Patent US3080651A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0037235A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0037235A2
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EP
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An article of manufacture, such as an automobile trim component, comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal and a process of manufacturing same
Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
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Filing: 1981-03-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A vacuum metallized coating on a smooth dielectric surface consists of minute, specular, electrically discreet metal particles less than 10 microns thick and having an average diameter of less than 30 microns. The coating is not electrically conductive along the plane of the coating and when properlytopcoated has excellent corrosion resistance. This form of metal film permits metals such as aluminium, silver and indium, which are not inherently corrosion-resistant, to be used to make manufactures that are subjected to rigorous and abusive conditions in use, such as exterior automobile trim components. For such trim components the dielectric substrate is preferably an elastomer such as a thermoplastics urethane and the metal layer is protected with a topcoat of a clear tough water-resistant plastics film.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard C. Eisfeller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:13
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; B; B05; B05D; B05D5/00; B05D5/06; B05D5/067; B05D5/068; B60; B60R; B60R13/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/14; C23C14/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
An article of manufacture comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the dielectric substrate has a smooth surface, in that the surface coating of metal is a thin layer of minute metal particles on said smooth surface which layer is electrically non-conductive along the plane of the layer, and in that a protective topcoating of an intimately adhered light-passing film is provided over the thin layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
An article of manufacture comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the dielectric substrate has a smooth surface, in that the surface coating of metal is a thin layer of minute metal particles on said smooth surface which layer is electrically non-conductive along the plane of the layer, and in that a protective topcoating of an intimately adhered light-passing film is provided over the thin layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
An article of manufacture comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the dielectric substrate has a smooth surface, in that the surface coating of metal is a thin specular layer of minute electrically-discreet metal particles less than 10 microns thick on said smooth surface with the resistivity of said layer being greater than 2.5 ohm-cm. and said particles having an average diameter of less than 30 microns and in that a protective topcoating of an intimately adhered clear elastomeric film at least 2.5 microns thick is provided over the thin layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
An article of manufacture comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the dielectric substrate has a smooth surface, in that the surface coating of metal is a thin specular layer of minute electrically-discreet metal particles less than 10 microns thick on said smooth surface with the resistivity of said layer being greater than 2.5 ohm-cm. and said particles having an average diameter of less than 30 microns and in that a protective topcoating of an intimately adhered clear elastomeric film at least 2.5 microns thick is provided over the thin layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An article of manufacture according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that said dielectric substrate is a flexible elastomeric plastics having an extensibility greater than 30 percent. at 20°C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
An article of manufacture according to claim 3 characterised in that said dielectric substrate comprises a moulded thermoplastics urethane basecoated to give a smooth surface with a pigmented film-forming elastomer and in that the metal of said thin layer is a corrosion- prone metal selected from the group consisting of indium, aluminium, tin, nickel, cobalt, silver, zinc, cadmium, copper, iron and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An article of manufacture according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that said dielectric substrate comprises a rigid plastics having an extensibility of less than 10 percent. and selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyacrylonitrile butadiene-styrene, and polycarbonates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process of manufacturing an article comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal, the process being characterised in that a specular thin metal film of electrically-discreet granular particles having a thickness of less than 10 microns, an average grain size less than 30 microns and a surface resistivity greater than 2.5 ohm-cm., is deposited on a surface of the substrate by vacuum metallizing and in that a protective clear topcoat is applied thereover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process of manufacturing an article comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal, the process being characterised in that a specular thin metal film of electrically-discreet granular particles having a thickness of less than 10 microns, an average grain size less than 30 microns and a surface resistivity greater than 2.5 ohm-cm., is deposited on a surface of the substrate by vacuum metallizing and in that a protective clear topcoat is applied thereover.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claim 6 characterised in that said vacuum metallizing is by thermal evaporation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 6 or claim 7 characterised in that said vacuum metallizing is carried out with the arrival rate of metal atoms at the deposition surface being limited.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process according to any one of claims 6.to 8 characterised in that the dielectric substrate comprises a moulded plastics base and in that the topcoat comprises moisture-resistant plastics material and is applied from a fluid vehicle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
94 words
An automobile trim component comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the substrate comprises a smooth surface flexible elastomeric plastics base, in that the surface coating of metal comprises a vacuum deposited metal film less than 10 microns thick on said smooth surface, said metal film having a resistivity greater than 2.5 ohm-cm. and appearing continuous and specular to the eye but essentially comprising electrically-discreet columnar particles, and in that intimately bonded to the metal film is a flexible protective light-passing elastomeric film greater than 2.5 microns thick.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
An automobile trim component comprising a dielectric substrate with a surface coating of metal characterised in that the substrate comprises a smooth surface flexible elastomeric plastics base, in that the surface coating of metal comprises a vacuum deposited metal film less than 10 microns thick on said smooth surface, said metal film having a resistivity greater than 2.5 ohm-cm. and appearing continuous and specular to the eye but essentially comprising electrically-discreet columnar particles, and in that intimately bonded to the metal film is a flexible protective light-passing elastomeric film greater than 2.5 microns thick.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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