Glass Substrate Haptic Coating Using Particle Protrusion for Texture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating haptically perceptible surfaces on glass or glass ceramic substrates, such as cooktops and displays, face challenges with high production costs, mechanical instability, and damage susceptibility, particularly due to the use of mechanical methods like etching and printing, which often result in low temperature resistance and limited texture variety.
Innovation Solution
A coated glass or glass ceramic substrate with a layer featuring inorganic and/or polysiloxane-based texturing particles embedded in a layer-forming material, providing haptic texture and improved bonding, which is more cost-effective, mechanically stable, and resistant to fingerprints, with the ability to produce varying haptic effects through controlled particle protrusion and layer thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical methods such as polishing or sandblasting are used to produce haptic texture, then haptic properties are achieved, but production cost increases and surface damage occurs reducing strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical methods (polishing, sandblasting) with a chemical/physical method: applying a coating layer containing texturing particles that create haptic texture through their surface protrusions. This substitution eliminates mechanical surface damage while maintaining haptic functionality, resolving the contradiction between surface strength and production cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite coating layer consisting of binder material and texturing particles (such as glass beads, ceramic particles, or plastic particles). This composite structure provides both the haptic texture (through particle protrusions) and enhanced durability, avoiding the surface damage associated with mechanical methods while controlling production costs through material selection.
2Ease of manufacture
If printing methods are used to apply texture layers, then production cost decreases, but temperature resistance and mechanical stability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses temperature resistance by carefully selecting particles with appropriate melting points and thermal stability (e.g., glass beads, ceramic particles) and optimizing the binder material's thermal properties. The coating layer is designed to maintain structural integrity at elevated temperatures while preserving the haptic texture, thus improving temperature resistance without sacrificing the cost-effective printing application method.
3Manufacturing precision
If etching processes are used to pattern glass surfaces, then haptic texture is created, but process complexity and danger increase due to hydrofluoric acid usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex and dangerous chemical etching process (using hydrofluoric acid) with a simpler coating application process. Texturing particles are applied to the glass surface through printing or other deposition methods, eliminating the need for hazardous chemicals and complex etching equipment while achieving precise haptic texture patterns through controlled particle placement and protrusion.
4Reliability
If sol-gel layer with embossing is used to produce haptic texture, then haptic properties are achieved, but process complexity increases due to additional work steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the haptic texture creation and coating application into a single integrated process. Texturing particles are incorporated directly into the coating layer during application, so that the coating deposition itself creates the haptic texture through particle protrusions. This merging eliminates the need for separate embossing or texturing steps, reducing process complexity while maintaining haptic stability.
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 solution enables simple and variable production of haptically perceptible surfaces with enhanced mechanical and thermal stability, reduced sensitivity to fingerprints, and improved process control, suitable for applications in cooktops, displays, and architectural elements, while maintaining visual properties like reflectance and transmittance.
Implementation Method 1
the particles cause protrusions on the layer and so produce the haptically perceptible texture
Implementation Method 2
the layer has a haptically perceptible texture, the layer comprising texturing inorganic and/or polysiloxane-based particles which are fixed on the substrate by a layer-forming material
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are articles that are provided with a haptically-perceptible surface. The articles include a coated glass or glass ceramic substrate which is provided with a layer with haptic properties so that the layer has a haptically perceptible texture. The layer includes texturing inorganic and/or polysiloxane-based particles which are fixed on the substrate by a layer-forming material. The particles cause protrusions on the layer and so produce the haptically perceptible texture.