Printed Black Ink Glass for Deadfronting With Low Sparkle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decorated glass surfaces with ink layers suffer from sparkle and light leakage due to defects, which affect the color matching and deadfronting effects, especially when used as cover glass for displays or architectural panels.
Innovation Solution
A transparent glass substrate with a black ink layer applied to provide a transmission coefficient of 0.2 to 0.85 for visible light and controlled sparkle of less than 2% using pixel power deviation reference (PPDr), achieved through precise ink application methods like inkjet printing, ensuring minimal internal reflectance and uniform coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a black ink layer is applied to the glass substrate to achieve color matching or deadfronting, then the color uniformity and hiding effect are improved, but sparkle and light leakage occur due to defects in the ink layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface treatments to different regions of the ink layer. The front surface receives an anti-reflective coating to reduce sparkle, while the back surface may receive a different treatment to control light leakage. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by addressing sparkle specifically at the viewing surface without compromising the overall color matching function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of the glass substrate, ink layer, and surface treatment layers. This multi-layer composite allows the ink layer to provide color matching while the surface treatments (particularly anti-reflective coatings) eliminate sparkle, thus resolving the contradiction between color uniformity and sparkle reduction.
2Reliability
If the ink layer transmission coefficient is reduced to improve deadfronting effect, then the hiding effect when display is off is improved, but the visibility when display is on is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic system where the ink layer's effective transmission is controlled by the display's operational state. When the display is off, the low transmission ink layer provides deadfronting. When the display is on, the backlight overcomes the ink layer's absorption, restoring visibility. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between deadfronting and visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the ink layer's transmission coefficient to a specific range (0.05 to 0.5) that balances deadfronting and visibility. By precisely controlling this parameter, the system achieves sufficient hiding effect when off while maintaining adequate visibility when on, resolving the contradiction through parameter optimization.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional ink application methods are used to provide color matching, then the process is simple, but internal reflectance and non-uniform coverage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical ink application methods (screen printing, spray coating) with inkjet printing technology. This substitution enables precise digital control of ink deposition, achieving uniform coverage and eliminating internal reflectance issues while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through automated printing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the ink layer thickness and composition parameters to optimize both uniformity and manufacturability. By adjusting ink concentration, layer thickness, and printing parameters, the system achieves uniform coverage without internal reflectance while keeping the manufacturing process straightforward and scalable.
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 provides effective color matching or deadfronting with reduced sparkle, allowing displays to be visible when on and hidden when off, while maintaining design flexibility and ease of tuning for different transmittance levels, without internal reflectance issues.
Implementation Method 1
The ink layer has a transmission coefficient of between 0.2 and 0.85 with respect to incident light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a decorated glass are provided. The decorated glass includes a transparent substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface. The second major surface is opposite the first major surface. The decorated glass also includes a black ink layer disposed on the second major surface in a display region. The black ink layer has a transmission coefficient of between 0.2 and 0.85 with respect to incident light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm. The decorated glass has 2% or less of sparkle when measured from the first major surface via pixel power deviation reference (PPDr).