Patent Description:
A conventional technique to improve the chroma of a coating film is to decrease the grain size of the pigment contained in the film or to incorporate a glittering material of substantially the same hue as that of the pigment (i.e., of a similar color to that of the pigment) into the coating film. The latter technique is disclosed in, for example, <CIT>.

<CIT> relates to a method for forming a red-based multi-layer coating film on a coating subject having an electrodeposited coating film and an intermediate coating film formed thereon. The multi-layer coating film is formed by stacking a first colored coating film, a second colored coating film and a clear coating film on the coating subject. The first colored coating film contains a quinacridone pigment as an organic red pigment and also contains a red or yellowish red pigment formed of aluminum covered with iron oxide as a glittering pigment.

In the case where a pigment having a shorter grain size is used, the amount of the pigment needs to be increased in order to increase the concealability to a sufficiently high level (i.e., in order to prevent the underlayer from being seen through the coating film). This raises the costs of the materials. In the case where a glittering material is used, particularly in the case where aluminum powder or pearl (mica) powder generally used as the glittering material is used, a gray color appears. This improves the chroma but makes the coating subject cloudy. As can be seen, it is difficult to only improve the chroma. <CIT> discloses a decorative film comprising a base layer containing at least one type of pigment defining a base colour and a transparent layer wherein the transparent layer contains a glittering material, wherein the colour of the glittering material and the pigment of the base layer are different, preferably complementary.

li is the object of the present invention made to provide a decorative film, an exterior part for transportation equipment, and a transportation equipment improved apparent chroma of a decorative film. According to the present invention said object is solved by a decorative film having the features of independent claim <NUM>. Moreover, said object is also solved by an exterior part for transportation equipment according to claim <NUM> and a transportation equipment according to claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments are laid down in the dependent claims.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present teaching will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the present teaching are not limited to the following embodiments.

With reference to <FIG>, a decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching will be described. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the decorative film <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the decorative film <NUM> is formed on a surface of a decoration subject <NUM>. The decoration subject <NUM> may be any of various products, and may be, for example, a substrate of an exterior part of transportation equipment as described below. The decoration film <NUM> includes a base layer <NUM> and a transparent layer <NUM>. In this embodiment, a case where the decoration film <NUM> is formed by coating, that is, a case where the decoration film <NUM> is a coating film will be described. The decoration film <NUM> may be formed by printing. That is, the decoration film <NUM> may be a printed film.

The base layer <NUM> contains a pigment <NUM> defining a base color. The pigment <NUM> is dispersed in a resin <NUM>. The base color is a color acting as a basis of the color of the decorative film <NUM>. The base color may be defined by one type of pigment <NUM> or by two or more types of pigments <NUM> having different colors from each other. That is, the base layer <NUM> contains at least one type of pigment <NUM>.

The transparent layer <NUM> is provided on the opposite side to the decoration subject <NUM> with the base layer <NUM> being located between the transparent layer <NUM> and the decoration subject <NUM>. The transparent layer <NUM> contains a glittering material <NUM>. The glittering material <NUM> is dispersed in a resin <NUM>. The transparent layer <NUM> is transparent as a whole, and transmits visible light (having a wavelength in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>). Therefore, the color of the base layer <NUM> is visible through the transparent layer <NUM>. The transparent layer <NUM> has a visible light transmittance of, for example, <NUM>% or higher, and preferably <NUM>% or higher. The visible light transmittance of the transparent layer <NUM> does not have any specific upper limit, but is typically <NUM>% or lower. The visible light transmittance may be measured by a spectrophotometer or a visible light transmittance/reflectance meter.

In the case where the decorative film <NUM> is formed by baking coating, the base layer <NUM> and the transparent layer <NUM> may each be formed by applying a paint composition (this process is referred to as "coating") and baking and thus drying the applied paint composition (this process is referred to as "baking"). The baking performed on the paint composition that is used to form the base layer <NUM> (hereinafter, may be referred to as a "first paint composition") and the baking performed on the paint composition that is used to form the transparent layer <NUM> (hereinafter, may be referred to as a "second paint composition") may be performed simultaneously (i.e., in the same step).

