Lamp reflector with a barrier coating of a plasma polymer
AssigneeValeo Sylvania L.C.C.
InventorROBERT L. FRAZIER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A no base coat vehicle headlamp reflector can be improved with a plasma deposited layer of a siloxane material. The siloxane layer acts as an barrier layer formed directly on the vehicle reflector. The vehicle headlamp reflector with no base coat, but an barrier layer yields a resin lamp interior protected from upsets in the reflective layer and from outgasing condensate. The lamp reflector coated with plasma polymer of methanol yields a plastic lamp reflector resistant to condensation forming thereon, and resistant to attach by water vapor.
Claims29
A lamp reflector coated with a protective layer of a plasma polymer of a hydrocarbon gas comprising:
- a) a plastic reflector shell having an inner wall defining a reflective surface with a reflective region;
- b) an inner barrier layer formed as a plasma polymer of a hydrocarbon gas on the inner wall, at least in the reflective region;
- c) a reflective layer formed on the inner barrier layer at least in the reflective region;
- d) an outer barrier layer formed on the reflective layer, at least in the reflective region;
- and
- e) a plasma polymer of a hydrocarbon gas formed as a protective anti-fogging layer providing a clear, protective and hydrophobic coating.
The lamp reflector in claim 6, where in the siloxane is HMDSO.
The lamp reflector in claim 9, wherein the adhesion layer is a plasma polymer of TMDSO.
A lamp reflector coated with plasma polymer comprising:
- a) a reflector shell having an inner wall including a reflective region;
- b) an inner barrier layer, formed as a plasma polymer formed from a hydrocarbon gas, deposited at least on the inner wall of the reflector in the reflective region;
- c) a reflective layer, formed on at least the inner barrier layer;
- and
- d) a protective layer, formed over the reflective layer, in at least the reflective region, the protective layer being a plasma polymer formed from a hydrocarbon gas.
A plastic reflector for use with an electric lamp comprising:
- a) a molded plastic reflector formed from with an resin material oxidizable at the normal temperature of lamp operation,
- b) a first barrier layer of plasma polymerized material adhered to the inner surface forming a sufficiently thick layer to block oxygen migration therethrough at the normal temperature of lamp operation to thereby deter oxidation of the resin material;
- c) a reflective layer of deposited metal adhered to the first barrier layer, and
- d) a protective overcoating layer adhered to the reflective layer.
A lamp reflector with barrier layer comprising:
- a) a plastic reflector shell with an interior surface defining a reflector region;
- b) an adhesion layer formed from a plasma polymer of a siloxane deposited directly on the on the reflector region;
- c) an inner barrier layer formed on the adhesion layer, at least in the reflective region;
- d) a reflective layer formed on the inner barrier layer at least in the reflective region;
- and
- e) a single graded outer barrier and environmental layer formed on the reflective layer, as a plasma polymerization of a siloxane formed first at a first energy level with continued forming at a progressively lower plasma energy level.
A lamp reflector with barrier layer comprising:
- a) a plastic reflector shell with an interior surface defining a reflector region;
- b) an inner barrier layer formed on the reflector, at least in the reflective region;
- c) a reflective layer formed on the inner barrier layer at least in the reflective region;
- and
- d) an environmental protective layer formed on the reflective layer, as a plasma polymerization of a siloxane formed low energy level providing a clear, protective and hydrophobic coating.
A lamp reflector with barrier layer comprising:
- a) a plastic reflector shell with an interior surface defining a reflector region;
- b) a reflective layer formed on the inner barrier layer at least in the reflective region;
- and
- c) an environmental protective layer formed on the reflective layer, as a plasma polymerization of a methanol vapor providing a clear, protective and hydrophobic coating.
A method of forming a plastic lamp reflector resistant to condensation thereon comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a reflector shell with a wall defining a cavity with an interior surface;
- b) positioning the reflector shell in a plasma deposition chamber;
- c) plasma depositing a plasma polymer of siloxane on the interior surface as an inner barrier layer;
- d) plasma depositing a reflective metal layer on the inner barrier layer;
- e) plasma depositing a plasma polymer of siloxane on the reflective layer as an outer barrier layer;
- f) plasma depositing a clear, low surface energy, hydrophobic surface layer on outer barrier layer;
- and
- g) retrieving the reflector from the plasma deposition chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.