Removable protective coating method and apparatus

• US 20020195191A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weiss Prestaining Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Weiss Prestaining Incorporated
• Inventors: Gnatowski, Marek J., Koutsandreas, Andrew, Weiss, Harley L., Weiss, Christopher H., Weiss, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,949,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/247
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/00 Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor extrusion blow-moulding B29C49/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/06 Rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/91 Heating, e.g. for cross linking
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/914 cooling drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9145 Endless cooling belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/915 with means for improving the adhesion to the supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0056 Provisional sheathings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/02 using sheet or web-like material B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0065 Permeability to gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0069 non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/04 comprising wood as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/042; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/042; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/10; next to a metal layer B32B15/10; next to a glass layer B32B17/062; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/042; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/044
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/16 Wood, e.g. woodboard, fibreboard, woodchips
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/046 LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2325/00 Polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds, e.g. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2327/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 : comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 : comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 : comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/327 : comprising polyolefins obtained by a metallocene or single-site catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/153 : at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/223 : One or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/26 : with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 : permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1741 : Progressive continuous bonding press [e.g., roll couples]

Abstract

Extrusion coating of a removable thermoplastic material onto freshly painted (non-fully cured paint) surfaces has been found to be an effective method for providing protection against damage during handling, and blocking during stacking, enabling handling of the substrate shortly after painting. Furthermore, the extrusion coating allows the paint to dry and cure on porous and non-porous substrates.

Claims

1. A method of providing and utilizing pre-painted panels for use in constructing a structure, such as a house, building or other structure, said method comprising:

a) applying a coat of paint to a paint receiving surface of a plurality of panels, with said coat of paint having a paint surface;

b) after the paint surface of the coat of paint has become a tack-free surface, but prior to the coat of paint being fully cured, applying to the tack-free surface of the coat of paint, a hot film of a thermoplastic polymetric material;

c) cooling the film of each panel to cause the film to harden and to adhere to the paint surface of each panel as a protective film;

d) storing and/or shipping said panels with the protective film adhering to the panels; and

e) removing the protective film, from at least some of the panels.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a quantity of said panels having the protective film thereon, are stacked one on top of another to form a stack, and storing and/or shipping said panels as a stack or stack(s) with the protective films adhering to the panels.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said panels are shipped to a use location, and the protective film from at least one of the panels is removed prior to those panels being applied to a structure.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein some of the panels are shipped to a use location, and at least one of the panels is at least partly applied to a building structure with the protective film still being on the panel and then the film is removed from the panel.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said at least one of said panels is nailed to the structure only partially, after which the protective film is removed and the nailing completed.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said panel is a siding panel to be nailed to a wall, and the siding panel is nailed to the wall only partially with heads of the nails being spaced from the siding panel, and after the film is removed from the siding panel, the nails are hammered in place flush with the surface of the siding panel.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein there is provided a condition of gas or vapor permeability for the coat of paint for each panel, said gas or vapor permeability being provided by either providing the panels as a panel which is made of a material which is gas or vapor permeable, or providing the protective film as a film that is a gas or vapor permeable protective film, or by combinations of these.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein each panel is permeable and is made of wood, or wood/cementious material, or a combination of wood and wood/cementious material.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said panel comprises wood which is gas permeable and the coat of paint the panel is enabled, at least in part, to cure with gaseous material being able to pass through said panel.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein permeability for the coat of paint on each panel is provided, at least in part, by the protective film being made of a gas permeable material.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said protective film, after being applied to the panel, is between about one mil to twenty mils in thickness.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said thickness is between about two to ten mils.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said protective film is no greater than about 6 mils.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective film that is applied to the panel has adhesion characteristics such that with the protective film having been applied to the paint surface, at a later time when the protective film is to be removed, the protective film has a level of adhesion strength in a range that the adhesion strength is sufficient to enable the protective film to adhere to the paint surface of the coat of paint as a protective layer, and the protective film is able to be peeled from the surface of the coat of paint.

15. The method as recited in claim 17, where said adhesion strength is between about five to fifty Newtons per meter.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said adhesion strength is between about ten to thirty Newtons per meter.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the adhesion strength is no greater than about twenty Newtons per meter.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the protective film has a sufficiently high tensile strength, relative to the adhesion strength of the protective film, so that the protective film can be peeled from the panel in a strip or strips.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot film is applied to the panel by extruding the thermoplastic polymeric material as film, and temperature of the film material being extruded is in a range between about 100°

C. to 320°

C.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said temperature range is between about 140°

C. to 280°

C.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said temperature range is between about 170°

C. to 230°

C.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymer material is combined with one or more adhesion promoters to provide the material with adhesion characteristics within a desired range.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material is selected from a group made up of polyolefin resins, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, metallocene polyethylene, vinylidene chloride/vinylchloride copolymer, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises at least in part a polyolefin.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises an adhesion promoter or promoters.

26. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polyethylene.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polystyrene.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises vinylidene chloride/vinylchloride.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polyolefin.

30. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective film, after being applied to the panel, is between about one mil to twenty mils in thickness.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said thickness is between about two to ten mils.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said protective film is no greater than about 6 mils.

33. A pre-painted panel having a coat of paint with a paint surface with a protective film of a thermoplastic polymeric material thereon made in accordance with the method of claim 1.

34. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said panel is permeable to gaseous substances and vapors to enhance curing of said coat of paint.

35. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said protective film is permeable to gaseous substances and vapors to enhance curing of said coat of paint.

36. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein both of said panel and said protective film are permeable to gaseous substances and vapors to enhance curing of said coat of paint.

37. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said panel comprises wood and is permeable to gaseous substances and vapors.

38. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said protective film, after being applied to the panel, is between about 2 to 10 mils. in thickness.

39. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein the protective film has adhesion characteristics such that with the protective film having been applied to the paint surface, at a later time when the protective film is to be removed, the protective film has a level of adhesion strength in a range that the adhesion strength is sufficient to enable the protective film to adhere to the paint surface of the coat of paint as a protective layer, and the protective film is able to be peeled from the coat of paint.

40. The panel as recited in claim 39, wherein said adhesion strength is between about 5 to 50 Newtons per meter.

41. The panel as recited in claim 39, wherein the thermoplasticpolymeric material has a processing temperature which is between about 100°

C. to 320°

C.

42. The panel as recited in claim 41, wherein said processing temperature is between a range of about 140°

C. to 260°

C.

43. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material is selected from a group made up of polyolefin resins, polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, metallocene polyethylene, vinylidene chloride/vinylchloride copolymer, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.

44. The panel as recited in claim 33, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises at least in part a polyolefin.

46. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric material has a processing temperature between about 100°

C. to 320°

C.

47. The substrate as recited in claim 46, wherein said temperature range is between about 140°

C. to 280°

C.

48. The substrate as recited in claim 47, wherein said temperature range is between about 170°

C. to 230°

C.

49. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material is selected from a group made up of polyolefin resins, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, metallocene polyethylene, vinylidene chloride/vinylchloride copolymer, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.

50. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises at least in part a polyolefin.

51. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises an adhesion promoter or promoters.

52. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polyethylene.

53. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polystyrene.

54. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises vinylidene chloride/vinylchloride.

55. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material comprises polyolefin.

56. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said substrate is made at least in part of a material that is permeable to gaseous substances to enhance curing of said coat of paint.

57. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said protective film is permeable to gaseous substances to enhance curing of the coat of paint.

58. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein both said substrate and said protective film are permeable to gaseous substances and vapors to enhance curing.

59. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said substrate comprises wood that is permeable to gaseous substances and vapors.

60. The substrate as recited in claim 45, wherein said the thickness of the protective film is between about 2 to 10 mils.

45. A substrate, such as a panel, said substrate having:

a) a coat of paint covering a surface of said substrate, said coat of paint being in a condition where it is being cured within a curing range within which at a lower level of curing, the coat of paint is at least tack-free, and at a higher level of curing is not fully cured;

b) a protective film which comprises a thermoplastic polymeric material, and which covers said coat of paint;

c) said protective film adhering to said coat of paint at an adhesion level within a range of adhesion to adhere to the panel as a protective layer during shipping and/or handling, and to be able to be removed by being peeled from the coat of paint;

d) whereby said panel is able to be pre-painted, have the protective film applied thereto, be stored and/or shipped with the protective film protecting the coat of paint, and to have the protective film removed.

