Anti-counterfeiting object, method for manufacturing same, and use thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an anti-counterfeiting object built by additive manufacturing by depositing a first electrically insulating material in a molten state. The object comprises at least one conductor (15, 16, 17) made of a second conductive material integrated into the first material, the conductor (15, 16, 17) connecting at least two accessible terminals (11, 12, 13, 14) and having a measurable characteristic resistance between the terminals (11, 12, 13, 14). The invention also relates to a method for authenticating said object.

Description

[0001] P-SATTGE-022 / WO 1

[0002] Description

[0003] Title of the invention: Anti-counterfeiting object, its manufacturing method and its use

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The invention relates to an anti-counterfeiting object from which it can be determined whether it has been manufactured authentically. It also relates to the method of manufacturing this anti-counterfeiting object and the authentication method for determining whether the object is authentic.

[0006] Prior art

[0007] Counterfeiting is a constant problem that is growing in scope and magnitude. It is a permanent issue in the business world because of its impact on sales, the value and reputation of companies, as well as the ability to benefit from technological innovations. Consumers are also victims of counterfeiting when they are provided with a product different from what they paid for, and, particularly for mechanical goods or medicines, because they incur risks to their health and safety. At the state level, counterfeiting is a concern for governments regarding the safety and health of citizens, the negative impact it can have on innovation, and the consequent resources diverted by criminal networks, organized crime, or other groups that disrupt society.

[0008] There are currently multiple technologies that can be used in the fight against counterfeiting. For example, nanotechnologies and other advanced technologies have opened the door to new avenues for brand protection, marking, and product tracing. These technologies make it possible to impart an individual fingerprint to the product without affecting it or its packaging. Thus, the publication "Nano and other Innovative Anti-Counterfeit Technologies" published by the "Technoloy Transfer Centre" in April 2016 describes more than forty solutions, most of which are very recent.

[0009] Current anti-counterfeiting technology options include a range of visible and non-visible measures that enable product authentication. The anti-counterfeiting market is essentially divided into two segments: one for authentication technologies and the other for tracking technologies.

[0010] These technologies include serial numbers, barcodes, matrix codes, and RFID chips for identification, and holograms, biometric solutions, watermarks, and markings for security. These technologies have their own limitations at various levels and are rarely foolproof.

[0011] WO 2019 / 011986 A1 shows a method for identifying an object by including in this object a substance which is observable by X-rays and whose analysis spectrum is specific and non-reproducible. Even if this method allows a high degree of reliability, it has the disadvantage of requiring uncommon means of analysis.

[0012] Statement of the invention

[0013] It is therefore a first objective of the invention to provide an object that can be authenticated. It is another objective to provide a method for manufacturing such an object. It is also another objective to provide a method for authenticating an object.

[0014] With these objectives in view, the invention aims to protect an anti-counterfeiting object constructed in additive manufacturing by molten deposition of a first electrically insulating material, characterized in that it comprises at least one conductor made of a second conductive material integrated into the first material, the conductor connecting at least two accessible terminals and having a measurable characteristic resistance between the terminals.

[0015] Additive manufacturing by fused deposition modeling allows for the production of single objects. During this manufacturing process, the incorporation of a conductor allows for the conferring of a specific characteristic to the object. This characteristic can be recognized in order to prove that this object is indeed authentic. In practice, several conductors will be incorporated into the object in order to multiply the possible combinations on the resistance values. The resistance value is accessible with few means, which allows for easy control, with a simple ohmmeter. The anti-counterfeiting object can be the product itself, a part integrated into the product to be authenticated or a part integrated into the packaging. Even if it is possible in theory to reproduce an object with the same resistance values, in practice such a manufacturing technique has a high dispersion and it is difficult to obtain a perfectly predicted result.This difficulty does not arise for the manufacturer of the authentic product since the latter will not seek to obtain a precise value, but simply a specific value, which can be checked subsequently.

[0016] According to a constructive arrangement, at least one of the terminals is common to two conductors. This limits the number of terminals to be made accessible from the outside of the object. It is however possible to provide each conductor with a terminal at each end.

[0017] According to a constructive arrangement, the second material comprises a thermoplastic matrix and a filler in the form of conductive particles. This material can thus be implemented by melt-bonding technology. This composite is made conductive by the fact that the conductive particles come into contact with each other in the thermoplastic matrix. The conductive particles can be in particular carbon-based, for example graphene or carbon nanotubes. Such a second material is for example marketed under the name "Proto-Pasta" by the company ProtoPlant. The thermoplastic material in this case is PLA and the conductive filler is carbon black in the form of nanoparticles.

