Patent Grant
10836199
This invention relates to security devices. Security devices are used for example on documents of value such as banknotes, cheques, passports, identity cards, certificates of authenticity, fiscal stamps and other secure documents, in order to confirm their authenticity. Methods for their manufacture will also be described.
Articles of value, and particularly documents of value such as banknotes, cheques, passports, identification documents, certificates and licences, are frequently the target of counterfeiters and persons wishing to make fraudulent copies thereof and/or changes to any data contained therein. Typically such objects are provided with a number of visible security devices for checking the authenticity of the object. By “security device” we mean a feature which it is not possible to reproduce accurately by taking a visible light copy, e.g. through the use of standardly available photocopying or scanning equipment. Examples include features based on one or more patterns such as microtext, fine line patterns, latent images, venetian blind devices, lenticular devices, moiré interference devices and moiré magnification devices, each of which generates a secure visual effect. Other known security devices include holograms, watermarks, embossings, perforations and the use of colour-shifting or luminescent/fluorescent inks. Common to all such devices is that the visual effect exhibited by the device is extremely difficult, or impossible, to copy using available reproduction techniques such as photocopying. Security devices exhibiting non-visible effects such as magnetic materials may also be employed.
One class of security devices are those which produce an optically variable effect, meaning that the appearance of the device is different at different angles of view. Such devices are particularly effective since direct copies (e.g. photocopies) will not produce the optically variable effect and hence can be readily distinguished from genuine devices. Optically variable effects can be generated based on various different mechanisms, including holograms and other diffractive devices, moiré interference and other mechanisms relying on parallax such as venetian blind devices, and also devices which make use of focusing elements such as lenses, including moiré magnifier devices, integral imaging devices and so-called lenticular devices.
Moiré magnifier devices (examples of which are described in EP-A-1695121, WO-A-94/27254, WO-A-2011/107782 and WO2011/107783) make use of an array of focusing elements (such as lenses or mirrors) and a corresponding array of microimages, wherein the pitches of the focusing elements and the array of microimages and/or their relative locations are mismatched with the array of focusing elements such that a magnified version of the microimages is generated due to the moiré effect. Each microimage is a complete, miniature version of the image which is ultimately observed, and the array of focusing elements acts to select and magnify a small portion of each underlying microimage, which portions are combined by the human eye such that the whole, magnified image is visualised. This mechanism is sometimes referred to as “synthetic magnification”. The magnified array appears to move relative to the device upon tilting and can be configured to appear above or below the surface of the device itself. The degree of magnification depends, inter alia, on the degree of pitch mismatch and/or angular mismatch between the focusing element array and the microimage array.
Integral imaging devices are similar to moiré magnifier devices in that an array of microimages is provided under a corresponding array of lenses, each microimage being a miniature version of the image to be displayed. However here there is no mismatch between the lenses and the microimages. Instead a visual effect is created by arranging for each microimage to be a view of the same object but from a different viewpoint. When the device is tilted, different ones of the images are magnified by the lenses such that the impression of a three-dimensional image is given.
“Hybrid” devices also exist which combine features of moiré magnification devices with those of integral imaging devices. In a “pure” moiré magnification device, the microimages forming the array will generally be identical to one another. Likewise in a “pure” integral imaging device there will be no mismatch between the arrays, as described above. A “hybrid” moiré magnification/integral imaging device utilises an array of microimages which differ slightly from one another, showing different views of an object, as in an integral imaging device. However, as in a moiré magnification device there is a mismatch between the focusing element array and the microimage array, resulting in a synthetically magnified version of the microimage array, due to the moiré effect, the magnified microimages having a three-dimensional appearance. Since the visual effect is a result of the moiré effect, such hybrid devices are considered a subset of moiré magnification devices for the purposes of the present disclosure. In general, therefore, the microimages provided in a moiré magnification device should be substantially identical in the sense that they are either exactly the same as one another (pure moiré magnifiers) or show the same object/scene but from different viewpoints (hybrid devices).
Moiré magnifiers, integral imaging devices and hybrid devices can all be configured to operate in just one dimension (e.g. utilising cylindrical lenses) or in two dimensions (e.g. comprising a 2D array of spherical or aspherical lenses).
Lenticular devices on the other hand do not rely upon magnification, synthetic or otherwise. An array of focusing elements, typically cylindrical lenses, overlies a corresponding array of image sections, or “slices”, each of which depicts only a portion of an image which is to be displayed. Image slices from two or more different images are interleaved and, when viewed through the focusing elements, at each viewing angle, only selected image slices will be directed towards the viewer. In this way, different composite images can be viewed at different angles. However it should be appreciated that no magnification typically takes place and the resulting image which is observed will be of substantially the same size as that to which the underlying image slices are formed. Some examples of lenticular devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,336, WO-A-2011/051669, WO-A-2011051670, WO-A-2012/027779 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,462. More recently, two-dimensional lenticular devices have also been developed and examples of these are disclosed in British patent application numbers 1313362.4 and 1313363.2. Lenticular devices have the advantage that different images can be displayed at different viewing angles, giving rise to the possibility of animation and other striking visual effects which are not possible using the moiré magnifier or integral imaging techniques.
Security devices such as moiré magnifiers, integral imaging devices and lenticular devices depend for their success significantly on the resolution with which the image array (defining for example microimages, interleaved image sections or the like) can be formed. Since the security device must be thin in order to be incorporated into a document such as a banknote, the focusing elements must also be thin, which by their nature also limits their lateral dimensions. For example, lenses used in such security elements preferably have a width or diameter of 50 microns or less, e.g. 30 microns. In a lenticular device this leads to the requirement that each image element must have a width which is at most half the lens width. For example, in a “two channel” lenticular switch device which displays only two images (one across a first range of viewing angles and the other across the remaining viewing angles), where the lenses are of 30 micron width, each image section must have a width of 15 microns or less. More complicated lenticular effects such as animation, motion or 3D effects usually require more than two interlaced images and hence each section needs to be even finer in order to fit all of the image sections into the optical footprint of each lens. For instance, in a “six channel” device with six interlaced images, where the lenses are of 30 micron width, each image section must have a width of 5 microns or less.
Similarly high-resolution image elements are also required in moiré magnifiers and integral imaging devices since approximately one microimage must be provided for each focusing element and again this means in effect that each microimage must be formed within a small area of e.g. 30 by 30 microns. In order for the microimage to carry any detail, fine linewidths of 5 microns or less are therefore highly desirable.
Typical processes used to manufacture image patterns for security devices are based on printing and include intaglio, gravure, wet lithographic printing as well as dry lithographic printing. The achievable resolution is limited by several factors, including the viscosity, wettability and chemistry of the ink, as well as the surface energy, unevenness and wicking ability of the substrate, all of which lead to ink spreading. With careful design and implementation, such techniques can be used to print pattern elements with a line width of between 25 μm and 50 μm. For example, with gravure or wet lithographic printing it is possible to achieve line widths down to about 15 μm.
Methods such as these are limited to the formation of single-colour image elements, since it is not possible to achieve the high registration required between different workings of a multi-coloured print. In the case of a lenticular device for example, the various interlaced image sections must all be defined on a single print master (e.g. a gravure or lithographic cylinder) and transferred to the substrate in a single working, hence in a single colour. The various images displayed by the resulting security device will therefore be monotone, or at most duotone if the so-formed image elements are placed against a background of a different colour.
