METHOD OF FORMING MICROIMAGE ELEMENTS

Abstract

A method of forming an array of microimage elements that vary in their material composition is provided. The method comprises: applying a first region of a layer of a first material to a surface of a first material carrier; applying a second region of a layer of a second material, different from the first material, to a surface of a second material carrier; blending together the first and second regions of the layers of first and second material such that a blended region of the layers of first and second material exhibits a gradual change in relative concentration of the first and second materials along a first direction, the step of blending together the first and second regions of the layers of first and second material comprising bringing a first blending surface into contact with the first material on the surface of the first material carrier and moving the first blending surface relative to the surface of the first material carrier along a direction corresponding to the first direction to spread the layer of first material along the direction corresponding to the first direction, and bringing a second blending surface into contact with the second material on the second material carrier and moving the second blending surface relative to the surface of the second material carrier along a direction corresponding to the first direction to spread the layer of second material along the direction corresponding to the first direction; bringing the blended layers of first and second material in the blended region into contact with a patterned material carrier, the surface of the patterned material carrier defining a pattern corresponding to the array of microimage elements, the patterned material carrier selectively removing the first and second material in at least the blended region in accordance with the pattern; and transferring the blended layers of first and second material defining the array of microimage elements on to a support layer.

Claims

1-81. (canceled)

82. A method of forming an array of microimage elements that vary in their material composition, the method comprising: applying a first region of a layer of a first material to a surface of a first material carrier; applying a second region of a layer of a second material, different from the first material, to a surface of a second material carrier; blending together the first and second regions of the layers of first and second material such that a blended region of the layers of first and second material exhibits a gradual change in relative concentration of the first and second materials along a first direction, the step of blending together the first and second regions of the layers of first and second material comprising bringing a first blending surface into contact with the first material on the surface of the first material carrier and moving the first blending surface relative to the surface of the first material carrier along a direction corresponding to the first direction to spread the layer of first material along the direction corresponding to the first direction, and bringing a second blending surface into contact with the second material on the second material carrier and moving the second blending surface relative to the surface of the second material carrier along a direction corresponding to the first direction to spread the layer of second material along the direction corresponding to the first direction; bringing the blended layers of first and second material in the blended region into contact with a patterned material carrier, the surface of the patterned material carrier defining a pattern corresponding to the array of microimage elements, the patterned material carrier selectively removing the first and second material in at least the blended region in accordance with the pattern; and transferring the blended layers of first and second material defining the array of microimage elements on to a support layer.

83. A method according to claim 82, wherein a surface of a common material carrier acts as the surface of the first material carrier and the surface of the second material carrier such that the method comprises applying the first region of the layer of the first material to the surface of the common material carrier and applying the second region of the layer of the second material to the surface of the common material carrier, the second region being at least partially offset from the first region along the first direction, and wherein a common blending surface acts as the first blending surface and the second blending surface such that blending together the layers of first and second material comprises bringing the common blending surface into contact with the first and second materials on the surface of the common material carrier and moving the common blending surface relative to the surface of the common material carrier along the first direction, thereby at least partially blending together the first and second materials in the blended region.

84. A method according to claim 83, wherein bringing the common blending surface into contact with the first and second materials on the surface of the first material carrier and moving the first blending surface relative to the surface of the first material carrier also transfers the layers of first and second material on to the common blending surface.

85. A method according to claim 82, wherein the first material carrier and the second material carrier are separate and wherein the method further comprises transferring the layer of first material and the layer of second material to a surface of a common material carrier such that the first and second layers of material overlap in a region corresponding to the blended material region.

86. A method according to claim 85, wherein the surface of the common material carrier acts as the first blending surface and the second blending surface such that the method comprises bringing the surface of common material carrier into contact with the first material on the surface of the first material carrier and moving the surface of common material carrier relative to the surface of the first material carrier and transferring the layer of first material on to the surface of common material carrier, and bringing the surface of common material carrier into contact with the second material on the surface of the second material carrier and transferring the layer of second material on to the surface of common material carrier such that the first and second layers of material overlap in a region corresponding to the blended material region.

87. A method according to claim 82, wherein moving the first and/or second blending surface relative to the first and/or second material carrier comprises reciprocating the first and/or second blending surface relative to the first and/or second material carrier along the first direction.

88. A method according to claim 82, wherein the or each surface is the surface of a roller and wherein the method is a continuous inline process.

89. A method according to claim 83, wherein the first region is adjacent or spaced from the second region on the surface of the common material carrier such that the first and second materials do not overlap on the surface of the first material carrier before blending.

90. A method according to claim 82, wherein the first and second regions of the layers of first and second materials are applied to first and second material carriers using a material application system, the material application system comprising a first material duct arranged to provide the first region of the layer of the first material, and a second material duct arranged to provide the second region of the layer of second material.

91. A method according to claim 82, wherein the first and second materials have different optical properties.

92. A method according to claim 82, wherein at least one microimage element of the array of microimage elements has a smallest lateral dimension of 100 m or less.

93. A method according to claim 82, wherein the array of microimage elements comprises an array of elongate image strips.

94. A method according to claim 93, wherein the array of elongate image strips comprises a first set of elongate image strips, each defining a corresponding portion of a first image, and a second set of elongate image strip positions, the first set of elongate image strips being interlaced with the second set of elongate image strip positions.

95. A method according to claim 93, wherein the elongate image strips extend substantially along the first direction such that the material composition of each elongate image strip is substantially constant along its length and such that the material composition of the elongate image strips changes gradually across the array of elongate image strips.

96. A method according to claim 93, wherein the elongate image strips extend substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that each image strip varies gradually in its material composition along its length.

97. A method according to claim 82, wherein the array of microimage elements is applied to an image element region of the support layer and further comprising applying a layer of a secondary material across the image element region of the support layer such that the layer of a secondary material is visible through gaps in the array of microimage elements.

98. A method of manufacturing a security device comprising: forming an array of microimage elements that vary in their material composition in accordance with claim 82; applying a corresponding array of sampling elements over the array of microimage elements.

99. A method according to claim 98, wherein the array of sampling elements cooperate with the array of microimage elements so as to exhibit at least one image that varies gradually in its appearance along the first direction.

100. A method according to claim 98, wherein the array of microimage elements are provided across at least two discrete security device regions, wherein, the discrete security device regions are offset from one another along the first direction.

101. A security device comprising: an array of microimage elements formed of at least a first material and a second material, the microimage elements of the array being integrally registered with one another, wherein the material composition of the array of microimage elements varies across the array along a first direction such that the array of microimage elements exhibits a gradual change in relative concentration of the first and second materials along the first direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Examples of security devices will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0059] FIGS. 1A and 1B show, schematically, a system for implementing a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention in cross-section and top view respectively;

[0060] FIGS. 2A and 2B show, schematically, a system for implementing a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention in cross-section and top view respectively;

[0061] FIG. 3A to 3E show details concerning the formation of a first microimage element array according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 4 shows a second microimage element array according to the invention;

[0063] FIG. 5 shows an example of an attempted counterfeit of the first microimage element array according to the invention;

[0064] FIG. 6A to 6E show details concerning the formation of a third microimage element array according to the invention;

[0065] FIG. 7A to 7F show details concerning the formation of a fourth microimage element array according to the invention;

[0066] FIGS. 8A to 8F show details concerning the formation of a fifth microimage element array according to the invention;

[0067] FIGS. 9A to 9E show details concerning the formation of a first security document comprising a microimage element array according to the invention;

[0068] FIG. 10 shows a second security document comprising a microimage element array according to the invention;

[0069] FIG. 11 shows a third security document comprising a microimage element array according to the invention; and

[0070] FIG. 12 shows details concerning the formation of a sixth microimage element array according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] A first method of forming microimage elements will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0072] In this method a plurality of cylindrical oscillating ink rollers 101a-101d of substantially equal length and radius are used. Four rollers are shown and described; however, typically more than four will be used. Each roller has a rubber surface and the rollers are arranged such that their axes are parallel with one another. The surface of the first roller 101a contacts the second roller 101b defining a nip therebetween. The surface of the second roller additionally contacts the third roller 101c, defining a further nip. Finally, the surface of the third roller additionally contacts the fourth 101d to define another nip between the rollers. The rollers are driven to oscillate along their central axes by means not shown, the amplitude of the oscillation being selected according to the degree of blending required. Each roller oscillates with a 180 phase difference from the adjacent rollers such that the surfaces of the rollers move relative to one another. Each roller rotates such that the surfaces move at approximately the same speed in the direction of rotation. While rollers 101a and 101d (i.e. the first and last roller) oscillate in this embodiment, in other embodiments these may not oscillate.

