WO2003086775A1

WO2003086775A1 - Document protected against forgery and comprising a comparative perforation

Info

Publication number: WO2003086775A1
Application number: PCT/NL2003/000269
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johannes Cornelis Antonius Van Gerwen
Original assignee: Industrial Automation Integrators (I.A.I.) B.V.
Priority date: 2002-04-09
Filing date: 2003-04-09
Publication date: 2003-10-23
Also published as: AU2003235430A1; NL1020346C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a combination of a document protected against forgery, such as a banknote or passport, which is provided with a perforation (112) pattern comprising a number of perforations and a comparative template (14) which is provided with markings (15) and which, when the document is placed on the template, is adapted to result in an effect which can be observed by the human eye through co-action with the perforations arranged in the document. It is herein possible to use the precision of perforations arranged by a laser as a security feature. According to a first embodiment the perforation pattern is provided with one perforation and the comparative template is provided with one marking, wherein placing of the perforation on the marking results in a clearly visible effect.

Description

DOCUMENT PROTECTED AGAINST FORGERY AND COMPRISING A COMPARATIVE PERFORATION

The invention relates to a document protected against forgery.

Such documents are generally known in the form of banknotes, passports and the like. In order to prevent forgery of such documents, they are provided with a number of security features, such as a watermark, a specific printing pattern, printing patterns applied by means of printing techniques which can only be acquired with difficulty, security threads, optical security elements and the like. Documents are also known which are provided with a perforation as security feature. An example hereof is represented by the Swiss 200 Franc banknotes. A perforation pattern is arranged herein which causes the number 200" to appear when this banknote is held against the light. Diverse passports are also provided with diverse perforation patterns .

It is of course possible to arrange perforations by means of mechanical perforation. This results in a kind of burr around the perforation hole. This can be prevented by making use of laser perforation. Not only is it possible hereby to prevent such a burr, a much greater precision can also be achieved than is possible with mechanical perforation. These possibilities have only been used heretofore to arrange very fine perforations, complicated perforation patterns or personalized perforation patterns. However, the use of laser also makes it possible to " ^" arrange patterns with a great precision. This precision may lie in the shape of the holes forming part of the perforation pattern, but also in the distance between holes forming part of the perforation pattern. This precision is so great that this precision can be utilized as security feature only when it can be compared to a comparative template . The present invention provides for this purpose a combination of a document protected against forgery, such as a banknote or passport, which is provided with a perforation pattern comprising a number of perforations and a comparative template which is provided with markings and which, when the document and the template are compared, is adapted to result in an effect which can be observed by the human eye through co-action with the perforations arranged in the document and markings present on the comparative template.

It is herein possible to use the precision of perforations arranged by a laser as a security feature.

According to a first embodiment the perforation pattern is provided with one perforation and the comparative template is provided with one marking, wherein placing of the perforation on the marking results in a clearly visible effect.

The perforation can herein have a specific shape, this shape being the same as the shape of the marking on the template, wherein a difference between the shape of the marking on the comparative template and the shape of the perforation is immediately visible. It is possible here to envisage a circle, wherein a possible deviation from the circular shape of the perforation^' will not be automatically visible to the naked eye, but will however be visible when compared to a circular marking arranged on the template. This criterion can of course also be applied to perforations and markings of another shape.

According to another embodiment the document is provided with a perforation pattern of at least two perforations, and the comparative template is provided with two markings, wherein the distance between the two perforations is equal to the distance between the two markings.

This embodiment allows a possible difference between the distance between the two perforations and the distance between the templates to be made immediately visible.

This advantage also applies for the embodiment wherein the comparative template is provided with at least three markings, the perforation pattern is provided with at least three perforations, and that when two markings are each placed into register with a perforation, the combination of the remaining perforation and the remaining marking results in an effect clearly visible to the eye.

This latter embodiment in particular is attractive because use is made here of two references which can be used to determine the location of a third reference.

Another embodiment teaches that the first perforation pattern is provided with a first number of perforations ordered along a line, and that the comparative template is provided with a second number of markings ordered along a line, wherein the first number is at least one larger or smaller than the second number, and wherein the distance between the two outermost perforations of the document is equal to the distance between the two outermost markings of the template.

