ID card comprising a contoured relief structure, and corresponding production method
AssigneeGiesecke & Devrient GmbH
InventorsMarkus Erdmann, Günter Endres
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An identification card of plastic, for example PVC or polyester, is introduced, in which tactile symbols in the form of foamed relief structures are clearly visually perceivable. The symbols are outlined by a contour achieved by discoloration of the plastic.
Claims14
An identification card, comprising:
- at least one card surface of plastic, the surface plastic having a first color;
- and
- at least one tactile symbol with a relief structure,
- wherein the at least one symbol has a central area and an edge area, the relief structure is formed in the central area of the symbol and includes a foamed plastic material having the first color of the plastic material, and the edge area outlines the central area and at least partly has a discoloration having a color different from the first color of the plastic adjoining the relief structure, so that the relief structure is at least partly outlined by a contour of discolored plastic of the edge area.
A method for producing at least one symbol on an identification card having a surface of a plastic material with a first color that has the property that upon the application of energy in a first energy application mode increases its volume by foaming, and upon the application of energy in a second energy application mode changes its color, comprising the steps:
- producing a foamed relief structure on the identification card by applying energy to the plastic material on the central area of the at least one symbol by means of a laser in the first energy application mode causing the plastic material to increase its volume by foaming, wherein the laser is moved along a first path across the central area of the symbol, the foamed relief structure having the first color of the plastic material;
- and
- producing discolored contours having a color different from the first color of the plastic material in the edge area of the symbol outlining the foamed areas by applying energy to the plastic material by means of a laser in the second energy application mode causing the plastic material to discolor, wherein the laser is guided along a path that was derived from the first path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.