[0073] Regions of first and second material are continuously applied to the surface of the first roller 101a, as it rotates about its axis, by ink duct 11 which extends substantially along the length of the roller 101a. In this example five regions of first material 1 are applied to the surface of the first roller 101a, separated along the length of the roller (i.e. the first direction) by four regions of second material 2. The first material 1, in this case, is a blue ink, while the second material is a green ink. It must be stressed here that this embodiment describes only nine regions to demonstrate the invention. The Figures are not to scale and in practice, the regions may be much smaller than shown here and more regions of first and second material may be interleaved along the first direction. The ink duct 11 comprises a series of duct dividers for dividing the ink duct into portions corresponding to each of the regions of first and second material 1, 2. In this embodiment, the first roller is oscillating as the first and second materials are applied to its surface, such that first and second materials begin to spread along the first direction as they are applied.

[0074] The first roller 101a rotates, bringing the regions of first and second material towards the point at which the first roller 101a contacts the second roller 101b. At this point, the first and second materials, located at the nip between the two rollers, are subject to friction forces between the two oscillating rollers while simultaneously being transferred onto the surface of the second roller 101b. Here, the surface of the second roller acts as a blending surface, and specifically the friction forces and the transferring of material between the surface of the first roller and the surface of the second roller causes the regions of first and second material to blend into one another along the first direction.

[0075] The second roller 101b rotates with the received layer of first and second material, bringing the material towards the third roller 101c. Again, the first and second materials proceed to the nip between the two rollers and are subject to friction forces between the two oscillating rollers while simultaneously being transferred onto the surface of the third roller. This is repeated between the third and fourth rollers, such that the fourth roller receives the completely blended layers of material. The material on the fourth roller exhibits a gradual change in relative concentration of the first and second materials along the first direction. Specifically, the material composition varies from almost entirely first material to almost entirely second material and back to almost entirely first material, and so on, along the first direction. It will be appreciated that while four rollers were used here, this is not essential. The method could be performed with two or more rollers, with additional rollers serving to provide a more gradual change in relative concentrations of the two materials.

[0076] The fourth roller 101d rotates and brings the layer of blended material into contact with a patterned material carrier 111. The patterned material carrier is a roller arranged with its axis parallel to the fourth roller 101a. In this embodiment, the patterned material carrier has a surface comprising a hydrophobic coating defining the desired microimage element pattern. The first and second materials, blended together on the surface of the fourth roller 101d, are selectively removed from the surface of the fourth roller and transferred onto the patterned material carrier 111 in accordance with the microimage element pattern. In FIG. 1B, the removed material is shown schematically as an elliptical patch of material.

[0077] Material remaining on the fourth roller 101d after being brought into contact with the patterned material carrier is then removed by cleaning means, such as a doctoring blade or sacrificial roller (not shown). Similar means may be provided for cleaning the first to third rollers of any residual material left behind after transferring onto a downstream roller, or alternatively the leftover material may be retained on the plate and redistributed over the roller so as to minimise waste of material.

[0078] The material carried on the patterned material carrier 111 is then brought into contact with an offset material carrier 121, which again is a parallel roller defining another nip. The offset material carrier 121 receives the material defining the microimage element pattern and transfers the material onto a support layer 131, which in this case is a web of polymer substrate material. Transfer onto the polymer substrate material is effected by passing the polymer substrate material 131 between a nip defined between the offset material carrier 121 and an impression roller 132 so that the polymer material is pressed against the offset material carrier 121.

[0079] In this embodiment, the first and second materials are inks. Suitable inks include conventional lithographic inks, preferably oil based inks, and in particular include K+E process inks sold by Flint Group of Sieglestrasse 25, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany.

[0080] An alternative method of forming microimage elements will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0081] In this embodiment, first material 1, again a blue ink, is received on a first patterned anilox roller 12. The first patterned anilox roller is engraved so as to define five raised regions in which the blue ink will be received. Similarly, the second material 2, again a green ink, is received on a second patterned anilox roller 13, the second patterned anilox roller 13 being engraved so as to define four raised regions in which the green ink will be received. The regions defined on the patterned anilox rollers 12, 13 are such that when the materials are transferred onto a common material carrier, the regions of first and second materials alternate along the first direction.

