Security thread with a magnetic element

A magnetic security feature comprising a substrate and a printed ink layer, wherein:

• (a) the printed ink layer is on the substrate;
• (b) the ink comprises a first set of particles and a second set of particles, wherein the particles in the first set and in the second set are magnetically anisotropic and the coercivity of the particles of the first set being higher than the coercivity of the particles of the second set;
• (c) within at least part of the printed ink layer, wherein the particles of the first set of particles are orientated in a first direction;
• (d) within one or more sections of the printed ink layer, wherein the particles of the second set of particles are orientated in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;
• and
• (e) the printed ink layer is cured.

A method of creating a magnetic security feature, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing an ink onto a substrate to form a non-contiguous layer of printed ink, the ink comprising a set of particles, wherein the magnetic particles within the set of magnetic particles are magnetically anisotropic;
• (b) exposing at least part of the non-contiguous layer of printed ink to a first magnet with a magnetic field strength greater than the coercivity of the particles and aligned in a first direction, to orientate the particles in a first direction;
• (c) exposing one or more sections of the non-contiguous layer of printed ink to a second magnet with a magnetic field strength greater than the coercivity of the particles and aligned in a section direction, to orientate the particles in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction;
• and
• (d) curing the printed ink, locking the particles in their orientations.

A magnetic security feature comprising a printed ink layer and a substrate, wherein:

• (a) the printed ink layer is non-contiguous;
• (b) the ink comprises a set of magnetic particles, wherein the magnetic particles within the set of magnetic particles are magnetically anisotropic;
• (c) within at least part of the non-contiguous printed ink layer, the magnetic particles are orientated in a first direction;
• (d) within one or more sections of the non-contiguous printed ink layer, the magnetic particles are orientated in a second direction which is different from the first direction;
• and
• (e) the ink is cured.