Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF PLUMBING FIXTURES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of providing
a temporary protective coating to a plumbing fixture,
particularly during the course of construction of a new
building, and to so-protected plumbing fixtures.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
At present, there is a significant problem of
damage to plumbing fixtures, such as bathtubs, toilets,
bidets and the like encountered by building and plumbing
contractors, particularly in the course of new dwelling
construction or the renovation of existing buildings. A
survey of the construction industry indicates that about
40~ of all installed fixtures suffer some damage in the
process of finishing operations conducted around them.
Specifically, the damage occurs to bathroom fixtures
which are already installed in new buildings, prior to
finishing operations by such tradespersons as drywallers,
tile setters, plasterers, painters and finish carpenters.
These workers, typically, must stand in the bathtubs in
the course of their work and often cause damage to these
objects by their dirty work boots, dropped tools or
falling debris. These workmen also come in direct
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contact with other fixtures such as sinks, toilets,
vanity counter tops and faucets. Damage is possible
because such fixtures are most often made or have a
surface formed of easily damaged materials such as glazed
ceramics, organic polymers or natural and cultured
marble. Thus, the highly finished surfaces are prone to
accidental defacement. Even moderate impact and abrasion
may damage the fixture and make it unacceptable to home
buyers which, accordingly, necessitates replacement.
Generally, the building and plumbing contractor must bear
the labour and materials cost of replacement, as well as
possible delay penalties. Further, much inconvenience is
caused by the disturbance of surrounding structural and
finishing elements during such replacement.
Industry representatives agree that remedial
measures must be found to this long established,
apparently intractable and costly problem. There is on
the market a protective, disposable moulded plastic
insert made to fit inside the bathtub. However, this
insert is bulky, expensive, inconvenient to dispose of
and is designed to fit only one bathtub model made by a
single manufacturer. This leaves bereft of protection
the plethora of makes, types, models and shapes of
fixtures not provided with their own portable insert.
Other obvious precautions, such as protective
sheets and blankets have been found to be ineffective in
that they are not equal to absorbing the magnitude of
kinetic energy associated with the impact damage
associated with this problem. Such protective sheets
further provide a safety risk in, typically, hiding
objects underneath them through careless disposition of
the protective sheets and easily removed if considered to
be an impediment.
Thus, the basic causes of damage reside in the
specific sequence of building operations and in the human
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attitude of carelessness. Neither of these practices
appears amenable to change.
Accordingly, there remains a serious problem to
be addressed in the construction and renovation of
buildings incorporating the installation of vulnerable,
damage-prone, bathroom fixtures and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to
provide a method of protecting a vulnerable surface of an
object during transportation or installation of the
object at a determined site, or when the object is prone
to damage, by providing the surface with a temporary
protective layer.
It is a further object of the invention to
provide an object so protected.
Accordingly, the invention provides a method of
protecting a vulnerable surface of an object from impact,
abrasion or extraneous contamination damage said method
comprising
(a) treating said surface with a mobile composition
comprising a polymerizable or polymeric material; and
(b) treating said composition for a sufficient period of
time to provide a removable impact, energy absorbing,
protective layer, wherein said layer is of sufficient
thickness to protect said surface from said damage.
In a further aspect the invention provides a
plumbing fixture having an easily removable protective
layer of a polymerised or polymeric material produced by
the method as herein defined.
The material constituting the protective layer
may have the desired impact, energy absorbing, physical
characteristic provided in several, different individual
ways or combination of such ways.
The material may have the desired flexibility
or ductility with sufficient elastic tensile strength and
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thickness to withstand impact forces solely by
deformation.
The flexibility when associated with a desired
thickness should be such as to absorb the impact energy
by spreading the load over an area greater than the
immediate area of impact. The spreading of energy is
effected through a network of chemical bonds of linear
polymeric fibres of high tensile strength or by
dispersion in the matrix of preformed elastomeric
particles or domains. These rubbery regions may be
bonded to the matrix either physically or chemically so
that they prevent crack propagation and transmittance of
energy to the surface to be protected.
The material may also constitute a porous,
cellular sponge-like, gas filled structure wherein the
vesicles of entrapped gas can compress and decompress
elastically.
