Glass Paneling With a Sublimated Image and Process For Making the Same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a glass sheet substrate and process for making the same with a first wear surface, an obverse, second surface including a thermoset image receiving coating having a complete, unitary sublimated ink image that is viewable with minimal loss of resolution and clarity from the first side through the thickness of the glass sheet substrate.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A custom imaged glass panel, comprising:
 a generally transparent glass sheet substrate comprising a first surface, and second, oppositely facing surface defining a surface area dimensioned to receive an entire sublimated image, said first and second surfaces being spaced apart by the thickness of the substrate selected to minimize image resolution degradation;   an image contrast enhancer on said second surface;   an image receiving coating on said second surface formed from liquid thermosettable silica sols, silanes, polyurethanes, and epoxy resins; and   an entire image disposed on the second surface, said image having been formed using ink sublimated within said coatings and said image being viewable substantially without degradation from the first surface through the thickness of the glass sheet substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the image receiving coating has a thickness of 2 mils. 
     
     
         3 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 2  where the image is multicolored. 
     
     
         4 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 3  where the image receiving coating includes a condensation co-polymerized acidic-colloidal silica sol. 
     
     
         5 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 4  where the image contrast enhancer is a coating comprises a mixture of blocked polyisocyanate/polyurethane epoxy resin and a powdered contrast agent in a 10:1 ratio. 
     
     
         6 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 5  where the image contrast enhancer includes titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         7 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 6  where the image contrast enhancer has a weight ration of 10:1 of the blocked polyisocyanate/polyurethane epoxy resin to the powdered titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the image receiving coating is composed of 1 part liquid thermosettable, condensation co-polymerized acidic-colloidal silica sol with monomethyltrimethoxysilanes to 3 parts blocked polyisocyanate/polyurethane epoxy resin. 
     
     
         9 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 8  where the image receiving coating is a termixture of a) blocked polyisocyanate/polyurethane epoxy resin, b) liquid thermosettable, condensation co-polymerized acidic-colloidal silica sol with monomethyltrimethoxysilanes, and c) powdered Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ) in a 20:5:2 weight ratio. 
     
     
         10 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the ink sublimates and the image receiving coating thermosets at a temperature of about 200° C. 
     
     
         11 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 8  where the ink sublimates and the image receiving coating thermosets at a temperature of about 200° C. 
     
     
         12 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the substrate is clear and has a thickness of at least 6.3 mm and where the first and second surfaces are evenly spaced apart in parallel planes. 
     
     
         13 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the first and second surfaces are substantially the same size. 
     
     
         14 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 1  where the image receiving coating further includes a heat stable compound selected from the group consisting of mold inhibitors, antibacterial agents, and anti-fungal compounds. 
     
     
         15 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 7  where the image receiving coating further includes a heat stable compound selected from the group consisting of mold inhibitors, antibacterial agents, and anti-fungal compounds. 
     
     
         16 . The custom imaged glass panel of  claim 9  where the image receiving coating further includes a heat stable compound selected from the group consisting of mold inhibitors, antibacterial agents, and anti-fungal compounds. 
     
     
         17 . A process for creating a custom image on a glass substrate with a first and a second surface, comprising the steps of:
 applying a thermosettable, sublimatable-ink-receiving coating on a select one of said first and second surfaces;   curing said sublimatable-ink-receiving coating;   applying a visibility contrast enhancing coating to said select one of said first and second surfaces;   curing said contrast enhancing coating;   applying a complete image on the glass substrate using sublimatable inks on coated select one of said first and second surfaces; and   sublimating the inks on the coated glass substrate to form an image visible through the other of said select first and second surfaces where the other surface is exposable to ambient conditions without degrading visibility of the image.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17  where both the thermosettable, sublimatable-ink-receiving and the contrast enhancing coatings are cured at a temperature of less than 200° C. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  where the glass substrate is a flat sheet and the coatings are cured for a period of approximately 15 minutes. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19  where the image is selected from a group consisting of original art, artwork reproduction, graphic art, photographic image, personal artwork, and downloadable digital image producible by a dot matrix printer.