U.S. patent application number 13/784746 was filed with the patent office on 2016-05-19 for graphic formation via material ablation.
The applicant listed for this patent is Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC. Invention is credited to Krishna Darbha, Joshua James Fischer, Ralf Groene, James Alec Ishihara, Michael Joseph Lane, Raj N. Master, Mark Thomas McCormack.
Application Number | 20160143170 13/784746 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50487438 |
Filed Date | 2016-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160143170 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
McCormack; Mark Thomas ; et
al. |
May 19, 2016 |
Graphic Formation via Material Ablation
Abstract
Techniques for graphic formation via material ablation
described. In at least some implementations, a graphic is applied
to a surface of an object by ablating layers of the object to form
an ablation trench in the shape of the graphic. In at least some
embodiments, an object can include a surface layer and multiple
sublayers of materials. When an ablation trench is generated in the
object, the ablation trench can penetrate a surface layer of the
object and into an intermediate layer. In at least some
implementations, height variations in an object surface caused by
an ablation trench can cause variations in light reflection
properties such that a graphic applied via the ablation trench
appears at a different color tone than a surrounding surface, even
if the ablation trench and the surrounding surface are coated with
a same colored coating.
Inventors: |
McCormack; Mark Thomas;
(Livermore, CA) ; Master; Raj N.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Lane; Michael Joseph; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Darbha; Krishna; (Redmond, WA) ; Groene; Ralf;
(Kirkland, WA) ; Ishihara; James Alec; (Bellevue,
WA) ; Fischer; Joshua James; (Guangdong, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC |
Redmond |
WA |
US |
|
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20140248506 A1 |
September 4, 2014 |
|
|
Family ID: |
50487438 |
Appl. No.: |
13/784746 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/CN2012/083074 |
Oct 17, 2012 |
|
|
|
13784746 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/600 ;
427/555; 428/34.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C23C 14/00 20130101;
C23C 14/028 20130101; Y10T 428/12396 20150115; B44C 1/228 20130101;
C23C 14/04 20130101; C23C 14/046 20130101; Y10T 428/12903 20150115;
C23C 14/14 20130101; G06F 1/181 20130101; C23C 14/021 20130101;
G06F 3/0202 20130101; Y10T 428/12361 20150115; Y10T 428/264
20150115; G06F 1/1656 20130101; Y10T 428/263 20150115; Y10T
428/12847 20150115; C23C 14/024 20130101; Y10T 428/13 20150115;
Y10T 428/24967 20150115; Y10T 428/2495 20150115; B05D 3/06
20130101; Y10T 428/12854 20150115; Y10T 428/12882 20150115; Y10T
428/24975 20150115; Y10T 428/12389 20150115; C23C 14/58 20130101;
C23C 14/025 20130101; C23C 14/0015 20130101; B41M 5/24 20130101;
H05K 5/0252 20130101; Y10T 428/12944 20150115; Y10T 428/265
20150115 |
International
Class: |
H05K 5/02 20060101
H05K005/02; B05D 3/06 20060101 B05D003/06 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a housing formed from a substrate; a
surface layer of at least one of a metal or a metal alloy applied
on top of the substrate; an ablation trench in the shape of a
graphic and formed into the surface layer without penetrating into
the substrate; and at least one coating applied to the ablation
trench and at least a portion of the surface layer.
2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the apparatus
comprises a computing device, the surface layer comprises an outer
surface of the computing device, and the graphic comprises a visual
image to be applied to the outer surface.
3. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the surface layer
is formed from at least one of chromium, a chromium alloy, nickel,
or a nickel alloy.
4. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the surface layer
is formed at a thickness of up to 1500.mu..
5. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the ablation
trench is formed such that the ablation trench penetrates the
surface layer at a depth range of up to 4.mu..
6. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one
coating is colored such that a same color is applied to the
ablation trench and the at least a portion of the surface
layer.
7. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one
coating includes at least one of a physical vapor deposition (PVD)
coating, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coating, or an
anti-fingerprint (AFP) coating.
8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one
coating includes a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating applied
to the ablation trench and the at least a portion of the surface
layer, and an anti-fingerprint (AFP) coating applied to the PVD
coating.
9. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the ablation
trench is formed such that incident light on the ablation trench
and the portion of the surface layer causes variations in light
reflection properties between the ablation trench and the portion
of the surface layer.
