Patent US4006760A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0285071A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dry paint transfer process and product
Assignee: Avery Dennison Corp
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Filing: 1988-03-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A high gloss exterior automotive quality paint coat having exterior automotive appearance and durability properties is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel. In one embodiment, the paint coat includes an exterior clear coat (45) above a color coat (46). The clear coat (45) and color coat (46) are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat from the casting sheet. The paint coat is then transferred from the casting sheet to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet (72) by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate (130) is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing. The color coat has sufficient pigment to maintain required coloration without disrupting the other properties of the paint coat during the thermoforming step. The backing sheet 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 PVDF/acrylic paint systems have remarkably high combined gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick Leon Spain
- 👤 Keith Lawson Troug
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:14
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05D; B05D7/00; B05D7/50; B05D7/52; B05D7/53; B05D7/536; B05D7/02; B05D1/00; B05D1/28; B05D1/286; B05D7/04; B05D7/56; B05D7/57; B05D7/576; B29; B29C; B29C37/00; B29C37/0025; B29C45/00; B29C45/14; B29C45/14778; B29C45/14811; B29C51/00; B29C51/14; B29C37/0028; B29C2037/0042; B29C43/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/18; B29C2043/185; B29C2043/186; B29C2043/187; B29C45/1418; B29C2045/14237; B29C2795/00; B29C2795/002; B29C43/20; B29C43/203; B29K; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/10; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0018; B29K2995/002; B29K2995/0026; B29L; B29L2009/00; B29L2009/005; B29L2009/006; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B29L2031/722
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 82
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A thermoformable laminate for use in forming an exterior portion of an exterior car body panel, the laminate comprising a thin, semirigid backing sheet made from a synthetic resinous material, and an automotive quality paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the paint coat includes a synthetic resinous coating in dry thin film form having an exterior surface with a predetermined gloss level transferred to it from a high gloss casting sheet, the paint coat having sufficient elongation and resistance to deglossing such that the laminate is thermoformable into a highly contoured three-dimensional shape while the paint coat substantially retains said predetermined gloss level during thermoforming and provides predetermined appearance and durability properties sufficient to be useful as an exterior automotive paint coat following thermoforming of the laminate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A thermoformable laminate for use in forming an exterior portion of an exterior car body panel, the laminate comprising a thin, semirigid backing sheet made from a synthetic resinous material, and an automotive quality paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the paint coat includes a synthetic resinous coating in dry thin film form having an exterior surface with a predetermined gloss level transferred to it from a high gloss casting sheet, the paint coat having sufficient elongation and resistance to deglossing such that the laminate is thermoformable into a highly contoured three-dimensional shape while the paint coat substantially retains said predetermined gloss level during thermoforming and provides predetermined appearance and durability properties sufficient to be useful as an exterior automotive paint coat following thermoforming of the laminate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the laminate can be thermoformed at a temperature of at least about 270°F, and the paint coat elongates greater than about 40% during thermoforming at said thermoforming temperature while still retaining said gloss level and said appearance and durability properties.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat comprises a fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing paint system with thermoplastic properties, in which the paint coat has been coated on a casting sheet and dried and then transferred from the casting sheet to the backing sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat comprises a thermoplastic paint system which includes polyvinylidene fluoride and an acrylic resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article according to claim 4 in which the dried paint coat contains less than about 70% polyvinylidene fluoride and less than about 50% acrylic resin, by weight of the total PVDF and acrylic resin components contained in the paint coat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat comprises a pigmented synthetic resinous material with thermoplastic properties.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat comprises an exterior clear coat and an underlying color coat bonded to the clear coat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article according to claim 7 in which the color coat contains a highly dispersed pigment, and in which the clear coat comprises a thermoplastic coating principally containing a fluorinated polymer and an acrylic resin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The article according to claim 8 in which the clear coat is a thermoplastic paint system which consists essentially of about 50% to about 70% polyvinylidene fluoride and about 30% to about 50% acrylic resin; and in which the acrylic resin component comprises polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, or mixtures thereof, including copolymers thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The article according to claim 9 in which the color coat also consists essentially of about 50% to about 70% polyvinylidene fluoride and about 30% to about 50% acrylic resin; and in which the acrylic resin component comprises polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, or mixtures thereof, including copolymers thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat on the thermoformed laminate has at least the minimum levels of gloss, distinctiveness-of-image, QUV, hardness, impact resistance, cleanability, acid resistance, gasoline resistance, and abrasion resistance, substantially as defined in the automotive specifications for exterior automotive paint finishes described herein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat includes a fluorinated polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers and terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the paint coat has a 60° gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image level greater than about 80 units.