TWI452175B - Method for coloring a surface of article in a light-induced manner - Google Patents

Description

Photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece

The invention relates to a photochromic method for a surface of a workpiece, in particular to a method for illuminating a surface of a workpiece with light, and destroying molecules of the color layer by light, thereby causing different colors of the surface of the workpiece.

Today's portable electronic products are very popular, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, computers and so on. Consumers are paying more and more attention to their appearance, so the housings of various electronic products usually have a shiny surface, especially a metal surface, which is usually subjected to various procedures to make it have an attractive smooth surface and gloss.

In order to color the surface of the casing, a currently known technique has a method of forming an oxide film on a metal surface by anodizing to produce a color. This method is limited to a single color, and it is not easy to produce gradation or multi-color changes. The oxide film produced by the anodizing process may have different colors depending on the thickness, and the thickness is determined by many factors such as electrolyte concentration, voltage and current intensity, and electrolysis time, etc., if an oxide film of different thickness is formed or the dyeing method is changed. It is actually very difficult to produce different colors on the same casing.

At present, in order to process the same aluminum type workpiece into two colors, the material workpiece is sprayed twice by the film type. After the first painting and curing, the film must be covered with a part of the film, another part is sprayed, and then the film is peeled off. In order to get two colors. However, the above process is cumbersome and time consuming, and the film is likely to affect the quality of the paint, and the paint also affects the metal texture of the surface of the workpiece.

Therefore, how to produce different colors or gradient colors on the surface of the casing, and to have metallic luster and metallic touch is a problem to be solved by the present invention.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a photochromic method for the surface of a workpiece, which produces different colors or gradation colors on the surface of the workpiece, and has metallic luster and metallic touch.

In order to solve the above technical problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a photochromic method for a surface of a workpiece is provided, comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a workpiece;

(b) forming a color layer on the surface of the workpiece;

(c) placing the workpiece having the color layer on a platform;

(d) providing a light source disposed above the workpiece;

(e) providing light from the source to illuminate the surface of the workpiece for a predetermined period of time to cause a change in color of the layer.

The present invention has at least the following advantageous effects. The present invention irradiates light on the surface of the workpiece (housing) to produce different colors or gradient colors, and can maintain the metallic luster and metallic touch of the metal casing without damaging the surface thereof. Smooth.

In order to further understand the technology, method and effect of the present invention in order to achieve the intended purpose, reference should be made to the detailed description and drawings of the present invention. The drawings and the annexed drawings are intended to be illustrative and not to limit the invention.

[First Embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic structural view of a first embodiment of a photochromic method on a surface of a workpiece according to the present invention. The first embodiment of the photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of the present invention comprises at least the following main steps: step (a), providing a workpiece 20; and step (b) forming a color layer 200 on the surface of the workpiece 20, the color The layer 200 may be a simple background color or include at least one color; in step (c), the workpiece 20 having the color layer 200 is placed on a platform 40. In this embodiment, the workpiece 20 is placed horizontally; d), providing a light source 10, disposed above the workpiece 20; the light source 10 may be ultraviolet light, laser or infrared; step (e), providing at least one shield between the light source 10 and the workpiece 20; And step (f), providing light from the light source 10, and irradiating the surface of the workpiece 20 through the at least one shielding member 30 for a predetermined time.

The workpiece 20 described above may be made of a metal material and may serve as a housing for an electronic product. In the step (a) of providing the workpiece, the step of cleaning the workpiece 20 may be further included, such as degreasing, that is, removing grease or dirt on the surface of the workpiece; after degreasing, further alkali etching may be performed. In order to remove the natural oxidation of the surface of the workpiece and expose the workpiece to a pure metal substrate, the formation of the anodic film is facilitated and a higher quality film layer is obtained. Subsequent chemical polishing (chemical polishing), chemical etching or chemical etching, and surface cleaning may be used. Chemical polishing is to chemically improve the surface flatness, increase the surface gloss of the metal substrate, and obtain a brighter surface; pear ground is to increase the surface roughness to achieve matte surface or similar to sandblasting effect; pickling is for removing before After the treatment, the residual ash on the surface of the workpiece, and the removal of the chemical agent remaining in the previous process, the most important thing is to increase the cleanliness of the surface of the workpiece to facilitate the anodizing process.

In the step (b) of forming the color layer, the workpiece 20 is used as the casing of the electronic device, and the casing is made of aluminum. The color layer 200 on the surface thereof may preferably be anodized dyeing technology, including (b1) anodizing, (b2) dyeing, and (b3) sealing treatment.

