Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Hull construction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-24
2001-11-13
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Hull construction
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314906
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to boats and more particularly, to multilayered fiberglass boats fabricated with a gelcoat that includes iridescent polyester particles.
Multilayered fiberglass boat structures typically are fabricated with outer layers formed by spraying gelcoats onto a mold. The gelcoat outer layers provide a smooth glossy outer surface. Additionally, pigmentation may be added to the gelcoats to provide an outer surface of a desired color. To provide high glamour colors, specialty pigments such as aluminum flakes and mica flakes are added to the gelcoat formulation. The “metallic” look of aluminum flakes and mica flakes are sometimes used to attract fish on fishing boats. The flakes reflect light into the water and create a sparkle which attracts some varieties of fish.
There is a desire in the fiberglass boat manufacturing industry for more and different “flashy” appearances for fiberglass boat structures. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a multilayered fiberglass boat structure having a different glittering appearance than the appearance achieved with aluminum flake and mica pigments.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects may be attained by a multilayered fiberglass boat structure that includes a plurality of layers of resin impregnated fiberglass reinforcement and a plurality of layers of a polyester film wherein each film layer is formed from a gelcoat, with at least one of the film layers formed from a gelcoat that includes iridescent polyester particles. The boat structure includes the hull, the deck and any miscellaneous small parts. Particularly, and in one embodiment, the multilayered fiberglass boat structure includes an outer layer of a polyester film formed from a clear gelcoat. The fiberglass boat structure also includes a second layer, located immediately adjacent to the outer layer, of a polyester film formed from a gelcoat that includes iridescent polyester particles. A third layer, located immediately adjacent the second layer, is a polyester film formed from a gelcoat that includes at least one pigment. The third layer is typically referred to as a “backup color” layer.
The multilayered fiberglass boat structure is fabricated by first preparing a boat mold having a smooth interior surface and then spraying the clear gelcoat onto the interior surface of the mold to form the outer film layer. The gelcoat having the iridescent polyester particles is then sprayed onto the outer polyester film layer to form the second film layer. Next, the gelcoat having at least one pigment is sprayed onto the second film layer to form the third film layer.
At least one layer of resin impregnated fiberglass reinforcement made from randomly arranged fiberglass fibers is applied over the third film layer. The first layer of resin impregnated fiberglass reinforcement applied over the third film layer is permitted to cure and harden before subsequent layers of fiberglass reinforcement are applied. After curing, the boat structure is removed from the mold.
The above described multilayered fiberglass boat structure includes a layer of gelcoat having iridescent polyester particles that impart a unique glitter appearance to the fiberglass boat structure different from the appearance obtained with aluminum flake or mica pigments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3775214 (1973-11-01), Winters
patent: 4683134 (1987-07-01), Palinczar
patent: 5664518 (1997-09-01), Lewit et al.
patent: 5871827 (1999-02-01), Jaffe et al.
patent: 5956888 (1999-09-01), Vreeland et al.
patent: 6032606 (2000-03-01), Fulks
“OMC Hydra-Sports” Catalog. OMC Fishing Boat Group, Inc. 1992. pp 1-2.*
“America's Star Performer” Catalog. Astro Boats (of Brunswick Corp.) 1990. pp5-6.*
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Ed., 1998, Merriam-Webster, Inc., pp. 618, 694.*
“Meadowbrook Inventions, Inc.” Internet Webpage (http://www.meaddowbrookinventions.com/index2.html). Meadowbrook Inventions, Inc. 1999. pp 1-3.
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Genmar Holdings, Inc.
Morano S. Joseph
Wright Andrew
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