Abrasion resistant plastic glazing with in-mold coating

• US 8,236,383 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exatec, LLC (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Exatec, LLC (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Gasworth, Steven M., Li, Chengtao, Grandhee, Sunitha
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, JR, JOSEPH ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US12/110,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20080265459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 427/372.2
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0079 applying a coating or covering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0028 In-mould coating, e.g. by introducing the coating material into the mould after forming the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1679 applying surface layers onto injection-moulded substrates inside the mould cavity, e.g. in-mould coating [IMC] applying suface layers after ejection B29C45/0053
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7782 Glazing

Abstract

This invention relates to plastic glazing assemblies for vehicle tops, windows, headlamps, and taillights, as well as residential and commercial glazing, aircraft glazing, and sunglasses. More specifically, a method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly exhibiting a high level of weatherability and abrasion resistance is disclosed which integrates the in-mold application of a coating and the subsequent deposition of an abrasion resistant layer to a molded plastic part.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly exhibiting weatherability and abrasion resistance comprising the sequential steps of:

injecting a plastic resin into a mold to form a plastic part having an A-side and a B-side;

applying a coating to at least one side of the plastic part while the plastic part is in the mold;

curing the coating on the plastic part to form a coated part having a cured coating thereon;

removing the coated part from the mold; and

depositing an abrasion resistant layer over the cured coating of the coated part;

wherein the cured coating has a substantially uniform and constant thickness; and

wherein the abrasion resistant layer has a substantially uniform and constant thickness.

2. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein all of the steps are completed in less than about 10 minutes.

3. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 2, wherein all of the steps are completed in less than about 5 minutes.

4. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 2, wherein the part is not manually manipulated until after the abrasion resistant layer is deposited.

5. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the step of injecting the plastic window forms the part in the shape of an automotive window.

6. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the coating includes establishing a gap between the plastic part and the surface of the mold, the coating being injected into the gap.

7. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 6, wherein the step of establishing the gap between the molded part and the surface of the mold forms the gap with a substantially constant width.

8. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing an abrasion resistant layer is done using a vacuum deposition technique.

9. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 8, wherein the vacuum deposition technique is selected as one of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), expanding thermal plasma PECVD, plasma polymerization, photochemical vapor deposition, ion beam deposition, ion plating deposition, cathodic arc deposition, sputtering, evaporation, hollow-cathode activated deposition, magnetron activated deposition, activated reactive evaporation, thermal chemical vapor deposition, or any known sol-gel coating processes.

10. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 8, wherein the vacuum deposition technique is expanding thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

11. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the step of curing the coating includes one of thermal curing, radiation curing, and a combination of thermal and radiation curing.

12. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the step of hanging the coated part from a holder mechanism that is a subcomponent of a mechanical system used to transport the part from the mold for the deposition of the abrasion resistant layer.

13. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the step of depositing an abrasion resistant layer directly onto any uncoated surface of the coated part.

14. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing a plastic film into the mold prior to injecting the plastic resin.

15. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 14, further comprising the step of forming the plastic film to substantially match the shape of one surface of the mold.

16. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 15, wherein the one surface of the mold that matches the plastic film defines the A-side of the plastic part.

17. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 14, further comprising the step of printing at least one of a border, defroster, antenna, or logo on the plastic film prior to placing the plastic film into the mold.

18. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the coated part before the deposition of an abrasion resistant layer.

19. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 18, wherein the storing of the coated part is done in at least a class-100 clean room.

20. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 19, further comprising cleaning the coated part prior to the deposition of an abrasion resistant layer.

21. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 20, wherein the cleaning of the coated part is performed using one of an aqueous wash, alcohol wiping, alcohol rinsing, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the deposition of a functional layer onto the surface of the cured coating prior to the deposition of an abrasion resistant layer.

23. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the application of a silicone hard-coat to any uncoated side of the coated part prior to the deposition of the abrasion resistant layer.

24. A method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly exhibiting weatherability and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of:

applying a coating to at least one surface of a mold;

placing and pressing a barrier film against the coating, the barrier film having no affinity for the coating and preventing the coating from being exposed to oxygen prior to being cured;

curing the coating;

removing the barrier film;

closing the mold;

injecting a plastic resin into the mold including the coating on the at least one surface of the mold to form a coated part;

removing the coated part from the mold; and

subsequently depositing an abrasion resistant layer over the coating of the coated part.

25. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 24, wherein the step of curing the coating includes irradiating the coating with UV radiation.

26. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 25, wherein all of the steps are completed in less than about 10 minutes.

27. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 24, wherein the step of depositing an abrasion resistant layer is done using a vacuum deposition technique.

28. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 27, wherein the vacuum deposition technique is expanding thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

29. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 24, further comprising the deposition of a functional layer onto the surface of the cured coating prior to the deposition of an abrasion resistant layer.

30. The method of manufacturing a plastic glazing assembly of claim 24, further comprising the application of a silicone hard-coat to any uncoated side of the coated part prior to the deposition of the abrasion resistant layer.