Alternatively, a crushable rigid foam layer of
sufficient thickness while within the scope of this
invention has the minor disadvantage that it provides
only a one-time resistance at the point of impact, say,
when subjected to treading.
It is desirable that the coating be capable of
withstanding an impact energy of the order of about 1200
kg/cm2, resulting from say the impact of a 1.5 kg hammer
falling 2.5 m onto an area of 1 cm square. A material
having a compressive strength of 100 kg/cm should have a
thickness of about 7 cm; and a material having a
compressive strength of 1,000 kg/cm should have a
thickness of about 0.8 cm.
By the term "mobile" as used in this
specification and claims is meant that the physical
characteristics of the composition are such that the
composition is in the form of a liquid, fluid foam and
the like that may be sprayed, trowelled or otherwise
applied to the surface, without dripping, sagging or
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running that would nullify the desired resultant
protective and removable effect of the coating of the
invention. Foamed cellular structures may be obtained by
physical admixture of suitable gases, generation of
blowing gases from chemical additives, endogenous
generation of the gaseous by-products of the
polymerization reaction, or by addition of plastic or
vitreous hollow spheres to give a syncretic composition.
By the term "removable" is meant a protective
coating that can be removed from the surface, which may
include faucets and the like, if fitted, after use by
unskilled persons and after many days without the use of
excessive force or tools simply by peeling off the
surface and avoiding scraping or like action which could
abrade or damage sensitive vitreous or plastic surfaces.
The coating should, preferably, with a modicum of care be
removed more or less intact so that it could, for
example, be used as insulation between wall studs or the
like.
The present invention, thus, provides
application to the surface of a vulnerable, damage-prone
object of a liquid composition which upon drying, curing
or like treatment provides a protective layer of coating.
The term "protective layer" or "protective coating" as
used in this specification and claims denotes deposited
and treated polymer material of a thickness exceeding
that normally encountered in surface coatings. It is
thus of a suitable thickness of from about 2 mm to 10 cm
and, preferably, 5 mm to 5 cm. The thickness of the
protective layer depends on the physical characteristics
of the polymeric material, such as impact resistance,
abrasion resistance and vulnerability to extraneous
damage, the location of the surface of the object and the
specific risk-environment within which the object is
situated.
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The protective material composition and
thickness are selected to absorb vertical and horizontal
momentum delivered by a heavily-shod human body wielding
hand tools, falling tools and falling construction
detritus of a mass normally encountered in internal
construction finishing activity. The resilience and
elasticity of protective layer should be such that at the
end of its utility it is capable of being removed from,
preferably by being pulled off the protected object,
either in whole as a single unit or in segments, most
preferably, without the need of scraping, chipping or
other physical actions potentially detrimental to the
protected surface.
Most preferably, the protective polymeric
material should be compatible for use in conjunction with
release agents, optionally previously applied to the
protected surface. A release agent is preferred in being
characterised by having a low molecular weight (- 500
daltons) and a lower surface energy than the polymer
comprising the coating so that it is preferentially
adsorbed on the surface to be protected to provide a weak
boundary layer and easy release. The release agents may
be selected from a large number of waxy or oily
substances specifically designed for cognate use. They
may be readily applied to the protected surface from
pressurized containers or by brushing prior to it being
coated with the layer of this invention or may be
formulated into the composition.
The applied formulations should be capable of
being uniformly coated on all desired exposed surfaces of
the object. These surfaces may be horizontal, vertical
or angled and may also define apperatures containing
intricate re-entrant elements such as, for example,
faucets, soap holders and plugs. Thus, the invention
most preferably provides a temporary, easily removable
layer formed by curing, evaporation or like treatment of
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a readily applicable polymerizable or polymeric
composition. Curing may be accelerated by a stream of
hot air from, say, a fan heater.
The material compositions of the coating
comprise polymer-forming and polymeric materials suitable
for producing the protective coating of this invention
constitute a compendium of well-known and widely used
classes of organic polymers. Therefore, the selection of
the preferred classes will be predicated on the physical
and chemical characteristics best able to fulfill the
requirements of this invention.
Foremost among those are the monomers,
oligomers, prepolymers and polymers of urethanes or
isocyanates, aminoplasts, epoxys, acrylics, polyesters,
silicones and natural and synthetic elastomers.