10. A housing comprising: a substrate; multiple layers of materials
applied on top of the substrate, at least some of the multiple
layers being formed from different metals or different metal
alloys; an ablation trench in the shape of a graphic and formed
through a surface layer of the multiple layers into an intermediate
layer of the multiple layers, the ablation trench being formed such
that a lowermost portion of the trench is positioned within the
intermediate layer without penetrating an interface between the
intermediate layer and a lower layer of the multiple layers; and at
least one colored coating applied to the ablation trench and at
least a portion of the surface layer.
11. A housing as described in claim 10, wherein the housing
comprises a portion of a computing device, the surface layer
comprises an outer surface of the computing device, and the graphic
comprises an image to be applied to the outer surface.
12. A housing as described in claim 10, wherein the surface layer
is formed from at least one of chromium or a chromium alloy, the
intermediate layer if formed from at least one of nickel or a
nickel alloy, and the lower layer is formed from at least one of
copper or a copper alloy.
13. A housing as described in claim 12, wherein the surface layer
is formed at a thickness of 0.1.mu. to 0.3.mu., the intermediate
layer if formed at a thickness of 9.0.mu.+/-5.mu., and the lower
layer is formed at a thickness of 20.mu.+/-5.mu..
14. A housing as described in claim 13, wherein the ablation trench
is formed such that the ablation trench penetrates the intermediate
layer at a depth range of 2.mu. to 4.mu..
15. A housing as described in claim 10, wherein the at least one
colored coating comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating
applied to the ablation trench and the at least a portion of the
surface layer at a thickness that ranges from 0.8.mu. to
1.2.mu..
16. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving
specifications for a graphic to be applied to a surface of an
object, the object including multiple layers of material including
a surface layer and multiple layers beneath the surface layer;
ablating the surface of the object based on the specifications to
generate an ablation trench that corresponds to the graphic, the
ablation trench being ablated such that the ablation trench
penetrates the surface layer and a lowermost portion of the trench
is positioned within an intermediate layer of the multiple layers
without penetrating an interface between the intermediate layer and
a lower layer of the multiple layers; and coating the ablation
trench and at least a portion of the surface of the object with a
coating.
17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 16, wherein
the specifications comprise a pattern for the graphic and at least
one of an ablation depth or an ablation depth range for the
ablation trench.
18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 16, wherein
said ablating is implemented via a laser.
19. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 16, wherein
the coating comprises a colored vapor deposition coating.
20. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 16, wherein
said ablating comprises varying an ablation depth of the ablation
trench.
Description
RELATED MATTERS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(b) to
International Application No. PCT/CN2012/083074 filed Oct. 17,
2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many products include some form of graphic ornamentation,
such as for decoration, to identify a source of a product (e.g., a
logo), to indicate functionality associated with a product, and so
on. A variety of techniques can be utilized to apply graphics to a
product.
[0003] For instance, a graphic can be applied via a printed item
that is adhered to a surface of a product using a suitable
adhesive. One example of such as graphic is a decal. While decals
can be convenient to produce and apply, they can often be easily
damaged and/or removed.
[0004] Various types of coatings (e.g., paint or other liquid
coating) can also be utilized to apply graphics. A graphic applied
with a coating may also be easily damaged, and thus detract from
the appearance of the graphic.
[0005] Screen printing is another technique that can be employed to
apply a graphic to a product. While screen printing is useful in
certain scenarios, it can introduce complexity into a production
process that can increase product cost and/or production time for
bringing a product to market. Thus, many current techniques for
applying graphics suffer from a number of drawbacks.
SUMMARY
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of
the claimed subject matter.
[0007] Techniques for graphic formation via material ablation
described. In at least some implementations, specifications are
provided (e.g., via user input) for a graphic to be applied to a
surface of an object. The graphic, for instance, can be some form
of an image, such as a logo, a visual pattern and/or design, a word
and/or phrase, artwork, and so on. Further, the object can be
configured as an instance of a wide variety of different objects,
such as a computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device), a
toy, a vehicle, and/or any other object that includes a surface
upon which a graphic can be applied. Based on the specifications
for the graphic, an ablation trench in the shape of the graphic can
be applied to a surface of the object. In at least some
implementations, the ablation trench is generated by removing
material from the surface of the object in the shape of the
graphic, such as via laser ablation.
[0008] In at least some embodiments, an object can include a
surface layer and one or more sublayers of materials. For instance,
the object can be plated with different layers, such as metals,
metal alloys, resins, and so forth. When an ablation trench is
generated in the object, the ablation trench can penetrate into a
surface layer to form a particular graphic. Alternatively or
additionally, the ablation trench can penetrate the surface layer
of the object and into an intermediate layer. For instance, a
lowermost portion (e.g., bottom) of the ablation trench can
penetrate into the intermediate layer, without penetrating a lower
layer beneath the intermediate layer. In at least some
implementations, this can enable a coating that will adhere to the
ablation trench (e.g., the material of the intermediate layer) to
be applied to the ablation trench and the object surface. The
coating, for instance, can be a thin coating that can be applied to
the ablation trench and the surrounding surface of the object. The
coating can provide various properties to the ablation trench and
the surrounding surface, such as color tinting, scratch resistance,
fingerprint resistance, and so on.
[0009] In at least some implementations, height variations in an
object surface caused by an ablation trench can cause variations in
light reflection properties such that a graphic applied via the
ablation trench appears at a different color tone than a
surrounding surface, even if the ablation trench and the
surrounding surface are coated with a same coating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The detailed description is described with reference to the
accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a
reference number identifies the figure in which the reference
number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in
different instances in the description and the figures may indicate
similar or identical items. Entities represented in the figures may
be indicative of one or more entities and thus reference may be
made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the entities in
the discussion.
[0011] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an environment in an example
implementation that is operable to employ the techniques described
herein in accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts an example implementation scenario of
techniques discussed herein in accordance with one or more
embodiments.
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts an example implementation scenario of
techniques discussed herein in accordance with one or more
embodiments.
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts a magnified sectional view of an object
processed according to techniques discussed herein and in
accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts an example implementation scenario of
techniques discussed herein in accordance with one or more
embodiments.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram that describes steps in a
method in accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates an example system including various
components of an example device that can be implemented as any type
of computing device as described with reference to FIG. 1 to
implement embodiments of the techniques described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0018] Techniques for graphic formation via material ablation
described. In at least some implementations, specifications are
provided (e.g., via user input) for a graphic to be applied to a
surface of an object. The graphic, for instance, can be some form
of an image, such as a logo, a visual pattern and/or design, a word
and/or phrase, artwork, and so on. Further, the object can be
configured as an instance of a wide variety of different objects,
such as a computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device), a
toy, a vehicle, and/or any other object that includes a surface
upon which a graphic can be applied. Based on the specifications
for the graphic, an ablation trench in the shape of the graphic can
be applied to a surface of the object. In at least some
implementations, the ablation trench is generated by removing
material from the surface of the object in the shape of the
graphic, such as via laser ablation.
[0019] In at least some embodiments, an object can include a
surface layer and one or more sublayers of materials. For instance,
the object can be plated with different layers, such as metals,
metal alloys, resins, and so forth. When an ablation trench is
generated in the object, the ablation trench can penetrate into a
surface layer to form a particular graphic. Alternatively or
additionally, the ablation trench can penetrate the surface layer
of the object and into an intermediate layer. For instance, a
lowermost portion (e.g., bottom) of the ablation trench can
penetrate into the intermediate layer, without penetrating a lower
layer beneath the intermediate layer. In at least some
implementations, this can enable a coating that will adhere to the
ablation trench (e.g., the material of the intermediate layer) to
be applied to the ablation trench and the object surface. The
coating, for instance, can be a thin coating that can be applied to
the ablation trench and the surrounding surface of the object. The
coating can provide various properties to the ablation trench and
the surrounding surface, such as color tinting, scratch resistance,
fingerprint resistance, and so on.
[0020] In at least some implementations, height variations in an
object surface caused by an ablation trench can cause variations in
light reflection properties such that a graphic applied via the
ablation trench appears at a different color tone than a
surrounding surface, even if the ablation trench and the
surrounding surface are coated with a same coating.
[0021] In the following discussion, a section entitled "Example
Environment" discusses an example environment that may employ
techniques described herein. Embodiments discussed herein are not
limited to the example environment, and the example environment is
not limited to embodiments discussed herein. Next, a section
entitled "Example Implementation Scenarios" discusses some example
implementation scenarios in accordance with one or more
embodiments. Following this, a section entitled "Example Procedure"
describes an example procedure in accordance with one or more
embodiments. Finally, an example system and device are discussed
that may implement various techniques described herein.
[0022] Example Environment
[0023] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an environment 100 in an
example implementation that is operable to employ the techniques
described herein. The environment 100 includes a control device
102, which can be configured as a computing device that is capable
of performing various operations. One example implementation of the
control device 102 is discussed below with reference to FIG. 6.
[0024] The control device 102 includes and/or is operably
associated with an ablation device 104, which is configured to
remove material from an object surface and/or other layer according
to techniques discussed herein. For instance, the ablation device
104 can include a mechanism capable of generating a laser that can
be controlled to remove material from an object. A variety of other
ablation mechanisms and/or techniques may be employed within the
spirit and scope of the claimed embodiments.
