Patent ID: 6966962
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: B05D,B29C,B29K,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A dry paint transfer-lamination process for making a plastic vehicular body part having an exterior automotive quality paint coat on a contoured outer surface of the body part, in which the paint coat on the body part has a glossy clear coat/color coat paint finish with a distinctness-of-image value of at least about 60, which comprises: (a) coating an optically clear weatherable and hardenable polymeric material onto a smooth surface of a carrier; (b) hardening the clear coat polymeric material to form a thermoplastic and thermoformable optically clear film having a first, exposed face and a second face contiguous with the smooth surface of the carrier; (c) applying to the first, exposed face of the clear film a pigmented color coat comprising a thermoplastic and thermoformable polymeric material with pigments distributed therein, and hardening the color coat to form a clear coat/color coat paint film supported by the carrier, the clear coat/color coat paint film comprising a thin-film form, non-self-supporting exterior automotive paint film; (d) applying a size coat to the color coat side of the clear coat/color coat paint film; (e) transferring the clear coat/color coat paint film from the carrier to a continuous and self-supporting thermoformable resinous backing sheet by the steps of supporting the clear coat/color coat paint film on the carrier while joining the carrier-supported clear coat/color coat paint film with the backing sheet under the application of heat and pressure for adhering the size coat to the backing sheet to bond the clear coat/color coat paint film to the backing sheet, and separating the carrier from the composite of the backing sheet and the clear coat/color coat paint film to expose the second face of the clear coat as a glossy, smooth outer surface, the clear coat/color coat paint film having an elongated state in which the film is sufficiently pliable under the application of heat and pressure during thermoforming to stretch the clear coat/color coat paint film when conforming the film to a contoured shape; and (f) thermoforming the composite of the backing sheet and the clear coat/color coat paint film to form a three-dimensionally shaped paint-coated laminate in which regions of the clear coat/color coat paint film are subjected to said elongated state while the paint film on said laminate retains said glossy, smooth outer surface and an instrument measured distinctness-of-image value of 60 or greater, the laminate providing the outer component of a vehicular body part having a contoured outer surface with a clear coat/color coat paint film of exterior automotive quality, in which the backing sheet comprises a polyolefin polymer and the size coat comprises a chlorinated polyolefin adhesive.