Holograms for packaging and display uses

Abstract

An article has a light-transparent visual display feature through which a graphic design or a solid object can be seen, the light-transparent visual display feature is a light-transparent film sheet which contains a Lippman-Bragg reflection hologram which has a viewing angle of not more than 20.degree. on either side of a selected viewing axis or axes and a depth of holographic image which is not more than 5 mm on one side or the other of the image plane. When the article is a package, the restricted view is provided around a vertical axis relative to the observer so that as an observer passes the illuminated package laterally witth the hologram on the vertical face, the hologram will suddenly come into view and just as suddenly slip from view as viewing angle is passed. When the article is an identification or credit card, the transparent film material bearing the hologram is laminated to the top surface of the card which bears a graphic design relevant to the holder of the card. The graphic design is visible at all times, but the holographic image appears and then disappears as the viewing angle of the card changes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.