Seamless integration of lighting into interior panels with decorative surface materials

Abstract

A decorative cover for a backlit interior panel of a vehicle, the cover being a solid shell structure including a transparent sheet forming a backside of the shell structure and a decorative component top layer including a decorative material layer forming an outer surface of the decorative cover, wherein the decorative material layer is formed of a decorative material selected from the group consisting of a wood veneer, a metal layer, paper, a textile, and a fabric, and wherein the laminate is configured to have a predetermined degree of translucency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a decorative cover for a backlit interior panel of a vehicle. The cover is a solid shell structure comprising a transparent plate forming the rear side of the shell structure and a decorative component top layer forming the front side of the shell structure. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to an interior panel for a vehicle. Finally, the present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing the decorative cover and a method of manufacturing the interior panel. Background Art

[0002] The interior of luxury cars is becoming more and more a beautiful, welcoming environment, which provides decorative ambient lighting. In particular, this lighting is increasingly integrated into the interior trim panels.

[0003] For example, a known interior ambient light integrated into a decorative panel includes an LED backlight and an internal display panel mounted on the upper surface of the LED backlight. The internal display panel is made of IML (In-Mold Injection Molding). The luminous content required for the display is obtained by generating an IML film. The display content can be characters (such as welcome, or car model or brand words, etc.) or various shapes or patterns. One disadvantage of this interior ambient light is that the light pattern seems to be displayed when the light is turned on and off.

[0004] One possible way to provide a decorative pattern that is only visible when the lights are on is achieved in an alternative known panel. This panel is provided with a decorative pattern using insert molding surface decoration technology (IMD technology). This technology can be used to form decorative patterns such as metal mirrors, matte surfaces, and wood textures on the surfaces of automotive interior components to increase decorativeness. The pattern on the outer surface of the panel consists of two different layers with a superimposed effect. The pattern on the upper layer serves as a decorative pattern for decorating the vehicle cabin during the day. The highly transparent areas of the other layer allow light to pass through, serving as a decorative pattern for nighttime decoration.

[0005] A disadvantage of this type of interior ambient lighting is that the material facing the vehicle interior, i.e., what the user experiences, is an injection molded material, typically a hard plastic, which is not generally perceived as having a luxurious look and / or feel compared to trim panels with an opaque decorative surface material, such as wood, metal, or fabric.

[0006] Another known alternative to light-transmitting automotive interior components is one in which the vehicle body panel is opaque and provided with a hollow portion, and the rear surface of the vehicle body is provided with a light-transmitting layer and a light-emitting layer in sequence. Furthermore, a raised portion is formed on the light-transmitting layer and embedded in the hollow portion to smooth the surface of the vehicle body.

[0007] A disadvantage of decorations with perforated and / or translucent inlays is that more processing steps are required to produce such a surface. The material cost is also higher and, when the surface is perforated, the material waste increases.

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] It may be necessary to provide more durable and robust illuminated interior panels with luxurious decorative surface materials.

[0010] Additionally, there may be a need to provide illuminated interior panels with luxurious decorative surface materials at a relatively low cost. Summary of the Invention

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a decorative cover for a backlit interior panel of a vehicle is provided. The decorative cover is a solid shell structure including a transparent plate forming a backside of the shell structure, and a decorative component top layer including a decorative material layer forming an outer surface of the decorative cover, wherein the decorative material layer is formed of a decorative material selected from the group consisting of a wood veneer, a metal layer, paper, a textile, and a fabric, and wherein the decorative component top layer is configured to have a predetermined degree of translucency.

[0012] The decorative assembly top layer, comprising a decorative material forming an outer surface, imparts a luxurious look and feel to the decorative cover, compared to the look and feel typically provided by interior panels of these materials without backlighting. The decorative material forming an outer surface should be understood as a decorative material that forms a substantially uniform layer across the entire front side of the housing structure. Thus, when no lights are on, behind the decorative cover panel, the panel is essentially indistinguishable from other luxurious decorative panels.

