Transparent tinted coating for appliance exterior panels to allow for tinted surface patterns and a process for application of coating

A kitchen appliance comprising:

• a shaped outer metal panel including a surface texture defined on at least one side of the shaped outer metal panel and disposed upon an insulated panel, wherein the shaped outer metal panel is formed into a predetermined shape;
• and
• a transparent outer coating being a thermosetting polyester that is a single organic paint coating composition that is a single layer applied, using a plurality of coats, as a consistent and smooth finish to the at least one side of the shaped outer metal panel, the transparent outer coating having a thickness within a range of from approximately 0.2 mils to approximately 0.6 mils, and wherein the transparent outer coating includes at least two hues, wherein each of the at least two hues are separately visible within a common portion of the shaped outer metal panel from distinct viewing angles, and wherein the surface texture is cooperatively visible with each hue of the at least two hues to define a tinted surface pattern that is visible through the transparent outer coating, and wherein the shaped outer metal panel is configured to be formed into the predetermined shape after the transparent outer coating is applied directly to the at least one side of the shaped outer metal panel, wherein the transparent outer coating includes carbon black and at least one additional color producing additive that cooperate to produce the at least two hues.

A tinted outer shell for an appliance comprising:

• an operable panel for the appliance;
• a stainless steel substrate having a textured surface pattern defined within at least one side of the stainless steel substrate, the textured surface pattern having lowered areas and raised surfaces between the lowered areas, wherein the stainless steel substrate is shaped in a predetermined contour and is applied to the operable panel;
• and
• a coating layer that directly engages the stainless steel substrate, the coating layer being a single-layer transparent organic paint coating composition, disposed on the textured surface pattern as a consistent and smooth finish and engaging each of the lowered areas and the raised surfaces to define thick coating regions defined at the lowered areas and having a first thickness and thin coating regions defined at the raised surfaces and having a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, the coating layer including a transparent thermosetting polyester that includes a predetermined color that filters a predetermined wavelength of visible light, the thick coating regions filtering a first wavelength of visible light and the thin coating regions filtering a second wavelength of visible light, the first wavelength being different than the second wavelength, wherein the coating layer includes a predetermined additive that includes carbon black, and wherein a predetermined proportion of carbon black disposed within the coating layer is within a range of from approximately 0.1 percent by weight and approximately 1 percent by weight, and wherein the predetermined color includes at least two colors, wherein each of the at least two colors are separately visible within a common portion of the stainless steel substrate from distinct viewing angles.