Vehicle exterior parts and methods for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts

Abstract

This technology allows for a reduction in laser irradiation time during manufacturing of vehicle exterior parts that have areas that are brightly visible by allowing a portion of the illumination light to pass through. [Solution] A vehicle exterior part 1 comprises a plate-shaped substrate 2 having light-transmitting properties that transmit visible light, a surface coating 3 covering the surface 2a of the substrate 2 facing forward, a metal vapor-deposited film 5 provided on the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 facing rear and having a light-transmitting opening 5a that exposes at least a part of the back surface 2b, and a protective vapor-deposited film 6 covering the metal vapor-deposited film 5 from the side opposite to the substrate 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an exterior part for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the exterior part for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Various exterior parts (exterior parts for vehicles) are attached to a vehicle. These exterior parts for vehicles are visible from the outside of the vehicle and are parts that greatly affect the formation of the appearance impression of the vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a front grille provided on a vehicle. The front grille disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with respect to the front surface of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Not only the front grille disclosed in Patent Document 1, but exterior parts for vehicles are attached at positions visible from the outside and are irradiated with direct sunlight during the day. On the other hand, exterior parts for vehicles are not irradiated with direct sunlight at night or the like. Therefore, exterior parts for vehicles may be decorated by transmitting visible light, for example, while not being irradiated with direct sunlight. At this time, it is possible to pattern a brightly visible area by providing a black coating film or printing film having an opening formed therein and transmitting visible light through the opening. However, the coating film and the printing film have a large film thickness. Therefore, it takes a long time to form an opening in the black coating film or printing film by laser irradiation.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to shorten the laser irradiation time during manufacturing of vehicle exterior parts that have an area that is brightly visible by transmitting a portion of the illumination light. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention employs the following configuration as a means to solve the above problems.

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle exterior part comprising: a translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light; a surface coating covering the surface of the substrate facing forward; a metal vapor-deposited film provided on the rear surface of the substrate facing backward and having a light-transmitting opening that exposes at least a portion of the rear surface; and a protective vapor-deposited film covering the metal vapor-deposited film from the side opposite to the substrate.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention adopts a configuration in which, in the first aspect described above, the protective vapor-deposited film is provided with a protective film opening that is positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film when viewed from the front.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention adopts a configuration in which, in the first aspect described above, the protective vapor-deposited film has light-transmitting properties that allow visible light to pass through and covers the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film.

[0010] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an exterior part for a vehicle, comprising: a metal vapor deposition film forming step of forming a metal vapor deposition film on the back surface of a translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light; a laser irradiation step of forming a light-transmitting opening in the metal vapor deposition film formed in the metal vapor deposition film forming step by laser irradiation, exposing at least a portion of the back surface; a protective vapor deposition film forming step of forming a protective vapor deposition film that covers the metal vapor deposition film from the side opposite to the substrate; and a surface coating film forming step of forming a surface coating film that covers the surface of the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, a light-transmitting aperture is provided in the metal vapor-deposited film. Compared to coatings and printed films, the metal vapor-deposited film has a very small film thickness, and a light-transmitting aperture can be formed by short-time laser irradiation. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the laser irradiation time during manufacturing of vehicle exterior parts that have areas that are brightly visible by transmitting a portion of the illumination light. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic front view of a vehicle exterior part according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a vehicle exterior part according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a vehicle exterior part according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a vehicle exterior part according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle exterior part according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a vehicle exterior part according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle exterior part and a method for manufacturing a vehicle exterior part according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, corresponding to cross-sectional view AA of Figure 1. The vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment is a part that is installed on a vehicle and is positioned in a location visible from the outside of the vehicle.

[0015] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the exterior component 1 for a vehicle according to this embodiment has a base material 2, a surface coating film 3, a surface protection film 4, a metal vapor deposition film 5, and a protective vapor deposition film 6. The base material 2 is formed in a plate shape in this embodiment. The base material 2 is arranged such that the front-side surface (hereinafter referred to as the surface 2a) faces the outside of the vehicle, and the rear-side surface (hereinafter referred to as the back surface 2b) faces the inside of the vehicle. Note that the shape of the base material 2 is not limited to a plate shape.

