EP0070507B1 - Method of manufacturing a card-like information carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for producing an information carrier in the form of a card, such as an identification card or pass, as well as an information carrier produced in accordance with this method. The information carrier comprises a plurality of plastic layers combined with one another into a block, at least one of which contains a photograph of the bearer and/or his fingerprint and/or other readable or machine-readable data in the form of a photographic layer. This photographic layer is produced and incorporated into the sandwich of plastic layers making up the identification card in that a specially prepared film is exposed to light, developed, fixed and dries, and then the carrier layer of this film sandwich is removed from the emulsion after the emulsion has entered into an adhesive bond with a first plastic carrier layer, this adhesion being substantially greater than the adhesion of the emulsion to the film's auxiliary carrier, which is to be removed.

Description

State of the art

The invention is based on a method according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a method (and an identification card produced accordingly thereafter) are known (FR-A-2 435 357). A light-sensitive layer or photo layer is applied to a carrier layer made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This photo layer itself again consists of a successive layering of a first polyester layer, a detachment layer adjoining this, the actual photosensitive layer which has a thickness of only a few μ and therefore corresponds to the photo emulsion, an adhesive layer adjoining this and a lower, for example protective layer consisting of a paper treated in a certain way. It is of essential importance in this known method that the emulsion layer is not exposed and its sensitivity is adjusted so that exposure takes place only with a particularly strong and intense light source, while normal ambient light has little influence.

The production then proceeds such that the lower protective layer is first peeled off and the remaining layer with the film emulsion is pressed onto the PVC backing layer to which it adheres due to the adhesive layer mentioned above. Then, facilitated by the release intermediate layer between the actual emulsion and the first polyester layer, this is also peeled off and the card prepared in this respect with the unexposed and also uncovered film emulsion then passes from a magazine to an exposure station, where the exposure under the influence of a strong one ultraviolet radiation is carried out. A number of development, brushing, rinsing and drying steps then follow, the respective card being transferred to the individual baths and treatment stations with the aid of reversible slides. At a last station, a polyester protective layer is then applied to the still exposed but now developed emulsion layer by hot pressing; However, it cannot be ruled out that difficulties arise here or when such an identification card is used later that the connection of the last applied polyester layer with the rest of the card material is not sufficient, since polyester, as is known, does not lead to sufficient adhesion by hot pressing can be brought.

Another problem is the preparation of the card, in which two layers must first be removed from the photo layer comprising the emulsion layer and, in an intermediate step, the adhesive has to be bonded to the PVC backing layer, all with an unexposed and therefore correspondingly sensitive emulsion. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that the entire exposure and development effort that has to be carried out during the card production - only by applying the last polyester layer is the identification card finished and the emulsion layer covered - can damage to the emulsion layer just exposed or this can occur individual baths, brushing and drying stations completely or partially. The overall manufacturing effort of such an identification card is considerable. Furthermore, it can be assumed with this known identification card that a colored design of the image obtained by the ultraviolet exposure is excluded, because the development of a color image requires a significantly larger number of baths and intermediate steps than with this type of subsequent exposure and development with regard to the stability and adhesion of the emulsion is still bearable. In addition, a color combination of the image that is satisfactory for the normal eye cannot be achieved by an exclusively ultraviolet exposure. In summary, the result of this known identification card is as follows. It is based on a raw card that already has impressions, i.e. information and lettering, on the front and back of its PVC card carrier, the back already having a plastic layer, namely a so-called plastification, and on the front there is an information-free area on which then the photo emulsion is stuck on in the manner described. After exposure and development, the front is then plasticized by hot-pressing the protective polyester layer. This French patent specification does not describe how the photo emulsion is bonded to the PVC support; obviously the removal of the upper and lower protective or backing layers, which together with the photoemulsion and further adhesive layers form the photosensitive layer, are manual operations. Another disadvantage of this known manufacturing process is the fact that the subsequent exposure of the photo emulsion, namely after it has been glued to the PVC support, can only be carried out poorly and with a loss of quality, if only because the always necessary Under practical conditions, the adhesive layer cannot be applied so uniformly that adulteration of the recording process can be avoided with certainty.

