Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REFLECTIVE ALUMINUM TRIM
The present invention relates to a method of
making highly reflective metal strips, and in
particular to a method of making reflective aluminum
trim for use in automobiles, trucks, boats and a
variety of household and industrial appliances.
Decorative trim is widely used in
automobiles, trucks, boats and a variety of household .
and industrial appliances. Such decorative trim has
conventionally been made from stainless steel due to
its high reflectance, corrosion resistance and
durability. However, the relatively high cost of
.stainless steel has prompted its replacement with
aluminum trim. In addition to cost savings, the use of
aluminum trim instead of stainless steel can result in
weight savings for automobiles, trucks and the like.
U.S. Patent No. 5,290,424
discloses a method of
making shaped reflective aluminum strip protected by an
anodic oxide coating and a light-permeable
fluoropolymer coating. The method involves the steps
of bright rolling aluminum alloy sheet, anodizing to
prepare the surface of the sheet for subsequent
coating, applying a fluoropolymer protective coating to
the sheet, slitting the coated sheet to form strips,
and roll forming the coated strips. After roll
forming, adhesive is applied to the coated strips and
than cured. A co-extrusion process is then used to
apply a thermoplastic such as vinyl to the coated
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aluminum strips. While the disclosed method produces
highly reflective aluminum trim with good durability,
it is relatively expensive due to the large number of
manufacturing steps involved. In addition, the
fluoropolymer protective coating must be applied to the
entire surface of the aluminum sheet instead of
selected portions of the formed strips, which adds to
the cost of the final product.
U.S. Patent No. 5,478,414
discloses a method of
making shaped reflective aluminum strip similar to the
process disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,290,424, except
the surface cleaning and protective coating steps are
combined into one operation. In this process, the
aluminum alloy sheet is cleaned, chrome conversion
coated, and roll coated with a fluoropolymer protective
coating, all in one operation. The coated aluminum
sheet is then slit to width and roll formed in a
similar manner as disclosed in Patent No. 5,290,424. A
corona discharge is used to treat the coated strip
prior to application of the adhesive.
Elsewhere there is disclosed a method of
making shaped reflective aluminum strip similar to that
set forth in Patent No. 5,478,414, with the.exceptiow
that a chrome-free conversion coating is used and
corona treatment is not necessary prior to application
of the adhesive.
In each of the above-referenced disclosures,
the fluoropolymer protective coating is applied to at
least one entire side of the aluminum sheet, followed
by slitting to width and subsequent roll forming.
Since a large portion of the aluminum strip is
subsequently covered with vinyl to form the final trim
piece, the application of the fluoropolymer protective
coating over the entire surface of the aluminum sheet
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represents an unnecessary expense. In addition, it is
difficult to adhere vinyl to the fluoropolymer
protective coating. Corona discharge treatments and/or
specialized adhesives are thus preferably used to
adhere the vinyl to the fluoropolymer coating.
Furthermore, since the strips are roll formed after the
fluoropolymer protective coating is applied, the
protective coating must be able to withstand crazing,
debonding and other deleterious effects of the forming
operation, which may result in a final coating that has
less than optimum hardness.
Despite the above-noted processes, a need
still exists for producing low-cost reflective aluminum
trim with a minimum number of manufacturing steps. The
present invention addresses these needs as well as
other deficiencies of the prior art.
The present invention provides a method of
making reflective aluminum trim wherein substantially
flat aluminum strip is formed into a desired shape,
followed by application of a protective coating to a
selected portion of the shaped strip. This processing
sequence eliminates problems such as crazing and
debonding of the protective coating associated with
prior aluminum trim-forming processes.
In accordance with a preferred method, the
protective coating is applied only to the show surface
of the shaped aluminum strip, resulting in material
cost savings. As used herein, the term "show surface"
means the surface that is visible when the trim is
installed, and which is not covered with thermoplastic.
When the trim is installed part of the thermoplastic
may be visible, but is not considered part of the show
surface. The protective coating provides durability
and weatherability to the aluminum show surface while
not substantially degrading the highly reflective
characteristics of the aluminum surface.
After the protective coating is applied, a
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thermoplastic material such as vinyl may be applied to
the shaped aluminum strip, preferably on a selected
portion of the surface which has not previously been
covered by the protective coating. In this manner, the
thermoplastic layer may be adhered directly to the
aluminum surface, thereby avoiding difficulties
associated with adhering the thermoplastic to the
protective coating.
aim of the present invention is to
provide an improved method of making reflective
aluminum trim.
Another aim of the present invention is to
provide a method of making reflective aluminum trim
including the steps of providing a substantially flat
15, aluminum strip, forming.the aluminum strip into a
shaped strip, applying a protective coating to the
shaped strip, and covering at least a portion of the
shaped strip with a thermoplastic to form reflective
aluminum trim having at least one aluminum show surface
covered with the protective coating.
Another aim of the present invention is to
provide a method of making reflective aluminum trim
including the steps of providing a substantially flat
aluminum strip, forming the aluminum strip into a
shaped strip having at least one bend radius along the
length thereof, applying a protective coating aver a
selected portion of the shaped strip, and cutting the
shaped strip into a plurality of trim pieces comprising
at least one aluminum show surface covered with the
protective coating.
Another aim of the present invention is to
provide reflective aluminum trim comprising a shaped
aluminum strip, a protective coating covering a
selected longitudinally extending portion of the shaped
aluminum strip, and a thermoplastic layer covering
another selected longitudinally extending portion of
the shaped aluminum strip.
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These and other aims of the present invention will
become more readily understood by reference to the following
detailed description.
The invention provides a method of making reflective
5 aluminum trim comprising: providing a substantially flat
aluminum strip having a surface; forming the aluminum strip into
a shaped strip; applying a protective coating comprising a
fluoropolymer to a selected portion of the surface of the shaped
strip, said selected portion comprising less than the entirety
of said surface; and covering a portion of the shaped strip with
a thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of copolymers
of styrene and acrylonitrile (SAN); terpolymers of styrene,
acrylonitrile, and diene rubber (ABS); copolymers of styrene and
acrylonitrile modified with acrylate elastomers (ASA);
copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile modified with ethylene
propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber (ASE); polyvinyl chloride
(PVC); chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC); siloxane cross-
linked to form silicone rubber; nylon; polycarbonate (PC);
polybutylene terphthalate (PBT); polyethylene terephthalate
(PET); aromatic polyesters; polyetherester segmented copolymers;
polyurethane (PUR); polyphenylene oxide (PPO); polyacetals
(POM); copolymer of styrene and malefic anhydride (SMA); polymers
of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic esters, and
methacrylic esters; polyolefins; polyamideimide;
polyacrylonitrile; polyarylsulfone; polyestercarbonate;
polyetherimide; polyether-ketone (PEK); polyether-ether-ketone
(PEEK); polyphenyl sulfide; and polysulfone, thereby to form
reflective aluminum trim having at least one show surface
comprising an aluminum surface covered with the protective
coating and not covered by said thermoplastic, and a layer of
said thermoplastic adhered directly to the aluminum surface.
Fig. 1 is a general schematic illustration of a prior
art process for forming reflective aluminum strips wherein a
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fluoropolymer protective coating is applied to the entire
surface of an aluminum sheet, followed by slitting of the
aluminum sheet to form strips having the desired width. Such
coated strips are then conventionally roll formed to provide
shaped pieces which are subsequently partially covered with
vinyl in a co-extrusion process to form the final trim piece.
Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of an aluminum
trim-forming process in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary
aluminum trim piece having an aluminum show surface. The trim
piece is partially covered with vinyl in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
This invention relates generally to the production of
a shaped aluminum article having highly reflective, mirror-like
characteristics suitable for use as decorative trim in
automobiles, trucks, boats, appliances and the like. As used
herein, the term "highly reflective" means that the surface is
characterized by a high distinctness of reflected image (D/I).
For example, the distinctivesness of reflected image may be at
least 50% and preferably at least 70%. More preferably, the
distinctness of reflected image is at least 80%.
