Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-22
2003-04-15
Yao, Sam Chuan (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S230000, C156S236000, C156S241000, C156S247000, C156S267000, C156S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547910
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing a trim panel with a thin decorative layer on a supporting element, the thin decorative layer being composed of one of an organic and a crystalline material which is frangible in a thin layer.
RELATED TECHNOLOGY
German Patent No. DE 296 04 026 U1 describes a functional part extending essentially two-dimensionally and having a front or covering layer made of a brittle natural material, in particular of a stone or stone-like material, which is frangible in a thin layer. In this case, the front or covering layer is arranged on a supporting layer of a fiber-reinforced material with a plastic matrix. However, the functional part can only be used to a restricted extent as a trim panel for decorative purposes, since its essentially two-dimensional extent does not allow it to be used for trim panels with a three-dimensionally curved surface area.
German Patent No. DE 297 12 329 U1 describes a three-dimensionally curved molded part of composite material, in which the decorative elements are composed of fibers or a fiber mat. The shaping of the part curved in three spatial directions is predetermined by a molded part produced by deep drawing. In the case of this method, however, the use of a brittle material that is frangible in a thin layer is not possible.
German Patent No. DE 39 30 603 A1 also shows a trim panel and a method for producing it, the trim panel having a surface form which is curved in three spatial directions. In this case, the final form is produced by two workpiece molds serving for shaping, an upper mold and a lower mold, by placement into these molds and curing. Consequently, only flexible materials can be used as decorative inserts. The use of a brittle material which is frangible in a thin layer, such as natural stone for example, is not possible on account of the bending of the material of the decorative inserts required for shaping.
German Patent No. DE 39 40 102 A1 describes lightweight composite panels for producing fittings and fixtures with surfaces of natural stone. The lightweight composite panels described there are produced exclusively for the predetermined application purposes. The invention described there consequently relates to the variable, vibration- and torsion-resistant construction of the composite panels according to the area of application, and to the possibilities for joining them together to form three-dimensional bodies and the shaping of their surface. Special refinements of the method relate to the shaping of surface intarsias, bore holes and profiles.
German Patent No. DE 41 12 607 A1 describes a method and a device for coating profiled surfaces of workpieces in panel form. The method mentioned there serves for coating a profiled surface of a workpiece in panel form with a flexible, two-dimensional coating material, such as for example a veneer, a decorative paper or the like. The method in this case includes the following steps: placing the workpiece onto a pressing plate, with the coating material being located over the workpiece and a layer of glue being located on the workpiece and/or the coating material; lowering an unheated molding membrane onto the coating material; evacuating the space between the molding membrane and the lower pressing plate; lowering a heated, elastically extensible pressing membrane onto the molding membrane and subjecting the pressing membrane to pressure.
German Patent DE No. 198 22 425.7, which is not a prior publication, describes a trim panel of the generic type for decorative purposes, in particular in the interior area and here preferably for the interior trim of passenger compartments of vehicles, in which panel a decorative layer of a natural material, here natural stone in particular, is applied to the visible side of a base part. In the case of this method, the decorative natural stone layer can be realized in any desired three-dimensional form. For this purpose, the desired, final surface form is produced by milling from a solid material, involving the use of a large amount of the natural material. The milled layer is in this case held on a supporting element, on which it remains during subsequent use. The method permits a high degree of design freedom, but has the serious disadvantages of long times for working the material and the use of a large amount of material.
German Patent No. DE 199 09 642.2, which is likewise not a prior publication, describes a trim panel and a method for producing it in which a very thin decorative layer, in particular of natural stone, is produced. A kind of “stone veneer” is concerned here. This thin decorative layer is then used to produce the trim panel by placing it into a mold and encapsulating it by pouring or injecting transparent plastic around it.
However, this method suffers from a number of problems, since the decorative layer is not cohesive enough and often breaks up into individual parts during encapsulation. Furthermore, the decorative layer can adapt itself only with difficulty or inadequately to the contour predetermined by the casting mold, since the contour has to allow space above the decorative layer for the plastic on the visible side, resulting in different thicknesses of plastic layer above the decorative layer, which is visually very disadvantageous and gives the trim panel the appearance of distortion and inadequate production accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a trim panel with a thin decorative layer and a supporting element, the decorative layer being composed of an organic and/or crystalline material which is frangible in a thin layer, and in which the thin decorative layer can be applied to an at least approximately free, three-dimensional geometrical shape of the supporting element.
The present invention provides a method for producing a trim panel with a thin decorative layer on a supporting element, the thin decorative layer being composed of one of an organic and a crystalline material which is frangible in a thin layer, the method comprising: applying a plastic fixing film to a first surface of the thin decorative layer; applying a portion of adhesive to a first surface of a supporting element; placing the second surface of the supporting element into a lower mold; sizing the decorative layer and plastic fixing film; positioning the second surface of the decorative layer adjacent the first surface of the supporting element; positioning an elastic element on the decorative layer the plastic fixing film; applying pressure to a side of the elastic element facing away from the decorative layer so as to adapt the decorative layer to the first surface of the supporting element and so as to adhesively bond the decorative layer to the supporting element as a composite structure; removing the composite structure from the lower mold; machining an outer contour of the composite structure to predetermined dimensions; and removing the plastic fixing film from the decorative layer using at least one of heat and a solvent.
In the case of the method according to the present invention, an advantage is that a plastic fixing film is applied to a surface of the thin decorative layer. This plastic fixing film is composed of an adhesive and a nonwoven fabric or a film. In this context, the nonwoven fabric or the film must be capable of following plastic deformations, for example stretching or plastic extension, without tearing.
The film or the nonwoven fabric is applied with the adhesive to one of the surfaces of the thin, veneer-like decorative layer. A hot-melt adhesive may serve for example as the adhesive, this adhesive usually being applied in any case to the thin decorative layers, in particular those of natural stone, for production reasons. The nonwoven fabric or film can then be fixed on the already present layer of hot-melt adhesive under the effect of heat and be penetrated by the adhesive.
It goes without saying that, apart from the use of hot-melt adhesive, the use of many other ty
Benzing Thomas
Jambor Arno
Skrzypek Uwe
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Kenyon & Kenyon
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