Tamper-Evident Security Label with Selective Release Lacquer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional security labels and adhesive tapes with optically active features lack clear evidence of tampering and often have a metallic shine, making them indistinguishable from genuine products, and the removed parts are either sticky or not, complicating reattachment and authenticity verification.
Innovation Solution
A security label or adhesive tape with a flexible plastic film carrier substrate, featuring an embossed lacquer layer, semi-transparent metal or high refractive index layer, partial release lacquer, full-surface release coat, and self-adhesive coating, where the adhesion conditions ensure that neither the removed nor the remaining part feels sticky, and tampering is visibly evident through distinct optical effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional holograms with metallic basic appearance are used, then optical security features are provided, but clear evidence of tampering cannot be achieved and the metallic shine makes them indistinguishable from genuine products
Solution Approach 1:
The label is divided into two separable parts: an upper label part and a lower carrier substrate part. The release lacquer layer is selectively applied only in specific areas of the carrier substrate, creating zones where separation can occur cleanly. This segmentation allows the label to be either removed completely or torn apart, providing clear tamper evidence while maintaining optical security features.
Solution Approach 2:
The release lacquer layer is applied non-uniformly - only in specific areas rather than across the entire surface. This creates local zones with different adhesion properties: areas with release lacquer allow clean separation, while areas without it create strong bonding that prevents complete removal. This local variation in quality enables both security and tamper evidence functions.
2Ease of operation
If dry peel labels with two easily separable parts are used, then ease of removal is achieved, but clear evidence of tampering is not provided and the self-adhesive coating remains sticky
Solution Approach 1:
The release lacquer layer is applied selectively in specific areas rather than uniformly across the entire label. This creates local zones where separation occurs cleanly (providing tamper evidence) while other areas maintain strong adhesion. The result is that when the label is removed, the carrier substrate part remains on the product with visible evidence of removal, and neither part feels sticky.
Solution Approach 2:
The release lacquer layer is extracted and applied only in specific strategic areas rather than covering the entire surface. This selective extraction creates controlled separation zones that provide clear visual evidence of tampering while maintaining the dry-peel characteristic of non-sticky removal.
3Reliability
If conventional security labels with optically active features are used, then product authenticity is ensured, but clear visual evidence of tampering is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The label structure is segmented into an upper label part containing optically active security features and a lower carrier substrate part. The selective application of release lacquer ensures that when tampering occurs, the two parts separate in a way that provides clear visual evidence. The optically active features remain on one part while the other part shows evidence of separation, preserving both authenticity verification and tamper evidence.
Solution Approach 2:
The release lacquer is applied with local quality variation - present in some areas, absent in others. This creates localized separation patterns that provide clear visual tamper evidence while preserving the optically active security features in areas where they are needed for authenticity verification.
4Strength
If conventional adhesive labels are used, then secure attachment is achieved, but the removed part remains sticky complicating reattachment and verification
Solution Approach 1:
The release lacquer layer creates local zones with reduced adhesion properties. When the label is removed, these zones allow clean separation without the self-adhesive coating remaining sticky on the carrier substrate. This local modification of adhesion quality enables easy removal and reattachment while maintaining secure attachment during normal use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides clear visual evidence of tampering and ensures that neither part is sticky, enhancing product authenticity and integrity by differing from conventional metallic optically active structures, while maintaining adhesion properties for secure attachment and detachment.
Implementation Method 1
these diffractive effects are always very similar and all such products have a metallic shine in common
Implementation Method 2
an embossed lacquer layer... optically active security feature... surface reliefs
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a safety label or adhesive tape with evidence of tampering, having a flexible carrier substrate on the basis of a flexible plastic film, and which is characterised in that the following layers are applied to a surface of the carrier substrate 1: a) an embossed lacquer layer 2, b) a semi-transparent metal layer or a layer with a high refractive index 3, c) a first partial separating lacquer layer in the form of letters, signs, symbols, lines, guilloche, numbers or writing 4, d) one or more lacquer layer(s) with optical properties 5, e) a second separating lacquer layer 6 across the whole surface, f) a further lacquer layer 7 across the whole surface, and g) a self-adhesive coating 8. In the regions not coated with the separating lacquer layer 4, the adhesion of all layers to one another and the adhesion of layer 8 to object 9 which is to be secured are greater than the adhesion of layer 5 to layer 6 or of layer 6 to layer 7, and in the regions that are coated with the separating lacquer layer 4, the adhesion of all layers to one another and the adhesion of layer 8 to object 9 which is to be secured are greater than the adhesion of layer 3 to layer 4 or of layer 4 to layer 5, and in particular the adhesion of layer 3 to layer 4 or of layer 4 to layer 5 is less that the adhesion of both layer 5 to layer 6 and of layer 6 to layer 7.