Decorated Film for 3D Shapes with Spatial Frequency Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decorative molding technologies face challenges in effectively addressing concaves and convexes on adherends with varying sizes and three-dimensional shapes, leading to reduced appearance quality and increased complexity in processes like vacuum molding.
Innovation Solution
A film with specific spatial frequency characteristics and adhesive properties, including a thermoplastic resin layer, a substrate layer, and an adhesive layer, is used to adhere to adherends, ensuring a minimum value of spatial frequencies is maintained to flatten concaves and convexes, allowing for three-dimensional decoration while maintaining a favorable appearance quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a resin film is laminated to reduce concaves and convexes of a glass woven fabric, then the appearance quality is improved, but the process complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flattening function and adhesive function into a single film structure. The resin layer flattens concaves and convexes while the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer simultaneously provides adhesion to the adherend, eliminating the need for separate processes and improving productivity while maintaining appearance quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The film is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a flattening layer to reduce surface irregularities, an adhesive layer to bond to the adherend, and a decorative layer to provide the final appearance. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by achieving high appearance quality without increasing process complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If a rubber elastic body film is used to push against a die in press molding, then the flattening effect is achieved, but the film does not adhere to the adherend and requires separate adhesive application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rubber elastic body's flattening capability with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The resin layer provides the elastic flattening effect while the adhesive layer ensures direct adhesion to the adherend, eliminating the need for separate adhesive application processes and reducing overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The film is constructed as a composite material system combining a resin layer (providing elastic flattening) with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (providing adhesion). This composite structure resolves the contradiction by integrating both flattening and adhering functions into a single component that can be applied in one process step.
3Reliability
If existing films are used for three-dimensional decorating molding, then the adhesion is insufficient on complex shapes, but adding adhesive layers increases process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The film is designed as a multi-functional composite where the resin layer provides flattening capability for complex three-dimensional shapes and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer ensures reliable adhesion. This integrated design achieves reliable adhesion on three-dimensional shapes without increasing process complexity, as both functions are achieved in a single film application.
4Manufacturing precision
If the minimum value of spatial frequencies is reduced to flatten concaves and convexes, then the appearance quality is improved, but the film requires specific structural characteristics that increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies particular parameters for the resin layer (modulus of rigidity between 0.01 and 1 GPa, thickness between 1 and 100 μm) to achieve the desired spatial frequency characteristics for flattening. These controlled parameter ranges enable the film to reduce concaves and convexes effectively while maintaining manufacturability through well-defined material specifications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The film effectively reduces concaves and convexes on adherends, enabling decoration on complex shapes without breaking, resulting in improved appearance quality and simplified molding processes.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer, wherein when a modulus of the substrate layer at a temperature T is designated as E1 and a thickness of the substrate layer is designated as t1, S expressed by S=E1×t13 is 1.2×10−4 Pa·m3 or more and 80×10−4 Pa·m3 or less, when a thickness of the adhesive layer is designated as t2 and a modulus of the adhesive layer at the temperature T is designated as E2, t2 is 5×10−5 m or more and R expressed by R=E1/E2 is 7 or more
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a film which can be decorated even against a three-dimensional shape, is excellent in moldability during decoration (adhesion) on an adherend, is able to reduce concaves and convexes with a variety of sizes which the adherend surface has, and makes an appearance quality favorable; and a decorative molded product having the film. The film is a film including a layer containing a thermoplastic resin, wherein when a highest temperature of glass transition temperatures of the film is designated as Tg [+ C], a temperature T [° C.] at which an elongation at break is 50% or more exists in a range of Tg to (Tg+50 [° C.]), and when, with respect to concaves and convexes of an abrasive grain surface of a polyester film sheet having, as an abrasive grain, aluminum oxide having a grain size of 12 μm coated thereon, an amplitude relative to a spatial frequency f is designated as A1(f); with respect to concaves and convexes of a film surface when adhering the film to the abrasive grain surface at any temperature of the range of Tg to (Tg+50 [° C.]) and a pressure of 0.3 MPa, an amplitude relative to the spatial frequency f is designated as A2(f); and a ratio of A2(f) to A1(f) is designated as ϕ(f)=A2(f)/A1(f), a minimum value fc of spatial frequencies where ϕ(f) is 0.1 is 2.0 mm−1 or less.