Exterior automotive laminate with pressure sensitive adhesive

• US 5,518,786 A
• Filed: 07/21/1994
• Issued: 05/21/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Truog, Keith L., Johnson, John R., Young, Frederick, Enlow, Howard H., Buehne, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jenna L.
• Application Number:
  US08/278,722
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 428/40, 428/343, 428/354, 428/355, 428/345, 428/352, 428/353, 428/356
• US Class Current: 428/40.6
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/286 using a temporary backing to which the coating has been applied
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/57 the last layer being a clear coat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0047 Preventing air-inclusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0022 Bright, glossy or shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/243 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/402 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/406 Bright, glossy, shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/71 Resistive to light or to UV
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/027 Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2327/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2327/12 containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2333/08 Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/02 characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/203 One or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1424 Halogen containing compound
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1471 Protective layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1476 Release layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1486 Ornamental, decorative, pattern, or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 : Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2852 : Adhesive compositions

Abstract

A flexible decorative sheet for use in surfacing an automobile body panel includes a first polyester carrier sheet having a high gloss surface, a clear coat of a weatherable optically-clear polymer containing fluorocarbon resin and an acrylic resin coated on the surface of the first carrier sheet, a tie coat on the clear coat, and a color coat containing a chlorinated polymer with dispersed pigments cast on the tie coat and dried. A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed on a second polyester carrier sheet and then laminated to the exposed face of the color coat to form a pressure-sensitive, adhesive-backed composite paint coat between the outer carrier sheets which form protective removable backing sheets for the resulting laminate. The decorative sheet is applied to a substrate panel by pressure-sensitive adhesive bonding techniques, with the clear coat serving as a glossy, weatherable protective outer layer for the underlying color coat. The PVC-containing color coat enhances room temperature elongation of the finished film to enable application of the laminate to three-dimensionally contoured surfaces. The resulting paint finish has a defect-free, weatherable and durable outer surface with high gloss and high distinctness of image, meeting requirements for exterior automotive use.

Claims

1. A composite flexible decorative sheet for applying an exterior automotive quality paint finish to a substrate panel, comprising:

a first flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a first coat comprising a smooth, weatherable, glossy exterior automotive quality thin film formed on the first carrier sheet and comprising a blend of a fluoropolymer resin and an acrylic resin;

a tie coat formed as a thin film on a side of the first coat opposite from the first carrier sheet;

an elongation-enhancing second coat formed as a thin film on a side of the tie coat opposite from the first coat, the second coat containing a vinyl chloride polymer, the tie coat providing a means for bonding the first coat and the second coat;

a pigment dispersed in the second coat or in a separate color coat layer on a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, thereby forming a composite paint coat in combination with the first and second coats, in which the exterior surface of the composite paint coat has an exterior automotive quality gloss level and a distinctness-of-image value greater than about 60;

the second coat containing a plasticizer in an amount sufficient to inhibit volatile haze in the finished composite paint coat as measured by a less than 20% reduction of said gloss level when subjected to a temperature of 80°

C.;

a second flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a layer of an acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive formed on the second carrier sheet and bonded to a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, the adhesive layer being applied so that the smoothness of the first coat is not significantly reduced by the bonded adhesive layer;

the first and second carrier sheets forming removable protective outer sheets for the composite paint coat,

the first carrier sheet being removable from the first coat to expose the weatherable first coat,

the second carrier sheet being removable from the pressure sensitive adhesive for use in bonding the composite paint coat to a substrate panel,

the second coat having sufficient elongation to enhance the elongation of the first coat so the composite paint coat has a level of elongation in the range from about 50% to about 150% the original dimension of the composite paint coat sufficient to elongate and conform to a three-dimensionally contoured shape of the substrate panel to which the adhesive layer is adhered for bonding the composite paint coat to the substrate without significantly reducing the exterior automotive properties of the composite paint finish, the composite paint coat undergoing said 50 to 150% elongation while retaining the distinctness-of-image of the composite paint coat at a level above about 60.

2. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the second coat includes a dispersed pigment and the first coat comprises an optically clear exterior layer through which the pigmented second coat is visible.

3. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the first coat contains a dispersed pigment, and in which the second coat contains a dispersed pigment, the pigment contained in the first coat providing a level of UV absorption to protect the second coat from UV degradation.

