Decorative film and vehicle having decorative film

Abstract

A decorative film (2) for application to a surface (10) having a non-planar surface area (17, 18) comprising a decorative layer (24), said essentially rigid decorative film (2) being provided with a plurality of compressed regions (4, 4', 4") and / or expanded regions (5, 5', 5"), Each compression zone (4, 4', 4") has a star-shaped or diamond-shaped compression element (40, 40', 40"), the compression elements are formed by a number of compression slits (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47') extending in a star-like or diamond-like design and penetrating the decorative film (2) in the thickness direction (D), Each expansion region (5, 5', 5") has an expansion element (50, 50', 50") formed by at least one expansion slit (52, 54) passing through the decorative film (2) in the thickness direction (D).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a decorative film according to the preamble of claim 1. It further relates to a vehicle, in particular an automobile, the body skin of which is provided, at least in certain areas, with an outer-related decorative film. [Background technology]

[0002] Car customers often want to customize the exterior of their vehicles to suit their tastes. Until now, this has been possible by customizing the vehicle's paint or partial paint job or by wrapping the vehicle's skin with a film, but such individual vehicle designs can only be modified with considerable effort, especially when the situation demands it. For decorative film wrapping, the decorative film must be flexible, stretchable and compressible, which is difficult with thicker and more rigid decorative films. It may also be desirable to flexibly adapt the vehicle's appearance to specific driving purposes, such as a serious and restrained appearance for use as a commercial vehicle or a brightly colored appearance for a beach surfing holiday.

[0003] [Prior art] It is already known to cover curved or inclined surfaces with highly flexible, stretchable and compressible decorative films, but until now this has not been possible with rigid films such as wood veneers or e-paper films. It is also known to provide a vehicle body with displays that are activated using e-paper technology and can switch between different visual appearances, but until now this has only been possible on flat surfaces of the vehicle body. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to identify a decorative film that can be flexibly adapted to the surface of any three-dimensional shape. A further object is to identify a motor vehicle equipped with at least one such decorative film.

[0005] The problem relating to the decorative film is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0006] A decorative film provided with a decorative layer, intended for application to surfaces having a non-flat, e.g. curved and / or warped, surface area, wherein the essentially rigid decorative film is provided with a plurality of compression areas and / or expansion areas, each compression area having star-shaped or diamond-shaped compression elements, the compression elements extending in a star shape or designed in a diamond shape and formed by a plurality of compression slits penetrating the decorative film in the thickness direction, and each expansion area having an expansion element formed by at least one expansion slit penetrating the decorative film in the thickness direction.

[0007] An "essentially rigid" decorative film is to be understood here not as a rigid decorative film, but rather as a decorative film which in its initial state has limited flexibility and can be bent in one direction, but not simultaneously in two different directions, i.e. around two different axes, and the bendability of the decorative film in its initial state is also limited to larger bending radii and may not permit tight bending radii.

[0008] [effect] The design of the decorative film according to the invention with a pattern of individual slits penetrating the decorative film in the thickness direction leads to the fact that the slit pattern of the invention makes the unslitted, essentially almost rigid decorative film three-dimensionally flexible. Since the slits are preferably performed using a laser beam, a cutting plotter or other cutter, the individual slits are very narrow and therefore barely visible when the decorative film is in a flat state.

[0009] The compression areas can be compressed by their star- or diamond-shaped structure, which is necessary, for example, when the decorative film must locally fit into a depression or recess in a substrate, such as, for example, a car body skin, etc. In this way, the tapered surface areas of the decorative film remaining between the star-shaped compression slits can converge or overlap to bridge the respective compression slits, so that the decorative film shrinks at this point, i.e. its area is compressed.

[0010] In the expansion region, the decorative film can be stretched transversely, e.g. perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction of at least one expansion slit, i.e. its area is enlarged, so that the width of such expansion slit increases, at least in its central region.

[0011] Further preferred and advantageous design features of the decorative film according to the invention form the subject matter of dependent claims 2 to 14.

