ONE-PIECE DECORATIVE TRIM BEZEL HAVING PLURAL UNPAINTED FINISHES

• US 20120235436A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sun, Haoliang Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/050,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235436A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/1.08
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0079 applying a coating or covering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/02 Slide fasteners

Abstract

A one-piece trim bezel formed from multiple components. In the event of two co-molded components, the first co-molded part is composed of a polymerized material having an unpainted surface that may be a high gloss smooth surface or a textured low gloss surface and the second co-molded part, formed with the first part, is composed of a plateable plastic material. The second co-molded part is co-molded with the said first co-molded part to form a single piece trim bezel. The color of the polymerized material of the first co-molded part may be selected from a variety of colors. The plateable plastic material may be plateable with chrome. A multiple-shot injection molding process is used to form the one-piece trim bezel which joins the first co-molded part and the second co-molded part in one operation. The formed part is then subjected to a plating process during which time the chrome only deposits on the surface of the plateable plastic material of the second co-molded part while the surface of the first co-molded part remains unplated.

Claims

1. A single piece trim bezel formed from multiple co-molded components comprising:

a first co-molded part composed of an unplateable polymerized material having an unpainted surface;

a second co-molded part formed with said first part, said second co-molded part being composed of an unplateable polymerized material, said second co-molded part being co-molded with said first co-molded part to form a single piece trim bezel.

2. The single piece trim bezel of claim 1 further including a third co-molded part composed of a polymerized material.

3. The single piece trim bezel of claim 1 wherein said unpainted surface has a finished selected from the group consisting of high gloss and textured low gloss.

4. The single piece trim bezel of claim 1 wherein said unplateable polymerized material is piano black.

5. The single piece trim bezel of claim 1 wherein said co-molded parts are molded by two-shot injection molding.

6. The single piece trim bezel of claim 2 wherein said co-molded parts are molded by three-shot injection molding.

7. A single piece trim bezel formed from multiple co-molded components comprising:

a first co-molded part composed of a polymerized material having an unpainted high gloss surface;

a second co-molded part composed of a plateable polymerized material; and

a third co-molded part formed from a polymerized material having an unpainted textured low gloss surface, said co-molded parts being co-molded to form a single piece trim bezel.

8. The single piece trim bezel of claim 7 wherein said second co-molded part is composed of a plateable polymerized material selected from the group consisting of ABS or PC/ABS.

9. The single piece trim bezel of claim 7 wherein said unpainted polymerized material is selected from the group consisting of unplateable PC or an unplateable PC blend.

10. The single piece trim bezel of claim 7 wherein said unpainted polymerized material is a color selected from a variety of colors.

11. The single piece trim bezel of claim 10 wherein said polymerized material of said first co-molded part is piano black.

12. The single piece trim bezel of claim 11 wherein said injection molding is three-shot injection molding.

13. A method for forming a single piece trim bezel including the steps of:

forming a bezel mold having a first half and a second half, said bezel mold having a first injection port for a first polymerizable material and a second injection port for a second polymerizable material;

positioning said first half and said second half of said bezel mold next to one another;

injecting said first polymerizable material into said first injection port, said first polymerizable material being an unplateable material;

injecting said second polymerizable material into said second injection port, said second polymerizable material being plateable;

removing said single piece trim bezel from said bezel mold; and

subjecting said single piece trim bezel to a plating process whereupon plating material adheres only to said second polymerizable material.

14. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 13 wherein said injection of said first polymerizable material and said second polymerizable material is a two-shot injection process.

15. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 13 further including the step of forming a third injection port in said bezel mold and injecting a third polmerizable material into said bezel mold, said third polymerizable material being an unplateable material.

16. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 15 wherein said injection of said first polymerizable material, said second polymerizable material, and said third polymerizable material is a three-shot injection process.

17. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 13 wherein said bezel tool cavity is heated to between 80°

C. and 180°

C. prior to material injection and thereafter said bezel mold is subjected to a cool down after injection of said first and second polymerizable materials.

18. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 13 wherein said bezel includes an outer surface and wherein said first half of said mold includes a cavity defining said bezel surface.

19. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 18 wherein said cavity includes a first surface against which said first polymerizable material is injected and a second surface against which said second polymerizable material is injected, said second surface being a polished surface.

20. The method for forming a single piece trim bezel of claim 13 wherein said first polymerizable material forms an unpainted high gloss surface in said bezel mold.