JP2007021492A - Two-step method of coating article for security printing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a two-step method for coating an article for security printing. <P>SOLUTION: A two-step method of making of a security printed image is disclosed and includes coating of the surface of a substrate with a predetermined image shape with an ink containing flaked magnetic pigment in a predetermined concentration, exposing a wet printed image to a magnetic field to align magnetic particles in a predetermined manner, allowing the ink to cure, and coating the substrate with a second printed image on the top of the first image. The second printed image with the same or different image shape is printed with another ink containing clear or dyed ink vehicle mixed with flaked magnetic pigment in a low concentration, exposed to the magnetic field of the same or different configuration as the first printed image and cured until the ink is dry. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates generally to a two-step method of creating a security printed image, and more particularly, coating a surface of a substrate with an ink that includes an alignable flake material, and subjecting the coated surface to a magnetic or electric field. And a method of forming an image by aligning at least a portion of the flake material and then recoating the substrate with a second printed image above or below the first image. .
No. 60/700994 filed Jul. 20, 2005, entitled “A Two-Step Method of Coating an Article for Security Printing”, which is incorporated herein by reference. Claim priority.

  The present invention relates to coating a substrate with ink or paint, or other similar media, to form an image that exhibits an optically illusive effect. Many surfaces painted or printed with platelet-like particles have higher reflectivity and lighter color than surfaces coated with paint or ink containing conventional pigments Indicates. A substrate painted or printed with flake pigments that change color will show a color change when viewed at different angles. The flake pigment includes a material that is magnetically sensitive and can become alignable or orientable in an applied magnetic field. Such particles are manufactured from a combination of magnetic and non-magnetic materials and can be mixed with a paint vehicle or ink vehicle in the manufacture of magnetic paints or magnetic inks. These products are characterized by the fact that the flakes are oriented along the applied field lines in the liquid paint or liquid ink layer, after the paint vehicle or ink vehicle has been dried or cured. Is possible while staying in The relative orientation of the flakes and the longer size of the flakes relative to the coated surface may determine the level of reflectivity, or flake direction, and / or the paint or ink chroma. Alternatively, the dielectric material can be alignable in the electric field.

  The alignment of magnetic particles along the applied magnetic field lines has been known for centuries and is described in basic physics textbooks. Such a description can be found on page 662, a book by Halliday, Resnick, Walker entitled “Fundamentals of physics. Sixth Edition”. It is also known to align dielectric particles in an electric field, and this shape alignment is applicable to the present invention.

  The patents referenced below are hereby incorporated by reference.

  U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,676 in the name of Graves et al. Shows a film containing a film-forming material, as well as a naked eye, oriented in a curved configuration, placed in close proximity to the film, giving the viewer a perception of the position of the film Describes coating a substrate with a magnetically orientable pigment that can be seen by the

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,058 by Tomiyama prepared a multilayer by continuously laminating a release sheet layer, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a base sheet layer, and a pattern film layer, or by further laminating a pigment printing layer The pattern film which forms the lamination sheet containing a structure is disclosed. The pattern film layer is coated with a liquid coating formulation containing a powder magnetic material on one side of the base sheet layer to form a liquid film, and in a liquid state, the powder magnetic material contained in the liquid film Is prepared by a process including applying a magnetic force to form a pattern.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,689 in the name of Kashiwagi discloses a method and apparatus for producing a product having a magnetically formed pattern. The magnetically formed pattern was painted when light incident on the paint layer was reflected or absorbed differently by magnetic particles configured in a shape corresponding to the desired pattern. Visible on the surface of the product. More particularly, Oakley describes how various patterns produced by the magnetic alignment of nickel flakes can be formed on the surface of the wheel cover.

  US Pat. No. 6,808,806 by Phillips in the name of Flex Products Inc. discloses a method and apparatus for generating an image on a coated article. The method generally includes applying a liquid magnetizable pigment coating layer onto a substrate, the magnetizable pigment coating comprising a plurality of magnetic non-spherical particles or non-spherical flakes. Thereafter, a magnetic field is applied to selected areas of the pigment coating while the coating is liquid, which changes the orientation of the selected magnetic particles or flakes. Finally, the pigment coating is solidified and the reoriented particles or flakes are fixed in a position that is not parallel to the surface of the pigment coating to produce an image, such as a three-dimensional image on the surface of the coating. The The pigment coating can include various interfering magnetic particles or flakes, such as pigments that change magnetic color, or non-interfering magnetic particles or flakes.

  U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,361 is for producing decorative cookware formed by coating a base with a mixture of a fluoropolymer and magnetic flakes that produce an image magnetically in a polymer coating formulation. A useful patterned substrate is disclosed. The baked fluoropolymer release coating includes magnetizable flakes. A portion of the flake is oriented in the plane of the substrate, and a portion of the flake is magnetically reoriented to form a pattern in the coating that is observed in the reflected light, the flake being less than the thickness of the coating Has the largest and longest size. The pattern substrate is formed by applying a magnetic force through the end of a magnetizable mold positioned under the coated base to produce an imaging effect or imaging pattern.

  A common feature of the aforementioned prior art references is that different types of patterns are formed in the painted or printed layers. Most of the patterns exist as representations of symbols, shapes, symbols, or characters, and these patterns often reproduce the shape of the magnets placed under the substrate and appear in a layer of paint or ink Formed by shadowing the contour line to provide a specific alignment of the magnetic flakes. The desired pattern is such that the light incident on the paint layer is visible on the surface of the painted product when it is reflected or absorbed differently by a subgroup of magnetic non-spherical particles. Become.

  The above prior art references provide some useful and interesting optical effects but the need for patterns that have a greater degree of optical illusion and are more difficult to counterfeit Exists. US Patent Application No. 20050106367, filed December 22, 2004, named “Method and Apparatus for Orienting Magnetic Flakes” in the name of Raksha et al. Serves as the basis for embodiments of the present invention. Several interesting embodiments have been described that provide optical illusions such as “rolling bars” and “flip-flops” that are possible. Nevertheless, the two coatings have different patterns on a single substrate resulting in images that appear to move independently of each other as the direction of light changes or as the image is rotated or tilted. There is a need to provide

US Pat. No. 3,853,676 US Pat. No. 5,079,058 US Pat. No. 5,364,689 US Pat. No. 6,808,806 US Pat. No. 6,103,361 Halliday, Resnick, Walker, "Fundamentals of physics", Sixth Edition, page 662.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a more complicated image with at least two distinct features, each feature being realized in a separately applied coating.

  The object of the present invention has at least two distinct features, each feature being realized in a distinct coating, the at least two coatings moving synergistically together, yet the image is in one direction Is to provide a more complex image that gives the appearance of two images that look different from each other.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of coating an article comprising the following steps. That is,
Applying a first magnetic coating to the substrate using a magnetic field to orient the flakes within the coating along the field lines of the magnetic field, and after the first coating is cured, Applying a second magnetic coating over the first coating and orienting the flakes in the second coating along the field lines of the magnetic field using a magnetic field.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method of coating an article comprising the following steps. That is,
Applying a first magnetic coating to a substrate;
Orienting flakes in the coating, depending on the direction of the field lines of the magnetic field, using a magnetic field;
After the first coating is cured, a second magnetic coating is subsequently applied over the first coating and the second coating is used depending on the second magnetic field using the second magnetic field. Orienting the flakes therein and allowing the second magnetic coating to cure.

  According to another aspect of the invention, two distinct features in an image appear to move simultaneously, and when the image is moved or when the light source that strikes the image is moved, the movement is relative movement. An image formed of certain magnetic particles aligned by a magnetic field is provided.

  According to another aspect of the invention, two distinct features in the image appear to move, and the light source impinging on the image is moved in two different directions when the image is moved in two different directions. And one is stationary, while the other is provided with an image formed of magnetic particles that move.

  In a broad aspect of the invention, the step of applying a pigment having magnetically alignable flakes thereon or below the already formed image and magnetically aligning the magnetically alignable flakes within the pigment. There is provided a method of providing an optical illusion image comprising the steps of automatically aligning and allowing the flakes to cure.

