DE102021102821A1 - External plastic body part with at least one design bump - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a body part designed as a plastic injection molded part with a flat surface part that defines a flat outer surface that is delimited by a surface edge. At least one design boss is formed on the outer surface, protruding from the outer surface and having a boss wall 12a and a boss face (12b). Further, no paint is applied to the outer surface. According to the invention, the paint is also applied to the boss surface 12b and the boss wall 12a, and a hot stamping foil 20 is applied to the painted boss surface 12b.

Description

The invention relates to an external plastic body part designed for installation in a mount on a motor vehicle or for direct connection to the motor vehicle, with a flat surface part that defines a flat outer surface that is circumferentially delimited by a surface edge that is equipped with a mount, in particular a Recording frame or a motor vehicle is directly connected. At least one design elevation is formed on the outer surface, which transitions from the design plane defined by the outer surface into an elevation wall extending transversely to the outer surface and, on the front side, into an elevation surface protruding or protruding from the outer surface with a circumferential tear-off edge between this elevation surface and the elevation wall.

State of the art

The design elevation thus produces a design element that protrudes from the design surface defined by the outer surface in the sense of a three-dimensional structure, ie protrudes and is clearly visible, which is formed in one piece with the surface part designed as a plastic injection molded part. This surface part is painted in a vehicle color with a vehicle paint, so that the surface part has the same color and the same finish as the rest of the vehicle and the other exterior components of the vehicle.

The design elevation is therefore formed in one piece with the surface part and transitions from the design surface formed by the surface part, which is arranged on the outside of the vehicle in the installed position, into the elevation wall extending transversely to this design surface, which in turn transitions after a certain distance of about 2 5 mm merges into the elevation surface on the front or outside in the installed position, which in turn extends essentially parallel to or correspondingly extending to the design surface of the surface part. This raised surface is therefore arranged on the front side of the design surface and is connected in one piece to the surface part.

A tear-off edge is formed between the elevation wall and the elevation surface, which is a clearly defined, sometimes also sharp edge, so that a hot stamping foil can be applied to the elevation surface in a hot stamping process. This tear-off edge allows the metal foil applied to the top of the design elevation to be torn off at the side with an adhesive provided on the joining surface for connection to the elevation surface. This hot embossing foil is applied with an at least partially elastic stamp, which is thus pressed onto the raised area of the design elevation and thus presses the hot embossing foil flat onto the raised area.

A continuing problem with such configurations of design elevations is the configuration of complex geometries and their provision with a chrome surface which withstands the environmental influences according to the specifications of the respective automobile manufacturer.

With the known manufacturing processes, however, the area of the raised area must be free of paint, since the hot stamping foil is only possible on the plastic blank, i.e. the uncoated and unpainted substrate or plastic injection molded part, because only here does the clearly defined tear-off edge between the raised area and the raised wall exist, which enables the hot stamping foil to be applied and to be torn off at the circumferential tear-off edge.

This limits the design, in particular the size of the design elevations, because these can therefore only be produced economically in the case of larger and clearly defined design elevations, that is to say they can be provided with a hot stamping foil.

At the time of the invention, the requirements and possibilities of vehicles without an internal combustion engine, which therefore no longer necessarily require open or openable radiator grilles at the front end of the motor vehicle for the thermal management of an internal combustion engine, now allow the use of a design panel at the front end of the motor vehicle instead of a radiator grille, i.e. a closed one Surface part at the point where the radiator grille with the air openings was previously arranged in front of the engine compartment. This relatively large surface of the radiator protective cover in a particularly prominent position represents a design surface that represents a completely new approach to arranging design elements on the vehicle, because this naturally represents a particularly prominent and eye-catching position.

Disadvantages of the prior art

The problem with the prior art, however, is always the painting of the design elevations when the surface part is painted. When the design elevation is painted and in particular when paint is applied to the tear-off edge, its functionality is restricted or it is even completely unusable.

invention

Proceeding from the state of the art mentioned at the beginning and the disadvantages associated with it, the invention is therefore based on the object of at least partially avoiding these disadvantages and, in particular, of providing an external plastic body part of the type mentioned at the beginning, which can also have any design elevations in terms of size and number with a hot stamping foil on each elevation.

