Non-uniform, protective coating on a flexible substrate

Abstract

In the present invention, a protective coating is preferably formed as a plurality of dots upon a surface to be protected. The dots have a selected size, cover a selected amount of the underlying surface, and are preferably isolated from one another by uncoated surfaces. This coating not only provides the coated substrate or object (and the cured coating itself) with significantly increased flexibility and formability, but also with a wide range of possible surface finishes and textures. Due to the increased coating flexibility and formability, the coated substrate or object can be partially or even fully cured prior to forming operations such as injection molding or film shaping. The substrate or object is therefore less susceptible to damage from handling and from machine operations. One highly preferred coating embodiment is produced with ink having a controllable stipple amount for a significantly increased range of possible coating finishes and textures.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article, comprising: 
 a substantially rigid substrate made of a material that softens to a state permitting permanent deformation when the substrate is heated;    a first surface protective coating, comprising a layer of cured material printed upon the substrate, the layer of cured material defined by a plurality of dots stochastically printed upon the substrate and substantially separated from one another by substantially exposed areas of the substrate to permit deformation of the substrate when heated without damage to the protective coating.    
     
     
         2 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a light-transmissive substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has at least one of text and graphics printed upon a second surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the layer of cured material is substantially transparent.  
     
     
         5 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the layer of cured material is a screen-printed layer of cured material.  
     
     
         6 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dots includes a stochastically-generated pattern of dots repeated upon the substrate.  
     
     
         7 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate and protective coating are formable without damage to the layer of cured material on the substrate.  
     
     
         8 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is comprised of a polyester-polycarbonate alloy.  
     
     
         9 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dots have stipple thereon.  
     
     
         10 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots have an average size of between 50 and 150 microns.  
     
     
         11 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots have an average size of between 80 and 100 microns.  
     
     
         12 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots have an average size of about 90 microns.  
     
     
         13 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots cover between 20% and 70% of the printed substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots cover between 20% and 40% of the printed substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dots cover about 25% of the printed substrate.