DE102017125113A1 - Translucent, real-metal decorative trim - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for producing a translucent real metal decorative panel (16) with a carrier layer (1) in the symbol-like recesses (2) are mounted, wherein in a first process step, the carrier layer (1) is placed on a film (3) with a flat side, wherein from the other side of the carrier layer (1) the recesses (2) are open (ie half open) and in a second process step, the thus formed upwardly open (semi-open) recesses (2) by a filling layer (4) of curable filler are filled, characterized in that in a third process step, the filling layer (4) covering the complete side of the carrier layer (1) is reduced by a material removal process in the layer thickness (13) and in a fourth process step a transilluminable metal layer (6) is applied to the Fill layer (4) is applied in a physical application process.

Description

The invention relates to a translucent real metal decorative panel according to the preamble of claim 1.

With the going back to the same applicant document DE 10 2012 002 650 A1 a method and a device for producing a decorative panel has become known, which has recesses which are illuminated when a light source is applied. For this purpose, first perforations are arranged in the carrier layer, which are introduced by mechanical abrasions or by laser cutting or punching in the carrier layer.

The recesses in the carrier layer are arranged so that certain symbols or segments of light result, which should later be transilluminable in order to produce a certain luminous impression in the finished decorative panel.

The known method according to the DE 10 2012 002 650 A1 consists in that the back of the carrier layer or also the front side of the carrier layer is coated with a suitable curable filling layer, which is applied so that the recesses in the carrier layer are covered by the filling layer.

In a next method step, the filling layer is cured, so that a decorative panel is formed, which is durchleuchtbar when a light source is applied from the back of the thus finished decorative panel, which lights through the hardened by the filler layer recesses in the support layer, so that on the light source opposite side of the decorative panel, the symbols or light segments light up and are clearly visible.

Such a method and decorative trim produced by the method have proven to be on a large scale. Disadvantage of the above method, however, is that a real metal surface for a decorative panel is not possible because a real metal surface is no longer durchleuchtbar.

At the subject of DE 10 2011 012 789 A1 For example, an interior trim part for a motor vehicle is produced in such a way that a film arranged on the carrier layer and a metal layer arranged on the film and forming the outside of the interior trim part are applied. The metal layer has at least one breakthrough. A portion of the film is located within the at least one aperture, and forms in the region of the at least one aperture, the outer surface of the inner lining part.

Disadvantage of this arrangement is that the symbols or light segments on the visible side of the metal layer are visible from the outside, and a so-called camouflage effect is not given.

The invention is therefore based on the DE 10 2011 012 789 A1 the object of developing a decorative panel of a general nature so that the visible surface is completely camouflaged and forms the impression of a continuous, continuous, smooth and uninterrupted surface of a metal part.

To solve the problem, the invention is characterized by the technical teaching of claim 1.

An essential feature of the invention is now the production and provision of a decorative panel whose visible surface consists of a completely continuous metal surface, without radiant symbols, light segments or other parts would be visible from the visible side, when a visible side of the opposite light source is turned off.

This results in a camouflage effect, so that it is not recognizable to the viewer of an unlit decorative trim that light segments, transilluminable symbols or other information carriers are arranged in the decorative trim. Only when switching on a suitable light source that illuminates the decorative panel from the back, the symbols, light segments and other information elements are visible through the now durchleuchtbare surface of the metal layer.

The invention does not require that the transilluminable metal layer is smooth and flat. It can also be provided with a structure, for example grooved, roughened, brushed, embossed or even printed.

Furthermore, it can be provided in a development of the present invention that the translucent real metal layer is additionally covered on the visible side by a transilluminable, transparent [or: translucent] cover layer, which may be formed for example as a lacquer layer or as a colored lacquer layer.

At any rate, the novel effect according to the present invention is decisive in that, in a startling manner, a real metal surface is now designed to be transilluminated, which was hitherto unknown.

Although it was previously known to provide films with a metal layer. Disadvantage of the known arrangements was that a so-called "cool-touch" effect was missing. This effect is that when you touch such a surface by hand, it must actually be a feeling of cold because of the high heat dissipation, which is not the case with metal films coated with plastic films.

Compared with known micro-perforated metal layers, the invention is characterized in that it is now possible to backlight substantially larger segments than a microperforation, and a sharp illumination of the openings or recesses in the carrier layer is possible because these openings or perforations or recesses in the carrier layer of the visible side are filled with a curable plastic layer, and thus sharp edge, the plastic layer covers the recesses, and thereby avoids that at the boundary lines between the recesses in the carrier layer and these recesses covering, curable plastic layer dirt particles are deposited.

The prior art is distinguished by the fact that the curable plastic layer was applied from the back to the carrier layer, so that the filling of the recesses in the carrier layer from the back took place and therefore a flush connection of the curable carrier layer at the sharp edges of the recesses in the direction of the visible side was no longer guaranteed.

Dirt particles could be deposited on these sharp edges during use, which is avoided in the present invention because the hardenable filling layer fills the recesses in the carrier layer from the visible side, wherein the carrier layer on the rear side is preferably covered by a diffuser foil , which ensures a sharp edge filling of the recesses in the carrier layer.

The diffuser film is intended to serve as a light distributor for a light source which is arranged on the rear side of the carrier layer and beyond the diffuser film.

At Apple, for example, there is a possibility to also produce a so-called "disappearance" effect by arranging microperforations in a metal layer.

In this case, it is disadvantageously necessary to illuminate a high light output in order to illuminate the many micro-perforated holes, because the metal webs absorb light between the microperforations and thus a highly visible luminous effect can only be achieved with a high outlay on power.

Here the invention goes a completely different way, as will be described later.

Important in the present invention is the realization that a translucent metal layer is only achievable if it is sufficiently thin and if it is applied in a special physical application method that makes it possible to produce particle-like metallic surfaces and these particles in compliance of a mutual distance so loose on the surface of a filling layer that this metallic surface is also durchleuchtbar.

As a preferred application method, a so-called PVD process has been found to be particularly advantageous. It is therefore a physical vapor deposition; this refers to a group of vacuum-based coating processes or thin-film technologies.

Unlike chemical vapor deposition processes, the feedstock is converted into the gas phase using physical processes. The gaseous material is then passed to the substrate to be coated, where it condenses and forms the target layer.

As particularly preferred methods for physical coating and the generation of a translucent metal layer on a plastic filling layer, thermal evaporation (also called vapor deposition), electron beam evaporation, laser beam evaporation, arc evaporation and molecular beam epitaxy have been recognized , It has also been found that sputtering or ion beam protected deposition or ion plating or ICB technique is particularly advantageous for said physical vapor deposition.

It has been recognized that in the deposition of very thin layers, the metal particles are deposited to form gaps on the curable filling layer, and are thus durchleuchtbar.

If, for example, a thin-film metal foil were glued on, the effect would not be comparable because no sharp-edge imaging of the underlying recesses in the carrier layer would be possible from the visible side.

In addition, a glued-on metal foil requires a plastic carrier and an adhesive film and is therefore not highly resilient mechanically. In particular, the so-called "cool touch" is missing - Effect, in that the applied translucent metal layer has a high thermal conductivity, that is, it is applied with a thickness such that heat conduction occurs when the human hand touches this surface, and due to the layer thickness considerable heat dissipation of the heat from the human hand into the translucent metal layer takes place. Thus, the transilluminable metal layer appears as a good heat sink and is therefore far superior to the usual, stick-on metal foils that do not use this effect.

In order to improve the surface adhesion of a translucent metal layer applied by the PVD method, it is preferable that the surface of the filling layer to which the translucent metal layer is applied by the PVD method be specially prepared.

It is intended to produce a particularly rough and structured surface, as achieved for example by brushing, embossing, rolling, sandblasting or grinding.

This results in a rough surface structure, to which the deposited by the PVD process metal particles adhere particularly well and form a continuous layer.

In one development of the invention, it is provided that after the PVD coating with application of the transilluminable metal layer, this metal layer is provided with a cover layer, which is applied for example by printing, coating or sputtering.

The applied cover layer is intended to protect only the surface of the applied translucent metal layer against damage, but is so thin that a favorable heat dissipation is still given here to obtain the so-called cool-touch effect.

The applied topcoat can be colored, but it can also be patterned, for example by rolling, embossing or the like, more preferably in the range between 5 and 10 mycrometer thick.

