NZ284655A - Extrusion coating both sides of a metal strip with a polymer resin - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No 284655 International No PCT/US95/04635 TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates 12 04 1995 Complete Specification Filed 12 04 1995 Classification (6) B05D7/14, B05D3/02, B05C9/14 Publication date 30 August 1999 Journal No 1443 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention Method and apparatus for coating a metal strip and the product thereof Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form.

ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA, a Pennsylvania corporation of Alcoa Technical Centre, 100 Technical Drive, Alcoa Centre, Pennsylvania 15069-0001, United States of America PCT/US95/0463^ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING A METAL STRIP AND THE PRODUCT THEREOF This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying a polymer coating on a stnp of metal and, in particular, to a method of coating both sides of an aluminum stnp with thermoplastic resins from extruders and extrusion dies which are positioned to deposit the thermoplastic resin on opposite sides of the stnp The product of this invention is a stnp of metal, such as aluminum, which has thin oolymer coatings on both sides thereof and which has many applications, but is particularly well suited for use in packaging applications such as can ends and c in bodies It is known to coat metal sheet or stnp with thermoplastic resin on one or both sides to improve the corrosion resistance, formability, appearance or other properties of the material The coating can be applied by a vanety of processes such as roll coating, reverse roll coating, spraying, electrocoating, powder coating, and lamination The coated stnp may be used for applications such as in cans and can ends, foil pouches, lidding stock, appliances, electrical devices, construction, aerospace or automotive body sheet United States Patent No 5,093,208 to Heyes et al discloses a method for forming a laminated metal sheet in which a precast thermoplastic polyester film is pressed against one or both surfaces of a metal sheet to adhere the film to the sheet in a 1 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 pressed against one or both surfaces of a metal sheet to adhere the film to the sheet in a non-crystalline form The uncoated sheet of metal is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the polyester film and the film is applied to the sheet under pressure to form a laminate material The laminate material is then heated to above the melting point of the film to improve the bond of the plastic film to the metal and is quenched rapidly to a temperature below the glass transition point of the polyester to form a non-crystalline polyester The quenching is done by passing the laminate through a curtain of water European Patent Application 0,067,060 m the name of Tuiyo Steel Ltd discloses a method of producing a coated metal plate by directly extruding a thermoplastic resin onto the heated surface of the plate According to that patent application, molten resin is applied directly from the extrusion die to the metal plate without forming the resin into an independent film The thickness of the film can be less than 50 microns and preferably down to 35 to 5 microns The patent application states that since the step of forming an independent film is omitted, the cost of producing the coated metal is reduced Suitable thermoplastic resins used for coating of metal surfaces include polyolefins, acrylic resins, polyesters, polyamides, polyvinylchlondes and many other resins as listed m the published patent application The resin can be coated either as a monolayer or multilayers of the same or different resins The patent application discloses applying the resm on only one side of the metal stnp 2 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 H v n t - r t 1 1, 1 ' 1 r An improved process is desired for applying a thin polymer coating on both sides of a metal stnp suitable for use in applications such as packaging A process is desired for producing tight adhesion or welding of the polymer to the stnp so that the polymer will not delaminate during subsequent forming of the stnp or use of the products produced from the stnp.

This invention provides a method for coarnig both sides of a metal strip with tfitn thermoplastic polymer resm to form a coated stnp suitable for use in packaging and other applications Specifically, in one aspect the present invention provides a process for extrusion coating a metal strip to produce a coated metal strip comprising: providing a stnp of metal about 0 007 to 0 014 inches (0 1778-0 356 mm) thick, heating the metal stnp to a temperature of at least about 400°F (204°C), extruding a polymer resin onto one side and the same or a different polymer resin onto the other side of the heated metal stnp to form coatmgs which are at least partially bonded to the metal stnp, said coatings each having a thickness in a range of about 0.0003 inches to 0 0015 inches (0 0076-0 038 mm); heating the coated metal strip to at least the glass transition point of said resin so that said polymer resin bonds to the metal stnp; , and cooling the coated metal stnp to less than about 104°F (40°C) to solidify said resin in a substantially non-crystalline form.

In another aspect the present invention provides an aluminium strip having thin polymer coatings tightly bonded on both faces thereof by the process set forth in any one of the preceding claims. 1 l h iv. -'3 r ccriv r d I I » U.-OJ ^ / In a further aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for coating both sides of a metal strip with polymer resin comprising: means for preheating the metal stnp; first and second pairs of rolls, each pair including a casting roll and a backup roll which form a mp such that, when the metal stnp and a web of extruded polymer resin move therethrough, the web is at least partially bonded to the metal stnp; at least one extruder, first and second extrusion dies for extruding a respective first and second web of polymer resin for a respective side of the metal stnp, each web being less than about 0 030 mch (0 76 mm) thick, means for postheating the coated metal stnp after it has moved through both the first and second pairs of rolls so that said first and second polymer resin webs are bonded to respective sides of the metal stnp; and means for quenching the coated metal strip after it has been postheated Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved method of adhering polyester resin on both sides of a metal strip or at least to provide the applicant with a useful choice.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more fully understood and appreciated with reference to the following descnption and the drawinss attached hereto Figure 1 is a schematic, side elevational view of one embodiment of a system of this invention Figure 2 is a schematic, side elevational view of a portion of another embodiment of this invention.

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic, side elevauonal views of further embodiments of this invention.