  From the above broad aspects of the present invention, preferably magnetically alignable flakes are used to provide a magnetic field for aligning magnetically alignable flakes, nevertheless, a plurality of flakes are simultaneously defined. It should be understood that other forces and fields that can be aligned in the direction of are also within the scope of this application.

More broadly, the present invention applies a first optical effect coating to a first side of a substrate and uses a magnetic or electric field to orient the flakes within the coating, depending on the field, and Applying a second optical effect coating on the first coating or on the second side of the substrate, the effect or combined effect of both coatings can be seen from at least one side of the substrate Provides a method of forming an image.

  In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the first coating and the second coating comprise diffractive flakes in which a surface relief pattern is formed in or on the flakes, and in the first coating The flakes are oriented along the surface relief pattern of the flakes in a different orientation than the diffractive flakes in the second coating.

  Next, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The orientation of magnetic flakes dispersed in the paint vehicle or in the ink vehicle along the applied magnetic field lines can produce multiple illusional optical effects. Many of their effects, described in other patents and patent applications assigned to Flex Products, are dynamic, similar to the cat-eye effect in holographic kinograms or gemstones. Has an animation-like appearance. When a graphic image printed on the surface of a substrate in the presence of a magnetic field is tilted or bent with respect to the light source and the viewer, the illusional optical effect is directed toward the viewer or the viewer. Move away from, left or right.

  However, according to the present invention, using an ink or magnetic paint containing magnetic particles in the presence of different magnetic fields, the article is printed in two steps, or two steps are applied, which are very different. It is possible to create more complex types of optical effects. In the first stage, mixed with a certain concentration (preferably 15-50% by weight) of reflective, color-changing or diffracting or any other platelet-like magnetic pigment A transparent, dyed, or dyed ink or paint vehicle is printed / painted on the surface of the article in any given graphic pattern and exposed to a magnetic field to form a given optical effect. And cured to secure the magnetic flakes in the solid ink / paint vehicle layer. In the second stage, a lower concentration of ink or paint (preferably in the range of 0.1 to 15% by weight) is printed on the first printed image, exposed to a magnetic field and cured. Be made. The ink vehicle or paint vehicle for the second layer is preferably transparent, but may be dyed. The magnetic pigment for the second printing / painting layer may be the same as or different from the case of the first layer. The pigment size for the second layer may be the same or different. The color of the pigment for the second layer may be the same as or different from that of the first layer. The shape and strength of the field applied to the second layer can be the same or, preferably, can be different so that the viewer experiences two different effects. The graphic pattern for the second layer can be the same or different. Ink or pigment color combinations may enhance or weaken specific colors in the final printed image.

  The complicated pattern of lines, dots, arcs, and other shapes highlighted by the optical illusion effect of the present invention is used in the printing process to allow a counterfeiter to reproduce a visually encrypted document. Can be difficult.

  For two-step printing according to the present invention, the substrate can be transparent or opaque, which generally depends on the graphics of the image and the desired optical effect. In instances where an opaque substrate is utilized, the first applied coating layer and the second applied coating layer are printed or painted on the same side of the opaque substrate, resulting in a more transparent image. , Applied as a second coating layer over the first coating layer. In the case of a transparent substrate, the application for the first coating and the second coating can be the same as described for the opaque substrate, or alternatively, preferably the first coating layer Can be printed with the concentrated ink on the first side of the substrate and the second coating layer can be printed with the diluted ink on the opposite side of the substrate. For some purposes, the first coating layer can be a layer printed with diluted ink and the layer of concentrated ink can be printed second. Viewing the final image can be done through the substrate.

  The first example of a printed article according to an embodiment of the invention having two intersecting rolling bars produces an optical effect similar to a star. US Patent Application No. 2004/0051297 and US Patent Application No. 2005/0106367 in the name of Raksha et al. Are based on magnetic particles in which the effect is dispersed in an ink vehicle or paint vehicle and aligned in a magnetic field. A single rolling bar formed by cylindrical convex reflection or cylindrical concave reflection of light rays and a method for making a rolling bar are described.

