EP4363126A1

EP4363126A1 - Product component having microstructure part, method for obtaining information therefrom, identification device and processing method

Info

Publication number: EP4363126A1
Application number: EP22832041.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Nghiem; Yuan Zheng
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Sekurit France SAS
Priority date: 2021-06-30
Filing date: 2022-06-28
Publication date: 2024-05-08
Also published as: EP4363126A4; CN114871082A; WO2023274227A1

Abstract

It is providing a product component (100) having a microstructure part (1011), a method of obtaining information therefrom, an identification device and a processing method. The product component (100) comprises: at least one microstructure part (1011) formed on a surface of a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) and comprising at least one type of microstructure, wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011), so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part (1011) is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other part (1012)s at least during a predetermined time period.

Description

PRODUCT COMPONENT HAVING MICROSTRUCTURE PART, METHOD FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION THEREFROM, IDENTIFICATION DEVICE AND PROCESSING METHOD

FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a product component having a microstructure part, and more specifically to a method of obtaining information using the microstructure part on the product component, an identification device and a method of processing the product component to obtain the microstructure part.

BACKGROUND

When a product component such as glass is processed or produced, it usually needs to be processed according to a series of predetermined flows. The predetermined flows for processing different product components are usually different. To facilitate distinguishing the product components to be processed, labels or marks are usually arranged at predetermined positions of the product components. Through the labels or marks, a processing apparatus or processor can understand the predetermined flow for processing the corresponding product component to effectively avoid mis-processing.
To facilitate tracing back the production process, the labels and marks used in the production process of the product component usually continue to stay after completion of the processing and during the use by a user, which more or less affects the aesthetics of the product component even the whole product. Some users hope to remove these labels or marks to at least improve the aesthetics of the product during use.
SUMMARY
The removal of labels or marks used in the production process will bring about various problems. On one hand, the removal of the labels or marks might cause a risk that the product component is damaged or even broken. On the other hand, most importantly, the removal of the labels or marks might make the production process of the product component become difficult to trace, thereby finally affecting the quality control of the product component and the user’s experience. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a product component, which addresses or at least partially solves the above problems and other potential problems existing in the traditional product components.
In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a product component. The product component comprises: at least one microstructure part formed on a surface of a predetermined region of the product component and comprising at least one type of microstructure, wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts of the predetermined region except for the microstructure part, so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts at least during a predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, the microstructure comprises at least one of a bump or a recess.
In some embodiments, the microstructure part is configured so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part and the other part after predetermined processing exceeds a predetermined degree at least during the predetermined time period, to allow an identification device to obtain information from the predetermined region.
In some embodiments, the microstructure part is invisible before the predetermined processing.
In some embodiments, the predetermined processing comprises spraying the predetermined region with the predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to the microstructure part.
In some embodiments, the predetermined processing further comprises irradiating the predetermined region with a dark field light source after spraying the predetermined region.
In some embodiments, the microstructure part is configured such that: contact angles of the droplets on the microstructure part and on the other parts are different; and/or evaporation or volatilization speeds of the droplets on the microstructure part and the other parts are different.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the microstructure part.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the microstructure part.
In a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of obtaining information from the product component according to the first aspect. The method comprises: spraying a predetermined region of the product component with a predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure part of the predetermined region; irradiating the predetermined region with a light source, so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part and other parts of the predetermined region except for the microstructure part exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period; acquiring an image of the predetermined region during the predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, the at least one microstructure part comprises a plurality of microstructure parts, and the method further comprises: obtaining encoded data based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts; and obtaining the information based on the encoded data.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the plurality of microstructure parts.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the plurality of microstructure parts.
In some embodiments, the light source comprises a dark field light source.
In a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an identification device for obtaining information from the product component according to the above first aspect. The identification device comprises a spraying apparatus configured to spray a predetermined region of the product component with a predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure part of the predetermined region; a light source configured to irradiate the predetermined region so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part and other parts of the predetermined region except for the microstructure part exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period; an image acquisition device configured to acquire an image of the predetermined region during the predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, the at least one microstructure part comprises a plurality of microstructure parts, and the identification device further comprises a data processing device configured to: obtain encoded data based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts; and obtain the information based on the encoded data.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the plurality of microstructure parts.
In some embodiments, the predetermined region forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the plurality of microstructure parts.
In some embodiments, the light source comprises a dark field light source.
