Instrument panel having cover with reflection-reduction layer and method of making cover

• US 5,971,556 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Carter, James C., Megregian, Richard, Nichols, Eli
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US08/936,653
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 359/360, 362/23, 362/29, 362/30, 362/307, 362/329
• US Class Current: 362/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices

Abstract

An instrument panel having a light source and a transparent cover in front of the light source. The transparent cover has a first surface at the front side of the cover and a second surface at the back side of the cover, and is formed of a polymeric wall and a polymeric film. The polymeric film has a reflection-reduction layer thereon and is bonded by intermolecular forces to the wall so that the polymeric film is on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the cover and the reflection-reduction layer is sandwiched between the film and the wall. The reflection-reduction layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of (a) oxides of magnesium, zinc, or aluminum, or alloys thereof, (b) hydroxides of magnesium, zinc, or aluminum, or alloys thereof, and (c) semi-metals and metals which are non-alkali metals and non-alkaline earth metals, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. The method for making a transparent cover includes (a) applying a reflection-reduction layer onto a polymeric film, (b) placing the polymeric film with the reflection-reduction layer thereon on at least one inside surface of a mold so that the reflection-reduction layer is exposed; (c) filling the mold with a moldable polymer; and (d) allowing the moldable polymer to harden so that a transparent cover having an inmolded reflection-reduction layer is formed.

Claims

1. An illuminating instrument panel having a front side for positioning toward a viewer and a back side for positioning away from the viewer, the instrument panel comprising:

a light source; and

a transparent cover in front of the light source formed of a polymeric film and a polymeric wall, said polymeric film having a textured first surface defining a front surface of the transparent cover and a second surface having a reflection-reduction layer thereon, said polymeric wall having a first surface disposed against said reflection-reduction layer and a second surface defining a back surface of the transparent cover, said reflection-reduction layer being sandwiched directly between said polymeric film and said polymeric wall, said polymeric film being bonded to said polymeric wall by intermolecular forces, the reflection-reduction layer formed of a material selected from the group consisting of (a) oxides of magnesium, zinc, or aluminum, or alloys thereof, (b) hydroxides of magnesium, zinc, or aluminum, or alloys thereof, and (c) semi-metals and metals which are non-alkali metals and non-alkaline earth metals, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

2. The illuminating instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the reflection-reduction layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, chromium, titanium, aluminum, lanthanum, indium, tin, lead, tantalum, tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, osmium, iridium, platinum, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, zinc, cadmium, vanadium, hafnium, rhenium, thallium, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, and alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

3. The illuminating instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the reflection-reduction layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, chromium, titanium, and alloys of nickel.

4. The illuminating instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the reflection-reduction layer ranges in thickness from about 5 to about 150 millimicrons.

5. The illuminating instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the reflection-reduction layer ranges in thickness from about 10 to about 18 millimicrons.