  Stars in gemstones are created by the inclusion of very small, parallel, elongated fibers in minerals, which move in a concentrated, swirling star-like form that moves around as the mineral rotates. The light is caused to reflect. Stars are usually produced by small groups of rutile (titanium oxide) needles in the ruby and sapphire cases, as illustrated in FIG. A star can show four, six, or more rays.

  Flexographic images of a box with four ray stars or two rolling bars are shown in FIGS. 2c and 2d. The image of a single rolling bar 202 in FIG. 2a uses an ink containing a pigment that changes color from 25% by weight green to gold on the surface of a transparent, translucent, or opaque substrate. In this way, the convex rolling bar 202 printed in the first step is formed by an applied magnetic field.

  The second image shown in FIG. 2 is 10% by weight of the same green to gold dispersed in a transparent ink vehicle (thus making it translucent) over the first image 201. A convex rolling bar 204 is formed at the border, with the direction of the rolling bar 204 in the first printed image of FIG. It is 90 ° with respect to the direction of the bar 202. The resulting printed image of FIG. 2c shows four ray stars. The star moves to the bottom of the printed image shown in FIG. 2d or is tilted towards the viewer when the printed image is rotated or tilted horizontally with the top edge away from the viewer. And move to the top of the image. By tilting or returning the image in the direction shown in FIG. 2d, both rolling bars appear to move simultaneously toward and away from each other. By coating the substrate with two rolling bars in this way, the function of each rolling bar is provided, giving the sensation of rolling the entire sheet as the sheet is rotated, so that both bars are one Even a slight rotation of the direction appears to move synergistically in clearly different directions. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to move or tilt the sheet in two different directions to see both bars moving. A single movement in a single direction gives the sense that the two bars move differently.

  Referring now to FIG. 3a, the illustrated image of Earth 310 is silkscreened using a dark 30% by weight ink containing a pigment that changes from magenta to gold with an average particle size of 22 microns. And exposed to a magnetic field to form a V-shaped flip-flop optical effect. The flip-flop effect is described in US patent application 2004/0051297 and US patent application 2005/0106367 in the name of Laksha et al., Which are incorporated herein by reference. The effect is that at the normal viewing angle, the lower half below the Earth's equatorial line has a light magenta color and the upper half has a dark gold color. The magnetic flakes at the bottom of the image acquire such orientation in the applied magnetic field, and those flakes are sent straight into the eyes of the viewer to see the reflected light, which brightens the flakes Become visible. In contrast, particles at the top of the Earth send reflected light towards the viewer's chest. The flake color at this viewing angle, and the orientation of this particular particle, is gold. When the earth printed on the substrate is tilted so that the top edge is away from the viewer, the flakes in the lower part reflect the light in the direction of the viewer's hat, which makes the flakes dark gold . At the same time, flakes at the top of the earth reflect rays of incident light that enter the viewer's eyes, which appear as bright magenta. By tilting the sample in the opposite direction, the color of the image is switched back.

  The second image 302, “Test Text” shown in FIG. 3b, is another magnetic field printed on the earth 301 with 10% by weight diluted ink, resulting in a roof-shaped orientation of magnetic particles. Exposed to. The optical effect in the image printed with these oriented particles has a color “replacement” that is the opposite of the color change of the first printed image. The pigment in the second ink is the same magenta to gold pigment as in the first image, but the pigment size is close to 10 microns. The pigment hue has the same value as the larger 22 micron pigment, but the chroma is lower than the larger pigment chroma of the first layer, which makes the pigment slightly darker. At normal viewing angles, the resulting image 303 in FIG. 3c shows a translucent light magenta “Text” on a dark golden background, and a dark golden translucent on a light magenta earth background. "Test" is shown. When the print 303 is tilted away from the viewer, as shown at 304, the two parts of the earth and the text alternate their colors, ie, “swap”. The upper part of the earth becomes light magenta with a translucent dark golden TEXT, and the lower part of the earth becomes dark golden with a bright magenta TEST.

