Formed decorative article

• US 6,465,102 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Honigfort, Paul, Laurin, Michael M., Groothuis, Adelbert Hermannus Leonardus, Hoogland, Gabrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Boykin, Terressa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/892,718
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 428/412
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14237 the inserts being deformed or preformed outside the mould or mould cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0001 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C45/1671 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14688 Coating articles provided with a decoration
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 69/00 Compositions of polycarbonates; Compositions of derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate

Abstract

An article comprises a formed polymeric base comprising a substantially transparent cycloaliphatic polyester resin having a decorative surface area which may have an opening for exposing the transparent polymeric base resin to the exterior of the molded article, and a process for making the molded structure is described.

Claims

1. An article comprising a decorative surface area and an integral formed polymeric base comprising transparent cycloaliphatic polyester resin, wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester resin is free from an aromatic moiety.

2. An article of claim 1 where the cycloaliphatic polyester is comprised of cycloaliphatic diacid and cycloaliphatic diol units.

3. An article of claim 1 where the cycloaliphatic polyester is polycyclohexane dimethanol cyclohexane dicarboxylate (PCCD).

4. An article of claim 2 wherein the injection molded polymeric base comprises a polycarbonate resin.

5. An article of claim 4 wherein the ratio of cycloaliphatic polyester to polycarbonate is in the range of 20:

80 to 70;

30 by weight of the polymeric base.

6. An article of claim 4 wherein said polycarbonate resin comprises primarily of the following structural units:

bisphenol A, Spiro biindane bisphenol, an aryl substituted bisphenol, a cycloaliphatic bisphenol or mixtures thereof.

7. An article of claim 5 where the polycarbonate is BPA-PC and the cycloaliphatic polyester is PCCD.

8. An article of claim 7 wherein said polymeric base has a lower thermal heat deflection temperature as compared to polycarbonate.

9. An article of claim 5 wherein said polymeric base has an enhanced chemical resistance as compared to polycarbonate.

10. An article of claim 5 where the blend has % transmittance of greater than or equal to 75%.

11. An article of claim 5 where the blend has a glass transition temperature of from about 90 to 150°

C.

12. An article of claim 5 wherein said resin comprising cycloaliphatic polyester has a lower viscosity at lower melt temperatures as compared to polycarbonate.

13. An article of claim 5 comprising less than up to 20% by weight of an impact modifier.

14. An article of claim 13 wherein said impact modifier is transparent.

15. An article of claim 14 comprising less than about 15 percent transparent impact modifier.

16. An article of claim 15 wherein said transparent impact modifier has a refractive index (RI) between 1.51 and 1.58.

17. An article of claim 16 wherein said impact modifier comprises a acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

18. A method of molding comprising forming a printed substrate into a three-dimensional shape, placing said substrate into a mold, injection molding a resin into the mold cavity space behind the formed substrate, and forming an integral polymeric base, wherein said injection molded resin comprises a transparent cycloaliphatic polyester resin, wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester resin is free from an aromatic moiety.

19. A method of molding according to claims 18 where said shape and said injection molded resin form a single molded part.

20. An method of claim 18 where the cycloaliphatic polyester is comprised of cycloaliphatic diacid and cycloaliphatic diol units.

21. An method of claim 18 where the cycloaliphatic polyester is polycyclohexane dimethanol cyclohexane dicarboxylate (PCCD).

22. An method of claim 18 wherein the injection molded polymeric base comprises a polycarbonate resin.

23. An method of claim 22 wherein the ratio of cycloaliphatic polyester to polycarbonate is in the range of 20:

80 to 70;

30 by total weight of the polymeric base.

24. A method of claim 22 wherein said polycarbonate resin comprises primarily of the following structural units:

bisphenol A, spiro biindane bisphenol, an aryl substituted a bisphenol, a cycloaliphatic bisphenol or mixtures thereof.

25. An method of claim 24 wherein said polymeric base has a lower thermal heat deflection temperature as compared to polycarbonate.

26. An method of claim 25 wherein said polymeric base wherein said polymeric base has an enhanced chemical resistance as compared to polycarbonate.

27. An method of claim 22 where the polycarbonate is BPA-PC and the cycloaliphatic polyester is PCCD.

28. An method of claim 22 where the blend has % transmittance of greater than or equal to 75%.

29. An method of claim 22 where the blend has a glass transition temperature of from about 90 to 150°

C.

30. An method of claim 22 wherein the base comprises less than about 70 percent by weight cycloaliphatic polyester.

31. An method of claim 22 comprising less than up to 20% by weight of and impact modifier.

32. A method of claim 22 wherein said impact modifier is transparent.

33. An method of claim 22 comprising less than about 15 percent transparent impact modifier.

34. An method of claim 33 wherein said transparent impact modifier has a refractive index (RI) between 1.51 and 1.58.

35. An method of claim 34 wherein said impact modifier comprises a acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

36. A method of molding according to claim 22 wherein said molded article comprises a decorative film or substrate and an adjacent injection molded polymeric base, and said method includes the steps of:

a) providing a decorative substrate comprising a polycarbonate resin having one or more colors on a surface;

b) trimming the decorated substrate or forming and trimming the decorated substrate into a three-dimensional shape;

c) fitting the decorated substrate into a mold having a surface which matches the three-dimensional shape of the substrate; and

d) injecting said transparent resin comprising a blend of cycloaliphatic polyester resin and a polycarbonate resin, into the mold cavity behind the printed substrate to produce a one-piece, permanently bonded three-dimensional product.

37. A method of forming a decorative article comprising forming an integral polymeric base adjacent a substrate having a decorative area and transferring a portion of said decorative area to said base, said base comprising a transparent cycloaliphatic polyester resin, wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester resin is free from an aromatic moiety.

38. A method of forming a decorative article according to claim 37 wherein said base is injected against said substrate.

39. A method of forming a decorative article according to claim 38 wherein said substrate is removed from said base.

40. A method of forming a decorative article according to claim 39 wherein said substrate includes a decorative surface and at least a portion of said decorative surface is transferred to said base.

41. A method of forming a decorative article according to claim 40 wherein said transfer of said decorative surface is during said forming.

42. A method of forming a decorative article according to claim 39 wherein said substrate comprises a cycloaliphatic polyester resin.

43. An method of forming a decorative article according to claim 39 wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester is comprised of cycloaliphatic diacid and cycloaliphatic diol units.

44. An method of forming a decorative article according to claim 43 wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester is polycyclohexane dimethanol cyclohexane dicarboxylate (PCCD).

45. An method of forming a decorative article according to claim 44 wherein the injection molded polymeric base comprises a polycarbonate resin.

46. An method of forming a decorative article according to claim 45 wherein the ratio of cycloaliphatic polyester to polycarbonate is in the range of 40:

60 to 5;

95% by total weight of the polymeric base.