JP2002178362A - Synthetic resin molding and its production method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a synthetic resin molding which makes an excellent back lighting possible even when the main body of the molding is made of an opaque or translucent synthetic resin. SOLUTION: The synthetic resin molding 1 is opaque or translucent, and the molding 1 capable of back lighting is constituted. A light transmitting window 8 (not always necessary for a translucent resin) is formed at a prescribed position of the molding 1, the window 8 is shielded by a synthetic resin sheet 5 which is welded/joined to the surface or back of the molding 1, and the molding 1 which makes back lighting possible in relation to light transmissible patterns and characters 3 which are printed on the sheet 5 is constituted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to backlighting (printed patterns and characters appearing bright when viewed from the front by illuminating the product from behind or from the side).
The present invention relates to a synthetic resin molded article having a foreign surface layer or a back surface layer having a possible printing surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An instrument panel of an automobile, a panel for air conditioning, or a front panel of an audio product is backlit so that light is transmitted through a pattern or a character printed on the front surface or the periphery thereof. Such pictures and characters are produced by printing on a synthetic resin sheet or a synthetic resin molded product.

When printing on a synthetic resin sheet (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a sheet), a large number of products can be printed and produced using a sheet having a large area. When printing on a product (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a molded product), various problems occur.

That is, when printing on a molded product, the production of a set jig for fixing the molded product is complicated and expensive, and a high quality product cannot be obtained due to the variation of the molded product, resulting in a low yield.

[0005] In addition, it requires about twice as many workers as printing on a sheet.

Further, in the case of multicolor printing, a molded product is chipped or a projecting portion is chipped during a cleaning operation for removing dust.

Further, even if the molded product is flat, it may be slightly curved in relation to the set jig, which causes a decrease in quality and a decrease in yield.

Further, when the molded product has a single curved surface or a multi-curved surface, it is impossible to perform printing except for a special printing method called pad printing. When performing backlighting on molded products used for air conditioners, panels for air conditioning, audio products, etc., pinholes appear in the embossed patterns and characters,
There is a problem that light leakage occurs in other parts (mostly on a black background) like a star in the sky, and the original purpose cannot be achieved.

[0009] In addition to printing on a molded article as described above, there are the following methods for applying a printed surface to the molded article.

[0010] One is a so-called simul transer system (in-mold), which is a molding system in which a transfer foil is positioned in an injection-molding die to integrate a feed-molding step and a transfer-painting step. In this method, since only the ink film printed on the film is transferred to a molded product at the time of molding, there is a problem that a weld line and a gate mark generated in the molded product cannot be completely hidden and the appearance is impaired.

[0011] The second is a so-called sheet transfer system (thermal transfer) in which a printed portion (design) printed on a film is thermally transferred to a molded product by using a hot stamping device. In this case, there is a problem that the molded product is limited to a flat product.

The present inventor has made Japanese Patent Application No. 63-129693 (Japanese Patent No. 21273) in order to solve the above various problems.
No. 83), the following synthetic resin molded article was devised.

That is, a synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.1 to 2.0 mm printed so as to have an ink film layer used as a single layer having a thickness of 4 μ or more or an ink film layer used as two or more layers having a thickness of 8 μ or more. Is welded to the front or back surface to form a backlit synthetic resin molded product having a foreign surface layer or back surface layer.

Further, regarding the manufacturing method, a thickness of 0.1
To print on a synthetic resin sheet with a thickness of up to 2.0 mm so as to have an ink film layer used as a single layer with a thickness of 4 μ or more or an ink film layer used with two layers with a thickness of 8 μ or more, and to load this into a mold. After processing into a shape capable of forming a mold, it is loaded so as to be adjacent to the inner surface of the mold, and then, after closing the mold, the molten resin is injected into the mold to form a bag having a foreign surface layer or a back surface layer. The object is to obtain a synthetic resin molded product that can be written.

