U.S. patent application number 10/707498 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-02 for film surface finishing system.
This patent application is currently assigned to JOHNSONDIVERSEY, INC.. Invention is credited to Bober, Andrew M., Fox, Derek, Linden, Shwn-Meei Y., Sander, Robert P..
Application Number | 20040170817 10/707498 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32682051 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040170817 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fox, Derek ; et al. |
September 2, 2004 |
FILM SURFACE FINISHING SYSTEM
Abstract
This invention provides a flexible film for providing a
protective finish on a surface. The film may optionally include a
bonding coat for attaching the film to the surface, at least one
removable protective layer, and a release coating for facilitating
the transfer of the film to the surface. Cured and crosslinked top
coats may be applied over the films to enhance the durability of
the underlying surface. These top coats may then be easily removed
by peeling the underlying film away from the surface.
Inventors: |
Fox, Derek; (Racine, WI)
; Sander, Robert P.; (Racine, WI) ; Bober, Andrew
M.; (Racine, WI) ; Linden, Shwn-Meei Y.;
(Racine, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
S.C. JOHNSON COMMERCIAL MARKETS INC
8310 16TH STREET, M/S 510
PO BOX 902
STURTEVANT
WI
53177-0902
US
|
Assignee: |
JOHNSONDIVERSEY, INC.
8310 16th Street P O Box 902
Sturtevant
WI
|
Family ID: |
32682051 |
Appl. No.: |
10/707498 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60434499 |
Dec 18, 2002 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/304.4 ;
427/385.5; 427/508; 428/411.1; 428/423.1; 428/500 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B44C 1/16 20130101; Y10T
428/31855 20150401; B32B 7/06 20130101; Y10T 428/31504 20150401;
B41M 5/508 20130101; Y10T 428/24331 20150115; B32B 27/08 20130101;
Y10T 428/14 20150115; B44C 1/105 20130101; Y10T 428/31551 20150401;
Y10T 428/26 20150115; B41M 7/0027 20130101; B44C 1/1733 20130101;
Y10T 428/249953 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/304.4 ;
428/411.1; 428/423.1; 428/500; 427/385.5; 427/508 |
International
Class: |
B32B 003/26; B32B
007/00; B05D 003/02 |
Claims
1. A surface finish comprising: (a) a flexible film at least
partially covering a surface; and (b) a cured coating disposed over
at least a portion of the film.
2. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the cured coating is an
evaporatively-cured coating.
3. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the cured coating is an
ambient-cured coating.
4. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the cured coating is an
energy-cured coating.
5. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the cured coating is a
permanent crosslinked coating.
6. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the flexible film has a
thickness of no more than 10 mils.
7. The surface finish of claim 1, further comprising a bonding coat
disposed between the flexible film and the surface.
8. The surface finish of claim 5, wherein the crosslinked coating
is selected from the group consisting of acrylic coatings,
polyurethane coatings, vinyl coatings and epoxy coatings.
9. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the flexible film
comprises a film selected from the group consisting of
polypropylene films, polyacetal films, polyamide films,
polyanhydride films, polyester films, polyolefin films, polystyrene
films, polyvinylchloride films, polyvinylidene chloride films,
polyurethane films, and polyurea films.
10. The surface finish of claim 1, wherein the flexible film can be
removed from the surface by peeling without the use of stripping
agents.
11. A method for finishing a surface, the method comprising: (a)
applying a flexible film over at least a portion of the surface;
(b) applying a curable composition over at least a portion of the
flexible film; and (c) curing the composition to provide a cured
polymer coating.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cured polymer coating is a
crosslinked polymer coating.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein curing the composition
comprises energy-curing the composition.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible film has a
thickness of no more than 10 mils.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the polymer is energy-cured
using heat, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, radiowave
radiation, microwave radiation or a combination thereof.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the crosslinked coating is
selected from the group consisting of acrylic coatings,
polyurethane coatings, vinyl coatings and epoxy coatings.
17. A surface finish comprising a perforated flexible film at least
partially covering a surface, the flexible film having a thickness
of no more than 20 mils.
18. The surface finish of claim 17, wherein the flexible film has a
thickness of no more than 10 mils.
19. The surface finish of claim 17, wherein the flexible film has
an average of at least 1 perforation per square foot.
20. The surface finish of claim 17, wherein the flexible film can
be removed from the surface by peeling without the use of stripping
agents.
