TW202411689A - Plate with iridescent appearance and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A plate with iridescent appearance includes a transparent substrate; an optical layer disposed over the transparent substrate and including a photopolymer, wherein the optical layer has a plurality of protrusions which make a light source generating a plurality of wavelengths to represent a plurality of colors; and a carrier substrate disposed over the optical layer.

Description

Plate with iridescent appearance and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention relates to a board manufacturing technology, and more particularly to a board with a colorful appearance and a manufacturing method thereof.

In order to increase recognition, logos are usually printed on products, such as using a printing process to print patterns or brands on mouse pads or laptops. However, the current printing process is difficult to present a multi-color change effect and the complexity of the process increases as the number of required colors increases. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the sheet material and its manufacturing method to efficiently manufacture sheets with a colorful appearance.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plate having a colorful appearance is provided, which includes a transparent substrate; an optical layer disposed above the transparent substrate and comprising a photopolymer, wherein the optical layer has a plurality of protrusions so that a light source generates a plurality of wavelengths to present a plurality of colors; and a carrier substrate disposed above the optical layer.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a plate having a colorful appearance is provided, which includes forming a coating on a transparent substrate, wherein the coating includes a photopolymer; placing a nanoimprint template above the coating to imprint the coating, wherein the coating has a plurality of protrusions contacting the nanoimprint template; curing the coating to form an optical layer; removing the nanoimprint template; and setting a carrier substrate above the optical layer.

Some embodiments are summarized below so that those with ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs can more easily understand the present invention. However, these embodiments are only examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. It is understood that those with ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs can adjust the embodiments described below as needed, such as changing the process sequence and/or including more or less steps than described herein, and these adjustments do not exceed the scope of the present invention.

In addition, other elements may be added on the basis of the embodiments described below. For example, the description of "forming a second element on a first element" may include an embodiment in which the first element and the second element are in direct contact, and may also include an embodiment in which there are other elements between the first element and the second element so that the first element and the second element are not in direct contact, and the upper and lower relationship between the first element and the second element may change as the device is operated or used in different orientations. In addition, the present invention may repeatedly refer to numbers and/or letters in different embodiments. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity, and is not used to indicate the relationship between the different embodiments discussed.

The following describes a plate with a colorful appearance and a manufacturing method thereof according to some embodiments of the present invention, and is particularly suitable for the outer shell of electronic products. The present invention sets a plurality of protrusions on a surface of the optical layer, and the light source is refracted by the protrusions to produce a variety of wavelengths to present a colorful effect. The following will be described with diamond-shaped diamond-shaped protrusions, and in other embodiments, it can also be a circle, triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon and other geometric shapes, which are not limited here.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a sheet 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Additional components may be added to the sheet 100. Some components described below may be replaced or eliminated for different embodiments. To simplify the drawing, only a portion of the sheet 100 is shown.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , the bottom surface of the plate 100 extends along a first direction D1, and the plate 100 includes an adhesive layer 102, a protective layer 104, a glue layer 106, a base color layer 108, an optical layer 110, a light-transmitting substrate 112, and an anti-glare film 114 stacked along a second direction D2. The first direction D1 is different from the second direction D2. The first direction D1 may be substantially perpendicular to the second direction D2, for example, the angle between the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may be about 90 degrees. The base color layer 108 and the anti-glare film 114 are optional, and the base color layer 108 and/or the anti-glare film 114 may not be provided depending on the desired appearance effect.

According to some embodiments, the adhesive layer 102 is used to adhere the sheet 100 to a carrier substrate (not shown). The carrier substrate can be a product housing, such as a mouse pad or a body or similar products. The adhesive layer 102 can be made of a polymer, such as epoxy resin, hydrogel, PET glue (polyethylene terephthalate), hot-pressed glue, or optical glue.

According to some embodiments, the adhesive layer 102 is formed on the protective layer 104 by a coating process or any suitable process. The surface of the protective layer 104 opposite to the adhesive layer 102 can contact the base color layer 108 or the optical layer 110 (when the base color layer 108 is not present) to prevent the base color layer 108 or the optical layer 110 from being damaged. The protective layer 104 can include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a polyester material, a similar substrate, or a combination thereof, and the thickness can be about 0.1 mm to about 2.0 mm. The glass substrate can be 0.4 mm to 1.0 mm thick, the plastic substrate can be, for example, an acrylic substrate with a surface hardness of 3H or more, and the thickness can be 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and the polyester material (such as PET) can be 0.125 to 0.375 mm thick.