Processes for fabricating decorative trim as disclosed
in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,290,424 and 5,478,414 require the
application of a fluoropolymer protective coating to the entire
surface of an aluminum sheet, followed by
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cutting the sheet into strips and roll-forming the
strips to the desired shape. Fig. 1 illustrates such a
process wherein an aluminum sheet 11 is unrolled from a
coil 12, conversion coated 13 and passed under a
protective coating applicator 14 which applies the
protective fluoropolymer coating. An oven 15 is then
used to cure the protective fluoropolymer
coating. Cutters 16 then slit the coated aluminum
sheet 11 into strips 17. Although not shown in Fig. 1,
the coated aluminum sheet is typically recoiled after
the curing step, transported to another location and
unwound before it is slit into strips. The resultant
coated strips are then roll-formed to the desired shape
and co-extruded with a thermoplastic to form the final
decorative trim piece.
The term "strip" is used herein to specify a
relatively narrow and thin sheet of aluminum or
aluminum alloy in the range of from about 1 cm to about
1 m wide, preferably from about 2 cm to 30 cm wide, and
from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm thick, preferably from
about 0.25 to about 1.25 mm thick.
While the process shown in Fig. 1 produces
highly reflective aluminum trim with good durability,
several processing steps are involved. Furthermore,
since the fluoropolymer protective coating is applied
prior to the roll-forming operation, the coating must
be formulated to withstand the forming operation
without crazing or debonding. Such formability
requirements can result in a final coating with less
than optimum durability and light transmittance
characteristics. For example, forming constraints may
require the protective coating to be relatively soft,
which may reduce scratch and abrasion resistance in the
final trim product.
Another disadvantage of the prior art process
shown in Fig. 1 is the requirement for applying the
protective coating over the entire surface of the
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aluminum sheet, including the surface areas which are
subsequently covered by thermoplastic. Thus, the
fluoropolymer coating is applied to areas where it is
not needed. In addition to increased material costs,
this application of fluoropolymer protective coating to
more than just the show surface means that special
treatments and/or adhesive compositions may be required
in order to adhere the thermoplastic to the coated
areas of the aluminum strip.
Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a process
for forming aluminum trim in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this
process, coiled aluminum strip 21, which preferably
does not have a protective coating, is fed through an
accumulator 22 into a roll former 23. The resultant
shaped strip 24, which has at least one bend radius
along the length'of the strip, is then preferably fed
through a straightening block 25 and into a cleaning
tank 26. After the shaped strip is cleaned, it is
preferably conversion coated and a protective coating
applicator 28 applies a protective coating over a
selected surface area of the strip, typically over a
longitudinally extending portion of the strip. In a
preferred embodiment, an adhesive applicator 29 applies
adhesive over a selected longitudinally extending
portion of the surface of the strip. The strip is then
passed through an oven 31 which cures the protective
coating and the adhesive. In a preferred embodiment, a
plastic extruder 32 is then used to form a
thermoplastic layer over a selected portion of the
shaped aluminum strip. The resultant coextruded strip
33 is then cut. to length.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the protective coating is
applied after the roll-forming operation and prior to
the co-extrusion step. This sequence avoids the
requirement of applying the protective coating over the
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entire surface of the aluminum sheet before the sheet
is cut into strips. By eliminating the
requirement that the protective coating be applied
prior to the roll-forming operation, the properties of
the final protective coating such as durability,
hardness and clarity can be optimized, without the
necessity of providing a coating that resists crazing,
debonding and other deleterious effects of the roll
forming operation. In addition, in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
protective coating may be applied to only a selected
portion of the formed aluminum strip, rather than the
entire surface thereof. In this manner, the protective
coating may be selectively applied only to the visible
or show surface of the formed aluminum strip which is
not subsequently covered with thermoplastic. This
selective application of protective coating not only
reduces the amount of coating required, but also
results in improved adhesion of the thermoplastic to
the non-show surface portions of the aluminum strip.
Such a selective application of protective coating
therefore eliminates the requirement of special
treatments and/or special adhesive compositions
previously required in order to adhere the
thermoplastic to the coated aluminum strip.
