Covert Security Flakes with Segmented Frame Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-counterfeiting technologies using thick pigment flakes are not suitable for covert applications due to their thickness, which affects their flow in inks and paint, and they can create rough surfaces, while also being difficult to control during breakage, leading to unpredictable fracture lines that may obscure symbols.
Innovation Solution
The development of thin, inorganic pigment flakes with a frame and indicia design where the frame grooves are deeper and more fracturable than the indicia grooves, ensuring that the flakes break along predetermined lines, preserving the integrity of the symbols and maintaining a smooth surface finish.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thick pigment flakes are used for anti-counterfeiting, then the flakes provide durability and visibility, but the thickness causes poor flow in inks and paint, creates rough surfaces, and results in unpredictable breakage patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the pigment flakes from conventional thick (greater than 14 microns) to thin (less than 10 microns), which improves flow characteristics in inks and paint while maintaining adequate durability through optimized frame groove depth and flake structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces frame grooves that segment the flake structure, creating predetermined break lines that control where the flake fractures. This segmentation allows the flake to break predictably along designed paths rather than randomly, maintaining integrity of the symbol area while allowing controlled fragmentation
2Strength
If thick pigment flakes are used, then the flakes provide structural integrity, but they create rough surfaces requiring additional clear topcoats
Solution Approach 1:
By reducing flake thickness from greater than 14 microns to less than 10 microns, the patent eliminates the need for additional clear topcoats while maintaining sufficient structural integrity through the frame groove design that provides controlled breakage paths
3Reliability
If frames are provided around symbols to control breakage, then the symbols are protected from damage, but the frame structure adds complexity to the flake design
Solution Approach 1:
The frame grooves are formed as part of the flake structure during the same process that creates the symbol grooves, using preliminary embossing or etching of the substrate before coating. This preliminary action integrates the frame structure into the manufacturing process rather than adding it as a separate complex step
Solution Approach 2:
The frame grooves are positioned at specific locations around the symbol periphery, providing protection only where needed for breakage control, while the symbol area itself maintains its own groove structure for visibility. This localized approach provides symbol protection without unnecessarily complicating the entire flake design
Data Source
Figure 1~3B
Figure 3C~6
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AI summary
Opaque flakes, such as pigment or bright flakes used in paints and inks, have a selected shape and/or other indicia to provide a covert security feature to an object. Shaped opaque covert flakes are not readily detectable by causal observation, but in some embodiments are easily seen at 50x magnification. In manufacturing the flakes a sheet of embossed frames are provided having embossed symbols or indicia within. Upon removing a coating from the embossed sheet the coating material tends to break along frame lines or grooves and the resulting flakes are substantially uniform in size. In order to have the flakes break along frame lines or grooves more readily than along the embossing or grooves defining indicia within a frame, the frames are provided with a deeper groove than indicia grooves. As well a groove having a different shaped profile conducive to breakage can be used for the frame grooves whereas a groove having a profile less conducive to breakage can be used to form the indicia grooves. We have found that the flakes can be further protected from breakage by coating them in a protective coating. This coating may have other features which makes the logo more visible.