BLACK COLORED OBJECT HAVING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC OR ELECTRIC FIELD FUNCTION

Abstract

In the case of a black-colored object having an electromagnetic or electric field function, wherein the black-colored object is colored by means of pigments, is covered with a component colored by means of pigments, or is coated with a lacquer, wherein the lacquer includes pigments, provision is made for the pigments to be electrically non-conductive.

Claims

1. A black-colored object having one of an electromagnetic and electric field function comprising: a data transfer function, wherein the black-colored object is one of colored by pigments, covered with a component colored by pigments, and coated with a lacquer that includes pigments; and wherein the pigments include electrically non-conductive pigments.

2. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigments include only non-conductive pigments.

3. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-conductive pigments are spinel pigments.

4. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 3, wherein the non-conductive pigments are one of copper-chromium-iron-spinel pigments and chromium-iron-nickel-manganese-spinel pigments.

5. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the black-colored object is an operating apparatus with a capacitive input surface, wherein the capacitive input surface is one of colored by pigments, covered with a component colored by pigments, and coated with a lacquer that includes pigments.

6. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pigments include only non-conductive pigments.

7. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 5, wherein a component with conductive pigments and a component with non-conductive pigments are arranged one of directly adjacent to one another and at a distance from one another.

8. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the components is a lacquer layer.

9. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 5, wherein the capacitive input surface is coated with a lacquer with conductive pigments on the side facing away from an operator of the operating apparatus.

10. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 5, wherein the capacitive input surface includes a transparent material.

11. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transparent material is colored by pigments.

12. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operating apparatus has an electro-optical display that is one of arranged adjacent to and at a distance from the capacitive input surface.

13. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is one of a transmitting unit and a receiving unit for electromagnetic radiation.

14. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: a housing; first parts of the housing facing away from a user of the black-colored object and colored with a non-conductive pigment; and second parts of the housing facing the user of the black-colored object and colored with a conductive pigment.

15. The black-colored object as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: a first partial surface allows the electromagnetic radiation to pass through at least almost unhindered; a second partial surface that at least strongly attenuates the electromagnetic radiation; and wherein the first partial surface surrounds the second partial surface or is surrounded by the second partial surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of the figures. In the figures:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a black-colored object in the form of an operating apparatus;

[0024] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a black-colored object in the form of an antenna;

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a black-colored object in the form of a radar sensor;

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a black-colored object in the form of a radar sensor;

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 4;

[0028] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5 in a modified version;

[0029] FIG. 7 shows a further plan view of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 4 in another modified version.

[0030] FIG. 8 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment for a backlit day design.

[0031] FIG. 9 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment for a backlit day design.

[0032] FIG. 10 illustrates a third exemplary embodiment for a backlit day design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an operating apparatus 100 and a finger F belonging to an operator. The operating apparatus 100 has a capacitive input surface, wherein the capacitive input surface has a first component 101, electrodes 102, and a second component 103. The operating apparatus 100 furthermore has an electro-optical display 104 in the form of an LCD, for example, a housing 105, an electronic control device 106, and an illumination apparatus in the form of light-emitting diodes 107. The first component 101, the electrodes 102, and the second component 103 are embodied to be at least partially transparent so that the electro-optical display 104 and any information represented thereon are perceivable by the operator through the capacitive input surface. The component 101 has non-conductive pigments, and the component 103 has pigments that are all conductive. The electronic control apparatus 106 is thus shielded from external magnetic fields and cannot itself emit any electromagnetic interference through the capacitive input surface 101, 102, 103.

[0034] The changes in the electric field caused by the finger F can be captured through the component 101 by the electrodes 102 and processed by the electronic control apparatus 106 without the pigments of the component 101 impairing the capturing. In the present example, the components 103 and 101 can be embodied in the form of lacquer layers, wherein the lacquer layer 103 is then applied on the electro-optical display 104.

[0035] If no electro-optical display 104 or some other carrier material is present, at least one of the components 101 or 103 is embodied in the form of a plate, for example made of glass colored by means of pigments or of plastic colored by means of pigments. The electrodes 102 can be applied on the component 101 and/or 103 and for example consist of indium tin oxide (ITO).

[0036] Alternatively, the electrodes can also be embodied in the form of printed or vapor-deposited metal grid structures, printed conductive lacquers based on at least one of the substances silver nanowires, PEDOT:PSS, carbon nanotubes, or graphene. Two-dimensional thin layers made of metal or conductive metal oxides are also conceivable as electrodes or antenna material.

