Laser marked device

• US 8,755,121 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane AB (Crane Company), Visual Physics LLC (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Crane AB (Crane Company), Crane & Company Incorporated (Crane Company), Visual Physics LLC (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Cape, Samuel M., Gosnell, Jonathan D., Jordan, Gregory R., Palm, Scott K., Prett, Giles D., Schneider, Timothy W., Zucchero, Anthony J., Helminen, Kaj Markkus
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US13/360,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 359/619, 359/626, 283/86
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/26 Thermography B41M5/20, B41M5/24 take precedence; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used B23K takes precedence; thermographic or photothermographic systems using noble metal compounds G03C1/494
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/267 Marking of plastic artifacts, e.g. with laser
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/324 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/003 using security elements using digital security elements G07D7/004

Abstract

An optical device projecting one or more synthetically magnified images that has been laser marked with one or more static two dimensional (2D) images is provided. The static 2D image(s) laser marked on or within this device and the synthetically magnified image(s) projected by this device help determine the authenticity of a document (e.g., passport data page) or product that employs it. Several embodiments of the inventive device also offer increased resistance to tampering or alteration and wear.

Claims

1. A laser markable optical device, which comprises:

an optical film material that comprises one or more arrangements of focusing elements and one or more arrangements of image icons disposed on opposing sides of an optical spacer layer, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein at least one arrangement or layer within the optical film material is markable by laser energy, and

wherein static two dimensional images may be laser marked on or into the one or more laser markable arrangements or layers without damaging the focusing elements or the image icons of the optical film material.

3. The laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical film material comprises an arrangement of reflective focusing elements and an arrangement of image icons that are separated by an optical spacer layer, wherein one or more arrangements or layers located above the arrangement of reflective focusing elements is a laser markable arrangement or layer.

4. The laser markable optical device of claim 3, wherein the reflective focusing elements are metalized or coated with a high refractive index non-metallic material.

5. The laser markable optical device of claim 4, wherein the reflective focusing elements are coated with a high refractive index non-metallic material selected from the group consisting of zinc sulphide, indium tin oxide, and combinations thereof.

6. The laser markable optical device of claim 1, which is a stand-alone device that comprises an optical film material comprising an arrangement of refractive or reflective focusing elements and an arrangement of image icons that are separated by a laser markable optical spacer layer.

7. The laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more arrangements or layers markable by laser energy are prepared using thermoplastic polymers selected from the group of polyethersulfone, polysulfone, polycarbonate, and polyphenylene sulfide.

8. The laser markable optical device of claim 7, wherein the one or more layers markable by laser energy are laser markable transparent polycarbonate films.

9. The laser markable optical device of claim 7, wherein the one or more layers markable by laser energy are laser markable clear polycarbonate sheets.

10. The laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more layers markable by laser energy are prepared using one or more laser additives and one or more thermoplastic polymers selected from the group of polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene terephthalate, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene.

11. The laser markable optical device of claim 10, wherein the one or more laser additives comprise carbon black.

12. The laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, which is made up of the optical film material, one or more underlying laser markable layers, and one or more thermal spacer layers positioned between the optical film material and the one or more underlying laser markable layers.

13. The laser markable optical device of claim 12, wherein the one or more thermal spacer layers are prepared using a clear thermoplastic material.

14. The laser markable optical device of claim 12, wherein the one or more thermal spacer layers has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 500 microns.

15. A laser marked optical device prepared from the laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more laser markable arrangements or layers has one or more laser marked static two dimensional images thereon.

16. A sheet material made from the laser marked optical device of claim 15.

17. A document made from the sheet material of claim 16.

18. A base platform made from the laser marked optical device of claim 15.

19. A document made from the base platform of claim 18.

20. A sheet material made from the laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2.

21. A document made from the sheet material of claim 20.

22. A base platform made from the laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2.

23. A document made from the base platform of claim 22.

24. The laser markable optical device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical film material comprises an arrangement of refractive focusing elements and an arrangement of image icons that are separated by an optical spacer layer, wherein one or more arrangements or layers located above the arrangement of image icons is a laser markable arrangement or layer.

2. A laser markable optical device, which comprises:

an optical film material that comprises one or more arrangements of focusing elements and one or more arrangements of image icons disposed on opposing sides of an optical spacer layer, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons; and

one or more layers located above and/or below the optical film material,

wherein at least one arrangement or layer within or layer above or below the optical film material is markable by laser energy, and

wherein static two dimensional images may be laser marked on or into the one or more laser markable arrangements or layers without damaging the focusing elements or the image icons of the optical film material.

25. The laser markable optical device of claim 2, wherein the one or more layers located above and/or below the optical film material include one or more transparent thermoplastic material layers that serve to achieve a desired overall thickness of the device, or if positioned as an outermost layer, provide the device with increased resistance to tampering or alteration and wear.

26. A laser markable optical device, which comprises:

an optical film material that comprises one or more arrangements of focusing elements and one or more arrangements of image icons disposed on opposing sides of an optical spacer layer, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons; and

one or more layers located above and/or below the optical film material,

wherein at least one arrangement or layer within or layer above or below the optical film material is markable by laser energy, and

wherein static two dimensional images may be laser marked on or into the one or more laser markable arrangements or layers without damaging the focusing elements or the image icons of the optical film material,

wherein the optical film material comprises an arrangement of encapsulated refractive focusing elements and an arrangement of image icons that are separated by an optical spacer layer, wherein one or more arrangements or layers located above the arrangement of image icons is a laser markable arrangement or layer.

27. The laser markable optical device of claim 26, wherein an outermost layer located above the optical film material is a transparent thermoplastic material layer.

28. The laser markable optical device of claim 27, wherein the transparent thermoplastic material layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 500 microns.

29. The laser markable optical device of claim 26, wherein the refractive focusing elements are encapsulated using a material having a refractive index that is substantially or measurably different than the refractive index of the material used to form the focusing elements.

30. The laser markable optical device of claim 29, wherein the difference in refractive indices causes the focal length of the focusing elements to converge on the one or more arrangements of image icons.

31. The laser markable optical device of claim 29, wherein the encapsulating material is transparent, translucent, tinted, or pigmented.

32. The laser markable optical device of claim 31, wherein the encapsulating material is selected from the group of adhesives, gels, glues, lacquers, liquids, molded polymers, and polymers or other materials containing organic or metallic dispersions, provided the refraction of light is not completely disrupted.

33. A laser markable optical device, which comprises:

an optical film material that comprises one or more arrangements of focusing elements and one or more arrangements of image icons disposed on opposing sides of an optical spacer layer, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons; and

one or more layers located above and/or below the optical film material,

wherein at least one arrangement or layer within or layer above or below the optical film material is markable by laser energy, and

wherein static two dimensional images may be laser marked on or into the one or more laser markable arrangements or layers without damaging the focusing elements or the image icons of the optical film material,

wherein the laser markable optical device is made up of the optical film material, one or more underlying laser markable layers, and one or more thermal spacer layers positioned between the optical film material and the one or more underlying laser markable layers,

wherein the optical film material comprises an arrangement of encapsulated refractive focusing elements and an arrangement of image icons that are separated by an optical spacer layer.