[0012] The compressed and expanded regions are preferably distributed over the area of ​​the decorative film such that there is at least one expanded region between two adjacent compressed regions, such an alternation of compressed and expanded regions ensuring that the decorative film is particularly flexible.

[0013] More preferably, it is provided that adjacent compression elements form at least one pair of compression slits converging towards each other, between whose free ends there is provided an unslitted intact bridge area of ​​the decorative film, and at least one expansion slit is provided parallel to and laterally spaced from each pair of converging compression slits, the pair of converging compression slits forming together with the at least one expansion slit an expansion element of the expansion area. The converging compression slits preferably have a common central axis in their longitudinal direction, so that at least one expansion slit is aligned parallel to the central axes of the two converging compression slits. If each compression area is surrounded by a number of expansion areas corresponding to its number of radiations, i.e. the number of compression slits emanating from its center, the decorative film can be three-dimensionally deformed in almost any surface normal direction.

[0014] At least one expansion slit preferably extends only in the region of the free end of each compression slit of a pair of converging compression slits, preferably parallel to the compression slits, so that sufficient space is left between the respective expansion slit and compression slit to ensure a stable surface connection between the remaining non-slit areas of the decorative film, provided that the decorative film is sufficiently flexible.

[0015] In an alternative advantageous further embodiment of the decorative film according to the invention, at least one expansion slit extends only along half the length of the respective compression slit of a pair of converging compression slits parallel to it, preferably along the front third only, The flexibility of the decorative film is significantly improved while still maintaining sufficient durability and reliability.

[0016] In all variants of the invention, at least one of the extension slits advantageously has longitudinal edges which are parallel to one another when the decorative film is laid flat, and thus has a constant slit width.

[0017] Also advantageously, there is an embodiment of the invention that can be combined with other embodiments, in which the expansion element has a first expansion slit and a second expansion slit arranged on either side of the pair of converging compression slits, preferably parallel thereto and at a lateral distance from the pair of converging compression slits, said expansion slits on either side of the pair of converging compression slits improving the stretchability of the decorative film and thus its flexibility.

[0018] Also advantageously, there is an embodiment of the invention, which may be combined with other embodiments, in which, when the decorative film is laid flat, the compression slits extending away from one another in a star shape each have a slit width that decreases from the center of the compression element towards the respective free end of the associated compression slit, such that each compression slit tapers towards its free end, in this way achieving high surface compressibility without overlapping edges of adjacent non-slit surface areas.

[0019] Preferably, the star-shaped compression element has at least three compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape, and more preferably, the star-shaped compression element has five, six or seven compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape, thereby further increasing the flexibility of the decorative film.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the decorative film has a plurality of star-shaped compression elements, each of which has a different number of compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape, such a decorative film has regions of varying flexibility and can therefore be adapted to substrates having surfaces with different degrees of three-dimensional shaping.

[0021] The smaller the radius of curvature of the convex surface area, the greater the number of expansion elements per unit area in the area of ​​the decorative film that can fit into the convex surface area, which is particularly advantageous.

[0022] It is also particularly advantageous if the radius of curvature of the concave area is smaller, and therefore if there is a greater number of compression elements per unit area in the area of ​​the decorative film which can be fitted into the concave area.

[0023] Preferably, the light reflection or light transmission properties of the decorative layer of the decorative film are changeable by application of a voltage.

[0024] Preferably, the decorative film has a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a decorative layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the light reflection property or light transmission property of the decorative layer can be changed by applying a voltage. Although the slits in the thickness direction of the decorative film penetrate the electrode layer and the decorative layer, the electrode layer does not lose its continuous conductivity, so that the surface areas of the decorative film including the electrode layer areas of each electrode remaining after the slits are formed remain connected to each other, and therefore the decorative film does not lose its property of being able to electrically switch between two color states.

[0025] The star-shaped compression slits, in at least some compression elements of the decorative film, meet at a common center and are connected to each other there, while in other compression elements it is particularly advantageous if the inner ends of the compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape are spaced apart from each other at the center of the compression element in order to achieve better electrical conductivity.

