Process for manufacturing painted backlit displays having uniform backlighting intensity
First Claim
1. A method for producing backlit components having substantially uniform backlighting intensities, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of said backlit components such that each of said backlit components comprises a white translucent substrate, a white translucent layer disposed on a surface of said white translucent substrate, and an opaque layer covering a portion of said white translucent layer so as to define an insignia with an exposed portion of said white translucent layer, wherein said forming step includes;
individually tailoring the thickness of said white translucent substrate of each of said plurality of backlit components so as to achieve a uniform backlighting intensity of each said insignia as produced by light transmission through said white translucent substrate and then said white translucent layer from a light source; and
providing said white translucent layer so as to promote the reflective intensity of each said insignia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for producing an illuminated graphic display composed of non-flat molded plastic backlit components which serve as interior controls for an instrument panel of an automobile. The method involves a process by which such backlit components are manufactured so as to result in minimal variability of backlighting intensity. The method particularly involves molding each backlit component from a white translucent substrate whose thickness is individually tailored such that the backlit component exhibits a suitable level of backlighting intensity when illuminated by a minimal number of light sources. For daytime viewing, a suitable and uniform level of graphics whiteness for the group of backlit components is achieved by painting each substrate with a white translucent coating, such that the backlit components have similar reflective characteristics.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for producing backlit components having substantially uniform backlighting intensities, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of said backlit components such that each of said backlit components comprises a white translucent substrate, a white translucent layer disposed on a surface of said white translucent substrate, and an opaque layer covering a portion of said white translucent layer so as to define an insignia with an exposed portion of said white translucent layer, wherein said forming step includes; individually tailoring the thickness of said white translucent substrate of each of said plurality of backlit components so as to achieve a uniform backlighting intensity of each said insignia as produced by light transmission through said white translucent substrate and then said white translucent layer from a light source; and providing said white translucent layer so as to promote the reflective intensity of each said insignia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for producing backlit components having substantially uniform backlighting intensities and graphics whiteness, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of said backlit components such that each of said backlit components comprises a molded white translucent substrate, a white translucent layer disposed on a surface of said white translucent substrate, and an opaque layer covering a portion of said white translucent layer so as to define an insignia with an exposed portion of said white translucent layer, wherein said forming step includes; individually tailoring the thickness of said white translucent substrate of each of said plurality of backlit components so as to achieve a uniform backlighting intensity of each said insignia as produced by light transmission through said white translucent substrate and then said white translucent layer from a light source; and controlling the thickness of said white translucent layer so as to promote the reflective intensity of each said insignia such that said backlit components have substantially equal graphics whiteness. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for producing backlit components having substantially uniform backlighting intensities and graphics whiteness, said method comprising the steps of:
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molding a plurality of said backlit components such that each of said backlit components comprises a white translucent substrate, a white translucent layer disposed on a surface of said white translucent substrate, and an opaque layer covering a portion of said white translucent layer so as to define an insignia with an exposed portion of said white translucent layer, said white translucent layer promoting the reflective intensity of said insignia such that said backlit components have substantially equal graphics whiteness, said white translucent substrate having a substantially uniform thickness for each of said backlit components; arranging said backlit components within an enclosure having a light source disposed therein; measuring light intensity transmitted through said white translucent substrate and said white translucent layer from said light source for each of said backlit components; and adjusting the thickness of said white translucent substrate for each of said backlit components so as to substantially equalize the light intensity transmitted through said white translucent substrate and said white translucent layer from said light source, such that said backlit components have substantially equal backlighting intensities; whereby said backlit components have substantially equal backlighting intensities due to said white translucent substrates having thicknesses in accordance with said adjusting step, and wherein said backlit components have substantially equal graphics whiteness due to each of said backlit components having said white translucent layer deposited on said white translucent substrate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification