# US 11,077,700 B2 · Multilayer body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,700 B2 - Document ID: US11077700B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/977,621 - Filed: 2018-05-11 - Published: 2018-09-20 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-11 - Assignees: OVD Kinegram AG - Applicants: OVD Kinegram AG - Inventors: Andreas Schilling; Wayne Robert Tompkin; Achim Hansen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077700B2 ## CPC - B42D 25/45: Associating two or more layers - B42D 25/21: for multiple purposes - B42D 25/29: Securities; Bank notes - B42D 25/324: Reliefs - B42D 25/328: Diffraction gratings; Holograms - B42D 25/342: Moiré effects - B42D 25/351: Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows - B42D 25/36: comprising special materials - G02B 3/005: {arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence)} - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - B42D 2033/04 - B42D 2033/10 - B42D 2033/14 - B42D 2033/18 - B42D 2035/44 - 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 - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A multilayer body includes a transparent first layer. In the transparent first layer, a multiplicity of microlenses arranged in accordance with a microlens grid are impressed in a first region. Furthermore, the multilayer body includes a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages arranged in accordance with a microimage grid and in each case in an at least regional overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for the purpose of generating a first optically variable information item. The grid pitches of the microimage grid and of the microlens grid in each case in at least one spatial direction are less than 300 μm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent first layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are each less than 300 μm, and wherein the grid pitch of the microlens grid in a first spatial direction is greater by more than 100%, than a dimension of each microlens of the microlens grid in the first spatial direction, and wherein flat regions are provided between the microlenses such that the microlenses do not directly succeed one another, and wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid differ from one another for adjacent microimages and microlenses by between 0.5 and 5%. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein a maximum structure height of each microlens of the microlens grid is at least 50%, of the dimension of each microlens of the microlens grid in the first spatial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dimension of each microimage of the microimage grid in the first spatial direction is more than 100%, of an adjacent microlens in the first spatial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multilayer body has a carrier substrate having a layer thickness of more than 6 μm, and wherein the carrier substrate is embodied in transparent fashion in a second region or has a perforation in a second region, wherein the second region covers the first surface area, and wherein the first layer is arranged on a front side of the carrier substrate and the second layer is arranged on a rear side of the carrier substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 4, wherein the multilayer body is a banknote, and wherein the carrier substrate has a layer thickness of 30 μm to 200 μm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 4, wherein the multilayer body has a third layer, which is arranged below the second layer and which, when the multilayer body is viewed from the rear side, generates a second optically variable information item, which differs from the first optically variable information item. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multilayer body has a translucent layer arranged between the first layer and the second layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 7, wherein the multilayer body has a carrier substrate, which is embodied in transparent fashion in a first region or has a perforation in a first region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer has at least one first zone underlying said first surface area, in which the microimages are provided, and has at least one second zone underlying said first surface area, in which optically active surface structures for generating a second optically variable information item are provided, said second optically variable information item differing from the first optically variable information item. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 9, wherein the microlenses are provided in the first and second zones. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in the at least one second zone, a lacquer layer is printed, onto the first layer, the lacquer layer having a refractive index and the first layer having a refractive index, the refractive index of said lacquer layer differing from the refractive index of the first layer by less than 0.3. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one second zone has a smallest dimension of more than 300 μm and is shaped in a pattern for generating an information item in addition to the first and second optically variable information items. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first surface area of the transparent first layer is subdivided into a multiplicity of first and second zones, and wherein the first and second zones are spatially arranged to form a grid having a grid pitch of less than 300 μm in at least one spatial direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the microimages is formed by one or a plurality of image regions surrounded by a background region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein the one or the plurality of image regions is or are opaque and the background region is transparent, or vice versa. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein the one or the plurality of image regions and the background region have different reflection properties. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second layer has a metallic layer, a colored lacquer layer and/or a photoresist layer which is provided in the image regions and is not provided in the background region, or vice versa. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein the image regions and the background region are covered with different optically variable elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second layer has a replication lacquer layer having a surface relief impressed into a surface of the replication lacquer layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein the one or the plurality of image regions and the background region have different polarization properties. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 14, wherein a color, a reflection property or an absorption property of the second layer is varied within the image regions. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microlens grid is arranged in a manner rotated by 45° relative to a longitudinal axis of the multilayer body. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 22, wherein the microlens grid is a one-dimensional microlens grid and the microlenses have focal point lines that are arranged in a manner rotated by 45° relative to the longitudinal axis of the multilayer body. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the microimages is applied on a curved surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microlens grid is a two-dimensional microlens grid. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein each microimage of the microimage grid and two or more microlenses or microimages succeed one another in a first spatial direction with a respective grid pitch of between 5 μm and 300 μm. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a first region, the grid pitch of the microlens grid and/or of the microimage grid and/or a rotation of the microimage grid and of the microlens grid relative to one another are/is varied continuously in accordance with a parameter variation function in at least one spatial direction. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 27, wherein the microimage grid has in the first region at least two microimages which differ from one another. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a second region, the microimage has a form and a color, wherein at least one of the form or the color of the microimage is varied continuously in accordance with a transformation function. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The multilayer body as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a first partial region of the first surface area, the grid pitch of the microlens grid, the grid pitch of the microimage grid and/or a rotation of the microimage grid and of the microlens grid with respect to one another differs from the grid pitch of the microlens grid, the grid pitch of the microimage grid and/or a rotation of the microimage grid and of the microlens grid relative to one another in a second partial region of the first surface area. ### Claim 31 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are less than 300 μm, and wherein each microimage is formed by one or a plurality of image regions surrounded by a background region, the image regions and the background region being coplanar and adjacent to each other, and wherein the background region is formed by at least one of: a metallic layer; a colored lacquer layer; and a photoresist layer, and wherein none of the metallic layer, the colored lacquer layer or the photoresist layer is provided in the plurality of image regions, and wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid differ from one another for adjacent microimages and microlenses by between 0.5 and 5%. ### Claim 32 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent first layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are each less than 300 μm, and wherein the grid pitch of the microlens grid in a first spatial direction is greater by more than 100%, than a dimension of each microlens of the microlens grid in the first spatial direction, and wherein flat regions are provided between the microlenses such that the microlenses do not directly succeed one another, and wherein the microimage grid and the microlens grid are arranged in a manner rotated by between 0.5° and 50° relative to one another. ### Claim 33 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are less than 300 μm, and wherein each microimage is formed by one or a plurality of image regions surrounded by a background region, the image regions and the background region being coplanar and adjacent to each other, and wherein the background region is formed by at least one of: a metallic layer; a colored lacquer layer; and a photoresist layer, and wherein none of the metallic layer, the colored lacquer layer or the photoresist layer is provided in the plurality of image regions, and wherein the microimage grid is rotated by between 0.5° and 50° with respect to the microlens grid. ### Claim 34 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are less than 300 μm, and wherein each microimage is formed by one or a plurality of image regions surrounded by a background region, the image regions and the background region being coplanar and adjacent to each other, and wherein the image regions are formed by at least one of: a metallic layer; a colored lacquer layer; and a photoresist layer, and wherein none of the metallic layer, the colored lacquer layer or the photoresist layer is provided in the background region, and wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid differ from one another for adjacent microimages and microlenses by between 0.5 and 5%. ### Claim 35 A multilayer body comprising: a transparent first layer including a multiplicity of microlenses spatially arranged to form a microlens grid having a grid pitch, said microlenses being impressed in a first surface area of the transparent layer; and a second layer, which is arranged below the first layer and in a fixed position with respect to the first layer and has a multiplicity of microimages spatially arranged to form a microimage grid having a grid pitch, each microimage being in an at least partial overlap with one of the microlenses of the microlens grid for generating a first optically variable information item, wherein the grid pitch of the microimage grid and the grid pitch of the microlens grid in at least one spatial direction are less than 300 μm, and wherein each microimage is formed by one or a plurality of image regions surrounded by a background region, the image regions and the background region being coplanar and adjacent to each other, and wherein the image regions are formed by at least one of: a metallic layer; a colored lacquer layer; and a photoresist layer, and wherein none of the metallic layer, the colored lacquer layer or the photoresist layer is provided in the background region, and wherein the microimage grid is rotated by between 0.5° and 50° with respect to the microlens grid.