21. A method for finishing a surface with a flexible film, the
method comprising: (a) applying a liquid wetting agent having a
surface tension equal to or less than the surface tension of water
to the surface to be finished or to the lower surface of the
flexible film; and (b) pressing the flexible film onto the surface
to be finished with the liquid wetting agent disposed between the
flexible film and the surface to be finished.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wetting agent has a surface
tension less than that of water.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the flexible film has a
thickness of no more than 10 mils.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the flexible film has a bonding
coat disposed on its the lower surface.
25. A finished surface comprising a plurality of flexible film
segments disposed adjacent one another on the surface, each
flexible film segment having a thickness of less than 5 mils,
wherein the edges of the flexible film segments do not overlap.
26. The finished surface of claim 25, further comprising a bonding
coat disposed between each flexible film segment and the
surface.
27. The finished surface of claim 25, wherein the flexible film
segments can be removed from the surface by peeling without the use
of stripping agents.
28. A surface finish comprising: (a) a flexible film at least
partially covering a surface; and (b) a top coat disposed over at
least a portion of the flexible film, the top coat having a higher
coefficient of friction than the flexible film.
29. The surface finish of claim 28, wherein the top coat provides a
non-slip surface finish.
30. The surface finish of claim 28, wherein the top coat has a
coefficient of friction as measured by ASTM D-2047 of at least
0.6.
31. The surface finish of claim 28, wherein the top coat is a
crosslinked polymer coating.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention provides a film for finishing a surface,
surfaces finished with the film, and methods for finishing a
surface with the film.
[0002] Floor care programs today are primarily used to both protect
and enhance the appearance of a floor substrate, such as vinyl,
marble, terrazzo, ceramic, linoleum, wood, etc. floor substrates.
Floor care programs can include many different types of products,
but generally involve the use of a sealer and/or finish applied to
the surface of the floor substrate. This finish is then maintained
with the use of cleaners and tools, which can include various
buffing or burnishing machines. Although these programs are very
effective, they are considered a large expense to customers.
Additionally, if a surface becomes worn or unsatisfactory over
time, it is necessary to entirely remove the floor substrate, to
provide a new fresher look to the floor.
[0003] Polymer-based floor coatings are an example of finishes that
are typically applied with a mop as an aqueous emulsion or solvent
solution that dries to a hard protective film. After months of
exposure to traffic, such finishes become scratched, scuffed and
soiled to a point where they need to be completely removed from the
floor and a new finish applied. The removal of these coatings from
hard floors has traditionally required the use of corrosive
chemical solutions, typically mixtures of alkalis and volatile
solvents. These chemical mixtures are generally unpleasant and
messy to use. Also, because of their hazardous nature it is
generally recommended that users wear protective goggles, gloves
and footwear. There is further concern that these liquid mixtures
may create slippery floors and an increased risk of slip and fall
accidents. They also present potential environmental and hazardous
waste issues. As a result of these issues and the amount of time
and labor involved, recent trends in protective floor coatings are
to move away from these traditional finishes and move toward more
durable, highly crosslinked coatings, such as UV-cured urethanes,
polyurethane dispersions and epoxies. These coatings, while they
have enhanced durability over more traditional floor finishes,
suffer in that they, too, eventually have to be removed from the
floor due to scratching, scuffs, etc. However, while more
traditional floor finishes can be removed chemically, the highly
crosslinked nature of these durable films makes them difficult, if
not impossible to remove by any means other than physical
abrasion.
[0004] In summary, a considerable number of deficiencies exist in
the art relating to finishes for indoor and outdoor surfaces, such
as floor surfaces, wall surfaces, ceilings, driveways, sidewalks,
patios, and the like.
[0005] Thus, there is an ongoing search for a surface finishing
system which would enable a surface to be finished partially or in
its entirety, which can be quickly and easily applied yet is
readily removable and resistant to scratches, scuffs, gouges and
other damage by maintenance equipment and general wear and
tear.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] One aspect of the invention provides a flexible surface
finishing film. The film may be transparent or opaque and may be a
colored film. The film may serve to facilitate the removal of
overlying top coats, including cured top coats, by peeling the film
away without the need for any stripping agents or other chemicals.
Other optional layers include a bonding coat for attaching the film
to a surface, at least one removable protective layer for
protecting the film and/or any bonding coat prior to the
application of the film to a surface, and a release coating between
the film and the removable protective layer. The bonding coat may
be selected to attach the films in a removable or repositionable
manner.
