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US 12,337,769 B2Granted
Control unit for a vehicle interior and method for producing the control unit
AssigneeFaurecia Innenraum Systeme GmbH
InventorsRené Zemmrich, Raquel Machado
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a control unit for a vehicle interior. In particular, the control unit can comprise an information region with symbols, wherein some symbols are always visible and some symbols are only visible when they are back lit. The application also relates to a method for producing a corresponding control unit. The control unit can be part of a vehicle interior trim part, for example part of an instrument panel, door trim or center console.
Claims18
A control unit for a vehicle interior, the control unit comprising a visible side, for visibly facing toward the vehicle interior, and a rear side and further comprising:
- a transparent cover layer arranged on the visible side;
- an opaque mask layer;
- and
- a translucent decorative layer arranged between the transparent cover layer and the opaque mask layer, wherein the opaque mask layer and the translucent decorative layer each have at least one through-hole in a first region, wherein in the first region the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer and the at least one through-hole of the translucent decorative layer are aligned with each other, and wherein, in a second region, the opaque mask layer has at least one through-hole covered by the translucent decorative layer, wherein, in the first region, at least one of the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer or the at least one through-hole of the translucent decorative layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is permanently visible on the visible side of the control unit without requiring a backlighting of the control unit from the rear side, and wherein, in the second region, the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is visible on the visible side of the control unit when backlighting the control unit.
1 more element
A method for producing a control unit for a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a first foil having a front side and a rear side;
- printing a translucent decorative layer onto the rear side of the first foil;
- printing on at least a portion of an opaque mask layer;
- eroding at least a portion of the opaque mask layer;
- forming at least one through-hole in a first region of the opaque mask layer;
- forming at least one through-hole in a second region of the opaque mask layer;
- and eroding at least a portion of the translucent decorative layer by laser erosion, to form at least one through-hole in the translucent decorative layer that corresponds to the at least one through-hole in the first region of the opaque mask layer, wherein the translucent decorative layer is located between a transparent cover layer and the opaque mask layer, wherein, in the first region, at least one of the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer or the at least one through-hole of the translucent decorative layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is permanently visible on a visible side of the control unit without requiring backlighting of the control unit from the rear side, and wherein, in the second region, the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is visible on the visible side of the control unit when backlighting the control unit.
4 more elements
A control unit for a vehicle interior the control unit comprising a visible side, for visibly facing toward the vehicle interior, and a rear side and further comprising:
- a transparent cover layer arranged on the visible side;
- an opaque mask layer;
- and
- a translucent decorative layer arranged between the transparent cover layer and the opaque mask layer, wherein the opaque mask layer and the translucent decorative layer each have at least one through-hole in a first region, wherein in the first region the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer and the at least one through-hole of the translucent decorative layer are aligned with each other, wherein, in a second region, the opaque mask layer has at least one through-hole covered by the translucent decorative layer, wherein, in a third region, the opaque mask layer has a plurality of through-holes, wherein the translucent decorative layer covers at least one through hole of the plurality of through-holes, and wherein the third region surrounds the first region and the second region, wherein, in the first region, at least one of the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer or the at least one through-hole of the translucent decorative layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is permanently visible on the visible side of the control unit without requiring a backlighting of the control unit from the rear side, and wherein, in the second region, the at least one through-hole of the opaque mask layer is formed and arranged in such a way that at least one symbol is visible on the visible side of the control unit when backlighting the control unit.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.