Classes of solid coatings include the
following.
Plastisols, being dispersions of predominantly
thermoplastic vinyl polymers in low-volatility
plasticizers, applied in sufficient thickness by spray,
brushing or trowelling.
Elastomeric and the polymeric aqueous
dispersions, which may be applied by any of the methods
suggested hereinabove, and may form a solid mass by
coagulation or by low temperature vulcanization. The
water which constitutes the continuous phase of these
systems may be left in the coating for the duration of
its service, and may incidentally contribute additional
energy absorbing mass.
Elastomer precursors, comprising the classes of
synthetic rubbers and silicone and urethane elastomers in
various combinations, all capable of low temperature
vulcanization. The above examples are selected because
of the well-known energy absorbing and elastomeric
properties of the final products. Coatings of use in the
invention obtained from aqueous elastomer latexes, are
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natural or synthetic rubbers in the form of aqueous
dispersions, optionally containing additional surface
active agents, release and foam stabilizing agents, are
mixed with a coagulating agent, e.g. a mineral acid for
a monolithic coating. Foamed compositions may be
obtained by adding foaming solvents, hollow fillers or
chemical blowing agents. Such coatings may comprise, for
example, 90 parts natural rubber latex (20-60% rubber
solids), 2-10 parts calcium carbonate, and 2-10 parts
phosphoric acid. The components are mixed just prior to
application by brushing or trowelling. The released
carbon dioxide foams the composition in the process of
rubber coagulation.
Unsaturated polyesters, modified to impart
elasticity, are also curable at low temperature.
The above and similar composition may also be
endowed with cellular structure by above-mentioned means,
and be applied by conventional methods.
Epoxide-based monolithic or foamed coatings
comprising aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic oligomeric
compounds having multiple oxirane functionality, such as
glycidyl esters and ethers, homopolymerized or
copolymerized using anionic, cationic, metal complex
catalysts and co-reactants such as diacid anhydrides used
according to the known art. The compositions may
contain, intrinsically or extrinsically, property
enhancing structural members, e.g. plasticizers, mold-
releasing silicone moieties, surface-active agents, and
foamed by low-boiling solvents, gaseous reaction
by-products or hollow spheres.
Unlike the foregoing classes which may yield
both solid and cellular coatings, the following classes
intrinsically of cellular coatings are eminently suited
for application as foams, and constitute preferred
classes of this invention.
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Aminoplast polymers. This class comprises
polymers obtained in the reaction between an amide or an
amine, and an aldehyde, notably formaldehyde and
glutaraldehyde. Numerous examples are known in the
literature on the production and applications of cured
aminoplast foams. Their applicability to this invention
lies in the fact of their very low cost, non-flammability
of the aqueous solutions of polymer precursors, ability
to cure rapidly at low temperature amenability to
plasticizing modification, adequate physical strength and
environmentally benign disposal of the post-service
scrap. Cellulation may be imparted by a number of
conventional means.
Polyurethanes. The cellular polymers of this
class have found extensive use, among others, as field-
applied thermal insulation and sealants. Off-the-shelf
composition in small containers with integral applicator
nozzles are commercially available, and custom packs
containing sufficient material for a typical single
application consistent with the aims of this invention
can be readily produced.
Polyurethane coatings may comprise aliphatic,
aromatic, heterocyclic oligomeric compounds having open
or blocked multiple isocyanate groups optionally modified
with property-enhancing substituents or extrinsic
adjuncts, cross-linked with oligomeric polyhydroxy
compounds according to the know art.
The principal advantage of this cellular
polymer class from the viewpoint of the present invention
lies in its extreme versatility to yield a broad range of
desirable properties such as compressive strength,
resiliency and elasticity to meet all the requirements of
the proposed application.
Foamed or non-foamed elastomer coatings from
3S aqueous latex or low-temperature vulcanizable oligomeric
rubber precursors may be generally prepared by mixing the
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latex with coagulating additives in a vessel for manual
application or pumped through a mixing nozzle for
spraying upon the protected surface. This process yields
a solid coating containing the occluded water for
temporary impact protection.