  The “Text Test” logo 401 shown in FIG. 4a is printed over an image 402 that includes the flip-flop features described in the aforementioned patents. Image 402 is printed with a concentrated ink containing magnetic pigments Al / M / Al, where Al is aluminum and M is any magnetically alignable material. Flip-flops can be formed by aligning magnetic flakes in a solid organic medium in a V shape or a roof shape. At normal viewing angles and V-shaped alignment of particles in the resin, the lower portion 403 of the image 402 is bright and the upper portion 404 is dark. The second image 405 is printed on the image 402. In FIG. 4b, the image 405 is printed with diluted ink containing 5% by weight of a gold, magnetic, non-changing pigment and placed in the field to form a rolling bar optical feature. Yes. A rolling bar 406 is formed near the top of the image. The ink is cured after particle alignment is complete. The flip-flops and text look very well through the topcoat layer in the double printed image 407, as in FIG.

  However, at an inclination of the print image such that the top edge of the print image is away from the viewer, the rolling bar rolls down the print image 407 and occupies the center of the box 408, as shown in FIG. Hide logo 401 and flip-flop. The image 501 shown in FIG. 5 a is an ink containing 20 wt% magnetic pigment, flexographically printed on a transparent substrate 500, and placed in a magnetic field to form a convex rolling bar optical effect 502. And hardened to fix the aligned magnetic particles. Flexography, or flexographic printing, is similar to surface printing, but uses a roller or cylinder with a flexible rubber-like surface that prints in convex areas using much less ink. The machine printing process to use. In that process, the ink dries quickly and allows the machine to run at high speed. The finished product has a clear, detailed and very smooth finish and often resembles rotary screen printing.

  In FIG. 5b, another image is printed with diluted ink, placed in the field to form a concave rolling bar 503, and cured to fix the particles in place. The final print 505 shows an image with a single rolling bar effect 506 at a normal viewing angle. When the sample is tilted so that the upper end of the sample is away from the viewer, the single rolling bar 506 splits into two rolling bars 507 and 508 that move in opposite directions. By tilting image 507 back to the normal angle, rolling bars 507 and 508 are brought together to provide a single optical effect. Both printed images may have the same shape or different shapes as shown in FIG. 5d.

  Referring now to FIGS. 6a and 6b, a very attractive image for creating a security label on a curved surface is shown. The drug packaging bottle shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b is a good example that utilizes the separation of rolling bars. The bottle 601 has a label 602 attached to the surface of the bottle. A security feature 603 having a separate rolling bar as described in the previous embodiment is printed on the label 602. Feature 603 has a single rolling bar 604 at the normal viewing angle. The bottle has a wide line 605 caused by reflection of incident light from the column surface of the bottle. However, the rolling bar 604, which also looks like a reflecting column surface, is 90 ° to the line 605. By tilting the bottle 601 so that the top of the bottle 601 is away from the viewer, the rolling bar 604 is caused to split into two rolling bars 606 and 607. When the bottle tilt is returned, the rolling bars 606 and 607 are regrouped into a single rolling bar 604.

  Referring now to FIGS. 7a and 7b, a photomicrograph 7a of the pigment of the first applied diffractive particle layer in the carrier using a magnetic field oriented up and down (or vice versa) The groove orientation is shown. After the first printed layer is cured, a second print is applied over the first print using a magnetic field oriented left and right (or vice versa). The camera used to record the micrograph of FIG. 7b is focused to show the second groove orientation of the microstructured particles. Note that the application amount of the second coating is less than the application amount of the first coating.

  It is also understood that in the accompanying figures, and in the illustrated embodiments, groove-oriented flakes can be used in place of or with other types of flakes as described above. I want to be.

  While the embodiments described above have described two-step application of a coating to the same or different surfaces of a substrate, although not so preferred, it is still within the scope of the present invention, Alternatively, use a first alignable flake coating on the first substrate laminated to a second substrate having a different printed or etched image. For example, in a first step, a rolling bar is printed on a first substrate, which is then laminated to a holographic image, so that any of the substrates is substantially light transmissive. It is possible that there is.