[0082] The second patterned anilox roller 13 defines a nip with a first oscillating material carrier, which is an oscillating roller 102a. The oscillating roller 102a is substantially the same length as each of the patterned anilox rollers 12, 13 and is provided such that its axis is parallel with each of the patterned anilox rollers 12, 13. At the nip between the second patterned anilox roller 13 and the oscillating roller 102a, the second material 2 is subjected to friction forces as the oscillating roller 102a moves relative to the second patterned anilox roller 13. The second material 2 is transferred onto the oscillating roller 102a and spreads out along the axis of the roller (i.e. the first direction). The surface of the oscillating roller rotates towards a nip defined between the oscillating roller 102a and the first patterned anilox roller 12, at which point the first material 1 is brought into contact with the surface of the oscillating roller 102a. The first material is transferred onto the oscillating roller 102a and spreads out along the axis of the roller (i.e. the first direction) owing to the frictional force between the surfaces. The result is that the first and second materials are provided on the surface of the oscillating roller 102a and exhibit a gradual change in relative concentration along the first direction owing to the spreading out of those materials along the axis of the roller away from their original application positions.

[0083] The oscillating roller 102a rotates further, bringing the material towards a nip defined between the oscillating roller 102a and a non-oscillating offset material carrier 102b, the offset material carrier 102b being another roller disposed parallel with the oscillating roller 102a. At the nip between these two rollers, the material is transferred onto the surface of the offset material carrier 102b, while the first and second materials are further blended together owing to the relative axial movement between of the rollers.

[0084] The offset material carrier 102b rotates, bringing the blended material towards patterned material carrier 112. In this embodiment, the patterned material carrier is a flexographic roller. That is, the surface of the roller comprises an array of elevations and recesses defining the pattern. At a nip between the flexographic roller and the offset material carrier 102b, the blended material is transferred onto the elevations on the surface of the flexographic roller 112, such that the flexographic roller receives the first and second materials defining an array of microimage elements. Again, in the Figure, the array of microimage elements is shown schematically as an elliptical patch of blended material.

[0085] The blended material carried by the flexographic roller 112 is then transferred onto a polymeric substrate 131, again provided in the form of a web. Transfer onto the polymer substrate material is effected by passing the polymer substrate material 131 between a nip defined between the flexographic roller 112 and an impression roller 132 so that the polymer material is pressed against the flexographic roller 112.

[0086] In this embodiment, the first and second materials are again inks. Suitable inks include conventional flexographic inks, preferably aqueous inks or UC curable materials.

[0087] An embodiment using UV curable materials could use UV curable polymers employing free radical or cationic UV polymerisation. Examples of free radical systems include photo-crosslinkable acrylate-methacrylate or aromatic vinyl oligomeric resins. Examples of cationic systems include cycloaliphatic epoxides. Hybrid polymer systems can also be employed combining both free radical and cationic UV polymerization. Electron beam curable materials would also be appropriate for use in the presently disclosed methods. Electron beam formulations are similar to UV free radical systems but do not require the presence of free radicals to initiate the curing process. Instead the curing process is initiated by high energy electrons. An exemplary suitable UV curable flexographic ink for use in the presently disclosed methods would be Flexocure Force from Flint Group. An exemplary suitable electron beam curable ink would be Photoflex II from the Wikoff Color Corporation.

[0088] Conventional water based flexographic inks are suitable for this invention but suitable resin systems include carboxymethyl-cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl-cellulose, hydroxybutylmethylcellulose, poly(C.sub.I-C4) alkylene oxides, polyethyleneimine, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylpyrollidone, polyvinyl-oxazolidone and polyacrylamide polymers.

[0089] Some examples of microimage element arrays that may be produced in accordance with the above methods will now be described.

[0090] FIGS. 3A to 3F relate to a first microimage element array according to the invention and these will now be described with reference the methods described above.

[0091] FIG. 3A shows an area 50 of blended first and second material 1, 2, formed as described above. The area 50 corresponds to the area of material that will subsequently be selectively removed so as to form a first array of microimage elements 200. The blended first and second material exhibits a gradual change from substantially entirely second material 2 on the left-hand side of FIG. 3A to substantially entirely first material 1 on the right-hand side of FIG. 3A.

