Optical: systems and elements – Mirror
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-27
2001-05-15
Sikder, Mohammad (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
C359S839000, C359S884000, C359S015000, C040S124070, C040S798000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231196
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to mirrors, and more particularly, to decorating mirrors and other products.
Mirrors have been available for centuries. Mirrors are optical devices, with a smooth, polished surface that forms images by the reflection of rays of light. Mirrors are useful to view a person's own reflection or image, as well as to reflect light for a variety of purposes. Historically, polished metal and other shiny surfaces functioned as mirrors.
Mirrors have been made of brass, and mirrors of bronze were in use among the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Polished silver was also used by the Greeks and Romans to produce reflections. Crude forms of glass mirrors were first made in Venice in 1300. By the end of the 17th century, mirrors were made in Britain and the manufacture of mirrors developed subsequently into an important industry in the other European countries and in the United States.
Glass mirrors were later developed with better reflective qualities and less distortion. One method of previously making glass mirrors included backing a sheet of glass with an amalgam of mercury and tin. The surface of the mirror was overlaid with sheets of tinfoil that were rubbed down smooth and covered with mercury. A woolen cloth was held firmly over the surface by iron weights for about a day. The glass was then inclined and the excess mercury drained away, leaving a lustrous inner surface. The first attempt to back the glass with a solution of silver may have been made by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1836. Various methods have been developed since then that depend on the chemical reduction of silver salt to metallic silver.
In the manufacture of some mirrors today, in cases where the above principle is utilized, the plate glass is cut to size, and blemishes are removed by polishing with rouge. The glass is scrubbed and flushed with a reducing solution such as stannous chloride before silver is applied, and the glass is then placed on a hollow, cast-iron tabletop, covered with felt, and kept warm by steam. A solution of silver nitrate is poured on the glass and left undisturbed for about an hour. The silver nitrate is reduced to a metallic silver and a lustrous deposit of silver gradually forms. The deposit is dried, coated with shellac, and painted.
In other methods of mirror production, the silver solution is added with a reducing agent, such as formaldehyde of glucose. Silvering chemicals are often applied in spray form. Special mirrors are sometimes coated with the metal in the form of vapor obtained by vaporizing silver electrically in a vacuum. Large mirrors have been coated with aluminum in the same way.
Recently, plastic mirrors have been developed. Plastic mirrors are lighter than glass mirrors and will not shatter as readily as glass. Some plastic mirrors, however, do not provide the same optical qualities, clarity and reflectivity as glass mirrors. Moreover, plastic mirrors can distort and warp at high temperatures.
In the past, glass panes, glass windows, glass shower doors, and glass mirrors have been decorated in a variety of ways. Glass panes, glass windows, glass shower doors and glass mirrors have been chemically etched, such as with a fluoride or chloride-containing gas to frost the desired areas or surfaces of the glass panes, glass windows, glass shower doors or glass mirrors. Glass panes have also been sandblasted. The front surfaced of glass panes, glass windows, glass shower doors and glass mirrors have also been painted, such as with a brush, by stencils, spray painting, or by silk screening. Painted surfaces, however, often readily chip and degrade over time from use, cleaning, wear and tear, as well as from prolonged environmental exposure to sunlight, acid rain, and pollutants. Mechanical engraving of glass with awls and hand scribes have been attempted, but the end results are generally crude and lack detail, luster, and aesthetic appeal.
It is, therefore, desirable to produce an improved decorative display assembly, such as a mirror, in a manner which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Improved mirrors and other products are superbly decorated, marked, engraved, etched, or scribed by a laser to produce a decorative display assembly. The aesthetically appealing mirrors and other products of the decorative display assembly are of high quality, clarity and luster. The novel mirrors and products of the decorative display assembly are attractive, pleasing, economical and beautiful. Advantageously, the laser marked mirrors and products of the decorative display assembly have fine impeccable detail which is durable and does not readily wear, smudge, or degrade.
In order to produce the decorative display assembly, an article or decorative display is placed in the path of a laser beam emitted from a laser. An image is marked, scribed, engraved, decorated or otherwise formed on the article with the laser beam to provide the decorative display assembly. The image can comprise a transparent laser enhanced image. Desirably, the image comprises a: design, portrait, picture, photograph, name, wording, lettering, numbers, logo, pattern, or other indicia. The decorative display assembly is subsequently removed from the path of the laser beam for further processing, storage, or shipment.
The article or decorative display can be a: glass mirror, plastic mirror, hanging mirror, hand held mirror, looking glass, glass pane, plastic pane, reflective surface, sign, display, coaster, tray, mirrored product, mirrored box, shadow box, candle box, jewelry box, kiosk display, rack, coffee cup rack, hat rack, coat rack, door placards, wall sconce, lighting fixture, chandelier, centerpiece, light bulb, placemat, computer mouse pad, refrigerator magnet display, key chain, desk set, picture frame, paper weight, hanging sun catchers, mobile, chime, napkin holder, utensil holder, tissue dispenser, vase, cup, drinking glass, mug, sculpture, motivational piece, recognition display, award, mirrored corner, mirror runner, mirror decorative kit, clock, watch, window, shower door, decorative plastic article, decorative glass article, curved mirror, and flat mirror.
Generally, the novel decorative display assembly has a front surface and a back surface. A portion of at least one or the surfaces is translucent, opaque, or colored, with a transparent laser-enhanced image thereon. In the preferred form, the article comprises a mirror having a reflective backing with a protective backside comprising an opaque or colored coating, and the coating and backing is vaporized with the laser beam to form a laser-enhanced image. The decorative display assembly can be backlit by natural sunlight or by an image enhancer positioned behind the back surface of the decorative display assembly, such as a lightbulb, candle, colored surface, paint, reflective surface, mirror, metal, plastic, paper, paperboard, or cardboard. Back lighting or coloration further enhances the image and provides additional contrast.
A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and appended claim taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4517040 (1985-05-01), Whitted
patent: 4681324 (1987-07-01), Karabed et al.
patent: 5583704 (1996-12-01), Fujii
patent: 5609043 (1997-03-01), Benderly
patent: 5762375 (1998-06-01), Kogutt et al.
patent: 5801356 (1998-09-01), Richman
patent: 5817243 (1998-10-01), Shaffer
Precision Laser Marking, Inc.
Sikder Mohammad
Tolpin Thomas W.
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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