In addition to the selective application of
the protective coating, adhesive is also preferably
applied to a selected portion of the aluminum strip
which is subsequently covered with the thermoplastic
layer during the co-extrusion step. This selective
application of the protective coating to the show
surface and selective application of the adhesive to
the thermoplastic-covered surface allows the
thermoplastic layer to be adhered directly to an
uncoated aluminum surface during the co-extrusion
process. Thus, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the final aluminum
2198437
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trim piece has a protective coating only on the
aluminum show surface, and has at least one
thermoplastic layer adhered directly to the aluminum
surface of the shaped strip.
Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-section of an
exemplary trim piece produced in accordance with the
present invention. The trim piece 40 includes a shaped
aluminum strip 41 having a show surface 42 which
extends from point A to point 8. Thermoplastic layers
43 and 44 cover portions of the shaped aluminum strip
41. In a typical application, such as automotive trim,
the show surface 42 of the aluminum trim piece 40 would
be visible when the trim is installed. In addition, in
many applications, at least a portion of the
thermoplastic layers may also be visible when the trim
is installed. For many applications, only one side of
the installed trim piece may be visible. For example,
when a trim piece as shown in Fig. 3 is installed, the
only visible aluminum surface may be the show surface
42 extending from point A to point B, with the opposite
side of the shaped aluminum strip 41 being hidden from
view. Much of the surface of the aluminum strip is
therefore either concealed from view or covered with a
thermoplastic layer.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment
of the present invention, the protective coating is
selectively applied to the show surface of the aluminum
trim, without subsequent application of a thermoplastic
layer. In this embodiment, the protective coating may
be selectively applied over a longitudinally extending
portion of the shaped strip comprising the show surface
of the trim. Material cost savings are achieved by
selectively applying the protective coating only to the
show surface of the aluminum trim. In addition, since
the protective coating is applied after the aluminum
strip is formed into shape, problems such as crazing
and debonding are avoided.
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In accordance with the present invention, the
composition of the aluminum strip is selected in order
to provide the desired level of reflectivity. In
addition to commercially pure aluminum, suitable alloys
for use in accordance with the present invention
including Aluminum Association 1XXX, 3RXX, SXXX, 6XXX
and 7XXX alloys such as 1050, 3002, 3003, 5182, 5252,
5552, 5657, 6306 and 7029.
In accordance with the present invention, the
protective coating is substantially transparent such
that it is preferably at least 80% permeable to visible
light. The thickness of the protective coating may
range from about 0.003 to 0.09 mm, more preferably from
about 0.008 to about 0.025 mm. The protective coating
is typically substantially colorless. However, in some
applications the protective coating may be colored by
dyes, pigments and the like. The protective coating is
preferably selected such that it maintains the desired
level of distinctness of reflected image of the
aluminum show surface after exposure to alternating
cycles of ultraviolet light and humid conditions for
extended periods of time, co~only referred to as
QUV/ITVCON'exposure as set forth in the 2500 hour SAE
J2020 test. Thus, the protective coating preferably
has sufficient weatherability, environmental durability
and adhesion for automotive and marine uses.
The composition of the protective coating is
selected in order to provide sufficient durability,
weatherability, tight permeability and hardness.
Suitable protective coatings include fluoropolymers
such as that sold by PPG under the name Dura Hrite C.
In addition to_fluoropolymers, other types of
protective coatings may be used such as polyurethanes,
polyesters, acrylics, epoxies and enamels.
Preferred fluoropolymer protective coatings
comprise a curable fluorocopolymer including 40 to 60
mol % fluoroolefin units, 5 to 45 mol % cyclohexyl
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vinyl ether units, 5 to 45 mol % alkyl vinyl ether
units and 3 to 15 mol % hydroxalkyl vinyl ether units,
the polymer having an inherent viscosity of 0.05 to 2.0
dl/g in tetrahydrofuran at 30°C. Such a fluoropolymer
is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,345,057 to Yamabe et
al.
Coamaercially available fluoropolymers include those
sold under the names ICI 302, ICI 504 and ICI 916.
