Patent ID: 12204138

Corresponding parts and components are also identified with the same reference numbers in each of the various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1toFIG.3deach show an exemplary embodiment of a decorative and/or panel part according to the invention designed as a shaped part10for a vehicle interior. The shaped part10comprises a decorative layer11with a front side12designed as a visible side and a rear side13opposite the front side12, and a light guide assembly14arranged on the rear side13of the decorative layer11for illuminating and/or backlighting the decorative layer11. The shaped part10further comprises multiple light sources15, wherein light L emanating from the light sources15, which inFIG.1andFIG.2is shown by arrows by way of example, is coupled into the light guide assembly14.

As can be seen inFIG.1andFIG.2, the light guide assembly14has a light guide layer16with a front side17and a rear side18, wherein a front-side, translucent mirror film19is arranged on the front side17of the light guide layer16and a rear-side mirror film20is arranged on the rear side18of the light guide layer16. Light L emanating from the light sources15and coupled into the light guide layer16of the light guide assembly14is reflected on the mirror films19,20and thus propagates in the light guide layer16.

According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.1, the shaped part10comprises a translucent decorative layer11. The decorative material of the decorative layer11can be wood, in particular wood veneer, woven fabric, carbon, stone, plastic, ceramic or metal or mixed forms of these materials.

The light guide assembly14comprises a front-side mirror film19and a rear-side mirror film20that enclose a light guide layer16in a sandwich-like structure. The front-side mirror film19comprises a carrier film21with a mirror layer22applied thereto, wherein the mirror layer22is applied to the front side23of the carrier film21facing the decorative layer11. The rear-side mirror film20also comprises a carrier film24with a mirror layer25applied thereto, wherein the mirror layer25is applied to the rear side26of the carrier film24facing away from the decorative layer11. The mirror layers22,25are in particular each applied to the carrier films21,24by means of printing methods, vapor deposition or extrusion. The front-side mirror film19is translucent, the rear-side mirror film20can be designed to be translucent or opaque. The light guide layer16is made of a light-conducting, transparent one-component plastic, preferably polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The plastic of the light guide layer16is injected between the front-side mirror layer19and the rear-side mirror layer20to produce the light guide assembly14. The light guide assembly14is, in turn, arranged on the rear side13of the decorative layer11by means of a subbing layer30, for example by joining or pressing.

Output elements34for outputting light L out of the light guide layer16are arranged on the rear side of the carrier film24, in particular in or below the mirror layer25, of the rear-side mirror film20. The output elements34are formed by a light-scattering, white lacquer, which is partially applied to the carrier film24of the rear-side mirror film20, thereby interrupting the mirror layer25of the rear-side mirror film20in sections. The light-scattering lacquer can be applied to the mirror film20by means of screen printing or vapor deposition. The partially applied output elements34can form, for example, a symbol which is represented as such by light spots36on the front side12of the decorative layer11. The symbol is visible as such in particular in plan view of the front side12of the decorative layer11, as shown for example inFIG.3d.

The shaped part10has a plurality of input elements35for inputting the light L emanating from the light sources15into the light guide layer16. According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.1, the input elements35are arranged on a side surface of the light guide layer16. The input elements35are preferably formed or configured as such during formation of the light guide layer16. The input elements35can be, for example, latches that correspond to the light sources15so that they can be attached in a simple manner by means of latching and/or mounting.

The shaped part10moreover has a carrier31, wherein the carrier31is arranged on the rear side32of the light guide assembly14. The carrier31is a plastic carrier, in particular a two-component plastic carrier, which is injection-molded onto the rear side32of the light guide assembly14by means of injection molding. Alternatively, the carrier31and the semifinished decorative layer/light guide assembly product can also be pressed together. The carrier31can optionally be white to scatter and/or reflect light back to the light guide layer16.

According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.1, the front side12of the decorative layer11is designed to be open-pored. Alternatively, a protective and/or optical layer made of polyurethane (PUR) formed as a high-gloss layer can be applied to the front side12of the decorative layer11.

According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.2, the shaped part10comprises an opaque decorative layer11. The decorative material of the decorative layer11can be wood, in particular wood veneer, woven fabric, carbon, stone, plastic, ceramic or metal or mixed forms of these materials.

A stabilizing layer27is arranged on the rear side13of the decorative layer11between the decorative layer11and the light guide assembly14, wherein the stabilizing layer27comprises a nonwoven29arranged on the rear side13of the decorative layer11by means of an adhesive layer28. The adhesive layer28and the nonwoven29can be white in order to scatter or reflect light back to the light guide layer. The light guide assembly14is, in turn, attached to the rear side of the stabilizing layer27by means of a subbing layer30.

