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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE FILMS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/200291
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
An applicator die for creating and applying laminarized ribbons of polymeric film to a target surface, such as but not limited to a surface of an automobile body component. In one embodiment, the protective film is an aqueous emulsion of polyvinyl acetate and is used to create a continuous peelable film to protect a surface. In another embodiment, the polymeric is polyvinyl chloride and it is applied to create an anti-chip coating. The applicator die has an internal supply gallery and an outlet slot of complex shape to emit a laminarized ribbon of polymer-based material that allows the material to be applied directly to the target surface without masking. A robot is used to control movement of the die. The die includes temperature control.

Inventors:
DEFILLIPI MICHAEL (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2015/037130
Publication Date:
July 21, 2016
Filing Date:
June 23, 2015
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
EXEL IND (FR)
DEFILLIPI MICHAEL (US)
International Classes:
B05D5/00; B05C5/02; B05D1/26; B29C48/07; B29C48/154; B29C48/305; B60J11/00
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
YOUNG, Thomas, N. et al. (3001 W. Big Beaver RoadSuite 62, Troy MI, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 19 May 2016 (19.05.2016)

1. A die for hydraulically extruding a laminarized polymeric ribbon of film onto the painted surface of an article of manufacture comprising:

a first die body having matable face with a bottom edge and a straight, elongate gallery groove formed therein adjacent and parallel to the bottom edge;

a second die body having a matable face with a bottom edge and a straight, elongate gallery groove formed therein adjacent and parallel to the bottom edge;

a spacer of thin sheet material disposed between and generally conforming to a majority of the matable faces of the first and second die body parts; said spacer having a cutout relieving a bottom edge With a width approximately the desired width of the ribbon;

the first and second bodies being joined with the bottom edges and gallery grooves therein in registry and the spacer disposed contactingly between said matable faces;

said spacer being cutout being located relative to said gallery grooves to create an open volume between the registered gallery grooves to receive film-forming material from an inlet, said spacer cutout defining a slot-like material discharge outlet along the bottom edges of the die bodies through which an undivided ribbon of film-forming material can be hydraulically discharged at a predetermined rate; and

a material inlet for admitting film-forming polymeric material in emulsion form to said open volume formed by said spacer cutout and gallery grooves.

2. A die as defined in claim 1 further including a shut-off valve carried by said die for abruptly stopping and starting the flow of said material from said inlet to the open volume formed by said spacer cutout and gallery grooves.

3. A die as defined in claim 1 wherein the edge surface of the spacer cutout is flared at the opposite sides thereof to cause the extruded film to flare slightly outwardly during emission.

4. A die as defined in claim 2 further including a source for supplying an emulsion of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) to the material inlet

5. A die as defined in claim 2 further including a source for supplying an emulsion of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to the material inlet,

6. A robotic system for hydraulically applying a laminarLzed; peelable polymeric protective film to the finished surface of an automobile body part comprising a die as set forth in claim 1 ; said system further comprising a programmable robot adapted to carry said die and cause said die to be translated over the painted surface of an automobile body part.

7. The system defined in claim 6 wherein the robot is programmed to move the die relative to the painted surface -of the automobile body part in overlapping strokes and at a rate that is approximately equal to the flow rate of the polymeric material from the die.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein the width of the discharge slot in the die is about 80 mm thereby to produce a ribbon of about 80 mm in width.

9. The system defined in claim 6 further including a source for hydraulically providing an emulsion of polyvinyl acetate to the die inlet with a viscosity of about 12,000 centipoise. 10, A system as defined in claim 9 further including a shut-off valve carried by the die for abruptly starting and stopping the flow of material from the inlet to the galleries of the die.

11. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein the die further includes a temperature control element.

12. A robotic system as defined in claim 6 wherein the spacing between the die and the automobile body part surface onto which the Iaminarized layer of film is deposited is between about 15-20 mm.