Micro-optic security and image presentation system presenting a synthetically magnified image that appears to lie above a given plane
First Claim
1. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising:
- (a) providing an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within at least a portion of the image icon array;
(b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements; and
(c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that the image icon focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie above a given plane,wherein the system has a thickness of less than 50 microns, or image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns, or both.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A film material utilizing a regular two-dimensional array of non-cylindrical lenses to enlarge micro-images, called icons, to form a synthetically magnified image through the united performance of a multiplicity of individual lens/icon image systems. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system includes one or more optical spacers (5), a micro-image formed of a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icons (4) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes and positioned on or next to the optical spacer (5), and a periodic planar array of image icon focusing elements (1) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes, the axis of symmetry being the same planar axis as that of the micro-image planar array (4). A number of distinctive visual effects, such as three-dimensional and motion effects, can be provided by the present system.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising:
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(a) providing an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within at least a portion of the image icon array; (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements; and (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that the image icon focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie above a given plane, wherein the system has a thickness of less than 50 microns, or image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns, or both. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64)
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62. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising:
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(a) providing an array of image icons, wherein at least a portion of the array of image icons is arranged in a pattern, the array having at least one axis the pattern can be reflected around, rotated around, or both, without changing the geometry of the pattern; (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein at least a portion of the array of image icon focusing elements is arranged in a pattern, the array having at least one axis the pattern can be reflected around, rotated around, or both, without changing the geometry of the pattern; and (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that the focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to lie above a given plane, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system is used on or at least partially within paper or polymer currency.
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65. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising:
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(a) providing an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within the image icon array; (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements; and (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that the image icon focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie above a given plane, wherein the system has a thickness of less than 50 microns, or image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns, or both.
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66. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising:
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(a) providing an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within at least a portion of the image icon array, the array spacing measured on, or in the direction of, a chosen axis of the image icon array; (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements with an array spacing between focusing elements within at least a portion of the focusing element array, the array spacing measured on, or in the direction of, an axis of the focusing element array that corresponds to the chosen axis of the image icon array; and (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that the image icon focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, wherein the ratio of (i) the array spacing between image icons within at least a portion of the array of image icons to (ii) the array spacing between focusing elements within at least a portion of the array of image icon focusing elements, is greater than 1, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to lie above a given plane, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system is used on or at least partially within paper or polymer currency.
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Specification