IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,734,735
Granted Patent B2
US 12,734,735 · App. 18/845,093 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Translucent multi-layer body with a heat- or pressure-sensitive decorative layer

Inventors: Andreas Seidel (Dormagen, DE); Ciro Piermatteo (Leverkusen, DE); Torsten Thust (Wermelskirchen, DE)
Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
B29C45/0001B29C45/1418B29C45/14811B29K2067/00B29K2069/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,734,735
App. No.
18/845,093
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-layer body, comprising (I) a carrier layer made of a special thermoplastic polycarbonate molding compound and (II) a layer made of a material selected from the group consisting of stone products, hide products, textile fabrics containing synthetic fibers, materials of plant origin or materials containing components of plant origin, or laminates containing one or more of the aforementioned materials, wherein the layer (II) has either a specified minimum transmission or at least one recess in the shape of at least one symbol, a pattern, a hole, a line, or a sign, or the layer has punctiform recesses. The invention also relates to a lighting unit, comprising the multi-layer body and a light source, to a method for producing the multi-layer body, and to the use of the special thermoplastic polycarbonate molding compound as a carrier layer of such a multi-layer body.

Claims (60)

1 . A multilayer article comprising

(I) a carrier layer composed of a thermoplastic molding compound containing

A) at least one representative selected from the group consisting of aromatic polycarbonate and aromatic polyester carbonate,

B) rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer composed of

B.1) 80% to 95% by weight, based on the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B, of structural units derived from at least one vinyl monomer and

B.2) 5% to 20% by weight, based on the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B, of one or more elastomeric graft substrates having glass transition temperatures <−50° C. and containing at least 50% by weight, based on B.2, of structural units derived from 1,3-butadiene,

wherein the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B contains

(i) a disperse phase consisting of

 (i.1) rubber particles grafted with vinyl (co)polymer composed of structural units of B.1 and

 (i.2) vinyl (co)polymer composed of structural units of B.1 enclosed in the rubber particles as a separate disperse phase and

(ii) a rubber-free vinyl (co)polymer matrix consisting of structural units of B.1 which is not bonded to the rubber particles and is not enclosed in these rubber particles,

wherein the disperse phase of (i) has a median diameter D50 measured by ultracentrifugation of 0.7 to 2.0 μm,

C) optionally at least one further component selected from polymer additives and polymeric blend partners,

 wherein the thermoplastic molding compound contains less than 2% by weight of rubber-based graft polymers distinct from component B) and

 wherein the thermoplastic molding compound has a rubber content of at least 1.5% by weight,

and

(II) a layer of a material selected from the group consisting of stone product, animal hide product, textile fabric containing synthetic fibers, material of vegetable origin or containing constituents of vegetable origin or laminate containing one or more of the recited materials, wherein the layer (II) at least in subregions at its actual local thickness at at least one wavelength in the wavelength range of the spectrum from 380 to 780 nm has a transmittance of at least 25%, wherein the transmittance is determined from the transmission spectrum measured according to the specifications in DIN/ISO 13468-2, 2006 version,

or

wherein the layer (II) has a transmittance of less than 25% in the entire wavelength range of the spectrum from 380 to 780 nm, wherein the transmittance is determined from the transmission spectrum measured according to the specifications in DIN/ISO 13468-2, 2006 version, and wherein the layer (II) comprises at least one cutout in the shape of at least one symbol, one pattern, one hole, one line or one character or comprises punctate cutouts arranged in the shape of at least one symbol, one pattern, one hole, one line or one character.

2 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material of vegetable origin is a natural wood, cork, paper, cellulose product or textile fabric made of natural fibers.

3 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the animal hide product is a leather.

4 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein layer (II) comprises a natural wood or a laminate containing a natural wood.

5 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the carrier layer is in the range from 0.5 to 5 mm.

6 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer contains

30% to 85% by weight of component A,

14% to 69% by weight of component B,

and 0.05% to 20% by weight of component C.

7 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein component B) contains less than a sum total of 20 ppm of ions of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals.

8 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer is free from rubber-based graft polymers distinct from component B).

9 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer has a rubber content of 2.5% to 3.5% by weight.

10 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein component B) of the carrier layer is produced by a bulk polymerization process.

11 . The multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer consists of the components A, B and C.

12 . A lighting or display unit comprising

a) a multilayer article as claimed in claim 1 and

b) a light source emitting light having at least one wavelength in the wavelength range of the spectrum from 380 to 780 nm,

wherein the light source b) is arranged such that the carrier layer (I) of the multilayer article a) is transilluminated by the light emitted by the light source b).

13 . The lighting or display unit as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the light source b) is an LED light source.

14 . A process for producing a multilayer article

comprising the steps of

a) producing a layer of a material selected from the group consisting of stone, animal hide product, textile fabric containing synthetic fibers, material of vegetable origin or containing constituents of vegetable origin or laminate containing one or more of the recited materials,

wherein the layer at least in subregions at its actual local thickness at at least one wavelength in the wavelength range of the spectrum from 380 to 780 nm has a transmittance of at least 25%, wherein the transmittance is determined from the transmission spectrum measured according to the specifications in DIN/ISO 13468-2, 2006 version,

or

wherein the layer has a transmittance of less than 25% in the entire wavelength range of the spectrum from 380 to 780 nm, wherein the transmittance is determined from the transmission spectrum measured according to the specifications in DIN/ISO 13468-2, 2006 version, and wherein the layer (II) comprises at least one cutout in the shape of at least one symbol, one pattern, one hole, one line or one character or comprises punctate cutouts arranged in the shape of at least one symbol, one pattern, one hole, one line or one character,

b) optionally thermoforming the layer produced in step a),

c) subjecting the layer to film-insert molding with a thermoplastic molding compound containing

A) at least one representative selected from the group consisting of aromatic polycarbonate and aromatic polyester carbonate,

B) rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer composed of

B.1) 80% to 95% by weight, based on the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B, of structural units derived from at least one vinyl monomer and

B.2) 5% to 20% by weight, based on the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B, of one or more elastomeric graft substrates having glass transition temperatures <−50° C. and containing at least 50% by weight, based on B.2, of structural units derived from 1,3-butadiene,

 wherein the rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer B contains

(i) a disperse phase consisting of

(i.1) rubber particles grafted with vinyl (co)polymer composed of structural units of B.1

and

(i.2) vinyl (co)polymer composed of structural units of B.1 enclosed in the rubber particles as a separate disperse phase

and

(ii) a rubber-free vinyl (co)polymer matrix consisting of structural units of B.1 which is not bonded to the rubber particles and is not enclosed in these rubber particles,

 wherein the disperse phase of (i) has a median diameter D50 measured by ultracentrifugation of 0.7 to 2.0 μm,

C) optionally at least one further component selected from polymer additives and polymeric blend partners,

wherein the thermoplastic molding compound contains less than 2% by weight of rubber-based graft polymers distinct from component B) and

wherein the thermoplastic molding compound has a rubber content of at least 1.5% by weight.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2024
From: SEIDEL, ANDREAS; PIERMATTEO, CIRO; THUST, TORSTEN
To: COVESTRO DEUTSCHLAND AG
Reel/Frame 068525/0450 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22162419 · Mar 16, 2022 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250178253A1 · Jun 5, 2025
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