[0016] Note that the installation posture of the exterior component 1 for a vehicle according to this embodiment is not particularly limited. However, for the sake of convenience in explanation, the direction in which the surface 2a of the base material 2 faces is referred to as the front, and the direction in which the back surface 2b of the base material 2 faces is referred to as the rear. The front-rear direction of the exterior component 1 for a vehicle according to these embodiments may or may not coincide with the direction of the vehicle. That is, the front-rear direction of the exterior component 1 for a vehicle according to this embodiment may or may not coincide with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0017] The base material 2 is formed of resin. Also, in this embodiment, the base material 2 has translucency that transmits visible light. That is, in this embodiment, the base material 2 is formed of a transparent resin material. For example, the base material 2 can be formed of a polycarbonate resin or an acrylic resin. For example, the base material 2 is colorless and transparent. However, the base material 2 does not necessarily have to be colorless and transparent, and it may be colored and transparent. Thus, the base material 2 is a plate-shaped member having translucency that transmits visible light.

[0018] The surface coating film 3 is a film formed by drying paint, and is formed so as to cover the surface 2a of the base material 2. For example, the surface coating film 3 is the body color of the vehicle on which the exterior component 1 for a vehicle according to this embodiment is installed. The surface coating film 3 is formed so as to cover the entire surface 2a of the base material 2. Note that the surface coating film 3 is not limited to being a single layer. For example, the surface coating film 3 may be formed by laminating a plurality of layers. Such a surface coating film 3 is formed to have a thickness dimension that allows a part of visible light to pass through.

[0019] The surface protective film 4 is a transparent coating film formed to cover the surface coating film 3 from the front. This surface protective film 4 suppresses the contact of the surface coating film 3 with air and moisture, and prevents the surface coating film 3 from deteriorating. However, when the weather resistance of the surface coating film 3 is high and the progress of deterioration is slow, the surface protective film 4 may not be provided.

[0020] The metal deposition film 5 is provided on the back surface 2b of the base material 2. The metal deposition film 5 is a light-shielding film that prevents visible light from passing through by reflecting or absorbing visible light. The metal deposition film 5 is formed of, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Also, the forming material of the metal deposition film 5 is not limited to aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and any metal material capable of deposition may be used. For example, the metal deposition film 5 can also be formed of indium.

[0021] Such a metal deposition film 5 can be formed by a vacuum deposition method or a sputtering method. The thickness dimension of the metal deposition film 5 is, for example, about 0.1 μm. Such a metal deposition film 5 is an extremely thin film much thinner than a coating film or a printing layer generally having a thickness dimension of about several tens of μm.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the metal deposition film 5 has a light transmission opening 5a that exposes a part of the back surface 2b of the base material 2. A plurality of light transmission openings 5a are provided in the metal deposition film 5. Each light transmission opening la is formed to penetrate the metal deposition film 5 in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, each light transmission opening 5a is formed to have a rectangular shape when viewed from the front. However, the shape of the light transmission opening 5a is not limited.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, a metal vapor-deposited film 5 with light-transmitting openings 5a is formed on the back surface 2b of the substrate 2. Therefore, the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 has a fixed surface 2c to which the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is fixed, and an exposed surface 2d exposed by the light-transmitting openings 5a. In other words, the fixed surface 2c of the substrate 2 is the surface of the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 that is in contact with the metal vapor-deposited film 5. The exposed surface 2d of the substrate 2 is the surface of the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 that is not in contact with the metal vapor-deposited film 5.

[0024] The protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed to cover the metal vapor-deposited film 5 from the side opposite to the substrate 2. The protective vapor-deposited film 6 is a protective film for the metal vapor-deposited film 5, protecting it from heat and other elements. The protective vapor-deposited film 6 is translucent, allowing visible light to pass through, and is transparent to visible light. In this embodiment, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed by a chemical vapor deposition method. The protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed of, for example, indium. However, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is not limited to one formed by a chemical vapor deposition method.

[0025] Furthermore, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is provided with protective film openings 6a that are positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting openings 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 when viewed from the front. The protective film openings 6a are openings that allow visible light to pass through. In this embodiment, the number and size of the protective film openings 6a are the same as those of the light-transmitting openings 5a.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment has a bright area Ra and a dark area Rb when viewed from the front. The bright area Ra is the area that is brightly visible from the front when illumination light is shone on the base material 2 from the rear. The dark area Rb is the area that is darkly visible from the front when illumination light is shone on the base material 2 from the rear.

[0027] The bright area Ra is the region where, when the substrate 2 is illuminated from the rear, illumination light passes through the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 and is transmitted forward through the substrate 2, the surface coating 3, and the surface protective film 4. Because illumination light is transmitted through such a bright area Ra, it is brightly visible when viewed from the front. In other words, the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is positioned to overlap with the bright area Ra when viewed from the front.

[0028] On the other hand, the dark region Rb is a region where, even when the substrate 2 is illuminated from behind, the illumination light is absorbed by the metal vapor-deposited film 5 and does not transmit the illumination light. Because illumination light does not transmit through this dark region Rb, it appears dark when viewed from the front. In other words, the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is positioned so as not to overlap with the dark region Rb when viewed from the front.

[0029] When illumination light shines from the rear onto the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a pattern is displayed on the front surface of the vehicle exterior part 1 due to the bright area Ra and the dark area Rb. By changing the shapes of the bright area Ra and the dark area Rb, a desired pattern or characters can be displayed on the front surface of the vehicle exterior part 1.

[0030] When manufacturing the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, a surface coating film 3 and a surface protective film 4 are laminated onto the surface 2a of the base material 2. In other words, when manufacturing the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a surface coating film forming step is performed to form a surface coating film 3 that covers the surface 2a of the base material 2, and a surface protective film forming step is performed to form a surface protective film 4 that covers the surface coating film 3. However, these surface coating film forming step and surface protective film forming step may be performed after the metal vapor deposition film 5 and protective vapor deposition film 6 have been formed. In other words, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the surface coating film 3 and surface protective film 4 may be formed after the metal vapor deposition film 5 and protective vapor deposition film 6 have been formed.

[0031] The surface coating 3 is formed by applying a paint, which is the material for forming the surface coating 3, to the surface 2a of the substrate 2, and then drying the paint. The surface protective film 4 is formed by applying the material for forming the surface coating 3 onto the surface coating 3, and then curing the forming material.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed on the back surface 2b of the substrate 2. Such a metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed in a chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is formed. For example, the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed in the above-mentioned chamber using a sputtering method. Alternatively, the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed in the above-mentioned chamber using a vacuum deposition method. Thus, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a metal vapor-deposited film formation step is performed in which a metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed on the back surface 2b of a translucent plate-shaped substrate 2 that transmits visible light.

[0033] At this stage, no light-transmitting openings 5a are formed in the metal vapor-deposited film 5. In other words, immediately after the metal vapor-deposited film formation process, the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed to cover the entire surface of the back surface 2b of the substrate 2.

[0034] Next, as shown in Figure 4, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed on the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 so as to cover the metal vapor-deposited film 5. In other words, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a protective vapor-deposited film formation step is performed to form a protective vapor-deposited film 6 that covers the metal vapor-deposited film 5 from the side opposite to the substrate 2. Note that the protective vapor-deposited film formation step may be performed after the laser irradiation step that forms a light-transmitting opening 5a in the metal vapor-deposited film 5, as will be explained in the embodiments described later. In other words, the timing of the protective vapor-deposited film formation step is not limited to either before or after the laser irradiation step.

[0035] For example, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed using chemical vapor deposition. Here, it is preferable to form the protective vapor-deposited film 6 in the same chamber as the metal vapor-deposited film formation process, while maintaining the internal vacuum atmosphere. This eliminates the need to create a vacuum atmosphere inside the chamber again solely for the purpose of forming the protective vapor-deposited film 6 after the metal vapor-deposited film 5 has been formed, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the vehicle exterior part 1.

