Resin molds and methods for manufacturing resin molds.

Abstract

DEPCT68 Resin molded items include: a light-transmitting resin layer; and sparkling components. The resin layer, which comprises the sparkling components, includes: a metallic layer formed from metallic materials; and a colored layer containing auxiliary substances. It creates color and covers the metal layer; and the exposed part where the metal layer is revealed from the colored layer;

Description

Resin molded body and method for manufacturing the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a resin molded article and a method for manufacturing the resin molded article.

[0002] A resin molded product has been known in the past, in which a clear layer is overlaid on a resin layer containing a pigment and a luster material (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also known is a resin molded product having a resin layer in which a luster material such as aluminum powder is blended with a resin material containing a colorant (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this way, by including a luster material in the resin layer, a resin molded product with a lustrous appearance is realized.

[0003] JP 2014-168916 A JP 2004-83608 A

[0004] The resin molded body of Patent Document 1 has a good sense of brilliance by overlaying a clear layer on a resin layer containing a lustrous material. On the other hand, the resin molded body of Patent Document 1 requires a process of forming a clear layer over the resin layer. Furthermore, the resin molded bodies of Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a problem of poor brilliance due to uneven distribution of the colorant, etc.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a resin molded article that has a good shine without providing a clear layer.

[0006] The resin molded article according to the present disclosure includes a translucent resin layer and a luster material contained in the resin layer. The luster material has a metal layer formed of a metal material, a colored layer containing a colorant and coating the metal layer, and an exposed portion where the metal layer is exposed from the colored layer.

[0007] In addition, the method for manufacturing a resin molded body according to the present disclosure includes the steps of preparing a metal layer formed from a metal material, coating the metal layer with a colored layer containing a colorant, cutting the metal layer and the colored layer in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer coated with the colored layer to produce a lustrous material, and mixing the lustrous material with a translucent resin material and molding a resin layer using the resin material.

[0008] In this resin molded product, the resin layer is translucent, so that light that penetrates the resin layer is reflected by the exposed portion of the lustrous material and the colored layer, allowing the resin molded product to have a good lustrous appearance without the need for a clear layer.

[0009] Furthermore, this method for producing a resin molded article does not require a step of forming a clear layer on top of a resin layer, making it possible to produce a resin molded article with a good glossy appearance at low cost.

[0010] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a resin molded body; 2 is a view showing an example of a resin molded body mounted on a vehicle; 3 is a cross-sectional view of a lustrous material; 4 is a view showing an apparatus for manufacturing a resin molded body; 5 is a view showing a method for manufacturing a resin molded body (1); 6 is a view showing a method for manufacturing a resin molded body (2); 7 is a cross-sectional view of a resin molded body in another embodiment;

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the resin molded body 1 includes a resin layer 2 and a plurality of luster materials 4 contained in the resin layer 2. As shown in FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the resin molded body 1 is used in a decorative portion C1 on the edge of a cup holder used in the interior of an automobile. The resin molded body 1 is also used in a decorative portion C2 of a door trim or a decorative portion (not shown) on the exterior of an automobile. The resin molded body 1 used in such portions is required to have high designability because it is visible to users and the like. For this reason, the resin molded body 1 is required to have a luster that is free of color unevenness and has good color development.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 , the resin layer 2 is a layer that is the main material of the resin molded body 1. In this embodiment, the resin molded body 1 is formed by injection molding the resin material that forms the resin layer 2. In this embodiment, the resin material that forms the resin layer 2 is a thermoplastic resin. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS resin, acrylic resin, and PC (polycarbonate) resin. The resin material that forms the resin layer 2 can also be a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin alloy. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, and modified polyphenylene ether. Furthermore, the resin material that forms the resin layer 2 can also be a resin material that blends a fibrous or flake-shaped filler into a thermoplastic resin. In any case, the resin layer 2 can be formed from any thermoplastic resin.

[0014] The resin layer 2 is translucent. Specifically, the resin layer 2 is translucent when it is formed from the above-mentioned resin material without containing a colorant. The resin layer 2 is preferably colorless and transparent. The resin layer 2 may be slightly colored by the color of the resin material itself.

[0015] Next, the luminous material 4 will be described. The luminous material 4 is plate-shaped or flake-shaped. The longitudinal length of the luminous material 4 in the in-plane direction is 10 μm to 200 μm. More preferably, the longitudinal length of the luminous material 4 is 50 μm to 150 μm. The lateral length in the in-plane direction may be the same as the longitudinal length.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3 , the lustrous material 4 has a metal layer 6 formed from a metal material and a colored layer 8 containing a colorant and coating the metal layer 6. The metal layer 6 is a thin film of a metal material. For example, the metal material can be selected from aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, platinum, nickel, etc. In this embodiment, the metal layer 6 is a thin metal film formed by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition of the above metal material. The thickness of the metal layer 6 formed by such vapor deposition is 1 nm to 1000 nm. More preferably, the thickness of the metal layer 6 is 2 nm to 100 nm.