[0025] The control device 102 further includes and/or is further
operably associated with a coating device 106, which is
representative of functionality to apply various types of coatings
to objects. Examples of suitable coatings which may be applied via
the coating device 106 include thin films (e.g., via physical vapor
deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and so on),
anti-fingerprint (AFP) coatings (e.g., lipophobic and/or
hydrophobic coatings), nano-coatings, and so on.
[0026] An input/output (I/O) module 108 and an ablation control
module 110 are further included. The I/O module 108 is configured
to receive various types of input, such as input from a user,
another device, a data storage medium, and so on. In at least some
implementations, input to the I/O module 108 can include
specifications for a graphic to be applied to an object. For
instance, the specifications can include dimensions for a graphic,
such as width, length, ablation depth, and so on. Input to the I/O
module 108 may also include coating specifications, such as coating
type, color specifications, coating depth, and so on.
[0027] The ablation control module 110 represents functionality to
control various operations of the ablation device 104. In at least
some implementations, the ablation control module 110 can represent
a driver that provides an interface to the ablation device 104 from
the I/O module 108.
[0028] A coating control module 112 is further included, which
represents functionality to control operation of the coating device
106. For instance, the coating control module 112 can represent a
driver that provides an interface to the coating device 106 from
the I/O module 108.
[0029] The environment 100 further includes an object 114, which is
representative of an instance of various physical objects upon
which graphics can be applied according to techniques discussed
herein. The object 114, for instance, can be configured as a wide
variety of different objects, such as a computing device (e.g., a
mobile computing device), a toy, a vehicle, and/or any other object
that includes a surface upon which a graphic can be applied.
[0030] Further illustrated in the environment 100 is that the
object 114 is processed by the control device 102 to produce a
marked object 116. The marked object 116 includes a surface 118
upon which a graphic 120 is applied according to techniques
discussed herein.
[0031] For instance, the I/O module 108 receives input (e.g., user
input) that includes specifications for the graphic 120, e.g.,
ablation coordinates to be applied to the surface 118. The
specifications are passed to the ablation control module 110, which
controls operation of the ablation device 104 to remove material
from the surface 118. Control of the ablation device 104 can
include control of various operational attributes, such as laser
power (e.g., flux), laser pulse duration and/or frequency, physical
movement of the ablation device 104 relative to the surface 118,
and so forth.
[0032] Removal of the material creates an ablation trench 122 in
the surface 118 in the shape of the graphic 120. The ablation
trench 122 represents a perforation in a surface plane of the
surface 118 caused by the removal of the material. As detailed
below, depth of the ablation trench 122 can be specified to attain
various visual and/or physical properties for the marked object 116
and/or the graphic 120.
[0033] After ablation of the surface 118 to create the graphic 120,
the surface 118 may be coated by the coating device 106 with one or
more types of coatings. In at least some implementations,
application of a coating can tint and/or color the surface 118 and
the graphic 120. Application of a coating can also increase surface
durability, such as by providing resistance to fingerprinting,
scratch resistance, and so on.
[0034] Example Implementation Scenarios
[0035] This section discusses some example implementations
scenarios in accordance with various embodiments.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates an example implementation scenario 200
according to techniques described herein. The upper portion of the
scenario 200 illustrates a side view of an object 202 with a
surface 204. Also illustrated is a partial cutaway view of the
object 202, which reveals layering of material beneath the surface
204. In this example, the object 202 includes a surface layer 206,
the top portion of which forms the surface 204. Beneath the surface
layer 206 is a substrate 208.
[0037] In at least some implementations, the substrate 208 can form
at least a portion of an internal portion of the object 202, such
as a housing for the object. For instance, with reference to a
mobile computing device implementation, the substrate 208 can form
an internal surface of a chassis for the mobile computing
device.
[0038] The substrate 208 and the surface layer 206 can be formed
from various materials, such as metals, alloys, compounds, resins,
and so forth. In this particular example, the substrate 208 is
formed from a magnesium alloy. However, substrates formed from
other materials may be employed as well, such as different metals
and/or metal alloys, resins, plastics, and so on.
[0039] Proceeding to the lower portion of the scenario 200, the
surface 204 is ablated (e.g., using the ablation device 104) to
generate an ablation trench 210. The ablation trench 210 is created
by removing material from the surface layer 206 to create a
perforation in the surface 204. Although only a cross section of
the ablation trench 210 is illustrated, the ablation trench 210 in
its entirety corresponds to a pre-specified graphic. For instance,
the ablation trench 210 can correspond to a shape for a particular
graphic, such as the graphic 120 discussed above with reference to
environment 100.
