Method of conforming an adherent film to a substrate by application of vacuum

• Main Authors: EMSLANDER JEFFREY O, FLEMING DANNY L, YARUSSO DAVID J, STEELMAN RONALD S, MEIXNER LARRY A, KESTI MICHAEL R, DAVID JOHN R, SHER FRANK T
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.03.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; ADHESIVES; ADVERTISING; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CEMENTS; CERAMICS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDINGMATERIALS; CONCRETE; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DECORATIVE ARTS; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; DISPLAY; DISPLAYING; DYES; EDUCATION; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; LIME, MAGNESIA; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; MOSAICS; NATURAL RESINS; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; PAINTS; PAPERHANGING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; POLISHES; PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; REFRACTORIES; SEALS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SIGNS; SLAG; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; TARSIA WORK; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

Films are closely conformed to substrates by reducing the air pressure to a subatmospheric level in at least one airflow pathway that is present in the film or the substrate. The reduced air pressure enables the film to tightly contact the substrate in locations where protrusions or depressions on the substrate are present. The method is particularly useful for conforming film containing graphics to a variety of substrates such as the sides of semi-trailers or concrete block walls, even in instances where the semi-trailer sides include rivets and/or grooves and where the concrete block wall is relatively rough.