Security Element and Method for Producing the Same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a security element for a security paper, a valuable article or the like having a substrate ( 1 ), the substrate being at least partially furnished with a coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, and the coating ( 2 ) including at least one radiation-crosslinkable component.

1 . A security element for a security paper, a valuable article or the like, having a substrate ( 1 ), the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) being at least partially furnished with a coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) includes at least one radiation-crosslinkable component.  
   
   
       2 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is present at least physically dried.  
   
   
       3 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it is an areal substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) having two opposing main surfaces, at least one main surface of the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) being at least partially furnished with the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature.  
   
   
       4 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) is designed to be multilayer.  
   
   
       5 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) is designed to be flexible.  
   
   
       6 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) is applied as a solution, emulsion or dispersion.  
   
   
       7 . The security element according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the dispersion is an aqueous dispersion.  
   
   
       8 . The security element according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the dispersion is chosen from the group consisting of aliphatic polyurethane dispersions, aromatic polyurethane dispersions, acrylates, anionic acrylate-modified polyurethane dispersions, polyurethane-polyether acrylates and their mixtures.  
   
   
       9 . The security element according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the solids content of the dispersion lies between 30 wt. % and 60 wt. %, preferably between 35 wt. % and 50 wt. %.  
   
   
       10 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating that is substantially tack free at room temperature comprises a cationically radiation-curing resin.  
   
   
       11 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the radiation-crosslinkable component included in the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is crosslinkable by ultraviolet radiation or electron radiation.  
   
   
       12 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature includes a photoinitiator.  
   
   
       13 . The security element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the photoinitiator is a water-soluble photoinitiator, a photoinitiator that is dispersible in water, or a photoinitiator that is soluble in water by means of water-compatible solvents.  
   
   
       14 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element comprises, besides the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, at least one further layer ( 4 ), this being a layer that is at least pre-crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       15 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element additionally comprises at least one visually and/or machine-verifiable security feature.  
   
   
       16 . The security element according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the visually and/or machine-verifiable security feature comprises an optically variable effect, especially a diffraction pattern, a hologram, a color-shift effect or other interference effects.  
   
   
       17 . The security element according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the visually and/or machine-verifiable security feature comprises a print image, especially having positive or negative patterns or characters.  
   
   
       18 . The security element according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the visually and/or machine-verifiable security feature comprises fluorescent substances, phosphorescent substances or magnetic substances.  
   
   
       19 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) comprises a transparent plastic foil.  
   
   
       20 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate ( 1 ,  21 ) comprises a paper layer.  
   
   
       21 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element exhibits a thickness of 1 μm to 100 μm, preferably a thickness of 2 μm to 50 μm.  
   
   
       22 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element comprises, besides the substrate ( 1 ) and the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, at least one further layer, this being a layer that is reflective at least in some areas.  
   
   
       23 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element comprises, besides the substrate ( 1 ) and the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, at least one further layer, this being a layer ( 6 ) in which a diffraction pattern is embossed in the form of a relief.  
   
   
       24 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, in the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, a diffraction pattern is embossed in the form of a relief ( 11 ).  
   
   
       25 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is present in a form ( 12 ) that is cured in some areas and is provided with a diffraction pattern in the form of a relief ( 11 ).  
   
   
       26 . The security element according to  claim 23 , characterized in that at least the areas provided with a diffraction pattern are provided at least in some areas with a reflective layer ( 7 ).  
   
   
       27 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element comprises, besides the substrate ( 1 ) and the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, at least one further layer, this being a separation layer ( 5 ).  
   
   
       28 . The security element according to  claim 27 , characterized in that the separation layer ( 5 ) is disposed between the substrate ( 1 ) and the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature.  
   
   
       29 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the coating ( 22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is present printed on with printing ink ( 9 ) and crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       30 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element is formed in the form of a security band, a security strip, a patch or another areal security element.  
   
   
       31 . The security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate is present in the form of fibers, the fibers being surrounded by the coating that is substantially tack free at room temperature.  
   
   
       32 . A security paper for manufacturing security or value documents, such as banknotes, checks, identification cards or the like, that is furnished with the security element of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       33 . The security paper according to  claim 32 , characterized in that the security paper exhibits, besides the security element, an additional carrier substrate ( 3 ).  
   
   
       34 . The security paper according to  claim 33 , characterized in that the carrier substrate ( 3 ) comprises paper and/or a plastic foil.  
   
   
       35 . A valuable article, such as a branded article, value document or the like that is furnished with at least one security element of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       36 . The security paper or valuable article furnished with the security element of  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element is disposed over a window ( 16 ) that is present in the security paper or valuable article ( 15 ).  
   
   
       37 . The security paper or valuable article according to  claim 36 , characterized in that the window ( 16 ) is manufactured with papermaking technology or diecut.  
   
   
       38 . The security paper or valuable article furnished with the security element of  claim 1 , characterized in that the security element is present at least partially embedded in the security paper or the valuable article.  
   
   
       39 . The method for manufacturing the security element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is applied at least partially to a substrate ( 1 ,  21 ).  
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is at least physically dried.  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is applied as an aqueous dispersion.  
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that a cationically radiation-curing resin is applied as the coating that is substantially tack free at room temperature.  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that, prior to application of the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, at least one further layer ( 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ) is applied to the substrate ( 1 ) in at least some areas.  
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 43 , characterized in that the further layer ( 4 ) is a layer that is crosslinkable by means of radiation and that is at least partially pre-crosslinked by means of radiation prior to the application of the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature.  
   
   
       45 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is printed on with a printing ink ( 9 ) and subsequently crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       46 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is crosslinked by means of radiation and subsequently printed on with a printing ink ( 9 ).  
   
   
       47 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is pre-crosslinked by means of radiation, subsequently printed on with a printing ink ( 9 ), and finally completely crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 39 , characterized in that the coating ( 2 ,  22 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is crosslinked by ultraviolet radiation or electron radiation.  
   
   
       49 . A method for manufacturing a security paper or valuable article, characterized in that the security paper or the valuable article is furnished with the security element according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       50 . The method according to  claim 49 , characterized in that the security element is applied at elevated pressure and elevated temperature to a carrier substrate ( 3 ) and, subsequently, the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is at least pre-crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       51 . The method according to  claim 49 , characterized in that, after the removal of the substrate ( 1 ), the coating ( 2 ) that is substantially tack free at room temperature is completely crosslinked by means of radiation.  
   
   
       52 . The method according to  claim 49 , characterized in that the coating that is substantially tack free at room temperature is irradiated with shortwave radiation from the direction of the coating immediately prior to the application of the security element to the security paper or the valuable article, and subsequently, is applied at elevated pressure and elevated temperature to a carrier substrate.  
   
   
       53 . A use of a security element according to  claim 1  for manufacturing foil-composite banknotes.  
   
   
       54 . A use of a security element according to  claim 1  as packaging material.  
   
   
       55 . The security element according to  claim 24 , characterized in that at least the areas provided with a diffraction pattern are provided at least in some areas with a reflective layer ( 7 ).  
   
   
       56 . The security element according to  claim 25 , characterized in that at least the areas provided with a diffraction pattern are provided at least in some areas with a reflective layer ( 7 ).