Method of manufacturing a decorative component

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a decorative part, in which a decorative layer is arranged on the visible side of a base body, and the decorative layer is provided with a visible side coating. In the method according to the invention, a particulate decorative material is provided for producing a decorative layer, which is applied to a flat substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a decorative component, in which method a decorative layer is arranged on a visible side of a carrier and the decorative layer is provided with a visible side coating. Background Art

[0002] A decorative part, such as a decorative part for the interior of a motor vehicle in particular, is a molded part which usually has a carrier and a decorative layer applied to the carrier. The decorative layer is arranged on the side of the decorative part and of the carrier facing the user, thus forming the so-called visible side of the decorative part. The opposite side of the decorative part is formed by the carrier and can be referred to as the mounting side. The carrier provides the decorative part with the necessary dimensional stability and is usually used to attach the decorative part.

[0003] Decorative parts must meet high requirements in terms of their visual and haptic quality as well as dimensional accuracy and resistance to environmental influences. For this reason, the decorative layer is often provided with a protective transparent top layer.

[0004] For example, EP 2 298 528 A1 discloses a method for producing a decorative component with a transparent top layer. Here, the decorative layer is laminated with a transparent film on the side facing the visible side and with a barrier layer on the side facing the assembly side. The laminated decorative layer is formed as a preform, which is then overmolded with a transparent plastic to form the cover layer and backmolded with a load-bearing plastic to form the carrier. The result is a decorative component in which the transparent film is arranged between the cover layer and the decorative layer and the barrier layer is arranged between the carrier and the decorative layer. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a method for manufacturing a trim component which enables new designs and design specifications for trim components. The method is intended to be particularly suitable for manufacturing interior trim components for motor vehicles and therefore for large-scale production of trim components of substantially consistent quality.

[0006] In view of this, the present invention proposes a method for producing a decorative component, wherein, in addition to the usual conventional steps, a particulate decorative material is provided and applied to a surface substrate.

[0007] The surface substrate may be pigmented with one or more colors (transparent or translucent colors). The surface substrate may participate in the design effect in its own right, or be merely a carrier in the decorative material for the workpiece attached to the carrier, or form part of the carrier itself.

[0008] The carrier of the trim part is preferably made of plastic in a manner known per se and is used for handling and usually also for mounting the trim part in the vehicle. The carrier usually has fastening elements on its mounting side for latching, gluing or otherwise connecting the trim part to the chassis of the vehicle.

[0009] In particular, the substrate may be adhesive or adhesively coated so that the particulate decorative material adheres to the substrate. The substrate may be a nonwoven material, a hot melt material, a plastic film or even a finished part, in particular a part made of plastic. The substrate may be formed integrally with the carrier.

[0010] The matrix can be made of synthetic or natural materials. In this sense, plastic is a synthetic material. The mineral component can be a natural material that forms the matrix or is surrounded by the matrix.

[0011] Granular decorative materials can be dyed and possibly pigmented to different or bright colors.

[0012] The particulate decorative material may be a metal or synthetic decorative material. The particulate decorative material may be produced as a powder by milling or crushing, atomizing, crushing or grinding or otherwise. The particulate decorative material may include chips or turnings or glitter.

[0013] The granular decorative material is particularly preferably a natural material. This creates an aesthetic appearance on the visible side of the decorative part, which is predetermined by the natural characteristics of the heavy decorative material. Natural materials have the advantage that the surface design and / or color are not completely consistent. These differences in the individual blocks or parts of the granular decorative material are preferably used to create a separate aesthetic appearance on the side of the decorative part. The use of natural materials brings a rather random design appearance. The natural granular material can be selected from a group including a mineral granular decorative material or an organic granular decorative material. These materials can also be used in combination to produce decorative parts. In particular, slate or mica can be considered as mineral granular materials. Eggshell, mother of pearl or tortoise shell are preferred organic granular materials. Natural materials can also be color-modified by coloring, for example by spraying or dipping, or by chemical processes. The surface on one side of the granular decorative material is usually only modified to the extent that the natural unevenness of the granular decorative material can still be recognized.

[0014] According to the invention, a granular decorative material is understood in particular to mean a decorative material having a particle size of between 0.1 and 50 mm, preferably between 2 and 25 mm, particularly preferably between 0.25 and 10 mm.

[0015] According to a preferred further development of the invention, providing the particulate decorative material comprises cleaning and / or fractionating the particulate decorative material. Cleaning can be carried out with the purpose of removing unstable organic residues of the starting material. Cleaning can include chemical cleaning or modification. If the cleaning is carried out in liquid form, the cleaning step generally also includes a drying step. Drying or cleaning can be carried out before or after fractionation. Fractionation can be carried out by screening or classification. The desired particle size or particle size distribution can also be set by crushing the particulate material.

