text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|May 29, 2007
|Filing date
|Jan 31, 2005
|Priority date
|Jan 21, 2000
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Roger W. Phillips, Richard L. Bonkowski, Patrick K. Higgins, Charles T. Markantes
|Original Assignee
|Jds Uniphase Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (77), Non-Patent Citations (17), Referenced by (44), Classifications (44), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/705,610, filed Nov. 10, 2003, now abandoned which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/489,250, filed Jan. 21, 2000 now abandoned and entitled "Optically Variable Security Devices," which are incorporated herein by reference, and to which priority is claimed.
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/351,102, filed Jul. 8, 1999, and entitled "Diffractive Surfaces with Color Shifting Backgrounds."
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/688,357, filed Oct. 17, 2003, and entitled "Security Articles having Diffractive Surfaces and Color Shifting Backgrounds."
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to thin film optical coatings for use in producing security articles. More specifically, the present invention is related to the production of diffractive surfaces such as holograms or gratings having color shifting or optically variable backgrounds which can be used as security articles in a variety of applications.
2. The Relevant Technology
Color shifting pigments and colorants have been used in numerous applications, ranging from automobile paints to anti-counterfeiting inks for security documents and currency. Such pigments and colorants exhibit the property of changing color upon variation of the angle of incident light, or as the viewing angle of the observer is shifted. The primary method used to achieve such color shifting colorants is to disperse small flakes, which are typically composed of multiple layers of thin films having particular optical characteristics, throughout a medium such as paint or ink that may then be subsequently applied to the surface of an object.
Diffraction patterns and embossments, and the related field of holographs, have begun to find wide-ranging practical applications due to their aesthetic and utilitarian visual effects. One very desirable decorative effect is the iridescent visual effect created by a diffraction grating. This striking visual effect occurs when ambient light is diffracted into its color components by reflection from the diffraction grating. In general, diffraction gratings are essentially repetitive structures made of lines or grooves in a material to form a peak and trough structure. Desired optical effects within the visible spectrum occur when diffraction gratings have regularly spaced grooves in the range of hundreds to thousands of lines per millimeter on a reflective surface.
Diffraction grating technology has been employed in the formation of two-dimensional holographic patterns which create the illusion of a three-dimensional image to an observer. Three-dimensional holograms have also been developed based on differences in refractive indices in a polymer using crossed laser beams, including one reference beam and one object beam. Such holograms are called volume holograms or 3D holograms. Furthermore, the use of holographic images on various objects to discourage counterfeiting has found widespread application.
There currently exist several applications for surfaces embossed with holographic patterns which range from decorative packaging such as gift wrap, to security documents such as bank notes and credit cards. Two-dimensional holograms typically utilize diffraction patterns which have been formed on a plastic surface. In some cases, a holographic image which has been embossed on such a surface can be visible without further processing; however, it is generally necessary, in order to achieve maximum optical effects, to place a reflective layer, typically a thin metal layer such as aluminum, onto the embossed surface. The reflective layer substantially increases the visibility of the diffraction pattern embossment.
Every type of first order diffraction structure, including conventional holograms and grating images, has a major shortcoming even if encapsulated in a rigid plastic. When diffuse light sources, such as ordinary room lights or an overcast sky, are used to illuminate the holographic image, all diffraction orders expand and overlap so that the diffraction colors are lost and not much of the visual information contained in the hologram is revealed. What is typically seen is only a silver colored reflection from the embossed surface and all such devices look silvery or pastel, at best, under such viewing conditions. Thus, holographic images generally require direct specular illumination in order to be visualized. This means that for best viewing results, the illuminating light must be incident at the same angle as the viewing angle.
Since the use of security holograms has found widespread application, there exists a substantial incentive for counterfeiters to reproduce holograms which are frequently used in credit cards, banknotes, and the like. Thus, a hurdle that security holograms must overcome to be truly secure, is the ease at which such holograms can be counterfeited. One step and two step optical copying, direct mechanical copying and even re-origination have been extensively discussed over the Internet. Various ways to counteract these methods have been explored but none of the countermeasures, taken alone, has been found to be an effective deterrent.
One of the methods used to reproduce holograms is to scan a laser beam across the embossed surface and optically record the reflected beam on a layer of a material such as a photopolymerizable polymer. The original pattern can subsequently be reproduced as a counterfeit. Another method is to remove the protective covering material from the embossed metal surface by ion etching, and then when the embossed metal surface is exposed, a layer of metal such as silver (or any other easily releasable layer) can be deposited. This is followed by deposition of a layer of nickel, which is subsequently released to form a counterfeiting embossing shim.
Due to the level of sophistication of counterfeiting methods, it has become necessary to develop more advanced security measures. One approach, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,076 and 5,672,410 to Miekka et al., embossed metal particles or optical stack flakes are used to produce a holographic image pattern.
A further problem with security holograms is that it is difficult for most people to identify and recollect the respective images produced by such holograms for verification purposes. The ability of the average person to authenticate a security hologram conclusively is compromised by the complexity of its features and by confusion with decorative diffractive packaging. Thus, most people tend to confirm the presence of such a security device rather than verifying the actual image. This provides the opportunity for the use of poor counterfeits or the substitution of commercial holograms for the genuine security hologram.
In other efforts to thwart counterfeiters, the hologram industry has resorted to more complex images such as producing multiple images as the security device is rotated. These enhanced images provide the observer with a high level of "flash" or aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, this added complexity does not confer added security because this complex imagery is hard to communicate and recollection of such imagery is difficult, if not impossible, to remember.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,550 issued Dec. 23, 1997 in the name of Uyama et al. discloses a transparent hologram seal having a hologram forming layer embodied by a relief type hologram image, a transparent evaporated layer in the form of a multi-layered ceramic layer having alternatively laminating high-refractive index layers and low-refractive index layers. Uyama discloses 5 layers having a thickness of preferably less than 1 μm as being optimum for color shifting. The notion of using both a hologram relief structure and an optically variable filter provides additional security features to using only a hologram or only a thin film filter. Notwithstanding, an objective in providing a security device having both a hologram and a thin film filter is to allow the user or authenticator to quickly identify these security features so as to validate a document or item which carry them. Furthermore, it would be an object of this invention to provide a synergistic effect by combining a hologram with a thin film optically variable filter. Embodiments of this invention exploit the fact that there is interaction between the diffraction grating and the optically variable structure, which yield desirable and visible effects, not seen in security devices only having a hologram or only having a color shifting filter. By providing a device with high chroma, these effect are enhanced.
Uyama in U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,550 provides a transparent hologram seal that requires an all dielectric stack on the hologram forming layer. Unfortunately, when this device is affixed to a security document having a white background, as for example, a white sheet of paper or a white document, it is found that the transmitted beam will reflect off of the white surface, returning though the device adding to the reflected rays, resulting in a washed out or pale pastel color. The instant invention ameliorates this problem by providing a non-transmissive, substantially opaque device. In contrast the instant device provides reflected colors that are highly saturated, having high chroma irrespective of the color of the document surface. Furthermore, only three color shifting layers are required to achieve this high chroma in contrast to Uyama's five layers. Uyama's patent discloses an attempt at using three transparent dielectric layers however it was reported that a clear color change did not occur. The applicants believe that this lack of clear color change was due to the weak reflectivity of the hologram as a result of using a transparent all dielectric system, with a transparent hologram, so that reflective diffractive peaks were not visible; only those peaks arising from the all dielectric coating were seen, as for example in FIG. 21 of Uyama.
