Selective chrome plating with flush interface
AssigneesSRG Global Liria, S.L., SRG Global, Inc.
InventorsRobert W. Frayer, Sergio Piles Guillem, Juan Monleon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A selectively chrome plated object having a substantially flush interface comprises a first portion formed by injection molding a plateable resin and defining a first top surface, a second portion formed by injection molding a non-plateable resin and defining a second top surface, the second portion sitting proud of the first portion such that the second top surface of the second portion is offset from the first top surface of the first portion, and a third portion formed by a chrome plating process where a chrome plating is applied to the first top surface of the first portion such that a third top surface of the third portion is substantially flush with the second top surface of the second portion.
Claims20
A selectively chrome plated object having a flush interface, the object comprising:
- a first portion defining a first top surface, the first portion being an injection molded plateable resin;
- a second portion defining a second top surface and a rear surface opposite the second top surface, the second portion being an injection molded non-plateable resin and sitting proud of the first portion such that the second top surface of the second portion is offset a first distance from the first top surface of the first portion;
- and
- a chrome plating layer applied to the first top surface of the first portion in an amount defining a thickness of the chrome plating layer that is equal to the first distance, such that a top surface of the chrome plating layer is flush with the second top surface of the second portion and such that a bottom surface of the chrome plating layer is in direct contact with the first top surface of the first portion,
- wherein:
- the rear surface of the second portion is an external surface of the selectively chrome plated object;
- and
- a distance between the second top surface and the rear surface of the second portion equals a total thickness of the selectively chrome plated object.
A method of manufacturing a selectively chrome plated object having a flush interface, the method comprising:
- injection molding a plateable resin to form a first portion of the object, the first portion defining a first top surface;
- injection molding a non-plateable resin to form a second portion of the object that sits proud with respect to the first portion, the second portion defining a second top surface and a rear surface opposite the second top surface, wherein the second top surface is offset a first distance from the first top surface, wherein the rear surface of the second portion is an external surface of the selectively chrome plated object, and wherein a distance between the second top surface and the rear surface of the second portion equals a total thickness of the selectively chrome plated object;
- and
- performing a chrome plating process where a chrome plating is applied to the first top surface of the first portion in an amount defining a thickness of the chrome plating layer that is equal to the first distance to form a third portion consisting of the chrome plating and defining a third top surface that is flush with the second top surface of the second portion and a bottom surface of the third portion that is in direct contact with the first top surface of the first portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.