One approach which has been put forward as an alternative to the printing techniques mentioned above is used in the so-called Unison Motion™ product by Nanoventions Holdings LLC, as mentioned for example in WO-A-2005052650. This involves creating pattern elements (“icon elements”) as recesses in a substrate surface before spreading ink over the surface and then scraping off excess ink with a doctor blade. The resulting inked recesses can be produced with line widths of the order of 2 μm to 3 μm. This high resolution produces a very good visual effect, but the process is complex and expensive. Further, limits are placed on the minimum substrate thickness by the requirement to carry recesses in its surface. Again, this technique is only suitable for producing image elements of a single colour.
Some more methods for generating patterns or micropatterns (i.e. image arrays) on a substrate are known from US 2009/0297805 A1 and WO 2011/102800 A1. These disclose methods of forming micropatterns in which a die form or matrix is provided whose surface comprises a plurality of recesses. The recesses are filled with a curable material, a treated substrate layer is made to cover the recesses of the matrix, the material is cured to fix it to the treated surface of the substrate layer, and the material is removed from the recesses by separating the substrate layer from the matrix.
Another method of forming a micropattern is disclosed in WO 2014/070079 A1. Here it is taught that a matrix is provided whose surface comprises a plurality of recesses, the recesses are filled with a curable material, and a curable pickup layer is made to cover the recesses of the matrix. The curable pickup layer and the curable material are cured, fixing them together, and the pickup later is separated from the matrix, removing the material from the recesses. The pickup layer is, at some point during or after this process, transferred onto a substrate layer so that the pattern is provided on the substrate layer.
Other approaches involve the patterning of a metal layer through the use of a photosensitive resist material and exposing the resist to appropriate radiation through a mask. Depending on the nature of the resist material, exposure to the radiation either increases or decreases its solubility in certain etchants, such that the pattern on the mask is transferred to the metal layer when the resist-covered metal substrate is subsequently exposed to the etchant. For instance, EP-A-0987599 discloses a negative resist system in which the exposed photoresist becomes insoluble in the etchant upon exposure to ultraviolet light. The portions of the metal layer underlying the exposed parts of the resist are thus protected from the etchant and the final pattern formed in the metal layer is the “negative” of that carried on the mask. In contrast, our British patent application no. 1510073.9 discloses a positive resist system in which the exposed photoresist becomes more soluble in the etchant upon exposure to ultraviolet light. The portions of the metal layer underlying the unexposed parts of the resist are thus protected from the etchant and the final pattern formed in the metal layer is the same as that carried on the mask. Methods such as these offer good pattern resolution, but still impose restrictions on the number and arrangement of colours that can be exhibited.
Security devices with new and distinctive appearances are constantly sought in order to keep ahead of would-be counterfeiters.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a security device comprises:
In common with other aspects of the present invention to be described below, the security device here comprises a colour filter which introduces additional colour effects, and hence imparts a new and more complex appearance to the device. As will be detailed hereinafter, the colour filter could be provided as an extra component additional to those mentioned already but could alternatively be incorporated into one of the existing components, such as the focussing element array itself. What is important is that the colour filter sits between the image array and the viewer in use so as to modify the apparent colour of the image array. The colour filter will typically be formed of transparent materials at least one of which contains a visibly coloured tint so that only selected wavelengths of the visible spectrum are transmitted therethrough.
The device is divided into at least first and second (and optionally further) regions which are laterally offset from one another meaning in this context that they occupy different portions (non-overlapping) of the device area. The colour filter is of a different colour in the first region as compared with in the second region. The term “colour” is used herein to denote any hue which is recognisable to human vision, including achromatics such as black, grey, white, silver and the like, as well as chromatics such as red, green, blue, orange etc. One of the regions of the colour layer could also be colourless (i.e. not modify the apparent colour of the image elements transmitted therethrough) since this will be distinguishable to the human eye from the neighbouring region(s) and therefore have the desired effect of forming a more complex security effect across the device as a whole. These considerations apply to all aspects of the presently disclosed invention.
It will be appreciated that there may be any number of regions each with different phase shifts and similarly more than two images may be provided. For instance, a third region may simultaneously display a third image.
In this first aspect of the invention, the security device is a lenticular device which will display different images at different viewing angles. Each image could take any desirable form, e.g. a uniform block colour, indicia such as alphanumerical text, a line pattern or any other graphic. The array of image elements is configured to co-operate with the focussing elements to generate the optically variable lenticular effect across the device. However, in the first region of the device the arrangement of image elements is laterally shifted (“phase shifted”) relative to the arrangement of image elements in the second region. This has the result that the device will display different ones of the images in the first and second regions respectively, simultaneously (i.e. at one viewing angle). By arranging the different images to be displayed in the same two respective regions as those in which the colour of the colour layer differs, a particularly complex optical effect is achieved since each region will display the same two images but at different viewing angles and, significantly, in different colours for each region. The register required between the colour layer and the image element array to achieve this presents a significant challenge to the would-be counterfeiter and any mis-register will be readily apparent. Further, imitating the end result through other means will also be extremely difficult: for example, producing the image elements in different colours in the first and second regions would require a multi-coloured image array which as discussed above presents substantial manufacturing obstacles.
In preferred embodiments, the image array comprises a set of monochromatic image elements corresponding to the first image in the first and second regions of the device. That is, the first image elements are of the same colour in both regions. As mentioned above forming a monochromatic image array simplifies the manufacturing process since a relatively wide range of suitable printing techniques and the like are available. In some preferred embodiments, the monochromatic image elements are substantially opaque and preferably reflective, e.g. formed of a dark material such as black ink or of a metal layer such as aluminium, which is particularly well suited to viewing in reflect light. In other preferred implementations, the monochromatic image elements are semi-transparent or translucent in which case the device may be best suited to viewing in transmission. Advantageously, the colour of the monochromatic image elements is different to the colours of the colour filter in both the first and second regions of the device. This will give rise to a greater number of colours visible from the end device as a whole. In other preferred implementations, the colour of the monochromatic image elements substantially matches the colour of the colour filter in one of the first and second regions of the device. This can give rise to additional security effects as discussed in relation to the second aspect of the invention below.
In some preferred embodiments, the image elements corresponding to the second image are defined by colourless gaps between the monochromatic image elements corresponding to the first image. Thus the second image will be a uniform block area with a colour determined solely by the colour filter, which will lead to different appearances thereof in the first and second regions. In other preferred embodiments, the image elements corresponding to the second image are defined by a second set of monochromatic image elements in the first and second regions of the device having a different colour from those corresponding to the first image. This can be used to introduce yet further colours and hence increase the complexity of the device still further.
The security device could be a one-dimensional or two-dimensional lenticular device. In the former case, the array of focussing elements preferably comprises an array of elongate focussing element structures extending along a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, and the image elements comprise elongate image slices extending along the second direction. The elongate focussing element structures could be individual elongate focussing elements such as cylindrical lenses or could each be formed of a plurality of focussing elements which need not individually be elongate, e.g. spherical lenses. For a two-dimensional lenticular device the focussing element array may comprise spherical or aspherical focussing elements arranged on an orthogonal or hexagonal grid for instance, and the image elements could be e.g. dots or squares.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a security device, comprising:
Again, the colour filter can be provided in various different ways as mentioned above in relation to the first aspect of the invention. By matching the colour of the colour filter to that of the image elements or microimages in a first region of the device, various new optical effects can be achieved as a result of effectively reducing or removing the colour contrast between the image elements or microimages and their surroundings. The effects can take the form of changing the number of colours that are displayed by the device, or even inhibiting the first optically variable effect in the first region. It should be noted that the security device of the second aspect of the invention is not limited to operating as a lenticular device but alternatively be a moiré magnification device or a moiré magnifier, for example.