In the above anodizing treatment, first, the aluminum workpiece is immersed in an electrolytic solution as an anode. The electrolyte solution may be an acid electrolyte. For example, the electrolyte can be a sulfuric acid solution. After the anode treatment, the surface of the workpiece 20 is oxidized to form an anodized film. The anodized film is composed of a plurality of hexagonal unit cells perpendicular to the metal surface, each of which has a film hole in the center of the unit cell and has a strong adsorption force. . After the anodizing, water washing is performed to clean the surface of the workpiece 20.

The dyeing is to immerse the oxidized aluminum workpiece in the dye solution, and the dye molecules enter the film pores of the oxide film by diffusion, and form covalent bonds and ionic bonds which are difficult to separate from the oxide film.

Sealing treatment, such as steam sealing, hot water sealing, and medium temperature sealing, in order to fix the dye in the film hole, the same resistance to increase the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the oxide film.

After sealing, the workpiece 20 can further be desmuted to remove residual sealing liquid on the surface of the workpiece and remove surface impurities; air is blown to dry excess water to avoid leaving water on the surface of the workpiece after drying. Trace; dry to keep the surface of the workpiece dry.

In step (d), a light source 10 may also be provided on the side of the workpiece 20 to illuminate the sides of the workpiece 20, as desired.

In step (e), the shielding member 30 may be a shielding portion having a different degree of shielding, thereby shielding different degrees of light from reaching the workpiece 20, such as a looser shielding portion 301 or a tighter shielding portion 302, in practical applications. The shielding member can be a screen, a filter or a glass sheet. If the screen is formed on the screen, different levels of density can be formed by forming different dense meshes. Alternatively, a different dense metal film may be plated on the surface of the filter or the glass sheet to form a mask having different degrees of density. The shield member is preferably made of a heat-resistant material to withstand the heat generated in the step (f).

In the present invention, the color layer 200 of the workpiece 20 is caused to change in color by the irradiation of light. The principle of utilization is that when light of a specific wavelength is transmitted through the shielding member 30 to the surface of the workpiece 20 for a predetermined time, a certain amount of light energy is accumulated, and the light destroys the molecules of the color layer 200, causing the color to change. light. The light may be ultraviolet, infrared or laser light, such as near (near, 300-400 nm), medium-range (middle, 280-315 nm) or remote (far, 100-280 nm) ultraviolet light, wherein the shorter the ultraviolet wavelength, The stronger the energy intensity, the shorter the time it takes. The ultraviolet light source is usually a lamp tube or a light-emitting diode (UV LED). The lamp tube is suitable for large-area illumination applications, and the light-emitting diode is suitable for small-area local illumination applications; the laser light source usually has a small illumination range and is suitable for local illumination. use. Further, by means of the shielding member 30 having differently dense shielding portions, the degree of different shielding is caused, so that a gradation effect such as a lighter color 201 and a darker color 202 can be formed on the surface of the workpiece 20.

In this embodiment, the accumulated light energy only needs to reach the fading which can be observed by the naked eye. For example, a purple light source with a wavelength of 365 nm, an energy of 125 mW/cm 2 , and a workpiece with aluminum as a substrate, The distance of 28 cm, irradiated for 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes, respectively, allows the anodized color layer to produce a sufficiently visual change in color. The above color changes, in light sources with higher energy, or shorter wavelengths, or shorter distances, can shorten the time of discoloration. The fading conditions of the present invention were tested at a wavelength of 254 nm, and the effect of discoloration was produced when the cumulative light energy reached 96,000 millijoules (mJ). When mating the shields 30 having different degrees of shading (e.g., gradation), the surface of the workpiece can be tapered.

In addition, in this embodiment, an opaque mask 304 may be further included, and the mask 304 partially covers the surface of the workpiece 20. The mask 304 itself may have a pattern, such as "A" as shown in Figure 1, which may be applied to a trademark pattern of an electronic product. After the illumination of the light is completed, the mask 304 is removed. The mask 304 may be an opaque object such as a tape, a peelable glue, or a masking member for placement on the workpiece 20. The peelable glue is characterized by low cost, simple operation and no residual marks. One way is to form a mask 304 on the workpiece 20 by means of a peelable glue (Peelable Mask) and print it into a pattern. The peelable glue is often applied to the part to be protected by the printed circuit board, and is a liquid protective ink. After the peelable glue is printed, the drying step can be performed to form the peelable glue into a film shape. The masking member can be made of a material that is resistant to light and is used repeatedly, such as a logo made of metal.

The mask 304 can be used alone, and is covered by the mask 304. The primary color of the color layer 200 is present without being damaged by light, and a pattern is formed according to the shape of the mask 304, such as A in the drawing, but not The hidden area allows the workpiece 20 to produce an additional lighter color. The above-mentioned mask 304 can also be used together with the shielding member 30, and at the same time has a full gradation effect and a partial effect of generating a pattern.

[Second Embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which is a schematic structural view of a second embodiment of a photochromic method on the surface of a workpiece of the present invention.