The first paint composition contains the pigment <NUM> and a vehicle. The pigment <NUM> may be any of various known pigments. The pigment <NUM> may be an inorganic pigment or an organic pigment. The vehicle contains a main agent (substrate resin), a curing agent and a solvent. As the main agent, any of various resin materials usable to form a coating film is usable. Specifically, an alkyd resin, polyester, an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin or the like is usable. As the curing agent, an amino resin, polyisocyanate or the like is usable. As the solvent, an organic solvent and/or water is usable.

The second paint composition contains a glittering material <NUM> and a vehicle. The glittering material (may be referred to as a "glittering pigment") <NUM> may be any of various known glittering materials. The glittering material <NUM> includes, for example, a substrate having a predetermined shape and a covering layer covering the substrate. The substrate may be formed of glass, aluminum, iron oxide, mica or the like. The substrate may have any of various shapes; the substrate may be, for example, flake-like, spherical, elliptical, quadrangular prism-shaped (not limited to regular quadrangular prism-shaped, needless to say), etc. The covering layer is formed of a metal material, a metal oxide (e.g., iron oxide, titanium oxide), or the like. The vehicle of the second paint composition contains a main agent, a curing agent and a solvent, like the vehicle of the first paint composition. As each of the main agent, the curing agent and the solvent, any of various materials described above regarding the vehicle of the first paint composition is usable, specifically.

The first paint composition and the second paint composition may each further contain an additive to improve characteristics of the coating film.

In the decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching, the base color and the color of the glittering material <NUM> are different from each other in the hue. Specifically, a hue angle h1 of the base color and a hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM> have a difference Δh of <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller (preferably, <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller). <FIG> is a chromaticity diagram of a L*a*b* color space. In the L*a*b* color space, the brightness is represented by L*, and the chromaticity values are represented by a* and b*. Referring to <FIG>, the hue angle h is an angle represented with the red direction being the direction of <NUM>° and the counterclockwise direction being the positive direction (that is, the yellow direction, the green direction and the blue direction are respectively the directions of <NUM>°, <NUM>° and <NUM>°).

The difference Δh described above is not necessarily a simple arithmetic difference between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM>, but has a value in the range of <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller. Specifically, in the case where the difference between h1 and h2 has an absolute value |h1-h2| of <NUM>° or smaller, Δh = |h1-h2|. In the case where the absolute value |h1-h2| of the difference between h1 and h2 is larger than <NUM>°, Δh = <NUM>° - |h1-h2|. For example, in the case of color CL1 (h = <NUM>°) and CL2 (h = <NUM>°) in <FIG>, the difference Δh of the hue angles of these colors is <NUM>°. By contrast, in the case of color CL3 (h = <NUM>°) and color CL4 (h = <NUM>°) in <FIG>, the difference Δh of the hue angles of these colors is <NUM>°.

As described above, the decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching is provided based on a technological idea completely different from the conventional technological idea, that is, the base color and the color of the glittering material are to have substantially the same hue. In the case of the decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller. This allows the decorative film <NUM> to be improved in the overall chroma perceived by humans (i.e., the apparent chroma), as described below with reference to inspection results. A mechanism by which such an effect is provided is presumed to be the following.

A perceptual phenomenon referred to as "color afterimage" is known. For example, when an observer observes a red paper sheet for several minutes and then looks at a white paper sheet, the observer observes a green afterimage on the white paper sheet. After observing a green paper sheet, the observer observes a red afterimage. After observing a yellow paper sheet, the observer observes a blue afterimage. After observing a blue paper sheet, the observer observes a yellow afterimage. In this manner, when an observer keeps looking at a certain color and then moves his/her line of sight to another item, an afterimage of the complementary color of the certain color appears on the another item. The color afterimage may be explained by a similar concept to that of so-called light adaptation and dark adaption. That is, it is considered that a visual system, after keeping on looking at a certain color and thus being adapted to the color, strongly perceives the complementary color of the certain color.

The decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching includes the transparent layer <NUM>, containing the glittering material <NUM> having a hue different from that of the base color, between the baser layer <NUM> and the observer. It is considered that this causes the observer to perceive the base color more strongly, resulting in improvement in the apparent chroma. Simply considered, it may be assumed that this effect is highest in the case where the color of the glittering material <NUM> is the complementary color of the base color (i.e., in the case where Δh is about <NUM>°). It was found out that this is not the case but that the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is preferably <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller.

<FIG> is a diagram showing the relationship among hue differences in a hue circle of the PCCS (Practical Color Coordinate System), with the yellow hue being the origin. A hue difference of <NUM> corresponds to <NUM>°, and each numbered circle (in the range of <NUM>°) is of the same hue. Referring to the hue circle of the PCCS, in the case where the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller, the hue of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is considered to correspond to an intermediate hue or a contrast hue with respect to the hue of the base color. In the case where the hue of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is an adjacent hue or an analogous hue, it is difficult to provide the effect of improving the chroma. A conceivable reason for this is that the hue difference is small and therefore, a response of strongly perceiving the base color does not easily occur to the visual system. As described below with reference to the inspection results, also in the case where the hue of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is a complementary hue or an adjacent complementary hue, it is difficult to provide the effect of improving the chroma. A reason for this has not yet been clearly found out. However, one conceivable reason for this is that in the case where the hue difference is too large, a completely opposite signal is transmitted to the brain as a signal causing the perceptual response, which causes a certain type of confusion.

As can be seen from <FIG>, the intermediate hue and the contrast hue to the hue as the origin are present both on the clockwise side and on the counterclockwise side with respect to the hue as the origin. With respect to the hue of the base color, the hue of the color of the glittering material <NUM> may be set to either the intermediate hue and the contrast hue on the clockwise side or the intermediate hue and the contrast hue on the counterclockwise side. The glittering material <NUM> of the hue corresponding to the intermediate hue or the contrast hue on the clockwise side, and the glittering material <NUM> of the hue corresponding to the intermediate hue or the contrast hue on the counterclockwise side may be mixed together.

From the point of view of the external appearance of the decorative film <NUM>, it is preferred that the glittering material <NUM> has an average grain size of <NUM> or shorter. In the case where the average grain size of the glittering material <NUM> exceeds <NUM>, the glittering material <NUM> is visually recognized as spots, and thus the external appearance may undesirably be spoiled. In this specification, the average grain size of the glittering material <NUM> refers to the median diameter measured by the laser diffraction/scattering method. The average grain size of the glittering material <NUM> does not have any specific lower limit, but is, for example, <NUM> or longer.

From the point of view of enhancing the effect of improving the chroma, the transparent layer <NUM> contains the glittering material <NUM> at a content of, preferably <NUM> PHR or higher, and more preferably <NUM> PHR or higher. From the point of view of suppressing visual recognition of a pattern or suppressing significant deviation of the overall hue of the film from the hue of the base color, the content of the glittering material <NUM> is preferably <NUM> PHR or lower, and more preferably <NUM> PHR or lower.

In the case where the brightness (L*) of the base color is too high or too low, there is an undesirable possibility that the effect of improving the chroma may not be easily provided. The brightness of the base color is, for example, preferably <NUM> or higher and <NUM> or lower.

