Multilayer, coextruded, ionomeric decorative surfacing

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to multilayer, co-extruded, ionomeric thermoplastic sheet and film, articles manufactured with a decorative surface of such sheet and film, and processes for making shaped articles having a top surface of decorative ionomeric film.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#For purposes of this invention the following terms are to be defined as follows: 1. “Copolymer” means polymers containing two or more monomers and as such the term is intended to include both “bipolymer” and “terpolymer” as well as polymers produced from more than three comonomers. The terms “bipolymer” and “terpolymer” mean polymers containing only two and three monomers respectively. The phrase “copolymer of various monomers” means a copolymer whose units are derived from the various monomers. 2. “(Meth)acrylic acid” means acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and the term “(meth)acrylate” means acrylate and methacrylate. 3. “Consisting essentially of” means that the recited components are essential, while smaller amounts of other components may be present to the extent that they do not detract from the operability of the present invention. 4. “Distinctness of Image” (DOI) is a measure of the “crispness” or “degree of definition” of a reflection of a object in a colored finish compared to the actual object itself. (DOI) is defined in ASTM Standard-284 as: distinctness-of-image-gloss, n-aspect of gloss characterized by the sharpness of images of objects produced by reflection at a surface. DOI can be measured with a BYK-Gardner Wavescan doi instrument bases on U.S. Pat. No. 1,155,558. In the automotive industry, satisfactory finishes on a smooth or “Class A” surface typically will have a finish with a DOI value of at least 60, preferably 80 or higher. 5. Flop is an expression and a calculated variable used to describe or characterize appearance change with viewing angle. In its calculated term context, it is calculated from color measurement L values at 3 different angles from a light source. The higher the flop value, the greater the appearance change in viewing at different angles. 6. Effect particle is a particle added to paints or pigments which provides an appearance effect or change in color with view angle. Typical effect particles are aluminum flakes and mica particles. Often effect particles are flat and thin and their orientation can be important in imparting a certain appearance. 7. Machine direction (MD) means the orientation in a film which is in the direction, either upstream or downstream, that the film is exiting the machine or die. The MD direction can be referred to as either pointing into the machine or away from the machine, 180 degrees apart. The term can be associated with film length. This is in contrast to the cross machine direction or “TD” direction which is the direction 90 degrees from the machine direction or exit flow direction and typically indicates the direction across the film width from one side to the other side. 8. CIELAB color difference is defined in ASTM Standard-284 as, n-color difference calculated by using the CIE 1976 L*a*b*opponent color scales, based on applying a cube-root transformation to CIE tristimulus values X,Y,Z. 9. Gloss is defined in ASTM Standard-284 as, n-angular selectivity of reflectance, involving surface reflected light, responsible for the degree to which reflected highlights or images of objects may be superimposed on a surface. 10. Haze is defined in ASTM Standard 284 as: n-scattering of light at the glossy surface of a specimen responsible for the apparent reduction in contrast of objects viewed by reflection from the surface. 11. A Class A surface is a surface that by itself of when painted results in DOI, gloss and haze readings of 80, 90, 10.

#It should be further appreciated that for purposed of the present invention, the use of the expressions multilayer film and the multilayer sheet refer collectively to polymeric films and sheets that are from about 1 mil to about 60 mils thick. Although no single thickness dimension is felt to represent a demarcation between film and sheet, for purposes of this invention the use of the word sheet, in both the processes for making a shaped article involving backfilling of sheet and for making a thermoformed article from sheet, refers to polymeric material of 8 to 60 mils thick.

#Film Process