Patent Application
20250187364
The present invention relates generally to the field of color samples. The present invention relates specifically to a color sample for facilitating selection of a powder paint color, the color sample including a metalized substrate sheet, such as paper, that has been powder painted.
One embodiment of the invention relates to a metalized powder painted color sample for facilitating selection of a powder paint, the powder paint being applicable to a base material. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a paper substrate sheet including a first side. The paper substrate sheet has a thickness of between 2 millimeters and 0.15 millimeters. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a metallic layer bonded to the first side of the paper substrate sheet. The metallic layer includes aluminum and has a thickness of between 15 nanometers and 50 nanometers. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a powder paint layer bonded to the metallic layer. The powder paint layer includes a cured, thermosetting polymer powder paint and has a thickness of between 20 micrometers and 140 micrometers. At least a portion of the metalized powder painted color sample has a same color and a same texture as the base material when the powder paint has been applied to the base material.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a metalized powder painted color sample for facilitating selection of a powder paint, the powder paint being applicable to a base material. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a paper substrate sheet including a first side. The paper substrate sheet has a thickness of between 2 millimeters and 0.15 millimeters. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a metallic layer bonded to the first side of the paper substrate sheet. The metallic layer includes aluminum and has a thickness of between 15 nanometers and 50 nanometers. The metalized powder painted color sample includes a powder paint layer bonded to the metallic layer. The powder paint layer includes a cured, thermoplastic polymer powder paint and has a thickness of between 20 micrometers and 140 micrometers. The metallic layer is applied to the paper substrate via metalized vacuum vaporization. The powder paint layer is applied to the metal layer via electrostatic spraying.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a metalized powder painted color sample chart for facilitating selection of a powder paint. The powder paint is applicable to a base material. The metalized powder painted color sample chart includes a first metalized powder painted color sample. The first metalized powder painted color sample includes a first paper substrate sheet including a first side. The first paper substrate sheet has a thickness of between 2 millimeters and 0.15 millimeters. The first metalized powder painted color sample includes a first metallic layer bonded to the first side of the first paper substrate sheet. The first metallic layer includes aluminum and has a thickness of between 15 nanometers and 50 nanometers. The first metalized powder painted color sample includes a first powder paint layer bonded to the first metallic layer. The first powder paint layer includes a first cured, thermosetting polymer powder paint and has a thickness of between 20 micrometers and 140 micrometers. The metalized powder painted color sample chart includes a second metalized powder painted color sample. The second powder painted color sample includes a second paper substrate sheet including a second side. The second paper substrate sheet has a thickness of between 2 millimeters and 0.15 millimeters. The second powder painted color sample includes a second metallic layer bonded to the second side of the second paper substrate sheet. The second metallic layer includes aluminum and has a thickness of between 15 nanometers and 50 nanometers. The second powder painted color sample includes a second powder paint layer bonded to the second metallic layer. The second powder paint layer includes a second cured, thermosetting polymer powder paint and has a thickness of between 20 micrometers and 140 micrometers. The metalized powder painted color sample chart includes a panel. The first metalized powder painted color sample and the second metalized powder painted color sample are bonded to the panel. The first cured, thermosetting polymer powder paint and the second cured, thermosetting polymer powder paint are different thermosetting polymer powder paints.
Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and, in part, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described in the written description and claims thereof, as well as the appended drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of various embodiments.
Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims.
This application will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in which:
Referring generally to the figures, various embodiments of a metalized powder painted color sample are shown. Embodiments of the metalized powder painted color sample discussed herein include an innovative metalized substrate to provide for a variety of desired characteristics, including a metallic surface to apply powder paint to that requires less metallic material than traditional powder painted color samples. Traditionally, powder painted color samples are formed by applying powder paint to an aluminum sheet. In order to have the rigidity necessary to apply the powder paint and handle the color sample, typical aluminum color samples would be formed from sheets of aluminum having thicknesses on the scale of about 0.050 inches. Applicant has found it beneficial to provide a powder painted color sample that utilizes a metalized paper substrate with a metallic layer having a thickness on the scale of about 15-50 nanometers. This provides for a color sample substrate that can be powder painted and handled while requiring substantially less metallic material than traditional powder painted color samples, and thereby producing a more environmentally friendly sample and significantly reducing material costs.
Referring to
Substrate sheet 13 can be formed from a paper material. In specific embodiments, substrate sheet 13 is formed from paper stock or cardstock. Substrate sheet 13 has a thickness of between 0.15 millimeters and 2 millimeters. Substrate sheet 13 can be formed from 10 pt. paper, or paper having a thickness of about 0.010 inches. In various embodiments, substrate sheet 13 has a thickness of about 0.008 inches, 0.012 inches, 0.014 inches, 0.016 inches, 0.018 inches, 0.020 inches or 0.022 inches. In some embodiments, substrate sheet 13 has a thickness greater than 0.022 inches. Substrate sheet 13 can be formed from paper having a weight of between 200 grams per square meter and 300 grams per square meter. In a specific embodiment, substrate sheet 13 has a weight of between about 244.56 grams per square meter and 252.08 grams per square meter.
Metallic layer 14 is applied and bonded to the first side 15 of substrate sheet 13 through metallization such that the combination of metallic layer 14 and substrate sheet 13 results in a metalized paper. In a specific embodiment, metallic layer 14 is applied to substrate sheet 13 by metalized vacuum vaporization such that metallic layer 14 is formed from aluminum. This metalized vacuum vaporization process includes placing substrate sheet 13 in a vacuum chamber. Aluminum is heated in the vacuum chamber, the low pressure of the vacuum chamber causing the heated aluminum to vaporize. Substrate sheet 13 is exposed to the aluminum vapor, resulting in aluminum deposition on substrate sheet 13 that forms metallic layer 14.
