Pur-based scratch-resistant coating and system for automotive lighting
AssigneeValeo Vision
InventorRobert FRAIZER
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to urethane based polymer coatings with the objective of enhancing the hardness characteristics of light-transmissive polymeric mediums, particularly to applied lenses in automotive lighting. An automotive lighting product of a polyurethane-based (PUR) formulation is derived from an in-mold process that applies thermal cure and ultra-violet (UV) cure processes, as a dual-cure combination, which results in enhanced abrasion and scratch resistance performance that extends lighting product longevity. The PUR-based polymer formulation can reduce pollutant emissions, scrap and waste in the field of the automotive lighting art.
Claims17
An automotive lighting product from a urethane-based (PUR/PUA) formulation derived from a mold tool, thermal cure and ultra-violet (UV) cure processes, comprising:
- a polymeric substrate that is a light-transmissive medium;
- a formulation of a number of urethane-based chemical reactants that form a urethane-based composition in an uncured state applied on the polymeric substrate;
- a number of UV stabilizers and a number of additives added to the urethane-based composition that is configured to achieve a degree of about 85%-90% cross-link density at an abrasion layer of the polymeric substrate that results in enhancements of a hardness characteristic of about 3.2H-4.2H on the Mohs hardness scale;
- and
- the abrasion layer rendering the urethane-based composition as a light-transmissive structure in a cured state.
A method of making an automotive lighting product from a formulation of
- a polyurethane-based (PUR) composition, an acrylic-urethane (PUA) or unsaturated polyester oligomer material comprising:
- presenting a mold tool having non-stick coating surfaces;
- introducing a polymeric substrate that is a light-transmissive medium within a chamber of the mold tool;
- feeding a stock of the formulation in an uncured state with a number of ultra-violet wavelength (UV) stabilizers and a number of additives into the mold tool where the formulation is transferred to each chamber with the polymeric substrate;
- curing the formulation by a thermal process and a UV process within a 5-second time interval while the formulation remains in the mold tool such that the automotive lighting product obtains a hardness characteristic value of at least 3.2H on the Mohs hardness scale for a coating layer derived from the formulation on the automotive lighting product;
- and
- removing the formulation with the automotive lighting product in a fully cured condition from the mold tool.
A polyurethane-based (PUR) coating composition derived from thermal cure and ultra-violet (UV) cure processes in conjunction with in-mold tooling, the PUR-based coating composition configured to be applied within an automotive lighting product, comprising:
- a thickness of film including the PUR-based coating composition with a number of additives and UV stabilizers;
- the thickness of film configured to have at least 80% cross-link polymerization upon curing with a measurable hardness characteristic of about 3.2H on the Mohs hardness scale at a surface layer;
- and
- the thickness of film having a value of at least 7 microns (0.007 mm);
- and
- the PUR coating composition transitioning to a fully cured state after transitioning through a thermal cure and a UV cure process with a minimal amount of outgassing from volatile organic compounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.