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article according to claim 1 in which the backing sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyester, amorphous nylon, thermoplastic polyolefins, including polypropylene and polyethylene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article according to claim 1 including a wax film applied to the outer face of the clear coat from the casting sheet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article according to claim 1 in which a graphics pattern is printed between the paint coat and backing sheet and is visible through the paint coat.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article according to claim 1 including a pigment contained in the backing sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article according to claim 1 including a metallic flake paint layer contained in the paint coat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article according to claim 1 including a water soluble protective coating on the exterior surface of the paint coat.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
310 words
A process for applying a paint coat, suitable for exterior automotive use, to a plastic exterior body panel of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the steps of: applying a clear coat of a synthetic resinous material in thin film form onto a surface of a flexible casting sheet, and drying the clear coat on the casting sheet, the surface of the sheet having a specular reflectance for transferring to the surface of the dried clear coat a gloss level sufficient for exterior automotive use; forming a color coat of a pigmented synthetic resinous material which is dried and adhered to the clear coat; transferring the dried clear coat and color coat to a semirigid backing sheet of a synthetic resinous material to form a composite paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the clear coat forms the exterior surface of the transferred paint coat and the color coat is bonded between the clear coat and the face of the backing sheet, and in which the exterior surface of the clear coat substantially retains the gloss transferred to it from its casting sheet; thermoforming the backing sheet and the composite paint coat thereon to form a three-dimensionally shaped preformed laminate; and placing the preformed laminate in a mold and molding a synthetic resinous substrate material to the preformed laminate to form an exterior vehicle body panel with a finished exterior automotive paint coat; the clear coat comprising a material that substantially retains said gloss level during the thermoforming step; the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and sufficient elongation to absorb defects present in the substrate material to retain an essentially defect-free gloss on the clear coat surface following adherence of the laminate to the substrate material; the finished composite paint coat providing sufficient appearance and durability properties for use as an exterior automotive paint coat.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
310 words
A process for applying a paint coat, suitable for exterior automotive use, to a plastic exterior body panel of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the steps of: applying a clear coat of a synthetic resinous material in thin film form onto a surface of a flexible casting sheet, and drying the clear coat on the casting sheet, the surface of the sheet having a specular reflectance for transferring to the surface of the dried clear coat a gloss level sufficient for exterior automotive use; forming a color coat of a pigmented synthetic resinous material which is dried and adhered to the clear coat; transferring the dried clear coat and color coat to a semirigid backing sheet of a synthetic resinous material to form a composite paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the clear coat forms the exterior surface of the transferred paint coat and the color coat is bonded between the clear coat and the face of the backing sheet, and in which the exterior surface of the clear coat substantially retains the gloss transferred to it from its casting sheet; thermoforming the backing sheet and the composite paint coat thereon to form a three-dimensionally shaped preformed laminate; and placing the preformed laminate in a mold and molding a synthetic resinous substrate material to the preformed laminate to form an exterior vehicle body panel with a finished exterior automotive paint coat; the clear coat comprising a material that substantially retains said gloss level during the thermoforming step; the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and sufficient elongation to absorb defects present in the substrate material to retain an essentially defect-free gloss on the clear coat surface following adherence of the laminate to the substrate material; the finished composite paint coat providing sufficient appearance and durability properties for use as an exterior automotive paint coat.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the laminate is thermoformed at a temperature greater than about 270°F, and the composite paint coat elongates greater than about 40% during the thermoforming step while still retaining said gloss level and said exterior automotive appearance and durability properties.