Hence in a first preferred embodiment, the first image array further comprises a background surrounding the image elements or microimages which is substantially colourless. For instance the background might be reflective uniformly across substantially all visible wavelengths (e.g. white or mirror-like silver), or could be optically clear (i.e. transparent with no visible tint). In this way the colour layer in the first region will effectively conceal the image elements or microimages since they will appear in the same colour as the background. As a result the first optically variable effect is exhibited in the second region and substantially not in the first region. This has the strong benefit that the effective optically active zone of the device can be controlled through design of the colour filter alone and does not require modification to the image array or focussing element array.
In other cases it may be preferred if the first image array further comprises a background surrounding the image elements or microimages which is of a second colour, the colour of the colour filter layer in the second region of the device substantially matching the second colour. Such arrangements can be utilised to generate additional colours as the device is tilted of which examples will be given below.
In an especially preferred embodiment, the security device further comprises a second image array overlapping the array of focussing elements and configured to co-operate with the array of focussing elements so as to generate a second optically variable effect which varies with viewing angle, the second image array comprising a periodic arrangement of image elements or microimages formed in a second colour across the security device. Both the first and second image arrays can, if desired, extend across the whole area of the device. If the background is colourless, as mentioned above, in the first region the first image array will effectively be inhibited whilst the second image array will be visible since its elements or microimages will not match the colour of the colour filter and hence will show a contrast with their surroundings. The colour of the second image array could differ from both the colours of the colour filter in the first and second regions in which case the second optically variable effect will be visible in both regions. However, most preferably, the colour of the colour filter layer in the second region of the device substantially matches the second colour of the image elements or microimages. Hence preferably, in the second region of the device the image elements or microimages are substantially concealed from view by the matching colours of the image elements or microimages and the colour filter, such that the second optically variable effect is exhibited in the first region and substantially not in the second region.
In this way the optically active areas of the device can be defined by the lateral arrangement of the colour filter alone, which is used to selectively inhibit the optical effect generated by one image array in one region so that another dominates the appearance there, and vice versa in other region(s) of the device. The optically variable effects generated by each image array could be of the same type (e.g. lenticular or moiré magnifier) or could be a mixture of different types. In the case of multiple lenticular devices, the images incorporated into each image array could be the same or different, and likewise in the case of multiple moiré magnifier devices or similar the microimages could be the same or different. The apparent depth and magnification level of a moiré magnified image could also be different for the two image arrays, achieved by selecting a different pitch or rotational orientation for each array.
A third aspect of the present invention provides a security device, comprising:
Again, the device according to the third aspect of the invention makes use of a multi-coloured colour filter which can be provided in any of the ways mentioned above or below. In this case the colour filter includes a region in which its colour is complementary to the colour of the image elements or microimages forming the image array. A complementary colour is one which combines with its counterpart colour to effectively block the transmission of substantially all visible wavelengths. Depending on the construction of the device a number of beneficial effects can be achieved, including enhancing the visible contrast between the image elements and their surroundings so as to make the optically variable effect more distinct in the first region. This may either be in terms of the contrast between a microimage and its adjacent background (visible simultaneously) in a moiré magnifier or in terms of the contrast seen between different images (viewed sequentially) as a lenticular device is tilted, for example.
In preferred embodiments, the first image array further comprises a background surrounding the image elements or microimages which is substantially colourless. As above, this could in practice be white, reflective or clear for instance. In other preferred embodiments, the first image array further comprises a background surrounding the image elements or microimages which is of a second colour, the colour of the colour filter layer in the second region of the device being complementary to the second colour. This has the advantage of also enhancing the visibility of the optical effect in the second region.
In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention, a security device comprises:
Once again, the security device of the forth aspect of the invention makes use of a colour filter located between the viewer and the image array as in the previous aspects. However in this case the device further includes a backing layer located on the other side of the image array which is also multi-coloured and so introduces yet more complex effects. The backing layer will be visible between the image elements or microimages defined by the first image array in all embodiments, and in some embodiments may also affect the apparent colour of those image elements or microimages if they are formed of a semi-transparent material. Hence in some preferred embodiments, the image elements or microimages of the first image array are substantially opaque or reflective such that the backing layer does not contribute to their colour appearance. In other preferred embodiments, the image elements or microimages of the first image array are semi-transparent such that their apparent colour (before the colour filter is taken into account) results from a combination of the first colour and the colours of the backing layer.
The arrangement of areas forming the backing layer could be independent of the arrangement of regions in the colour filter and the two components need not be registered. However, in particularly preferred cases two of the differently coloured areas of the backing layer correspond to the first and second regions of the device respectively. This further increases the security level since any mis-register between the areas and regions will be immediately apparent. The appearance of the device can be made still more complex if at least two of the differently coloured areas of the backing layer are located in each of the first and second regions of the device. Selected boundaries of the areas and regions may still coincide in order to demonstrate register.
The colours of the various areas in the backing layer could be different from those in the colour filter in order to introduce a greater number of colours to the device. However, in other preferred examples, the colours of the backing layer are the same as the colours of the colour filter.
As indicated above, the security devices of the second, third and fourth embodiments, could operate on any mechanism in which an optically variable effect is generated by the interaction between the focussing elements and the image array upon changing the viewing angle. For example, the devices could be lenticular devices, moiré magnifiers or integral imaging devices and in some cases more than one such mechanism may be incorporated in a single device as mentioned above.
Hence in some preferred embodiments, the first image array comprises a regular microimage array and the pitches of the focusing element array and of the microimage array and their relative orientations are such that the focusing element array co-operates with the microimage array to generate a magnified version of the microimage array due to the moiré effect. (Moiré magnifier)
In other preferred embodiments, the first image array comprises a regular microimage array in which the microimages all depict the same object from a different viewpoint, and the pitches and orientation of the focusing element array and of the microimage array are the same, such that the focusing element array co-operates with the microimage array to generate a magnified, optically-variable version of the object. (Integral imager)
In other preferred embodiments, the array of focussing elements has regular periodicity in at least a first direction, each focusing element having an optical footprint of which different portions will be directed to the viewer in dependence on the viewing angle; and the first image array comprises an array of image elements with regular periodicity in at least the first direction, the image elements representing portions of at least two respective images, and at least one image element from each respective image being located in the optical footprint of each focusing structure, such that, at least in a portion of the device, at a first viewing angle, the focussing structures direct image elements corresponding to a first image to the viewer such that the first image is displayed across the portion of the device, and at a second viewing angle the second image is displayed across the portion of the device. (Lenticular device)
In the case of a lenticular security device, principles of the first aspect of the invention can advantageously be combined with those of the second, third and fourth aspects. Hence, preferably, the image elements in the first region of the device are laterally shifted in at least the first direction relative to the image elements in the second region such that, at the first viewing angle, in the first region of the device the focussing structures direct image elements corresponding to the first image to the viewer such that the first image is displayed across the first region of the device, and simultaneously, in the second region of the device, the focussing structures direct image elements corresponding to the second image to the viewer such that the second image is displayed across the second region of the device, and at a second viewing angle the second image is displayed across the first region of the device and simultaneously the first image is displayed across the second region of the device, the colour appearance of the first and second images being different in the respective first and second regions of the device.
As indicated above, in all aspects of the invention the colour filter can be implemented in various different ways with substantially the same result. The colour filter may be provided as a further component in addition to those already referenced, or may be formed integrally with one or more of those components.
For instance, in a preferred embodiment, the colour filter is formed at least in part by the focussing elements of the focussing element array having different colours from one another in the respective first and second regions of the device.
In another preferred embodiment, the colour filter is formed at least in part by a pedestal layer provided between the focussing element array and a surface of a substrate on which the focussing element array is located, the pedestal layer comprising at least first and second transparent materials of different colours from one another in the respective first and second regions of the device.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the colour filter is formed at least in part by an image base layer provided between the image array and a surface of a substrate on which the image array is formed, the image base layer comprising at least first and second transparent materials of different colours from one another in the respective first and second regions of the device. In this case, the image base layer is advantageously a tie-coat formed of curable materials for affixing the image array to the substrate.
