RU2629150C1 - Dynamic image forming device and method of its obtaining - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: dynamic image forming device comprises a substrate, an optical element and a painted layer interposed therebetween, in which the said coloured layer consists of regularly arranged painted or unpainted areas of substantially the same size together forming an image, the said optical element being a layer of a substantially transparent material, the surface of which is provided with regularly-arranged relief refractive elements of substantially the same shape. The thickness of the said optical element is selected such that the said painted layer is substantially in focus of the said light-refractive elements. The step between the said light-refracting elements is equal to or differs by not more than 10% from the step between the said image zones. The optical axes of the said light-refractive elements are aligned with the said image zones with an accuracy, at least, equal to the step size between the said light-refractive elements substantially along the entire length and width of the said image.

EFFECT: obtaining a device that provides a dynamic effect, when the position of the device changes relative to the viewing direction of the observer, it is not required to combine the matrix of micro-optical elements with the pattern on the substrate in two directions with an accuracy much smaller than the size of the micro-optical element.

20 cl, 3 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of optics and printing.

BACKGROUND

Known technologies that provide the effect of movement of the picture when changing the angle of view relative to the image surface, based on the application of the moire enlargement effect (RF patents for the invention No. 2478998, 2547700, 2466030, 2337403, 2452627 and 2273038).

A common drawback of the known solutions is that in order to obtain a product that provides a motion effect, it is necessary to combine the matrix of micro-optical elements with the image with an accuracy much smaller than the size of the micro-optical element. At the same time, precise alignment is required immediately along two axes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for generating a dynamic image. A “dynamic image” means an image that, when the angle of inclination changes relative to the observer’s gaze, changes its color, position, relative position and / or size of the individual parts, the relative position of the foreground and background elements, in a way that is not typical for images, obtained by traditional methods known in the printing industry.

The technical result consists in the fact that to obtain a device that provides a dynamic effect when changing its (device) position relative to the observer's gaze, it is not necessary to combine the matrix of micro-optical elements with the pattern on the substrate in two directions with an accuracy much smaller than the size of the micro-optical element.

The above problem is solved due to the fact that the device for forming a dynamic image contains:

substrate

optical element and

a colored layer located between them, characterized in that it

said colored layer consists of regularly arranged colored or unpainted areas of substantially the same size, together forming an image,

said optical element is a layer of substantially transparent material, the surface of which is provided with regularly arranged light-reflecting embossed relief elements of substantially the same shape, wherein the thickness of said optical element is selected so that said colored layer is substantially in focus of said light-reflecting elements,

characterized in that in it

the pitch between said light-reflecting elements is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the pitch between said image zones, and the alignment angle is substantially 0 degrees.

The specified design allows you to obtain dynamic images with the exact alignment of the optical element with the substrate only in angle, without any exact alignment of the optical element and the substrate with the value of the vertical or horizontal coordinates (which in traditional methods is carried out manually).

Further, the aforementioned device, characterized in general categories, is illustrated by the example of some particularly preferred forms of execution, providing additional benefits.

The substrate can be made of any material that is suitable for applying the aforementioned image, in particular of paper, cardboard, non-woven, polymer film or fabric.

The image can be applied to the aforementioned substrate by traditional methods known in the printing industry, in particular by intaglio or flexographic printing.

The distance between said light-reflecting elements and the image may be the same over the entire image surface, or the distance between said optical elements and said image zones can vary so that, at least for some of the said light-reflecting elements, it essentially coincides with the focal, and the other part may be greater or less than the focal length. In the latter case, the effect of the volume of objects depicted in the figure can be achieved, similar to the effect of the volume of holographic images, or the effect of color transitions (if the image elements contain several color zones), corresponding to deviations of the distance between the light-reflecting elements and the image.

Variations in the focal length may be due to protrusions, depressions and / or non-flatness of the surface of the substrate relative to the plane in which the foci of the said optical elements lie. Such protrusions and depressions can be purposefully formed in predetermined positions by means of an embossing cliche or an embossing shaft.

The optical element can be made of any suitable substantially transparent material that can be applied to an image substrate and on whose surface light-reflecting elements can be formed by known methods. In particular, thermoplastic polymers selected from the group consisting of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly (methyl acrylate) (PMMA), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly (vinyl acetate) (PVA), EVAL (ethylene vinyl alcohol) are suitable materials. ), poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB) and poly (styrene) (PS), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAC), cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate proplonate (CAP), cycloolefin copolymer (COC), styrene acrylonitrile (RA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyurethane.

Light-reflecting elements can have a different shape. Preferably, the refractive elements are spherical or aspherical microlenses or micropyramids.

The optical power of the light-reflecting elements over the entire image surface may be the same or may vary. In the latter case, when the difference in optical power is created purposefully in predetermined places in the image, this allows one to achieve either a volumetric effect or a color tint.

Such a difference in the optical power of the light-reflecting elements may be due, in particular, to a difference in their geometric shape, preferably to a difference in the curvature of the interface. The easiest way to form zones with reduced optical power of the light-reflecting elements is to apply a thinner layer of transparent material over the image than over the rest of the zones. In this case, the material does not completely fill the cavities of the cliché, but, due to the forces of surface tension, forms a light-refracting element that resembles a flattened sphere in shape.