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the clear coat comprises a fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process according to claim 23 in which the clear coat comprises a thermoplastic paint system in which the fluorinated polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers and terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process according to claim 24 in which the dried clear coat contains less than about 70% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and less than about 50% acrylic resin, by weight of the total acrylic resin and PVDF solids present in the clear coat.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the paint coat has the minimum levels of gloss, distinctiveness-of-image, QUV, gasoline resistance, cleanability, acid resistance, hardness, abrasion resistance and impact strength, substantially as defined in the automotive specifications for exterior automotive paint finishes described herein.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the preformed laminate is molded to the substrate material by injection cladding, reaction injection molding, or thermoset sheet molding techniques.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the clear coat applied to the casting sheet comprises a thermoplastic paint system which includes polyvinylidene fluoride and an acrylic resin, in which the polyvinylidene fluoride is dispersed in a solution of the acrylic resin.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the clear coat applied to the casting sheet comprises a thermoplastic paint system comprising a solution of polyvinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process according to claim 29 in which the finished paint coat has a 60° gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image level greater than about 80 units.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the backing sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyester, amorphous nylon, and thermoplastic polyolefins, including polypropylene and polyethylene.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 21 including applying a thin film of wax to the casting sheet prior to casting the clear coat on the casting sheet.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process according to claim 21 in which a graphics pattern is printed between the clear coat and the color coat.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 21 including a pigment contained in the backing sheet.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 21 including metallic flakes contained in the color coat, in which the flakes are aligned linearly when coated on a carrier film.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process according to claim 21 including a water soluble protective coating on the exterior surface of the paint coat.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 37 in which the protective coating is overstamped on the clear coat.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 21 in which the thermoforming step is carried out by avoiding contact between the thermoforming apparatus and the clear coat side of the backing sheet.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
134 words
An exterior plastic body panel for motor vehicles, the panel having a synthetic resinous automotive quality paint coat bonded to a synthetic resinous thermoformable backing sheet to form a laminate in which the exterior surface of the paint coat has exterior automotive gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels, and in which the laminate has been thermoformed into a three-dimensional shape and adhered to a plastic substrate to form said plastic exterior body panel, the paint coat having sufficient elongation and resistance to deglossing to have substantially maintained said gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels during thermoforming, the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and elongation to have absorbed defects in the substrate material, thereby providing said paint coat on the finished body panel with an essentially defect-free surface with the appearance and durability properties sufficient for exterior automotive use.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
134 words
An exterior plastic body panel for motor vehicles, the panel having a synthetic resinous automotive quality paint coat bonded to a synthetic resinous thermoformable backing sheet to form a laminate in which the exterior surface of the paint coat has exterior automotive gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels, and in which the laminate has been thermoformed into a three-dimensional shape and adhered to a plastic substrate to form said plastic exterior body panel, the paint coat having sufficient elongation and resistance to deglossing to have substantially maintained said gloss and distinctiveness-of-image levels during thermoforming, the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and elongation to have absorbed defects in the substrate material, thereby providing said paint coat on the finished body panel with an essentially defect-free surface with the appearance and durability properties sufficient for exterior automotive use.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the paint coat comprises a thermoplastic fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing paint system.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
45 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the finished paint coat has the minimum levels of gloss, distinctiveness-of-image, QUV, gasoline resistance, cleanability, acid resistance, hardness, abrasion resistance, and impact strength, substantially as defined in the automotive specifications for exterior automotive paint finishes described herein.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
