Alignable diffractive pigment flakes
AssigneeFlex Products, Inc.
InventorsAlberto Argoitia, Vladimir P. Raksha, Dishuan Chu
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Abstract
Diffractive pigment flakes are selectively aligned to form an image. In one embodiment, flakes having a magnetic layer are shaped to facilitate alignment in a magnetic field. In another embodiment, the flakes include a magnetically discontinuous layer. In a particular embodiment, deposition of nickel on a diffraction grating pattern produces magnetic needles along the grating pattern that allow magnetic alignment of the resulting diffractive pigment flakes. Color scans of test samples of magnetically aligned flakes show high differentiation between illumination parallel and perpendicular to the direction of alignment of the magnetic diffractive pigment flakes.
Claims35
A pigment particle comprising:
- a non-symmetrical selectively shaped magnetic structure capable of orienting the pigment particle with respect to an applied magnetic field;
- and
- a diffraction grating.
A pigment particle comprising:
- a magnetic structure capable of orienting the pigment particle with respect to an applied magnetic field;
- and
- a diffraction grating, wherein the magnetic structure is a layer of magnetic material and the pigment particle has a shape facilitating orientation in the applied magnetic field.
A pigment particle comprising:
- a magnetic structure capable of orienting the pigment particle with respect to an applied magnetic field;
- and
- a diffraction grating wherein the magnetic structure comprises a plurality of magnetic stripes.
A pigment particle comprising:
- a reflective layer patterned to include a diffraction grating;
- and
- a plurality of magnetic needles disposed along the diffraction grating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.