Diffractive surfaces with color shifting backgrounds
AssigneeFlex Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard L. Bonkowski, Patrick K. Higgins, Charles T. Markantes, Roger W. Phillips
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security article includes a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, with the first surface having an embossed region with an optical diffraction pattern or a holographic image pattern. A color shifting optical coating is formed on the substrate such as on the opposing second surface, with the optical coating providing an observable color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing angle changes. The security article can be used in a variety of applications and products to provide for enhanced security measures such as anticounterfeiting.
Claims19
A security article comprising:
- a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface having a diffraction grating pattern or a holographic image pattern and the second surface being substantially planar;
- and
- a color shifting multilayer optical film on the second surface of the substrate, the optical film comprising:
- an absorber layer on the second surface of the substrate;
- a dielectric layer on the absorber layer;
- and
- a reflector layer on the dielectric layer;
- wherein the optical film provides an observable discrete color shift such that the article has a first background color at a first angle of incident light or viewing and a second background color different from the first background color at a second angle of incident light or viewing, the article exhibiting an optical diffraction grating pattern effect or a holographic image pattern effect in addition to the first and second background colors.
A security article comprising:
- a visible light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface having an optical interference pattern;
- and
- a color shifting optical coating on one of the first or second surfaces of the substrate, the optical coating providing an observable discrete color shift such that the article has a first background color at a first angle of incident light or viewing and a second background color different from the first background color at a second angle of incident light or viewing, said color shifting optical coating comprising:
- an absorber layer on the second surface of the substrate;
- a dielectric layer on the absorber layer;
- and
- a reflector layer on the dielectric layer;
- wherein the article exhibits an optical interference pattern effect in addition to the first and second background colors.
A security article comprising:
- a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface having a holographic image pattern;
- and
- a color shifting multilayer optical film on the second surface of the substrate, the optical film comprising:
- an absorber layer on the second surface of the substrate;
- a dielectric layer on the absorber layer;
- and
- a reflector layer on the dielectric layer;
- wherein the optical film provides an observable discrete color shift such that the article has a first background color at a first angle of incident light or viewing and a second background color different from the first background color at a second angle of incident light or viewing, the article exhibiting a holographic image pattern effect in addition to the first and second background colors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.