DECORATIVE MOLDED PART AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

A decorative molded part with a decorative sheet provided on the visible side and is connected to a substrate, and to a method of manufacturing the same. In the method, a plastic layer is arranged between the substrate and the decorative sheet. Edge sections of the decorative sheet projecting beyond the substrate on both sides are bent around the substrate together with the plastic layer for positive enclosure of the substrate within the decorative sheet.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a decorative molded part with a decorative sheet which is to be provided on the visible side and is connected to a substrate, wherein a plastic layer is arranged between the substrate and the decorative sheet and edge sections of the decorative sheet projecting beyond the substrate on both sides are bent around the substrate with the plastic layer for a positive enclosure of the substrate within the decorative sheet.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein surface sections of the decorative sheet surrounding the substrate are covered with the plastic layer before the decorative sheet is bent.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the decorative sheet and the plastic layer are placed one on top of the other as essentially flat semi-finished products and cut to contour before bending.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plastic layer and the decorative sheet are cut, preferably punched, to the same contour.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the decorative sheet is positively bent around the substrate, omitting at least one rear side surface section of the substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is injection molded as a molded part.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is at least partially surrounded by the decorative sheet by bending.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is at least partially surrounded by the decorative sheet and the plastic layer by bending.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is at least partially surrounded the plastic layer by bending.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plastic layer is formed from a foamed plastic.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed from a foamed plastic.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the plastic layer are connected to each other exclusively by the positive enclosure.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the plastic layer are connected to each other and to the decorative sheet exclusively by the positive enclosure.

14. A decorative molded part to be arranged within a cabin of a vehicle car with a decorative sheet on the visible side and a substrate connected thereto, wherein the substrate is spaced apart from the decorative sheet via a plastic layer, and wherein the substrate is positively accommodated within the decorative sheet via flanged edge sections of the decorative sheet.

15. A method of manufacturing a decorative molded part comprising the steps of: forming a substrate having a periphery and a front side and a rear side, the rear side having attachment pins; placing a decorative sheet on a plastic layer; punching the decorative sheet and the plastic layer forming a contour having edge sections; applying the decorative sheet and the plastic layer of the contour to the substrate with the plastic layer between the decorative sheet and the substrate and the edge sections of the contour extending beyond at least opposing ends of the periphery of the substrate; and bending the edge sections of the decorative sheet and the plastic layer of the contour over the periphery of the substrate from the front side to the rear side forming a positive enclosure of the substrate with the decorative sheet and the plastic layer of the contour wherein the decorative sheet is fixed to the substrate by the edge sections of the contour, whereby the substrate, decorative sheet, and the plastic layer a capable of being easily separated for cost-effective recycling.

16. The method of manufacturing a decorative molded part according to claim 15 wherein: the plastic layer comprises foam.

17. The method of manufacturing a decorative molded part according to claim 15 wherein: the decorative sheet comprises aluminum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of the individual layers of the decorative molded part before joining, and

[0018] FIG. 2 shows the sectional view according to FIG. 1 after joining.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] In FIG. 1, reference sign 2 characterizes a decorative sheet, in this case made of aluminum. The decorative sheet 2 has a visible side 4 and a rear side 6. The visible side 4 can be pretreated. For example, an embossing or pattern can be provided on the visible side 4 of the decorative sheet 2. The decorative sheet 2 can also have through-holes punched in the decorative sheet 2, so that a top view of the visible side also shows a plastic layer characterized by reference sign 8, which in this case also has decorative properties. In this case, a further decorative layer, for example a plastic film or a veneer, can also be underlaid on the decorative sheet 2, which can be seen through the through-holes from the visible side.

[0020] The plastic layer 8 serves at least as a spacer so that a substrate characterized by reference sign 10 does not directly contact the decorative sheet 2. The plastic layer 8 is usually formed from a plastic foam. If the decorative sheet 2 is underlaid with the further decorative layer, the elastic properties of the plastic foam can be adjusted in such a way that they force the further decorative layer outward through the through-holes so that, if necessary, they come to lie on the same plane as the visible side of the decorative sheet.

[0021] The substrate is manufactured by injection molding. It can be formed from a plastic, such as PC or ABS. The substrate 10 has attachment pins 14 extending from a rear side 12 of the substrate 10 and integrally formed thereon by injection molding. The attachment pins 14 are arranged at a distance from a peripheral edge of the substrate 10.

[0022] For manufacture, the decorative sheet 2 and the plastic layer 8 are placed on top of each other. Both layers are then punched so that they have the same contour. The separately prepared substrate 10 is then applied against the plastic layer 8 on the side facing away from the decorative sheet 2.

[0023] Edge sections characterized by reference sign 18 in FIG. 2 are then bent over. Bending the decorative sheet 2 causes the plastic layer 8 to be carried along and placed against the outside of the substrate 10 (see FIG. 2). The edge sections 18 circumferentially delimit the substrate 10. In addition, the edge sections 18 are bent inwardly beyond the periphery of the substrate 10. Thus, the edge sections 18 with their free ends at least partially project beyond the rear side 12 of the substrate 10. Dimensioning of the decorative sheet 2 and the plastic layer 8 is carried out with regard to the dimensions of the substrate 10 in such a way that a rear surface section characterized by reference sign 20 remains free at the rear side of the decorative molded part 16. The fastening pins 14, which also project beyond the decorative sheet 2 at the rear side of the decorative molded part 16, project from this rear surface section 20 (cf. FIG. 2).

[0024] As FIG. 2 shows, the substrate 10 is thus positively surrounded by the decorative sheet 2. In the same way, the plastic layer 8 is also positively received by the contact decorative sheet 2 between the latter and the substrate 10. The plastic layer 8 prevents direct contact between the contact decorative sheet 2 and the substrate 10 and then creaking due to friction between the two parts.

[0025] Since the plastic layer 8 is formed by a plastic foam, this can easily evade compressive stress. Even when processing a fairly thin decorative sheet 2, bending is accordingly not disturbed by a counterforce from the inside which could be generated by the plastic layer 8. Thus, the decorative sheet 2 can be bent into the desired shape by machining on the outside of the decorative sheet 2 and shaped into its final form. This also results in a close bond between individual layers, since the substrate 10 can also be pressed into the plastic layer 8 at points or in sections.

[0026] The invention permits the use of different materials for the manufacture of a decorative molded part 16. Adhesion properties of these materials to one another are not important. The materials are preferably connected to each other with positive locking along by bending the decorative sheet 2. Bending back the decorative sheet 2 allows the individual components of the decorative molded part 16 to be separated by type and thus the materials to be returned to the material cycle.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0027] 2 decorative sheet [0028] 4 visible side [0029] 6 rear side [0030] 8 plastic layer [0031] 10 substrate [0032] 12 rear side [0033] 14 attachment pin [0034] 16 decorative molded part [0035] 18 edge section [0036] 20 rear surface section