I 3a U K\; u.o ! R r C r I v r D WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 Figure 5 is a partial cross section of the strip and extrusion dies of Figure 4 greatly enlarged to show the application of the resin to the strip Figures 6 through 14 are schematic, side elevational views of further embodiments of this invenuon The drawings appended hereto illustrate systems for coating both sides of a stnp of metal as it travels from a first coil to a second coil on which the metal is wound after it has been coated Referring in particular to Figure 1, a stnp 10 of aluminum alloy is unwound from coil 12, moves around tension rollers 14, travels vertically upward over a roll 16 and then downward from roll 16 through the coating apparatus A back-up roll 18 may be used to maintain the metal stnp 10 in a flat condition as it moves over support roll 16 As the stnp 10 moves downwardly from roll 16, it is first heated by heater 20 to a temperature close to or above the melung point of the polymer to be applied thereto In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the heater is an induction heater, but other heaters or preconditioned such as flame treatment, infrared, plasma and/or corona discharge may also be employed either singularly or in combination Flame heaters can be used in tandem (one on each side) or on one side only to enhance performance (improved bonding as well as heating) The coil 12 may also be used, which is still hot from the pnor processing, such as rolling or heat treatment, to minimize or even eliminate the need for heating by heater 20 A typical temperature to 4 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 which the metal is heated, pnor to application of the thermoplastic material, in the range of about 121°-260°C (250°-500°F) depending on a number of factors, primarily the particular polymer that is to be applied to the stnp Two separate extrusion coating systems 21 and 31 are provided for applying thin webs of thermoplastic polymer such as polyester resin to the two surfaces of the heated web The systems 21, 31 are disposed just below the induction heater 20 The extrusion coating systems 21,31 each include an extruder for delivering a molten polymer extrudate through a sheet die 22, 32 having a narrow exit slit to produce a thin web of extrudate 24, 34 which is passed through a three-roll stack Altemauvely, one extruder may feed both extrusion dies via transfer pipes or other manifolding The first rolls 26, 36 of the systems 21,31 are pinning and drawing rolls which are maintained at a temperature which will promote sticking or clinging of the polymer extrudate to the polished surface of the roll A typical temperature for this purpose is in the range of about 120° to 180°C (248°-356°F), depending on the resin being used The surface speed of the rolls 26,36 is substantially faster than the speed of the extrudate exiting the die 22, 32, thus drawing the polymer to a reduced thickness Typical speed ratios of drawing velocity to extrudate velocities range from about 5 1 to 40 1 The resin from the extruder is typically approximately 0 127-0 635 mm (0 005-0 025 inch) thick and is drawn to a reduced thickness of approximately 0 0076-0 038 mm (0 0003-0 0015 inch) thick Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96132202 PCT/US95/04635 The second rolls 28, 38 are cooler than the first rolls and are designed to polish and cool the extrudate by rolling contact between the rolls and the extrudate The second rolls 28, 38 also transfer the extrudate to the third rolls which are the applicator rolls The third rolls 30, 40 may be tension loaded using springs, hydraulics pneumatics, or the like and preferably have resilient (such as high temperature rdsistant elastomers) extenor surfaces, or roll shells, to press the semi-cooled extrudates against the heated metal web or stnp 10 The third rolls 30, 40 of the two extrusion sets support opposite sides of the stnp 10 against the pressure or force of each other so that the semi-cooled extrudates 24, 34 can be pressed against the stnp under the pressure of such third rolls 30,40 The coated stnp of metal 11 continues its vertical downward travel past or through a second heater 42 which uniformly heats the metal or the plastic, or both the metal and the plastic, especially at the interface therebetween to a temperature that will consummate bonding of the polymer to the metal smp without substantially reducing or otherwise deletenously affecting the desired properties of the metal stnp or the plasuc coaung thereon The desired temperature will depend on the particular polymenc matenal which is being applied as a coating but is somewhere in the range of approximately 200° to 260°C (392-500°F) The second heater 42 is preferably an induction type heater, which is well known in the art Alternatively, the heater 42 could be a convecoon oven or an infrared heater 6 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 Upon exit from the second heater 42, and while continuing in a vertical downwardly direction, the coated stnp 11 is rapidly cooled as by a water spray 44, a water curtain, or other suitable cooling means Such cooling must lower the temperature of the composite structure to a low enough temperature to allow turning the coated stnp around rollers without deletenously affecting the coating or the metal In a preferred method of coating an aluminum alloy, such as alloy 3004, can sheet with polyester resm, the composite structure is preferably cooled to below approximately 40°C (104°F) before it contacts roller 48 In such a preferred embodiment, cooling is fast enough that the polyester coating on it is solidified in a substantially noncrystalline form The speed of cooling to accomplish this will depend on the polyester The rate of cooling can be controlled by controlling the temperature and volume rate of flow of the cooling water against the coated stnp In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the coated stnp moves through a bath 46, such as a water bath, and around rollers 48 and 50 on opposite ends of the bath before the coating is dned The water bath completes the cooling process From the water bath 46, the coated stnp 11 preferably moves vertically upwardly through a drying system 52 to remove residual moisture from the stnp before rewinding The drying system 52 may typically compnse warm air blowers The composite stnp next moves over rollers 54, 56 itnd 58 and onto a rewinder 60 The system may include accumulators, not shown, to accommodate roll changes or coil changes and may also include means for leveling the metal after it has been coated 7 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 . - PCT/US95/04635 •p p r 5 The system also preferably includes tnmrners, not shown, for trimming the edges of the coated metal web 11 or to remove any polymer that extends past the edges of the metal The trimmers may be located at various points along the path of the stnp such as immediately after the polymer resin is applied to the strip, after the spray cooler, or after the drying system The aluminum stnp that is coated by this invention may be of a variety of alloys and tempers depending on the use which is to be made of the stnp Some typical aluminum alloys suitable to be forming can ends and can bodies include Aluminum Association alloys 5042, 5182 and 3004 in intermediate to hard tempers including H-14, H-19 and H-39 tempers, among others The metal stnp is typically 0.1778-0.356 mm (0 007 to 0 014 inch) thick In accordance with this invention, a vanety of thermoplastic polymers such as a polyester can be used to coat an aluminum stnp which is designed for use L packaging such as cans or can ends A preferred polyester resm is a high melt viscosity (HMV) resin of the type that has heretofore been used to coat ovenable metal * trays, liquid foil packaging and heat sealable foil packaging. SELAR®, PT8307 HMV copolymer resin sold by E I. Du Pont de Nemours Company is an example of a high performance polyester resin suitable for use in this invention Such copolymer can also be blended with other thermoplastic polyesters such as bottle grade polyesters having intnnsic viscosiues'of about 0 72 IV and above For example, a blend of SELAR®, PT8307 HMV copolymer with T89 PET sold by Hoescht-Celanese may MA, ,..3 i t-l E 0 r | W f D WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 provide improved performance for aluminum