De La Rue International Limited

Kba-notasys Sa

Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions Sa

Portals De La Rue Limited

Robert Whiteman

Brian William Holmes

John Godfrey

Adam Lister

Lawrence George Commander

Alice Smith

Martin Palme

Robert Stierman

Thomas Kersten

Aurélie Berthon

Rebecca Locke

Ana Dimitrijevic

Christopher John Eastell

Adam Jeacock

Malcolm Robert Murray Knight

Malcolm Robert Knight

Lawrence Commander

Aurelie Berthon

Rob Stierman

Emily Parker

There is described a printing press (****) adapted to carry out printing on a sheet-like or web-like substrate (S), in particular for the production of security documents such as banknotes, comprising a printing unit (****) designed to print a first side (I) and/or a second side (II) of the substrate (S). The printing press (****) further comprises an in-line casting device (***) adapted to apply a layer of material acting as an optical medium on a portion of a first side (I, II) of the substrate (S) and to replicate and form a micro-optical structure (L) in the layer of material acting as optical medium. The printing unit (****) is furthermore adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the first or second side (I, II) of the substrate (S) in register with the micro-optical structure (L), wherein the printing unit (****) comprises at least a first printing group () being adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the second side (II) of the substrate (S) in register with the micro-optical structure (L) and wherein the in-line casting device (***) comprises at least one embossing cylinder (), which embossing cylinder () also is acting as counter-pressure cylinder and cooperates with a printing cylinder () of the at least first printing group () and/or whereas the in-line casting device (***) and the at least a first printing group () being arranged at the Substrate transport path such way, that in-line casting of the micro-optical structure, on one side of the sheets S, and printing of the associated pattern, on the other side of the sheets S, are performed in a same step, without this involving any sheet transfer operation.

Printing press with in-line casting device for the replication and formation of a micro-optical structure

A security device is disclosed, comprising an array of focussing elements with regular periodicity in at least a first direction, each focusing element having an optical footprint of which different portions will be directed to the viewer in dependence on the viewing angle; and an array of image elements with regular periodicity in at least the first direction overlapping the array of focusing structures, the image elements representing portions of at least two respective images, and at least one image element from each respective image being located in the optical footprint of each focusing structure. The security device includes a first region and a second region which is laterally offset from the first, the image elements in the first region being laterally shifted in at least the first direction relative to the image elements in the second region such that, at a first viewing angle, in the first region of the device the focussing structures direct image elements corresponding to a first image to the viewer such that the first image is displayed across the first region of the device, and simultaneously, in the second region of the device, the focussing structures direct image elements corresponding to a second image to the viewer such that the second image is displayed across the second region of the device, and at a second viewing angle the second image is displayed across the first region of the device and simultaneously the first image is displayed across the second region of the device. The security device further comprises a colour filter located in use between the image elements and the viewer, the colour filter overlapping at least part of the array of focussing elements and the array of image elements, and having a first colour in the first region of the device and a different colour in the second region of the device such that the colour appearance of the first and second images is different in the respective first and second regions of the device.

Security devices

A security device manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate having a viewing region; providing an obscuring layer in the region; providing a first image; applying a mask to the first image and swapping colour components of first and second sub-images of the first image forming: a mask pattern, and a background pattern representing the unswapped colour components on their assigned side; and printing the mask and background patterns on corresponding layer sides. The layer reduces colours visibility on one side when the other side of the layer is viewed in reflection, and allows light through the region when the security device is viewed in transmitted light. When either side of the region is viewed in reflected light, the patterns on that side are dominantly visible and may be distinguished. When the region is viewed in transmitted light from either side, the region is transparent and the colour-composite image is visible.

Methods of manufacturing security devices

A security device is provided including a first pattern of elements and a second, overlapping, pattern of elements spaced by a transparent layer, the first and second patterns in combination obstructing the passage of light transmitted to a viewer through the device to a varying degree depending on the viewing position. The first and second patterns of elements are configured such that a first region of the device exhibits a maximum change in the degree of obstruction when the device is tilted relative to the viewer about a first tilt axis, and a second region of the device exhibits a maximum change in the degree of obstruction when the device is tilted relative to the viewer about a second tilt axis which is not parallel to the first tilt axis.

A method of manufacturing a hybrid security structure for a security document, the method comprising the steps of: providing a document substrate; applying to the document substrate, by a first process, a first element comprising a first electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure; applying to the document substrate, by a second process, a second element comprising a second electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure, wherein the first process is different from the second process; and electrically coupling the first and second electrically conductive regions of the hybrid security structure for detection by a capacitance sensor.

Methods of manufacturing security structures for security documents

Methods of manufacturing security documents and security devices, and corresponding products, provide a lenticular device effect in a first registration zone. Viewing its appearance from two different angles in this way, the relative positioning of the focussing element array and the image array can be judged to a high degree of accuracy. If the two arrays do not have the desired relative position, this will be clearly apparent since the different first and second images will not be captured at the first and second test viewing angles.

Methods of manufacturing security documents and security devices

A method of forming a security document, comprises providing a thread comprising at least one region of heat-transformable material, this material having an optical effect which is transformable in response to applied heat. The thread is integrated with a document substrate material during a substrate forming process, so as to produce a security document substrate having at least one windowed region in which the thread is exposed at the substrate surface, and at least one bridge region in which the thread is not exposed. A patterned heat process is then applied, causing a structural modification in the heat-transformable layer of the thread so as to produce an observable optical effect representative of the heat pattern at one or more predetermined positions with respect to one or more of the said windowed region or bridge region. Security documents bearing threads with such optically transformable materials are also disclosed.

Method of forming a security document

A secure entry system is provided. The secure entry system includes an authorization apparatus including a reader for reading data, and a record medium, in which the record medium is presented to the reader, and characterized in that the reader and the record medium or a member connected to the record medium include one or more pairs of visible and/or tactile markings which, only when the record medium is correctly presented to the reader, cooperate with one another in a predetermined manner.

Secure entry system

A method is provided of identifying a security document using an identifying device. The identifying device is provided with a capacitance sensor and a second sensor. The method includes capacitively coupling a first element of the security document with the capacitance sensor and obtaining first data from the first element using the capacitance sensor. Second data is also obtained from the security document using the second sensor. Output data is then generated based upon the first and second data. A corresponding device and system are also presented.

Method and system for identifying a security document

A security device is disclosed having a region of piezochromic material and an integrated relief structure. The security device is arranged such that when a stress is generated in the piezochromic material and relief structure, an optical effect is generated in the piezochromic material.

Security device

A method of forming an optically variable security device is provided. In the method, a photonic crystal material is provided and a process is performed upon the material which causes deformation of the material so as to form a first region (A) for which incident light received by the crystal material is selectively reflected or transmitted to generate a first optically variable effect, and a second region (B) for which incident light received generates an optical effect, different from the first optically variable effect. Corresponding devices having first and second regions are also disclosed.

Photonic crystal security device and method

An optically variable security device comprises a photonic crystal which, upon receipt of incident light, generates a first optical effect, and which, when the device is subjected-to-an external stimulus, generates a second optical effect that is different from the first optical effect. At least one of the first and second optical effects is an optically variable effect observable over a set of directions. The optically variable effect is caused by the light being selectively reflected or transmitted by the crystal.

Photonic crystal security device

An optically variable security device comprises a photonic crystal of which incident light received by the crystal is selectively reflected or transmitted by the crystal to generate a first optically variable effect observable over a first set of directions. Incident light received by the crystal is also selectively reflected or transmitted by the crystal to generate an optical effect observable over a second set of directions that is different from the first set.

A security device comprises a substrate having a transparent region (). At least one optical element () is provided in part of the transparent region, the optical element causing an incident off-axis light beam transmitted through the optical element to be redirected away from a line parallel with the incident light beam whereby when the device is viewed in transmission directly against a backlight, the presence of the optical element cannot be discerned but when the device is moved relative to the backlight such that lines of sight from the viewer to the transparent region and from the transparent region to the backlight form an obtuse angle (&#x3b1;) at which redirected light is visible to the viewer, a contrast is viewed between the part of the transparent region including the optical element and another part of the transparent region. When the security device is viewed in reflection under diffuse lighting conditions either no contrast can be discerned between the two parts or a different contrast can be discerned between the two parts.

Growing community of inventors

Reading, United Kingdom

Robert Whiteman