Abstract: The invention concerns a device for magnetically transferring indicia, such as a design or an image, to a wet coating layer applied on a substrate, such as a sheet or a web, wherein the said coating layer comprises at least one type of magnetic or magnetizable particles; said device comprising a) at least one magnetized permanent-magnetic plate (2) carrying relief, engravings or cut-outs, mounted such that its relief surface remains accessible, b) at least one additional magnet (3), disposed below said at least one permanent-magnetic plate, facing the surface of the magnetic plate which is opposite to the relief, engraving or cut-out, and c) a holder (1), which has the mechanical function to hold the pieces together in fixed positions. A method for producing the device, the use of the device, and magnetically induced designs obtained with the device, which are useful for protecting currency, value—and identity documents, are disclosed as well.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for marking and authenticating a security article, such as a banknote, a document, a ticket, a foil, a thread, a label, a card, or a commercial good, so as to provide for an easy authentication of said article by a machine, such as a currency acceptor, a ticket validator, or a hand-held authentication device. According to the disclosed method, the security article carries a marking in the form of a user-defined design, wherein said marking comprises dyes or pigments belonging to an extended, or hyperchromic color space which is not reproducible by commercially available, 4-color desktop reproduction equipment. The authentication of said marking includes the mathematical transformation of the crude spectral information to statistically independent hyper-color coordinates, and the comparison of selected hyper-color coordinates with corresponding reference values.

Abstract: An item according to the invention comprises at least two data storage elements such as e.g. an RFID transponder 2 and a barcode 5, wherein the latter is non-visible for the unaided human eye and comprises coded information. The invention allows for a backup of information between the two data storage elements, in order to prevent inadvertent or malicious data loss. Further aspects of the invention are related to the interdependent or the cooperative use of both storage elements in the framework of a product security tracking and tracing scheme.

Abstract: The invention provides novel cholesteric monolayers and pigments obtained therefrom with high brilliance and viewing angle-dependent color change (color-flop/tilt effect) with additional particular properties such as magnetizability, conductivity, fluorescence, phosphorescence and increased hiding power, a process for their production and their use.

Abstract: Non-visible ink jet printing ink composition for marking a substrate, having at least one marking compound absorbing light outside the visible wavelength range of about 400-700 nm, and which contains a hydrocarbon compound, having two to six carbon atoms carrying two or three hydroxyl groups, as a non-particulate matting agent, so as to adapt the gloss of the ink-jet printed marking to the gloss of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for the local or remote authentication of an item, in particular a security document, with the help of a authenticating device, comprised in, connected to, or linked to mobile communication equipment. Said item carries a marking exhibiting a characteristic physical behavior in response to interrogating energy, such as electromagnetic radiation and/or electric or magnetic fields. Said marking may comprise physical and logical security elements, e.g. a barcode, or a characteristic particle or flake pattern, exhibiting a characteristic physical response.

Abstract: The invention discloses a device and a method for transferring a predeterminable, high-resolution magnetic design onto a document printed with a magnetic ink, in particular a magnetic optically variable ink. The device comprises a body of a composite permanent-magnetic material, having at least one flat or curved surface engraved with indicia corresponding to the design to be transferred, wherein the said magnetic material is permanently magnetized, preferably in a direction substantially perpendicular to the said surface. The method comprises imprinting or coating a first surface of a sheet or web with a magnetic ink or coating composition, and approaching the imprinted sheet or web to the engraved surface of a body of magnetized composite permanent-magnetic material while the ink is wet, followed by hardening the ink.

Abstract: Security document, such as a banknote, a value paper, an identification document, an access card, a security label or packaging, comprising an imprint-able substrate, chosen from the group of papers, cardboards, textiles and polymer sheets, as a first constituting part, and at least a second constituting part, chosen from the group of printing inks, security threads, windows, fibers, planchettes, foils, and decals, wherein a same security element is contained at least a first time in or on one of its constituting parts, and at least a second time in or on another of its constituting parts. Method for producing a security document, characterized in that a same security element is applied at least a first time in a first step to one constituting part of said document, and at least a second time in a second step to another constituting part of said document.

Abstract: Pasty ink for the engraved steel die printing process, having a viscosity value above 3 Pa·s, preferably above 5 Pa·s at 40° C., and comprising an infrared absorbing material, wherein said infrared absorbing material is a transition element compound whose IR-absorption is a consequence of electronic transitions within the d-shell of transition element atoms or ions.