strip coated in accordance with this invention for use in making products such as ends for beverage cans Other thermoplastic polymers suitable for use in this application include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamides (nylon), polyimides, polycarbonates and polyvinyl chlonde (PVC), among others Figure 2 shows a portion of an alternative embodiment of a system for practice of the present invention In this system, the metal stnp 70 is coated on both sides as the strip preferably moves vertically upwardly instead of vertically downwardly as in Figure 1 The metal stnp 70 moves around an infeed roll 72 and vertically upwardly from that roll through a pre-heater 74 such as an induction heating system The strip then moves through an optional flame treater 76 and between the opposed extrusion systems 78, 80 for coating both sides of the stnp The flame treater enhances the receptivity of the stnp to bonding by the resin coating The extrusion coating systems 78, 80 in Figure 2 are similar to that of Figure 1 except that the systems 78, 80 each include only two rolls rather than three rolls as in Figure 1 The surface speed of the pinning and drawing rolls 82, 84 is several times faster than the exit speed of the polymer from the extruder dies 90, 92 so as to draw and thin the extrudate as in the system of Figure 1 Rolls 86, 88, which are cooler than rolls 82, 84 receive the extrudate from rolls 82, 84 and apply it to the stnp 70 9 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 After the stnp 70 has been coated on both sides, the stnp continues to move vertically upwardly into an insulated chamber 94 which contains a cooling and a turning roll 96 for cooling the stnp and redirecung it vertically downwardly The chambei 94 is preferably insulated for accurate temperature control of the stnp as it moves over the cooling and turning roll 96 The roll 96 preferably has an outside shell diameter of at least approximately three feet The roll's large diameter minimizes stressing of the metal due to curvature effects The temperature of roll 96 and stnp 71 is controlled by fluid 91 in an annular chamber 93 between the roll's outer shell 97 and an inner shell 95 The annular chamber 93 is preferably not filled to capacity so as to minimize the inertia effects (provides viscous damping) and enable speed control and tracking The composite coated stnp 71 moves vertically downwardly from the turning and cooling roll 96 through a post-heater 98 which heats the composite stnp to approximately 204-260°C (400-500°F) to enhance bonding of the polymer such as polyester resin to the stnp as in the embodiment of Figure 1 The heater 98 may be a conventional inducuon heater, convection oven or infrared heater The composite stnp 71 moves from the heater 98, through cooling or quenching means not shown, to a second cooling and turning roll 99 and from that roll to a rewind roll not shown Roll 99 is similar in design and dimensions to roll 96 described above Figure 3 is a schematic of another embodiment of this invention in which cleaned, room temperature, conditioned sheet stock 100 is unwound from an unwinder Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 102 and fed upwardly over a draw roll set 104 consisting of roll 103 and an opuonal back-up roll 105 at the top of the processing stack Accumulators, not shown, may be included to accommodate coil changes on the unwinder 102 From the draw roll set 104, the web 100 travels in a vertical and downward direction, and is prererably slanted about 30-45 degrees from the vertical Such slant facilitates downstream extrusion coating and machinery arrangement The web 100 passes through a pre-heater 106, wherein an induction field is generated to uniformly heat the metal to a temperature that will enhance downstream "green peel" strength of the bonded polymer to the stnp without substantially reducing or otherwise deletenously affecting the desired metal properties As used herein, "green peel" strength means that the polymer is adhered to the metal stnp with sufficient holding power that the polymer will not delammate from the stnp dunng subsequent processing The desired temperature should be in the range of approximately 204°-260°C (400-500°F), and preferably approximately 215°-246°C (425°-475°F) when applying polyester The pre-heated web 100 continues in a downwardly slanted direcuon and passes through an optional flame surface treater 108 The flame treater may reduce the surface of the pre-heated metal to eliminate, minimize or enhance oxides, and thereby enhance adhesion of a polymer which is subsequently applied to it The heated and treated web 100 next enters the first of two extrusion coating stations An extruder, not shown, melt-plasticizes a PET polymer or other 11 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 thermoplastic resin and delivers it through a sheet die 110 which is positioned either vertically or obliquely from vertical and which has a narrow exit slit The slit is set to produce a back-pressure to the extruder that enables spreading of an extrudate 112 to a width at least as wide as the width of stnp 100 The slit may have a width less than the width of the stnp 100 depending on several factors such as the nature and thickness of the polymer resm, the relative speeds of the extruder and metal stnp and the shape of the die, the shape of the extrudate film, among other factors The extrudate 112 is drawn into a roll stack 114 to reduce its thickness to the final thickness for application to the web The draw thickness ratio should be approximately 10-25 1, depending on the extruded polymer The two-roll stack 114 is disposed such that a plane through the centerhne of the rolls is slanted approximately 30 degrees from honzontal The "inside" or turning roll 116 preferably has a resilient surface made of high temperature-resistant elastomer and is internally and/or externally cooled to minimize detenoration of the elastomer The outside or pressure roll 118 is chrome-plated steel, polished, and preferably maintained at a temperature below about 150°F or 66°C (for polyester) which is below the "stickiness" point of the molten polymer which applies line pressure to the polymer as it is applied to the strip matenal This enhances adhesion of the polymer to the metal 100 as well as improves surface appearance The surface speed of the rolls 116, 118 is approximately 10 times faster than the extrudate's exit 12 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 speed from the extrusion die 110, thus drawing the polymer onto the web 100 to its desired thickness in a range of approximately 0 00762 mm to 0 02032 mm (0 3-0 8 mils) and preferably about 0 01016 mm (0 4 mils) The two-roll stack 114 coats the first side of the web 100 with adequate "green peel" strength to avoid separation of the polymer from the metal dunng the subsequent processing The single-side coated web 101 next exits the stack 114 and turns approximately 60 degrees (as a result of the preferred positioning of the second extrusion station) over the elastomer coated roll 116 to slant the web downward "0-45 degrees from vertical (approximately 60 degrees from the entry position into the first stack) The pre-heated and single-side coated web 101 continues in a 30-45 degree slanted and downward direction may pass through an optional second (and possibly larger) flame or other type of boost heater 120, wherein the surface of the pre-heated metal is treated to eliminate/minimize oxides on the second surface and enhance adhesion of the polymer, as well as to provide any needed temperature "boost" to achieve optimum bonding conditions The pre-heated and pre-treated web 101 next enters the second of the two extmsion coaung stations to coat the opposite side of the web than was coated by the first coating station The extruder performance requirements, arrangement, and process for the second extruder are identical to the first extruder The melted extrudate 122 from extmsion die 124 is passed into the nip of a two-roll stack 126 having an arrangement in which a plane through the centerlines of the rolls 128, 130 is inclined 13 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 approximately 30-45 degrees from the horizontal (45-60 degrees from the centerline position of the first stack 114) The geometries, arrangement, performance, and functions of the rolls 128, 130 are identical to that of the first