[0007] Another aspect of the invention provides a floor finishing
system which includes a flexible finishing film and a surface onto
which the film is to be applied. Optionally, the system may also
include at least one top coat applied over at least a portion of
the film. The system may additionally include at least one base
coat applied to the surface prior to application of the flexible
film to the surface. The film in such a system is desirably
sufficiently thin to provide a minimal difference between the
height of the surface without the film and the height of the
surface having the film applied thereon. In some embodiments, the
film is disposed on at least a portion of the surface whereby the
remaining portion of the surface is devoid of film. In other
embodiments, the film is applied over the entire surface.
[0008] The inventive system also optionally includes a surface
cleaner for cleaning a surface to which a finishing film has been
applied. Such cleaners include neutral cleaners, alkaline cleaners,
acidic cleaners, cleaner/maintainers and maintainers, including
polymeric type cleaners.
[0009] In practice, application of the surface finishing film to a
surface comprises the following steps. It is advisable, but not
required, that the surface be properly cleaned prior to the
application of the film to remove dirt or debris which may
adversely affect the overall appearance of the film covered
surface. It is desirable, but not necessary, to leave a thin film
or mist of the cleaners on the surface as a wetting agent or to
apply a thin layer of wetting agent to the film prior to applying
the film to the surface. The next step involves positioning or
disposing the film on at least a portion of the surface. For
example, this may involve rolling the film onto the surface
beginning at one edge. After such positioning, a top coat, such as
a crosslinked finish, may be applied over at least a portion of the
film. In some embodiments a base coat layer may be applied to the
surface after the cleaning step but prior to positioning the film
on the surface.
[0010] In certain constructions, the flexible surface finishing
film is strong enough that it may readily be removed from the
surface simply by peeling the film away from the surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a flexible surface finishing film applied to a
floor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present invention is directed to flexible surface
finishing films used to finish and protect a surface and to surface
finishing systems that include the films. The films are desirably
pre-formed polymer films.
[0013] The present invention has potential applications on any
surface where protection, scuff-resistance or slip-resistance is
desirable. Such surfaces may be found both indoors and outdoors.
These surfaces include floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, patios,
shelves, and stairs, and ground cover structures, such as roads,
driveways, and sidewalks. The surface to be finished may be made
from a vast variety of materials, including, but not limited to,
vinyl, marble, terrazzo, ceramic, linoleum, wood, metal, plastic,
rubber, gypsum board, plaster, concrete, stone, vinyl composition
tile, and glass.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention. As
shown in FIG. 1, a floor finishing system may include a flexible
film 20 at least partially covering a surface 24. The surface
finishing system of FIG. 1 further includes, a bonding coat 26
disposed against the lower surface of the film 20, and a top coat
34 applied over the top of the film. A base coat 28 is also shown
in FIG. 1, sandwiched between the surface to be finished 24 and the
bonding coat 26. Initially, the present invention can include
removable protective layers (not shown) above the film 20 and below
the bonding coat 26. The upper removable layer is designed to
protect the upper surface of the film 20 and the lower removable
layer is designed to protect the lower surface of film 20 and/or
any bonding coat 26 applied thereto. Although not shown in the
figure, the structure may also include a release coat between the
upper removable layer and the upper surface of the flexible film
and/or between the lower removable layer and the lower surface of
the flexible film or any bonding coat applied thereto.
[0015] In some embodiments, the flexible film facilitates the
removal of an overlying top coat from the surface. The flexible
film may be selected and designed such that the film, along with
any overlying layers disposed thereon, may be readily removed by
peeling the film layer away from the surface, either in a single
sheet or in smaller pieces. This eliminates the need for
conventional stripping agents and makes the removal process, less
expensive, less energy intensive, and less time consuming. It also
eliminates the need for stripping chemicals which pose a hazard to
both the user and the environment.
[0016] The flexible film is desirably thin enough that the
thickness of any seam between the surface and the film is
minimized. In some embodiments, the film has a thickness of 25 mils
or less, 10 mils or less or 8 mils or less. This includes
embodiments where the film has a thickness of 6 mils or less,
embodiments where the film has a thickness of 4 mils or less,
embodiments where the film has a thickness of 2 mils or less,
embodiments where the film has a thickness of 1 mils or less and
embodiments where the film has a thickness of 0.5 mils or less,
where a "mil" is defined as one one-thousandth of an inch. The
choice of film thickness will depend, at least in part, on the
intended application and location of the film. Additionally, the
type of film will impact the film strength. Thus, it may be
possible to utilize films of particular materials in a thinner
dimension while maintaining sufficient strength to be peeled away
from the surface without tearing or with only minor amounts of
tearing. A thinner film might be more desirable where it is
imperative that the transition from the surface to the film be
nearly imperceptible. Alternatively, a thicker film might be used
to smooth out an underlying surface that is uneven, rough, or
damaged.