In another preferred embodiment, the colour filter is formed at least in part by an intermediate layer spaced from both the focussing element array and from the image array. For example, the security device could comprise a plurality of transparent substrates having the focussing element array and the image array arranged on surfaces thereof with one or more intermediate interfaces between substrates carrying the colour filter.
In a still further embodiment, the colour filter could be provided in an adhesive layer used to join components of the security device to one another. For example, the focussing element array could be provided in the form of a transfer structure which is then affixed to a substrate via such an adhesive layer, e.g. by hot stamping. The adhesive layer can be formed in regions of different colour to achieve any of the aforementioned effects. The adhesive layer may be pre-applied to the substrate or may form part of the transfer structure. In a variant of this implementation, the adhesive layer could be colourless and a colour filter layer printed onto the substrate prior to application of the lens structure thereover.
It should be noted that across the device as a whole the colour filter could be formed of more than one of the above options in combination with one another, e.g. incorporating the filter using different ones of the above techniques in different regions of the device. Alternatively or additionally, the colour filter comprises at least two colour filter layers provided at different spacings from the focussing element array and/or from the image array which are laterally offset and preferably partially overlap one another. For instance across one portion of the device (which may or may not correspond to a specific region thereof) the colour filter could be provided by an intermediate layer within the substrate structure whereas across another portion (which may overlap with the first) it may be provided by another intermediate layer at another location within the substrate thickness.
Preferably, at least in a portion of the device the image array is located substantially in the focal plane of the focussing element array. This ensures that a substantially focused image will be displayed by the end device. Typically, the focal plane will be at the same position across the whole device. However, in preferred embodiments the complexity of the device can be further enhanced if the position of the focal plane of the focussing element array is made different in the first and second regions of the device. This could be achieved for instance by varying the focal length of the focussing elements from one region to the next, e.g. by forming the focussing elements of different shapes, or by positioning the focussing elements at different levels, e.g. through the use of pedestal layers under the focussing element array with different heights in each region.
In preferred embodiments, each focusing element comprises any of: a cylindrical focusing element, a spherical focussing element or an aspherical focussing element. In all cases, the focusing elements making up the focusing structure array are preferably lenses or mirrors. The periodicity of the focusing structure array and therefore maximum width of the individual focusing is related to the device thickness and is preferably in the range 5-200 microns, still preferably 10 to 70 microns, most preferably 20-40 microns. The focusing elements can be formed in various ways, but are preferably made via a process of thermal embossing or cast-cure replication. Alternatively, printed focusing elements could be employed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,462. If the focusing elements are mirrors, a reflective layer may also be applied to the focussing surface.
Preferably, the array of image elements or microimages is located approximately in the focal plane of the focusing structures. Typical thicknesses of security devices according to the invention are 5 to 200 microns, more preferably 10 to 70 microns, with lens heights of 1 to 70 microns, more preferably 5 to 25 microns. For example, devices with thicknesses in the range 50 to 200 microns may be suitable for use in structures such as over-laminates in cards such as drivers licenses and other forms of identity document, as well as in other structures such as high security labels. Suitable maximum image element widths (related to the device thickness) are accordingly 25 to 50 microns respectively. Devices with thicknesses in the range 65 to 75 microns may be suitable for devices located across windowed and half-windowed areas of polymer banknotes for example. The corresponding maximum image element widths are accordingly circa 30 to 37 microns respectively. Devices with thicknesses of up to 35 microns may be suitable for application to documents such as paper banknotes in the form of slices, patches or security threads, and also devices applied on to polymer banknotes where both the lenses and the image elements are located on the same side of the document substrate.
In some preferred embodiments, the image elements or microimages are defined by inks. Thus, the image elements or microimages can be simply printed onto a substrate although it is also possible to define the image elements using a relief structure or by partially demetallising a metal layer to form a pattern. Such methods enable much thinner devices to be constructed which is particularly beneficial when used with security documents.
Suitable relief structures can be formed by embossing or cast-curing into or onto a substrate. Of the two processes mentioned, cast-curing provides higher fidelity of replication. A variety of different relief structures can be used as will described in more detail below. However, the image elements could be created by embossing/cast-curing the images as diffraction grating structures. Differing parts of the image could be differentiated by the use of differing pitches or different orientations of grating providing regions with a different diffractive colour. Alternative (and/or additional differentiating) image structures are anti-reflection structures such as moth-eye (see for example WO-A-2005/106601), zero-order diffraction structures, stepped surface relief optical structures known as Aztec structures (see for example WO-A-2005/115119) or simple scattering structures. For most applications, these structures could be partially or fully metallised to enhance brightness and contrast.
Examples of preferred techniques for forming the image elements in a metal later are disclosed in our British patent application no. 1510073.8. Particularly good results have been achieved through the use of a patterning roller (or other tool) carrying a mask defining the desired pattern, as described therein. A suitable photosensitive resist material is applied to a metal layer on a substrate and the exposed in a continuous manner to appropriate radiation through the patterned mask. Subsequent etching transfers the pattern to the metal layer, thereby defining the image elements.
Typically, the width of each image element or microimage may be less than 50 microns, preferably less than 40 microns, more preferably less than 20 microns, most preferably in the range 5-10 microns.
It is not essential for the array of focussing elements to be registered to the image array, but this preferred especially in the case of lenticular devices in order to control which image is exhibited at which viewing angle.
The security device may preferably further comprise a magnetic layer or another functional substance such as a fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent material.
Preferably, the security device or security device assembly is formed as a security thread, strip, foil, insert, label or patch. Such devices can be applied to or incorporated into articles such as documents of value using well known techniques, including as a windowed thread, or as a strip applied to a surface of a document (optionally over an aperture or other transparent region in the document). The document could for instance be a conventional, paper-type banknote, or a polymer banknote, or a hybrid paper/polymer banknote. Preferably, the article is selected from banknotes, cheques, passports, identity cards, certificates of authenticity, fiscal stamps and other documents for securing value or personal identity.
Alternatively, such articles can be provided with integrally formed security devices of the sort described above. Thus in preferred embodiments, the article (e.g. a polymer banknote) comprises a substrate with a transparent portion, on opposite sides of which the focusing elements and image array respectively are provided.
As mentioned above, one especially preferred way to implement the colour filter layer is as a multi-coloured tie coat. Such a multi-coloured tie coat can be used in other contexts with beneficial effect and hence a fifth aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming an image array for a security device, the image array comprising a pattern of at least one first curable material, the method comprising:
wherein the method further comprises either:
As detailed above, the tie coat can either be applied to the die form in a manner comparable to that disclosed in WO 2014/070079 A1, or it can be applied to the surface of the pattern support layer as described in US 2009/0297805 A1 and WO 2011/102800 A1. However, in both cases the tie coat will be formed of at least two regions with different optical detection characteristics. Preferably, the different optical detection characteristics are any of: different visible colours, different fluorescence, different luminescence or different phosphorescence.
The two or more second curable compounds are preferably applied in register to one another at least to the extent that any mis-register is not immediately apparent to the naked eye (e.g. a tolerance of up to 100 microns may be acceptable). In some embodiments, the at least two second curable compounds are applied to the die form or pattern support layer sequentially, e.g. directly from each of respective application rollers. However, in more preferred embodiments, the at least two second curable compounds are applied to an intermediate collection surface, preferably in register with one another, and then applied from the intermediate collection surface to the die form or pattern support layer simultaneously. This approach has been found to achieve more accurate register between the materials.
