US3351513A

US3351513A - Light control structure

Info

Publication number: US3351513A
Application number: US314383A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred B Menzer
Original assignee: Kemlite Co Inc
Current assignee: Crane Composites Inc
Priority date: 1963-10-07
Filing date: 1963-10-07
Publication date: 1967-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-07

Description

Noy. 7, 1967 A. B. MENZER 3,351,513

LIGHT CONTROL STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 7, 1963 If", H 2

3 22 2/ VIIII/I/l/II/I/l/I/I/I/I/I/l/I/I/l/I/A INVENTOR.

ALFRED a. ME'NZER United States Patent 3,351,513 LIGHT CONTROL STRUCTURE Alfred B. Menzer, Joliet, Ill., assignor to Kemlite Corporation, Joliet, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 314,383 9 Claims. (Cl. 161-6) This invention relates to a structure for improved light control and for presenting a decorative protected design. More particularly the invention relates to a special panel which may display a decorative design on its outside and which will glow on its inside, which panel is employed in an awning or door or in other structures.

Customarily awnings are made of cloth or metal, usually with a waterproofing or protective coating on their exterior surfaces. The Wood or cloth is opaque in nature and the interior of the awning is inclined to be dark. If it is desired to have a decoration on the exterior this is customarily painted on the surface of the cloth or metal which is to form the exterior panel. But since the design is exposed to the weather it soon becomes indistinct and gives a Worn appearance.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved panel having a light controlling structure which carries a decorative design apparent from the outside and protected from Weathering influences and which at the same time uniformly restricts the transmission of light through the panel. Another object is to provide such a panel wherein the decorative design is below the outside surface of the panel yet clearly distinct when viewed from the outside and which has a uniform layer of pigment embedded therein forming a background for such design and which serves to restrict light transmission through the panel while presenting a glowing effect on the interior of the panel. A further object is to provide such a panel which is strong and tough so as to resist breakage.

The foregoing objects are satisfied by my improved structure one embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved awning structure; FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the improved panel A is mounted over a doorway with its one edge secured to the building and with the side brackets C supporting the panel A in an inclined position. In this embodiment the panel A has printed areas 12 which form a design which is distinctly seen from the outside. Light passes freely to the printed areas 12 and is reflected so as to present a clear design to the viewer, but light rays are uniformly restricted in their passage through the panel and on the interior present a pleasant glow when viewed from the inner or under side of the awning. These functions will be more fully understood after the following more detailed description of the construction of panel A.

As more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, panel A is formed of three principal laminations. The outer sheet and the inner sheet 21 form a pair of fiberglass mats, and the center sheet 22 is a fibrous sheet bearing a uniformly distributed pigment. A design may be printed on the outer side of sheet 22, and in the illustrated embodiment this takes the form of the printed areas 12. In FIGS. 2 and 3 this design is seen as a discontinuous layer.

The printed sheet 22 and the

fiberglass sheets

20 and 21 are assembled with the sheet 22 in the center and with the printing 12 next to the outside sheet 20, and this assembly is dipped in a bath of thermosetting resin, so that each of the sheets, including the center sheet 22 is impregnated with the resin. The assembly of sheets so im- 3,351,513 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 pregnated then may be passed between rollers to squeeze out air and provide a uniform thickness after which the structure is cured by mild heat to set the resin. This provides a unitary panel structure which may be mounted as shown in FIG. 1 with its edge 10 next to a building and with the bracket C at each side for supporting the panel in its inclined position.

In manufacture the resin impregnated sheets may be placed between sheets of regenerated cellulose to protect the rollers from contact with the resin, and after curing the regenerated cellulose sheets are stripped from the panel. Instead of regenerated cellulose sheets I may use sheets of fluorinated hydrocarbon or cellulose acetate.

The resin which is used in this operation may be any resin, but preferably a thermosetting resin, which is capable of being cured or set, including such resins as polyester resins, acrylic resins, acrylic modified polyester resins, and epoxy resins.

The outer and

inner sheets

20 and 21 are preferably of glass fiber mat, but may also be cellulose or synthetic fibers such as nylon or rayon, or both fibrous material. In this fibrous sheet or mat the fibers may be in random arrangement or may be Woven in the form of cloth. I prefer that the resin be selected so as to have substantially the same light refractive qualities as the fibers in each of the

sheets

20, 21 and 22, so that the resulting resin impregnated sheets will when fabricated be translucent with the individual fibers disappearing from view.

