Panel and method for producing the same

• US 8,591,051 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Hirokatsu, Inoue, Masatomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLEN, ALEXANDER K
• Application Number:
  US13/264,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20120033408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362/29, 362/97.1, 362/23.19, 362/23.01, 362/23.12, 264/400, 428156-160
• US Class Current: 362/23.19
• 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 plurality of light-transmitting portions having a light-transmitting property, the light-transmitting portions being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portions, and a plurality of light-shielding portions adapted to prevent diffusion of a light that passes through the light-transmitting portions in the planar direction of the panel main body, 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 portions by radiating a laser beam onto given parts of the synthetic resin such that the given parts change color, the light-shielding portions each having substantially a same thickness as that of the panel main body, wherein the design panel has a viewable area, a majority of the viewable area is covered by a black painted layer which does not transmit light to a viewer, and the light-shielding portions are grouped in pairs, with one of each pair being a predetermined distance in a lateral direction along the panel main body from the light source, the pair having a respective portion on each side of a plane defined by the light source and the panel main body.

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.

5. The method for producing a design panel according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming a plurality of light-transmitting portions that are viewable to a user, each of the plurality of light-transmitting portions having substantially a same thickness.

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 plurality of light-transmitting portions having a light-transmitting property, the light-transmitting portions being adapted to be illuminated by a light for illumination from a backside of the light-transmitting portions, and a plurality of incident light-suppressing portions provided adjacent to each light-transmitting portion and adapted to prevent an incident light from entering the synthetic resin at the light-suppressing portions, 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 portions by radiating a laser beam onto given parts of the backside of the panel such that a plurality of uneven portions are formed on each given part, wherein each of the plurality of light-transmitting portions has substantially a same thickness, the design panel has a viewable area, a majority of the viewable area is covered by a black painted layer which does not transmit light to a viewer, and the light-suppressing portions are grouped in pairs, with one of each pair being a predetermined distance in a lateral direction along the panel main body from the light source, the pair having a respective portion on each side of a plane defined by the light source and the panel main body.

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