IP Library Granted Patent US 10,000,654
Granted Patent B2
US 10,000,654 · App. 14/639,997 · Granted Jun 19, 2018

Automotive plastic panel

Inventors: Geoffrey Brooks (Macomb, MI); Guido Benvenuto (LaSalle, CA)
Assignee: FLEX-N-GATE CORPORATION
C09D133/12B29C37/0025B29C45/0001B29C45/14B32B7/02B32B27/08B32B27/18B32B27/308B32B27/365B60J1/00B60J1/2094B29K2033/12B29K2105/20B29K2669/00B29K2995/0018B29L2009/005B29L2031/3005B32B2250/24B32B2307/584B32B2307/71Y10T428/2495Y10T428/24967
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,000,654
App. No.
14/639,997
Granted
Jun 19, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plastic panel suitable for use in an automotive vehicle or other structure is provided wherein the plastic panel includes a polycarbonate substrate, a PMMA layer and a scratch resistant coating. The polycarbonate substrate may have a thickness approximately between 2.0 mm and approximately 6.0 mm. The PMMA layer may be disposed onto the polycarbonate substrate and the PMMA layer may have a thickness approximately between 0.25 mm and approximately 3.0 mm. The scratch resistant coating is applied to both the PMMA layer and the PC substrate.

Claims (29)

1. A plastic panel suitable for use in an automotive vehicle, the plastic panel consisting of:

a polycarbonate substrate having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side;

a hybrid film disposed on the polycarbonate substrate, the hybrid film comprising:

a polycarbonate film layer disposed directly on the first side of the polycarbonate substrate; and

a PMMA film layer disposed directly on a side of the polycarbonate film layer that is opposite the polycarbonate substrate, the PMMA film layer having a UV absorbing material;

a first single layer of scratch resistant coating disposed directly on a side of the PMMA film layer that is opposite the polycarbonate film layer; and

a second single layer of scratch resistant coating disposed directly on the second side of the polycarbonate substrate.

2. The plastic panel of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate substrate has a thickness and the hybrid film has a thickness that is approximately 5% of the thickness of the polycarbonate substrate.

3. The plastic panel of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate substrate has a thickness in the range of 2.0 mm to 6.0 mm, and the hybrid film layer has a thickness in the range of 0.25 mm to 1.0 mm.

4. The plastic panel of claim 1 , wherein the UV absorbing material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of encapsulated benzophenone-3, avobenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate.

5. The plastic panel of claim 1 , wherein the polycarbonate substrate is overmolded onto the hybrid film.

6. A plastic panel suitable for use in an automotive vehicle, the plastic panel comprising:

a polycarbonate substrate being approximately between 2.0 mm and approximately 6.0 mm thick, the polycarbonate substrate having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side;

a hybrid film disposed onto the polycarbonate substrate, the hybrid film comprising:

a polycarbonate film layer disposed onto the first side of the polycarbonate substrate; and

a PMMA film layer disposed onto the polycarbonate film layer and comprising a UV absorbing material;

a first scratch resistant coating as a single layer that forms an outermost layer of the plastic panel and that is disposed directly onto the PMMA film layer of the hybrid film; and

a second scratch resistant coating as a single layer that is disposed onto the second side of the polycarbonate substrate.

7. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein the UV absorbing material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of encapsulated benzophenone-3, avobenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate.

8. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein the hybrid film is approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm thick.

9. The plastic panel of claim 7 wherein the UV absorbing material comprises encapsulated benzophenone-3.

10. The plastic panel of claim 7 wherein the UV absorbing material comprises avobenzone.

11. The plastic panel of claim 7 wherein the UV absorbing material comprises octyl methoxycinnamate.

12. The plastic panel of claim 7 wherein the UV absorbing material comprises diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate.

13. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein the hybrid film is a thermoformed material.

14. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein the hybrid film is a sheet.

15. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein a ratio between thicknesses of each of the polycarbonate substrate to the hybrid film is at least 19:1.

16. The plastic panel of claim 6 wherein the second scratch resistant coating forms an innermost layer of the plastic panel.

17. The plastic panel of claim 16 , wherein the second scratch resistant coating is disposed directly onto the second side of the polycarbonate substrate.

Assignments (2)
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2024
From: FLEX-N-GATE LLC, (F/K/A FLEX-N-GATE CORPORATION); FLEX-N-GATE ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068539/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2016
From: BROOKS, GEOFFREY; BENVENUTO, GUIDO
To: FLEX-N-GATE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038252/0274 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160257839A1 · Sep 8, 2016