Translucent carbon fiber material

Abstract

A light-transmitting carbon fiber member is provided. [Solution] This component can be combined with a light source 40 and includes a carbon fiber substrate 10 and a protective layer 20. A display side 11 and a combination side 12 are formed on opposite sides of the carbon fiber substrate, respectively. The carbon fiber substrate has a plurality of holes 13 formed by laser processing, and the combination side can accommodate the light source. The holes are arranged at intervals in a first direction and a second direction, and a protective layer is provided on the display side of the carbon fiber substrate. This is expected to solve the problems of conventional carbon fiber components, such as difficulty in processing, tendency to produce burrs, and difficulty in achieving a translucent effect.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a translucent carbon fiber component, and more particularly to a translucent carbon fiber component that can be combined with a light source to emit a pattern of light, thereby creating a visual effect. [Background technology]

[0002] As people's quality of life improves, the demand for visual experiences is also increasing. In the automotive industry, in order to make the exterior of cars more luxurious and technologically advanced, manufacturers are developing automotive parts that can express visual effects such as illuminating patterns in conjunction with changes in lighting.

[0003] The above-mentioned automobile parts in the prior art mainly have a pattern layer having a light-shielding portion and a light-transmitting portion formed on one side of a light-transmitting substrate. In these automobile parts, a pattern is formed by combining the light-shielding portion and the light-transmitting portion of the pattern layer, and in conjunction with irradiation of light from a light source, only the light-transmitting portion of the pattern layer transmits light, causing the pattern to emit light in the light-transmitting substrate.

[0004] The above-mentioned automotive parts are made of a translucent substrate, but due to the material limitations of the translucent substrate, there is a concern that the translucent substrate may not be strong enough during use, which results in a significant limitation in the range of applications. Therefore, in order to achieve the goal of displaying luminous patterns while ensuring sufficient strength, currently, an opaque material is used as the substrate, and multiple holes are formed in the opaque substrate by CNC processing or punching, and the pattern is illuminated by passing light through the holes.

[0005] However, the strength and weight requirements for automotive parts vary depending on the part of use, and for example, a heavy substrate is not suitable for aero parts, which require high strength and ultra-lightweight. Therefore, if high-strength, relatively lightweight carbon fiber material is used as the substrate, the current problem of the substrate being too heavy can be overcome. However, because carbon fiber material has properties such as high hardness, wear resistance, and heat resistance, tool wear during punching is extremely large, significantly increasing production costs, and burrs and fuzz are likely to occur on the edges of the processed parts, which not only makes it difficult to achieve an efficient light-transmitting effect but also may lead to a decrease in structural strength.

[0006] Therefore, the applicant's objective is to manufacture translucent automobile parts using carbon fiber as a base material, which will have high strength and light weight, while also providing the visual effect of luminescence. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a carbon fiber component that can transmit light, thereby solving the problems of conventional carbon fiber components, such as difficulty in processing, the tendency to produce burrs, and the difficulty in achieving a light-transmitting effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the light-transmittable carbon fiber member of the present invention comprises: It can be combined with a light source and includes a carbon fiber substrate and a protective layer. a display side and a combination side are formed on opposite sides of the carbon fiber base material, respectively, and the carbon fiber base material has a plurality of holes formed by laser processing, the combination side is capable of corresponding to the light source, and the holes are arranged at intervals in a first direction and a second direction, respectively; The protective layer is provided on the display side of the carbon fiber base material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The translucent carbon fiber component of the present invention is intended to achieve a visual effect by combining with the light source to emit light in a pattern. The holes formed in the carbon fiber substrate by laser processing allow light emitted from the light source to enter the carbon fiber substrate, pass through the holes, and then pass through the protective layer, thereby creating the visual effect of the holes emitting light. As a result, the translucent carbon fiber component can exhibit the excellent properties of high strength and light weight, while also exhibiting the visual beauty of unique light-emitting patterns.