Preferably, the first curable material(s) applied to the surface of the die form are only partially cured before step (b)(iii) and fully cured once the pattern support layer has been brought in contact with the die form. This improves adhesion of the first curable material to the second curable materials and ultimately to the pattern support layer.
Advantageously, step (b)(ii) further comprises removing any excess first curable material(s) from the surface of the die form outside the recessed areas, preferably using a doctor blade or by polishing. This helps to ensure accurate replication of the desired pattern.
The image array produced using this method could be of any type, e.g. comprising a regular array of image slices or microimages as suitable for use in lenticular devices, moiré magnifiers or the like.
Examples of security devices and methods for their manufacture will now be described and contrasted with conventional devices, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Security devices in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure make use of a colour filter to modify the apparent colour of an image array. The colour filter can be incorporated into the security device in various different ways each of which will produce substantially the same end result. Some preferred arrangements of the colour filter will be summarised with reference to
Hence,
A focussing element array 20 is provided on one surface of the substrate 2 and comprises a regular array of focussing elements 21, such as lenses or mirrors. The particular arrangement of focussing elements 21 will depend on the nature of the optically variable effect to be generated. The array 20 may be periodic in one dimension or two dimensions—
The colour filter (generally denoted 10 in the Figures) may be integrated into another component of the security device 1 or may be provided separately. For instance,
If the substrate 2 is multi-layered, the colour filter 10′″ could alternatively be provided at some intermediate location within the substrate 2 at an internal interface between adjacent substrate layers such as that illustrated between layers 2a and 2b. In this case, the colour filter 10′″ could be a printed layer of coloured inks, for example. In a fourth example, the colour filter could be located between the image array 30 and the surface of the substrate on which the image array is carried. Here the colour filter 10IV could take the form of a printed layer on top of which the image array is then placed, or more preferable could be formed as a multi-coloured tie coat of coloured curable materials, as will be described further below.
For ease of manufacturing, colour filter locations 10″ (pedestal layer) or 10IV in the form of a printed layer are especially preferred. However, forming the colour filter integrally with another component (e.g. in the focussing element array or as a tie coat) offers other advantages such as improved registration.
However the colour filter 10 is incorporated into the device, it comprises at least two transparent materials with different visibly coloured tints (one of which may be colourless), arranged in respective regions of the device. The colour filter 10 modifies the observed colour of the underlying image array by transmitting only selected wavelengths of the visible spectrum therethrough, which are different in the different regions. To consider the effect of the colour filter 10 on the appearance of the device, the following model is adopted:
The visible spectrum can be represented by red, green and blue wavebands of roughly equal width and therefore the terms R, G and B in the following equations are just label indices.
We represent the reflected colour of the image elements or microimages 31 making up the image array as P(p)=(pr R, pg G, pb B) or simply (pr, pg, pb). Meanwhile, the reflected colour of the background 32 surrounding the image elements of microimages is B(b)=(br R, bg G, bb B) or simply (br, bg, bb). For example, for
For the colour filter 10, the colour transmission is defined by T(t)=(tr R, tg G, tb B). For instance, a red filter as defined as that which passes only the red wave band and therefore tr=1 and tg, tb=0 etc.
Given the previous representation and notation, the observed background colour exhibited by the image array 30 and colour filter 10 in combination can be denoted OB=Σi (bi·ti) i, whilst the observed colour of the image elements or microimages 31 is OP=Σi (pi·ti) i.
To illustrate, suppose the background 32 is a pure cyan with the colour matrix B(b)=(0,1,1) and the image elements 31 are magenta with the colour matrix P(p)=(1,0,1). Suppose the colour filter 10 transmits 90% red, 5% green and 5% blue, then T=(0.9, 0.05, 0.05). Hence the observed background colour OB will be (0, 0.05, 0.05) i.e. very dark cyan, whilst the image element colour OP will be defined by (0.9, 0, 0.05) which will result in a bright red image element 31. Thus the effect of the colour filter 10 here will be transform a “magenta on cyan” image array 30 to a “red on dark magenta” observed image array. We therefore have a convenient way of qualitatively determining the observed colour for more complex colour compositions present in background 32, image elements 31 and/or the colour filter 10.
The above principles can be utilised to create various new and distinctive effects in optically variable security devices, of which preferred examples will now be described.
First, a comparative example of a lenticular device 10 is shown in
The image slices 31 each correspond to strips taken from a first image IA whilst the image slices 32 each correspond to strips of a second image IB. Thus, the size and shape of each first image slice 31 is substantially identical (being elongate and of width equal to half the optical footprint), but their information content will likely differ from one first image slice 31 to the next (unless the first image IA is a uniform, solid colour block). The same applies to the second image slices 32. The overall pattern of image slices is a line pattern, the elongate direction of the lines lying substantially parallel to the axial direction of the focussing elements 21, which here is along the y-axis. The lenses 21 and the image slices 31, 32 are periodic in the orthogonal direction (x-axis) which may be referred to below as the first direction of the device.
As shown best in the cross-section of
When the device is viewed by a first observer O1 from a first viewing angle, as shown in
In this example the first image elements 31 are provided by material forming the image array 30 whilst the second image elements 32 are provided by gaps therebetween. However in other cases as illustrated below the second image elements 32 could also be coloured, e.g. by providing a coloured background such as that described with reference to
As also noted in passing, the images need not be uniform blocks of colour (or lack thereof) but could each carry any desirable graphic, such as indicia or the like, by arranging each image slice 31 to be provided only in accordance with the desired graphic rather than in a continuous form along its length, as shown.
By requiring both the colour filter 10 and the image array 30 to possess different characteristics in respective regions of the device 1, the device presents a significant challenge to would-be counterfeiters, since any mis-registration between the colour filter 10 and the image array 30 will be noticeable since additional colour effects will appear at the boundaries between regions.
In the
The described arrangement results in the generation of a new third colour which appears to move between regions upon tilting of the device. As shown in
Another effect can be achieved by adding a phase-shift to the image array 30 between regions, as illustrated in the embodiment of
The above examples of security devices have all operated on lenticular principles but colour filters of the types just mentioned in which at least one of the colour filter regions matches a colour in the image array also have particular benefit in security devices such as moiré magnifiers and integral imaging devices.
To illustrate the principles of operation, comparative examples of moiré magnifier and integral imaging devices will first be described with reference to
In contrast,
In the above example security device, the microimages are all identical to one another, such that the devices can be considered “pure” moiré magnifiers. However, the same principles can be applied to “hybrid” moiré magnifier/integral imaging devices, in which the microimages depict an object or scene from different viewpoints. Such microimages are considered substantially identical to one another for the purposes of the present invention. An example of such a device is shown schematically in
As seen in the plan view of
In the central second region R2, the focussing elements 21b will cooperate with the microimages 31 in a standard manner to exhibit the desired optically variable effect. In the surrounding first region R1, however, the matching colours of the filter 10 and the microimages 31, together with the colourless background 32, reduce or preferably prevent the visualisation of the microimages such that the appearance of the optically variable effect is substantially diminished and preferably eliminated. As a result, the device 1 appears optically variable only across star-shaped region R2 and not elsewhere. This approach enables the shape, size and position of the optically variable area to be controlled solely through design of the colour filter 10 whilst the image array 30 can be provided in a continuous manner without modification. As such, more complex device designs can be achieved.