[0017] The flexible film may be made from any material suitable for
providing a protective layer on an underlying surface. Examples of
suitable materials for the film include, but are not limited to,
fabrics, foils, polymeric sheeting, and paper. Specific examples of
suitable polymeric sheeting materials include, but are not limited
to, polypropylene films, polyacetal films, polyamide films,
polyanhydride films, polyester films, polyolefin films, polystyrene
films, polyvinyl chloride films, polyvinylidene chloride films,
polyurethane films, polyurea films, and the like.
[0018] As noted above, the present invention may optionally include
a bonding coat on the lower surface of the film as shown in FIG. 1,
where the lower surface of the film is the surface that will be
face down with respect to the surface to be finished once the film
is applied. Such a bonding coat is made from an adhesive which
serves to adhere the flexible film to the surface. The tackiness of
the adhesive may vary over a broad range depending on the intended
application of the film. As used herein, the term "tack" refers to
the rate at which an adhesive bond forms between two surfaces. As
one of skill in the art will recognize, the tack of certain
adhesives may be influenced by the thickness of the adhesive layer.
In embodiments where it is desirable to provide a surface finishing
system wherein the film is readily removed from the surface, the
adhesive should be selected such that it bonds preferentially to
the film, rather than the surface to be finished. In certain
embodiments the tack of the adhesive will range from 50 to 2000
grams per square centimeter. This includes embodiments where the
tack of the adhesive ranges from 100 to 1500 grams per square
centimeter, and further includes embodiments where the tack of the
adhesive ranges from 150 to 1000 grams per square centi meter.
[0019] The bonding coat is desirably thin in order to minimize the
combined thickness of the bonding layer and the film. In various
embodiments, the combined thickness of these two components is 8
mils or less, 6 mils or less, 5 mils or less, 4 mils or less and
even 2 mils or less. Suitable adhesives for use in the bonding coat
include pressure sensitive adhesives. In some embodiments, the
pressure sensitive adhesives are non-curing adhesives or adhesives
that do not require curing after application, because such
adhesives may be more easily removed from some surfaces. For
example, in some embodiments, curable epoxies are avoided. Other
suitable adhesives include temperature sensitive adhesives,
repositionable adhesives, or any other suitable adhesive known to
one of ordinary skill in the art. Examples of suitable pressure
sensitive adhesives include, but are not limited to those disclosed
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,149; 4,879,333; and 4,923,919, the
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0020] The adhesive may be applied directly to the lower surface of
the film or may first be applied to the surface of a protective
removable layer, of the type described below, which is then
disposed adjacent to the lower surface of the film, sandwiching the
adhesive coating between the film and the removable protective
layer. In this embodiment, it is advantageous if the adhesive bonds
preferentially to the film such that it is transferred along with
the film onto the surface to be finished. The bonding coat may be
applied to the surface of the film or the protective layer by any
conventional means. For example, the adhesive may be spray coated,
rolled or printed onto the film or protective layer. In some
embodiments, the adhesive dissolves readily in mild detergents.
Alternatively, the adhesive may be applied directly to the surface
to be finished, or a portion thereof, and the film may subsequently
be adhered to the adhesive.
[0021] In some embodiments, the bonding coat may be omitted. For
example, an external source may be utilized to maintain the
position of the film on the surface to be finished during
application of a top coat over at least a portion of the film such
that the top coat secures the film to the surface. Alternatively,
the film may have enough tack to adhere to the underlying surface
without the use of additional adhesive.
[0022] As noted above, the film may optionally include a removable
protective layer disposed above and/or below its upper and lower
surfaces. A release coating may be included between the upper
removable protective layer and the upper surface of the film. In
some embodiments, a lower removable protective layer is disposed
next to the lower surface of the film. In such applications, a
bonding coat as described above, may be included between the
removable protective layer and the film. In this construction the
removable protective layer serves to prevent debris from collecting
in the adhesive and to prevent the adhesive from attaching to a
surface prematurely.
