IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,164,128
Granted Patent B2
US 12,164,128 · App. 17/158,879 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Thin film interference pigments with a coating of nanoparticles

Inventors: Alberto Argoitia (Santa Rosa, CA); John Edward Book (Santa Rosa, CA); Jaroslaw Zieba (Santa Rosa, CA)
Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
G02B5/223G02B5/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,164,128
App. No.
17/158,879
Filed
Jan 26, 2021
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2871
USPC
359/580
Abstract

An article including a thin film interference pigment; and a coating including a colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles is disclosed. The article can exhibit a change in hue, lightness, and/or chroma as compared to the thin film interference pigment alone. Methods of making the article are also disclosed.

Claims (28)

1. An article, comprising:

a thin film interference pigment; and

a coating including two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles on the thin film interference pigment, wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles are each chosen from an organic pigment, a dye, a metal oxide, a metal carbide, a metal sulfide, and combinations thereof;

wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles of the coating on the thin film interference pigment cause, at different viewing angles, a color shift of the thin film interference pigment so that the color shift of the article is from a low to high wavelength.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating is a layer including a blend of the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the blend is equal portions, by weight, of each of the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

4. The article of claim 2 , wherein the blend is different portions, by weight, of each of the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating is multiple layers in which each layer includes a blend of two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating is multiple layers including two or more layers in which each layer has a colored selectively absorbing nanoparticle.

7. The article of claim 6 , wherein the multiple layers include two or more layers of a first color of selectively absorbing nanoparticles, and two or more layers of a second color of selectively absorbing nanoparticles, wherein the first color is different from the second color.

8. The article of claim 7 , wherein an order of the two or more layers changes a color in reflection and maintains a color in transmission.

9. The article of claim 6 , wherein the two or more layers of colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles include a first layer with a first portion of colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles, and a second layer with a second portion of colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating is continuous.

11. The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating of selectively absorbing nanoparticles is discontinuous.

12. A method of making an article, comprising:

providing a thin film interference pigment; and

coating the thin film interference pigment with two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles, wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles are nanoparticles chosen from an organic pigment, a dye, a metal oxide, a metal carbide, a metal sulfide, and combinations thereof;

wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles of the coating on the thin film interference pigment cause, at different viewing angles, a color shift of the thin film interference pigment so that the color shift of the article is from a low to high wavelength.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating fully encapsulates the thin film interference pigment.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating encapsulates a portion of the thin film interference pigment.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein a color travel of the article is different from a color travel of the thin film interference pigment, wherein the color travel is based on reflected color as a viewing angle changes.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is a layer including a blend of the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the article exhibits a change of hue, a decrease in lightness, and an increase in chroma as compared to the thin film interference pigment; or wherein the article exhibits a change of hue and an increase in lightness and a decrease in chroma as compared to the thin film interference pigment.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is multiple layers including two or more layers of colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles.

19. An article, comprising:

a thin film interference foil; and

a coating including two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles on the thin film interference foil, wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles are each chosen from an organic pigment, a dye, a metal oxide, a metal carbide, a metal sulfide, and combinations thereof;

wherein the two or more different colored selectively absorbing nanoparticles of the coating on the thin film interference foil cause, at different viewing angles, a color shift of the thin film interference foil so that the color shift of the article is from a low to high wavelength.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2021
From: ARGOITIA, ALBERTO; BOOK, JOHN EDWARD; ZIEBA, JAROSLAW
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 055389/0549 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62966391 · Jan 27, 2020
Related Publication 20210231849A1 · Jul 29, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,504,571 US 12,613,366