[0010] Furthermore, since the multiple holes are formed by melting or burning off using laser processing, the generation of burrs and residues after processing can be significantly reduced, and the problem of wear on conventional processing cutters can be solved, making it possible to reduce production costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a translucent carbon fiber component according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of holes in a translucent carbon fiber component according to the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a light-transmittable carbon fiber component according to the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a light-transmittable carbon fiber component in a luminous state according to the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram illustrating the steps for manufacturing a translucent carbon fiber component according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] 1 and 4 show a preferred embodiment of the translucent carbon fiber component of the present invention, which can be combined with a light source 40 and includes a carbon fiber substrate 10 and a protective layer 20.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a display side 11 and an assembly side 12 are formed on opposite sides of the carbon fiber substrate 10, respectively. The carbon fiber substrate 10 has a plurality of holes 13 formed by laser processing, the assembly side 12 can accommodate the light sources 40, and the holes 13 are arranged at intervals in a first direction X and a second direction Y, respectively.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, the protective layer 20 is provided on the display side 11 of the carbon fiber base material 10.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 4, the light-transmittable carbon fiber component includes a uniform light layer 30 disposed on the assembly side 12 of the carbon fiber substrate 10 and compatible with the light source 40 .

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the diameter a of each of the holes 13 is between 0.02 mm and 0.4 mm, and the intervals b and c between the holes 13 are greater than 0.3 mm.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2 , the carbon fiber substrate 10 has a fiber weft direction 14, the first direction X is inclined relative to the fiber weft direction 14 at an included angle θ of 2° to 88°, and the holes 13 arranged in the second direction Y are offset from one another.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the interval b between the holes 13 arranged in the first direction X and the interval c between the holes 13 arranged in the second direction Y are not equal.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4 , when the light emitted from the light source 40 enters the uniform light layer 30, the uniform light layer 30 is made of a material that can homogenize light, such as PMMA, PC, ABS, or PP, so the light can be uniformly distributed within the uniform light layer 30. Furthermore, the carbon fiber substrate 10 is made of an opaque material, so it blocks the light, allowing only the light from the holes 13 to pass through the protective layer 20, creating the visual effect of the holes 13 emitting light.

[0020] Furthermore, the holes 13 can be customized according to the user's needs and arranged in various styles such as letters, symbols, or emblems. Furthermore, the light source 40 can be a light source that uses direct light such as a light module or sunlight, or indirect light such as reflected light. Therefore, by using various light sources 40 according to the user's needs, the variations in the arrangement of the holes 13 and the diversity of the light sources 40 can create unique and distinctive lighting effects.

[0021] In addition, the protective layer 20 protects the carbon fiber substrate 10, prevents direct contact with external substances such as sunlight, rainwater, or dust, and further improves the weather resistance of the translucent carbon fiber component, thereby extending its service life.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment of the translucent carbon fiber component of the present invention, the diameter a of the holes 13 is between 0.04 mm and 0.1 mm, and the spacing b, c between the holes 13 is greater than 0.3 mm. Therefore, when the light source 40 is not present, the holes 13 are not noticeable, and the appearance of the translucent carbon fiber component is not impaired and its aesthetic appeal is maintained.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, when manufacturing the translucent carbon fiber component, a pre-forming step S1, a laser drilling step S2, and a protective layer processing step S3 are carried out in order, and the manufacturing method of the translucent carbon fiber component may further include a uniform light layer processing step S4.

[0024] In the preforming step S1, the carbon fiber material is preformed to form the carbon fiber substrate 10. In this embodiment, the preforming method is as follows: first, the carbon fiber material is immersed in a resin such as epoxy resin, PC, or PP, then cut into a single-layer or multi-layer structure, which is then placed in a mold, and finally pressurized and cured at high temperature to preform into various shapes according to needs, thereby forming the carbon fiber substrate 10.

[0025] In the laser drilling step S2, laser processing is performed on the carbon fiber substrate 10 to form the holes 13. In this embodiment, the laser processing focuses a high-energy laser beam on the surface of the carbon fiber substrate 10, rapidly heats the carbon fiber substrate 10 by absorbing the laser energy, and melts or vaporizes the carbon fiber substrate 10, and then melts or burns it off to form the holes 13. This solves the problem of burrs and fuzz easily forming on the edges when processing carbon fiber material, and thus provides a good light-transmitting effect to the holes 13 while eliminating the problem of wear on the processing cutter, thereby significantly reducing production costs.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, by controlling the laser processing parameters, the hole diameter a of each hole 13 can be set to 0.02 mm to 0.4 mm, preferably 0.04 mm to 0.1 mm, and the spacing b, c between the holes 13 can be controlled to be greater than 0.3 mm. Therefore, by accurately controlling the hole diameter a and spacing b, c of the holes 13, the effects of heat accumulation and sputtering can be reduced, and the holes 13 can be prevented from becoming clogged and becoming difficult to clean.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the first direction X is inclined with respect to the fiber weft direction 14 of the carbon fiber substrate 10, and the included angle θ formed thereby is controlled to be 2° to 88°. In addition, the laser perforation path first forms a row of the holes 13 in the first direction X, then moves toward the second direction Y to form a row of the holes 13 in the direction opposite to the first direction X, and then moves toward the second direction Y, and so on. In this way, the path is circulated in order to form all the holes 13. The holes 13 are formed by selectively controlling the interval b of the holes 13 arranged in the first direction X and the interval c of the holes 13 arranged in the second direction Y so that they are not equal, depending on various pattern variations, thereby shifting the holes 13 from the fiber direction, effectively preventing the holes 13 from cutting the fibers into fine short fibers, and preventing the problem of burrs falling off and blocking the holes 13.

