JP7790859B2 - Painted objects - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to painted objects, such as painted objects with a spotted pattern that are suitable for use as components constituting kitchen, bathroom, vanity, furniture countertops, sinks, bowls, and other concave objects, wall or door surfaces, etc.

Known coated objects such as countertops, concave bodies, or various surface materials used in kitchens and bathroom vanities include those in which a surface protective layer is applied to the base material or material to be coated, or those in which a spotted pattern is created by forming multiple convex portions on the surface of the object to be coated using painting or other means.
Known examples of coated articles having a surface protective layer or a spotted pattern include those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.
The coated article described in Patent Document 1 employs a configuration in which a surface protective layer is applied to a metal plate using a paint containing resin and inorganic particles as fillers, thereby imparting a certain degree of hardness to the surface protective layer within a range that allows bending of the metal plate, making it less susceptible to scratches.
Furthermore, the painted article described in Patent Document 2 is constructed such that a primer coating is applied to the surface of the object to be painted, and then a colored paint is spray-coated on the surface to create a convex spotted pattern.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-86275 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-29913

According to the metal plate as a coated article described in Patent Document 1, the hardness of the surface protective layer is imparted by incorporating inorganic particles as a filler into the resin material, but the hardness must be within a range that allows the metal plate to be bent. Furthermore, because the surface protective layer has a smooth surface, if the surface protective layer is scratched, the scratch will appear as a continuous line on the surface, which is disadvantageous as it will be easily noticeable.
Furthermore, in the coated article described in Patent Document 2, the paint used to form the speckled pattern consisting of multiple protrusions does not contain an inorganic filler, so it is not possible to impart hardness to the protrusions or specks that form the pattern, which results in poor resistance to scratches against loads and makes the protrusions more susceptible to scratches. Moreover, because no consideration is given to the hardness of the protrusions, not only are they more susceptible to scratches, but the scratches tend to dig deep into the protrusions, making them more noticeable, and furthermore, dirt is more likely to adhere or accumulate in the scratches, reducing the anti-fouling properties.
The present invention was devised in response to these inconveniences, and its purpose is to provide a coated object that can effectively prevent or suppress damage to the convex parts that make up the surface of the coated object, i.e., the speckled pattern, even when a load is applied to the convex parts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coated article in which, even if a convex portion is scratched, the scratch will not be formed deep and the scratch will not be formed continuously.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a painted object that has a design that gives a sense of depth and richness and has an excellent aesthetic appearance.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the configurations described in the claims. Specifically, the present invention comprises a coating object,
A coated object in which a plurality of convex portions are provided on the surface of the coated object to create a spotted pattern,
the protrusions contain a resin material and an inorganic filler and have a Vickers hardness of 25 HV0.01 or more;
Furthermore, the convex portions have a height that varies within a range of 10 to 100 μm and a size that varies within a range of ² to 25 mm2, and include all convex portions that are independent of each other, convex portions that overlap, and convex portions that are connected in the surface direction.
Here, a configuration can be adopted in which a colored resin layer is provided on the surface of the object to be coated and between the surface and the convex portions.

The present invention also provides a coating method for a coating apparatus comprising:
A coated object in which a plurality of convex portions are provided on the surface of the coated object to create a spotted pattern,
Further comprising a colored resin layer covering the surface and convex portions of the object to be coated,
The convex portion contains a resin material and an inorganic filler, and has a Vickers hardness of 25 HV0.01 or more.

In the present invention, the area ratio of the convex portions is preferably 25 to 90%.
It is also possible to adopt a configuration further including a transparent resin layer that covers the surface and protrusions of the object to be coated.

In the present invention, the coated article can be used as a component for concave objects such as kitchens, bathrooms, washstands, furniture tops, sinks, bowls, wall materials, or door surfaces.

In the present invention, by making the Vickers hardness of the convex portions 25 HV0.01 or more, deep scratches are less likely to occur in the convex portions when a load is applied, and scratch resistance can be imparted. Note that if the hardness is made 35 HV0.01 or more, the scratch resistance can be further improved.
The object to be coated is not particularly limited, but suitable materials include artificial marble and MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard), as well as metal plates.
The height of the convex portions constituting the speckled pattern is preferably determined to be 10 μm to 100 μm. This allows for the production of a coated product with good scratch resistance and design. If the height of the convex portions is 10 μm or less, the unevenness of the coated surface is small overall, resulting in a grainy appearance and poor design. If the height of the convex portions exceeds 100 μm, the unevenness becomes large, hindering ease of maintenance and deteriorating stain resistance. Note that if the height is 10 μm, for example, when the bottom of a ceramic ware is rubbed hard against the surface of the coated product to create a scratch and measure the depth, the depth is approximately 10 μm or less, and scratch resistance is maintained.
Furthermore, a good appearance can be obtained by setting the size of the convex portions to 2 mm ² to 25 mm ^2. If the size is less than 2 mm ² , the pattern will be too fine, impairing the appearance. If the size exceeds 25 mm ² , the pattern will be large, which will take time to form, resulting in poor workability and a decrease in design.
Furthermore, the area ratio of the convex portions is preferably in the range of 25 to 90%. This allows the color and pattern and speckle pattern that appear on the base, i.e., the object to be coated, such as artificial marble, to be combined to create an appearance with a sense of depth. If it is less than 25%, for example, around 20%, the balance of the pattern will be poor and the design will be reduced. Note that if it is 100%, the effect of the base will not be brought out and a sense of depth will not be achieved, but as long as it meets certain levels of scratch resistance, scratch inconspicuousness, and stain resistance, it will not lose its useful value as a painted object.