  In another less preferred embodiment of the present invention, two coatings are applied to different sides of the substrate, and the second coating has a viscosity that changes when energy such as light of a predetermined wavelength is applied; The coating becomes liquid. The first coating is a standard coating that can be magnetized and aligned after being applied. After the first coating is cured and the flakes are permanently aligned, the second coating can be liquefied enough to align the flakes and then cured. is there.

  Of course, numerous other embodiments of the invention can be envisaged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a gemstone showing a star produced by a small group of rutile (titanium oxide) needles showing six rays. Figures 2a to 2d show two steps in the production of an image having two intersecting rolling bars that appear to move with changes in viewing angle. Figures 3a to 3d show a series of steps and images that form the final image of Figure 3d, where the earth with text in it produces a flip-flop optical effect. 4a to 4d are diagrams showing steps in the manufacture of flip-flops and rolling bars made on the same substrate. FIGS. 5a to 5d show several approaches to print two rolling bars that appear to form a single rolling bar, tilting the image and appearing to split into two rolling bars. It is a figure which shows the process in an image. 6a and 6b show a container having the features of the rolling bar of FIG. 5d. 7a and 7b are photomicrographs showing regions of the image obtained in the two-step printing process, the two photomicrographs corresponding to the same region of the image.

Explanation of symbols

  202, 204 Rolling bar

Claims (14)

A method of coating an article comprising:
Applying a first-orientable coating on a first surface of a substrate and using a magnetic or electric field to orient flakes in the coating along the field lines of the magnetic field;
After the first coating is cured, a second magnetic coating is subsequently applied over the first coating or over the second surface of the substrate using a magnetic or electric field. Orienting flakes in the second coating along the field lines of the magnetic field.   The magnetic field for orienting the flakes in the first magnetic coating is a first magnetic field, and the first magnetic field is used to orient flakes in the second coating. Item 2. The method according to Item 1.   The magnetic field for orienting the flakes in the first magnetic coating is a first magnetic field, and the magnetic field used to orient the flakes in the second coating is a second magnetic field. The method of claim 1.   The method of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are generated by different magnets or different magnetic generators.   The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first coating and the second coating has a different concentration.   One of the first coating and the second coating includes a multi-layer optically variable flake, the other of the coating includes a plurality of diffractive flakes, at least a portion of the diffractive flakes comprising: 6. The method of claim 5, having a surface relief pattern formed therein.   The method of claim 1, wherein a two stage manufacturing process is utilized. A method of creating an image,
Applying a first coating on the first surface of the substrate;
Applying a magnetic field to align the particles in the first coating in a predetermined manner;
Allowing the first coating to cure or dry;
Applying a second coating over the first coating or over the second side of the substrate and applying a magnetic field before the second coating is cured or dried; Aligning the particles in the second coating. The first optical feature having a first optical characteristic that changes in appearance with a change in viewing angle or a change in incident light that strikes an image, and the first optical feature that changes in appearance with a change in viewing angle or a change in incident light that strikes an image An image having a second optical feature independent of the feature,
The first feature includes a first coating of magnetically aligned flakes, and the second feature is magnetically oriented differently than the flakes of the first coating. An image comprising a second coating of aligned flakes. A method of forming an image on a substrate, comprising:
Applying a first optical effect coating to a first surface of the substrate and orienting flakes in the coating depending on the field using a magnetic or electric field;
Applying a second optical effect coating on the first coating or on the second surface of the substrate, wherein the effect or combined effect of both coatings is at least one of the substrates A method that can be seen from a plane. A substrate supporting the image,
Comprising a first coating of aligned optical flakes that results in a change in color, reflectivity, and diffraction with a change in viewing angle;
A substrate further supporting a second coating having optically distinguishable features, wherein the first coating and the second coating are visible from at least one side of the substrate.   The substrate of claim 11, wherein the second coating is an aligned optical flake coating.   The substrate of claim 12, wherein the first coating and the second coating each form a separate image, each separate image being formed by magnetically aligning optical flakes.   The first coating and the second coating comprise diffractive flakes in which a surface relief pattern is formed in or on the flakes, the flakes in the first coating comprising the second coating 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method is oriented along a surface relief pattern of the flakes with a different orientation than the diffractive flakes in the coating.

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