[0013] The predetermined degree of translucency can be achieved as an inherent layer property, for example, by using a particularly thin layer of material, or by a particularly dense weft or mesh. This translucency is similar to the translucency in lampshades, which allows light provided directly behind the decorative cover to pass through. Preferably, the predetermined degree of translucency of the decorative material layer is such that the decorative cover has a translucency between 5% and 15%. To this end, the thickness of the decorative material layer is relatively thin, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mm, depending on the material type. For wood veneer, a typical thickness is between 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm.

[0014] The transparent panel is preferably made of an injection molded plastic material, such as polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or methyl methacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (MABS), which provides the required transparency as well as durability and safety throughout the life cycle of the vehicle.

[0015] This allows the decorative cover to be manufactured with relatively few manufacturing steps. In one embodiment, the solid shell structure is formed by back-molding the decorative component top layer so that the solid shell structure is a seamless single component structure and wherein the decorative component top layer is impermeable to the back-molded material.

[0016] The decorative cover material acts as a barrier to the injection molding material, allowing the cover to be formed in a single injection molding process without the need for post-processing in order to have a decorative trim material on the outside of the cover that allows light to pass through in the desired pattern. The impermeability of the decorative cover material prevents the injection molding material from flowing through the trim material, thereby affecting the look and feel of the trim material. This allows the manufacturing cost of the panel with a luxurious outer surface to be relatively low. The laminate can be pre-formed into the desired shape of the decorative cover prior to injection molding. The formation of the decorative cover material and the subsequent pre-forming and injection molding processes produce relatively little waste, which further limits manufacturing costs.

[0017] In one embodiment, the transparent plate is provided with a shading device at predetermined portions to locally reduce the amount of light passing through the plate. When integrated into a backlit interior panel, the portion of the cover directly adjacent to the lamp will emit a greater amount of light than portions of the cover located elsewhere, resulting in an undesirable, uneven lighting pattern. Additionally or alternatively, a specific lighting pattern may be desired without having to place a large number of lamps beneath the cover to achieve that pattern. The provision of a shading device provides a solution to this problem. The shading device can be a separate component adhered to the inner surface of the transparent plate. However, preferably, the shell structure is a seamless, single-component structure. This structure can be achieved by forming the transparent plate as the entire inner surface of the decorative cover panel, with a tape or paint applied to predetermined portions of this inner surface, the tape or paint being the shading device. Alternatively, the shading device can be integrally formed with the transparent plate in a two-component injection molding process using a single mold. The transparency of the shading device is lower than the transparency of the decorative cover in areas where the shading device is not provided. The shading device can be an opaque device.

[0018] In one embodiment, the top layer of the decorative component is a laminate comprising an upper layer comprised of a layer of decorative material and a layer of backing material. Depending on the specific decorative material selected for the decorative cover, a backing material may be required to ensure that the laminate is sufficiently stable to allow handling during manufacturing without cracking the decorative material, which handling may include forming into a shell preform prior to back molding. Alternatively or additionally, a backing material may be required to ensure that the laminate is impermeable to the material through which it is back molded and / or adhered to the transparent sheet. In particular, mesh decorative materials, such as porous metal, require a backing material to ensure that the decorative component layer is impermeable to the material being back molded to ensure that the decorative material forms the outer surface of the decorative cover, i.e., no back molded material is present on the outer surface of the decorative cover. Wood veneer already has the required impermeability, however, in order to be strong enough to allow handling throughout manufacturing, a backing is required to stabilize the thin layer of wood veneer.

[0019] In one embodiment, the backing material layer is formed from one of fleece, fabric, or plastic foil. The specific material selected as the backing material may depend on the decorative material being used. Specifically, for decorative materials with relatively open structures, such as expanded metal (foil) or certain fabrics, plastic foil is a preferred backing material because fleece or other fabrics are visible through the structure of the decorative material and may affect the appearance of the panel.

[0020] In one embodiment, the back surface of the top layer of the decorative component is provided with a blackened pattern and / or a masking pattern print, or wherein another plastic foil layer is provided adjacent to the backing material layer, the other plastic foil being provided with a blackened pattern and / or a masking pattern print. The black pattern print and / or the masking print can be added to provide masking and / or shielding of predetermined areas of the decorative cover. The purpose of the print is to block light and / or block certain areas of intense light, such as when assembled into a backlit interior panel, directly adjacent to the LEDs located below the decorative cover, and / or to create a decorative pattern and / or block light. The use of the masking print may be particularly ideal when some areas are masked by using an opaque shading device. The print then provides a more gradual change from the masked area to the lighted area. These patterns can be provided both, or separately, or as a combined single pattern.

