Method of coating surfaces using appliques of constant Gaussian curvature

摘要

Ever more stringent environmental restrictions make it ever more challenging to apply coatings by conventional processes like spray painting because of the volatile solvents and hazardous pigments. The present invention is an alternative for applying a coating precisely on a surface. In the method of the invention, we apply appliques of constant Gaussian curvature to the corresponding areas of comparable curvature. We make the appliques on a family of molds of different Gaussian curvature and thereby avoid making a "splash" mold of the surface of interest to create the appliques or encountering the ridges, creases, or gaps that otherwise occur with attempts to cover the surface with flat (planar) appliques.