stack 114 The second side of the pre-heated web 101 is coated with extmdate 122 to produce adequate "green peel" strength, as descnbed above for the first side The double-side coated web 103 next exits the stack 126 and is preferably turned approximately 45-90 degrees over the rubber coated roll to achieve a prefened positioning for the induction bonding heater 132 at approximately 30-45 degrees from vertical in a downward direction The now-coated web 103 continues in a slanted and downward direction and passes through a second heater 132, preferably an inducuon heater, to uniformly heat the metal/plastic interface to a temperature that will consummate a bond of the plastic to the metal web without substantially reducing or otherwise deletenously affecting the desired metal properties or the plastic The temperature is preferably approximately 400-550°F (204-228°C) and preferably about 425-475°F (215-246°C) for polyester Upon exit from the induction heater 132, and while continuing in a slanted and downward direction, spray nozzles 134 (or other suitable devices) cool the composite structure to a temperature low enough to allow turning around roller 136 without deletenousl\ affecting the composite matenal's ultimate end-use performance 14 Pnnted from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/M635 requirements The semi-cooled composite 103 is turned and passed through a horizontal water bath 138 to complete the cooling process A drying system 140 is used after the composite 103 leaves the bath 138 to remove residual moisture before rewinding Leveling is performed to remove stresses produced by the turning or bending of the metal stnp 100 over the rolls The completed material 103 is then rewound by rewinder 142 Accumulators, not shown, can be used to accommodate roll changes and coil changes on the rewinder 142 Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a further embodiment of this invention in which the metal stnp 150 is moved vertically upwardly during the coating process and in which the extrusion dies 152, 154 apply the molten resm directly against the opposite sides of the stnp The system of Figure 4 includes an unwinder 156 from which stnp 150 travels upwardly through an induction pre-heater 158, and then between two extrusion dies 152, 154 The dies 152, 154 are fed by conventional extruders, not » shown Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged showing of the dies 152, 154 as they apply extrudate 160, 162 directly to the metal stnp 150 The die onfices are positioned close to the stnp so that the force of the extrudate issuing from the dies is applied against the stnp The dies are positioned within about 5 to 20 mm of the stnp, and preferably less than 10 mm from the stnp The metal stnp 150 travels approximately 10-20 umes faster than does the extrudate issuing from the dies 152, 154 so the extrudate is drawn and reduced in thickness by pull of the stnp on the extrudate The extrudate may be in Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 the range of 0 0127 to 0 0508 mm (0 0005-0 002 inch) thick on each surface of the stnp The dies 152, 154 are preferably directly opposed to each other on opposite faces of the stnp 150 so the pressure of the extrudate from opposite sides of the stnp will center the stnp between the dies The molten polymer impinges upon the surface of the metal stnp almost immediately after the extrudate exits the dies, so the polymer docs not cool or neck-in before it is applied to the stnp This helps to ensure the application of uniform coatings of the resin on both faces of the stnp From the extrusion dies 152, 154, the coated stnp 151 preferably moves through an induction type post-heater 164 which heats the composite stnp to above the melting point of the polyester resin to enhance bonding of the resin to the stnp The composite stnp is then quickly cooled by means not shown and travels over rolls 166 and 168 to a recoiler 170 Figures 6 through 14 show alternative embodiments of this invenuon for coating both faces of strip metal such as aluminum, steel, copper, metal laminates or the like These embodiments all include means for preheating the metal stnp, first and second extrusion coating apparatus including dies and application rolls, means for post-heating the stnp after it has been coated on both faces, and means for cooling the strip The systems may also optionally include means for reheating the stnp between the first and second coating apparatus The systems all include an extruder or extruders for feeding polymer extrudate to the dies Each of the first and second 16 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 f [> 1 % r -a 1*33 WO 96/32202 V x>CT/US95/04635 extrusion coating apparatus in the systems includes a casting roll which contacts the web of polymer extrudate to press it against the metal stnp and a back-up roll which supports the strip metal and provides a roll nip for pressing the stnp metal and web of polymer together to adhere the polymer to the face of the stnp The systems may optionally include a support roll for one or both back-up rolls to support the back-up roll and help to cool it The pre-heater, reheaters and postheaters in these systems can be of a vanety of forms such as inducuon, flame, infrared, radiant, electric, fossil fuel -convection furnaces, heaung rolls or any combination of such devices The stnp can also be preheated m coil form or from prior processing of the stnp to either supplement or replace a preheat device A preferred form of heater is a TFX® induction heater that is available from Davy McKee (Poole) Ltd of Poole, England The dies in these systems are positioned within approximately 4-12 inches (10 2-30 5 cm), and more preferably about 6-8 inches or 15 2-20 3 cm (depending on the die and roll sizes), of the die nip between each pair or rolls The extruded webs of polymer preferably contact the metal stnp and the casting roll substantially simultaneously at the roll nip or contact the metal stnp just ahead of the roll nip Alternatively, the extruded webs can contact the casting roll a few degrees of rotation before entenng the roll nip Such contact of the casting roll before the roll nip should not be more than a few degrees of rotation of the roll, such as about 0-25°, to 17 L WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/0-4635 minimize cooling of the polymer before the polymer contacts the metal stnp at the roll nip The extruded webs of polymer may be approximately 0 005 to 0 030 (0 127-0 254 mm)inches thick and are preferably drawn downwardly by the metal strip and rolls to reduce the thicknesses of the webs The draw ratio may be in a range of about 1 1 to 200 1, and more preferably about 10 1 to 40 1 As used herein, draw ratio means the ratio of the thickness of the web as extruded to the thickness of the web as applied to the stnp metal The draw ratio is generally determined by the difference between the rate of extrusion from the dies and the speed of the stnp metal being coated For example, a draw ratio of 20 1 generally means that the stnp is moving about 20 times faster than the speed of the web as it exits the die opening Techniques for drawing and thinning extruded webs of polymer are well known in the art For some systems, it may be desirable to provide supplemental means m advance of the roll pairs to pin or apply the extruded webs against the face of the stnp metal Supplemental pinning means can include air knives, electrostatic devices and vacuum pinning means, among others The webs may be cast to be entirely on the stnp metal or may be cast wider than the mttal and later tnmmed to remove excess coating For most applications, the casting roll is preferably a hard metal roll having a chrome plating, chrome oxide, aluminum oxide or other hard metal roll surface on it Such roll surfaces may be polished or textured The casting roll is 18 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 $ '* 'r] Ea PCT/US95/04635 preferably cooled to below the stickiness or softening point of the polymer so the polymer will not stick to the roll The back-up roll for most applications preferably has a resilient outer surface portion made of silicone rubber, polyurethane, chlorotrifluorethylene polymers such as VITON® or KEL-F®, tetrafluoroethylene synthetic rubber or elastomenc material, or combinations of such materials VITON®, KEL-F0 and TEFLON® are trademarks of E I Du Pont de Nemours