FR3083738A1 - Modular plastic component - Google Patents

Description

MODULAR PLASTIC COMPONENT

The present invention relates to a modular plastic component which can be heated, in particular a modular component of a vehicle, preferably a visible body panel.

At present, the body panels which must be able to be heated are for example produced with an overmolded heating film. This manufacturing imposes a high workload with numerous handling steps. In the event of damage or creases, a component manufactured in this way can be rendered inoperative and is therefore excluded. On the other hand, on modular plastic components or body panels constructed in this way, the area heated by the overmolding of the film used is often located not on the outer surface but inside the component, so that the heating efficiency is limited. In addition, the use of heating films generally does not allow any optically visible shaping from outside the area located under or behind the heating film.

German patent DE 10 2016 212 763 B4 generally describes a process for depositing a filament on a substrate.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a modular plastic component and a method for its manufacture, in which the drawbacks of the prior art are avoided, as well as a possibility of simple and reliable heating of the component modular plastic material obtained in a structurally simple manner.

The modular plastic component according to the invention intended to solve the aim set out above can in particular be a part of a vehicle, for example a body panel. The modular plastic component according to the invention comprises a main component body, at least a first layer of plastic and, at least a second layer of plastic. According to the present invention, a heating filament is arranged at least partially between the first layer of plastic material and the second layer of plastic material. It is thus possible to produce, according to the present invention, a modular plastic component which can be heated, reliably, with low energy consumption and in a structurally simple manner, in which the possibility of heating is hardly visible.

According to the present invention, the second plastic layer thus makes it possible to ensure reliable protection of the heating filament, in particular when this second plastic layer is relatively thinner than, for example, a first plastic layer. It is also possible to manufacture a visible and particularly smooth external surface of the modular plastic component according to the present invention through the second layer of plastic, which external surface must also not be covered with a paint.

As the heating filament according to the present invention can preferably be arranged near the visible external surface with a second layer of relatively thinner plastic material, it is thus also possible to ensure defrosting of the external surface in a particularly simple way because in this zone, relatively little material from the second plastic layer should preferably be heated.

Preferably, a decorative or functional layer can be arranged at least in part between the main component body and the first plastic layer of the modular plastic component. This layer can, preferably, be transparent to radar systems and be, in a particularly preferred manner, formed from a colored or coated polycarbonate, being in particular in the form of a film material. It is thus possible to integrate in a structurally simple manner, into the modular plastic component which can be heated, a visible decorative element, for example graphic, optically additional on the corresponding visible external surface of the modular plastic component.

Since, according to the present invention, the decorative or functional layer is preferably spaced from the heating filament by the first layer of plastic material, the degradation of the material properties of the decorative or functional layer due to the heat, for example in due to the accelerated aging of the material, can be prevented particularly effectively.

In order to ensure the visibility in particular of a graphic decoration element in a particularly simple manner, the first layer of plastic material and / or the second layer of plastic material of the modular plastic component according to the present invention is preferably transparent to radar systems, translucent or transparent.

An embodiment transparent to the radar systems of the main component body, the first and second plastic layers, and the decorative or functional layer, if necessary, makes it possible to arrange a radar system in a simple manner behind a modular plastic component. suitable for heating.

The transparency to radar systems which results from the plastics used is preferably further improved by arranging the individual layers or elements of the modular plastic component according to the present invention by complementarity of shapes adjacent to each other, and also by not forming no cavity in the layers or individual elements, which is also obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention further described below. The preferred relatively thin filament of the heating filament also provides particularly good transparency to radar systems of the modular plastic component according to the present invention.

In order to obtain the simplest possible heating possibility, in particular in the corresponding surface area of the modular plastic component according to the present invention, the heating filament can be connected to a connection terminal and can therefore be supplied with electrical energy through it, the connection terminal preferably extending through the main component body and the first layer of plastic.

To protect the modular plastic component particularly effectively against environmental influences, particularly moisture, the second layer of plastic can be made so as to cover also, at least in part, in lateral areas edge of the modular plastic component, the main component body and the first layer of plastic.

The use of a polycarbonate for the first plastic layer of the modular plastic component according to the present invention offers a particularly stable and economical solution.

