WO2015033143A1 - Procédé de réparation - Google Patents

Procédé de réparation Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015033143A1
WO2015033143A1 PCT/GB2014/052680 GB2014052680W WO2015033143A1 WO 2015033143 A1 WO2015033143 A1 WO 2015033143A1 GB 2014052680 W GB2014052680 W GB 2014052680W WO 2015033143 A1 WO2015033143 A1 WO 2015033143A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
wall panel
design
skin
thickness
transfer
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2014/052680
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Steven James Perry
Original Assignee
Creative Graphics International Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Creative Graphics International Limited filed Critical Creative Graphics International Limited
Publication of WO2015033143A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015033143A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44CPRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C1/00Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
    • B44C1/10Applying flat materials, e.g. leaflets, pieces of fabrics
    • B44C1/105Applying flat materials, e.g. leaflets, pieces of fabrics comprising an adhesive layer
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60PVEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
    • B60P3/00Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
    • B60P3/32Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C73/00Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D
    • B29C73/02Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using liquid or paste-like material
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C73/00Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D
    • B29C73/04Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements
    • B29C73/10Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements using patches sealing on the surface of the article
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44CPRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C5/00Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
    • B44C5/04Ornamental plaques, e.g. decorative panels, decorative veneers
    • B44C5/0461Ornamental plaques, e.g. decorative panels, decorative veneers used as wall coverings

