Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A minute structure for showing an interference color having a certain wavelength within a visible light region, by reflection and interference of a natural light incident on the minute structure, said structure comprising: a laminated portion for showing the interference color, said laminated portion including a plurality of first layers having a first refractive index and a plurality of second layers having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, said first and second layers being alternately placed on top of each other; and means for absorbing a stray light, said stray light having wavelengths other than the certain wavelength and being formed by transmittance of the natural light through said laminated portion, reflectance of the natural light by said laminated portion and/or scattering of the natural light by said laminated portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein said stray-light absorbing means has an average transmittance not higher than 50% in the visible light region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A minute structure, according to Claim 2, wherein said stray-light absorbing means has an average transmittance not higher than 30% in the visible light region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
A fabric for showing an interference color having a certain wavelength in a visible light region, the fabric comprising: a first thread which is one of a warp and a weft, the first thread having the laminated portion of Claim 1 for showing the interference color; and a second thread which is the other of the warp and the weft, the first and second threads being woven to form the fabric, the second thread having the stray-light absorbing means of Claim 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A fabric according to Claim 4, which is a plain weave fabric.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein each of said first layers is made of a material selected from the group consisting of air, polypropylene and polyvinylidene fluoride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein each of said second layers is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and polyphenylene sulfide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein each of said first and second layers is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, nylon, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether ether ketone and polyparaphenylene terephthalide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein said stray-light absorbing means is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a colored polymer resin, a polymer resin containing an organic or inorganic pigment, and a polymer resin coated with a colored ceramic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A minute structure according to Claim 9, wherein said organic or inorganic pigment is selected from the group consisting of melanine, aniline black and carbon black.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein each of said first layers is made of air and each of said second layers is made of a solid object, and wherein each of said first layers has a refractive index of 1.0 and each of said second layers has a refractive index within a range from 1.2 to 1.8.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
80 words
A minute structure according to Claim 1, wherein each of said first layers is made of a solid object and each of said second layers is made of another solid object, and wherein each of said first layers has a first refractive index of at least 1.3 and each of said second layers has a second refractive index such that the ratio of the second refractive index to the first refractive index is within a range from 1.1 to 1.4.