Method for providing a lamination film with adhesive, method for applying hot melt, application, lamination plant and method for upgrading such a plant

Abstract

A method for providing a laminate film with adhesive as a step in the preparatory process for manufacturing a laminate mold part using a support part, a method for applying a hot melt to a laminate film, a method for manufacturing a laminate mold part, using a method, a system for laminating a support part as well as a method for such a system produces especially high quality lamination and even if the support part, where the laminate film should be laminated, is not porous by applying the adhesive to the support part for bonding the macroscopically structured laminate film, so that there is a duct system. The air can flow through the duct system between the laminate film and the support part during the lamination process.

Claims

1. A method for producing a laminate mold part comprising a vehicle interior panel or a vehicle interior panel part, comprising conducting a preparatory process whereby an adhesive is bonded to a B-side of a laminate film and a support part surface area of a support part by the following steps: a. applying the adhesive to the B-side; b. subsequently, reforming the adhesive by embossing it in a grid, so that grid ducts are formed before the adhesive is bonded to the surface of the support part; and c. producing the laminate mold part.

2. A method for producing a laminate mold part comprising a vehicle interior panel or a vehicle interior panel part, comprising conducting a preparatory process whereby an adhesive is bonded to a B-side of a laminate film and a support part surface area of a support part by the following steps: a. introducing indentations into the B-side of the laminate film; b. introducing the adhesive into the indentations and/or between the indentations; and c. producing the laminate mold part.

3. A method for producing a laminate mold part comprising a vehicle interior panel or a vehicle interior panel part, comprising conducting a preparatory process whereby an adhesive is bonded to a B-side of a laminate film and a support part surface area of a support part by the following steps: a. applying the adhesive through a slot die; b. whereby emission of the adhesive is prevented by the slot die through local resistance at an outlet, and thereby forming a grid.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a hot melt is applied to the laminate film.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the hot melt is applied to duct forming structures, so that air from a film surface can be drawn along form ducts between the duct formation surveys.

6. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the following steps: a. applying a grid-shaped coating of the adhesive to the B-side of the laminate film and/or onto the surface area of the support part, wherein ducts are formed by the grid-shaped coating of the adhesive; b. bringing together the support part and the laminate film so that a layer of the adhesive applied is arranged between the laminate film and the support part; and c. connecting the laminate film to the support part by (i) removal of air located between the support part and the laminate film though the ducts by applying a vacuum and/or by (ii) squeezing out the air located between the support part and channels by applying a compacting pressure wherein the laminate film is pulled from a roll and/or the adhesive is applied around a roller during the circulation of the laminate film and/or the adhesive is applied using a slot die on the laminate film and/or the adhesive is applied in an internal recess.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminate film is guided around an embossed roller, wherein the surface of the embossed roller has structured protrusions and is arranged so that a duct pattern is adapted for embossing.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminate film is guided around an embossed roller, wherein the surface of the embossed roller has structured protrusions and is arranged so that a number of indentations are impressing into the laminate film.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminate film is guided around a pressure roller and, in one rotation, the pressure roller is guided around to a slot die.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is introduced into macroscopic indentations of the laminate film.

11. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein indentations in an initial laminate film are filled with adhesive and then the indentations are flattened, so that the adhesive raises from the indentations, there-by forming a grid-like structure.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein to flatten the indentations, the laminate film is actively heated, using lighting with heat lamps.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the indentations are flattened in the laminate film through a memory effect in a synthetic material without any external mechanical action.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the identations are flattened in the laminating film through a mechanical action from the A-side.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an extended surface of a panel is provided by means of an embossing roll and an area of a panel with a surface structure, wherein a recess area is provided in the applying of adhesive.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, for manufacturing a motor vehicle interior panel part.

17. A method for producing a laminate mold part comprising a vehicle interior panel or a vehicle interior panel part, comprising conducting a preparatory process whereby an adhesive is bonded to a B-side of a laminate film and a support part surface area of a support part by the following steps: a. introducing the adhesive into the B-side of the laminate film; b. introducing indentations into the B-side of the laminate film; and c. producing the laminate mold part.

18. The method according to claim 4, wherein the hot melt is applied to duct forming structures, so that air from a film surface can be drawn along form ducts between duct formation surveys, generating a diamond pattern.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laminate film is guided around a pressure roller to contact an embossing roller and, in one rotation, the pressure roller is guided around to a slot die.

20. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is introduced into laminate film macroscopic indentations level with the surface connected to the B-side of the laminate film or through a surface application above the indentations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained below with various design examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which can be seen

(2) FIG. 1 shows schematically, a plan view of a film having a pattern-applied hot melt,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of FIG. 1 in accordance with local type II-II

(4) FIG. 3 shows an analog section on FIG. 2, but on a support part in a tool,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic of longitudinal section using a laminate film in a station for leveling indentations in the laminate film,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic of perspective view of an embossing roller for implementing the invention,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic of plan view of a rolling mill using the roller from FIG. 5,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic of longitudinal section view of a film with embossed grooves,

(9) FIG. 8 shows an analog schematic of sectional view as in FIG. 6, showing the grooves filled with adhesive,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a schematic of lateral view of a rolling mill,

(11) FIG. 10a shows a schematic of grain roller cross-section,

(12) FIG. 10b shows the grain roller from FIG. 10a in schematic perspective view, and

(13) FIG. 11 shows a schematic illustration of plan view of a system using the grain roller from FIGS. 10a and 10b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) The laminate film 1 in FIG. 1 is made up of a substantially two-dimensional art material film, which is meant to dress an interior panel part on the body of a motor vehicle and to be laminated on a support part with the B-side in FIG. 1 visible.

(15) In preparing the compound, a hot melt is applied to laminate film 1, and in a variety of rhombuses 2 (labeled). Each rhombus 2 has a height of 3, with which it rises above a surface 4 on the B-side 5 of the laminate film 1.

(16) In between the rhombus 2, a system of ducts is generated that are fully linked with each other.

(17) Laminate film 1 is now laminated in a mold on support part 7 (see FIG. 3), thus keeping height 3 of rhombuses 2 upright from the hot melt of the open linked feature of duct system 6. The air in the tool can be removed laterally. It flows through the free cross-section of the duct system 6. Here, laminate film 1 moves even closer step by step to support part 7 until a direct positive fit lock finally occurs when the air is sucked out of duct system 6.

(18) A previously described embodiment of the invention provides for the event that indentations are incorporated in the laminate film, whereby adhesive is placed into the indentations, and then in a further step, the indentations of the laminate film are flattened, so that the adhesive reaches the surface of the laminate film. An example of this is shown in FIG. 4:

(19) A laminate film 9 tapering in machine direction 8 has embossed macroscopic grooves 10 (exemplarily characterized) that are filled with an adhesive 11 (exemplarily labeled).

(20) Every groove 10 receives a drop of adhesive 11.

(21) On a surface 12 towards a B-side. 13, the adhesive 11 is made to be flat and flush with the surface 12 between the ducts 10.

(22) The laminate film 9 is guided in machine direction 8 through a station with two radiant heaters 14 (exemplarily labeled), which leads to the heating of laminate film 9.

(23) A memory effect in the plastic of the laminate film 9 results in the grooves 10 receding in the areas of the radiant heaters 10 and 14 and becoming flat with surface 12 of laminate film 9. Here, it contrasts in the memory effect, restoring the synthetic material of the laminate film 9 to the adhesive 11, so that the adhesive ultimately projects from the grooves 10 in droplets 15 from the film surface and forms an open, linked duct system 16 (exemplarily labeled) between the droplets 15.

(24) In other forms, the film is heated prior to thermoforming. By heating it, the film can be stamped and the grooves can be refilled with adhesive. The film is smooth again. The adhesive, which was in the grooves, is applied to the inflated structure on the film.

(25) Embossing roll 17 in FIGS. 5 and 6 essentially consists of a conventional deflection roller, whereby on a lateral surface 18, a variety of macroscopically structured bumps 19 is arranged (exemplarily labeled). For example, each elevation 19 forms a partially spherical body.

(26) Run a laminate film 20 through the system in a machine direction 21, so that it passes around to the embossing roller 17 and where it holds a number of grooves 22 (exemplarily labeled) (cf. also FIGS. 7 and 8).

(27) Subsequently, the laminate film 20 is provided with grooves 22 from a slot die 23 with minimal spacing running along it. The hot glue comes from the slot die 23 throughout the process. As a result, the surface of the laminate film 20 immediately strips along between grooves 22, and ideally does not contact them. Adhesive 24 only, or at least mainly passes into the grooves 22.

(28) A possible roller route 25 for a system to laminate from support parts with laminate films is shown in FIG. 9: The laminate film 27 runs in a machine direction 26, firstly into a film storage 28 with floating rollers. After the film storage 28, the laminate film 27 runs along and to a tempered embossing roll 29 of about 180 C. The embossing roller 29 runs the laminate film 27 in the machine direction directly to a pressure roller 30, which has a slot die 31 on the film circulation side for applying adhesive (not shown).

(29) Therefore, a B-side 32 can be filled with grooves and adhesive, whereas an A-side 33 can remain intact.

(30) The embodiment of the grain roller 34 in FIGS. 10a, 10b and 11 bears a predominant area of grain structure 36 on its cover 35, which is preferably a replica of natural leather.

(31) However, a range of several cm.sup.2 sizes have a slot, which is not grained. During production, this type of grain roller 34 can thus produce individual copies (labeled), each having a large grained area 40, but also a non-grained area 41 further in a machine direction 42, passing through the laminate film 43, then a station with a slot die 44 in which an adhesive application is carried out.