In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for processing a product component. The method comprises: processing a predetermined region of the product component to generate at least one microstructure part on a surface of the predetermined region, and the microstructure part comprising at least one type of microstructure, wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts of the predetermined region except for the microstructure part, so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts at least during the predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, processing the predetermined region comprises: performing interface reactions on a plurality of sub-regions in the predetermined region to generate a plurality of microstructure parts arranged according to a predetermined arrangement rule.
In some embodiments, the interface reactions comprise at least one of heavy ion transfer, micro-etching and coating.
In some embodiments, the microstructure part is configured such that: contact angles of the droplets on the microstructure part and on the other parts are different; and/or evaporation or volatilization speeds of the droplets on the microstructure part and the other part are different.
In some embodiments, the microstructure part is configured such that: shapes and sizes of the droplets in the microstructure part and in the other part are different at least during the predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, processing the predetermined region comprises: applying a first paint to a plurality of sub-regions in the predetermined region to generate the plurality of microstructure parts; and/or applying a second paint to the other multiple sub-regions in the predetermined region to generate the other parts.
In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information display member formed on a product component. The information display member comprises at least one microstructure part formed on a surface of a predetermined region of the product component and comprising at least one type of microstructure, wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts of the predetermined region except for the microstructure part, so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts at least during the predetermined time period.
In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of processing a product component. The method comprises: using the method according to the above second aspect to obtain information from the product component; and processing the product component according to the information.
In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle window assembly comprising the product component according to the above first aspect.
It should be understood that this summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description.
Optionally, in addition to the advantages such as a large light source area and soft light, this illumination manner will not additionally occupy the limited space inside the vehicle, so that the interior of the vehicle can be neater.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The above and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent, through the following detailed description of the example embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference symbols generally refer to the same elements.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a product component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method for processing a product component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 shows a simplified schematic diagram of an identification device for obtaining information from a product component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method for obtaining information from a product component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Throughout the figures, the same or similar reference numbers denote the same or similar elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIEMTNS
The present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to several example embodiments. It should be appreciated that those embodiments of the present disclosure are provided to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus carry out the present disclosure, without suggesting any limitation to the scope of the technical solution of the present disclosure.
As used herein, the term “comprises” and its variants are to be read as open-ended terms that mean “comprises, but is not limited to” . The term “based on” is to be read as “based at least in part on” . The term “an embodiment” and “the embodiment” are to be read as “at least one embodiment” . The term “another embodiment” is to be read as “at least another embodiment” . The terms “first, ” “second, ” and the like may refer to different or the same objects. Other definitions, either explicit or implicit, may be included below. Definitions of terms are consistent throughout the specification unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Currently, in the production process of some product components such as glass, labels or marks need to be set at predetermined positions of the product components, so that a producing apparatus or worker can read the information therein and carry out the corresponding production process according to the information. For traceability purposes, a manufacturer of the product components might need to retain the labels and marks after the production process and even during the user’s use.
However, this processing manner will bring about various problems. For example, labels or marks might affect the aesthetics of the product component, especially in a case where these labels or marks are always exposed outside during use. This will inevitably affect the user’s experience of the product components and might ultimately affect the sales of the product components. Some users hope to remove these labels or marks to at least improve the aesthetics of the products during use. In addition, these labels or marks may be damaged or lost during the user’s use of the products. When quality problems occur to the product components and the manufacture needs to investigate these quality problems, the damage or loss of the marks or labels will make it difficult to trace the production process of the product components, thereby causing difficulty to the investigation of the quality problems and finally affecting quality control and user experience of the product components.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a microstructure part 1011 that is invisible to naked eyes but can provide information after predetermined processing, and can be applied to various product components 100 to address or at least partially solve the above problems and other potential problems of traditional product components 100 during manufacture and use.
The product components 100 mentioned herein refer to components of various products, which may include, in addition to the glass mentioned above, any suitable components including but not limited to: non-metallic components such as plastic components, metal components, transparent components, opaque components, etc. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described primarily with glass as an example of the product component 100. It should be appreciated that other types of product components 100 are also similar and will not be described in detail below for brevity.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a product component 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The product component 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one type of microstructure part 1011. As shown in FIG. 1, at least one microstructure part 1011 is formed on a surface of a predetermined region 101 of the product component 100 and includes at least one type of microstructure. The microstructure herein refers to an extremely small-sized structure on the product component 100. For example, in some embodiments, the microstructure may refer to a structure which has a dimension on the order of nanometers and micrometers in a direction (namely, height) perpendicular to a surface forming the microstructure. Regarding the length and width of the microstructure, it may be adjusted and changed according to the information to be displayed, for example, the length and width of the microstructure may be on the order of micrometers, millimeters, centimeters or more.
