Component having a two-dimensionally extending decorative element

Abstract

Before back molding, the planar decorative element is provided with through-holes. At least in the area of the through-holes, a film is applied to the rear of the planar decorative element. When a plastic melt is introduced, for example by way of injection molding or extruding, the pressure of the plastic melt presses the film into said through-holes. The component is used, in particular, to produce an illuminable field, for example, of a door sill protector of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A component which comprises a two-dimensionally extending decorative element having at least one through-hole, a viewing side and a backside and comprising at least one island-shaped part being provided inside at least one through-hole, an illumination element for illuminating the at least one through-hole, at least one foil, which is at least locally translucent or transparent and is coextensively applied on the backside of the two-dimensionally extending decorative element, and at least one layer being produced by back molding and being applied on a backside of the at least one foil, the at least one layer being translucent and being formed at least locally as a diffuser, wherein the at least one foil penetrates at least partially into the at least one through-hole due to a deformation in the region of the at least one through-hole as a result of the pressure of the back molding during the production of the component, and wherein the at least one island-shaped part is embedded in the foil and therefore fixed by the foil.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foil is flush with the viewing side of the two-dimensionally extending decorative element in the region of the at least one through-hole.

3. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one through-hole is filled essentially fully by the at least one foil.

4. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foil has a thickness in the range of from one millimeter to 0.05 millimeter.

5. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is intended for automobile construction.

6. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one layer in turn engages into the at least one foil, and is connected thereto, in the region of the at least one through-hole.

7. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two-dimensionally extending decorative element is produced from a metal sheet.

8. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one through-hole forms a field that represents several letters that can be seen on the viewing side.

9. The component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the foil has a thickness in the range of from 0.1 millimeter to 0.3 millimeter.

10. The component as claimed in claim 5, wherein it is intended to produce a door sill protector strip.

11. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two-dimensionally extending decorative element has a thickness of one millimeter or less.

12. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two-dimensionally extending decorative element is produced from a metal sheet and has a thickness of one millimeter or less, and wherein the foil has a thickness in the range of from one millimeter to 0.05 millimeter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a three-dimensional view of a component according to the invention

(3) FIG. 2 shows a section through a portion of the two-dimensionally extending decorative element,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a section according to FIG. 2, a foil being applied onto the backside of the two-dimensionally extending decorative element,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a section through the component according to the invention on the line IV-IV of FIG. 5,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a view of a subregion of the viewing side of a component according to the invention and

(7) FIGS. 6 to 8 show partial sections through variants of the component according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 shows a component 1 which has a flat or non-flat viewing side 2, on which a field 3 that represents the letters A, B and C can be seen. These letters are in this case merely an example of such a field, which may be configured arbitrarily per se. The field 3 may be illuminable. The illumination means necessary for this are not represented here, but are known per se to the person skilled in the art.

(9) The field 3 is formed by the through-holes 6, shown in FIG. 2, in a two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4. These through-holes 6 are produced, for example, by lasering or stamping. The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 is for example a metal sheet, for example of aluminum. In principle, however, the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 may also be produced from a different material, for example plastic. Preferably, the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 has a comparatively small thickness, for example one millimeter or less than one millimeter, preferably less than 0.5 millimeter. The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 may be covered with a protective foil, which is generally removed after installation.

(10) The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 has a backside 5, onto the surface of which a foil 8 is applied. This foil 8 is formed by a preferably translucent or at least partially transparent layer of plastic. The thickness of the foil 8, or layer, is preferably one millimeter or less than one millimeter, and preferably more than 0.05 millimeter. The thickness is preferably from 0.1 to 0.3 millimeter. The foil 8 is produced for example from ABS, polycarbonate or PMMA. The foil 8 may be multilayered, for example two-layered. In particular, an upper layer measuring for example 5 m is produced from PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) or PES (polyether sulfone) and a lower layer is produced from PMMA, the total thickness of the foil being for example 50 m. The upper layer may also be a mixture, in particular comprising PVDF and PMMA. The multilayered foil may, for example, be produced by coextrusion. The foil may also be single-layered, consisting of PVDF or PES or a mixture of PVDF and PMMA. A single-layered foil, for example of PMMA, may be coated with a protective varnish. Such foils are particularly resistant against aggressive environmental influences, for example against acids and cleaning agents. If the lower layer is of PMMA, then a particularly good bond with the supporting layer 11 can be achieved when the latter is produced from a similar material, or PMMA.

