Patents by Inventor Gerhard Zinner

Gerhard Zinner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7403651
    Abstract: A process for the production of a multi-color image is described. Preferably a transfer film is used which has a laser-sensitive layer (4). The laser-sensitive layer (4) comprises a three-component mixture. The components are coloring agents which are bleachable with laser radiation, in particular pigments, for example cyan pigment, magenta pigment and yellow pigment. With the process the procedure is such that in the individual steps only a respective one of the pigment components is bleached insofar as the laser conditions which are respectively specific to the various pigment components are set. This means that in the case of the three-component mixture only a first component is bleached by laser treatment of a given location in a first step by laser irradiation and only one other component is bleached in an optional second step and only one third component is bleached in an optional third step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Leonhard Kurz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner
  • Patent number: 7368217
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of a multi-layer image, preferably a multi-color image. A transfer film which is applied to a paper ubstrate and which is treated with laser irradiation is used. The transfer film has a laser-sensitive layer and a background layer arranged therebeneath. The laser-sensitive layer comprises laser-sensitive material, for example laser-sensitive pigments or other laser-sensitive coloring agents. The laser-sensitive material in the layer is region-wise bleached by laser irradiation. That results in a so-called laser-induced image component. As it is transparent or partly transparent, the background layer which is arranged therebeneath and which can have a printed image then becomes visible from above in that region. That therefore gives a multi-layer image which is formed by the laser-induced image component and by the background layer jointly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: ORGA Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Patent number: 7300694
    Abstract: Described is a multi-layer body having two laser-sensitive layers 4, 32. The multi-layer body is a body laminated from the overlay films 30, 32, the inlets 90, 90 and the further overlay films 30, 30. At its underside the upper overlay film 30 has a layer structure applied there, by the application of a hot stamping film. The layer structure comprises a lacquer layer 50, a reflection layer 5r, a laser-sensitive layer 4, a background layer 5 and an adhesive layer 6. A diffraction and/or hologram structure 5b is provided in the lacquer layer 5c, the reflection layer 5r and the laser-sensitive layer 4. The second laser-sensitive layer is formed by the carbon-doped overlay film 32. By means of laser treatment, it is possible to produce a laser-induced, preferably colored image component in the upper laser-sensitive layer 4 and a further laser-sensitive image component, preferably in the form of a gray scale image, in the subjacent carbon-doped laser-sensitive layer 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignees: Leonard Kurz GmbH & Co. KG, ORGA Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Patent number: 7255911
    Abstract: Described is a laminate body, in particular a laminate foil, comprising a laser-sensitive layer and an identification element, for example a diffraction and/or hologram structure, a reflection layer, a printed image or the like, which is provided in a second layer and/or in the laser-sensitive layer, wherein the laser-sensitive layer has a marking produced by laser action, which is positioned in accurate register relationship relative to the identification element In addition the subject of the invention is a method of enhancing the forgery-proof nature of such a laminate body in which the laminate body is irradiated by means of a laser so that produced in the laser-sensitive layer is a laser-induced marking positioned in accurate register relationship with the position of the identification element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Leonard Durz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner
  • Patent number: 7223512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for increasing the level of safeguard in respect of forgery of paper documents. For that purpose, applied to the paper document is a transfer film or laminating film having a laser-sensitive layer. This multi-layer body is then treated with laser radiation. In that case, a laser-induced marking is produced in the laser-sensitive layer, for example, by laser-induced bleaching, laser-induced color change or laser-induced blackening. Respective individualization of the document can be effected by way of that laser-induced marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: ORGA Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Patent number: 7220479
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layer body which is a paper document with a hot stamping film embossed thereon. The hot stamping film has a laser-sensitive layer in which a laser-induced color image is produced by laser treatment. Arranged on the document are further security identifications such as a security print, which is in the form of guilloche patterns, fluorescent threads, and a security strip. Water marks are also provided in the paper document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignees: Leonard Kurz GmbH & Co., KG, Orga Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Publication number: 20050181498
