Superposed Security Element with Magnetic Field-Responsive Structural Color
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security documents lack features that are difficult for counterfeiters to imitate and manipulate, necessitating the development of a more secure and easily verifiable security element.
Innovation Solution
A security element comprising at least three separate components, where two are spatially separated on a substrate layer and the third on a connected layer, forming a structural color that changes reflectivity and transmittance with an electric or magnetic field, with excitation structures generating fields for superimposition, enabling verification of presence and integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional security features are used in security documents, then the documents can be produced relatively easily, but the security against counterfeiting is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The security element is divided into three separate components: a first component with a structural color layer containing magnetic particles, a second component with a magnet arrangement, and a third component with verification features. These components are applied to different substrate layers that can be spatially separated or superimposed, making the security feature difficult to counterfeit while maintaining manageable complexity in each individual component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds multiple functional layers within a hierarchical structure where the structural color layer, magnet arrangement, and verification features are nested across different substrate layers. The structural color layer is applied to a first substrate layer, the magnet arrangement to a second substrate layer, and verification features to a third substrate layer, creating a nested configuration that provides high security through multiple integrated functions
2Reliability
If complex security features are implemented to prevent counterfeiting, then security is improved, but verification becomes difficult without external aids
Solution Approach 1:
The structural color layer contains magnetic particles that change the color impression of the security element when exposed to an external magnetic field during verification. This color change effect provides a clear, easily perceptible visual indication that can be observed without external aids, making verification simple while maintaining high security through the magnetic field-responsive color transformation
3Reliability
If multiple components are superimposed to create optical effects, then the security feature becomes more difficult to imitate, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The security element is divided into three separately manufacturable components that can be produced independently and then assembled. The structural color layer, magnet arrangement, and verification features are applied to different substrate layers, allowing each component to be manufactured using standard processes and then combined through lamination or adhesive bonding, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining high security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a nested multi-layer structure where components are applied to different substrate layers that can be stacked and bonded together. The first substrate layer contains the structural color layer, the second substrate layer contains the magnet arrangement, and the third substrate layer contains verification features. This nested configuration allows independent manufacturing of each layer followed by assembly, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while creating a complex, difficult-to-imitate security feature
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 high-security feature that is easy to verify without external aids, showing a clear and difficult-to-imitate effect, enhancing the security of documents by ensuring only genuine information matches expected changes in color impressions.
Implementation Method 1
The structural color layer comprises a multitude of microcapsules, each comprising a capsule shell, a carrier liquid enclosed within the capsule shell, and colloidal particles exhibiting magnetic properties. When an external magnetic field is applied to the structural color layer, the colloidal particles align themselves with each other in a crystal structure. This crystal structure ensures that light of a specific wavelength can propagate only along certain directions, or not at all, within the crystal structure and is reflected accordingly.
Implementation Method 2
When an external magnetic field is applied to the structural color layer, the colloidal particles align themselves with each other in a crystal structure. This crystal structure ensures that light of a specific wavelength can propagate only along certain directions, or not at all, within the crystal structure and is reflected accordingly. This reflection creates a color impression based on the wavelength-selective reflection of the light.
Implementation Method 3
The second and at least third components are each an excitation structure designed to generate an electric and/or magnetic field. When the safety structure and one or more of the excitation structures are superimposed over a surface, the perceived color of the safety structure changes compared to a state in which the safety structure is not superimposed on any of the excitation structures.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2c
Figure 3a~3e
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
The invention relates to a superposed security element comprising: at least one substrate layer (32; 33; 35) and a first security structure (81) which is printed using a structure ink, wherein the structure ink comprises microcapsules (10) in which colloidal particles are dispersed in a medium and can be oriented relative to one another by means of an electric field and/or a magnetic field in order to create and/or change a crystal structure, wherein distances between the particles are critical to the colour impression of the structure ink, and an excitation structure (61) which generates an electric or magnetic field, wherein the excitation structure (61) is formed spatially separate from the security structure (81) on the at least one substrate layer (31) or a further substrate layer (32; 33; 35) connected to the at least one substrate layer (31), wherein the arrangement of the security structure (81) and of the excitation structure (61) on the at least one substrate layer (31) or on the at least one substrate layer (31) and the further substrate layer (32; 33; 35) is such that a superposed state can be brought about, in which the security structure (81) and the excitation structure (61) superpose one another in a flat manner, and a non-superposed state can be brought about, in which the excitation structure (61) and the security structure (81) are not superposed in a flat manner, and wherein the excitation structure (61) is designed in such a way that it brings about in the superposed state a change in the optically perceptible colour impression of the security structure (81) compared to the non-superposed state, as well as a method for verifying a superposed feature.