Although the use of an intermediate or auxiliary carrier in the form of a planar base is known in the production of a box-shaped information carrier (US Pat. No. 4,132,350), this intermediate carrier serves as intermediate storage for the construction of various layers during production a magnetic card and is then separated from the composite of the plastic layers again during the manufacturing process. In detail, the procedure is such that first a synthetic resin protective layer, then a patterned layer, a colored layer and the magnetic layer consisting of a magnetic powdery material and finally a binder made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied, so that a first Receives laminate. The magnetic layer of this first laminate is then brought into contact with a first cover sheet of a thermoplastic synthetic resin, there is a connection under the action of heat and pressure in order to secure the laminate, and the planar base is then removed again. There are no references to the present invention, since this planar base in the form of an auxiliary carrier is not connected to a photographic emulsion and is also not prepared accordingly; after all, there is no exposure or development on the auxiliary carrier.

Card-shaped information carriers are generally known (US-A-3871 119), which consist of a plurality of plastic layers connected to one another in a block, at least one of which is a photographic layer containing an image of a user of the card. Such a card-shaped information carrier, for example a driver's license card, is produced by heating an otherwise developed film on a PVC base with the addition of a suitable adhesive, which, as is known, consists of the actual film carrier and the emulsion layer containing the actual image, by means of heated Rolls up and sticks. In the end, this results in the fact that the photographic layer in this information carrier is formed only by a fully exposed, developed, fixed and dried emulsion of reduced thickness, which is connected on both sides to adjacent plastic layers, the plastic layer on the back of the emulsion, of course is the film support layer with which it has been associated from the beginning. The thickness of the photographic film, preferably color film, which in this way is preferably connected on both sides to PVC backing layers, is stated in this publication at 9 mils, which corresponds to the usual thickness of a photographic film composed of support and emulsion of approximately 228 μm. As is known, the pure emulsion layer is at least an order of magnitude thinner. It is interesting with this publication (US-A-3 871 119) that the adhesive problems, if one wants to connect film layers with plastic layers, are dealt with in detail and therefore this publication relates essentially also on special types of adhesive that can be used in the construction of such information carriers consisting of plastic layers.

Furthermore, in the production of identification cards having a photographic image of the user or wearer, it is generally known to punch out a medium-sized film or layering in the format of the image detail to be introduced and then to insert a finished photo into the punched-out area. Subsequently, further layers and foils are arranged on both sides, and these plastic layers are connected using adhesives and / or the action of pressure and heat. At least where the inserted photo, which itself consists of a composite layer of carrier and emulsion, an additional adhesive must be applied with reference to the covering plastic layer, so that a sufficient connection is ensured at this point and not through Bending the identification card one or two times, signs of peeling and bubbles occur exactly at the point where the photo with the image of the carrier and / or other information and data is located.

A problem with all ID cards or identification cards that contain or include an image or in any case a photographic layer is the fact that such images are only available on a material basis that cannot be combined with the material of the ID cards. Normally, common paper images, for example Polaroid photos, are used, the surface of the paper image not being connected to the covering plastic layers; Even if one applies an adhesive, then only the photo emulsion of the paper image combines with the adhesive and would then tear away if the identification card were opened arbitrarily, as this is not excluded for the purpose of forgery; security aspects arise here that cannot be ignored; in addition, the known measures generally lead to a loss of quality in such identification cards, since these consist of different materials. A sample example for the production of such identification cards is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,101,701, in which suitable adhesives and adhesives are also specified in order to be able to connect the individual plastic layers to the inserted Polaroid photo.

Because of the known state of the art, the problem arises as to how an image, for example the face shape of the wearer, can be achieved in an identification card without this image acting as a foreign body in the card, without opportunities for counterfeiting and preferably without the image in the identification card covering the area occupied by it completely, that is to say in a light-tight manner.

