Printed circuit board and light guide for electronics assembly

A trim panel assembly comprising:

• a molded support panel, the molded support panel including an exterior surface and a cavity defined in the exterior surface;
• an electronic assembly located in the cavity, the electronic assembly including:
• a printed foil extending for a first area;
• a printed circuit board disposed overtop the printed foil, the printed circuit board extending for a second area smaller than the first area;
• a light guide disposed overtop the printed circuit board and having a perimeter, wherein the perimeter of the light guide is inset from the printed foil, and the perimeter of the light guide surrounds the printed circuit board and forms a sealed interface with the printed foil, and wherein at least a portion of the perimeter of the light guide is beveled;
• a reflector disposed overtop the light guide;
• and wherein the molded support panel is substantially planar, and wherein a semi-transparent material is overmolded directly onto and overtop the electronic assembly and at least some of the molded support panel, wherein the perimeter of the light guide includes a beveled portion, wherein the beveled portion faces towards the injection direction, wherein when the semi-transparent material is overmolded onto the electronic assembly, the semi-transparent material is injected in a direction substantially parallel to the molded support panel, the molded support panel being substantially planar, and the beveled portion of the perimeter of the light guide generates force in a direction orthogonal to the molded support panel, the molded support panel being substantially planar, wherein the force creates the sealed interface between the light guide and the printed foil.

A method of forming a trim panel assembly, comprising:

• assembling an electronic assembly having a printed foil extending for a first area, a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed overtop the printed foil, the PCB extending for a second area smaller than the first area, a light guide disposed overtop the printed circuit board and having a perimeter, wherein the perimeter of the light guide is inset from the printed foil, and the perimeter of the light guide surrounds the PCB and forms a sealed interface with the printed foil, and wherein the perimeter of the light guide includes a beveled portion, and a reflector disposed overtop the light guide;
• arranging the electronic assembly within a cavity defined in an exterior surface of a molded support panel, the molded support panel being substantially planar;
• overmolding a semi-transparent material directly onto and overtop the electronic assembly and at least some of the molded support panel, and
• wherein the semi-transparent material is overmolded in an injection direction, and wherein the beveled portion of the perimeter of the light guide is inset from edges of the printed foil by a distance of at least one millimeter;
• and the light guide, the PCB, and the printed foil define an air gap located at an outer edge of the printed circuit board;
• and wherein the beveled portion faces towards the injection direction and defines one or more of a curvilinear cross-section and an angular cross-section.