[0092] FIG. 3B shows the pattern 115 in the surface of the patterned material carrier in the area of the patterned material carrier that will be brought into contact with the area 50 of blended first and second material 1, 2. In this Figure, the black regions correspond to the areas of the patterned material carrier that will collect the material and the white regions the areas of the patterned material carrier that will not collect the material. In this embodiment, the pattern 115 formed in the surface of the patterned material carrier defines first and second sets of elongate image elements 115a, 115b, or image strips. The first and second sets of elongate image elements 115a, 115b are interleaved along the first direction, i.e. the direction of gradual colour change. The first set of image strips 115a negatively defines an indicium in the form of a 5. That is, the body of the 5 is provided by the absence of material and is visible against a background provided by the presence of material. The second sets of image strips 115b positively define an indicium in the form of a 5. That is, the body of the 5 is provided by the presence of material and is visible against a background provided by the absence of material. Each microimage element defines a corresponding strip of one of the two images. While in this embodiment, the first and second sets of image strips both define a 5, it is not required that the images defined by the sets of image strips are the same and any two images could be used.

[0093] When the pattern 115 in the surface of the patterned material carrier is brought into contact with the area of blended material 50 shown in FIG. 3A, the blended material is received on the patterned material carrier in accordance with the pattern 115 and this arrangement of the blended material is shown in FIG. 3C as an array of coloured microimage elements 200 comprising first and second sets of microimage elements 200a, 200b (corresponding to the first and second sets of elongate image elements 115a, 115b defined by the pattern 115) that exhibit a gradual colour variation along the first direction. Each elongate image element is substantially uniform in colour owing to the interleaving of the image strips along the first direction; however, each elongate image element differs slightly in colour from those image elements adjacent to it.

[0094] FIG. 3D shows this array of microimage elements 200 having been transferred onto the polymeric substrate 131 and formed into a lenticular security device. Specifically, the array of microimage elements 200 are provided on one side of the transparent polymeric substrate 131, while a corresponding array of elongate cylindrical lenses 301 are provided on the opposite side of the transparent polymeric substrate 131. Each lens 301 overlaps a corresponding one of the first set of microimage elements 200a and a corresponding one the second set of microimage elements 200b such that, at a first viewing angle, the image strip of the first set is shown and, at a second viewing angle, the image strip of the second set is shown. In this way, the array of lenses cooperate to selectively display the first and second sets of image strips at different viewing angles such that a switch between a positively defined 5 and a negatively defined 5 is exhibited when the security device is tilted. The appearance of the device at the first viewing angle, i.e. when the first set of microimage elements 200a is displayed via the lenses 301, is shown in FIG. 3F, while the appearance at the second viewing angle, i.e. when the second set of microimage elements 200b is displayed via the lenses, is shown in FIG. 3E.

[0095] FIG. 4 shows an alternative set of microimage elements in the form of image strips. Here the microimage elements are substantially as described above with respect to FIG. 3, but the first and second sets of elongate image elements 200a, 200b are interleaved along a direction perpendicular to the first direction such that each elongate image strip varies gradually in colour along its length.

[0096] FIG. 5 is an example of an attempted counterfeit 200 of the array of microimage elements 200 of FIGS. 3A to 3F. FIG. 5 shows the successive printing processes performed for each image strip. Each strip must be printed separately as they are formed in different and unique colours, owing to the gradual variation. Owing to the difficulty of registering successive printing processes with one another, the resulting array of microimage elements, shown at the bottom of FIG. 5, is distorted, with image elements being angularly and laterally offset from their intended location.