According to the present invention, convex portions having a predetermined hardness are formed using a resin paint containing an inorganic filler in a resin material to create a spotted pattern, thereby imparting scratch resistance to the convex portions so that they are less likely to be scratched even when a load is applied.
Furthermore, even if the surface of the convex portion is scratched, the scratch can be shallow and stay within the height of the convex portion, making the scratch less noticeable and also imparting antifouling properties.
Furthermore, the speckled pattern makes the surface of the painted object uneven, so scratches do not appear continuous, making scratches less noticeable.
Furthermore, by providing a colored resin layer on the surface of the object to be coated and on the surface of the convex portions, the roughness that occurs on the surface of the coated object can be smoothed out, improving the surface's resistance to contamination.Furthermore, since the object to be coated is concealed, there is a greater degree of freedom in the color and pattern of the object to be coated.
Furthermore, by providing a colored resin layer between the surface of the object to be coated and the protrusions, an appearance with a sense of depth can be expressed. Furthermore, since the object to be coated is concealed, there is a greater degree of freedom in the color and pattern of the object to be coated.
Furthermore, when a colored resin layer is provided between the surface of the object to be coated and the convex portions, and a transparent resin layer is provided on the surface of the object to be coated and the surface of the convex portions, the roughness that occurs on the surface of the coated object can be smoothed, improving the surface's resistance to contamination. Furthermore, the three-layer structure of the transparent resin layer, the speckled pattern layer, and the colored resin layer is expected to impart a design with a sense of depth and richness. Furthermore, wettability can be imparted to the surface, improving the appearance. Furthermore, the presence of the transparent layer on the surface makes shallow scratches less noticeable, improving scratch resistance.
Furthermore, in configurations in which the coating is applied to countertops, concave bodies, surface materials, etc., it can effectively contribute to improving the overall texture of kitchens, etc. in which such countertops, etc., which have excellent scratch resistance and design, are used.

1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a coated article according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion thereof.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the layer thickness or height of the coating, the size and shape of the protrusions, etc. shown in Figure 1 are merely examples intended to facilitate understanding of the specification.

As shown in Figure 1, the coated object 10 is composed of a plate-shaped object to be coated 11 that serves as a base material, and a spotted pattern 12 consisting of a plurality of convex portions that is formed by applying paint to the surface of the object to be coated 11.
In this embodiment, the object 11 is a plate-shaped artificial marble, but is not limited thereto and other materials such as resin molded plates, metal plates, and MDF can also be used. Artificial marble is formed by coloring thermosetting or thermoplastic resins with dyes or pigments, crushing plastic materials to produce granules of various colors, shapes, and sizes, or blending granules obtained by crushing artificial marble or natural stone, and various additives. Examples of thermosetting resins include polyester resins and thermosetting acrylic resins. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyester resins, polyethylene resins, polystyrene resins, and vinyl chloride resins.
The preferable thickness of the object 11 to be coated is 1 mm to 50 mm, and more preferably 3 mm to 20 mm.

The material of the protrusions that make up the spotted pattern 12 is preferably a resin component containing an inorganic filler and a coloring pigment mixed and dispersed in a solvent such as thinner or water. The resin component may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin such as polyester resin, acrylic resin, alkyd resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, fluororesin, or silicone resin. Any coloring pigment may be used as long as it can color the resin component, and various coloring pigments can be used.
Examples of inorganic fillers include granular or flaky silica, aluminum oxide, chromium oxide, iron oxide, diamond, graphite, zirconia, and titanium dioxide.
The speckled pattern 12 may have individual protrusions, or may have overlapping protrusions or protrusions that are connected in the surface direction. The resin paint for forming the speckled pattern 12 may be a single color or may be two or more colors.
The preferred method for forming the speckled pattern 12 is to apply the material using a spray gun, but this is not limited to this, and other painting means such as a roller can also be used. For example, a method can be used in which a masking sheet with a plurality of holes corresponding to the protrusions is placed on the object to be coated 11, a roller impregnated with paint is rolled over the sheet, and then the sheet is removed. In this case, a painted object can be provided in which the positions of the protrusions that form the speckled pattern 12 are standardized, and the level of skill required for spray coating is not required.
The viscosity of the paint for the speckled pattern 12 is adjusted so that the drip time is 10 to 14 seconds using a viscosity cup NK-2 manufactured by Anest Iwata Corporation. This allows the convex portions, i.e., the speckled pattern, having the above-mentioned size, height, and area ratio to be easily formed when the paint is applied using a spray gun. Note that in order to form large convex portions, it is preferable to adjust the drip time to 15 to 20 seconds.

