Vehicle Control Cap With Translucent Metal Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing caps for display or control elements in vehicles suffer from poor visibility of symbols under varying lighting conditions, especially when viewed from the side, leading to unreliable information transmission and potential safety issues due to the sensitivity of metal coatings to cleaning agents and body perspiration.
Innovation Solution
A cap with a translucent metal coating applied using PVD, featuring a three-dimensional contour and a mask-defined symbol, ensuring clear visibility of illuminated symbols even at angles and high ambient light intensity, while being inexpensive and durable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal coating is applied to the cap to create a symbol, then the symbol is visible, but the symbol becomes sensitive to cleaning agents and body perspiration
Solution Approach 1:
A protective clear coat is applied over the metal coating to act as an intermediary barrier. This clear coat protects the metal layer from direct contact with cleaning agents and perspiration, while still allowing the symbol to be visible when illuminated. The metal coating remains intact underneath, maintaining its reflective properties without being degraded by chemical exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap employs a composite structure combining multiple materials: a base material (transparent or translucent), a metal coating layer for symbol formation, and a protective clear coat. This composite approach allows each layer to perform its specific function - the metal provides reflectivity for symbol visibility, while the clear coat provides chemical resistance, together creating a reliable display surface.
2Reliability
If a metal layer is applied to the cap body to produce a symbol, then the symbol can be displayed, but the manufacturing process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or multi-step manufacturing processes with a simpler PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coating process. Instead of using multiple layers, masks, and assembly steps, the symbol is created by selectively depositing metal coating material onto the cap surface using PVD technology, which can be done in a single controlled process step.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing approach by controlling the deposition parameters of the PVD process to selectively form the metal symbol coating. By adjusting parameters such as deposition rate, temperature, and masking patterns during the PVD process, the symbol is created directly on the cap surface without requiring complex post-processing or assembly operations.
3Illumination intensity
If the symbol is clearly visible in daylight, then the operator can see the symbol, but it becomes difficult to distinguish whether the symbol is lit or not
Solution Approach 1:
The metal coating is selected and configured to exhibit specific optical properties that create a noticeable difference in appearance between illuminated and non-illuminated states. When the symbol is lit, the metal coating reflects the light source, creating a bright, distinct appearance. When unlit, the metal coating appears darker or has a different reflectivity characteristic, allowing the operator to distinguish the illumination state even in daylight conditions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the symbol is visible from the side, then passenger visibility is improved, but the metal coating requires additional protective lacquer
Solution Approach 1:
The protective clear coat is merged with the metal symbol coating in a single integrated layer structure. Rather than applying separate protective layers for different purposes, the clear coat serves dual functions: it protects the metal coating from chemical damage and maintains the symbol's visibility from various angles by providing a smooth, optically clear surface that doesn't interfere with light reflection from the metal layer.
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 cap provides reliable differentiation between illuminated and non-illuminated states under all lighting conditions, enhancing safety and reducing unnecessary information overload, with improved lateral recognizability and resistance to abrasion and chemical exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a translucent, ie also partially translucent, metal coating... the degree of light transmission and the light source provided on the inside of the cap or its light intensity and/or its spectrum are selected in such a way that the comparatively intense light from the light source is transmitted
Implementation Method 2
The metal coating is applied by means of a PVD (physical vapor deposition) method
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a cap (1) for a display and/or control element. Said cap (1) comprises a cap member (3) for covering a light source (7) and optionally also actuating a switch of an associated control element. A luminous area or projection area is embodied in the cap member (3) in such a way that a symbol represented on or through the luminous area or projection area becomes visible on an operator's side of the display and/or control element by irradiating the symbol by means of a light source (7). The luminous area or projection area encompasses a light-permeable metal coating (2) which is preferably applied using a PVD process. The cap is characterized in that the metal coating (2) has a three-dimensional contour (2a, 2b) for representing the symbol. The invention further relates to an associated production method, a display or control element comprising said cap, and a use.