Patent US5192609A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5192609A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermoformable sheet material
Assignee: Avery Dennison Corp
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Filing: 1992-01-13
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Granted: 1993-03-09
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Expires: 2012-01-13
Abstract
Abstract A thermoformable basecoat/clearcoat sheet material having improved retention of geometric metamerism (flop) when stretched and bonded to a substrate comprises a carrier film having a dark basecoat layer and, over the basecoat layer, a transparent layer which contains light reflective metallic flakes and, over the flake layer, a clear topcoat layer.
Inventors
- 👤 John F. Carroll, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:53
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09D; C09D5/00; C09D5/36; B; B05; B05D; B05D5/00; B05D5/06; B05D5/067; B05D5/068; B05D2201/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24893; Y10T428/24909; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/256; Y10T428/257; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/2848
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A flexible and stretchable sheet material adapted for use in a thermoforming process in which it is stretched and bonded to a substrate to form thereon a decorative and protective surface having a high degree of geometric metamerism, said sheet material comprising: a series of layers including (a) a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process and (b) a clear topcoat layer; one of said series of layers being a dark colored layer which has an L* value less than about 60; above said dark colored layer, a flake-containing layer which is light transmissive and comprises light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored layer is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; all of said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being capable of stretching at least 100 percent during thermoforming and, when stretched, exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A flexible and stretchable sheet material adapted for use in a thermoforming process in which it is stretched and bonded to a substrate to form thereon a decorative and protective surface having a high degree of geometric metamerism, said sheet material comprising: a series of layers including (a) a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process and (b) a clear topcoat layer; one of said series of layers being a dark colored layer which has an L* value less than about 60; above said dark colored layer, a flake-containing layer which is light transmissive and comprises light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored layer is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; all of said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being capable of stretching at least 100 percent during thermoforming and, when stretched, exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sheet material according to claim 1 wherein the flake-containing layer contains metal flakes at a coverage less than 3000 mg/m 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A sheet material according to claim 2 wherein the dark colored layer is a basecoat layer coated on the carrier film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
186 words
A flexible and stretchable sheet material adapted for use in a thermoforming process in which it is stretched and bonded to a three-dimensional substrate to form thereon a decorative and protective surface having a high degree of geometric metamerism, said sheet material comprising: (a) a dark colored film comprising a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process, said dark colored film having an L* value less than about 60; (b) on the surface of the dark colored film a flake-containing layer comprising light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; (c) a clear topcoat layer; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored film is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being capable of stretching at least 100 percent during thermoforming and, when stretched, exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
186 words
A flexible and stretchable sheet material adapted for use in a thermoforming process in which it is stretched and bonded to a three-dimensional substrate to form thereon a decorative and protective surface having a high degree of geometric metamerism, said sheet material comprising: (a) a dark colored film comprising a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process, said dark colored film having an L* value less than about 60; (b) on the surface of the dark colored film a flake-containing layer comprising light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; (c) a clear topcoat layer; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored film is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being capable of stretching at least 100 percent during thermoforming and, when stretched, exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sheet material of claim 4 wherein the flake-containing layer contains metal flakes at a coverage from 100 to 2000 mg/m 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sheet material of claim 4 wherein the metal flakes are aluminum flakes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A sheet material of claim 4 wherein the flake concentration is sufficiently high that at least about 2 percent of the area of the dark colored film as viewed through the flake-containing layer, is covered by flakes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sheet material of claim 4 wherein the dark colored film comprises a carrier film having a dark colored paint layer thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sheet material of claim 8 wherein the paint layer contains carbon black.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A sheet material of claim 4 wherein the clear topcoat layer comprises a polyurethane resin obtained by the reaction of a polyisocyanate crosslinking agent with a polymeric polyol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A sheet material of claim 8, wherein the dark colored paint layer, the light-transmissive flake-containing layer, and the clear topcoat layer are formed by a laminar-flow coating method.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A sheet material of claim 11 wherein said light-reflective flakes have substantially flat faces and at least 75 percent of said flakes have said flat faces within about 12° of parallelism with respect to the surface of the topcoat layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
181 words
A bonded article comprising a thermoformed and stretched protective and decorative sheet material bonded to a three-dimensional substrate and having the appearance of a clearcoat/basecoat finish, said sheet material comprising: a series of layers including (a) a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process and (b) a clear topcoat layer; one of said series of layers being a dark colored layer which has an L* value less than about 60; above said dark colored layer, a flake-containing layer which is light transmissive and comprises light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored layer is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; all of said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being stretched at least 100 percent during thermoforming and exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
181 words
A bonded article comprising a thermoformed and stretched protective and decorative sheet material bonded to a three-dimensional substrate and having the appearance of a clearcoat/basecoat finish, said sheet material comprising: a series of layers including (a) a stretchable, thermoplastic polymeric carrier film having heat-softenable and tensile elongation properties which adapt it to use in said thermoforming process and (b) a clear topcoat layer; one of said series of layers being a dark colored layer which has an L* value less than about 60; above said dark colored layer, a flake-containing layer which is light transmissive and comprises light-reflective flakes dispersed in a transparent film-forming binder; the flake concentration in the flake-containing layer being sufficiently low that the dark colored layer is visible through the flake-containing layer and the topcoat; all of said layers having heat-softening and tensile elongation properties that are compatible with those of the carrier film; and said sheet material being stretched at least 100 percent during thermoforming and exhibiting a flop in areas stretched up to 100 percent at least equal to the flop of the unstretched material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A bonded article of claim 13 wherein the sheet material exhibits a flop of at least 95 in both unstretched areas and areas stretched up to 100%.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A bonded article of claim 13 wherein the sheet material exhibits a 20° gloss of at least 80 in both unstretched areas and in areas stretched up to 100%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A bonded article of claim 13 wherein the sheet material exhibits a DOI of at least 75 in unstretched areas and at least 35 in areas stretched up to 500%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A bonded article according to claim 11 wherein the dark colored layer is a paint layer coated on the carrier film and has an L* value less than 60.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-03-08 | 1996-09-07 | 1997-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-03-08 | 2000-09-07 | 2001-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-03-08 | 2004-09-07 | 2005-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |