Patent Description:
Leather is widely used as a surface decoration material in various fields such as motor vehicles and home decoration. Common leathers include genuine leathers and artificial leathers. Artificial leathers include polyvinyl chloride (referred to as PVC below) artificial leather, thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer (referred to as TPO below) artificial leather and polyurethane (referred to as PU below) artificial leather, etc., wherein PVC artificial leather is an artificial leather prepared with polyvinyl chloride as the main starting material, TPO artificial leather is an artificial leather prepared with an olefin resin or a mixture of an olefin resin and a rubber elastomer as the main starting material, and PU artificial leather is an artificial leather prepared with a polyurethane resin as the main starting material.

Among materials used for the interior decoration of motor vehicles, the development and use of light-transmitting leather is attracting more and more attention. When such leather is used in cooperation with a light source inside a vehicle, it is possible to achieve an effect whereby the leather surface is an ordinary flat surface when the light is off, but a specific pattern effect is projected when the light is on. This can significantly increase the grade of interior decoration of the motor vehicle. So far, a light-transmitting leather capable of achieving a gradually changing light transmission effect has not yet been developed.

<CIT> relates to an interior component comprising a composite layer comprising a decorative layer comprising a plurality of openings and a transparent layer, wherein a light source is provided on the side of the decorative layer facing away from the transparent layer, and is characterized in that a light-influencing material is introduced into at least some openings and/or at least some openings only partially pass through the decorative layer.

Therefore, it is desired to design a novel technical solution to solve the technical problem mentioned above.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a light-transmitting leather which can achieve a gradually changing light transmission effect in cooperation with a light source.

To solve the abovementioned technical problem, the present invention employs the technical solution according to the claims.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The distance from the first light transmission hole to the first face is not equal to the distance from the second light transmission hole to the first face; with this configuration, when a light source is positioned at the second face side, the intensities of light rays passing through the first light transmission hole and the second light transmission hole from the light source are different, and it is thereby possible to obtain light rays of two or more different intensities with a single light source, so as to achieve a gradually changing light transmission effect.

The technical solution in embodiments of the present invention is explained and illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present utility model. However, the embodiments below are merely preferred embodiments, not all embodiments, of the present utility model.

Referring to <FIG>, the present invention provides a light-transmitting leather <NUM>, which may be used in fields such as motor vehicles and home decoration, and in particular, on components such as door panels and instrument panels in the field of motor vehicles. The light-transmitting leather <NUM> comprises a skin layer <NUM>, a paint layer <NUM> and a support layer <NUM>. The skin layer <NUM> comprises a first face <NUM> facing the paint layer <NUM> and a second face <NUM> facing away from the paint layer <NUM>, wherein the second face <NUM> faces the support layer <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the light-transmitting leather <NUM> is provided with multiple light transmission holes <NUM> which run through the second face <NUM> but do not run through the first face <NUM>. The multiple light transmission holes <NUM> comprise two first light transmission holes <NUM>, two second light transmission holes <NUM>, two third light transmission holes <NUM> and two fourth light transmission holes <NUM>. The distance D1 from the first light transmission holes <NUM> to the first face <NUM>, the distance D2 from the second light transmission holes <NUM> to the first face <NUM>, the distance D3 from the third light transmission holes <NUM> to the first face <NUM> and the distance D4 from the fourth light transmission holes <NUM> to the first face <NUM> are all unequal. D1, D2, D3 and D4 may also be called residual thicknesses. With this configuration, when a light source is positioned at the second face <NUM> side, the intensities of light rays passing through the first light transmission holes <NUM>, the second light transmission holes <NUM>, the third light transmission holes <NUM> and the fourth light transmission holes <NUM> from the light source are different. This makes it possible to achieve an effect whereby, when the light source is off, the light transmission holes <NUM> cannot be seen from the paint layer <NUM> side, i.e. the light transmission holes <NUM> will not affect the appearance of the product, but when the light source is switched on, the light source can pass through the first light transmission holes <NUM>, the second light transmission holes <NUM>, the third light transmission holes <NUM> and the fourth light transmission holes <NUM>, and the intensities of the light rays passing through are different. This makes it possible not only to guarantee the appearance of the product when the light is off but also to obtain light rays of two or more different intensities by means of a single light source, so as to achieve a gradually changing light transmission effect. In this embodiment, the two first light transmission holes <NUM>, the two second light transmission holes <NUM>, the two third light transmission holes <NUM> and the two fourth light transmission holes <NUM> are all respectively arranged adjacently; one of the two second light transmission holes <NUM> is disposed adjacent to one of the two first light transmission holes <NUM>, the other of the two second light transmission holes is disposed adjacent to one of the two third light transmission holes <NUM>, and the other of the two third light transmission holes <NUM> is disposed adjacent to one of the two fourth light transmission holes <NUM>. The two first light transmission holes <NUM>, the two second light transmission holes <NUM>, the two third light transmission holes <NUM> and the two fourth light transmission holes <NUM> are sequentially arranged in a row in the shape of the letter "I". Those skilled in the art will understand that in the present invention, the multiple light transmission holes <NUM> comprise at least one said first light transmission hole <NUM> and at least one said second light transmission hole <NUM>. That is to say, the choice can be made to provide or not provide the third light transmission hole <NUM> and the fourth light transmission hole <NUM> depending on actual needs, and more light transmission holes at unequal distances from the first face <NUM> may be provided as required. Those skilled in the art will also understand that in other embodiments, the numbers of the first light transmission hole <NUM>, the second light transmission hole <NUM>, the third light transmission hole <NUM>, the fourth light transmission hole <NUM> and more light transmission holes (if present) at unequal distances from the first face <NUM>, and the manner in which they are arranged, may also be determined according to particular needs. Through different manners of arrangement, the multiple light transmission holes <NUM> may be arranged in specific patterns. Those skilled in the art will also understand that if it is desired to achieve a very good gradual change effect, it will be necessary to provide multiple said light transmission holes <NUM> with different residual thicknesses, and arrange them in a suitable manner.

