Transparency fabrication method

Claim 2

The process of uniformly dyeing the inside surface of a substantially hemispherically shaped transparent article for end use in a simulator visual display projection system or the like in which light is projected through said article to a screen, comprising: a. positioning said article concave side up with the extremities thereof level whereby the concavity can be completely filled with a dye solution; b. rotating said article about a central vertical axis; c. completely filling said article with said dye solution; d. mixing said dye solution while said article is rotating; and e. pouring said dye solution from said article when the desired color density is achieved.

Claim 3

Process in accordance with claim 1 including: a. heating said dye solution prior to filling said article; and b. maintaining said dye solution heated while mixing to the desired color density.

Claim 4

The process for uniformly dyeing the inside surface of a substantially hemispherically shaped transparent part for end use in a simulator visual display projector system or the like, comprising: a. positioning said part concave side up in a rotatable cage and drive apparatus, the extremities of said part being in a level orientation whereby the part can be completely filled with a dye solution; b. rotating said cage assembly about a central axis perpendicular to a level plane; c. filling said part with said dye solution; d. inserting a mixer means into said dye solution; e. energizing said mixer means; f. removing said mixer means when the desired color density of said part is achieved; g. pouring said dye solution from said part; h. stopping the rotation of said rotatable cage; and i. removing said part from said rotatable cage.

Claim 5

The process for uniformly dyeing the inside surface of a substantially hemispherically shaped transparent part for end use in a simulator visual display projector system or the like, comprising: a. positioning said part concave side up in a rotatable cage and drive apparatus, the extremities of said part being in a level orientation whereby the part can be completely filled with a dye solution; b. rotating said cage assembly about a central axis perpendicular to a level plane; c. filling said part with said dye solution; d. inserting a mixer means into said dye solution; e. energizing said mixer means; f. removing said mixer means when the desired color density of said part is achieved; g. pouring said dye solution from said part; h. stopping the rotation of said rotatable cage; and i. removing said part from said rotatable cage.

Claim 6

Process in accordance with claim 3 including: a. heating said dye solution prior to filling said part; b. inserting a heater unit into said dye solution along with said mixer means; c. energizing said heater unit to maintain the temperature of said dye solution; d. removing said heater unit along with said mixer means; and e. rinsing said part with water after pouring said dye solution from said part.

Claim 7

Process in accordance with claim 3 including partly painting said inside surface of said part with a rubber substance prior to the dyeing of said part, and removing said rubber substance after dyeing of said part, leaving an undyed section on said inside surface of said part.

Claim 8

The process of dyeing the inside surface of a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped article to provide a uniform color density variation increasing from relatively light at the horizon to relatively dark at the zenith point of said article, said article having an end use in a simulator visual display projection system or the like, comprising: a. positioning said article generally concave side up with a line extending from a horizon point to the zenith point being on a horizontal level, thereby making the central axis of said article through said zenith point positioned at a 45° inclination; b. rotating said article about said central axis; c. filling said article with dye solution to a point where said dye solution just overflows the lower horizon point of said article; d. mixing said dye solution while said article is rotating; and e. pouring said dye solution from said article when the dye has stained said surface of said article to provide the desired color density.

Claim 9

The process of dyeing the inside surface of a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped article to provide a uniform color density variation increasing from relatively light at the horizon to relatively dark at the zenith point of said article, said article having an end use in a simulator visual display projection system or the like, comprising: a. positioning said article generally concave side up with a line extending from a horizon point to the zenith point being on a horizontal level, thereby making the central axis of said article through said zenith point positioned at a 45° inclination; b. rotating said article about said central axis; c. filling said article with dye solution to a point where said dye solution just overflows the lower horizon point of said article; d. mixing said dye solution while said article is rotating; and e. pouring said dye solution from said article when the dye has stained said surface of said article to provide the desired color density.

Claim 10

Process in accordance with claim 6 including: a. heating said dye solution prior to filling said article; and b. maintaining said dye solution heated while mixing to the desired color density.

