Method of making a composite article including a body having a decorative metal plate attached thereto

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a composite article including a hollow body having a decorative metal plate attached thereto. The method includes the forming of a decorative metal plate and the attachment of the plate to a hollow body. The method can be best described by its application to the manufacture of a push button which involves the following: Forming a rectangular sheet of aluminum which sheet has at least one decorative brushed surface. Machining the brushed aluminum surface of the aluminum sheet in an annular pattern around the perimeter of the sheet to remove a uniform thickness of the aluminum thereby leaving a central rectangular island of brushed aluminum. The central rectangular island thus formed is surrounded on all sides by the machined surface which functions as an apron around the island. All of the machined surface apron on both long sides of the rectangular island is removed leaving tabs of apron extending from the opposite short ends of the rectangular island. The tabs are bent away from the brushed aluminum surface so that they extend at generally right angles to the brushed aluminum surface of the island. The metal plate thus formed is attached to the plastic shell by inserting the tabs into passages formed in one end of the plastic shell while positioning the island against the plastic shell. The tabs are crimped to lock the aluminum plate to the plastic shell to complete the push button.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.