In fact, due to this foreign body property of the image in the ID card - which can also be felt by a corresponding thickening at this point of the ID card - there is still the risk that the ID card or identification card will break at these points, i.e. in the area of the edges, the The risk of forgery of such a card is given by simply cutting out the inserted photograph and replacing it with another one.

Identification cards can be designed as a personal ID card, which, for example, enables a specific person to access a non-public area, or as an impersonal ID card, which, for example, entitles the respective owner to purchase a service or goods. The design of the card and the means used to identify the holder can vary widely and generally depend on the intended use. Transferable customer cards from department stores or credit organizations simply consist of a single plastic layer, on which the name of the publisher is printed and the name of the owner and an individual key figure are stamped on. Personal identification cards, on the other hand, consist of a plastic laminate with a layer on which information visible to the human eye can be applied in plain text and which, as already mentioned, may have a window for inserting a photograph. Furthermore, coded, machine-readable information, such as IR radiation, which is not visible to the human eye, or at least incomprehensible, can be provided and optionally arranged on a further layer.

It goes without saying that the more information is arranged on the card, the more complex it is to produce an identification card. This applies in particular to the layer with the information visible to the human eye and applied in plain text, usually the name of the issuer, the name of the area in which the card is valid, one or more key figures, the name and possibly also the signature of the owner and his photograph. Only general information that is similar on many cards, for example the name of the publisher or the scope of validity, can be applied mechanically, while the information relating to the holder requires several different, manually and individually performed operations.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing method for identification cards which is considerably simplified compared to the known method, ensures a high quality of the end product, preferably containing a colored image, and ensures that the end product, namely the identification card , is also sufficiently forgery-proof.

Advantages of the invention

This object is achieved by the method according to the invention with the characterizing features of claim 1 and has the advantage over the known production methods and identification cards that it carries the preferably colored image and / or a fingerprint of the wearer and / or other information visible and interpretable for the human eye Layer or layer cutout does not appear as a foreign body in the identification card, but forms a natural part of it without changing its thickness ratio in this area. The illustration, the inscription means and / or the fingerprint are always contained in a transparent representation in the identification card, so that there is the further advantage that the illustration or other information in the event of a supplementary infrared light evaluation of the identification card by a suitable device, which detects machine-readable codes, no longer bothers, in other words, the transparency or transparency of the colored face image of the wearer, the fingerprint or the information visible and legible to the eye does not prevent the eventual evaluation of the underlying information. The preferably organic colors used are not opaque.

In any case, the imaging or information area, as is realized by the arrangement of the emulsion of the photographic layer within the identification card, does not form any noticeable boundaries or edges; the area is absolutely inseparable from the identification card and is part of it.

It is also particularly advantageous that the identification card can be made on the basis of layers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC); you get a smooth and pleasing appearance of the identification card and it is ensured that this forms a completely inseparable and in this respect one-piece whole, including the illustration, the winter impression and / or the other information, since by avoiding other materials, for example polyethylene layers, one perfect connection in the molecular area is only possible through the action of heat and pressure.

Further advantages are the subject of the subclaims and are laid down in these. It is advantageous here that the method according to the invention requires only a single operation to put all visible information, including the (colored) image, the possible arrangement of a fingerprint of the wearer and the other information to be read, into the layer provided for this purpose can be entered. This considerably simplifies production, it becomes cheaper and the possibilities for errors when entering the different information are reduced. Even if the layer containing such visible information (image, fingerprint, data) extends over the entire area of the map, the map can also contain further information, which is not visible to the human eye, but can be read with IR radiation and is therefore machine-readable can be arranged on the entire surface of the identification card, so that ultimately for the recording of information any available area is practically twice as large as the area of the identification card itself. The reason for this lies in the transparency of the layer containing the visible information, as mentioned above, since this consists only of the emulsion itself.

