Optically Variable Security Element With Distinguishable Submotifs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optically variable security elements struggle with effective security against forgery and reliable authenticity verification, particularly due to difficulties in distinguishing substructures and assessing their alignment with intended designs.
Innovation Solution
An optically variable security element featuring a main motif composed of visible substructures, where each substructure has a distinct contour, allowing for easy verification of authenticity by providing different optical impressions based on viewing angle, direction, and side, with microreflectors and relief structures enhancing the visual effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If substructures are used to form motifs in optically variable security elements, then security against forgery is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to difficulty in distinguishing substructures and assessing their alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The motif is divided into multiple substructures (e.g., line elements, dot elements, or shape elements) that are arranged in specific patterns. These substructures are individually visible and can be clearly distinguished from one another, allowing viewers to easily verify alignment and authenticity while maintaining security complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different substructures are assigned different local characteristics such as varying line widths, different shapes, or distinct patterns. This local differentiation makes each substructure easily distinguishable and verifiable by the human eye, resolving the detection difficulty while preserving the overall security function.
2Reliability
If complex substructures are used to enhance security, then authenticity verification becomes more reliable, but the ease of operation decreases due to difficulty in visual assessment
Solution Approach 1:
Complex motifs are segmented into simple, recognizable substructures (lines, dots, shapes) that are individually easy to perceive. This segmentation allows viewers to quickly verify authenticity by checking individual substructure alignment rather than analyzing complex continuous patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The security element uses repeated patterns of simple substructures that can be easily copied and compared by the human eye. Viewers can mentally replicate the expected pattern and quickly assess alignment, making authenticity verification both reliable and operationally simple.
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 enhanced security against forgery and simplifies authenticity verification by ensuring the main motif and submotifs can be easily distinguished and aligned, even without aids, through varying optical impressions based on viewing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The security element may comprise an arrangement of microreflectors
Data Source
AI summary
An optically variable security element contains a motif region. An optically variable main motif has a contour that is visible to a viewer in the motif region at at least a first viewing angle, and the optically variable main motif includes substructures that are visible to the viewer. The visible substructures are visible along the contour of the main motif. The substructures are sub-motifs that are visible to the viewer, and each of the sub-motifs are provided with a contour.