US 12,168,313 B2
Method for producing an elastomeric skin
Yvan Vanluchene, Waregem (BE); and Linda Dedoncker, De Pinte (BE)
Assigned to RECTICEL AUTOMOBILSYSTEME GMBH, Köningswinter (DE)
Appl. No. 17/280,533
Filed by Recticel Automobilsysteme GmbH, Köningswinter (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/075901
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 26, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/069937, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18198032 (EP), filed on Oct. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0032510 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 41/08 (2006.01); B29C 41/00 (2006.01); B29K 75/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/16 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 41/08 (2013.01) [B29C 41/003 (2013.01); B29K 2075/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0032 (2013.01); B29K 2105/16 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0025 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3005 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
 
1. A method for producing an elastomeric skin having a visible front face produced against a mould surface, said visible front face having a visually spotted appearance, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a liquid skin forming composition;
spraying said liquid skin forming composition in the form of a spray of droplets onto at least a portion of said mould surface;
allowing the liquid skin forming composition to harden; and
removing the produced elastomeric skin from said mould surface,
wherein said liquid skin forming composition comprises between 0.1 weight % and 5 weight % solid spot forming particles which consist essentially of flakes and which have a longest dimension that is between 40 μm and 500 μm, and
wherein at least 50 volume % of said solid spot forming particles have a longest dimension which is at least half the median volume diameter of said droplets determined according to ASTM E 799-03 (2015).