GB2257657A

GB2257657A - Security device for posting secret information.

Info

Publication number: GB2257657A
Application number: GB9214465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sheridan Peter King
Original assignee: Waddingtons Business Forms Ltd
Current assignee: Waddingtons Business Forms Ltd
Priority date: 1991-07-09
Filing date: 1992-07-08
Publication date: 1993-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-08
Also published as: GB2257657B; GB9115122D0; GB9214465D0

Abstract

A security device for sending secret information e.g. PIN codes through the post is made up of two sheet sections comprising a patch 14 glued to a web 10 between which the information is contained. The patch and web are glued peripherally at 16 and a security module M is defined by skip out lines 30 inside the periphery of the patch so that it has to be broken away from the remainder of the laminated sheet sections. The broken away module remains glued at its periphery but has a transverse tear line 34 inside the glue line so that an end (M1, Fig. 4) can be torn away, leaving a wallet portion (M2, Fig. 4) which can then be peeled apart to gain access to the information. The peeling apart of the wallet portion is facilitated by the use of adhesive spots 26. The glued sheet sections form part of a continuous stationery form for transmission through the post. The patch 14 has a region of carbon less image transfer material 28 so that the information can be printed on the underlying web 10. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Security Products This invention relates to security products which are in the nature of cards, tickets or the like, and which will be referred to hereinafter in the interests of simplicity as "modules".

The modules to which the present invention relate have as their purpose to deliver to a recipient certain confidential or secret information. That information is trapped between two layers of the module, such layers typically being of paper or other appropriate material in sheet form. The module is of a type which requires separation of the layers in order to gain access to the secret information.

It will be appreciated that the module has wide application and can be used for the delivery of any appropriate information and an immediate application for such modules resides in the notifying of credit card holders of their "pin" numbers. As is known, pin numbers comprise the numbers used by credit and other card holders to procure the delivery of cash from automatic cash dispensing points. It is most important when a pin number is delivered to a credit card holder by means of the postal service, that the documentation which is received by the holder be as secure as possible as regards the holders pin number, because obviously if the holder's pin number falls into the wrong hands, then opportunity for defrauding the holder of card presents itself.

The present invention aims to provide a particularly secure module designed to prevent tampering or to indicate to a recipient whether or not there has been any tampering with the module.

In accordance with the present invention, the module is defined in a laminate made up of at least first and second sections of sheet material by means of a line of weakening defining the periphery of the module, so that the module can be displaced from the remainder of the sheet sections, and wherein the first end sheet sections are adhered together in a pattern of adherence related to the said line of weakening such that the following applies: the periphery of the module defined by the line of weakening lies entirely within the periphery of the laminated sheet sections, and the said line of weakening extends through the region where the first end sheet sections are adhered together, said module further comprising means defining a portion adapted to be torn from the remainder to achieve access to the secret information which is contained between the sheet sections of the remainder of the module.

The said module may be embodied in a printed business form comprising a form backing sheet of relatively large size, and forming the first sheet section of the module, and a second and smaller sheet applied to the form sheet in the region where the module is to be defined.

The said overlapping first and second sheet sections preferably are then die cut in order to define the line of weakening, and to define the respective parts of the module.

The sheet sections are preferably adhered together by means of adhesive, although other adherence technique such as heat sealing can be adopted in appropriate cases.

Typically, the module will be generally rectangular in shape, with a line of perforations extending there across and close to one end thereof so that an end strip portion can be torn away leaving a wallet portion between the sheet sections of which is contained the secret information. The wallet portion, by virtue of the adhesive pattern, will have an open end enabling the recipient to insert a finger nail to peel away the respective sheet portions of the wallet portion to gain access to the secret information. When the secret information has been identified, conveniently the wallet portion can be destroyed.

The peeling apart of the sheet sections of the wallet portion is preferably achievable by the particular adoption of the adhesive pattern used for connecting these sections together insofar as such pattern may comprise dots or spots of adhesive along the respective longer edge regions of the wallet portion.

The secret information may be simply a printed number, symbol or the like or any other suitable information, and it may be created by providing that the first and second sheet sections on their respective faces are treated with image developing material so that the image can be created by an image developing system.

