Flakes with undulate borders and method of forming thereof

• US 9,458,324 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Argoitia, Alberto, Delst, Cornelis Jan, Holden, Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Holly
• Application Number:
  US12/463,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,706 Days
• Field of Search: 428/402
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/20 extending in two dimensions, e.g. plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/22 with a polygonal circumferential shape
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/64 Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/60 Optical properties, e.g. expressed in CIELAB-values
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/0015 Pigments exhibiting interference colours, e.g. transparent platelets of appropriate thinness or flaky substrates, e.g. mica, bearing appropriate thin transparent coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/0018 uncoated and unlayered plate-like particles
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/0078 Pigments consisting of flaky, non-metallic substrates, characterised by a surface-region containing free metal
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/61 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/70 characterised by shape, e.g. fibres, flakes or microspheres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1847 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

In a plurality of substantially same planar pigment flakes, each flake is formed of one or more thin film layers. Each flake has a face surface and a flake border delimiting the face surface; the flake border undulates in the plane of the flake. The flakes have a pre-selected shape, may have a symbol or a grating thereon. A method of manufacturing of these flakes including the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a plurality of one-flake regions and a plurality of depressions or protrusions disposed therebetween and not extending into the one-flake regions, (b) coating the substrate with a releasable coating, and (c) removing the releasable coating and breaking it into the flakes; wherein two adjacent of the one-flake regions are separated by at least three of the depressions or protrusions for facilitating the breaking of the releasable coating into the flakes.

Claims

1. A plurality of substantially same planar pigment flakes, each flake comprising one or more thin film layers, each flake having a face surface and a flake border delimiting the face surface, wherein the face surface has a shape substantially polygon and at least three sides of the polygon comprising undulate lines that undulate in the plane of the flake, and wherein the flakes have a same selected shape, a thickness of less than 4 microns, and a diameter of the face surface of less than 100 microns.

2. The flakes as defined in claim 1, wherein the undulate lines each comprises at least four waves and wherein an amplitude of the waves is less than 20% of the diameter of the face surface.

3. The flakes as defined in claim 2, wherein the undulate lines undulate periodically.

4. The flakes as defined in claim 3, wherein the polygon is a square and the undulate lines have a number of waves between 7 and 20 per side of the polygon.

5. The flakes as defined in claim 3, wherein each flake comprises a symbol.

6. The flakes as defined in claim 3, wherein each flake comprises a diffraction grating.

7. The flakes as defined in claim 3, wherein the one or more thin film layers comprise a reflector layer, an absorber layer, and a spacer layer therebetween, for providing a color-shifting effect to the flakes.

8. A plurality of substantially same planar pigment flakes, each flake comprising one or more thin film layers, each flake having a face surface and a flake border delimiting the face surface, wherein the face surface has a shape substantially that of a polygon, wherein two adjoining sides of the polygon undulate in the plane of the flake, and wherein the flakes have a same selected shape and a diameter of the face surface of less than 100 microns.

9. The flakes as defined in claim 8, wherein each of the two adjoining sides comprises at least four waves and wherein an amplitude of the waves is less than 20% of the diameter of the face surface.