EP1527903A2

EP1527903A2 - Plastic card and information printing process on a plastic card

Info

Publication number: EP1527903A2
Application number: EP04105549A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Costantini Mauro
Original assignee: Ixla SA
Current assignee: Laservall SpA
Priority date: 2003-10-31
Filing date: 2004-10-26
Publication date: 2005-05-04
Also published as: EP1527903A3; ITMI20032114A1

Abstract

The plastic card (1) presents one or more items of information consisting of signs (2, 3) imprinted on its surface. The signs (2, 3) comprise laser markings (3) of the card surface, on which one or more coloured finishing deposits are applied, in such a manner as to present information in polychrome. The process for printing information on a plastic card (1) consists of marking the plastic card (1) by means of at least one laser beam (10) and superposing one or more finishing colours on the region in which the markings have been produced.

Description

The present invention relates to a plastic card and a process for printing information on a plastic card.
Particular reference will be made hereinafter to cards of plastic such as PC (polycarbonate) or PVC (polyvinylcarbonate), which on one side present writing representing information relative to a person and, close thereto, a photograph of the person concerned; cards of this type are used for example to form identity cards, passports, driving licences, health cards, etc.
Cards of the indicated type are currently produced by printing images and writings on the card using sublimation technology.
This is achieved in practice by superposing on the card, in sequence, four portions of plastic film each carrying a colour (black and the three basic colours).
When a portion of the film supporting an ink of a predetermined colour is superposed on the card, suitably disposed dot-like printing elements approach the card and are heated to a temperature which can reach 400ºC; the high temperature causes the ink deposited on the films to pass from the solid state to the gaseous state (sublimation).
By interacting with chemical products contained in or deposited on the card, the ink in the gaseous state becomes fixed to the card surface.
The process is repeated for each of the four colours to form a high definition polychrome image.
However, traditional cards present numerous drawbacks, including in particular the danger that the entire information carried on the card can be damaged to the extent of being illegible, or indeed can be totally cancelled.
This could happen either accidentally, by wear due to repeated rubbing of the card against a support, or intentionally, for example by treating the coloured surfaces with solvents such as acetone or the like.
A further drawback is the considerable wastage of material involved.
In this respect, each portion of film carrying the ink presents an area exactly corresponding to that of the card on which the information is to be imprinted.
However the imprinted information comprises alphanumerical characters and a photograph of the card holder; the characters are printed only in black in total contrast (i.e. using only black ink and not the three coloured inks) whereas the photograph is printed in quadrichrome using all four inks.
It is therefore apparent that the smaller the size of the photograph to be produced, the larger the portion of the ink-carrying film which remains unused, and consequently the greater the ink quantity wasted.
This results in considerable production costs and high pollution.
The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a plastic card and a process for printing information on a plastic card which enable the stated drawbacks of the known art to be eliminated.
Within the scope of this technical aim, an object of the invention is to provide a card on which the imprinted information is indelible.
In practice, the information cannot be cancelled either accidentally, caused for example by normal wear deriving from use, or intentionally by treating the card surface with solvents such as acetone or the like.
Another object of the invention is to provide a card and a process which result in considerable saving of material and, in particular, of ink.
Another object of the invention is to provide a card and a process which are substantially economical and have small environmental impact.
The technical aim together with these and further objects are attained according to the present invention by a plastic card presenting one or more items of information consisting of signs imprinted on its surface, characterised in that said signs comprise laser markings of the card surface, on which one or more coloured finishing deposits are applied, in such a manner as to present information in polychrome.
The present invention also relates to a process for printing information on a plastic card, characterised by marking the plastic card by means of at least one laser beam and superposing one or more finishing colours on the region in which the markings have been produced.
Other characteristics of the invention are defined in the other claims.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the plastic card and the process for printing information on a plastic card according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows the stage of laser marking a card of the invention with alphanumerical data;
Figure 2 shows the stage of laser marking the card of Figure 1 with a photograph;
Figure 3 shows a card carrying the laser markings representing the alphanumerical data and the photograph;
Figure 4 shows the card with superposed inked films for quadrichrome printing of the photograph;
Figure 5 shows the sublimation printing stage of the card; and
Figure 6 shows the finished card of the invention.
With reference to said figures, and in particular to Figure 6, these show a card of plastic such as PC or PVC, indicated overall by the reference numeral 1.
The card 1 presents one or more items of information consisting of signs 2, 3 imprinted on its surface.
Specifically, the signs 2, 3 comprise laser markings 4 which represent alphanumerical characters relating for example to the name, the address, the data of birth or other information of the holder of the card 1, while other markings represent the photographic image of the card holder.
Advantageously, one or more coloured finishing deposits 6 are applied to those laser markings representing the photographic image, in order to present that information in polychrome.
In particular, the photographic image is presented in quadrichrome.
Preferably, the laser markings 5 are produced in grey tone and the laser markings 4 in total contrast.
Hence in practice the alphanumerical information is produced in black, while the photographic image is presented with shading, enabling the reproduction to identify with certainty the person represented, even if the coloured finishing deposits are absent.
The coloured deposits 6 are achieved by the sublimation method and comprise three deposits in succession, each effected with one of the three basic colours (blue, yellow, violet), so that their combination (in union with the grey tones of the laser markings) enables high definition images to be achieved.
Advantageously, wear or the application of acids is able to damage the deposits but not the laser markings, which therefore remain present with time without risk of being tampered with.
The present invention also relates to a process for printing information on a plastic card.
The process, the stages of which are shown in the accompanying figures from 1 to 5, consists of marking the plastic card 1 by means of at least one laser beam 10.
The marking laser 10 produces first markings 4 consisting of alphanumerical characters or other signs, and second markings 5 representing a photographic image of the card holder or other person.
The laser marking is achieved by usual methods known in the art and results in a permanent chromatic alteration of the card plastic which contrasts with the basic card colour.
One or more finishing colours are then superposed on the region in which the markings have been produced, to form the deposits 6.
Preferably, the stage consisting of superposing one or more colours to form the deposits 6 takes place following the laser marking stage.
Advantageously, at least the second markings 5 (which define the photographic image) are produced by bitmap laser marking.
Moreover, by using a laser beam for the marking stage, markings can be produced in grey tones and/or in total contrast.
In the example represented in the figures, the first markings 4 are produced by laser marking in total contrast with vector graphics, while the second markings 5 are produced by laser marking in grey tones with bitmap graphics, other different combinations of graphics type and marking type are however possible.
The stage in which finishing colours are superposed to form the deposits is achieved by colour transfer by sublimation; in practice three different colours are transferred in sequence onto the card 1 by sublimation, so that these colours, in combination with each other and with the grey tone image on which they are superposed, generate all the other colours and a high definition image.
It has been found in practice that the plastic card and the process for printing information on a plastic card according to the invention are particularly advantageous because the information carried on the card cannot be altered, and the process is economical and ecological as the dimensions of the strip on which the inks to be sublimed are fixed relate only to the dimensions of the photograph and not to the entire card, moreover there is no sublimation printing of the colour black, and there is no protection coating on the finished card, as is required in traditional sublimation printing.
The plastic card and the process for printing information on a plastic card conceived in this manner are susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.
In practice the materials used and the dimensions can be chosen at will according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims

A plastic card (1) presenting one or more items of information consisting of signs (2, 3) imprinted on its surface, characterised in that said signs (2, 3) comprise laser markings (3) of the card surface, on which one or more coloured finishing deposits are applied, in such a manner as to present information in polychrome.
A card as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said laser markings (3) are produced in grey tones.
A card as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said laser markings (3) are produced in total contrast.
A card (1) as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said coloured deposits are produced by sublimation.
A process for printing information on a plastic card (1), characterised by marking the plastic card (1) by means of at least one laser beam (10) and superposing one or more finishing colours on the region in which the markings have been produced.
A process as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the stage consisting of superposing one or more colours takes place following the marking stage.
A process as claimed in one or more of claims 5 onwards, characterised in that said laser marking is of bitmap type.
A process as claimed in one or more of claims 5 onwards, characterised in that said stage consisting of marking by laser beam (10) enables markings (5) to be produced in grey tones.
A process as claimed in one or more of claims 5 onwards, characterised in that said stage consisting of marking by laser beam enables markings (4) to be produced in total contrast.
A process as claimed in one or more of claims 5 onwards, characterised in that said stage consisting of superposing finishing colours is effected by transferring colour by sublimation..
A process as claimed in one or more of claims 5 onwards, characterised by transferring onto said card (1) by sublimation three different colours in sequence, said colours in mutual combination generating all the other colours.