Flat Security Element with Micro-Facets for 3D Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional security elements, such as holograms on banknotes, face challenges in maintaining a three-dimensional appearance under varying lighting conditions and are easily replicated, diminishing their effectiveness as a unique feature.
Innovation Solution
A security element with extremely flat facets, typically no greater than 10 μm in height, creates a three-dimensional impression by manipulating reflection behavior, allowing for a surface to appear curved or projecting while maintaining a macroscopically flat configuration, incorporating reflective and transmissive facets with specific orientations and coatings to enhance visibility and authenticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional holograms are used to create a three-dimensional appearance, then the security element provides visual authentication, but the quality of the three-dimensional representation heavily depends on lighting conditions and holograms are easily replicated
Solution Approach 1:
The surface is divided into multiple pixels, each containing multiple facets with specific orientations. This segmentation allows each pixel to independently control light reflection, creating a three-dimensional appearance that is less dependent on overall lighting conditions while being difficult to replicate
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the security element have facets with specifically tailored orientations and optical properties. Each local area is optimized to reflect light in a way that contributes to the overall three-dimensional image, providing consistent authentication appearance across varying lighting conditions
2Length of stationary object
If the security element is made extremely flat with facets no greater than 10 μm in height, then the element can be easily integrated into documents and is difficult to detect, but conventional flat structures cannot create a convincing three-dimensional appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a three-dimensional optical effect in a two-dimensional plane by using facets with different orientations to reflect light from a single flat surface. This allows the security element to appear three-dimensional without actually having three-dimensional depth, keeping it extremely flat at less than 10 μm while still providing convincing visual authentication
3Reliability
If facets are made with specific orientations to create three-dimensional impressions, then the security element provides enhanced authentication, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses computational methods to determine optimal facet orientations and arrangements that create the desired three-dimensional appearance. By carefully selecting and adjusting the orientation parameters of individual facets within each pixel, the system achieves high authentication reliability while maintaining manufacturability through systematic parameter optimization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure and recognizable three-dimensional appearance under diverse lighting conditions, making it difficult to replicate and enhancing the authenticity of security documents, while integrating with other security features like true-color holograms for added verification.
Implementation Method 1
The optically effective facets are designed in such a way that the pixels have no optically diffractive effect. There is in particular an essentially ray-optical reflection behavior or an essentially ray-optical refraction effect.
Implementation Method 2
The optically effective facets are designed in such a way that the pixels have no optically diffractive effect. There is in particular an essentially ray-optical reflection behavior or an essentially ray-optical refraction effect.
Data Source
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AI summary
A security element (1) for a security paper, security document or the like is provided, comprising a carrier (8) having a surface area (3) divided into a plurality of pixels (4), each comprising at least one optically effective facet (5), wherein the facets (5) are oriented such that the surface area (3) is perceptible to an observer as a surface projecting forward and/or backward relative to its actual spatial shape, and wherein a color-tilting coating is formed on the facets at least in some areas.