US-12623594-B2 - Shaped part and method for producing a shaped part

US12623594B2US 12623594 B2US12623594 B2US 12623594B2US-12623594-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a shaped part comprising a decorative layer with a front side and a rear side, a light-guiding element comprising a main body and one or more light guides protruding from a front side of the main body, wherein the main body is arranged with its front side on the rear side of the decorative layer and the light guide(s) completely penetrate/s the decorative layer, and one or more light elements arranged in and/or on the light-guiding element, wherein light emanating from the light elements is guided via the light guide(s) to the front side of the decorative layer. A light-shielding layer is arranged between the surface of the light guide(s) and the decorative layer, in particular a light-shielding element, wherein the light-shielding layer has an interruption, through which light can escape, on the front side of the decorative layer on each light guide. The invention also relates to methods for producing a shaped part that comprise, as a method step, pressing the light-shielding element and/or the light guides of the light-guiding element into a decorative material to form the decorative layer.

Inventors

Alexander Martin
Daniel Hopf

Assignees

NOVEM CAR INTERIOR DESIGN GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240914
Priority Date: 20230914

Claims (20)

1 . A shaped part comprising a decorative layer having a front side designed as a visible side and a rear side opposite the front side, a light-guiding element comprising a main body and one or more light guides protruding from the main body at a front side of the main body, wherein the main body is arranged with its front side at the rear side of the decorative layer, and the one or more light guides completely penetrate/s the decorative layer from the rear side to the front side, and one or more light elements arranged in and/or on the light-guiding element, wherein light emanating from the light elements is guided to the front side of the decorative layer via the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element, characterized in that a light-shielding layer is arranged between the surface of the one or more light guides and the decorative layer, wherein the light-shielding layer has, on the front side of the decorative layer on each light guide, an interruption through which light guided by the one or more light guides to the front side of the decorative layer can escape at the front side of the decorative layer.
2 . The shaped part according to claim 1 , characterized in that the light-shielding layer is a light-shielding element.
3 . The shaped part according to claim 2 , characterized in that the light-shielding element has one or more tips on a side facing away from the main body of the light-guiding element.
4 . The shaped part according to claim 1 , characterized in that the light-shielding layer comprises metal or plastic.
5 . The shaped part according to claim 1 , characterized in that the light-shielding layer is designed to be reflective or mirrored towards the one or more light guides.
6 . The shaped part according to claim 1 , characterized in that the decorative layer comprises a decorative material, and the light-shielding layer comprises a first material and the light-guiding element comprises a second material, wherein at least one of the first material and the second material has a greater hardness or strength than the decorative material of the decorative layer.
7 . The shaped part according to claim 6 , characterized in that the first material has a greater hardness or strength than the second material.
8 . The shaped part according to claim 1 , characterized in that the one or more light guide(s) of the light-guiding element or the light-shielding layer has a shape that tapers towards the front side of the decorative layer, at least in sections.
9 . A method for producing a shaped part, wherein the shaped part comprises: a decorative layer having a front side designed as a visible side and a rear side opposite the front side, a light-guiding element comprising a main body and one or more light guides protruding from the main body at a front side of the main body, wherein the main body is arranged with its front side at the rear side of the decorative layer, and the one or more light guide(s) completely penetrate the decorative layer from the rear side to the front side, and one or more light elements arranged in and/or on the light-guiding element, wherein light emanating from the one or more light elements is guided to the front side of the decorative layer via the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element, wherein a light-shielding layer is arranged between the surface of the one or more light guides and the decorative layer, wherein the light-shielding layer has an interruption on the front side of the decorative layer on each light guide, so that the light guided by the one or more light guides to the front side of the decorative layer can escape at the front side of the decorative layer, wherein the light-shielding layer is a self-supporting and/or independently dimensionally stable light-shielding element, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) providing a decorative material for forming the decorative layer, wherein a front side of the decorative material is intended for forming the front side of the decorative layer, and a rear side of the decorative material is intended for forming the rear side of the decorative layer, b) providing the light-guiding element comprising main body and one or more light guides protruding from a front side of the main body, c) providing the self-supporting and/or independently dimensionally stable light-shielding element with a front side and a rear side, wherein one or more free spaces for receiving the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element are formed on the rear side, d) inserting the decorative material and the light-shielding element into a pressing tool, wherein the front side of the light-shielding element faces the rear side of the decorative material, e) pressing the light-shielding element into the decorative material in such a way that the light-shielding element completely penetrates the decorative material from the rear side to the front side after pressing-in and demarcates one or more continuous recesses, formed by the pressing-in, in the decorative material towards the decorative material.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that, prior to the insertion of the light-shielding element into the pressing tool according to step d), the light-guiding element is attached to the rear side of the light-shielding element in such a way that the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element are inserted into the free spaces in the light-shielding element and completely fills the free spaces, and thus the light-shielding element with the light-guiding element attached to its rear side is pressed into the decorative material according to step e).
11 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that, after pressing of the light-shielding element into the decorative material according to step e), the light-guiding element is attached to the rear side of the light-shielding element in such a way that the one or more light guide(s) of the light-guiding element inserted into the free spaces in the light-shielding element and completely fills the free spaces.
12 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the light-shielding element to be provided according to step c) is produced by means at least one of an injection-molding process, casting process, forming process and stamping process.
13 . A method for producing a shaped part, wherein the shaped part comprises: a decorative layer having a front side designed as a visible side and a rear side opposite the front side, a light-guiding element comprising a main body and one or more light guides protruding from the main body at a front side of the main body, wherein the main body is arranged with its front side at the rear side of the decorative layer, and the one or more light guides completely penetrate the decorative layer from the rear side to the front side, and one or more light elements arranged in and/or on the light-guiding element, wherein light emanating from the one or more light elements is guided to the front side of the decorative layer via the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) providing a decorative material for forming the decorative layer, wherein a front side of the decorative material is intended for forming the front side of the decorative layer, and a rear side of the decorative material is intended for forming the rear side of the decorative layer, b) providing the light-guiding element comprising main body and one or more light guides protruding from a front side of the main body, c) inserting the decorative material and the light-guiding element into a pressing tool, wherein the front side of the main body of the light-guiding element faces the rear side of the decorative material d) pressing the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element into the decorative material in such a way that the one or more light guides completely penetrate the decorative material after pressing-in.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , characterized in that a light-shielding layer is arranged on the surface of the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element to be provided according to step b), prior to the provision according to step b) or prior to the insertion into the pressing tool according to step c), wherein the light-shielding layer of each light guide has an interruption through which light can escape from the one or more light guides.
15 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that after pressing-in, the front side of the decorative material is ground and/or brushed off.
16 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that an adhesive layer is provided on the rear side of the decorative material prior to insertion into the pressing tool.
17 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the light-guiding element is produced in one piece, wherein the one or more arranged in and/or on this one-piece light-guiding element.
18 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the main body and the one or more light guides of the light-guiding element to be provided are produced separately and subsequently joined together, wherein the one or more light elements are arranged in and/or on the main body.
19 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that a carrier is attached to a rear side, opposite the front side, of the main body of the light-guiding element.
20 . The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that at least one of a transparent protective layer, a translucent protective layer, and an optical layer is applied to the front side of the decorative material.

