Patent ID: 6666983
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: B32B,B44C,B44F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for providing an article having a visually patterned appearance comprising the steps of:a. providing a substrate that has at least one major surface that reflects visible light, or the substrate transmits visible light, or the at least one major surface reflects visible light and the substrate transmits visible light; b. providing at least one mask over a portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate, the mask having a pattern form to provide a masked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and an unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate; c. providing at least one transparent coating selected from the group of metal-containing coatings and semi-conductor-containing coatings over at least the unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate, comprising: (i) depositing at least one coating by magnetron sputter vacuum deposition, chemical vapor deposition, spray pyrolysis process or sol-gel applications over at least the unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate, wherein the at least one coating is selected from the group of metal oxide coatings, metal nitride coatings, semi-conductor-containing coatings and metal-containing coatings and mixtures thereof; and optionally (ii) heating the at least one coating, the at least one transparent coating having a thickness in the range of fractions of visible light wavelengths to provide at least one interference color when visible light is reflected from the coated unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and/or is transmitted through the coated unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and the substrate; and d. removing the mask to expose uncoated portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate under the mask; wherein color of visible light reflected from the coated unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and/or transmitted through the coated unmasked portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and the substrate is different from color of visible light reflected from the uncoated portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and/or transmitted through the uncoated portion of the at least one major surface of the substrate and the substrate, respectively, to provide the article having a visually patterned appearance.