drawing

• Die Figuren 1, 2 und 3 in einer teilweisen Querschnittsdarstellung mögliche Ausführungsbeispiele einer nach dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren hergestellten Identifikationskarte mit innenliegender fotographischer Emulsion,
• Figur 4 den Flußplan der bevorzugten Ausführungsform zur Herstellung der Identifikationskarte und
• Figur 5 im Querschnitt die Grundstruktur einer Identifikationskarte mit einer Mittelschicht, die durch ihren Ersatz durch die erfindungsgemäße Definition den Grundgedanken vorliegender Erfindung erkennen läßt ; die Darstellung der Fig. 5 dient dem besseren Verständnis vorliegender Erfindung.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description. Show it :

• FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show, in a partial cross-sectional representation, possible exemplary embodiments of an identification card with an internal photographic emulsion produced by the method according to the invention,
• Figure 4 shows the flow chart of the preferred embodiment for producing the identification card and
• FIG. 5 shows in cross section the basic structure of an identification card with a middle layer, which, through its replacement by the definition according to the invention, reveals the basic idea of the present invention; 5 serves to better understand the present invention.

Description of the embodiments

The basic idea of the present invention consists of a composite layer of a subcarrier with a single photographic emulsion, the thickness of which is only a few µ, approximately 1.5 µ, the completely fully exposed, developed, fixed and dried emulsion, and this only according to one preferred embodiment, to peel off and without transferring the auxiliary carrier layer, first to a carrier layer that is already part of the later identification card, this connection between the emulsion and this carrier layer being realized by an effective adhesive layer.

In order to understand the present invention, the cross-sectional representation of FIG. 5 can be assumed, which in this form can represent the known layering of an identification card. 5 is designated by 1; it has a first covering layer 1 a, a backing layer or backing film 1b, a film 1c adjoining this upwards, referred to as a code layer, and a layering 1d below the covering layer 1a which contains the visible image and also other visible information, for example by Can have printing. This printing and imaging layer 1d has hitherto been produced in such a way that a cut-out 2 is provided in this layer, into which free space a photo is then inserted, for example a Polaroid paper photo 3, with reference to the top layer 1a this being at least at 4 has a suitable adhesive layer so that the photo top layer connects to the cover layer 1a, otherwise detachment phenomena, blistering and other faults occur with certainty. In this respect, the representation of FIG. 5 corresponds to the prior art already discussed above.

According to its main allegation, the invention now replaces this layer 1d by a layer 1d ', as shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 5 in the plane of the drawing, formed from a continuous carrier layer 5, preferably made of PVC, and a pure but firmly adhering one Completely developed film emulsion 6, which already has all the information. It should be noted that in the figures the relative thicknesses of the individual layers are not to scale for the purpose of a clearer illustration, in particular the thickness of the emulsion layer 6 and of the adhesive or adhesive layers is shown greatly enlarged ; in fact, the thicknesses of these emulsion and adhesive layers are orders of magnitude below those of the layers or foils 1a, 1b ... which are still provided for the overall formation of the identification card according to FIG.

Accordingly, according to FIG. 4, the following production method for such identification cards or ID cards is preferred according to the invention. The starting point is an auxiliary carrier 40 which, as shown at 43, is pretreated on one side in a certain way. This pretreatment, which results in a specific structure of the surface or a specific coating 7 thereof, can be of various types. In any case, it must be carried out in such a way that a photographic emulsion or photographic layer later applied to the auxiliary carrier 40 adheres to the auxiliary carrier 40 so strongly, but only so strongly, that the composite of auxiliary carrier 40 with photographic emulsion 6 without loss of quality or without mechanical disassembly, the exposure steps , Development, fixation and drying survives. The coating 7 can therefore be an adhesive layer which has only low adhesiveness or tear resistance; However, it is also possible to merely structure the auxiliary carrier, for example to provide it with a very specific surface roughness, if necessary with the aid of a corona discharge.