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates an example implementation scenario 300
according to techniques described herein. The upper portion of the
scenario 300 illustrates a side view of an object 302 with a
surface 304. Also illustrated is a partial cutaway view of the
object 302, which reveals layering of material beneath the surface
304. In this example, the object 302 includes a surface layer 306,
the top portion of which forms the surface 304. Beneath the surface
layer 306 are a first sublayer 308 and a second sublayer 310. The
second sublayer 310 is placed on a substrate 312. In at least some
implementations, the substrate 312 can form at least a portion of
an internal portion of the object 302, such as a housing for the
object. For instance, with reference to a mobile computing device
implementation, the substrate 312 can form an internal surface of a
chassis for the mobile computing device.
[0041] The substrate 312, the surface layer 306, and the sublayers
308, 310 can be formed from various materials, such as metals,
alloys, compounds, resins, and so forth. In this particular
example, the substrate 312 is formed from a magnesium alloy.
However, substrates formed from other materials may be employed as
well, such as different metals and/or metal alloys.
[0042] In at least some embodiments, the substrate 312 can be
treated to improve adhesion properties for subsequent layers. For
instance, the substrate 312 can be treated using a zincate process
(e.g., a double zincate process) to deposit zinc on the surface of
the substrate 312 prior to application of the second sublayer 310
to the substrate 312. Zinc deposition on the substrate 312 can
improve adhesion of the second sublayer 310 to the substrate
312.
[0043] Further to the scenario 300, the surface layer 306 and the
sublayers 308, 310 are adhered to the substrate 312, such as
utilizing various types of deposition and/or plating processes. For
instance, in at least one embodiment the second sublayer 310 is
formed from copper, such as from one or more forms of elemental
copper, copper compounds, and so on. Further, the first sublayer
308 is formed from nickel, such as from one or more forms of
elemental nickel, nickel compounds, and so on. The surface layer
306 can be formed from chromium, such as from one or more forms of
elemental chromium, chromium compounds, and so on. Thus, in a least
some implementations, the surface layer 306, the first sublayer
308, and the second sublayer 310 can be adhered to the substrate
312 to form distinct layers of different materials.
[0044] Further to one or more embodiments, the surface layer 306,
the first sublayer 308, and the second sublayer 310 can be applied
according to various thicknesses and thickness variations. For
instance, consider the following example specifications for each of
the respective layers.
[0045] (1) Second sublayer 310: [0046] (a) applied to the substrate
312 at 30 micrometers (".mu.") thickness, with a tolerance of
+15.mu. and -15.mu.; or [0047] (b) applied to the substrate 312 at
up to 1500.mu., thickness.
[0048] (2) First sublayer 308: [0049] (a) applied to the second
sublayer 310 at 9.mu., thickness, with a tolerance of +/-5.mu.; or
[0050] (b) applied to the second sublayer 310 at up to 45.mu.,
thickness.
[0051] (3) Surface layer 306: [0052] (a) applied to the first
sublayer 308 at 0.1.mu.-0.3.mu., thickness; or [0053] (b) applied
to the first sublayer 308 at up to 1.50.mu. thickness.
[0054] The specifications indicated above are provided for purpose
of example only, the different thicknesses may be employed in
accordance with the claimed embodiments. Further, the thicknesses
of the different layers may be independently varied to obtain
different variations of thicknesses between the different layers.
In at least some embodiments, a layer or layers may be omitted.
[0055] Proceeding to the lower portion of the scenario 300, the
surface 304 is ablated (e.g., using the ablation device 104) to
generate an ablation trench 314. The ablation trench 314 is created
by removing material from the surface layer 306 and one or more of
the sublayers to create a perforation in the surface 304. Although
only a cross section of the ablation trench 314 is illustrated, the
ablation trench 314 in its entirety corresponds to a pre-specified
graphic. For instance, the ablation trench 314 can correspond to a
shape for a particular graphic, such as the graphic 130 discussed
above with reference to environment 100.
[0056] In this particular example, the ablation trench 314 passes
through the surface layer 306 and into the first sublayer 308,
without penetrating an interface between the first sublayer 308 and
the second sublayer 310. Thus, the depth of the ablation trench 314
is such that a bottom the ablation trench 314 is within the first
sublayer 308, and such that the second sublayer 310 remains covered
(e.g., sealed) by the first sublayer 308. In at least some
implementations, the ablation trench penetrates the first sublayer
308 at a depth range of 2.mu.-4.mu.. However, different penetration
depths may be employed according to various embodiments.
