Optically variable devices, security device and article employing same, and associated method of creating same

1. An optically variable device comprising:

an array of focusing elements combined with a data-bearing volume containing visual data elements, wherein said visual data elements are contained within said volume and reflect or diffract light to create a virtual object array, wherein the virtual object array is disposed in a pre-determined virtual position located outside of said optically variable device at a distance spaced apart from the data-bearing volume,

wherein the array of focusing elements provides a magnified view of said virtual object array, wherein when viewed from an observation point above the array of focusing elements, each of the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume is disposed between the virtual object array and the observation point, wherein between the array of focusing elements and the virtual object array, the optically variable device is devoid of images created by printing or surface relief, and wherein each virtual object in the virtual object array is disposed at a focal point of a corresponding focusing element of the array of focusing elements.

2. The optically variable device of claim 1 , wherein the visual data elements contained within the data-bearing volume are created by interference effects of light waves.

3. The optically variable device of claim 2 , wherein the data-bearing volume is a volume hologram.

4. The optically variable device of claim 2 , wherein the data-bearing volume is a layer of liquid crystal material.

5. A security device comprising at least one optically variable device, said at least one optically variable device comprising:

an array of focusing elements combined with a data-bearing volume containing visual data elements, wherein said visual data elements are contained within said volume and reflect or diffract light to create a virtual object array, wherein the virtual object array is disposed in a pre-determined virtual position located outside of said optically variable device at a distance spaced apart from the data-bearing volume,

wherein the array of focusing elements provides a magnified view of said virtual object array, wherein when viewed from an observation point above the array of focusing elements, each of the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume is disposed between the virtual object array and the observation point, wherein between the array of focusing elements and the virtual object array, said at least one optically variable device is devoid of images created by printing or surface relief, and wherein each virtual object in the virtual object array is disposed at a focal point of a corresponding focusing element of the array of focusing elements.

6. The security device of claim 5 , wherein the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume are formed separately so that the magnified view of said virtual object array is provided only when said array of focusing elements and said volume are combined by a user.

7. An article comprising:

a surface; and

at least one security device coupled to said surface in order to resist counterfeiting of said article, said security device including at least one optically variable device comprising:

an array of focusing elements combined with a data-bearing volume containing visual data elements, wherein said visual data elements are contained within said volume and reflect or diffract light to create a virtual object array, wherein the virtual object array is disposed in a pre-determined virtual position located outside of said optically variable device at a distance spaced apart from the data-bearing volume,

wherein the array of focusing elements provides a magnified view of said virtual object array, wherein when viewed from an observation point above the array of focusing elements, each of the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume is disposed between the virtual object array and the observation point, wherein between the array of focusing elements and the virtual object array, said at least one optically variable device is devoid of images created by printing or surface relief, and wherein each virtual object in the virtual object array is disposed at a focal point of a corresponding focusing element of the array of focusing elements.

8. An article comprising:

a surface; and

at least one security device associated with said article in order to resist counterfeiting of said article, said security device including at least one optically variable device comprising:

an array of focusing elements combined with a data-bearing volume containing visual data elements, wherein said visual data elements are contained within said volume and reflect or diffract light to create a virtual object array, wherein the virtual object array is disposed in a pre-determined virtual position located outside of said optically variable device at a distance spaced apart from the data-bearing volume,

wherein the array of focusing elements provides a magnified view of said virtual object array, wherein when viewed from an observation point above the array of focusing elements, each of the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume is disposed between the virtual object array and the observation point, wherein between the array of focusing elements and the virtual object array, said at least one optically variable device is devoid of images created by printing or surface relief, and wherein each virtual object in the virtual object array is disposed at a focal point of a corresponding focusing element of the array of focusing elements,

wherein the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume comprising the security device are formed separately, at least one of said array of focusing elements and said volume is coupled to said surface, and said magnified view of said virtual object array is provided only when said array of focusing elements and said volume are combined by a user.

9. A method of creating a security device having at least one optically variable device, the method comprising:

designing an object image;

forming a master for a focusing layer containing an array of focusing elements;

forming a master for an object layer including visual data elements, where the object layer is a data-bearing volume with substantially planar surfaces; and

replicating said focusing layer and said object layer,

wherein the visual data elements reflect or diffract light to create a virtual object array,

wherein the virtual object array is disposed in a pre-determined virtual position located outside of said optically variable device at a distance spaced apart from the data-bearing volume,

wherein the array of focusing elements provide at least one magnified visual representation of said virtual object array observed from a predetermined relative observation point when said replicated focusing layer is placed between the observer and said replicated object layer,

wherein when viewed from an observation point above the array of focusing elements, each of the array of focusing elements and the data-bearing volume is disposed between the virtual object array and the observation point,

wherein between the array of focusing elements and the virtual object array, said at least one optically variable device is devoid of images created by printing or surface relief,

wherein each virtual object in the virtual object array is disposed at a focal point of a corresponding focusing element of the array of focusing elements, and

wherein said visual data elements are contained within said volume.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising laminating said focusing layer and said object layer on a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of a substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising laminating said object layer to a substrate, and laminating said focusing layer to said object layer.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising creating said data elements by the interference of light waves.