US 6,108,022 A · Method for producing identification documents and documents produced by it

Abstract

A method for making documents, in particular identifying documents, such as passports and identifying cards, comprises the steps of providing a set of signals, particularly digital signals, defining an image to be printed on the document; providing a temporary substrate; depositing on the temporary substrate coloring matters, whereby to produce thereon the image, by the conventional laser printing method; provisionally setting the image; juxtaposing the temporary substrate with its face carrying the image in contact with the rear face of a transparent substrate; transferring the image from the temporary substrate to the transparent substrate, whereby the image is applied to the transparent substrate rear face and is visible through the transparent substrate from the front face thereof; removing the temporary substrate; and binding the transparent substrate, by lamination, to other components of the document to be produced. When the document is in booklet form, the binding of the transparent substrate effected by juxtaposing it to a final substrate that is part of the booklet and laminating it in contact with the final substrate. When the document is a card, the method also comprises providing a card blank which comprises a front and back leaf, one or both of which are transparent, and laminating the leaves, whereby to produce a card, wherein at least one printed image is visible from its front face.

Claims37

Dependent claims

Method of making documents by laser printing, which comprises the steps of:

a) defining a subject matter to be printed on the document in the form of an array of digital signals;
b) electrostatically charging a metal cylinder by laser beams controlled by said signals;
c) passing the charged cylinder in the vicinity of a reservoir of coloring matter in powder form, whereby to attract said coloring matter particles to said charged cylinder, and form therein a desired pattern;
d) providing a temporary substrate;
e) passing said temporary substrate into contact with said metal cylinder and depositing thereby said pattern formed by said coloring matter;
f) repeating the aforesaid operations for each desired color to form a multicolor image;
g) provisionally and partially setting said multicolor image by applying heat without applying pressure;
h) providing a transparent substrate having a rear face and a front face;
I) transferring said provisional and partially set image from said temporary substrate to said transparent substrate by applying pressure and, if required, moderate heating, whereby said image is applied to said transparent substrate rear face, and is visible through said transparent substrate from the front face thereof;
j) providing a final substrate;
k) juxtaposing said transparent substrate to said final substrate with the rear face of said transparent substrate in contact with the front face of said final substrate;
and
l) laminating said transparent substrate to said final substrate.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for producing identification documents and documents produced by it

Life of this patent

Method for producing identification documents and documents produced by it

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37