Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2002-05-21
Jagannathan, Vasu (Department: 1714)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
C524S522000, C523S326000, C525S191000, C427S154000, C427S156000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06391961
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for protecting paint on an article, a coating composition useful therefor, and a method for making the coating composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to (a) a method for protecting partially-set paint on an automobile or other body by coating the freshly-painted surfaces with a coating composition, (b) a water-based coating composition useful therefor, and (c) a method for making the water-based coating composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of painted articles, a problem arises when the article is moved within the manufacturing plant soon after painting. Transfer devices can easily mar a freshly painted surface if the paint is not completely set and/or cured prior to movement. Manufacturers are currently looking for ways to protect these freshly painted surfaces. Needless to say, it may be advantageous to move a freshly painted article from one workstation to another before the paint is set in order to keep the factory moving.
One of the biggest problems encountered in the automotive industry is the scratching of the paint before delivery of an automobile to the final customer. It is a documented fact that there are more complaints about scratches on automobiles than about any other defect. It appears that a customer will take delivery from an automobile dealer on a vehicle that contains obviously defective parts or unsecured pieces, rather than take delivery on a vehicle that has paint scratches on the surface. Upon survey, the customers have stated that they believe that an unsecured part will likely be fixed by the dealer after delivery, but, since a scratch could have been easily caused by the new owner after it leaves the dealer, it would not be likely that a dealer would repair a scratch after the automobile leaves the dealer. Consequently, it is a significant problem for automobile dealers to deliver automobiles with impeccable finishes without any scratches.
Many of the scratches on an automobile body are caused during manufacture of the automobile. During its manufacture, an automobile body is painted and then heated or baked to partially set the paint. The partially-set paint is often referred to as “green” paint. The automobile body with “green” paint is then transferred to various areas of the assembly line to add trim to the automobile body. During movement of the automobile body and the trimming process, the automobile body is highly susceptible to scratching due to the softness of the paint and the amount of activity happening around the automobile body. It is therefore desirable to have a way of reducing or eliminating the scratching that occurs to “green” paint on an automobile body. It is also desirable that any method of reducing the occurrence of scratching would not harm or change the appearance of the paint in any way.
Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a method for protecting fresh paint on an automobile body from scratching, which method is not harmful to the paint, is easy to perform, and is generally safe to perform. It would be especially useful if the coating is easily removable by washing with water. The present invention also seeks to provide a coating composition useful for the protecting method, and a method for making the coating composition.
The present invention also seeks to provide compositions and methods for protecting any painted surface from physical contact, chemical interactions or the outer-elements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a coating composition is disclosed which is for protecting paint, and especially for temporarily protecting a partially-set coating of paint on an automobile body. The composition includes from about 1.5 to about 4 weight percent of a first film-forming acrylic resin having an average molecular weight of from about 235,000 to about 285,000; from about 4 to about 8 weight percent of a second film-forming acrylic resin having an average molecular weight of from about 175,000 to about 225,000; from about 1 to about 3 weight percent of sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide; and from about 75 to about 85 weight percent water. All weight percents discussed herein are based on the total weight of the composition.
The first and second acrylic resins may be copolymers of alpha-beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers and ethylenically unsaturated esters. More specifically, the first and second acrylic resins may be poly(ethyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate/acrylic acid) copolymers.
The composition may further include from about 0.25 to about 2 weight percent of a chelating agent; from about 2 to about 5 weight percent of a plasticizer for the first and second acrylic resins; from about 0.25 to about 1 weight percent of a surface wetting agent; and a viscosity controller in an amount which controls the viscosity of the composition in the preferred range of from about 100 to about 500 centipoise. Preferably, the composition has a pH of from about 7.5 to about 9.0.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for making the above-described coating composition. The preferred method includes heating water from about 140 to about 200° F.; admixing sodium or potassium hydroxide, to the heated water; admixing to the heated water the first and second film-forming acrylic resins; mixing the acrylic resin/caustic/water mixture until the acrylic resins are dissolved in the water; and admixing additional water into the acrylic resin/caustic/water mixture in an amount so that the total water in the composition is from about 75 to about 85 weight percent.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method for temporarily protecting a partially-set coating of paint on an article, such as an automobile body, from scratches. This method includes coating, onto the partially-set paint, a composition which forms a removable coating. Preferably, the removable coating is a water-soluble coating and is removable by washing with water. The method for temporarily protecting a partially-set coating of paint may, then, further include the step of removing the coating by washing with water.
Advantages of the present invention not described herein will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for protecting a coating of paint on an nitride such as an automobile body, from scratches. The method generally entails applying, onto the paint, a coating composition which forms, preferably, a removable coating on the automobile body.
A particularly suitable coating composition is one which forms a water-soluble coating which is removable by washing with water. One such coating composition, which is another embodiment of the present invention, generally includes a blend of two film-forming acrylic resins, caustic, and water. A blend of two film-forming acrylic resins has been found to yield the desired level of hardness for the resulting coating. In the following description of the coating composition and the method for making the coating composition, both of the present invention, all weight percents are based on the total weight of the coating composition.
One of the film-forming acrylic resins has an average molecular weight of from about 235,000 to about 285,000, preferably, from about 250,000 to about 270,000. The other film-forming acrylic resin has an average molecular weight of from about 175,000 to about 225,000, preferably, from about 190,000 to about 210,000. The film-forming acrylic resins may be copolymers of alpha-beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers and ethylenically unsaturated esters.
Suitable alpha-beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers for forming part of the film-forming acrylic resins include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fuma
Cargill Lynn E.
Cornwall Susan M.
Jagannathan Vasu
Powell Mary H.
Product Sol, L.L.C.
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