Company The outer surface of such elastomenc material preferably has a Durometer hardness of approximately 75-85 shore A. For some applications, it may be desirable to have a hard surface such as TEFLON®, VITON® or KEL-F® elastomers over a more resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber to provide a hard wear surface and appropriate compressibility Both the casting roll and back-up roll should have relatively smooth surfaces in a range of about 2-20 root-mean-square (rms) For some applications, the casting roll may alternatively have a hard high temperature resistant synthetic rubber surface as descnbed for the back-up roll * , polymer web as the stnp and web travel through the roll nip to thereby adhere the web to the stnp Pressing the rolls toward one another presses the metal stnp against the resilient matenal on the back-up roll and helps to assure that the polymer web is pressed against the metal strip across the full extent of the roll nip with no gaps in the contact The force across the roll nip may vary slightly due to misalignment of the fluorocarbon polymers such as TEFLON®, or other high temperature resistant The casting roll and back-up roll are pressed against the stnp metal and 19 1 i M,-u I R r, C F I V F D '9 9, ' i'* ' * WO 96/32202 £. U - ' PCT/US95/04635 rolls or small variations in the strip thickness, and roll finishes among other things, but must not have gaps of inadequate roll force Pressing the rolls together compresses the elastomenc matenal on the back-up and/or casting rolls to produce a band of contact at the roll nip along the length of the rolls which is believed to accommodate any errors in alignments of the rolls of out-of-flatness of the metal stnp and provide more ■liform distnbution of the force of the polymer web(s) against the metal stnp for better coating uniformity and bonding Apparatus for providing the force for pressing the rdlls against one another and regulating or adjusting the force are well known in the art and include pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, jacks and screws which act on the rolls The polymer coatings applied by this invention may be any of a vanety of resins as descnbed above with respect to Figure 1 The resins are preferably essentially 100% polymer with litde or no solvents in them that can volatilize The same or different resins may be applied on the opposite sides of the stnp, and one or both coatings may contain a pigment or other additive The stnp metal is preferably an intermediate to hard temper aluminum alloy having a thickness of about 0 007 to 0 014 inch (0 1778-0 3556 mm) as descnbed about with respect to Figure 1, but can also be other metals such as steel or copper or laminates The stnp is preferably pre-cleaned and may be pre-treated as by anodizing or conversion coating (preferably non-chrome) or surface roughening to improve performance and improve adherence of polymer coatings to the stnp For example, aluminum stnp can be cleaned and treated with 11 MA/ j3 p e c e i v f d WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 titanium or zirconium phosphate treatments, silicate treatment or BETZ METCHEM® conversion coatings BETZ METCHEM5" is a registered trademark of Betz Laboratones, lnc , of Horsham, Pennsylvania The stnp may also be precoated on one or both sides with organic coatings or Finishes to enhance bonding of the polymer to the stnp In the operation of these systems, the metal stnp is moved through the system at speeds in a Tange of about 300-1500 feet per minute (fpm) or about 90-450 meters per minute (mpm) and preferably about 600-1200 fpm (180-360 mpm) Higher speeds obviously increase productivity and also reduce the time penod (residence time) dunng which the metal is at elevated temperatures Shorter residence umes are sometimes preferred to minimize reduction in metal properties Referring now to Figure 6, the coating system is illustrated as including a roll 172 over which metal stnp 174 travels to be fed into and through a preheat device 173 such as an induction heater which heats the stnp to a temperature in a range of about 250-550°F (121-2S8°C) depending on the metal and temper of the stnp, the desired properties of the stnp after coating, and the polymers to be applied, among other factors For aluminum stnp to be coated by polyester resm for use of the coated stnp in packaging applications, a more preferred preheating range is approximately 400 to 550°F (204-288°C) The preheat temperature, as well as the reheat and postheat temperatures, must not be so high as to deletenously affect the desired properties of the stnp metal or the polymer coatings on the stnp 21 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 The preheated stnp 174 is coated sequentially on opposite faces by two extmsion dies 176, 178 and two pairs of rolls 180. 182 and 184, 186 One or two extruders, not shown, feed molten polymer resin to the extrusion dies 176, 178 The resin can have a temperature in a range of about 350 to 650°F (177-343°C) as fed to the dies 176, 178, and the dies aic preferably heated as by electrical resistance means to maintain the resin at die desired temperature The extrusion dies 176, 178 have elongated, narrow die openings therein approximately corresponding in length to the width of the strip 174 which is being coated, which may be about 10-85 inches (25 4-215 9 crn) or more The length oJ the die opening is preferably at least as wide or wider than the width of the stnp 174 so the web of polymer extruded from each die will fully cover the smp The die openings are long and narrow in order to extrude thin webs The die openings may be up to 0 030 inch (0 762 mm), and preferably are in a range of approximately 0 005 to 0 015 inches (0 127-0 381 mm) The dies are generally conventional dies and are available from a vanety of vendors The dies 176 and 178 exude thin webs 188 and 190 which are applied against opposite sides of the stnp 174 by the roll pairs 180, 182 and 184,186 In the first roll pair, roll 182 is the casting roll which contacts the web 188 of polymer issuing from die 176, and roll 180 is a back-up roll which supports the stnp 174 against the casting roll As stated above, the casting roll 182 is preferably a hard metal roll, and the back-up roll 180 preferably has a resilient outer roll surface or shell such as a silicone rubber outer layer on it Both the rolls 180, 182 are preferably 22 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 A fi * f\ " £" PCT/US95/04635 r .'* ^ ■' d tooled by coolant such as water which is circulated through them The casting roll is cooled to less than about I50°F (66°C) so the web of polymer will not stick to it The back-up roll 180 is preferably internally and/or externally cooled to minimize heat damage to the resilient layer on the roll A support roll 181 may be optionally provided to support the back-up roll 180 and help cool it As shown, the rolls 180, 182 may be positioned paiallel with their axes side-by-side in a substantially horizontal plane so the stnp metal 174 and polymer web 188 cari'be fed downwardly into the nip between the rolls and out through the bottom of the roll nip The stnp 174 may follow the outer surface of the back-up roll around approximately a 0 to 120° arc of the roll before the stnp leaves the roll surface to travel to the reheater 192 The polymer web 188 on the stnp metal 174 preferably has minimal contact with the casting roll 182 in order to minimize possible sticking or adverse effects on the web by the roll This minimization of contact is especially applicable for polyester resins, whereas more contact and greater cooling of the resm by the casting roll is desirable for polypropylene resins (See Figure 14) The rolls 180, 182 are pressed together with a force of about 50-300 pounds per linear inch (pli) or about 9 0-53 7 kg per cm, preferably about 120-180 pli (21 5-32 2 kg per cm), and more preferably about 150 pli (26 9 kg/cm) along the length of the roll nip This force causes the resilient compressible outer portion of the back-up roll 180 to be deformed or impressed slightly to insure that there are no gaps in the force of the rolls against the metal strip across the full length of the roll nip and provides a measure of forgiving or ,7 ^ r~' F"» WO 96/32202 V ' ' i > ' , " '1 PCT/US95/04635 L< u ' - ; 'J r} £u accommodation to misalignment of the rolls or out-of-flatness of the sheet material. But