[0097] FIGS. 6A to 6E show an alternative security device formed using the microimage element array described above with respect to FIG. 3. This security device is shown in FIG. 6A and is substantially the same as shown in FIG. 3D. That is, an array of microimage elements 200 (shown in FIG. 6D) are provided on one side of the transparent polymeric substrate 131, while a corresponding array of elongate cylindrical lenses 301 are provided on the opposite side of the transparent polymeric substrate 131. Again, each lens 301 overlaps a corresponding one of the first set of microimage elements 200a and a corresponding one the second set of microimage elements 200b such that, at a first viewing angle, the image strip of the first set is shown and, at a second viewing angle, the image strip of the second set is shown. Additionally, the security device is provided with a continuous layer of a secondary material 210 (shown in FIG. 6E), which in this case is a layer of yellow ink. The continuous layer of secondary material is provided over the entire array of image elements 200 such it is only visible through the gaps in the array of microimage elements 200. The result is that the appearance of the device at the first viewing angle, shown in FIG. 6C, is of a yellow 5 against a background that gradually varies from green to blue along the first direction. When the device is tilted to the second viewing angle, such that the second set of image strips 200b are shown, the appearance of the device is of a 5 that varies gradually from green to blue against a uniformly yellow background. This is shown in FIG. 68. Advantageously, since the yellow, secondary material 210 is only visible in the gaps through the array of microimage elements 200, there will be no apparent misregistration between the different colours of the security device. It will be appreciated that, instead of a continuous yellow background, a secondary image could be applied over the array, such as a patterned background, to provide additional complexity to the appearance of the device.

[0098] FIGS. 7A to 7F shows another implementation of the present invention. FIG. 7A shows a security device comprising a transparent support layer 131 with an array of elongate cylindrical lenses 301 on one side. On the opposite side, two different arrays of elongate microimage elements are provided. These arrays are shown separately in FIGS. 7D and 7E and in combination in FIG. 7F.

[0099] The first array 200, shown in FIG. 7D, is formed substantially in accordance with the method described above, but defines only a first set of elongate image elements 200a. These elongate image elements 200a are interleaved along the first direction with a set of second image elements positions, i.e. with a set of empty image element position that contain no material. The elongate image elements 200a positively define an indicium having the shape of a 5, with each image element being a different strip of the indicium. The second array 250, shown in FIG. 7E, by performing essentially the same series of steps used to produce the first array. The steps are different in that the colours of the materials used are different, i.e. yellow and red inks are used as first and second secondary materials so that a gradual variation between red and yellow is produced along a second direction (in this case, the second direction is the same as the first direction, such that all material variation is along the same direction in the final security device. The steps are also different in that the pattern provided on the patterned material carrier is different, to produce a different image. In this case, the pattern defines an array of elongate image elements 250a that positively define an indicium having the shape of a star. These elongate image elements 250a are interleaved along the second direction with a set of second image elements positions, i.e. with a set of empty image element position that contain no material. The first array 200 and second array 250 are then provided on the same surface of the transparent support layer 131, such that the elongate image elements 250a of the second array 250 are provided in the empty image element positions of the first array 200 and vice versa. It has been found that registration can be controlled to an extent sufficient to provide two arrays in this manner without degrading the appearance of the final security device.

[0100] The appearance of the security device at first and second viewing angles is shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C. Specifically, at the first viewing angle, the viewer sees a 5 that varies gradually from blue to green as the lenses display the elongate image elements 200a of the first array 200, while at the second viewing angle, the viewer sees a star that gradually varies from yellow to orange as the lenses display the elongate image elements 250a of the second array 250.

[0101] FIGS. 8A to 8G show another implementation of the present invention. Specifically, they show a so-called two-dimensional lenticular device formed with microimage elements that vary in their material composition.

[0102] FIG. 8A shows a regular two-dimensional array of spherical lenses 302 that, in use, will be provided on one side of a substantially transparent support layer. FIG. 8B shows a grid formed using a repeating unit cell structure which is used to assign microimage elements from, in this case, four different images to positions beneath each lens. Specifically, under each spherical lens, a microimage element from a first image is provided in a top left position, a microimage element from a second image is provided in a top right position, a microimage element from a third image is provided in a bottom left position and a microimage element from a fourth image is provided in a bottom right position, wherein each microimage element is a portion of the respective image.

[0103] FIG. 8C shows the four images to be divided up across the various image element positions. In this case, the images are a 5, a , the letters DLR and a star. FIG. 8D shows the portions of these images that will be mapped into the various positions of the grid shown in FIG. 8B. Specifically, each top left position will be provided with a corresponding portion of the 5, each top right position will be provided with a corresponding portion of the each bottom left position will be provided with a corresponding portion of the letters DLR and each bottom right position will be provided with a corresponding portion of the star symbol.

