Valuable document and method for producing valuable document

Abstract

The invention relates to a value document, such as a banknote, a check, a credit card or other payment card, a document or the like. The value document has a substrate body with a front side (3) and a rear side (4). A digital printing layer (6) is applied to the front side (3) of the substrate body (2), said digital printing layer being designed as a pigment-receiving layer with ink. An intaglio print (8) is applied on the digital print layer (6) with an intaglio print pigment, the intaglio print being applied in registration with the digital print layer or being supplemented by the digital print layer lying below the intaglio print to form a common visual object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a valuable document, such as a banknote, a check, an identity document, etc., which has a substrate body with a front side and a back side. The valuable document also has a digital printing layer, which is printed on the front side of the substrate body as a pigment receiving layer. Background Art

[0002] Such a security element is known from WO 2010 / 058026 A2, in which a pigment receiving layer for magnetically oriented optically variable screen-printed features, a so-called primer layer, printed by means of any printing technology, is described for influencing the optical properties.

[0003] In known digital printing methods, the print image is transferred directly from the file in the control unit to the printing press. Digital printing methods therefore do not require a static printing die. Digital printing methods include, for example, types such as electrophotography, laser printing or inkjet printing. All types have in common that the print image is transferred with little mechanical pressure or, for example in inkjet printing, even without contact (non-impact printing).

[0004] Gravure printing - also known as intaglio printing - is used for printing banknotes. However, gravure printing machines also have various problems: The pigment consumption of gravure printing machines is very high, partly due to the technology used for coloring / removing excess pigment by means of wiping rollers, etc. The high pigment application rate in gravure printing technology also consumes a lot of pigment, because the changing substrate surface leads to insufficient pigment adhesion of the gravure printing part on the substrate and therefore fails the so-called washing machine test, which is an important indicator of cycling resistance. This means that problems may occur in circulation due to lack of durability. For example, defects, so-called hollow printing positions, can occur in special large security elements, which usually need to be provided with high pressure until now, but this increases the wear of the printing roller lifter.

[0005] DE 10 2020 100 442 A1 discloses a gravure printing machine having a special printing head suitable for digital printing on its printing cylinder. The printing head is arranged after the printing process and / or on the forming cylinder carrying the printing plate, that is, before the printing process, before the coloring by the template cylinder. According to the patent document, the digital printing layer is always located above the gravure printing part, so that the gravure printing is covered by the digital printing layer. The transferred fluid is then dried by ultraviolet radiation. The digital printing layer should protect the printed substrate paper, avoid errors due to the solidification of the printing color, and allow a larger stack height during transportation.

[0006] DE 10 2005 052562 A1 discloses a security element having a marking structure and a raised relief element, wherein the marking structure is arranged laterally on the relief element and is therefore particularly visible from a certain viewing angle, thereby producing a tilting effect. The security element can be produced completely or partially without a printing mold, wherein the marking layer can be designed as a digitally printed layer. However, the marking layer is also located above the relief element here.

[0007] It is also known, for example, from WO 97 / 17211 or DE 10 243863 A1 to combine gravure printing with other printing processes. In this case, a preprint is usually produced in a first printing press and then embossed in a gravure printing press (gravure press). It is processed by a fixed printing mold and register fluctuations must be taken into account, since these are separate working steps on different machines.

[0008] Furthermore, it is known that in printing processes, in particular screen printing processes, polymer banknotes or banknotes with foils consume less pigment than conventional banknotes due to their closed surface.

[0009] The technical problem that has always existed is to increase the security of value documents against counterfeiting. In practice, this is achieved in particular by a complex combination of printing processes. For example, luminous features are easy to check, but also easy to counterfeit. At the so-called point of sale, if the luminous element or at least a certain pattern can be seen, it is usually considered that the inspection has been successfully passed. Summary of the invention

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a valuable document and a method for producing the valuable document, which improves anti-counterfeiting properties and can also reduce pigment consumption during production and improve circulation durability during use.

[0011] According to the present invention, the above technical problem is solved by the following technical solution.

[0012] A kind of valuable document, for example banknote, check, tax stamp, identity card or similar document is stipulated.The valuable document has a substrate body with front and back sides.As the substrate body, a film substrate, for example a PET substrate, a paper substrate, or a combination of a paper substrate and a polymer substrate can be used.