this force does not reduce the gauge of the polymer or the materials As stated above, this compression of the compressible la>er on theback-up roll 180 produces a narrow band of contact between the rolls 180, 132 and the stnp 174 at the roll nip Depending on the amount of force pressing the rolls together and the resiliency of the support roll 180, among other factors, a typical band of contact may be about 1/4 to 1 inch (0 64-2 54 cm) wide and typically about 3/4 inch (1 9 cm) wide \* After the stnp 174 has been coated on one face, it may optionally be reheated as, for example, with an induction heater 192 or the like The stnp may be reheated to a temperature in the range of about 250 to 550°F (120-288°C), depending on the polymer being applied, and more preferably to about 400 to 550°F (204-288°C) for polyester coatings For some applications and some polymers, it may not be necessary to reheat the stnp 174 before it is coated on its opposite face From the reheater 192, the strip 174 travels to the second extrusion die 178 and roll pair 184, 186 and optional cooling roll 187 for a second polymer web * i 190 to be applied to the opposite side of the stnp from that coated by the first web 188 The distance from the exit of the first nip to the second nip is preferably kept short to control the heat loss from the metal as it travels between the two roll nips The second die 178 and second roll pair 184, 186 are similar to the first die 176 and roll pair 180, 182 except that the rolls are reversed, the second casting roll is on the opposite side of the stnp from the first casting roll, the axes of the rolls are in a different plane, and the 24 11 \l\{ i-J3 R E 0 F I V r- D WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 second die 178 is in a different orientation In order for the stnp 174 to pass in a substantially straight line through the second die nip, the plane through the axes of the rolls 184,186 is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the stnp moving through the die nip and at an angle to vertical The stnp 174 therefore has minimal contact with rolls 184,186 except for the narrow band of contact produced by the resilient deformation of the resilient matenal of the outer portion on the back-up roll 186 As stated above, this minimization of contact of the rolls 184, 186 against the polymer on the stnp 174 is believed to be helpful in enhancing the quality and performance of the final coated product for some polyester resins For other polymers such as polypropylene, a substantial roll wrap and cooling of the polymer is preferred before the coated stnp departs from the roll As with the first set of rolls, the second set of rolls 184, 186 must be pressed against the metal stnp 174 and the polymer web with sufficient force to ensure that the polymer web 190 is pressed tightly against the stnp across the full width of the roll nip The forcc between the second set of rolls 184, 186 should be in a range of approximately 50-300 pli (9 0-53 7 kg/cm), and preferably about 120-180 (21 5-32 2 kg/cm) After the stnp 174 has been coated on both sides or faces with the polymer webs 188, 190, the fully coated stnp travels through a post-heater 194 and through a system for cooling the coated stnp Although not essential to the invention, it is believed to be desirable to minimize contact of the coated stnp by rolls or other Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 mechanical devices between the coating rolls 1X4, 1K6 and when the polymer has been solidified by cooling For example, it is desirable for the stnp 174 to travel in a substantially straight line from rolls 184, 186 through a post-heater 194 and through means, not shown, for at least partially cooling the stnp to at least below the melting point of the polymer coatings on the stnp In this way, contact with the polymer on the stnp with rolls or the like is avoided before the polymer is solidified, and the coalings are not as likely to be adversely affected by rolls or the like The post heater 194 is preferably an inducuon heater, infrared heater, convection oven or a combination of two or all three that can quickly heat the resin on the sheet to at least about the softening temperature and preferably above the melting point of the polymers It is important that such heaung not be so high as to significantly deletcnously affect the properties of the metal in the stnp or the polymer coatings on the stnp Heating the polymers to at least approximately their melting points may be desirable to cause the polymers to flow and thereby heal any blemishes and/or smooth any unevenness of the coatings on the stnp After the strip has been post-heated, it is cooled quickly to solidify the coating in a substantially non-crystalline form It may be desirable to first partially cool the stnp with air or other gas to below the melting point of the polymer and then to quench the partially cooled stnp with water sprays or a water bath Partially cooling the stnp with air is believed to minimize possible adverse effects that water might have on polymer that is still melted or molten As used herein "quickly cooling" means that 26 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 the polymer coatings are cooled promptly after the coated strip exits the postheater as the stnp is traveling at about 300-1500 fpm, and preferably about 600-1200 fpm The cooling or quench unit is positioned within a few feet, such as about 5-50 feet, of the postheater so the polymer coatings are preferably solidified less than about 10 seconds and more preferably less than about one second after the coated strip exits the postheater After the stnp has been cooled, it can be further processed as by trimming the edges, slitting, leveling, winding on a coil or made into products such as can ends or can bodies with or without being rewound Figure 7 shows an alternative system similar to the system shown in Figure 6 except that the upper pair of rolls 202, 204 is positioned with the axes of the rolls disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the stnp 196 passing through the roll nip Cooling rolls, not shown, may be added to help cool rolls 202, 208 and 212 In this system, there is minimal contact of the stnp against the back-up roll so there is less heat transfer from the stnp to the back-up roll and less heat damage to the resilient outer portion of the back-up roll 202 This also means less cooling of the stnp metal, which may obviate any need to boost or reheat the strip before it is coated on the inverse side If reheating is desired, the one-sided coated stnp has its direction turned by roll 208 and is passed through a boost healer 210 The stnp then has its inverse side coated by die 216 and rolls 212, 214 The fully coated stnp is then post heated 27 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCMJS95/04635 and cooled/quenched in a manner similar to that descnbed above with reference to Figure 6 Figure 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of this invention which is similar to that of Figure 6 except that the rolls 218, 220 in the lower coating station are disposed horizontally side by side with their axes in a substantially horizontal plane and with the stnp 222 following the back-up roll 210 for about 90° of rotation, whereafter the stnp travels to postheat and cooling devices, not shown Figure 8 also shows, by dotted lines, several alternative paths for the stnp 222 to travel after exiting the roll nip in the lower casting station Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment of this invention with a substantially vertical direction of travel of the stnp metal 230 through the preheater 231, a first roll set 232, a boost heater 234 and a second roll set 236 From the second roll set, the doubly coated stnp travels through a post-heater, not shown, and a cooling system, not shown If space permits the post-heater is preferably located vertically in line below the two coating rolls, and the stnp is preferably cooled to below the melting point of the polymer before being contacted by a turning roll Such cooling to below the melting point of the polymer can be by air cooling whereafter the strip can be turned to pass through a fluid quench such as a water quench Figure 10 shows another embodiment of this invention in which metal stnp 240 traverses substantially honzontally between two extrusion dies 242, 244 and roll pairs In this system, the stnp 240 is turned around a back-up roll 246 which 28 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 "i A r ' 3 WO 96/32202 1 | J > PCT/US95/04635 A ^forms a roll nip with a casting roll 248 The extrusion die 242 extrudes a thin polymer web 250 above the roll nip to be drawn and reduced in thickness before it is pressed against, and adhered to, the stnp Both the casting roll 248 and the back-up roll 246 are cooled as in the previously descnbed systems From the back-up roll 246, the stnp 240 moves honzontally through an optional boost heater 252 and then around another back-up roll 254 which forms a roll nip with casting roll 256 The extrusion die 244 extrudes a second web 258 of polymer which is drawn to reduce its thickness and is pressed against the stnp 240 at the nip between the rolls 254,256 Both rolls 254, 256 are preferably cooled as in the first roll pair The doubly coated stnp then travels through a post-heater 260 and then a cooler/quench system 262 to produce the final product which can be rewound into a coil 264 or be further processed Figure 11 shows another embodiment for coating metal stnp 264 in which the strip travels over a turn roll 265 and through a preheater 266, and in which polymer web 268, 270 are applied substantially simultaneously on opposite sides of the stnp The extrusion dies 272,274 m this system extrude the polymer webs 268, 270 which are drawn by casting rolls 276, 278 into the roll nip and pressed against opposite sides of the metal stnp At least one, if not both, of the casting rolls 276, 278 preferably has a compressible outer layer such as TEFLON®, VITON®, KEL-F®, elastomer in order to insure continuous bonding force across the entire length of the roll nip The system preferably includes cooling rolls 280, 282 to help cool the casting 29 11 may ,009 i r e c e i v f d WO 96132202 O ' ) • T" ' J f"" PCT/US95/0463S ' < i " 4 'O'jV-1 J rolls 276, 278 and prolong the life of the casting rolls The system further includes a t postheater 284 and quench means such as water sprays 286 similar to those shown in the prior Figures A further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 12 in wnich stnp material such as an aluminum stnp 290 travels over a turn roll 292, through a preheater 294, and between an upper casting roll 300 and upper back-up roll 302 to be coated on a first side by a polymer web 298 which is extruded from an upper die 296 The ckst roll is preferably a polished steel roll, and theback-uproll preferably has a compressible outer layer on it An upper cooling roll 303 is preferably included to extend the life of the compressible material on theback-up roll 302 From the roll nip between rolls 300, 302, the one-side coated stnp preferably travels through a heater 304 to reheat or boost the temperature of the stnp for coating of the inverse side by a second polymer web 312 which is extruded by lower extrusion die 310 A lower casting roll 308 and backup roll 306 press the web 312 against the stnp to adhere it to the stnp Lower casting roll 308 is preferably polished steel, and the lower backup roll 306 has a compressible outer surface such as TEFLON®, VITON® or KEL-F®, elastomer A lower cooling roll 314 may optionally be included as with the upper roll set After application of the second polymer web, the two-side coated stnp is preferably postheated to above the melting point(s) of tne polymer(s) by a heater 316 and then quickly cooled as with water sprays 318 U WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 A still further embodiment of this invention is shown in Figure 13 in which metal strip material 320 is sequentially coated on opposite sides as the stnp travels in a generally "S" path through the system In this system, the metal stnp 320 travels over a turn roll 322, through a preheater 324 and between a casting roll 330 and backup roll 332 for a first polymer web 326 from die 328 to be adhered to one side of the stnp A cooling roll 348 is preferably included to extend the life of compressible matenal on the backup roll In this system, the location of the casting roll 330 and backup roll 332 is such that the stnp metal 320 wraps part way around the rolls for about 4i>-90° of rotation of the rolls depending on the direction of travel of the stnp with respect to a plane through the axes of the two rolls After receiving the first coating, the metal stnp 320 is preferably turned in direction by a turn roll 336 and travels through a heater 338 to boost the temperature of the stnp, followed by application of a coating to the opposite surface of the stnp by casting roll 344, backup roll 346, cooling roll 348 and extrusion die 340 which extrudes polymer web 342 into the roll nip The location of the rolls 344, 346 with respect to the direcuon of travel of the stnp 320 is similar to the upper coaung stauon so the stnp also wraps part of the way around the rolls as the stnp moves through the lower coaung station From the lower coating station, the stnp 320 with coating on both sides is preferably postheated to above the melting point of the polymer or polymers and then quickly cooled to solidify the polymers on the stnp 31 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04631 Figure 14 shows a further embodiment of the invention which is particularly suited for applying polypropylene coatings on both sides of an aluminum strip matenal In this system, stnp metal 352 travels over a turn roll 354. downwardly at about 30-60° to vertical through a preheater 356 and into the roll nip between a backup roll 358 and a cast/chill roll 360 for a polymer web 364 from die 362 to be applied to the stnp In this system, the stnp metal 352 wraps part way around the cast/chill roll 360 for the roll to cool the polymer on the stnp to insure that the polymer, and especially a polypropylene matenal, will peel off the roll and remain on the metal stnp A take-off roll 370 may be employed to cause the stnp 352 to follow the cast/chill roll 360 as shown The cast/chill roll preferably internally cooled and has a relatively large diameter such as about 3-6 feet (0 91-1 83 meters) in diameter to sufficiently cool the stnp and polymer on it The backup roll preferably has a compressible outer layer on it and is preferably internally and/or externally cooled From the upper coating station, the stnp 352 travels over a turn roll 372, through a heater 374 to have a second coating applied on it by a lower coating station which is essentially the same as the upper coating station The lower coating station includes an extrusion die 382, a backup roll 376, a cast/chill roll 378, and a take-off roll 384 for applying a polymer web such as a polypropylene to the metal stnp The doubly coated stnp from the take-off roll 384 is then preferably postheated and quickly cooled as with the other systems descnbed herein 32 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 11 ** ft t- v., I ' WO 96/32202 ' O "J K' PCT/US95/04635 For some applications of this invention, the coatings may be different polymers on opposite sides of the metal stnp and may have different thicknesses, For example, the coating on one surface may be a blend of a high melt viscosity polyester and a bottle grade polyester and the coating on the other surface can be a polyethylene or vinyl resm. The coating on one or both surfaces may also include a pigment or colonng matenal in it Coating stnp metal in accordance with this invention for use in packaging applications such as use in making can bodies or can ends requires the coatings to be tightly adhered to the metal stnp Use of the stnp for packing applications also requires that the surfaces of the coatings be smooth arid glossy The surfaces should have a minimum of irregularities in them such as embossing or surface blemishes. The mechanical properties of the metal, such as tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, formability, and corrosion resistance are also desirably maximized The coatings must also be flexible so they won't crack or delaminate when the stnp is processed into the final product such as a can body, can end or other ■* products The coatings for packaging applications are also quite thin such as about half a mil in thickness and should be substantially uniform in thickness In the practice of this invention, the path of the metal strip through the roll pairs, the post-heat apparatus and cooling/quench system plays an important role