In the instant invention, illustrated in example 5 of the specification the hologram colors are modified such that some of the strong rainbow colors normally emanating from a reflection hologram, as opposed to the transparent hologram of Uyama, are accentuated or suppressed by the Fabry Perot filter. Furthermore, the diffractive pattern is built and replicated into the Fabry Perot reflection filter allowing maximum reflection from both the diffractive and interference devices. This is illustrated in Example 5 of this specification. This color interaction is totally new for a security device and there are currently several Federal governments and holographic companies interested in the device of this invention becoming commercially available.
It would therefore be of substantial advantage to develop improved security products which provide enhanced viewing qualities in various lighting conditions, especially in diffuse lighting, and which are usable in various security applications to make counterfeiting more difficult.
It is a primary object of the invention to provide a security article having color shifting properties which increases the difficulty of counterfeiting in a variety of applications.
Another object of the invention to provide a security article with a distinctive pattern that is readily observable over a wide range of viewing angles in diffuse lighting conditions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a security article with an optical interference pattern such as a holographic pattern that has enhanced visibility and contrast to provide for viewing under diffuse lighting conditions without the need for direct specular light.
To achieve the foregoing objects and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a security article is provided which includes a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, with the first surface having an optical interference pattern such as a holographic image pattern or an optical diffraction pattern thereon. A color shifting optical coating is formed on the substrate such as on the interference pattern or on the opposing second surface of the substrate, with the optical coating providing an observable color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing angle changes. Various processes can be utilized to form the security article, such as vacuum coating processes, organic coatings, lamination, laser scribing, and laser imaging.
The color shifting optical coating can be varied in different embodiments of the invention. For example, the optical coating can be a multilayer optical interference film such as a three layer optical stack of absorber-dielectric-reflector, or alternating layers of low and high index of refraction dielectric layers. In addition, the optical coating can be formed from a plurality of multilayer optical interference flakes dispersed in a polymeric medium such as a color shifting ink.
In other embodiments, various security articles are formed by laminating a prelaminate structure including a color shifting optical coating, which can optionally be laser imaged by ablation, to a substrate embossed with an optical interference pattern.
In another method of the invention, a color shifting optical coating is formed on a master shim so as to conform to the shape of an optical interference pattern on the shim. A carrier substrate layer is affixed to the optical coating and is removed along with the optical coating from the shim to produce a security article with the interference pattern replicated in the optical coating.
The security article of the invention can be affixed to a variety of objects through various attachment mechanisms, such as pressure sensitive adhesives or hot stamping processes, to provide for enhanced security measures such as anticounterfeiting. The security article can be utilized in the form of a label, a tag, a ribbon, a security thread, and the like, for application to a variety of objects such as security documents, monetary currency, credit cards, merchandise, etc.
In accordance with this invention a security article is provided comprising:
These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
In order to more fully understand the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered as limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention is directed to security articles having diffractive surfaces with color shifting backgrounds that produce enhanced visual effects. The configuration of the security articles is such that a combination of optical interference patterns such as holographic or diffraction grating patterns with color shifting foils or inks decreases the possibility of counterfeiting. Furthermore, the articles of the invention allow a user to more easily view the image or diffraction effect in diffuse light without the need for direct specular light.
Generally, the configuration of the security articles of the present invention is such that the combination of a light transmissive substrate, having an interference pattern on the surface thereof, with color shifting optical coatings provides security features that make forgery or counterfeiting of an object difficult. The present invention combines the performance features of light interference effects with the diffractive effects of a diffractive surface such as a hologram. The security articles allow for ready identification by the average person while still preserving complex optical patterns, thus overcoming disadvantages of conventional holographic technology.
The various embodiments of the invention, described in further detail below, can be formed using three basic constructions. One involves substituting the aluminum reflector of a hologram or other diffractive surface with a thin film optical interference stack. This construction builds the hologram structure right into the optical interference stack. In this case, the optical coating is vacuum deposited directly onto the embossed surface. The second construction adds a thin film color shifting foil or ink to the side of a substrate opposite of the embossing. Whether foil or ink is used, the interference effect can be based on a metal-dielectric-absorber interference structure, or all-dielectric optical designs. The third approach involves laminating a color shifting optical coating structure, which can be digitally imaged by laser ablation, reflective pattern etching, or chemical etching by photolithography, to a diffractive surface such as a hologram.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like structures are provided with like reference designations,
The optical interference pattern 14 formed on the outer surface of light transmissive substrate 12 can take various conventional forms including diffraction patterns such as diffraction gratings, refraction patterns, holographic patterns such as two-dimensional and three-dimensional holographic images, corner cube reflectors, Kinegram� devices (i.e., holograms with changing imagery as the angel of view is changed), Pixelgram� devices (i.e., a hologram with multiple holographic pixels arranged in a spatial orientation that generates one holographic image), zero order diffraction patterns, moir� patterns, or other light interference patterns based on microstructures having dimensions in the range from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm, preferably about 0.1 μm to about 1 μm, and various combinations of the above such as hologram/grating images, or other like interference patterns.
The particular methods and structures that form optical interference pattern 14 are known by those skilled in the art. For example, embossing the light transmissive substrate to form an interference pattern such as a hologram thereon can be done by well known methods, such as embossing the surface of a plastic film by pressing it in contact with a heated nickel embossing shim at high pressure. Other methods include photolithography, molding of the plastic film against a patterned surface, and the like.
The Kinegram� device is a two-dimensional, computer-generated image (available from OVD Kinegram Corp. of Switzerland) in which the individual picture elements are filled with light-diffracting microstructures. These microstructures are extremely fine surface modulations with typical dimensions of less than one micrometer.
Generally, moldable thermoformable materials are used to form light transmissive substrate 12 and include, for example, plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), especially PET type G, polycarbonate, acrylics such as polyacrylates including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, cellulose diacetate and cellulose triacetate, polypropylene, polydicyclopentadiene, mixtures or copolymers thereof, and the like. In one preferred embodiment, light transmissive substrate 12 is substantially composed of a transparent material such as polycarbonate. The substrate 12 is formed to have a suitable thickness of about 3 μm to about 100 μm, and preferably a thickness of about 12 μm to about 25 μm. In addition, substrate 12 can be made of one layer or multiple layers of substrate materials. Generally, substrate 12 should have a lower melting point or glass transition temperature than the optical coating, while being transparent.
In one method, substrate 12 can be produced from a thermoplastic film that has been embossed by heat softening the surface of the film and then passing the film through embossing rollers which impart the diffraction grating or holographic image onto the softened surface. In this way, sheets of effectively unlimited length can be formed with the diffraction grating or holographic image thereon. Alternatively, the diffractive surface can be made by passing a roll of plastic film coated with an ultraviolet (UV) curable polymer, such as PMMA, through a set of UV transparent rollers whereby the rollers set a diffractive surface into the UV curable polymer and the polymer is cured by a UV light that passes through the UV transparent rollers.
As shown in
The absorber layer 18 can be composed of a semi-opaque material such as a grey metal, including metals such as chromium, nickel, titanium, vanadium, cobalt, and palladium, as well as other metals such as iron, tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, aluminum, and the like. Various combinations and alloys of the above metals may also be utilized, such as Inconel (Ni—Cr—Fe). Other absorber materials may also be employed in absorber layer 18 including metal compounds such as metal sub-oxides, metal sulfides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal phosphides, metal selenides, metal silicides, and combinations thereof, as well as carbon, germanium, ferric oxide, metals mixed in a dielectric matrix, and the like.