[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a magnified section 400 of the side view
of the object 302, discussed above. Included as part of the section
400 are the surface 304, the surface layer 308, and the first
sublayer 308. Further illustrated is an ablation trench 402.
[0058] In this particular example, the ablation trench 402 includes
surface variations 404 that result in varying depth for the
ablation trench 402. For instance, the surface variations 404 can
cause the penetration depth of the ablation trench 402 into the
first sublayer 308 to vary between 1.mu.-4.mu.. In implementations
where a coating is applied to the ablation trench 402 (as discussed
below), the surface variations 404 can cause variations in optical
properties of a graphic generated using the ablation trench 402.
For instance, the surface variations 404 can increase the number
and variation in reflective surfaces such that variations in light
reflection and/or scattering occur.
[0059] In at least some implementations, the surface variations 404
can be caused by variations in ablation. For instance, the ablation
control module 110 can vary the power, distance (e.g., from the
surface 304), and/or the angle of the ablation device 104 during an
ablation process, thus resulting in the surface variations 404.
Variations in power, for instance, can be caused by pulsing the
ablation device 104 (e.g., laser pulsing) at different power levels
during an ablation process.
[0060] Having discussed an example implementation scenario that
employs object ablation, consider now an example implementation
scenario for object coating.
[0061] FIG. 5 illustrates an example implementation scenario 500
according to techniques described herein. The scenario 500
describes example ways of coating ablated objects, such as
discussed above with reference to the scenarios 200-400. In the
upper portion of the scenario 500, the partial cutaway view of the
object 302 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is presented, including the
ablation trench 314 generated via ablation of portions of the
object 302.
[0062] Proceeding to the lower portion of the scenario 500, several
coating layers are applied to the surface 304, such as via the
coating device 106 discussed above with reference to environment
100. In this particular example, a first coating layer 502 is
applied to the surface 304. In an example implementation, the first
coating layer 502 can be a thin film, such as applied via PVD, CVD,
and so forth. For instance, the first coating layer 502 can be
applied using a chrome carbide PVD to achieve a particular color
and/or tint for the first coating layer 502. Other materials may
additionally or alternatively be employed for the first coating
layer 502, such as titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, and/or
other metal carbides, metal nitride coatings, and so forth. The
first coating layer 502 can optionally include tinting and/or
coloring that can change the optical appearance of the surface
304.
[0063] The first coating layer 502 can be applied to the surface
304, including the ablation trench 314, at an approximately
consistent thickness. For instance, the first coating layer can be
applied at a thickness that ranges from 0.4.mu.-1.2.mu.. Thus, the
first coating layer 502 can be applied such that the surface 304
and the ablation trench 314 are uniformly colored.
[0064] Further to the scenario 500, a second coating layer 504 is
applied on top of the first coating layer 502. The second coating
layer 504 can be a protective material, such as an AFP coating, a
scratch-resistance coating, a nano-coating, and so forth. For
instance, the second coating layer 504 can be applied as a
protectant for the first coating layer 502 and/or other layers,
such as to prevent fingerprint adhesion, resist surface scratching,
and so forth.
[0065] According to one or more embodiments, the second coating
layer 504 can be applied to the first coating layer 502 at an
approximately uniform thickness. For instance, the thickness of the
second coating layer 504 can range from 0.25.mu.-1.50.mu..
[0066] In at least some implementations, color measurement of the
surface 304 and the ablation trench 314 when coated with the first
coating layer 502 and the second coating layer 504 (e.g., using a
suitable color meter) can indicate that the surface 304 and the
ablation trench 314 are the same color. Differences in surface
height between the surface 304 and the ablation trench 314,
however, can result in differences in light reflection properties.
For instance, specular and/or other reflection properties in
response to incident light on the surface 304 and the ablation
trench 314 can differ, causing visual color tonal differences
between the surfaces. This can cause visually perceptible color
differences between a graphic applied via the ablation trench 314
and a surrounding surface (e.g., the surface 304), even though the
ablation trench 314 and the surrounding surface are coated with the
same color.
[0067] Surface variations in the ablation trench 314 (e.g., as
discussed above), may also contribute to differences in color
perception between the surface 304 and the ablation trench 314. As
referenced above, such surface variations can cause variable light
reflection and/or scattering properties in the ablation trench 314.
Such variable light properties can result in a visual perception of
variation in color between the surface 304 and the ablation trench
314, even though both may be coated with a uniformly colored
coating.