in the quality of the coated stnp In particular, it is desirable to minimize contact of the coatings on the stnp with the rolls before the coatings are cooled to at least below 33 in%i - jo R E C F IV r D WO 96132202 PCT/US95/04635 the melung point, and possibly the softening point of the polymers in the coatings For some systems, it is desirable to air cool the coated strip, after the post-heat, down to below the melting point of the polymers before the water quench This air coolmg minimizes possible adverse effects on the molten coating by water in the quench Aluminum stnp which has been coated in accordance with this invention has many advantages over stnp that has been coated or laminated in accordance with prior art methods One important advantage is that the coating is tightly adhered or bonded to both sides of the metal substrate and does not peel ordelaminate when the stnp is formed into products such as drawn or drawn and ironed can bodies, can ends, or decorative trim for automobiles or appliances The stnp can also be produced at less cost than pnor art stnp because this invention eliminates secondary processes of forming, rolling and unrolling of films that are laminated to the stnp by pnor art techniques It is therefore seen that this invention provides an improved continuous process for coating both sides of a metal strip with thermoplastic coatings and to an improved stnp which has been so formed While some alternative modes for practicing the invenuon have been descnbed, it will be apparent that the appended claims are intended to cover all modes and embodiments which fall within the spint of the invention For example, the coating or coaungs on the metal stnp can be polished while the coating is near 01 above its melung point by means of a polished kiss roll over which the coated stnp is passed after postheating and before the coatings are 34 Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31 WO 96/32202 PCT/US95/04635 cooled Other alternative processing will be apparent m view of the descnption contained herein Printed from Mimosa 12 29 31

Claims (5)

What we claim is

1 A process for extrusion coating a metal stnp to produce a coated metal stnp comprising: providing a stnp of metal about 0 007 to 0 014 inches (0 1778-0 356 mm) thick, heating the metal strip to a temperature of at least about 400°F (204°C), extruding a polymer resm onto one side and the same or a different polymer resin onto the other side of the heated metal stnp to form coatings which are at least partially bonded to the metal stnp, said coatings each having a thickness in a range of about 0 0003 mches to 0.0015 inches (0.0076-0 038 mm) thereby cooling the metal stnp, reheating the coated metal stnp to at least the glass transition point of said resin so that said polymer resin bonds to the metal stnp; and cooling the coated metal stnp to less than about 104°F (40°C) to solidify said resin in a substantially non-crystalline form.

2 A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heated metal stnp passes through a nip formed by a first pair of rolls and then enters a nip formed by a second pair of rolls, said first and second pairs of rolls each composing a casting roll and a backup roll, said polymer resin being extruded onto each casting roll for applying said extruded polymer to respective sides of the metal stnp, and wherein (a) the metal stnp is heated after it exits the nip between said first pair of rolls and before it enters the mp between said second pair of rolls; and/or (b) the metal stnp is heated to at least the glass transition temperature of said polymer after the metal stnp exits said second pair of rolls; and/or (c) the metal stnp is heated to at least the melting point of said polymer after the metal stnp exits said second pair of rolls. 3 A process as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein (a) the polymer in at least one of said coatings is polyester, and/or 11> ilL1 ii ii' „ jdY ijrc i F <:> i I 36

3 1 may 13s9 received (b) the polymer in both of said coatings contains essentially no solvent, and/or (c) said coatings are 100% polymer matenal, and/or (d) at least one of said coatings contains pigment, and/or (e) at least one of said coatings comprises a high melt viscosity resin, and/or (f) at least one of said coatings comprises a blend of high melt viscosity polyester resin and a bottle grade polyethylene teraphthalate resin

4 A process as set forth in claim 1, in which said extruded polymers are drawn (a) to thicknesses in a range of 0 0001 to 0 005 inch or in a range of 0 0002 to 0 002 inch, and/or (b) to reduce their thickness in draw ratios of 1 1 to 200 1, or 10 1 to 40 1, or about 25 1, and/or (c) such that one of said extruded polymers is reduced in thickness more than the

5. A process as set forth in claim 1, in which the metal stnp: (a) 15 an aluminum alloy, and/or (b) compnses aluminum alloy m a range of about 0 007 to 0 014 in thick in an intermediate to hard temper, and/or (c) is cleaned and treated before it is coated with said polymer resm, and/or (d) is treated with a conversion coating 6 A process as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rolls are disposed such that (a) the metal stnp moved downwardly through the respective nips between said first and second pairs of rolls, and/or (b) the axes of said first pair of rolls are substantially horizontal and the other 37 "< r I'm c f*' s I. > metal strip travels downwardly at an angle m a range of 30-70° to the horizontal into the nip between said first pair of rolls and exits said nip in a downward direction at an angle in a range of 60° to 140° to said direction of travel of the metal stnp into said nip, and/or (c) the metal stnp enters the nip between said first pair of rolls at an angle of about 45° to the honzontal and exits said nip at about an angle of about 45° to the honzontal, and/or (d) the metal stnp travels in substantially a straight path from said first pair of rolls into and through the nip between said second pair of rolls; and/or (e) the axes of the rolls m said second pair of rolls are disposed in a plane which is at a 90° angle to the plane of travel of the metal stnp through the nip between said second pair of rolls, and/or (f) the metal stnp travels substantially vertically downwardly through the respective nips between said first and second pairs of rolls. 7 A process as set forth m claim 2, in which said cooling is effected promptly after exit of the coated metal stnp from the nip between said second pair of rolls and before contact with the coatings on the metal stnp by rolls or other mechanical devices, and optionally said coated metal stnp is heated to at least the melting pomt of said polymer before the metal stnp is cooled. 8 Aluminum stnp having thin polymer coatings tightly bonded on both faces thereof by the process set forth in any one of the preceding claims 9 Apparatus for coating both sides of a metal stnp with polymer resin comprising means for preheating the metal stnp; first and second pairs of rolls, each pair including a casting roll and a backup roll which form a nip such that, when the metal stnp and a web of extruded polymer resin move therethrough, the web is at least partially bonded to the metal stnp; 3ft <f>0 F C at least one extruder, / U ' * t*r> i ^ first and second extrusion dies for extruding a respective first and second web of polymer resin for a respective side of the metal stnp, each web being less than about 0 030 inch (0 76 mm) thick, means for postheating the coated metal stnp after it has moved through both the first and second pairs of rolls so that said first and second polymer resm webs are bonded to respective sides of the metal stnp,- and means for quenching the coated metal stnp after it has been postheated 10 Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, which includes means for reheating said coated metal stnp as it travels between said first pair of rolls and said second pair of rolls; and/or in which said backup roll in each pair of rolls has a compressible matenal as the outer roll portion of the roll 11 A process as defined in claim 1 for extrusion coating substantially as herein descnbed with reference to the accompanying drawings 12 An apparatus defined m claim 9 for coating both sides of a metal stnp with polymer substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings END OF CLAIMS 39 t 11 may iou9 RECEIVED