Injection molded control panel with in-molded decorated plastic film that includes an internal connector
View Patent ↗Provided are systems and methods for a control assembly including: a first film that is in-molded that includes decorative graphics, a front surface and a rear surface; and a second film molded to the rear surface of the first film having a printed circuit that includes sensors, control circuits and interconnects and a front and rear surface; and an internal connector.
1. A method comprising:
printing the first film and forming, trimming and applying decorative graphics to the first film;
printing the second film and forming, trimming and placing a printed circuit frame on the second film;
mounting components to the printed circuit and programming and testing the printed circuit on the second film;
placing the first and second film together in a mold and injecting the mold with molding resin between the films; and
inspecting the finished panel and packaging and shipping the finished panel once it has been tested.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein mounting components of a printed circuit into the printed circuit frame and programming and testing the printed circuit on the second film further comprises:
(a) depositing a layer of conductive silver ink onto a substrate, the substrate comprising a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate or other suitable substrate;
(b) applying dielectric bridges with the conductive silver ink if a crossover circuit is required;
(c) applying conductive silver bridges with the conductive silver ink;
(d) applying carbon resistor pads and conductor tips;
(e) printing entire circuit area except for circuit tips with a di-electric coating;
(f) printing entire circuit area except for circuit tips and the area adjacent to the tips making up a tail of a free connector with a molding binder resin;
(e) applying polydioctyl-bithiophene (PDOT) conductive polymer onto the printed substrate;
(f) repeating steps (b)-(f) with PDOT instead of conductive silver ink;
(g) printing a touchscreen; and
(h) complete printing all areas.