High-Quality Flame-Retardant Decorative Finish for Interior Panels

Abstract

A high-quality, fire-resistant, decorative finish for panels made of composite material, such as aircraft interior panels. Starting with a flat or complex contoured panel, a flame-retardant filler primer is applied to the panel surface. This filler primer is then sanded to a very smooth solid surface. In a separate process, a polymeric film is printed with a desired pattern or image. The polymeric film is then bonded to the primed panel surface using an adhesive. The non-printed side of the polymeric film is bonded to the panel. A thin highly durable polymeric coating (clear or tinted) is then applied to the exposed printed side.

1 . A finished panel comprising a panel having a surface and a finish applied on said surface of said panel, wherein said finish comprises:
 a filler material comprising one or more flameproofing agents applied on said surface of said panel to form a filled panel surface, said filler material being smoother on a side facing away from said panel than on a side in contact with said panel;   a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material, said polymeric film comprising a first side facing said smoothened side of the filler material and a second side facing away from said smoothened side of the filler material;   ink on said second side of said polymeric film, said ink forming a pattern or an image;   a layer of adhesive disposed between and in contact with said smoothened side of said filler material and said second side of said polymeric film; and   a polymeric coating covering said second side of said polymeric film, said polymeric coating comprising a second polymeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first polymeric material comprises polyvinyl fluoride and said second polymeric material comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         3 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         4 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second polymeric material comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         5 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said panel comprises a composite honeycomb sandwich. 
     
     
         6 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said panel comprises a composite laminate. 
     
     
         7 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said panel is an interior panel. 
     
     
         8 . A finished panel comprising a panel and a finish applied on a surface of said panel, wherein said finish comprises:
 flame-retardant filler material disposed on a surface of said panel;   a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material;   ink applied on a first side of said polymeric film that faces away from said filler material;   a layer of adhesive material disposed between said filler material and a second side of said polymeric film; and   a coating disposed on said first side of said polymeric film, said coating comprising a second polymeric material,   wherein said ink forms a pattern or an image that is visible through said coating.   
     
     
         9 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said first polymeric material comprises polyvinyl fluoride and said second polymeric material comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         11 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said second polymeric material comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         12 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said panel comprises a composite honeycomb sandwich panel. 
     
     
         13 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said panel comprises a composite laminate. 
     
     
         14 . The finished panel as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said panel is an interior panel of an aircraft. 
     
     
         15 . An interior panel on an aircraft comprising:
 a substrate made of composite material;   flame-retardant filler material disposed on a surface of said substrate;   a polymeric film comprising a first polymeric material;   ink applied on a first side of said polymeric film to form a pattern or an image; and   a layer of adhesive material disposed between said filler material and said polymeric film for adhering said polymeric film to said substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The interior panel as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said adhesive material is in contact with a second side of said polymeric film, further comprising a coating disposed on said first side of said polymeric film, said coating comprising a second polymeric material and said ink being visible through said coating. 
     
     
         17 . The interior panel as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said ink comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         18 . The interior panel as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises one or more flameproofing agents. 
     
     
         19 . The interior panel as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said substrate is part of a composite honeycomb sandwich structure. 
     
     
         20 . The interior panel as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said substrate is part of a composite laminate.