Optical information carrier

Details Optical information carrier Optical information carrier

1998-05-18

2000-05-09

Evans, Elizabeth

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Circular sheet or circular blank

428 644, 428195, 428201, 428209, 428457, 428913, 428916, 3692751, B32B 302

Patent

active

060601434

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns an optical information carrier.
Optical information carriers having an optical diffraction structure are suitable for example for increasing the level of safeguard against forgery and for conspicuously identifying articles of all kinds and can be used in particular in relation to security and bond documents, passes, payment means and similar articles to be safeguarded.
European patent specification EP 328 086 discloses an optical information carrier in which a first hologram is stored in a layer which is metallised over its entire surface, and a second hologram is stored in a partially metallised layer which is disposed thereover. The two holograms are arranged at a small spacing and are visible at different viewing angles. There is no correlation of any kind between the two holograms. An optical information carrier of that kind can be copied with conventional holographic methods.
European patent specification EP 12 375 discloses an optical information carrier in which three grating layers with three colour component images are arranged in mutually directly superimposed relationship. The production of that information carrier is expensive as the three grating layers must be arranged accurately so as to afford an image which is satisfactory from the colour point of view.
British patent specification GB 2 237 774 discloses production processes for holograms, in which two individual holograms are glued together or in which a print layer is applied directly over the hologram. Specific optical effects which could arise out of the interplay of the two holograms or the hologram and the print layer are not discussed.
German laid-open application (DE-OS) No. 23 50 109 discloses a foil serving as a holographic recording medium. Formed both in the underside and in the top side of the foil are relief patterned which represent items of holographic information. The holograms are recorded using a special procedure so that the holograms which are stored on both sides of the, foil can be read off separately. Optical correlation between the holograms on one side and the holograms on the other side is prevented as far as possible by virtue of the special recording procedure.
The object of the present invention is to propose an optical information carrier which has optical security features that cannot be copied using holographic methods, and which can be easily produced in large numbers.
That object is attained on the basis of the idea of providing the optical information carrier with at least two optically effective structures which are arranged in different planes and which jointly produce a characteristic optical effect. At least one of the two structures is a microscopically fine relief structure. In that respect information carriers in which a high level of register accuracy as between the two structures is required are particularly difficult to forge.
Embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows an information carrier with optically effective structures for producing moire effects,
FIG. 2. shows an information carrier with light conductor properties,
FIG. 3 shows an information carrier with an integrated microlens,
FIG. 4 shows an information carrier acting as a retroreflector,
FIG. 5 shows an information carrier with security features based on shadowing effects,
FIG. 6 shows signal diagrams,
FIGS. 7 and 8 show an information carrier in which certain items of information are visible only with an inclined viewing direction,
FIG. 9. shows an information carrier having relief structures with a diffraction effect, which are arranged in different planes,
FIGS. 10a and b show special features of the information carrier of FIG. 9,
FIG. 11 shows an information carrier with a concealed security feature,
FIG. 12 shows an information carrier with microscopically fine relief structures which are embossed on both sides,
FIG. 13 shows a cheque with a fixedly predetermined value or a value which can be irreversibly written in,
FIG

REFERENCES:
patent: 5411296 (1995-05-01), Mallik
patent: 5712731 (1998-01-01), Drinkwater
patent: 5714213 (1998-02-01), Antes
patent: 5875170 (1999-02-01), Tompkin
patent: 5886798 (1999-02-01), Staub

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