[0021] The back of the top layer of the decorative component can be formed by the back of a layer of decorative or backing material. Printing on plastic foil offers higher print resolution than printing on fleece or fabric, which can also serve as a backing material. Therefore, if the backing material used in the laminate is not already plastic foil, it may be advantageous to add an additional layer of plastic foil.

[0022] In one embodiment, the decorative material layer is provided with a coating to protect the surface from moisture, heat, and / or UV exposure. This coating helps the decorative cover look like new for longer, thus increasing its durability. Depending on the decorative material selected, the coating can be applied after or before the back-molding of the transparent layer, as the front side of the decorative material layer is unaffected by the molding process. Furthermore, when expanded metal is used as the decorative material, the coating can even be applied before expansion.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an interior panel for a vehicle is provided, comprising a decorative cover according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, and a light source assembly, the light source assembly comprising: a carrier plate shaped to form a rear surface of the interior panel and having a reflective surface; at least one LED lamp mounted on the reflective surface; and a light panel positioned adjacent to the at least one LED lamp on the reflective surface such that the light panel transmits light from the at least one LED lamp across its surface area, wherein the decorative cover is attached to the carrier plate such that the interior panel is a closed light unit, the decorative cover forming its front surface, and the decorative cover and the carrier plate together enclose the at least one LED lamp and the light panel. Thus, in the interior panel, when installed in a vehicle, the decorative assembly has a seamless outer surface that completely covers the light source assembly. The reflective carrier helps to effectively force light through the decorative cover. The reflective surface of the carrier can be inherently provided by the material forming the carrier plate (i.e., a metal material) or provided to the carrier plate as a reflective layer, such as a foil layer or paint. The light source design comprises the at least one LED lamp and the light panel, which transmits light and spreads it evenly.

[0024] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a decorative cover for a vehicle interior panel including a light source assembly, wherein the method comprises:

[0025] providing an impermeable decorative component top layer comprising a decorative material layer formed of a decorative material selected from the group consisting of a wood veneer, a metal layer, paper, a textile, and a fabric, and configured to have a predetermined degree of translucency;

[0026] - optionally, forming the decorative assembly top layer into a shell preform having the desired geometry for forming the outer surface of the decorative cover; and

[0027] - Back-molding the top layer of the decorative assembly with a translucent material to form a seamless, solid shell structure, the decorative material forming the outer surface of the decorative cover, and the translucent plastic forming the inner surface of the decorative cover.

[0028] In cases where the geometry of the decorative panel is relatively flat, pre-forming the decorative material may not be necessary. In this case, the decorative material (with or without a backing) and the plastic foil (if required) can be added separately to the back injection molding tool to create "in-tool lamination."

[0029] In one embodiment, providing an impermeable decorative component top layer includes forming a laminate by attaching a decorative material layer to a backing material layer, and optionally further includes sanding the decorative material layer to a minimum thickness after attaching the decorative material to the backing material layer to achieve a predetermined degree of translucency. Particularly for wood veneer and paper, since the material is laminated to the backing material, thickness reduction can be achieved by sanding to a minimum thickness without compromising stability. Sanding is a simple and inexpensive production process, especially when performed on flat objects, as lamination precedes pre-forming.

[0030] In one embodiment, the provision of the impermeable decorative component top layer involves expansion and / or stretching of a decorative material layer, and when the decorative material layer is subsequently attached to a backing material layer, the backing material layer is a plastic foil. This is an alternative method for achieving a predetermined degree of translucency. In particular, metals, foils, and fabrics can be expanded and / or stretched.