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a repair method, in particular to a method of repairing a wall panel for a caravan that has been printed with a design.
  • the shell of a caravan is produced by assembling two side panels, two end panels, a floor and a roof (although one or both of the end panels may be integral with the roof).
  • the floor, side panels and end panels are mounted onto a chassis, and the roof is then fitted.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-section through a conventional wall panel (which may be either a side panel or an end panel) for a caravan.
  • the wall panel has an inner skin 2 and an outer skin 3 which are mounted on a supporting matrix 1 .
  • the matrix 1 typically comprises a wooden frame, with openings in the frame being filled with polystyrene to provide thermal insulation.
  • the outer skin (which forms the exterior of the caravan) is typically powder-coated aluminium, and the inner skin 2 is typically formed of 3mm plywood.
  • the aluminium outer skin 3 and the plywood inner skin 2 are each glued to the matrix by a respective glue layer 6.
  • Wallpaper 4 or some other decorative covering is provided on the inner surface of the inner skin 2.
  • the outer skin 3 is usually decorated with printed self-adhesive vinyl elements 5 and possibly badges (not shown) that are stuck onto the outer skin 3 during or after assembly of the wall panel.
  • the inner skin may be continuous over a side panel or may be made up of a number of portions as indicated by joint 8 in figure 1 .
  • the outer skin is preferably continuous over a side panel, to maximise weather resistance.
  • UK patent application GB 2476808 and PCT published application WO 201 1/083341 describe a method of manufacturing a wall panel for a caravan (or mobile home, motor home etc).
  • a first design is printed onto a first skin of a wall panel, which may be either the inner skin or the outer skin when the wall panel is assembled into a caravan.
  • a second design is printed onto a second skin of the wall panel.
  • the design(s) is/are printed on to the skin(s) of the wall panel using a direct-to-substrate printer, for example an inkjet printer using UV-based or conventional inks. Printing the designs allow the wallpaper 4 and vinyl elements 5 of figure 1 to be eliminated.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section through a wall panel manufactured according to a method of GB 2476808 or WO 201 1/083341 .
  • the wall panel shown in figure 2 the wall panel has thickness of approximately 1 inch (25.4mm), which is a typical thickness for a caravan wall panel.
  • the matrix 1 has a width of approximately 22mm
  • the inner skin 2 in figure 2 is a GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) skin (although other materials such as foam PVC may alternatively be used) with a width of approximately 3mm
  • the powder-coated aluminium outer skin 3 has a width of approximately 0.5mm.
  • the inner and outer skins 2, 3 are glued to the matrix 1 by glue layers 6.
  • Skins of this composition and thickness provide sufficient structural thickness and so the matrix may be formed of a sheet of expanded polystyrene (preferably with mounting members (for example wood) being provided in the matrix at locations where it is desired to join the wall panel to another wall panel or to the chassis, floor or roof of the caravan, or where it is desired to mount a component onto the wall panel).
  • the wall panel of GB 2476808 or WO 201 1/083341 is not however limited to these particular dimensions or to these materials.
  • a desired first design 9 is printed onto one side of the wall panel using a direct-to-substrate printer, and a desired second design 10 is printed onto the other side of the wall panel using a direct-to-substrate printer
  • a transparent, and preferably glossy, protective coating is usually applied over the design to protect the printed design against damage, spillage and weathering.
  • This transparent protective coating is generally referred to as a "clearcoat” or "clear coat”.
  • the clear coat may be any transparent coating that is durable enough to resist abrasion and chemically stable enough to withstand UV light, and may for example be a urethane coating or a UV-curable coating.
  • the clear coat may be applied by the direct-to- substrate printer that prints the design on the skin, or it may be applied in a separate process, for example by spraying or by use of a roller-coating machine.
  • a design printed onto the inner skin of a side or end panel may include decoration (as would be provided by wallpaper in a conventional wall panel), and may also include text such as one or more safety notices and/or operating instructions, and/or may include positions where components, such as interior furniture and/or fittings, are subsequently to be mounted on the wall panel.
  • a design printed onto the outer skin may include one or more of decoration, the manufacturer's name and/or the model of the caravan, and text such as one or more safety notices, a weight plate label and/or operating instructions. (When a design is printed onto the outer skin, the outer skin will usually have a desired background colour so that the design need be printed only where additional decoration and/or information text is desired.)
  • the present invention provides a method of repairing a wall panel for a caravan comprises flattening a damaged portion of the first skin of the wall panel, and applying an image to the flattened portion of the first skin of the wall panel, using a transfer or a thin film self-adhesive decal. A transparent protective coating may then be applied over the transfer or decal.
  • self-adhesive decal denotes a self-adhesive graphic element, having a support film that is provided with an adhesive layer on one surface and having a design printed on the other surface. The decal is adhered on a desired substrate, by the adhesive layer.
  • a "thin film” self-adhesive decal” as used herein denotes a self-adhesive decal having an overall thickness of 25 ⁇ or less. (The overall thickness of a self-adhesive decal is defined primarily by the support film and the adhesive layer, since the printed image adds only negligibly to the overall thickness.)
  • a “transfer” is used herein to denote a graphics element in which an adhesive is combined within the ink or other substance that provides a desired design. There is no integral support film - the adhesive/ink are initially provided on a suitable carrier, and are transferred from the carrier to the desired substrate. The thickness of the adhesive/ink, after transfer to the desired substrate, is very low (and less than 25 ⁇ ) since the carrier is discarded.
  • Road-going vehicles such as caravans and motorhomes are inevitably involved in road traffic accidents, leading to damage to one or more of the wall panels of the vehicle - and such damage will also damage any design printed onto the damaged wall panel(s). If a wall panel suffers serious damage it will generally be necessary to remove the damaged wall panel and fit a replacement wall panel, but where a wall panel suffers only minor damage it is however preferable to repair the wall panel rather than replace it.
  • a method of the invention is particularly suited for providing a replacement design on a wall panel where the original design was printed on the wall panel using a direct-to- substrate printer, since use of a transfer or thin-film self-adhesive decal means that the replacement design will be similar in appearance to any undamaged portions of the original design, so making the design less conspicuous.
  • a method of the invention is particularly suited for providing a replacement design on a wall panel manufactured according to a method of GB 2476808 or WO 201 1/083341 , when the wall panel is repaired after having been damaged.
  • Figure 1 shows a typical wall panel for a caravan
  • Figure 2 shows a wall panel for a caravan according to GB 2476808 or WO 201 1/083341 ;
  • Figure 3 is a block flow diagram showing the principle steps of a method according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view through a wall panel repaired according a method of the present invention.
  • the starting point for the method of figure 3 is a wall panel which has had a design printed on at least one skin using a direct-to-substrate printer according to a method as described in GB 2476808 or WO 2011/083341 (for example a wall panel as shown in figure 2), and that has suffered damage.
  • the method will be described below with reference to damage to the outer skin of the wall panel since the outer skin is more likely to be damaged in, for example, a road traffic accident, although a method of the invention may be used to repair damage to the inner skin as well as, or in addition to, damage to the outer skin. It will be assumed that the damage to the wall panel is not so severe to require replacement of the wall panel - for example the damage may be relatively minor dents, scratches and/or gouging in the outer skin of the wall panel.