The subject of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual claims, but also from the combination of the individual claims with each other.

All information and features disclosed in the documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings, are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are novel individually or in combination with respect to the prior art.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing only one embodiment. Here are from the drawings and their description further features essential to the invention and advantages of the invention.

• 1: ein erster Verfahrensschritt bei der Herstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Dekorblende
• 2: der zweite Verfahrensschritt
• 3: der dritte Verfahrensschritt
• 4: der vierte Verfahrensschritt
• 5: die vergrößerte Darstellung einer im Verfahrensschritt nach 3 erzeugten strukturierten Oberfläche
• 6: die vergrößerte Darstellung bei der Ablagerung der Metallpartikel während der PVD-Beschichtung
• 7: ein Schnitt durch eine fertig hergestellte Dekorblende mit Metall-Tarneffekt

Show it:

• 1 : a first process step in the production of the decorative trim according to the invention
• 2 : the second process step
• 3 : the third process step
• 4 : the fourth process step
• 5 : the enlarged view of one in the process step 3 generated structured surface
• 6 : the enlarged view of the deposition of metal particles during the PVD coating
• 7 : a cut through a ready-made decor panel with metal camouflage effect

In 1 becomes a carrier layer 1 with recesses 2 provided in the manner of symbols, information carriers, structures or the like in the carrier layer 1 be made by mechanical removal. The removal can be done for example by machining, by laser beam cutting, by embossing, stamping or the like.

The through the recesses 2 formed symbols can be made very small, and it should be represented, for example, operating symbols for a stove of a household stove or the operating symbols for an interior trim part.

It is preferred if after the attachment of the marked by symbols recesses 2 in the carrier layer 1 this at the back of a photoconductive diffuser film 3 is covered.

The carrier layer 1 may be made of a metal material or of a plastic material. The thickness is in the range of 0.3 to 1 mm, with support layers of aluminum or the like being preferred.

In the step after 2 is from the visible side of the carrier layer 1 a curable filling layer 4 applied, which is applied particularly in the liquid coating method, wherein the filling layer 4 with fillings 4a the recesses 2 the carrier layer 1 sharp edge fills.

Air pockets are thus avoided. This is in the own patent application DE 10 2012 002 650 A1 described in more detail.

Important when applying the hardenable filling layer 4 , which is applied in a liquid phase, is that the transition edges 14 at the recesses 2 clean and uninterrupted from the filling layer 4 be covered, so a sharp-edge fluoroscopy of the recesses 2 from the back of the carrier layer 1 to ensure later.

For this reason, the layer thickness 13 also chosen so that a favorable and full coverage of the carrier layer 1 from the visible side with the filling layer 4 is possible.

The filling layer 4 forms in the cured state an unprocessed surface 4b ,

In the next step after 3 becomes the surface 4b edited by passing through a material removal process in the layer thickness 13 is reduced and so on the surface 4b ' is reduced in thickness.

It is preferred here if the surface 4b ' with a surface structure 5 is provided as it is in 5 is shown.

This surface structure 5 can be achieved by rolling, embossing, sandblasting, grinding, brushing or the like, wherein it is important that microgrooves and smallest recesses are applied to better adhesion of a later deposited metal layer 6 to enable.

This is in 4 shown. It is not shown as the metal layer 6 applied in a PVD process. The important thing is that the metal layer 6 is applied so thin that on the one hand results in a fluoroscopic effect, and on the other hand so thick that even a sufficient heat dissipation is given to produce the so-called cool-touch effect.

In the embodiment shown, the applied metal layer 6 a thickness of less than 1 micron, preferably in the range of 0.01 to 0.10 micron.

However, the invention is not limited thereto, because according to the application method and the density of the applied metal particles, a transmittable surface can be obtained, the thickness of which also depends on the application method.

According to 6 namely, the application of the transilluminable metal layer 6 in the form of metal particles 7 , which loosely invest in a composite, wherein the 6 A roughly schematic, enlarged view is because of the metal particles 7 tiny gaps 8th resulting in a dense packing of a metal layer 6 is not given. It was in fact recognized that it is only possible by this metal particle composite within the metal layer, a fluoroscopy with a light beam 9 to achieve that as a ray of light 9 ' well visible from the translucent metal layer 6 out penetrates.