In the simplest embodiment, this object is already achieved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous but not mandatory features of preferred embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

In the most abstract embodiment, the elevation surface and the elevation wall of the design elevation is also provided with the coating, ie it has the coating, and the hot stamping foil is applied to this surface that has been coated in this way. According to the invention, a closed, preferably one-piece panel is painted in the vehicle color with design elevation or design elevations protruding from the outer surface of the surface part, also provided with a chrome surface on the elevation surface. The hot stamping foil is applied to this raised area of the at least one design raised area in a hot stamping process, i.e. with an at least partially elastic stamp, preferably a silicone stamp, which applies the hot stamping foil provided with an adhesive at the joint to the raised area and presses it, preferably from the middle, i.e going out from the zenith of the raised area to the circumferential tear-off edge, in order to push away any air bubbles that may be trapped between the hot stamping foil and the raised area to the outside.

This configuration according to the invention thus makes it possible to manufacture the design elevation very economically. Thus, it is now also possible not only to provide a central design elevation, e.g. with the main manufacturer's logo, which is arranged in the middle of the surface part, but also several other design elements arranged around it, e.g. smaller design elements in the form of mini-logos or other designs . According to the invention, it is also entirely possible to provide several rows of mini-logos arranged around the middle central logo on the surface part, each of these mini-logos then also being provided with a chrome surface and the rest of the surface part being painted in the vehicle color.

Due to the continuous painting of the surface part on the entire front surface with the paint, preferably a three-layer paint, the entire external body part consistently meets the environmental test of the respective manufacturer, e.g. regarding stone chipping, resistance to water jets, to airflow, a scratch test, a thermal cycling test, resistance to UV -Radiation, resistance to long-term weathering, etc. These tests, summarized under the keyword "environmental test", are different for each manufacturer and can easily be met by the paint used, which now covers the entire outer surface of the body part.

• - auch als Substrat bezeichnet - aufgebrachten Primer, welcher eine besonders gute Verbindung zwischen dem Kunststoff und dem Lack realisiert, einem Basislack sowie schließlich einem Klarlack.

In one embodiment, the paintwork comprises a three-layer system with an on the plastic injection molded part

• - also referred to as substrate - applied primer, which realizes a particularly good connection between the plastic and the paint, a base coat and finally a clear coat.

In the particularly preferred embodiment, the hot stamping foil is applied to the clear lacquer, so that the three-layer system is completely applied before the hot stamping foil is applied to the finished lacquer.

However, good results are also achieved if the hot stamping foil is arranged under the clear lacquer. This structure offers the further advantage that the clear coat also covers and protects the hot stamping foil, even connects it to the underlying base coat and thus provides a particularly good finish.

The configuration according to the invention makes it possible to arrange several, in particular a large number of design elevations on the outer surface of the surface part and to provide them with a chrome surface, thus creating a completely new design surface.

It is within the scope of the invention for the surface part to be straight or slightly curved, e.g. from the sides to the front with a curvature, so that the preferably central central logo protrudes and the side of this central central logo on the surface part/the design surface of the surface part arranged secondary logos open up on the surface part up to the final surface edge and is preferably also included there by a recording, a frame.

The surface part is particularly preferably designed as a protective radiator screen which is fitted into a radiator at the front end or front end of the vehicle protective frame is used or recorded, which surrounds and borders the surface edge.

In this respect, the invention also relates, independently of the claimed device, to a manufacturing method for an external plastic body part as described above, designed for installation in a receptacle on a motor vehicle or for direct connection to the motor vehicle, with a flat surface part that defines a flat outer surface that is delimited by a surface edge, at least one design elevation being formed on the outer surface, which transitions from the outer surface into an elevation wall extending transversely to the outer surface and, on the front side, has an elevation surface protruding from the outer surface with a circumferential tear-off edge between the elevation surface and the elevation wall. The design elevation is injection molded in one piece with the surface part, ie it is designed as a one-piece plastic injection molded part. Furthermore, a coating is applied to the outer surface and a preferably metallic hot stamping foil is applied at least to the raised area in a hot stamping process.