[0017] The colored layer 8 is a coating layer that covers the metal layer 6. In this embodiment, the colored layer 8 includes a first colored layer that covers the surface 6a of the thin film that forms the metal layer 6 and a second colored layer that covers the back surface 6b of the metal layer 6. Note that in this embodiment, the upper side of the metal layer 6 in FIG. 3 is the surface 6a, and the lower side is the back surface 6b. The lower side of the metal layer 6 may be the surface 6a and the upper side may be the back surface 6b. The colored layer 8 is formed from a colored layer-forming material containing a colorant such as a dye, pigment, or pigment. The colored layer 8 is more preferably formed from a colored layer-forming material containing a pigment that is more resistant to ultraviolet rays than a dye. The colored layer-forming material may be a general paint or coating layer-forming material that contains such a pigment. The thickness of the colored layer 8 is 1 μm to 30 μm. More preferably, the thickness of the colored layer 8 is 5 μm to 10 μm. In other words, the colored layer 8 is thicker than the metal layer 6.

[0018] The luminous material 4 further has exposed portions 10. The exposed portions 10 are portions where the metal layer 6 is exposed from the colored layers 8. In this embodiment, the luminous material 4 has exposed portions 10 at the ends in the longitudinal or lateral direction of the luminous material 4, i.e., at the ends in the in-plane direction. The exposed portions 10 are formed by exposing both ends of the metal layer 6 sandwiched between the colored layers 8.

[0019] Next, a method for manufacturing the resin molded body 1 will be described.

[0020] 4 , the resin molded product 1 is manufactured by a manufacturing apparatus 21. The manufacturing apparatus 21 includes a first drum 24 that feeds the wound film 22, a first application roller 26 that applies a colored layer forming material to the film 22, a vapor deposition device 28 that vapor-deposits a metal material onto the colored layer 8 to form the metal layer 6, a second application roller 30 that applies the colored layer forming material to the metal layer 6, and a second drum 32 that takes up the film 22.

[0021] As shown in Figure 5(A), first, the film 22 is fed from the first drum 24 (see Figure 4). The film 22 is a thin film of a resin material. Examples of the resin material include polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and polypropylene. Next, as shown in Figure 5(B), a colored layer 8 is formed on the film 22 fed from the first drum 24. The colored layer 8 is formed by applying a colored layer-forming material using a first application roller 26 (see Figure 4).

[0022] Next, as shown in Fig. 5(C), the film 22 on which the colored layer 8 has been formed is passed through a vapor deposition device 28 (see Fig. 4). The vapor deposition device 28 heats the metal material and vaporizes or sublimates it, thereby adhering the metal material to the colored layer 8. As a result, a thin metal film is further formed on the film 22 on which the colored layer 8 has been formed. As a result, a metal layer 6 is further formed on the film 22 on which the colored layer 8 has been formed.

[0023] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(D), a color layer forming material is applied to the metal layer 6 by a second application roller 30 (see FIG. 4). As a result, a color layer 8 is formed on the metal layer 6. In this embodiment, the color layer 8 is located on the back surface 6b of the metal layer 6. The color layer forming material applied by the second application roller 30 may be the same as the color layer forming material applied by the first application roller 26 (see FIG. 4). Furthermore, the color layer forming material applied by the second application roller 30 may be different from the color layer forming material applied by the first application roller 26. The film-attached sheet 12 formed in this manner is wound around a second drum 32 (see FIG. 4).

[0024] Then, as shown in Fig. 5(E), the film 22 is peeled off from the film-attached sheet 12. This produces a sheet 14, which is a sheet-shaped lustrous material, as shown in Fig. 5(F). The colored layer forming material may flow to the edge of the metal layer 6 during the manufacturing process, covering and concealing the metal layer 6. That is, the edge of the sheet 14 may be covered with the colored layer forming material (see the right edge of the sheet 14 in Fig. 5(F)). Furthermore, at the edge of the sheet 14, the colored layer 8 may protrude from the metal layer 6 (see the left edge of the sheet 14).