According to some embodiments, the adhesive layer 106 is disposed on the protective layer 104 to bond the base color layer 108 or the optical layer 110 to the protective layer 104. The adhesive layer 106 may include optical adhesive, which may be made of a polymer such as epoxy resin, hydrogel, PET glue (polyethylene terephthalate), hot-pressed adhesive, or optical adhesive, etc.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , the base color layer 108 is disposed above the adhesive layer 106. The side of the base color layer 108 that contacts the optical layer 110 may have a plurality of protrusions (diamond-shaped protrusions), while the side that is away from the optical layer 110 may be flat. As mentioned above, the base color layer 108 may not be disposed according to the desired appearance effect. In the embodiment where the base color layer 108 is not disposed, the side of the adhesive layer 106 that contacts the optical layer 110 has a plurality of diamond-shaped protrusions.

The base color layer 108 may be a metal layer, an ink layer, a similar film layer, or a combination thereof. When the base color layer 108 includes a metal layer, a mirror-like effect and a metallic color may be presented. In some embodiments, the metal layer may be light-transmissive, and its light transmittance may be about 10% to about 20%, for example, about 10% to about 12%. If the light transmittance of the metal layer is less than 10%, the metallic luster cannot be presented under a general light source. In some embodiments, the metal layer includes aluminum, silver, tin, copper, chromium, chromium-iron alloy, chromium-cobalt alloy, chromium-nickel alloy, chromium-copper alloy, a similar material, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the thickness of the metal layer may be about 0.001 mm to about 0.1 mm, such as about 0.01 mm to about 0.02 mm. The metal layer may be formed by sputtering, evaporation, ion plating, color plating, hydroplating, similar methods or combinations thereof.

When the base color layer 108 includes an ink layer, the ink layer can be formed by screen printing, inkjet printing, similar methods, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the thickness of the ink layer is about 7 μm to about 12 μm.

According to some embodiments, the optical layer 110 is disposed above the base color layer 108. The optical layer 110 may include a photopolymer. The thickness of the optical layer 110 may be about 5 μm to about 8 μm. According to some embodiments, the optical layer 110 has a plurality of rhombus protrusions corresponding to the rhombus protrusions of the base color layer 108.

When the light passes through the rhombus protrusions, the light is refracted to generate multiple wavelengths to present multiple colors, thereby making the plate 100 present a colorful appearance. Compared with using a printing process to form multiple colors, the colors generated by the refraction of the light source can increase the color saturation. Compared with using a sputtering process to form multiple colors, the process of adjusting the surface shape of the optical layer 110 has a higher yield and can reduce costs.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the optical layer 110 according to some embodiments. To simplify the diagram, only a portion of the optical layer 110 is shown. As shown in FIG. 2 , the optical layer 110 may include a plurality of rhombus protrusions 200 .

Although the diamond-shaped protrusions 200 in FIG. 2 have substantially the same shape and size, the optical layer 110 may have diamond-shaped protrusions 200 of different shapes and/or sizes according to the desired appearance effect. For example, the optical layer 110 may have multiple regions, and the diamond-shaped protrusions 200 in each region have substantially the same shape and/or size, but the diamond-shaped protrusions 200 in one region and another region have different shapes and/or sizes.

FIG. 3A shows a top view of a diamond-shaped protrusion 200 according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A, each diamond-shaped protrusion 200 is adjacent to another diamond-shaped protrusion 200 at each edge S1. Adjacent diamond-shaped protrusions 200 may be adjacent to each other, or edges S1 of adjacent diamond-shaped protrusions 200 may have grooves separating them from each other due to mold stamping.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A , the diamond-shaped protrusion 200 has a width W along the first direction D1, the width W is about 1.0 mm to about 1.6 mm, and has a length L along the third direction D3, the length L is about 2 mm to about 2.5 mm. The third direction D3 is different from the first direction D1 and the second direction D2. The third direction D3 can be substantially perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2, for example, the angle between the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 can be about 90 degrees.

FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of a diamond-shaped protrusion 200 according to some embodiments of the present invention. According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3B , the diamond-shaped protrusion 200 has a height H along the second direction D2, the height H is about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm, and the angle A1 between the side wall S2 and the bottom surface S3 can be about 6 degrees to about 15 degrees.

