Prefabricated solar window film graphics and a method for manufacturing and ...

PREFABRICATED SOLAR WINDOW FILM GRAPHICS AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AND APPLYING THE SAME

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field Of The Invention

This invention relates to solar window film graphics, and more particularly relates to prefabricated solar window film graphics for application to surfaces and a 10 method of making the same.

Description Of The Prior Art

Attachment of translucent and transparent solar window film graphics to a glass window of a store or building are known in the field of sign making. Typically, a 15 solar window film graphic is manufactured on site by applying layers of film material to the window and removing portions of the same to depict a design. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,732, this method generally includes applying a first film material onto a first 20 side of the window, providing a mirror image of the design to a second side of the window so that the design appears normal to a viewer on the first side of the window, cutting the first film in accordance with the outline of the design and removing regions of the first film 25 (commonly called weeding) so that portions of the film which are required to form the design remain attached to the window. The process is generally repeated by adding additional layers of film having different colors in order to make the design more attractive and distinc- 30 tive.

The above-described method of making solar window film graphics on site has many drawbacks. First, the graphic is produced on the window of the storefront by tracing and cutting numerous layers of film material. 35 Even for relatively simple designs, this procedure can take a great deal of time due to the precision required for cutting and removing the various layers of film to form the graphic. As a result, the on-site manufacturing process frequently disrupts the business activity of the 40 store to which the graphic is being applied resulting in a loss of revenue for the proprietor. Second, the quality of the graphics that are produced is generally inconsistent because each layer of film is cut and weeded by hand while the film is already applied to the window. 45 Mistakes in cutting and weeding are frequently made and must be corrected. Further, layering of films one upon another at the storefront commonly results in dust and dirt being caught between layers of material which effects the quality, aesthetic appearance and useful life 50 of the solar window film graphic.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE
INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to 55 provide a method of producing a solar window film graphic which is manufactured with the aid of a computer and assembled in a controlled environment prior to application to a surface.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro- 60 . vide a prefabricated solar window film graphic and a method of making and applying the same to a surface which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of known window graphics and methods of manufacture.

In accordance with one form of the present inven- 65 tion, a method of fabricating a solar window film graphic for attachment to a first side of a substantially planar surface, such as a glass window of a storefront,

for viewing from a second side of the storefront includes the integration of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing.

Specifically, the method of the present invention includes generating a design to be displayed on the substantially planar surface with a computer-aided design system and determining a preferred representation of the design for manufacture. The preferred representation is thereafter provided to a computer-aided machining system having a cutting tool. Appropriate cuts are made with the cutting tool, under the controlled guidance of the computer-aided machining system, through a solar window film of a film sheet to provide an outline of the design on the film. The cuts in the film define extraneous portions of the window film whose removal is required to better recognize the design. The film sheet also includes a release liner coupled to the solar window film which is preferably slightly scored by the cutting tool during the cutting process.

The method further includes removing the extraneous portions of the solar window film from the film sheet while portions of the solar window film which define the design remain coupled to the release liner. Thereafter, a transfer tape is attached to the side of the film sheet having the solar window film. The release liner of the film sheet is then removed effectively transferring the solar window film from the film sheet release liner to the transfer tape to provide an unlined premasked window film. The solar window film surface of the unlined premasked window film is then secured to a carrier film of the carrier film sheet to provide a carrier film graphic. The carrier film sheet also includes a carrier film release liner coupled to the carrier film. A support film of a support film sheet is then secured to the carrier film graphic to provide a solar window film graphic. Thereafter, the release liner of the carrier film is removed so as to provide a solar window film graphic for attachment to the planar surface.

The method may also include applying at least one additional layer of window film having a substantially different color than that of the first window film used in the solar window film graphic in order to provide shading to specific regions of the design.

In accordance with another form of the present invention, a method of applying a solar window film graphic to a substantially planar panel includes fabricating the solar window film graphic utilizing a computeraided design system and a computer-aided machining system at a location which is distal with respect to the panel to which the graphic is to be attached, transporting the solar window film graphic to the panel and affixing the graphic to the panel.

In accordance with another form of the present invention, a solar window film graphic includes a graphic layer secured to a carrier layer. The graphic layer including a plurality of solar window film portions having a plurality of contours, sizes and colors wherein the contour of each solar window film portion is generated by a cutting means of a computer-aided machining system. The graphic layer also includes a substantially optically clear support film secured to each of the solar window film portions.