In addition, as mentioned above, the product component 100 may include one or more microstructure parts 1011. Hereinafter, the inventive concept of the present disclosure will be mainly described by taking a plurality of microstructure parts 1011 as an example. It should be appreciated that it is also possible for the product component 100 to include one microstructure part 1011 in a case where the displayed content is relatively simple, which will not be described in detail below for brevity.
The differences in types of microstructures may refer to the differences in morphology and size of the microstructures. For example, the morphology may include a bump or a recess or any other suitable structure. The shape of each of the bumps or recesses may be various. For example, the bumps may be conical, column-shaped, pyramidal, or the like. Similarly, the recesses may also be in the shape of an inverted cone, an inverted column, or an inverted pyramid or the like. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the differences in the types of microstructures may also indicate the differences in spacing of the recesses or bumps.
A microstructure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts 1012 of the predetermined region 101 except for the microstructure part 1011, so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part 1011 is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts 1012 at least during the predetermined time period. The form of the predetermined liquid at least during the predetermined time period varies mainly because the form of the predetermined liquid changes dynamically as the predetermined liquid volatilizes and/or evaporates. Therefore, in order to better obtain information from the predetermined region 101, it is desirable to obtain the information during a time period when the difference in the form is greatest. The length of the predetermined time period is related to factors such as the type and temperature of the predetermined liquid selected. In some embodiments, the difference in the form of the predetermined liquid will be reflected in the difference in brightness when irradiated with a predetermined light source, which will be further described hereinafter. In some embodiments, the predetermined liquid may be water such as purified water, distilled water or ordinary water. Use of water as the predetermined liquid is advantageous in low cost and easy availability, thereby reducing the cost of obtaining information from the microstructure part 1011 of the product component 100 of the embodiment of the present disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the predetermined liquid may also be a liquid that is colorless and transparent like water and may be volatilized or evaporated to disappear. In some alternative embodiments, the predetermined liquid may have a specific color, viscosity or the like. Hereinafter, the inventive concept of the present disclosure is mainly described by taking water as an embodiment of the predetermined liquid. It should be appreciated that other types of predetermined liquids are also similar, and will not be described in detail respectively any more below.
In some embodiments, the difference in binding capacity with water is whether the microstructure part is hydrophilic or hydrophobic. For example, the microstructure part 1011 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be more hydrophobic than the other parts 1012. “More hydrophobic” here may mean that the other parts 1012 are hydrophobic, and the hydrophobic ability of the microstructure part 1011 is stronger than that of the other parts 1012. In some embodiments, the difference in hydrophobicity may be characterized by a difference in a contact angle with the predetermined liquid. The contact angle refers to an angle formed in a way that a liquid/gas interface contacts a solid surface. The contact angle is based on a system of three different interfaces interacting with one another. The commonest explanation of the concept of the contact angle is based on a scenario in which a small liquid droplet 201 on a transverse solid surface, wherein the shape of the droplet is defined by the Younger-Laplace Equation, and the contact angle plays a constraining role. The larger the contact angle is, the stronger the hydrophobicity of the solid surface is. In addition, in some alternative embodiments, the aforementioned “more hydrophobic” may also mean that the other parts 1012 are hydrophilic or non-hydrophobic, while the microstructure part 1011 is hydrophobic.
In some embodiments, the difference in binding capacity with the predetermined liquid is also manifested as a difference in dimensions and/or size of the predetermined liquid on the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012. This is related to the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity mentioned above in a sense. For example, the more hydrophobic the surface is, the more likely the attachment size is smaller, and the more likely the liquid droplets are circular liquid droplets 201. Similarly, the more hydrophilic the surface is, the more likely the attachment size is larger, and the more likely the liquid droplets are irregular liquid droplets 201, for example, a plurality of small liquid droplets gather together.
Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the difference in the capability of the microstructure part 1011 binding with water may also be manifested as the difference in the volatilization or evaporation rate of the droplets 201 on the microstructure part 1011 and on other parts 1012. For example, in some embodiments, this is also, in a sense, related to the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity and the size and/or dimensions of the droplets 201 mentioned above. For example, the more hydrophobic the surface is, the more likely the droplets are droplets 201 with a smaller attachment size, and the more likely the droplets 201 are easily to evaporate or volatize. Similarly, the more hydrophilic the surface is, the more likely the droplets are irregular droplets 201 with a larger attachment size, and the slower the droplets 201 evaporate or volatize.
By using the difference in the form of the predetermined liquid on the microstructure part 1011, it is possible to achieve an information display member that is invisible to the naked eyes but capable of presenting information by a certain means on the product component 100. The microstructure part 1011 can be used to make the production process of the product component 100 smoother. For example, the information of the product component 100 may be obtained from a predetermined region at any time to perform a corresponding production process according to the information, thereby improving the production efficiency and quality of the product component 100. In addition, since the information is invisible to the naked eyes, it may always exist on the surface of the product component 100 after completion of the production process and during the user’s use, without affecting the aesthetics and performance of the product component 100 and the user’s experience. In this way, when a quality problem occurs in the product component 100 and the production process needs to be traced, the microstructure part 1011 may be used to provide the desired information, thereby facilitating the control of the quality of the product component 100 and thereby further improving the level of the quality of the product component 100.