The dielectric layer 20 can be formed on absorber layer 18 by a conventional deposition process such as PVD, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), reactive DC sputtering, RF sputtering, or the like. The dielectric layer 20 is formed to have an effective optical thickness for imparting color shifting properties to security article 10. The optical thickness is a well known optical parameter defined as the product ηd, where η is the refractive index of the layer and d is the physical thickness of the layer. Typically, the optical thickness of a layer is expressed in terms of a quarter wave optical thickness (QWOT) that is equal to 4ηd/λ, where λ is the wavelength at which a QWOT condition occurs. The optical thickness of dielectric layer 20 can range from about 2 QWOT at a design wavelength of about 400 nm to about 9 QWOT at a design wavelength of about 700 nm, and preferably 2–6 QWOT at 400–700 nm, depending upon the color shift desired. Suitable materials for dielectric layer 20 include those having a "high" index of refraction, defined herein as greater than about 1.65, as well as those have a "low" index of refraction, which is defined herein as about 1.65 or less.
Examples of suitable high refractive index materials for dielectric layer 20 include zinc sulfide (ZnS), zinc oxide (ZnO), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), carbon (C), indium oxide (In2O3), indium-tin-oxide (ITO), tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), ceric oxide (CeO2), yttrium oxide (Y2O3), europium oxide (Eu2O3), iron oxides such as (II) diiron (III) oxide (Fe3O4) and ferric oxide (Fe2O3), hafnium nitride (HfN), hafnium carbide (HfC), hafnium oxide (HfO2), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), neodymium oxide (Nd2O3), praseodymium oxide (Pr6O11), samarium oxide (Sm2O3), antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon monoxide (SiO), selenium trioxide (Se2O3), tin oxide (SnO2), tungsten trioxide (WO3), combinations thereof, and the like.
Suitable low refractive index materials for dielectric layer 20 include silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), metal fluorides such as magnesium fluoride (MgF2), aluminum fluoride (AlF3), cerium fluoride (CeF3), lanthanum fluoride (LaF3), sodium aluminum fluorides (e.g., Na3AlF6 or Na5Al3F14), neodymium fluoride (NdF3), samarium fluoride (SmF3), barium fluoride (BaF2), calcium fluoride (CaF2), lithium fluoride (LiF), combinations thereof, or any other low index material having an index of refraction of about 1.65 or less. For example, organic monomers and polymers can be utilized as low index materials, including dienes or alkenes such as acrylates (e.g., methacrylate), perfluoroalkenes, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), combinations thereof, and the like.
The reflector layer 22 can be formed on dielectric layer 20 by a conventional deposition process such as PVD, sputtering, or the like. The reflector layer 22 is formed to have a suitable thickness of about 300–1000 Å, and preferably a thickness of about 500–1000 Å. The reflector layer 22 is preferably composed of an opaque, highly reflective metal such as aluminum, silver, copper, gold, platinum, niobium, tin, combinations and alloys thereof, and the like, depending on the color effects desired. It should be appreciated that semi-opaque metals such as grey metals become opaque at approximately 350–400 Å. Thus, metals such as chromium, nickel, titanium, vanadium, cobalt, and palladium, or cobalt-nickel alloys, could also be used at an appropriate thickness for reflector layer 22.
In addition, reflector layer 22 can be composed of a magnetic material such as a cobalt-nickel alloy, or can be formed of a semitransparent material, to provide for machine readability for security verification. For example, machine readable information may be placed on a backing underlying the optical coating, such as personal identification numbers (PINS), account information, business identification of source, warranty information, or the like. In an alternative embodiment, reflector layer 22 can be segmented to allow for partial viewing of underlying information either visually or through the use of various optical, electronic, magnetic, or other detector devices. This allows for detection of information below optical coating 16, except in those locations where reflector segments are located, thereby enhancing the difficulty in producing counterfeits. Additionally, since the reflector layer is segmented in a controlled manner, the specific information prevented from being read is controlled, providing enhanced protection from forgery or alteration.
As shown in
The color shifting properties of optical coating 16 can be controlled through proper design of the layers thereof. Desired effects can be achieved through the variation of parameters such as thickness of the layers and the index of refraction of each layer. The changes in perceived color which occur for different viewing angles or angles of incident light are a result of a combination of selective absorption of the materials comprising the layers and wavelength dependent interference effects. The interference effects, which arise from the superposition of the light waves that have undergone multiple reflections and transmissions within the multilayered structure, are responsible for the shifts in perceived color with different angles.
The color shifting flakes of optical coating 56 are formed from a multilayer thin film structure that includes the same basic layers as described above for the optical coating 16 of security article 10. These include an absorber layer, a dielectric layer, and optionally a reflector layer, all of which can be composed of the same materials discussed above in relation to the layers of optical coating 16. The flakes can be formed to have a symmetrical multilayer thin film structure, such as absorber/dielectric/reflector/dielectric/absorber, or absorber/dielectric/absorber. Alternatively, the flakes can have a nonsymmetrical structure, such as absorber/dielectric/reflector. The flakes are formed so that a dimension on any surface thereof ranges from about 2 to about 200 microns.
Typically, the multilayer thin film structure is formed on a flexible web material with a release layer thereon. The various layers are deposited on the web by methods well known in the art of forming thin coating structures, such as PVD, sputtering, or the like. The multilayer thin film structure is then removed from the web material as thin film color shifting flakes, which can be added to a polymeric medium such as various pigment vehicles for use as an ink or paint. In addition to the color shifting flakes, additives can be added to the inks or paints to obtain desired color shifting results. These additives include lamellar pigments such as aluminum flakes, graphite, mica flakes, and the like, as well as non-lamellar pigments such as aluminum powder, carbon black, and other colorants such as organic and inorganic pigments, and colored dyes.
Suitable embodiments of the flake structure are disclosed in a copending application Ser. No. 09/198,733, filed on Nov. 24, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,489, and entitled "Color Shifting Thin Film Pigments," which is incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable embodiments of color shifting or optically variable flakes which can be used in paints or inks for application in the present invention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,812, 5,171,363, 5,278,590, 5,084,351, and 4,838,648, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The color shifting ink or paint utilized to form optical coating 56 on security article 50 can be applied by conventional coating devices and methods known to those skilled in the art. These include, for example, various printing methods such as silk screen, intaglio, gravure or flexographic methods, and the like. Alternatively, optical coating 56 can be formed on security article 50 by coextruding a polymeric material containing color shifting flakes, with the plastic material used to form substrate 12 having interference pattern 14.
An adhesive layer 24 such as a pressure sensitive adhesive can optionally be formed on optical coating 56 as desired to allow attachment of security article 50 to an appropriate surface of an object.
In another embodiment of the invention shown in
In alternative embodiments of security article 60, the optical coating can take the form of a multilayer structure having absorber and dielectric layers with no reflector layer such as in optical coating 36 of security article 30, or can take the form of an all dielectric optical stack such as in optical coating 46 of security article 40. In addition, the optical coating of security article 60 can take the form of a color shifting ink or paint layer such as in optical coating 56 of security article 50.
It should be understood that the shear interlayer as described for security article 70 can be utilized if desired in the other above described embodiments that utilize an optical coating comprising a multilayer foil. For example,
Each of these layers of optical coating 96 formed on substrate 12 preferably conforms to the shape of the underlying interference pattern such as a holographic image, resulting in the holographic structure being present at the outer surface of optical coating 96. This is shown more clearly in the enlarged sectional view of security article 90 in
An adhesive layer 24 such as a pressure sensitive adhesive can be optionally formed on a surface of substrate 12 opposite from optical coating 96 to allow attachment of security article 90 to an appropriate surface of an object.
It should be understood that in alternative embodiments of security article 90, optical coating 96 can take the form of a multilayer structure having absorber and dielectric layers with no reflector layer such as in optical coating 36 of security article 30, or can take the form of an all-dielectric optical stack such as in optical coating 46 of security article 40.