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layer body which is a paper document with a hot stamping film embossed thereon. The hot stamping film has a laser-sensitive layer in which a laser-induced color image is produced by laser treatment. Arranged on the document are further security identifications such as a security print, which is in the form of guilloche patterns, fluorescent threads, and a security strip. Water marks are also provided in the paper document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Publication number: 20050142342
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for increasing the level of safeguard in respect of forgery of paper documents. For that purpose, applied to the paper document is a transfer film or laminating film having a laser-sensitive layer. This multi-layer body is then treated with laser radiation. In that case, a laser-induced marking is produced in the laser-sensitive layer, for example, by laser-induced bleaching, laser-induced color change or laser-induced blackening. Respective individualization of the document can be effected by way of that laser-induced marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Publication number: 20050118537
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of a multi-layer image, preferably a multi-color image. A transfer film which is applied to a paper substrate and which is treated with laser irradiation is used. The transfer film has a laser-sensitive layer and a background layer arranged therebeneath. The laser-sensitive layer comprises laser-sensitive material, for example laser-sensitive pigments or other laser-sensitive coloring agents. The laser-sensitive material in the layer is region-wise bleached by laser irradiation. That results in a so-called laser-induced image component. As it is transparent or partly transparent, the background layer which is arranged therebeneath and which can have a printed image then becomes visible from above in that region. That therefore gives a multi-layer image which is formed by the laser-induced image component and by the background layer jointly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040265552
    Abstract: Described is a multi-layer body having two laser-sensitive layers 4, 32. The multi-layer body is a body laminated from the overlay films 30, 32, the inlets 90, 90 and the further overlay films 30, 30. At its underside the upper overlay film 30 has a layer structure applied there, by the application of a hot stamping film. The layer structure comprises a lacquer layer 50, a reflection layer 5r, a laser-sensitive layer 4, a background layer 5 and an adhesive layer 6. A diffraction and/or hologram structure 5b is provided in the lacquer layer 5c, the reflection layer 5r and the laser-sensitive layer 4. The second laser-sensitive layer is formed by the carbon-doped overlay film 32.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner, Matthias Schumacher, Ulrich Knaack, Dirk Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040043308
    Abstract: A process for the production of a multi-color image is described. Preferably a transfer film is used which has a laser-sensitive layer (4). The laser-sensitive layer (4) comprises a three-component mixture. The components are coloring agents which are bleachable with laser radiation, in particular pigments, for example cyan pigment, magenta pigment and yellow pigment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner
  • Publication number: 20040022967
    Abstract: Described is a laminate body, in particular a laminate foil, comprising a laser-sensitive layer and an identification element, for example a diffraction and/or hologram structure, a reflection layer, a printed image or the like, which is provided in a second layer and/or in the laser-sensitive layer, wherein the laser-sensitive layer has a marking produced by laser action, which is positioned in accurate register relationship relative to the identification element In addition the subject of the invention is a method of enhancing the forgery-proof nature of such a laminate body in which the laminate body is irradiated by means of a laser so that produced in the laser-sensitive layer is a laser-induced marking positioned in accurate register relationship with the position of the identification element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Norbert Lutz, Gerhard Zinner
  • Patent number: 5985078
    Abstract: In a method of producing marking or the like on a surface by means of laser radiation, at least two layers of lacquer of different colors are successively applied to the surface and at least the outer layer which is towards the viewer of the surface is removed by laser radiation in a region-wise manner to expose the second layer therebeneath, thereby producing the marking on the surface. At least the outer layer is applied by a transfer operation from a carrier material, in order thereby to produce a uniform thickness for that layer and thus a highly uniform laser-engraving effect. Also described is the use of embossing foils and more especially hot embossing foils of a particular configuration in such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventors: Joachim Suess, Gerhard Zinner