[0013] The digital printing layer is printed on the front of the substrate body with ink-the digital printing layer forms a pigment receiving layer. The term "pigment receiving layer" is used because the digital printing layer is applied to the substrate body as a preparatory layer for the gravure printing part applied thereon. The digital printing layer can preferably be closed, that is, it has a smooth surface similar to the film layer, but it is not necessarily closed. The digital printing layer can be accurately overlapped with the gravure printing part, that is, applied in register, but it can also partially protrude outside the gravure printing part, so that the digital printing layer supplements the gravure printing part into a common visual object. It is also feasible that the gravure printing part can protrude outside the digital printing layer, wherein the two layers also complement each other to form a common visual object. In the scope of this application, "ink" is understood as a system consisting of a colorant / pigment and an adhesive.

[0014] The ink used for the digital printing layer can be divided into three main categories: latex ink, solvent ink / eco-solvent ink and UV curing ink. Latex ink is water-based and does not require additional ventilation for curing, and latex ink is environmentally friendly. For solvent ink or eco-solvent ink, the pigment is applied to the front side of the substrate body with the help of a solvent, where the solvent evaporates completely or partially. The remaining pigment produces an image. The ink is preferably also a UV curing ink and / or contains polar components. During radiation curing, the active material is converted from a low molecular state to a high molecular state with the help of high-energy radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation emitted by a UV LED. This includes free radical curing, cationic curing or dual curing. The polar components preferably present are used to adjust the formation of an ideal surface energy, and thereby ensure improved pigment adhesion of the subsequently applied gravure printing portion on the digital printing layer. The gravure printing portion is applied to the digital printing layer with gravure printing pigments.

[0015] The digital printing layer is always arranged spatially below the gravure printing part. The digital printing layer is applied to the front of the substrate body in the form of a pattern and the gravure printing part is applied to the pattern in register, so that the contour of the pattern corresponds to the contour of the digital printing layer and the gravure printing part, or the digital printing layer extends beyond the contour of the gravure printing part arranged thereon, and the gravure printing part is supplemented into a common visual object. In the latter variant, there is a graphic association between the digital printing layer and the gravure printing part, wherein, for example, the lines of the gravure printing part continue in the digital printing layer. The gravure printing part can also extend beyond the contour of the digital printing layer. Even in this case, the two layers can also produce a common visual object, for example, the gravure printing part has luminous properties in these areas due to the digital printing layer locally located below it, and therefore, for example, forms luminous eyes or luminous windows, etc. This combination of the digital printing layer and the gravure printing part is very easy to check, but difficult to manufacture and therefore improves anti-counterfeiting security.

[0016] The digital printing layer is arranged on the substrate body as a pigment receiving layer (primer layer) below the gravure printing part. Thus the smoothness of the substrate body surface is achieved, thereby preferably there is a closed surface, and therefore on the one hand the durability of the gravure printing part as the digital printing layer on the pigment receiving layer is maintained on a good level (such as a washing machine test as an exemplary physical tolerance test for example has a positive result). The digital printing layer can contribute to reducing the pigment consumption as " substrate " of the gravure printing part.

[0017] The digital print layer can be structured in the form of tactile elements so that a thicker lacquer layer can be applied in register below the tactile elements of the digital print layer, whereby the engraving on the printing plate no longer has to be as deep.

[0018] In principle, the registration between different printing processes is challenging. However, when applying in the same machine, this will be much easier. With digital printing technology, especially inkjet printing technology, reliability can also be improved by the registration controlled individually relative to other printing processes. For example, this independent control can be realized according to the camera image of the substrate body before inkjet printing (or in the startup process, even after inkjet printing). This is only applicable to "contactless" digital printing technology, because it is possible to open or close some nozzles in a fraction of a second, or offset the ink jet to a slightly displaced position, and thus improve registration accuracy, which is particularly preferably even possible to realize in a control loop.