Components of the imaging development system may be applied as patch or mill coatings, and the most commonly used system of this type is the CB/CF no carbon required system which is in extensive use.

Either or each of the sheet sections of the module may have printed thereon a confusion printing pattern to prevent any unauthorised reading of the secret information. The confusion pattern may be provided on one or both sides of either sheet section of the module.

Where imaging development systems are used, the business form may be printed after the laminating of the sheet sections, but it is also possible in this invention to print one of the sheet sections by conventional printing such as lazer printing to avoid the creation of any image indentation, prior to the laminating and die cutting step. We prefer to use image developing arrangement so that the laminating can be performed before the image development, as with this arrangement the remainder of the form can be printed at the same time as the development of the image of the secret information, and there is also the advantage that the secret information cannot be identified by any personnel involved in the manufacture of the forms.

With the invention, should an unauthorised person wish to endeavour to tamper with the module to identify the secret information, it will be virtually impossible to do this without it being obvious that the module has been tampered with. Because, should an attempt be made to delaminate the sheet sections, for example by using a thin bladed knife, the tamperer will if he is able to break through the peripheral portion of the laminate which surrounds the module, will meet the die cut edge of the module which will present another obstacle to the tampering process. This we believe will be an insurmountable obstacle. Any attempt to delaminate the module in this way, will result in the module itself becoming displaced from the peripheral portion of the laminate.

As regards the sheet sections of the module itself, these are adhered around the entire periphery, but where the line of perforations is provided to define the tear away portion, the sections are not adhered so that when the tear away portion is removed by the correct recipient of the module, the wallet with the open end will be created. Separation of the sheet sections of the wallet to identify the secret information can be performed quite simply.

It is appreciated that various modifications and variations may be effected within the scope of the invention, and it is intended that all such modifications and variations be covered.

Without prejudice to the above, an embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein Fig 1 is an exploded sectional view of a continuous stationary form provided with a module according to the present invention, the figure also showing how the form and module are printed; Fig 2 is a plan view of a corner of the form showing how the module is embodied therein; Figs 3, 4 and 5 show how the module is removed from the form and is opened by the recipient.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Fig 1 a continuous stationary web is indicated by reference 10, and this web may be of appropriate paper or the like.

The top side of the web is treated with areas of "copysaver" receptive chemical and the ribbon 12 of an impact printer which is used to print the upper surface of the web 10 is coated with "copysaver" ink (copysaver receptive chemical and copysaver ink are products manufactured by Uarco Inc of Barrington, Illinois, USA and together form an image developing system of a type which is commonly known). When an impact is applied by the printer through the ribbon and along to the region of the receptor chemical, the interaction of the ink and chemical produces the image of the print hammer.

In a corner of the form as shown in Fig 2 the secret data module is created by the laminating to the form of a cover sheet patch 14. The web 10 and the patch 14 form the first and second sheet sections as referred to hereinbefore.

Patch 14 is glued to the form 10, although other methods of attachment may be adopted, in the shaded region 16 shown clearly in Fig 2. It will be seen that the shaded region 16 comprises a wide adhesive strip 18 extending transversely of the patch 14 at one end thereof, and strip 18 is connected by its ends to narrow lengths 20 and 22 to another and slightly narrower strip 24 at the other end of the patch 14 so that the adhesive in fact forms a rectangular window.

Inwardly of the lengths 20 and 22 are adhesive spots or dots 26 connecting the web 10 and patch 14.

On the upper surface of the web 10 and under the patch 14 is provided a patch 28 of "OPAS" chemical, and the underside of patch 14, which is of paper or the like is coated with the other component of the image developing system which is complimentary to the OPAS patch so that in fact when the impact printer impacts in the region of the security module, an image is created in the OPAS patch constituting the secret data. It will be appreciated that the data cannot be viewed until such times as the patch 14 is separated from the web 10.

