Patent Publication Number: US-2020303812-A1

Title: Radar compatible badge for vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a badge employed to identify a manufacturer, make or model of vehicle, and more particularly to such a badge that is compatible with vehicle radar. 
     Automotive vehicles commonly include one or more badges on the exteriors of the vehicles that identify the manufacturer, make or model of the vehicle. Commonly a badge is included on the front of the vehicle, for example, on the grille, the hood or a hood ornament. 
     In addition, as automotive vehicles add more autonomous types of functions, some may employ radar for detecting objects around the vehicle. Such a radar system may be forward looking toward objects in front of the vehicle. Such vehicles, then, may create concerns with the locations of badges relative to the radar emitter/receiver—both for functionality as well as providing esthetically pleasing front styling for the vehicle (and badge). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment contemplates a method of forming a badge comprising: thermally forming an indium film into a desired shape for the badge; molding a plastic back layer to a back side of the thermally formed indium film; and molding a plastic front layer to a front side, opposite to the back side, of the thermally formed indium film. 
     An embodiment contemplates a method of forming a badge comprising: thermally forming an indium film into a desired shape for the badge, including thermally forming a raised symbol above a front surface on the front side of the indium film; molding a plastic back layer to a back side of the thermally formed indium film; molding a plastic front layer to a front side, opposite to the back side, of the thermally formed indium film; and mounting the badge on a front of a vehicle. 
     An advantage of an embodiment is that a radar compatible badge for a vehicle allows for flexibility in vehicle styling with regard to locating of the badge, as well as flexibility in where a radar emitter/receiver is located in order to allow for greater flexibility in packaging design for desired air flow and packaging of underhood components, such as front end modules. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a front side of a layer of thermal form indium film shaped to create the desired badge design. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a molded plastic layer on a back side of the indium film. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the front side of a completed badge with a front plastic layer over portions of the indium film. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic section view through a portion of the completed badge of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate various views of portions of a radar compatible badge  20  that is configured for mounting on a vehicle  44 , which may have a radar system that emits/receives a signal through the badge  20 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of the badge  20 —a thermally formed indium film  22 . This indium film may be vacuum formed. The indium film  22  is metallic and offers a bright chrome-looking appearance, but still allows radar to “see” (i.e., readily pass through) the film  22 . The indium film  22  may be shaped to have contours and depth that form the desired shape of the logo, such as for example a curved front surface  24  with a raised oval ridge  26  surrounding the front surface  24 . Additionally, the indium film  22  may include text  28  that may be raised from the front surface  24 . Such text  28  may be for example the particular name of the manufacturer or model of vehicle. 
       FIG. 2 , in view of  FIG. 1 , illustrates a two layer portion  30  of the badge  20 —with a back layer  32  molded (such as injection molding) to the back of the indium film  22  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ). The back layer  32  may be made from, for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or other types of plastic materials compatible with the indium film  22 , if so desired. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4 , in view of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , illustrate a completed badge  20 , with a front layer  42  molded, such as by injection molding, over the front of the indium film  22 . Since this front layer  42  is visible when the badge  20  is mounted on a vehicle, this layer may be colored to provide the desired esthetics for the overall badge design. This front layer  42  may be made from, for example, PMMA with the desired color added, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) or other types of plastic materials compatible with the indium film  22  and stable in ultraviolet light, it so desired. The front layer  42  may be molded around the raised text  28  so that the metallic chrome type of appearance of the indium film  22  is readily visible in the completed badge  20 , while the coloration of the front layer  42  surrounds the text  28 . 
     To reduce radar antenna beam distortion, the text  28  extending above the front surface  24  may have sides  34  that are shaped other than extending straight up from the surface  24  (see in particular  FIG. 4 ). For example, a first section  36  may extend upward from and be angled at about twenty degrees from perpendicular from the front surface  24 , and a second section  38  may extend from the first section  36  to a top surface  40  of the text  28  essentially perpendicular to the front surface  24 . The second section  38 , for an automotive badge, may be for example about 0.70 to 0.80 millimeters high—but other dimensions of the section  38  may be employed instead, if so desired. The first section  36  may be longer (length in the direction out from the front surface) than the second section  38 , for example about 3 to 4 times as long—but other dimensional ratios may be employed instead if so desired. 
     The completed badge  20 , then, provides for the desired design and location of the badge  20  for mounting on a vehicle  44  while reducing interference from any radar system mounted behind the badge  20 . 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.