Abstract: Re-dispersible pigmented printing ink compositions, preferably for the continuous ink jet printing process are obtained by the addition of a flocculating agent to the pigment dispersion in the printing liquid. The compositions do not form hard sediments and are easy to re-disperse on stopping and resuming the printing operations. Suitable flocculating agents bind the pigment particles in the sediment into three-dimensional “airy” structures, which are easy to break up. The ink compositions of the invention are furthermore characterized by a good printability in the dispersed state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security marking whose level of proof against forgery is greater than that of known security markings, comprising liquid-crystalline material with chiral phase, wherein the security marking is imperceptible to the eye and the properties of the liquid-crystalline material with chiral phase can be detected with the aid of detection systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to passivated optically variable pigment, a method of preparing said passivated optically variable pigment, an ink composition comprising said passivated optically variable pigment, the use of said ink composition, and a document carrying a marking made with said ink composition.

Abstract: Non-visible ink-jet printing ink composition for marking a substrate, comprising at least one marking compound absorbing light outside the visible wavelength range of about 400-700 nm, and which comprises a hydrocarbon compound, having two to six carbon atoms carrying two or three hydroxyl groups, as a non-particulate matting agent, so as to adapt the gloss of the ink-jet printed marking to the gloss of the substrate.

Abstract: Security document, such as a banknote, a value paper, an identification document, an access card, a security label or packaging, comprising an imprint-able substrate, chosen from the group of papers, cardboards, textiles and polymer sheets, as a first constituting part, and at least a second constituting part, chosen from the group of printing inks, security threads, windows, fibers, planchettes, foils, and decals, wherein a same security element is contained at least a first time in or on one of its constituting parts and at least a second time in or on another of its constituting parts. Method for producing a security document, characterized in that a same security element is applied at least a first time in a first step to one constituting part of said document, and at least a second time in a second step to another constituting part of said document.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing ink comprising at least one film forming binder and plurality of at least one type of electrically conductive micro-wires wherein the mean length of said type of micro-wires is in a range of between 3 ?m to 250 ?m.

Abstract: The invention refers to a measurement probe for measuring magnetization data of at least one item (7), specifically a security document comprising at least one magnetic security material (M), said measurement probe comprising at least one core free magnetizing coil (3) characterized in that at least two magnetic field sensors (4s, 4c, 8s, 8c) are disposed at both ends inside said coil (3) at its both ends. The invention relates further to an authentication device comprising said measurement probe and to an authentication method carried out by means of said measurement probe and authentication device.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a Polyurethane resin obtainable by a) reacting an excess of one or more aliphatic diisocyanates with a group of isocyanate-reactive components consisting of one or more polyether polyols each having an average molecular weight in the range of not more than 1500 g/mol, and at least one diamine so as to obtain a prepolymer; and b) adding a mixture of isophorone diamine and a second diamine selected from the group consisting of ethylenediamine, 1,2-diaminocyclohexane and 2,2,4- or 2,4,4-trimethyldiiaminohexane (TMDA) in excess to the free NCO groups of the prepolymer obtained in step a).

Abstract: The invention discloses a method and a device for the authentication of a document, a valued good or a packaging, carrying a marking (M) exhibiting a viewing-angle dependent light reflection spectrum. The authentication method is based on a measurement of the intensity of light reflected by the marking at least at two different viewing angles in response to a sequential wide-angle illumination with light of different spectral characteristics, and the comparison of the measured intensity values with corresponding reference values. The authentication device (1) has at least two light sources (4) of different spectral characteristics, a wide-angle illumination optics (3), and at least two photodetectors (5) collecting light reflected by said markings at least at two different viewing angles.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a polyurethane resin, obtainable by reacting 1-isocyanato-5-isocyanatomethyl-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane (isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) alone or together with one or more aliphatic diisocyanates, with a polyether polyol having an average molecular weight in the range of 1000 to less than 3000 g/mol; adding a diamine; adding a polyol having an average molecular weight of equal or less than 800 g/mol; and optionally reacting the product obtained in steps a) to c) with at least one terminating agent, wherein the ratio of equivalent weights of diisocyanates to the group of isocyanate-reactive components consisting of the said polyether polyol, the said diamine, the said polyol, and the said terminating agent is 1:1 or greater than 1.

Abstract: The invention is about a marking method and a corresponding coding center device for the marking of individual (1), such as security documents, currency, tax excise stamps, labels, pieces of packaging, articles, or transportation means, with pertinent information indicating their nature and/or content, origin and/or destination, etc., and their registration in a remote, centralized data base, enabling the tracking & tracing of said items (1) and of the goods they may be applied to. The method of the invention is based on a three-step printreadcancel (PRC) sequence, embodied in a device comprising a printing unit (P), a reading unit (R) and a canceling unit (C), arranged in-line on an integrated equipment and operating under the control of information processing means (IP).