In some embodiments, as previously mentioned, the microstructures may include at least one type of recesses or bumps. For example, the microstructure may include a plurality of recesses and/or bumps. The spacing between these recesses and/or bumps may be on the order of micrometer or nanometer. Due to the existence of recesses and/or bumps, an extremely thin air layer with a thickness only on the order of nanometer or micrometer is formed on a surface close to the microstructure. As such, after dusts, droplets 201 or the like having a size by far larger than such a structure fall on the surface of the microstructure, they can only form several point contacts with the bumps on the surface of the microstructure, with the extremely thin air layer in between. The droplet 201 forms a sphere under the action of its own surface tension (i.e., the contact angle with the droplet 201 is greater than 90°) . In this way, the microstructure part 1011 has a different binding capacity with the predetermined liquid as compared with other parts 1012 of the predetermined region 101.
Certainly, it should be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiment in which the microstructure includes at least one type of recesses or bumps is merely illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Other means or structures capable of causing different binding capabilities with the predetermined liquid are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the microstructure part 1011 may have a microstructure formed by coating with a hydrophobic material such as wax, grease, or the like.
In some embodiments, the certain mean mentioned above may include performing predetermined processing on the microstructure part 1011 so that the microstructure part invisible to the naked eyes can at least allow an identification device 300 to obtain corresponding information. That is to say, before the predetermined processing, people cannot see these microstructure parts 1011 only with naked eyes without resorting to other means. As mentioned previously, this facilitates enhancing the user experience and improving the quality level of the product component 100.
In order to make the microstructure invisible, in addition to employing the microstructure with a height as small as possible, it is also necessary to at least make the microstructure part 1011 as light-transmitting as possible, for example, by setting the light transmittance of the microstructure part 1011 above a predetermined threshold. For example, in some embodiments, the light transmittance of the microstructure part 1011 may be set to be higher than 50%, thereby further facilitating the invisible property of the microstructure part 1011. Certainly, it should be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiment in which the microstructures 1011 is made as light-transmitting as possible to make the microstructure invisible is with respect to the transparent product component 100 such as glass. Regarding a colored and opaque product component 100, the microstructure part 1011 may also be made invisible by naked eyes by allowing the microstructure part to employ the same color as the provided surface. Certainly, it should also be understood that in order to meet various needs, the microstructure part 1011 may also be visible in some embodiments.
In order to enable the microstructure part 1011 that is invisible to the naked eyes to provide the desired information, it is necessary to perform predetermined processing on the predetermined region 101 where the microstructure part 1011 is provided. The predetermined processing mentioned herein includes processing the predetermined region 1011 with a predetermined liquid, wherein the processing includes ejecting, spraying or atomizing the predetermined region 101 with droplets of a predetermined size. After the droplets of the predetermined size are sprayed onto the predetermined region 101, since the microstructure part 1011 has a binding capacity with the droplets different from other parts 1012, the droplets on the microstructure part 1011 only aggregate a little and thereby form the droplets 201 within a predetermined size range. The droplets on other parts 1012 will aggregate in great amount to thereby form droplets 201 having larger sizes and irregular shapes.
Since the different binding capacities with the predetermined liquid cause different forms of the predetermined liquid thereon, the information embodied by the microstructure part 1011 can be identified by using the identification device in the embodiment of the present disclosure after the predetermined processing. In order to facilitate the formation of liquid of different forms on the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012, the predetermined size of the droplets of the liquid sprayed during the predetermined process may be set to be slightly smaller than or equal to a minimum value within the predetermined size range of the droplets 201 to be formed on the microstructure part 1011. In this way, after a small number of droplets sprayed onto the microstructure part 1011 aggregate, droplets within the predetermined size range on the microstructure part 1011 are formed.
In addition, the size of the droplets 2011 on the microstructure part 1011 is also related to a duration of the predetermined processing. The longer the duration of the predetermined processing is, the droplets 2011 on the microstructure part 1011 are more likely to continuously aggregate to form droplets exceeding the predetermined size range, which is not conducive to the subsequent identification process. Therefore, in some embodiments, in order to facilitate subsequent identification, the duration of the predetermined processing may also be controlled to be a predetermined duration, so that the size of the droplets on the microstructure part 1011 is within the predetermined size range.
It should be appreciated that the above-mentioned manner of performing the predetermined processing on the predetermined region 101 by means of ejecting, spraying, or atomizing is merely illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable means or manners are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, a manner of coating or smearing the predetermined region 101 may also be employed to form droplets of different forms on the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012.
In some embodiments, the predetermined processing further includes irradiating the predetermined region with a predetermined light source after spraying the predetermined region with the predetermined liquid. The forms of the droplets 201 on the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 are different, their capabilities to reflect, refract and transmit light are also different, so that when the predetermined region 101 is irradiated with the predetermined light source before volatilization or evaporation of the droplets 201, the brightness of the microstructure part 1011 and the other parts 1012 are different. That is, after the predetermined processing, since the binding capacity of the microstructure part 1011 with the predetermined liquid is different from that of the other parts 1012 with the predetermined light, the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 exceeds a predetermined degree at least during the predetermined time period. The brightness refers to a physical quantity of the intensity of light emitted (reflected) by the surface of a luminous body (reflector) . The human eye observes the light source from one direction, and a ratio of the light intensity in this direction to an area of the light source “seen “by the human eye is defined as the brightness of the light source as per unit, namely, the luminous intensity per unit projected area. The measure unit of brightness is candela per square meter (cd/m ²) . The brightness is a human perception of the intensity of light.
