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GB2345879A - A security article eg a document or game ticket, including a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink - Google Patents

A security article eg a document or game ticket, including a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2345879A
GB2345879A GB9928557A GB9928557A GB2345879A GB 2345879 A GB2345879 A GB 2345879A GB 9928557 A GB9928557 A GB 9928557A GB 9928557 A GB9928557 A GB 9928557A GB 2345879 A GB2345879 A GB 2345879A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
information
document
liquid crystal
security
predetermined conditions
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9928557A
Other versions
GB9928557D0 (en
GB2345879B (en
Inventor
William James Stephen Barker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
B&H Liquid Crystal Devices Ltd
Original Assignee
B&H Liquid Crystal Devices Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by B&H Liquid Crystal Devices Ltd filed Critical B&H Liquid Crystal Devices Ltd
Publication of GB9928557D0 publication Critical patent/GB9928557D0/en
Publication of GB2345879A publication Critical patent/GB2345879A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2345879B publication Critical patent/GB2345879B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D79/00Kinds or details of packages, not otherwise provided for
    • B65D79/02Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport
    • GPHYSICS
    • G09EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09FDISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/02Forms or constructions
    • G09F3/0291Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time
    • G09F3/0294Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time where the change is not permanent, e.g. labels only readable under a special light, temperature indicating labels and the like
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/06Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games
    • A63F3/065Tickets or accessories for use therewith
    • A63F3/0685Tickets or accessories for use therewith having a message becoming legible after a chemical reaction or physical action has taken place, e.g. applying pressure, heat treatment, spraying with a substance, breaking microcapsules

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)

Abstract

A security article, such as a document, bears information partly in a permanently visible form and partly in a liquid crystal ink which only becomes visible on subjecting the article to predetermined conditions. Both parts of the information are required to obtain its meaning. Alternatively, e.g. in a game ticket, both invalid and valid information are printed, and under predetermined conditions the invalid information disappears to leave the valid result. The conditions may heating; or exposure to UV radiation or moisture. The change may not be reversible. The article may be a container for food or drink, an adhesive label (eg for a video tape, event ticket or drug packet) or an envelope. The article may be a two-part substrate comprising the printed surface 3 of a container and a clear sheet 4 with a thermochromic ink which reveals the message when cooled.