In alternative embodiments of security article 100, optical coating 106 can take the form of a multilayer structure having absorber and dielectric layers with no reflector layer such as in optical coating 36 of security article 30, or can take the form of an all-dielectric optical stack such as in optical coating 46 of security article 40.
In the following embodiments, various security articles are formed by laminating laser imaged optical coating structures to embossed substrates. Lamination provides the advantage of being cost effective and secure since the two expensive security components (i.e., the color shifting film and hologram) are kept separate until laminated together. The laminated articles can include either a color shifting foil or ink, which can be used as the background underneath a holographic image, with the holographic image capable of being seen only at selected angles. The hologram is thus seen superimposed on a color shifting background that also has an associated image.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The prelaminate structure 117 with laser ablated image 118 is then laminated to a a light transmissive substrate 12 having an optical interference pattern 14, such as a diffractive or holographic pattern on a surface thereof, as shown in
It should be understood that prelaminate structure 117 can be used as a final product if desired without subsequent lamination to an embossed substrate. In this case, prelaminate structure 117 could be directly attached to an object by use of an adhesive or other attachment mechanism. The prelaminate structure can also be prepared by directly laser ablating a suitable optically variable layer which has been directly deposited onto a holographic or diffractive substrate.
In an additional embodiment of the invention illustrated in
It should be understood that the above embodiments depicted in
In various alternative embodiments of the security articles depicted in
It should be understood that the color shifting optical coatings deposited directly on embossed substrates, such as shown in the embodiments of
The security articles of the invention can be transferred and attached to various objects by a variety of attachment processes. One preferred process is hot stamping, which is shown schematically in
Generally, carrier sheet 162 can be composed of various materials such as plastics with various thicknesses which are known by those skilled in the art. For example, when carrier sheet 162 is formed of PET, the thickness preferably ranges from about 10 μm to about 75 μm. Other materials and thickness ranges are applicable in light of the teachings contained herein. Furthermore, carrier sheet 162 can be part of various manufacturing belts or other processing structures that assist in transferring the security article to a desired object.
The release layer 164 is composed of a suitable material to allow substrate 12 to be removed from carrier sheet 162 during the hot stamping process. The release layer 164 may be a polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, chlorinated rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer, nitrocellulose, methyl methacrylate, acrylic copolymers, fatty acids, waxes, gums, gels, mixtures thereof, and the like. The release layer 164 can have a thickness of about 1 μm to about 25 μm.
The thermally activated adhesive layer 168 can be composed of various adhesive materials such as acrylic-based polymers, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamides, combinations thereof, and the like. The adhesive layer 168 can have a thickness of about 2 μm to about 20 μm.
During the hot stamping process, carrier sheet 162 is removed by way of release layer 164 from substrate 12 after hot stamp structure 160 has been pressed onto a surface of an object 169 to be hot stamped, with the security article composed of substrate 12 and optical coating 166 being bonded to object 169 by way of thermally activated adhesive layer 168. The object 169 may be composed of various materials such as plastics, polyester, leathers, metals, glass, wood, paper, cloth, and the like, e.g., any material surface that requires a security device. The bonding of adhesive layer 168 against the surface of object 169 occurs as a heated metal stamp (not shown), having a distinct shape or image, comes into contact with object 169 which is heated to a temperature to provide a bond between object 169 and adhesive layer 168. The heated metal stamp simultaneously forces adhesive layer 168 against object 169 while heating adhesive layer 168 to a suitable temperature for bonding to object 169. Furthermore, the heated metal stamp softens release layer 164, thereby aiding in the removal of carrier sheet 162 from substrate 12 in the areas of the stamp image to reveal the security article attached to object 169. Once the security article has been released from carrier sheet 162, the carrier sheet is discarded. When the security article has been attached to object 169, the image produced by the security article is viewed from substrate 12 toward optical coating 166.
A hot stamp structure 170 according to another embodiment is illustrated in
The hot stamping process for hot stamp structure 170 is the same as that described above for hot stamp structure 160. The carrier sheet 162 is removed by way of release layer 164 from substrate 12 after hot stamp structure 170 has been pressed onto a surface of an object 169, with the security article composed of substrate 12 and optical coating 176 being bonded to object 169 by adhesive layer 168.
It should be understood that various of the other embodiments of the security article of the invention described previously can be adapted for a hot stamping process.
Alternatively, a cold transfer process using a UV activated adhesive can be utilized to attach the security articles of the invention to various objects. Such a process is described in a paper by I. M. Boswarva et al., Roll Coater System for the Production of Optically Variable Devices (OVD's) for Security Applications, Proceedings, 33rd Annual Technical Conference, Society of Vacuum Coaters, pp. 103–109 (1990), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The various security articles as described above can be used in a variety of applications to provide for enhanced security measures such as anticounterfeiting. The security articles can be utilized in the form of a label, tag, ribbon, security thread, tape, and the like, for application in a variety of objects such as security documents, security labels, financial transaction cards, monetary currency, credit cards, merchandise packaging, license cards, negotiable notes, stock certificates, bonds such as bank or government bonds, paper, plastic, or glass products, or other similar objects. Preferred applications for the security articles of the invention are in the following areas; 1) rigid substrate security products, such as payment cards, "smart cards," and identification cards; 2) laminated products, including driving licenses, security passes, border crossing cards, and passports; and 3) "one trip" security items such as tax stamps, banderoles, package seals, certificates of authenticity, gift certificates, etc.
The above applications share some common considerations. In these applications, the holographic or other diffractive structure is best presented and protected by a rigid substrate and overlay lamination, or if these are not used, the application should be one that does not require long circulation life and extensive handling. An over-riding factor is that the application document must depend on a limited array of security devices and a relatively non-skilled observer must be able to easily authenticate the devices. Credit cards, for example, usually depend on one major security device, and secondary devices such as printing techniques, for their authentication. The arsenal of tools available for banknote security (watermarks, intaglio, special paper, threads, etc.) cannot be applied to rigid opaque substrates. The security device of the invention, therefore, can be a very cost-effective "defensive shield" readily discerned by the public, and integrated into the overall style of the security document.
The security devices of the present invention also have the advantage of being suited to automated machine verification, while at the same time preserving an easily remembered feature, namely, a distinct color shift as the viewing angle is changed. Security can be further heightened by the incorporation of digital information that can be compared to the same image in photographic form. While the creative computer hacker might find ways to simulate a simple logo on a decorative holographic substrate, simulation of the color shifting background using an ink-jet printer is not possible and images cannot be created that appear only at certain viewing angles.
While conventional holograms provide an element of protection in document security, such holograms are difficult for the lay person to authenticate decisively since they exhibit eye-catching appeal, but do not naturally lead the observer into a correct determination. Building on the eye-catching appeal of holograms, the security articles of the invention add distinctive elements which are both easy to authenticate and difficult to replicate or simulate.
The following examples are given to illustrate the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Optical coatings composed of color shifting flakes in a polymeric vehicle were formed by a drawdown process on light transmissive substrates composed of PET films containing a holographic image. The drawdown vehicle included two parts lacquer/catalyst and one part color shifting flakes. The color shifting flakes utilized had color shifting properties of green-to-magenta, blue-to-red, and magenta-to-gold.
A color shifting optical coating having a three-layer design was formed on an embossed transparent film to produce a security article. The optical coating was formed on the flat surface of the transparent film on the side opposite from the embossed surface. The optical coating was formed by depositing an absorber layer composed of chromium on the flat surface of the transparent film, depositing a dielectric layer composed of magnesium fluoride on the absorber layer, and depositing a reflector layer of aluminum on the dielectric layer.
Alternatively, the aluminum layer can be deposited so that it is essentially transparent. This would allow printed information on an object to be read underneath the optical coating. Further, the reflector layer can alternatively be composed of a magnetic material. Such a magnetic feature in the color shifting component when added to the holographic component would give three independent security features to the security article.