According to the invention, a hot stamping foil, in particular with a metallic or metalized surface, is applied to the raised area after the design elevation with the raised area has also been provided with a lacquer and the hot stamping foil is then applied to the lacquer.

The lacquer preferably comprises a three-layer lacquer with a primer, a base lacquer and a clear lacquer.

According to the invention, the hot stamping foil can be applied either to the clear coat or also to the base coat.

The external plastic body part according to the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the figures. All features of the respective exemplary embodiment are disclosed here independently and independently of other features. Likewise, the features mentioned above and those detailed below can be used according to the invention individually or collectively in any combination. The embodiments shown and described are not to be understood as an exhaustive list, but rather have an exemplary character for the description of the invention.

In the following detailed description of the figures, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this description of the invention, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "front", "rear", etc., is used with reference to the orientations of the figure(s) being described. Because components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

In the context of this description, the terms "connected", "connected" and "integrated" are used to describe both a direct and an indirect connection, a direct or indirect connection and a direct or indirect integration.

Unless otherwise specified, the indefinite article and the definite article do not refer to a single component, but are to be understood as "at least one". The terminology includes the above words, variations thereof and similar meanings. Further, it should be understood that the terms "about", "substantially" and similar terms in connection with the dimensions and a property of a component of the invention do not describe the described dimension and property as a strict limit or parameter and do not exclude minor modifications thereof, which are functionally similar. At least parts of the description with numerical parameters also include modifications of these parameters according to the mathematical and manufacturing principles of the prior art, e.g. roundings, deviations and other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.

In the figures, identical or similar elements are provided with identical reference symbols, insofar as this is appropriate.

Reference lines are lines connecting the reference number to the part in question. On the other hand, an arrow that does not touch any part refers to an entire entity to which it is directed.

Incidentally, the representations in the figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain areas may be exaggerated to show detail. About that moreover, the drawings may be oversimplified and do not contain every detail that may be present in the practical implementation.

• 1 eine isometrische Frontansicht eines Pkws mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlerschutzblende aufgenommen in einen diesen umschließenden Halterahmen;
• 2 eine vergrößerte Schnittbild einer als Miniatur-Herstellerlogos ausgebildeten Designerhebung; und
• 3 einen stark vergrößerten Querschnitt durch die Designerhebung gemäß 2.

Show it:

• 1 an isometric front view of a car with a radiator visor according to the invention included in a holding frame enclosing it;
• 2 Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view of a design bump configured as miniature manufacturer logos; and
• 3 according to a greatly enlarged cross-section through the design survey 2 .

1 shows a stylized isometric front view of a car with a protective radiator screen 2 according to the invention, above which an engine cover 4 sits and which is bordered on both sides by front lights 6, 6'; An air inlet 8 is arranged below the protective radiator screen 2 . A chrome trim frame surrounding the radiator guard 2 surrounds the radiator guard.

The radiator protective panel 2 is designed as a surface part with an outer surface that is visible to the outside and is painted in the color of the vehicle and is delimited by a surface edge that runs circumferentially. This surface edge is preferably accommodated in a chrome trim frame surrounding it circumferentially.

The radiator protective screen 2 is designed as a one-piece plastic injection molded part that is slightly curved forward, ie in the viewing direction, and has a middle and significantly larger main manufacturer logo 10 that is arranged on the zenith of the curve of the design cover 2 .

In addition, miniature manufacturer logos 12 that are reduced in size are provided in two rows above and below the horizontal center on both sides, from the main manufacturer logo 10 to the front lights 6, 6'.

2 12 shows an enlarged longitudinal section of such a miniature manufacturer's logo 12, which represents a design elevation according to the invention. This essentially triangular miniature manufacturer logo 12 rises about 3-5 mm in height with a raised wall 12a extending transversely to the plane of the radiator protective screen 2 and forms a raised surface 12b on the front side, here in the shape of a raised triangle.

In 2 it can be seen that the miniature manufacturer's logo 12, i.e. the design elevation on the three-dimensional and triangular structure protruding from the level of the surrounding radiator protective screen 2, can have a slight convex curvature on the front elevation surface 12b, which is sometimes also referred to as a camber, in order to emboss a metallic hot stamping foil on them in a hot stamping process with a stamp.