Please refer back to FIG. 1. According to some embodiments, a transparent substrate 112 is disposed above the optical layer 110. The transparent substrate 112 may include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a similar substrate, or a combination thereof. The plastic substrate may be, for example, an acrylic substrate having a surface hardness of 5H or more. The light transmittance of the transparent substrate 112 may be about 10% to about 20%. The thickness of the transparent substrate 112 may be about 0.1 mm to about 2.0 mm.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , an anti-glare film 114 is disposed above the light-transmitting substrate 112. The anti-glare film 114 may include a resin and particles. The method of forming the anti-glare film 114 may include applying a material of the anti-glare film 114 above the light-transmitting substrate 112, and then drying and curing it. The thickness of the anti-glare film 114 may be about 0.001 mm to about 0.01 mm. The anti-glare film is optional, and may not be provided depending on product requirements.

According to some embodiments, an anti-fingerprint coating film (not shown) may be provided on the anti-glare film 114. As mentioned above, the anti-glare film 114 may not be provided depending on the desired appearance. In embodiments where the anti-glare film 114 is not provided, an anti-fingerprint coating film may be provided on the light-transmitting substrate 112. The anti-fingerprint coating film is optional and may not be provided depending on product requirements.

According to some embodiments, the anti-fingerprint coating film comprises a fluoride, such as a metal fluoride, a polymer fluoride, a similar material, or a combination thereof. The anti-fingerprint coating film may be formed by sputtering, evaporation, ion plating, a similar method, or a combination thereof. The thickness of the anti-fingerprint coating film may be about 0.001 mm to about 0.01 mm.

Figures 4A to 4D illustrate cross-sectional views of various stages of manufacturing a sheet material according to some embodiments of the present invention. Additional steps may be added to the following steps. For different embodiments, some of the steps described below may be replaced or eliminated. To simplify the diagram, only a portion of the sheet material is shown.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4A , a nanoimprint template 302 having a plurality of rhombus protrusions is provided. The nanoimprint template 302 may include a quartz mold or any suitable material.

Then, according to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4B , an optical layer 306 is formed on the substrate 304, and a photocurable material layer 308 is formed on the optical layer 306. The substrate 304 may be similar to the light-transmitting substrate 112 in FIG. 1 , and the optical layer 306 may be similar to the optical layer 110 in FIG. 1 , which will not be described in detail for simplicity. The photocurable material layer 308 may be formed by a coating process or any suitable process. The thickness of the photocurable material layer 308 may be about 0.05 mm to about 0.1 mm.

Then, according to some embodiments, the nanoimprint template 302 is brought into contact with the photocurable material layer 308 to transfer the rhombus protrusions of the nanoimprint template 302 to the photocurable material layer 308. The contact time may be about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds, and the ambient temperature may be about 18 degrees to about 20 degrees.

Then, according to some embodiments, light is irradiated to cure the photocurable material layer 308. The light source may be, for example, ultraviolet light, X-rays, electron beams, similar light sources, or a combination thereof, wherein ultraviolet light is preferably used.

Then, according to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4C , the nanoimprint template 302 is removed. In some embodiments, the nanoimprint template 302 is fixed and the substrate 304 is moved away from the nanoimprint template 302 to separate the two. In other embodiments, the nanoimprint template 302 is fixed and the substrate 304 is moved away from the nanoimprint template 302 to separate the two. In still other embodiments, the nanoimprint template 302 and the substrate 304 are moved in opposite directions to separate the two.

Then, according to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4D , the photocurable material layer 308 is etched and the diamond-shaped protrusions are transferred to the underlying optical layer 306. The etching process may include a dry etching process using an etching gas or any suitable process.

Next, referring to FIG. 1 and the description above, an anti-glare film, an anti-fingerprint coating film, a similar film layer, or a combination thereof may be disposed below the substrate 304, and a carrier substrate, an adhesive layer, a protective layer, a glue layer, a base color layer, a similar film layer, or a combination thereof may be disposed above the optical layer 306.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of a sheet 400 according to some embodiments of the present invention. The sheet 400 may have a first region 402 and a second region 404, wherein the interface between the first region 402 and the second region 404 forms a logo. In some embodiments, an optical layer having diamond-shaped protrusions is provided in the first region 402 to present a colorful appearance, while the second region 404 presents a non-colorful background. In other embodiments, an optical layer having diamond-shaped protrusions is provided in the second region 404 to present a colorful appearance, while the first region 402 presents a non-colorful background. In still other embodiments, optical layers having diamond-shaped protrusions of different shapes are provided in the first region 402 and the second region 404 to present different colorful appearances.

