# US 11,305,706 B2 · Vehicle appliques

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- Number: US 11,305,706 B2
- Document ID: US11305706B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/426,344
- Filed: 2019-05-30
- Published: 2020-12-03
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Paul Kenneth Dellock; Richard Gall; David Brian Glickman; Stuart C. Salter; Cornel Lewis Gardner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305706B2

## CPC

- B60R 13/04: {External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12)}
- G02B 5/1809: {with pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength}
- G02B 5/1852: {using mechanical means, e.g. ruling with diamond tool, moulding}
- G02B 5/1857: {using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams}
- G02B 5/1861: {Reflection gratings characterised by their structure, e.g. step profile, contours of substrate or grooves, pitch variations, materials (G02B5/1809, G02B5/1828, G02B5/1833, G02B5/1838 and G02B5/1847 take precedence)}
- G02B 5/32: Holograms used as optical elements
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A vehicle applique includes a base structure and a polymeric coating disposed on the base structure. The polymeric coating at least partially covers an outer surface of the base structure. A diffraction grating is integrally defined by the polymeric coating. The diffraction grating has a thickness in a range of from about 100 nm to about 300 nm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle, comprising:
a window; and
an applique coupled to the window, wherein the applique includes:
a base structure coupled to a surface of the window;
a polymeric coating disposed on the base structure, wherein the polymeric coating at least partially covers an outer surface of the base structure, wherein the polymeric coating is optically clear for transmission of visible light having a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm and has a haze of 10% or less; and
a diffraction grating integrally defined by the polymeric coating, wherein the diffraction grating has a thickness in a range of from about 100 nm to about 300 nm, and wherein at least a portion of the diffraction grating has a blaze angle of at least 15 degrees.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coating includes at least one of polyurethane and polyuria.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating has a period in a range of from about 50 nm to about 5 microns.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating has a period in a range of from about 150 nm to about 400 nm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating defines indicia.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating includes a ruled grating pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating includes a holographic grating pattern.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coating defines a first nano-engraved defining the diffraction grating and a second etched pattern, wherein the thickness of the first nano-engraved pattern is less than a thickness of the second etched pattern.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the base structure defines a second diffraction grating different than the diffraction grating defined by the polymeric coating.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating defines a pattern such that a portion of the polymeric coating has the diffraction grating and a portion of the polymeric coating is free from the diffraction grating.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pattern of the diffraction grating defines characters.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating includes features that are at least one of a ridge, tooth, and groove, and wherein at least a portion of each feature has the blaze angle of at least 15 degrees.