An optical device that produces flicker-like optical effects is provided. The optical device employs directionally cured image icons. Specifically, the optical device is made up of at least one arrangement of image icons formed from one or more cured pigmented materials, and at least one arrangement of optionally embedded focusing elements positioned to form one or more synthetic images of at least a portion of the arrangement(s) of image icons. Some or all of the pigmented material(s) is cured using collimated light directed through the focusing elements toward the arrangement(s) of image icons at one or more angles relative to a surface of the optical device to form directionally cured image icons. The synthetic image(s) of the directionally cured image icons is viewable at the cure angle(s) and therefore visually appears and disappears, or turns on and off, as the viewing angle of the device moves through the cure angle(s).

The present invention relates to the field of optical effect layers (OEL) comprising magnetically oriented non-spherical oblate magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles on a substrate, spinneable magnetic assemblies and processes for producing said optical effect layers (OEL). In particular, the present invention relates to spinneable magnetic assemblies and processes for producing said OELs as anti-counterfeit means on security documents or security articles or for decorative purposes.

The present invention relates to the technical field of security documents comprising a security feature, such as a windowed security thread, a security foil, a security patch, a hologram or an ink printed security feature, and a protective coating, and methods of manufacturing of said security documents. The security feature has a security feature thickness t.sub.f of at least about 5 μm (micrometers) and a security feature surface facing away from the substrate consisting of a first region adjacent to the edges of the security feature and a second region non-adjacent to the edges of the security feature. The protective coating covers the security feature surface facing away from the substrate, a first substrate surface adjacent to the edges of the security feature, and a second substrate surface, which is different from the substrate surface covered by the security feature and the first substrate surface. The protective coating covering the security feature surface facing away from the substrate and the first substrate surface is transparent, the protective coating covering the first region has a thickness t.sub.b1, the protective coating covering the second region has a thickness t.sub.b2, the protective coating covering the first substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.c, and the protective coating covering the second substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.a. The thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.f, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; the thickness t.sub.b2 is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; and either the thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than or equal to the thickness t.sub.b2; or the thickness t.sub.c is equal to the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.b2. The variable protective coating thickness on the surface of the security document provides the inventive security document with an increased resistance against physical and chemical attacks from the environment, while maintaining the mechanical resistance properties required for such security documents.

The present invention relates to the technical field of security documents comprising a security feature, such as a windowed security thread, a security foil, a security patch, a hologram or an ink printed security feature, and a protective coating, and methods of manufacturing of said security documents. The security feature has a security feature thickness t.sub.f of at least about 5 μm (micrometers) and a security feature surface facing away from the substrate consisting of a first region adjacent to the edges of the security feature and a second region non-adjacent to the edges of the security feature. The protective coating covers the security feature surface facing away from the substrate, a first substrate surface adjacent to the edges of the security feature, and a second substrate surface, which is different from the substrate surface covered by the security feature and the first substrate surface. The protective coating covering the security feature surface facing away from the substrate and the first substrate surface is transparent, the protective coating covering the first region has a thickness t.sub.b1, the protective coating covering the second region has a thickness t.sub.b2, the protective coating covering the first substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.c, and the protective coating covering the second substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.a. The thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.f, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; the thickness t.sub.b2 is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; and either the thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than or equal to the thickness t.sub.b2; or the thickness t.sub.c is equal to the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.b2. The variable protective coating thickness on the surface of the security document provides the inventive security document with an increased resistance against physical and chemical attacks from the environment, while maintaining the mechanical resistance properties required for such security documents.

A transaction card includes at least one metal layer having one or more apertures therein. A light guide is disposed beneath the metal layer. The light guide has a light output and a light input. The light output is positioned to transmit light through at least the one or more apertures of the metal layer. At least one LED is positioned to transmit light into the light guide light input

A method for manufacturing a physical security element with a spatially appearing pattern includes a carrier and at least one see-through transparent cover layer. Onto the carrier is applied a design layer deformable under pressure. Either the carrier has a lower dimensional stability under heat than the cover layer, or a cover layer has a lower dimensional stability under heat than the carrier. A see-through transparent structural layer forming the pattern is arranged between carrier and cover layer. The structural layer has a higher dimensional stability under heat than either the carrier or a cover layer. During lamination, the structural layer is pressed into the carrier or into the cover layer, whereby the design layer is deformed under the pattern formed by the structural layer and the structural layer in its edge regions is reshaped in such a way that its surfaces, in cross-section, converge tangentially.

A method for manufacturing a physical security element with a spatially appearing pattern includes a carrier and at least one see-through transparent cover layer. Onto the carrier is applied a design layer deformable under pressure. Either the carrier has a lower dimensional stability under heat than the cover layer, or a cover layer has a lower dimensional stability under heat than the carrier. A see-through transparent structural layer forming the pattern is arranged between carrier and cover layer. The structural layer has a higher dimensional stability under heat than either the carrier or a cover layer. During lamination, the structural layer is pressed into the carrier or into the cover layer, whereby the design layer is deformed under the pattern formed by the structural layer and the structural layer in its edge regions is reshaped in such a way that its surfaces, in cross-section, converge tangentially.

An optical article printed on a substrate may include an organic binder; and a plurality of reflective magnetic platelets provided in the organic binder, wherein the plurality of reflective magnetic platelets are substantially aligned in accordance with at least part of a surface of revolution, and wherein the plurality of reflective magnetic platelets are aligned to cause a first reflective effect of the optical article when the substrate is rotated around a first axis and to cause a second reflective effect of the optical article when the substrate is rotated around a second axis, wherein the first reflective effect is different from the second reflective effect.

Micro-structures are formed within multilayer laminate security documents by embossing and/or debossing one or more thermoplastic layers prior to lamination of the layers. The embossed and/or debossed structures are arranged and/or formed in a way that creates a number of different security features, including a watermark formed by a relief micro-structure pattern on an opaque film (layer), a multi-color optically variable device, a 3-dimensional feature over kinegram/metallic ink and/or embossment/debossment over printed surfaces.

Micro-structures are formed within multilayer laminate security documents by embossing and/or debossing one or more thermoplastic layers prior to lamination of the layers. The embossed and/or debossed structures are arranged and/or formed in a way that creates a number of different security features, including a watermark formed by a relief micro-structure pattern on an opaque film (layer), a multi-color optically variable device, a 3-dimensional feature over kinegram/metallic ink and/or embossment/debossment over printed surfaces.