[0036] At this stage, no protective film openings 6a are formed in the protective vapor-deposited film 6. In other words, immediately after the protective vapor-deposited film formation process, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed to cover the entire surface of the back surface 2b of the substrate 2.

[0037] Next, as shown in Figure 5, a laser irradiation step is performed to form light-transmitting openings 5a in the metal vapor-deposited film 5 by laser irradiation. Here, laser light L is irradiated onto the metal vapor-deposited film 5 by passing it through a transparent protective vapor-deposited film 6, and a portion of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is peeled off from the substrate 2. This forms light-transmitting openings 5a in the metal vapor-deposited film 5. In addition, by peeling a portion of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 from the substrate 2, a portion of the protective vapor-deposited film 6 laminated on the peeled metal vapor-deposited film 5 is also peeled off. This forms protective film openings 6a in the protective vapor-deposited film 6.

[0038] The vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, as described above, comprises a base material 2, a surface coating 3, a metal vapor-deposited film 5, and a protective vapor-deposited film 6. The base material 2 is translucent, allowing visible light to pass through, and is formed in a plate shape. The surface coating 3 covers the surface 2a of the base material 2 facing forward. The metal vapor-deposited film 5 is provided on the back surface 2b of the base material 2 facing backward. The metal vapor-deposited film 5 also has a light-transmitting opening 5a that exposes at least a portion of the back surface 2b. The protective vapor-deposited film 6 covers the metal vapor-deposited film 5 from the side opposite to the base material 2.

[0039] According to this embodiment of the vehicle exterior part 1, a light-transmitting opening 5a is provided in the metal vapor-deposited film 5. The metal vapor-deposited film 5 has a very small film thickness compared to paint films or printed films, and the light-transmitting opening 5a can be formed by short-time laser irradiation. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the vehicle exterior part 1, it is possible to shorten the laser irradiation time during manufacturing of the vehicle exterior part 1 which has a brightly visible area by transmitting a portion of the illumination light.

[0040] Furthermore, in the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a light-transmitting opening 5a is formed by irradiating the metal vapor-deposited film 5 with laser light L. Compared to irradiating the metal vapor-deposited film 5 with laser light L, irradiating a coating film or printed film with laser light L generates a large amount of gas. Therefore, according to the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the amount of gas generated in the laser irradiation process.

[0041] Furthermore, in the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed using a vapor deposition method. Therefore, a light-shielding film (metal vapor-deposited film 5) having a light-transmitting opening 5a can be formed without a long drying process like that required for paint films or printed films. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide generated during the manufacturing process of the vehicle exterior part 1.

[0042] Furthermore, in the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is provided with a protective film opening 6a that is positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 when viewed from the front. With this vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the visible light that is irradiated onto the vehicle exterior part 1 from the rear side 2b and passes through the light-transmitting opening 5a from being attenuated by the protective vapor-deposited film 6. Therefore, with the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to make the bright area Ra more visible.

[0043] Furthermore, the manufacturing method for the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment includes a metal vapor deposition film formation step, a laser irradiation step, a protective vapor deposition film formation step, and a surface coating film formation step. The metal vapor deposition film formation step is a step of forming a metal vapor deposition film 5 on the back surface 2b of a translucent plate-shaped substrate 2 that transmits visible light. The laser irradiation step is a step of forming a light-transmitting opening 5a in the metal vapor deposition film 5 formed in the metal vapor deposition film formation step by laser irradiation, exposing at least a part of the back surface 2b. The protective vapor deposition film formation step is a step of forming a protective vapor deposition film 6 that covers the metal vapor deposition film 5 from the side opposite to the substrate 2. The surface coating film formation step is a step of forming a surface coating film 3 that covers the surface 2a of the substrate 2.

[0044] According to the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a light-transmitting opening 5a is provided in the metal vapor-deposited film 5. The metal vapor-deposited film 5 has a very small film thickness compared to a coating or printed film, and the light-transmitting opening 5a can be formed by short-time laser irradiation. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to shorten the laser irradiation time during manufacturing of the vehicle exterior part 1, which has an area that is brightly visible by transmitting a portion of the illumination light.