[0026] The decorative layer of the decorative film is preferably a smart glass LCD layer switchable between transparent and opaque, or an electronic paper layer switchable between two colors. However, the decorative layer can also be, for example, a wood veneer layer.

[0027] The vehicle-related object is partly solved according to claim 15 by a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, having a vehicle body and a vehicle interior at least partially surrounded thereby, the vehicle body having a non-planar body skin, e.g. with a curved and / or warped surface area on the outside of the vehicle, and / or the vehicle interior having a vehicle interior, e.g. with a non-planar surface, e.g. with a curved and / or warped surface area on the inside of the vehicle, respectively. According to the invention, the non-planar surface area of ​​the vehicle interior and / or the non-planar surface area of ​​the vehicle exterior are at least partially provided with a decorative film according to one of the claims, preferably with a decorative layer, which can modify the light reflection or light transmission properties. By providing a decorative layer on the outside or inside of the vehicle, new design possibilities for, e.g., three-dimensionally curved free-form surfaces in or on the vehicle are widely opened up.

[0028] If the decorative film is configured as an electronic paper film and is provided on at least a partial area of ​​the outer skin, the appearance of the film-wrapped outer skin can be changed by switching the state of the electronic paper film. For example, if a colored electronic paper film is used, the body color can be changed.

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention, together with additional design details and further advantages, are described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle having a body with a body skin. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of an electronic paper display device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensionally deformed surface section of a decorative film according to the invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 shows an expanded compressed region. [Diagram 5] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 having a body 12 with a body skin 10 and an interior 11 at least partially surrounded thereby. In the area of ​​the front bonnet 13 and the front wings 14, 15, the vehicle is wrapped, as shown diagrammatically by dashed lines, with a sandwich film 19 with a decorative film 2, which will be described later. In this area, the body skin 10 forms a non-planar surface 16 with projections 17 and recesses 18.

[0032] 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing the structure of an electronic paper film 2' known per se, which forms a decorative film 2 according to the invention. The electronic paper film 2' has a flat, transparent first (upper) electrode layer 20 with a transparent cover layer 21, a flat, transparent second (lower) electrode layer 22 with a support layer 23 and a display layer arranged between the two electrode layers 20, 22, which forms a changeable decorative layer 24.

[0033] The first electrode layer 20 is connected to the electrical control device 3 via a first conductive connection 247, and the second electrode layer 22 is also connected to the control device 3 via a second conductive connection 248. The control device 3 is supplied with electrical energy from a power source Q. The control device 3 also receives control signals via a control line 30.

[0034] The display layer forming the decorative layer 24 of the electronic paper film 2' comprises a plurality of display spheres 240 configured as microcapsules. Each of the display spheres 240 has a transparent housing wall 241 surrounding an interior 246 of the display sphere 240. The interior 246 contains a plurality of first pigments 242 of a first color (here white) and a plurality of second pigments 244 of a second color (here black) surrounded by a transparent fluid 243, whereby the black pigments 244 are typically positively charged and the white pigments 242 are typically negatively charged.

[0035] Upon activating a positive or negative electric field by applying a voltage to the electrodes 20, 22, the black pigment 244 and the white pigment 242 migrate to the respective counter electrodes 20, 22. The amount of pigment particles that migrate to the (transparent) upper electrode 20 is visually perceived by an observer as black or white dots. Further developments of this illustrated electronic paper film 2' with multiple different display spheres containing colored pigments instead of the white pigment 242 can display colors.

[0036] The control device 3 provides electrical switching signals with corresponding polarities to the electrodes 20, 22, for example to switch the display sphere 240 from black to white or vice versa. If the display layer of the electronic paper film 2' can display different colors, the control device 3 can control the display sphere 240 so that the electronic paper film 2' displays the color desired by the user.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a section of the surface of a decorative film 2 according to the invention, for example an electronic paper film 2'. This decorative film 2 is provided with a number of compressed areas 4, 4', 4" and extended areas 5, 5', 5". Each compressed area 4, 4', 4" has a star-shaped compressed element 40, 40', 40", shown in detail in FIG. 4, which is formed by a number of compressed slits 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47' which extend in a star shape from a common centre 41 and penetrate the decorative film 2 in the thickness direction D. When the decorative film 2 is laid flat as shown in FIG. 4, the compression slits 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47' each have a slit width that decreases from the centre 41 of the compression element 40 towards the respective free end of the associated compression slit 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47, and thus each compression slit 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47' tapers towards its free end.