[0068] The example thicknesses and tolerances discussed above are
presented for purpose of example only, and a wide variety of
different layer thicknesses and tolerances can be employed within
the spirit and scope of the claimed embodiments.
[0069] Example Procedure
[0070] The following discussion describes an example procedure in
accordance with one or more embodiments. In portions of the
following discussion, reference will be made to the environment 100
and the implementation scenarios discussed above.
[0071] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that describes steps in a method in
accordance with one or more embodiments. Step 600 receives
specifications for a graphic to be applied to a surface of an
object. For example, the I/O module 108 can receive input that
includes various specifications for a graphic, such as a pattern
for a graphic in terms of x and y coordinates. The specifications
may also include an ablation depth and/or variations in ablation
depth to be used to apply the graphic to the surface.
[0072] Step 602 ablates the surface of the object based on the
specifications to generate an ablation trench that corresponds to
the graphic. For instance, the specifications can be provided from
the I/O module 108 to the ablation control module 110, which
controls operation of the ablation device 104 to ablate the surface
according to the specifications.
[0073] As discussed above, the object can include multiple layers
of material layered on top of a substrate. Further, the ablation
trench can penetrate a surface layer in the shape of the specified
graphic. The trench depth can be specified such that a lowermost
portion of the trench penetrates an intermediate layer without
penetrating one or more lower layers.
[0074] Step 604 coats the ablation trench and surrounding surface
of the object with a finish coating. For instance, specifications
for one or more coatings to be applied can be provided to the I/O
module 108, which can provide the coating specifications to the
coating control module 112. The coating control module 112 can
control operation of the coating device 106 to apply a coating to
the ablation trench and surrounding surfaces. Examples of finish
coatings are discussed above, such as PVDs, AFPs, and so forth. As
also discussed above, a finish coating can be tinted such that
coloring is applied to the surface of the object and the ablation
trench.
[0075] Example System and Device
[0076] FIG. 7 illustrates an example system generally at 700 that
includes an example computing device 702 that is representative of
one or more computing systems and/or devices that may implement the
various techniques described herein. The computing device 702 may
be, for example, be configured to assume a mobile configuration
through use of a housing formed and size to be grasped and carried
by one or more hands of a user, illustrated examples of which
include a mobile phone, mobile game and music device, and tablet
computer although other examples are also contemplated.
[0077] The example computing device 702 as illustrated includes a
processing system 704, one or more computer-readable media 706, and
one or more I/O interface 708 that are communicatively coupled, one
to another. Although not shown, the computing device 702 may
further include a system bus or other data and command transfer
system that couples the various components, one to another. A
system bus can include any one or combination of different bus
structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral
bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that
utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures. A variety of other
examples are also contemplated, such as control and data lines.
[0078] The processing system 704 is representative of functionality
to perform one or more operations using hardware. Accordingly, the
processing system 704 is illustrated as including hardware element
710 that may be configured as processors, functional blocks, and so
forth. This may include implementation in hardware as an
application specific integrated circuit or other logic device
formed using one or more semiconductors. The hardware elements 710
are not limited by the materials from which they are formed or the
processing mechanisms employed therein. For example, processors may
be comprised of semiconductor(s) and/or transistors (e.g.,
electronic integrated circuits (ICs)). In such a context,
processor-executable instructions may be electronically-executable
instructions.
[0079] The computer-readable media 706 is illustrated as including
memory/storage 712. The memory/storage 712 represents
memory/storage capacity associated with one or more
computer-readable media. The memory/storage component 712 may
include volatile media (such as random access memory (RAM)) and/or
nonvolatile media (such as read only memory (ROM), Flash memory,
optical disks, magnetic disks, and so forth). The memory/storage
component 712 may include fixed media (e.g., RAM, ROM, a fixed hard
drive, and so on) as well as removable media (e.g., Flash memory, a
removable hard drive, an optical disc, and so forth). The
computer-readable media 706 may be configured in a variety of other
ways as further described below.
[0080] Input/output interface(s) 708 are representative of
functionality to allow a user to enter commands and information to
computing device 702, and also allow information to be presented to
the user and/or other components or devices using various
input/output devices. Examples of input devices include a keyboard,
a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a microphone (e.g., for
voice input), a scanner, touch functionality (e.g., capacitive or
other sensors that are configured to detect physical touch), a
camera (e.g., which may employ visible or non-visible wavelengths
such as infrared frequencies to recognize movement as gestures that
do not involve touch), and so forth. Examples of output devices
include a display device (e.g., a monitor or projector), speakers,
a printer, a network card, tactile-response device, and so forth.