To display a symbol on the front side12of the decorative layer11, the decorative layer11has a plurality of through-holes33, whereinFIG.2merely shows one through-hole33by way of example. The through-holes33each extend from the rear side13of the decorative layer11to the front side12of the decorative layer11and through the decorative layer11. Furthermore, the through-holes33also extend through the stabilizing layer27and the subbing layer30. The through-holes33can be introduced, for example, by means of a laser from the front side12of the decorative layer11into the decorative layer11and adjacent layers, such as the stabilizing layer27and any adhesive or subbing layers28,30.

The light guide assembly14comprises a front-side mirror film19and a rear-side mirror film20also according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.2, which enclose a light guide layer16in a sandwich-like structure. The front-side mirror film19comprises a carrier film21with a mirror layer22applied thereto, wherein the mirror layer22is applied to the front side23of the carrier film21facing the decorative layer11. The rear-side mirror film20also comprises a carrier film24with a mirror layer25applied thereto, wherein the mirror layer25is applied to the rear side26of the carrier film24facing away from the decorative layer11. The front-side mirror film19is translucent, the rear-side mirror film20can be designed to be translucent or opaque. The light guide layer16is made of a light-conducting, transparent one-component plastic, preferably polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

The plastic of the light guide layer16is injected between the front-side mirror layer19and the rear-side mirror layer20to produce the light guide assembly14. When the plastic of the light guide layer16is injected between the front-side mirror film19and the rear-side mirror film20, the plastic presses the front-side mirror film19at least in sections into the through-holes33of the decorative layer11so that the front-side mirror film19extends at least in sections into the through-holes33.

Output elements34for outputting light L out of the light guide layer16are arranged on the rear side of the carrier film24of the rear-side mirror film20. The output elements34are formed by a light-scattering, white lacquer. The light-scattering lacquer is applied partially to the carrier film24of the rear-side mirror film20, wherein the light-scattering lacquer is applied to the rear-side mirror film20in each case in the region of one of the through-holes33, i.e., substantially opposite the through-hole.

The shaped part10according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.2has a plurality of input elements35for inputting the light L emanating from the light sources15into the light guide layer16. According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.2, the input elements35are arranged on a side surface of the light guide layer16.

The shaped part10moreover has a carrier31, wherein the carrier31is arranged on the rear side32of the light guide assembly14. The carrier31is a plastic carrier, in particular a two-component plastic carrier, which is injection-molded onto the rear side32of the light guide assembly14by means of injection molding. Alternatively, the carrier31and the semifinished decorative layer/light guide assembly product can also be pressed together. The carrier31can optionally be white to scatter and/or reflect light back to the light guide layer16.

FIGS.3ato3deach show different exemplary embodiments of the shaped part10according to the invention in a schematic plan view. According to the exemplary embodiments ofFIG.3a,FIG.3bandFIG.3d, a plurality of output elements34are provided in each case, wherein each output element34generates an illuminated region36on the front side12of the decorative layer11. The illuminated regions36are each light spots. According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3c, no output elements34are provided. The output elements34according to the exemplary embodiments ofFIG.3a,FIG.3bandFIG.3deach have a designated arrangement on the carrier film24of the rear-side mirror film20, so that the illuminated regions36produced by the output elements34have a corresponding arrangement on the front side12of the decorative layer11.

The designated or corresponding arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3ais holohedral. Holohedral means that the illuminated regions36are distributed over the full area of the front side12of the decorative layer11.FIG.3ashows that for reasons of efficiency, the illuminated regions36become larger with increasing distance from the light sources15. However, a uniform size would also be possible.

The designated or corresponding arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3bis hemihedral. Hemihedral means that the illuminated regions36are arranged only in one half of the full area of the front side12of the decorative layer11, wherein “half” includes a deviation of +/−20% to the exact half. Moreover, the illuminated regions36become larger with increasing distance from the light sources15.

The designated or corresponding arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3dis symbol-like. Symbol-like means that the illuminated regions36form a symbol in the area of the front side12of the decorative layer11. According to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3d, the letter “H” is shown.

LIST OF REFERENCE SKINS

10Shaped part11Decorative layer12Front side (decorative layer)13Rear side (decorative layer)14Light guide assembly15Light source16Light guide layer17Front side (light guide layer)18Rear side (light guide layer)19Front-side mirror film20Rear-side mirror film21Carrier film22Mirror layer23Front side (carrier film)24Carrier film25Mirror layer26Rear side (carrier film)27Stabilizing layer28Adhesive layer29Nonwoven30Subbing layer31Carrier32Rear side (light guide assembly)33Through-hole34Output element35Input element36Illuminated region