A similar process can be applied to liquid
elastomer precursors wherein the film forming material
would consist of, eg. silicone, urethane, etc rubber
oligomers compounded with vulcanizing agents active at
ambient temperatures. Both spray and manual application
can be used. Both classes of elastomers can be made into
foamed coatings by mechanical aeration, incorporation of
chemical or volatile solvent blowing agents, or the
admixture of hollow fillers. Such cellular coatings can
be applied manually, trowelling or by spraying.
Foamed and non-foamed (solid) plastisol
coatings may be prepared from a polymer, eg polyvinyl
chloride resin and a plasticizing solvent, eg dioctyl
phthalate, which are heated together to form a liquid
plastisol. The liquid is applied to the surface by spray
or manually to the required thickness, and upon cooling
yields a resilient mass capable of absorbing impact
energy. Its rubber-like nature allows it to be easily
stripped from the surface whole or severed into
convenient segments. The material can be produced in the
cellular form by mechanical aeration, addition of low-
boiling or chemical blowing agents, or admixture of
hollow spheres.
Preferred coating materials of use in the
invention are both resilient and sufficiently flexible so
that they may be pulled off the protected object either
whole or in substantial segments without the need for
scraping and other drastic mechanical means. This will
be greatly facilitated by (a) spraying the protected
surface with a release agent, such as silicone oil, prior
to foam application, (b) incorporation of release agents
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in the coating material, or both. In cases of complex
object geometry, partial incisions may be made in the
coating, and ripping off coating segments along incision
lines.
A useful water-soluble protective coating for
use in the invention and particularly suitable for
bathtubs is composed of a prepolymer of an ethylenically
unsaturated organic acid e.g. acrylic acid, with residual
cross-linking capacity. The material may be foamed by
any of the methods already listed, applied to the
interior of a bathtub and cross-linked to yield a
satisfactory protection layer. It then may be disposed
of by filling the tub with an alkaline solution which
converts the material into a water-soluble salt, degrade
its integrity, and enable it to be flushed down the
drain.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In order that the invention may be better
understood a preferred embodiment will now be described
by way of example only with reference to the accompanying
drawing wherein:
Fig.l represents a diagrammatic, transverse cross-section
of a bathtub provided with a protective layer according
to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 shows generally as 10, a bathtub 12
having a protective layer 14, of 2 cm thickness, of a
treated composition of Example 1, on bathtub inner top
and outer surfaces 16, 18, 20, respectively.
Example 1
This example illustrates the preparation of a
protective layer of a phenol-formaldehyde foam
composition of use in the present invention:
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A phenol-formaldehyde oligomeric resol is
prepared by heating an aqueous solution of 6 parts of
phenol and 5 parts formaldehyde, together with 2-5 parts
of lauryl alcohol, as a plasticizing alcohol and acid
catalyst in a manner well know in the art.
Prior to application, the resultant resol
solution is mixed with phosphoric acid catalyst,
surface-active and release agents, foaming agents and
sprayed on the protected surface.
Part 1 Parts by wt
Resol, as 50% aqueous solution 100
Phosphoric acid 3-5
Octyl phenoxy polyoxyethylene
(6-10) ethanol 2-4
Ammonium perfluoroethyl sulfonate 1-3
Part 2
Calcium carbonate 2-5
Water 10-30
The composition is sprayed from separate containers. The
phosphoric acid superfluous to catalysic reacts with
calcium carbonate, releasing the foam-forming CO2 gas.
A bathtub surface was sprayed with the above
mobile composition to a thickness of about 5 cm and the
composition treated with a warm dry air stream.
After nine days, the protective layer was
removed by merely peeling the layer from an exposed edge
of the bathtub.
Example 2
This example illustrates the preparation of a
protective layer of polyurethane as follows:
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Parts by wt
Part 1 Toluene diisoncyanate
(2,4 2,6 or mixed isomers) 46
Freon 11 5-10
Part 2 Polyoxypropylene triol 100
Triethylenediamine 0.2-0.5
Water 2-4
Freon 11 10-25
Tin octoate 0.5-2
Polydimethysiloxane
(release agents) 1-3
Ammonium perfluoroethyl sulfonate 1-3
Parts 1 and 2 are ejected from pressurized containers and
mixed in a mixing spray nozzle prior to deposition on the
protected surface. The composition is sprayed at a
pressure of 0.35-0.50 MPa and had a viscosity of 0.5-15
pa.sec and an acceptable core temperature of 5-40C.