Description

SECURITY ARTICLES This invention relates to security articles, in particular security documents, for example tickets, game cards and product labels, but also to other articles having a security aspect.
Liquid crystal"inks"such as microencapsulated liquid crystal compositions are known which can change their appearance when subjected to certain conditions such as heating, cooling or illumination with ultraviolet light.
For example, thermochromic ink which when printed is colourless and invisible can acquire colour and become visible at a predetermined temperature or over a range of temperatures or vice versa. Thermochromic inks other than of the liquid crystal type are also known.
From a first aspect, the present invention provides a security article, such as a document, bearing information partly in permanently visible form (e. g. a permanently visible ink) and partly in a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink such that prior to subjecting the document to predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink is invisible (i. e. clear or transparent) and the information is unreadable and on subjecting the document to predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink becomes visible and the information becomes clear.
Depending on the application, the change in appearance of the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink may or may not be reversible on changes in, or removal of, the predetermined conditions.
The document or article may have additional permanent markings for camouflaging the permanently visible unreadable part of the information.
From a second aspect, the present invention provides a security article, such as a document, bearing information partly in permanent visible form and partly in a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink such that prior to subjecting the document to predetermined conditions, the liquid crystal ink is visible and provides invalid information, the permanently visible information providing valid information and on subjecting the document to the predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink becomes invisible so as to leave only the valid information visible.
The valid and invalid information may at least partially overlap each other.
The predetermined conditions may comprise heating the document, cooling it or exposing it to light of a predetermined wavelength range such as ultraviolet light.
The article or document may be printed with a plurality of different liquid crystal or thermochromic inks each changing visibility under different predetermined conditions.
The document or article may comprise a two part substrate, a first substrate part being at least partially transparent and intended to be aligned over or under a second substrate part, the information being divided between the two parts.
An opaque covering layer may be attached over at least one information-bearing part of the article as an additional security measure.
The article may comprise a container for food or drink, which may be transparent, and the information may have a promotional nature.
From a third aspect, the present invention provides a security document comprising an adhesive label printed with a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink, the ink changing in visibility under predetermined conditions.
The label may be used for verifying the authenticity of an article such as a video tape, event ticket, package of drugs or the like. The ink is preferably invisible under normal conditions and becomes visible under the predetermined conditions, such as an elevated temperature, in order to reveal information identifying the article as acceptable.
In order to make copying difficult, different labels can be manufactured having different characteristics, such as the nature of the predetermined conditions (e. g. the temperature (s) at which the ink becomes visible), the colour of the ink when visible and the shape and intricacy of the information revealed.
Alternatively, the label may be intended to be applied to a product, e. g. a food product or the packaging of a food product, as a warning device, the ink changing in visibility at a predetermined temperature above which storage of the product is unsafe. A warning message or symbol would thus be revealed to alert retailers or customers that imperfect storage or transit conditions have occurred.
The labels are preferably produced by gravure, letterpress or flexographic printing, which methods are particularly suitable for low cost, high volume products such as meat, dairy produce, milk, chocolate and the like. However, other methods, such as screen printing or litho can also be used.
The invention will now be described in more detail and by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la and lb show a substrate according to a first embodiment of the invention ; Figures 2a and 2b show a substrate according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 3a to 3c show a substrate according to a third embodiment of the invention ; and Figures 4 and 5 show substrates according to fourth and fifth embodiments, respectively.
Figure 1 a shows a label or voucher comprising a substrate which is typically a paper, board or thin plastic carrier or base, provided with a permanent display, e. g. a conventional printing ink, which comprises a part only of the final information. This part information is not in itself meaningful or representative of any alphanumeric or other symbol or pictorial representation but contains only randomly selected parts of one or more such symbols, printed as small dots or other small shapes or marks. In addition, around these incomplete parts are printed many similar small shapes for the purposes of'camouflaging'the originally visible parts of the final information.
A microencapsulated thermochromic liquid crystal ink which is initially, and in its normal operating condition, colourless and invisible is used to print on to the substrate the remaining small parts of the final information and, in this example, further small marks not forming part thereof.
The effect of reducing the temperature of the item is to change the state of the thermochromic ink so that below its clearing point the ink becomes visible by acquiring colour.
The temperature at which this change occurs can be predetermined so that the thermochromic ink becomes visible below 15 C for example.
Although the thermochromic ink does not in itself comprise the whole of the symbol or information to be read, once visible, its juxtaposition with the permanent ink markings visibly creates the entire information, as shown in Figure lb.
Figure 2a shows a substrate in the form of a ticket or card showing a number of possible result symbols VIZ."WIN 1","WIN 10","LOSE"and"WIN 1000". Unknown to the recipient of the ticket, only one of the results is valid and is printed in permanent ink, the remaining results being invalid and printed in one or more thermochromic inks so as to confuse the eye by camouflaging the permanent ink result symbol.
On being warmed, for example by rubbing or by the touch of a hand or hot item the temperature of the substrate is elevated above the clearing points of the thermochromic inks, which become colourless. After warming, only the valid result printed in permanent ink is left. In this example, Figure 2B shows the card after warming indicating the valid result:"WIN 1".
In both of the embodiments of the invention described above, different thermochromic inks, for example displaying different colours, can be used for different display areas.
The thermochromic inks could also have different clearing temperatures, which in the first embodiment causes the necessary information to appear in stages and in the second embodiment cause the invalid results to disappear one by one. The change in visibility of the thermochromic ink can be permanent or temporary.
Figures 3a to 3c show a third embodiment of the invention which comprises a two-part substrate. A first part 1 of the substrate is a printed surface of a container 2, e. g. a wall of the container or a label applied thereto. The first substrate part 1 is printed with permanent ink 3 forming part of a message, for example in the same manner as is shown in Figure la.
A second substrate part 4 shown in Figure 3b is provided as a separate sheet of clear pvc, or the like bearing the remainder of the message but printed in a thermochromic ink which is initially colourless at normal operating temperatures. As shown in Figure 3c, the second substrate part 4, is aligned over the first part 1 and when the combined substrate is cooled, for example by placing the container in a refrigerator or by adding ice or a cold drink, the thermochromic ink acquires colour and visibility and the entire message or symbol is revealed. Without both halves, the message is incomplete.
If an alternative thermochromic ink is used which is visible at room temperature but clears at higher temperature, the message, symbol or information on the container could be revealed in a manner similar to that shown in Figures 2a and 2b, for example by placing a hot drink or hot food in the container.
Alternatively, either or both parts of the substrate could be comprised in wrappers or other packaging components. The substrate parts could of course be interchanged, the first part bearing the thermochromic ink and the second part the permanent ink. The second part can be placed under, rather than over, the first part if the first part is transparent.
Figures 4 and 5 show further alternative substrates having additional security measures. Figure 4 shows a substrate similar to those shown in Figures la and 2a but folded in half and secured at the edges in the manner of an envelope with the visible part of the information and the thermochromic ink printed inside.
Figure 5 shows a substrate having a covering layer 5 laminated or adhered to the printed surface. A portion 6 of the covering layer is perforated so that it can be torn away to reveal the substrate. Thus additional security is provided until the time of use. The perforations in the covering layer are not essential if this layer is capable of removal by peeling or a similar method.
It will be appreciated that the invention is applicable tc many different kinds of documents such as promotiona : vouchers and coupons, lottery tickets and product labels Furthermore different types of liquid crystal, hydrochromi < or thermochromic inks may be employed which change thei visual appearance when subjected to changed conditions, e. g, temperature changes, or when subjected to electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength, e. g. ultra-violet radiation, or exposed to moisture.

