Interlocking document security features using incompatible inks
View Patent ↗A security feature for an identification document comprises a base document layer, including a first image printed with a covert ink, and a personalized image relating to a bearer of the document (such as a facial photo) printed over the first image. The personalized image is printed with an ink that is incompatible with the covert ink such that the first image becomes overt within the personalized image upon printing of the personalized image. This feature creates an interlocking relationship between the covert image, which may be pre-printed prior to personalization on card stock, and personalized information printed over the covert image. Variations of this feature can be made in which the first image is not covert, yet still creates an interlocking relationship due to ink incompatibilities. Further, the second image may depict information other than personal information.
1. A security feature for an identification document, the feature comprising:
a base document layer, including a first image printed with a first ink having a first surface tension, the first ink being covert to a human viewer under normal, ambient lighting conditions, the first image bonding to the base document layer; and
a personalized image relating to a bearer of the identification document printed over the first image, the personalized image comprising a second ink that is incompatible with the first ink the second ink having a surface tension which is higher than the first surface tension of the first ink, wherein the second ink does not wet out on the first image printed such that the personalized image does not bond to the first image but does bond to the base document layer in areas where the first image is printed and wherein the printed areas of the first image are embedded within the personalized image and become overt and visible to a human viewer upon printing of the personalized image.
2. The security feature of claim 1 wherein the first ink comprises a UV ink.
3. The security feature of claim 1 wherein the personalized image is printed with an ink jet ink.
4. The security feature of claim 3 wherein the ink jet ink comprises a water based ink.
5. The security feature of claim 1 wherein the first ink comprises a UV ink, a solvent based ink, or a water based ink.
6. The security feature of claim 1 wherein the first ink is pre-printed prior to personalization of the identification document.
7. The security feature of claim 6 wherein the personalized image is printed with an image captured of the bearer.
8. The security feature of claim 6 wherein the first ink is offset printed.
9. The security feature of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first image and at least a portion of the second image are interlocked such that the one or more portions of the first image within the second image are visible to a human viewer.
10. The security feature of claim 1 , wherein the first image comprises information of the bearer or an issuer of the identification document.
11. The security feature of claim 1 , wherein the first image is encoded with data relating to at least one of: the bearer of the identification document and an issuer of the identification document.
12. The security feature of claim 11 , wherein the encoded data is incorporated in a machine readable data carrier encoded in the first image.
13. The security feature of claim 12 , wherein the carrier includes a bar code, a digital watermark, a two dimensional message symbology, and combinations thereof.
14. The security feature of claim 1 , wherein the base document layer comprises a multi-layer substrate, one layer of a multi-layer substrate, a core of a document structure, or a film or laminate layer of a document structure.
15. A method for making a security feature for an identification document, the method comprising:
providing a base document layer;
printing a first image on the base document layer with a first ink, the first ink being covert to a human viewer under normal, ambient lighting conditions;
capturing personal information of a an identification document bearer to produce a personalized image; and
printing over the first image the personalized image with a second ink, the personalized image relating to a bearer of the document and based on the captured personal information, the second ink being incompatible with the first ink used to apply the first image to the base document layer such that the second ink does not wet out on areas printed with the first ink wherein the personalized image does not bond to the first image but does bond to the base document layer in areas of the no first image being present and wherein the printed areas of the first image are embedded within the personalized image and become overt and visible to a human being upon printing of the personalized image
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the base document layer comprises card stock for the identification document and the first image is pre-printed on the base document layer.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the covert ink comprises a UV ink.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the covert ink is pre-printed on the identification document before personal information is captured.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the personalized image is printed with an ink jet printer.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first ink comprises a UV ink, a solvent based ink, or a water based ink.