Methods Of Applying Protective Films

• US 20120085500A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American TRIM LLC (Superior Metal Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American TRIM LLC (Superior Metal Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Knapke, Joseph P., Bocanegra Flores, Maria Cohinta, Miller, Cynthia Ann, Catanzarite, Frank J.
• Application Number:
  US13/061,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085500A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/701
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/32 using means for protecting parts of a surface not to be coated, e.g. using stencils, resists
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0486 Operating the coating or treatment in a controlled atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/067 Curing or cross-linking the coating
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/00 Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/20 for coatings strippable as coherent films, e.g. temporary coatings strippable as coherent films
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/11 Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e. , separating at bonding face

Abstract

Methods for applying protective polymeric films on metal substrates are described. The methods involve depositing a liquid curable resin on a substrate in a particular manner and then curing the resin to form the protective film. The films can be readily peeled off from the substrates and are environmentally friendly.

Claims

1. A method for forming a flexible, peelable, protective solid film on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

coating at least a portion of the surface of the substrate with a liquid curable resin composition; and

exposing the coated portion of the substrate to an amount of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to cure the liquid composition and thereby form the flexible, peelable, protective solid film on the portion of the surface of the substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid curable resin composition comprises a mixture of a urethane diacrylate oligomer, an acrylate monomer and a photopolymerization initiator.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the coating and exposing steps are performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the coating step is performed by screen-printing the liquid curable resin composition onto the portion of the surface of the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the amount of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to cure the liquid composition is at least about 1000 mJ/cm².

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the ultraviolet radiation is supplied, at least in part, by a mercury vapor incandescent bulb or a light emitting diode.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is a metal panel of a major appliance.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the major appliance is selected from the group consisting of refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, ranges, stoves, thermal ovens, cook tops, microwave ovens, dishwashers, water heaters, trash compactors and air conditioners.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the film exhibits a deformation extent of at least 10%.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the film exhibits a deformation extent of at least 25%.

11. A method of protecting a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

coating at least a portion of the surface of the substrate with a liquid curable resin composition;

exposing the coated portion of the substrate to an amount of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to cure the liquid composition and thereby form a flexible, protective solid film on the portion of the surface of the substrate; and

peeling the flexible, protective solid film from the portion of the surface of the substrate.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of bending the substrate after the exposing step and before the peeling step.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the liquid curable resin composition comprises a mixture of a urethane diacrylate oligomer, an acrylate monomer and a photopolymerization initiator.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the coating and exposing steps are performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the coating step is performed by screen-printing the liquid curable resin composition onto the portion of the surface of the substrate.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the amount of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to cure the liquid composition is at least about 1000 mJ/cm².

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the ultraviolet radiation is supplied, at least in part, by a mercury vapor incandescent bulb or a light emitting diode.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the substrate is a metal panel of a major appliance.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the major appliance is selected from the group consisting of refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, ranges, stoves, thermal ovens, cook tops, microwave ovens, dishwashers, water heaters, trash compactors and air conditioners.

20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the film exhibits a deformation extent of at least 10%.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the film exhibits a deformation extent of at least 25%.