[0045] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a light-transmitting opening 5a is formed by irradiating the metal vapor-deposited film 5 with laser light L. Compared to irradiating the metal vapor-deposited film 5 with laser light L, irradiating a coating film or printed film with laser light L generates a large amount of gas. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the amount of gas generated in the laser irradiation process.

[0046] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a metal vapor-deposited film 5 is formed using a vapor deposition method. Therefore, a light-shielding film (metal vapor-deposited film 5) having a light-transmitting opening 5a can be formed without a long drying process like that required for paint films or printed films. As a result, the amount of carbon dioxide generated during the manufacturing process of the vehicle exterior part 1 can be reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the metal vapor deposition film formation step and the protective vapor deposition film formation step may be performed in the same chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is formed. According to this manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the protective vapor deposition film 6 can be formed while maintaining the vacuum atmosphere inside the chamber after the formation of the metal vapor deposition film 5. For this reason, the manufacturing process of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment can be simplified.

[0048] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a laser irradiation step is performed after the protective vapor deposition film formation step. In addition, during the laser irradiation step, a protective film opening 6a is formed in the protective vapor deposition film 6 so as to overlap with the light transmission opening 5a of the metal vapor deposition film 5 when viewed from the front.

[0049] According to the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the light-transmitting opening 5a and the protective film opening 6a can be formed simultaneously in the laser irradiation process. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment can be simplified.

[0050] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the surface coating film formation step may be performed after the metal vapor deposition film formation step, the laser irradiation step, and the protective vapor deposition film formation step. This eliminates the need to place the surface coating film 3a inside the chamber, and prevents the metal vapor deposition film formation step, the laser irradiation step, and the protective vapor deposition film formation step from affecting the performance of the surface coating film 3a.

[0051] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, the protective vapor-deposited film formation step is performed using chemical vapor deposition to form the protective vapor-deposited film 6. According to this manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1 of this embodiment, a protective vapor-deposited film 6 with high adhesion can be formed, and peeling of the metal vapor-deposited film 5 can also be suppressed.

[0052] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. In this description, parts that are the same as those of the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

[0053] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment. As shown in this figure, in the vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is formed to cover the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5. In Figure 6, a gap is formed between the protective vapor-deposited film 6 and the substrate 2 in the area where the light-transmitting opening 5a is provided. However, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 may be in contact with the substrate 2 in the area where the light-transmitting opening 5a is provided.

[0054] In this embodiment of the vehicle exterior part 1A, visible light irradiated onto the vehicle exterior part 1A from the rear side 2b passes through the light-transmitting protective vapor-deposited film 6 and irradiates the light-transmitting opening 5a.

[0055] In the vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment described above, the protective vapor-deposited film 6 is translucent, allowing visible light to pass through, and covers the light-transmitting opening 5a of the metal vapor-deposited film 5. With this vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment, since the light-transmitting opening 5a is covered by the protective vapor-deposited film 6, the metal vapor-deposited film 5 is prevented from being exposed to air. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the metal vapor-deposited film 5.

[0056] In the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a protective vapor deposition film formation step is performed after forming a light-transmitting opening 5a in a laser irradiation step. In the protective vapor deposition film formation step, a protective vapor deposition film 6 is formed to cover the light-transmitting opening 5a. According to the manufacturing method of the vehicle exterior part 1A of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the metal vapor deposition film 5 from being exposed to air and to suppress the deterioration of the metal vapor deposition film 5.

[0057] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The shapes and combinations of the constituent members shown in the above embodiments are examples, and can be modified in various ways based on design requirements, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0058] For example, the above embodiment described a configuration in which the outer shape of the vehicle exterior part is rectangular. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The outer shape of the vehicle exterior part may be triangular or circular.

[0059] Furthermore, the present invention can employ the configurations described in the following appendix.