Claim 11

The process for dyeing the inside surface of a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped part to provide a uniform color density variation increasing from light to dark from the horizon to the zenith point of said part, said part having an end use in a simulator projection system or the like, comprising: a. positioning a rotatable cage and drive apparatus to an inclined plane of 45°; b. installing said part into said rotatable cage assembly; c. rotating said rotatable cage about its central axis; d. filling said part with dye to a point where said dye overflows the inside horizon of said part; e. inserting a mixer means into said dye solution; f. energizing said mixer means; g. removing said mixer means when the dye has stained said surface of said article to provide the desired color density of said part; h. pouring said dye solution from said part; i. stopping the rotation of said rotatable cage; and j. removing said part from said rotatable cage.

Claim 12

The process for dyeing the inside surface of a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped part to provide a uniform color density variation increasing from light to dark from the horizon to the zenith point of said part, said part having an end use in a simulator projection system or the like, comprising: a. positioning a rotatable cage and drive apparatus to an inclined plane of 45°; b. installing said part into said rotatable cage assembly; c. rotating said rotatable cage about its central axis; d. filling said part with dye to a point where said dye overflows the inside horizon of said part; e. inserting a mixer means into said dye solution; f. energizing said mixer means; g. removing said mixer means when the dye has stained said surface of said article to provide the desired color density of said part; h. pouring said dye solution from said part; i. stopping the rotation of said rotatable cage; and j. removing said part from said rotatable cage.

Claim 13

Process in accordance with claim 8 including: a. heating said dye solution prior to filling said part; b. inserting a heater unit into said dye solution along with said mixer means; c. energizing said heater unit to maintain the temperature of said dye solution; d. removing said heater unit along with said mixer means, and rinsing said part with water after pouring said dye solution from said part.

Claim 14

Process in accordance with claim 9 including partly painting said inside surface of said part with a rubber substance prior to the dyeing of said part, and removing said rubber substance after dyeing of said part, leaving an undyed section on said inside surface of said part.

Claim 15

The process of forming a curved transparent article dyed on the outside convex surface, comprising: a. heating a transparent sheet until it becomes ductile; b. vacuum forming, by means of differential pressure, and sheet to form a transparent article having a first concave side; c. cooling said transparent article to room temperature; d. dyeing said first concave side; e. reheating said transparent article until it becomes ductile; and f. reverse forming, by means of differential pressure, said transparent article to thereby change said dyed first concave side to the final dyed outside convex surface.

Claim 16

The process of forming a curved transparent article dyed on the outside convex surface, comprising: a. heating a transparent sheet until it becomes ductile; b. vacuum forming, by means of differential pressure, and sheet to form a transparent article having a first concave side; c. cooling said transparent article to room temperature; d. dyeing said first concave side; e. reheating said transparent article until it becomes ductile; and f. reverse forming, by means of differential pressure, said transparent article to thereby change said dyed first concave side to the final dyed outside convex surface.

Claim 17

The process of claim 11 wherein said dyeing includes holding a liquid dye solution in said first concave side until the desired color density is achieved.

Claim 18

Process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said article comprises a thermoplastic resin.

Claim 19

The process of forming a curved transparent article dyed on the outside convex surface, comprising: a. heating a flat transparent article to about 10° F. above its minimum ductile temperature; b. forming said article to a curved shape by means of a differential pressure; c. cooling said article until it is rigid; d. dyeing the inside, concave, surface of said article; e. reheating said article to about 10° F. above its minimum ductile temperature; and f. reverse forming, by differential pressure, said article such that the dyed surface is on the final convex side.

Claim 20

The process of forming a curved transparent article dyed on the outside convex surface, comprising: a. heating a flat transparent article to about 10° F. above its minimum ductile temperature; b. forming said article to a curved shape by means of a differential pressure; c. cooling said article until it is rigid; d. dyeing the inside, concave, surface of said article; e. reheating said article to about 10° F. above its minimum ductile temperature; and f. reverse forming, by differential pressure, said article such that the dyed surface is on the final convex side.

