US4125404A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photochromic glasses exhibiting dichroism, birefringence and color adaptation
Assignee: Corning Glass Works
•
Filing: 1976-11-05
•
Granted: 1978-11-14
•
Expires: 1996-11-05
Abstract
Abstract Silver halide-containing photochromic glasses are rendered optically anisotropic by darkening with actinic radiation and irradiating with linearly polarized bleaching light. A photochromic glass so treated will be optically isotropic when it returns to the clear state, but may again become optically anisotropic when redarkened. Color adaptation results when darkened silver halide-containing photochromic glasses are irradiated with colored optical bleaching light.
Inventors
- 👤 Roger J. Araujo
- 👤 Nicholas F. Borrelli
- 👤 Jan B. Chodak
- 👤 George B. Hares
- 👤 Gerald S. Meiling
- 👤 Thomas P. Seward, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:46
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/20; G02B5/22; G02B5/23; C; C03; C03C; C03C4/00; C03C4/04; C03C4/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
26 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting dichroism and birefringence in the darkened state, wherein the particles comprising the silver halide photochromic phase are randomly oriented.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting dichroism and birefringence in the darkened state, wherein the particles comprising the silver halide photochromic phase are randomly oriented.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article capable of reversibly changing from a clear, optically-isotropic state to a darkened dichroic and birefringent state upon exposure to actinic radiation, said article being produced by irradiating a glass article containing a silver halide photochromic phase and having a finite thermal fade rate with linearly polarized bleaching light while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article capable of reversibly changing from a clear, optically-isotropic state to a darkened dichroic and birefringent state upon exposure to actinic radiation, said article being produced by irradiating a glass article containing a silver halide photochromic phase and having a finite thermal fade rate with linearly polarized bleaching light while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting a dark state color differing from the normal dark state color of the glass, said article being produced by irradiating a glass article containing a silver halide photochromic phase with colored optical bleaching light while the glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting a dark state color differing from the normal dark state color of the glass, said article being produced by irradiating a glass article containing a silver halide photochromic phase with colored optical bleaching light while the glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing light polarizing properties in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing light polarizing properties in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing colors in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with colored optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing colors in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with colored optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting dichroism and birefringence in the darkened state which comprises the step of irradiating a glass containing a silver halide photochromic phase with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article exhibiting dichroism and birefringence in the darkened state which comprises the step of irradiating a glass containing a silver halide photochromic phase with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article capable of reversibly changing from a clear optically-isotropic state to a darkened dichroic and birefringent state upon exposure to actinic radiation which comprises the step of irradiating a glass containing a silver halide photochromic phase and having a finite thermal fade rate with linearly polarized optical bleaching light for a time interval insufficient to fully bleach said glass while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article capable of reversibly changing from a clear optically-isotropic state to a darkened dichroic and birefringent state upon exposure to actinic radiation which comprises the step of irradiating a glass containing a silver halide photochromic phase and having a finite thermal fade rate with linearly polarized optical bleaching light for a time interval insufficient to fully bleach said glass while said glass is in a darkened state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting different light polarizing properties in the darkened state which comprises the step of irradiating at least one of said regions with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting different light polarizing properties in the darkened state which comprises the step of irradiating at least one of said regions with linearly polarized optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing colors in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with colored optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process for producing a silver halide-containing photochromic glass article comprising at least two volume regions exhibiting differing colors in the darkened state, said article being produced by irradiating at least one of said regions with colored optical bleaching light while said region is in a darkened state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 7 which includes the further step of exposing the glass to actinic radiation to promote darkening during a time interval which at least partly coincides with the time interval of irradiating the glass with polarized optical bleaching light.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 10 wherein the intensity of the actinic radiation and/or the polarized optical bleaching light vary with time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 10 wherein the time interval of exposure to actinic radiation extends beyond the completion of the time interval of irradiating the glass with polarized optical bleaching light.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the step of irradiating the glass with polarized optical bleaching light comprises a time interval in which the polarized optical bleaching light is gradually extinguished.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the step of exposing the glass to actinic radiation comprises a time interval in which the actinic radiation is gradually intensified.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein the time interval in which the actinic radiation is gradually intensified precedes the time interval in which the polarized optical bleaching light is gradually extinguished.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3208860A
Cited
US3540793A
Cited
US3734754A
Cited
US3920463A
Cited
US4017318A
Cited
US4075024A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-11-13 | 1982-05-15 | 1982-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-11-13 | 1986-05-15 | 1986-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-11-13 | 1990-05-15 | 1990-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |