Coated component with a swivel joint

Abstract

Coated component (1) with a swivel joint (40), in particular a flexible swivel joint (40), comprising: a substrate layer (30) with a bottom side (32) and a top side (31) opposite the bottom side (32), wherein the substrate layer (30) comprises a plastic material; a film layer (20) arranged on the top side (31) of the substrate layer (30); and a coating (10) arranged on the film layer (20), wherein the pivot joint (40) is formed by a section of the coated component (1) in which a groove (34) is formed in the substrate layer (30) along an axis of rotation of the pivot joint (40) starting from the underside (32) of the substrate layer (30) in the direction of the top side (31) of the substrate layer (30).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a coated component with a swivel joint, in particular a flexible swivel joint.

[0002] For example, EP 4 015 273 A1 discloses a bumper cover for a motor vehicle, wherein the bumper cover comprises a plastic trim element with a recess extending through the trim element. A flexible flap is provided as a closure element to close and at least partially expose the recess. The closure element can, for example, be formed directly as an integral part of the trim element itself by partially separating the trim element to form the flexible flap 4. A section of the closure element functioning as a pivot can be formed by providing a groove on an inner surface of the closure element. Following these steps, the trim element can optionally be coated with one or more layers of paint.

[0003] The resulting closure element therefore comprises a pivot joint, which in the joint area is formed by a portion of the thermoplastic layer that constitutes the base body of the cladding element and the optional overlying paint layer(s). A disadvantage here is the additional processing step required to create the weak point in the plastic layer, for example, by milling. The subsequent painting also involves an additional time-consuming and costly processing step.

[0004] An alternative to this method of forming a pivot joint or hinge in a painted plastic component is the in-mold coating (IMC) process. This is a coating process for plastics in which the coating material is applied directly in the mold during the molding process. For example, a plastic substrate forming the base of the component can be manufactured with a polyurethane (PU) coating layer in the injection mold in such a way that both steps—the injection molding and the painting—occur simultaneously within the mold. By removing or subsequently milling away a portion of the plastic substrate in the area of ​​the intended pivot joint or hinge, the pivot joint is formed primarily or exclusively by the PU coating layer.

[0005] However, the thermosetting properties of the PU coating can be detrimental to the stability and lifespan of the hinge if it is formed exclusively or at least predominantly by the PU coating. Furthermore, applying a decorative finish is more difficult than with conventional methods, in which the plastic base body is first molded in an injection mold, then demolded, and subsequently decorated and painted in a separate process.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a component with an integral rotary joint which offers a high degree of design freedom and enables a simple manufacturing process.

[0007] To solve this problem, the present invention provides a coated component with the features of claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, a coated component with a pivot joint, in particular a flexible pivot joint, comprises a substrate layer, a film layer, and a coating. The substrate layer has a bottom surface and a top surface opposite the bottom surface and comprises a plastic material. The film layer is arranged on the top surface of the substrate layer. The coating is arranged on the film layer. The pivot joint is formed by a section of the coated component in which a groove is formed in the substrate layer along an axis of rotation of the pivot joint, extending from the bottom surface of the substrate layer towards the top surface of the substrate layer.

[0009] The inventive design of the coated component allows a flexible pivot joint to be formed by the coating and the film layer. If the groove in the substrate layer extends across the entire thickness of the substrate layer from the underside to the top side, the pivot joint is formed exclusively by the coating and the film layer. Otherwise, a portion of the substrate layer thickness remaining from the groove contributes to stabilizing the pivot joint. Compared to the prior art, the pivot joint is not formed solely by the coating, but is reinforced at least by the film layer. This significantly increases the service life of the pivot joint. Furthermore, the film layer offers the possibility of decorating the coated component using a simple process.For example, a previously decorated film can be used as the film layer, onto which a decoration was printed before the coated component was formed.

[0010] According to the invention, the substrate layer comprises or consists of a plastic material. This allows the coated component to be manufactured using an in-mold coating (IMC) process in which at least the substrate layer and the coating are formed simultaneously, i.e., in one and the same injection mold. In other words, at least the substrate layer and the coating can be produced using in-mold coating. This allows the coated component according to the invention to be formed in a time- and cost-optimized process.

[0011] Beneficial further training courses are subject to dependent claims.

[0012] The film layer is preferably arranged directly on the top side of the substrate layer.

[0013] The coating is preferably applied directly to the film layer.