[0037] The light-emitting diodes 107 serve for transillumination and thus improve the readability of the LCD. The electro-optical display can also be embodied in the form of an OLED, MicroLED, or cathode-ray tube, for example. Then, no additional illumination is required.

[0038] In principle, a distance between the respective illustrated adjacent components 101-104 is also possible, but the visual appearance of the screen with capacitive input functionality is then no longer so appealing. Without an electro-optical display 104, the capacitive input surface 101, 102, 103 can serve as a touchpad.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows an antenna 200, which has the transmitting and/or receiving unit for electromagnetic radiation in the form of an antenna 202, a lacquer layer 201, and a carrier plate 203. The lacquer layer 201 and the carrier plate 203 are each colored by means of pigments. The pigments of the lacquer layer 201 are not conductive so as not to impair the electromagnetic properties of the antenna 201. The pigments of the carrier plate 203 are for example conductive for cost reasons, but may also contain the pigments of the lacquer layer 201 for reasons of the visual appearance of the antenna including carrier.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a radar sensor 300, which has the radar transmitting and/or receiving unit in the form of a radar sensor 302 coated with a lacquer layer 301. The pigments of the lacquer layer 301 are preferably all non-conductive so as not to impair the properties of the radar sensor 302.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a radar sensor 400, which has the

[0042] radar transmitting and/or receiving unit in the form of a radar sensor 402 covered with a covering 401. The covering has a plate 403 that is provided with a print 404. This print 404 can be embodied, for example, as a screen print, flexographic print, gravure print, or digital print. It is also possible to correspondingly color the plate 403 in place of the print 404. The pigments of the print 404 are non-conductive in a first region and thus form the first partial surface 4041. They are shown in white in FIGS. 4-7. The pigments are conductive in a second region and thus form a second partial surface 4042. They are shown in black in FIGS. 4-7. The pigments of the first partial surface 4041 and of the second partial surface 4042 are black, with the result that a homogeneous black surface is visible to an observer of the plate 401 when the plate 401 is viewed from above.

[0043] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4, the first partial surface 4041 gradually merges into the second partial surface 4042. A sharply defined transition from the first partial surface to the second partial surface is also possible. Electromagnetic waves can penetrate the first partial surface 4041 almost unhindered, while they can penetrate the second partial surface 4042 only in a strongly attenuated manner or not at all. This creates a directional transmitting and/or receiving characteristic, as is shown by electromagnetic waves 405, 406.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows that the first partial surface 4041 is surrounded by the second partial surface 4042, wherein the transition between the partial surfaces 4041, 4041 is embodied to be gradual.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows that the first partial surface 4041 is likewise surrounded by the second partial surface 4042, wherein the transition between the partial surfaces 4041, 4042 takes place directly, without a transition region.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows that the first partial surface 4041 surrounds the second partial surface 4042, wherein the transition between the partial surfaces 4041, 4041 is embodied to be gradual. In this way, a direction- or position-dependent separation can be implemented for a specific region.

[0047] Exemplary embodiments for day/night design in film components and in screen printing will be described below, such as are used, for example, in the instrument cluster or in other elements of the cockpit of a motor vehicle. In these, opaque and black prints also based on spinel are used. For example, the use of spinel pigments for translucent prints or coatings for use in disappearance effects will be shown.

[0048] A first one of said exemplary embodiments for a backlit day/night design that is invisible without illumination is shown in FIG. 8 by a sectional view through a print build-up made possible for a backlit day/night design.

[0049] The backlit day/night design of this first exemplary embodiment looks, for example, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 8.

[0050] A second one of said exemplary embodiments for a backlit day/night design that is visible without illumination is shown in FIG. 9 by a sectional view through a possible print build-up for a backlit day/night design.

[0051] The translucent black print can be realized with spinel or other pigments or colorants.

[0052] Night color can be omitted if the color impression when illuminated can be achieved by the color-imparting print or is produced by the light-emitting means.

[0053] The backlit day/night design of this second exemplary embodiment looks, for example, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 9.

[0054] A third one of said exemplary embodiments for a backlit day design is shown in FIG. 10 by a sectional view through a possible print build-up for a pure day design.

[0055] The color-imparting print can include a plurality of identical or different prints

[0056] Plastic and touch sensor system can be transparent/translucent or opaque

[0057] The unlit day design looks, for example, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 10 when viewed from above.

[0058] The foregoing preferred embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the structural and functional principles of the present invention, as well as illustrating the methods of employing the preferred embodiments and are subject to change without departing from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the scope of the following claims.