According to such a synthetic resin molded product or manufacturing method, a printed surface having a large ink film thickness can be easily held on the side surface of the molded product, and the surface of the molded product having a single curved surface or a double curved surface can be easily formed. A backlit molded product that can easily apply a thick print surface with an ink film layer on the back side can be manufactured with high productivity, a low defect rate, and low cost. It has become possible to obtain a beautifully shaped article.

[0016]

In recent years, molded articles made of, for example, black opaque resin are often used for instrument panels of automobiles, air-conditioning panels, or front panels of audio products, for example. When an opaque resin is injection-molded over the entire surface of the substrate, there is a disadvantage that backlighting becomes impossible.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a synthetic resin molding which enables excellent backlighting even when the synthetic resin molded article is made of an opaque or translucent synthetic resin. The purpose is to provide goods.

[0018]

In order to achieve the above object, a synthetic resin molded product according to the first aspect of the present invention has a thickness of 4 μm.
Printed so as to have an ink film layer used as a single layer or two or more ink layers having a thickness of 8 μ or more,
A backlitable synthetic resin molded product having a heterogeneous surface layer or back surface layer obtained by welding and joining a synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.1 to 2.0 mm to the front or back surface thereof, wherein the synthetic resin molded product is opaque or It is characterized by being translucent and capable of backlighting.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the synthetic resin molded product according to the first aspect, wherein backlighting is enabled by forming a light-transmitting window at a predetermined position of the opaque or translucent synthetic resin molded product. It is characterized by.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synthetic resin molded product according to the first aspect, wherein a light-transmitting window is formed at a predetermined position of the opaque or translucent synthetic resin molded product, and the surface or the surface of the synthetic resin molded product is formed. The synthetic resin sheet welded to the back surface shields the light-transmitting window of the synthetic resin molded product, and enables backlighting for light-transmitting patterns and characters printed on the synthetic resin sheet. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the synthetic resin molded article according to the third aspect, wherein the synthetic resin sheet imperfectly shields the light-transmitting window of the synthetic resin molded article (partially transmits light). It is characterized in that pictures and characters printed on the synthetic resin molded article are made opaque to enable backlighting.

The method for producing a synthetic resin molded article according to the fifth aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.1 to 2.0 mm, a single ink layer having a thickness of 4 μ or more or a two-layer ink film having a thickness of 8 μ or more. After printing so as to have an ink film layer to be used in layers or more, processing this into a shape that can be loaded into the mold, loading it adjacent to the inner surface of the mold, closing the mold, In a method of injecting a molten resin into the mold to form a backlitable synthetic resin molded article having a foreign surface layer or a backside layer, an opaque or translucent one is used as the molten resin, A light-transmitting window is provided at a predetermined position of the synthetic resin molded article according to the transparency of the molded article.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a synthetic resin molded product according to the fifth aspect, when the molten resin is translucent, a transparent window is not provided at a predetermined position of the synthetic resin molded product. Features.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a synthetic resin molded product according to the fifth and sixth aspects, wherein the synthetic resin sheet is subjected to drawing processing of a predetermined shape.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A synthetic resin molded product according to the present invention and a method for producing the same will be described below.

The synthetic resin sheet used in the present invention must have a thickness of 0.1 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

If the synthetic resin sheet is thinner than 0.1 mm, the stiffness is low when the sheet is loaded into the mold, and the sheet may be shifted from the mold surface depending on the structure of the mold. Further, depending on the temperature of the molten resin, the molten resin is partially melted and its shape cannot be maintained.

When the synthetic resin sheet is thicker than 2.0 mm, there is no problem in loading into the mold. However, when processing the sheet into a shape to be loaded into the mold after printing on the sheet, for example, a punching die is used. It becomes the limit when doing. If this is processed by cutting with a circular saw or the like, the productivity is remarkably inferior and cannot be endured as industrial production.

When the mold surface has a curved surface, 2.0
With a sheet thicker than mm, even if the molten resin is injection-molded, the sheet does not follow the mold surface, and a desired molded product cannot be obtained.