Description

The invention relates to a shaped part and method for producing a shaped part, in particular this shaped part. The shaped part is in particular a decorative part (also: body trim part) and/or panel part designed as a shaped part for a vehicle interior. Numerous decorative and panel parts are installed in the vehicle interior—for example, door panels, console panels, and instrument panels. The decorative and panel parts also include control buttons and their covers. Such shaped parts comprise a decorative layer having a front side designed as a visible side and a rear side opposite the front side. In order to display backlit or illuminated functional symbols on the front side of the decorative layer, it is known from DE 20 2018 101 500 U1 to incorporate light passages into the decorative layer. Light guide inserts made of a light-conducting material are inserted into these light passages. The light passages are illuminated by a light element. The disadvantage of this known solution is that the light penetrates into the decorative layer upon illuminating the light passages, and thus the region around the light passage is also illuminated on the front side of the decorative layer. As a result, the sharpness of the edges of the illuminated regions on the front side is reduced, and a symbol to be displayed appears blurred. The present invention is based upon the object of providing a new shaped part and a new method for producing a shaped part, in particular a shaped part and a method that at least partially eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages. This object is achieved in terms of the shaped part by the features of claim 1 and in terms of the method by the features of claim 9 and by the features of claim 13. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are provided in each of the dependent claims. The shaped part according to the invention comprises a decorative layer with a front side designed as a visible side and a rear side opposite the front side, a light-guiding element, and one or more light elements arranged in and/or on the light-guiding element, wherein light emanating from the light elements is conducted to the front side of the decorative layer via the light guide(s) of the light-guiding element. The light-guiding element comprises a main body and one or more light guides protruding from the main body at a front side of the main body. With its front side, the main body is arranged on the rear side of the decorative layer, and the light guide(s) completely penetrate/s the decorative layer from the rear side to the front side. The invention provides that a light-shielding layer be arranged between the surface of the light guide(s) and the decorative layer, wherein the light-shielding layer has, on the front side of the decorative layer on each light guide, an interruption through which light guided from the light guide(s) to the front side of the decorative layer can escape at the front side of the decorative layer. The shaped part is in particular a decorative part (also: body trim part) and/or panel part designed as a shaped part for a vehicle interior. The main body and/or the light guide(s) of the light-guiding element can be formed from a transparent or translucent material, in particular a transparent or translucent plastic, or comprise a transparent or translucent material, in particular a transparent or translucent plastic. The main body and the light guide(s) can, for example, be produced separately or together by means of an injection-molding process or a casting process. The light-guiding element, in particular its one or more light guides, can extend exactly up to the interruption(s) in the light-shielding layer, in particular forming on the front side of the decorative layer a flat surface together with the material of the decorative layer. However, it is also possible that the light-guiding element, in particular one or more light guides, protrude through the interruption or interruptions in the light-shielding layer and rise above the material of the decorative layer. It is also possible that the light-shielding element and the light-guiding element, in particular one or more light guides, rise on the front side of the decorative layer above the material of the decorative layer. The main body of the light-guiding element can form a carrier for the shaped part. In this case, there is no need for an additional carrier. However, it is also possible that a separate carrier be arranged on a rear side of the main body opposite the front side of the main body. Among other things, the carrier can be used to mount the shaped part on another body—for example, in a vehicle interior. For this purpose, the carrier can have attachment elements for mounting. The light-shielding layer is a layer that prevents light from passing through it. In particular, the light-shielding layer is thus opaque. The light-shielding layer prevents light from the light guide(s) of the light-guiding element from