Abstract:
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the present invention provides methods for producing optical effect layers exhibiting one or more indicia on a substrate, said method comprising a step of exposing a coating layer comprising non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles to a magnetic field of a magnetic-field generating device so as to orient at least a part of the magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles; a step of applying a top coating composition on top of the coating layer and in the form of one or more indicia, and a step of at least partially curing the coating layer and the one or more indicia with a curing unit.
Abstract:
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the present invention provides processes for magnetically transferring one or more indicia into a not yet hardened coating layer made of a coating composition comprising platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles so as to produce optical effect layers (OELs) as anti-counterfeit means on security documents or security articles or for decorative purposes.
Abstract:
According to examples, a substrate may be moved through a magnetic field, in which the substrate includes a fluid carrier containing magnetically-orientable flakes. The magnetic field may influence the magnetically-orientable flakes to be respectively oriented in one of multiple orientations. In addition, during movement of the substrate through the magnetic field, radiation may be applied onto a plurality of selected portions of the fluid carrier through at least one opening in a mask to cure the fluid carrier at the plurality of selected portions and fix the magnetically-orientable flakes in the plurality of selected portions at the respective angular orientations as influenced by the magnetic field.
Abstract:
Material properties are manipulated using rapid pulse application of energy in combination with applied electric or magnetic fields. When sintering, annealing or crystallizing a target film, the pulse repetition cycle can be constrained to ensure material temperature rises above and falls below the Curie temperature before the next energy pulse. This process results in enhanced material properties as compared to traditional techniques having a single, slow temperature excursion and subsequent application of the applied external field.
Abstract:
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to optical effect layers (OEL) showing a viewing-angle dependent optical effect, devices and processes for producing said OEL and items carrying said OEL, as well as uses of said optical effect layers as an anti-counterfeit means on documents. The OEL comprises a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material, the OEL comprising two or more loop-shaped areas, being nested around a common central area that is surrounded by the innermost loop-shaped area, wherein, in each of the loop-shaped areas, at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL layer and extending from the center of the central area to the outer boundary of the outermost loop-shaped area, the longest axis of the particles in each of the cross-sectional areas of the looped-shaped areas follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of hypothetical ellipses or circles.
Abstract:
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to optical effect layers (OEL) showing a viewing-angle dependent optical effect, devices and processes for producing said OEL and items carrying said OEL, as well as uses of said optical effect layers as an anti-counterfeit means on documents. The OEL comprises a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material, wherein in at least a loop-shaped area of the OEL at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that their longest axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the OEL, and wherein, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL and extending from the center of the central area, the longest axis of the oriented particles present in the loop-shaped area forming the impression of the loop-shaped body follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of a hypothetical ellipse or circle.
Abstract:
In a printed article, pigment flakes are magnetically aligned so as to form curved patterns in a plurality of cross-sections normal a continuous imaginary line, wherein radii of the curved patterns increase along the imaginary line from the first point to the second point. When light is incident upon the aligned pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the aligned pattern forms a bright image which appears to gradually change its shape and move from one side of the continuous imaginary line to another side of the continuous imaginary line when the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source.
Abstract:
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to optical effect layers (OEL) showing a viewing-angle dependent optical effect, devices and processes for producing said OEL and items carrying said OEL, as well as uses of said optical effect layers as an anti-counterfeit means on documents. The OEL comprises a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material, wherein in at least a loop-shaped area of the OEL at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that their longest axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the OEL, and wherein, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL and extending from the centre of the central area, the longest axis of the oriented particles present in the loop-shaped area forming the impression of the loop-shaped body follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of a hypothetical ellipse or circle.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents, especially banknotes, against illegal actions such as robbery or theft. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of ink compositions for producing irreversibly magnetically induced images or patterns, said inks comprising multichromal microspheres, preferably bichromal microspheres (1) that are orientable upon application of a magnetic field and that comprise at least a first portion (2) comprising one or more dyes and/or pigments and at least a second portion (3) comprising one or more magnetic or magnetizable materials, wherein said microspheres (1) comprise as the first portion a core (2) having a surface and comprising the one or more dyes and/or pigments and as the second portion a partial coating (3) covering at least a portion of the surface of said core (2) and comprising the one or more magnetic or magnetizable materials.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of aligning magnetic flakes, which includes: coating a substrate with a carrier having the flakes dispersed therein, moving the substrate in a magnetic field so as to align the flakes along force lines of the magnetic field in the absence of an effect from a solidifying means, and at least partially solidifying the carrier using a solidifying means while further moving the substrate in the magnetic field so as to secure the magnetic flakes in the carrier while the magnetic field maintains alignment of the magnetic flakes. An apparatus is provided, which has a belt for moving a substrate along a magnet assembly for aligning magnetic flakes. The apparatus also includes a solidifying means, such as a UV- or e-beam source, and a cover above a portion of the magnet assembly for protecting the flakes from the effect of the solidifying means.