Cookware with a decorative layer and methods for producing a decorative layer

Abstract

Cookware with a decorative coating has a base and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface 3 of the base and / or an outer surface of the wall has a decorative layer 4. At least a portion of an outer surface 3 of the base and / or an outer surface 3 of the wall is made of aluminum alloy or carbon steel, and the decorative layer 4 is applied by physical vapor deposition. The decorative layer consists of either zirconium, or titanium and chromium, or zirconium and titanium, or zirconium and chromium, or zirconium, titanium, and chromium, each in metallic form. In a process for producing a decorative layer, the decorative layer is created by physical vapor deposition using the following metals: zirconium or titanium and chromium or zirconium and titanium or zirconium and chromium or zirconium, titanium and chromium.

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a cookware item with a decorative coating for heating food, comprising a base, in particular for placing on a heat source, and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base. Such cookware items include, for example, a pot, a pan, a roasting pan, or a casserole dish. State of the art

[0002] EP 0 966 910 B1 discloses providing cookware with a coating of ceramic nitride material, in particular zirconium nitride, whereby the non-stick effect is achieved on the inside of the cookware and a decorative layer is provided on the outside. Unlike a coating with titanium nitride, discoloration due to direct flame exposure is avoided. The coating is applied to a substrate metal that has been polished to a high gloss, such as stainless steel, carbon steel, titanium, or the like.

[0003] The use of chromium to provide a multilayer PVD coating with a decorative appearance similar to stainless steel is known from US 2014 / 0242413 A1. This involves a layer of Zr-Cr-X, where X can be carbon, nitrogen, or oxygen.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a cookware with a decorative coating. Description of the invention

[0005] In a cookware item according to the invention with a decorative coating, comprising a base, in particular for placing on a heat source, and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base, wherein at least part of an outer side of the base and / or an outer side of the wall has a decorative layer, at least part of an outer side of the base and / or an outer side of the wall consists of an aluminum alloy or of carbon steel and the decorative layer is applied by physical vapor deposition. The decorative layer consists either of zirconium or of titanium and chromium or of zirconium and titanium or of zirconium and chromium or of zirconium, titanium and chromium, each in metallic form.

[0006] Carbon steel, also called carbon steel, is steel that, in addition to its main component, iron, contains mainly carbon as a secondary component. Since "C" is the chemical symbol for carbon, carbon steel is also called C steel. The carbon content can be up to 2.1%.

[0007] Aluminum alloys are alloys that consist predominantly of aluminum, as aluminum can be alloyed with numerous metals. There are wrought aluminum alloys, which are intended for further processing by rolling, forging, and extrusion, and cast materials, which are used in foundries. Therefore, aluminum alloys are generally divided into wrought and cast alloys.

[0008] Zirconium, titanium and chromium are each present in the metallic compositions customary for the PVD process, in which admixtures of other metals may also be present.

[0009] The proportions of compositions with more than one metal range from 10% to 90% by mass of one metal in the case of two metals and from 5% to 90% in the case of three metals.

[0010] The PVD coating is applied using a diffuser made of the metal from which the coating is to be made. The diffuser can also contain multiple metals.

[0011] According to a further development, the outer side of the base and / or the wall can be provided with a carrier layer selected from zirconium, titanium and chromium in metallic form or a combination of two of these metals and have a layer thickness of 0.01 - 0.3 x 10-6 m, wherein the carrier layer is applied by physical vapor deposition and wherein the decorative layer is applied to the carrier layer.

[0012] By using a carrier layer, the adhesion of the decorative layer to the outside can be influenced.

[0013] Advantageously, the decorative layer can have a layer thickness of 0.01 - 0.5 x 10-6 m.

[0014] It has been found that the inner surface of the base and wall can be free of a layer created by physical vapor deposition. Alternatively, a known coating, such as a non-stick coating, can be applied.

[0015] Advantageously, the surface roughness of the outer surface of the floor and / or wall before coating may be at most 20 * 10-6 m, whereby a lower surface roughness, approximately from 0.5 * 10-6 m to 3 * 10-6 m, improves the uniformity of the decorative layer.

[0016] Furthermore, the decorative layer can have a surface finish such that at least 50% of the incident visible light is reflected by direct reflection, preferably at least 70%. This can be influenced, for example, by polishing the outer surface before applying the decorative layer or the carrier layer.

[0017] Another object of the invention is a method for producing a cookware made of an aluminum alloy or carbon steel with a decorative layer which is produced by physical vapor deposition, wherein the cookware has a base, in particular for placing on a heat source, and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base.

[0018] In this case, an outer side of the base and / or the wall is at least partially coated with a decorative layer of metal by physical vapor deposition, wherein the following metals are used: zirconium or titanium and chromium or zirconium and titanium or zirconium and chromium or zirconium, titanium and chromium.

[0019] Before this coating, the cookware is placed in a chamber of a physical vapor deposition coating system and can be cleaned.

[0020] Furthermore, before insertion, the outer surface can be cleaned with ultrasound and dried, preferably in an oven.

