GB2146267A - A method of, and a substance for applying a layer to a surface - Google Patents

Abstract

Peelable layers are applied to surfaces as a liquid composition which is dried. The layer may be transparent or opaque. It may serve as a masking layer prior to painting, e.g. applied to the edge region of a window. At the end of the painting operation the strip can be pulled off the window to leave a clean edge to the painted frame, with no paint left remaining on the glass.

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of, and a substance for applying a layer to a surface The present invention relates to a method of applying a layer to a surface, for instance for use in masking a surface when applying paint or other finishes. The present invention also relates to a substance adapted to be applied to a surface.

In a known method for masking windows in which it is required to protect the windows from paint which is being applied to the window frame, a bevelled plastic edge is placed against the surface of the window, the plastics edge extending up to the frame. The frame is then painted, with the paint going up to and contacting the plastics edge. The plastics edge is then removed. It has been found that as the plastics edge is removed the paint adhered thereto tends to smudge over the window to lose the clean edge of paint which it is desired to effect and create an untidy appearance on the window. An additional disadvantage of this plastics edge is that it can only be used to mask edges which conform to the shape of the plastics edge, i.e.

straight edges, and the plastics edge is of no use when the edge is other than straight.

Another proposal for masking windows to be painted has been to adhere a strip of tape to the window, one edge of the tape extending up to the frame. The tape is expensive and again can only be used to mask straight edges corresponding to the shape of the edge of the tape.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of applying a layer to a surface comprises applying the layer in the form of a liquid substance and allowing the liquid substance to set, the set liquid substance being capable of being peeled off the surface. Such a liquid may be quickly and easily applied and may be cheap to manufacture. Furthermore, the set liquid may be readily removed from the surface by being peeled off in a complete sheet or layer.

The method may have many applications, one being to mask a surface. In this use the liquid may be applied to an edge of any desired shape in order to protect the surface which it covers from paint or other substances. An alternative application is to apply a transparrent or opaque layer to a window, for instance to prevent or restrict the amount of light which goes through a window, such as may be desired in a greenhouse or as an anti-dazzle or tinted layer on a car windscreen.

The term "transparent" is used herein to include partially transparent, i.e. layers which allow some, but not all light to pass therethrough. Another function of the layer may be to prevent or restrict condensation forming on the window, and in this application the substance would obviously not be readily soluble in water.

The liquid may be applied in a thin film, for example of the order of 0.125 mm to 0.250 mm thickness, which may make the liquid economical to apply in that large areas can be covered for a given volume of liquid. Furthermore, in masking applications, if the applied liquid does not project unduly from the surface to which it is applied it may be easier to paint around the liquid, particularly when the surface to be painted extends in a plane transverse to the plane of the surface covered by the liquid, as is the case with windows and window frames.

The masking method may also include applying a paint or other finish to a surface adjacent to the surface which has been covered by the liquid, and removing or peeling off the set liquid before or after the paint or other finish has dried. To remove the set liquid before the paint or other finish has dried is of particular use where the paint or other finish tends to set in a relatively firm sheet which might tend to adhere to the set liquid and peel off with the set liquid to leave an uneven and unsightly edge. Alternatively, the set liquid may be such that it can be peeled off after the paint or other finish applied to the adjacent surface has dried without leaving an uneven and unsightly edge.

The present invention also includes a substance adapted to be applied to a surface in liquid form and capable of being peeled off that surface when it has set.

The set liquid may comprise a flexible or a resilient substance which may make the set liquid easier to peel off.

The substance is preferably based on a modified polyvinyl alcohol which may include stabalisers and may also include colouring agents. The substance may be non-toxic and may be water soluble, or non-water soluble.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one example will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a window mounted in a window frame.

For convenience, only one half of the window frame is shown, comprising a horizontal member 10 and a vertical member 12, the remainder of the frame (not shown) enclosing the window glass 14.

The window glass 14 rests in a groove 1 6 formed in the members of the frame, the groove extending around the frame. One side 18 of the window glass abuts an opposed face 20 of the groove, and the other side 22 of the window glass is held and sealed in the groove by a surrounding layer of putty 24, only one small section of the putty being shown at the bottom right hand side of the figure.

When it is desired to paint the window frame, adjacent to the side 1 8 of the window, a layer of masking liquid is applied to the window in the form of a strip 26 extending up to the window frame. The liquid sets or dries within about 20 minutes (depending on the temperature and humidity of the ambient atmosphere) and the window frame can then be painted. The putty and the other side of the window frame can be painted in a similar manner by first applying a liquid strip on the window, the strip extending up to the putty, or any other point.

The surfaces 28 and 30 of the members 10 and 12, adjacent to the window, can then be completely covered with paint, any paint extending beyond the surfaces 28 and 30 lying on top of the strip 26. Before or after the paint has completely dried, the strip can be peeled off the window taking any paint lying therein with it to leave a straight line of paint on the frame with no paint remaining on the window glass. It may be preferable to remove the strip 26 before the paint has completely dried to avoid any chance of the paint lying over the strip 26 and the surface 28 or 30 flaking when the strip is removed, to leave any untidy edge to the paint. The strip may be flexible or resilient to allow the strip to be pulled off merely by gripping and pulling one portion of the strip away from the window glass, the remainder of the strip being able to come away with that one portion.

