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US 9,751,618 B2Granted
Optical effects for aerodynamic microstructures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDiane C. Rawlings, Timothy Leroy Williams, James C. McGarvey, James M. Kestner, Alan G. Burg
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Abstract
Aerodynamic microstructures having sub-microstructure are disclosed herein. One disclosed example apparatus includes an aerodynamic microstructure defining an external surface of a vehicle, and a pattern of sub-microstructures superimposed on the microstructure to convey a representation of an image.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- an aerodynamic microstructure defining an external surface of a vehicle;
- a first pattern of sub-microstructures superimposed on the microstructure, the first pattern having a first reflective property;
- and
- a second pattern of sub-microstructures superimposed on the microstructure, the second pattern having a second reflective property different from the first reflective property, wherein sub-microstructures of the first pattern of sub-microstructures have at least one of a different size or a different orientation from sub-microstructures of the second pattern of sub-microstructures,
- the first and the second patterns superimposed on the microstructure to convey a representation of a graphic.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a first group of sub-microstructures having a first reflective property on an external surface of a microstructure;
- and
- providing a second group of sub-microstructures having a second reflective property on or proximate the external surface, the second reflective property different from the first reflective property, wherein sub-microstructures of the first group of sub-microstructures have at least one of a different size or a different orientation from sub-microstructures of the second group of sub-microstructures to create an optical effect.
A method comprising:
- providing a first group of sub-microstructures having a first reflective property on an external surface of a microstructure;
- and
- providing a second group of sub-microstructures having a second reflective property on or proximate the external surface, the second reflective property different from the first reflective property, wherein sub-microstructures of the first group of sub-microstructures have at least one of a different size or a different orientation from sub-microstructures of the second group of sub-microstructures to create an optical effect.
An apparatus comprising:
- an aerodynamic microstructure defining an external surface of an aircraft, comprising:
- a first sub-microstructure group superimposed on the aerodynamic microstructure, the first sub-microstructure group having a first reflective property;
- and
- a second sub-microstructure group superimposed on the aerodynamic microstructure, the second sub-microstructure group having a second reflective property, the second reflective property different from the first reflective property, wherein sub-microstructures of the first sub-microstructure group have at least one of a different size or a different orientation from sub-microstructures of the second sub-microstructure group, a combination of the first and the second sub-microstructure groups to convey a representation of a graphic.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.