It is a great feature of the present invention to obtain a molded product having a curved surface with a printed portion on the curved surface, and from that point, the use of a sheet of 2 mm or more deviates from the intended purpose of the present invention. It will be.

When printing on the synthetic resin sheet by the screen printing method, the thickness of the ink film layer used as a single layer is 4
It must be at least μ. This thickness is the thickness after drying the ink after printing.

The best way to increase the thickness of the ink film is by screen printing. In other printing methods,
Only a thin ink film of 1 μ or less can be obtained by one printing.
If the thickness of the ink film is less than 4 μm, pinholes may be generated and backlighting may not be possible.

When the printed portion is black and forms a ground (when it is not a picture or a character), it is necessary to perform two-layered overprinting to make the ink film layer 8 μm or more. This is because, compared to pictures and characters, the ground has a larger area, so that pinholes are more likely to appear, and light leakage due to backlighting is more likely to occur.

In order to load the synthetic resin sheet printed as described above into a molding die, it is processed into the shape of the opening of the die.

If the sheet is thin, it may be cut with scissors or a cutting machine (shearing). If the sheet is thick, it may be cut with a circular saw, but this does not increase the productivity. Therefore, it is necessary to create a punching die, attach it to a press machine, and cut it into a predetermined shape by punching. If a molded product has a hole, a punching die is created so that a hole of the same size and shape is opened. The punching dimensions of the printed sheet vary depending on the requirements of the molded product.

When the printed sheet is to be wrapped around the side of the molded product, the printed sheet is punched by a predetermined dimension larger than the opening of the molding die.
If it is a square molded product, cut off the four corners. Then, the portion to be turned to the side is bent to give a kind of box shape.

When the surface of the molded article and the surface of the printed sheet have the same dimensions, the printed sheet is preferably punched out in accordance with the die processing portion.

There is no problem in loading the printing sheet into the mold in the above two cases. The same applies to the case where a hole is formed in a molded product. In this case, the holes formed in the printing sheet have the same dimensions as the molding die.

When it is desired to expose the molding resin surface around the surface of the molded article, the printed sheet is processed into a small size with the dimension to be exposed. In this case, in order to load the printing sheet into the molding die and hold the center of the die surface in alignment with the center of the printing sheet, a minute hole is formed in the die, and the die is connected to a vacuum generator for vacuum suction.

As described above, the printing sheet is loaded into the mold,
The mold is closed, and the molten resin is injected and molded. At this time, it is preferable that the passage (gate) for introducing the molten resin into the mold is not orthogonal to the printing sheet. This is because, if they are perpendicular to each other, the printed sheet is easily broken by the temperature and pressure of the molten resin.

(Example) An air conditioning panel of an automobile will be described as a specific example of the synthetic resin molded article according to the present invention as described above, and a method of manufacturing the panel will be described.

The automobile air conditioning panel 1 shown in FIG.
Switches (not shown) for controlling wind direction, temperature, etc.
Are formed in the panel in order to attach them. Each of the holes 2, 2,... Has a peripheral edge 2a protruding forward in an L-shape at the inner bottom thereof.

Also, around each of the holes 2, 2,..., A pattern or character 3 for guiding the operation of each switch is printed. The visibility in darkness such as is improved.

As shown in FIG. 2, such an air conditioning panel 1 is composed of a panel main body 4 as a synthetic resin molded product and a synthetic resin sheet 5 welded to the surface of the panel main body 4. On the resin sheet 5, the above-mentioned patterns and characters 3 and the shielding portions other than these patterns and characters 3 are printed.

The panel body 4 has a plurality of holes 2, 2,... For mounting various switches as described above, and as shown in FIG. The frame 7 is formed so as to protrude, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 7a, 7a,... Are formed inside the reinforcing frame 7, and projecting pieces 7b, 7b,. Have been.

As shown in FIG. 6 (a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1), such a panel body 4 forms a slight curved surface around each hole 2 and descends toward the hole 2 side. It has a shape having Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the holes 2, 2,... Corresponding to the respective holes 2, 2,. The synthetic resin sheet 5 is formed by drawing according to the curved surface of the panel body 4 as shown in FIG.