A colored resin layer containing glass beads can be applied to the surface of the speckled pattern 12 and the object 11, following the uneven surface. Alternatively, a colored resin layer containing glass beads can be applied to the surface of the object 11, and then the speckled pattern can be applied to the surface of the colored resin layer. This colored resin layer can be suitably prepared by mixing and dispersing a resin component and a colored pigment in a solvent such as thinner or water. Examples of resin components that can be used include thermoplastic resins and thermosetting resins such as polyester resin, acrylic resin, alkyd resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, fluororesin, and silicone resin. Furthermore, any coloring pigment that can color the resin component can be used, and various coloring pigments can be used.

Furthermore, after applying the speckled pattern to the surface of the workpiece 11 via the above-mentioned colored resin layer, a transparent resin layer containing glass beads can be applied to the surface of the colored resin layer and the speckled pattern. This transparent resin layer is formed by applying a clear paint made from acrylic, urethane, silicone resin, etc., or a translucent clear paint, which protects the surface of the speckled pattern 12, imparts a wet color to the entire surface, and further increases surface hardness.

Next, an example will be described.
[Example 1]
A 10 mm thick artificial marble was used as the object to be coated, and the speckled pattern material was created by mixing 100 parts of black-colored paint (Stron TXL #30 1 minute gloss black manufactured by Cashew Corporation) with 20 parts of silica on its surface, and applying the paint with a spray gun using a viscosity cup NK-2 manufactured by Anest Iwata Corporation, adjusting the drip time to about 12 seconds. This resulted in the formation of convex portions measuring 2 mm ² to 10 mm ² , approximately 10 μm to 50 μm in height, and a convex portion area ratio of 100%, resulting in a coated object 10 that exhibited a speckled pattern.
After the convex portions were cured and dried, the hardness of the convex portions was measured at a measurement load of 0.01 kg (10 g) using a microhardness tester FM-810 manufactured by Future Tech Co., Ltd. The hardness was 25 HV0.01.
The results are shown in Table 1.
When the entire surface of the painted product was visually inspected, it was found that the appearance and scratch resistance were good, and scratches were not noticeable, although there was only a lack of depth. The overall evaluation was that the product was durable enough.

[Example 2]
Convex portions, that is, a spotted pattern, were formed under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the amount of silica was changed to 40 parts.
The hardness measured by the above hardness meter was 35 HV0.01, which was higher than that of Example 1.
The resulting coated article was scratch-free and had excellent scratch resistance.

[Example 3]
A coated object was obtained under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the convex area ratio was set to 20%.
The hardness is the same as in Example 1.
This painted object lacked a sense of depth and had slightly reduced scratch resistance, but scratches were not easily noticeable, so the overall evaluation was that it was suitable for use as a product.

[Example 4]
A coated product having the same hardness as in Example 1 was obtained under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the area ratio of the convex portions was set to 25%.
The coated object lacked a sense of depth, but the appearance, scratch resistance, and inconspicuousness of scratches were all good, and the same evaluation as in Example 1 was obtained.

[Example 5]
A coated product was obtained under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the convex area ratio was set to 50%.
The hardness was also the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation as in Example 1 was obtained.

[Example 6]
A coated article was produced under the same conditions as in Example 5, except that the height of the convex portions of the spotted pattern was set to 50 μm to 100 μm, and a coated article of the same hardness was obtained.
The coated article was evaluated to be the same as in Example 5.

[Example 7]
A coated article was produced under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the convex area ratio was set to 90%, and a coated article having the same hardness was obtained.
This painted object also lacked the sense of depth, but was evaluated the same as Example 1 in terms of scratch resistance and other aspects.

[Example 8]
A colored resin layer containing glass beads was formed to a thickness of approximately 10 μm on the surface of the object to be coated and the convex portions, with the convex portion area ratio set to 50%. Convex portions were formed under the same conditions as in Example 1, and a coated object having the same hardness was produced.
This paint job lacks depth, but it is particularly scratch-resistant and stain-resistant.

