Vehicle body and method for coating a vehicle body

Abstract

A method can be used to coat a vehicle body. The method includes: (a) providing a metallic substrate; (b) applying a foundation coat over the metallic substrate; (c) applying a basecoat over the foundation coat; (d) applying a clearcoat over the basecoat; and (e) heating the metallic substrate, the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat simultaneously in order to cure the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat. The foundation coat is inherently UV stable and is configured to protect the vehicle body against corrosion, and bonds the metallic substrate to the basecoat and the clearcoat. A vehicle body includes a metallic substrate, a foundation coat bonded to the metallic substrate, a basecoat disposed over the foundation coat, and a clearcoat disposed over the basecoat.

1 . A method for coating a vehicle body, the method comprising:
 providing a metallic substrate;   applying a foundation coat on the metallic substrate;   applying a basecoat over the foundation coat;   applying a clearcoat over the basecoat; and   heating the metallic substrate, the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat simultaneously in order to cure the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat;   wherein the foundation coat is inherently ultraviolet (UV) stable and is configured to protect the metallic substrate against corrosion, and bonds the metallic substrate to the basecoat and the clearcoat.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic substrate is not subjected to an electro-deposition (ELPO) operation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the basecoat is applied over the foundation coat before the foundation coat is cured. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the foundation coat is chemically bonded to the metallic substrate after heating the metallic substrate, the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the foundation coat includes dipping the metallic substrate in a tank containing a solution including the foundation coat. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the clearcoat is applied over the basecoat before the basecoat is cured. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the basecoat includes spraying the basecoat over the foundation coat after the foundation coat has been applied on the metallic substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the clearcoat includes spraying the clearcoat over the basecoat after the basecoat has been applied over the foundation coat. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the metallic substrate includes positioning the vehicle body in an oven after applying the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat, and heating the vehicle body using the oven. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inspecting the vehicle body after heating the metallic substrate, the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a primer coat over the foundation coat before applying the basecoat. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the metallic substrate and the primer coat before applying the basecoat in order to cure the primer coat. 
     
     
         13 . A vehicle body, comprising:
 a metallic substrate;   a foundation coat bonded to the metallic substrate;   a basecoat disposed over the foundation coat, wherein the foundation coat is disposed between the metallic substrate and the basecoat;   a clearcoat disposed over the basecoat, wherein the basecoat is disposed between the clearcoat and the foundation coat; and   wherein the foundation coat is inherently ultraviolet (UV) stable and is configured to protect the metallic substrate against corrosion, and bonds the metallic substrate to the basecoat and the clearcoat.   
     
     
         14 . The vehicle body of  claim 13 , wherein the vehicle body does not include an electro-deposition coat. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle body of  claim 13 , further comprising a primer coat disposed over the foundation coat. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle body of  claim 15 , wherein the primer coat is disposed between the foundation coat and the basecoat. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle body of  claim 13 , wherein the basecoat includes a color pigment. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle body of  claim 13 , wherein the clearcoat comprises an acrylic based material. 
     
     
         19 . A method for coating a metallic substrate, the method comprising:
 dipping the metallic substrate in a tank containing a solution including a foundation coat in order to apply the foundation coat over the metallic substrate;   applying a basecoat over the foundation coat;   applying a clearcoat over the basecoat;   heating the metallic substrate, the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat simultaneously in order to cure the foundation coat, the basecoat, and the clearcoat;   wherein the foundation coat is inherently ultraviolet (UV) stable and is configured to protect the metallic substrate against corrosion, and bonds the metallic substrate to the basecoat and the clearcoat; and   wherein the metallic substrate does not undergo an electro-deposition process.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising applying a primer coat after applying the foundation coat but before applying the basecoat.