METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DECORATIVE ELEMENT AND USE OF THE DECORATIVE ELEMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a decorative element DE and uses of a decorative element DE produced in this way.

A polarizing layer PS which functions as an analyzer is applied to a transparent optical carrier material TM and a transparent optical functional layer FS is applied to the other side as an image-forming layer BS which consists of an optically anisotropic material OAM.

By spatially structuring the functional layer FS in an image-forming manner, a targeted location-dependent dependency of material properties of the optically anisotropic material OAM is created for producing the image-forming layer BS in the form of an image motif BM.

One or several decorative elements DE produced according to the invention can each be introduced into a light field of a lighting device BV in a desired shape, size and quantity and having settable image motifs BM (image structures) and being disposed at different spatial distances and being freely disposable.

Furthermore, in terms of a device, the decorative element produced according to the invention is intended to be used as an architectural element for creating light-optical effects in the exterior area of buildings, as a design element for interior design or for object design.

Claims

1. A method for producing a decorative element (DE), the method comprising the following steps: providing a transparent optical carrier material (TM) which has a planar or a curved surface and comprising a glass substrate or a plastic substrate, applying a polarizing layer (PS), which functions as an analyzer, to one side of the carrier material (TM), applying a transparent optical functional layer (FS) as an image-forming layer (BS), which comprises an optically anisotropic material (OAM) having a layer thickness, to the other side of the carrier material (TM), structuring the functional layer (FS) in an image-forming spatial manner by means of a targeted location-dependent dependency of material properties of the optically anisotropic material (OAM) for producing the image-forming layer (BS) in the form of an image motif (BM), such that settable color contrasts having defined polarization interference colors (PIF) according to the image motif (BM) are displayable on a lighted surface of the decorative element (DE) by lighting it with polarized light.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transmissive polarizing layer (PSt) is used as a polarizing layer (PS) for producing an illuminated decorative element (DE) or that a reflexive polarizing layer (PSr) is used as a polarizing layer (PS) for producing a reflecting decorative element (DE).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the targeted location-dependent dependency of the material properties of the optically anisotropic material (OAM) is effected by one or several of the following local changes: a) varying the optical anisotropy, b) varying the layer thickness, c) varying a local alignment.

4. The method according to claim 1 to, wherein a local optical path difference (LOG) settable in a defined manner is realized by the targeted location-dependent dependency of the material properties of the optically anisotropic material (OAM), wherein each value of the local optical path difference (LOG) corresponds to one defined polarization interference color (PIF), which determines the image motif (BM).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the local optical path difference (LOG) is realized in such a manner over the whole surface or a defined part of the surface of the decorative element (DE) that it has a specific settable constant value.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the local optical path difference (LOG) is realized in such a uniform manner for the defined part of the surface of the decorative element (DE) that the settable constant value is near zero, which causes the respective polarization interference color (PIF) to be generated achromatically for the uniform surface of the decorative element (DE).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein to form the functional layer (FS), an alignment layer (OS) is first applied to the carrier material (TM) and an LC material (LC) based on liquid crystals is applied on top as an optically anisotropic material (OAM).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the LC material (LC) is applied by means of coating methods followed by curing methods or by means of printing techniques.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein to form the functional layer (FS), a film material (FO) is applied as an optically anisotropic material (OAM).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the film material (FO) is applied by means of laminating.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein a targeted spatially-structured birefringence is induced in the film material (FO) by means of appropriate treatment measures or that an existing intrinsic optical anisotropy of the film material (FO) is exploited and/or provided with follow-up treatment in a targeted manner for producing the image motif.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of transparent optical functional layers (FSi) are applied as image-forming layers (B Si) which have different image motifs (B Mi) and which are superimposed on each other in a defined manner, forming a composite (V), and which are joined in a resulting interacting optical functional layer (FSr), producing a resulting effective local optical path difference (LOGr) for the composite (V).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, if the optically anisotropic material (OAM) is realized as film material (FO), a plurality of film layers (FOi) is applied to the carrier material (TM) as a stack.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the individual film layers (FOi) extend over specific defined local areas, each having different defined recesses and/or cutouts which are settable based on the respective motif.

15. A use of the decorative element according to claim 1, wherein light-optical effects are produced and influenced in a targeted manner solely via the light path in interaction with an external lighting device (BV), which emits unpolarized or polarized light having a variable polarization direction, wherein the following operating modes are realizable: a) a neutral mode (NM), wherein the decorative element (DE) does not have polarization interference colors (PIF) when lighted by unpolarized light and thus the latent color-graphic motifs (FM) in the image-forming layer (BS) remain invisible as a matter of principle, b) a presence mode (PM), wherein the decorative element (DE) is lighted with polarized light and the color-graphic motifs (FM) are visibly displayed according to the defined polarization interference colors (PIF), c) a color variation mode (FVM), wherein a defined and stepless color variation is enabled in the color variation mode (FVM) by the defined polarization interference colors (PIF) within a color-graphic motif (FM) and the color variation in the decorative element (DE) is effected by means of a variation of the polarization direction of the polarized light.

