Provision of frames or borders around opaque flakes for covert security applications
First Claim
1. A plurality of flakes, comprising:
- a first group of shaped opaque covert taggent flakes having a same predetermined shape, wherein each of the shaped opaque covert taggent flakes has an embossed or etched symbol thereon, a diameter in the range of 5-100 microns and a thickness less than 10 microns.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Opaque flakes, such as pigment or bright flake used in paints and inks, have a selected shape and/or other indicia to provide a covert security feature to an object. In some embodiments the composition includes base pigment, and the opaque covert flakes match the visual characteristics of the base pigment. In another embodiment, opaque covert flakes are mixed in the carrier with base pigment at a concentration sufficient to avoid changing the appearance of the composition. In another embodiment, opaque covert flakes are mixed in a clear or tinted varnish base that can be applied over an existing security feature. Shaped opaque covert flakes are not readily detectable by causal observation, but in some embodiments are easily seen at 50× magnification. In manufacturing the flakes a sheet of embossed frames are provided having symbols or indicia within; upon removing a coating from the sheet the coating material tends to break along frame lines and the resulting flakes are substantially uniform in size.
171 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A plurality of flakes, comprising:
- a first group of shaped opaque covert taggent flakes having a same predetermined shape, wherein each of the shaped opaque covert taggent flakes has an embossed or etched symbol thereon, a diameter in the range of 5-100 microns and a thickness less than 10 microns.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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11. A plurality of flakes made from a foil comprising a substrate and one or more thin film layers releasably deposited thereon, wherein the one or more thin film layers have a plurality of framed symbols formed therein forming grooves or ridges, wherein the frames about the symbols provide lines for the flakes to separate along upon removal of the one or more thin film layers from the substrate, and wherein at least a plurality of the flakes once separated from the substrate are substantially uniform in shape and have one or more borders about their periphery.
Specification