As shown at 46, the "film" thus formed, consisting of auxiliary carrier 40 with emulsion 6, is then subjected to an exposure. In this exposure step, all of the desired information can be applied to the emulsion as it is later to be present on the identification card, for example the visible recognition by the human eye or by machine interpretation. In detail, therefore, an image of the face of the wearer, preferably in color, can be applied to the emulsion, which the present invention, due to its conception, is easily capable of and what makes it possible fundamentally different from the state of the art in terms of their advantage design. Furthermore, the exposure of the film of auxiliary carrier 40 and emulsion 6 can be used to display one or more fingerprints of the authorized card holder, in a visible form or in such a way that machine-readable information of the unmistakable fingerprint on the identification card results. At this point it is then also possible to accommodate all the other desired data on the emulsion, which in this respect represents an information carrier for preferably visible information.

Following the exposure step at 46, the film is developed, fixed and dried, which is shown at 47 in total. One then has on the auxiliary carrier 40 a preferably colored positive representation of the image of the card carrier and all other desired data in high and flawless quality, as is customary with conventional films.

The development, fixing and drying step at 47 can then be followed by a punching process or a trimming step, which is not shown in the illustration in FIG. 4, but which serves to punch the film material of the information carrier into the desired format.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4 at 50, a provided carrier layer or film 41, preferably coated on the side facing the exposed emulsion 6 of the film with a suitable adhesive or adhesive, is brought up to the emulsion, as in the case of 50 shown shown and the connection with the film made of auxiliary carrier 40 and emulsion 6. This can take place, for example, through the action of pressure and / or heat.

All layers are initially larger than the desired card format. A later stamping or cutting step then brings the composite to format. This ensures that when pressing under heat, edge areas which may not be perfectly connected are removed by the punching out.

The adhesive layer can be applied to the carrier layer from the start; alternatively it is possible and, as a further embodiment of the present invention, it should be mentioned at this point that during the development and fixing steps the film is introduced as the last bath in such a solution which immediately contains a suitable adhesive, so that the emulsion coexists this carrier is removed from the bath soaked. You then only have to place the (PVC) backing layer on the free emulsion side of the film and make the connection. The same, that is to say the connection of the emulsion without separate application of adhesive, results when a second plastic layer is applied to the other, after the auxiliary carrier has been removed, the back of the emulsion is free, since the emulsion in the immersion bath has absorbed the adhesive like a sponge. The application takes place, as is understood, with the aid of a position system, the adhesive performing the connection between the carrier layer 41 and the emulsion 6 having two functions, namely the production of the intimate connection, for example by the action of heat and pressure with the plastic Backing layer (PVC) and ensuring such a strong bond between these two layers 41 and 6 that, as shown at 51 in Fig. 4, the subcarrier of the now fully adhered to the backing layer 41, fully developed and with all the data provided emulsion layer 6 can be removed. The main property of the auxiliary carrier 40 is therefore that in the formation of its assignment to the emulsion 6, after it has been provided with the necessary data and conditioned, it dissolves with certainty without causing damage. The measures required for this are technologically easily achievable; It is therefore essential in the method according to the invention that the tensile strength of the adhesion or the adhesive layer between the backing layer 41 and the emulsion 6 is greater, and preferably more, than the tensile strength of the adhesion or connection between the emulsion 6 and the auxiliary carrier 40 The tensile strength of this latter connection must also be smaller and in fact considerably smaller than the tensile strength of the emulsion itself. It is within the skill of the art that the materials required for executing the method described above and for producing such an identification card with specified properties can be obtained from the Select a large number of commercially available materials, so that in principle no particularly suitable materials are mentioned. However, it should be mentioned that foils made of polyvinyl chloride are preferably used for the layers which later form the identification card, which have particularly advantageous properties and are also preferred over polyester insofar as polyester itself is not able to form an indissoluble bond with plastics; For example, polyester basically allows separation, so that loosening of individual layers is not excluded. Nevertheless, the use of polyester is of course within the process according to the invention.

The composite combination of carrier layer 41 and emulsion 6 shown at 51 in the flowchart of FIG. 4 otherwise corresponds to the intermediate layer 5 as shown in FIG. 5; it is already part of the identification card that is still to be finished, the next step then, as shown at 55 in FIG. 4, is that after the auxiliary carrier 40 has been detached from the emulsion, another plastic layer 42 provided is applied to the other side thereof becomes. Depending on whether the layers 41, 42 are the cover layers or the base layers, they can be transparent or opaque; it is also possible that both layers are transparent or opaque, depending on the application and the requirements for machine readability or the recognition of the data the human eye. For connection to the emulsion 6 located between them and to one another, the layers 41 and 42 are provided with adhesive layers, as indicated in FIG. 4; these layers can be heat-sealing lacquers, which results in an effective connection under heating and pressure and also ensures that the emulsion 6 is enclosed between the two upper and lower layers 41, 42 in such a way that moisture sensitivity is excluded.

If adhesive layers are provided, then these preferably extend only to the area covered by the emulsion. If the emulsion is therefore narrower than the other plastic layers, this ensures that only plastic on plastic, that is PVC on PVC, comes to rest in the edge areas and can be welded well to one another.

The structure shown at 56 in the flowchart of FIG. 4 can then be completed by further layers, which are shown in FIG. 4, if desired, which need not be discussed further.

Depending on the type of material used for the carrier layers facing the emulsion, plastic welding can also be used, optionally for heat sealing; A particularly suitable adhesive layer or adhesive layer can be obtained by using an adhesive sold under the Acronal 300 D product name; Acronal is an aqueous, plasticizer-free dispersion of a terpolymer made from an acrylic acid ester, vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

The subcarrier material used to carry out the described method is not critical. Proven materials are the polyester commonly used as a support for photo films or simply polyvinyl chloride. The term plastic used for the carrier and the cover layer encompasses all polymeric thermoplastic materials, although, as mentioned, preferably the polyvinyl chloride customary for the production of identification cards is used. Under special circumstances, suitable materials for an adhesive layer on the auxiliary carrier could then preferably be heat-sealing lacquers whose sealing temperature is below the welding temperature of the polymeric thermoplastic material or below the sealing temperature of the adhesive layer on the carrier and the top layer. Materials suitable for the backing layer and the top layer with adhesive layers applied on one side are also commercially available.

It goes without saying that when carrying out the method described, it is advantageous not to use individual pre-cut pieces, but rather long strips, both for the auxiliary support and for the support and cover layers. It is also possible, when the carrier layer connected to the photographic layer and the cover layer are placed one on top of the other, to apply further layers if a multilayer identification card of the type to be described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is to be produced. These process steps are also known to any person skilled in the art, which is why their detailed description is dispensed with. Finally, it goes without saying that method steps 50, 55 can be reversed by first connecting a transparent cover layer and then an opaque carrier layer to the emulsion. It should be noted that the transparent cover layer should be arranged so that the information in the photographic layer can be read correctly.

The dimensions of common identification cards are specified in DIN 9 781. It should be merely pointed out that the thickness of a tested color photographic layer approximately 20 p _'m, the thickness of the adhesive layers on the carrier and the cover layer each about 2 wm to 5, which at a card with directly sealed edge portion (Fig. 2) corresponds to a multilayer inclusion with a total thickness of 24 to 30 _kt m. The thickness of this inclusion is partially compensated for when the edge area is welded by flowing material of the carrier and cover layers and is in any case within the thickness tolerance of ± 80 µm permissible according to the above-mentioned standard.