The character of the sheet 22 is important to the invention and should be carefully selected. This is a fibrous sheet and preferably is constituted of cellulose fibers in mat or woven condition asin paper or cloth. The paper, cloth or such fibrous structure should contain pigment which, when later deposited in the panel structure as a layer, will restrict the passage of light to the required degree. The pigment should be uniformly distributed within the body of the paper or the like. The pigment particles, such as titanium dioxide, may be of a size within the range of 0.25 to 0.6 micron and preferably Within the range of 0.3 to 0.4 micron. The pigment may be of any color. Preferably the pigment is of a color which as a background will contrast with the color of the ink used in the design layer. For example, the pigment of sheet 22 may be white or of light color when the ink of the design is black or of a dark color.

The art of making paper which contains pigment is well developed, and it is only necessary to select a paper or other fibrous sheet which contains the required density of pigment for use in the present invention. This selection may be made by taking a number of samples of paper having varying degrees of pigment density, impregnating the paper with the resin to be used in practicing the invention, and then testing by passing a beam of light through each of the sample sheets to a light meter, comparing the amount of light which reaches the meter through each of the samples with the amount of light which reaches the meter when no sample sheets are between the light source and the meter. Of course the same distances between light source and the meter must be maintained and the light source must be constant to make the measurements meaningful.

By this or any other suitable method we may select the paper or the like which has contained in it the required amount of pigment. For the purposes of this invention the sheet to be used should pass from 10% to 55% and preferably from 10% to 20% of the light which is directed against it. When the resin has substantially the same light refractive characteristics as the fibers of the sheet being selected the fibers of the sheet become translucent and pass the light without substantial restriction so that the test properly measures the ability of the pigment layer to restrict or transmit light.

When the pigment bearing paper has been selected as above explained, it may be printed upon with ink or may be painted to form the design. As illustrated, the design may take the form of simulated shingles, or it may take the form of any other kind of printing or design. The design may be in black and white or in color as may be desired. The ink which is used may contain pigment or dyes as may be desired. Suitable inks which may be used are vinyl inks, acrylic inks or lacquer inks. It is preferred, particularly when pigment bearing inks are used, that the coating of ink be sufficiently thick that the pigment of the ink, together with the pigment contained in the center sheet 22, does not restrict the transmission of all light, but this condition also may be utilized at localized areas in certain designs. Preferably, the pigment of the printed areas should be of density such that some light, such as 2% or 3%, will pass through the printed areas of the panel.

When the center sheet has been selected for the amount of pigment required as above explained and when the resin is such that it has substantially the same light refractive qualities as the fibers of the sheets I obtain a particularly advantageous panel.

With this construction the light rays from the sun or sky pass through the outer layer 20 of the awning panel and enter the sheet 22 where the fibers are translucent and offer substantially no restriction but where the pigment particles form a substantial restriction to the transmission of light. In passing through this layer of pigment particles the light is reflected between the particles so that from the interior side of the panel the layer appears to glow. Such glow appears clearly on the inside of the panel because the fibers of the inside layer 21 have substantially disappeared from view leaving the layer of pigment particles to glow independently of interference by the cellulose fibers.

With an awning so constructed and having a glow apparent from the interior side of the awning it is clear that the impression of darkness which one usually gets when beneath an awning, is gone, and in its place is the pleasant glow of mild diffused light.

The specially selected center sheet not only serves to uniformly restrict the passage of light rays through the panel, but also serves as a background to the design as seen from the outside. The light from the outside when it passes through the outer layer 20 also reflects both from the pigment in sheet 22 and from the printed portions on the outside of sheet 22, thus to present to the viewer the design against a background. In one sense the background becomes a part of the overall design picture.

With the use of the pigment layer of the center sheet possible to use a discontinuous design such as the pattern illustrated while still avoiding the passage of direct rays of the sun through the unprinted areas of the design which is an unwanted effect.

Referring again to FIG. 1 of the drawing, B designates a door which contains the panels 30. The lowermost or bottom panel 31, which may also be called the kick plate, is constructed in a manner similar to panel A of the awning above door B. Like panel A, panel 31 is formed with fiberglass sheets having between them a paper sheet, the paper sheet containing pigment particles uniformly distributed within its fibers. The paper sheet is so selected that when impregnated with the resin it will pass only from 10% to 55%, and preferably from 10% to 55%, of the light directed against it. On the front side of the paper is a printed design which, as illustrated, contains horizontal striped printed areas 32. The fiberglass sheets and the intermediate paper sheet are impregnated with a resin, such as polyester resin, which has substantially the same light refractive characteristics as the fibers of each of said sheets. When the resin is cured the sheets are all bound together in a unitary structure which is translucent except for the pigment of the paper.

This construction provides a strong structure which resists foot blows, is easily cleaned, and has its decorative design protected from damage. At the same time, some of the light passes through the panel and presents a pleasant glow on the interior of the door.

While this invention has been illustrated and described with respect to specific structures, those skilled in this art will appreciate that many changes may be made, and specific embodiments of the invention may take many forms, all within the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. A panel comprising a pair of fiberglass sheets, and a cellulose fiber center sheet between said fiberglass sheets, said center sheet having pigment particles distributed uniformly therein and having on one side thereof an ink layer in discontinuous distribution on the outer surface of the sheet to form a decorative design, each of said sheets being impregnated with a thermosetting resin and being bound by said resin into a unitary structure, said resin having substantially the same light refractive properties as the fibers of each of said sheets, whereby said panel Will pass in a diffused manner some but not all of the light directed against it from the outside and produce a glow from the inside of the panel wtih said design being distinctly visible from the outside of the panel.

2. A panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pigment particles contained in said center sheet have a density such as to pass therethrough from 10% to 55% of light directed against them.

3. A panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pigment particles contained in said center sheet have a density such as to pass therethrough from 10% to 20% of light directed against them.

4. A light controlling structure comprising a pair of fiberglass sheets, and a cellulose fiber center sheet between said fiberglass sheets, said center sheet having pigment particles distributed uniformly therein and having on the outside thereof a pigmented ink forming a decorative design, each of said sheets being impregnated with a polyester resin and being bound by said resin into a unitary structure, said pigment particles contained in said center sheet having a density such as to pass only 10% to 55% of light directed against them.

5. A light controlling structure comprising a pair of fiber sheets, and a fibrous center sheet between said sheets of said pair, said center sheet having pigment particles contained therein, a printed decorative design between said center sheet and the outside sheet of said pair of sheets, each of said sheets being impregnated with a thermosetting resin and being bound by said resin into a unitary structure, said resin having substantially the same light refractive properties as the fibers of each of said sheets, said pigment particles contained in said center sheet having a density such as to pass from 10% to 55% of the light directed against them.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pigment particles are from 0.25 to 0.6 microns in size and of a density as to pass from 10% to 20% of light directed against them.

7. A decorative light controlling panel comprising a pair of fiberglass sheets, and a cellulose fiber center sheet between said fiberglass sheets, said center sheet containing pigment particles in a density such as to pass from 10% to 55% of light directed against them, a printed decorative design on the side of said center sheet which is adjacent the outer fiberglass sheet of said pair, each of said sheets being impregnated with a thermosetting resin and being bound by said resin into a unitary structure, said resin having light refractive characteristics which are substantially the same as the fibers of said sheets.

8. A decorative light controlling panel comprising a pair of fiberglass sheets, and a paper center sheet between said fiberglass sheets, said paper sheet containing pigment particles uniformly distributed throughout its fibers in a density such as to pass from 10% to 55% of light directed against them, a printed decorative design on one side of said center sheet, each of said sheets being impregnated with a polyester resin and being bound by said resin into a unitary structure, said resin having light refractive characteristics which are substantially the same as the fibers of said sheets.

9. A light controlling structure comprising a pair of fiberglass sheets, and a paper center sheet between said fiberglass sheets, said paper sheet containing pigment particles uniformly distributed throughout its fiber structure and in a density such as to pass from 10% to 55% of light directed against them, each of said sheets being impregnated with a thermosetting resin and being bound by said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,075,429 l/1963 Deddo 161-6 X JACOB H. STEINBERG, Primary Examiner.

0 ALEXANDER WYMAN, Examiner.

Claims

1. A PANEL COMPRISING A PAIR OF FIBERGLASS SHEETS, AND A CELLULOSE FIBER CENTER SHEET BETWEEN SAID FIBERGLASS SHEETS, SAID CENTER SHEET HAVING A PIGMENT PARTICLES DISTRIBUTED UNIFORMLY THEREIN AND HAVING ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AN INK LAYER IN DISCONTINUOUS DISTRIBUTION ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SHEET TO FORM ADECORATIVE DESIGN, EACH OF SAID SHEETS BEING IMPREGNATED WITH A THERMOSETTING RESIN AND BEING BOUND BY SAID RESIN INTO A UNITARY STRUCTURE, SAID RESIN HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LIGHT REFRACTIVE PROPERTIES AS THE FIBERS OF EACH OF SAID SHEETS, WHEREBY SAID PANEL WILL PASS IN A DIFFUSED MANNER SOME BUT NOT ALL OF THE LIGHT DIRECTED AGAINST IT FROM THE OUTSIDE AND PRODUCE A GLOW FROM THE INSIDE OF THE PANEL WITH SAID DESIGN BEING DISTINCTLY VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE PANEL.