  • the damaged area of the outer skin of the wall panel is made smooth.
  • This will be referred to as “flattening” the outer skin, but it should be noted that the term “flattening” does not imply that the invention is limited to a wall panel having a planar (“flat”) surface.
  • the invention may be applied to a wall panel having a curved surface as well as to a wall panel having a planar surface, and the term “flattening” refers generally to the process of restoring the outer skin to its desired profile.
  • any regions of the wall panel that, following the damage, are recessed beyond the desired surface of the wall panel are filled and flattened off using any suitable repair technique for the specific material of which the out skin of the wall panel is made. Also, if the damage has caused any material to protrude beyond the desired surface of the wall panel this protruding material is removed to flatten the surface of the wall panel.
  • Typical materials for the outer skin of a wall panel are aluminium, in particular powder- coated aluminium, plastics material, and composite materials such as glass-reinforced plastics, and suitable filling/repair techniques for these materials are well-known and will not be described.
  • the repaired area(s) of the wall panel is/are then coloured, for example painted, at block 2 of figure 3.
  • the repaired area of the outer skin of the wall panel is painted in the body colour of the vehicle, for example by spray painting.
  • painting the repaired area is not necessary (for example where the damaged areas are only within an area of printed decoration), and in such cases block 2 of figure 3 can be omitted.
  • the design provided on the outer skin of the wall panel is repaired. This is done using a thin film self-adhesive decal or transfer.
  • the thin film decal or transfer has been printed with a desired image, and is optionally opaque to allow better colour matching of the printed image with the original design on the wall panel.
  • the thin film decal or transfer may have the same background colour as the original wall panel.
  • a protective clearcoat is applied to the repaired area, for example is sprayed on to the repaired area. Once dry, the clearcoat may be polished so that the repaired area has the same gloss finish as the original wall panel. Any suitable clear coat material may be used, for example a urethane coating or a UV- curable coating.
  • the thin-film decal may have a film thickness of 25 ⁇ or less, for example may have a film thickness of 10-20 ⁇ , for example may have a film thickness of 15 ⁇ .
  • Use of such a thin-film decal, or use of a transfer means that, when over-sprayed with the clearcoat, the decal or transfer would become embedded in the clearcoat, giving the exact same appearance as other graphics on the wall panel that were printed directly on the substrate.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view through a wall panel 12 that has been repaired using a method of the invention.
  • the wall panel 12 has the construction described with reference to figure 2, and has a matrix 1 sandwiched between an inner skin 2 and an outer skin 3.
  • Graphics elements 10a, 10b, 10c are printed on the outer surface of the outer skin 3, and a protective clearcoat 1 1 is applied over the outer skin 3 and the graphics elements 10a, 10b, 10c (the thickness of the graphics elements 10a, 10b, 10c is exaggerated in figure 4, for clarity).
  • a region of the outer skin 3 of the wall panel has been damaged, in the example of figure 4 dented, and one of the graphics elements 10b is within the damaged region.
  • the matrix 2 of the wall panel has also been damaged, although this is of less importance since the process of filling the damaged area will restore the wall panel to its original thickness.
  • the damaged area of the wall panel has been filled using a suitable filler 13.
  • the surface of the filler has been flattened so that it is level with the surface of the undamaged areas of the wall panel 12 - since the outer layer of the wall panel in figure 4 is the original clearcoat 1 1 , the surface of the filler 13 is flattened so that it is level with the surface of the clearcoat 1 1 .
  • the filler is then coloured to match the background colour of the wall panel, for example by spray painting (the paint layer is omitted from figure 4, as its thickness is small).
  • a new graphics element 10b' is applied on the newly re-painted background colour, applied to the filler 13, to replace the graphics elements 10b that is within the damaged region and that is now covered by the filler 13 and painted background colour.
  • the replacement graphics element 10b' will be the same design as, and will be applied in the same position on the surface of the wall panel as, the graphics elements 10b that is within the damaged region.
  • the replacement graphics element 10b' is a transfer or a thin-film self-adhesive decal. (The thickness of the new graphics elements 10b' is also exaggerated in figure 4.)
  • a protective clearcoat 1 1 ' is then applied over the repaired area of the wall panel.
  • the new clearcoat 1 1 ' preferably also partially extends over the undamaged region(s) of the wall panel, to minimise the risk of water penetrating into the interface between the filler 13 and the damaged area of the wall panel.
  • the new clearcoat 1 1 ' is then "polished in”, to smooth the edges 14a, 14b of the new clearcoat 1 1 ' and so make the edges less perceptible to a user, and minimise any difference in appearance between the repaired area and undamaged region(s) of the wall panel.
  • the new clearcoat 1 1 ' is applied on the surface of the filler 13 which, as described above, is flattened to be level with the original clearcoat 1 1 .
  • the new clearcoat 1 1 ' is slightly proud of the original clearcoat 1 1 .
  • the use of a thin-film self-adhesive decal for the new graphics element 10b' however means that the thickness of the new clearcoat 11 ' can be kept low, thereby minimising the additional thickness of the repaired portion of the wall panel and so making the edges 14a, 14b of the new clearcoat 1 1 ' virtually imperceptible to a user.
  • a transfer is inherently thin and will embed naturally within a clearcoat, and use of a transfer to provide the new graphics element 10b' again means that the thickness of the new clearcoat 1 1 ' can be kept low.
  • the new clearcoat 1 1 ' would be required to have a thickness of more than 80-100 ⁇ , since the thickness of the new clearcoat 1 1 ' has to be greater than the thickness of the replacement graphics element 10b'. This would lead to a perceptible change in thickness at the edges 14a, 14b of the new clearcoat 1 1 '.
  • the invention may also be applied to the repair of damage to an inner skin.
  • plastics material, and composite materials Typical materials for the inner skin of a wall panel are plywood, plastics material, and composite materials such as glass-reinforced plastics, and suitable filling/repair techniques for use on these materials at block 1 of figure 3 are known.
  • the repaired area of the inner skin is painted, if necessary, in a colour that matches the interior or the vehicle, rather than in the body colour of the vehicle.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Finishing Walls (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de réparation d'un panneau mural (12) pour une caravane, comprenant l'aplatissement d'une partie endommagée de la première peau du panneau mural, et l'application d'une image (10b') sur la partie aplatie de la première peau du panneau mural, au moyen d'un transfert d'une décalcomanie auto-adhésive à film mince possédant une épaisseur maximale de 25 μm. Un revêtement protecteur transparent (11') peut ensuite être appliqué sur le transfert ou la décalcomanie auto-adhésive à film mince. Un procédé de l'invention convient particulièrement pour fournir un motif de remplacement sur un panneau mural où le motif original (10a, 10c) était imprimé sur le panneau mural au moyen d'une imprimante à impression directe sur le substrat, étant donné que l'utilisation d'un transfert ou d'une décalcomanie à couche mince signifie que le motif de remplacement sera similaire en apparence à n'importe quelle partie non endommagée du motif original, et que l'épaisseur de la zone réparée du panneau mural ne sera typiquement pas plus de 30 μm supérieure à l'épaisseur de la ou des partie(s) non endommagée(s) du panneau mural, ce qui rend la réparation moins voyante.
PCT/GB2014/052680 2013-09-05 2014-09-04 Procédé de réparation WO2015033143A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1315800.1 2013-09-05
GB1315800.1A GB2517940A (en) 2013-09-05 2013-09-05 Repair method