[0060] (Note 1) A translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light, A surface coating film covering the surface of the substrate facing forward, A metal vapor-deposited film is provided on the rear surface of the substrate facing backward, and has a light-transmitting opening that exposes at least a portion of the rear surface, A protective vapor-deposited film covering the metal vapor-deposited film from the side opposite to the substrate, Equipped with, A vehicle exterior part characterized by the following features.

[0061] (Note 2) The protective vapor-deposited film is provided with a protective film opening that is positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film when viewed from the front. Vehicle exterior parts as described in Appendix 1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0062] (Note 3) The protective vapor-deposited film has light-transmitting properties that allow visible light to pass through, and covers the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film. Vehicle exterior parts as described in Appendix 1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0063] (Note 4) A metal vapor deposition film formation process, in which a metal vapor deposition film is formed on the back surface of a translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light, A laser irradiation step is performed to form a light-transmitting opening in the metal vapor-deposited film formed in the metal vapor-deposited film formation step by laser irradiation, exposing at least a portion of the back surface. A protective deposition film formation step, which forms a protective deposition film that covers the metal deposition film from the side opposite to the substrate, A surface coating film forming step, which forms a surface coating film that covers the surface of the substrate, Having, A method for manufacturing exterior parts for vehicles, characterized by the following features.

[0064] (Note 5) The metal deposition film formation step and the protective deposition film formation step are performed in the same chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is formed. A method for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts as described in Appendix 4, characterized by the features described in Appendix 4.

[0065] (Note 6) After the protective deposition film formation step, the laser irradiation step is performed. In the laser irradiation step, a protective film opening is formed in the protective deposition film so as to overlap with the light-transmitting opening of the metal deposition film when viewed from the front. A method for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts as described in Appendix 4 or 5.

[0066] (Note 7) After the laser irradiation step, the protective deposition film formation step is performed. In the protective deposition film formation step, a protective deposition film is formed that is translucent, allowing visible light to pass through, and covering the light-transmitting opening of the metal deposition film. A method for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts as described in Appendix 4 or 5.

[0067] (Note 8) The surface coating formation step is performed after the metal vapor deposition film formation step, the laser irradiation step, and the protective vapor deposition film formation step. A method for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts as described in any one of the appendices 4 to 7.

[0068] (Note 9) In the protective vapor deposition film formation step, the protective vapor deposition film is formed using chemical vapor deposition. A method for manufacturing vehicle exterior parts as described in any one of the appendices 4 to 8. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1...Vehicle exterior parts, 1A...Vehicle exterior parts, 2...Base material, 2a...Surface, 2b...Back surface, 2c...Adhesive surface, 2d...Exposed surface, 3...Surface coating film, 3a...Surface coating film, 4...Surface protective film, 5...Metal vapor deposition film, 5a...Light transmission opening, 6...Protective vapor deposition film, 6a...Protective film opening, L...Laser light, Ra...Bright area, Rb...Dark area

Claims

1. A translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light, A surface coating film covering the surface of the substrate facing forward, A metal vapor-deposited film is provided on the rear surface of the substrate facing backward, and has a light-transmitting opening that exposes at least a portion of the rear surface, A protective vapor-deposited film covering the metal vapor-deposited film from the side opposite to the substrate, Equipped with, A vehicle exterior part characterized by the following features.

2. The protective vapor-deposited film is provided with a protective film opening that is positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film when viewed from the front. The exterior part for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a feature of the present invention.

3. The protective vapor-deposited film has light-transmitting properties that allow visible light to pass through, and covers the light-transmitting opening of the metal vapor-deposited film. The exterior part for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a feature of the present invention.

4. A metal vapor deposition film formation process, in which a metal vapor deposition film is formed on the back surface of a translucent plate-shaped substrate that transmits visible light, A laser irradiation step is performed to form a light-transmitting opening in the metal vapor-deposited film formed in the metal vapor-deposited film formation step by laser irradiation, exposing at least a portion of the back surface. A protective deposition film formation step, which forms a protective deposition film that covers the metal deposition film from the side opposite to the substrate, A surface coating film forming step, which forms a surface coating film that covers the surface of the substrate, Having, A method for manufacturing exterior parts for vehicles, characterized by the following features.

Images