Thus, the computing device 702 may be configured in a variety of
ways to support user interaction.
[0081] The computing device 702 is further illustrated as being
communicatively and physically coupled to an input device 714 that
is physically and communicatively removable from the computing
device 702. In this way, a variety of different input devices may
be coupled to the computing device 702 having a wide variety of
configurations to support a wide variety of functionality. In this
example, the input device 714 includes one or more keys 716, which
may be configured as pressure sensitive keys, mechanically switched
keys, and so forth.
[0082] The input device 714 is further illustrated as include one
or more modules 718 that may be configured to support a variety of
functionality. The one or more modules 718, for instance, may be
configured to process analog and/or digital signals received from
the keys 716 to determine whether a keystroke was intended,
determine whether an input is indicative of resting pressure,
support authentication of the input device 714 for operation with
the computing device 702, and so on.
[0083] Various techniques may be described herein in the general
context of software, hardware elements, or program modules.
Generally, such modules include routines, programs, objects,
elements, components, data structures, and so forth that perform
particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The
terms "module," "functionality," and "component" as used herein
generally represent software, firmware, hardware, or a combination
thereof. The features of the techniques described herein are
platform-independent, meaning that the techniques may be
implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms having a
variety of processors.
[0084] An implementation of the described modules and techniques
may be stored on or transmitted across some form of
computer-readable media. The computer-readable media may include a
variety of media that may be accessed by the computing device 702.
By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may
include "computer-readable storage media" and "computer-readable
signal media."
[0085] "Computer-readable storage media" may refer to media and/or
devices that enable persistent storage of information in contrast
to mere signal transmission, carrier waves, or signals per se.
Thus, computer-readable storage media excludes signals per se. The
computer-readable storage media includes hardware such as volatile
and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media and/or storage
devices implemented in a method or technology suitable for storage
of information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, logic elements/circuits, or other
data. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but
are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory
technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical
storage, hard disks, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic
disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or other storage
device, tangible media, or article of manufacture suitable to store
the desired information and which may be accessed by a
computer.
[0086] "Computer-readable signal media" may refer to a
signal-bearing medium that is configured to transmit instructions
to the hardware of the computing device 702, such as via a network.
Signal media typically may embody computer readable instructions,
data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data
signal, such as carrier waves, data signals, or other transport
mechanism. Signal media also include any information delivery
media. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal that has one
or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as
to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not
limitation, communication media include wired media such as a wired
network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as
acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.
[0087] As previously described, hardware elements 710 and
computer-readable media 706 are representative of modules,
programmable device logic and/or fixed device logic implemented in
a hardware form that may be employed in some embodiments to
implement at least some aspects of the techniques described herein,
such as to perform one or more instructions. Hardware may include
components of an integrated circuit or on-chip system, an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic
device (CPLD), and other implementations in silicon or other
hardware. In this context, hardware may operate as a processing
device that performs program tasks defined by instructions and/or
logic embodied by the hardware as well as a hardware utilized to
store instructions for execution, e.g., the computer-readable
storage media described previously.
[0088] Combinations of the foregoing may also be employed to
implement various techniques described herein. Accordingly,
software, hardware, or executable modules may be implemented as one
or more instructions and/or logic embodied on some form of
computer-readable storage media and/or by one or more hardware
elements 710. The computing device 702 may be configured to
implement particular instructions and/or functions corresponding to
the software and/or hardware modules. Accordingly, implementation
of a module that is executable by the computing device 702 as
software may be achieved at least partially in hardware, e.g.,
through use of computer-readable storage media and/or hardware
elements 710 of the processing system 704. The instructions and/or
functions may be executable/operable by one or more articles of
manufacture (for example, one or more computing devices 702 and/or
processing systems 704) to implement techniques, modules, and
examples described herein.
[0089] Discussed herein are a number of methods that may be
implemented to perform techniques discussed herein. Aspects of the
methods may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a
combination thereof. The methods are shown as a set of blocks that
specify operations performed by one or more devices and are not
necessarily limited to the orders shown for performing the
operations by the respective blocks. Further, an operation shown
with respect to a particular method may be combined and/or
interchanged with an operation of a different method in accordance
with one or more implementations. Aspects of the methods can be
implemented via interaction between various entities discussed
above with reference to the environment 100 and/or the example
implementation scenarios discussed above.
CONCLUSION
[0090] Although the example implementations have been described in
language specific to structural features and/or methodological
acts, it is to be understood that the implementations defined in
the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific
features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts
are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claimed
features.
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