[0023] The upper and lower removable protective layers may be made
from the same or different materials. Suitable materials include,
but are not limited to, plastics, such as polyester, polypropylene,
or polyethylene. The removable protective layer or layers may
optionally be transparent materials. In some embodiments the
removable protective layer or layers are made from paper which may
optionally be coated paper. This has the advantage of significantly
lowering the cost of production of the surface finishing films. In
addition, because the paper may be readily recycled, this
embodiment saves energy and reduces waste.
[0024] Suitable materials for use in release coats are well known
and include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl chloride and
acrylics designed to facilitate the release of the removable layer
or layers from the film. The release coat may be designed to remain
substantially adhered to the removable protective layer after the
transfer of the film to the surface to be finished. Alternatively,
the release coat may be designed to remain substantially adhered to
the film after the transfer. In the latter design, the release coat
is referred to as a breakaway coating. The breakaway coating should
be selected and designed such that it does not substantially affect
the thickness of the applied film. In other embodiments, the
release coat is split between the film and the removable protective
layer upon the removal of the latter. In various embodiments, the
combined thickness of the film, any bonding coat, and any release
coating is 8 mils or less, 6 mils or less, 5 mils or less, 4 mils
or less, or even 2 mils or less.
[0025] After the application of the surface finishing films to the
surface to be finished, at least one top coat may be disposed over
at least a portion of the upper surface of the film. The top coat
may be any conventional sealant or finish and may be applied as a
solid or a liquid top coat. The top coats may be cured top coats.
As used herein, a "cured" coating includes coatings that are formed
by the evaporation of a solvent and the coalescence of the solid
film without crosslinking (i.e. "evaporatively-cured" coatings) and
coatings that are formed by crosslinking reactions. Such top coats
are well known and commercially available and are generally used to
impart shine, dirt resistance, water resistance, and/or
scratch/wear resistance to the surface. Examples of suitable top
coats include polishes, waxes and metal cross-linked (reversible
cross-linked) finishes. The top coat may help adhere the film to
the surface to be finished and to further smooth out the edges of
the film. However, the top coat is not required.
[0026] Suitable commercially available cured floor finishes for use
with the floor finish systems provided herein include Signature, a
metal interlock styrene-acrylic finish that cures at ambient
temperatures, available from JohnsonDiversey, Inc. (Racine Wis.).
Suitable commercially available evaporatively-cured floor finishes
include ZF-175, Linobase, and JX-4000, available from
JohnsonDiversey, Inc. (Racine, Wis.). Conventional floor finishes
mixed with crosslinking hardeners may also be employed. For
example, Signature may be mixed with about 1% polyaziridine to
provide a more durable crosslinked finish.
[0027] For many applications, such as floor applications, it is
desirable for a surface finish to provide a slip-resistant surface
or a surface having a single coefficient of friction which helps
prevent trips, slips and falls. In some instances, the flexible
film may provide a sufficiently slip-resistant surface, however,
when it is desirable to increase the slip-resistance of the film, a
top coat which provides a coefficient of friction higher than that
of the film may be applied over at least a portion of the film. In
some embodiments the top coat may provide a non-slip surface. As
used herein, a "non-slip" surface is a surface having a coefficient
of friction of at least 0.5 as measured by ASTM D-2047, a standard
test method for determining the static coefficient of friction
using the James Machine Test. This includes embodiments where the
top coat provides a surface having a coefficient of friction of at
least 0.55, further includes embodiments where the top coat
provides a surface having a coefficient of friction of at least
0.6, still further includes embodiments where the top coat provides
a surface having a coefficient of friction of at least 0.65, yet
further includes embodiments where the top coat provides a surface
having a coefficient of friction of at least 0.7, and even further
includes embodiments where the top coat provides a surface having a
coefficient of friction of at least 0.75.
