METHOD FOR PRODUCING A METAL-PLASTIC COMPOSITE PART, AND METAL-PLASTIC COMPOSITE PART

Abstract

A method for producing a metal-plastic composite part having a plastic component and a metal component. A microstructure is produced in a contact face of the metal component, wherein the microstructure has undercuts in relation to the contact face. The metal component is arranged in an injection mold such that the plastic material of the plastic component can be injection molded over the contact face of the metal component. The plastic component is injection molded, wherein some of the liquid plastic material penetrates into the undercuts of the microstructure or encloses the same. The plastic material of the plastic component is cooled to form an interlocking and/or friction connection between the plastic component and the metal component.

Claims

1. A method for producing a metal-plastic composite part having a plastic component and a metal component, the method comprising: producing a microstructure in a contact face of the metal component, wherein the microstructure has undercuts in relation to the contact face; laying the metal component in an injection mold such that the plastic material of the plastic component is injection molded over the contact face of the metal component; injection molding the plastic component, wherein some of the liquid plastic material penetrates into the undercuts of the microstructure or encloses same; and cooling the plastic material of the plastic component to form an interlocking and/or friction connection between the plastic component and the metal component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a penetration of some of the liquid plastic material into the undercuts of the microstructure is produced with an injection pressure of the liquid plastic material in the injection molding process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the microstructure in the metal component is produced by laser ablation or by an etching process or by another suitable process or in that the microstructure is formed by elevations on the contact face of the metal component.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a joint face with the microstructure is the same size or smaller than a contact face between the plastic component and the metal component.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein an isolated or multiple individually separately formed joint faces with the microstructure are formed on a contact face between the plastic component and the metal component.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal component is formed by a Mg alloy, an AL alloy, a Zn alloy, or an Fe alloy and/or is produced by a die casting process, an extrusion process, a forging process, machining, and/or by a stamping-bending process.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joint face with the microstructure between the plastic component and the metal component is chosen so that, despite the different thermal expansion coefficients between the plastic component and the metal component, when the component is heated, there is no or only a reduced deformation of the geometry of the metal-plastic composite part as a reflector, as a light guide body, as thick-wall optics, or as primary optics or as some other optically active component, or when heated, no or only a reduced change in the position of the metal-plastic composite part relative to the installation environment is achieved in that the metal component has a high thermal conductivity and lower thermal expansion compared to the plastic component.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein an adhesion promoter is applied to the contact face of the metal component before the injection molding of the plastic component.

9. A metal-plastic composite part produced according to the method according to claim 1, wherein the metal-plastic composite part forms an optically active component of a lighting device of a vehicle.

10. The metal-plastic composite part according to claim 9, wherein the metal-plastic composite part forms a reflector of a lighting device of a vehicle.

11. The metal-plastic composite part according to claim 10, wherein the metal component forms a base structure of the reflector and wherein the plastic component has a reflective layer on a surface facing a light source.

12. The metal-plastic composite part according to claim 9, wherein the plastic component has a plastic material with a mineral filler component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the composite between the plastic component and the metal component; and

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a view of a reflector as an example of a metal-plastic composite part with an optically active plastic component and a metal component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view through a composite between a plastic component 1 and a metal component 2, so that the composite forms a metal-plastic composite part 100. Plastic component 1 and metal component 2 are shown in abstract form and are therefore designed to be optically active in a manner not shown in more detail, and plastic component 1 relates, for example, to a reflective or transmissive optic of a light module in a lighting device of a vehicle, for example, a reflector.

[0031] Metal component 2 can be, for example, a holder, a screen, or some other structural part of the reflective or transmissive optic, for instance, a base body of the reflector, a heat sink, or sections of the same components.

[0032] Microstructures 10 which, starting from the surface, run obliquely into the body of metal component 2, are introduced into the surface of metal component 2, said surface serving as contact face 1 to plastic component 1, wherein the angles of inclination of microstructures 10 point in directions differing from one another, shown schematically in the view with the left-hand microstructures 10 with the oppositely oriented right-hand microstructures 10. Alternatively, contact face 11 can be formed with microstructures 10 that are raised above contact face 11, therefore extend into plastic component 1 in conjunction therewith. Undercuts or geometrically designed interlocking connections are also conceivable with this.

[0033] Microstructures 10 have been introduced into metal component 2, for example, using a laser ablation method or using an etching method or another suitable method. The diagram of microstructure 10 is oversized with respect to the thickness of metal component 2, and it is sufficient if microstructure 10 merges into the material with a depth of, for example, less than 1000 μm, less than 500 μm, or less than 200 μm in depth starting from the surface. The microstructure can also be formed protruding from the metal component.

[0034] To produce the composite, microstructure 10 is first produced in contact face 11 of metal component 2, wherein microstructure 10 has undercuts in relation to contact face 11. Next, metal component 2 is placed in an injection mold such that the plastic material of plastic component 1 can be injection molded over contact face 11 of metal component 2. Finally, the injection molding of plastic component 1 follows, wherein some of the liquid plastic material penetrates into the undercuts of microstructure 10 or encloses same, as shown in FIG. 1. Cooling the plastic material of plastic component 1 then follows to form an interlocking and/or friction connection between plastic component 1 and metal component 2.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a metal-plastic composite part 100 in the form of a reflector 101, as can be used, for example, in a lighting device of a vehicle. Reflector 101 has a base body, which is formed with metal component 2, and in a region of reflector 101 into which a bulb 14 can shine, and for the purpose of stiffening the reflector body and for the purpose of producing an anti-reflective surface in the region of a reflector base 15, metal component 2 has, for example, the molded plastic component 1 in the regions mentioned. In particular, the free surface of plastic component 1 can be produced with a very low surface roughness, to which finally a reflective layer 13 is applied, which fulfills the actual reflector function of the light generated by bulb 14.

[0036] Contact face 11 of metal component 2 is provided with microstructure 10 onto which plastic component 1 is injection molded.

[0037] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.