Process for Manufacturing a Shell Comprising a Decorative Film

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a shell, comprising a decorative film, implementing a first step of molding a plastic material so as to form a first element. The invention is characterized in that the manufacturing process implements a second step that consists in applying a decorative film against a front face of the first element, then a third step of overmolding a plastic material over at least one portion of the decorative film and of the first element so as to hold the detective film between the first element and a second element of the shell.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a shell, comprising a decorative film, implementing a first step of moulding a plastic material so as to form a first element, wherein the manufacturing method implements a second step consisting in applying a decorative film against a front face of the first element, then a third step of overmoulding a plastic material on at least one part of the decorative film and of the first element, so as to maintain the decorative film between the first element and a second element of the shell.

2. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the decorative film covers only a part of the front face of the first element of the shell.

3. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first element and/or the second element is transparent and/or translucent.

4. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the decorative film is perforated.

5. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first element and/or the second element include optical dioptres aligned with at least one hole perforating the decorative film.

6. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the decorative film includes at least two areas transmitting differently the light.

7. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the decorative film is covered, at least partially, by a deposit of material.

8. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 7, wherein the deposit of material covers the face of the decorative film applied against the first element.

9. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 6, wherein the deposit of material is formed from an ink, comprising preferably metallic elements.

10. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein it implements an intermediate step of applying bond mean on the decorative film, in order to ensure a better holding of the decorative film against the first element during the overmoulding of the second element.

11. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front face of the first element has a complex shape and in that the decorative film has a shape complementary to that of the front face of the first element.

12. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the decorative film is a thermoformed plastic film.

13. The method for manufacturing a shell as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second element of the shell is provided with a support and the shell is fixed to the support.

14. A side light for an automotive vehicle, wherein the side light comprises a shell obtained according a manufacturing method described by claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The invention will be better understood, thanks to the following description, which relates to preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limitative examples, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first element of a shell according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a top view of the first element illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a side view of a decorative film positioned on a first element illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 is a top view of the unit illustrated in FIG. 3;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a side view of a shell according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 6 is a top view of the shell illustrated in FIG. 5;

[0039] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a screen-printing decorative film;

[0040] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a decorative film according to FIG. 7, comprising a layer of glue;

[0041] FIG. 9 is a view of an alternative embodiment of a shell illustrated in FIG. 5;

[0042] FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic views of alternative embodiments of a shell illustrated in FIG. 5; and

[0043] FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a longitudinal cross-section of a side light for an automotive vehicle, comprising a shell illustrated in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] As a reminder, the invention proposes a new method for manufacturing a high-thickness plastic shell, comprising a decorative film with varied patterns and preserving at best the characteristics thereof during the manufacture of the shell.

[0045] Within the meaning of the invention, a shell is a part whose thickness is small with respect to its developed length, or length measured along one of its large faces when the shell is not developable.

[0046] According to the invention, the manufacturing of the shell 2 is made as follows. During a first step, a first element 4 of the shell is moulded by a technique of hot injection of plastic material into a mould designed for that purpose. The plastic material used is, for example poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first element 4 is delimited, at its larger faces, by a front face 6 opposed to a rear face 8. According to the present example, the surface delimited by the front face 6 is comprised between a few cm2 and a few m2. The thickness of the first element 4, defined as the distance separating the front face 6 from the rear face 8, is comprised between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, preferably comprised between 1.7 mm and 2 mm. According to the present example, the first element 4 is planar.

[0047] Then, during a second step illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a decorative film 10 is applied against the front face 6 of the first element 4. This second step is performed after the first element 4 has been enough cooled down, so that the temperature of its front face 6 is lower than 80 C., preferably lower than 60 C. The risks of deformation or degradation of the rear face 12 of the decorative film, in contact with the front face 6 of the first element 4, are hence limited. The decorative film 10 may be of same or different nature that the first element 4. The decorative film is preferably thermoformed so as to provide it with a certain rigidity and to hence make the handling thereof easier. The thickness of the decorative film 10, separating its rear face 12 from an opposite front face 14, is comprised between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm, preferably of the order of 0.5 mm. The contour 16 of the decorative film is adapted as a function of the pattern desired to be made in the shell 2. The invention hence allows a wider variety of pattern shapes by avoiding the necessity to overmould the decorative film 10 directly on the first element 4 or to have to overmould the first element 4 directly on the decorative film 10. According to the present example, the decorative film 10 is perforated at several places with holes 18, forming passages through said film. According to another characteristic, the size of the decorative film 10 is lower than that of the front face 6 of the first element 2. More precisely, the decorative film 10 is centred on the front face 6 of the first element 2. Of course, within the framework of the present invention, other sizes of the decorative film 10 and other arrangements on the first element 2 are conceivable.

