Heated Vehicle Emblem Structure for 3D Forming Without Heater Breakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle emblems with built-in heaters face issues of void portions causing reduced millimeter wave transmission performance and potential heater element breakage due to deformation during manufacturing, leading to increased manufacturing complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle emblem configuration with a decorative film, a circuit film containing a heater element, and cushion layers to reduce stress on the heater element, along with a transparent front base material and rear base material, allowing for electromagnetic wave permeability and efficient heat transfer while preventing heater element breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the front base material is insert-molded in the back surface of a decorative portion having an uneven shape, then the decorative layer can follow the uneven shape to improve appearance, but void portions occur between the depression and the heater portion which reduces millimeter wave transmission performance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic base material from between the decorative layer and heater layer by using a self-adhesive heater layer that directly adheres to the decorative layer. This eliminates the void portions that occur when base material is insert-molded into uneven surfaces, thereby maintaining millimeter wave transmission performance while still allowing the decorative layer to follow the uneven shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The self-adhesive heater layer acts as an intermediary between the decorative layer and the rear base material. It directly adheres to the decorative layer's uneven surface without requiring base material insertion, eliminating voids and ensuring good thermal conduction from the heater to the decorative layer while maintaining electromagnetic wave permeability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple molding steps such as injection molding of the transparent member, insert molding of the front base material, two-color molding of a connection portion, and insert molding of the rear base material are used, then the structural integrity can be ensured, but the manufacturing labor and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the heater layer with the circuit board by using a self-adhesive heater layer that is directly applied to the decorative layer. This eliminates the need for separate insert molding steps for the front base material and connection portions, reducing the number of molding steps from four to two while maintaining structural integrity through the self-adhesive bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The self-adhesive heater layer serves multiple functions: it provides heating functionality, acts as an adhesive layer between the decorative layer and heater element, and eliminates the need for separate base material insertion steps. This multi-functionality simplifies the manufacturing process while ensuring structural integrity.
3Loss of energy
If the decorative layer and heater layer are brought into close contact with each other and deformed into a convex shape to follow the concave portion of the front base material, then the heat conduction efficiency is improved, but stress is applied to the heater element which may cause breakage or deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the heater layer by using a self-adhesive heater layer that can conform to the decorative layer's uneven shape through its adhesive properties rather than through mechanical deformation. This allows the heater layer to follow the concave portions for good thermal contact without applying stress that would cause breakage, as the adhesive bonding accommodates the shape variations.
4Reliability
If a transparent member having a concave portion in a rear portion is formed by injection molding and the decorative layer is formed by printing and vapor-depositing, then the millimeter wave transmission performance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex with multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex multi-step manufacturing process by eliminating the injection molding step for creating a transparent member with concave portions. Instead, the self-adhesive heater layer is directly applied to the decorative layer, which already has the required electromagnetic wave transmission properties, thereby maintaining performance while simplifying the manufacturing process to just two steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed configuration effectively prevents heater element breakage and deterioration by reducing deformation stress and enhancing manufacturing efficiency through simplified molding steps and improved design properties.
Implementation Method 1
a heater layer that generates heat for melting snow
Implementation Method 2
it is required that millimeter waves pass through the emblem without problems for a radar to function
Implementation Method 3
improve heat conduction efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an emblem for a vehicle with a built-in heater and a method for manufacturing the same in which it is possible to prevent breakage of a heater element and to reduce deterioration even in a configuration in which a heater layer is shaped (deformed) together with a decorative layer having a three-dimensional shape. The emblem, having electromagnetic wave permeability, for a vehicle with a built-in heater comprises: a decorative film; a circuit film on which a heater element is disposed; a first cushion layer disposed between the back surface of the decorative film and the front surface of the circuit film; a second cushion layer disposed on the back surface of the circuit film; a transparent front base material disposed on the front surface of the decorative film; and a rear base material disposed on the back surface of the circuit film.