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US 6,884,336 B2Granted
Color finishing method
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsSheila Farrokhalaee Kia, Hong-Hsiang Kuo, Yar-Ming Wang
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Abstract
A method for the color finishing of aluminum frames and other components for motor vehicles comprises anodizing an aluminum surface and coloring the aluminum surface. The coloring of the aluminum surface may be effected by an adsorptive coloring process, an electrolytic coloring process, an interference coloring process, or any combination of the foregoing processes.
Claims12
A method for color anodizing an aluminum surface of a motor vehicle, said method comprising;
- in sequence:
- cleaning said aluminum surface in an alkaline cleaning process;
- etching said aluminum surface in an etching process;
- deoxidizing said aluminum surface in a deoxidizing bath;
- anodizing said aluminum surface in an anodizing bath;
- dipping said aluminum surface in a nitric acid bath;
- coloring said aluminum surface;
- and
- cold sealing or heat sealing said colored aluminum surface.
6 more elements
A method of color-anodizing aluminum motor vehicle frames or components, said method comprising in sequence:
- immersing said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in an alkaline cleaning solution having an elevated temperature to remove a contaminant;
- removing a natural oxide coating from said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component;
- immersing said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in an acidic solution to desmut or deoxidize said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component;
- immersing said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in a hot aqueous solution containing a mixture of nitric, phosphoric, and sulfuric acids to bright dip/electropolish said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component;
- anodizing said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in an acid solution;
- coloring said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in a process selected from the group of processes consisting of adsorptive coloring, electrolytic coloring, and interference coloring;
- dipping said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in solution of fluoride or silica compounds in the presence of nickel salts to cold seal said aluminium motor vehicle frame or component;
- immersing said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component in deionized water at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 100° C.;
- and
- drying said aluminum motor vehicle frame or component.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.