26 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the paint coat comprises an exterior clear coat and an underlying color coat bonded to the clear coat.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The panel according to claim 43 in which the clear coat comprises a fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing material with thermoplastic properties.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the paint coat includes a fluorinated polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers and terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
31 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the paint coat has an 80° gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image level greater than about 80 units.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
29 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
33 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the backing sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyester, amorphous nylon, and thermoplastic polyolefins including polypropylene and polyethylene.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
23 words
The panel according to claim 40 including a wax film applied to the outer face of the clear coat from the casting sheet.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
28 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which the preformed laminate is molded to the substrate material by injection cladding, reaction injection molding, or thermoset sheet molding techniques.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
27 words
The panel according to claim 40 in which a graphics pattern is printed between the paint coat and backing sheet to be visible through the paint coat.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
14 words
The panel according to claim 40 including a pigment contained in the backing sheet.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
14 words
The panel according to claim 40 including metallic flakes contained in the paint coat.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
16 words
The panel according to claim 40 including a water soluble protective coating on the paint coat.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
106 words
An exterior motor vehicle body panel comprising a plastic substrate, and a laminate on the exterior of the substrate, and a three-dimensionally thermoformed paint coat comprising a thermoplastic fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing paint system that provides an exterior surface on said panel sufficient for exterior automotive use following thermoforming of said paint coat, and in which the amounts of the fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin contained in the paint system are sufficient to resist deglossing of the paint coat during the thermoforming step so that a gloss level is provided in the finished panel, together with sufficient appearance and durability properties for exterior automotive use.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
106 words
An exterior motor vehicle body panel comprising a plastic substrate, and a laminate on the exterior of the substrate, and a three-dimensionally thermoformed paint coat comprising a thermoplastic fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing paint system that provides an exterior surface on said panel sufficient for exterior automotive use following thermoforming of said paint coat, and in which the amounts of the fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin contained in the paint system are sufficient to resist deglossing of the paint coat during the thermoforming step so that a gloss level is provided in the finished panel, together with sufficient appearance and durability properties for exterior automotive use.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
27 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the fluorinated polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers and terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
31 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the finished paint coat has a 60° gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image greater than about 80 units.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
46 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the paint coat has the minimum levels of gloss, distinctiveness of image, QUV, hardness, impact resistance, cleanability, acid resistance, gasoline resistance, and abrasion resistance, substantially as defined in the automotive specifications for exterior automotive paint finishes described herein.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
29 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
33 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the backing sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyester, amorphous nylon, and thermoplastic polyolefins, including polypropylene and polyethylene.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
30 words
The panel according to claim 55 in which the step of adhering the preformed laminate to the substrate material comprises injection cladding, reaction injection molding, or sheet molding compound techniques.
Claim 66
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of manufacturing a plastic exterior body panel for a motor vehicle having a paint coat with exterior automotive appearance and durability properties, the method comprising: forming a laminate comprising a semirigid synthetic resinous backing sheet having a synthetic resinous paint coat adhered to a face of the backing sheet by dry transfer from a casting sheet, in which an exterior automotive gloss level is transferred to the exterior surface of the paint coat from the casting sheet; thermoforming the laminate into a three-dimensional shape; and placing the formed laminate in a mold and molding a plastic substrate material to the formed laminate to bond the laminate to the substrate and form a plastic car body panel with a finished paint coat; in which the material comprising the paint coat substantially retains said gloss level during the thermoforming step; and in which the backing sheet has sufficient thickness and elongation to absorb defects from the substrate material so that the finished paint coat retains said gloss level during the step of molding the laminate to the substrate panel, the finished paint coat providing the appearance and durability properties sufficient for exterior automotive use.