The magnitude or degree of the difference in brightness reflects the difference in the forms of the droplets on the microstructure part 1011 and the other parts 1012. For example, since the contact angle of the droplets 201 on the microstructure part 1011 is relatively large, after the light is transmitted, refracted or reflected, the microstructure part 1011 has a higher brightness, while the other parts 1012 have a lower brightness, thereby forming a difference in brightness.
For an image (for example, an image about the predetermined region 101 acquired via an image acquisition device 302 to be mentioned below) , the brightness difference referred to herein refers to the measurement of different brightness levels between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 in the predetermined region 101. The larger the difference range is, the larger the contrast is, and the smaller the difference range is, the smaller the contrast is. In some embodiments, the magnitude or degree of the difference in brightness may be obtained by obtaining a brightness histogram of the image or real-time picture. For example, a high brightness in a high threshold range and a low brightness in a low threshold range in the brightness histogram are averaged respectively, and a difference between the two is calculated. The obtained value may characterize the magnitude of the brightness difference. This value may be compared with a predefined threshold. For example, if the value is greater than the predefined threshold, this means that the brightness difference is greater than a predetermined degree, and thus the desired information may be obtained from the predetermined region 101.
The above process of judging the brightness difference may be completed by a special processing unit (for example, a data processing device 303 to be mentioned below) or a processing unit of the image acquisition device 302 itself. For example, the image acquisition device 302 may first find a view toward the predetermined region 101 within a predetermined time period and analyze the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 reflected by the brightness histogram of the picture in the predetermined region 101 in real time. When the brightness difference is greater than a predetermined degree or a predetermined value, the real-time picture may be acquired and stored to obtain an image about the predetermined region 101. This image may then be analyzed or processed by data processing device 303 to obtain further information. Certainly, the image may also be recognized by an operator to obtain information directly. If the brightness difference obtained during the predetermined time period is less than a predetermined degree or a predetermined value, adjustment may be made by adjusting factors such as the duration of the predetermined processing and the size of the sprayed droplets, etc., as well as the type and temperature of the sprayed predetermined liquid, etc.
Certainly, it should be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiment for obtaining the brightness difference is only illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable manners or means are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the brightness difference may also be obtained by acquiring the contrast of the image or real-time picture. The contrast of the image refers to the measurement of different brightness levels between the brightest white and the darkest black in a bright and dark region of the image, i.e., refers to the magnitude of grayscale contrast in the image. The measurement of the contrast may be achieved by some traditional contrast measurement or acquisition methods, for example including but not limited to: Weber contrast, Michelson contrast (also known as visibility) or root mean square contrast.
After the predetermined time period, for example due to volatilization or evaporation of the predetermined liquid, the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and the other parts 1012 may become so small that they cannot be or are not easily discernible, thereby affecting the production of the product component 100 and the user’s use.
Certainly, it should be appreciated that the embodiment regarding the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and the other parts 1012 after the predetermined processing mentioned in the above embodiment is only illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable manners or means are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the color difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 after predetermined processing may also be used for the identification device to identify the information.
The information represented by the predetermined region 101 may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: a QR code, a barcode, a pattern or a text. The barcode is a graphic identifier used to express a set of information by arranging a plurality of black bars and blank bars with different widths according to a certain coding rule or arrangement rule. In some embodiments, the black bar portion in the barcode may be implemented by the microstructure part 1011, while the blank bar portion is implemented by the other parts 1012. Certainly, it should be appreciated that, in some alternative embodiments, the black bar portion in the barcode may be implemented by other parts 1012, while the blank bar portion is implemented by the microstructure part 1011. In this way, the identification device may be enabled to identify the information embodied in the barcode. The processing apparatus or the operator for processing the product component 100 may perform a corresponding processing process on the product component 100 according to the information.
In some embodiments, the information represented by the predetermined region 101 may further include a QR code. The QR code, also called a two-dimensional barcode, refers to a barcode with another dimension that is readable on the basis of a one-dimensional barcode, and employs a black and white rectangular pattern to represent binary data. Data is written on either the width or the length of the barcode. Data is written on both the length and width of the QR code. In some embodiments, the black rectangle in the QR code may be implemented by the microstructure part 1011, and the white rectangle may be implemented by the other parts 1012. Certainly, it should be appreciated that, in some alternative embodiments, the black rectangle in the QR code may be implemented by the other parts 1012, and the white rectangle may be implemented by the microstructure part 1011. In this way, the identification device may be enabled to identify the information embodied in the QR code for use by the processing device or the operator.
In addition to the QR code and/or the barcode, the information represented by the predetermined region 101 may also include at least one of a pattern or a text. For example, in some embodiments, the microstructure part 1011 may be arranged on the predetermined region 101 according to a predetermined arrangement rule, so that the predetermined region 101 displays a specific graphic and/or text, for example, a graphic, symbol and/or text for indicating the processing device for processing the product component 100.
