Rolled Stainless Steel Anti-Fingerprint Surface Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stainless steel surfaces are prone to showing fingerprints, leading to aesthetic issues, and existing solutions like varnishes either fail to fully address the problem or increase production costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A rolled stainless steel product with a raised and indented pattern of randomly juxtaposed polygons, etched during the rolling process, providing isotropy and multidimensional reflection that reduces fingerprint visibility without significant production disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a varnish coating is applied to the stainless steel surface to reduce fingerprint visibility, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the production cost increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-fingerprint pattern is integrated into the stainless steel surface during the rolling process itself, before the final product is completed. The rolling cylinder is pre-equipped with an etched pattern that imprints the anti-fingerprint structure directly onto the steel surface as it passes through, eliminating the need for subsequent coating operations and maintaining continuous production flow
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the anti-fingerprint function from a separate post-processing coating step and integrates it directly into the rolling manufacturing process. By incorporating the pattern-forming capability into the rolling cylinder itself, the anti-fingerprint property is built-in during primary manufacturing rather than added as a separate operation
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a varnish coating is applied to reduce fingerprint visibility, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the pattern-forming function with the rolling operation itself. The rolling cylinder is equipped with an etched pattern that simultaneously performs the rolling function and imprints the anti-fingerprint structure in a single pass, combining what would otherwise be separate operations into one integrated process
Solution Approach 2:
The rolling cylinder serves dual purposes: it performs the mechanical rolling function while also providing the anti-fingerprint pattern through its own etched surface structure. The system uses itself to provide the anti-fingerprint property, eliminating the need for separate coating materials or additional processing steps
3Illumination intensity
If the stainless steel surface is made highly reflective to maintain brightness, then the aesthetic appeal is improved, but fingerprint visibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality variations to the surface by creating a pattern of raised and indented areas with different reflectivity characteristics. The indented areas scatter light differently than the raised areas, creating local variations in light reflection that disrupt fingerprint visibility while maintaining overall surface brightness through the collective effect of the pattern
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional smooth surface to a three-dimensional patterned surface with raised and indented areas. This dimensional change creates multiple light reflection paths and angles, scattering light in ways that reduce fingerprint visibility while preserving the overall brightness and aesthetic appeal of the stainless steel surface
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 surface pattern effectively minimizes fingerprint visibility while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of stainless steel, ensuring sustainability without excessive production cost or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure of a rolling cylinder on the surface of the object or its precursor, said cylinder in turn having, on its surface, a pattern making it possible to obtain said pattern on the surface of the object
Implementation Method 2
A Fourier transform spectral analysis of which, carried out on a square of at least 100 mm2, shows that they have an isotropy of at least 40% between the rolling direction and the sideways direction
Data Source
AI summary
A rolled stainless steel object has surface with a raised and indented pattern including a random juxtaposition of at least two types of polygons. Each of the polygons has at least three sides, and is made up of substantially parallel rectilinear scratches, having a depth of from 5 to 30 μm separated by ridge lines, the axes of which are from 0.1 to 0.3 mm from each other, and a Fourier transform spectral analysis of which, carried out on a square of at least 100 mm2, shows that they have an isotropy of at least 40% between the rolling direction and the sideways direction, and two adjacent preferred angular orientations of which scratches, from among the three main preferred angular orientations thereof, are spaced apart by a minimum of 20° and a maximum of 60°.