[0038] Adjacent compression elements 40, 40' each form a pair of compression slits 42, 42' converging towards each other. The free ends of these converging compression slits 42, 42' do not contact each other and are spaced apart, leaving a slit-free bridge area 48 between them, where the decorative film 2 is intact and thus electrically functional in the case of the electronic paper film 2'. These converging compression slits 42, 42' have a common central axis M in their longitudinal extension.

[0039] The expansion elements 50 forming the expansion regions 5 are always provided between two adjacent compression elements 40, 40'. For this purpose, a first expansion slit 52 and a second expansion slit 54 aligned parallel to each other extend parallel to each pair of converging compression slits 42, 42' and are spaced apart laterally on two oppositely facing sides of the pair of converging compression slits 42, 42', as shown in Fig. 5. When the decorative film 2 is laid flat, each expansion slit 52, 54 has longitudinal edges parallel to each other and therefore has a constant slit width, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0040] The extended slits 52, 54 also penetrate the decorative film 2 in the thickness direction D. Therefore, in the case of the electronic paper film 2', the compressed slits 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47; 42', 43', 44', 45', 46', 47' and the extended slits 52, 54 are all cut locally through the cover layer 21, the first electrode layer 20, the display layer 24, the second electrode layer 22 and the support layer 23.

[0041] The expansion slits 52, 54 running parallel to the common central axis M of the compression slits 42, 42' extend towards their free ends up to the front third or half of the longitudinal extension of the associated compression slit 42, 42' respectively.

[0042] When a tensile force acting transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the longitudinal extension of the extended slits 52, 54 is applied to the decorative film 2 on the film surface (as symbolically shown by arrow E in Figure 5), the opening width of the extended slits 52, 54, i.e., their expansion, increases and the decorative film 2 in this region stretches locally transversely to its longitudinal extension along the common central axis M.

[0043] When a compressive or shear force acting towards the center 41 of the compression element 40 (symbolically shown by arrow K in Figure 4) is applied to the decorative film 2 on the film surface, the opening width of at least one compression slit 42, 42' is reduced and thus the decorative film 2 is locally compressed in this area.

[0044] The invention is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments, which serve only to generally illustrate the central idea of ​​the invention. Within the scope of protection, the device according to the invention can also envisage other embodiments than those described above. This device can have the features, in particular those that represent combinations of the respective individual features of the claims.

[0045] Reference numbers in the claims, the description and the drawings are intended only to facilitate understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1. Automobile (Kraftfahrzeug) 2 Decorative film (Dekorfolie) 2' E-Paper-Folie 3 Control device 4 Compression Area 4' Compression region 4” Compression Area 5 Expansionsbereich 5' extension region 5” extended open area 10 Vehicle body shell 11 Inside the train (Fahrzeuginnenraum) 12 Vehicle body (Fahrzeugkarosserie) 13 Bonnet (Haube) 14 Wing (Kotfluegel) 15 Wing 16 Non-planar surfaces (nicht-ebene berflaeche) 17 Convex part of 10 18 Concave part of 10 19 Sandwich-Folie 20 First flat (upper) transparent electrode layer 21 Cover layer 22 Second flat (upper) transparent electrode layer 23 Supporters (Traegerschicht) 24 Decorative layer 30 Control lines 40 Compression element 40' Compression Element 40” compression element 41 Center (Zentrum) 42 Compression slit 42' compression slit 43 Compression Slit 43' compression slit 44 Compression Slit 44' compression slit 45 Compression Slit 45' compression slit 46 Compression Slit 46' compression slit 47 Compression Slit 47' compression slit 48 Bridge area without slits 50 Expansion elements 52 Expansion slit 54 Expanded Slit 240 Display sphere (Anzeigekugel) 241 Transparent housing wall 242 First Pigment 243 Transparent Fluid 244 Secondary pigment (zweite pigment) 246 Interior Space (Innenraum) 247 First Electrical Conductive Connection 248 Second electrically conductive connection D thickness direction (Dickenrichtung) E Arrow (Extension) (Pfeil (Dehnung)) K Arrow (Compression) (Pfeil (Stauchung)) M center line (Mittelachse) Q Power supply (elektrische Stromquelle)