The strip 26 may be painted onto the window glass with a brush. Alternatively, the strip may be applied to the window from an applicator which dispenses the liquid in the shape of the strip, an advantage of the applicator being that a cleaner edge to the strip and a uniform thickness may be achieved.

The masking liquid may be based on a modified polyvinyl alcohol comprising a polymer including stabalisers. When the liquid is applied in a layer in the order, for example 0.125 mm to 0.250 mm of thickness it intially dries to form a resilient and flexible strip, within about 20 minutes, and if left for a much longer period, the strip maintains its flexibility and increases its strength. The masking liquid may include a colouring agent to enable the strip to be readily visible which helps not only when applying the strip, but also when removing the strip to ensure that all of the set liquid can be seen to be removed. A further advantage of basing the masking liquid on a polyvinyl alcohol is that it is non-toxic and is harmless to touch. Yet another advantage of a polyvinyl alcohol is that it does not react with paint to cause a strip to break down and become difficult to remove.

The polyvinyl alcohol based masking substance may be completely dissolved in water.

It has been found that a water based paint, for instance an emulsion paint, does not break down the strip, even though the strip can be dissolved in water.

The masking liquid can be applied to virtually any surface to solidify, and then be peeled off after its masking purpose has been fulfilled. The following is a list of such surfaces which may be covered with the masking liquid, the liquid being based on a polyvinyl alcohol or comprising another suitable liquid: glass, plaster, cement and sand render, brickwork, ironmongery, metal, stone, hard floor finishes including polyvinyl chloride and lino, giazed and unglazed wall tiles, water based emulsions, vinyl silk or matt finishes.

oil based gloss paint or gloss paint in which the brushes used to apply such paint can be cleaned in water, wallpaper, anaglyptar, washable wallpaper, flop paper, hessian, polyurethane and stained timber.

Two example of other applications where the masking liquid might be used are to coat a door handle when painting a door (to save removing the handle) and to apply to the plaster adjacent to a door frame, when that frame is being painted.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) a clear liquid, such as a polyvinyl alcohol based liquid, can be applied over the whole exposed surface of a window to help to prevent condensation forming on the window, the liquid drying to form a layer over the window. It will be appreciated that. in this application, the liquid may be made of a compound which is less soluble than polyvinyl alcohol. In a further embodiment (not shown) the liquid can be tinted and applied to the upper portion of a windscreen of a car to dry thereon and form an anti-dazzle layer. In both of these embodiments the layer can be removed by simply peeling it off the surface to which it has been applied.

In a further alternative embodiment (not shown) the liquid can be applied onto the windows of a greenhouse in order to prevent excessive heat from building up inside the greenhouse due to the radiation from the sun.

When the protection from the sun is no longer required the set liquid can simply be peeled off the windows. In this embodiment the liquid can be opaque or partially transparent.

In a further alternative embodiment (not shown) the liquid can be applied to the trims, windows and other parts of motor vehicles prior to applying paint by brush or spray to the general bodywork of motor vehicles.

Claims (20)

1. A method of applying a layer to a surface comprising applying the layer in the form of a liquid substance and allowing the liquid substance to set, the set liquid substance being capable of being peeled off the surface.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the set liquid is capable of being peeled off that surface in a continuous strip or layer.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 comprising a method of masking the surface with the layer.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3 comprising applying a paint or other finish adjacent to the layer, and peeling off the set liquid either before or after the paint or other finish has set.

5. A method as claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 comprising applying the layer in a thin film.

6. A method as claimed in Claim 5 in which the layer is applied in a film of generally 0.125 mm to 0.250 mm thickness.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the liquid substance is sprayed onto the surface.

8. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 in which the liquid substance is applied with a brush onto the surface.

9. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 in which the liquid substance is applied to the surface from an applicator which dispenses liquid onto the surface.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising applying the layer in a strip.

11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising applying the layer to a window.

1 2. A method of applying a layer to a surface substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

1 3. A substance adapted to be applied to a surface in a layer in liquid form and capable of being peeled off that surface when it has set.

1 4. A substance as claimed in Claim 1 3 based on a modified polyvinyl alcohol comprising a polymer including stabilisers.

1 5. A substance as claimed in Claim 1 3 or 1 4 which is transparent when it is set.

1 6. A substance as claimed in Claim 1 3 or 1 4 which is opaque when it is set.

1 7. A substance as claimed in any of Claims 1 3 to 1 6 which, when set in a layer, is flexible.

1 8. A substance as claimed in any of Claims 1 3 to 1 7 which, when set in a layer, is resilient.

1 9. A substance as claimed in any of Claims 1 3 to 18 when used in a method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12.

20. A substance substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.