[0018] According to one characteristic, the resistance value is greater than 1 kΩ, preferably greater than 10 kΩ. These values ​​are easily measurable with simple devices. Low resistance values ​​are more difficult to obtain and are not of interest in this case.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an anti-counterfeiting object as described above, according to which a plurality of layers of the first electrically insulating material are deposited in the molten state, and the second conductive material is further deposited to produce at least one conductor integrated into the first material connecting at least two accessible terminals. Typically, the part is manufactured by 3D printing with at least two print heads, a first head for the first insulating material and a second head for the second conductive material. The bulk of the part is produced with the first material, while a conductor deposited by the second head is inserted into the production of the layers. Each object is produced in a unique manner.

[0020] The invention also relates to a manufacturing method, according to which a batch of objects is manufactured as described above, and at least one of the parameters for at least one of the conductors in a group comprising the path of the conductor, the cross-section of the conductor over at least part of the path, the material of the conductor, and a number of passes for producing the conductor is modified from one object to another, so as to modify the resistance value of said conductor. The properties of each of the objects constructed are thus modulated so that the resistance values ​​of the conductors are specific to each of the objects. All the parameters that can determine the resistance of the conductor are influenced, whether it be the path, in particular the length, the cross-section by making a more or less significant deposit, or by making several passes side by side on the same layer or superimposed in adjacent layers.The material used can also be varied, for example by using several heads each containing a separate material.

[0021] The invention also relates to a method for authenticating an object from the batch of objects manufactured as described above, according to which, for each object in the batch, the resistance value of each conductor between the terminals is measured after manufacture and a register is kept by creating a record of the measured values ​​for the object, then the object to be authenticated is considered to be authentic if the resistance values ​​measured for each of the conductors of said object to be authenticated correspond to the values ​​of one of the records in the register. The person who manufactured the objects and established the register is able to determine whether one of the objects on which the resistance measurements are made is an object that he manufactured, by comparing the measurements with the values ​​in the registers. The comparison is carried out with a tolerance to take into account the measurement uncertainty. This tolerance is for example between 1 and 5%.To establish the comparison, we can base ourselves on resistance ratios.

[0022] The invention also relates to a method for authenticating an object from among the batch of objects manufactured according to the method as described above, according to which a control device is used comprising as many connectors as the object has terminals, the device being configured so that each connector is in contact with one of the terminals of the object in a control position, the control device comprising at least one electrical continuity tester between at least two connectors, the tester giving a positive indication when it detects electrical continuity provided by the object between two connectors. This method, which can be implemented in a complementary manner to the previous one, for example as a preliminary, so as to detect rough reproductions which would not include a conductor between the expected terminals. The control device is constructed for example at least in part with the same manufacturing method as described above.

[0023] According to an improvement of the method, the terminals are distributed in a regularly repeated pattern around an axis so as to repeat control positions, and the object is considered to be valid if each tester gives a predetermined positive or negative indication for each of the control positions of the control device. There is thus a plurality of control positions in which the control device can come into contact with the terminals. At least one of the positions allows the test. Over all the control positions, it is possible to predetermine what the results of the testers must be, and to compare them with the tests actually carried out on the object.

[0024] Brief description of the figures

[0025] The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, the description making reference to the appended drawings among which:

[0026] — Figure 1 is a perspective view of an object in accordance with the invention;

[0027] — Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of another object according to the invention

[0028] — figure 3 is a front view of an object according to the invention according to a second embodiment;

[0029] — Figure 4 is a view of a control device for the object of Figure 3.

[0030] — Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 according to a third embodiment;

[0031] — Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 according to a fourth embodiment.

[0032] Detailed description

[0033] An object 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1. This object 1 has a parallelepiped shape with in particular an upper face 10 on which four terminals 11, 12, 13, 14 are flush. Conductors are shown schematically. A first conductor 15 connects a first and a second of the terminals 11, 12. A second conductor 16 connects the second terminal 12 to a third of the terminals 13. A third conductor 17 connects the third to a fourth of the terminals 13, 14. The resistance of each of the three conductors 15, 16, 17 can be measured between the terminals 11, 12, 13, 14 which connect the ends of the conductor to be measured, for example between the first and second terminals 11, 12 for the first conductor 15. The resistance value is almost always greater than 1 kΩ, often greater than 10 kΩ, or even greater than 100 kΩ. The object 1 is manufactured by additive manufacturing by fused deposition.A first layer is placed on a plate to form the lower face, opposite the upper face 10. Layers are then formed over the previous layer and parallel to it, the stacking of the layers thus creating the complete object 1.