16. The use of the decorative element according to claim 15, wherein selecting and executing the operating modes neutral mode (NM), presence mode (PM) and color variation mode (FVM) in the lighting device (BV) is effected by adjusting means (M) which are realized by means of a polarization filter (PF) and its respective position in the optical path of the lighting.

17. The use of the decorative element according to claim 16, wherein selecting and executing a specific operating mode by means of the adjusting means (M) is effected a) for the neutral mode (NM) by means of removing the polarization filter (PF) from the optical path, b) for the presence mode (PM) by means of introducing the polarization filter (PF) into the optical path and c) for the color variation mode (FVM) by suitably rotating the polarization filter (PF), wherein switching at will between the disappearance in the neutral mode (NM), the visibility in the presence mode (PM) and the color variation in the color variation mode (FVM) is possible.

18. The use of the decorative element according to claim 1 as an architectural element for creating light-optical effects in the exterior area of buildings, as a design element for interior design or for object design.

19. The use of the decorative element according to claim 18, as a sign-carrying element.

20. The use of the decorative element according to claim 18, wherein in cases where mechanical processing, cutting or suitable customization of the decorative element (DE), which comprises purely passive materials, is to be realized using common tools.

21. The use of the decorative element according to claim 6, which has the reflexive polarizing layer (PSr) and the local optical path difference (LOG) having the settable constant value near zero, wherein the decorative element (DE) is disposed as a background surface (H) on which an object (O) to be displayed is presented and wherein the object (O) and the background surface (H) are jointly lighted by a lighting device (BV), such that when the luminosity in a light field (LF), which comprises both the object (O) and the background (H), is unchanged, solely the brightness of the background surface (H) is steplessly dimmable while the brightness of the jointly lighted object (O) remains unchanged by varying a polarization direction of the lighting device (BV).

Description

[0087] Further advantageous features can be derived from the following description and the drawings, which explain a preferred embodiment of the invention using examples. In the figures:

[0088] FIG. 1: shows a schematic structure of a decorative element DE produced according to the invention,

[0089] FIG. 2: shows a schematic arrangement of a lighting device BV,

[0090] FIG. 3: shows a schematic view of an image-forming layer BS and a triple superposition of three image-forming layers BS1, BS2, BS3 offset at an angle,

[0091] FIG. 4: shows a schematic view of two image-forming layers BSi partly overlapping,

[0092] FIG. 5: shows an example of use with an object O which is located on the decorative element DE,

[0093] FIG. 6: shows a schematic view of a production method of a decorative element DE based on an LC material LC and

[0094] FIG. 7: shows an example of use of a decorative element DE having two film layers FOi.

[0095] FIG. 1 shows a schematic design of a decorative element DE having an image-forming layer BS, a carrier layer TM, a polarizing layer PS and a functional layer FS, wherein the image-forming layer BS is present in the form of a local optical path difference LOG, whereby the respective polarization interference colors PIF appear according to the image motif BM.

[0096] FIG. 2 shows a schematic arrangement of a lighting device BV consisting of a light source L and a polarization filter PF which is variable with regard to the polarization direction, wherein the lighting device BV emits polarized light PL.

[0097] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an image-forming layer BS which constitutes an image motif BM and a superposition of three identical image-forming layers BS1, BS2, BS3 which have the same image motif BM and wherein the image-forming layers BS1, BS2, BS3 are each offset against each other at a specific angle and are accordingly disposed stacked on top of each other.

[0098] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of two image-forming layers BS1 and BS2 each having a different image motif contained therein in partial overlap and superposition, wherein the corresponding resulting effective local path differences LOGr arise as a result of the superposition.

[0099] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view for an example of use, wherein the brightness contrast between a background H and a random object O which is located on a decorative element DE is changeable and wherein the brightness of the background H, which is located in the midst of the light field LF originating from the lighting device BV, is variable by means of the polarization filter PF in the lighting device BV.

[0100] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view for a production method for producing an image-forming layer BS (of a decorative element DE) using liquid crystal materials LC, in particular for applying a mesogenic layer MS, which produces the respective image motif BM according to a correspondingly (locally) addressable local optical path difference LOG.

[0101] A reactive mesogen RM in a corresponding spatial distribution according to the local coordinates x, y is applied to a correspondingly oriented alignment layer OS according to an image-forming structuring (image motif BM) by means of a device which has a corresponding coating tool BW.

[0102] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view for an example of use, wherein specific optically anisotropic film layers FOi (film materials) are used in the form of a stacked arrangement and with a corresponding partial overlap in order to design a specific and thus resulting image information BIr, wherein two film layers F01, F02 are shown here in an exemplary manner which have the different image motifs BM1, BM2 and wherein these image motifs BM1, BM2 are each in contrast to their surroundings, to which end the local areas NBM1, NBM2 surrounding each of the image motifs BM1, BM2 must correspondingly stand out or can simply be cut from the respective film.