US 6,838,130 B1 · Dry paint transfer process and product

Abstract

An automotive quality paint coat (44) is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel (118). In one embodiment, the paint coat (44) includes an exterior clear coat (45) above a color coat (46). During processing, the clear coat (45) and color coat (46) are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet (42) and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat (45) from the casting sheet (42). The paint coat (44) is then transferred from the casting sheet (42) to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet (72) by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate (70) is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate (116) is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat (44) has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing. The backing sheet (72) absorbs defects in the substrate material so the paint coat retains its appearance and durability properties during the injection-cladding step. The finished article comprises a high gloss, defect-free paint coat on the exterior of a molded plastic car body member or panel. Solution-form polyvinylidene fluoride/acrylic paint systems have remarkably high combined gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels, together with durability properties required for exterior automotive use.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A shaped article having a contoured decorative outer surface, comprising a supporting plastic substrate and a decorative sheet material adhered to one side of said substrate and conforming to said contoured surface, said decorative sheet material having a glossy, base coat/clear coat automotive paint finish, and comprising:

(i) a flexible outer layer having a smooth outer surface with a distinctiveness-of-image value of 65 or greater and formed of a flexible, optically clear weatherable polymer comprising from about 50% to about 70% of polyvinylidene fluoride solids and from about 30% to about 50% of an acrylic resin, and
(ii) a pigmented coating adhered to the opposite surface of said outer layer formed of a flexible polymer with pigments distributed therein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dry paint transfer process and product

Life of this patent

Dry paint transfer process and product

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6