Patent ID: 7025920
Filing Date: 2006-04-11
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a composite shell, the shell forming a body for a vehicular sideview exterior mirror assembly, the body being adapted for mounting to a vehicle and defining a cavity and an opening for facing rearward of a vehicle when the body is mounted to a vehicle, and supporting a reflective element positioned in the opening for rearview viewing of the vehicle, and the body having a forward facing exterior side when mounted to a vehicle, said method comprising: providing a mold assembly with a mold cavity, said mold cavity including a discontinuity having an edge definition for forming a discontinuity in the composite shell and having a first molding surface and a second molding surface, the first molding surface for forming an inner surface of the composite shell, and the second molding surface for forming the outer surface of the shell for forming the forward facing exterior side of the body; positioning a decorative film substrate in said mold cavity on said second molding surface, wherein the decorative film substrate extends over the discontinuity; injecting a polymer resin in said mold cavity over said decorative film substrate; and conforming said film substrate and said polymer resin to said mold cavity whereby said film substrate and said polymer resin conform to the mold cavity and, further, substantially conform to the edge definition of the discontinuity to thereby form the composite shell wherein at least a portion of the forward facing exterior side includes the decorative film conformed therewith, with the decorative film and the polymer resin substantially conforming to each other to reduce the wind noise of the sideview exterior mirror assembly when the body is mounted to a vehicle.