Patent ID: 6589628
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: B44C,B44F,Y10T

Abstract:
An article having an optical effect, comprising:an opaque substrate; a reflective, three-dimensional outer surface on said opaque substrate for providing said optical effect; said outer surface including first and second outer surface portions located in adjacent first and second areas, respectively, of said article; each one of said first and second outer surface portions including a plurality of projecting surface features defining peaks and valleys on said outer surface portion, said projecting surface features having individual surfaces thereon that are light reflective; said projecting surface features of said first outer surface portion being oriented and arranged on said first outer surface portion so that when said first area of said article is viewed from a first direction generally perpendicular to said first outer surface portion ambient light reflects from said individual surfaces on said projecting surface features in said first area in a manner such that said first area has a first appearance; when said article is viewed from a second direction oblique to said outer surface, said first area has a second, relatively light, appearance; and when said article is viewed from a third direction oblique to said outer surface and opposite said second direction, said first area has a third, relatively dark, appearance; said second outer surface portion in said second area being a modified copy of said first outer surface portion in said first area with an imaginary line between said first and second areas; said projecting surface features in said second area being oriented and arranged on said second outer surface portion so that when said second area of said article is viewed from said first direction ambient light reflects from said individual surfaces on said projecting surface features in said second area in a manner such that said second area has said first appearance; when said article is viewed from said second direction said second area has said third, relatively dark, appearance; when said article is viewed from said third direction said second area has said second, relatively light, appearance; whereby said first and second areas have the same appearance as each other when said article is viewed from said first direction and have opposite appearances from each other when said article is viewed from either said second direction or said third direction.