Method for production of a coated substrate with controlled surface characteristics

Claim 1

A method for producing a high optical quality, flexible, transparent, abrasion resistant polycarbonate article, said article having a polycarbonate film substrate and an abrasion resistant radiation cured coating adhered to said substrate, said substrate having a thickness selected from the range of about 5 mil to about 30 mil, said coating having a thickness selected from the range of 0.05 mil to 5.0 mil, said method comprising the steps of: (a) applying an ultraviolet radiation curable uncured coating material and a photoinitiator to at least one surface of the substrate; (b) passing the substrate having the uncured coating thereon through a compression nip defined by a nip roll and a casting drum, said casting drum having a metal surface, said compression nip applying an exact pressure to said uncured coating and substrate to exclude air from within said coating and to press simultaneously said coating into full dual anaerobic contact with both (a) the substrate to remove and to exclude any air between said coating and said substrate to provide improved adhesion between said coating and said substrate and (b) the drum to exclude any air between said coating and said drum to provide improved surface appearance; and (c) curing the uncured coating by directing the ultraviolet radiant energy through the substrate from the surface opposite the surface having the coating thereon to contact and cure the radiation-curable coating while the coating is in anaerobic contact with the drum.

Claim 2

A method for producing a high optical quality, flexible, transparent, abrasion resistant polycarbonate article, said article having a polycarbonate film substrate and an abrasion resistant radiation cured coating adhered to said substrate, said substrate having a thickness selected from the range of about 5 mil to about 30 mil, said coating having a thickness selected from the range of 0.05 mil to 5.0 mil, said method comprising the steps of: (a) applying an ultraviolet radiation curable uncured coating material and a photoinitiator to at least one surface of the substrate; (b) passing the substrate having the uncured coating thereon through a compression nip defined by a nip roll and a casting drum, said casting drum having a metal surface, said compression nip applying an exact pressure to said uncured coating and substrate to exclude air from within said coating and to press simultaneously said coating into full dual anaerobic contact with both (a) the substrate to remove and to exclude any air between said coating and said substrate to provide improved adhesion between said coating and said substrate and (b) the drum to exclude any air between said coating and said drum to provide improved surface appearance; and (c) curing the uncured coating by directing the ultraviolet radiant energy through the substrate from the surface opposite the surface having the coating thereon to contact and cure the radiation-curable coating while the coating is in anaerobic contact with the drum.

Claim 13

A method for producing an abrasion resistant, transparent polycarbonate film, said film comprising a transparent polycarbonate substrate having a thickness selected from the range of 5 mils to 30 mils, said film further comprising an abrasion resistant cured acrylate coating adhered to said substrate, said coating having a thickness selected from the range of 0.05 mil to 5.0 mils, said method comprising: (a) contacting an ultraviolet radiation curable polyfunctional acrylate coating material and a photoinitiator with a surface of the substrate; (b) passing the substrate having the uncured coating material thereon through a compression nip defined by a nip roll and a casting drum, said casting drum having a metal surface, said compression nip applying an exact pressure to said uncured coating material and substrate to exclude air from within said coating material and to press simultaneously said coating material by the nip roll into full dual anaerobic contact with both (a) the substrate to remove and to exclude any air between said coating and said substrate to provide improved adhesion between said coating and said substrate and (b) the drum to exclude any air between said coating and said drum to provide improved surface appearance; and (c) curing the coating material by directing ultraviolet radiant energy through the transparent polycarbonate substrate to contact and cure the radiation-curable coating while the coating is in anaerobic contact with the drum.

Claim 14

A method for producing an abrasion resistant, transparent polycarbonate film, said film comprising a transparent polycarbonate substrate having a thickness selected from the range of 5 mils to 30 mils, said film further comprising an abrasion resistant cured acrylate coating adhered to said substrate, said coating having a thickness selected from the range of 0.05 mil to 5.0 mils, said method comprising: (a) contacting an ultraviolet radiation curable polyfunctional acrylate coating material and a photoinitiator with a surface of the substrate; (b) passing the substrate having the uncured coating material thereon through a compression nip defined by a nip roll and a casting drum, said casting drum having a metal surface, said compression nip applying an exact pressure to said uncured coating material and substrate to exclude air from within said coating material and to press simultaneously said coating material by the nip roll into full dual anaerobic contact with both (a) the substrate to remove and to exclude any air between said coating and said substrate to provide improved adhesion between said coating and said substrate and (b) the drum to exclude any air between said coating and said drum to provide improved surface appearance; and (c) curing the coating material by directing ultraviolet radiant energy through the transparent polycarbonate substrate to contact and cure the radiation-curable coating while the coating is in anaerobic contact with the drum.