Extrusion-coated articles with end-caps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167250-A1
Application number	US-201414571568-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an extrusion-coated article comprising: a substrate with a coating material extrusion coated onto at least a portion of the substrate, and at least one profile extruded end-cap coupled with an end of the substrate, with a cross-section of the end-cap comprising an end-cap profile. The end of the substrate includes a recess extending inwardly from an outer surface of the end of the substrate, such that a cross-section of the end of the substrate comprises a substrate end profile. The end-cap profile substantially corresponds with the substrate end profile, such that at least a portion of the end-cap is configured to be received within the recess for coupling the end-cap with the end of the substrate.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An extrusion-coated article comprising:
a substrate; a coating material extrusion coated onto at least a portion of said substrate; and at least one profile extruded end-cap coupled with an end of said substrate, with a cross-section of said end-cap comprising an end-cap profile, wherein the end of said substrate comprises a recess extending inwardly from an outer surface of the end of said substrate, such that a cross-section of the end comprises a substrate end profile, wherein the end-cap profile substantially corresponds with the substrate end profile, such that at least a portion of said end-cap is operable to be received within the recess for coupling said end-cap with the end of said substrate.

2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the recess extends along an entire length of the end of said substrate, such that the substrate end profile is generally consistent along the entire length of the end of said substrate.

3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the end-cap profile is consistent along an entire length of said end-cap.

4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said end-cap is profile extruded from the same material of which the coating material is comprised.

5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises natural wood, medium-density fiberboard, particle board, oriented strand board, plastic, cellularized PVC, foam, metal, fiberglass-reinforced thermoset or thermoplastic polymers, or combinations thereof.

6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating material comprises one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyesters, copolyesters, polycarbonates, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), impact-modified PMMA, poly(acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate) (ASA), poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS), poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) (SAN), cellulose esters and mixtures thereof.

7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the coating material is at least partially fused with said end-cap so as to form a seal around the end of said substrate.

8 . A method for forming an extrusion-coated article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a substrate; (b) forming a recess in an end of the substrate; (c) profile extruding an end-cap; (d) coupling said end-cap with the end of said substrate; and (e) extrusion-coating said substrate and said end-cap so as to coat at least a portion of said substrate and said end-cap with a coating material, wherein said end-cap includes a cross-section comprising an end-cap profile, and wherein the end of said substrate comprises a recess extending inwardly from an outer surface of the end, such that a cross-section of the end comprises a substrate end profile, wherein the end-cap profile substantially corresponds with the substrate end profile, such that at least a portion of said end-cap is operable to be received within the recess for coupling said end-cap with the end of said substrate.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the recess is formed consistently along an entire length of the end of said substrate, such that the substrate end profile is generally uniform along the entire length of the end of said substrate.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said end-cap is profile extruded such that the end-cap profile is uniform along an entire length of said end-cap.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the end-cap is profile extruded from the same material of which the coating material is comprised.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein during said extrusion-coating of step (e), said coating material is at least partially fused with said end-cap so as to form a seal around the end of said substrate.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said coating material has a glass transition temperature in the range of from about 60° C. to about 80° C.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said substrate comprises natural wood, medium-density fiberboard, particle board, oriented strand board, plastic, cellularized PVC, foam, metal, fiberglass-reinforced thermoset or thermoplastic polymers, or combinations thereof.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said coating material comprises one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyesters, copolyesters, polycarbonates, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), impact-modified PMMA, poly(acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate) (ASA), poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS), poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) (SAN), cellulose esters and mixtures thereof.

16 . A method for forming an extrusion-coated article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a substrate and an end-cap; (b) coupling said end-cap with an end of said substrate; and (c) passing the coupled substrate and end-cap through an extrusion-coater so as to coat at least a portion of each of said substrate and said end-cap with a coating material, wherein during said passing of step (c), the coating material at least partially fuses with said end-cap, so as to form a seal around the end of said substrate; and (d) machining an end portion of said end-cap, such that said end-cap presents a smooth outer surface.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the machining of step (d) comprises trimming away a portion of the end portion of said end-cap.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further including the step of: recycling the end portion of said end-cap that is trimmed away during the trimming step.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further including the step of: forming a decorative feature on the outer surface of the machined end-cap.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said coating material has a glass transition temperature in the range of from about 60° C. to about 80° C.

Assignees

• Eastman Chem Co

Inventors

• Cable Kevin Michael
• Cobb Daniel Christopher
• Cradic Michael W
• Herrig Michael L

Classifications

• B27N7/005 Primary

  Coating boards, e.g. with a finishing or decorating layer · CPC title

• B32B21/08 Primary

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B27/12

  next to a fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• B32B27/365

  comprising polycarbonates · CPC title

• B32B2419/00

  Buildings or parts thereof · CPC title