The embodiment shown in
In the first region R1, forming the outer surroundings of the device 1, as in the previous example, the optically variable effect from image array 30a is inhibited due to the colour matching between the colour filter 10 and the microimages 31a. However, the microimages 31b of the second image array 30b will not be inhibited since here the colours do not match. Thus, the optically variable effect arising from the second image array 30b (only) will be exhibited in the first region R1. In the second region R2 which again has here the shape of a star, since the colour filter 10 is colourless neither of the image arrays 30a, 30b will be inhibited and hence both optically variable effects will be displayed, superimposed on one another. The two image arrays can be designed to make best use of this superposition, e.g. through selection of the microimage content—for instance the microimages 31a could each be “£” signs and the microimages 31b each the digit “10” so that in combination information concerning the denomination “£10” is conveyed—and/or by configuring each set of magnified images to be visualised at different apparent heights or depths—for instance one set could appear to float above the device and the other appear sunken below it.
Alternatively, the colours could be selected so that each region of the colour filter matches one of the colours of the image arrays 30. This can be used to select single ones of the image arrays 30a, 30b etc to be active in each region. For instance if the
Generally, the colour of the colour filter 10 can therefore be used, by applying the principles above, to select which of a plurality of image arrays 30 is visualised in each region of the device. Any number of differently coloured image arrays 30 and regions could be combined in this way across the device, resulting in a highly complex appearance which is very difficult to replicate.
In some of the above embodiments, the distinctive visual effects are achieved by matching a colour of the colour filter 10 to a colour of the image array 30. However, other strong effects can be achieved by arranging a colour of the colour filter 10 to be complementary to a colour of the image array 30. A complementary colour is one which if mixed with its corresponding colour would provide substantially all wavelengths of the visible spectrum and so appear either black or white depending on whether the colour mixing mechanism is additive or subtractive. By utilising complementary colours in this way, the contrast between the various colours exhibited by the device (either between a microimage and its surroundings viewed simultaneously, or between different images in a lenticular device) can be enhanced and hence the effect made more visually distinct.
In the
When viewed from a first viewing angle, observer O1 perceives the first region R1 to be very dark blue/indigo due to the combination of the cyan lenses 21a with the red image elements 31. The second region R2 appears orange. Upon tilting to another viewing angle, the second observer O2 sees the first region R1 as light blue and the second region R2 as yellow. Hence four different colours are visualised.
The
In the preceding embodiments, the colour effects are achieved by the combination of the image array 30 and the overlying colour filter 10. However, still more complex effects can be achieved by additionally providing a multi-coloured backing layer which sits on the opposite side of the image array 30 and provides colour to any gaps therein between the image elements 31.
For ease of comparison, the embodiments of
Hence, the backing layer 40 can be provided as a printed layer or the like which covers at least part of the image array 30 on the side opposite from that on which the viewer is located in use. The backing layer 40 comprises at least two differently coloured materials 41a, 41b arranged in respective areas of the layer. It should be noted that these areas need not correspond to the aforementioned regions of the device, but this is preferred and in this example the first area of the backing layer containing material 41a corresponds to the first region R1 whilst the second area of the backing layer containing material 41b corresponds to the second region R2. The colours of the backing layer could be different to those of the colour filter but in this example they are the same. Hence, in region R1 the focussing elements 21a are cyan as is the backing material 41a, and in region R2, the focussing elements 21b and the backing material 41b are both yellow. The image elements 31 are red, spaced by colourless gaps 32.
When viewed from a first viewing angle, observer O1 perceives the first region R1 to be very dark blue/indigo due to the combination of the cyan lenses 21a with the red image elements 31. The second region R2 appears orange. These colours are the same as in the
Similarly, the
The complexity of the appearance can be further increased by arranging the areas of the backing layer 40 to differ from the regions R1, R2. For instance, multiple areas of the backing layer 40 could be located within any one of the regions. This is the case in the embodiments of
When the device is viewed at a first angle by observer O1, the whole of region R1 appears dark blue/indigo since once again the backing layer 40 does not contribute, and similarly the second region R2 appears orange. However upon tilting the arrangement of differently colours portions changes: now only half of region R1 appears light blue (corresponding to area 41a of the backing layer) whilst the other half and the neighbouring half of the second region R2 (corresponding to areas 41b and c) appear green, and the last half of region r2 appears yellow (area 41d). Hence five different colours are exhibited across the range of viewing angles, and the pattern of differently coloured device portions also changes.
The
In all of the embodiments described so far the colour filter 10 has been formed integrally with the focussing elements array 20, e.g. in the form of coloured lenses. Preferred methods for forming multi-coloured focussing element arrays suitable for this purpose will now be described with reference to
In embodiments of the present invention, the focussing element array 20 is formed by cast-curing. This involves applying one or more transparent curable material either to the support layer or to a casting tool carrying a surface relief defining the desired focussing element array, forming the material using the casting tool and curing the material to fix the relief structure into the surface of the material.
Referring to
A second application module 201b is then used to apply a second transparent curable material 205b to other second regions 202b of the support layer 201. The second application module is typically of the same construction as the first. The second transparent material 205b will have a different optical detection characteristic, particularly its visible colour, from the first material 205a.
The support 201 is then conveyed to a casting module 220 which here comprises a casting tool 221 in the form of a cylinder carrying a surface relief 225 defining the shape of the focussing elements which are to be cast into the curable materials 205a,b. As each patch 202 (comprising regions 202a and 202b) of curable material 205 (comprising materials 205a and 205b) comes into contact with the cylinder 221, the curable material 205 fills a corresponding region of the relief structure, forming the surface of the curable material into the shape defined by the relief. The cylinder 221 could be configured such that the relief structure 225 is only provided at regions corresponding to shape and position of the patches 202 of curable material 205. However this gives rise to the need for accurate registration between the application module 210 and the casting module 220 in order that the focussing elements are accurately placed in each first region 202 of the curable material. Therefore in a particularly preferred example, the cylinder 221 carries the relief structure corresponding to the focussing elements over an area larger than that of the patch 202, preferably around its complete circumference and most preferably over substantially its whole surface (although axial regions which will not come into the vicinity of the curable material may be excluded). In this way, each entire patch 202 of curable material 205 is guaranteed to come into contact with the surface relief structure 225 such that the focussing element array is formed over the full extent of the material. As a result, the shape, size and location of the focussing element array 20 is determined solely by the application of the curable material by the application modules.
Having been formed into the correct surface relief structure, the curable material 205 is cured by exposing it to appropriate curing energy such as radiation R from a source 222. This preferably takes place while the curable material is in contact with the surface relief 225 although if the material is already sufficiently viscous this could be performed after separation. In the example shown, the material is irradiated through the support layer 201 although the source 222 could alternatively be positioned above the support layer 201, e.g. inside cylinder 221 if the cylinder is formed from a suitable transparent material such as quartz.
The surface relief 225 may be carried by cylinder 221 in the form of a sheet embossed or otherwise provided with the required relief, which is wrapped around the cylinder 221 and clamped in place. This may result in a noticeable join 225a where the two ends of the sheet meet, at which there is a discrepancy in the relief pattern. If replicated into one of the focussing element arrays this would cause a reduction in quality. It is therefore preferred that the casting module is at least coarsely registered to the application module so that the location of join 225a where it contacts support 201 does not coincide with any of the first regions 202 but rather is located between them, as shown by the example location labelled 225b. In cases where the curable material is applied (and retained) all over the support, or at least along a continuous strip in the machine direction MD, this join 225a is still preferably positioned outside the first region which is to be used to form the security device, advantageously in a location which will subsequently be coated with one of the opacifying layers 3. To achieve this consistently it is desirable for the process for forming the focussing element array to be registered with the opacifying layer application process, e.g. performed in the same in-line process.