[0016] It will be appreciated that the particulate material may initially be separated into fractions of different particle size and / or colour, material or other characteristic of the decorative material, and that the different fractions may be mixed or combined in surface areas that may be adjacent to each other on the decorative component.

[0017] Preferably, the particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate in a predetermined pattern. This pattern can be formed and formed from a single particulate decorative material. Different particulate parts can also be mixed into a pattern. The pattern can also be formed from different particulate decorative materials.

[0018] It can be applied by hand or with a squeegee. The particulate material can be bonded to the substrate either on its own or contained in a suspension containing the particulate decorative material and a carrier liquid. The liquid can be merely a carrier for applying the particulate decorative material and evaporates by evaporation or drying. However, the liquid of the suspension can also itself be part of the design and can in particular be coloured, translucent or transparent so that, for example, the visible side of the carrier can be seen through or close to individual particles of the particulate material on the visible side and the aesthetic appearance of the decorative component is determined by the material and / or the surface texture of the carrier.

[0019] The particulate material may be applied to the substrate by separating it using a frequency (e.g. a vibrating table). The substrate may also be a medium-permeable substrate, such as a fleece fabric or a perforated substrate made of a medium-impermeable material. Suction pressure may act through the substrate, which suction pressure draws the particulate decorative material towards the substrate and holds it there, or at least temporarily binds it to the substrate (e.g. by adhering to a tacky or tacky-coated substrate).

[0020] It will be appreciated that a predetermined suction pattern can be generated on the side opposite to the decorative material, for example, by a corresponding temporal and / or spatial distribution of negative pressure areas on the surface of the substrate, or by pinholes or the like. In the latter case, the application of suction pressure does not result in the substrate being coated with particulate decorative material over the entire surface of the substrate. Instead, the substrate is provided with particulate decorative material only where the suction pressure acts. This allows the creation of patterns by the particulate decorative material. It will be appreciated that the suction pattern on the side opposite to the particulate material can be generated differently at different stations of a continuous processing line of the substrate. Different decorative materials can be connected to the substrate at each station. This can also result in corresponding patterns.

[0021] By the same token, when applying the decorative material (e.g. by scattering etc.), a template may be provided through which the pattern of particulate decorative material is applied in a predetermined manner. The template may have recesses in the desired design through which the particulate material is applied to the substrate.

[0022] According to a preferred further development of the invention, the particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate so that the decorative layer is formed by the particulate material on the visible side and the substrate and / or the aesthetic design is also determined by the visible surface of the carrier. As mentioned before, the substrate or the carrier can be transparent or translucent. The substrate can also be realized unevenly with the decorative material so that parts of the carrier are exposed on the visible side, while other parts are completely covered and / or covered by the particulate decorative material and / or the substrate.

[0023] This can be achieved in many ways. For example, wool fabric or paper can be coated with varnish or glue or powder coating. When glue, varnish or sticky powder coating has not yet cured, the granular decorative material in the form of particles or flakes is sprayed or sprayed onto the flat carrier and is bonded to the carrier or at least fixed to the carrier during the curing process. During the curing process, different layers can be laminated in a press under hot pressure so that the particles are arranged in one plane. The decorative layer with the desired size of the decorative part can be produced by the corresponding flat layer by stamping. The decorative layer can then be reversely injected to form a carrier, and a paint layer or coating is provided on the visible side, which can also be applied by injection molding. In order to make the injection molded carrier visible, the particles of the granular decorative material can be applied to a transparent or translucent film, which is provided with an adhesive (such as a resin) to fix the particles in a continuum. This film can be reversely molded to a substrate or glued to a substrate. The visible side can then be coated with an opaque paint.

[0024] The particles of the particulate decorative material can be applied to a carrier, in particular a carrier of the above-mentioned type, and fixed via the carrier in the injection mold in such a way that the particles of the decorative material are arranged between the carrier and the mold cavity. After back-injection to embed the particles, the carrier can be removed. The top layer can then be applied to the visible side. The carrier can be three-dimensionally structured so that the particles are arranged in the carrier with a contour extending transversely to the surface of the decorative part. After coating the visible side with a transparent or translucent coating, the optical depth effect is enhanced.

[0025] Alternatively, the particles of the particulate decorative material can also be embedded in or mixed with a hardened liquid matrix of a possibly translucent or transparent material. This suspension is formed or drawn out, for example, with a squeegee as a flat sheet, possibly for the purpose of processing on a film, which can be removed again as part of a further manufacturing step. After the matrix has hardened and, if necessary, cut to size, the decorative layer is reverse-molded or overmolded.