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2015033143A1 true WO2015033143A1 (fr) 2015-03-12

Family

ID=49486766

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2014/052680 WO2015033143A1 (fr) 2013-09-05 2014-09-04 Procédé de réparation

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2517940A (fr)
WO (1) WO2015033143A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2960069A1 (fr) * 2014-06-26 2015-12-30 Hülsta-Werke Hüls GmbH & Co. KG Systeme de decor pour un revetement de sol, de mur ou de plafond ou pour un composant de meuble

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996022877A1 (fr) * 1995-01-25 1996-08-01 Coöperatieve Vereniging Profile Repair U.A. Procede de reparation d'une surface localement endommagee
DE102005005703A1 (de) * 2005-02-08 2006-08-17 Roland Schwall Reparatur von beschädigten Sandwichelementen, ankleben von losen Deckschichten
GB2476808A (en) * 2010-01-08 2011-07-13 Creative Graphics Internat Ltd A Wall Panel for a Caravan and a Method of Manufacture Thereof

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL1002117C2 (en) * 1995-01-25 1996-09-11 Cooeperatieve Vereniging Profi Repairing local damage to caravan wall or similar surface - in which mould comprises impression of relief of undamaged part of surface, and dented surface filled with filler
DE19963591C2 (de) * 1999-12-23 2002-11-07 Vsevolod Vassiliev V & K Autop Verfahren zum Ausbessern von Schadstellen in Lackflächen

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996022877A1 (fr) * 1995-01-25 1996-08-01 Coöperatieve Vereniging Profile Repair U.A. Procede de reparation d'une surface localement endommagee
DE102005005703A1 (de) * 2005-02-08 2006-08-17 Roland Schwall Reparatur von beschädigten Sandwichelementen, ankleben von losen Deckschichten
GB2476808A (en) * 2010-01-08 2011-07-13 Creative Graphics Internat Ltd A Wall Panel for a Caravan and a Method of Manufacture Thereof

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
WOFFORD L D: "BETTER SEALS FOR VACUUM BAGS. ÖA ROLLER TOOL SPREADS AN EVEN LAYER OF ADHESIVE", NASA TECH BRIEFS, SPRINGFIELD, VA, US, no. 8, 1 August 1994 (1994-08-01), pages 580, XP002002858 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2960069A1 (fr) * 2014-06-26 2015-12-30 Hülsta-Werke Hüls GmbH & Co. KG Systeme de decor pour un revetement de sol, de mur ou de plafond ou pour un composant de meuble

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201315800D0 (en) 2013-10-23
GB2517940A (en) 2015-03-11

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