[0019] In principle, three engravings are mounted on the printing cylinder of a gravure printing press. They may have a small amount of offset with respect to each other. The precise positional control of the inkjet device makes it possible to compensate for these fluctuations / errors in gravure printing by means of the digital printing layer, and thus improve the registration accuracy and anti-counterfeiting security. During the machine operation in gravure printing, the substrate body undergoes a slight trapezoidal deformation. With the aid of independently adaptable digital printing layers, registration accuracy can be achieved at all positions of the substrate body by this technology, i.e., the layers arranged one above the other can be applied with precise registration. Further examples can be achieved by combining the two printing technologies, digital printing and gravure printing:

[0020] The pattern of the digital printing layer and the gravure printing part can be selected, for example, so that a "target effect" can be seen between the two patterns. Registration is still very important here, but the overlap of the two layers is different. Matte effects can also be used due to different pigment compositions in the ink of the digital printing layer, and the use of luminous inkjet pigments can produce interesting effects adapted to the pattern of the gravure printing part, such as flashing eyes or glittering jewelry as part of a portrait, luminous windows in buildings, etc. Due to the digital printing layer located below the gravure printing part, the effect of the gravure printing element can be enhanced with the help of effect pigments, without having to mix the effect pigments into the printing pigments of the gravure printing and then mostly discarding them by a wiping process. The effect pigments can especially be pigments that are luminous due to HPP pigments (high performance pigments) or machine-readable infrared pigments, such as SicpaTALK, but pearlescent color changes or glitter effects are also conceivable.

[0021] All embodiments can be personalized. This means that subsequent numbering can be achieved by an intaglio printing or a combination of an intaglio printing and a digital printing layer, the numbering being an example of personalization. Or the digital printing has a graphic code which preferably glows when illuminated by radiation in the UV range and is transparent over the entire visible spectrum.

[0022] Another possibility is a transparent gravure pigment in the entire visible spectral range, so that the luminescent properties of the ink can be influenced and / or supplemented. The ink can also contain pigments, which produce a metallic effect and supplement the gravure printing part. An example of another embodiment is the following luminescent feature: First, a digital printing layer is applied as a substrate for gravure printing as a luminescent first pattern. On this digital printing layer, a gravure printing part in the form of a gravure visual object is applied with a transparent gravure pigment, which influences the luminescence of the digital printing layer located below it. This leads to attenuation in the sense of halftone modeling (Halbtonmodellierung), for example. Alternatively, the transparent gravure pigment can also be designed to have other luminescence, so that other colors appear under UV excitation (additive color mixing).

[0023] The digitally printed layer particularly preferably has elements that are invisible to the human eye and that complement the intaglio print. The ink used here can contain materials that are imperceptible or barely perceptible to the human eye and can only be detected and analyzed by special sensors. These are purely machine-readable features. This includes materials that have magnetic properties, absorbance in the infrared range or a special spectral response to incident light signals.

[0024] In gravure printing, the digital printing layer can also be used simply as an additional color layer for visual objects, for example by changing the color impression by other lines within already existing lines, or in register as a background. Personalization can also be achieved here without numbering. Other tactile elements can also be added by corresponding color recipes. In addition, the digital printing layer can also add elements that are imperceptible or almost imperceptible to the human eye to the gravure printing part, which as a "digital watermark" realizes other authenticity features with or without personalization. The almost invisibility of the digital printing layer or ink with respect to luminous features or machine features can be achieved by transparency, mattness corresponding to the paper impression and / or coloring corresponding to the paper color.

[0025] In contrast to previously known value documents, the digital print layer is structured by means of digital printing. This structured "preprint" is then overprinted in gravure printing, advantageously by means of a color guide with a transparent pigment (or varnish), so that the tactile gravure impression produced by gravure printing together with the printed structure produces an optically variable image, since the digital print layer comes into contact with the elevations and / or depressions of the structure and thus lands on different sides of the impression. It is particularly advantageously possible here to check the effect resulting from the interaction of the digital print layer and the gravure print by means of camera monitoring and, if necessary, to correct the structuring of the digital print layer preprinted in the digital printing.

[0026] Also possible are inks which contain formulations or materials which accelerate the drying or curing of the intaglio printing pigments.

[0027] The digital print layer is particularly preferably applied as a raster print; where appropriate, the ink is applied in the form of "dots". Such a raster print is used to improve the adhesion of gravure printing. If the inkjet quantities are small, water-based inks can also be used. Two-component systems or compositions containing isocyanates are also advantageous for increasing the durability. Corona pretreatment or plasma pretreatment is also conceivable to improve the pigment adhesion of the ink.

[0028] It is particularly advantageous for all of the above-described embodiments if the register between digital printing and gravure printing is checked by one or more cameras and can therefore be easily corrected by digital control.

[0029] It is understood that, although not explicitly stated, the printing of the layers described can naturally also be achieved in the same way on the back of the substrate body. The value document is printed only on the front side, only on the back side, or on both the front side and the back side.

