Non-foamed aqueous composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current window treatments, particularly those using fiberglass yarns, fail to effectively reduce glare from sunlight while maintaining privacy and original visual appearance, as they either compromise on light transmission or require opacifying colorants that alter the fabric's openness factor.
Innovation Solution
A non-foamed aqueous composition comprising porous particles, a chlorinated polymer film-forming binder, a high refractive index inorganic filler, and white low-density hydrated alumina is applied to one side of fiberglass fabric substrates, providing a light-attenuating coating that reduces glare without altering the fabric's openness factor or degrading its appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If opacifying colorants are added to reduce glare, then glare control is improved, but the fabric's openness factor and visual appearance are altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous particles with controlled pore structures that scatter and attenuate light effectively. The porosity of these particles provides high light-blocking capability without requiring dense packing, thus maintaining the fabric's openness factor while achieving glare control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite coatings combining porous particles with specific polymers and inorganic fillers. This composite approach allows optimization of light attenuation properties through the synergistic effects of different materials, achieving glare control without compromising the fabric's visual appearance or openness.
2Illumination intensity
If darker window treatments are used to reduce glare, then glare control is improved, but privacy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is applied selectively to specific areas of the fabric, creating local variations in light attenuation. This allows the fabric to maintain different properties in different regions, achieving glare control on the exterior while preserving visibility and privacy from the interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes materials that interact with light in specific ways, including selective absorption and scattering properties. The coating can modify light wavelengths differently, reducing glare-causing wavelengths while maintaining visibility of the exterior environment for privacy.
3Illumination intensity
If tighter weave is used to block light, then glare control is improved, but view from inside is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The porous particles provide high light-blocking efficiency due to their internal pore structures that scatter light multiple times. This allows the use of lighter, more open weaves that maintain view quality while the porous coating particles block sufficient light to control glare.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing weave density in the fabric plane, the invention adds functionality in the coating dimension. The porous particles and coating layers provide the light-blocking capability, allowing the fabric weave to remain open for viewing while achieving the desired glare control.
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 effectively attenuates sunlight glare while maintaining privacy and the original visual appearance of the window treatment, with minimal impact on the fabric's openness factor, thus offering improved solar irradiance control and visual comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a white inorganic particulate filler material having a refraction index (RI) greater than 2
Implementation Method 2
a white inorganic particulate filler material having a refraction index (RI) greater than 2
Implementation Method 3
porous particles present in an amount of at least 0.1 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase
Implementation Method 4
porous particles present in an amount of at least 0.1 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase
Implementation Method 5
a film-forming binder material including at least a chlorinated polymer
Implementation Method 6
a film-forming binder material including at least a chlorinated polymer
Implementation Method 7
a white low-density particulate hydrated alumina having a median particle size of less than or equal to 3 μm
Implementation Method 8
a white low-density particulate hydrated alumina having a median particle size of less than or equal to 3 μm
Data Source
AI summary
A non-foamed aqueous composition has a 5-50% solids and a zero shear viscosity of 100-1000 mPa-sec at 25° C. This composition has at least the four components: i) porous particles at 0.1-20 weight %, and optionally an opacifying colorant; ii) a film-forming binder material comprising at least a chlorinated polymer at 4-20 weight %; iii) a white inorganic particulate filler material having a refraction index (RI) greater than 2 and a median particle size of less than 1 μm, at 2-15 weight %; and iv) a white low-density particulate hydrated alumina having a median particle size of less than or equal to 3 μm, at 2-16 weight %. This non-foamed aqueous composition can be applied to fabric substrates to reduce outside light glare without changing inside light coloration and light-blocking properties.