Antimicrobial metallic touch surfaces and methods for making the same
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAdam F. Gross, Janet C. Robincheck, William Schumacher, Nancy L. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antimicrobial interior component for a vehicle includes an interior component body having a contoured surface. The interior component also includes an antimicrobial jacket assembly having a first piece and a second piece coupled together and disposed over the contoured surface. The antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface disposed over the contoured surface of the interior component body. The first piece and the second piece each includes an antimicrobial metal material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface.
Claims13
An antimicrobial interior component for a vehicle comprising:
- an interior component body having a contoured surface;
- and
- an antimicrobial jacket assembly comprising a first piece defining a first edge and a second piece defining a second edge, the first piece and the second piece being coupled together and disposed over the contoured surface, wherein the antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface disposed over the contoured surface of the interior component body, wherein the first piece and the second piece each comprises an antimicrobial metal material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface, wherein the first piece and the second piece are coupled together at a zero-gap interface between the first edge and the second edge such that the first edge overlaps with the second edge at the zero-gap interface, and wherein the first edge and the second edge are tapered where the first edge and the second edge overlap such that a smooth interface is formed between the first edge and the second edge along the at least one touch surface where the first edge and the second edge overlap.
An antimicrobial component for a vehicle comprising:
- a component body having a contoured surface;
- and
- an antimicrobial jacket assembly comprising a first metal piece defining a first edge and a second metal piece defining a second edge, the first metal piece and the second metal piece being coupled together and adhered to the contoured surface, wherein the antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface over the contoured surface of the component body, wherein the first metal piece and the second metal piece each has a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.51 mm and each comprises an antimicrobial copper-based material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface and the at least one touch surface is substantially free of wrinkles,
- wherein the antimicrobial copper-based material comprises, by weight, at least 60% copper, and
- wherein the first piece and the second piece are coupled together at a zero-gap interface between the first edge and the second edge such that the first edge overlaps with the second edge at the zero-gap interface, and wherein the first edge and the second edge are tapered where the first edge and the second edge overlap such that a smooth interface is formed between the first edge and the second edge along the at least one touch surface where the first edge and the second edge overlap.
An antimicrobial interior component for a vehicle comprising:
- an interior component body having a contoured surface;
- and
- an antimicrobial jacket assembly comprising a first piece defining a first edge and a second piece defining a second edge, the first piece and the second piece being coupled together and disposed over the contoured surface, wherein the antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface disposed over the contoured surface of the interior component body, wherein the first piece and the second piece each comprises an antimicrobial metal material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface, wherein the first piece and the second piece are coupled together at a zero-gap interface between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge abut each other without overlapping at the zero-gap interface, and wherein the first edge and the second edge each define a lip oriented orthogonal to the contoured surface that extends away from the at least one touch surface into the interior component body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.