The 7 now shows the decorative panel according to the invention 16 in completion.

It can be seen that at the back the light source 10 is arranged, which the light beam 9 against the back of the transilluminable recesses 2 in the carrier layer 1 conducts, and this ray of light 9 now passes through the preferred translucent filling layer 4 through the translucent metal layer 6 up, and leaves there as a light segment 12 a topcoat applied there 11 ,

Under the term "light segment 12 "Is meant any optically perceivable light symbol, where - as previously noted - the recesses 2 not necessarily symbols, but also disordered structures, so that in the translucent metal layer 6 Also, an unexpected effect occurs when it is illuminated by a light beam.

It can be illuminated so to speak or it can be individual symbols in the previously opaque metal layer 6 be generated.

The core of the invention is therefore that a metal layer 6 on the visible side 15 is formed opaque, and no symbols, structures or the like can be seen, as long as the light source 10 is off.

Only when a light source 10 is turned on, the stealth effect is lifted and the translucent metal layer 6 shines in the appropriate places where the recesses 2 are arranged with a light segment 12 ,

Next, there is also a "disappearance" effect when the light source 10 is switched off, because after switching off the light source is the metal layer 6 opaque, and from the visible side 15 There are no recesses 2 or other breakthroughs or the like to recognize.

It is therefore a camouflage surface which is completely opaque to light, and surprisingly only then reproduces symbols or other luminous phenomena when a luminous arrangement arranged on the rear side is put into operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

backing

2

recess

3

diffuser film

4

filling layer 4a filling 4b surface

5

surface structure

6

Metal layer (transilluminable)

7

metal particles

8th

gap

9

beam of light 9 '

10

light source

11

topcoat

12

light segment

13

layer thickness

14

Transition edge

15

Main page

16

decorative trim

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 102012002650 A1 [0002, 0004, 0046]
• DE 102011012789 A1 [0007, 0009]

Claims (10)

Method for producing a translucent real metal decorative panel (16) with a carrier layer (1) in the symbol-like recesses (2) are mounted, wherein in a first process step, the carrier layer (1) is placed on a film (3) with a flat side, wherein from the other side of the carrier layer (1) the recesses (2) are open (ie half open) and in a second process step, the thus formed upwardly open (semi-open) recesses (2) by a filling layer (4) of curable filler are filled, characterized in that in a third process step, the filling layer (4) covering the complete side of the carrier layer (1) is reduced by a material removal process in the layer thickness (13) and in a fourth process step a transilluminable metal layer (6) is applied to the Fill layer (4) is applied in a physical application process. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that a surface (4b ') having a surface structure (5) with recesses is produced by the material removal process on the filling layer (4). Method according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the physical coating uses thermal or electron beam evaporation or laser beam evaporation or arc evaporation or molecular beam epitaxy or sputtering or ion beam protected deposition or ion plating or ICB technique, to create a particle-wise metallic surface. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that after the starting material is transferred into the gas phase by means of physical processes, the gaseous material is conducted to the substrate to be coated, where it condenses and forms the target layer. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the filling layer (4) is a hardenable plastic material. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5 , characterized in that the recesses (2) are produced by machining or by laser beam cutting or by embossing or punching. Transilluminable decorative panel (16) with a carrier layer (1) in the symbol-like recesses (2) are mounted, wherein the carrier layer (1) on a film (3) is placed with the one flat side, wherein from the other side of the carrier layer (1) the recesses (2) are open at the top (ie semi - open) and are filled by a filling layer (4) of hardenable filling material, characterized in that the filling layer (4) covering the complete side of the carrier layer (1) is formed by a material removal method in the Layer thickness (13) is reduced and that a transilluminable metal layer (6) is applied to the filling layer (4) in a physical application process. Translucent decorative trim after Claim 7 , characterized in that the transilluminable metal layer is smooth and flat. Translucent decorative trim after Claim 7 , characterized in that it is grooved or roughened or brushed or embossed or printed. Translucent decorative panel according to one of the Claims 7 to 9 , characterized in that characterized in that the carrier layer (1) is a diffuser film

Images