Heat resistant plastic lamp components and methods of forming

1. A molded lamp component comprising:

a first portion formed from a first material having a first heat distortion temperature, said first portion comprising less than 100% of an area of the lamp component and having a front side, a back side and at least one side edge; and

a second portion formed from a second material having a second heat distortion temperature, said second portion positioned laterally adjacent said at least one side edge of said first portion and comprising the remaining area of the lamp component, said first heat distortion temperature greater than said second heat distortion temperature.

2. A molded lamp component in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting plastic material, a ceramic material, and a metal material.

3. A molded lamp component in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second material comprises a thermoplastic material.

4. A molded lamp component in accordance with claim 1 wherein a difference between said first heat distortion temperature and said second heat distortion temperature comprises at least about 20° C.

5. A molded lamp component in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one additional portion formed from said second material.

6. A molded lamp component in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one additional portion formed from the first material.

7. A method of fabricating a lamp component, said method comprising:

forming a first portion of the component from a first material having a first heat distortion temperature, the first portion comprising less than 100% of an area of the lamp component and having a front side, a back side and at least one side edge; and

forming a second portion of the component from a second material having a second heat distortion temperature, the second portion positioned laterally adjacent the at least one side edge of the first portion and comprising the remaining area of the lamp component, the first heat distortion temperature higher than the second heat distortion temperature.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein forming a first portion of the component comprises molding the first portion from the first material.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein molding the first portion of the component comprises:

injecting the first material into a first mold under pressure; and

cooling the first material to form the first portion.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein forming a second portion of the component comprises molding the second portion from the second material.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein molding the second portion of the component comprises:

positioning the first portion in a second mold;

injecting the second material into the second mold under pressure; and

cooling the second material to form the lamp component.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein molding the first portion comprises:

injecting the first material under pressure into a first cavity area of a mold;

cooling the first material to form the first portion;

realigning the mold to form a second cavity area in the mold surrounding the first portion;

injecting the second material under pressure into the second cavity area to over-mold the first portion; and

cooling the second material to form the lamp component.

13. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the first material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting plastic material, a ceramic material, and a metal material.

14. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the second material comprises a thermoplastic material.

15. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein a difference between the first heat distortion temperature and the second heat distortion temperature comprises at least about 20° C.

16. A method of fabricating a composite lamp component comprising:

forming a first portion from a first material having a first heat distortion temperature, and molding a second portion around the first portion from a second material having a second heat distortion temperature to form a composite material lamp component, the first heat distortion temperature higher than the second heat distortion temperature.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein forming a first portion comprises molding the first portion in a first mold, and said molding a second portion comprises:

positioning the first portion in a second mold;

injecting the second material into the second mold under pressure; and

cooling the second material to form the lamp component.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein molding the first part comprises:

molding the first material in a first cavity area of a mold to form the first portion;

realigning the mold to form a second cavity area in the mold surrounding the first portion;

molding the second material in the second cavity area to form the lamp component.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the first material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting plastic material, a ceramic material, and a metal material.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the second material comprises a thermoplastic material.

21. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein a difference between the first heat distortion temperature and the second heat distortion temperature comprises at least about 20° C.