The embossed film and optical coating forming the security article can be rigidly affixed to a carrier substrate, or can be attached to a release layer so that the security article can be hot stamped to a surface of an object. In addition, the hot stamped image of the color shifting thin film can be in the form of a pattern, as for example, dots, lines, logos, or other images. This pattern of optically variable effects will add an even greater degree of deterrence to counterfeiting.
A security article was formed by laminating a laser imaged optical coating structure to an embossed substrate according to the present invention. The security article included four main parts: 1) A laser ablated image, 2) a laser ablated bar code or serial number, 3) a multilayer color shifting thin film, and 4) a holographic image.
The color shifting thin film was deposited in a vacuum roll coater onto a clear polyester (PET) substrate that was 1 mil thick. The thin film was formed by depositing a metal layer of aluminum on the substrate, followed by a dielectric layer composed of magnesium fluoride being deposited on the metal layer, and an absorber layer composed of chromium being deposited on the dielectric layer. Thereafter, the thin film was subjected to laser ablation using a laser diode imaging system based on the Heidelberg Quickmaster printing system to provide digital encoding. The imaging system used a high-resolution diode laser array with a spot size of approximately 30 microns. After the digital information had been encoded into the thin film, a plastic film embossed with a hologram was laminated to the thin film using a pressure sensitive adhesive to produce the completed security article. The hologram word "security" was placed upside down so as to place the embossed surface close to the thin film as well as to protect the image. The finished structure of the security article was similar to that shown for the embodiment of
Upon visual inspection, the security article had three distinct images as it was rotated back and forth. At normal viewing, a profile of a woman's face created by laser ablation was seen in a magenta color, which at high angle shifted to a green color. This color shift was easy to see under various lighting conditions and it is easy to recall this simple color shift. At an intermediate angle, the hologram appeared with its multitude of facets of color and images.
The security article of Example 3 was subjected to various tests to measure its optical performance, which are described as follows.
A. Instrumentation and Sample Orientation
A Zeiss GK/311M goniospectrophotometer using a xenon flash lamp with angle adjustable fiber optics for both illumination and reflectance was used to characterize the security article. Three types of viewing conditions were examined, with the geometries utilized shown in
B. Optical Results
The results of optical testing for the three viewing conditions are described below. The measurements indicate that it is possible to uniquely characterize the interference optically variable effects separately from the diffractive effects.
In this configuration, the optical properties of the hologram dominated the spectral response, but only in two orientations, at 90� and 270� (i.e., at 90� to the grooves of the hologram). Inspection of the spectral profiles shown in the graph of
In contrast to those spectral profiles found above, the off-gloss measurements showed that in this geometry, the color shifting thin film now dominated the optical response, irrespective of sample orientation. While there was no evidence of optical effects from the hologram in the 0� orientation, combined optical effects from the hologram and the thin film optical stack were seen in the 90� orientation. The spectral peaks arising from the optical stacks were modified as shown in
In the on-gloss geometry, the security article showed two distinct features: one at 0�, 180� and one at 90�, 270�. In the first orientation, the only optical effect was the one typical from a color shifting thin film where the color shifts to shorter wavelengths as the angle of incidence is increased.
In the second orientation, the spectral peaks arising from the optical stack, at the high angles of incidence, show large optical interactions with the hologram.
C. Optical Microscopy
The security article was viewed on a Zeiss optical microscope to see the digital features encoded into the color shifting thin film.
A color shifting optical stack having a three-layer design was formed on an embossed transparent plastic film by direct vacuum coating of the optical stack onto a holographic surface to produce a security article. During the fabrication process, the standard aluminum layer was removed from a commercially available hologram by a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide. After rinsing and drying, the embossed surface was coated in vacuum with a layer of semi-transparent metal, a layer of low index dielectric material, and finally an opaque layer of aluminum, by physical vapor deposition processes. This thin film optical stack was a Fabry-Perot filter centered at 500 nanometers. The layers could be coated in the opposite direction with a corresponding change in which side of the plastic film was modified by the optical stack.
When this construction was viewed through the plastic film, a superposition of the hologram and the optical stack was seen. In essence the rainbow of colors that were in the initial hologram have been modified by the optical stack whereby some colors are accentuated and some are suppressed. Actually, the hologram could be viewed from both sides; on the aluminum side the original hologram can be seen, and on the other side, the superposition of the hologram and the optical stack can be seen through the plastic film.
A close examination of the optical stack by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the diffractive surface pattern of the hologram was replicated up through the optical stack so that the holographic image was preserved in the aluminum surface. This is depicted in
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the forgoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
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|U.S. Classification
|359/584, 359/585, 359/576, 428/212, 428/156
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 16, 2005
Owner name: OPTICAL COATING LABORATORY, INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:FLEX PRODUCTS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:016016/0010
Effective date: 20041220
|May 17, 2005
Owner name: JDS UNIPHASE CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:OPTICAL COATING LABORATORY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:016016/0754
Effective date: 20050223
|Nov 29, 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Dec 1, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|May 19, 2016
Owner name: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:JDS UNIPHASE CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:038756/0058
Effective date: 20150731


text:
On September 28, undefeated lightweight fighter, Zach Fears (7-0), will be making his V3Fights' debut. Fears will enter this fight with a lot of hype surrounding him. He hails from Poplar Bluff, MO and fights out of The Fighter's Gym.
Fears got started in MMA when he was in high school. He was on the wrestling team and at the end of his senior year he began training with a few guys. He took a fight after training for four or five months and was victorious. After graduation, he moved off to college and wrestled for four years at Missouri Baptist University where he was a three time national qualifier.
After college, he moved back to Poplar Bluff and picked up right where he left off competing and training. Only now, he had four years of college wrestling to add to his resume, which makes him even more dangerous.
On September 28, Fears will face V3 veteran, Mark Jones. When asked about his upcoming fight with Jones, here is what Fears had to say: "I have seen a video of his fight that he had with V3 and I think that he is a descent amateur. However, I think I can win the fight no matter where it goes. I see a second round stoppage. I'm excited to be on V3's card and unveiling my skills to the mid-south." The hype surrounding Fears is so big right now, that here is what others are saying about him:
"Fears pretty much beats his opponent at their own game. If he fights a striker, he will knock them out. If he fights a submission guy, he will submit them. If he fights a wrestler, he will throw them on their head over and over again. If Fears was a professional, then he would be top ten in the world, but he is a perfectionist and is trying to perfect every part of his game before turning pro." – Jake Underwood (Pro MMA fighter and coach)
"Zack Fears is the best 55er that no one knows about. I like Mark Jones a lot, but this was an extremely bad matchup for him to take." – Matt Weibel (V3Fights' veteran)
"Every time I train with Zach, I always go into the gym prepared to give him 120% because I feel that is what it takes to train with him. He has a tenacious style of fighting that is one of the best that I have ever seen. I personally can't wait to watch him destroy Mark Jones." – Jaleel Willis (V3Fights' Lightweight Champion)
This event will be available on pay per view at www.gfl.tv
WHAT: V3Fights: Willis vs McGlothlin
WHEN: Saturday, September 28, 2013
6:00 p.m. Doors open
7:00 p.m. Fights start
WHERE: Minglewood Hall
1555 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
ADMISSION: $45, $35 (reserved seating), $25 (general admission)
Tickets available at www.v3fights.com, www.minglewoodhall.com, or
the Minglewood Hall Box Office
All ages are welcome
For further information, go to www.v3fights.com.