Claim 21

The process of forming a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped article dyed on the outside surface, comprising: a. heating a flat sheet of clear thermoplastic resin to its ductile temperature; b. forming said sheet, by means of a differential pressure, into a substantially hemispherically shaped part; c. cooling said hemispherically shaped part, at room temperature, unit it becomes rigid; d. dyeing the inside surface of said hemispherically shaped part; e. reheating said hemispherically shaped part to its ductile temperature; and f. reverse forming said substantially hemispherically shaped part to form a substantially opposite hemispherical shape wherein the former inside dyed surface becomes the final outside surface of said substantially hemispherically shaped article.

Claim 22

The process of forming a transparent substantially hemispherically shaped article dyed on the outside surface, comprising: a. heating a flat sheet of clear thermoplastic resin to its ductile temperature; b. forming said sheet, by means of a differential pressure, into a substantially hemispherically shaped part; c. cooling said hemispherically shaped part, at room temperature, unit it becomes rigid; d. dyeing the inside surface of said hemispherically shaped part; e. reheating said hemispherically shaped part to its ductile temperature; and f. reverse forming said substantially hemispherically shaped part to form a substantially opposite hemispherical shape wherein the former inside dyed surface becomes the final outside surface of said substantially hemispherically shaped article.

Claim 23

The process in accordance with claim 15 wherein said dyeing comprises: a. rotating said substantially hemispherically shaped part about an axis extending through the zenith point and the center of the hemisphere, with the inside hemisphere surface generally up, said axis being inclined at 45° to the vertical; b. filling said hemisphere with a dye solution to the point where said solution just overflows the lower horizon point of said hemisphere and continuing the rotation until the desired color density is achieved, and then emptying said hemisphere of said solution; c. whereby said hemisphere is given a uniformly varying color density increasing from relatively light at the horizon to relatively dark at the zenith point.

Claim 24

Process in accordance with claim 15 wherein said dyeing comprises: a. positioning said substantially hemispherically shaped part such that the axis extending through the zenith point and the center of the hemisphere is vertical, with the inside hemisphere surface up; b. filling said hemisphere completely with a dye solution and letting it remain until the desired color density is achieved, and then emptying said hemisphere of said solution; c. whereby said hemisphere is given a uniform color density at all points of its dyed surface.

Claim 25

The process of forming a curved transparent part dyed on the outside convex surface of the part, comprising: a. placing a transparent part in a heating means; b. heating said part to its ductile temperature; c. removing said part from said heating means while at its ductile temperature; d. positioning said part in a forming means; e. forming said part by means of a differential pressure; f. cooling each part at room temperature, until it becomes rigid; g. removing the formed part from said forming means; h. dyeing the inside concave surface of said formed part; i. placing said formed part in said heating means; j. reheating said formed part to its ductile temperature; k. removing said part from said heating means while at its ductile temperature; l. positioning said part in said forming means in an orientation such that after reverse forming, the dyed surface will be said outside convex surface of said part; m. reverse forming said part by means of a differential pressure; n. cooling said part, at room temperature, until it becomes rigid; and o. removing the reformed part from said forming means.

Claim 26

The process of forming a curved transparent part dyed on the outside convex surface of the part, comprising: a. placing a transparent part in a heating means; b. heating said part to its ductile temperature; c. removing said part from said heating means while at its ductile temperature; d. positioning said part in a forming means; e. forming said part by means of a differential pressure; f. cooling each part at room temperature, until it becomes rigid; g. removing the formed part from said forming means; h. dyeing the inside concave surface of said formed part; i. placing said formed part in said heating means; j. reheating said formed part to its ductile temperature; k. removing said part from said heating means while at its ductile temperature; l. positioning said part in said forming means in an orientation such that after reverse forming, the dyed surface will be said outside convex surface of said part; m. reverse forming said part by means of a differential pressure; n. cooling said part, at room temperature, until it becomes rigid; and o. removing the reformed part from said forming means.