Trim structure for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9492845-B2
Application number	US-201314019853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A trim structure for a vehicle includes at least two surface regions having different surface appearances and is manufactured in one unit. A method for providing a trim structure for a vehicle with at least two surface regions having different surface appearances comprises the steps of: a) providing a first surface appearance on at least a portion of an external surface of a trim structure body; b) providing a second surface appearance by applying a material layer on top of at least a part of the at least a portion having the first surface appearance; and c) removing a portion of the applied material layer, thereby revealing at least a portion of the under-lying first surface appearance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a trim structure for a vehicle with at least two surface regions having different surface appearances, the method comprising:
a) providing a first surface appearance on at least a portion of an external surface of a trim structure body by applying a first paint layer;
b) providing a second surface appearance by applying a second paint layer at least partly directly on top of the first paint layer or at least partly directly on top of an overcoating on the first paint layer;
c) removing a portion of the second paint layer, thereby revealing at least a portion of the under-lying first paint layer; and
bending the trim structure in order to achieve a curved shape that is adapted to fit around at least a part of a window or a grill of the vehicle, wherein the bending is performed before steps a)-c);
wherein the overcoating, if used, remains part of the trim structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein step a) is followed by a step of applying a protective coating on top of at least a part of the first paint layer to form the overcoating.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a protective coating on top of at least a part of the second paint layer.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein:
step b) comprises applying the second paint layer on at least a portion of an external surface of the trim structure body; and
step c) comprises removing a portion of the second paint layer, thereby revealing at least a portion of the under-lying external surface of the trim structure body.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising applying a protective coating on top of at least a part of the surface of the trim structure body and/or on top of the second paint layer.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein step c) comprises grinding, milling, laser cutting and/or polishing in order to remove the portion of the second paint layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising forming an end cap in one unit with the trim structure at an end of the trim structure.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the trim structure is adapted to form a front upper trim structure for positioning along a front side window, a rear upper trim structure for positioning along a rear side window, or a one-piece grill trim structure shaped to fit the grill.

9. A method for providing a trim structure for a vehicle with at least two surface regions having different surface appearances, the method comprising:
a) providing a first surface appearance on at least a portion of an external surface of a trim structure body by applying a first paint layer;
b) providing a second surface appearance by applying a second paint layer at least partly directly on top of the first paint layer or at least partly directly on top of an overcoating on the first paint layer; and
c) removing a portion of the second paint layer, thereby revealing at least a portion of the under-lying first paint layer;
wherein the overcoating, if used, remains part of the trim structure.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising bending the trim structure in order to achieve a curved shape.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the bending is performed before steps a)-c).

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the bending is performed such that the trim structure is curved in a longitudinal direction of the trim structure.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein step a) is followed by a step of applying a protective coating on at least a part of the first paint layer to form the overcoating, and step c) is followed by a step of applying a protective coating on at least a part of the second paint layer.

14. The method according to claim 9 further comprising applying a protective coating on top of at least a part of the first paint layer to form the overcoating.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein step c) comprises grinding, milling, laser cutting and/or polishing in order to remove the portion of the second paint layer.

16. The method according to claim 9 further comprising applying a protective coating on top of at least a part of the second paint layer.

17. A method for providing a trim structure for a vehicle with at least two surface regions having different surface appearances, the method comprising:
a) providing a first surface appearance on at least a portion of an external surface of a trim structure body;
b) providing a second surface appearance by applying a material layer directly on top of at least a part of the at least a portion having the first surface appearance, or directly on top of an overcoating on the at least a part of the at least a portion having the first surface appearance; and
c) removing a portion of the applied material layer, thereby revealing at least a portion of the under-lying first surface appearance; and
bending the trim structure in order to achieve a curved shape that is adapted to fit around at least a part of a window or a grill of the vehicle, wherein the bending is performed before steps a)-c);
wherein the overcoating, if used, remains part of the trim structure.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the trim structure is curved to form a front upper trim structure for positioning along a front side window, a rear upper trim structure for positioning along a rear side window, or a one-piece grill trim structure shaped to fit the grill.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the bending is performed such that the trim structure is curved in a longitudinal direction of the trim structure.

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Bergstrom Anders
• Blomme Conny
• Lindqvist Clas

Classifications

• Y10T29/49

  Method of mechanical manufacture · CPC title

• C08J7/042

  with two or more layers, where at least one layer of a composition contains a polymer binder · CPC title

• B05D7/52

  Two layers · CPC title

• B05D2201/02

  Polymeric substrate · CPC title

• B05D3/12

  by mechanical means · CPC title