[0030] Furthermore, a method for producing the value document described is provided, wherein a digital printing layer is printed on a substrate body having a front side and a back side with ink as a pigment receiving layer on the front side of the substrate body. An intaglio printing portion is applied in register with an intaglio printing pigment on the digital printing layer. All described embodiments of the value document can be produced by the method.

[0031] There are many possibilities for structural changes or additional installations in an intaglio printing press in order to implement the claimed method in a simple manner. The inkjet module is advantageously integrated into the intaglio printing press, which is advantageous because it is a relatively small component, for which there is sufficient space at a suitable location in the intaglio printing press. Camera recordings etc. can be carried out at an appropriate speed, wherein, for example, the camera is positioned at a conventional location for full-page control of intaglio printing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings according to the embodiments, which also disclose features important to the present invention. These embodiments are for illustration only and should not be considered restrictive. For example, the description of an embodiment with multiple elements or components should not be interpreted as all of these elements or components being necessary for implementation. Instead, other embodiments may also include alternative elements and components, fewer elements or components, or additional elements or components. Unless otherwise specified, elements or components of different embodiments may be combined with each other. Modifications and variations described for one of the embodiments may also apply to other embodiments. In the accompanying drawings:

[0033] Figure 1A The value document is shown in a cross-sectional view cutting through the security feature;

[0034] Figure 1B-1D A security feature combining a digitally printed layer and an intaglio print is shown in top view, and

[0035] Figure 2 A possible implementation of the method on an existing gravure printing press is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Figure 1A The cross-sectional view shows a valuable document 1. The valuable document 1 has a substrate body 2 with a front side 3 and a back side 4. A digital printing layer 6 is applied regionally to the front side 3 of the substrate body 2. An intaglio print 8 is present on the digital printing layer 6. The digital printing layer 6 and the intaglio print 8 are applied in register so that their edges directly overlap - they together form a security feature 10.

[0037] exist Figure 1B , the security feature 10 is shown in a top view. Figure 1CThe digital printed layer 6 on which the security feature 10 is based is shown in a top view. Figure 1D The top view shows the intaglio print 8 applied to the digital print layer 6 . Figure 1B and 1C Shown at the top is a UV radiator 12 which makes the luminescent properties of the digitally printed layer 6 visible.

[0038] First, a two-color image (such as Figure 1C The digital printing layer 6 is applied as a digital printing layer 6 to a target position in the desired visual object (here the outline of a portrait 16), which is matched to the subsequent intaglio printed visual object and readjusted by a camera if necessary. This digital printing advantageously enables personalization, such as a number 14 or any other visual object, such as a portrait 16, text, year, animal, object or coding such as barcodes and QR codes. This graphic coding has the particular advantage of being easy to read by machines. Figure 1C A first sub-area 18 and a second sub-area 20 are provided in the embodiment, which are yellow and green under ultraviolet light and transparent or almost invisible under visible light; when inspected by ultraviolet radiation, the first sub-area 18 and the second sub-area 20 provide two pieces of information-the first sub-area 18 is yellow and the second sub-area 20 is green. This improves the anti-counterfeiting security through a surprising effect. The colors of the sub-areas 18 and 20 can be colored as in the embodiment, and the number of sub-areas 18 and 20 can also be selected differently; different colors can also be selected in different sub-areas 18 and 20.

[0039] Figure 1C The digital printing layer 6 shown serves as a pigment receiving layer (primer layer) for the subsequent gravure printing process. Figure 1D The gravure printing section 8 is shown. Figure 1B As shown, the gravure printing unit 8 prints in register on Figure 1C On the digital print layer 6 - the two layers (digital print layer 6 and gravure print part 8) show the same portrait 16 and are registered, that is, they are precisely superimposed in their visual object. The digital print layer 6 does not necessarily have to imitate every gravure print line of the gravure print part 8, but can advantageously include a surface with the outer contour of the gravure print part 8. In other (not specifically shown) embodiments, the digital print layer 6 can also extend beyond the outer contour of the gravure print part 8, so that the two layers 6, 8 complement each other to form a common visual object. It is also possible that the gravure print part 8 extends beyond the outer contour of the digital print layer 6 - the two layers 6, 8 still complement each other to form a common visual object. The image of the superimposed layers 6, 8 visible in the UV range is Figure 1B Shown in.