About V3Fights
V3Fights was founded in Memphis, TN as an amateur fighting circuit in 2009. The company's mission is to provide quality MMA events for fans across the Mid-South, while serving as a proving ground for future professional MMA fighters. For more information on V3Fights, visit www.v3fights.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
currently in my bedroom playing with power tools. No, I'm not having a threesome. I'm far too dull and blogging the event instead. Even if power tools are involved!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Let's hear it for the boys...
12 comments:
- Trixie said...
Do these power toys need batteries? ;P
- 11:21 pm
- gemmak said...
How disapointing! ;o)
- 12:37 am
- cogidubnus said...
But if they can produce that much power, don't dismiss the idea!
- 3:34 am
- Mr. Nighttime said...
Does that sound about right?
- 7:21 am
- gemmak said...
Mr Nighttime: More voltage, more voltage!
- 8:44 am
How disapointing! ;o)
This blog really needs pictures:-p
jurid xoxo
- 9:08 am
- frogpondsrock said...
Yay!! what are they fixing?
- 11:24 am
- BenefitScroungingScum said...
Trixie: Chargers ;)
GemmaK: Indeed...though, in reality I'm not that brave! hehe
MrN: More like, oh fuck, ooops. Scream.
Cogi: Quite. The vibrations were...interesting ;)
Jurid: Spot on as usual ;)
Kim: Thank goodness someone kept it clean;) They're building me a cupboard the little sweethearts x
- 12:25 pm
Kim: Thank goodness someone kept it clean;) They're building me a cupboard the little sweethearts x
Did i not tell you about my fetish for cupboards when are we seeing the pictures :-)
jurid xx
- 2:01 pm
- Emma said...
Ooo go steady, don't you wire yourself to the mains, batteries are good enough...lol..xx
- 8:38 pm
- Mary said...
That post you were eagerly awaiting is up at my place.
- 12:52 pm
- BenefitScroungingScum said...
Jurid: Are we back on the subject of furniture porn again? Like food porn only you can't eat it?!
Emma: Don't joke, I have previously wired myself up to the mains-not fun!
- 3:30 pm


text:
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text:
Il sud è niente Free´2013
Movie info
- Directors: Fabio Mollo
- Writers: Fabio Mollo (story), Andrea Paolo Massara (story), Josella Porto (story), Fabio Mollo (screenplay), Josella Porto (screenplay), Fabio Mollo
Grazia is 17 and lives in a small town in the South of Italy. Her brother Pietro disappeared years ago; she was told he was dead and her father never wanted to talk about it. One night, ...
Watch Il sud è niente online now
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FastStreamHD Il sud è niente - DVD, DivX, HD, VD and iPod formats


text: Sometimes sexual freedom comes from a little Restraint... Hoping to invigorate their predictable sex life, married couple, Logan and Ashlyn, dabble in beginner BDSM sex with the help of a tie and pair of handcuffs. Xander and Sara's sweet suburban lifestyle mask their real relationship of dominance and submission. Passions ignite when Presley asks her husband to blindfold her the night of their anniversary. A couple with a secret obsession for BDSM sex indulge in a night of full sensory deprivation. Sara Luvv Dahlia Sky Presley Hart Ashlyn Molloy Xander Corvus Chad White Logan Pierce Ryan Mclane Release date: 01/21/2015 Store Release: 01/13/2015 Source Format: NTSC DVD Resolution: crf20 @ 704x386 Video: ?? kbps Audio: AAC LC VBR Format: x264 Size: ??x50 MB Running Time: ??Min Tales.From.The.Edge.Restraint.XXX.DVDRip.x264-KuKaS.mp4 - 1.1 GB


text: Every day in Australia, six babies are stillborn. When Mel and Brendan Tai-Roche fell pregnant with their first child Noah, they were over the moon. Like many other women, Mel had a textbook pregnancy. Until one morning, after 9 months and 7 days of carrying her baby, Mel woke up and Noah wasn't moving. Created by Emily Verdouw.


text:
Cocoons Pro Series Mini Slim Polarized Sunglasses - $44.88
The sleek, lightweight Mini Slim sunglasses eliminate harsh glare and distorted vision while fitting comfortably and securely over your prescription glasses. The lenses are made with polarized Polar and are hard-coated, scratch-resistant and engineered to withstand the rugged demands of fishing and boating enthusiasts. They deliver 100%, 360 UVA and UVB protection and crystal-clear visual acuity. Polycarbonate side shields are permanently molded into the frames and will never loosen or fall out. The Flex2fit temples easily adjust for a secure, custom fit. And the ultralightweight Soft Touch frames are so tough, they carry a lifetime warranty against breakage. The Mini Slim fits over frames 4-15/16W x 1-3/8H. Includes a zippered carry case and lens cleaning cloth. Cocoons Pro Series Fishing Professional anglers demand peak visual acuity when on the water. The Pro Series delivers proven performanceand features enhanced polarized Polar lenses designed torepel water and oils that can blur your vision. Includes Pro Series angler profile card of either Mike Iaconelli or Ish Monroe, neoprene sport strap and case, large lens cloth, signature frame and a limited lifetime warranty. Hydrophobic/oleophobic lens coating prevents water, grease and fingerprints from adhering to the lens surface Polarized Polare lenses are scratch-resistant and optically correct Additional accessories included are a neoprene sport strap to keep the sunglasses afloat if dropped in the water. Included collectors addition Cocoons Pro Staff Mike Iaconelli trading card - $44.88


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This was the first hotel worldwide to be opened by the restaurant chain Macdonalds prior to its being taken over by Rezidor and turned into a Park Inn. Though Macdonalds themes are still noticeable, they are not overpowering and over all the Hotel is extremely slick and modern,ideal for the business or leisure traveller. This hotel comes highly recommended. RY0205
This hotel is located just 10mins drive from Zurich airport in open countryside.
The building is ultra-modern with mirrored windows.
The lobby and public areas have been designed with Feng Shui in mind including an impressive water feature in the bar. The accent throughout is on modern simplicity and purity of design.


text:
PISCO data management efforts involve close collaborations with a number of groups that share similar goals of understanding the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem or that are developing general solutions to data management challenges in the environmental sciences.
PISCO is a participating member node for the Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE). DataONE enables new innovative environmental science through a distributed framework and sustainable cyberinfrastructure that meets the needs of science and society for open, persistent, robust, and secure access to well-described and easily discovered Earth observational data. PISCO's data catalog is replicated throughout the DataONE network, which greatly expands the ways in which people can access the data and provides long-term data preservation.
The Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) works with investigators to publish data from research projects funded by the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Sections and the Office of Polar Programs Antarctic Organisms & Ecosystems Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation. PISCO is an affiliated program with many NSF-funded projects. Data from these NSF-funded PISCO projects can be located at this repository.
PISCO is a member of OceanSpaces, an online community that fosters new knowledge of ocean health. The platform brings everyone together with a stake in the health of California's oceans - scientists, fishermen, policymakers and citizens - offering new opportunities for individuals to communicate, create and share information. A shared body of scientific knowledge enables us to make informed decisions and becomes the basis for participation in ocean resource management and stewardship. We archive data with Ocean Spaces and contribute to special data summaries and publications.
In 2005-2009, we partnered with the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries on their West Coast Observation Project. This project involved the PISCO physical oceanography and database teams and focuses on the processing of nearshore temperature, CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth profilers), and ocean current data from the PISCO and Sanctuary moorings along the US west coast. Participating sanctuaries included the Olympic Coast NMS, Gulf of Farrallones NMS, Cordell Bank NMS, Monterey Bay NMS, and the Channel Islands NMS. Moored array data were loaded into the PISCO Data Catalog, regularly harvested by the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), and published to the National Oceanographic Data Center's (NODC) public archive. Since 2010, dta from NMS-supported moorings are directly managed by NMS.
