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

[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, electrostatic disk, and electrostatic bell. Cure can be achieved by thermal initiated crosslinking, ultraviolet or electron beam photopolymerization, air catalyzed self-condensation, two-component condensation, or the like. The controlling requirement is that the final cured film be sufficiently interpenetrable with the laminating film so that a bond of adequate strength is maintained between the lamination and glass sheets. In the case of automotive obscuration bands, decorative and protective effects should also be achieved. Applying the organic decoration to the interior surface of a laminated glass panel protects the decorated surface form mechanical and / or chemical damage that may occur during manufacture or service.

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 surface, and because the ceramic based enamel would require a heating operation to sinter and fuse the enamel which could further cause warping or shape distortion.

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