It will be noted that in the present example the two regions 202a, 202b (which correspond to regions R1, R2 in the preceding embodiments abut one another, as is preferred. Either the perimeter of the first region 202 as a whole, and/or the two regions 202a,b (in combination or independently of one another) preferably define indicia. The two application modules 210a,b are preferably registered to one another, e.g. performed in the same in-line process. The two curable materials 205a,b are then brought into contact with the casting cylinder 221 so as to form the surface relief into both materials, and cured as previously described. The result is a focussing element array formed of at least two materials laterally offset from one another (i.e. side by side), giving rise to an optically detectable pattern or indicia.
In a variant, shown in
As mentioned at the outset, the colour layer could alternatively be provided at various different locations within the security device structure, and this applies to all embodiments described above. For example, the security device could be constructed utilising a lens array (or other focussing element array) formed as a transfer element which is then affixed to a substrate carrying the image array on its opposite side. The substrate could be that of a polymer banknote, for example.
In a variant of this embodiment, rather than colour the adhesive layer 54, a colour filter layer may be applied between layers 53 and 54 or printed onto the surface of substrate 2 before the lens transfer structure 50 is applied.
A preferred method for forming a focussing element array with a pedestal layer will now be discussed with reference to
Thus
The transparent materials 207a,b forming the pedestal layer may or may not also be a curable material. If not, the transparent material is preferably dried or otherwise solidified sufficiently before proceeding. If the material is curable, it may be cured during application from cylinder 241a,b or after, possibly at the same time as curing the curable material 205. However, preferably at least partial curing of material 207a,b takes place before curable material 205 is applied, which takes place at application station 210. In this example, this comprises a patterned gravure cylinder 211 onto which the curable material 205 is applied from a reservoir 213, a doctor blade 213′ or similar being provided to remove excess. The curable material 205 can be applied in the same way as previously described but now is applied onto the pedestal layer 25 rather than onto the support layer 201. The curable material is then brought into contact with the casting tool 221 at casting station 220 in the same manner as previously described, and the focussing element array formed and cured into material 205.
Such a base layer 35 could be formed in various different ways. In some preferred examples, the base layer could be printed or otherwise applied to the surface of substrate 2 using any convenient application technique, such as gravure printing or the like, the various different materials being applied in register with one another. The image array 30 would then be formed and affixed over the top of the existing base layer.
However in other preferred embodiments, the coloured base layer 35 can take the form of a tie coat which is created integrally with the image array 30 and some preferred techniques for achieving this will now be described with reference to
The recessed areas of the die form are filled with a curable material 305, which is preferably visibly coloured (including white, grey or black). The material 305 may or may not be transparent. An exemplary application module for applying the material 305 into the recessed areas is shown at 310a. This includes a slot die 312a configured to supply the curable material 305 to a transfer roller 311a from which it is applied to the die form surface 303. The shore hardness of the transfer roller 311a is preferably sufficiently low that some compression/compliance is achieved to improve the transfer of material to the die form 302, which is typically relatively rigid such as a metal print cylinder. The applied ink layer should match or exceed the depth of the recessed areas. The viscosity of the curable material may be configured so that the material 305 transfers substantially only into the recessed areas of the die form and not onto the raised surfaces but in case any of the material 305 remains on the raised surfaces it is preferred to provide a removal means such as doctor blade 315a to remove any such excess material 305 from outside the recessed areas. The material 305 in the recessed areas is preferably then at least partially cured by exposing the material 305 to appropriate curing energy, e.g. radiation, from a source 320a, although this curing could be performed at a later stage of the process.
Any suitable curable material 305 could be used, such as a thermally-curable resin or lacquer. However, preferably, the curable material is a radiation curable material, preferably a UV curable material, and the curing energy source is a radiation source, preferably a UV source. UV curable polymers employing free radical or cationic UV polymerisation are suitable for use as the UV curable material. Examples of free radical systems include photo-crosslinkable acrylate-methacrylate or aromatic vinyl oligomeric resins. Examples of cationic systems include cycloaliphatic epoxides. Hybrid polymer systems can also be employed combining both free radical and cationic UV polymerization. Electron beam curable materials would also be appropriate for use in the presently disclosed methods. Electron beam formulations are similar to UV free radical systems but do not require the presence of free radicals to initiate the curing process. Instead the curing process is initiated by high energy electrons.
The finished pattern should be visible (optionally after magnification) to the human eye and so the curable material comprises at least one colourant which is visible under illumination within the visible spectrum. For instance, the material may carry a coloured tint or may be opaque. The colour will be provided by one or more pigments or dyes as is known in the art. Additionally or alternatively, the curable material may comprise at least one substance which is not visible under illumination within the visible spectrum and emits in the visible spectrum under non-visible illumination, preferably UV or IR. In preferred examples, the curable material comprises any of: luminescent, phosphorescent, fluorescent, magnetic, thermochromic, photochromic, iridescent, metallic, optically variable or pearlescent pigments.
If the first application module 310a achieves substantially complete filling of the recessed areas with material 305 then no further application of curable material 305 may be required. However it has been found that the recessed areas may not be fully filled by a single application process and so, in particularly preferred embodiments, a second application module (not shown) may be provided downstream of the first (and preferably of curing source 320a) for applying more of the same material 305 to the die form.
Next, a tie coat 35 formed of at least two second curable materials 35a, 35b is applied over substantially the whole surface of the die form 303, i.e. coating both the filled recessed areas and the raised areas of the surface 303. The second curable materials may be of the same composition as the first curable material but are of a different appearance so as to provide a visual contrast with the first material in the finished array, as well as with each other. In particularly preferred embodiments, the tie coat composition may be selected so as to improve the adhesion between the first curable material and the support layer 301. The tie coat materials 35a, 35b are applied by respective tie coat application modules 330a,b which here each comprise a slot die 332 and a patterned transfer roller 331 which defines the different regions R1, R2 etc of the finished device.
Preferably the two tie coat application modules 330a,b are registered to one another. In this way, each of the second materials 35a, 35b is applied to different respective parts of the cylinder 302 resulting in the desired differently coloured regions of the tie coat 35.
The multi-coloured tie coat 35 may be partially cured at this point by a further radiation source (not shown). The die form surface carrying the filled recesses and tie coat is then brought into contact with the support layer 301, either at a nip point or, more preferably, along a partial wrap contact region between two rollers 309a, 309b as shown. The combination is then exposed to curing energy, e.g. from radiation source 335, preferably while the support layer 301 is in contact with the die form surface. The support layer 301 is then separated from the die form at roller 309b, carrying with it the tie coat 35 and the elements of material 305 removed from the recessed areas of the die form surface 303 by the tie coat 307. The material 305 is therefore present on the support layer 301 in accordance with the desired pattern, forming image array 30.
The tie coat 35 is preferably at least partially cured before the die form 302 leaves contact with the support layer 301 at roller 309b, hence the preferred use of a partial wrap contact via lay on and peel off rollers 309a, b as shown which tension the web around the die form cylinder. If the material is not fully cured in this step, an additional curing station may be provided downstream (not shown) to complete the cure.
In a variant, after the tie coat 35 has been applied, a removal means such as a further doctor blade could be provided to remove the tie coat 307 from the raised portions of the die form surface 303 such that the regions of the tie coat 307 are confined to the print images. These tie coat regions will most likely not be proud of the die form surface. As such the support layer 301 in this embodiment is preferably primed with a compliant adhesive layer which may be partly cured prior to contacting the die form but should still be compliant before entering the curing wrap.
It will be appreciated that whilst in the above examples only two tie coat materials 35a, b are utilised, in practice any number of such materials could be used to form the tie coat 35 so that any number of differently coloured regions can be formed.
Another embodiment of a method for forming an image array 30 is shown in
The support layer 201 carrying the tie coat 35 is then brought into contact with the die form surface so as to cover the filled recessed areas and adjacent raised areas with the tie coat 35. Preferably the tie coat 35 is pressed into the recessed areas so as to achieve good joining therebetween before the curing process begins. A second impression roller 334 may be provided for this purpose, located after the lay on roller 309a but before curing module 335.
