the front side elevation 20E is formed, the security element according
to the invention was completed. Accordingly, on the rear side 18 of the bank
note the tactile security feature 124 is formed, and on the front side 16 of
the
bank note the elevation 20E which is likewise tactilely detectable. In the
cross-section shown (Fig. 11(b)) this is particularly the intaglio printing
ele-
ment 124b disposed on the rear side 18 and the embossed elevation 20E dis-
posed on the opposite side.
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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Furthermore, as can be learnt from Fig. 11 (b), the indentation in the sub-
strate 140 protecting the security feature 124 extends substantially to the
edge 163 of the bank note 160. As already mentioned, the bank note there-
fore has a peripheral frame comprising the security feature 124 and the in-
dentation 20V apart from a small break in the region of the corner 161. This
two-dimensional form of the indentation 20V or elevation 20E provides the
document of value according to Fig. 11(a) with exceptional security against
forgery because the security element according to the invention can be veri-
fied over practically the whole peripheral region of the bank note and it is
practically impossible to produce a forgery of the security element over such
a large area. Of course it is possible, in particular by means of the
tactilely
detectable security features 124, to form a pattern, symbol or coding which
can tactilely specify the denomination of the bank note, e.g. in the form of
braille characters. This type of tactile coding is indicated by the security
fea-
hires 124e and 124f on the rear side of the bank note 18. Moreover, it is con-
ceivable for a pattern, symbol or coding, e.g. in the form of braille
characters,
to be disposed additionally or alternatively on the front side 16 of the bank
note.
In addition to the increase in security against forgery and the possibility of
disposing codings detectable to blind people on the bank note, the two-
dimensional extension of the security element along at least one edge of the
document of value proves to be extremely attractive aesthetically.
As regards the elevation 20E disposed on the front side 16, it should be fur-
ther pointed out at this point that tactilely detectable structures can of
course
also be introduced on the front side 16 of the elevation 20E by the second
intaglio printing step. For example, it is possible to form a tactilely detect-
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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able element in the elevation 20E, as indicated for example in Fig. 9(c) in
the
region 106.
The production of a bank note according to Fig. 11 is illustrated in greater
detail in Fig. 12. Here, Fig. 12 shows a section from a multiple use bank note
sheet 180 with four adjacent individual bank notes 170, 171, 172 and 173
which have not yet been separated. In practice of course this type of multi-
ple use bank note sheet 180 has substantially more individual bank notes.
The individual bank notes 170 to 173 are directly adjacent to one another at
the corner 161. The same applies to two bank notes and a common edge re-
spectively. For example, the individual bank notes 171 and 172 are directly
adjacent to one another in the multiple use bank note sheet 180 with the edge
162. The view of the section from the multiple use bank note sheet 180 ac-
cording to Fig. 12 further shows the security features 134 and 135 to be pro-
tected on the rear sides of the bank notes. After the formation of the front
side elevation 20E the security features 134 and 135 are protected in the in-
dentation 20V. The edge of these indentations is indicated by reference
numbers 149 and 139 in Fig. 12.
As shown in Fig. 12, the front side elevation 20E introduced in the second
intaglio printing step can extend over more than a single bank note of the
multiple use bank note sheet 180. For example, the indentation 20V, the
edge of which is identified by reference number 149, extends over the edge
164 of the adjacent individual bank notes 170 and 171. Also, the indentation
20V in the region of the corner 161, the edge of which is identified by refer-
ence number 139, is not restricted to a bank note, but at the same time is pro-
duced in the front side intaglio printing step as a circular indentation in a
corner region of the individual bank notes 170 to 173. It goes without saying
that after the individual bank notes have been separated from the multiple
CA 02659709 2009-02-02
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use bank note sheet 180 a sector-shaped indentation remains respectively in
the illustrated corner region of the individual bank notes 170 to 173 which
protects a tactile security element 134.
According to the procedure shown in Fig. 12 for producing the security ele-
ment according to the invention in a peripheral or corner region of a docu-
ment of value, the front and rear side printing plate provided for forming
these security elements must be formed, i.e. the rear side intaglio printing
plate provided for forming the tactile security features 134, 135 has in the
peripheral or corner region of the individual use regions of the rear side in-
taglio printing plate corresponding to the individual bank notes correspond-
ing engravings. Correspondingly, the front side intaglio printing plate for
forming the two-dimensional elevations of the bank notes in the peripheral
and corner region of the individual use regions of the front side intaglio
printing plate corresponding to the individual bank notes have correspond-
ing engravings.
As already mentioned, a bank note which has been embossed with this type
of rear side or front side intaglio printing plate and which has intaglio
print
said to be "running off the edges" is characterised by a particularly high
level of security against forgery and a design which is particularly aestheti-
cally attractive.
