Molded panel and method of manufacture
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a panel, said panel being generally opaque but having at least one translucent area, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a first liquid material onto a surface of a translucent film disposed in a molding tool, said first liquid material being constituted to bond to a first area of the surface of said translucent film; and
introducing a second liquid material onto an area on the surface of the translucent film other than the first area, said second liquid material being constituted to bond to the area on the surface of said translucent film to which it is introduced;
one of said first and second liquid materials being opaque and the other being translucent.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for forming a generally opaque panel with integral translucent areas. An opaque first liquid material is introduced onto the surface of a translucent film provided in a molding tool, and the first material, when cured, bonds to an area on the surface of the film. A translucent second liquid material is then introduced onto the translucent film in a second area, other than the one area. The surface of the translucent film to which the liquid materials have been introduced then becomes the interior surface of the panel. The resulting panel has a translucent front layer and, on its rear surface, an opaque material and a translucent material are formed into difference sections on a single layer.
23 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a panel, said panel being generally opaque but having at least one translucent area, said method comprising the steps of:
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introducing a first liquid material onto a surface of a translucent film disposed in a molding tool, said first liquid material being constituted to bond to a first area of the surface of said translucent film; and introducing a second liquid material onto an area on the surface of the translucent film other than the first area, said second liquid material being constituted to bond to the area on the surface of said translucent film to which it is introduced; one of said first and second liquid materials being opaque and the other being translucent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for manufacturing an illuminated panel, comprising the steps of:
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placing one of an electroluminescent film and a fiber optic web on a translucent film in a molding tool, said translucent film being shaped to conform to at least one surface of said illuminated panel; and forming an opaque material onto the translucent film in the molding tool so that said opaque material bonds to said translucent film and also bonds to said one of an electroluminescent film and a fiber optic web. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for manufacturing an illuminated panel component, comprising the steps of:
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placing an LED module onto a translucent film in a molding tool, said translucent film being shaped to conform to at least one surface of said illuminated panel; and forming a material onto the translucent film in the molding tool so that said material bonds to a surface of said translucent film and to the LED module. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A panel which is generally opaque but has at least one translucent area, said comprising:
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a translucent film; a first material bonded to a first area on a rear surface of said translucent film; and a second material bonded to an area on the rear surface of said translucent film other than the first area, the second material being on a common layer with the first material; one of said first and second materials being opaque and the other being translucent. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An illuminated panel, comprising:
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a translucent film; one of an electroluminescent film and a fiber optic web disposed on the translucent film; an opaque material bonded to said translucent film and said one of an electroluminescent film and a fiber optic web. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification