Method of forming deep-drawn paint film laminated sheet metal and articles made therefrom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545738-B2
Application number	US-201214239586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2012
Priority date	Aug 19, 2011
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A method for painting a complex or compound curved three-dimensional surface of a portion of an article. The method comprises providing a paint film ( 24 ); providing sheet metal ( 26 ) having opposite major surfaces; laminating the paint film onto a major surface of the sheet metal to form a painted sheet metal laminate ( 22 ) comprising a first portion and a second portion; permanently deforming the first portion of the painted sheet metal laminate into a formed portion of the article having a complex or compound curved three-dimensional shape; applying an initial force for securing the second portion of the painted sheet metal laminate during an initial stage of said permanently deforming step; and applying a later force for securing the second portion of the painted sheet metal laminate during a later stage of said permanently deforming step. The later applied force is greater than the initially applied force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of painting a complex or compound curved three-dimensional surface of a portion of an article, said method comprising:
providing a paint film;
providing sheet metal having opposite major surfaces;
laminating the paint film onto a major surface of the sheet metal to form a painted sheet metal laminate comprising a first portion and a second portion on the periphery of the first portion;
permanently deforming the first portion of the painted sheet metal laminate into a formed portion of the article having a complex or compound curved three-dimensional shape;
applying an initial force for securing the second portion of the painted sheet metal laminate during an initial stage of said permanently deforming step; and
applying a later force for securing the second portion of the painted sheet metal laminate during a later stage of said permanently deforming step,
wherein the later applied force is greater than the initially applied force.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
applying at least one intermediate force for securing the second portion of the painted sheet metal laminate during an initial stage of said permanently deforming step, where the at least one intermediate force is applied after the initial force and before the later force, the at least one intermediate force is greater than the initial force, and the later force is greater than the at least one intermediate force.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the initial force being applied is increased linearly to the later force before the permanent deformation of the painted sheet metal laminate is complete.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the initial force is held constant until the later force is applied.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the initial force is applied until the percent completion of the permanent deformation of the painted sheet metal laminate is in the range of from about 25% to about 33.33%.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the later force is not applied until the percent completion of the permanent deformation of the painted sheet metal laminate is greater than or equal to about 33.33%.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the initial force is about 90% or less than the magnitude of the later force.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the provided paint film has an exterior surface, the exterior surface of the paint film forms the exterior surface of the painted sheet metal laminate, and after the first portion is permanently deformed, the exterior surface of the complex or compound curved three-dimensional shape is a Class A surface.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the article is a body part of a vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the paint film is an adhesive-backed paint film comprising a polymeric layer impregnated with a coloring pigment having one major surface optionally coated with a protective polymeric clear coat, and another major surface coated with an adhesive.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the paint film has an exposed major surface that is protected with a temporary and removable pre-mask.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal is a relatively flat piece of sheet metal.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each applied force is a clamping or otherwise compression force.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of permanently deforming the first portion of the painted sheet metal laminate is accomplished, at least in part, by using a punch and a die cavity, with the clearance between the punch and die cavity is in the range of from about 180% up to and including about 205% of the total thickness of the painted sheet metal laminate.

Assignees

• Nielsen Kent E
• Jain Mukesh K
• Elnagmi Mohamed
• Bruhis Moisei
• 3M Innovative Properties Co
• Univ Mcmaster

Inventors

• Nielsen Kent E
• Jain Mukesh K
• Elnagmi Mohamed
• Bruhis Moisei

Classifications

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title

• B32B15/082

  comprising vinyl resins; comprising acrylic resins · CPC title

• B29C51/087

  with at least one of the mould parts comprising independently movable sections (B29C51/32 and B29C51/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• B32B38/12

  Deep-drawing · CPC title

• B21D22/201

  Work-pieces; preparation of the work-pieces, e.g. lubricating, coating · CPC title