Galvanically decorated decorative element with contour light

Abstract

A galvanically decorated decorative element with contour light is produced from at least two plastic components in a material-fit composite, wherein a first plastic component is galvanigable and forms the decorative element. At least one second plastic component is galvano-inert. Consequently, it is uncoated and passes through the electroplating process unchanged. It represents a transilluminable contour light region.

Claims

1. A galvanically decorated, decorative element with contour light comprising a material-fit composite produced from at least first and second plastic components; wherein, the first plastic component is galvanizable and forms a decorative element section; wherein the second plastic component is galvano-inert and passes through an electroplating process uncoated and unchanged; wherein the second plastic component forms a transilluminable contour light region; wherein the second plastic component produces a component section comprising attachment elements or welding tabs, attachment and fixation members, and an illuminant affixed to a rear side of the decorative element section by the attachment and fixation members; wherein a component region of the rear side of the decorative element section of the first plastic component is electroplated with deposited metal layers and wherein the transilluminable contour light region as well as the component region are geometrically configured so that during the electroplating process, the deposited metal layers build up with sharp contours, precisely to a material joint of the first and second plastic components; and wherein the material joint is configured so that galvanic separation is placed into a non-visible region.

2. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 1, wherein the first plastic component comprises a copolymerizate that contains butadiene.

3. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 1, wherein the second plastic component comprises a transparent, translucent or light-scattering amorphous plastic.

4. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 3, wherein the amorphous plastic comprises a polyamide (PA).

5. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 3, wherein the amorphous plastic comprises a polycarbonate (PC).

6. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 1, wherein the illuminant is formed by light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED-supplied light guides.

7. The galvanically decorated decorative element according to claim 1, wherein the component section produced from the second plastic component encompasses the transilluminable contour light region as well as the component region of the rear side of the decorative element section of the first plastic component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) 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.

(2) In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

(3) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a galvanically decorated decorative element with contour light, in section; and

(4) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a galvanically decorated decorative element with contour light, in section, in another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) The galvanically decorated decorative element with contour light selected as an exemplary embodiment is produced from at least two plastic components 2, 4, in a material-fit composite. The connection of the two components 2, 4 is consequently held together by means of atomic or molecular forces. The connection is not releasable. It is produced in a two-component injection-molding process. In a modification of the exemplary embodiments described below, the possibility also exists of providing multiple components of both the first and of the second plastic component.

(6) One of the two plastic components 2called the first plastic component hereinafteris galvanizable. It forms the decorative element 3. In the exemplary embodiment, the first plastic component 2 consists of a copolymerizate that contains butadiene. Other materials can also be used, however, as long as they are galvanizable.

(7) The other plastic, component 4called the second plastic component hereinafteris galvano-inert. In the sense of the present invention, galvano-inert is understood to mean that the plastic component 4 passes through the electroplating process in uncoated and unchanged manner. Therefore no galvanic precipitates or coatings deposit on the second plastic component 4 during the electroplating process.

(8) The second plastic component 4 represents the transilluminable contour light region 5. In the exemplary embodiment, the second plastic component 4 furthermore encompasses a large region of the rear-side component section of the first plastic component 2. It is evident that in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second plastic component 4 forms the entire rear side 9 of the decorative element 3. The second plastic component 4 is composed of an amorphous polyamide (PA), which is transparent, translucent, or light-scattering. Preferably, the plastic component 4 consists of at polycarbonate (PC). Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or cyclo-olefin copolymers (COC), however, can also be used.

(9) A component section is produced from the galvano-inert second plastic component 4, which section makes available an attachment or fixation 6 for an illuminant 7 affixed to the rear side. The illuminant 7 can be light emitting, diodes (LEDs) or light guides. In addition, the component section composed of the second plastic component 4 forms welding tabs 8. Attachment elements can also be used instead of the welding tabs.

(10) In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the first, galvanizable plastic component 2 is configured in U shape. In the installed state, it represents the visible part of the decorative element 3. The second plastic component 4 is disposed in the D shape of the first plastic component 2. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the plastic component 4 is also configured in U shape, so that the second plastic component 4 has two shanks that are connected with one another by means of a base oriented at a right angle to the shanks. Welding tabs 8 for attaching the decorative element 3 to the vehicle are provided at the free ends of the shanks. Two fixation elements 6 are disposed on the base of the second plastic component 4, which elements serve for attachment of the illuminant 7, which is a light guide in the exemplary embodiment.

(11) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the base of the second plastic component 4 has an essentially triangular projection that is provided directly adjacent to the illuminant 7. After electroplating of the second plastic component 4, the triangular projection is essentially enclosed by the first plastic component 2. Only a narrow region, above the tip of the triangular projection is not enclosed by the galvanizable plastic component 2, so that a very narrow transilluminable contour light region 5 occurs. This area occurs in the region of the material joint 10 of the two plastic components 2, 4. The material joint 10 is configured so that the galvanic separation is moved into a non-visible region. It is evident that the component section produced from the second plastic component 4 encompasses the transilluminable contour light region 5 as well as the entire rear side 9 of the component section of the first plastic component 2.

(12) In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the first, galvanizable plastic component 2 forms an L-shaped decorative element 3. The rear side 9 is filled with the second plastic component 4. The second plastic component 4 is essentially U-shaped, which is covered using a projection of the L-shaped plastic component 2. The material joint 10 of the two plastic components 2, 4 is situated in the region of the overlap. The projecting region of the second plastic component 4 that is directed toward the visible side 1 forms the transilluminable contour light region 5 in this exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the illuminant 7 is disposed in a corner of the U-shaped second plastic component 4. It is attached there by means of the fixations 6. It is evident that in this exemplary embodiment, as well, the component section produced from the second plastic component 4 encompasses the transilluminable contour light region 5 as well as the entire rear side 9 of the component section of the first plastic component 2. In a modification of the exemplary embodiment, the possibility also exists that the component section produced from the second plastic component 4 merely encompasses the rear side 9 in certain regions.

(13) In the galvanically decorated decorative element according to the invention, the illuminant 7 is disposed on the rear side 9 of the decorative element 3. Placement of the illuminant 7 takes place in the immediate vicinity of the material joint 10 of the two plastic components 2, 4 and thereby in the immediate vicinity of the transilluminable contour light region 5. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the contour light region 5 is provided solely on the visible side 1 of the decorative element 3. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the contour light region 5 is provided not only on the visible side 1 but also to the side of it. The configuration selected in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 represents the possibility of ambient lighting. In this case, the decorative element 3 can form a strip in a vehicle door or in the instrument panel, for example, in which strip the light is emitted in the direction of the vehicle floor and thereby illuminates the vehicle interior in certain regions. The situation is different in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, in which the transilluminable contour light region 5 is configured with sharp contours on the visible side. In this way, strips or symbols with an exact contour can be represented.

(14) The production of the galvanically decorated decorative element according to the invention takes place in known manner. First, a connection between the plastic components 2 and 4 is produced using the two-component injection-molding process. Subsequently, electroplating takes place, wherein the galvanic layer is deposited solely on the first, galvanizable plastic component 2. The regions formed by the second, galvano-inert plastic component 4 remain clear, thereby creating the transilluminable region 5. In this regard, the contour light region 5 as well as the component region to be electroplated are geometrically configured in such a manner that the deposited metal layers build up, during the electroplating process, with sharp contours precisely to the material joint 10 of the two plastic components 2, 4. Subsequently, the illuminant 7 is installed in the decorative element 3, thereby completing the decorative element according to the invention.

(15) 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.