[0031] In one embodiment, backmolding the top layer of the assembly with a translucent material to form a rigid housing structure is performed using a two-component injection molding process, wherein the first component is a translucent material and the second component is a light-blocking material that reduces light transmission, wherein the second component is molded into predetermined areas where light from the light source is to be blocked. The light-blocking material is used to block areas where light leakage from the light source is not otherwise desired, such as areas of the cover directly above the LEDs covered by the light, or at the edges of the cover where the cover is attached to the light source assembly. Preferably, the light-blocking material is selected so that light directly emitted by the LEDs is blocked to substantially match light emitted through the decorative cover via the light panel, thereby ensuring a substantially uniform amount of light is emitted across the entire surface of the decorative cover. The degree of light blocking depends on the specific interior panel design and can range from a level sufficient to provide a similar amount of light emitted through the panel directly above the LEDs to that emitted through the panel above the light panel, to 100% blocking (i.e., completely blocking light).

[0032] Alternatively, back molding the top layer of the component with a translucent material to form a solid housing structure is performed in a single component injection molding process, wherein the translucent material is injected to form the back side of the decorative cover.

[0033] In order to achieve substantially uniform illumination on the outer surface of the decorative cover during use, after manufacturing the cover and / or further, before optionally forming the top layer of the component into a housing preform and / or before back injection molding, the light-shielding material can be provided as a tape or paint, a black pattern and / or a masking pattern impression is provided on the back side of the decorative material layer, one of the backing material layers, or an additional plastic foil layer is provided on which the black pattern and / or the masking pattern impression is provided.

[0034] To prevent delamination or lamination warping, when an additional layer of plastic foil is provided and the component top layer is formed into a housing preform, the additional layer of plastic foil can be preformed separately from the component top layer and attached to the preformed component top layer during back-molding, i.e., by providing an adhesion promoter to its front surface and placing the additional foil layer into the mold after the lamination preform is placed. In cases where the geometry of the decorative panel is relatively flat, the additional plastic foil and the component top layer may not need to be preformed, but can be added separately to the back-molding mold to produce "in-tool lamination."

[0035] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a vehicle interior panel including a light source assembly, comprising:

[0036] — providing a decorative cover according to the method of the second aspect of the present disclosure;

[0037] - providing a carrier plate matching the decorative cover so that the decorative cover can be attached to the carrier plate to form a closed unit enclosing a hollow space, wherein the carrier plate has a reflective surface facing the hollow space;

[0038] — mounting at least one LED lamp on a reflective surface, and

[0039] - placing the light panel on a reflective surface adjacent to the at least one LED lamp so that the light panel transmits light of the at least one LED lamp over its surface area; and

[0040] - Attaching the decorative cover to the carrier plate such that the light emitting panel is located between the carrier plate and the decorative cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] With reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of an interior trim panel according to the present disclosure will be described by way of example, wherein:

[0042] Figure 1 An embodiment of an interior trim panel having a decorative surface material according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Exploded view of the interior panels;

[0044] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the interior panel along line III;

[0045] Figure 4 Shown along Figure 1 a more detailed cross-sectional view of line III of the decorative panel; and

[0046] Figure 5A and Figure 5B The following are shown respectively: Figure 1 Examples of masking and pattern impressions of decorative panels shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Figure 1 An embodiment of an interior trim panel 100 having a decorative surface material according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 An exploded view and a cross-sectional view thereof along line III are shown respectively. The panel 100 shown can be considered as a panel for an instrument panel of a vehicle (such as an automobile), wherein a decorative surface material forms the outer surface of the instrument panel. This outer surface faces the interior of the vehicle so that its passengers can visually and physically experience the decorative surface material. Similar panels can be used, for example, on tunnel consoles or on the inside of door panels. The decorative surface material is one of a set of materials consisting of the following materials: wood veneer, metal sheet, foil, paper, textile or fabric. Thus far, the outer surface of the panel formed by the decorative surface material is referred to as the outer side or upper side of the panel 100, and the opposite side of the interior panel 100 that faces away from the vehicle interior when installed is referred to as the inner side or lower side of the panel 100. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the interior of a vehicle includes more panels, these panels are not limited to being installed in door frames, and the shape of the interior panels depends on their installation location inside and the make and model of the vehicle, so that the specific shape of the interior panel 100 shown can be adjusted accordingly.