[0026] In order to increase the design possibilities of, in particular, relatively fragile decorative materials and their better support by embedding, and in order to coat the visible side with a coating (which is usually done by injection molding), according to a preferred further development of the invention, it is proposed to embed the decorative material at least partially in the base body, or to introduce a slurry between the decorative material sheets. In this case, a part of the base body or the slurry can be located at the level of the visible surface of the particulate decorative material. The particulate decorative material protrudes less from the base body than if the particulate decorative material is only applied to the base body. The particulate decorative material can also be introduced into the base body during injection molding, for example, if the particulate decorative material is regularly mixed with the plastic particles fed to the injection molding machine in a small cone size of no more than 1 mm (either premixed or mixed when it is introduced into the injection molding machine). This melt with the particulate decorative material is injection molded to produce a carrier, which itself can already form a decorative component. If necessary, the component can be placed in another injection mold and overmolded with plastic material at the rear or on the visible side to produce the carrier or the visible coating.

[0027] Alternatively, in two-component injection molding, the plastic carrier can be formed first and, after transfer to another mold cavity, overmolded with a melt containing the particulate decorative material. If desired, the component can also be placed in another injection mold and overmolded with plastic material on the visible side to produce a carrier or a transparent or translucent visible coating.

[0028] The high pressure applied during the injection molding process increases the appearance of a planar surface formed by a large number of individual particles of the granular decorative material. The visible coating is usually a plastic applied by injection molding, which protects the decorative surface produced in this way from environmental influences and achieves a smooth and technical-looking surface finish.

[0029] In order to increase the appearance of a continuous body, according to a preferred further embodiment of the invention it is proposed to crush the particulate decorative material when applying it to the substrate, in particular to break the particulate decorative material when pressing it against the substrate. For example, the surface substrate and the particulate decorative material can be joined together in a continuous process, in which both move in a unified direction of movement, while the decorative material moves on a carrier such as a conveyor belt, and the substrate gradually approaches the decorative material and finally presses against it. This can cause the fragile decorative material to break up, whereby the particles, which initially form larger pieces, are held in close proximity by bonding to the substrate and thus cover the substrate over a considerable area.

[0030] It should be understood that the granular material can be painted and / or sanded after being applied to the substrate, if necessary, together with the substrate. After sanding, the sanded surface will usually be cleaned. This allows the sanding particles or sanding dust to be removed by blowing or wiping.

[0031] The following description takes the production of a decorative component whose decorative layer includes an eggshell as an example.

[0032] Clean the eggshells in a chlorine-water mixture for a period of time, cleaning them into pellets or half-eggshell form. This will dissolve surface dirt and the inner egg membrane. The eggshells are then dried.

[0033] In the next step, the dried eggshells are crushed and the various particle size fractions are then separated into specific particle size classes by sieving.

[0034] The eggshells are placed on or embedded in the substrate. The eggshells are applied to the substrate evenly by dispersion. The eggshells are applied to the substrate by hand, by using a squeegee, or by applying a frequency to separate them. The substrate is bonded to the eggshells under pressure and temperature.

[0035] The eggshell-covered matrix produced in this way is placed in a mold and back-injected with the plastic material forming the carrier. The semi-finished product produced in this way is transferred to another injection mold and overmolded with the coating on the visible side to produce a visible coating.

Claims

1. A method for producing a decorative part, wherein: The decorative layer is arranged on the visible side of the carrier and the decorative layer is provided with a coating on the visible side, The method for producing the decorative layer comprises the following steps: A particulate decorative material is provided and applied to a planar substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is a natural material selected from the group comprising mineral particulate decorative materials, in particular slate or mica, and organic particulate decorative materials, in particular eggshell, mother-of-pearl or tortoise shell.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particle size of the granular decorative material is between 0.1 and 50 mm.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Providing the granular decorative material includes at least one of cleaning, classifying, and crushing the granular decorative material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate in a predetermined pattern of a single particulate decorative material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate in a predetermined pattern of different particulate decorative materials.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate in a random pattern of different particulate decorative materials.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate by suction pressure, which acts through the substrate on the side opposite to the decorative material.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the base body such that the decorative layer is formed on the visible side by the particulate decorative material and the base body.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the base body such that the decorative layer is formed on the visible side by the particulate decorative material and the carrier.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the base body such that the decorative layer is formed on the visible side by the particulate decorative material and the base body and the carrier.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is at least partially introduced into the base body.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The slurry is introduced between the particulate decorative materials.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The particulate decorative material is at least partially introduced into the matrix, and the slurry is introduced between the particulate decorative material.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein: When the granular decorative material is applied to the substrate, the granular decorative material is crushed.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: The particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate by pressing the particulate decorative material against the substrate.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the particulate decorative material has been applied to the substrate, the particulate decorative material is painted.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the particulate decorative material is applied to the substrate, the particulate decorative material is sanded.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the granular decorative material has been applied to the substrate, the granular decorative material is painted and sanded.