Rexam Industries Corp.

Soliant LLC

Rexam, Inc.

Ream Industries Corp.

Thomas R Fields

Amy E Bohr

Lawrence C Forszen

Kendalyn R McCoy

Kenneth W Dick

Quan Song

Don Smith

Mark O Outlaw

Scott William Huffer

The invention is a formable, bright metallized laminate that has superior optical and deformation properties. The metallized laminate is made from a plurality of discontinuous metal island layers deposited on a formable clear coat film. The invention is also a method that includes depositing a first discontinuous layer of metal islands upon a formable clear coat film and then depositing a second discontinuous layer of metal islands onto the first discontinuous layer of metal islands.

Formable bright film having discontinuous metallic layers

A bright metallized formable film laminate having excellent optical and deformation properties. The bright metallized formable film laminate preferably includes a formable, weatherable clear coat film comprising polyvinylidene difluoride, a formable clear coat leveling layer on the weatherable clear coat film, and a discontinuous layer of indium islands deposited on the formable leveling layer, opposite said weatherable clear coat film. Also disclosed are methods of making such bright metallized formable film laminates.

Bright indium-metallized formable film laminate

The flexible, weatherable decorative sheet material provided by the present invention comprises a thermoformable decorative paint film having an inner surface and a weatherable, low gloss outer surface suitable for forming an exterior finish for a part, such as an automobile body part. The sheet material further includes an extensible mask layer releasably adhered to the outer surface of the paint film to form a protective film overlying the paint film. The mask layer comprises a film-forming polymer component and a particulate filler, such as silica, dispersed in the polymer component. A method of constructing the decorative sheet material, a method of controlling the gloss appearance of a paint film, and a composite shaped part including the decorative sheet material are also provided.

Gloss-adjusting mask layer with particulate filler

A bright metallized laminate is disclosed that includes a polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film having microscopically smooth surfaces, a discontinuous layer of indium islands deposited on the polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film, an adhesive layer bonded to the surface of the discontinuous indium layer opposite the polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film, and a thermoplastic backing layer bonded to the adhesive layer opposite the discontinuous layer of indium islands. An associated method is disclosed for forming the bright metallized laminate that includes the steps of casting a polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film to a polymeric substrate, depositing a discontinuous layer of indium islands upon the polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film, placing a polymeric film onto the discontinuous layer of indium islands, and press polishing the polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film and the discontinuous indium layer. The polyvinylidene difluoride-acrylic film demonstrates a roughness average (RA) of about 0.75 micron or less, and a distinctness of image (DOI) of about 95 or more.

Bright metallized film laminate

A gravure roll and associated coating methods are disclosed that produces a uniform coating gradient on a substrate. The gravure roll comprising a series of cells arranged in circumferential line density sections in which the line densities progressively increase from section to section, and in which the cell volumes progressively decrease within each section, and in which the cell volumes at the end of one section are substantially the same as the cell volumes at the beginning of the next adjacent section.

Color coated transparent polymer substrate web

A method of making a gravure roll disclosed that produces a uniform coating gradient on a substrate. The gravure roll includes a series of cells arranged in circumferential line density sections in which the line densities progressively increase from section to section, and in which the cell volumes progressively decrease within each section, and in which the cell volumes at the end of one section are substantially the same as the cell volumes at the beginning of the next adjacent section.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

Thomas R Fields