System and method for forming an image on a substrate
AssigneeViavi Solutions Inc.
InventorsVladimir P. Raksha, Curtis R. Hruska, Neil Teitelbaum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A scanning laser having a wavelength compatible with a coating binder so as to cure it as the laser scans and irradiates the coating on a moving web. A system and method for curing flakes by providing a scanning laser which scans across a moving coated substrate in a magnetic field allows images to be formed as magnetically aligned flakes are cured into a fixed position. The images have regions of cured aligned flakes. The scanning laser cures the magnetically aligned flakes within it region it irradiates. Alternatively an array of lasers can be used wherein individual lasers can be switched on and off to fix irradiated coating as a moving web is moved at a high speed.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- moving a substrate along a path,
- wherein a first region of the substrate includes a coating of flakes within a binder and at least some of the flakes are alignable when a stationary magnetic field is applied, and
- wherein the stationary magnetic field is created using at least a first magnetic assembly on a first side of the substrate and a second magnetic assembly on a second side of the substrate;
- applying the stationary magnetic field so as to orient at least some of the flakes within the coating;
- and
- while applying the stationary magnetic field and while the substrate is moving along the path relative to the stationary magnetic field, selectively curing, using a laser, a first sub-region of the first region so as to cure the binder and maintain alignment of flakes within the first sub-region,
- wherein a beam of the laser is directed at the first sub-region while the first sub-region is located between the first magnetic assembly and the second magnetic assembly.
A method of forming an image on a substrate comprising:
- moving the substrate at a speed of at least 25 ft/min and applying a stationary magnetic field to align at least two of a plurality of flakes disposed within a binder on the substrate,
- wherein the stationary magnetic field is created using at least a first magnet on a first side of the substrate and a second magnet on a second side of the substrate;
- and
- irradiating, using a laser and while applying the stationary magnetic field and while the substrate is moving in a first downstream direction relative to the stationary magnetic field, one or more sub-regions of the plurality of flakes so as to cure the binder and maintain a magnetic or electrical alignment of flakes within the one or more sub-regions and to form one of at least two contrasting regions of magnetically or electrically alignable flakes,
- wherein a beam of the laser is directed at the one or more sub-regions while the one or more sub-regions are located between the first magnet and the second magnet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.