A solar-activated body panel for a vehicle includes outer and inner panels with an internal cavity defined therebetween. The internal cavity includes first and second portions that correspond to first and second heat gain portions, respectively, on the outer surface, wherein the first heat gain portion retains solar energy at a first heat gain rate and the second heat gain portion retains solar energy at a second heat gain rate, the first heat gain rate being greater than the second heat gain rate. A thermal material is disposed on the outer surface, wherein when solar energy is radiated onto the outer surface, the first heat gain portion absorbs heat at the first heat gain rate and, in turn emits heat to the thermal material to alter the thermal material and define a predetermined indicia on the outer surface and within the thermal material.
Solar-activated structure for revealing a hidden indicia within a body panel of a vehicle
2016-11-22
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge / B41M PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES , Druck-, Vervielfältigungs-, Markierungs- oder Kopierverfahren / B60R Fahrzeuge, Fahrzeugausstattung oder Fahrzeugteile, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen , VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR |