Iridescent vehicular trim assemblies and multi-shot injection molding methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10239471-B2
Application number	US-201615298868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Oct 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A method of making an iridescent, vehicular trim assembly is provided that includes: molding a polymeric base comprising an exterior surface; and over-molding an element over at least a portion of the exterior surface. The element comprises a polymeric, translucent material and an exterior surface with an integral diffraction grating having a thickness from 250 to 1000 nm and a period from 50 nanometers to 5 microns. Further, the molding can be conducted such that the polymeric base is molded with a tint. The method can also include forming a plated region over the exterior surface of the base. In addition, the method can also include cleaning the plated region with a plasma-etching process before the over-molding.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An iridescent, vehicular trim assembly, comprising:
a polymeric base comprising an exterior surface; and
an over-molded element joined to at least a portion of the exterior surface,
wherein the element comprises a polymeric, translucent material and an exterior surface with an integral diffraction grating having a thickness from 250 to 1000 nanometers and a period from 50 nanometers to 5 microns.

2. The trim assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the polymeric base is plated and the polymeric, translucent material of the element is a silicone.

3. The trim assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the base is a plasma-etched surface.

4. The trim assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the polymeric base comprises at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and a polycarbonate.

5. The trim assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric base is tinted in an as-molded configuration and comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of an acrylic, a polycarbonate, a polypropylene, a nylon, an acrylonitrile styrene acrylate and combinations of these polymeric materials.

6. The trim assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the base is a plasma-etched surface.

7. The trim assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plated region over the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the polymeric base, the plated region molded from at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and a polycarbonate, wherein the polymeric base is tinted in an as-molded configuration.

8. The trim assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the polymeric, translucent material of the element is a silicone.

9. The trim assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the base is a plasma-etched surface.

10. A method of making an iridescent, vehicular trim assembly, comprising:
molding a polymeric base comprising an exterior surface; and
over-molding an element over at least a portion of the exterior surface,
wherein the element comprises a polymeric, translucent material and an exterior surface with an integral diffraction grating having a thickness from 250 to 1000 nm and a period from 50 nanometers to 5 microns.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the over-molding is conducted with a mold that comprises a diffraction grating surface, wherein the diffraction grating surface is for forming the diffraction grating.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the polymeric base comprises at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and a polycarbonate.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
plating the exterior surface of the base to form a plated surface before the over-molding.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
cleaning the plated surfaces with a plasma-etching process.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the molding is conducted such that the polymeric base is tinted and comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of an acrylic, a polycarbonate, a polypropylene, a nylon, an acrylonitrile styrene acrylate and combinations of these polymeric materials.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
cleaning the exterior surface of the base with a plasma-etching process before the over-molding.

17. A method of making an iridescent, vehicular trim assembly, comprising:
molding a polymeric base with a tint;
forming a plated region over an exterior surface of the base; and
over-molding an element over the plated region,
wherein the element comprises a polymeric, translucent material and an exterior surface with an integral diffraction grating having a thickness from 250 to 1000 nm and a period from 50 nanometers to 5 microns.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the forming a plated region is conducted such that the plated region is selectively molded over an exterior surface of the base from at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and a polycarbonate.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the polymeric, translucent material of the element is a silicone.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:
cleaning the plated region with a plasma-etching process before the over-molding.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Myszka Joseph
• Glickman David Brian
• Salter Stuart C
• Karmo Talat

Classifications

• B60R13/04 Primary

  External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12) · CPC title

• B29C45/1671

  with an insert · CPC title

• B29C45/14688

  Coating articles provided with a decoration · CPC title

• B29C45/17

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29C2045/1673

  injecting the first layer, then feeding the insert, then injecting the second layer · CPC title