Referring to <FIG>, the skin layer <NUM> is a TPO elastomer skin layer, or a PVC skin layer, or a PU skin layer, or real leather. The visible light transmittance of the skin layer <NUM> is <NUM> - <NUM>%, preferably <NUM> - <NUM>%; the distances D1, D2, D3 and D4 from the first light transmission hole <NUM>, the second light transmission hole <NUM>, the third light transmission hole <NUM> and the fourth light transmission hole <NUM> to the first face <NUM> are all <NUM> - <NUM>, preferably <NUM> - <NUM>. Regarding the visible light transmittance, if the visible light transmittance is too large, it will not be possible to conceal an object such as the light source behind the skin layer <NUM>, but if the visible light transmittance is too small, it will be necessary to set the residual thickness to a very small value in order to allow visible light to pass through, so it will be difficult to form the light transmission holes <NUM> with different thicknesses, and a very thin residual thickness is not favourable for concealing the object behind the skin layer <NUM>. Regarding the residual thickness, if the residual thickness is too large, light scattering and refraction will be severe, affecting the light transmission effect, but if the residual thickness is too small, the light transmission holes <NUM> will be visible from the paint layer <NUM> side when the light is off, and this is not favourable for guaranteeing the appearance of the product when the light is off. In actual applications, those skilled in the art will need to select the skin layer <NUM> with suitable visible light transmittance and suitable residual thickness within the abovementioned ranges according to actual needs. When the skin layer <NUM> is a TPO elastomer skin layer, the light transmission holes <NUM> may be formed by laser drilling, preferably by carbon dioxide laser drilling. For better drilling, the infrared transmittance of the skin layer <NUM> is <NUM> - <NUM>%, more preferably <NUM> - <NUM>%. If the infrared transmittance of the skin layer <NUM> selected is too high, there will be considerable fluctuation in the infrared transmittance of the skin layer from batch to batch and also within batches, making it difficult to accurately control the residual thickness of the skin layer corresponding to each light transmission hole <NUM>, and thus making it difficult to guarantee the anticipated gradual change effect. If the infrared transmittance of the skin layer <NUM> selected is too low, a laser will only be able to drill a hole, i.e. laser drilling will only be achievable if the residual thickness of the skin layer <NUM> is set to a small value, thus making it difficult to form light transmission holes <NUM> with different thicknesses.

Continuing to refer to <FIG>, the choice can be made to provide or not provide the support layer <NUM> according to actual needs, and the support layer <NUM> may be a foamed layer or a base fabric layer or a framework layer; when the support layer <NUM> is provided, the light transmission holes <NUM> run through the support layer <NUM>.

It will be understood that in the absence of conflict, the above examples of the present invention may be combined with each other to obtain further examples within the scope of the claims. The various specific technical features described in the particular embodiments above may, in the absence of contradiction, be combined in any suitable manner within the scope of the claims.

In the description of the present invention, it must be understood that directional or positional relationships indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise" and "anticlockwise", etc. are based on directional or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are merely intended to facilitate description of the present invention and simplify description; they do not indicate or imply that the apparatus or element referred to must have a specific direction and be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be interpreted as restrictions on the present utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are merely used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the technical feature indicated. Thus, a feature for which "first" and "second" are defined may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the feature. In the description of the present utility model, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

Claim 1:
A light-transmitting leather (<NUM>), comprising a skin layer (<NUM>) and a paint layer (<NUM>), the skin layer (<NUM>) comprising a first face (<NUM>) facing the paint layer (<NUM>) and a second face (<NUM>) facing away from the paint layer (<NUM>), wherein the light-transmitting leather (<NUM>) is provided with multiple light transmission holes (<NUM>) which run through the second face (<NUM>) but do not run through the first face (<NUM>), the multiple light transmission holes (<NUM>) comprise at least one first light transmission hole (<NUM>) and at least one second light transmission hole (<NUM>), and the distance from the first light transmission hole (<NUM>) to the first face (<NUM>) is not equal to the distance from the second light transmission hole (<NUM>) to the first face (<NUM>), the first light transmission hole (<NUM>) and the second light transmission hole (<NUM>) are arranged adjacently characterized in that the visible light transmittance of the skin layer (<NUM>) is <NUM> - <NUM>%, and the distances from the first light transmission hole (<NUM>) and the second light transmission hole (<NUM>) to the first face (<NUM>) are both <NUM> - <NUM>.