Resin sheet, thermoformed article, and multilayer structure

• US 6,709,734 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Inventors: Yanase, Kouichi, Higashi, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TARAZANO, DONALD LAWRENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/223,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20030044627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 428/910, 428/516, 428/522, 428/523, 428/212, 428/520, 526/238, 526/238.1, 526/328
• US Class Current: 428/212
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14778 the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14811 Multilayered articles B29C45/14827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/002 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 7/01 Films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0031 Refractive
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0045 Isotropic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/91 Product with molecular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 Monoolefin polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

Disclosed are a resin sheet that has a resin layer which is made up of a thermoplastic resin and which has a degree of orientation of not less than 0.0002 and not more than 0.0020, and a thermoformed article and laminate structure. The resin sheet is preferably employed in a thermoforming process. Particlarly favorable application of the resin sheet is a paintless film, which is usually thermoformed and then laminated to a molten resin.

Claims

1. A resin sheet comprising a resin layer that comprises a thermoplastic resin and has a degree of orientation of not less than 0.0002 and not more than 0.0020.

2. The resin sheet according to claim 1, wherein the resin sheet is a monolayer sheet consisting of the resin layer recited in claim 1 and the resin layer has a total haze of not greater than 10%.

3. The resin sheet according to claim 1, wherein the resin sheet is a multilayer sheet comprising the resin layer recited in claim 1 and the resin layer forms a surface of the resin sheet.

4. The resin sheet according to claim 1, wherein a design layer is laminated to the resin layer.

5. A thermoformed article which is obtained by thermoforming the resin sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A laminate structure comprising a thermoformed article and a substrate laminated to the thermoformed article, the thermoformed article being obtained by thermoforming the resin sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the substrate comprising a thermoplastic resin.

7. The laminate structure according to claim 6, wherein the theremoplastic resin forming the substrate is a crystalline olefin polymer resin.

8. An automotive part comprising a laminate structure comprising a thermoformed article and a substrate laminated to the thermoformed article, the thermoformed article being obtained by thermoforming the resin sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the substrate comprising a thermoplastic resin.

9. A part of household appliances, the part comprising a laminate structure comprising a thermoformed article and a substrate laminated to the thermoformed article, the thermoformed article being obtained by thermoforming the resin sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the substrate comprising a thermoplastic resin.