GALVANICALLY DECORATED COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A GALVANICALLY DECORATED COMPONENT

Abstract

A method for producing a galvanically decorated component with a symbol or structure of a transilluminatable design incorporated in the surface produces the component from an electroplatable plastic in an injection-molding process, and the symbol or structure is produced from a non-electroplatable, electroplating-resistant printed image. The printed image is transferred from a carrier onto the component using thermal transfer by being activated using a laser. A galvanically decorated component is produced by the method.

Claims

1. A component decorated by electroplating, having a symbol (2) or structure that is structured to allow light to pass through, wherein the component (1) is produced from a plastic that can be electroplated, using the injection-molding method, wherein the symbol (2) or structure can be transferred to the component (1) by means of thermal transfer.

2. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component, after the electroplating process has taken place, can be illuminated, by means of a suitable light source (3), through the rear side of the component, which side is not coated and free of metal, and wherein the symbol (2) is made to be translucent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

[0017] In the drawings,

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an electroplated component composed of plastic, in the form of a start/stop button; and

[0019] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The coated component 1, shown as an exemplary embodiment, shows a product produced from plastic for the automotive industry, with subsequent electroplating. The component 1, after completion of the method, has a symbol 2, which can be both pictograms and numbers, words or the like.

[0021] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, a start/stop button for an automobile is described, with which the engine of the automobile can be started and shut off again. In this case, the symbol consists of the words start, stop, and engine. If other operating elements are involved, the symbol is generally formed in the form of a pictogram, for example the representation of a headlight, if an operating element for vehicle lighting is involved.

[0022] In the method according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, first the component to be produced from plastic is produced using the injection-molding method. The plastic is preferably a plastic that can be electroplated, preferably ABS or ABS/PC. A printed image according to the subsequent symbol 2 is then applied to the component 1. In this regard, the symbol 2 is formed by a material that cannot be electroplated. Preferably, the symbol 2 is applied using a varnish that cannot be electroplated. Application of the symbol 2 to the component 1 takes place as described below:

[0023] The printed image is applied after the injection-molding process of the component 1. According to the invention, the printed image 8 is imprinted onto a carrier 5, which is preferably a film, using varnish that cannot be electroplated. From the carrier 5, the imprinted printed image 8 is transferred by means of temperature introduction by means of activation of a laser 7. The printed image 8 is transferred from the carrier 5 to the component 1 by means of the laser beam that is thereby generated, which is indicated with 6 in FIG. 1. In this regard, the symbol 2 can be structured on the carrier 5 in accordance with the printed image 8, so that the symbol 2 is depicted on the component 1 by means of area-wide temperature introduction.

[0024] Alternatively, the carrier 5 can be completely coated, so that the symbol 2 is produced on the component 1 by means of the laser 7 passing over the printed image 8.

[0025] After cooling of the component, the symbol 2 is raised on the component 1, since the layer that represents the symbol is deposited on the component 1 from the carrier 5 due to the introduction of heat, and adheres there. In this regard, the thickness of the applied layer of the symbol 2 on the component 1 amounts to between 1 m and 15 m.

[0026] As explained above, the transfer of the varnish that cannot be electroplated to the component takes place after the injection-molding process. Application of the varnish according to the method according to the invention takes less time, in this regard, than the time that is need for injection-molding of the component, for example. Consequently, the procedure can be integrated into the machine cycle without lengthening the cycle time. Coating of the components according to the method according to the invention can consequently be integrated into already existing production processes of components made of plastic, of the stated type, without changing the cycle times.

[0027] After application, the components, with the layer that cannot be electroplated and represents the subsequent symbol, are passed along to electroplating. Electroplating takes place in known manner, by means of chemical and electrochemical deposition of multiple metal layers, which is conventionally concluded with a decorative layer composed of chrome. These metal layers easily hold to the components composed of plastic that can be electroplated, particularly ABS or ABS/PC, as a composite. Only the regions provided with the printed image 8 are not coated with metal, because these are covered with a varnish that cannot be electroplated. Because of the different color of the substratum of the component 1, the symbol 2 can be seen. Furthermore, the possibility exists of also producing a backlit component in this manner, in that the rear side is kept free of metal or reworked in such a manner. As shown in FIG. 1, in this case light rays 4 can be emitted by a light source 3 affixed under or behind the component 1, which rays are then visible through the symbol 2, which is not electroplated, so that the contour of the symbol 2 can be seen even in the dark. The symbol 2 is therefore produced in translucent manner.

[0028] Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.