According to examples, an article may include a base layer that extends along a first dimension and a second dimension, in which the second dimension is orthogonal to the first dimension. The article may also include reflective ribbons provided on an upper surface of the base layer, in which the reflective ribbons positioned along a common plane extending in the second dimension have dihedral angles that change as a function of distance across the common plane.

The apparatus and methods of the present disclosure relate to devices comprising spinning magnets driven by electric motors for use with printing or coating equipment. These devices and methods are for orienting magnetic or magnetisable pigment particles in an unhardened coating composition on a substrate. Specifically, these devices and methods are for producing optical effect layers. The apparatus comprises a holder, onto which is mounted a motor and a permanent magnet assembly. The motor is configured to spin the permanent magnet assembly. The holder is configured to be removably fixed to a base of a rotating magnetic cylinder (RMC) or a flatbed printing unit.

A deposition device may deposit, on a substrate, a binder layer that includes a first set of magnetic flakes and a second set of magnetic flakes and may cause, when a temperature of the binder layer satisfies a temperature threshold (e.g., a Curie temperature of the first set of magnetic flakes), a magnetic field to be applied to the binder layer to cause the first set of magnetic flakes and the second set of magnetic flakes to be oriented according to the magnetic field. The deposition device may cause, when the temperature of the binder layer ceases to satisfy the temperature threshold, another magnetic field to be applied to the binder layer to cause only the second set of magnetic flakes to be oriented according to the other magnetic field.

The present invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents, especially banknotes, against illegal actions such as robbery or theft. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of ink compositions for producing irreversibly magnetically induced images or patterns, said inks comprising multichromal microspheres, preferably bichromal microspheres (1) that are orientable upon application of a magnetic field and that comprise at least a first portion (2) comprising one or more dyes and/or pigments and at least a second portion (3) comprising one or more magnetic or magnetizable materials, wherein said microspheres (1) comprise as the first portion a core (2) having a surface and comprising the one or more dyes and/or pigments and as the second portion a partial coating (3) covering at least a portion of the surface of said core (2) and comprising the one or more magnetic or magnetizable materials.

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, wherein in at least a loop-shaped area of the OEL at least a part of the plurality of non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles are oriented such that their longest axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the OEL, and wherein, in a cross-section perpendicular to the OEL and extending from the center of the central area, the longest axis of the oriented particles present in the loop-shaped area forming the impression of the loop-shaped body follow a tangent of either a negatively curved or a positively curved part of a hypothetical ellipse or circle.

Provided is a vitreous coating comprising at least one layer embodied in the form of a continuous film of sol-gel material comprising a matrix formed from at least one metal polyalkoxylate and wherein anisotropically-shaped particles are dispersed, said layer comprising at least one area wherein the particles are particles predominantly inclined by an angle (α) of between 20° and 90° relative to the median plane of the film. The subject matter of the present invention also comprises a method of manufacturing such a coating, and a culinary article one of the surfaces of which is coated with such a coating.

An article includes a substrate and an optical effect coating disposed on the substrate. The optical effect coating includes particles of a magnetically responsive material disposed in a polymer. At least a portion of the particles in a localized region of the optical effect coating are commonly oriented to produce an optical effect at the localized region.

A method is provided for freezing the orientation of orientable magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles by irradiation hardening the coating layer comprising the orientable magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles through the substrate carrying the coating layer. This method can be used in the protection of security documents, such as for example banknotes and identity documents, against counterfeit and illegal reproduction.

In a printed article, pigment flakes are magnetically aligned so as to form curved patterns in a plurality of cross-sections normal a continuous imaginary line, wherein radii of the curved patterns increase along the imaginary line from the first point to the second point. When light is incident upon the aligned pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the aligned pattern forms a bright image which appears to gradually change its shape and move from one side of the continuous imaginary line to another side of the continuous imaginary line when the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source.

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for applying a magnetic pattern to lanes with magnetic paint. The apparatus includes an electromagnet for generating a write magnetic field toward the ground by being installed in a moving object, a current supplier for providing the current required to generate the write magnetic field, a portable power generator for supplying power required in order for the current supplier to generate the current, and a cooler for dissipating heat generated from at least one of the electromagnet and the current supplier.