Now, the results of an inspection performed on the effect of improving the chroma according to an embodiment of the present teaching will be described. For the inspection, various samples were produced, and subjective evaluations on the samples were performed by visual observation. The subjective evaluations were performed as follows. A plurality of samples of several base colors, including a sample in which the transparent layer contained the glittering material and a sample in which the transparent layer did not contain the glittering material, were visually observed by six observers, and each of the observers voted for a sample having the highest chroma (the sample he/she perceived as being cleanest). The glittering material used was a glass flake substrate having a surface covered with a covering layer.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is blue. A sample 1A containing no glittering material and samples 1B containing a red glittering material were prepared. Two samples 1B having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "<NUM> B-<NUM>" and "1B-<NUM>"). The hue angle h1 of the base color was calculated from a* and b*, which were obtained by measuring the color of the sample 1A containing no glittering material by a spectrophotometer (CM-700d produced by Konica Minolta, Inc. The hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material was calculated from a* and b*, which were obtained by measuring the hue of a coating film, formed so as to contain a sufficient amount of glittering material, by the spectrophotometer. The hue angles h1 and h2 of the samples described below were obtained in substantially the same manner. <FIG> is a graph plotting the chromaticity values (a* and b*) of the base color and the color of the glittering material.

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in this example, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°, and the number of votes for the samples 1B with the glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 1A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, each of the samples 1B contains the glittering material having a hue different from that of the base color, but the color difference ΔE* thereof from that of the sample 1A is small. This indicates that the sample 1A and each of the samples 1B are not much different from each other in the colorimetric value but the samples 1B are perceived to be improved in the chroma over the sample 1A.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is light blue. A sample 2A containing no glittering material and samples 2B containing a red glittering material were prepared. Two samples 2B having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "2B-<NUM>" and "2B-<NUM>").

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in this example, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°, and the number of votes for the samples 2B with the glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 2A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* between each of the samples 2B and the sample 2A is small.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is purple. A sample 3A containing no glittering material and samples 3B containing a red glittering material were prepared. Two samples 3B having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "3B-<NUM>" and "3B-<NUM>").

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in this example, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°, and the number of votes for the samples 3B with the glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 3A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* between each of the samples 3B and the sample 3A is small.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is navy blue. A sample 4A containing no glittering material and samples 4B containing a red glittering material were prepared. Two samples 4B having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "4B-<NUM>" and "4B-<NUM>").

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in this example, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°, and the number of votes for the samples 4B with the glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 4A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* between each of the samples 4B and the sample 4A is small.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is yellow green. A sample 5A containing no glittering material and a sample 5B containing a blue glittering material were prepared.

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in this example, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°, and the number of votes for the sample 5B with the glittering material is smaller than the number of votes for the sample 5A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* between the sample 5B and the sample 5A is small.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is yellow. A sample 6A containing no glittering material, samples 6B containing a blue glittering material, and samples 6C containing a green glittering material were prepared. Two samples 6B having different contents of the glittering material, and two samples 6C having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "6B-<NUM>", "6B-<NUM>", "6C-<NUM>" and "6C-<NUM>").

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in the samples 6B containing the blue glittering material, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°; whereas in the samples 6C containing the green glittering material, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°. The number of votes for the samples 6C with the green glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 6A without the glittering material, whereas the number of votes for the samples 6B with the blue glittering material is smaller than the number of votes for the sample 6A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* among the sample 6A, each of the samples 6B and each of the samples 6C is small.

Table <NUM>, Table <NUM> and <FIG> show the inspection results on samples in which the base color is green. A sample 7A containing no glittering material, a sample 7B containing a red glittering material, and samples 7C containing a blue glittering material were prepared. Two samples 7C having different contents of the glittering material were prepared (referred to as "7C-<NUM>" and "7C-<NUM>").

As can be seen from Table <NUM> and <FIG>, in the sample 7B containing the red glittering material, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°; whereas in the samples 7C containing the blue glittering material, the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material is <NUM>°. The number of votes for the samples 7C with the blue glittering material is larger than the number of votes for the sample 7A without the glittering material, whereas the number of votes for the sample 7B with the red glittering material is the same as the number of votes for the sample 7A without the glittering material. As can be seen from Table <NUM>, the color difference ΔE* among the sample 7A, the sample 7B and each of the samples 6C is small.

