Tamper evident and counterfeit resisting informational article and associated method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention has met the above-described need by providing a means for an informational article, such as a temporary license plate as supplied by the state, to inherently resist counterfeiting by photocopying and also further means to resist any alteration of the information inserted by the vehicle dealer.
The informational article has a preprinted side containing basic information, such as the state in which it is effective and a zone on such side for insertion of the expiration date by the dealer.
It is obvious that such temporary plates must be sufficiently large as to be viewable from a substantial distance such that a law enforcement officer, for example, could without getting out of his or her vehicle, quickly determine whether the temporary vehicle registration has expired.
The present invention provides a pattern within the zone which preferably is a refractive image, such as a hologram so as to resist reproduction by a form of photocopying.
Efforts to photocopy, even on paper of identical color as the original form would fail to reproduce the refractive image and thereby preclude photocopying as a means of counterfeiting the temporary registration plate.
Also, the invention contemplates the dealer after applying the date of expiration within the zone placing an adhesively bonded transparent tape which might be made of a polyester or polyolefin, for example, over that area.
The tape preferably is covered with a write resistant coating which is preferably a silicone resin to which a wax, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, has been added.
The method of the present invention involves providing such an informational article, inserting the information within the zone with at least a portion of it being on the pattern to resist reproduction and thereafter applying the write resistant protective tape thereover to adhesively bond the same.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient means for resisting counterfeiting by photocopying or alteration of an information containing article