Coating processes – Nonuniform coating – Applying superposed diverse coatings or coating a coated base
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-07
2001-12-18
Parker, Fred J. (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
Nonuniform coating
Applying superposed diverse coatings or coating a coated base
C427S264000, C427S282000, C427S287000, C072S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331328
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for applying a desired pattern to a cookware product, and in particular to a method for applying such a pattern to the base of a cookware product by a silkscreen process. The invention also relates to a cookware product having a pattern applied in such a manner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
It is often desired to apply patterns to cookware products to increase their decorative appeal. Such patterns are often applied by using a silkscreen process. In particular decorative patterns may be applied to the base of a cookware product, eg a pan, to increase the aesthetic appeal of such a product. However, if a pattern is applied to the base only of an item such as a pan, then it can only be seen when the pan is not being used and cannot be seen when the pan is in use. Naturally this decreases the aesthetic benefit to the product given by the pattern.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide a pattern not only to the base of a cookware product, but also on to the sides of the product. Of course, this could easily be achieved by providing patterns to the base and side separately, but this is not desired since it results in a discontinuous pattern with a break between the two parts of the pattern which is not aesthetically pleasing. Previously there have been no cookware products provided with a continuous pattern that extends over the base of a cookware product and also around the corner radius of the product and along at least a part of the side of the product.
A cookware product such as a metal pan is generally formed as a blank that is then deformed into the desired pan shape. Attempting to provide a continuous pattern over the base and around the corner radius of the pan after formation of the pan shape is not practical on an industrial scale because the shape of the pan does not lend itself easily to silkscreen application on a large scale.
Generally when it is desired to apply a silkscreen pattern to the base of a product such as a pan, this is normally done before the blank is deformed. However, where this pattern is intended to extend beyond the base around the corner radius to the side wall of the pan, care needs to be taken when applying the silkscreen pattern to ensure that in the process of deforming the blank the silkscreen pattern in the region of the comer radius does not become cracked and disfigured by the act of deforming the blank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a method- for applying a pattern to a cookware product comprising the steps of:
(a) applying a first coating to one side of a blank that is to form said cookware product,
(b) baking said blank in a furnace at a first temperature,
(c) applying a silkscreen paste over said first coating in a desired pattern extending over at least a portion of the blank that is to form the base of said product and over a corner radius portion of said blank, and (d) baking said blank in a furnace at a second temperature, said second temperature being higher than said first temperature.
Preferably both the first coating and the silkscreen paste comprise silicon polyester materials. The first coating may comprise a basecoat and a topcoat.
The actual temperatures of the baking of both the first coating of silicon polyester and the second coating of the patterned silkscreen layer will depend on the precise nature of the materials used, but in any event the baking of the patterned layer will be performed at a higher temperature than the baking of the first coating. The first coating should initially be baked at a lower temperature because it will be baked a second time when the patterned coating is applied and baked and two high temperature bakings would be detrimental to the first coating.
The pattern is applied to a blank for a cookware product, for example a cooking pan, prior to the product being formed by deformation of the blank in a conventional manner. Preferably also the side of the blank opposite from the applied pattern and which will form the interior of the cookware product, may be provided with a conventional surface coating, such as a non-stick coating, and this coating may be applied before or after the pattern is applied, though if the non-stick coating is a conventional PTFE coating it must be applied before the pattern since the high temperature required during the PTFE application process could otherwise damage the silkscreen pattern.
Preferably the pattern extends over the whole of the base area of the cookware product, as well as over the comer radius of the product, but alternatively the pattern may be applied to only a part of the base and to the comer radius and, optionally, a part of the side extending above the comer radius.
The invention also extends to a cookware product, and thus according to the invention there is also provided a cookware product when formed with a pattern by the method of the present invention described above.
According to the invention there is further provided a cookware product comprising a base portion, a side wall, and a comer radius portion forming a curved transition between said base portion and said side wall, said cookware product including a pattern applied to an exterior surface of said product by a silkscreen process, said pattern covering at least a part of said base portion and extending over said corner radius portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3881338 (1975-05-01), Tischuk
patent: 3922458 (1975-11-01), Lynch
patent: 4204021 (1980-05-01), Becker
patent: 4347722 (1982-09-01), Ulam
patent: 4477517 (1984-10-01), Rummel
patent: 4537800 (1985-08-01), Kuziemka
patent: 4607512 (1986-08-01), Deville
patent: 5037701 (1991-08-01), Carre et al.
patent: 5987727 (1999-11-01), Shafik et al.
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich
Meyer Mfg Co.
Parker Fred J.
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