The light-reflecting elements can be located above the image in various ways, in particular, in one embodiment of the device, they can be located so that next to each light-reflecting element, except for the extreme ones, there are only four adjacent light-reflecting elements; in another embodiment of the device, said light-reflecting elements are arranged so that next to each light-reflecting element, in addition to the extreme ones, there are six adjacent light-refracting elements.

Mentioned device for forming a dynamic image can be made as follows:

(a) an image is applied to the substrate, consisting of regularly located colored or unpainted areas of the same size,

(b) a layer of substantially transparent material is applied over the image,

(c) using a cliche or embossing roll, the surface of which is provided with regularly located recesses, wherein the step between said recesses is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the step between said colored zones,

(g) combine the cliche or embossing shaft and the workpiece obtained in stage 2 at an angle of essentially 0 degrees,

(e) embossing is carried out by clamping the preform obtained in step 2 between the plate and said cliche, allowing said essentially transparent material to at least partially fill the recesses of said cliche.

For the targeted production of light-refracting elements with variations in optical power or in the degree of defocus, various techniques can be used separately or in combination.

In accordance with one technique, in step (b), said layer is applied with a predetermined thickness corresponding to a portion of said pattern, so that during embossing in steps (c) and (d), the degree of filling of the recesses of said cliche or embossing roll in sections with less thicker than in areas with a larger thickness, and the curvature of the interface between the media in the first sections is less than in the second.

In accordance with another technique, in step (b), the layer of said material is applied with the same thickness on the entire surface of the pattern, and in steps (c) and (d), a cliche or embossing roll with a different size or shape of the recesses is used.

In accordance with the third method, another cliche or embossing shaft with protrusions and / or depressions located in predetermined places is additionally used, while in step (c) and (d) the workpiece is compressed between the first and second cliches or embossing shafts, obtaining a substrate, deformed in such a way that at least a part of said zones is in focus of said optical elements, and another part is out of focus.

In one preferred embodiment of the method, a layer of said material in step (b) is applied by screen printing.

In another preferred embodiment of the method, said material in step (b) is a material heated to softening, which in step (e) cools and hardens.

In another preferred embodiment of the method, said material in step (b) is a light curing material which, upon completion of step (e), is cured by ultraviolet radiation.

In one preferred embodiment of the method, said material in step (b) is a self-solidifying material that hardens over time as a result of chemical reactions between its components.

The device described above allows to achieve the following optical effects:

- the effect of saving the image in an unchanged form when the device is rotated to different angles (eliminating parallax);

- overflow of color when changing the angle of inclination of the device to the direction of view;

- the effect of the movement of the image and / or its individual parts when the device is rotated, different from the usual image changes due to the parallax effect;

- the effect of the volume of objects in the image resembling a hologram.

You must understand that in the present text the invention is characterized only by such signs that are sufficient to solve the problem, implement the purpose and achieve the selected technical result; special mention of all the features and utilitarian characteristics of the invention without exception is not required if specialists should be aware that products of the same kind possess such features and utilitarian characteristics and without them the main purpose cannot be realized; all the more, it is not necessary to limit the generalized features to any specific options, if such should be known to specialists and (or) can be selected according to known rules.

The design and use of the device is clearly illustrated by figures 1-3 on the example of private and specific embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a device according to the invention with a substrate without depressions or indentations.

In FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the formation of light-refracting elements of different shapes using a cliche with recesses of the same shape.

In FIG. 3 shows a diagram similar to the scheme in figure 1, with the difference that depressions and indentations are formed in the substrate using an additional embossing cliche.

11 - upper cliche for the formation of lenticular lenses and microlenses,

12 - a layer of transparent plastisol applied by a screen mesh with imitation of the relief of the future pattern,

13 - printing on a substrate,

14 - substrate (paper, non-woven, film),

15 - lower flat plate for embossing,

21 - step

22 - transparent polymer material,

31 - upper cliche for the formation of lenticular lenses and microlenses,

32 - a layer of transparent plastisol,

33 - printing on a substrate of paper, non-woven, film,

34 - lower embossed cliche for volume printing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a device for forming a dynamic image contains a substrate, an optical element and a colored layer located between them. Said colored layer consists of regularly arranged colored or unpainted areas of substantially the same size together forming an image. Said optical element is a layer of essentially transparent material, the surface of which is provided with regularly arranged relief light-reflecting elements on it of substantially the same shape. The thickness of said optical element is selected so that said colored layer is substantially in focus of said light refracting elements. The pitch between said light-reflecting elements is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the pitch between said image zones. The optical axes of said light-reflecting elements are aligned with said image zones with an accuracy of at least equal to the step between said light-reflecting elements along substantially the entire length and width of said image. To obtain dynamic images, it is not necessary to combine the optical element with the image along two coordinate axes in the plane of the substrate, it is enough just to ensure that the step coincides between the light-reflecting elements and the image zones with a satisfactory accuracy of 10% or more and lay the optical element on top of the image without any exact positioning, provided that the alignment of the axes of the optical element and the image along the entire length and width of the image is sufficient (it is necessary to exclude skew).