Preferred embodiments of identification cards are explained below with reference to the representations of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The embodiment of the new card shown in partial section in FIG. 1 contains a base layer 10, a carrier layer 11 and a cover layer 12. The base and carrier layers are impermeable to visible light, but are permeable to IR radiation. The top layer is transparent to visible light. The backing and cover layers have an adhesive layer 13 and 14 on the mutually facing surfaces. The photagraphic emulsion 16 is arranged between the carrier and the cover layer. The emulsion is considerably thinner than the carrier layer and the top layer, so that the latter lie against one another with their adhesive layers in the region of the peripheral edge 17 and enclose the emulsion. The emulsion contains areas 18, 19, 20 which form information in plain text and recognizable by the transparent cover layer. Between the base layer and the cover layer, which, as already mentioned, are both only permeable to IR rays, there are further markings 22, 23 which are impermeable to IR radiation and form coded, machine-readable information.

The further embodiment shown in partial section in FIG. 2 is constructed almost in the same way as the illustration in FIG. 1, which is why the individual layers are not described again. The difference between the two embodiments is that the adhesive layers 13 ', 14' do not extend beyond the edge region of the emulsion 16 ', so that the carrier and cover layers 11' and 12 'directly in the region of the peripheral edges 17' are connected.

Fig. 3 shows the schematic partial section through a further embodiment. This contains one Carrier and cover layers 26 and 27, which are impermeable to visible light and cover layers 26 and 27, respectively, which are transparent to the visible light. The emulsion has a peripheral edge 32 in the region of the edges of the card, in which the layer is water-repellent or at least not swellable by a suitable aftertreatment.

In all three embodiments, the emulsion is permanently bonded to the adjacent carrier and cover layers with the aid of the adhesive layers. By framing the photographic layer in the edge region of the card in accordance with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or by post-treatment of the layer in accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, it is achieved that the identification card despite the usually hydrophilic emulsion of the photographic layer does not swell or be damaged in any way even after prolonged exposure to water or moisture.

It can be seen that the method according to the invention is particularly suitable for the color representation of images in an identification card in a transparent and absolutely forgery-proof design.

It goes without saying that the machine-readable information between the two layers which are impermeable to visible light does not necessarily have to be markings which can be recognized by IR radiation, but instead electrically or magnetically readable markings can also be used.

Another advantageous embodiment within the scope of the invention is that, while maintaining the advantages and the basic principles of the auxiliary carrier concept, a film is used as a basis in method step 44, which works with two auxiliary carriers, so to speak, the normal auxiliary carrier 40, the reference number of which is therefore retained and a further auxiliary carrier, which can then also be referred to as a so-called auxiliary carrier and represents a particularly thin film or layer, the thickness of which is preferably of the order of the thickness of the emulsion 6 and which can be located between the auxiliary carrier 40 and the emulsion , as indicated at 44a in FIG. 4, or also on the free top of the emulsion, which, however, is less an option. A preferred, detailed exemplary embodiment then consists in that, for example, a normal polyester film can be provided as auxiliary carrier 40, on which a further, extremely thin polyester film adheres, with an adhesiveness as described above with regard to liability or Connection between the auxiliary carrier 40 and the emulsion 6. The actual emulsion 6 is then poured onto this extremely thin intermediate film or auxiliary auxiliary carrier and it then adheres to it with the usual, even very strong, adhesive force. This can be achieved in the usual way with the aid of an adhesive, but is preferably brought up in that the extremely thin auxiliary auxiliary carrier layer has a corresponding structuring and forms a substrate in such a way that the auxiliary auxiliary carrier is completely inseparable from the emulsion.

The further processing then takes place as described above; after the exposure, development and fixing as well as drying steps, the auxiliary carrier 44 is removed, specifically here from the auxiliary auxiliary carrier layer 44a, which therefore remains together with the emulsion and, since it is also extremely thin, during further production as well little in terms of the thickness dimensions of the identification card, as would have been the case for the pure emulsion layer.

