OPTICAL EFFECT LAYERS SHOWING A VIEWING ANGLE DEPENDENT OPTICAL EFFECT, PROCESSES AND DEVICES FOR THEIR PRODUCTION, ITEMS CARRYING AN OPTICAL EFFECT LAYER, AND USES THEREOF
First Claim
1. An optical effect layer (OEL) comprising a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, wherein at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles is constituted by non-spherical optically variable magnetic or magnetizable pigments, and wherein the non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material,the OEL comprising two or more loop-shaped areas, being nested around a common central area that is surrounded by the innermost loop-shaped area,wherein, in each of the loop-shaped areas, at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL layer and extending from the centre of the central area to the outer boundary of the outermost loop-shaped area, the longest axis of the particles in each of the cross-sectional areas of the looped-shaped areas follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of hypothetical ellipses or circles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to optical effect layers (OEL) showing a viewing-angle dependent optical effect, devices and processes for producing said OEL and items carrying said OEL, as well as uses of said optical effect layers as an anti-counterfeit means on documents. The OEL comprises a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material, the OEL comprising two or more loop-shaped areas, being nested around a common central area that is surrounded by the innermost loop-shaped area, wherein, in each of the loop-shaped areas, at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL layer and extending from the centre of the central area to the outer boundary of the outermost loop-shaped area, the longest axis of the particles in each of the cross-sectional areas of the looped-shaped areas follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of hypothetical ellipses or circles.
41 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An optical effect layer (OEL) comprising a plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, wherein at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles is constituted by non-spherical optically variable magnetic or magnetizable pigments, and wherein the non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are dispersed in a coating composition comprising a binder material,
the OEL comprising two or more loop-shaped areas, being nested around a common central area that is surrounded by the innermost loop-shaped area, wherein, in each of the loop-shaped areas, at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL layer and extending from the centre of the central area to the outer boundary of the outermost loop-shaped area, the longest axis of the particles in each of the cross-sectional areas of the looped-shaped areas follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of hypothetical ellipses or circles.
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6. (canceled)
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9. A magnetic field-generating device comprising a plurality of elements selected from magnets and pole pieces and comprising at least one magnet, the plurality of elements being either (i) located below a supporting surface or a space configured to receive a substrate acting as supporting surface or (ii) forming a supporting surface, and being configured such as to be capable of providing a magnetic field wherein magnetic field lines run substantially parallel to said supporting surface or space in two or more areas above said supporting surface or space, and wherein
i) the two or more areas form nested loop-shaped areas surrounding a central area; - and/or
ii) the plurality of elements comprise a plurality of magnets, and the magnets are arranged rotatable around an axis of rotation such that the areas with field lines running substantially parallel to the supporting surface or space combine upon rotation around the axis of rotation, thereby forming, upon rotation around the axis of rotation, a plurality of nested loop-shaped areas surrounding one central area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification