US 7,018,057 B2 · Transparent plastic optical components and abrasion resistant polymer substrates and methods for making the same

Abstract

A polymer-based component formed from a synthetic thermoplastic or thermoset resin substrate, such as polymethyl methacrylate, which is resistant to warping and distortion from moisture. A composite multi-layer surface-hardening coating is formed on at least the anterior surface of the resin substrate. The component can include a composite multi-layer reflective coating to form a mirror. A protective back-coat layer is deposited on a posterior surface of the mirror. A multi-layer weather-resistant coating may optionally be applied to the anterior surface of the polymer-based mirror in order to increase the weatherability and durability of the mirror. The various layers coating the synthetic resin substrate have their moisture permeabilities selected so that substantially equal amounts of moisture permeate through to both the anterior and posterior side of the synthetic resin substrate. A sol-gel coating can be used to deposit the multi-layers in a single step by providing gradient zones of zirconia/silica while enabling a hydrophobic or a hydrophilic exterior surface.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A plastic component, comprising:

a transparent synthetic resin substrate having an anterior surface and a posterior surface;
a tie-bond layer formed on said anterior surface and said posterior surface of said synthetic resin substrate;
and
a multi-layer surface abrasion resistant coating on the tie-bond layer, the multi-layer surface abrasion resistant coating and tie-bond layer are formed by a single wet coating that is cured to provide at least two layers of the surface abrasion resistant coating having respective different concentrations of colloid particles.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/633,972Filed 4 Aug 2003 · continuation in part

Priority

23 Aug 2000

Published

US 2004/0027704 A112 Feb 2004

Granted

28 Mar 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G02B 5/0883
Mirrors: with a refractive index gradient
B32B 27/08
As the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material: of synthetic resin
G02B 5/0841
The reflecting layers comprising dielectric materials only: comprising organic materials, e.g. polymers
G02B 5/0866
The reflecting layers comprising a single metallic layer with one or more dielectric layers: incorporating one or more organic, e.g. polymeric layers

Family

Application60/227,194Us provisional application · filed 23 Aug 2000

Application09/916,777Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Jul 2001

Application10/177,614Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Jun 2002

US 2004/0027704 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Feb 2004

US 6,601,960 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,409,354 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2002/0044367 A1Published application

US 2003/0016458 A1Published application

US 7,018,057 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Transparent plastic optical components and abrasion resistant polymer substrates and methods for making the same

Life of this patent

Transparent plastic optical components and abrasion resistant polymer substrates and methods for making the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26