Reflective printed article and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A reflective printed article includes a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface with a graphic image printed thereon. A reflective or glossy ink layer is printed over the entire top surface of the substrate. A graphic image is printed over the reflective ink layer. The image may cover the entire portion of the reflective layer or only selected portions thereof. The graphic image includes hidden or latent images printed within the graphic image layers. An optional glossy layer of transparent ink may be printed over the graphic image. A textured pattern of lines is printed in sections over the optional glossy layer or graphical image, with each line in the section printed at the same angle or orientation, with the lines of adjacent sections printed at different angles in order to reflect light in different directions to create the illusion of depth, three-dimensionality, hidden images and motion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reflective printed article comprising: 
 a substrate having a top surface;    a graphic image formed over the top surface of the substrate; and    a textured pattern of parallel lines printed in sections over the graphic image.    
     
     
         2 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the graphic image is formed over only a portion of the top surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the textured pattern is formed over only a portion of the graphic image on the top surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the graphic image comprises a plurality of ink layers having at least one hidden image lightly printed among the ink layers.  
     
     
         5 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the textured pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines printed in sections, with each line in each section printed at the same angle and the lines of adjacent sections printed at different angles, such that the lines in each section reflect light in different directions.  
     
     
         6 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the textured pattern is formed of transparent ink having theological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-cylindrical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         7 . The printed article of  claim 6  wherein the transparent ink includes glitter or pearls.  
     
     
         8 . The printed article of  claim 1  further comprising a reflective layer formed on the top surface of the substrate and underneath the graphic image.  
     
     
         9 . The printed article of  claim 1  further comprising a glossy layer of a clear coating formed over the graphic image and underneath the textured pattern.  
     
     
         10 . The printed article of  claim 1  wherein the substrate includes a bottom surface with a second graphic image formed on the bottom surface of the substrate and a second textured pattern formed on the graphic image.  
     
     
         11 . A reflective printed article comprising: 
 a substrate having a top surface;    a reflective layer formed over the top surface of the substrate;    a graphic image formed over the reflective layer; and    a textured pattern of parallel lines printed in sections over the graphic image.    
     
     
         12 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the graphic image is formed over only a portion of the reflective layer.  
     
     
         13 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the textured pattern of lines is formed over only a portion of the graphic image.  
     
     
         14 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the graphic image comprises a plurality of ink layers having at least one hidden image lightly printed among the ink layers.  
     
     
         15 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the textured pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines printed in sections, with each line in each section printed at the same angle and the lines of adjacent sections printed at different angles, such that the lines in each section reflect light in different directions.  
     
     
         16 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the textured pattern is formed of transparent ink having rheological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-spherical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         17 . The printed article of  claim 11  wherein the substrate includes a bottom surface with a second reflective layer formed on the bottom surface of the substrate, a second graphic image formed on the reflective layer and a second textured pattern of lines formed on the graphic image.  
     
     
         18 . A reflective printed article comprising: 
 a substrate having a top surface;    a reflective layer formed over the top surface of the substrate;    a graphic image formed over the reflective layer;    a glossy layer of a clear coating formed over the graphic image; and    a textured pattern of parallel lines printed in sections over the glossy layer.    
     
     
         19 . The printed article of  claim 18  wherein the textured pattern of lines includes a plurality of parallel lines printed in sections, with each line in each section printed at the same angle and the lines of adjacent sections printed at different angles, such that the lines in each section reflect light in different directions.  
     
     
         20 . The printed article of  claim 18  wherein the textured pattern is formed of opaque ink having theological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-spherical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         21 . The printed article of  claim 18  wherein the textured pattern is formed of semitransparent ink having rheological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-spherical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         22 . The printed article of  claim 18  wherein the textured pattern is formed of translucent ink having rheological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-spherical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a reflective printed article, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a substrate having a top surface;    forming a reflective layer over the top surface of the substrate;    forming a graphic image over the reflective layer; and    forming a textured pattern of parallel lines printed in sections over the graphic image.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the graphic image is formed over only a portion of the reflective layer.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the textured pattern of lines is formed only over a portion of the graphic image.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the graphic image comprises a plurality of ink layers having at least one hidden image lightly printed among the ink layers.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the textured pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines printed in sections, with each line in each section printed at the same angle and the lines of adjacent sections printed at different angles, such that the lines in each section reflect light in different directions.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the textured pattern is formed of transparent ink having rheological properties such that when the ink is printed, the ink flows into lines having a semi-spherical or convex shape when viewed in cross-section.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the substrate includes a bottom surface with a second reflective layer formed on the bottom surface of the substrate, a second graphic image formed on the reflective layer and a second textured pattern of lines formed on the graphic image.  
     
     
         30 . A printed article comprising: 
 a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;    a graphic image formed on the bottom surface of the substrate;    a reflective layer formed over the graphic image on the bottom surface of the substrate; and    a textured pattern of parallel lines printed in sections over the top surface of the substrate.