This embodiment differs from the foregoing in that a pair of shielding members 30a, 30b on the side of the workpiece 20 are provided, and a pair of side light sources 10a, 10b are located outside the pair of shielding members 30a, 30b. The side of the workpiece 20 is also formed with a gradation effect. The shield referred to herein, as described above, may be a screen, a filter or a glass sheet. In order to fix the side cover members 30a, 30b and the top cover member 30, the embodiment further provides a frame type fixing member 32 for detachably fixing the shielding members 30, 30a, 30b to the fixing member 32. .

Compared to FIG. 1, this embodiment produces a full range of gradation discoloration effects on the surface of the workpiece 20.

[Third embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a structural schematic view of a third embodiment of a photochromic method on the surface of a workpiece of the present invention. The third embodiment includes the following steps:

(a) providing a workpiece 20;

(b) forming a color layer on the surface of the workpiece 20;

(c) placing the workpiece 20 having the color layer on a support frame 50; in this embodiment, the workpiece 20 is obliquely placed, and the support frame 50 forms an inclined surface to allow the workpiece 20 to be placed obliquely, and the support frame The 50 may be triangular or L-shaped to form an inclined surface on which the workpiece 20 can be placed.

(d) providing a light source 10 disposed above the workpiece 20;

(e) Light is supplied from the light source 10 to illuminate the surface of the workpiece 20 for a predetermined period of time.

The difference between this embodiment and the foregoing embodiment is that the workpiece 20 is disposed obliquely without the need for a shield member, and is directly irradiated to the surface of the workpiece 20 for a predetermined period of time. However, due to the tilting of the workpiece 20, the surface of the workpiece 20 has a different distance from the light source 10, such as a shorter first distance D1 and a longer second distance D2. By different distances, the intensity of the light illuminating the workpiece 20 produces a strong difference, receiving a stronger light energy at a shorter first distance D1 to produce a light color 201 effect, while at a longer second distance A weaker light energy is received at D2 to produce a dark color 202 effect.

The advantage of this embodiment is that it is more cost-effective, and different positions of the workpiece 20 can be received with different light energy without the need for a shield, so that the surface of the workpiece 20 can produce a gradation effect.

Of course, the embodiment may further include providing a mask (not shown) and partially covering the surface of the workpiece with the mask.

If the sides of the workpiece 20 also need to be discolored, a light source can also be provided on the side of the workpiece 20.

[Fourth embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic view showing a fourth embodiment of the photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of the present invention. Compared with the above embodiment, the present invention provides an adjustable angle support frame 50', which includes a carrier plate 51 and a bottom plate 52 pivotally connected to the carrier plate 51. The carrier plate 51 is formed with a workpiece 20. Inclined surface. In this embodiment, a hinge device 54 is connected to the carrier plate 51 and the bottom plate 52, so that the angle θ between the carrier plate 51 and the bottom plate 52 can be adjusted. A support member can be disposed between the carrier plate 51 and the bottom plate 52 as necessary.

Another feature of this embodiment is that it further includes a rotary table 60 located below the support frame 50', and the rotary table 60 is rotatable relative to the platform 40 to allow the workpiece 20 to be rotated. In conjunction with the rotary table 60, the carrier plate 51 of the present embodiment may further be provided with a pair of clamping members 512 for clamping on both sides of the workpiece 20 to prevent the workpiece 20 from rocking during rotation.

[Fifth Embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is a schematic view showing a fifth embodiment of the photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece of the present invention. This embodiment shows that the present invention can fix the workpiece 20 and move the light source 10d. The moving light source 10d can also form a different degree of illumination on the surface of the workpiece 20 to produce a color change effect. The light source 10d may be externally attached with a cover 12 to limit the range of illumination of the light. In particular, the distance between the light source 10d and the workpiece 20 in the figure is only a schematic illustration, and may actually be closer to the workpiece 20.

In this embodiment, a pair of rails 34 may be further provided to move the light source 10d along the rails 34. It is of course possible to provide a power mechanism for moving the light source 10d, such as a motor, etc., or by using a computer to control the movement thereof. For example, the moving speed V of the light source 10d can be moved slowly in some places to lengthen the irradiation time, so that the degree of photochromism is large; the light source 10d can also move faster to reduce the irradiation time and reduce the degree of photochromism. .

The invention can also adjust the control of the light source to change the energy of the output, for example, the current of the light source, the frequency of the light, the pulse width, the illumination time, etc. can be adjusted to adjust the output energy of the light to control the degree of discoloration.

