High-Quality Flame-Retardant Decorative Finish for Interior Panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016151992-A1
Application number	US-201615013692-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2012
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A high-quality, fire-resistant, decorative finish for panels made of composite material, such as aircraft interior panels. Starting with a flat or complex contoured panel, a flame-retardant filler primer is applied to the panel surface. This filler primer is then sanded to a very smooth solid surface. In a separate process, a polymeric film is printed with a desired pattern or image. The polymeric film is then bonded to the primed panel surface using an adhesive. The non-printed side of the polymeric film is bonded to the panel. A thin highly durable polymeric coating (clear or tinted) is then applied to the exposed printed side.

First claim

1 . A finished panel comprising a panel having a surface and a finish applied on said surface of said panel, wherein said finish comprises:
a filler material comprising one or more flameproofing agents applied on said surface of said panel to form a filled panel surface, said filler material being smoother on a side facing away from said panel than on a side in contact with said panel; a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material, said polymeric film comprising a first side facing said smoothened side of the filler material and a second side facing away from said smoothened side of the filler material; ink on said second side of said polymeric film, said ink forming a pattern or an image; a layer of adhesive disposed between and in contact with said smoothened side of said filler material and said second side of said polymeric film; and a polymeric coating covering said second side of said polymeric film, said polymeric coating comprising a second polymeric material.

2 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first polymeric material comprises polyvinyl fluoride and said second polymeric material comprises polyurethane.

3 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

4 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said second polymeric material comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

5 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said panel comprises a composite honeycomb sandwich.

6 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said panel comprises a composite laminate.

7 . The finished panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein said panel is an interior panel.

8 . A finished panel comprising a panel and a finish applied on a surface of said panel, wherein said finish comprises:
flame-retardant filler material disposed on a surface of said panel; a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material; ink applied on a first side of said polymeric film that faces away from said filler material; a layer of adhesive material disposed between said filler material and a second side of said polymeric film; and a coating disposed on said first side of said polymeric film, said coating comprising a second polymeric material, wherein said ink forms a pattern or an image that is visible through said coating.

9 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first polymeric material comprises polyvinyl fluoride and said second polymeric material comprises polyurethane.

10 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

11 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said second polymeric material comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

12 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said panel comprises a composite honeycomb sandwich panel.

13 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said panel comprises a composite laminate.

14 . The finished panel as recited in claim 8 , wherein said panel is an interior panel of an aircraft.

15 . An interior panel on an aircraft comprising:
a substrate made of composite material; flame-retardant filler material disposed on a surface of said substrate; a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material; ink applied on a first side of said polymeric film to form a pattern or an image; and a layer of adhesive material disposed between said filler material and said polymeric film for adhering said polymeric film to said substrate.

16 . The interior panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein said adhesive material is in contact with a second side of said polymeric film, further comprising a coating disposed on said first side of said polymeric film, said coating comprising a second polymeric material and said ink being visible through said coating.

17 . The interior panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

18 . The interior panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

19 . The interior panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein said substrate is part of a composite honeycomb sandwich structure.

20 . The interior panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein said substrate is part of a composite laminate.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilde John Christopher
• Benham Gary D

Classifications

• B32B3/12 Primary

  characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure · CPC title

• B32B2605/18

  Aircraft · CPC title

• B32B2307/3065

  Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant · CPC title

• B32B2255/26

  Polymeric coating · CPC title

• B32B2255/10

  on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer · CPC title