[0034] The main part of the part is made by depositing a first insulating thermoplastic material, for example PLA, ABS, PETG, PA or PEEK. The conductors are integrated into these layers by depositing a second conductive material distinct from the first material. The deposition can be made in the form of a continuous bead, several contiguous beads on the same layer or on superimposed layers, or portions of contiguous beads in continuous contact. The second material comprises a matrix of thermoplastic material and a filler in the form of conductive particles such as carbon or graphene nanoparticles. The terminals 11, 12, 13, 14 are also made with this second material.

[0035] Such objects are manufactured in batches, and at least one parameter for at least one of the conductors 15, 16, 17 is modified from one object 1 to another so as to modify the resistance value of said conductor. The parameters that can be modified are the path of the conductor, the cross-section of the conductor over at least part of the path, the material of the conductor, and a number of passes for producing the conductor. In the example of the object 1' shown in Figure 2, the paths of the three conductors 15', 16', 17', also shown schematically, have been modified compared to the example in Figure 1, while the terminals 11', 12', 13', 14' are in the same place.

[0036] For each item in the batch, the resistance value of each of the three conductors between the terminals is measured after manufacture. A record is created in a register with the three measured values ​​for the item.

[0037] When determining whether an object to be authenticated is genuine, the resistance values ​​for each of the object's conductors are measured and compared to the values ​​in the register records. The object to be authenticated is considered genuine if there is a record for which the three measured resistance values ​​match the record's resistance value.

[0038] The object can be the product itself that the consumer buys and wishes to have guaranteed by the manufacturer. He can carry out the resistance measurements himself or with the help of a reseller, which will be submitted to the manufacturer who holds the register and who will in turn be able to indicate whether the object is authentic.

[0039] Alternatively, the object may be incorporated into the product in such a way that its extraction is only possible by breaking off part of the product or object. The object may also be incorporated into a container or packaging of the product.

[0040] An object 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3. This object 2 is substantially in the form of a pentagonal plate. Five terminals 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 are provided flush with the face seen in Figure 3, distributed regularly at the vertices of a pentagon inscribed in the outline of the plate. The terminals are distributed in a pattern repeated regularly around the center of the pentagon. Conductors 26, 27 connect the terminals 21, 25 and 22, 25 respectively.

[0041] A control device 3, as shown in Figure 4, is also substantially in the form of a pentagonal plate. Five connectors 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 project from the surface to come into contact respectively with the terminals 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 of the object 2 by placing the object 2 and the control device 3 opposite each other. The testing device comprises an electrical continuity tester between connector 35 and the group of connectors 31 and 32. When the connectors are pressed against the terminals in a first position, electrical contact is established between connector 31 and terminal 21, between connector 32 and terminal 22, between connector 35 and terminal 25. The tester then gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity passing through connector 35, terminal 25, conductor 26, terminal 21 and connector 31.The positive indication also comes from the electrical continuity detected through connector 35, terminal 25, conductor 27, terminal 22 and connector 32. When the tester is turned one-fifth of a turn clockwise to reach a second position, connector 35 is in contact with terminal 21, connector 31 is in contact with terminal 22, etc. The tester then gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity through connector 35, terminal 21, conductor 26, conductor 27, terminal 22 and connector 31.

[0042] All other positions give a negative indication. In practice, it is sufficient for two tester connectors to loop with two terminals to have a positive indication. Because the testing device can take five distinct positions, it is possible to design specific sequences of positions for continuity testing according to a conductor pattern, the tester having to provide a positive indication in some positions and a negative one in the other positions. Here, the test is considered positive when the indication is positive only in the first and second positions.

[0043] In a variant, the control device comprises two testers, not shown but of identical appearance to that of Figure 4, a first tester for electrical continuity between connector 35 and connector 31, and a second tester for continuity between connectors 32 and 34. Connectors 31 and 35 are electrically connected to each other as are connectors 32 and 34. When the connectors are pressed against the terminals in the first position, the first tester gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity passing through connector 35, terminal 25, conductor 26, terminal 21 and connector 31. The second tester gives a negative indication. In the second position, the first tester gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity passing through connector 35, terminal 21, conductor 26, conductor 27, terminal 22 and connector 31.The second tester still gives a negative reading. When the control device is turned a further fifth of a turn clockwise to reach a third position, both testers give a negative reading.

