MULTIVARIATE COLOR SYSTEM WITH TEXTURE APPLICATION

• US 20090197058A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3Form (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: 3Form (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Willham, John E.C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/402 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/4026 within the layer by addition of a colorant, e.g. pigments, dyes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/414 Translucent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/538 Roughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2451/00 Decorative or ornamental articles wall paper B32B2607/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/06 produced by transmitted light, e.g. transparencies, imitations of glass paintings
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/066 comprising at least two transparent elements, e.g. sheets, layers layered products of glass and synthetic resin containing decorations or patterns B32B17/10247; window units comprising two or more parallel glass panes E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0215 the surface having a regular structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1023 Surface deformation only [e.g., embossing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1039 Surface deformation only of sandwich or lamina [e.g., embossed panels]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1737 : Discontinuous, spaced area, and/or patterned pressing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 : Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 : Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

Implementations of the present invention relate to a translucent and/or transparent polymer-based panel system that incorporates multi-colored insert layers that enable manipulation of color, transparency or light transmission of the finished panel system. Implementations of the present invention also relate to the construction of such panels to avoid the capture and retention of air within the panels through the use of textured surfaces at the lamination interfaces. In addition, implementations of the present invention provide a method of quantifying the optical response achieved in a given panel system and describes types of construction that enable the multiplicity of color and optic manipulation. Furthermore, implementations of the present invention provide methods for applying texture in an efficient, uniform manner.

Claims

1. A decorative thermoplastic structure formed to have the appearance of a unitary color throughout its composition, the structure comprising:

a substantially translucent resin substrate having opposing front and back surfaces; and

one or more colored film layers that have been laminated to at least one of the front and back surfaces of the resin substrate;

wherein;

the laminated one or more colored film layers impart color throughout the entire thermoplastic structure such that the color remains the same throughout the thermoplastic structure regardless of the viewing direction; and

the substrate is substantially thicker than the one or more colored film layers.

2. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate and the one or more colored films comprise the same resin material.

3. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate and at least one of the one or more colored films are made from different materials selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyester, PVC, acrylic, and combinations thereof.

4. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, wherein:

each of the one or more colored films comprises a surface having a surface roughness substantially greater than a surface roughness of the front and back surfaces of the substrate; and

the contrast in surface roughness between the films and the substrate facilitate removal of air during lamination.

5. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more colored films is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, polyester, acrylic and polycarbonate.

6. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, polyester, acrylic and polycarbonate.

7. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more fabric layers laminated to the substrate, and to one or more colored film layers.

8. A thermoplastic structure as recited in claim 7, wherein:

color from the one or more colored films is combined with an aesthetic of the one or more fabric layers; and

the thermoplastic structure comprises a resultant aesthetic that portrays the one or more fabric layers, and further portrays an aesthetic of the combined one or more color films throughout the thermoplastic structure.

9. A laminate assembly configured to have a unitary color throughout its composition regardless of the viewing direction when subjected to a lamination process, the assembly comprising:

one or more substantially transparent resin substrates, each of the one or more substantially transparent polymer substrates having opposing front and back surfaces; and

one or more film layers adapted to be fused or laminated to at least one of the front and back surfaces of the one or more substrates;

wherein each of the one or more film layers has a surface roughness substantially greater than a surface roughness of the front and back surfaces of the one or more substrates, thereby reducing incidences of air-entrapment between the one or more film layers and the one or more substrates during manufacture of the structure.

10. A laminate assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the surface roughness of each of the one or more film layers is greater than 20μ

inches.

11. A laminate assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the surface roughness of the front and back surfaces of the one or more substrates is less than 20μ

inches.

13. A laminate assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more substrates and the one or more film layers are fused together through application of heat and pressure.

14. A laminate assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the heat applied during the fusing process exceeds the glass-transition temperature (T_g) of each of the one or more substrates and the one or more film layers.

15. A laminate assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more substrates and the one or more film layers are fused together through application of adhesives.

12. A laminate assembly as recited in 9, wherein at least one of the one or more film layers has an image printed thereon.

16. A system for creating a textured, thermoplastic resin structure, comprising:

a resin panel assembly having a plurality of articles comprising;

a resin substrate article having a front surface and a back surface; and

one or more colored film articles to be laminated to at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the resin substrate article; and

one or more textured rollers configured to provide texture to at least the substrate;

wherein;

each of the one or more textures rollers has a substantially uniformly-textured exterior shell for providing texture to articles of the resin panel assembly; and

the one or more textured rollers can be applied to the one or more articles simultaneously or sequentially.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the one or more textured rollers comprises a cylinder having a double wall, spiral baffle construction using mild steel construction.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the exterior shell has an average roughness of 150μ

inches or substantially 250μ

inches.