NCEAS has been pushing the bounds in the area of ecological informatics since its inception. From 1999-2010, PISCO worked closely with NCEAS developers on many technologies that are used today to manage disparate data from multiple disciplines. For instance, the Ecological Metadata Language (EML) was first written by NCEAS researchers, and PISCO participated in a community-driven effort to improve and extend the language so that it had broader applicability. Likewise, PISCO researchers collaborated with NCEAS on a National Science Foundation grant that explored the automated creation of handheld user interfaces for field data collection. This partnership was crucial for the collaboration with DataONE, which was established in 2011,.
At PISCO-UC Santa Barbara, researchers and staff maintain a close working relationship with the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER. The programs share many of the same data management challenges that stem from working with interdisciplinary data. In order to take advantage of economies of scale, PISCO-UCSB researchers work with LTER to collect, process, and manage data. Information managers at the LTER also work with us on building software systems that benefit the research community as a whole.


text:
Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili has issued a resolution depriving Mikheil Saakashvili of his Georgian citizenship, SIA reports quoting the Interfax Ukraine.
"Mikheil Saakashvili, born on December 21, 1967, has been deprived of Georgian citizenship along with other citizens of Georgia who gained citizenship of other countries," the head of state's resolution says.
On December 3, Georgia's Justice Ministry recommended that the Georgian president deprive Saakashvili of his Georgian citizenship because he became a citizen of Ukraine.
Saakashvili currently holds the post of governor in Ukraine's Odesa region.


text: I grew up in a family that had a traveling gospel quartet, they always had a great sound and it came (at least partially) from the quality equipment they used, that was my introduction to Peavey. As a DJ I have followed the evolution of music technology for 40 plus years from the CS series amps to the digital age that came about in the 80's and progressed to the lighter more powerful amplifiers of today. I have a pair of these PV 118 cabinets and at 72 pounds they are built to last. For me using Peavey comes with something you can't buy like "Peace of mind". I have NEVER blown a Peavey amp or speaker (thus far) and I am a DJ that likes to push the limit of my system, I've not found it with Peavey (yet)...A 5 year warranty should tell you how confident they are in the product they produce, a great item, WORTH IT.


text:
|70 m²
|Tipo de imóvel
|Estadia Mínima
|3 noites
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in L'Ecurie. There is so much to see in the area. We had thought that we would use it a base to see all around Brittany, but in fact once we had got there we didn't want to venture any further than about 20 miles away from the cottage. The coastline is simply stunning and also so varied. There are lots of charming towns and villages close by. For us Treguier was the pick. Karen and Terry made us very welcome and had lots of advice about things to do, where to shop etc. We can thoroughly recommend the cottage and look forward to coming back again.
Gite situé à la campagne, très propre et confortable. Séjour très agréable, au calme. Très bon accueil. Nous recommandons.
We spent very relaxing and stimulating holidays in this beautiful traditional Bretagne cottage in a quiet, rural area, but not far away from the main tourist attractions. The cottage is very cosy and clean with all facilities as described and some very imaginative details that didn't stop fascinating us, such as the stained-glass windows or the tree-trunk which serves as a railing post. Our hosts, Karen and Terry, were very welcoming, helpful and generous with maps of the area, suggestions for trips and especially with their time - we enjoyed our interesting conversations about languages and the world at large. Thank you, Karen and Terry, for making our holidays so special!
Birgit and Guno
Unsere Bretagne-Ferien waren gleichzeitig erholsam und anregend in diesem traditionellen, liebevoll renovierten Häuschen. Es liegt in einer sehr ruhigen Gegend auf dem Land, aber wiederum nicht zu weit von den wichtigsten Touristenattraktionen entfernt. Das Häuschen ist nicht nur sauber und gemütlich und mit allem ausgestattet, was man für die Ferien braucht; es weist auch einige fantasievolle Details auf wie Fenster mit farbigem Glas oder einen Baumstamm als Geländerpfosten. Unsere Gastgeber Karen und Terry können wir nicht genug loben für ihre sehr freundliche, großzügige Aufnahme - sie statteten uns mit Landkarten der Gegend aus, gaben uns Tipps für Wander- und Fahrradtouren und fanden immer wieder Zeit für interessante Unterhaltungen über England, Frankreich und den Rest der Welt. Vielen Dank, dass ihr unsere Ferien zu einem unvergesslich gemacht habt!
Lovely tranquil location and very well equipped Gite for 2
( L'Ecurie).
Welcoming hosts who were very helpful throughout and had lit the log burner for us on arrival - following a long drive from Paris. The Bedroom was spacious, well presented and very restful !
Definitely recommend the area, with the beautiful Pink Granite Coast line just 30 mins away and some lovely towns such as Pontrieux no more than 10 mins away.
We were so pleased we are looking to buy property in the areas around !
Das Ferienhaus ist hübsch eingerichtet und die beiden Vermieter, Karen und Terry, sehr hilfsbereit, freundlich und zuvorkommend. Eine wirklich preiswerte Unterkunft (keine Kaution, keine Abrechnung der Endreinigung). Wir fühlten uns sehr wohl und haben die Woche in der Bretagne sehr genossen. Auch wenn man sehr ländlich wohnt, ist der nächste Bäcker nicht weit und auch zu den Ausflugszielen ist man nicht wirklich lange unterwegs. Ein sehr zu empfehlendes Domizil!
My wife and I spent a fortnight in June staying in this fantastic property. We had a wonderful time in this comfortable and easily maintained gite.
The property is situated in the heart of rural Brittany. The directions were very clear and we had the warmest of welcomes on our arrival. The property is accurately described and it met our needs perfectly. We really liked the imaginative use of stained glass, as well as the inventiveness of other clever features such as the sewing machine treadle to support the hand basin in the bathroom. The living room is very comfortably furnished, with a settee and a dining room table and chairs. The kitchen area provides every facility needed for a self-catering holiday, with full sized hob and oven, as well as a reasonably sized fridge which meant that we did not need to shop every day. There was plenty of crockery with enough pans for cooking. The bathroom was perfectly acceptable with a toilet, sink and shower cubicle. There was always ample hot water at a very reasonable pressure. The spacious bedroom had plenty of storage. We found the bed to be very comfortable which meant we sometimes got up rather late. The wi-fi worked well so we could keep up with family back in the UK. The benefit of having UK terrestrial channels on the TV meant that the debacle of England's early exit from the World Cup could be suffered with an English commentary.
Our preferred holiday making involves plenty of sightseeing, walking and dining. There is so much to see in this part of Brittany – we especially enjoyed walking stretches of the GR34 at the coast. We also spent time in the evenings playing croquet and boules in the large garden next to the gite. The peace and tranquillity were much appreciated – it was a joy to sit outside hearing nothing but bird song.
I would like to thank the owners for helping to make our holiday such a memorable one. I always had prompt replies to my emails in the lead up to our holiday. Their kindness and friendliness will stay with us as one of the most pleasurable features of our stay. I would have no hesitation in recommending this property to future holiday makers. You will be assured of a carefree holiday.
|Validade da Tarifa
|por noite
|Noite (fim de semana)
|por semana
|por mês
|Pacote ou Evento
Spring Season
abr 8 2017 - jun 30 2017
Estadia mínima: 3 noite(s)
Summer Season
jul 1 2017 - set 1 2017
Estadia mínima: 3 noite(s)
Autunm Season
set 2 2017 - out 6 2017
Estadia mínima: 3 noite(s)
Winter Season
out 7 2017 - dez 15 2017
Estadia mínima: 3 noite(s)
Christmas Season
dez 16 2017 - jan 5 2018
Estadia mínima: 3 noite(s)
|Taxa de animais de estimação
We normally ask for a deposit of 25% of the rental price at the time of booking
When the payment of the deposit has been received we will send you an invoice confirming your booking.
The balance of the rental price is payable not less than eight weeks before the start of your holiday.


text:
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Men's Cobra King F6 Fairway Wood
$179.99 $239.99
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Loft:3/4 Wood
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Product Description
Men's Cobra King F6 Fairway WoodStyle: 15313-1291RGR3W4W
The F6 Fairway is a medium shaped fairway wood designed for all swing types. It combines loft adjustments with front and back CG settings. The result is forgiveness with distance through optimum spin and higher ball speeds.
Dialed In Weighting
- The KING F6 is our first fairway that offers front and back CG setting adjustments. The front CG position delivers a penetrating ball flight with more roll, while a back CG position offers a higher, more towering ball flight with greater forgiveness. Dial in your distance with the KING F6 Fairway.
- Speed Channel is an exclusive COBRA innovation. An engineered channel around the perimeter of the face minimizes thickness and increases ball speeds across the face for greater distance.
- KING F6 Fairways come with eight easily adjustable loft settings that help manage trajectory and fine tune launch conditions to maximize distance on any course, and with any swing.


text: Nov 20 2009, 2:49 pm ET Art that shocks Works challenging our notions of what is sacred and decent inspire outrage, censorship and contemplation. 16 Photos advertisement advertisement Share Share Tweet Email Print 1. Chris Ofili's work "The Holy Virgin Mary" was part of the "Sensation" exhibit in New York in 1999. The work shows an African Virgin Mary covered with elephant dung. New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said the painting was offensive and filed suit to get the museum's lease revoked after it refused to remove the painting. A federal judge sided with the museum. Doug Kanter / AFP/Getty Images 2. This sculpture titled "Self," by the artist Marc Quinn, is kept in a refrigerated container because it is made of the artist's frozen blood. Richard B. Levine / Getty Images 3. "Madame X" by American artist John Singer Sargent caused a scandal when it was shown in Paris in 1884. Sargent was accused of painting the woman in a sexually suggestive pose. Carl De Souza / AFP/Getty Images advertisement advertisement 4. Renee Cox posed nude as Jesus for her work "Yo Mama's Last Supper." When it was included in an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in 2001, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for "decency standards" for artworks at publicly funded museums. Spencer Platt / Getty Images 5. Garden gnomes with their right arms raised in a Hitler salute are the work of German artist Ottmar Hoerl, who installed them as part of an exhibition in the main square of Straubing, Germany, in October 2009. The exhibit was highly controversial because Nazi salutes and symbols have been illegal in Germany since the end of World War II. Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images 6. The "Kill Your Politician" exhibit, staged at a gallery in Prague, Czech Republic, in April 2009, included portraits of all 200 members of the Czech Chamber of Deputies. Viewers were allowed to shoot the politicians they disliked. Isifa / Getty Images advertisement advertisement 7. An art installation called "Old Persons Home" by Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu includes figures dressed like world leaders sitting in electric wheelchairs that roll around, randomly hitting each other. The artists are known for using materials such as human fat in their works. Dan Kitwood / Getty Images 8. "Western Christian Civilization," by Argentine artist Leon Ferrari, shows Christ mounted on an American fighter jet. Torsten Blackwood / AFP/Getty Images 9. Artist Al Greenall takes delivery of one of the 100 model pigs that were placed on the streets of Bath, England, for six months in 2008 as part of a project to commemorate the city's founding father who, according to legend, discovered its healing springs with his herd of pigs 3,000 years ago. Some officials objected to the exhibit, saying it trivialized Bath's historic locations and harmed its status as a World Heritage City. Matt Cardy / Getty Images advertisement advertisement 10. "Body Worlds," by German scientist Gunther von Hagens, is comprised of "plastinated" human bodies. Von Hagens, who developed the preservation technique, says the exhibit is meant to teach people about the skeletal and cardiovascular systems and the treatment of diseases. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images 11. "There Will Be No Miracles Here" by Nathan Coley was nominated for the 2007 Turner Prize, which honors the achievements of an outstanding artist living and working in Britain. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images 12. A marble sculpture by British artist Marc Quinn titled "Alison Lapper Pregnant" was displayed in Trafalgar Square in London in September 2005. The statue portrayed Lapper, a disabled artist, naked and eight months pregnant. Dan Regan / Getty Images advertisement advertisement 13. The painting "Heuler" is part of Jorg Immendorff's "Cafe Deutschland" series of paintings. Immendorff, who died of ALS in 2007, was considered one of Germany's most controversial contemporary artists, partly due to his left-wing political ideas. Much of his work depicted the conflict between East Germany and West Germany before the Berlin Wall came down. Patrick Lux / Getty Images 14. "Love's Paradox" by Damien Hirst is part of the installation "Beyond Belief," which includes dead animals. Here, cows are bisected and preserved in formaldehyde. The exhibit explores themes of existence, including love and immortality. Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images 15. A work by Richard Serra, "Stop Bush 2004," shows a prisoner at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Spencer Platt / Getty Images 16. Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" shows Jesus in a glass of Serrano's urine. When it was first exhibited in 1989, it caused outrage, partly because it was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Serrano's supporters said artistic freedom was at stake. Andres Serrano Topic First Published Nov 20 2009, 2:49 pm ET


text:
Taken In: The Lives of America's Foster Children
Almost half a million children in the United States are in foster care. These are young people abused or neglected in their homes, or abandoned by their parents. For the last 150 years, social welfare agencies have placed children in temporary foster care. What are the real long term emotional and psychological costs of this policy?
This powerful film delves in to the lives of generations of children who have grown up in foster care. The centerpiece of the program documents a year in the life of fifteen-year-old Jeffrey Smith and his five-year-old sister Joanna after they are separated from their crack addicted parents and three brothers. They now live in a two bedroom apartment with a Spanish speaking foster mother who has three children of her own. With the help of a guidance counselor, they confront the pain of separation and the difficult adjustment to a new home, neighborhood and culture.
To the disappointment of the children, their parents fail to visit for several months. When they finally do, it becomes evident that their mother is still using drugs and fighting with their father. The hopes they had for being reunited are further diminished when their father is diagnosed with leukemia and their mother becomes pregnant with her sixth child.
Interwoven with the Smith's story are the stories of four generations of adults who were once in foster care. From eighty-year-old Bill and his seventy-five year old brother Paul who lived in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in 1932 to twenty-year-old Tieysha who aged out of foster care two years ago, they all feel they were deprived of a normal childhood. This is an important film for social workers, counselors, policy makers, and classes in sociology and social policy.
Alfred I. Dupont Award, Silver Baton, 1999
First Place, Social Issues, National Council of Family Relations, 1998
American Psych. Assoc. 1999
Bronze Apple, National Ed. Media Network, 1998
Gold Plaque, Chicago International Television Festival, 1998
International Documentary Festival , Amsterdam, 1997
Silver Apple, National Educational Media Network, 1998
Silver Apple, National Educational Media Festival, 1998
" An inclusive chronicle of a complex, escalating social phenomenon . . ." Booklist
"The quietly attentive documentary centers on the powerful bond between children and their biological parents even when the parents prove incapable of caring for the children or for themselves. The program presses its theme with the help of snatches of the memories of several adults who grew up in foster homes and tell of enduring feelings of loss. But the special strength of Taken In is the portrait of Jeffrey Smith, a bright and perceptive teenager trying to find himself, protect his sister and regain his family." Walter Goodman, The New York Times.
|Streaming Access (1-year)
|Streaming Access (3-year)
|Streaming Access (Perpetual)