CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/901,887 filed on November 8, 2013, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to vehicle interiors, and more particularly, to vehicle interior trim panels.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Vehicle interior trim panels are provided throughout the cabin of a typical passenger vehicle. The interior trim panels provide many of the surfaces directly facing and defining the interior, such that the look and feel of the vehicle interior is directly influenced by the interior trim panels. The interior trim panels are also used to conceal and protect functional components within the vehicle door(s), dashboard, center console, etc. Although a wide variety of different materials, colors, and/or patterns are available for selection by a vehicle manufacturer or consumer, the color of the vehicle interior trim panels is definitively established at the time of manufacture.

SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, the invention provides a vehicle interior trim panel including a substrate and a multi-layer film laminate secured to the substrate. The multi-layer film laminate includes a first layer of an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics and a second layer of a color-changeable material positioned between the substrate and the first layer.

[0005] In another aspect, the invention provides method of controlling a vehicle interior color. At least one interior trim panel is provided including a panel substrate with a

corresponding multi-layer film laminate secured thereto. The multi-layer film laminate includes a first layer of an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics and a second layer of a color-changeable material positioned between the panel substrate and the corresponding first layer. A control signal is received with a controller, and then controller sends an output signal in response to the control signal to change the color of the second layer. The control signal is generated by a user through the vehicle controls, or responsive to a predetermined parameter.

[0006] In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a vehicle interior trim panel. A multi-layer film laminate is formed to include a first layer of an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics and a second layer of a color-changeable material. The multi-layer film laminate is positioned within a mold cavity, and a substrate member of the interior trim panel is formed and simultaneously secured to the multi-layer laminate by injecting plastic into the mold cavity.

[0007] Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle interior, including a variety of trim panels.

[0009] Fig. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a trim panel according to one exemplary construction.

[0010] Fig. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a trim panel according to another exemplary construction.

[0011] Fig. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a trim panel according to yet another exemplary construction.

[0012] Figs. 5A-5E illustrate exemplary design graphics for a trim panel according to any of the constructions of the present invention.

[0013] Figs. 6A-6F illustrate an exemplary range of changeable color choices for a vehicle trim panel of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0015] Fig. 1 illustrates a vehicle interior 20 including a pair of seats, a steering wheel, a dashboard having an instrument cluster and control panel, a center console, and interior door panels. Throughout the interior 20, a plurality of decorative trim panels or inserts 24, 26, 28 are provided. In the illustrated construction, the trim panels include a door trim insert 24, a center console insert 26, and a dashboard insert 28. More or fewer inserts may be provided in a particular vehicle interior, and the shapes and placement of the inserts may vary with the cosmetic design theme of the interior.

[0016] In the illustrated interior 20, one or more of the inserts 24, 26, 28 can have a changeable color. For example, the appearance of the inserts 24, 26, 28 can dynamically change within the vehicle interior 20 among a plurality of color hues. The color change can be selected by a user through the vehicle controls, or may be responsive to a predetermined parameter such as time, driving conditions, etc. An exemplary listing of color swatches is included in Fig. 1, but it will be understood that color options are not necessarily limited to these, and any given insert 24, 26, 28 may be configured to change between as few as two different color options.

[0017] Figs. 2-4 illustrate the particular layer-by-layer makeup of decorative inserts according to a plurality of exemplary constructions. The makeup shown in each of Figs. 2-4 can be used for any of the inserts 24, 26, 28 shown in Fig. 1, or a variety of inserts according to other constructions not shown herein. In each construction, a base substrate 32 is provided. The base substrate 32 can be a molded plastic part having a size and shape corresponding to a particular area of the vehicle interior 20, and configured to be secured to surrounding component(s) of the interior 20. The base substrate 32 can contribute the structural rigidity for the insert. A multilayer film laminate 36 is bonded to an exterior or show surface (facing the vehicle interior 20) of the base substrate 32 to enhance the finished appearance. The multi-layer film laminate 36 includes a color changeable layer 40 and at least one layer with printed graphics positioned over the color changeable layer 40.

