Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or... – Including a second component containing structurally defined...
Patent
1997-05-28
2000-05-09
Le, Hoa T.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or...
Including a second component containing structurally defined...
428212, 428213, 428332, 428913, B32B 516
Patent
active
060601574
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a transparent decorative article having an image which approximates the translucent appearance of an impingement or chemically etched surface, but which also exhibits a rainbow-like color progression at specific conditions of illumination and observation, much like a naturally occurring rainbow. The invention also relates to transfer graphics which can be used in forming the decorative articles and graphic media which can be used in forming the transfer graphics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A historical method of providing an etched translucent image on a window or transparent objet d'art is to protect all the surrounding surfaces with an intimately bonded, temporary masking material having the negative image of the intended image. The exposed image area is then eroded away via abrasive projectile impingement or chemical erosion, to generate an irregular surface. Finally, the masking material is removed. The translucence created by diffusion of the light impinging on the irregular surface contrasts with light which is transmitted by or specularly reflected from the adjacent transparent area resulting in a decorative image.
The common viewing condition for etched transparent articles such as a window glass is via its second surface, (i.e., when the observer is standing outside, looking through the first surface of the window at the image etched on the inside or second surface). One practical reason for having the image on the inside is that if the etched surface would become wet with rain water the image would become distorted because the diffusing surface would be covered by water. For this outside viewing condition the image that is etched on the inside of the window is the reverse or mirror image of the desired viewing image. Another, more aesthetic reason for commonly viewing the etched image through the glass is the uniform and high surface gloss of the first surface. It is desirable that a decorating method meant to approximate the aesthetic characteristics of etched glass is compatible with the common viewing condition. Etching of window glass, high refractive index glass, or transparent polymeric plastic via the above methods results in an image that has the same milky-white, translucent color in all viewing conditions, regardless of illumination and observation angle, (i.e., no display of prismatic color is evident).
The above-described historical etching method is disadvantageous in that it is time consuming, labor intensive, and results in an etched appearance which is not reversible. For this reason other methods have been developed which imitate the appearance of etching, but which are more economical and potentially reversible. One such method is to bond a clear adhesive plastic film having a screen printed ink image thereon which simulates the appearance of an etched surface by having the ink contain opacifying pigments and/or flattening pigments, such as is taught in British Patent No. 2,254,042. Another method found commercially involves the use of a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated plastic film containing fillers and flattening agents which approximate an etched appearance. This film is provided on a release liner and can be cut via computer driven X-Y cutters, separated from its background image, and applied as a transfer graphic to a glass or plastic surface to provide an etched appearance. Removal could be accomplished via solvent soak or scraping with a sharp edge. As with historical etching methods, neither method provides a prismatic color display under any condition of illumination or observation.
For creating decorative prismatic color displays there are a variety of methods. The historical method involves the use of a prism, which is a high refractive index glass having a surface consisting of angularly cut facets. Typically, the prism is placed where it can be illuminated by sunlight, such as by hanging in front of a window where sunlight is present. The light passing through the prism is dispersed into its visible wavelength
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Burke Warren Douglas
LaPerre James Douglas
3M Innovative Properties Company
Dowdall Janice L.
Le Hoa T.
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