Preferably, the second layer of plastic material can be made of a flowable plastic material and, more preferably, of a polyurethane.

The construction of the modular plastic component according to the present invention is particularly stable when the main component body is preferably made of a polycarbonate or a mixture of polycarbonate-based materials (PC + ABS for example).

In order to ensure sufficient stability but also good heating power and an optically suitable decoration of the modular plastic component according to the present invention, the following dimensions and properties can preferably be provided:

- main component body: thickness from 2 to 6 mm,

- first layer of plastic: thickness from 1 to 4 mm,

- second layer of plastic: thickness from 0.2 to 1.0 mm, preferably from 0.3 to 0.6 mm, particularly preferably from 0.4 mm,

- heating filament: diameter of the heating filament = 40 μm, material: metal alloy, for example CuAg10,

- decorative or functional layer: thickness of 0.3 to 0.6 mm, preferably 0.45 mm,

- connection terminal: material = CuSn6.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the modular plastic component described above, comprising a main component body and several layers of plastic material arranged or formed thereon, in order to achieve the object of the present invention , comprising the following steps:

forming a main component body of the plastic component to be produced from a plastic material or providing such a main component body, and forming a first layer of plastic material covering at least in part an exposed face of the element carrier, by injecting at least partially a first plastic material behind the exposed face of the main component body; or

forming the first plastic layer of the plastic component to be manufactured from a first plastic material or providing such a first plastic layer, and forming a main component body covering at least partially an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material, by injecting at least partially a plastic material behind the exposed face of the main component body;

- depositing a heating filament at least in part on an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material;

forming a second layer of plastic material covering at least partially an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material and the heating filament, by letting at least partially a second flowable plastic material on the exposed face of the first layer of material plastic.

The method according to the present invention makes it possible in particular to manufacture the modular plastic component according to the present invention economically and relatively simple, as well as reliably without great handling effort.

In the method according to the present invention, it is possible to preferably form at least in part, in particular in the case of desired optical effects and in a particularly simple manner, a decorative or functional layer between the main component body and the first layer of plastic before injection from behind, preferably by depositing a film of material in a corresponding injection mold.

In the method according to the present invention, the connection terminal can preferably be functionally put in place before injection from behind and the heating filament is then connected to the connection terminal, for example by soldering or welding.

The present invention will now be better understood on reading the following description made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a modular plastic component according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a modular plastic component according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and

- Figure 3 is a schematic top view of a modular plastic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figures, identical elements are designated by identical references.

Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a modular plastic component 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The modular plastic component according to the present invention 1 comprises a main component body 2, preferably transparent to radar systems, and at least a first layer of plastic 3 and a second layer of plastic 4. So that the modular component plastic material according to the present invention can be heated, a heating filament 5 is arranged at least in part between the first layer of plastic material 3 and the second layer of plastic material 4. In order to additionally provide an optical decoration, in the mode embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention, a decorative or functional layer 6 is arranged at least in part between the main component body 2 and the first layer of plastic material 3. This layer is, in the present case, of preferably transparent to radar systems and for example made of colored polycarbonate. It can in particular also be a material provided in the form of a film.

As shown in the representation of FIG. 1, the modular plastic component according to the present invention is configured in a domed fashion, the first plastic layer 3 having a corresponding bulge on which the heating filament 5 is then deposited. The assembly is then coated with the second layer of plastic material 4. The first layer of plastic material 3 and the second layer of plastic material 4 are produced in a transparent manner to radar systems, translucent or transparent in order to ensure the visibility of the decorative element. The second plastic layer 4 is provided on an outer surface of the modular plastic component according to the present invention and is also arranged all around its edges. Overall, the corresponding layers or materials are respectively arranged by complementarity of shapes adjacent to each other.

The second plastic layer 4 is preferably a layer made of a flowable plastic, preferably a polyurethane. This material can be relatively thin and flowable and forms a comparatively smooth visible surface and also polishable, if necessary.

To supply the heating filament 5 with electrical energy, the latter is connected to at least one connection terminal 7, the connection terminal 7 preferably being arranged through the main component body and the first layer of plastic material 3. This connection terminal is thus well protected against possible environmental influences, such as humidity.