As can be understood from the above-described inspection results, the difference Δh, between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM>, of <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller improves the overall chroma of the decorative film <NUM> perceived by humans (i.e., the apparent chroma). The lower limit of Δh is preferably <NUM>°. The upper limit of Δh is preferably <NUM>°.

<FIG> shows an example of another structure of the transparent layer <NUM>. In the example shown in <FIG>, the transparent layer <NUM> includes another glittering material <NUM> having a different color from that of the glittering material <NUM>. Hereinafter, the glittering material <NUM> will be referred to as a "first glittering material", and the glittering material <NUM> will be referred to as a "second glittering material". A difference Δh' between the hue angle h1 of the base color and a hue angle h3 of the color of the second glittering material <NUM> is smaller than <NUM>°. That is, the hue of the second glittering material <NUM> may be the same hue as that of, or an adjacent hue or an analogous hue to that of, the base color. Even in the case where the structure shown in <FIG> is adopted, substantially the same effect is provided as long as the difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the first glittering material <NUM> is <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller. The content of the second glittering material <NUM> in the transparent layer <NUM> is, for example, <NUM> PHR or higher and <NUM> PHR or lower.

The above description shows a case where the decorative film <NUM> has a two-layer structure. The decorative film according to an embodiment of the present teaching is not limited to having a two-layer structure, but may have a stack structure including three or more layers. Specifically, there may be one transparent layer <NUM> or two or more transparent layers <NUM>. In the case where there are two or more transparent layers <NUM>, it is sufficient that a certain transparent layer among the two or more transparent layers <NUM> contains the glittering material <NUM>. The visible light transmittance of each of the transparent layers <NUM> is, for example, <NUM>% or higher.

<FIG> respectively show decorative films 100A and 100B each including two transparent layers <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the decorative films 100A and 100B each include a first transparent layer 20A and a second transparent layer 20B provided on the opposite side to the base layer <NUM> with the first transparent layer 20A being located between the second transparent layer 20B and the base layer <NUM>. That is, the first transparent layer 20A and the second transparent layer 20B are stacked in this order on the base layer <NUM>.

In the decorative film 100A, the first transparent layer 20A, among the first transparent layer 20A and the second transparent layer 20B, contains the glittering material <NUM>. That is, the transparent layer <NUM> containing the glittering material <NUM> (i.e., the first transparent layer 20A) is located between the transparent layer <NUM> not containing the glittering material <NUM> (i.e., the second transparent layer 20B) and the base layer <NUM>. By contrast, in the decorative film 100B, the second transparent layer 20B, among the first transparent layer 20A and the second transparent layer 20B, contains the glittering material <NUM>. That is, the transparent layer <NUM> not containing the glittering material <NUM> (i.e., the first transparent layer 20A) is located between the transparent layer <NUM> containing the glittering material <NUM> (i.e., the second transparent layer 20B) and the base layer <NUM>. In the decorative film 100A, the second transparent layer 20B located as the upper layer does not contain the glittering material <NUM>. Therefore, the second transparent layer 20B is improved in the smoothness and the leveling, and thus is advantageous to increase the glossiness. In the decorative film 100B, the second transparent layer 20B located as the upper layer contains the glittering material <NUM>. Therefore, the amount of light that reaches the glittering material <NUM> and is reflected by the glittering material <NUM> is increased. This is advantageous to enhance the effect of improving the chroma and to decrease the content of the glittering material <NUM>.

The decorative film <NUM> (or 100A or 100B) according to an embodiment of the present teaching is preferably usable to, for example, decorate an exterior part of transportation equipment as described above. <FIG> shows an example of transportation equipment including such an exterior part. <FIG> shows a motorcycle <NUM> as an example. However, the transportation equipment is not limited to a motorcycle, but may be a vehicle that changes the traveling direction by inclining the body thereof, such as a leaning multi-wheel (LMW), an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), a personal watercraft, a snowmobile or the like.

The motorcycle <NUM> shown in <FIG> includes a vehicle frame <NUM>, a front wheel <NUM> and a rear wheel <NUM>. The vehicle frame <NUM> supports an engine <NUM>, a handle <NUM>, a seat <NUM> and a fuel tank <NUM>.