[0021] It is also possible to process the outer surface to be coated in a polishing device outside the PVD coating system prior to the application of the coatings in the PVD coating system in order to achieve the desired surface quality, particularly roughness. The processing can be carried out in such a way that the surface roughness of the outer surface of the base and / or wall before coating is at most 20 * 10-6 m, preferably 0.5 * 10-6 m to 3 * 10-6 m. Short description of the drawing

[0022] The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 a section of a base of a cookware with a decorative layer; Fig. 2 shows a section of a base of a cookware with a decorative layer applied to a carrier layer; Fig. 3 a view of a cookware with a decorative layer according to the invention according to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. Example

[0023] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of a cooking utensil for heating food, the section representing a base or a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base. Both the base and the wall of a cooking utensil can be formed by a single- or multi-layer molded body. A multi-layer molded body may be useful to improve heat conduction properties or durability.

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment, a section of a single-layer molded body 1 made of an aluminum alloy or carbon steel is shown as the base of a cookware item. The molded body is not shown as a wall, as the structure corresponds to the decorative layer. The upper side of the molded body 1 in the illustration is an inner side 2 of a cookware item, on which the food to be heated is arranged (not shown). The lower side of the molded body 1 in the illustration is an outer side 3 of the cookware, in particular for placing on a heat source.

[0025] The outer side 3 is provided with a decorative layer 4. The decorative layer 4 was applied by physical vapor deposition using chromium as a scattering agent. A coating produced by physical vapor deposition is generally referred to as a PVD layer.

[0026] In the exemplary embodiment, the decorative layer 4 consists of zirconium in metallic form and has a layer thickness of 0.05 - 0.5 × 10-6 m.

[0027] It can be seen that the inner side 2 does not have a coating. However, this is not essential for the invention; the inner side can also be coated.

[0028] The surface roughness of the outer side 3 of the molded body 1 before coating is 3 × 10-6 m in the embodiment example and the decorative layer reflects 70% of the incident visible light by direct reflection.

[0029] The decorative layer 4 has a color in the nature of steel, in particular polished stainless steel.

[0030] In Fig. 2, the outer side 3 is provided with a first layer, namely a carrier layer 5, on which a second layer, namely the decorative layer 4, is arranged. The carrier layer 5 and the decorative layer 4 were applied by physical vapor deposition using titanium as a scattering agent. A coating produced by physical vapor deposition is generally referred to as a PVD layer.

[0031] In the exemplary embodiment, the carrier layer 5 consists of titanium in metallic form and has a layer thickness of 0.1 - × 10-6 m.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a cookware item in the form of a pan with a decorative coating according to the invention. The coating is applied to the outside of a wall 5 and to the outside of a base 6 and is not particularly highlighted in the illustration. A handle 7 extends from the wall 5.

[0033] The advantages of PVD coating can be summarized as follows: - color-stable coating, no changes when heated to high temperatures; - high adhesion between coating film and substrate (here the outside of the molded body); - high density of the coating film; - high hardness of the coating film; - scratch-resistant; - easy cleaning of the surface; - environmentally friendly coating processes.

[0034] The structure, composition, thickness, hardness, adhesion, corrosion resistance and scratch resistance can be determined by conventional tests. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 0 966 910 B1

[0002] US 2014 / 0242413 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Cookware with a decorative coating, comprising a base and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base, wherein at least a part of an outer side (3) of the base and / or an outer side of the wall has a decorative layer (4), characterized by that at least a part of an outer side (3) of the base and / or an outer side (3) of the wall consists of an aluminum alloy or of carbon steel and that the decorative layer (4) is applied by physical vapor deposition, wherein the decorative layer (4) is either - made of zirconium or - made of titanium and chrome or - made of zirconium and titanium or - made of zirconium and chromium or - consists of zirconium, titanium and chromium, each in metallic form. [2] Cookware according to claim 1, characterized bythat the outer side of the base and / or the wall is provided with a carrier layer (5) selected from zirconium, titanium and chromium in metallic form or a combination of two of these metals and has a layer thickness of 0.01 - 0.3 x 10-6 m, wherein the carrier layer (5) is applied by physical vapor deposition and wherein the decorative layer (4) is applied to the carrier layer (5). [3] Cookware according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized by that the decorative layer (4) has a layer thickness of 0.01 - 0.5 x 10 -6 m. [4] Cookware according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the surface roughness of the outer side (3) of the base and / or the wall before coating is at most 20 × 10 -6 m. [5] A method for producing a cookware item made of an aluminium alloy or carbon steel with a decorative layer produced by physical vapor deposition, the cookware item having a base, in particular for placing on a heat source, and a wall connected to the base and extending upwards from the base, characterized by that an outer side of the base and / or the wall is at least partially coated with a decorative layer of metal by physical vapor deposition, wherein the following metals are used: - Zirconium or - Titanium and chrome or - Zirconium and titanium or - Zirconium and chromium or - Zirconium, titanium and chromium. [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized bythat before the application of the decorative layer, the outer side of the base and / or the wall is provided with a carrier layer selected from zirconium, titanium and chromium in metallic form or a combination of two of these metals and has a layer thickness of 0.01 - 0.3 x 10-6 m, wherein the carrier layer is applied by physical vapor deposition and wherein the decorative layer is applied to the carrier layer. [7] Method according to claim 5, characterized by that the outer side to be provided with the decorative layer is machined outside the PVD coating plant before the layers are applied in the PVD coating plant in order to achieve a roughness of no more than 20 × 10 -6 m to provide.

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