Claims (17)

1. A security article, such as a document, bearing information partly in permanently visible form and partly in a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink such that prior to subjecting the document to predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink is invisible and the information is unreadable and on subjecting the document to predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink becomes visible and the information becomes clear.
2. A security article according to claim 1, wherein the change in appearance of the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink may or may not be reversible on changes in, or removal of, the predetermined conditions.
3. A security article according to claim 1 or 2, having additional permanent markings for camouflaging the permanently visible unreadable part of the information.
4. A security article, such as a document, bearing information partly in permanent visible form and partly in a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink such that prior to subjecting the document to predetermined conditions, the liquid crystal ink is visible and provides invalid information, the permanently visible information providing valid information and on subjecting the document to the predetermined conditions the liquid crystal or thermochromic ink becomes invisible so as to leave only the valid information visible.
5. A security article according to claim 4, wherein the valid and invalid information at least partially overlap each other.
6. A security-article according to any preceding claim, comprising a two part substrate, a first substrate part being at least partially transparent and intended to be aligned over or under a second substrate part, the information being divided between the two parts.
7. A security article according to any preceding claim, wherein an opaque covering layer is attached over at least one information-bearing part of the article as an additional security measure.
8. A security article according to any preceding claim, comprising a container for food or drink.
9. A security article according to claim 8, wherein the container is transparent.
10. A security document comprising an adhesive label printed with a liquid crystal or thermochromic ink, the ink changing in visibility under predetermined conditions.
11. A security document according to claim 10, wherein the ink is invisible under normal conditions and becomes visible under the predetermined conditions, in order to reveal information identifying an article as acceptable.
12. A security document according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the label is produced by gravure, letterpress or flexographic printing.
13. A security document according to claim 10,11 or 12, wherein the label is intended to be applied to a product as a warning device, the ink changing in visibility at a predetermined temperature above which storage of the product is unsafe.
14. A security article or document according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the predetermined conditions comprise heating or cooling.
15. A security article or document according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the predetermined conditions comprise exposure to light of a predetermined wavelength range.
16. A security article or document according to any preceding claim, printed with a plurality of different liquid crystal or thermochromic inks each changing visibility under different predetermined conditions.
17. A security article or document, substantially as described herein with respect to any one of Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
GB9928557A 1998-12-02 1999-12-02 Security articles Expired - Fee Related GB2345879B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9826409.6A GB9826409D0 (en) 1998-12-02 1998-12-02 Security articles

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9928557D0 GB9928557D0 (en) 2000-02-02
GB2345879A true GB2345879A (en) 2000-07-26
GB2345879B GB2345879B (en) 2003-03-05

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GB9928557A Expired - Fee Related GB2345879B (en) 1998-12-02 1999-12-02 Security articles

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Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002086609A1 (en) * 2001-04-24 2002-10-31 Merck Patent Gmbh Liquid crystal device exhibiting optical properties which are changeable after assembly
WO2002085642A3 (en) * 2001-04-24 2003-05-01 Merck Patent Gmbh Birefringent marking
WO2005055237A1 (en) * 2003-11-26 2005-06-16 General Electric Company Authenticating articles; method, articles and polymers
US7094364B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2006-08-22 General Electric Company Method of authenticating polymers, authenticatable polymers, methods of making authenticatable polymers and authenticatable articles, and articles made there from
US7169615B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2007-01-30 General Electric Company Method of authenticating polymers, authenticatable polymers, methods of making authenticatable polymers and authenticatable articles, and articles made there from
WO2007021294A1 (en) * 2005-08-12 2007-02-22 Vitale Rodney P An apparatus and method of using thermochromic and photochromic indicators
WO2016128594A1 (en) * 2015-02-12 2016-08-18 Jesus Merino Ciudad Smart container for food and fluids