The vehicle frame <NUM> includes a pair of main frames <NUM>, a down frame <NUM>, a pair of lower frames <NUM>, a head pipe <NUM>, a pair of rear arms <NUM>, and a seat rail <NUM>. The head pipe <NUM> is located in a front portion of the motorcycle <NUM>. The main frames <NUM> extend rearward and downward obliquely from the head pipe <NUM>. The down frame <NUM> is located below the main frames <NUM>, and extends rearward and downward obliquely from the head pipe <NUM>. The lower frames <NUM> connect a bottom end of the down frame <NUM> and bottom ends of the main frames <NUM> to each other. The seat rail <NUM> extends rearward from the main frames <NUM>.

The engine <NUM> is located below the main frames <NUM> and to the rear of the down frame <NUM>. An air cleaner <NUM> is located to the rear of the head pipe <NUM>. A seat <NUM> supported by the seal rail <NUM> is located to the rear of the air cleaner <NUM> and above the main frames <NUM>. The fuel tank <NUM> is located below a front portion of the seat <NUM>.

A steering shaft (not shown) is inserted into the head pipe <NUM>, and the handle <NUM> is connected to a top portion of the steering shaft. A pair of front forks <NUM> are located to the side of the steering shaft. The front wheel <NUM> is rotatably attached to bottom ends of the front forks <NUM>.

Pivot shafts 220a are provided in rear portions of the main frames <NUM>. Front portions of the rear arms <NUM> are supported by the pivot shafts 220a. The rear arms <NUM> are swingable up and down, by the pivot shafts 220a, with respect to the main frames <NUM>. The rear wheel <NUM> is rotatably attached to rear ends of the rear arms <NUM>.

The vehicle frame <NUM> supports an exterior cover <NUM> covering a portion of the vehicle frame <NUM>. The exterior cover <NUM> includes a pair of front side covers <NUM>, a pair of rear side covers <NUM>, a front fender <NUM> and a rear fender <NUM>. The front side covers <NUM> are located below the front portion of the seat <NUM>, and are supported by the main frames <NUM> and a top portion of the down frame <NUM>. The rear side covers <NUM> are located below a rear portion of the seat <NUM>, and are supported by the seat rail <NUM>. The front fender <NUM> is located above the front wheel <NUM>, and is supported by the front forks <NUM>. The rear fender <NUM> is located above the rear wheel <NUM>, and is supported by the seat rail <NUM>.

The decorative film <NUM> (or 100A or 100B) according to an embodiment of the present teaching is preferably usable to decorate the exterior cover <NUM> of the motorcycle <NUM>.

As described above, the decorative film <NUM> (or 100A or 100B) according to an embodiment of the present teaching includes the base layer <NUM> containing at least one type of pigment <NUM> defining a base color, and at least one transparent layer <NUM> located on the opposite side to the decoration subject <NUM> with the base layer <NUM> being located between the at least one transparent layer <NUM> and the decoration subject <NUM>. A certain transparent layer <NUM> among the at least one transparent layer <NUM> contains the glittering material <NUM>. The difference Δh between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM> is <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller.

The decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching includes the base layer <NUM> containing the pigment <NUM> defining the base color, and at least one transparent layer <NUM> located on the opposite side to the decoration subject <NUM> with the base layer <NUM> being located between the at least one transparent layer <NUM> and the decoration subject <NUM>. A certain transparent layer <NUM> among the at least one transparent layer <NUM> contains the glittering material <NUM>. In the decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching, the difference Δh, between the hue angle h1 of the base color and the hue angle h2 of the color of the glittering material <NUM>, of <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller improves the overall chroma of the film perceived by humans (i.e., the apparent chroma).

In an embodiment, the glittering material <NUM> has an average grain size of <NUM> or shorter.