The synthetic resin sheet 5 has a thickness of 0.1 mm.
1 mm to 2.0 mm is used, and as shown in FIG. 1, the periphery of the panel main body 4 is exposed by forming the panel main body 4 to have a smaller diameter than the entire surface.

When backlighting is performed on the air-conditioning panel 1 having the above-described structure, it is necessary to apply a coating or the like for shielding light from portions other than the picture and the character 3 which are portions through which light from behind is to be transmitted forward. However, in this example,
Since the panel main body 4 is formed of a black, that is, opaque molten resin, it is not necessary to apply the above-described coating for shielding light, so that a coating facility is not required and cost can be reduced. Become.

When the panel main body 4 is made of an opaque molten resin such as black, a light-transmitting portion for backlighting is required. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Forming arc-shaped translucent windows 8, 8... Shown in FIG. 4 around the holes 2, 2,... Backlighting is performed by

When black is used as the molten resin of the panel body 4 as described above, the work (painting or the like) of matching the color of the nameplate with black as the ground color and the color of the resin becomes unnecessary, and the cost is reduced.

Further, when the panel body 4 is formed of an opaque molten resin such as black, it is not necessary to designly cover light leakage during backlighting.

When the translucent resin is not completely opaque but is translucent, it is not necessary to provide the light-transmitting window as described above. 4 needs to be printed. Thus, in the present invention, the printing can be omitted once or several times depending on the transparency of the molten resin.

Further, in the above-mentioned synthetic resin sheet 5, the pattern and the character 3 are formed by translucent printing, and the periphery of the pattern and the character 3 is formed on a panel for clear recognition of the pattern and the character 3. It is printed in the same black as the main body 4.

In this printing, in order to eliminate light leakage at the time of backlighting, the back or front surface of the synthetic resin sheet 5 and the both surfaces thereof are subjected to double-layer printing by a screen printing method, and the ink film layer is made 8 μm or more. This prevents the occurrence of pinholes.

In order to load the synthetic resin sheet 5 having a predetermined shape printed as described above into the molding die 10 shown in FIG.
The surface of the synthetic resin sheet 5 and the panel body 4
The synthetic resin sheet 5 is prepared in accordance with the entire shape of the synthetic resin sheet 5, cut into a predetermined shape by punching, and drawn.
Is adjacent to the surface in the mold 10.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, after closing the mold 10, the black molten resin 11 is introduced into the sprue 14 from the injection molding nozzle 13 provided in the mold 10 and passed through the gate 15. The panel body 4 is welded and joined to the back surface of the synthetic resin sheet 5 by injecting the molten resin 11 into the mold 10.

[0057]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following excellent effects.

(1) Technical simplicity The technology of the present invention is extremely simple in that a printed synthetic resin sheet is loaded into a molding die and a molten resin is injected into the die to obtain a molded product that can be backlit. Technology.
It has a feature that the thick printed surface of the ink film layer is easily held also on the side surface of the molded product. In molding, the sheet can be easily loaded into the molding die.

(2) Curved Surface Printable Product with Backlighting A printed surface with a thick ink film layer can be easily provided on the front or back surface of a molded product having a single curved surface or a multicurved surface, thereby enabling backlighting.

(3) High productivity The productivity is several times higher than when printing directly on a molded article.

(4) Low Defective Rate The defective rate is much lower than when printing directly on a molded product.

(5) Low Cost As compared with the case of printing one molded product at a time, printing of a large number of products can be performed at the same time, resulting in lower cost.

(6) Appearance of appearance Excellent print lines and gate marks, which are often seen in the method of printing directly on a molded article or transferring an ink film from a printed film to a molded article, are excellent. Has a beautiful appearance.

Further, in the present invention, a light-transmitting window is formed at a predetermined position of an opaque or translucent synthetic resin molded article, and furthermore, a synthetic resin sheet formed by welding and joining to the front or back surface of this molded article is used. It is designed to block the light-transmitting window of the product and to enable backlighting of translucent patterns and characters printed on the synthetic resin sheet, so backlighting is possible even if the molded product is opaque or translucent. Can be obtained.

