DESIGN PANEL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

• US 20120033408A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Hirokatsu, Inoue, Masatomo
• Granted Patent: US 8,591,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/97.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/06 using individual cut-out symbols or cut-out silhouettes, e.g. perforated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/10 using transparencies

Abstract

A design panel is provided having a plate-like panel main body made of a synthetic resin, the panel main body including a light-transmitting portion having a light-transmitting property, the light-transmitting portion being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portion, and a light-shielding portion adapted to prevent diffusion of a light that passes through the light-transmitting portion or a light-suppressing portion adapted to prevent incident light from entering the synthetic resin at the light-suppressing portion. A method for producing the design panel is also provided, the method including the steps of: forming the panel main body from the synthetic resin having a light-transmitting property; and forming the light-shielding portion or light-suppressing portion by radiating a laser beam onto a given part of the synthetic resin.

Claims

1. A method for producing a design panel, the design panel including a plate-like panel main body made of a synthetic resin, the panel main body including a light-transmitting portion having a light-transmitting property, the light-transmitting portion being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portion, and a light-shielding portion adapted to prevent diffusion of a light that passes through the light-transmitting portion,

the method comprising the steps of:

forming the panel main body from the synthetic resin having a light-transmitting property; and

forming the light-shielding portion by radiating a laser beam onto a given part of the synthetic resin such that the given part changes color.

3. The method for producing a design panel according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin from which the panel main body is formed is white and opaque.

2. A method for producing a design panel, the design panel including a plate-like panel main body made of a synthetic resin, the panel main body including a light-transmitting portion having a light-transmitting property, the light-transmitting portion being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portion, and an incident light-suppressing portion provided adjacent to the light-transmitting portion and adapted to prevent an incident light from entering the synthetic resin at the light-suppressing portion,

the method comprising the steps of:

forming the panel main body from the synthetic resin having a light-transmitting property; and

forming the incident light-suppressing portion by radiating a laser beam onto a given part of the backside of the panel such that an uneven portion is formed on the given part.

6. The method for producing a design panel according to claim 2, wherein the synthetic resin is white opaque.

4. A design panel comprising:

a plate-like panel main body made of a synthetic resin, the panel main body including;

a light-transmitting portion having a light-transmitting property,

the light-transmitting portion being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of light-transmitting portion, and

a light-shielding portion adapted to prevent diffusion of a light that passes through the light-transmitting portion, and

wherein the light-shielding portion is formed by radiating a laser beam onto a given part of the synthetic resin such that a color of the given part is changed.

7. The design panel according to claim 4, further comprising a projection wall that is formed integrally with the panel main body and projects rearwardly therefrom.

8. The design panel according to claim 7, wherein the light-shielding portion is formed on the panel main body adjacent to the projection wall.

9. The design panel according to claim 7, further comprising a printed board secured to an end of the projection wall and disposed opposite the panel main body.

10. The design panel according to claim 4, further including a display character array formed on a front side of the panel main body.

11. The design panel according to claim 10, wherein the light-shielding portion surrounds the display character array.

17. The design panel according to claim 10, wherein the light-suppressing portion surrounds the display character array.

5. A design panel comprising:

a plate-like panel main body made of a synthetic resin, the panel main body including;

a light-transmitting portion having a light-transmitting property,

the light-transmitting portion being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portion, and

an incident light-suppressing portion provided adjacent to the light-transmitting portion for restraining an incident light from entering the synthetic resin at the light-suppressing portion,

wherein the incident light-suppressing portion formed by radiating a laser beam onto a given part of a backside of the panel main body such that an uneven portion is formed on the given part.

12. The design panel according to claim 5, further comprising a projection wall that is formed integrally with the panel main body and projects rearwardly therefrom.

13. The design panel according to claim 12, wherein the light-suppressing portion is formed on the panel main body adjacent to the projection wall.

14. The design panel according to claim 12, further comprising a printed board secured to an end of the projection wall and disposed opposite the panel main body.

15. The design panel according to claim 5, wherein the uneven portion is configured to irregularly reflect the incident light.

16. The design panel according to claim 5, further including a display character array formed on a front side of the panel main body.