The average grain size of the glittering material <NUM> is preferably <NUM> or shorter. In the case where the average grain size of the glittering material <NUM> exceeds <NUM>, the glittering material <NUM> is visually recognized as spots, and thus the external appearance may undesirably be spoiled.

In an embodiment, the certain transparent layer <NUM> contains the glittering material <NUM> at a content of <NUM> PHR or higher and <NUM> PHR or lower.

From the point of view of enhancing the effect of improving the chroma, the content of the glittering material <NUM> is preferably <NUM> PHR or higher. From the point of view of suppressing visual recognition of a pattern or suppressing significant deviation of the overall hue of the film from the hue of the base color, the content of the glittering material <NUM> is preferably <NUM> PHR or lower.

From the point of view of enhancing the effect of improving the chroma, the content of the glittering material <NUM> is more preferably <NUM> PHR or higher. From the point of view of suppressing visual recognition of the pattern or suppressing significant deviation of the overall hue of the film from the hue of the base color, the content of the glittering material <NUM> is more preferably <NUM> PHR or lower.

In an embodiment, the at least one transparent layer <NUM> includes two transparent layers <NUM>.

The decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching is not limited to having a two-layer structure, but may have a stack structure including three or more layers. That is, there may be one transparent layer <NUM> or two or more transparent layers <NUM>. In the case where there are two transparent layers <NUM>, the transparent layer <NUM> containing the glittering material <NUM> may be located between the transparent layer <NUM> not containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>, or the transparent layer <NUM> not containing the glittering material <NUM> may be located between the transparent layer <NUM> containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the transparent layer 20A containing the glittering material <NUM>, among the two transparent layers 20A and 20B, is located between the transparent layer 20B not containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>.

In the case where the transparent layer 20A containing the glittering material <NUM> is located between the transparent layer 20B not containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>, the transparent layer 20B located as the upper layer does not contain the glittering material <NUM>. Therefore, the transparent layer 20B located as the upper layer is improved in the smoothness and the leveling, and thus is advantageous to increase the glossiness.

In an embodiment, the transparent layer 20A not containing the glittering material <NUM>, among the two transparent layers 20A and 20B, is located between the transparent layer 20B containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>.

In the case where the transparent layer 20A not containing the glittering material <NUM> is located between the transparent layer 20B containing the glittering material <NUM> and the base layer <NUM>, the transparent layer 20B located as the upper layer contains the glittering material <NUM>. Therefore, the amount of light that reaches the glittering material <NUM> and is reflected by the glittering material <NUM> is increased. This is advantageous to enhance the effect of improving the chroma and to decrease the content of the glittering material <NUM>.

In an embodiment, each of the at least one transparent layer <NUM> has a visible light transmittance of <NUM>% or higher.

The visible light transmittance of the transparent layer <NUM> is, for example, <NUM>% or higher.

An exterior part for transportation equipment according to an embodiment of the present teaching includes a substrate, and the decorative film <NUM> having any one of the above-described structures and located on a surface of the substrate.

The decorative film <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present teaching is preferably usable to decorate an exterior part for transportation equipment.

Transportation equipment according to an embodiment of the present teaching includes the exterior part, for transportation equipment, having the above-described structure.

Claim 1:
A decorative film (<NUM>, 100A, 100B) configured to be provided on a decoration subject (<NUM>), comprising:
a base layer (<NUM>) containing at least one type of pigment (<NUM>) defining a base color;
the base layer (<NUM>) is configured to be provided on a surface of the decoration subject (<NUM>), and
at least one transparent layer (<NUM>, 20A, 20B) with the base layer (<NUM>) being located between the at least one transparent layer (<NUM>, 20A, 20B) and the decoration subject (<NUM>),
wherein the transparent layer (<NUM>, 20A, 20B) contains a glittering material (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a difference (Δh, Δh') between a hue angle (h1) of the base color and a hue angle (h2, h3) of a color of the glittering material (<NUM>, <NUM>) is <NUM>° or larger and <NUM>° or smaller.