The present invention relates to the field of the protection of value documents and value commercial goods against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the present invention relates to security threads or stripes to be incorporated into or onto security documents. The security threads or stripes comprise i) an optically variable layer; ii) a magnetic code; and iii) a non-metallized substrate, wherein the magnetic code has a color matching the color impression of the optically variable layer at one viewing angle and wherein the optically variable layer and the magnetic code are jointly visible from one side of the security thread or stripe.

The invention relates to a method of aligning magnetic flakes, which includes: coating a substrate with a carrier having the flakes dispersed therein, moving the substrate in a magnetic field so as to align the flakes along force lines of the magnetic field in the absence of an effect from a solidifying means, and at least partially solidifying the carrier using a solidifying means while further moving the substrate in the magnetic field so as to secure the magnetic flakes in the carrier while the magnetic field maintains alignment of the magnetic flakes. An apparatus is provided, which has a belt for moving a substrate along a magnet assembly for aligning magnetic flakes. The apparatus also includes a solidifying means, such as a UV- or e-beam source, and a cover above a portion of the magnet assembly for protecting the flakes from the effect of the solidifying means.

A method of visualizing a latent image includes: preparing a latent image composed of a plurality of paramagnetic seeds immobilized on a base in the form of an image, and a dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; immersing the latent image in the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; and applying a magnetic field to the latent image and the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles.

A display includes a first optical effect layer including a first interface part, the first interface part being provided with recesses or protrusions arranged two-dimensionally at the minimum center-to-center distance in a range of 200 nm to 500 nm, each of the recesses or protrusions having a forward-tapered shape; a reflective material layer covering at least a part of the first interface part; and a second optical effect layer including, at a position of a first portion of the first interface part that is covered with the reflective material layer, a portion that faces the reflective material layer with the first optical effect layer interposed therebetween or faces the first optical effect layer with the reflective material layer interposed therebetween, the second optical effect layer containing at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal, a pearl pigment and a multilayer interference film.

The present invention relates to the field of the protection of value documents and value commercial goods against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the present invention relates to security threads or stripes to be incorporated into or onto security documents. The security threads or stripes comprise i) an optically variable layer; ii) a magnetic code; and iii) a non-metallized substrate, wherein the magnetic code has a color matching the color impression of the optically variable layer at one viewing angle and wherein the optically variable layer and the magnetic code are jointly visible from one side of the security thread or stripe.

Magnetic field-generating device including a plurality of elements selected from magnets and pole pieces and including at least one magnet. Plurality of elements are (i) located below supporting surface or space configured to receive a substrate acting as supporting surface or (ii) forming a supporting surface, and are configured to provide a magnetic field with magnetic field lines running substantially parallel to supporting surface or space in two or more areas above supporting surface or space. Two or more areas form nested loop-shaped areas surrounding a central area; and/or the plurality of elements include a plurality of magnets, which are rotatable around an axis of rotation such that areas with field lines running substantially parallel to supporting surface or space combine upon rotation around axis of rotation, thereby forming, upon rotation around axis of rotation, a plurality of nested loop-shaped areas surrounding one central area.

Disclosure relates to the field of graphical elements and is directed to a device for producing an optical effect layer (OEL). Disclosure provides an optical effect that is easy to detect as such and exhibits a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion of image features over an extended length if the viewing angle with respect to the OEL changes. OEL includes a binder material being at least partially transparent and a plurality of particles dispersed within the layer. Each particle has a non-isotropic reflectivity and may be magnetic or magnetizable. Orientation of the particles forms an orientation pattern extending over a length within an extended surface of the OEL, such that the local average of an angle between (i) a straight line along an observed longest dimension within the corresponding cross-section shape, and (ii) said first direction x varies according to a function () of a position (P) along said first direction.

The invention concerns a security element having a magnetic coding consisting of magnetic coding elements. At least one of the magnetic coding elements has a grid-shaped magnetic region which is formed by a plurality of mutually parallel grid strips made of magnetic material which respectively have a magnetic anisotropy. The grid strips lead, through their magnetic anisotropy, to the magnetization direction of the coding element being able to differ from the direction of the applied magnetic field. Since the resultant magnetic signals that the grid-shaped magnetic regions deliver cannot be simulated by conventional magnetic regions, said coding elements increase the anti-forgery security of the security element.

The invention relates to a security feature for securing documents of value having a plurality of microcapsules, which respectively have a wall and in which is respectively contained a liquid medium in which are distributed several magnetic particles which are movable in the liquid medium and whose arrangement within the microcapsule is changeable by the action of a magnetic field, whereby the magnetic particles are configured to arrange themselves within the microcapsule such that they form a light-diffractive structure.

The disclosure relates to the field of graphical elements and is directed to an optical effect layer (OEL), a device and a method for producing same. The disclosure provides an optical effect that is easy to detect as such and exhibits a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion of image features over an extended length if the viewing angle with respect to the OEL changes. An OEL includes a binder material being at least partially transparent and a plurality of particles dispersed within the layer. Each particle has a non-isotropic reflectivity and may be magnetic or magnetizable. The orientation of the particles forms an orientation pattern extending over a length within an extended surface of the OEL, such that the local average of an angle between (i) a straight line along an observed longest dimension within the corresponding cross-section shape, and (ii) said first direction x varies according to a function () of a position (P) along said first direction.