The ccmposition of the protective coating may
be selected such that it can be applied directly to the
bare or non-treated surface of the shaped aluminum
strip, thereby avoiding the necessity of conversion
coating or anodizing the aluminum prior to application
of the protective coating. However, in some
applications the shaped aluminum strip may be
conversion coated and/or anodized prior to application
of the protective coating in accordance with the
present invention. .For example, a conversion coating
may be produced by immersing the shaped strip in a bath
of Parker-Amchem~ 401-45, Hetz Metchem~ Chrome Free
1904 at approximately 60-100°F. for 10-45 seconds, or
Betz Metchem° Chrome Free 1903 at approximately 100-
180°F. for 60-180 seconds, or Circle-Prosco° Chrome
Free at approximately 70-100°F. for about 1-15 seconds.
The conversion coating comprises a thin porous layer
ranging in thickness from about 0.1 to 5 microns. The
use of a conversion coating may provide increased grip
for certain fluoropolymer protective coatings. _
Suitable thermoplastics for use in accordance
with the present invention include vinyls such as PVC,
as well as other synthetic polymers, and rubber such as
EPDM rubber. - The following are among the commercially
available thermoplastic materials (identified by
standard symbols set forth in ASTM D4000) which may be
applied to the shaped aluminum strip in accordance with
the present invention: copolymers of styrene and/or a-
methyl styrene and acrylonitrile such as copolymers of
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styrene and acrylonitrile (SAN); terpolymers of
styrene, acrylonitrile and diene rubber (ABS);
copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile modified with
acrylate elastomers (ASA); copolymers of styrene and
acrylonitrile modified with ethylene propylene diene
monomer (EPDM) rubber (ASE); polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC); siloxane cross-
linked to form silicone rubber; nylon
(a polyamide); polycarbonate (PC); thermoplastic
polyesters (TPES), including polybutylene terephthalate
(PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), aromatic
polyester and polyether-ester segmented copolymers;
polyurethane (PUR); polyphenylene oxide (PPO);
polyacetals (POM); copolymer of styrene and malefic
anhydride (SMA); polymers of acrylic acid, methacrylic
acid, acrylic esters, and methacrylic esters;
polyolefins; polyamide-imide; polyacrylonitrile;
polyarylsulfone; polyester-carbonate; polyetherimide;
polyether-ketone (PEK); polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK);
polyphenyl sulfide; and polysulfone.
Most preferred are the co-extrudable
thermoplastic polymers such as PVC, CPVC, polyolefins,
particularly grafted polypropylene, thermoplastic
polyurethane, silicone rubber, PET and polysulfone. A
specific polyvinyl chloride co-extrudate made from
pigmented Geon PVC having a specific viscosity of at
least 0.20, and an intrinsic viscosity in the range
from 0.95 to 1.2, exhibits exceptional physical
properties.
Where a thermoplastic layer is to be applied
to the shaped aluminum strip, an adhesive may be used
to adhere the thermoplastic to the aluminum surface.
Preferred adhesives include acrylate-based adhesives
such as those manufactured by BFGoodrich Company and
sold under the designations BFG 1617 and BFG 1610.
Another suitable acrylate-based adhesive is sold under
the designation AO-420 by ITW. An additional adhesive
21-98437
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is sold under the designation Chemlok 250 by Lord
Corporation.
Referring to Fig. 2, substantially flat
aluminum strip may be fed into a conventional roll
former 23 in which progressive rolling dyes form the
strip into the desired shape. The shaped strip
typically includes at least one bend radius extending
along the length thereof in the longitudinal direction.
After the aluminum strip is formed into the
desired shape, it may be cleaned to remove lubricants
and other contaminants by conventional means including
the use of alkaline or acid cleaners which avoid
excessive etching of the aluminum surface such as
Novaclean, 120LF sold by Novamax or Penwalt~'A40 sold by
Penwalt.
After cleaning, the aluminum surface is
preferably conversion coated or anodized by
conventional techniques in order to provide ir_creased
grip for the protective coating. The protective
coating may then be applied to the shaped strip by
means such as spraying, rolling, sponging, curtain
coating or the like. In order to apply the protective
coating on a selected longitudinally extending portion
of the shaped strip, application techniques such as
rolling or the use of a sponge applicator pad are
preferred.