Claims

1. A decorative film for application to a surface having a non-planar surface area, comprising a decorative layer, The decorative film is rigid and has a plurality of compressed and / or expanded regions; Each compression region has a star-shaped or diamond-shaped compression element; the compression elements are formed by a number of compression slits extending in a star-like or diamond-like design and penetrating the decorative film in the thickness direction, Each expansion region has an expansion element formed by at least one expansion slit passing through the decorative film in the thickness direction. Decorative film.

2. the compressed regions and the expanded regions are distributed over the area of ​​the decorative film such that at least one expanded region is provided between two adjacent compressed regions; The decorative film according to claim 1.

3. Adjacent compression elements define at least a pair of mutually converging compression slits with a complete bridge area of ​​the decorative film between their free ends, free of slits; at least one expansion slit is disposed parallel to and laterally spaced from each pair of converging compression slits, the pair of converging compression slits forming, together with the at least one expansion slit, the expansion element of the expansion region; The decorative film according to claim 1.

4. the at least one expansion slit extends only in the region of the free end of the respective compression slit or along up to half the length of the respective compression slit of the pair of converging compression slits parallel thereto; The decorative film according to claim 3.

5. the at least one expanding slit has longitudinal edges that are parallel to one another when the decorative film is laid flat, and thus has a constant slit width; The decorative film according to claim 1.

6. The expansion element has a first expansion slit and a second expansion slit, the first expansion slit and the second expansion slit are laterally spaced from the pair of converging compression slits and are disposed on two opposite sides of the pair of converging compression slits; The decorative film according to claim 1.

7. when the decorative film is laid flat, the compression slits extending away from one another in a star shape each have a slit width that decreases from the center of the compression element toward the respective free end of the associated compression slit, such that each compression slit tapers toward its free end; The decorative film according to claim 1.

8. The star-shaped compression element has at least three, five, six or seven compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape; The decorative film according to claim 1.

9. The decorative film has a plurality of star-shaped compression elements having different numbers of compression slits extending away from each other in a star shape. The decorative film according to claim 1.

10. The smaller the radius of curvature of the convex surface area of ​​the non-planar surface area, the greater the number of expansion elements per unit area in the area of ​​the decorative film that can fit into the convex surface area. The decorative film according to claim 1.

11. A decorative film as described in claim 1, wherein the smaller the radius of curvature of the concave surface region of the non-planar surface region, the greater the number of compression elements per unit area in the region of the decorative film that can conform to the concave surface region.

12. The light reflection or transmission properties of the decorative layer can be changed by applying a voltage. The decorative film according to claim 1.

13. the decorative film has a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a decorative layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; The light reflection or transmission properties of the decorative layer can be changed by applying a voltage. The decorative film according to claim 12.

14. The decorative layer is a smart glass LCD layer or an electronic paper layer; The decorative film according to claim 13.

15. 1. A vehicle having a vehicle body and a vehicle interior at least partially enclosed by the vehicle body, The vehicle body is provided with a vehicle body skin having a non-planar surface area on an exterior of the vehicle; the vehicle interior having a plurality of interior components, each of the interior components being provided with a surface having a non-planar surface area on an interior side of the vehicle; The non-planar surface area of ​​the inside of the vehicle and / or the non-planar surface area of ​​the outside of the vehicle is provided with a decorative film according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which has a decorative layer capable of changing light reflection or light transmission properties. vehicle.

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