[0028] In the protective layer processing step S3, the display side 11 of the carbon fiber substrate 10 is processed to form the protective layer 20. In this embodiment, when the protective layer processing step S3 is performed, the protective layer 20 can be uniformly attached to the display side 11 of the carbon fiber substrate 10 by a processing method such as printing, spray coating, film attachment, dip coating, or flow coating. For example, the protective layer 20 can cover the holes 13 while allowing light to pass through the holes 13 without being blocked by the holes 13 due to its translucency. Alternatively, the protective layer 20 can not cover the holes. In this case, it is necessary to prevent air bubbles or impurities from clogging the holes 13 and affecting the light transmission effect of the holes 13.

[0029] In the uniform light layer processing step S4, the combination side 12 of the carbon fiber substrate 10 is processed to form the uniform light layer 30. In this embodiment, when performing the uniform light layer processing step S4, the uniform light layer 30 can be firmly attached to the combination side 12 of the carbon fiber substrate 10 by processing methods such as adhesive application, welding, or hot pressing.

[0030] As described above, in the translucent carbon fiber component of the present invention, the holes 13 formed by laser processing on the carbon fiber substrate 10 allow light emitted from the light source 40 to enter the carbon fiber substrate 10, pass through the holes 13, and then pass through the protective layer 20, thereby creating the visual effect of the holes 13 emitting light. As a result, the translucent carbon fiber component has the excellent properties of high strength and light weight, while also exhibiting the visual beauty of unique patterned illumination.

[0031] Furthermore, since the multiple holes 13 are formed by melting or burning off using laser processing, the generation of burrs and residues after processing can be significantly reduced, and the problem of wear on conventional processing cutters can also be solved, making it possible to reduce production costs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10 Carbon fiber substrate 11 Display side 12 Combination side 13 holes 14 Fiber Weft Direction 20 protective layer 30 uniform light layer 40 light source X first direction Y Second direction S1 Preforming step S2 Laser Drilling Step S3 Protective layer processing step S4 Uniform light layer processing step a Hole diameter b, c interval θ included angle

Claims

1. It can be combined with a light source and includes a carbon fiber substrate and a protective layer; a display side and a combination side are formed on opposite sides of the carbon fiber base material, respectively, and the carbon fiber base material has a plurality of holes formed by laser processing, the combination side can correspond to the light source, and the holes are arranged at intervals in a first direction and a second direction, The protective layer is provided on the display side of the carbon fiber base material. A light-transmittable carbon fiber member characterized by:

2. The light-transmittable carbon fiber member according to claim 1 , further comprising a uniform light layer provided on the combined side of the carbon fiber substrate and compatible with the light source.

3. 2. The light-transmittable carbon fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of each of the holes is between 0.02 mm and 0.4 mm.

4. 3. The light-transmittable carbon fiber member according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of each of the holes is between 0.02 mm and 0.4 mm.

5. The light-transmittable carbon fiber member according to claim 1 , wherein the interval between the holes is greater than 0.3 mm.

6. 5. The translucent carbon fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the carbon fiber substrate has a fiber weft direction, the first direction is inclined with respect to the fiber weft direction at an included angle θ of 2° to 88°, and the holes arranged in the second direction are offset from one another.

7. 6. The translucent carbon fiber component according to claim 5, wherein the carbon fiber substrate has a fiber weft direction, the first direction is inclined with respect to the fiber weft direction at an included angle θ of 2° to 88°, and the holes arranged in the second direction are offset from each other.

8. 7. The translucent carbon fiber member according to claim 6, wherein the intervals between the holes arranged in the first direction and the intervals between the holes arranged in the second direction are not equal.

9. 8. The translucent carbon fiber member according to claim 7, wherein the intervals between the holes arranged in the first direction and the intervals between the holes arranged in the second direction are not equal.

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