# US 10,864,762 B2 · Anti-harvestable security feature

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- Number: US 10,864,762 B2
- Document ID: US10864762B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/326,149
- Filed: 2017-08-15
- Published: 2019-06-20
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15
- Assignees: Visual Physics, LLC
- Applicants: Visual Physics, LLC
- Inventors: Benjamin E. Bleiman; Jonathan D. Gosnell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864762B2

## CPC

- B42D 25/324: Reliefs
- B41M 3/148: {Transitory images, i.e. images only visible from certain viewing angles}
- B42D 25/351: Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
- B42D 25/36: comprising special materials
- B41M 3/06: Veined printings; Fluorescent printings; Stereoscopic images; Imitated patterns, e.g. tissues, textiles
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)

## Abstract

A security device includes an array of image icon elements and an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein the array of image icon elements and the array of image icon focusing elements are disposed relative to each other such that the security device projects a synthetic image along a viewing angle and wherein the security device is configured to physically degrade when exposed to temperatures above an anti-harvesting temperature, the anti-harvesting temperature being lower than a harvesting temperature of a coupling between the security device and a substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A security device comprising:
an array of image icon elements; and
an array of image icon focusing elements,
wherein the array of image icon elements and the array of image icon focusing elements are disposed relative to each other such that the security device projects a synthetic image when the array of image icon elements is viewed directly or through the array of image icon elements, and
wherein the security device thermally decays when exposed to temperatures at or above an anti-harvesting temperature, the anti-harvesting temperature being lower than a harvesting temperature of a coupling between the security device and a substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, comprising an anti-harvesting component integrated with the security device, wherein the anti-harvesting component thermally decays when the security device is exposed to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the anti-harvesting temperature is between about 60° C. and about 90° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures above 60° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures between 80° C. and 130° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures above 60° C. and humidities of at least 90%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures above 60° C. for at least 1 week.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures at above 70° C. for at least 24 hours.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay within 5 minutes of exposure to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, further comprising an optical spacer, wherein the optical spacer comprises the anti-harvesting component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component as comprises an interface between layers of the security device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component is integrated as a distribution of particles within the security device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The security device of claim 12, wherein particles of the distribution of particles are thermally conductive.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The security device of claim 13,
wherein the particles are spherical in shape or elongate fibers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component comprises one or more of a reactant product layer or a reactant product interface formed from a chemical or mechanical interaction of two or more components of the security device in response to the security device being exposed to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component comprises a thermoformed material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component comprises one or more of a polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), a polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) or a polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

### Claim 18 (depends on 2)

The security device of claim 2, wherein the anti-harvesting component is an optical spacer, the optical spacer comprising one or more of a PETE, PETG and PVC.

### Claim 19

A security label comprising:
a label substrate; and
a security device affixed to a product substrate by a first coupling, the product substrate affixed to the label substrate by a second coupling, and
wherein the security label thermally decays when exposed to temperatures at or above an anti-harvesting temperature, and
wherein the anti-harvesting temperature is lower than a harvesting temperature of the first coupling.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The security label of claim 19, wherein the security label includes an anti-harvesting component integrated with the security label, wherein the anti-harvesting component will thermally decay when the security label is exposed to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The security label of claim 20, wherein the anti-harvesting component comprises a spacer substrate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The security label of claim 20, wherein the anti-harvesting component will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures above 60° C.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The security label of claim 20, wherein the anti-harvesting component comprises at least one of a polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), a polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) or a polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The security label of claim 20, comprising an anti-harvesting component will thermally decay of the security label when the security device is exposed to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The security label of claim 20, wherein the anti-harvesting temperature is between about 60° C. and about 90° C.

### Claim 26

A secure document, comprising:
a product substrate; and
a security device affixed to the product substrate by a first coupling, and
wherein the security device thermally decays when exposed to temperatures at or above an anti-harvesting temperature,
wherein the anti-harvesting temperature is lower than a harvesting temperature of the first coupling.

### Claim 27

A method of producing a security device, comprising:
providing an array of image icon elements;
providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
providing at least one anti-harvesting component which thermally decays at temperatures at or above an anti-harvesting temperature; and
wherein the array of image icon elements and the array of image icon focusing elements are coupled to produce at least one synthetic image.

### Claim 28

A method of producing a security label, comprising:
providing a security device, the security device comprising an array of image icon elements, and an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein the array of image icon elements and the array of image icon focusing elements are disposed relative to each other such that the security device projects a synthetic image along a viewing angle, and wherein the security device thermally decays when exposed to temperatures at or above an anti-harvesting temperature; and
affixing the security device to a label substrate to a label substrate by a first coupling, and
wherein the anti-harvesting temperature is lower than a harvesting temperature of the first coupling.

### Claim 29 (depends on 13)

The security device of claim 13, wherein the particles comprise at least one or more of copper, aluminum, brass, graphene, graphite or silver.

### Claim 30 (depends on 12)

The security device of claim 12, wherein the particles occupy less than 12% of a cross-sectional area beneath or above the array of image icon elements.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The security device of claim 1, wherein the security device will thermally decay when exposed to temperatures at or above the anti-harvesting temperature, the thermal decay comprising one or more of a structural fracture of the security device, a change in appearance of the synthetic image projected by the security device, an appearance of bubbles in the security device, an appearance of rough patches in the security device, or a non-elastomeric shrinking of the security device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 19)

The security label of claim 19, wherein the label substrate comprises one or more of a paper substrate or a polymeric substrate.