[Sixth embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 6, which is a schematic view showing a sixth embodiment of the photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece of the present invention. This embodiment provides a shielding layer 30e disposed on the surface or above the workpiece 20 to completely shield the workpiece 20. The shielding layer 30e is provided with a partial hollow portion 305, as shown in the figure. The shielding layer 30e may be a light-shielding plate body, such as a metal plate or other plate body, and may be used repeatedly; or may be peelable glue as described above. This embodiment utilizes a local light source 10e, which may be, for example, a laser, an infrared or an ultraviolet light emitting diode, and illuminates only the hollow portion 305. This example illustrates that the present invention can be applied to local light sources under certain application conditions without the need for comprehensive illumination. The distance between the light source 10e, the shielding layer 30e, and the workpiece 20 can be adjusted depending on the required conditions.

Therefore, the photochromic method through the surface of the workpiece of the present invention has at least the following features and functions. The invention illuminates the surface of the workpiece (housing) with light to produce different colors or gradient colors, and can maintain its metallic luster and metallic touch on the metal casing without damaging the smoothness of its surface. The invention has a short manufacturing time and is suitable for mass production.

However, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and thus the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the equivalent technical changes of the present specification and the contents of the drawings are all included in the present invention. Within the scope of the agreement, Chen Ming.

10, 10a, 10b, 10d, 10e. . . light source

12. . . Cover

20. . . Workpiece

200. . . Color layer

201, 202. . . colour

30, 30a, 30b. . . Shield

30e‧‧‧shading layer

305‧‧‧镂空部

32‧‧‧Fixed parts

34‧‧‧ Track

301, 302‧‧ ‧ shelter

304‧‧‧ mask

40‧‧‧ platform

50, 50’‧‧‧ support frame

512‧‧‧Clamping parts

52‧‧‧floor

54‧‧‧Hinge device

60‧‧‧Rotating table

D1, D2‧‧‧ distance

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a first embodiment of a photochromic method on the surface of a workpiece of the present invention.

2 is a schematic view showing the structure of a second embodiment of the photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of a third embodiment of the photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the structure of a fourth embodiment of the photochromic method on the surface of the workpiece of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a fifth embodiment of a photochromic method of the surface of a workpiece of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic view showing a sixth embodiment of the photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of the present invention.

10. . . light source

20. . . Workpiece

200. . . Color layer

201, 202. . . colour

30. . . Shield

301, 302. . . Mesh

304. . . Mask

40. . . platform

Claims (16)

A photochromic method for a surface of a workpiece, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a workpiece; (b) forming a color layer on the surface of the workpiece by anodizing dyeing; (c) placing the layer having the color layer The workpiece is on a platform; (d) providing a light source disposed above the workpiece; and (e) providing light from the light source to illuminate the surface of the workpiece for a predetermined time to cause the color of the color layer The light is destroyed by the illumination, and a change in color is produced. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the color layer comprises: (b1) anodizing, immersing the workpiece in an electrolyte as an anode to form an anodized film; (b2) Dyeing, immersing the oxidized workpiece in a dye solution to cause the dye to enter the pores of the oxide film; and (b3) sealing the film to fix the dye in the pores of the film. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the light source is ultraviolet light, laser light or infrared light. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) is to flatly place the workpiece having the color layer on a platform such that a surface of the workpiece and the light source are Having the same distance and further providing a shield that forms a shield of varying degrees of shading. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 4, wherein the shielding member is a screen, a filter or a glass sheet. Photochromic side of the surface of the workpiece as described in claim 1 Further, an opaque mask is further provided, and the mask is partially covered on the surface of the workpiece, and the mask is removed after the illumination of the light source is completed. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 6, wherein the mask is a tape, a peelable glue, or a masking member. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) is to obliquely place the workpiece having the color layer such that a distance between the surface of the workpiece and the light source is generated. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of claim 8, further comprising providing a support frame on the platform, the support frame having an inclined surface for slanting the workpiece. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 9, wherein the support frame comprises a carrier plate and a bottom plate pivotally connected to the carrier plate, wherein the inclined surface is formed on the carrier plate, and the The angle between the carrier plate and the bottom plate can be adjusted. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of claim 9, further comprising providing a rotary table to carry the support frame and rotate the workpiece. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of shielding members on the side of the workpiece, and a pair of light sources located outside the pair of shielding members. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 12, further comprising a frame type fixing member, wherein the shielding member is detachably fixed to the fixing member. Photochromic side of the surface of the workpiece as described in claim 1 The method further includes fixing the workpiece to move the light source such that the light source forms a different degree of illumination on a surface of the workpiece. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece of claim 1, further comprising providing a masking layer to substantially shield the workpiece, the masking layer being provided with a partial hollow portion, the light source illuminating the hollow portion. The photochromic method of the surface of the workpiece according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting the current of the light source, the frequency of the light, the pulse width and the irradiation time to adjust the output energy of the light to control the degree of discoloration.