Patent Application
20080124491
This invention relates generally to a kit for producing optically variable images and in one aspect, more particularly to a kit that includes a special effect pigment having particles that are magnetically alignable, a magnet for aligning the particles and a scribing tool for personalizing an image.
Patents referred to in this specification are incorporated herein by reference.
Printing kits of various types are well known and have proven to be useful in assisting and motivating adults and children to become interested in the printing arts. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,240 in the name of Fromm describes an educational device in the form of a children's pad printing kit includes a smooth, preferably transparent, transfer sheet upon which images may be drawn or traced, one or more water based felt tip ink pens, and a deformable rubber-like transfer pad which is capable of lifting off an image from the surface of the transfer sheet when the rubber-like transfer pad is placed into contact with the ink image on the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,111 issued May 11, 1999 in the name of Lindsey discloses a part printing kit for use at children's parties or other special occasions. The kit includes a T-shirt or similar article of clothing with pre-printed indicia, indicating the nature of the occasion or displaying a company's logo or other identifying phrases. The pre-printed indicia may also include directions for using the kit as described following. The kit includes a variety of fabric paints, a backing material to prevent the paints from bleeding through the fabric, brushes, markers and the like suitable for use on fabrics, and instructions. The purpose of the kit is to allow the participants at the special occasion to decorate the shirt with their handprints.
Within the last several years, optically variable pigments for use in inks and paints have become nearly ubiquitous being used on currencies, labels and other devices requiring built-in security features that are difficult to copy with digital copiers. Heretofore, these pigments have required expensive industrial equipment for their application in coating substrates and the like. Optically variable pigment having a color change with change in viewing angle has been described in numerous patents in the name of Roger Phillips of Flex Products Inc. and JDS Uniphase Corp, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,838,648; 5,059,245; 5,171,363; 5,383,995; 5,569,535; 6,114,018. In addition to color-shifting pigments, diffractive pigments are used as security coatings in various applications requiring anti-counterfeiting features. U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,238 in the name of Argoitia et al. discloses chromatic diffractive pigments also useful in this invention. Groove orientable diffractive pigment flakes are also known. Another form of flake that is less expensive to produce and that is applicable to this invention is a reflecting flake. Reflecting flakes are disclosed by Phillips et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,498. These aforementioned pigments have been used to coat automobiles, clothing, children's toys currencies and other highly valuable documents. As of late, several patent applications have been filed that relate to magnetic alignment of these pigments to produce desired optical effects; however, what has been missing is an inexpensive kit that would allow children and adults alike to use these special effect pigments to design their own graphics or personalized graphics.
It is an object of this invention, to provide a kit for printing field alignable pigments upon a substrate including means for creating special effects or personalizing of the printed graphics.
It is an object of this invention to provide a kit for printing with magnetically alignable paint or ink, having therein magnetically alignable flakes, wherein the flakes can first be aligned with a magnet producing a magnetic field and later scribed with a scribing tool within the kit to create personalized graphics, thereby changing the alignment of some of the magnetically aligned pigment flakes.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention there is provided, a kit for printing comprising a printing ink including a carrier vehicle and field alignable flakes;
means of generating a magnetic or electric field, for aligning the field alignable flakes in dependence upon the magnetic or electric field;
a stylus for moving or changing the alignment of a portion of the flakes that have been aligned in the magnetic or electric field.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided, a kit for printing comprising:
a printing ink including a carrier vehicle and field alignable flakes;
means of generating a magnetic or electric field, for aligning the field alignable flakes in dependence upon the magnetic or electric field;
a printing stamp for moving or changing the alignment of a portion of the flakes that have been aligned in the magnetic or electric field.
In accordance with the invention a kit for providing an image on a substrate includes:
a stylus or scribe;
a container of ink comprising optically variable magnetically alignable flakes;
a magnet for aligning some of the flakes, and
means for curing the ink.
In accordance with the invention a kit for providing an image on a substrate includes:
a stylus or scribe;
a container of ink comprising alignable flakes;
a means spreading and for aligning some of the flakes, and
means for curing the ink.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a method of printing an image is provided comprising the steps of:
applying a printing ink comprising field alignable flakes to a substrate.
applying a magnetic or electric field to the applied printing ink so that the field alignable flakes align along field lines; and,
using a stylus to re-align some of the aligned flakes.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention a method of printing an image is provided comprising the steps of:
applying a printing ink comprising field alignable flakes to a substrate.
applying a magnetic or electric field to the applied printing ink so that the field alignable flakes align along field lines; and,
using a printing stamp to re-align some of the aligned flakes.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
This invention describes a kit and methods of using the kit to produce optically variable image devices (OVIDs).
The resulting image is preferably an image having personalized graphics thereon. The ink or paint used to create the image has flakes therein that can be aligned by way of applying the flakes with a squeegee or applicator or stamp, or can be aligned by exposing the flakes in a magnetic or electric field. Preferably magnetically alignable flakes are used, and a magnet is provided to align the flakes in the magnetic field. The flakes may be colored, reflective, optically variable, and/or diffractive. In a preferred embodiment images are formed by selectively moving at least partially aligned flakes with a scribing tool to create paths or channels within a fluid, uncured, coated inked or painted surface wherein the paths or channels where flakes have been moved or removed define images, signatures or logos that can be preserved after the coating has cured.
The scribing tool mentioned hereafter, preferably has a pointed end or chiseled end, yet is not so sharp as to score or cut the substrate. The scribing tool preferably has an end that will allow the ink or paint to be pushed aside, while leaving some ink or paint in the path. A scribing tool could also be provided that has an end or edge that is sufficiently chiseled as a scarping tool to remove essentially all of the ink or paint in the path, where it is desired to do so. The end may also be a roller ball or similar structure so as to create an effect of a ball point pen signature.
Referring now to
When optically variable flakes are used, the document bearing the signature will change color as the document is tilted. Both the background flakes and flakes in and about the signature will change color however contrast is seen so that the signature is visible. When the scribing tool is used, and flakes within the path of the tool are moved aside, a trough with ridges is formed and the resulting image, graphic or signature has raised and lower portions that can be discerned by touch, resulting in visual and tactile effects.
Referring now to
In the preferred embodiment shown in
The kit in accordance with this invention preferably includes ink or paint, or an ink or paint vehicle, and a supply of pigment flakes that can selectively added to the ink in a plurality of concentrations. A typical concentration of flakes within the binder or carrier is approximately 10% by weight of pigment and 90% of carrier vehicle. If the concentration is too dilute, the effect will be negligible. The kit also preferably includes an applicator in the form of a flat stamp or squeegee to spread the flakes upon a substrate. The provision of a magnet and scribing tool is also required in a preferred embodiment.
The substrate upon which the image may be formed can be paper, plastic, metal, and a variety of other support materials. For example, the ink or paint can even be applied to one's nails, or a sheet of glass.
A surprising effect of this invention is that the ink or paint about where the scribing tool has scribed has a rolling bar effect if looked at closely. Although bar is very thin, the effect is striking.
Of course, numerous other embodiments may be envisaged, without departing form the spirit and scope of the invention.