In the above embodiments, the colour filter 10 has been provided at a single location within the security device structure, i.e. either integrally with the focussing element array, as a pedestal layer, as an intermediate layer between substrates or as a base layer of the image array. However it is also possible to provide the colour filter using a combination of these approaches either in different respective regions of the device or together in the same region(s). For instance, in one region of the device the colour filter could be integrally provided in the focussing element array 20 whilst in another region it could take the form of a pedestal layer 25 and in yet another region it could be provided by a base coat 35 to the image array 30. Whilst the various parts of the colour filter will then be located at different heights within the device, this will not be apparent to the observer. Alternatively or in addition the different parts of the colour filter could overlap one another, either across the whole device or in portions thereof. In this case the effective colour of each region of the colour filter will be that created by the overlapping portions in combination with one another.
Since the image arrays 30a, 30b are located on different substrate surfaces, it may be desirable to vary the focal position of the focussing elements between regions, in order that the image elements remain in focus across the device. This could be achieved for instance by forming the focussing elements 21 in region R3 with a different shape for those in regions R1 and R2 such that they have a longer focal distance. Alternatively, the focussing elements in regions R1 and R2 could be placed on pedestal layers to raise them away from the surface of substrate 2a so that their focal position is raised accordingly relative to that in region R3.
The construction of the exemplary security device shown in
In order to achieve an acceptably low thickness of the security device (e.g. around 70 microns or less where the device is to be formed on a transparent document substrate, such as a polymer banknote, or around 40 microns or less where the device is to be formed on a thread, foil or patch), the pitch of the lenses must also be around the same order of magnitude (e.g. 70 microns or 40 microns). Therefore the width of the image slices or microimages 31 is preferably no more than half such dimensions, e.g. 35 microns or less.
As mentioned above, the thickness of the device 1 is directly related to the size of the focusing elements and so the optical geometry must be taken into account when selecting the thickness of the transparent layer 2. In preferred examples the device thickness is in the range 5 to 200 microns. “Thick” devices at the upper end of this range are suitable for incorporation into documents such as identification cards and drivers licences, as well as into labels and similar. For documents such as banknotes, thinner devices are desired as mentioned above. At the lower end of the range, the limit is set by diffraction effects that arise as the focusing element diameter reduces: e.g. lenses of less than 10 micron base width (hence focal length approximately 10 microns) and more especially less than 5 microns (focal length approximately 5 microns) will tend to suffer from such effects. Therefore the limiting thickness of such structures is believed to lie between about 5 and 10 microns.
Whilst in the above embodiments, the focusing elements have taken the form of lenses, in all cases these could be substituted by an array of focusing mirror elements. Suitable mirrors could be formed for example by applying a reflective layer such as a suitable metal to the cast-cured or embossed lens relief structure. In embodiments making use of mirrors, the image array should be semi-transparent, e.g. having a sufficiently low fill factor to allow light to reach the mirrors and then reflect back through the gaps between the image elements. For example, the fill factor would need to be less than 1/√2 in order that that at least 50% of the incident light is reflected back to the observer on two passes through the image element array.
In all of the embodiments described above, the security level can be increased further by incorporating a magnetic material into the device. This can be achieved in various ways. For example an additional layer may be provided (e.g. under the image array 30) which may be formed of, or comprise, magnetic material. The whole layer could be magnetic or the magnetic material could be confined to certain areas, e.g. arranged in the form of a pattern or code, such as a barcode. The presence of the magnetic layer could be concealed from one or both sides, e.g. by providing one or more masking layer(s), which may be metal. If the focussing elements are provided by mirrors, a magnetic layer may be located under the mirrors rather than under the image array.
Security devices of the sort described above can be incorporated into or applied to any article for which an authenticity check is desirable. In particular, such devices may be applied to or incorporated into documents of value such as banknotes, passports, driving licences, cheques, identification cards etc.
The security device or article can be arranged either wholly on the surface of the base substrate of the security document, as in the case of a stripe or patch, or can be visible only partly on the surface of the document substrate, e.g. in the form of a windowed security thread. Security threads are now present in many of the world's currencies as well as vouchers, passports, travellers' cheques and other documents. In many cases the thread is provided in a partially embedded or windowed fashion where the thread appears to weave in and out of the paper and is visible in windows in one or both surfaces of the base substrate. One method for producing paper with so-called windowed threads can be found in EP-A-0059056. EP-A-0860298 and WO-A-03095188 describe different approaches for the embedding of wider partially exposed threads into a paper substrate. Wide threads, typically having a width of 2 to 6 mm, are particularly useful as the additional exposed thread surface area allows for better use of optically variable devices, such as that presently disclosed.
The security device or article may be subsequently incorporated into a paper or polymer base substrate so that it is viewable from both sides of the finished security substrate. Methods of incorporating security elements in such a manner are described in EP-A-1141480 and WO-A-03054297. In the method described in EP-A-1141480, one side of the security element is wholly exposed at one surface of the substrate in which it is partially embedded, and partially exposed in windows at the other surface of the substrate.
Base substrates suitable for making security substrates for security documents may be formed from any conventional materials, including paper and polymer. Techniques are known in the art for forming substantially transparent regions in each of these types of substrate. For example, WO-A-8300659 describes a polymer banknote formed from a transparent substrate comprising an opacifying coating on both sides of the substrate. The opacifying coating is omitted in localised regions on both sides of the substrate to form a transparent region. In this case the transparent substrate can be an integral part of the security device or a separate security device can be applied to the transparent substrate of the document. WO-A-0039391 describes a method of making a transparent region in a paper substrate. Other methods for forming transparent regions in paper substrates are described in EP-A-723501, EP-A-724519, WO-A-03054297 and EP-A-1398174.
The security device may also be applied to one side of a paper substrate so that portions are located in an aperture formed in the paper substrate. An example of a method of producing such an aperture can be found in WO-A-03054297. An alternative method of incorporating a security element which is visible in apertures in one side of a paper substrate and wholly exposed on the other side of the paper substrate can be found in WO-A-2000/39391.
Examples of such documents of value and techniques for incorporating a security device will now be described with reference to
The opacifying layers 103a and 103b are omitted across an area 101 which forms a window within which the security device is located. As shown best in the cross-section of
If desired, several different security devices 1 could be arranged along the thread, with different or effects displayed by each. In one example, a first window could contain a first device, and a second window could contain a second device, each having their focusing elements arranged along different (preferably orthogonal) directions, so that the two windows display different effects upon tilting in any one direction. For instance, the central window may be configured to exhibit a motion effect when the document 100 is tilted about the x axis whilst the devices in the top and bottom windows remain static, and vice versa when the document is tilted about the y axis.
In
A further embodiment is shown in
In
In general, when applying a security article such as a strip or patch carrying the security device to a document, it is preferable to have the side of the device carrying the image element array bonded to the document substrate and not the lens side, since contact between lenses and an adhesive can render the lenses inoperative. However, the adhesive could be applied to the lens array as a pattern that the leaves an intended windowed zone of the lens array uncoated, with the strip or patch then being applied in register (in the machine direction of the substrate) so the uncoated lens region registers with the substrate hole or window It is also worth noting that since the device only exhibits the optical effect when viewed from one side, it is not especially advantageous to apply over a window region and indeed it could be applied over a non-windowed substrate. Similarly, in the context of a polymer substrate, the device is well-suited to arranging in half-window locations.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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| PCT/GB2017/052928 | 9/29/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/060726 | 4/5/2018 | WO | A |
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| 20190232708 A1 | Aug 2019 | US |