[0048] The interior trim panel 100 is an assembly consisting of a decorative cover panel 10 and a light source assembly. The light source assembly comprises a carrier plate (panel) 20, a light board 30, and an LED lamp 40. The carrier plate 20 is shaped to form the interior side of the interior trim panel 100 and is adapted to be attached to the decorative cover panel 10. Together, the panels form an enclosed space within which the light board 30 and the LED lamp 40 are located. The contour of the carrier plate 20 substantially matches that of the decorative assembly 10. The LED lamp is mounted on the surface of the carrier plate 20 facing the decorative cover panel 10. In the illustrated light source assembly, the LED lamp 40 comprises two LED elements 41 and 42, with the first LED element 41 located at a first longitudinal end of the carrier plate 20 and the second LED element 42 located at a second longitudinal end of the carrier plate 20. The light board 30 is sized and shaped to match the carrier plate 20, so that, in the assembled position, the light board 30 is press-fitted between the LED elements 41 and 42 and sandwiched between the carrier plate 20 and the decorative cover panel 10. Thus, the LED elements 41, 42 are located at opposite longitudinal ends of the light board 30, and the carrier board 20 and the decorative cover panel 10 are located on the upper and lower sides of the light board 30. All components except the light board 30 are preferably welded together. However, other methods such as tape or clips may also be used.

[0049] With LED elements 41, 42 located at both longitudinal ends, the light panel 30 directs and transmits the light emitted by the LEDs to be distributed substantially evenly across its surface. The surface of the carrier plate 20 on which the LED lights 40 are mounted is reflective, causing the emitted light to be reflected off the surface toward the decorative cover panel 10. When the LED lights 40 are turned on, the decorative cover panel 10 is adapted to allow a predetermined amount of light to pass through, while at the same time presenting a seamless and solid surface appearance with no visible light features when the lights are turned off.

[0050] So far, if Figure 3As shown, the decorative cover panel 10 includes a decorative component top layer 1, a translucent layer 5 and a light blocking component 6. The decorative cover panel 10 is formed as a single solid shell, and the decorative component top layer 1 includes a decorative surface material that gives the cover panel 10 a seamless and solid surface appearance. Although the decorative surface material is one of a set of materials that are generally considered to be opaque materials, these materials can be adjusted to allow a predetermined amount of light to pass through, that is, to have a predetermined translucency to the light directly behind it, such as is commonly seen in lampshades. The adjustment to achieve the predetermined translucency depends on the specific material selected, and may include reducing the thickness of the material, expanding or finely perforating the entire material and / or selecting a material with a specific warp / weft density. In order to ensure that the decorative cover panel 10 is sufficiently strong, a relatively thick translucent layer 5 is provided on the inside of the decorative component top layer 1. More details about these layers and how they are combined will be combined below. Figure 4 To ensure a smooth light pattern emitted from the interior panel 100, the decorative cover panel 10 is provided with a shading assembly 6 at the location of the LED lamps 40. The shading assembly 6 masks the LED light to prevent so-called hot spots from appearing directly at the location of each LED. The shading assembly 6 may be substantially completely opaque, thereby masking the LED lamps 40, or include a predetermined transparency that is less than the transparency of the translucent layer 5 and causes the LEDs, etc. to be shaded rather than masked. These two options will be combined below. Figure 4 and Figure 5 for further discussion.

[0051] Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 A more detailed cross-sectional view of the decorative cover panel 10 along line III. The decorative cover panel 10 comprises, from top to bottom, a decorative material layer 1a, a backing material layer 2, an optional plastic foil layer 3, a translucent layer 5 and a light-shielding component 6.

[0052] Figure 3The illustrated decorative component top layer 1 is formed from a decorative material layer 1a, a backing material layer 2, and an optional plastic foil layer 3, and is impermeable to the material of the translucent layer 5, which is back-molded onto the decorative component layer 1. This allows the decorative cover panel 10 to be formed using a single injection molding tool with relatively few production steps, while ensuring a seamless and robust surface appearance. The manufacturing steps prior to back-molding, as well as the presence of the plastic foil layer 3 and the material choice of the backing material layer 2, depend on the specific material selected for the decorative material layer 1a. If the decorative material layer 1a is both sufficiently robust (i.e., non-brittle to be handled separately during production) and impermeable to the back-molded material of the translucent layer 5, even the presence of the backing material layer 2 may be optional. Typically, the thickness of the decorative component top layer 1 ranges from 0.4 mm to 3.8 mm, preferably from 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm, the thickness of the translucent layer 5 ranges from 2 mm to 3 mm, and the thickness of the light-shielding component is approximately 1 mm. Depending on the decorative material used, the decorative component top layer 1 can have a decorative material layer 1a with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, preferably about 0.3 mm, a backing material layer with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, and a plastic foil layer with a thickness between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm. For wooden veneers, the thickness depends on the type of veneer and is typically in the range of 0.2-0.8 mm.

