Abstract: A method of applying a pattern formed of two different materials to a pattern support layer includes: providing a die form having a surface with recesses defining the pattern; applying a first curable material to a surface first region, received in some of the first region recesses and partially filling a first region recess set; applying a second curable material to some of the surface first region, the second curable material at least partially fills the first set of the first region recesses; contacting a pattern support layer with the die form surface to cover the recesses containing both the first and second curable materials; separating the pattern support layer from the die form surface, the first and second curable materials in the covered recesses removed therefrom and retained on the pattern support layer; and curing the first and second curable materials during and/or after the second and third steps.

Abstract: A security device is provided. The security device comprises an array of elongate focusing structures, the elongate axes of which are aligned along a first direction, the elongate focusing structures being arranged parallel to one another periodically along a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, each elongate focusing structure having an optical footprint of which different elongate strips will be directed to the viewer in dependence on the viewing angle, the centre line of each optical footprint being parallel with the first direction. An array of image elements overlap the array of elongate focusing structures, the array of image elements representing elongate image slices of at least two respective images, each image slice comprising one or more image elements, and at least one image slice of each respective image being located at least partially in the optical footprint of each elongate focusing structure.

Abstract: A security device includes: an elongate focusing structures array, the elongate axes are aligned along a first-direction, the elongate focusing structures parallel to one another periodically along a second-direction is orthogonally to the first-direction, each elongate focusing structure having an optical footprint of different elongate strips will be directed to the viewer in dependence on the viewing angle, the centre line of each optical footprint parallel with the first-direction; image elements-array overlapping the array of elongate focusing structures, the image elements-array representing elongate image slices of at least two respective images, each image slice including one or more image elements, and at least one image slice of each respective image in the optical footprint of each elongate focusing structure.

Abstract: A security device is provided including a first pattern of elements and a second, overlapping, pattern of elements spaced by a transparent layer, the first and second patterns in combination obstructing the passage of light transmitted to a viewer through the device to a varying degree depending on the viewing position. The first and second patterns of elements are configured such that a first region of the device exhibits a maximum change in the degree of obstruction when the device is tilted relative to the viewer about a first tilt axis, and a second region of the device exhibits a maximum change in the degree of obstruction when the device is tilted relative to the viewer about a second tilt axis which is not parallel to the first tilt axis.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer substrate for a security sheet includes: providing first and second overlapping polymer layers each providing outwardly facing surfaces, and a colour shifting element positioned between the first and second polymer layers adapted to provide a first optical effect to a viewer, wherein the first polymer layer includes a region substantially transparent to visible light such that the colour shifting element is viewable through the first polymer layer, and; joining together the first and second polymer layers in order to generate a polymer substrate wherein, during the joining step, a surface relief is formed in the outwardly facing surface of the first layer, the surface relief being adapted to interact with light from the colour shifting element in order to modify the first optical effect to provide a second optical effect different from the first optical effect.

Abstract: A method of forming a security document includes: providing a security document substrate, the security document substrate including a security device including a colour shifting element and a light control layer covering at least a part of the colour shifting element, wherein the light control layer has a surface structure including one or more elevations and depressions that modifies the angle of light from the colour shifting element to generate a first optical effect, and; selectively modifying a part of the light control layer so as to generate a second optical effect different from the first optical effect.

Abstract: A security device component having a layer of cured curable material carrying a surface relief structure in the surface thereof. A first sub-region of the surface relief structure has a first relief structure. A second sub-region of the surface relief structure, abutting the first sub-region, has a second relief structure different from the first relief structure. The first relief structure defines a primary portion of the surface relief structure and the second relief structure defines an ancillary portion of the surface relief structure. The ancillary portion of the surface relief structure has a thickness that decreases from the primary portion of the surface relief structure towards at least one lateral edge of the layer of curable material.

Abstract: A method of forming a security device includes a colour shifting element, wherein the colour shifting element provides a first optical effect, the method includes; providing a light control layer over at least a part of the colour shifting element, the light control layer including a functional region and at least one non-functional region, wherein the functional region includes a surface relief adapted to modify the angle of light from the colour shifting element so as to generate a second optical effect different from the first optical effect, and wherein the non-functional region does not substantially modify the angle of light from the colour shifting element, and; wherein the at least one non-functional region is not discernible to the naked eye.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hybrid security structure for a security document, the method comprising the steps of: providing a document substrate; applying to the document substrate, by a first process, a first element comprising a first electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure; applying to the document substrate, by a second process, a second element comprising a second electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure, wherein the first process is different from the second process; and electrically coupling the first and second electrically conductive regions of the hybrid security structure for detection by a capacitance sensor.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing security documents and security devices, and corresponding products, provide a lenticular device effect in a first registration zone. Viewing its appearance from two different angles in this way, the relative positioning of the focussing element array and the image array can be judged to a high degree of accuracy. If the two arrays do not have the desired relative position, this will be clearly apparent since the different first and second images will not be captured at the first and second test viewing angles.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image pattern for a security device includes providing a metallised substrate; applying a first photosensitive resist layer to a substrate first metal layer exposing the resist layer to radiation; exposing the resist layer to a first reactant substance; activating a cross linking agent in the resist layer; exposing first and second pattern elements of the resist layer to radiation of a wavelength to which the resist layer is responsive whereupon newly-exposed first pattern elements of the first photosensitive resist layer react, resulting in increased solubility by the second etchant substance, the second pattern elements remaining relatively insoluble by the second etchant substance; and applying first and second etchant substances to the substrate whereupon the first pattern elements of both the first resist layer and the first metal layer are dissolved, the remaining second pattern elements of the first metal layer forming an image pattern.

