Method of decorating laminated glass

Abstract

A method of decorating laminated glass is disclosed. A pigment package composition comprising a cross-linkable thermoset resin, a crosslinker capable of crosslinking the thermoset resin, and a pigment is applied to a glass substrate. The crosslinker and thermoset resin are cured at a relatively low temperature (ca. 400° F.). The use of an organic based pigment composition allows use of thinner glass sheets than with traditional ceramic enamel pigment compositions.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to commonly owned copending U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 657,020, entitled “METHOD OF DECORATING LAMINATED GLASS” filed 28 Feb. 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] The present invention relates to the decoration of glass substrates with organically based pigment compositions that are free of ceramic enamels, particularly for use with automotive glass. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Decoration of laminated safety glass by conventional ceramic enamels is constrained by the minimum thickness needed to prevent warping of the decorated sheet during the firing process. Prior art methods not only required thicker glass panels to withstand the heat of firing an enamel color / pigment package, but the enamel based pigment composition had to be applied prior to a press-bend or other heating operation. For two reasons, then, it was possible to get a rippled ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] Instead of using a ceramic enamel frit containing a pigment to effect the coloration of a windshield or the application of an opaque band around a windshield, the invention uses a thermoset resin (crosslinking resin) and a curing agent. The present invention permits a broader array of pigment application techniques, including ink jet printing. Further, because ink jet printing can be done on a curved surface, it is possible to print the decoration on the second or third (i.e., interior) surfaces after bending the glass.

[0007] Decoration with organic inks and/or coatings takes place at temperatures too low to distort the glass, permitting the use of thinner glass sheets and giving lighter laminated panels with superior clarity. Such laminations are useful in applications such as flat vehicle glass, curved windshields, marine transparencies, and safety spandrels.

[0008] Organic decorations can be applied to the second or third (interior) surfaces of a laminated glass panel, and interpenetrate with a laminating film such as polyvinyl butyral. This interpenetrating effect maintains an acceptable level of bonding between the laminating resin film and the glass sheets. The organic decoration can be in ink or coating form and may be applied by the traditional methods such as screen printing, direct or reverse roll coating, air-assisted or airless spray, digital inkjet, rotary screen print, thermal transfer ribbon, ele

Problems solved by technology

Prior art decoration methods could not employ screen-printing to apply the glass ceramic enamel to an already bent glass, because screen printing requires a flat s

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