[0025] Next, as shown in FIG. 6 , the sheet 14 is cut to produce the luminous materials 4. The sheet 14 is cut in a direction intersecting the front surface 6a or back surface 6b of the thin-film metal layer 6 coated with the colored layer 8. The size of the cut sheet 14 is as described above. On the cut surface of the sheet 14, exposed portions 10 are formed, where the metal layer 6 is exposed from the colored layer 8. In this embodiment, before cutting, four edges of the sheet 14 are cut off. As a result, the metal layer 6 is exposed from the colored layer 8. Therefore, exposed portions 10 are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction L of all the luminous materials 4. However, the step of cutting off the edges of the sheet 14 is not necessarily required.

[0026] Next, the luminous material 4 produced as described above is mixed with a translucent resin material. This forms the resin layer 2. Note that the luminous material 4 may be coated with a colored layer 8 of a different color and mixed with the resin material. In this embodiment, the luminous material 4 is kneaded into the resin material. Thereafter, the resin material mixed with the luminous material 4 is poured into an injection mold and injected. In this manner, the resin molded body 1 is produced.

[0027] In the resin layer 2 of the resin molded body 1 manufactured in this manner, there is no colorant separated from the luster material 4, or even if there is, there is only a small amount. Therefore, the resin layer 2 has light translucency. As a result, in the resin molded body 1, the colorant does not become unevenly distributed on the surface of the resin layer 2, as occurs when the resin layer 2 contains a colorant. Therefore, the resin molded body 1 can transmit light incident from the outside to the inside of the resin layer 2.

[0028] Specifically, as shown by the imaginary lines in Figure 1, light incident on the resin layer 2 travels through the resin layer 2 and is then reflected by the colored layer 8. In this embodiment, the resin molded body 1 is injection molded with the lustrous material 4 mixed into the resin material. Therefore, the lustrous material 4 is dispersed and disposed inside the resin layer 2. This causes the light to be randomly reflected at areas close to the surface where the light entered (see D1 in Figure 1) and areas farther away (arrow D2 in Figure 1). This allows the resin molded body 1 to achieve better color development, i.e., a sense of depth.

[0029] Furthermore, part of the light incident on the resin layer 2 is reflected by the exposed portion 10. This allows the resin molding 1 to exhibit a good appearance that has depth of color as well as a sense of brilliance.

[0030] Furthermore, in the resin molded body 1, the resin layer 2 that forms the design of the resin molded body 1 develops color. That is, in the resin molded body 1, it is not necessary to form a clear layer on the resin layer 2 in order to improve color development. This allows the resin molded body 1 to be manufactured at lower cost.

[0031] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a resin molded body 1 that exhibits a good, shiny appearance without providing a clear layer overlying the resin layer 2.

[0032] Other Embodiments Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0033] For example, in the above embodiment, the resin molded body 1 has been described as a component used in an automobile, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The resin molded body 1 may be a resin component used in a device other than an automobile.

[0034] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example in which exposed portions 10 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction L has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A , the exposed portions 10 may be provided by cutting out a portion of the colored layer 8 to expose a portion of the front surface 6 a of the metal layer 6. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7B , the entire back surface 6 b of the metal layer 6 may be exposed to provide the exposed portions 10. In any case, the exposed portions 10 may have any form as long as a portion of the metal layer 6 is exposed from the colored layer 8.

[0035] The colored layer 8 may have different colors on the rear surface 6b and the front surface 6a, thereby providing the resin molded body 1 with a sense of depth due to the difference in hue in addition to the sense of depth created by the reflection of light rays at random positions.

[0036] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1: Resin molded body 2: Resin layer 4: Luster material 6: Metal layer 6a: Surface 6b: Back surface 8: Colored layer 10: Exposed portion 12: Sheet C1, C2: Decorative portion L: Longitudinal direction S: Shortitudinal direction

Claims

DEPCT681. A resin extrusion comprising: a light-transmitting resin layer; and a sparkling component contained within that resin layer, in which the sparkling component includes: a metallic layer formed from metallic material; a colored layer containing color enhancers that enclose the metallic layer; and an exposed portion that exposes the metallic layer from the colored layer.

2. A resin extrusion under claim 1, in which the metallic layer is formed in the form of a thin film, and an exposed portion is provided at the ends of the metallic layer.

3. A resin extrusion under claim 1 or 2, in which the metallic layer has an exposed surface.

4. Methods for producing resin molded parts, which include: preparing a metallic layer formed from metallic material; covering the metallic layer with a colored layer containing color enhancers; producing sparkling components by cutting the metallic and colored layers in a direction that cuts through the surface of the metallic layer covered with the colored layer; and mixing the sparkling components into the light-transmitting resin material and forming a resin layer from that resin material;

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