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2188283A (en) * 1986-03-21 1987-09-30 Advertising And Marketing Asso Prize-generating printed substrates
DE3836424A1 (en) * 1988-01-19 1989-07-27 Horst Merz Special label or imprint on baby bottles for the determination of the ideal drinking temperature by means of reversible hue change
US4859360A (en) * 1983-10-27 1989-08-22 Biosynergy, Inc. Cholesteric liquid crystal formulations and time/temperature monitoring means
GB2272861A (en) * 1992-11-28 1994-06-01 Univ Cardiff Apparatus for reading security documents bearing photochromic or thermochromic prints.
US5403039A (en) * 1992-02-28 1995-04-04 Babn Technologies, Inc. Tamper-resistant article and method of authenticating the same
EP0837011A1 (en) * 1996-08-15 1998-04-22 Unilever Plc Container with thermochromic temperature indicator
GB2318323A (en) * 1995-06-21 1998-04-22 Timothy James Cameron Fraser Temperature-sensitive product bearing a representation
US5786578A (en) * 1997-06-30 1998-07-28 Christy; George M. Microwave-heatable exercise putty in a container with temperature indicator
US5826915A (en) * 1995-02-17 1998-10-27 Wallace Computer Services, Inc. Method of using thermochromic material on security documents and product
EP0967084A1 (en) * 1998-06-24 1999-12-29 I.P.S. S.r.l. International Products &amp; Services Continuous or discrete sheet printing process for liquid crystals, thermochromic and/or photochromic materials

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4859360A (en) * 1983-10-27 1989-08-22 Biosynergy, Inc. Cholesteric liquid crystal formulations and time/temperature monitoring means
GB2188283A (en) * 1986-03-21 1987-09-30 Advertising And Marketing Asso Prize-generating printed substrates
DE3836424A1 (en) * 1988-01-19 1989-07-27 Horst Merz Special label or imprint on baby bottles for the determination of the ideal drinking temperature by means of reversible hue change
US5403039A (en) * 1992-02-28 1995-04-04 Babn Technologies, Inc. Tamper-resistant article and method of authenticating the same
GB2272861A (en) * 1992-11-28 1994-06-01 Univ Cardiff Apparatus for reading security documents bearing photochromic or thermochromic prints.
US5826915A (en) * 1995-02-17 1998-10-27 Wallace Computer Services, Inc. Method of using thermochromic material on security documents and product
GB2318323A (en) * 1995-06-21 1998-04-22 Timothy James Cameron Fraser Temperature-sensitive product bearing a representation
EP0837011A1 (en) * 1996-08-15 1998-04-22 Unilever Plc Container with thermochromic temperature indicator
US5786578A (en) * 1997-06-30 1998-07-28 Christy; George M. Microwave-heatable exercise putty in a container with temperature indicator
EP0967084A1 (en) * 1998-06-24 1999-12-29 I.P.S. S.r.l. International Products &amp; Services Continuous or discrete sheet printing process for liquid crystals, thermochromic and/or photochromic materials

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002086609A1 (en) * 2001-04-24 2002-10-31 Merck Patent Gmbh Liquid crystal device exhibiting optical properties which are changeable after assembly
WO2002085642A3 (en) * 2001-04-24 2003-05-01 Merck Patent Gmbh Birefringent marking
EP1681586A1 (en) * 2001-04-24 2006-07-19 Merck Patent GmbH Birefringent marking
AU2002304051B2 (en) * 2001-04-24 2007-08-16 Merck Patent Gmbh Birefringent Marking
WO2005055237A1 (en) * 2003-11-26 2005-06-16 General Electric Company Authenticating articles; method, articles and polymers
US7094364B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2006-08-22 General Electric Company Method of authenticating polymers, authenticatable polymers, methods of making authenticatable polymers and authenticatable articles, and articles made there from
US7169615B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2007-01-30 General Electric Company Method of authenticating polymers, authenticatable polymers, methods of making authenticatable polymers and authenticatable articles, and articles made there from
WO2007021294A1 (en) * 2005-08-12 2007-02-22 Vitale Rodney P An apparatus and method of using thermochromic and photochromic indicators
CN101291857B (en) * 2005-08-12 2010-05-26 罗德尼·P·瓦伊塔尔 Apparatus and method for using thermochromic and photochromic indicators
WO2016128594A1 (en) * 2015-02-12 2016-08-18 Jesus Merino Ciudad Smart container for food and fluids
EP3257908A4 (en) * 2015-02-12 2018-10-31 Jesus Merino Ciudad Smart container for food and fluids

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9928557D0 (en) 2000-02-02
GB9826409D0 (en) 1999-01-27
GB2345879B (en) 2003-03-05

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
711B Application made for correction of error (sect. 117/77)
711G Correction allowed (sect. 117/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20051202