(11) The component 1 has a further layer 11, which is formed by a thermoplastic that is molded on a backside 10 of the foil 8. In the region of the through-holes 6, the foil 4 is pressed by the layer 11 into these through-holes 6. The foil 8 therefore has, according to FIG. 4, regions 8 which are visible on the viewing side 2.

(12) These regions 8 are flush with the viewing side 2. The regions 8 fully fill the through-holes 6. In particular, by the regions 8, edges 13 (FIGS. 3 and 4) in the through-holes 6 are covered by the regions 8. The sharpness of these edges 13 is therefore eliminated by the regions 8 and, furthermore, no gaps through which parts or even liquid could enter are formed on these edges 13. The foil 8 may, however, protrude on the viewing side 2. The foil 8 may for example form bumps 14 protruding on the viewing side, as shown by FIG. 6. The component 1 shown in FIG. 6 has a foil 8 which fully fills the through-hole 6, and furthermore protrudes on a viewing side 2 and forms the bumps 14. The layer 11, as can be seen, engages with a likewise bump-shaped region 11a into the foil 8 in the region of the through-hole 6.

(13) FIG. 7 shows a component 1 in which a foil 8 is flush with a viewing side 2, but does not fully fill the through-hole 6 so that there is a space 15 between the foil 8 and the decorative element 4. In the component 1 shown in FIG. 8, a foil 8 engages into the through-hole 6, but is not flush with a viewing side 2 and likewise forms a space 15.

(14) The invention therefore makes it possible to produce components 1 to 1 having substantially different viewing sides 2 to 2.

(15) The layer 11, like the foil 8, is preferably translucent or transparent, so that the field 3 can be illuminated from a backside 12. The layer 11 may have fastening means (not shown here) by which the component can be fastened, for example to a body of a motor vehicle.

(16) In the field 3, according to FIGS. 1 and 5, there are island-shaped parts 7 and 7, respectively. According to FIG. 4, these parts 7 and 7 are embedded in the foil 8 and are therefore fixed by the latter. These island-shaped parts 7 are preferably flush with the viewing side 2.

(17) The preferred method for producing the component 1 will be explained in more detail below.

(18) In a first step, the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 is produced, for example from a material in web form. The through-holes 6 are produced, for example, by lasering or stamping. The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 is fixed in a holder (not shown here). The fixing is carried out, for example, by a vacuum which is applied on the viewing side 2. The island-shaped parts 7 formed when producing the through-holes 6 are likewise fixed by the vacuum.

(19) In a second step, the foil 8 is applied onto the backside 5. The foil 8 is preferably adhesively bonded onto the backside 5. The foil 8 and/or the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 are in this case provided with an adhesive layer or adhesive parts (not shown here). The adhesive bonding or application of the foil 8 is preferably carried out here using a roller (not shown here). Once the foil 8 has been applied onto the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4, the two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 is removed from the holder. Island-shaped parts 7 and 7 are now fixed by the foil 8.

(20) The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4, provided with the foil 8, is now placed in a mold cavity of an injection-molding tool (not shown here). The injection-molding tool may be configured as is conventional. After the injection-molding tool has been closed, the layer 11 is produced by back-molding the inserted part. By the injection-molding pressure, the foil 8 is deformed in the region of the through-holes 6 and penetrates into the through-holes 6. Correspondingly, the layer 11 penetrates into the foil 8 in the region of the through-holes 6, as can be seen in FIG. 4. The component 1 can now be released from the mold.

(21) The layer 11 may alternatively be produced by coextrusion. The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 with the applied foil 8 is in this case drawn through the extrusion nozzle, while the layer 11 is applied continuously. The two-dimensionally extending decorative element 4 and the foil 8 in this case form a web. It is also possible to produce the layer 11 by injection-embossing, which is likewise an injection-molding method.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(22) 1 component 2 viewing side 3 field 4 two-dimensionally extending decorative element 5 backside 6 through-holes 7 island-shaped part 8 foil 9 front side 10 backside 11 layer 12 backside 13 edge 14 bumps 15 space