IP Library Granted Patent US 11,827,160
Granted Patent B2
US 11,827,160 · App. 16/349,670 · Granted Nov 28, 2023

Method for producing a three-dimensional motor vehicle interior element through which light can shine, and a motor vehicle interior element

Inventors: Alena Sina Kolbe (Seligenstadt, DE); Peter Bolte (Buseck, DE); Till Fiegler (Muenster, DE); Simon Hauck (Aschaffenburg, DE); Jochen Moeller (Darmstadt, DE)
Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
B60R13/02B29C67/246B60Q3/00B60Q3/14B60Q9/00B29C2045/0079B29C2791/001B29K2075/00B29K2995/002B29K2995/0026B29L2031/3005B60R2013/0287
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,827,160
App. No.
16/349,670
Granted
Nov 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for producing a three-dimensional motor vehicle interior element through which light can shine and which has an observer-side surface is produced in two steps. In a first step a three-dimensional transparent substrate is produced from a cross-linked polymer. In a second step the substrate is provided on an observer-side surface of the substrate with a coloring through which light can shine, at least in a subregion.

Claims (14)

1. A method for producing a three-dimensional motor vehicle interior element through which light can shine and which has a rear-side surface and an observer-side surface, the motor vehicle interior element being produced in two steps, the method comprising:

producing a three-dimensional transparent substrate having a first longitudinal elevated substrate region, a planar central region, and a second longitudinal elevated substrate region of the observer-side surface, wherein the substrate is made from a cross-linked polymer; and

providing in at least a subregion, a coloring on an observer-side surface of the substrate through which light can shine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is produced by mixing a first component and a second component.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first component is a polyol and the second component is an aliphatic polyisocyanate, wherein the cross-linked polymer is a polyurethane produced by a reaction of the polyol and the polyisocyanate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the substrate is flooded on the observer-side surface with a colored, cross-linked polymer, thereby forming the coloring through which light can shine as a top layer on the observer-side surface of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is flooded with the colored cross-linked polymer thereby forming a colored, top layer of a uniform layer thickness on the observer-side surface of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the colored, cross-linked polymer forming the top layer is produced by mixing a first top-layer material component and a second top-layer material component, a scratch resistance of the top layer being set by a mixing ratio of the first top-layer material component and the second top-layer material component and/or by a selection of the first top-layer material component and the second top-layer material component.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the substrate is produced from a first cross-linked polymer and the colored top layer is produced from a second cross-linked polymer different from the first cross-linked polymer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the substrate is immersed at least with the observer-side surface into a liquid dye and in that the liquid dye forms the coloring through which light can shine.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein during the flooding with the colored cross-linked polymer the substrate is masked in at least a subregion of the flooded surface of the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a side of the substrate facing away from an observer is connected to an indicating device in an optical bonding method step.

11. A motor vehicle interior element, the motor vehicle interior element comprising: a three-dimensional transparent substrate having a rear-side surface and an observer-side surface comprising a first longitudinal elevated substrate region, a planar central region, and a second longitudinal elevated substrate region, wherein the substrate is made of a cross-linked polymer and wherein the observer-side surface of the substrate has a colored top layer made of a cross-linked polymer in at least a subregion after an immersion of at least the observer-side surface of the substrate in liquid dye, wherein light can shine through the colored top layer.

12. The motor vehicle interior element of claim 11 , wherein an indicating device is arranged on a side of the substrate that is facing away from an observer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 070441/0899 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2019
From: KOLBE, ALENA SINA; BOLTE, PETER; FIEGLER, TILL; HAUCK, SIMON; MOELLER, JOCHEN
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 049290/0012 →