Light-transmitting and/or coated article with removable protective coating and methods of making the same

Abstract

A method and coating are provided for temporarily protecting a substrate or article during shipping, handling or storage by applying a removable protective coating over at least a portion of the substrate. The substrate may be flat or curved and may have zero, one or more functional coatings. A plurality of substrates with the protective coating of the invention may be arranged in a shipping container so that the protective coating reduces the possibility of damage to the substrate or optional functional coating. In one embodiment, the protective coating is the evaporation or reaction product of an aqueous coating composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol polymer which may be subsequently removed by aqueous washing, thermal decomposition or combustion. In another embodiment, the protective coating is formed by sputtering a substantially carbon coating onto the substrate. The carbon coating is subsequently removed by combustion. The protective coating may have identification materials, such as colorants or fragrance materials, such that different types of substrates and/or functional coatings can be distinguished from each other. Additionally, the temporary protective coating can improve the heating of a functionally coated glass substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.