[Example 9]
A colored resin layer containing glass beads similar to that in Example 8 was provided between the surface of the object to be coated and the convex portions, and convex portions identical to those in Example 3 were provided on the surface of this colored resin layer. The hardness of the convex portions was 25 HV 0.01.
Although the scratch resistance of this painted product was slightly reduced as in Example 3, the appearance, scratch inconspicuousness, and stain resistance were maintained well, and furthermore, a product with a design that gives a sense of depth was obtained.

[Examples 10 to 11]
Coated articles having the same hardness as in Example 9 were obtained under the same conditions as in Example 9, except that the convex area ratios were set to 25% and 50%, respectively.
The coated articles in these examples achieved good results in all evaluation items, including appearance, depth, scratch resistance, scratch inconspicuousness, and stain resistance.

[Example 12]
Coated articles having the same hardness were obtained under the same conditions as in Examples 10 and 11, except that the height of the convex portions was set to 10 μm to 100 μm and the area ratio was set to 90%.
The evaluation of the coated article in this example gave the same results as in Examples 10 and 11.

[Example 13]
A colored resin layer containing glass beads was provided between the surface of the object to be coated and the convex portions, and a transparent resin layer containing glass beads approximately 15 μm thick was further provided to cover the surface of the convex portions. The size of the convex portions was ² mm to 10 ^mm , as in the previous examples, and the convex portion area ratio was 50%. The hardness was 25 HV 0.01.
This painted object had a good sense of depth, and was excellent in the evaluation items of appearance, scratch resistance, scratch inconspicuousness, and stain resistance, and was also excellent in the overall evaluation.

[Example 14]
A coated product was obtained under the same conditions as in Example 13, except that the amount of silica was 40 parts.
The hardness of this coating was 35 HV 0.01, which was higher than that of Example 13, and the scratch resistance was excellent. Otherwise, the coating was evaluated to be the same as that of Example 13.

[Example 15]
MDF was used as the substrate to be coated, and a coated object having the same speckled pattern of protrusions as in Example 13 was obtained.
This painted object had a good sense of depth and scratch resistance, and was excellent in appearance, scratch inconspicuousness, and stain resistance.

[Comparative Example 1]
The resin paint used to form the convex portions was a resin paint that did not contain an inorganic filler such as silica, and the convex portions were formed to provide a spotted pattern. The height, size, and area ratio of the convex portions were the same as in Example 1. The hardness of the convex portions was 17.5 HV 0.01.
The resulting painted object had good appearance and stain resistance, but lacked a sense of depth, and also had poor scratch resistance, with scratches being easily noticeable. Overall, the product was not suitable for commercial use.

[Comparative Example 2]
The height of the protrusions was set to less than 10 μm. Other than that, the same as in Example 6.
The painted object had good stain resistance, but lacked a sense of depth, and was not sufficiently scratch-resistant or scratch-invisible, so the overall evaluation was that it was not suitable for use as a product.

[Comparative Example 3]
The height of the protrusions was set to be more than 100 μm. Other than that, the comparative example was the same as comparative example 2.
The painted object had no sense of depth and was not sufficiently stain-resistant, and the overall evaluation was the same as in Comparative Example 2.

[Comparative Example 4]
Convex portions having the same hardness were formed under the same conditions as in Example 5, except that the size of the convex portions was set to 25 mm ² .
The painted object had problems with appearance and inconspicuousness of scratches, and lacked a sense of depth, and the overall evaluation was about the same as the above comparative example.

As is clear from Table 1, which shows the results of the above examples, according to the present invention, the convex spotted pattern is formed from a resin material containing an inorganic filler, giving the convex portions a hard structure, making it possible to provide a coated object with good scratch resistance.

Although the best configurations and methods for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed above, the present invention is not limited to these.
That is, although the present invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, those skilled in the art may make various modifications to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Furthermore, the coating conditions of the coated article disclosed above, such as the material, color, size, thickness, and height of the convex portions, may be changed as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.

10...painted object, 11...painted object, 12...spotted pattern

Claims (5)

An object to be painted,
A coated object in which a plurality of convex portions are provided on the surface of the coated object to create a spotted pattern,
the protrusions contain a resin material and an inorganic filler and have a Vickers hardness of 25 HV0.01 or more;
Furthermore, the convex portions have a height variation within a range of 10 to 100 μm and a size variation within a range of ² to 25 mm2, and include all of the convex portions that are independent, overlapping, and connected in the surface direction. The coated article according to claim 1, further comprising a colored resin layer covering the surface and protrusions of the coated article. The coated article according to claim 1, characterized in that the area ratio of the convex portions is 25 to 90%. Further comprising a transparent resin layer covering the surface and convex portions of the object to be coated,
2. The coated article according to claim 1, further comprising a colored resin layer on the surface of the article to be coated and between the surface and the protrusions. The coated object according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the coated object is a component constituting a concave body such as a kitchen, bathroom, washbasin, furniture top, sink or bowl, wall material or door surface material.