DE102011104018A1 - Producing visible side galvanically coated plastic component, comprises providing translucent galvanizable film, printing front side of film, shaping printed film, back-molding the transformed film and galvanizing the component strip - Google Patents

Abstract

Producing a visible side galvanically coated plastic component (1) with at least one non-galvanically coated region having a masking (2) of a non-galvanizable material, comprises: (a) providing a translucent galvanizable film (3) with a front and a back side; (b) printing at least one region of front side of the film; (c) shaping printed film corresponding to a target shape of the plastic component; (d) back-molding the transformed film with a second non-galvanizable material (4) to obtain a component strip; and (e) galvanizing component strip and producing a metallic surface coating (5). Producing a visible side galvanically coated plastic component (1) with at least one non-galvanically coated region having a masking (2) of a non-galvanizable material, comprises: (a) providing a translucent galvanizable film (3) with a front side and a back side; (b) printing at least one region of the front side of the film, which is non galvanized, with the masking made of non-galvanizable material; (c) shaping the printed film corresponding to a target shape of the plastic component; (d) back-molding the transformed film with a second non-galvanizable material (4) and obtaining a component strip; and (e) galvanizing the component strip and producing a metallic surface coating (5) on the visible side of the component strip with the recess of the masked region. Independent claims are also included for: (1) a translucent film for producing a front side galvanically coated plastic component with at least one non-galvanically coated region having a masking of a non-galvanizable material, useful for performing the above mentioned method, where the film is galvanized and has a front side and a back side, where the film is printed on the front side with the at least one masking of non-galvanizable material and the film is deformable; (2) a film, preferably galvanizable film with the front side and the back side, which is a single-layer structure, or is produced by pre-treating the front side of the film for obtaining a galvanizable surface; and (3) visible side galvanically coated plastic component, which is used as a control-, decorative- or display element for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one non-galvanically coated region with masking of non-galvanizable material, where the plastic component has the film, which is back-molded with a second non-galvanizable material, whose visible side is galvanically coated with recess of the masking.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a visually galvanically coated plastic component with at least one non-galvanically coated region, a suitable for use in the process film and the plastic component itself.

Galvanized components such as plastic components with metallic coating are used for example in vehicle for actuating surfaces or decorative frames in the vehicle interior.

From the DE 10 2008 032 761 A1 a component having at least one galvanized surface region is known, which has a non-electroplatable film and a one-component or multi-component plastic layer of injection-molding compound bonded to the film. The galvanized surface area is a surface area of the plastic layer, which adjoins the non-galvanized surface areas without gaps for the visual enhancement of the plastic component. In the corresponding production method, the surface area to be plated is produced by injection molding a non-plateable film with an electroplatable injection-molding compound and the plastic body resulting from the injection-in of the film is fed to a galvanizing process.

For selective metallization, therefore, electroplatable materials with non-electroplatable materials in multi-component injection molding are materially interconnected. In this case, for example, in the field of key caps for operating, decor or display elements durchbluchtungsfähige symbols can be introduced. The electroplating materials have heretofore been mainly limited to acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS for short), which is a synthetic terpolymer of the three different monomer types, acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene and styrene, and belongs to the amorphous thermoplastics. So far, ABS is only conditionally adjustable in its transmission and reflection. Therefore, the contrast between the symbol and the electroplated layer, especially during daytime operation, may be insufficient so that the symbols are difficult to read.

Up to now, electroplated foils have a high surface quality, but are opaque and therefore not suitable for the imaging of symbols.

Therefore, at one of the DE 102 08 674 A1 known method galvanically coated control, decor or display elements made with backlit symbols. For this purpose, a galvanisierfähiger plastic blank is covered in the area of the symbol area on the back, after which the blank is chemically and optionally electroplated to produce a thin metal layer. After leaving the plating bath further processing of the blank by partial removal of the metal layer by means of laser ablation to expose the symbol on the surface of the translucent or transparent plastic. After renewed galvanic treatment, in which the exempt symbol area receives no metal coating, the remaining plastic body is covered by a galvanically deposited metal layer and thus provided with the desired metallic appearance, while the excepted area remains transparent.

One from the DE 10 2007 015 625 A1 Known method for producing a front side galvanically coated control, decor or display element with non-coated areas runs without interruption of the galvanic process until the completion of the metallic surface. It first comprises the production of a base body made of a transparent or translucent electroplatable plastic material having a front side and a rear side; followed by covering or shielding a portion of the back surface to avoid electroplating in the region. Then a masking in the form of the area on the front side is applied and the main body is held and contacted, wherein the contacting takes place outside of the area. Finally, a chemical and optionally galvanic pretreatment of the base body is carried out according to a method known per se for producing a thin-layered metal layer outside the area, whereupon the metallic surface coating is galvanically finished.

In this case, either in a body of galvanisable material masking of non-galvanisierfähigem material in the field of symbolism can be applied or the main body itself can be made of a non-galvanisierfähigem plastic, which is then provided with a galvanizable surface layer, the symbolism is kept free or subsequently is released. The former mask of non-electroplatable material, which may also be colored, may be made by printing with a transparent or translucent lacquer or by welding a structure of non-electroplatable, transparent material.

Based on this prior art, it is an object of the present invention, the classical multi-component injection molding with laser symbolization for the selective galvanization of z. B. keycaps in the field of operating and Replacing display components and provide a galvanisable film so that the symbols are clearly legible, so even in the day provide sufficient contrast.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. A film suitable for use in the process is disclosed with the features of claim 7.

Further developments of the method and the film are carried out in the respective subclaims.

Furthermore, a plastic component with the features of claim 10 has an improved contrast and thus a better readability during the day.

The method of the invention is used to produce a visible side galvanically coated plastic component. The visible side is the front of the plastic component, which faces the viewer in the installed state of the plastic component. This visually galvanically coated plastic component has at least one area which is not galvanically coated and which is provided in particular for the representation of a through- or back-lit symbolism, such as is present on key caps of operating, decorative or display elements. The non-electroplated area is covered by a masking of a non-electroplatable material.

To carry out the method, a single-layer translucent and electroplatable film is first provided (step a). With the non-electrodepositable material that makes up the mask, the front side of the film is printed in the area (s) (step b) that is not to be electroplated. Thus, the masking is simply applied to the film by a printing process. It follows now the forming of the printed film corresponding to a target shape of the plastic component (step c), wherein the film is formed in the region to the component shape, which includes the masking, so that later the masking is present at the intended location of the plastic component. Subsequently, the formed film is back-injected with a second non-electroplatable material (step d), so that a component blank is obtained. This is then galvanized according to known processes (step e), for example by a colloidal process or direct metallization, wherein a metallic surface coating on the visible side of the component blank is created with the masking area being omitted, and thus the visually galvanically coated plastic component is obtained.

Although it is possible with the inventive method to produce only a plastic component from a printed with a masking film, but advantageously by applying a plurality of masks when printing the front of the planar film, the simultaneous production of several plastic components is possible, wherein in step c ) the printed film with the masks according to the target shapes of the plastic components is transformed. In this case, similar masking and target shapes can be used for the same plastic components. But it is also conceivable to create different types of masking and target shapes of different plastic components. The film is then correspondingly reshaped so that the respective mask lies in the associated component form.

Particularly in the case where a plurality of masks are applied for simultaneously producing a plurality of plastic components, but also with only one plastic component to be manufactured, the method according to the invention comprises cutting the film (step c1) corresponding to the one or more of the film to be manufactured plastic components. The cutting of the film is preferably carried out after the forming (step c). In this case, a film blank is obtained, which has the target shape of the plastic component and the masking, which is then back-injected according to step d), so that the component blank is present, which can then be galvanized. If appropriate, the blank of the printed film can also be cut before the forming, after which the unshaped foil blanks are shaped in accordance with the component target shape.

In the translucent electroplated film, it may be z. B. is a single-layer ABS film having the front and back the same properties. ABS is at least partially transilluminable and its transmissivity decreases with increasing layer thickness. Therefore, the thickness of the ABS film is limited to make a symbol formed by the masking of the non-plated region still appear clear on backlighting or fluoroscopy.

In general, it is conceivable that when forming the printed film according to the target shape of the plastic component of the area that is not galvanized and is provided with the masking is not transformed, but comes to rest in a flat component area, but preferably it can in the non-electrodepositable material of the masking act by a deformable material, which follows the deformation of the film. The masking applied to the film by means of printing on the front side of the film can be monochrome or multicolored, it can be translucent, opaque or light scattering plastic materials, paints, paints, etc. are used, which can also be applied in several pressure levels. Also, the masking may have a final protective layer that protects the underlying (color) print.

Further embodiments of the method according to the invention relate to the fact that the printing in step b) can be carried out simply by means of screen printing, in particular a special grid screen printing, with which the electroplatable front side of the film is printed with the maskings. The deformation in step c) can be thermal or high-pressure forms (HPF) of the printed film, whereby film insert molding (FIM) allows free shaping up to complex 3D structures. In particular, the HPF process developed by Bayer MaterialScience, in which the film is deformed below the softening temperature with courts of compressed air (20 to 300 bar), offers a high position accuracy of the printed symbols, since the distortion is constant and can be compensated by a Zerrdruck , In addition, the HPF heat damage of the film, which may occur during thermoforming can be avoided. However, by means of thermoforming greater degrees of stretching and a better Ausformschärfe can be achieved especially in corner regions of the plastic component.

