Method For Creating A Viewing Screen Having An Injection Overmolded Insert

A viewing screen having a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face corresponds to a first surface of the viewing screen and the rear face corresponds to a second opposing surface of the viewing screen, the viewing screen comprising:

• a mechanical support layer having first and second opposing surfaces, said mechanical support layer comprising a thermoplastics material, wherein the second surface of the mechanical support layer corresponds to the rear face of the viewing screen;
• and
• an insert having first and second opposing surfaces and one or more optical layers, wherein the first surface of the insert corresponds to the front face of the viewing screen, said insert comprising:
• an intermediate layer having first and second opposing surfaces, said intermediate layer comprising polyvinyl alcohol polymer;
• and
• an outer layer having first and second opposing surfaces, said outer layer comprising a thermoplastics material, wherein the first surface of the outer layer corresponds to the first surface of the insert and the second surface of the outer layer is disposed over the first surface of the intermediate layer,
• wherein said first surface of the mechanical support layer is disposed over at least the second surface of the insert to produce the viewing screen by injecting the thermoplastics material forming the mechanical support layer into an injection mold adapted to receive the insert, wherein said first surface of the insert is coupled to a first surface of the injection mold during injection of the thermoplastics material using at least one suction nozzle incorporated into the injection mold with a respective one of the at least one suction nozzle positioned in a zone of the first surface of the injection mold corresponding to a cutout portion of the viewing screen configured to accommodate a nose of a user.

An injection mold for molding a viewing screen having an overmolded insert, the injection mold comprising:

• a concave part;
• a convex part;
• and
• a suction nozzle for holding an insert having first and second opposing surfaces and one or more optical layers;
• said insert positioned between the concave part and the convex part of the mold adapted to receive said insert, said suction nozzle positioned in a zone of the concave part corresponding to a cutout portion of the viewing screen configured to accommodate a nose of a user.

A method for manufacturing a viewing screen, the method comprising:

• providing an injection mold having a first portion with a concave surface and a second portion with a convex surface and wherein the first mold portion is provided having a vacuum opening therein with an aperture of the vacuum opening provided in the concave surface of the first mold portion;
• placing a viewing screen insert between the concave and convex surfaces of the injection mold;
• applying a vacuum to hold a first surface of the viewing screen insert to the concave surface of the first portion of the injection mold wherein the vacuum is applied through a vacuum opening in the first portion of the injection mold positioned in a region of the mold in alignment with a cutout portion of the viewing screen insert;
• injecting a thermoplastics material Into the injection mold to form a mechanical support layer around edge regions of the viewing screen Insert such that the mechanical support layer supports the viewing screen insert and wherein the combination of the mechanical support layer and the viewing screen insert form a viewing screen;
• and
• demolding the viewing screen formed from the combination of the mechanical support layer and viewing screen insert.