For the manufacture of a device for forming a dynamic image

(a) an image is applied to the substrate, consisting of regularly located colored or unpainted areas of the same size,

(b) a layer of softened substantially transparent material is applied over the image,

(c) using a cliche or embossing roll, the surface of which is provided with regularly located recesses, wherein the step between said recesses is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the step between said colored zones,

(g) combine the cliche or embossing shaft and the workpiece obtained in stage 2 at an angle of essentially 0 degrees,

(e) embossing is carried out by clamping the preform obtained in step 2 between the plate and said cliche, allowing said essentially transparent material to at least partially fill the recesses of said cliche and harden.

If cliches with recesses of the same shape and size are used for manufacturing, and the layer of transparent material is the same over the entire surface, a device is obtained in which all the light-reflecting elements are the same and are located at the same distance from the mentioned zones.

To purposefully obtain light-refracting elements of various shapes, or elements located at different distances from the mentioned zones, the techniques described above can be applied.

Claims (33)

1. A device for forming a dynamic image containing: substrate optical element and a colored layer located between them, characterized in that in it said colored layer consists of regularly arranged colored or unpainted areas of substantially the same size, together forming an image, said optical element is a layer of substantially transparent material, the surface of which is provided with regularly arranged light-reflecting embossed relief elements of substantially the same shape, wherein the thickness of said optical element is selected so that said colored layer is substantially in focus of said light-reflecting elements, characterized in that in it the step between said light-reflecting elements is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the step between said image zones, and the alignment angle is essentially 0 degrees. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said substrate is selected from paper, cardboard, non-woven fabric, a polymer film or fabric. 3. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that in it the said image is applied by gravure or flexographic printing. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between said light-reflecting elements and said image zones varies in such a way that, at least in part of said light-refracting elements, it essentially coincides with the focal, and in the other part be larger or smaller than the focal length. 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the mentioned differences in the focal length are caused by protrusions, depressions and / or non-flatness of the surface of the substrate relative to the plane in which the foci of the said optical elements lie. 6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the substrate is deformed in such a way that at least part of the image areas is essentially in focus of the said light-refracting elements, and the other part is not in focus. 7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said substantially transparent material is a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly (methyl acrylate) (PMMA), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly (vinyl acetate) (PVA), EVAL (ethylene vinyl alcohol), poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB) and poly (styrene) (PS), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAC), cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate ATS), cycloolefin copolymer (SOS), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly PETA. 8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said light-refracting elements in it are spherical or aspherical microlenses or micropyramids. 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical power of said light-refracting elements is different in it. 10. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that in it the mentioned difference in the optical power of the said light-refracting elements is due to the difference in their geometric shape, preferably the difference in the curvature of the interface. 11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said light-reflecting elements therein are arranged in such a way that next to each light-reflecting element, except for the extreme ones, there are only four adjacent light-refracting elements. 12. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the said light-reflecting elements in it are arranged in such a way that next to each light-reflecting element, in addition to the extreme ones, there are six adjacent light-refracting elements. 13. A method of obtaining a device for forming a dynamic image, characterized in that it: (a) an image is applied to the substrate, consisting of regularly located colored or unpainted areas of the same size, (b) a layer of substantially transparent material is applied over the image, (c) using a cliche or embossing roll, the surface of which is provided with regularly located recesses, wherein the step between said recesses is equal to or different by no more than 10% from the step between said colored zones, (g) combine the cliche or embossing shaft and the workpiece obtained in stage 2 at an angle of essentially 0 degrees, (e) embossing is carried out by clamping the preform obtained in step 2 between the plate and said cliche, allowing said essentially transparent material to at least partially fill the recesses of said cliche. 14. The method according to p. 13, characterized in that in it at stage (b), said layer is applied with a predetermined thickness corresponding to a portion of said pattern, so that when embossed in stages (c) and (d), the degree of filling of the recesses said cliche or embossing roll in sections with a smaller thickness is less than in sections with a larger thickness, and the curvature of the interface between the media in the first sections is less than in the second. 15. The method according to p. 14, characterized in that in it at stage (b) a layer of said material is applied with the same thickness to the entire surface of the pattern, and at stages (c) and (d) use a cliche or embossing roll with different sizes or the shape of the recesses. 16. The method according to p. 14, characterized in that it additionally uses another cliche or embossing shaft with protrusions and / or depressions located in predetermined places, while in step (c) and (d) the workpiece is compressed between the first and the second cliche or embossing rolls, receiving a substrate deformed in such a way that at least part of the said zones is in the focus of the mentioned optical elements, and the other part is out of focus. 17. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that in it at the stage (b) a layer of the aforementioned material is applied by screen printing. 18. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that in it in stage (b) said material is a material heated to softening, which in stage (e) is cooled and hardens. 19. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that in it at the stage (b) said material is a light-cured material, which at the end of stage (e) is cured by ultraviolet radiation. 20. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that in it, at the stage (b), said material is a self-solidifying material that hardens over time as a result of chemical reactions between its components.

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