[0053] For example, when a wood veneer is chosen as the decorative material layer 1a. Before sanding to the minimum thickness required to increase the transparency of the wood, the wood veneer is laminated with a stable translucent backing material 2, such as non-woven fleece or any type of fabric. The backing stabilizes the wood veneer before further processing, allowing it to be processed after sanding to the minimum thickness, which would otherwise make the veneer too fragile for further manufacturing processes, such as back injection molding. The laminate is then preformed into the desired geometry of the interior panel 100, after which the laminate is back-injected with a translucent material to form a translucent layer 5, thereby creating a strong and translucent backlit decorative cover panel 10. The wood veneer can be treated with a coating system to protect the surface from moisture, heat and UV rays after back injection molding.

[0054] An alternative to wood veneer is to use expanded metal as the decorative material layer 1a. Expanded metal is sufficiently stable for handling, but due to its expansion, it lacks the required impermeability to the material to be back-molded. Therefore, the expanded metal is first laminated onto a plastic foil, which forms the expanded metal's backing material layer 2. The expanded metal coating can be performed before expansion, before lamination onto the plastic foil, or after lamination onto the plastic foil.

[0055] The translucent layer 5 is preferably injection molded together with the material that forms the structure of the shading component 6 in a single injection molding process. This can be achieved by a single material injection molding process, in which the translucent layer 5 and the structure of the shading component 6 are both formed of the same translucent material. It can be provided in a post-processing step by applying a tape or paint to provide a material with the following properties: providing the desired shading or masking of the shading component 6. However, preferably, the back injection molding is performed using a single mold by a two-component injection molding process. The first of the two components used in the two-component injection molding process is a translucent material for forming the translucent layer 5, and the second component is a light-blocking or light-shielding material for forming the shading component 6.

[0056] In order to achieve uniform lighting when the LEDs are completely masked, or to achieve a predetermined light pattern design that is emitted through the decorative material layer 1a, a pattern impression can optionally be added to the underside of the laminate. The pattern impression is a so-called black pattern and / or a masking pattern, which, when both are applied, can be applied as two separate pattern layers or as a single merged pattern. Depending on the specific requirements of the decorative material, backing material and light pattern design used, the pattern impression can be printed directly on the back surface of the decorative material layer 1a, on one of the backing material layers 2, or on an additional plastic foil layer 3. The advantage of printing the pattern on plastic foil is that a higher resolution impression can be obtained compared to printing on fabric or fleece. In the case where the impression is provided on an additional optional plastic foil layer 3, this layer can be pre-formed independently of the laminate, provided with a tackifier on its top side, and stacked into a mold together with the laminate for back injection molding to form the decorative cover panel 10. Figure 5A An example of a black pattern imprint for masking the edge of the light plate 30 and the LEDs of the interior trim panel 100 is depicted in FIG. Figure 5B An example of a masking pattern imprint of the same panel is depicted in .

[0057] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the other decorative materials listed for use as the decorative material layer may be treated similarly to the wood veneer and / or expanded metal during manufacture of the decorative cover panel 10 .

[0058] The present disclosure has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications and alternative embodiments of some parts or elements are possible and are included within the scope of protection defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A decorative cover for a backlit interior panel of a vehicle, the cover being a solid shell structure comprising a transparent plate forming a backside of the shell structure and a decorative component top layer comprising a decorative material layer forming an outer surface of the decorative cover, wherein the decorative material layer is formed of a decorative material selected from the group consisting of a wood veneer, a metal sheet layer, paper, a textile, and a fabric, and wherein the decorative component top layer is configured to have a predetermined degree of translucency, in, The transparent plate is provided with a shading device at a predetermined portion by means of tape or paint, for locally reducing the amount of light passing through the plate, and the predetermined portion includes an area directly above at least one light source assembly.