[0104] FIG. 8E shows the grid of FIG. 8B once it has been provided with the corresponding portions of each image forming an interlaced pattern. This pattern represents an interlacing of portions of the four images in two dimensions. The pattern is used as the pattern 115 provided in the pattern support layer in the above described method. The pattern 115 is brought into contact with a corresponding area 50 of blended material to remove an array of microimage elements 200 that vary gradually in their material composition and this is shown in FIG. 8F. FIG. 8G shows the four different images that will be displayed by this security device at corresponding viewing angles. That is, the images are a 5, a , the letters DLR and a star, each of which varies in colour from green to blue across the security device.

[0105] FIGS. 9A to 9E show another implementation of the present invention. Specifically, they show a security document, in this case a banknote 400, integrated with a security device formed using the above method. The security device is formed in a security device region 410, which runs the full length of the short axis of the banknote and extends only partially along the long axis of the banknote to define a stripe region.

[0106] FIG. 9D shows an area of blended material that may be formed in accordance with the above method. In this case, the material exhibits a gradual change from pink to yellow. The blended material is blended along a length that corresponds to the height of the banknote 400. FIG. 9E shows a pattern 115 defining an array of elongate microimage elements 115a. In this case, the pattern defines a first set of elongate microimage elements interleaved along the first direction, i.e. along a direction corresponding to the short axis of the banknote 400, with a second set of empty image element positions. The elongate microimage elements, in the final security device, run along the long axis of the banknote and each elongate microimage element of the first set is of the same length, i.e.

[0107] extending the width of the security device region 410. The pattern defines the array with three breaks along the interleaving direction so as to separate the image elements into four discrete sub-regions 410a, 410b, 410c, 410d.

[0108] FIG. 9C shows the blended material applied to the banknote 400 as the array of elongate microimage elements 200 with an overlapping array of cylindrical lenses 301. The banknote is additionally provided with an opacifying layer 303 applied to both sides of the banknote. The opacifying layer 303 delimits areas of the security device region 410 and specifically delimits regions, on both sides of the banknote, that resemble a flying owl in each of the four sub-regions 410a, 410b, 410c, 410d. When the security device is viewed at a first viewing angle, the array of lenses sample the microimage elements 200a such that, in the first sub-region 410a, the first owl-shaped area not covered in opacifying material appears yellow, in the second sub-region 410b, the second owl-shaped area not covered in opacifying material appears a first shade between yellow and pink, in the third sub-region 410c, the third owl-shaped area not covered in opacifying material appears a second shade between yellow and pink and in the fourth sub-region 410d, the fourth owl-shaped area not covered in opacifying material appears pink. When the banknote is tilted such that the lenses sample the empty image element positions between image elements 200a, each of the owl-shaped areas turns clear, allowing the viewer to see through the banknote. These two different views are visible in FIG. 9A, while the first view is visible enlarged in FIG. 9B. Importantly, as each of the sub-regions 410a, 410b, 410c and 410d are regions of the same microimage element array 200 formed during the same printing process, they will be integrally registered, such that each region switches from coloured to clear at precisely the same viewing angle.

[0109] FIG. 10 shows another implementation of the present invention, again as a security device implemented in the same security device region 410 of a banknote 400. Here, the blended material exhibits a gradual change from red to green and back to red along the short axis of the banknote 400. The material is formed into an array 200 of interlaced elongate microimage elements comprising a first and second set of interlaced microimage elements, as described above. The security device is divided into three sub-regions 410a, 410b, 410c by opacifying layers on both sides of the banknote 400. In a first sub-region 410a, which corresponds to a first red area of the blended material, the array 200 comprises the interlaced first and second sets of image elements positively defining a star symbol and a symbol respectively. In a second sub-region 410b, which corresponds to a middle green area of the blended material, the array 200 comprises the interlaced first and second sets of image elements positively defining a symbol and a star symbol respectively. Finally, in a third sub-region 410c, which corresponds to a second red area of the blended material, the array 200 comprises the interlaced first and second sets of image elements positively defining, again, a star symbol and a symbol respectively.

[0110] As the banknote of FIG. 10 is tilted between first and second viewing angles, the array of cylindrical lenses switch between sampling the first and second sets of microimage elements. The result is that the banknote exhibits in the first and third sub-regions 410a, 410c a switch from a star symbol to a symbol in red, and in the second sub-region 410b a switch from a symbol to a star symbol in green. Again, as these are formed as a single security device, the switches will occur at precisely the same viewing angle.