The arrangement of such an auxiliary subcarrier, preferably in the form of a super-thin polyethylene film, may make the manufacturing process easier, for example if, in addition or exclusively, it is a matter of adding fingerprint photographs to the identification card. Thus, with continuous production, the individual fingerprint photographs can be photographed on a film roll, consisting, as mentioned, of the auxiliary carrier, the auxiliary auxiliary carrier and the emulsion, and then developed, fixed and dried. One is then at method step 47 of FIG. 4, but then has a rolled-up film in a plurality of fingerprints, possibly together with images, other data and information and the like. For further processing, the procedure is then such that the individual images continuously drawn from the roll are cut through to a thickness from above through the emulsion and the auxiliary subcarrier layer, which at least up to the actual subcarrier layer and preferably something in it. Subsequently, the carrier layer 41 is then glued onto the emulsion from above in the manner already described and the auxiliary carrier 40 can be pulled off, made easier by the incision.

The auxiliary carrier 40 can also consist of a suitable paper in its material properties; the already mentioned polyethylene film is preferably used as an auxiliary auxiliary carrier in the extremely thin version, which then remains on the emulsion when the identification card is built up.

Claims (8)

1. A method for producing an information carrier in the form of a card, such as an identification card, pass or the like, having a multiplicity of plastic layers (10, 11, 12) bonded together into a block, at least one of said layers being a photographic layer, capable of carrying an image of the holder and/or at least one finger print and/or other information data in written form or in a form readable by machines, characterized by pretreating the surface of an auxiliary carrier (40, 44) such that a photographic emulsion (6) which is then applied to the carrier has only a small adhesive strength sufficient to assure the performance of a photographic exposure, development, fixing and drying of the film bond (6, 40), photographically exposing the film bond comprising the auxiliary carrier (40, 44) and the photographic emulsion (6) to data provided for said card which is to be produced, that is to an image of the holder and/or at least one finger print and/or information data in written form or in a form readable by machines, developing, fixing and drying the film bond (40, 44, 6) securing said film bond (40, 44, 6) comprising the auxiliary carrier (40, 44) and the emulsion (6) with the free surface of said emulsion to a first plastic carrier layer (41) by means of a compound having high adhesive strength, removing the auxiliary carrier (40, 44) from the emulsion remaining on the first carrier layer, applying at least one second plastic layer to the accessible side of the photographic emulsion, and bonding all of said layers together.

2. The method as defined by claim 1, characterized in that said auxiliary carrier for the purpose of surface treatment is coated with an adhesive layer the tensile strength of which is less than the adhesive strength existing between the photographic emulsion (6) and the first plastic carrier (41) layer subsequently bonded thereto and is less than the tensile strength of said emulsion itself.

3. The method as defined by claim 1 or 2, characterized by a structural pretreating of the surface of said auxiliary carrier, for example by roughening same by means of corona discharge for the purpose of surface treatment for influencing the adhesive strength existing between it and the photographic emulsion.

4. The method as defined by one of the claims 1-3, wherein all of the layers used for the structure of said identification card are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), possibly with the exception of the auxiliary carrier (40).

5. The method as defined by one of the claims 1-4, wherein a means for combining said emulsion (6) with at least one of said plastic layers resting directly against said emulsion within said information card comprises a plastic glue based on an aqueous dispersion, free of softening agents, of a terpolymer comprising an acrylic acid ester vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

6. The method as defined by one or more of the claims 1-5, characterized by bonding together said plastic layers making up said identification card compound by the action of heat and pressure.

7. The method as defined by one or more of the claims 1-6, characterized by disposing between said auxiliary carrier (44) and said emulsion an extremely thin accessory auxiliary carrier (44a) with a slight adhesive strength between the accessory auxiliary carrier and said auxiliary carrier being such that when the auxiliary carrier is removed, said accessory auxiliary carrier remains together with said emulsion (6) on said first plastic carrier layer and becomes a component of said identification card structure.

8. A method as defined by one of the claims 1-7, characterized in that the or one of the last bath means in which the emulsion with auxiliary carrier and possible with accessary auxiliary carrier is being immersed comprises a(n adhesive) material with an adhesive strength whereby the bonding is effected at least with said first carrier layer and preferably with said second plastic layer as well, thereby eliminating a separate application of adhesive.

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