Within the adhesive region 16 a removable module M is defined by a line of die cutting 30 which defines a rectangular shape and of which the ends lie within the adhesive strips 18 and 24, but the side edges lie on the inner margins of adhesive lengths 20 and 22. The adhesive spots 26 lie inside the die cut line 30.

This arrangement provides a particularly secure means of preventing unauthorised tampering with the module in order to ascertain the concealed secret information. If a would-be tamperer endeavours to separate the sheet sections of the module to assess the information, he would have to use a thin knife blade to prize away the edge of the patch 14, but in so doing he would encounter the cut edge defined by the die cutting, and it would be extremely difficult to continue the separation of the laminated sheets, without it being obvious that the module had been tampered with. If such tampering did take place, there is a substantial possibility that the catch points 32 between the die cuts would be broken, and it is only these catch points which retain the module M in position and the form.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show how the module M is handled when received by the correct recipient. The module M is basically removed from the form by breaking the catch points 32 and the separated module is indicated in Fig 3. Next, as shown in fig 4, the recipient removes the tear-off stub M1 of the module M leaving a wallet portion M2. The portions M1 and M2 are defined by a line 34 of hand tear perforations extending transversely of the module, and between the opposite portions of the die cut line.The two sheet sections making up the stub portion M1 are glued together over their entire facing surfaces, but the hand tear perforation line 34 defines the extremity of the adhesive so that when the stub M1 is removed as shown in fig 4, the end 36 of the wallet portion M2 of the module can be bowed open, and the recipient can then grip the respective sheet portions of the wallet and peel them apart as shown in fig 5 to reveal the secret information 38. By virtue of the sections of the wallet being held together only by the spots 26 of adhesive, this peeling open of the module portion can be performed quite readily.

It is appreciated that other embodiments of the invention may be provided. For example, instead of creating the secret data by using an image developing system as described, the form 10 could be preprinted by means of a lazer or other printer in the region to be covered by the patch 14, but before the patch is actually applied.

Also, instead of the module being embodied in a continuous stationary web, individual modules with their peripheral portions connected via the catch points 32, and having their boundary the boundary 40 of patch 14, may be provided.

The die cut line 30 will be provided after the patch 14 is laminated to the web 10 or other sheet section.

The module can be used for any suitable purpose, such as for notifying recipients of their credit card pin numbers or alternatively for example for lottery tickets, and the secret information can be on a third sheet located between the sheets 10/14.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A module for containing secret information, said module being defined in a laminate made up of at least first and second sections of sheet material by means of a line of weakening defining the periphery of the module, so that the module can be displaced from the remainder of the sheet sections, and wherein the first end sheet sections are adhered together in a pattern of adherence related to the said line of weakening such that the following applies: the periphery of the module defined by the line of weakening lies entirely within the periphery of the laminated sheet sections, and the said line of weakening extends through the region where the first end sheet sections are adhered together, said module further comprising means defining a portion adapted to be torn from the remainder to achieve access to the secret information which is contained between the sheet sections of the remainder of the module.

2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the module is embodied in a printed business form comprising a form backing sheet of relatively large size, and forming the first sheet section of the module, and a second and smaller sheet applied to the form sheet in the region where the module is to be defined.

3. A module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first and second sheet sections are die cut in order to define the line of weakening, and to define the respective parts of the module.

4. A module according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the sheet sections are adhered by means of adhesive.

5. A module according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the module is generally rectangular in shape, with a line of perforations extending there across and close to one end thereof so that an end strip portion can be torn away leaving a wallet portion between the sheet sections of which is contained the secret information.

6. A module according to claim 5, wherein the sheet section at the longer edges of the wallet portion are adhered together by dots or spots of adhesive to facilitate opening of the wallet portion.

7. A module according to any preceding claim wherein the secret information is a printed number symbol or the like.

8. A module according to claim 7, wherein the secret information is created by providing that the first and second sheet sections on their respective faces are treated with image developing material so that the image can be created by an image developing system.

9. A module according to claim 8, wherein either or each of the sheet sections has printed thereon a confusion printing pattern to prevent any unauthorised reading of the secret information.

10. A module according to claim 9, wherein the confusion pattern is provided on one or both sides of either or each sheet section of the module.