The non-electroplatable material for injection molding in step d) may also be a plastic.

Another object of the invention is a translucent film, which is suitable for producing a front-side galvanically coated plastic component with at least one non-electroplated region having a masking of a non-electroplatable material, and with which the above method can be performed. The electroplatable film is deformable and is printed on the front with the at least one masking of the non-electroplatable material.

The film of the invention may consist of a galvanisierbaren translucent plastic material, in particular of ABS, with limited thickness in order to give the entire film sufficient translucency, since ABS is inherently only partially durchleuchtfähig and decreases its transmittance accordingly with increasing layer thickness. Alternatively, the film may have only one side pretreated to obtain a surface capable of being electroplated forming the front side.

Finally, an object of the invention relates to the visible galvanically coated plastic component produced from the film using the method, which may be in particular a control, decorative or display element, in particular of a motor vehicle. The plastic component with at least one non-galvanically coated region, which has a masking made of a non-electroplatable material, comprises a film injected behind with a second material which can not be electroplated, the visible side of which is galvanically coated, with the masking omitted. The sheet material used is the aforementioned translucent sheet having the masking provided by a single or multi-color, translucent, opaque or light-scattering print. As a result, the image or symbolism formed by the masking is more contrast-rich and stands out better from the surrounding metallically coated surface of the plastic component and can thus be read well even during the day. Furthermore, the illustrated image or symbolism by the printed on the planar film masking can also be a complex single- or multi-color graphics printing, which is in particular a photo-realistic or 3D graphics.

Of course, more than one masking for displaying one or more symbols may be provided in a plastic component, for example, the plastic component may have a back- or durchleuchtbaren lettering, which then requires multiple masking in the form of letters.

Thus, a galvanisable film, which consists in particular of ABS, the visible side with a special grid screen printing, for example, a digital screen printing printed with the desired graphics / symbols in the appropriate areas. The symbol thus produced also fulfills the applicable requirements for operating and display concepts, the printing ink used (or paint or other non-electroplatable plastic material) follows the deformation of the film to the component target shape and is so resistant that it can be passed without damage through the electroplating process without a layer deposition on the printed areas arises. The color can be adjusted for ideal light transmission.

The previously used in the art for printing the (curved) plastic components pad printing systems for applying the masking are not or only partially suitable. Furthermore, only monochrome symbols can be generated by pad printing, while according to the invention even photorealistic graphics can be imaged. This can also be done in several pressure levels, optionally with a protective layer and very fine geometric design of the edge regions. While the component geometry in the previously used pad printing variant on slight bulges is limited, since the color-decorated ink pad can not be introduced into deep wells, with the FIM technique, especially the thermoforming and high pressure forming a much freer shape of the parts can be realized up to 3D.

Thus, the invention provides a better day-contrast of the symbol included in the plastic component, in particular by a free choice of color, and a better chemical resistance in the field of symbolism. The creation of photorealistic graphics as well as more degrees of freedom in supplier selection enhance the advantages. In addition, a significant cost reduction is possible because standard methods are used with screen printing and thermal or high pressure molding

These and other advantages are set forth by the following description with reference to the accompanying figures. The reference to the figures in the description is to aid in the description and understanding of the subject matter. The figures are merely a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention.

Showing:

1 a sequence of the conventional manufacturing process of a plastic component with a non-electroplated region in four figures in a schematic side sectional view,

2 a sequence of the manufacturing process according to the invention of a plastic component with a non-galvanically coated region in four figures in a schematic side sectional view.

The method according to the invention relates to the production of a visually galvanically coated plastic component with at least one non-galvanically coated region which is provided for through- or backlighting of a readable symbol. The components may therefore be, for example, operating, decorative or display elements, such as keycaps.

Conventionally, as in 1 first sketched the production of a component blank made of plastic, which consists of a galvanisable area 30 , for example made of ABS, and a plastic structure that back-sprays this component to complement the component, for example 40 , consists of polycarbonate. The back-injected structure 40 leaves an area at the top of the ABS structure free, which later forms the through- or the backlit area of the component. The second figure shows a first layer electroplated on the ABS layer 50 from which, as shown in the third figure, selectively removing a region up to the ABS layer, for example by means of laser, see line L in the figure, to expose the transilluminable region. Afterwards, as shown in the fourth figure, the subsequent plating and application of the outer metallic layer takes place 51 which gives the component the desired appearance. The non-galvanized area is here unmasked, but in the alternative method of the prior art, as described above, it is also intended to apply masking to the component in the transilluminable area.

By contrast, according to the invention, like the 2 clarifies the masking 2 from the non-electroplatable material already on the translucent electroplated film 3 applied.

