Decorative Laminate Structure for Stealth and Light Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decorative laminates face challenges in maintaining stealth properties while achieving high light transmittance and image brightness without increasing the brightness of the light source.
Innovation Solution
A decorative laminate structure comprising a light-permeable substrate, a light adjusting layer, an interference pigment print layer with multiple types of interference pigments and an ultra-violet absorber, and a black semi-transparent print layer, which includes first and second light transmitting parts to optimize light transmission and stealth properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a decorative laminate uses a solid coating layer with pigments to show visible design, then the stealth properties are improved, but the light transmittance and image brightness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coating layer is designed with a porous structure containing numerous voids that allow light to pass through. The voids occupy a significant portion of the coating layer volume, creating pathways for light transmission while the remaining pigment-containing regions maintain the decorative design and stealth properties when the light source is off.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer exhibits spatially varying properties: regions with voids provide high light transmittance for brightness, while regions containing interference pigments provide color and design visibility. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of stealth properties and light transmission without compromising either function.
2Illumination intensity
If the light source brightness is increased to improve light transmittance and image brightness, then the visibility is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The porous coating layer with voids acts as an optical enhancement structure that increases light transmission efficiency. By providing physical pathways for light to pass through the coating layer, the structure reduces the need for high light source brightness, thereby lowering energy consumption while maintaining adequate image brightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer combines pigment particles, binder resin, and voids into a composite structure that optimizes optical properties. The voids serve as light-transmitting channels while the pigment-binder matrix maintains design visibility, creating a material that enhances light transmission without requiring increased energy input from the light source.
3Illumination intensity
If the coating layer is made more transparent to improve light transmittance, then the image brightness is improved, but the stealth properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coating layer implements local quality differentiation where void-rich regions provide transparency and light transmission, while pigment-containing regions maintain opacity and design visibility. This spatial variation in composition allows the coating to simultaneously achieve both transparency for light transmission and opacity for stealth properties in different locations within the same layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure with distributed voids provides a mechanism to achieve partial transparency without complete loss of pigment visibility. The voids create light transmission pathways while the pigment-laden binder resin maintains design elements, enabling the coating to exhibit both transparent and opaque characteristics in different regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The laminate achieves both stealth properties when the light source is off and high light transmittance and image brightness when the light source is on, without increasing the light source brightness, while maintaining improved visibility and stability.
Implementation Method 1
an interference pigment print layer provided on a side of the substrate where the second main surface is situated, containing a plurality of types of interference pigments
Implementation Method 2
containing a pigment and an ultra-violet absorber in a binder resin
Data Source
AI summary
A decorative laminate for transmitting light includes a light-permeable substrate, a light adjusting layer, an interference pigment print layer, and a black semi-transparent print layer. The light adjusting layer has, at a surface opposite from the substrate, an uneven part formed to match a design's shape shown by the interference pigment print layer. The interference pigment print layer has first light transmitting parts, through which the light is transmitted. The black semi-transparent print layer has second light transmitting parts, at positions at a main surface of the black semi-transparent print layer where, in plan view, the second light transmitting parts at least partially overlap the first light transmitting parts. The first light transmitting parts and the second light transmitting parts are voids in a coating layer and formed at a main surface of the interference pigment print layer and at the main surface of the black semi-transparent print layer, respectively.