Furthermore, the different types of microstructures mentioned above may refer to microstructures with different liquid binding capacities. For example, in some embodiments, different types of microstructures may refer to different average dimensions (e.g., height) of the microstructures, such that the binding capacities with the predetermined liquid are different. After the predetermined processing, the brightness difference between various different types of microstructures also exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period, thereby enabling the identification device 300 to identify the difference. In this way, the predetermined region 101 may be made display images with various different brightness (rather than black or white) , thereby enriching the forms of the displayed images, and thereby allowing the predetermined region 101 to present more information.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide a method for processing the product component 100. After the predetermined processing of the predetermined region 101 of the product component 100 processed by the method, the identification device 300 obtains the predetermined information, thereby facilitating further processing or tracing-back of the quality of the product components 100. Before the predetermined processing, the predetermined region 101 will not be different from other regions observed with the naked eyes, so that the user’s experience will not be affected.
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method for processing a product component. As shown in FIG. 2, at block 410, the predetermined region 101 of the product component 100 is processed to generate the above-mentioned microstructure part 1011 on the surface of the predetermined region 101.
In some embodiments, the processing of the predetermined region 101 may include performing interface reactions on a plurality of sub-regions in the predetermined region 101 to generate a plurality of microstructure parts 1011 arranged according to a predetermined arrangement rule. The interface reaction is various chemical reactions that occur under certain conditions according to characteristics of contact surfaces between two phases and the types, content, existence states and nature of various chemical substances on the surfaces. That is, the microstructure part 1011 may be implemented by the interface reactions in some embodiments.
In some embodiments, the interface reactions may include at least one of heavy ion transfer, micro-etching and coating. For example, in some embodiments, the plurality of sub-regions may be coated with a paint made of a special material (e.g., a first paint and a second paint to mentioned below) , thereby performing heavy ion transfer and/or micro-etching for the surfaces of the plurality of sub-regions, and removing the paint after a predetermined time period, to thereby form a plurality of microstructure parts 1011.
Certainly, it should be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiment about forming the microstructure part 1011 through the interface reactions is only illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable manners or means are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the microstructure part 1011 may also be formed by means of etching, laser processing, or the like. In this way, the manner of forming the microstructure part 1011 may be made more flexible.
In some embodiments, except that the microstructure part 1011 may be formed by applying paint (e.g., a first paint) in a plurality of sub-regions, other parts 1012 of the predetermined region 101 other than the microstructure part 1011 may be generated by applying a second paint. Different paints are used for the first paint and the second paint, thereby generating different effects on the surface of the predetermined region 101, so that the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 have different binding capacities with the predetermined liquid. Certainly, it should be appreciated that, in some alternative embodiments, only the sub-regions in which the microstructure part 1011 is to be formed may be processed, while other parts 1012 are not processed at all.
It should also be understood that the first paint for forming the plurality of microstructure parts 1011 may also include multiple paints with different concentrations or compositions. Different paints cause different reactions and effects on the plurality of sub-regions, so that the formed multiple microstructure parts 1011 have different binding capacities with the predetermined liquid. This allows the brightness of the plurality of microstructure parts 1011 to be different when irradiated by a predetermined light source, thereby forming images or symbols with more brightness levels, and thereby allowing the plurality of microstructure parts 1011 to provide more information.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide an identification device 300 for obtaining information from the aforementioned product component 100. After the microstructure part 1011 is formed on the predetermined region 101 of the product component 100, the identification device 300 may be used to obtain relevant information. FIG. 3 shows a simplified schematic diagram of the identification device 300. In general, the identification device 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a spraying apparatus (not shown) , a light source 301 and an image acquisition device 302.
The spraying apparatus is used to perform the above-mentioned predetermined processing on the predetermined region 101, i.e., to spray the predetermined region 101 with a predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure part 1011 of the predetermined region. In some embodiments, the spraying apparatus may spray the droplets 201 outwardly which have the predetermined size mentioned above. After the droplets 201 are sprayed onto the predetermined region 101, due to the difference in the binding capacities with the predetermined liquid between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012, the droplets 201 will aggregate a little or on the microstructure part 1011 will not aggregate on the microstructure part 1011 to thereby form micro-droplets 201 which are in a predetermined size range and attached to the microstructure part 1011. For other parts 1012, the micro-droplets 201 substantially aggregate together to form irregular droplets 201 with larger sizes, as shown in FIG. 1.
In some embodiments, the spraying apparatus may be controlled by a control unit to automatically spray droplets of a predetermined size. For example, when the information provided by the predetermined region 101 needs to be identified, the control unit may control the spraying apparatus to spray droplets of the predetermined size for a predetermined time period to form droplets 201 within the predetermined size range on the microstructure part 1011. Certainly, it should be appreciated that, in some alternative embodiments, the spraying apparatus may also be hand-held and manually controlled to spray droplets of the predetermined size.
As mentioned above, after the predetermined processing, due to the difference in the forms of the droplets 201 on the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012, for example the difference in both size and shape, when the light source 301 is used to irradiate, the capabilities of the droplets 201 in reflecting, refracting, and/or transmitting light also vary so that the difference in brightness between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 may exceed a predetermined degree at least during the predetermined time period. As mentioned above, by using the brightness difference beyond the predetermined degree, the image acquisition device 302 can acquire images within the predetermined time period, and thereby acquire more information. In some embodiments, the image may also be directly recognized or read by the operator to obtain corresponding information.