[0048] During a third and last step illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the decorative film 10 is overmouled by injection of a plastic material, compatible with that used to form the first element 4, in order to form the shell 2 according to the invention. More precisely, the plastic material is spread against the front face 14 of the decorative film 10 and the front face 6 of the first element 4, so as to encapsulate the decorative film 10 between the first element 4 and a second element 20. The material used to form the second element 20 may be of same or different nature than that constituting the first element 4. The thickness of the second element 20, defined as being the distance separating a rear face 22 in contact with the decorative film 10 and the first element 4, and a front face 24 opposed to the rear face 22, is comprised between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, preferably comprised between 1.7 mm and 2 mm.

[0049] Several variant embodiments of the invention will now be described. The elements common to these different variants are indexed by the same digital references.

[0050] According to a first variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the decorative film 10 comprises, on its rear face 12, a pattern 30 delimited by a suitable ink 32. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when a decorative film with complex and accurate patterns is desired. By way of example, the pattern 30 may be a screen-printing made on the rear face 12 of the decorative film 10. According to another advantage, the decorative film 10 forms a heat protection shield making it possible to limit the elevation of temperature of the ink during the third step of overmoulding the second element 20, in order to preserve the contours and the colour of the ink 34. Of course, as a function of the temperature to which the decorative film 10 is exposed during this third step, the thickness and/or the nature of the decorative film may be adapted so that the temperature of the ink 32 does not exceed a critical temperature, beyond which the colour of ink and the shape of the pattern delimited by said ink may be degraded.

[0051] According to another variant embodiment of the manufacturing method described hereinabove and not shown, previously to the second step, a glue 34 is applied at the periphery of the rear face 12 of the decorative film 10 during an intermediate step. The glue 30 allows for a better holding of the decorative film 10 against the first element 4, during the third step of overmoulding the second element 20. The glue that is used is preferably a glue that does not chemically attack the shell elements, nor the ink covering the decorative film. Preferably, the glue allows an operator to reposition at will the decorative film against the first element. According to an alternative, illustrated in FIG. 8, the glue is applied on the ink 32 so that the glue is not visible by an observer looking at the pattern 30 through the decorative film 10. This embodiment advantageously allows hiding the gluing marks behind the pattern 30.

[0052] According to another variant illustrated in FIG. 9, the first element 4 may include optical dioptres 36 at the rear face 8 thereof, arranged so as to be aligned with the holes 18 perforating the decorative film 10. By optical dioptres, it is meant elements modifying the trajectory of a light beam passing through the first element 4.

[0053] According to another variant illustrated in FIG. 10, the first element 4 has a complex shape. The decorative film 10 covers only a part of the front face 6 of the first element 4 and the second element 20 also covers a part of the front face 6 of the first element 4 and a part of the front face 14 of the decorative film 10.

[0054] According to a variant illustrated in FIG. 11, the second element 4 includes at the front face 24 thereof a protrusion 28 that cooperates with a support 38, in order to maintain the shell 2 remote from the support.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the invention also relates to a side light 40 for an automotive vehicle, comprising a light source 42 present in a casing 44 open at one of its sides. The opening of the casing is closed by a shell 2 as illustrated in FIG. 11, so as to form an outer wall of the side light. As mentioned hereinabove, the decorative film 10 is perforated in several places by holes 18, so as to let through the light rays 46 emitted by the light source 42. According to the present example, the other light rays are partially or totally absorbed by the decorative film 10 so that the contours of the holes 18 are more clearly marked out. According to an alternative not shown, the decorative film may be partially transparent and coloured so as to form a background of homogeneous colour on which the patterns formed by the holes 18 are marked out.

[0056] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.