Example 3
This example illustrates the preparation of a
protective layer of a urea-formaldehyde foam.
A urea-formaldehyde oligomer solution in water
is prepared by a well-known method. It is mixed with a
foaming composition and applied by spraying through a
mixlng nozzle.
Urea-formaldehyde oligomer
Part 1 urea 10
formaldehyde 20
polyethylene glycol 10
sulfuric acid 0.5
water 30
Foaming composition
part 2 dicyandiamide 1.5
sodium dioctyl sulphosuccinate 2
tritolyl phosphate 5
polyethylhydrosiloxane solution 8
Freon 11 45
phosphoric acid 17
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Part 2 is mixed with 500 parts of Part 1 through a
spraying nozzle in the course of application.
Example 4
This example illustrates the preparation of a
protective layer of an unsaturated polyester.
A solution polymeric polyester formed from
maleic acid and decamethylene glycol in a 1:1 molar ratio
is cross-linked with styrene using a peroxide catalyst
and ethanolamine accelerator added foaming solvents,
gas-generating compounds, plasticizers, surfactants and
release agents.
Part 1 polyester 250
styrene 20-60
ethanolamine 2-10
polydimethyl siloxane 2-5
ammonium perfluoroethyl sulfonate 2-5
Freon 11 10-50
Part 2 Freon 11 5-10
methyl ethyl hydro peroxide 2-10
The two mixtures are ejected under pressure from separate
containers and mixed in a spray nozzle in the course of
deposition.
Example 5
This example illustrates the preparation of a
protective layer of a hydrogel soap.
A temporary protective coating, particularly
suitable for bathtubs, consisting of a water-soluble
polymer of acrylic acid, internally or externally
plasticized, is cross-linked reversibly upon application
by means of calcium cation, wherein the aqueous
composition is simultaneously foamed by evolved carbon
dioxide and bound into a three-dimensional network by
soap formation.
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components parts by wt
Part 1 polyacrylic acid, MW
2000 - 100 000 daltons 80
water 10-200
Part 2 calcium carbonate 5-10
water 10-50
aqueous emulsion of
polyethyl siloxane 2-10
The two mixtures are combined in a mixing nozzle in the
course of application. Upon completion of construction
the bathtub may be removed with a mild solution of an
alkali (eg NaHCO3). The integrity of the coating is thus
broken, and the resultant solution is drained off.
Instead of the cations, organic polyamines may
be used to a similar effect in conjunction with chemical
or physical blowing agents.
Part 1 polyacrylic acid 80
water 10-200
Part 2 hexylene diamine 20-80
water 10-25
Application is by mixing in a spraying nozzle.
Example 6
This example illustrates the preparation of an
epoxy-based foamed coating.
Part 1 Parts by wt
Diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol A
(equivalent weight =200) 100
Lauric diglycolamide 10-15
Octyl phenoxy poly (ethylnoxy) ethanol 10-20
Tricresyl phosphate 10-30
Freon 11 (monochlorodifluoromethane) 10.30
Part 2
Glycidyl ether-polyamine
adduct 45
Freon 11 10-20
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Parts 1 and 2 are ejected under pressure from separate
containers and mixed in a spray nozzle prior to
depositing these mixtures to a thickness of 2 cm on the
surface to be protected.
Example 7
This example illustrates the preparation of a
plastisol coating, which comprises polyvinyl chloride
dissolved in a plasticizing solvent with heating.
Surface-active and release agents are added. Low
volatility solvent is added to obtain a foamed
composition.
parts by wt
Polyvinyl chloride (molecular
weight 20,000 - 250,000 daltons) 100
Dibutyl phthalate 30-60
Polydimethyl siloxane 2-5
The hot solution is brushed or poured on the protected
surface to the desired thickness. Upon cooling the
composition yields a resilient and elastic coating.
Although this disclosure has described and
illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention, it is
to be understood that the invention is not restricted to
these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention
includes all embodiments which are functional or
mechanical e~uivalents of the specific embodiment and
features that have been described and claimed.