The effect of a nonius is herein obtained for the purpose of performing a comparison. An extremely accurate determination of the location of the markings can herein take place, so that an advantageous additional security feature can herein be obtained.

It is possible for the perforation to extend beyond the two outermost perforations. It is then possible to also obtain the nonius effect with another part of the perforation pattern. This measure also makes it possible to apply long perforation patterns for larger denominations of banknote with more perforations than in smaller denominations . The nonius effect is then retained in both situations. It is attractive when such a nonius perforation is present to have the document move over the comparative template. A discernible effect is created with an appropriate design of the perforation and the template.

Sliding of the perforation along the longitudinal line through the perforations relative to the template creates the nonius effect, i.e. one marking will always overlap with the template. Due to the movement the overlap shifts in the direction opposed to the direction of movement. By selecting the perforation size and the mutual distance it is possible to achieve that:

- there is always only one perforation which is in register with the template;

- the markings are precisely exclusive; in other words, as the overlap with the preceding perforation disappears, the overlap with the following perforation occurs;

- register occurs between the overlap of perforations so that for instance at least two perforations are always overlapping.

It is of course possible for the comparative template to be formed by a body separated from the document. This body can take the form of a for instance metal or plastic body which is present on a counter of an institution where the validity of banknotes is checked, or where the validity of passports, driving licences and the like is checked. The markings can be formed here by reliefs applied to the body, or elements of a different colour arranged on the body which are obtained for instance by laser. It is also possible here to make use of for instance coin manufacturing techniques to arrange markings of a different colour.

It is also possible for the comparative template to be formed by a part of the document. The perforation pattern is herein arranged on a first part of the document, the comparative template is formed by a second part of the document, and the markings are formed by a perforation pattern arranged in the second part of the document, wherein the first part of the document and the second part of the document can be placed lying against each other by folding the document along a fold line extending between the two parts.

This embodiment has the advantage that no separate body is required to examine the validity of the document.

As a variant of this embodiment, the markings can be formed by markings arranged in another manner on the second part of the document, such as printed markings and so on. The perforations can herein be omitted from the second part.

According to a subsequent embodiment it is further possible for the comparative template to be formed by a second document.

The same option is provided here as in the foregoing embodiment, wherein the document is folded onto itself.

When a second document is used, the second document can be formed by a document of the same type as the first document. Precluded here however is the situation where the perforations in the two documents correspond with each other, since this measure is of course known.

According to a further embodiment it is possible for the perforations and the markings to be mutually in register. A deviation in the shape of the perforations hereby becomes immediately visible.

According to another embodiment the document has a covering colour around the perforations. This enhances the visibility of a possible deviation.

It is further possible for the markings to be formed by markings placed on the periphery of a perforation. This also results in clearly visible effects. Finally, it is possible for the markings to be formed by a technique other than by printing, such as watermarks, metal foil strips or optical elements.

The present invention will be elucidated hereinbelow with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a combination of a banknote and a comparative template according to a first embodiment; figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a banknote and a comparative template according to a second embodiment; figure 3 is a diagram explaining the operation of the combination shown in figure 2; figure 4 shows a banknote according to a third embodiment of the invention; and figure 5 shows a combination of two banknotes according to a fourth embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a banknote 1 in which two perforations 2, 3 respectively are arranged by means of laser.

In order to compare the location of the perforation use is made of a comparative template which takes the form of a metal plate 4 which is provided with two markings 5, 6 respectively arranged in relief. The mutual distance between markings 5 and 6 corresponds precisely with the distance between perforations 2,3.

By placing the banknote 1 on the template in the form of a metal plate 4, it is possible to check whether the distance between the two perforations 2,3 corresponds with the distance between the markings 5,6. Markings 5,6 will after all be able to protrude through perforations 2,3. It will be apparent that while here a metal plate is used, a plate of another type of material can also be applied, for instance plastic. It is of course important that the material is dimensionally stable and is not susceptible to changes in size as a result of temperature or degree of humidity.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment in the form of a banknote 11 provided with a series of markings 12.