(32) With this specific embodiment, the adhesive roller areas can be left out. For example, application areas are found in the reduction of waste adhesive. In some door panels, partial film areas are stamped after lamination. If there is no glue in these areas, then the blank stamp can also be easily removed.

(33) It is expressly mentioned that recent tests carried out by the inventor have also shown that it may be advantageous to only provide adhesive to the raised areas of an embossed laminate film, i.e. the non-recessed areas. The recessed plates are then capable of going back up, however this is not required, and the ducts form in any case.

(34) The embossing roller can include, for example, a duct pattern.

(35) Alternatively, it may be conceivable to draw a blade over the grid, thereby the adhesive is applied in the required macroscopic structured form.

(36) FIG. 1 shows the drop structure still available after the heating and cooling process of the adhesive application between the film and the component.

(37) In one preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a reactive or non-reactive thermoplastic hot-melt adhesive, most preferably a hot-melt adhesive based on ethylene vinyl acetates, polyacrylates, copolyamides, copolyesters, copolyethers, polyolefins, polyurethanes and relevant copolymers and/or terpolymers.

(38) In a more preferred embodiment of this invention, the components are interior trim components for vehicles. These types of components consist primarily of materials based on natural fiber reinforced polymer materials, for example: a natural fiber material, such as flax polypropylene material; natural fibers, such as (flax) PUR; or a natural fiber, such as (flax) epoxide resin material, as well as an established injection molding method carrier made of polypropylene (PP), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) copolymer, polycarbonate (PC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) or polyamide. These materials are widely used in the automotive industry and thus are well known to the specialist.

(39) FIG. 2 shows an example of an adhesive structure after peeling the film back from the component. The light shiny ducts, which have allowed for a smooth removal of the air found between the component and the film, remain completely intact.

(40) Based on components with selected geometry and positioning hole, it was found that an adequate air transfer is guaranteed inside the adhesive grid over distances of more than 10 cm from the nearest hole, as well as critical areas, such as edges and radii.

(41) Furthermore, it has been found that a much lower number of vacuum holes is required than are necessary in current practice. Elongated hold shapes (e.g. slots) have been particularly useful, the length of which exceed the engraving process. This ensures that a hole cannot be sealed by a single dot of adhesive and that there is always contact between a hole and the duct system in the adhesive grid.

(42) Comparative tests with a classic smooth (i.e. non-grid shaped) roller application with the same amount of adhesive on ungrained surfaces show no horizontal air transfer. It is only in areas where the film is practically unrolled on the component due to the geometry of said component and the dynamics of the lamination process that no air pockets can be seen. In particular, all surfaces, even with a number of holes from 20% to 80% of the area attributable to air pockets, show a lack of moistening and bonding. Also, comparative tests without adhesive show that there is almost no air transfer. The smooth film seals are directly aimed at the smooth substrate.

(43) Unless otherwise indicated, all parameters were determinations and measurements carried out using customary methods for the specialist in standard methods, i.e. for example, room temperature (21 C.+/1 C.) and atmospheric pressure (1 atm).

(44) In the following experiments, Jowat AG, Germany (Jowat-Toptherm 238.30) used a non-reactive polyolefin based hot melt adhesive.

(45) This was on the underside of a TPO film (Benecke-Kaliko/Germany, 2 mm foam mit 0.8 mm top coat) applied by roller application using an engraved roller from the Hardo (Germany) company.

(46) A plate-like component (240 mm diameter, 50 mm depth) made from polyoxymethylene (POM) without grain, with vacuum holes distanced 2 cm in the outer edge area was laminated with the coated film on a single-user vacuum laminating machine from the KIEFEL (Germany) company, whereby the underside of the film was heated to 180 C. and the surface was heated to 140 C., then the film was stretched lengthwise and transversely by 5%. Subsequently, the laminated part was examined for defects caused by air pockets as well as the size of the laminated surface (in order to assess the scope of the air transfer through the ducts of the engraving).

LIST OF REFERENCES USED

(47) 1 Laminating film 2 Rhombus 3 Height 4 Surface 5 B-side 6 Duct system 7 Support part 8 Machine direction 9 Protective film 10 Groove 11 Adhesive 12 Surface 13 B-side 14 Radiant heat 15 Droplet 16 Duct system 17 Embossing roller 18 Cover surface 19 Collection 20 Protective film 21 Machine direction 22 Groove 23 Slot die 24 Adhesive 25 Roller route 26 Machine direction 27 Protective film 28 Film storage 29 Embossing roller 30 Pressure roller 31 Spot die 32 B-side 33 A-side 34 Grain roller 35 Cover 36 Grain structure 37 Recess 38 Single use 39 Single use 40 Grained areas 41 Non-grained area 42 Machine direction 43 Protective film 44 Spot die 45 First area