SHAPED PART AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SHAPED PART

Abstract

A shaped part comprising a decorative layer having a front/visible side, a rear/opposite side and a micro-perforation(plurality of through holes), The holes each extend in a straight line between the rear side and the front side. An optical system enables an indicator unit comprising a display on the rear side to be visibly displayed through the micro-perforation of the shaped part. The display is a microLED display, the pixels of which are formed by microLEDs, and the optical system is a micro-optical system having micro-structures, wherein each micro-structure extends from the rear side of the decorative layer into a hole associated therewith in the micro-perforation in the decorative layer. Each micro-structure is associated with a microLED and is arranged and designed such that it guides the light emanating from the microLED associated therewith through the hole associated therewith to the front side of the decorative layer.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A shaped part comprising: a decorative layer having a front side designed as a visible side, a rear side opposite the front side and a micro-perforation formed by a plurality of through holes, wherein the holes each extend in a straight line along their respective longitudinal axis (A) between the rear side and the front side of the decorative layer, and an indicator unit comprising a display arranged on the rear side of the decorative layer and an optical system by means of which an indication shown by the display is visible through the micro-perforation of the decorative layer on the visible side of the shaped part, wherein the display is a microLED display, the pixels of which are formed by microLEDs, wherein the optical system is a micro-optical system having micro-structures, wherein each micro-structure extends from the rear side of the decorative layer into a hole associated therewith in the micro-perforation in the decorative layer, and wherein each micro-structure is associated with a microLED and is arranged and designed such that it guides the light emanating from the microLED associated therewith through the hole associated therewith to the front side of the decorative layer.

17. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: each micro-structure extends along the longitudinal axis (A) of the hole associated therewith, starting from the rear side of the decorative layer over the entire length of the hole and into the hole.

18. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: each micro-structure completely fills the hole associated therewith in a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the hole associated therewith.

19. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: each of the micro-structures comprises a micro-lens which is formed or arranged on an end portion of the micro-structures facing the microLED, and via which the respective micro-structure is arranged on the microLED associated therewith or is placed or applied thereon.

20. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: the micro-optical system is formed from a plastics material or comprises a plastics material.

21. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: the indicator unit comprises a printed circuit board on which the microLEDs are arranged and/or fastened and/or electrically contacted.

22. The shaped part according to claim 16, wherein: the shaped part comprises a carrier arranged on the rear side of the decorative layer, wherein the carrier has a recess in a region of the holes, in which recess the display is arranged.

23. A method for producing a shaped part, in particular a shaped part according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) providing a decorative material for forming the decorative layer, b) introducing a plurality of through holes into the decorative material for forming a micro-perforation, c) providing and/or producing an indicator unit comprising a display, wherein the display is a microLED display, the pixels of which are formed by microLEDs, and comprising an optical system, wherein the optical system is a micro-optical system having micro-structures, d) assembling the indicator unit and decorative material by inserting or introducing the micro-structures into the holes of the micro-perforation from a rear side of the decorative material provided as a rear side of the decorative layer, and arranging the display on the rear side of the decorative material.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein: the micro-structures are inserted or introduced into the holes along the respective longitudinal axis (A) in such a way that: each micro-structure extends along the longitudinal axis (A) of the hole associated therewith, starting from the rear side of the decorative material over the entire length of the hole and into the hole, and/or each micro-structure completely fills the hole associated therewith in a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the hole associated therewith.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein: the production of the indicator unit comprises the following steps: b1) providing a microLED display, b2) providing or producing the micro-structures, wherein: the number of micro-structures corresponds to the number of holes in the decorative material, and/or the micro-structures are dimensioned and/or spaced apart from one another in such a way that they can be inserted or introduced into the hole of the micro-perforation respectively associated therewith in the decorative material, b3) placing or attaching or arranging the micro-structures on one of the microLEDs of the display.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein: (i) an end portion of the micro-structures facing the microLED is designed as a micro-lens, or (ii) a micro-lens is arranged on an end portion of the micro-structures facing the microLED, and the micro-structures are placed on or attached to or arranged on one of the microLEDs via the micro-lens.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein: the production of the indicator unit comprises the following steps: b1) providing a microLED display, b2) forming the micro-structures on one of the microLEDs of the display, wherein: the number of micro-structures corresponds to the number of holes in the decorative material and/or the micro-structures are dimensioned and/or spaced apart from one another in such a way that they can be inserted or introduced into the hole of the micro-perforation respectively associated therewith in the decorative material.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein: an end portion of the micro-structures facing the microLED is designed as a micro-lens.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein: the micro-optical system is produced from a plastics material or a material comprising a plastics material.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein: a carrier is attached to or formed on the rear side of the decorative layer, the carrier is attached or formed in such a way that: it has a recess in a region of the holes, and the microLED display is arranged within the recess of the carrier.

Description

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a shaped part according to the invention according to an embodiment,

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a detail of an embodiment of a micro-perforated decorative material having a carrier in a schematic cross-sectional representation,

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an indicator unit in a schematic cross-sectional representation.

[0058] The shaped part 10 according to the invention (FIG. 1) comprises a decorative layer 11 having a front side 12 designed as a visible side and a rear side 13 opposite the front side 12. In the present case, the decorative layer 11 has a decorative ply 14, for example a wood veneer, which is designed to be at least largely opaque. The decorative layer 11 also has a micro-perforation 16 formed by a plurality of through holes 15, wherein the holes 15 each extend in a straight line along their respective longitudinal axis A between the rear side 13 and the front side 12 of the decorative layer 11. The longitudinal axis A runs parallel to a surface normal of the front side 12. In the present case, the holes 15 have a circular cross sectionperpendicular to their longitudinal axis Aand run parallel to one another. A carrier 17 having a front side 18 facing the decorative layer 11 and a rear side 19 opposite the front side 18 is arranged on the rear side 13 of the decorative layer 11.

[0059] The shaped part 10 further comprises an indicator unit 20 having a display 21 arranged on the rear side 13 of the decorative layer 11 and having an optical system by means of which an indication shown by the display 21 is visible through the micro-perforation 16 of the decorative layer 11 on the visible side of the shaped part 10. The display 21 is a microLED display, the pixels of which are formed by microLEDs 22, wherein the microLEDs 22 are arranged, attached, and electrically contacted on a common printed circuit board 23. The optical system is a micro-optical system 24 having micro-structures 25 which serve as light guides. The micro-structures 25 are in particular made of a material comprising a transparent or translucent plastics material. Each of the micro-structures 25 extends from the rear side 13 of the decorative layer along the longitudinal axis A into a hole 15 associated therewith in the micro-perforation 16 in the decorative layer 11, in the present case both over the entire length of the hole 15 and in such a way that they completely fill the holes 15 in a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A, i.e. the cross section of the holes 15 is completely filled. Each micro-structure 25 is associated with a microLED 22 and one of the holes 15. The micro-structures 25 are therefore arranged and designed in such a way that they guide the light emitted by the microLED 22 associated therewith through the hole 15 associated therewith to the front side 12 of the decorative layer.

[0060] In the present case, an end portion of each micro-structure 25 facing the microLED 22 is designed as a micro-lens 26 in order to concentrate light emitted by the microLED 22 and to guide it in a targeted manner into and through a rod-shaped portion of the micro-structures 25, which is arranged within the hole 15, and thus to the visible side of the shaped part 10. As a result, an indication originating from the display 21 is visible on the visible side of the shaped part 10 at an angular width W, which indication is displayed with excellent edge sharpness and luminance as well as unchanged color representation due to the efficient light guidance of the micro-structures 25.

[0061] In the present case, the indicator unit 20 is arranged in a recess 27 of the carrier 17 which is formed in a region of the micro-perforation 16 in the carrier 16.

[0062] The decorative layer 11 can consist only of the decorative ply 14 described above. In the present case, however, the decorative layer 11 comprises, in addition to the decorative ply 14, two further intermediate plies 28, 29 which are attached to a rear side of the decorative ply 14. In the present case, the intermediate plies 28, 29 are an adhesive layer 28 and a stabilizing layer 29, in this case a nonwoven, bonded to the decorative ply 14 by means of the adhesive layer 28. The holes 15 extend through the entire decorative layer 11 and thus through both the decorative ply 14 and the intermediate layers 28, 29.

[0063] A transparent or translucent protective and/or optical layer 30 made of lacquer is also provided on the front side 12 of the decorative layer 11.

[0064] To produce a shaped part 10, a decorative material is first provided (step a) for forming a decorative layer 11 having a front side 12 designed as a visible side and a rear side 13 opposite the front side 12 (FIG. 2). The decorative material comprises, for example, a wood veneer for forming the decorative ply 14 and two further intermediate plies 28, 29, in this case an adhesive layer 28 and a stabilizing layer 29, in this case a nonwoven, bonded to the decorative ply 14 by means of the adhesive layer 28.

[0065] In a further step b), a plurality of through holes 15 are introduced into the decorative material or into a portion of the decorative layer 11 produced therefrom, for example six such holes 15 are shown which form a micro-perforation 16. This micro-perforation 16 is formed in the decorative layer 11, for example, by means of a laser. The holes 15 are introduced in such a way that they each extend in a straight line along their respective longitudinal axis A between the rear side 13 and the front side 12 of the decorative layer 11, and the longitudinal axis A runs parallel to a surface normal of the front side 12. In the present case, the holes 15 are also designed with a circular cross section-perpendicular to their longitudinal axis Aand running parallel to one another. The holes 15 are introduced through the entire decorative layer 11 and thus through both the decorative ply 14 and the intermediate layers 28, 29.