[0028] Examples of suitable top coats include, but are not limited
to, durable crosslinked polymeric top coats, such as crosslinked
acrylic finishes. The combination of an underlying flexible film
with an overlying crosslinked polymeric finish provides a durable
surface coating that can be removed simply by peeling the flexible
film away from the surface. This represents a significant advantage
over surface coatings where a crosslinked finish is applied
directly to a surface. These crosslinked surface coatings generally
can only be removed by physical abrasion. Specific examples of
crosslinked top coats that may be applied over the flexible films
include styrene acrylics, urethane acrylics, urethanes, vinyls,
epoxys, and the like. These crosslinked finishes include permanent
finishes, where a "permanent" finish is a finish that cannot be
removed from an underlying substrate, such as a floor surface,
without mechanical abrasion. For example, in some embodiments, the
top coat is made of a finish that is not alkali-soluble. The
finishes may be cured by inducing crosslinking under ambient
temperatures ("ambient-curable finishes") or with the aid of an
external heat or energy source ("energy-curable finishes"). As used
herein, the phrase "energy-curable finishes" includes both
radiation curable finishes and heat curable finishes. In various
embodiments, the combined thickness of the film and any top coat is
8 mils or less, 6 mils or less, 5 mils or less, 4 mils or less, or
even 2 mils or less. However, it is not imperative that the top
coat be particularly thin.
[0029] The crosslinked top coats may be applied over the flexible
film as a composition containing one or more curable monomers or
polymers, such as acrylic, urethane, vinyl or epoxy monomers or
polymers, in a solvent, desirably an aqueous solvent. The
composition may optionally include other additives that assist with
the application or curing of the composition, such as dispersants,
curing-agents, crosslinking agents, photoinitiators, leveling aids,
emulsifiers, silicones, waxes, pigments, dyes and preservatives.
Once the composition has been applied to the flexible film, it is
allowed to cure. In some cases, it is exposed to energy (heat or
radiation) to induce curing. The selection of an appropriate energy
will depend on the nature of the finish. Suitable energy sources
include heat sources, infrared energy sources, ultraviolet energy
sources, radiowave energy sources and microwave energy sources, or
a combination thereof. Energy curable surface (e.g. floor) finishes
are well known and commercially available. UVInfusion, UltraTc and
Ultra Rock, available from Minuteman International (Addison, Ill.),
are examples of durable UV crosslinking floor finishes that may be
used in the floor finishing systems provided herein. Joncryl 1972
and joncryl 1980 are examples of durable self-crosslinking floor
finishes that may be used in the floor finishing systems provided
herein.
[0030] As noted above, at least one base coat may be disposed
between the surface to be finished and the film. Suitable base
coats are well known and commercially available.
[0031] The base coat can be of different, similar or identical
composition to the top coat, as previously discussed.
[0032] Further embodiments of the present invention allow for a
first surface finishing film to be applied to a surface, followed
by the application of a top coat over at least a portion of the
first surface finishing film, and the subsequent application of a
second surface finishing film disposed on top of the top coat,
optionally followed by an additional top coating. Further,
alternating layers of flexible films and top coats can be utilized
to achieve a desired effect. In such an embodiment, as in previous
embodiments, a base coating layer can be disposed on top of the
surface to be finished prior to application of the first surface
finishing film. The ability to provide multiple layers of films is
advantageous because it allows the lower films to be patched in
order to fix holes or cover damage.
[0033] In readying the surface for application of a surface
finishing film, it is recommended, but not required, that the
surface initially be cleaned or stripped to remove dirt, debris or
similar waste, as well as any inferior coatings applied on the
surface. Conventional cleaners including neutral cleaners, alkaline
cleaners, acidic cleaners, cleaners/maintainers, or maintainers
including polymeric cleaners, may be utilized for this purpose. One
such cleaner is UHS Cleaner, available from JohnsonDiversey, Inc.
(Racine Wis.). Dust mopping, or similar light cleaning may be
utilized to remove the majority of the dust and dirt. After
cleaning and stripping, the film may be positioned on or rolled out
onto the surface. If the film is packaged with one or more
removable protective layers, those layers are removed, exposing the
film or the bonding coat, if present, and the film is applied to
the surface, typically by applying light pressure. The film may be
applied beginning at one edge by adhering an edge of the film to
the surface, using any adhesive coated on the lower surface of the
film or a strip of tape, and spreading (e.g. rolling) the film
outwardly from that edge, pressing it onto the surface as it
spreads. A tool having a flat edge may be utilized to uniformly
apply the film to the surface and remove any bubbles, wrinkles,
etc. Such tools include, rubbing sticks, rigid blades, flat-bladed
squeegees, T-bars, including weighted T-bars and rollers, including
heated and/or weighted rollers. Any bubbles remaining in the film
after application may be removed by pricking the bubbles with a pin
or similar object to release trapped air or liquid. After the film
is suitably placed and positioned on the surface to be finished,
any remaining removable layers may be peeled away. Next, a top coat
may be disposed over at least a portion of the film. Multiple
layers of the top coat may be applied.