4. The decorative sheet according to claim 3 in which the second coat contains a UV absorber and a heat stabilizer.

5. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the tie coat comprises an acrylic-based resin.

6. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the second coat is cast in liquid form on the tie coat and dried.

7. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the clear coat has a thickness greater than about 0.8 mil to 1.4 mils.

8. The decorative sheet according to claim 1 in which the second coat includes a dispersed pigment, a heat stabilizer and a UV absorber.

9. A composite flexible decorative sheet for applying an exterior automotive quality paint finish to a substrate panel, comprising:

a first flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a first coat comprising a smooth, weatherable, glossy exterior automotive quality thin film formed on the first carrier sheet and comprising a blend of a fluoropolymer resin and an acrylic resin;

a tie coat formed as a thin film on a side of the first coat opposite from the first carrier sheet;

an elongation-enhancing second coat formed as a thin film on a side of the tie coat opposite from the first coat, the second coat containing a vinyl chloride polymer, the tie coat providing a means for bonding the first coat and the second coat;

a pigment dispersed in the second coat or in a separate color coat layer on a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, thereby forming a composite paint coat in combination with the first and second coats, in which the exterior surface of the composite paint coat has an exterior automotive quality distinctness-of-image greater than about 60;

the second coat containing a plasticizer containing polyester azelate with a molecular weight greater than about 7,000;

a second flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a layer of an acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive formed on the second carrier sheet and bonded to a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, the adhesive layer being applied so that the smoothness of the first coat is not significantly reduced by the bonded adhesive layer;

the first and second carrier sheets forming removable protective outer sheets for the composite paint coat,

the first carrier sheet being removable from the first coat to expose the weatherable first coat,

the second carrier sheet being removable from the pressure sensitive adhesive for use in bonding the composite paint coat to a substrate panel,

the second coat having sufficient elongation to enhance the elongation of the first coat so the composite paint coat has a level of elongation in the range from about 50% to about 150% the original dimension of the composite paint coat sufficient to elongate and conform to a three-dimensionally contoured shape of the substrate panel to which the adhesive layer is adhered for bonding the composite paint coat to the substrate without significantly reducing the exterior automotive properties of the composite paint finish, the composite paint coat undergoing said 50 to 150% elongation while retaining the distinctness-of-image of the composite paint coat at a level above about 60.

10. A composite flexible decorative sheet for applying an exterior automotive quality paint finish to a substrate panel, comprising:

a first flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a first coat comprising an optically clear, smooth, weatherable, glossy exterior automotive quality thin film formed on the first carrier sheet and comprising a blend of a fluoropolymer resin and an acrylic resin;

a tie coat formed as a thin film on a side of the first coat opposite from the first carrier sheet;

an elongation-enhancing second coat formed as a thin film on a side of the tie coat opposite from the first coat, the second coat containing a vinyl chloride polymer, the tie coat providing a means for bonding the first coat and the second coat;

a pigment dispersed in the second coat or in a separate color coat layer on a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, thereby forming a composite paint coat in combination with the first and second coats, in which the second coat is visible through the first coat and the exterior surface of the composite paint coat has an exterior automotive quality distinctness-of-image greater than about 60;

the second coat containing a plasticizer containing a polyester azelate that inhibits volatile haze in the finished composite paint coat;

a second flexible, heat-resistant carrier sheet;

a layer of an acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive formed on the second carrier sheet and bonded to a side of the second coat opposite from the first coat, the adhesive layer being applied so that the smoothness of the first coat is not significantly reduced by the bonded adhesive layer;

the first and second carrier sheets forming removable protective outer sheets for the composite paint coat,

the first carrier sheet being removable from the first coat to expose the weatherable first coat,

the second carrier sheet being removable from the pressure sensitive adhesive for use in bonding the composite paint coat to a substrate panel,

the second coat having sufficient elongation to enhance the elongation of the first coat so the composite paint coat has a level of elongation in the range from about 50% to about 150% the original dimension of the composite paint coat sufficient to elongate and conform to a three-dimensionally contoured shape of the substrate panel to which the adhesive layer is adhered for bonding the composite paint coat to the substrate without significantly reducing the exterior automotive properties of the composite paint finish, the composite paint coat undergoing said 50 to 150% elongation while retaining the distinctness-of-image of the composite paint coat at a level above about 60.