[0014] The groove can penetrate 100% of the substrate layer thickness, measured from the bottom to the top. This means the groove runs through the entire thickness of the substrate layer, from bottom to top. This increases the flexibility of the swivel joint. Simultaneously, the provided film layer ensures improved stability of the swivel joint.

[0015] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the groove can penetrate at least more than 50%, preferably more than 75%, of the thickness of the substrate layer, measured from the underside to the top side. This allows the remaining thickness of the substrate layer along the axis of rotation of the pivot joint to provide additional stability to the pivot joint.

[0016] In a cross-section of the coated component along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pivot joint, the groove can extend from the underside of the substrate layer essentially perpendicular to the underside of the substrate layer. However, the groove can also extend at an angle to the underside of the substrate layer.

[0017] The coating comprises polyurethane. Alternatively or additionally, the coating comprises polyurea. The coating can consist of polyurethane and / or polyurea. This material is particularly advantageous with regard to the production of the coated component using in-mold coating.

[0018] The coating can form a layer of lacquer.

[0019] The film layer can comprise or consist of a thermoplastic material. This choice of material is particularly advantageous with regard to the flexibility and service life of the swivel joint.

[0020] The coating can be produced using in-mold coating. This allows for a time- and cost-effective provision of the coated component.

[0021] The film layer can have a decorative pattern applied to at least one side of the film layer. The decorative pattern can also be printed on at least one side of the film layer. As described above, this allows for simple decoration of the coated component, for example, by using a pre-printed film as the film layer.

[0022] The design can be printed on the side of the film layer facing the substrate layer. Alternatively or additionally, the design can be printed on the side of the film layer facing the coating.

[0023] The substrate layer and the coating can be produced using in-mold coating, and the groove can be produced at least partially, preferably completely, by a tool slide of a tool, in particular an injection mold, used for producing the substrate layer and the coating in the in-mold coating process. This allows the groove to be formed simultaneously with the production of the substrate layer and the coating. In a process for manufacturing the coated component, this eliminates the need for an additional milling step to create the groove.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, the groove can be produced at least partially, preferably completely, by material removal. That is, the groove can be produced entirely / exclusively by subsequent machining, such as milling. This can be advantageous in the series production of coated components, where only a portion of the batch is to be fitted with a swivel joint or where a swivel joint is to be provided at different positions within the same batch. In these cases, subsequent machining can offer the possibility of using the same tool to form coated components of different configurations.

[0025] Alternatively, the groove can be partially produced using a tool slide, as described above, and then further machined by material removal to achieve the final shape. This can offer the advantage of lower tolerance requirements for the tool slide, since the final surface is produced by material removal.

[0026] The coated component can be used, for example, in vehicle manufacturing, such as for interior components. This includes decorative panels, dashboards, consoles, door panels, and armrests. Other applications include vehicle add-on parts such as bumpers, spoilers, hoods, trunk lids, and rear hatches. Definitions:

[0027] A pivot joint is defined as a section of the coated component that, compared to its adjacent sections, exhibits increased flexibility along a predetermined axis of rotation, thus enabling back-and-forth movement (a hinge movement) around that axis. The pivot joint, as defined in the present invention, is an integral part of the coated component. Brief description of the characters

[0028] They show: Fig. 1 A sectional view through a coated component according to an embodiment of the invention, cut perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the pivot joint. Fig. 2 a sectional view through a coated component according to a further embodiment of the invention, cut perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the pivot joint. Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0029] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the figures.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows a sectional view through a coated component 1 according to an embodiment of the invention, cut perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a rotary joint 40.

[0031] The coated component 1 comprises a substrate layer 30 made of a plastic material. The substrate layer 30 has a top side 31 and a bottom side 32. A film layer 20 is arranged on the top side 31 of the substrate layer 30. In the present preferred embodiment, the film layer 20 is a thermoplastic film layer 20 onto which a decorative pattern 21 is printed. In the illustrated embodiment, the decorative pattern 21 is printed on the side of the film layer 20 that faces away from the top side 31 of the substrate layer 30.

[0032] However, the present invention is not limited thereto. It is equally possible that the decoration 21 is additionally or exclusively printed on the side of the film layer 20 that faces the top surface 31 of the substrate layer 30.

[0033] A coating 10 is applied to the foil layer 20. The coating 10 is, for example, a lacquer layer made of a polyurethane material.