For comparison purposes use is made of a metal plate 14 provided with a series of markings 15. These markings for instance take the form of an inlaid piece of metal with a different colour.

In this embodiment it is possible to place the banknote

11 on metal plate 14, wherein a kind of nonius effect is created as a consequence of the fact that the number of perforations 12 is one more than the number of markings 15. This is shown more clearly in figure 3. It is of course important here that the mutual distance between perforations

12 is the same. The mutual distance between markings 15 must also be the same, although this distance is different as a consequence of the fact that the number of markings is one fewer than the number of perforations. In the manner of a nonius, only one different part of the markings is visible subject to the degree of overlap of markings by perforations, and this can also be readily verified by the human eye.

In figure 4 is drawn an embodiment wherein the document can be checked on its own. A first cross-shaped perforation 22 is herein arranged in a note 21. Further arranged in the note is a second cross-shaped perforation 25 which has a shape corresponding to that of the first cross-shaped perforation. By folding the note double in the manner shown in figure 4, it is possible to check the likeness in form of the two perforations. It is pointed out here that, in order to facilitate checking, the perforation 22 is enclosed by a practically plain printing 23 of a light colour and perforation 25 is enclosed by a printing 26 of a darker colour. Figure 5 shows a combination of two banknotes 31,34 which are provided with a perforation pattern 32, 35 respectively. Banknotes 31,34 can be placed on top of each other, whereupon the perforations 32,35 must correspond with each other. This relation can also be used for security purposes .

Banknotes 31,34 are here of different value. A similar measure is of course also possible with corresponding notes or documents, for instance banknotes of the same value, although use is preferably made here of a different pattern; for instance the type of pattern elucidated with reference to figures 2 and 3. A series of ten perforations is herein arranged for instance on the top part of the note and a series of nine perforations on the lower part of the note. By placing the notes onto each other rotated a half-turn relative to each other, the nonius effect described with reference to figures 2 and 3 can be obtained.

It will further be apparent that numerous variations can further be applied to this invention.

Claims

1. Combination of a document protected against forgery, such as a banknote or passport, which is provided with a perforation pattern comprising a number of perforations and a comparative template which is provided with markings and which, when the document is placed on the template, is adapted to result in an effect which can be observed by the human eye through co-action with the perforations arranged in the document.

2. Combination as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the perforation pattern comprises one perforation and that the comparative template is provided with one marking, wherein placing of the perforation on the marking results in a clearly visible effect.

3. Combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the document is provided with a perforation pattern of at least two perforations, and that the comparative template is provided with two markings, wherein the distance between the two perforations is equal to the distance between the two markings .

4. Combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the comparative template is provided with at least three markings, that the perforation pattern is provided with at least three perforations, and that when two markings are each placed into register with a perforation, the combination of remaining perforation and the remaining marking results in an effect clearly visible to the eye.

5. Combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first perforation pattern is provided with a first number of perforations ordered along a line, and that the comparative template is provided with a second number of markings ordered along a line, wherein the first number is at least one larger or smaller than the second number, and wherein the distance between the two outermost perforations of the document is equal to the distance between the two outermost markings of the template.

6. Combination as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the first perforation extends outside the two outermost perforations .

7. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a discernible pattern is created when the document is moved over the comparative template .

8. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the perforation pattern is arranged on a first part of the document, that the comparative template is formed by a second part of the document, and that the markings are formed by a second perforation pattern arranged in the second part of the document, wherein the first part of the document and the second part of the document can be placed lying against each other by folding the document along a fold line extending between the two parts .

9. Combination as claimed in any of the claims 1-7, characterized in that the comparative template is formed by a body separated from the document.

10. Combination as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the comparative template is formed by a second document.

11. Combination as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the second document is of the same type as the first document .

12. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the perforations and the markings to be mutually in register.

13. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the document has a covering colour around the perforations .

14. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the markings are formed by markings placed on the periphery of a perforation.

15. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the markings are formed by markings formed by a technique other than printing, such as watermarks, metal foil strips or optical elements.

16. Combination as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the location of the markings on the document forms a relation with a marking arranged by means of another technique .