The first layer of plastic may preferably be made of a polycarbonate to ensure sufficient stability when the heating power is exerted simultaneously in the three directions. For the stability of the modular plastic component according to the present invention, the main body component 2 can be made of a polycarbonate or a mixture of polycarbonate-based materials (PC + ABS for example).

FIG. 2 represents a schematic top view of a modular plastic component according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 2 corresponds substantially to the representation of Figure 1, but no decorative or functional layer is provided in the embodiment of the representation of Figure 2. In the view from above in FIG. 2 (as in the following FIG. 3), a clear distinction is made between the heating filament 5 placed in certain areas and which is not visually perceptible due to the small thickness of the heating filament. Preferably, the heating filament 5, as shown in the figures and 3, is laid in the form of meanders above the face of the modular plastic component according to the present invention which must be heated.

FIG. 3 represents a schematic top view of a modular plastic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The representation of FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment represented in FIG. 2 of the modular plastic component according to the present invention only by the fact that the graphic decoration, obtained by the decorative or functional layer 6 additionally provided, including is shown in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention according to Figure 1. It can be seen that the corresponding decorative element (an X is shown) through the heating filament 5 according to the present invention is practically not altered from the point optically.

The modular plastic components shown in the figures can be manufactured using the method according to the present invention described above.

The above embodiments have been described to illustrate possible embodiments, for which those skilled in the art know that different variations of the forms described herein can be used to implement the claims, without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is expected and also envisaged that other developments in the technique discussed here may arise, since the disclosed components are given by way of example and are not limiting, so that overall the scope is only limited by the subject of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. Modular plastic component (1) having a main component body (2), at least a first layer of plastic material (3) and, a second layer of plastic material (4), characterized in that a heating filament (5) is arranged at least in part between the first layer of plastic material (3) and the second layer of plastic material (4). 2. modular plastic component (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a decorative or functional layer (6) is arranged at least in part between the main component body (2) and the first plastic layer (3), which decorative or functional layer is preferably transparent to radar systems, particularly preferably made of a colored or coated polycarbonate, in particular in the form of a film material. 3. modular plastic component (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the first plastic layer (3) and / or the second plastic layer (4) is / are transparent to radar systems, translucent or transparent. 4. modular plastic component (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the heating filament (5) is connected to a connection terminal (7) and can be supplied with electrical energy through it, in which the connection terminal (7) extends from preferably through the main component body (2) and the first layer of plastic (3). 5. Modular plastic component (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second layer of plastic material (4) covers at least in part, in lateral border areas of the modular plastic component (1), the main component body (2) and the first layer of plastic material (3). 6. modular plastic component (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first plastic layer (3) consists of a polycarbonate. 7. modular plastic component (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the second plastic layer (4) is made of a flowable plastic and is preferably made of a polyurethane. 8. modular plastic component (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the main component body (2) consists of a polycarbonate or a mixture of polycarbonate-based materials and preferably consists of PC + ABS. 9. Method for manufacturing a modular plastic component (1) comprising a main component body (2) and several layers of plastic material (3, 4) arranged or formed thereon, characterized by the steps consisting in: - forming a main component body (2) of the plastic component to be manufactured (1) from a plastic material or providing such a main component body (2), and forming a first layer of plastic material (3) covering at least partially an exposed face of the carrier element (2), by injecting at least partially a first plastic material behind the exposed face of the main component body (2), or - forming the first plastic layer (3) of the plastic component to be manufactured (1) from a first plastic material or providing such a first plastic layer (3), and forming a main component body ( 2) covering at least partly an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material, by injecting at least partly a first plastic material behind the exposed face of the main component body (2), - depositing a heating filament (5) at least in part on an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material (3), - forming a second layer of plastic material (4) covering at least partially an exposed face of the first layer of plastic material (3) and the heating filament (5), by letting flow at least partially a second flowable plastic material on the exposed face of the first layer of plastic (3). 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that a decorative or functional layer (6) is formed at least partially before injection from the rear between the main component body (2) and the first layer of material plastic (3), preferably by depositing a film material. 11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a connection terminal (7) is put in place before injection from behind and the heating filament (5) is then connected to the connection terminal (7) .