Iridescent vehicle applique

• US 9,688,215 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Karmo, Talat, Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Musleh, Michael, Surman, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H
• Application Number:
  US15/152,095
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 428914, 428915
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/372 provided with means for marking or patterning, e.g. numbering articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/005 LSR, i.e. liquid silicone rubbers, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0094 having particular viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2905/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as mould material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0018 having particular optical properties, e.g. fluorescent or phosphorescent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/722 Decorative or ornamental articles
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/18 Applying ornamental structures, e.g. shaped bodies consisting of plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/228 by laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/14 Iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/005 Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/914 Transfer or decalcomania

Abstract

A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle surface and a vehicle applique in direct contact with the vehicle surface. The applique includes a polymeric substrate and an over-mold positioned on the substrate. The over-mold comprises a diffraction grating integral with the over-mold, the grating having a thickness from about 250 nm to 1000 nm and a period from 50 nm to 5 microns.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a vehicle applique in contact with a vehicle surface, the applique comprising:

a polymeric substrate; and

an over-mold positioned on the substrate, wherein the over-mold comprises a diffraction grating integral with the over-mold, the grating having a thickness from about 250 nm to 1000 nm and a period from 50 nm to 5 microns.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the over-mold comprises a silicone material.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises a phosphorescent material configured to emit light through the over-mold.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating defines an indicia.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the indicia includes at least one of text and a symbol.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating is defined on an exterior surface of the over-mold and the vehicle surface is an exterior surface.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the diffraction grating substantially covers the exterior surface of the over-mold.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the grating has a thickness from 500 nm to 750 nm and a period from 150 nm to 400 nm.

9. An iridescent vehicle applique, comprising:

a polymeric substrate; and

a translucent over-mold positioned over the substrate defining an exterior surface, the over-mold comprising silicone and defining at least one diffraction grating integrally defined on the exterior surface of the over-mold.

10. The applique of claim 9, wherein a period of the at least one diffraction grating varies across the diffraction grating.

11. The applique according to claim 9, wherein the period of the diffraction grating varies between two to five discrete values within the at least one diffraction grating.

12. The applique according to claim 9, wherein the applique is positioned on at least one of a trunk lid, rear quarter panel and door panel of a vehicle.

13. The applique according to claim 12, wherein the over-mold comprises a plurality of diffraction gratings, the diffraction gratings positioned in a spaced apart configuration.

14. The applique according to claim 13, wherein the polymeric substrate of the applique comprises phosphorescent material configured to emit light from the over-mold between the plurality of diffraction gratings.

15. A method of making an iridescent vehicular applique, comprising:

forming a mold with mold surfaces;

ablating at least one of the mold surfaces to form a diffraction grating mold surface;

forming a substrate within the mold; and

over-molding a liquid polymer over the substrate, wherein the liquid polymer penetrates the diffraction grating.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step:

heating the diffraction grating mold surface prior to injection of the liquid polymer.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step:

solidifying the liquid polymer to form an over-mold on the substrate, wherein the over-mold defines a diffraction grating in an exterior surface of the over-mold.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the liquid polymer comprises a silicone material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the diffraction grating is shaped to form an indicia.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the silicone material has viscosity of less than about 2000 pa·

s when over-molded onto the substrate.