Coating processes – Direct application of electrical – magnetic – wave – or... – Polymerization of coating utilizing direct application of...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2002-10-29
Webb, Gregory E. (Department: 1751)
Coating processes
Direct application of electrical, magnetic, wave, or...
Polymerization of coating utilizing direct application of...
C015S104920, C428S543000, C522S042000, C522S099000, C510S201000, C510S206000, C510S417000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06472027
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method for removing a floor finish, to a removable floor finish and stripper, and to a floor coated with such a finish and stripper.
BACKGROUND
Ultraviolet (“UV”) light curable coating compositions typically provide a desirable combination of properties including rapid cure, high gloss and good durability. Due to these properties and their generally good scratch and detergent resistance, UV light curable coating compositions have been used as floor finishes. Eventually, even a UV light cured floor finish will show the effects of wear, and will require removal and renewal. UV cured floor finishes generally are not regarded as being removable using conventional chemical floor stripping agents. Instead, more aggressive removal techniques such as floor sanding typically must be employed. This can cause potential dust problems in the workplace and can remove a portion of the underlying floor surface. This has discouraged the use of UV cured floor finishes, particularly on vinyl tile, vinyl sheeting and other resilient flooring materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides, in one aspect, a method for removing a UV cured floor finish from a floor, comprising the steps of applying to the cured finish an inhomogeneous stripper composition containing at least one polar solvent, allowing the stripper composition to contact the finish for sufficient time to soften the finish, and removing the softened finish from the floor by mopping, vacuuming, mild abrasion or other measures that do not remove substantial portions of the floor. In a preferred embodiment, the polar solvent is denser than water. In a further preferred embodiment, the stripper composition has a diffusion rate through the cured finish greater than about 7×10
−7
g/
2
/sec.
In another aspect, the invention provides a strippable floor finish kit comprising a UV curable floor finish composition and an inhomogeneous stripper composition containing at least one polar solvent.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a floor coated with a UV cured floor finish covered with an inhomogeneous stripper composition containing at least one polar solvent, wherein the stripper composition softens the floor finish and permits removal thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A variety of flooring materials can be coated with an ultraviolet cured floor finish and later stripped according to the invention to remove the finish, including wood floors, resilient floors, concrete floors, synthetic sports floors, and combinations thereof. The invention is particularly well suited for use in high traffic areas such as hallways, stairs, kitchens and meeting rooms, where a wear-resistant but renewable finish will be desired.
A variety of UV curable floor finish compositions can be used in the invention. Preferred UV curable floor finish compositions include emulsion compositions and 100% solids compositions. The emulsion compositions generally include a flowable mixture of polymer forming components and water, and the 100% solids compositions generally include a flowable mixture of polymer forming components in the substantial absence of water. The polymer forming components react to form a continuous or substantially continuous polymeric film on the floor surface. In general, the polymer forming components include reactive polymers, oligomers, or monomers or mixtures thereof. The UV curable floor finish composition typically also contains an ultraviolet light-activated photoinitiator in an amount sufficient to permit curing of the polymer forming components upon exposure to ultraviolet light, and optionally one or more additives that enhance the application characteristics, performance or removal characteristics of the floor finish.
Useful classes of UV curable polymer forming components include monoacrylates, diacrylates, triacrylates, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyurethane acrylates (e.g., aliphatic polyurethane acrylates), polyester acrylates (e.g., polyester diacrylates), vinyl acrylates, epoxy acrylates, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacrylates, trifunctional acrylic esters, unsaturated cyclic diones, and mixtures or copolymers thereof. Waterborne acrylates and urethanes are particularly preferred. Representative polymer forming components include, but are not limited to, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, alkoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate (e.g., ethoxylated or propoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate), 1,6-hexane diol diacrylate, isobornyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof. Suitable commercially or experimentally available polymer forming components include UV curable acrylates, urethanes and urethane acrylates (including aliphatic polyester urethane acrylates) such as the materials designated as 935-63 through 935-67; 935-75B; 935-76 and 935-80 through 935-82 series of coatings from UV Coatings Limited; the materials described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,453,451 and 5,773,487; RoShield™ 3120 UV curable acrylate coating from Rohm & Haas; NeoRad™ NR-3709 UV curable aliphatic urethane coating from Zeneca Resins; Laromer™ PE 55W polyester acrylate, LR 8895 polyester acrylate, LR 8949 aliphatic urethane and LR 8983 aromatic urethane waterborne acrylic ester resins, all available from BASF Corp.; Viaktin™ VTE 6155 aliphatic urethane acrylate, VTE 6165 aromatic urethane acrylate and VTE 6169 aliphatic polyester urethane radiation curing resins, all available from Vianova Resins GmbH & Co. KG; 98-283W urethane acrylate, available from Hans Rahn & Co.; and the materials described in U.S. Pat. No 5,830,937.
Exemplary photoinitiators which can be used in the UV curable floor finish composition include, but are not limited to, 1-phenyl-2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-propanone; oligo{2-hydroxy-2 methyl-1-[4-(methylvinyl)phenyl]propanone}; 2-hydroxy 2-methyl 1-phenyl propan-1 one; bis(2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl)-2,4,4-trimethylpentyl phosphine oxide; 2,4,6-trimethyl benzoyl-diphenyl phosphine oxide; 2-methyl-1-[4(methylthio)-2-morpholinopropan]-1-one; 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone; 4-(2-hydroxy) phenyl-2-hydroxy-2-(methylpropyl)ketone; 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone; benzophenone; benzoic acid; (n-5,2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl)[1,2,3,4,5,6-n)-(1-methylethyl)benzene]-iron(+) hexafluorophosphate; 4-(dimethyl amino)-ethyl ether; and mixtures thereof. Commercially available photoinitiators include 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenylketone (IRGACURE™ 184, commercially available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals); a 50:50 weight basis mixture of 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenylketone and benzophenone (IRGACURE™ 500, commercially available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals); bis(n,5,2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl)-bis[2,6-difluoro-3-(1H-pyrol-1-yl)phenyl]titanium (IRGACURE™ 784 DC, commercially available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals); 2-benzyl-2-N,N-dimethyl amino-1-(4-morpholinophenyl)-1-butanone (IRGACURE™ 369, commercially available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals); and the EB3, KB1, TZT, KIP 100F, ITX, EDB, X15 and KT37 series of ESACURE™ photoinitiators (commercially available from Sartomer Inc.).
The UV curable finish composition can contain a variety of adjuvants to alter its performance or other properties before or after application to flooring. Useful adjuvants include leveling agents and other surface-active agents, defoamers, solvents to accelerate or to slow the drying rate, waxes, fillers, indicators and colorants. The types and amounts of such adjuvants will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The UV curable floor finish composition preferably contains about 50 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % polymer forming components and about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. % photoinitiator, based on the total weight of solids in the composition. More preferably, the composition contains about 93 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % polymer forming components and about 0.1 wt. % to about 7 wt. % photoinitiator based on the total weight of solids.
One useful subclass of UV curable floor finish compositions for use in the invention contains one or more UV curable polymer forming components, one or more
Anderson Bryan M.
Olson Keith E.
Smith Kim R.
IPLM Group, P.A.
Webb Gregory E.
LandOfFree
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