[0034] Furthermore, the coated component 1 includes a pivot joint 40. For this purpose, a groove 34 is formed in the substrate layer 30 along a predetermined axis of rotation of the pivot joint 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove 34 extends continuously through the entire thickness of the substrate layer 30 from the underside 32 to the top side 31. This reduction in the thickness of the coated component 1 allows the pivot joint 40 to be formed as a section of the coated component 1 that exhibits increased flexibility compared to its adjacent sections. Due to this flexible pivot joint 40, the adjacent sections of the coated component 1 (in the illustration in Fig. 1 the sections adjoining the groove 34 on the left and right) are angled relative to each other around the axis of rotation.

[0035] The path of the groove 34 is not limited to the depicted path, in which the groove 34 runs essentially perpendicular to the underside 32 of the substrate layer 30. Alternatively, the groove 34 can run at a different angle to the underside 32 of the substrate layer 30. The shape of the groove 34 is also not limited to the depicted shape, in which the groove is bounded by two walls that run essentially perpendicular to the underside 32 of the substrate layer 30 and by a bottom section that runs essentially parallel to the underside 32 of the substrate layer 30. The walls bounding the groove 34 can, for example, run at a different angle to the underside 32 of the substrate layer 30. At the bottom of the groove 34, the walls can taper to a point or transition into a rounded bottom section.

[0036] The coated component can be manufactured, for example, by inserting a film previously printed with the decor 21 as film layer 20 into the tool of an injection molding machine. Using in-mold coating, the substrate layer 30 and the coating 10 can be formed simultaneously in this injection molding tool. The groove 34 can be kept clear by a tool slide of the injection molding tool, thus eliminating the need for post-processing to form the groove.

[0037] Another embodiment of the present invention is described in Fig. 2 shown. In particular, it shows Fig. 2 A sectional view through a coated component 1 according to an embodiment of the invention, cut perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a rotary joint 40. In contrast to the one shown in Fig. In the embodiment shown in 1, the groove 34 penetrates the groove in the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the substrate layer 30 does not reach its full thickness. As a result, a residual amount of substrate layer 30 remains in the area of ​​the pivot joint 40. This additional material can increase the stability of the pivot joint 40.

[0038] Furthermore, the following apply with regard to the in Fig. In the embodiment shown in section 2, the same features as described above apply with regard to the Fig. 1 described. Reference symbol list 1 coated component 10 coating 20 layers of foil 21 Decor 30 substrate layer 31 Top 32 Underside 34 Nut 40 Swivel joint QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 4 015 273 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Coated component (1) with a swivel joint (40), in particular a flexible swivel joint (40), comprising: a substrate layer (30) with a bottom side (32) and a top side (31) opposite the bottom side (32), wherein the substrate layer (30) comprises a plastic material; a film layer (20) arranged on the top side (31) of the substrate layer (30); and a coating (10) arranged on the film layer (20), wherein the pivot joint (40) is formed by a section of the coated component (1) in which a groove (34) is formed in the substrate layer (30) along an axis of rotation of the pivot joint (40) starting from the underside (32) of the substrate layer (30) in the direction of the top side (31) of the substrate layer (30). [2] Coated component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the groove (34) penetrates more than 50%, preferably more than 75%, particularly preferably 100% of the layer thickness of the substrate layer (30), measured from the underside (32) to the top side (31). [3] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating (10) comprises polyurethane and / or polyurea, preferably consisting of polyurethane and / or polyurea. [4] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the film layer (20) is arranged directly on the top surface (31) of the substrate layer (30). [5] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating (10) is arranged directly on the film layer (20). [6] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the film layer (20) comprises a thermoplastic polymer material, preferably consisting of a thermoplastic polymer material. [7] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating (10) and the substrate layer (30) are produced by in-mold coating, in particular simultaneously by in-mold coating. [8] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the film layer (20) has a decoration (21) which is printed on at least one side of the film layer (20). [9] Coated component (1) according to claim 8, wherein the decoration (21) is printed on the side of the film layer (20) facing the substrate layer (30). [10] Coated component (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the decoration (21) is printed on the side of the film layer (20) facing the coating (10). [11] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate layer (30) and the coating (10) are produced by means of in-mold coating and the groove (34) is produced at least partially, preferably completely, by a tool slide of a tool, in particular an injection molding tool, used for producing the substrate layer (30) and the coating (10) in in-mold coating. [12] Coated component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the groove (34) is produced at least partially, preferably completely, by material removal.

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