Claim 67
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of manufacturing a plastic exterior body panel for a motor vehicle having a paint coat with exterior automotive appearance and durability properties, the method comprising: forming a laminate comprising a semirigid synthetic resinous backing sheet having a synthetic resinous paint coat adhered to a face of the backing sheet by dry transfer from a casting sheet, in which an exterior automotive gloss level is transferred to the exterior surface of the paint coat from the casting sheet; thermoforming the laminate into a three-dimensional shape; and placing the formed laminate in a mold and molding a plastic substrate material to the formed laminate to bond the laminate to the substrate and form a plastic car body panel with a finished paint coat; in which the material comprising the paint coat substantially retains said gloss level during the thermoforming step; and in which the backing sheet has sufficient thickness and elongation to absorb defects from the substrate material so that the finished paint coat retains said gloss level during the step of molding the laminate to the substrate panel, the finished paint coat providing the appearance and durability properties sufficient for exterior automotive use.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the paint coat comprises a fluorinated polymer and acrylic resin-containing material.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the paint coat is cast as a thermoplastic paint system comprising a solution of polyvinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 64 in which the clear coat has a gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image level greater than about 80 units.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the paint coat is cast as a thermoplastic paint system which includes polyvinylidene fluoride and an acrylic resin, and in which the polyvinylidene fluoride is dispersed in a solution of the acrylic resin.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the laminate is adhered to the substrate by injection cladding, reaction injection molding, or thermoset sheet molding techniques.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 62 in which the thermoforming step is carried out by avoiding contact between the thermoforming apparatus and the paint coat on the backing sheet.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
297 words
The process for applying a paint coat, suitable for exterior automotive use, to a plastic exterior body panel of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the steps of: applying a clear coat of a solution of vinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin in thin film form onto a surface of a flexible casting sheet, and drying the clear coat on the casting sheet, the surface of the sheet having a specular reflectance for transferring to the surface of the dried clear coat a gloss level sufficient for exterior automotive use; casting a color coat of a pigmented solution of vinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin in thin-film form and drying the color coat; transferring the dried clear coat and color coat to a semirigid backing sheet of a synthetic resinous material to form a composite paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the clear coat forms the exterior surface of the transferred paint coat and the color coat is bonded between the clear coat and the face of the backing sheet, and in which the exterior surface of the clear coat substantially retains the gloss transferred to it from the casting sheet; thermoforming the backing sheet and the composite paint coat thereon to form a three-dimensionally shaped preformed laminate; and adhering the preformed laminate to a synthetic resinous substrate material to for an exterior vehicle body panel; the clear coat substantially retaining said gloss level during the thermoforming step; the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and sufficient elongation to absorb defects present in the substrate material to retain an essentially defect-free gloss on the clear coat surface following adherence of the laminate to the substrate material; the composite paint coat providing sufficient appearance and durability properties for use as an exterior automotive paint coat.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
297 words
The process for applying a paint coat, suitable for exterior automotive use, to a plastic exterior body panel of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the steps of: applying a clear coat of a solution of vinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin in thin film form onto a surface of a flexible casting sheet, and drying the clear coat on the casting sheet, the surface of the sheet having a specular reflectance for transferring to the surface of the dried clear coat a gloss level sufficient for exterior automotive use; casting a color coat of a pigmented solution of vinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin in thin-film form and drying the color coat; transferring the dried clear coat and color coat to a semirigid backing sheet of a synthetic resinous material to form a composite paint coat bonded to a face of the backing sheet, in which the clear coat forms the exterior surface of the transferred paint coat and the color coat is bonded between the clear coat and the face of the backing sheet, and in which the exterior surface of the clear coat substantially retains the gloss transferred to it from the casting sheet; thermoforming the backing sheet and the composite paint coat thereon to form a three-dimensionally shaped preformed laminate; and adhering the preformed laminate to a synthetic resinous substrate material to for an exterior vehicle body panel; the clear coat substantially retaining said gloss level during the thermoforming step; the backing sheet having sufficient thickness and sufficient elongation to absorb defects present in the substrate material to retain an essentially defect-free gloss on the clear coat surface following adherence of the laminate to the substrate material; the composite paint coat providing sufficient appearance and durability properties for use as an exterior automotive paint coat.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 70 in which the paint coat on the thermoformed laminate has a gloss level greater than about 75 gloss units and a distinctiveness-of-image level greater than about 80 units.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 70 in which the substrate is adhered to the laminate by injection cladding, reaction injection molding, or sheet molding compound techniques.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 70 in which the backing sheet is a semirigid sheet with a thickness in the range from about 10 mils to about 40 mils.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process according to claim 70 in which the backing sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyester, amorphous nylon, thermoplastic polyolefins, including polypropylene and polyethylene.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 70 in which the paint coat is cast as a solution of polyvinylidene fluoride and acrylic resin.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process according to claim 68 in which the finished paint coat has the minimum levels of gloss, distinctiveness-of-image, QUV, gasoline resistance, cleanability, acid resistance, harness, abrasion resistance, and impact strength, substantially as defined in the automotive specifications for exterior automotive paint finishes described herein.
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