2. The decorative cover of claim 1 , wherein the solid shell structure is formed by back-molding the decorative component top layer such that the solid shell structure is a seamless, single-component structure, and wherein the decorative component top layer is impermeable to the back-molded material.

3. A decorative cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The top layer of the decorative component is a laminate comprising an upper layer consisting of a decorative material layer and a backing material layer.

4. The decorative cover according to claim 3, wherein The backing material layer is formed from one of fleece, fabric or plastic foil.

5. The decorative cover according to claim 3, wherein The rear surface of the top layer of the decorative component is provided with a blackened pattern and / or a masked pattern impression, or wherein a further plastic foil layer is provided adjacent to the backing material layer, the further plastic foil being provided with a blackened pattern and / or a masked pattern impression.

6. The decorative cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The layer of decorative material is provided with a coating for protecting the surface from moisture, heat and / or ultraviolet (UV) exposure.

7. An interior panel for a vehicle, comprising the decorative cover according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and further comprising a light source assembly, the light source assembly comprising: a carrier plate shaped to form the rear surface of the interior trim panel and having a reflective surface, at least one LED lamp mounted on the reflective surface, and a light panel positioned on the reflective surface adjacent to the at least one LED lamp such that the light panel transmits light from the at least one LED lamp over its surface area, and The decorative cover is attached to the carrier plate such that the interior trim panel is a closed lamp unit with the decorative cover forming a front surface thereof, and the decorative cover and the carrier plate together surround the at least one LED lamp and the light panel.

8. A method of manufacturing a decorative cover for a vehicle interior panel including a light source assembly, comprising: providing an impermeable decorative assembly top layer comprising a decorative material layer formed of a decorative material selected from the group consisting of a wood veneer, a metal sheet layer, paper, a textile, and a fabric, and configured to have a predetermined degree of translucency; forming the decorative assembly top layer into a shell preform having a desired geometry for forming an exterior surface of the decorative cover; as well as back-molding the decorative component top layer with a translucent material to form a seamless, solid shell structure, the decorative material forming the outer surface of the decorative cover, and the translucent material forming the inner surface of the decorative cover, Wherein, back injection molding of the top layer of the component with a translucent material to form a solid shell structure is performed by a two-component injection molding process, wherein the first component is a translucent material, and wherein the second component is a shading material that reduces light transmission, wherein the second component is injection molded into a predetermined area where light from the light source will be shielded, and wherein the predetermined area includes an area directly above at least one light source component.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein Providing an impermeable decorative component top layer includes forming a laminate by attaching a decorative material layer to a backing material layer, and further includes sanding the decorative material layer to a minimum thickness after attaching the decorative material to the backing material layer to achieve a predetermined degree of translucency.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: Providing an impermeable decorative component top layer comprises expanding and / or stretching the decorative material layer, and wherein when the decorative material layer is subsequently attached to a backing material layer, the backing material layer is a plastic foil.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein Back-molding the top layer of the component with a translucent material to form a solid shell structure is performed through a single-component injection molding process, wherein the translucent material is injected to form the back of the decorative cover, wherein the translucent material is provided with a shading device at a predetermined portion by tape or paint for locally reducing the amount of light passing through the translucent material, and wherein the predetermined portion includes an area directly above at least one light source component.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein Before forming the top layer of the component into a housing preform and / or before back injection molding, a black pattern and / or a masking pattern impression is provided on the back side of the decorative material layer, the backing material layer and / or an additional plastic foil layer.

13. A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior panel including a light source assembly, comprising: Providing a decorative cover according to the method of any one of claims 8 to 12; providing a carrier plate that matches the decorative cover so that the decorative cover can be attached to the carrier plate to form a closed unit enclosing a hollow space, wherein the carrier plate has a reflective surface facing the hollow space; mounting at least one LED lamp on the reflective surface, placing a light panel onto the reflective surface adjacent to the at least one LED lamp such that the light panel transmits light from the at least one LED lamp over its surface area; as well as The decorative cover is attached to the carrier plate such that the light panel is between the carrier plate and the decorative cover.

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