[0034] Alternatively, a water release or water slide technique can
be utilized to position the film on the surface whereby the film is
positioned above the surface and moisture is applied to slide the
film off of a removable protective layer and onto the surface.
[0035] The inventors have surprisingly and unexpectedly discovered
that bubbles in the film may be reduced or eliminated by first
applying a thin layer or mist of a liquid wetting agent having a
surface tension equal to or lower than that of water, to the
surface to be finished, or to the lower surface of the film prior
to the application of the film to the surface. For example, water
may be used as a wetting agent. For some applications, a wetting
agent having surface tension lower than water is desirable. This
includes applications where the wetting agent has a surface tension
of no more than about 70 dynes/cm at 20.degree. C., further
includes applications where the wetting agent has a surface tension
of no more than about 65 dynes/cm at 20.degree. C., still further
includes applications where the wetting agent has a surface tension
of no more than about 60 dynes/cm at 20.degree. C. and even further
includes applications where the wetting agent has a surface tension
of no more than about 50 dynes/cm at 20.degree. C. Suitable liquid
wetting agents include conventional cleaning solutions including
alcohol-containing cleaners, acidic cleaners, alkaline cleaners,
and maintainers. A conventional floor finish (e.g. an aqueous
formulation with suspended solids) may also be used as a wetting
agent. Such a finish may be applied as a mist or a thin liquid
coating, and the flexible film may be applied over the finish
before it dries to reduce bubble formation in the film.
[0036] Bubbles may also be reduced by using an air or liquid
permeable film or by using a film that has one or more perforations
to allow any liquid or air trapped below the film to escape as the
film is flattened onto the surface. The perforations may include
holes of various shapes, however narrow slits or pin holes are
preferred because they allow air and liquid to escape without
significantly reducing the smoothness of the film. This is
desirable because a rough surface may wear out faster as dirt
collects in rough areas and edges become frayed. Thus, the number
of perforation is desirably sufficient to reduce the number of
bubbles without unnecessarily roughening the surface of or
weakening the integrity of the film. In some embodiments, the films
have an average of at least 1 perforation per square foot. This
includes embodiments where the films have an average of at least 10
perforations per square foot. In some embodiments, the films have
an average of no more than about five hundred perforations per
square foot. This includes embodiment where the films have an
average of no more than about two hundred perforations per square
foot, further includes embodiments where the films have an average
of no more than about one hundred perforations per square foot and
still further includes embodiments where the films have an average
of no more than about fifty perforations per square foot.
[0037] In embodiments where a cured or crosslinked top coat, of the
type discussed above is employed, it is desirable to provide a film
that prevents or minimizes leakage of the top coat through the film
and contact of the top coat with the underlying surface and/or any
underlying bonding layer where it may form a permanent finish that
cannot simply be peeled away from the surface. In these
embodiments, the film may have only a small number or perforations,
may include only perforations presenting small openings, such as
slits (rather than holes) or pin holes, or may be non-perforated.
Where the small opening approach is used, the openings should be
sufficiently small to prevent or substantially prevent the top coat
from passing through.
[0038] The flexible films may be provided in sheets or rolls and
may be applied as a single sheet or in multiple smaller film
segments. The film segments may take on a variety of shapes, but
desirably include one or more straight edges. Suitable shapes
include rectangles and squares. When multiple film segments are
laid down they are desirably disposed adjacent each other with
edges in contact, but not overlapping. This process may be
facilitated using a laser-guided chalk line to help establish
straight rows and clean butt joints.
[0039] Maintenance of a flexible film-finished surface according to
the present invention, may be handled by utilization of commonly
used cleaners, including neutral cleaners, alkaline cleaners,
acidic cleaners, polymeric cleaners and polymeric maintainers.
Commonly available products such as Stride Cleaner, available from
JohnsonDiversey (Racine Wis.), can be utilized. After the cleaner
is applied to the surface, an agitating force sufficient to remove
dirt without damaging the film may be applied. This may be
accomplished with commonly used mechanical tools such as
auto-scrubbers and buffers.
[0040] It should be noted that the layer thicknesses depicted in
FIG. 1 are for illustration purposes only and are in no way meant
to reflect the actual thickness of each layer or its relative
thickness with respect to any other layer.
[0041] While the principles of this invention have been described
in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood
clearly that these descriptions are made only by a way of example
and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
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