[0066] Furthermore, a carrier 17 is formed on the rear side 13 of the decorative layer 11, which carrier has a front side 18 facing the decorative layer 11 and a rear side 19 opposite the front side 18 and facing away from the decorative layer 11. The carrier 17 is formed, for example, by means of back-injection of the decorative material, in particular with a carrier material made of a plastics material or a material comprising a plastics material. The carrier 17 is designed in such a way that it has a recess 27 in a region of the holes 15. In other words, only the decorative layer 11 is present in a region of the micro-perforation 16. According to the embodiment, the carrier 13 is formed before the decorative material is assembled with the indicator unit 20. Alternatively, the carrier 13 can also be made after the decorative material has been assembled with the indicator unit 20, for example by bonding or pressing a carrier 17 onto the rear side 13 of the decorative layer 11.

[0067] In a further step c)successive or parallel to the provision of the micro-perforated decorative layer 11an indicator unit 20 comprising a display 21, more precisely a microLED display, the pixels of which are formed by microLEDs 22 which are arranged, attached and electrically contacted on a common printed circuit board 23, and comprising an optical system, more precisely a micro-optical system 24 having micro-structures 25, is provided or produced (FIG. 3).

[0068] The indicator unit 20 can be produced in such a way that the micro-structures 25 are produced in a separate step and then applied to the microLEDs 22. In this case, a microLED display 21 is provided in a first step b1). In a further step b2), the micro-structures 25 are provided or produced. The micro-structures 25 are thereby manufactured with a precise fit with respect to the decorative layer 11, i.e. the number of micro-structures 25 corresponds to the number of holes 15 in the decorative material, and the micro-structures 25 are dimensioned and spaced apart from one another in such a way that they can be inserted or introduced into the hole 15 of the micro-perforation 16 respectively associated therewith in the decorative material. In a further step b3), the micro-structures 25 produced or provided are placed, attached or arranged on one of the microLEDs 22 of the display.

[0069] In the present case, an end portion of the micro-structures 25 facing the microLED 22 is designed as a micro-lens 26. Alternatively, a micro-lens 26 could be arranged on an end portion of the micro-structures 25 facing the microLED 22. The micro-structure 25 is subsequently placed, attached or arranged on a microLED 22 via the micro-lens 26.

[0070] Alternatively, the indicator unit can be produced in such a way that the micro-structures 25 are produced directly on the microLEDs. A microLED display 21 is again provided in a first step b1). In a second step b2), the micro-structures 25 are formed on one of the microLEDs 22 of the display 21, wherein the number of micro-structures 25 in turn corresponds to the number of holes 15 in the decorative material and the micro-structures 25 in turn are dimensioned and spaced apart from one another in such a way that they can be inserted or introduced into the hole 15 of the micro-perforation 16 respectively associated therewith in the decorative material.

[0071] An end portion of the micro-structures 25 facing the microLED 22 is in turn designed as a micro-lens 26 in order to concentrate the light emitted by the microLED 22 and to guide it in a targeted manner through the holes 15.

[0072] The micro-optical system 24, i.e. the micro-structures 25 and the micro-lens 26, are each produced from a material comprising a plastics material or from a plastics material.

[0073] In a final step d), the indicator unit 20 and the decorative material or the decorative layer 11, optionally with the carrier 17 arranged thereon, are assembled by inserting or introducing the micro-structures 25 into the holes 15 of the micro-perforation 16 from a rear side of the decorative material provided as the rear side 13 of the decorative layer 11. In this case, the micro-structures 25 are inserted or introduced into the holes 15 along the respective longitudinal axis A in such a way that each micro-structure 25 extends along the longitudinal axis A of the hole 15 associated therewith, starting from the rear side of the decorative material over the entire length of the hole 15 and into the hole, and/or that each micro-structure 25 completely fills the hole 15 associated therewith in a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the hole 15 associated therewith. The display 21 is arranged in the recess 27 of the carrier 17 or a carrier 17 having a recess 27 is subsequently attached to the rear side of the decorative layer 11.

[0074] A transparent or translucent protective and/or optical layer 30 made of lacquer can subsequently be applied to the front side 12 of the decorative layer 11.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0075] 10 Shaped part [0076] 11 Decorative layer [0077] 12 Front side of the decorative layer [0078] 13 Rear side of the decorative layer [0079] 14 Decorative ply [0080] 15 Hole [0081] 16 Micro-perforation [0082] 17 Carrier [0083] 18 Front side of the carrier [0084] 19 Rear side of the carrier [0085] 20 Indicator unit [0086] 21 Display [0087] 22 MicroLED [0088] 23 Printed circuit board [0089] 24 Micro-optical system [0090] 25 Micro-structure [0091] 26 Micro-lens [0092] 27 Recess [0093] 28 Stabilizing layer/Nonwoven [0094] 29 Adhesive layer [0095] 30 Protective and/or optical layer [0096] A Longitudinal axis of a hole [0097] W Angular width