[0111] FIG. 11 shows another implementation of the present invention, again as a security device implemented in the same security device region 410 of a banknote 400. Here, the blended material exhibits a gradual change from blue to yellow along the short axis of the banknote 400. In this embodiment, the array of elongate microimage elements are provided as six interlaced sets of microimage elements, such that the security device has six distinct viewing angles. In this embodiment, the each set of image elements defines a star at a different position along the short axis of the banknote. Tilting the banknote changes which of the sets of microimage elements is being sampled by the array of cylindrical lenses such that the banknote displays a star that appears to move along the short axis of the banknote and change colour.

[0112] The above embodiments have focussed on lenticular devices; however, the present invention can be used with any type of microimage element array. FIGS. 12A and 12B demonstrate the use of the invention for a moir magnification device. Specifically, FIG. 12A shows an array 210 of identical microimages 210a, each in the form of a 5. The microimages 210a vary in their colour from green to blue across the microimage array 210. It will be appreciated here that, in practice, the array will have many more microimages than are shown in the Figure. When this array of microimages is used with an array of spherical lenses whose pitch differs from that of the array of microimages, one or more synthetically magnified images are formed. FIG. 12B shows the appearance of a device provided with a lens array that generates a single synthetically magnified version of the microimages. It can be seen here that the synthetically magnified image varies gradually in its colour across the security device, whereas each individual microimage was substantially uniform in colour. Upon tilting this device, the synthetically magnified 5 will appear to move across the security device; however, the colour variation does not move relative to the device, providing the device with a colour shifting appearance.

[0113] The above has focussed on application of the microimage element array directly to polymer banknotes so as to incorporate the security device into the banknote, i.e. by providing the sampling array on the opposite surface of the banknote. However, it will be appreciated that security devices of the sorts described above can be incorporated into or applied to any product for which an authenticity check is desirable. In particular, such devices may be applied to or incorporated into documents of value such as banknotes, passports, driving licences, cheques, identification cards etc. The microimage element array and/or the complete security device can either be formed directly on the security document or may be supplied as part of a security article, such as a security thread or patch, which can then be applied to or incorporated into such a document.

[0114] Such security articles can be arranged either wholly on the surface of the base substrate of the security document, as in the case of a stripe or patch, or can be visible only partly on the surface of the document substrate, e.g. in the form of a windowed security thread. Security threads are now present in many of the world's currencies as well as vouchers, passports, travellers' cheques and other documents. In many cases the thread is provided in a partially embedded or windowed fashion where the thread appears to weave in and out of the paper and is visible in windows in one or both surfaces of the base substrate. One method for producing paper with so-called windowed threads can be found in EP-A-0059056. EP-A-0860298 and WO-A-03095188 describe different approaches for the embedding of wider partially exposed threads into a paper substrate. Wide threads, typically having a width of 2 to 6 mm, are particularly useful as the additional exposed thread surface area allows for better use of optically variable devices, such as that presently disclosed.

[0115] The security article may be incorporated into a paper or polymer base substrate so that it is viewable from both sides of the finished security substrate at at least one window of the document. Methods of incorporating security elements in such a manner are described in EP-A-1141480 and WO-A-03054297. In the method described in EP-A-1141480, one side of the security element is wholly exposed at one surface of the substrate in which it is partially embedded, and partially exposed in windows at the other surface of the substrate.

[0116] Base substrates suitable for making security substrates for security documents may be formed from any conventional materials, including paper and polymer. Techniques are known in the art for forming substantially transparent regions in each of these types of substrate. For example, WO-A-8300659 describes a polymer banknote formed from a transparent substrate comprising an opacifying coating on both sides of the substrate. The opacifying coating is omitted in localised regions on both sides of the substrate to form a transparent region. In this case the transparent substrate can be an integral part of the security device or a separate security device can be applied to the transparent substrate of the document. WO-A-0039391 describes a method of making a transparent region in a paper substrate. Other methods for forming transparent regions in paper substrates are described in EP-A-723501, EP-A-724519, WO-A-03054297 and EP-A-1398174.

[0117] The security device may also be applied to one side of a paper substrate, optionally so that portions are located in an aperture formed in the paper substrate. An example of a method of producing such an aperture can be found in WO-A-03054297. An alternative method of incorporating a security element which is visible in apertures in one side of a paper substrate and wholly exposed on the other side of the paper substrate can be found in WO-A-2000/39391.