[0044] When the tester is turned a further fifth of a turn clockwise to reach a fourth position, the first tester gives a negative indication. The second tester gives a positive indication by detecting electrical continuity between connector 32, terminal 25, conductor 27, terminal 22 and connector 34.

[0045] In a third embodiment, shown in Figure 5, the object 4 differs from that of Figure 3 in that it comprises a conductor between the terminals 41, 45 and another between the terminals 42, 44. The control device, not shown but of identical appearance to that of Figure 4, comprises a first electrical continuity tester between the connector 35 and the connector 31, and a second continuity tester between the connectors 32 and 34. When the connectors are pressed against the terminals in the first position, electrical contact is established between the connector 31 and the terminal 41, between the connector 32 and the terminal 42, between the connector 34 and the terminal 44 and between the connector 35 and the terminal 45. The first tester then gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity passing through the connector 35, the terminal 45, the conductor 46, the terminal 41 and the connector 31.The second tester also gives a positive indication because it detects electrical continuity through connector 32, terminal 42, conductor 47, terminal 44 and connector 34. In the second position, the first tester gives a positive indication because of electrical continuity between connector 35, terminal 41, conductor 46, terminal 41 and connector 31. The test is considered positive when both testers give a positive indication in the first position and only the first tester gives a positive indication in the second position, the indications being negative in the other positions.

[0046] In a fourth embodiment, shown in Figure 6, the object differs from that of the second embodiment in that it comprises ten terminals, numbered from 0 to 9 in Figure 6, distributed at the vertices of a regular decagon. Conductors connect terminals 1-2, 4-10 and 5-9. The same verification principle can be applied with a control device comprising connectors also distributed in a decagon of the same diameter.

[0047] The invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described by way of example. The surfaces carrying the terminals or connectors have been shown flat, but they could be in relief.

Claims

Demands 1. Anti-counterfeiting object constructed by additive manufacturing by molten deposition of a first electrically insulating material, characterized in that it comprises at least one conductor (15, 16, 17) in a second conductive material integrated into the first material, the conductor (15, 16, 17) connecting at least two accessible terminals (11, 12, 13, 14) and having a measurable characteristic resistance between the terminals (11, 12, 13, 14).

2. Object according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the terminals (12, 13) is common to two conductors (15, 16, 17).

3. Object according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second material comprises a thermoplastic material matrix and a filler in the form of conductive particles.

4. Object according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resistance value is greater than 1 k, preferably greater than 10 kQ.

5. Method of manufacturing an anti-counterfeiting object (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of layers of the first electrically insulating material are deposited in the molten state, characterized in that the second conductive material is further deposited to provide at least two accessible terminals (11, 12, 13, 14) and at least one conductor (15, 16, 17) integrated into the first material connecting at least two terminals among the accessible terminals (11, 12, 13, 14).

6. A manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein a batch of objects is manufactured, and from one object (1) to another, at least one of the parameters for at least one of the conductors (15, 16, 17) is modified in a group comprising the conductor path, the conductor cross-section over at least part of the path, the conductor material, and a number of conductor fabrication passes, so as to modify the resistance value of said conductor.

7. A method for authenticating an object from the batch of objects manufactured according to the method of claim 6, wherein, for each object (1) in the batch, the resistance value of each conductor (15, 16, 17) between the terminals (11, 12, 13, 14) is measured after manufacture and a register is kept by creating a record of the measured values ​​for the object (1), then the object to be authenticated is considered authentic if the resistance values ​​measured for each of the conductors (15, 16, 17) of said object to be authenticated correspond to the values ​​of one of the records in the register.

8. A method for authenticating an object from a batch of objects manufactured according to the method of claim 6, wherein a control device is used, comprising as many connectors as the object has terminals, the device being configured so that each connector is in contact with one of the object's terminals in a control position, the control device comprising at least one continuity tester electrical continuity is measured between at least two connectors, with the tester giving a positive indication when it detects electrical continuity supplied by the object between two connectors. A method according to claim 8, wherein the terminals are distributed in a regularly repeated pattern around an axis so as to repeat test positions, and the object is considered valid if each tester gives a predetermined positive or negative indication for each of the test positions of the test device.

Images