When the light-transmitting window of the molded article is incompletely shielded by the synthetic resin sheet (that is, the light transmittance is less than 100%), an opaque pattern or character is provided there to provide backlighting. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which pictures and characters are raised.

In such a configuration, when the molded product is formed of an opaque molten resin, it is not necessary to apply a coating for shielding light at the time of backlighting, so that a coating facility is not required and cost is reduced. It becomes possible.

Further, when black is used as the molten resin for molding the molded article, the work (painting or the like) of matching the color of the nameplate with black as the ground color and the color of the resin becomes unnecessary, and the cost is reduced.

Further, when the molded product is formed of an opaque molten resin such as black, it is not necessary to designly cover light leakage at the time of backlighting.

Further, when an opaque resin is used as the molten resin of the molded article, a recycled material can be used, and the cost is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle air-conditioning panel which is a specific example of a synthetic resin molded product according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle air conditioning panel according to the present invention, which is separated into a main body panel and a synthetic resin sheet.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main body panel (excluding a synthetic resin sheet) of an air-conditioning panel of an automobile according to the present invention as viewed from a back surface.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a main body panel (excluding a synthetic resin sheet) of a vehicle air conditioning panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear view showing a state in which a synthetic resin sheet is joined to a main body panel of an automotive air conditioning panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a mold for molding a synthetic resin molded product according to the present invention and showing a molding state of a portion corresponding to a two-dot chain line B in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Air-conditioning panel (synthetic resin molded product) 2 ... Hole 3 ... Picture and character 4 ... Panel body 5 ... Synthetic resin sheet 7 ... Reinforcement frame 8 ... Translucent window 10 ... Mold 11 ... Molten resin

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.1 to 2.0 mm printed so as to have an ink film layer used as a single layer having a thickness of 4 μ or more or an ink film layer used as two or more layers having a thickness of 8 μ or more. A synthetic resin molded article having a heterogeneous surface layer or backside layer formed by welding and joining to the front or back surface thereof, wherein the synthetic resin molded article is opaque or translucent and enables backlighting. A synthetic resin molded product characterized by the following. 2. A synthetic resin molded product according to claim 1, wherein a backlight is made possible by forming a light-transmitting window at a predetermined position of said opaque or translucent synthetic resin molded product. 3. A synthetic resin molded article formed by forming a light-transmitting window at a predetermined position on the opaque or translucent synthetic resin molded article and welding and joining the front or back surface of the synthetic resin molded article. 2. The synthetic resin molded product according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting window is shielded, and backlighting is enabled for a light-transmitting pattern or character printed on the synthetic resin sheet. 4. A picture or a character printed on said synthetic resin molded product according to claim 3, wherein said synthetic resin sheet imperfectly shields a light transmitting window of said synthetic resin molded product (partially transmits light rays). 2. The synthetic resin molded product according to claim 1, wherein the backlight is made opaque to enable backlighting. 5. An ink film layer having a thickness of 4 .mu.m or more and a thickness of 8 .mu.m used for a synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.1 to 2.0 mm.
After printing so as to have an ink film layer to be used in the above two or more layers, processing this into a shape that can be loaded in a mold, and loading it adjacent to the inner surface of the mold, In a method of molding a synthetic resin molded product having a foreign surface layer or a back surface layer and capable of being backlit by injecting a molten resin into the mold after closing, an opaque or translucent one is used for the molten resin. A method for manufacturing a synthetic resin molded product, wherein a transparent window is provided at a predetermined position of the synthetic resin molded product according to the transparency of the resin. 6. A method for manufacturing a synthetic resin molded product according to claim 5, wherein when the molten resin is translucent, a light transmitting window is not provided at a predetermined position of the synthetic resin molded product. 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said synthetic resin sheet is subjected to drawing in a predetermined shape.