[0018] In the construction of Fig. 2, the multi-layer film laminate 36 includes a first film layer 44 (e.g., polycarbonate, PET, acrylic) directly adjacent to the base substrate 32, followed by a first electrically conductive layer 48, the color changeable layer 40, a second electrically conductive layer 52, and a second or outer film layer 56 having imposed graphics 60. The printed graphics 60 are provided on the interior or substrate-facing side of the second film layer 56 in the construction of Fig. 2. The outer film layer 56 with the applied graphics 60 forms a graphic applique to visually impose a pattern over the solid color of the color changeable layer 40. The pattern can be a fixed pattern which does not change. The graphics 60 can be applied in any one of a variety of manners, including but not limited to printed, screened, transferred, and hydrographic. The graphics 60 may fully or partially obscure portions of the otherwise transparent or translucent multi-layer film laminate 36 so that the pattern, colored by the color changeable layer 40, is visible within the vehicle interior 20. The pattern can be virtually any desired pattern, including but not limited to wood grain, rock grains (e.g., marble, granite), animal print, floral print, geometric shapes, logos, or easily recognized shapes. Examples of patterns are shown in Figs. 5A-5E.

[0019] In some constructions, the color changeable layer 40 can utilize photonic crystal technology such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0131799, 2008/0244103, 2009/0034051, 2010/0150511, 2011/0104535, 2011/0164308, 2011/0222142, 2011/0233476, 2012/0044970, 2012/0286643, 2012/0293802, 2013/0001940, and

2013/0258445, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein. For example, the color changeable layer 40 can include a film with photonic ink technology (i.e., photonic crystal structure combined with an electrically active polymer(s)). The color changeable layer 40 can be a photonic ink or "P-Ink" layer available from Opalux Inc., Toronto, Ontario CA. In the illustrated construction of Fig. 2, the P-Ink layer is electrically stimulated to change color, and thus, is sandwiched between the two conductive layers 48, 52. The conductive layers 48, 52 may include silver, carbon, or indium tin oxide as a means for conducting electricity. At least the outer conductive layer 52 is partially or wholly translucent or transparent so as not to obstruct the visibility of the color changeable layer 40 from the vehicle interior 20. Although not shown in FIGS. 2-4, the multi-layer film laminate 36 includes respective bus bars attached to the conductive layers 48, 52 for electrically stimulating the color changeable layer 40. Because the conductive layers 48, 52, and therefore the respective bus bars, are hidden beneath the graphics 60 in each of the embodiments of FIGS. 2-4, the conductivity of the top or outer conductive layer 52 is improved. Not limited to electrical stimulation, the photonic crystal device of the color changeable layer 40 can be stimulated mechanically, thermally, chemically, magnetically, electromagnetically, or ultrasonically. Furthermore, the color changeable layer 40 can utilize other color changing technologies such as electrochromic, electrophoretic ink (E-Ink), or suspended particle device (SPD).

[0020] In the construction of Fig. 3, the multi-layer film laminate 36 is similar to that of Fig. 2 with the exception that the graphics 60 are applied on the outer side of the second or outer film layer 56. Fig. 4 illustrates another construction in which the graphics 60 are provided by applied hydrographies and a clear coat covering the exposed surface.

[0021] Regardless of the layering construction, the color changeable layer technology, or the graphics type, the multi-layer film laminate 36 can be pre-formed prior to association with the base substrate 32, and prior to formation of the base substrate 32 in some aspects of the invention. The multi-layer film laminate 36 of any of the illustrated constructions or non- illustrated variations thereof can be pre-formed and used as an in-mold laminate by inserting into a mold cavity used to form (e.g., injection mold) the base substrate 32. Thus, the base substrate 32 is formed and simultaneously associated with or bonded with the multi-layer laminate 36 in a single step. This promotes good adhesion, eliminates a process step of associating the multilayer laminate 36 with the base substrate 32, and avoids difficult handling in cases where the surface of the base substrate 32 that receives the multi-layer laminate 36 is not flat. Although Figs. 2-4 illustrate flat layers for simplicity of understanding the invention, in many cases the decorative trim components incorporating the invention are not planar, but have simply or complexly curved shapes.

[0022] In operation of the vehicle to change a color displayed within the vehicle interior 20, a controller within the vehicle may receive a control signal generated by the user through the vehicle controls, or responsive to the predetermined parameter. The controller then sends an output signal in response to the control signal to change the color of the color changeable layer 40. In some constructions, the output signal varies an electrical stimulation provided to the color changeable layer 40. The controller can control the inserts 24, 26, 28 throughout the vehicle interior 20 either individually or as a group.

[0023] Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.