[0040] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a gravure printing machine 22 is shown. A template cylinder 24 and a printing cylinder 26 are arranged in the gravure printing machine 22. According to the invention, an inkjet strip 28, a UV LED radiator 30 and a camera 32 are integrated in the gravure printing machine 22. The digital print layer 6 is printed onto the substrate body 2 by the inkjet strip 28. The UV LED radiator 30 is used to dry the digital print layer 6, and then gravure printing (gravure printing) is carried out by the template cylinder 24 and the printing cylinder 26. The camera 32 then checks the registration of the gravure printing section 8 with the digital print layer 6. Optionally, the registration can be readjusted by digitally changing the inkjet position at the inkjet strip 28.

[0041] This arrangement represents only one possibility for integrating digital printing technology into an existing gravure printing press 22, and naturally also includes other integration possibilities that are not explicitly shown. The advantage of integrating the inkjet module, namely the inkjet strip 28 and the UV LED radiator 30, is that these are relatively small components. Sufficient space is available for this purpose at a suitable position in the gravure printing press 22. The camera can record at a suitable speed - the camera 32 is located in the gravure printing press 22 at a common position for full-page control of the gravure.

[0042] The inkjet strip 28 and the UV LED radiator 30 can also be arranged below the printing cylinder 26, before contact with the template cylinder 24. The substrate body 2 designed as a web must be appropriately guided here in order to remain fixed in the printing cylinder 26, because the substrate body is only gripped at the front edge. This is usually achieved by a pressure roller.

[0043] The camera 32 - or a plurality of cameras 32 - can also be arranged at another position after the printing process, where the page has already been printed on the gravure printing part 8 and can be seen on the printing cylinder 26 at the earliest after the contact between the printing cylinder 26 and the template cylinder 24.

[0044] Other digital printing processes based on dry or liquid colorants or using transfer tapes require more installation space. For this purpose, the gravure printing press can have further printing units with drying units or UV radiators between the paper feeder and the gravure printing unit, for example.

[0045] Reference numerals list

[0046] 1 Valuable documents

[0047] 2. Base material

[0048] 3 Positive

[0049] 4 Back

[0050] 6 digital printing layers

[0051] 8Gravure Printing Department

[0052] 10 Anti-counterfeiting features

[0053] 12. Ultraviolet radiation device

[0054] 14 Number

[0055] 16 Portrait

[0056] 18 The first sub-area

[0057] 20 Second sub-area

[0058] 22Gravure printing machine

[0059] 24 template roller

[0060] 26 Printing Cylinders

[0061] 28 inkjet strips

[0062] 30 UV LED radiators

[0063] 32 cameras

Claims

1. A valuable document, such as a banknote, a check, a credit card or other payment card, an ID or the like, having: - a substrate body with a front side and a back side, and - a digital printing layer, which is printed with ink on the front side of the substrate body as a pigment receiving layer, It is characterized in that - applying an intaglio print with an intaglio printing pigment on the digital print layer, wherein the intaglio print is applied in register with the digital print layer or the intaglio print is supplemented by the underlying digital print layer to form a common visual object.

2. The valuable document according to claim 1, characterized in that The ink is an ultraviolet curable ink and / or contains a polar component.

3. The valuable document according to claim 1, characterized in that The ink is a solvent-based ink or a water-based ink.

4. Value document according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The digitally printed layer has a graphic code which glows when illuminated with radiation in the ultraviolet range and is transparent in the entire visible spectral range.

5. The valuable document according to claim 4, characterized in that The intaglio printing pigment is an intaglio printing pigment which is transparent in the entire visible spectrum and which influences and / or complements the luminescent properties of the ink.

6. Value document according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The ink contains pigments which produce a metallic effect and complement the intaglio print.

7. Value document according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The digitally printed layer has elements that are invisible to the human eye and which complement the intaglio print.

8. Value document according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The digital print layer is applied as a raster print.

9. Value document according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The digital printing layer contains a material that accelerates the drying or UV curing of the gravure printing pigment.

10. A method for producing a value document according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: On a substrate body having a front side and a back side, a digital printing layer is printed with ink on the front side of the substrate body as a pigment receiving layer, It is characterized in that - applying an intaglio print onto the digital print layer with an intaglio printing pigment, wherein the intaglio print is applied in register with the digital print layer or the intaglio print is supplemented by the underlying digital print layer to form a common visual object.

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