In summary, the embodiment of the present invention provides an optical layer with multiple diamond-shaped protrusions. After the light source passes through the diamond-shaped protrusions, it is refracted to produce multiple wavelengths to present multiple colors, thereby making the plate present a colorful appearance. Compared with using a printing process to form multiple colors, the colors produced by the refraction of the light source have better color saturation. Compared with using a sputtering process to form multiple colors, the process yield of the embodiment of the present invention is higher and the cost can be reduced.

The above overview of the components of several embodiments enables those skilled in the art to better understand the various aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that they can easily design or modify other processes and structures based on the embodiments of the present invention to achieve the same purpose and/or advantages as the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art should also understand that such equivalent structures do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention, and that they can make various changes, substitutions and adjustments without violating the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

100: Plate 102: Adhesive layer 104: Protective layer 106: Glue layer 108: Base color layer 110: Optical layer 112: Translucent substrate 114: Anti-glare film 200: Diamond ridges 302: Nano-imprint template 304: Substrate 306: Optical layer 308: Photocurable material layer 310: Light 400: Plate 402: First zone 404: Second zone D1: First direction D2: Second direction D3: Third direction H: Height L: Length S1: Edge S2: Sidewall S3: Bottom surface W: Width

The following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings will provide a better understanding of the aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be emphasized that, according to standard industry practices, many components are not drawn to scale. In fact, in order to clearly discuss, the sizes of various components may be arbitrarily increased or decreased. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a plate according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a top view of an optical layer according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a top view of a portion of an optical layer according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of an optical layer according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D show cross-sectional views of various stages of manufacturing a plate according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a top view of a plate according to some embodiments of the present invention.

100: Plate

102: Adhesive layer

104: Protective layer

106: Adhesive layer

108: Base color layer

110: Optical layer

112: Translucent substrate

114: Anti-glare film

D1: First direction

D2: Second direction

Claims (15)

A plate with a colorful appearance, comprising: a light-transmitting substrate; an optical layer disposed on the light-transmitting substrate and comprising a photopolymer; wherein the optical layer has a plurality of protrusions, and the protrusions enable a light source to generate a plurality of wavelengths to present a plurality of colors; and a carrier substrate disposed on the optical layer. The plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 1 further includes a base color layer arranged between the optical layer and the carrier substrate. A plate material with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom surface of the base color layer has a shape corresponding to the protrusions, and the base color layer has a flat top surface. The sheet material with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base color layer is a metal layer, an ink layer or a combination thereof. The plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 1 further includes a protective layer disposed between the optical layer and the carrier substrate; wherein the protective layer includes a glass substrate, a plastic substrate or a combination thereof. A plate with a iridescent appearance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the optical layer is 5 μm to 8 μm. The plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 1 further includes an anti-glare film arranged under the transparent substrate. As for the plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 1, the light-transmitting substrate includes a glass substrate, a plastic substrate or a combination of the foregoing. A method for manufacturing a plate with a colorful appearance, comprising: forming a coating on a transparent substrate, wherein the coating comprises a photopolymer; placing a nano-imprint template above the coating to imprint the coating; wherein the coating has a plurality of protrusions contacting the nano-imprint template; curing the coating to form an optical layer; removing the nano-imprint template; and setting a carrier substrate above the optical layer. The method for manufacturing a plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 9 further includes forming a base color layer above the optical layer; wherein the bottom surface of the base color layer has a shape corresponding to the protrusions, and the base color layer has a flat top surface. A method for manufacturing a sheet material with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base color layer is a metal layer, an ink layer or a combination thereof. The method for manufacturing a plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 10 further includes attaching a protective layer on top of the base color layer; wherein the protective layer includes a glass substrate, a plastic substrate or a combination of the foregoing. The method for manufacturing a plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 9 further includes: forming an anti-glare film on the side of the transparent substrate opposite to the optical layer; and forming an anti-fingerprint coating film on the anti-glare film. A method for manufacturing a plate with a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the light-transmitting substrate comprises a glass substrate, a plastic substrate or a combination thereof. A method for manufacturing a plate having a colorful appearance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thickness of the optical layer is 5 μm to 8 μm.

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