Method of fabricating console with grounded trim ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358441-B2
Application number	US-202217951194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle console includes a trim ring disposed over a periphery of a housing. The trim ring includes a polymeric material and is electrically conductive and grounded. A proximity switch assembly is retained in the housing. The proximity switch assembly includes a proximity sensor proximate a sensing pad for generating an activation field. The sensing pad is proximate the trim ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a vehicular trim assembly comprising:
forming a housing assembly of a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a higher electrical resistivity than the second substrate;
electroplating the second substrate;
placing a proximity switch assembly having a selectively generated activation field within the housing assembly; and
conductively coupling the second substrate to a printed circuit board ground to prevent the second substrate from disrupting the selectively generated activation field.

2. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is a first ABS material and the second substrate is second ABS material comprising approximately 0.5% to approximately 2% volume multi-walled carbon nanotubes and approximately 4% to approximately 6% volume high aspect ratio carbon black and having a surface resistivity of approximately 0.8×10 5 ohm/sq to approximately 1.2×10 5 ohm/sq.

3. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 2 , wherein forming the housing assembly of the first substrate and the second substrate further comprises:
using a two shot molding process to form the housing assembly of the first substrate and the second substrate.

4. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 1 , wherein electroplating the second substrate further comprises:
etching an A-surface of the second substrate with chromic acid;
rinsing the A-surface;
coating the A-surface with copper;
coating the copper with nickel; and
coating the nickel with chrome.

5. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 1 , wherein conductively coupling the second substrate to the printed circuit board ground to prevent the second substrate from disrupting the selectively generated activation field comprises disposing a plated signal line between the printed circuit board ground and a conductive rubber interface.

6. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 5 , wherein disposing a plated signal line between the printed circuit board ground and the conductive rubber interface incudes using a conductive rubber interface having a gold-plated metal wire disposed in silicone rubber.

7. A method of making a vehicular trim assembly comprising:
forming a housing assembly of a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a higher electrical resistivity than the second substrate; and
electroplating the second substrate, wherein electroplating the second substrate further comprises:
etching a surface of the second substrate with chromic acid;
rinsing the surface;
coating the surface with copper;
coating the copper with nickel; and
coating the nickel with chrome.

8. A method of making a vehicular trim assembly comprising:
forming a housing assembly of a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a higher electrical resistivity than the second substrate; and
electroplating the second substrate,
wherein forming the housing assembly of the first substrate and the second substrate further comprises:
using a two shot molding process to form the housing assembly of the first substrate and the second substrate.

9. A method of making a vehicular trim assembly comprising:
forming a housing assembly of a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a higher electrical resistivity than the second substrate, wherein the housing assembly comprises a trim ring disposed over a periphery of a housing, and wherein the trim ring comprises a polymeric material and is electrically conductive and grounded; and
electroplating the second substrate.

10. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 9 further comprising placing a proximity switch assembly in the housing, the proximity switch assembly comprising a proximity sensor proximate a sensing pad for generating an activation field, wherein the sensing pad is proximate to the trim ring.

11. The method of making a vehicular trim assembly of claim 10 , wherein the housing assembly is for a proximity sensor.

12. A method of making a vehicular trim assembly comprising:
forming a housing assembly of a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a higher electrical resistivity than the second substrate, wherein the housing assembly comprises a trim ring disposed over a periphery of a housing, wherein the trim ring comprises a polymeric material and is electrically conductive and grounded;
electroplating the second substrate; and
placing a proximity switch assembly in the housing, the proximity switch assembly comprising a proximity sensor proximate a sensing pad for generating an activation field, wherein the sensing pad is proximate to the trim ring.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Gall Richard
• Vemulapati Satyanarayana Raju
• Surman James J

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K37/00

  Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14) · CPC title

• B60K2360/771

  on the ceiling · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title