61. An apparatus for applying a protective film to a plurality of panels, each of which has an upper surface, said apparatus having an operating region and a rear to front travel path along which the panels travel through said operating region, said apparatus comprising:

a) an extrusion die apparatus having a discharge nozzle positioned above said travel path to extrude a protective film downwardly toward said travel path;

b) a catch section positioned below said travel path to receive said protective film from said extrusion die apparatus, in a manner that an intermediate film portion extends from said extrusion die apparatus through a film engaging location on said travel path, and to said catch section, in a manner that a front-end portion of a panel traveling in a forward direction on said travel path engages a film engaging portion of the intermediate film portion at said film engaging location, with said intermediate film portion having upper and lower intermediate film portions above and below, respectively, the film engaging location;

c) a compression section which is positioned to engage the upper intermediate film portion and press said film against the upper surface of the panel as the panel is traveling through the operating region; and

d) a separating section that makes a separation of the upper and lower intermediate film portions.

62. The apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said compression section comprises a compression roller having a compression roller surface to engage said film.

63. The apparatus as recited in claim 62, wherein said compression roller is positioned forwardly of said film engaging location so that the forward end portion of the panel moving forwardly carries the upper intermediate film portion from the extrusion die nozzle in a forward direction to a location beneath the compression roller where the compression roller engages the upper intermediate film portion of the film.

64. The apparatus as recited in claim 63, wherein there is a compression roller water spray device to spray water on the roller surface.

65. The apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said separating section is positioned to engage the lower intermediate film portion below said travel path to make a separation of the lower intermediate film portion from the upper intermediate film portion.

66. The apparatus as recited in claim 65, wherein said separating section comprises a separating member which engages said lower intermediate film portion and pulls said intermediate film portion in a generally rearward direction.

67. The apparatus as recited in claim 65, wherein said separating member is a separating roller which has a roller surface portion which engages the lower intermediate surface portion to pull the lower intermediate surface portion rearwardly.

68. The apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said separating section comprises a separating roller that maintains a sufficiently low temperature engaging surface to lower temperature of a film portion and to toughen said film portion to facilitate separation.

69. The apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said compression section comprises a compression roller having a compression roller surface to engage said film, and said separating section comprises a separation roller which engages the lower intermediate film portion, said separating roller being rotated in a direction so that a surface portion of the separating roller that engages the lower intermediate film portion is traveling at a rearward direction so as to pull said lower intermediate film portion in a rearward direction to make the separation.

70. The apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said apparatus is arranged so that as said panel continues moving on a forward path of travel through the operating region and a rear end portion of the panel reaches a location where it has passed by the film-engaging location, the separating section acts in cooperation with the compression section to engage a rear portion of the film at a rear end portion of the panel to separate the film at a location rearwardly of the rear end portion of the panel.

71. The apparatus as recited in claim 70, wherein said compression section comprises a compression roller, and said separating section comprises a separating roller, and said apparatus is arranged so that said compression roller and said separating roller have relative movement toward one another to engage said portion of the film.

72. The apparatus as recited in claim 70, wherein there is a blowing device positioned to blow air against a connected film portion which is still connected to a film portion being extruded from the extrusion die apparatus after separation of the film at the rear end portion of the panel, to blow against said connected film portion to cause it to come into contact with the catch section which moves the film downwardly.

73. The apparatus as recited in claim 72, wherein said catch section is arranged to continue to receive said connected film portion from the extrusion die apparatus and continue to move said film downwardly as the film is extruded from the extrusion die apparatus.

74. The apparatus as recited in claim 73, wherein said catch section comprises a moving surface which is positioned to engage a film that is extruded from the extrusion die apparatus and move said film from the extrusion die apparatus to a collecting location.

75. The apparatus as recited in claim 74, wherein said surface is a surface of a continuously moving collecting belt.

76. The apparatus as recited in claim 75, wherein there is a collecting roller positioned adjacent to said belt of the catch section to roll up the film that is collected by the belt.

77. A method of applying a removable protective film over a coat of paint that has been applied to a surface of a substrate, said method comprising:

a) providing a substrate having a substrate surface on which there is a coat of paint which is a fresh coat of paint that has a paint surface which is a tack-free surface;

b) applying a hot film of a thermoplastic polymeric material to the tack-free surface, with the temperature of the film being sufficiently high so that the film is able to conform to the tack-free surface;

c) cooling said film so that the film hardens to adhere to the tack-free surface as a protective film covering said coat of paint;

d) said thermoplastic material being characterized by having adhesion characteristics such that with the protective film having been applied to the coat of paint, the film has a level of adhesion that is sufficiently high to adhere to the coat of paint as a protective layer, but is able to be peeled from said coat of paint;

whereby the substrate is able to have the coat of paint protected for a protected period of time where the substrate is in a situation or situations during which protection for the coat of paint is needed, and the substrate is able to have the protective film removed subsequent to said protected period of time.