After a predetermined time period, the droplets 201 gradually disappear due to volatilization and/or evaporation of the liquid, so that the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 becomes so small that it cannot be distinguished and is invisible. In this way, the corresponding image of the predetermined region 101 can be obtained by the image acquisition device 302 only when necessary, and is invisible when not necessary (for example, during normal use, etc. ) , thereby improving traceability of products and the smoothness of the manufacturing process without affecting the user’s experience.
In some embodiments, in order to further improve the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012, the light source 301 may include a dark field light source 301. The dark field light source 301, which corresponds to a bright field light source 301, means that the light irradiates the surface of the predetermined region 101 obliquely. In some embodiments, the dark field light source 301 may refer to the parallel light from the light source 301, which is blocked by an annular shading plate, a central part of the light is blocked, and the light passing through the annular shading plate becomes a hollow cylindrical beam to irradiate the predetermined region 101 at a larger angle, as shown in FIG. 3. In this way, as compared with the bright field light source 301, the dark field light source 301 can further improve the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012, thereby facilitating the image acquisition device 302 to acquire images that are more convenient for further identification or processing.
Certainly, it should be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiment in which the dark field light source 301 is employed to improve the brightness difference is only illustrative, and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable means or approaches are also possible. For example, alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and other parts 1012 in the image may also be improved by adjusting parameters of the image acquisition device 302 such as an exposure speed, an aperture value and exposure time.
In some embodiments, the identification device 300 may further comprise a data processing device 303. The data processing device 303 can process the image acquired by the image acquisition device 302 to obtain corresponding information. For example, in some embodiments, the data processing device 303 can obtain the encoded information based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts 1011. For example, regarding the QR code or barcode, the data processing device 303 can obtain the encoded information using the QR code or barcode presented by the microstructure part 1011. According to the encoded information, the data processing device 303 may obtain corresponding information. The data processing device 303 may also be coupled in a wireless or a wired manner with a processing apparatus for processing the product component 100 to provide the obtained information to the processing apparatus. The processing apparatus may then perform a corresponding processing process according to the information. In this way, the degree of automation of the processing apparatus in processing the product component 100 may be further increased, and thus the quality of the product component 100 may be improved.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide a method of obtaining information from the aforementioned product component 100. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the method. As shown in FIG. 4, at block 510, the predetermined region 101 of the product component 100 is sprayed with a predetermined liquid such that droplets 201 within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure of the predetermined region 101. Next, at block 520, the predetermined region 101 is irradiated with the light source 301 such that the difference in brightness difference between the microstructure part 1011 and the other parts 1012 exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period.
At block 530, images of the predetermined region 101 are obtained during the predetermined time period. In this way, the images may be read or recognized by the operator or the processing apparatus to obtain relevant information. The operator or the processing apparatus may continue the corresponding processing process or trace-back to the product component 100 according to the information.
For example, in order to facilitate the processing apparatus to obtain the information, in some embodiments, the method may further include obtaining encoded data based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts 1011, and obtaining related information based on the encoded data. As such, this information may be provided to the processing apparatus to further improve the degree of automation and processing quality of the product component 100.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide an information display member formed on the product component 100. The information display member includes at least one microstructure part 1011. The microstructure part 1011 is formed on the surface of the predetermined region 101 in the product component 100 and includes at least one type of microstructure. The microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts 1102 of the predetermined region 101 except for the microstructure part 1011, so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part 1011 is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts 1012. In this way, the information display member can be operated by the aforementioned identification device 300 to obtain the information embodied by the microstructure part 1011, thereby facilitating the manufacture and traceability of the product component 100 without affecting the user experience.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide a method of processing the product component 100. The method includes using the aforementioned method or the identification device 300 to obtain information on the product component 100, for example, to obtain the information presented by the microstructure 1011 in the predetermined region 101 due to the brightness difference after the predetermined processing. The product component 100 is processed according to the information. In this way, the processing of the product component 100 can be made smoother and it is easier to trace back the product component 1000 without affecting the user’s experience.
Embodiments according to the present disclosure further provide a vehicle window assembly. The vehicle window assembly comprises the product component 100 such as glass mentioned in the preceding text. For the vehicle window assembly with the product component 100, some marks or labels formed by the microstructure parts 1011 for processing and traceability cannot be observed by the naked eyes, so that the tracing back of the manufacturing process of the product component 100 can be facilitated without affecting the user’s experience, to further enhance the quality control of the product component 100.
It should be appreciated that the above detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are merely for illustrating or explaining the principles of the present disclosure, rather than for limiting the present disclosure. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present disclosure should be included within the protection scope of the present disclosure. In the meantime, the claims appended hereto are intended to cover all changes and variations that come within the scope and boundary equivalent to the scope and boundary of claims.

Claims

A product component (100) , comprising:

at least one microstructure part (1011) formed on a surface of a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) and comprising at least one type of microstructure,

wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011) , so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part (1011) is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts (1012) at least during a predetermined time period.
The product component (100) of claim 1, wherein the microstructure comprises at least one of a bump or a recess.
The product component (100) of claim 1, wherein the microstructure part (1011) is configured so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part (1011) and the other part (1012) after predetermined processing exceeds a predetermined degree at least during the predetermined time period, to allow an identification device to obtain information from the predetermined region (101) .
The product component (100) of claim 3, wherein the microstructure part (1011) is invisible before the predetermined processing.
The product component (100) of claim 3, wherein the predetermined processing comprises spraying the predetermined region (101) with the predetermined liquid so that droplets (201) within a predetermined size range are attached to the microstructure part (1011) .
The product component (100) of claim 5, wherein the predetermined processing further comprises irradiating the predetermined region (101) with a dark field light source (301) after spraying the predetermined region (101) .
The product component (100) of claim 5, wherein the microstructure part (1011) is configured such that:

contact angles of the droplets (201) on the microstructure part (1011) and on the other part (1012) are different; and/or

evaporation or volatilization speeds of the droplets (201) on the microstructure part (1011) and the other part (1012) are different.
The product component (100) of claim 3, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the microstructure part (1011) .
The product component (100) of claim 3, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the microstructure part (1011) .
A method of obtaining information from a product component (100) of any one of claims 1-9, comprising:

spraying a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) with a predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure part (1011) of the predetermined region (101) ;

irradiating the predetermined region (101) with a light source (301) , so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part (1011) and other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011) exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period;

acquiring an image of the predetermined region (101) during the predetermined time period.
The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one microstructure part (1011) comprises a plurality of microstructure parts (1011) , and the method further comprises:

obtaining encoded data based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) ; and

obtaining the information based on the encoded data.
The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) .
The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) .
The method of claim 10, wherein the light source (301) comprises a dark field light source (301) .
An identification device for obtaining information from a product component (100) of any one of claims 1-9, comprising:

a spraying apparatus configured to spray a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) with a predetermined liquid so that droplets within a predetermined size range are attached to at least one microstructure part (1011) of the predetermined region (101) ;

a light source (301) configured to irradiate the predetermined region (101) so that a brightness difference between the microstructure part (1011) and other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011) exceeds a predetermined degree at least during a predetermined time period;

an image acquisition device (302) configured to acquire an image of the predetermined region (101) during the predetermined time period.
The identification device of claim 15, the at least one microstructure part (1011) comprises a plurality of microstructure parts (1011) , and the identification device further comprises a data processing device (303) configured to:

obtain encoded data based on an arrangement rule of the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) ; and

obtain the information based on the encoded data.
The identification device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a QR code and a barcode via the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) .
The identification device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined region (101) forms at least one of a pattern and a text via the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) .
The identification device of claim 15, wherein the light source (301) comprises a dark field light source (301) .
A method for processing a product component (100) , comprising:

processing a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) to generate at least one microstructure part (1011) on a surface of the predetermined region (101) , and the microstructure part (1011) comprising at least one type of microstructure,

wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011) , so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part (1011) is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts (1012) at least during the predetermined time period.
The method of claim 20, wherein processing the predetermined region (101) comprises:

performing interface reactions on a plurality of sub-regions in the predetermined region (101) to generate a plurality of microstructure parts (1011) arranged according to a predetermined arrangement rule.
The method of claim 21, wherein the interface reactions comprise at least one of heavy ion transfer, micro-etching and coating.
The method of claim 20, wherein the microstructure part (1011) is configured such that:

contact angles of the droplets (201) on the microstructure part (1011) and on the other part (1012) are different; and/or

evaporation or volatilization speeds of the droplets (201) on the microstructure part (1011) and the other part (1012) are different.
The method of claim 20, wherein the microstructure part (1011) is configured such that:

shapes and sizes of the droplets (201) in the microstructure part (1011) and in the other part (1012) are different at least during the predetermined time period.
The method of claim 21, wherein processing the predetermined region (101) comprises:

applying a first paint to a plurality of sub-regions in the predetermined region (101) to generate the plurality of microstructure parts (1011) ; and/or

applying a second paint to the other multiple sub-regions in the predetermined region (101) to generate the other parts (1012) .
An information display member formed on a product component, comprising:

at least one microstructure part (1011) formed on a surface of a predetermined region (101) of the product component (100) and comprising at least one type of microstructure,

wherein the microstructure is configured to have a binding capacity with a predetermined liquid different from other parts (1012) of the predetermined region (101) except for the microstructure part (1011) , so that a form of the predetermined liquid present on the microstructure part (1011) is different from a form of the predetermined liquid present on the other parts (1012) at least during the predetermined time period.
A method of processing a product component (100) , comprising:

using a method of any one of claims 10-14 to obtain information from the product component (100) ; and

processing the product component (100) according to the information.
A vehicle window assembly, comprising a product component (100) of any one of claims 1-9.