A preferred form of the solar window film graphic and the method for manufacturing the same as well as other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway perspective view of a 5 solar window film sheet including solar window film and release liner utilized in the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the solar window film sheet of FIG. 1 having cuts substantially through the solar window film. 10

FIG. 2B is a a perspective view of the solar window film sheet of FIG. 2A wherein a region of the solar window film defined by the cuts is removed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the solar window film sheet of FIG. 2B having transfer tape attached to the 15 surface of the solar window film defining a premasked solar window film sheet.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pre-masked solar window film sheet of FIG. 3 being applied to a carrier film sheet. 20

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pre-masked solar window film sheet of FIG. 4 having the solar window film sheet release liner and transfer tape removed from the surfaces of the solar window film.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carrier film sheet/- 25 solar window film of FIG. 5 having colored solar window film within a vacent region of solar window film.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the support film sheet including support film and a release liner used in the present invention. 30

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the carrier film sheet/solar window film of FIG. 6 having the support film attached to the solar window film.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the application of the solar window film graphic to a window surface. 35

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the prefabricated solar window film graphic constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view of the prefabricated solar window film graphic taken along lines a—a of 40 FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention incorporates the use of com- 45 puter-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided machining (CAM) to a method of fabricating a solar window film graphic for attachment to a substantially planar panel such as a window of a storefront.

The method of the present invention basically in- 50 eludes generating a design on a computer-aided design system for fabrication of a solar window film graphic. Preferably, the design is generated by selecting one or more graphics from a data base of graphics stored in the CAD system including faces, animals, objects and bor- 55 der elements. If more than one graphic from the data base is selected, the images are combined in accordance with the requirements of the user to generate a new combined design. Preferably, each image contained in the computer data base is stored as a vector-based im- 60 age. The combination of two designs (vector-based images) results in a combined vector-based image. If necessary, the combined vector-based image may be reviewed for excessive nodes (machine control points) which define the cutting blade movements required to 65 produce the design. If the number of control points can be reduced without the loss of design detail, the user may alter the design and corresponding control points.

Thereafter, respective regions of the design are color shaded with the assistance of the CAD system to achieve a rendering of the final design to be produced. The CAD system may then group all similar color shaded regions of the design together for the purposes of machining.

An alternative method of generating a design includes scanning a custom hand or stock illustration into the CAD system. If such an illustration is used, the art work should be analyzed to ensure that all stray marks have been removed from the illustration and that all shaded regions are properly filled before scanning the design into the computer. Thereafter, the illustration is scanned into the CAD system using a scanner as known in the art to provide a raster image (BIT map). Once the design has been provided to the computer, the computer rendered design is reviewed to ascertain the accuracy of the scanned design and to correct any inaccuracies.

Internally within the CAD system and as is known in the field of computer-aided design, the raster image (BIT map) is vectorized to produce a Bezier curve image (vector image). Thereafter, the vector image is reviewed to ascertain whether the vector image contains an unnecessary amount of nodes (control points). The review of the nodes is necessary, as previously mentioned, because the number of nodes corresponds to the number of machine cutting instructions provided to the CAM system. An increase in machine cutting instructions corresponds to an increase in the machining time necessary to perform the total cutting process. In order to reduce the number of nodes, the vector image corresponding to the scanned illustration can be altered by providing a better fitting Bezier curve than that generated internally by the CAD system. Thereafter, elements of the illustration are color shaded to provide a color rendering of the final design.

Referring now to FIG. 1, once the desired vectorbased image is determined, an appropriate size and color of a first film sheet 5 is provided to the CAM system for cutting. The film sheet 5 preferably includes a first side defined by a solar window film 10 coupled to a release liner 15 defining a second side. The solar window film 10 typically includes an adhesive 20 on one surface of the film to enable the solar window film to adhere to various media. Generally, solar window films are translucent to a viewer looking through either side of the film after the release liner is removed. Other solar window films are opaque to a viewer on one side of the film and translucent to a viewer on a second side of the film after the release liner is removed. Examples of suitable solar window films for use with the method of the present invention include those sold under the trade names SUN GUARD ®, NUN SUN ®, LLUMAR ®, REFLECTO SHIELD ®, MADACO ®, M ACAL ® and DTI window films.

Before the machining process begins, the cutting blade depth of the CAM system is preferably adjusted so that the blade cuts through the solar window film 10 but only slightly scores the release liner 15 of the film sheet 5. Thereafter, the vector-based image representing the desired representation of the design is provided to the CAM system. Based upon the desired representation of the design and the color of the solar window film to be cut, the cutting blade cuts the solar window film 10 of the first film sheet 5 in accordance with the cutting instructions to provide cuts 25. Then, if desired, an appropriate size and color of a second film sheet is