3 shows a strong enlargement of the in 2 right-hand end of the miniature manufacturer logo 12. The special feature of the invention in this case is that the hot stamping foil 20 is applied to a design elevation that is completely coated with a three-layer paint, with the three-layer paint also on the lateral elevation walls 12a and the front elevation surface 12b and the lateral tear-off edge is applied between the bump surface 12b and the bump wall 12a.

In this case, the three-layer paint comprises a slightly thicker primer 14 applied directly to the raw plastic part, which is also applied to the miniature manufacturer logo 12 enclosing it, then a base paint 16 and finally a clear paint 18 on the upper side. On this clear paint 18 a hot stamping foil 20 is then glued on.

In an alternative embodiment that is not shown, however, the hot stamping foil 20 is arranged below this clear lacquer 12 .

It is understandable for the person skilled in the art that the painting does not have to be a three-coat system, but that other painting systems expedient in the automobile industry can also be used.

The subject matter of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but from the combination of the individual patent claims with one another. All information and features disclosed in the documents - including the summary - in particular the spatial configuration shown in the drawings are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are new compared to the prior art, individually or in combination.

Reference List

2

Radiator guard

4

mold coverage

6.6'

front light

8th

air intake

10

main manufacturer logo

12

Miniature manufacturer logos

12a

survey wall

12b

survey area

14

primer

16

base coat

18

clear coat

20

hot stamping foil

Claims (10)

External plastic body part, designed for installation in a mount on a motor vehicle or for direct connection to the motor vehicle, with a flat surface part that defines a flat outer surface that is delimited by a surface edge that is connected to a mount, in particular a mount frame or with can be directly connected to a motor vehicle, at least one design elevation being formed on the outer surface, which transitions from the outer surface into a raised wall (12a) extending transversely to the outer surface and, on the front side, a raised surface (12b ) having a circumferential tear-off edge between the elevation wall (12a) and the elevation surface (12b) and having the outer surface and the at least one design elevation being designed as a one-piece plastic injection molded part, and a coating being provided on the outer surface i st, CHARACTERIZED IN that the elevation surface (12b) and the elevation wall (12a) also have the varnish, and that a hot stamping foil (20) is applied to the varnished elevation surface (12b). External body part after claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the painting comprises a three-layer system with a primer (14), a base coat (16) and a clear coat (18). External body part after claim 1 or 2 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the hot stamping foil (12) is arranged on the clear lacquer (18). External body part after claim 1 or 2 , CHARACTERIZED IN that the hot stamping foil (20) is arranged under the clear lacquer (18). External body part according to one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED BY several, in particular a multiplicity of, design elevations being formed on the outer surface. External body part according to one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED IN that the surface part is straight or curved. External body part according to one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT this is designed as a radiator protective screen (2) which can be used in a holding frame of a motor vehicle. Manufacturing method for a described external plastic body part, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, with a flat surface part that defines a flat outer surface that is delimited by a surface edge, wherein at least one design elevation is formed on the outer surface, which transitions from the outer surface into an elevation wall (12a) extending transversely to the outer surface and, on the front side, an elevation surface (12b) protruding from the outer surface and a circumferential tear-off edge between the elevation surface (12b) and the elevation wall (12a), the design elevation being injected in one piece with the surface part as a one-piece plastic injection molded part is produced, wherein a coating is applied to the outer surface and wherein the hot stamping foil (20) is applied in a hot stamping process at least to the raised surface (12b), CHARACTERIZED BY the fact that in addition to the outer surface and the design survey with is painted with a paint and that the hot stamping foil (20) is applied to the paint. manufacturing process claim 8 , CHARACTERIZED IN that the paint comprises a three-layer system comprising a primer (14), a base paint (16) and a clear paint (18), and that the hot stamping foil (20) is applied to the clear paint (18). manufacturing process claim 8 , CHARACTERIZED IN that the lacquer comprises a three-layer system comprising a primer (14), a base coat (16) and a clear coat (18), and that first the primer (14), then the base coat (16), then the hot stamping foil ( 20) and then the clear coat (18) is applied.

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