High-quality flame-retardant decorative finish for interior panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9272465-B2
Application number	US-201213662526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2012
Priority date	Oct 28, 2012
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of finishing a panel, comprising:
applying a filler material comprising one or more flameproofing agents on a surface of a panel to form a filled panel surface;
smoothening said filled panel surface;
printing a pattern or an image on one side of a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material;
bonding another side of said polymeric film to said smoothened filled panel surface; and
coating said one side of said polymeric film with a coating material comprising a second polymeric material,
wherein said bonding step comprises:
applying a layer of adhesive material on said smoothened panel surface;
pressing said another side of said polymeric film against said smoothened panel surface with said adhesive material therebetween; and
curing said adhesive material.

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

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said printing comprises application of ink that comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

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

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

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

7. A method of finishing a panel, comprising:
applying a filler material comprising one or more flameproofing agents on a surface of a panel to form a filled panel surface;
smoothening the filled panel surface;
printing a pattern or an image on one side of a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material;
applying a layer of adhesive material on the filled and smoothened panel surface;
pressing another side of the polymeric film against the filled and smoothened panel surface with the adhesive material therebetween;
curing the adhesive material until the another side of the polymeric film is bonded to the filled and smoothened panel surface; and
coating the one side of the polymeric film with a coating material comprising a second polymeric material.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first polymeric material is polyvinyl fluoride and the second polymeric material is polyurethane.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the filled panel surface is smoothened by sanding.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the layer of adhesive material is applied by spraying.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising installing the panel in an interior of an aircraft fuselage.

12. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the panel is an interior panel.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising installing the panel in an interior of an aircraft fuselage.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the panel is an interior panel.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the filled panel surface is smoothened by sanding.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of adhesive material is applied by spraying.

17. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said printing comprises application of ink that comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

18. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said second polymeric material comprises one or more flameproofing agents.

19. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said panel comprises a composite honeycomb sandwich panel.

20. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said panel comprises a composite laminate.

Assignees

• Wilde John Christopher
• Benham Gary D
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilde John Christopher
• Benham Gary D

Classifications

• B64C1/066

  Interior liners · CPC title

• B32B2307/3065

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

• B32B2038/002

  Sandblasting · CPC title

• B32B38/0012 Primary

  Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching · CPC title

• Y10T428/24868

  Translucent outer layer · CPC title