Metallic layer 14 has a thickness of between 0.005 micrometers and 5 micrometers. In some embodiments, metallic layer 14 has a thickness of between 10 nanometers and 100 nanometers, or between 15 nanometers and 50 nanometers. In another embodiment, metallic layer 14 has a thickness of between about 20 nanometers and about 30 nanometers. Applicant has found it beneficial to provide a metallic layer having thicknesses as described above to provide a metalized paper substrate for a powder painted color sample that requires less metallic material, such as aluminum, than a traditional powder painted color sample using a metallic foil substrate. Metallic layer 14 provides substrate sheet 13 with a surface capable of bonding to powder paint through electrostatic spraying, as well as a surface that provides a similar color and texture once powder painted to a powder painted portion of base material 20.
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Coating layer 16 is applied to metallic layer 14 by electrostatic spraying. When applying the coating layer 16, substrate sheet 13 and metallic layer 14 are electrically grounded, and the powder paint that forms coating layer 16 is applied electrostatically at an electric potential difference from the substrate sheet 13 and metallic layer 14 of between about 50 kilovolts and 100 kilovolts. In a specific embodiment, the powder paint that forms coating layer 16 is set on metallic layer 14 by a curing process. The curing process includes heat treating color sample 10 at about 200 degrees Celsius for between 10 minutes and 20 minutes. Specifically, color sample 10 can be heat treated at 200 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes to set the coating layer 16 on metallic layer 14.
Referring to
Coating layer 16 is configured to provide at least a portion of color sample 10 with a sample color that is the same color as a coated base color of coated portion 22. A portion of the coating layer 16 of color sample 10 has a surface area of at least one square inch. Throughout this document, color is measured as CIELAB coordinates. CIELAB coordinates include a lightness value, L*, measured on a scale from 0-100, wherein 0 represents black and 100 represents white, a green-red value, a*, wherein negative values indicate green color and positive values indicate red color, and a blue-yellow value, b*, wherein negative values indicate blue color and positive values indicate yellow color. A first color is the same as a second color if the ΔE (“Delta E”) value between the CIELAB coordinates of the first color and the second color is less than or equal to 10. The ΔE value is defined by the following equation, commonly referred to as the CIE76 color difference formula:
According to an exemplary embodiment, the ΔE value between the sample color of color sample 10 and the coated base color of coated portion 22 is less than or equal to 20. Additionally, the ΔE value between the sample color of color sample 10 and the coated base color of coated portion 22 can be less than or equal to 10. In a specific embodiment, the ΔE value between the sample color of color sample 10 and the coated base color of coated portion 22 is less than or equal to 5, such that the sample color and the coated base color are the same color. In another embodiment, the ΔE value between the sample color of color sample 10 and the coated base color of coated portion 22 is less than or equal to 2.
Throughout this document, texture is measured as arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of a surface. An Ra value is a mean of the absolute deviation from a mean line of the profile of a surface as measured over a 0.01-inch length of the profile. The mean line of a profile of a surface is a line corresponding to the average location of the profile with respect to deviations of the profile in a direction perpendicular to the surface. A first surface has the same texture as a second surface if an average Ra value of the first surface is within a 10 percent range above or below an average Ra value of the second surface. An average Ra value of a surface is the mean of Ra values of adjacent segments of a profile of the surface that span the entire profile.
Coating layer 16 is configured to provide at least a portion of color sample 10 with a sample texture that is the same texture as a coated base texture of coated portion 22 of base material 20. According to an exemplary embodiment, an average Ra value of color sample 10 is within 20 percent of an average Ra value of coated portion 22. Additionally, an average Ra value of color sample 10 can be within 10 percent of an average Ra value of coated portion 22 such that color sample 10 has a same texture as coated portion 22. In a specific embodiment, an average Ra value of color sample 10 is within 5 percent of an average Ra value of coated portion 22. In another embodiment, an average Ra value of color sample 10 is within 2 percent of an average Ra value of coated portion 22.
Coating layer 16 can also be configured to provide at least a portion of color sample 10 with a sample surface having the same coefficient of static friction as coated portion 22 of base material 20 when applied to a test surface, such as uncoated portion 24. According to an exemplary embodiment, a coefficient of static friction of the color sample 10 is within 20 percent of a coefficient of static friction of coated portion 22. Additionally, a coefficient of static friction of color sample 10 can be within 10 percent of a coefficient of static friction of coated portion 22. In a specific embodiment, a coefficient of static friction of color sample 10 is within 5 percent of a coefficient of static friction of coated portion 22. In another embodiment, a coefficient of static friction of color sample 10 is within 2 percent of a coefficient of static friction of coated portion 22.
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It should be understood that the figures illustrate the exemplary embodiments in detail, and it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only. The construction and arrangements, shown in the various exemplary embodiments, are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Some elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process, logical algorithm, or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is in no way intended that any particular order be inferred. In addition, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more component or element, and is not intended to be construed as meaning only one. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “about,” when referring to a length, thickness, distance, or a numeric value generally (e.g., a length of about 10 inches), means within 10 percent above or below the referenced value (e.g., between 9 and 11 inches).
While the current application recites particular combinations of features in the claims appended hereto, various embodiments of the invention relate to any combination of any of the features described herein whether or not such combination is currently claimed, and any such combination of features may be claimed in this or future applications. Any of the features, elements, or components of any of the exemplary embodiments discussed above may be used alone or in combination with any of the features, elements, or components of any of the other embodiments discussed above.