Abstract: A method of making a security device including: (a) forming an array of focussing elements on at least a first region of a focussing element support layer, by: (a)(i) applying a first transparent curable material either to the focussing element support layer or to a casting tool carrying a surface relief corresponding to the focussing elements, over an first sub-region of the first region and applying a second transparent curable material to a second sub-region of the first region laterally offset from the first sub-region, the first and second transparent curable materials having different optical detection characteristics from one another; (a)(ii) forming the first and second transparent curable materials with the casting tool; and (a)(iii) curing the first and second transparent curable materials in the first region, so as to retain the surface relief.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image pattern for a security device is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a security document, comprises providing a thread comprising at least one region of heat-transformable material, this material having an optical effect which is transformable in response to applied heat. The thread is integrated with a document substrate material during a substrate forming process, so as to produce a security document substrate having at least one windowed region in which the thread is exposed at the substrate surface, and at least one bridge region in which the thread is not exposed. A patterned heat process is then applied, causing a structural modification in the heat-transformable layer of the thread so as to produce an observable optical effect representative of the heat pattern at one or more predetermined positions with respect to one or more of the said windowed region or bridge region. Security documents bearing threads with such optically transformable materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a security device includes: a) providing a depth map of a macroimage depicting a three-dimensional object, the depth map representing the depth of each part of the three-dimensional object relative to a reference plane by different colours and/or different tones of one colour; b) segmenting the depth map into a plurality of regions based on the colours and/or tones of the depth map; c) for each region, creating a respective microimage element array; and d) providing a sampling element array of a predetermined pitch and orientation. The pitch and/or orientation of each respective microimage element array is different, and is configured such that the magnified versions of the microimage elements generated in any one of the regions have a different apparent depth relative to those generated in the other region(s), so as to form a three-dimensional representation of the macroimage.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a security device is provided. The method comprises providing a substrate, the substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and a relief structure formed in the first surface of the substrate. A reflection enhancing layer is applied over the first surface of the substrate such that the reflection enhancing layer at least partially overlaps the relief structure and such that a first region of the first surface of the substrate does not have the reflection enhancing layer. An absorber layer is applied over the reflection enhancing layer such that the absorber layer at least partially overlaps the reflection enhancing layer and the relief structure where the reflection enhancing layer and the relief structure overlap each other, and such that the absorber layer at least partially overlaps the first region of the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A security device is disclosed, comprising an array of focussing elements with regular periodicity in at least a first direction, each focusing element having an optical footprint of which different portions will be directed to the viewer in dependence on the viewing angle; and an array of image elements with regular periodicity in at least the first direction overlapping the array of focusing structures, the image elements representing portions of at least two respective images, and at least one image element from each respective image being located in the optical footprint of each focusing structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pattern on a substrate web includes providing a production tool having a surface relief structure of elevations and depressions. The elevations correspond to a desired pattern. A curable material is applied to the elevations. The material is brought into contact with a substrate web at a first location. The substrate web and surface relief structure are transported together in contact from the first location to a second location spaced from one another along the transport direction of the substrate web. The substrate web is separated from the surface relief structure at the second location whereupon the material forming the pattern is affixed to and carried by the substrate web. The material is cured by exposure to a curing energy source, either between the first and second locations and/or after the substrate web has been separated from the surface relief structure at the second location.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image array for an optical device, comprising: (a) generating a plurality of different mask images by, for each of at least two different images, the at least two images collectively including parts in at least two different colours: (a1) providing a pixelated version of the image comprising a plurality of image pixels, each image pixel exhibiting a uniform colour; (a2) for each image pixel of the pixelated image, creating a corresponding mask pixel based on the colour of the respective image pixel, each mask pixel comprising an arrangement of one or more mask regions and/or one or more void regions, different arrangements of the one or more mask regions and/or one or more void regions in different ones of the mask pixels defining different respective colours; (a3) arranging the mask pixels in accordance with the positions of their corresponding image pixels in the pixelated image to form a mask image; (b) interlacing the plurality of different mask images, by dividing each mask i

Abstract: A method of producing a security device comprises providing a substrate having a relief structure in/on its surface, the structure provided in a first region of the substrate. The structure in the first region a first recess or a plurality of first recesses in/on the surface of the substrate, the first recess or recesses being recessed with respect to one or more corresponding first land areas of the first region in/on the surface of the substrate. Further comprises applying a colour-shifting coating structure to the relief structure that the colour-shifting coating structure received in the first recess or recesses of the first region and on one or more first land areas. The colour-shifting coating structure applied wherein a thickness of the colour-shifting coating structure in the first recess or recesses is greater than or less than a thickness of the colour-shifting coating structure on one or more first land areas.