After the protective coating is applied, it
may be cured by heating or any other suitable method.
The cure temperature is based upon the particular
protective coating composition selected. For example,
fluoropolymer protective coatings may be cured at a
preferred temg~erature of from about 450-500°F.
The adhesive may be applied to the shaped
aluminum strip by means such as spraying, rolling,
sponging and curtain coating. In order to apply the
adhesive to.a selected longitudinally extending portion
of the shaped strip, techniques such,as rolling or the
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use of a sponge applicator pad are preferred. In
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the adhesive is applied to the shaped strip
after the protective coating has been applied. The
protective coating and adhesive are preferably cured at
substantially the same time using a single heating
operation. Thus, the compositions of the protective
coating and adhesive may be selected such that they are
capable of being cured at substantially the same
temperatures. For example, a cure temperature of from
about 450 to about 500°F. may be used to cure both a
fluoropolymer protective coating and a BFG 1617
adhesive.
After application and curing of the
protective coating and adhesive, at least one
thermoplastic layer may be. applied to the shaped strip.
Conventional co-extruding techniques are preferably
used to adhere the thermoplastic layer on the selected
portion of the shaped strip. The term "co-extruding"
is used herein to describe the process of extruding the
thermoplastic onto the surface of the previously shaped
aluminum strip. Co-extrusion may be performed in a
commercially available roll-former such as one fitted
with an extrusion die, for example, in a Tishken or
Yoder Y-line roll-former.
The following examples are intended to
illustrate various aspects of the present invention,
and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.
EXAMPLE 1
A reflective aluminum trim piece is
fabricated with a cross-section similar to that
illustrated in Fig. 3. Coiled AA 5182 aluminum strip
5.0 cm wide and 0.5 mm thick is fed through an
accumulator into a roll former where it is
progressively formed into shape as shown in Fig. 3.
The shaped strip is cleaned to remove lubricants and
other contaminants introduced during the forming
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operation. The shaped strip is then conversion coated
by a conventional spray application technique. A
sponge pad is used to apply a protective coating along
a selected longitudinally extending portion of the
shaped strip corresponding to the show surface of the
final trim piece. The protective coating comprises a
fluoropolymer sold by PPG under the name Dura Brite C.
Sponge pads are then used to apply adhesive to selected
longitudinally extending portions of the shaped strip
which have not been previously covered with the
protective coating. The adhesive is an acrylate-based
adhesive manufactured by HFGoodrich Company and sold
under the designation BFG 1617. The shaped strip is
passed through an oven to achieve a peak metal
temperature between 450 and 500°F. to cure both the
protective fluoropolymer coating and the adhesive. The
shaped strip is then passed through a plastic extruder
which applies a PVC thermoplastic against the adhesive-
covered longitudinally extending portions of the
aluminum strip. The resultant co-extruded strip is cut
to length to form a trim piece comprising an aluminum
show surface covered with the protective coating and
thermoplastic layers adhered directly to selected
surfaces of the aluminum strip. The coated aluminum
show surface is highly reflective and exhibits a
distinctness of reflected image of greater than 80~.
EXAMPLE 2
Example 1 is repeated except AA alloys 1050,
3002, 3003, 5252, 5552, 5657, 6306 and 7029 are used as
the aluminum strip. Each trim piece comprises a highly
reflective aluminum show surface having a distinctness
of reflected image of greater than 80~.
EXAMPLE 3
Example 1 is repeated except no adhesive is
applied to the aluminum strip and no thermoplastic
layers are applied. The resultant aluminum trim piece
comprises a show surface covered with the fluoropolymer
219~43~
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protective coating having a distinctness of reflected
image greater than 80%.
EXAMPLE 4
Example 1 is repeated except no conversion
coating is applied to the shaped strip, and a
polyurethane protective coating is used rather than a
fluoropolymer protective coating. The resultant trim
piece comprises a reflective aluminum show surface
having a distinctness of reflected image greater than
80%.
It is to be understood that the above
description of the present invention is capable of many
changes, modifications and adaptations by those skilled
in the art, and that such modifications, changes and
adaptations are to be considered within the scope of
the invention, as set forth by the following claims.
