Selective metallized translucent automotive components by laser ablation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11795563-B2
Application number	US-202117154805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	Jan 22, 2020
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

A decorative component includes a plateable resin body portion that is light-transmissive. A thin intermediate layer of material is electrolessly deposited over the body portion. The intermediate layer is laser ablated to selectively remove the intermediate layer and expose the light transmissive portion. The part is then subjected to electroplating. The ablated areas do not receive the metal layers of the electroplating, thereby defining a pattern defined by the ablation. The laser ablation may define an outline, leaving the thin intermediate layer within the outline that is electrically isolated from areas outside of the outline. The electroplating process will not apply layers to the isolated areas, and the intermediate layer therein will dissolve, exposing the light transmissive body portion. An opposite side of the part is also exposed and transmissive, such that light will pass through the body portion and illuminate the pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A decorative component for an automotive vehicle, the decorative component comprising:
a plateable body portion formed of a plateable resin material capable of being electroplated, wherein the plateable resin material is translucent and light-transmissive;
an electroless intermediate layer plated on the plateable resin via electroless deposition;
a pattern having an outline formed in a portion of the electroless intermediate layer;
an electroplated layer of material defining a surface finish, wherein the electroplated layer of material overlies the electroless intermediate layer in areas outside of the outline, wherein the pattern is defined within the surface finish;
wherein the outline defines an enclosed shape, wherein the enclosed shape exposes the plateable resin;
a bare section defined within the surface finish, wherein light is transmitted through the bare section, through the plateable resin material, and through the pattern to illuminate the pattern.

2. The decorative component of claim 1 , wherein the outline defines at least one closed loop, and no surface finish is present within the closed loop of the outline.

3. The decorative component of claim 1 , wherein the component includes a front side and a back side, wherein the front side includes the pattern and the back side includes the bare section.

4. The decorative component of claim 3 , wherein the bare section of the back side is larger than the pattern on the front side.

5. The decorative component of claim 1 , wherein the pattern includes multiple outlines defining multiple closed-loops, wherein no surface finish is disposed within the multiple outlines.

6. The decorative component of claim 1 , wherein the pattern includes a plurality of features having a width or diameter less than 60 microns.

7. The decorative component of claim 1 , further comprising a non-plateable resin portion embedded in the plateable resin body, wherein the non-plateable resin portion is translucent and light-transmissive.

8. The decorative component of claim 7 , wherein the plateable resin body is overmolded on the non-plateable resin portion, and the non-plateable resin portion is disposed on the back side of the component and the pattern is disposed on the front side of the component, such that a light disposed adjacent the non-plateable resin portion will illuminate the pattern on the front side.

9. The decorative component of claim 7 , wherein the metal layer and surface finish does not cover the non-plateable resin portion.

10. The decorative component of claim 1 , wherein the pattern includes openings through the metal layer of various sizes or shapes.

11. The decorative component of claim 1 , further comprising at least one reflector embedded within the body portion, wherein the reflectors are configured to reflect light transmitted through the body toward the pattern to illuminate the pattern.

12. A method of making a decorative component, the method comprising:
providing a plastic plateable resin body portion that is translucent and light-transmissive;
performing electroless deposition on the body portion and covering the plateable resin body portion with an intermediate layer of material, wherein the intermediate layer is configured to be electroplated;
ablating the intermediate layer with a laser, wherein the laser defines a pattern, wherein the laser defines an outline that exposes a portion of the body portion through intermediate layer;
performing an electroplating process on the body portion having the intermediate layer of material;
during the electroplating process, removing the intermediate material disposed within the outline, wherein the intermediate material within the outline is electrically isolated relative to areas outside of the outline;
electroplating a metal layer over the areas outside of the outline;
defining a pattern within the metal layer, wherein the pattern corresponds to the outline define by the laser;
defining a bare section within the metal layer;
wherein the pattern exposes the body portion through the metal layer, such that light passes through the bare section and the body portion to illuminate the pattern through the metal layer.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pattern is defined on a first side of the body portion, and the bare section is defined on a second side of the body portion opposite the first side, wherein a light disposed adjacent the second side illuminates the pattern on the first side.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising embedding a non-plateable resin portion in the plateable resin portion, wherein the non-plateable resin portion is exposed and translucent, wherein the electroless deposition does not cover the non-plateable resin portion.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the component is attached to a plating rack prior to electroless deposition, and the component remains fixed to the plating rack after electroless deposition and through the electroplating.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate layer within the outline is electrically isolated from the areas outside of the outline and the intermediate layer within the outline is dissolved by acid during the electroplating process to define the pattern.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein there is no metal layer within the outline following the electroplating process.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the laser defines the outline of a shape of the pattern and removes a perimeter of the pattern, leaving the intermediate layer within the outline prior to the electroplating, wherein the intermediate layer within the outline is removed after laser ablation during the electroplating.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pattern includes multiple outlines defined by the laser and defining multiple closed loops, with multiple electrically isolated portions of the intermediate layer within the closed loops following laser ablation, wherein the areas within the closed loops are dissolved during electroplating to define the pattern.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising overmolding the plateable resin portion onto the non-plateable resin portion.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein a first side of the component is laser ablated to define the pattern, and a second side of the component opposite the first side is not laser ablated.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of applying a resist material on the second side of the component prior to performing electroless deposition, wherein surface area covered by the resist material does not receive the intermediate layer of material.

23. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a clear or tinted coating over at least the front side of the part after electroplating the metal layer.

24. The method of claim 12 , further comprising embedded at least one reflector within the body portion, wherein the reflector directs light being transmitted through the body portion toward the pattern formed in the metal layer.

25. The decorative component of claim 1 wherein the component has an intermediate plated state and a finished plated state;
wherein in the intermediate plated state, a first portion of the electroless intermediate layer is disposed within the outline and is electrically isolated from areas outside of the outline; and
wherein in the intermediate state light transmits through the outline and is blocked by the fi

Assignees

• Lacks Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Lavallee Michael
• Walters David
• Hawkins Thomas

Classifications

• F21S43/2605

  Refractors · CPC title

• C25D5/56 Primary

  of plastics · CPC title

• B23K26/36

  Removing material (B23K26/55, B23K26/57 take precedence) · CPC title

• B32B3/30

  characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)} · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title