Coating processes – Direct application of electrical – magnetic – wave – or... – Chemical vapor deposition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-29
2001-11-27
Pianalto, Bernard (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
Direct application of electrical, magnetic, wave, or...
Chemical vapor deposition
C204S192140, C204S192150, C427S250000, C427S255700, C427S276000, C427S288000, C427S289000, C427S294000, C427S296000, C427S331000, C427S404000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322859
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to surface enhancement of substrates. More particular, this invention relates to application of a thin layer of metal to the surface of a variety of substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of thin layers of metal, gold in particular, dates back to early civilizations such as Egyptian or pre-Columbian America. It was driven by the desire to decorate large surfaces such as images, statuary, or walls, but was limited by the relative scarcity of the metal. Fortunately, its malleabiity allowed the creation of the thin foils that enabled the decoration of those surfaces with gold and its mystical connotations.
The art of gilding, as it was known, continued to evolve in the form of thinner gold foils and eventually into metal alloys that simulated the appearance of gold. Other metal foils became available such as silver, copper, aluminum and various copper alloys. Gilding had begun to move from the realm of the religious, rich and powerful into somewhat more common usage.
However, the use of gilding remained limited by the nature of gilding itself. Typically the metals are in the form of extremely thin (less than 0.001 inch) foils which are very fragile. They are limited in size, 3″×3″ for gold, 5″×5″ for other metals. Because of their extreme thinness and fragility, handling the foils requires specialized techniques and much practice to apply the material to a surface. Large surfaces, such a walls or ceilings, are only occasionally gilded because of the high cost of materials and skilled labor required to apply the metal coatings one piece at a time. There is also a limitation on the types of metals available as foils. For example, titanium, iron, stainless steel, nickel, molybdenum, zinc, etc. do not have the physical characteristics to be made into gilding foils.
The desire for the look of metal has remained constant. There are a variety of methods for applying metals to surfaces in lieu of gilding foils. They have typically been in the form of pigmented coatings made up of metal flakes (powder mixed with organic binder) which are then coated onto a flexible substrate. Other methods used involve foils created by conventional metal rolling techniques or the metallization of polymer film. These are then laminated, using solution-based or hot-melt adhesives, to some kind of carrier web which can be subsequently converted into wall coverings, wrapping paper, ribbon or other decorative surfaces.
The coatings consisting of metallic pigments are not available for subsequent chemical treatments, called patinas, which provide further aesthetic potential. These chemical treatments are often rendered on gilded surfaces or possibly foil laminates because a true metallic surface is available.
There has not heretofore been provided a simple and effective means for creating decorative surfaces by the application of metal coatings to textured flexible substrates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there are provided techniques for preparing decorative surfaces by applying one or more metal coatings to flexible substrates. A “flexible” substrate is defined herein as one which can be folded back on itself (180 degrees) and reversed without sustaining damage to the physical properties of the material. There may be alteration in visual appearance. A decorative surface is defined as a surface which has some level of aesthetic appeal, usually visual in nature. This visual appeal could be a naturally occurring phenomenon or somehow randomly created or it may be created by deliberate modification of a surface with textural elements, color from a variety of sources and combinations, light reflecting, refracting elements or combinations of all of the above. These decorative elements are often created on flexible substrates by printing, dying, embossing, weaving laminations, gilding, coating, pigmenting, chemical modification of the surface, thermal processes, brushing, abrading, wrinkling, creasing, folding or any other methods that modify the surface, additively, subtractively, texturally, and/or some visual manner.
As used herein, a “textured” substrate is defined as a substrate having surface features, above and/or below the plane of the surface that are greater than 0.051 mm. The profiles of these surface features, whether parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the surface, can be of any configuration or combination of configurations, angular, curvilinear, irregular, etc. Further, these surface variations can be random in nature or can be in the form of deliberate patterns.
The texture may be typical of the substrate as manufactured as in the case of flocked, woven, or non-woven fabrics which are nominally supplied with surface features of 0.051 mm or greater. Also substrates such as films, papers, laminates, vinyls, plastics and the like which do not normally have such surface features can be caused to have such features (e.g. by embossing, brushing, perforating, crimping, abrading or even the use of additional coatings to create surface features of 0.051 mm or greater).
The substrate used for the metal coatings is typically textured before the metal coating is applied. However, the texture may also be created after the metal coating has been applied.
The techniques of the present invention are applicable to large surface area substrates in an economical manner. Consequently, the coated and treated substrates are useful for covering large surfaces (e.g. walls) without a multiplicity of seams or non-uniformities inherent with current gilding practices.
Other features and advantages of the processes and techniques of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4118523 (1978-10-01), Bingham et al.
patent: 5709943 (1998-01-01), Coleman et al.
Kinkead Elise C.
Pluim Arthur W.
Pianalto Bernard
Riverwind, LLC.
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