The masking 2 has the shape and color of the desired symbolism, it can also include several colors, such as the two-layer structure of the masking 2 indicated. By doing that, the masking 2 on the flat foil 3 For example, a screen printing method can be used with which any graphics can also be realized in multiple colors, even in several pressure levels, and thus the design options are significantly expanded. The second illustration of 2 now shows the according to the target shape of the component formed film 3 , where the masking 2 positionally accurate at the intended location to form the transilluminable area 2 of the component comes to rest.

Unlike in the 2 1, a film web can be printed with a multiplicity of maskings, which are then shaped correspondingly in a forming step, for example by means of thermal or high-pressure molds according to the component target shape, so that in each case the masking is positioned in the region of the component provided for the purpose of fluoroscopy. After the forming is then done the cutting, wherein the shaped film sections are cut out according to the components to be produced therefrom. The third picture of the 2 shows the component blank 1a by injecting the molded film 3 with a plastic injection molding compound, which is not galvanisable, is obtained. Through the back-injected plastic structure 4 becomes the foil blank 3 to the component blank 1a added, which now only needs to be galvanized to the finished visible galvanically coated plastic component 1 obtained in the last picture. This usually has a lower galvanization layer 5a on, on the final electroplating layer 5b that the component 1 gives its metallic appearance, is electroplated.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102008032761 A1 [0003]
• DE 10208674 A1 [0006]
• DE 102007015625 A1 [0007]

Claims (10)

Process for producing a visible galvanically coated plastic component ( 1 ) having at least one non-electroplated area which is masked ( 2 ) comprising a non-electroplatable material, comprising the steps of: a) providing a translucent, electroplatable film ( 3 ) with a front side ( 3a ) and a back ( 3b b) printing on at least one area of the front side ( 3a ) of the film ( 3 ), which is not galvanized, with the masking ( 2 ) from the non-electroplatable material, c) reshaping the printed film ( 3 ) corresponding to a target shape of the plastic component ( 1 ), d) injection molding of the formed film ( 3 ) with a second non-electroplatable material ( 4 ) and obtaining a component blank ( 1a ), e) galvanizing the component blank ( 1a ) and thereby producing a metallic surface coating ( 5 ) on the visible side of the component blank ( 1a ) with the exception of the masked area ( 2 ). Method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: - applying a plurality of maskings ( 2 ) in step b) for the simultaneous production of several plastic components ( 1 ) on the front ( 3a ) of the film ( 3 ) and - in step c) forming the printed film ( 3 ) according to the target shapes of the plastic components ( 1 ). Method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the steps: c1) cutting the film ( 3 ) according to the one or more plastic components to be produced from the film, in particular after step c) and obtaining a film blank, and performing step d) with the film blank and obtaining the component blank ( 1a ). Method according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electroplated film ( 3 ) with the front side ( 3a ) and the back ( 3b ) - is constructed in a single layer, or - by pretreating at least the front side ( 3a ) of the film ( 3 ) to obtain a galvanizable surface. Method according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the non-electroplatable material of the masking ( 2 ) is deformable, and / or the masking ( 2 ) - one or more colors and / or - translucent, opaque or light-scattering and / or - in several pressure stages and / or - with a protective layer on the front side ( 3a ) of the film ( 3 ) is printed. Method according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the printing in step b) takes place by means of screen printing, and / or the forming in step c) takes place by means of thermoforming or high-pressure molding, and / or the non-electroplatable material of the masking ( 2 ) is a plastic material, a paint or a lacquer, and the second, non-electroplatable material for injection molding in step d) is a non-galvanisable plastic. Translucent foil ( 3 ) for producing a front-side galvanically coated plastic component ( 1 ) having at least one non-electroplated area which is masked ( 2 ) made of a non-galvanisable material, usable for carrying out a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the film ( 3 ) is galvanisable and a front side ( 3a ) and a back ( 3b ), wherein the film ( 3 ) on the front side ( 3a ) with the at least one masking ( 2 ) is printed from the non-galvanisable material and the film ( 3 ) is deformable. Foil ( 3 ) according to claim 7, characterized in that the electroplatable film ( 3 ) with the front side ( 3a ) and the back ( 3b ) - has a single-layered construction, or - a front surface pretreated to obtain a galvanisable surface ( 3a ) having. Foil ( 3 ) according to claim 8, characterized in that it consists of an ABS plastic. Visibly galvanically coated plastic component, which is suitable as a control, decorative or display element for a motor vehicle, with at least one non-galvanically coated area, the masking ( 2 ) made of a non-galvanisable material, wherein the plastic component ( 1 ) a back-injected with a second non-galvanisable material foil ( 3 ) whose visible side, with the masking omitted ( 2 ) is electroplated, characterized in that the film ( 3 ), the masking ( 2 ), a translucent film ( 3 ) according to at least one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the masking ( 2 ) by a single or multi-colored, translucent, opaque or light-scattering pressure is provided.

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