CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This applications claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/952,428 filed on March 13, 2014, 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 trim panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Trim panels are typically formed using various materials (e.g., wood, plastic, metal, etc.) having various patterns or designs for enhancing the visual appearance of a vehicle interior. However, trim panels may sometimes be difficult to see in dim environments due to low levels of ambient light. Further, typical trim panels only have one visual appearance that cannot be changed by the user of the vehicle without replacing the entire trim panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention provides, in one aspect, a vehicle interior trim panel including a substrate and a multi-layer film laminate secured to the substrate. The laminate includes a first layer of film having applied graphics and a second layer of flexible light guide film having a light source for illuminating the graphics from within the multi-layer film laminate.

[0005] The invention provides, in another aspect, a method of manufacturing a vehicle interior trim panel. The method includes providing a first layer of an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics and laminating a second layer of flexible light guide film onto the first layer. The method also includes providing a light source for illuminating the graphics through the light guide film.

[0006] The invention provides, in yet another aspect, a method of illuminating a vehicle interior trim panel. The method includes providing a multi-layer film laminate including a first layer of an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics and illuminating the graphics through a second layer of flexible light guide film of the multi-layer film laminate.

[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 trim panel.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a trim panel in accordance with an

embodiment of the invention.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a trim panel in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

[0011] 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

accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle interior including a dashboard 10 having an instrument cluster and control panel. Throughout the interior, a plurality of decorative trim panels or inserts is provided. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the interior includes a dashboard trim panel 20. The interior may also include other trim panels, such as a door trim panel (not shown) or a center console trim panel (also not shown). More or fewer trim panels may be provided in a particular vehicle interior, and the shapes and placement of the trim panels may vary with the cosmetic design theme of the interior.

[0013] In the illustrated interior, the trim panel 20 has a changeable color. For example, the appearance of the trim panel 20 can dynamically change within the vehicle interior among a plurality of color hues. The color change can be selected by a user through the vehicle controls (i.e., using one or more controllers within a vehicle), or may be responsive to time, driving conditions, etc. The trim panel 20 may be configured to assume any of a number of different color options, and any given trim panel 20 may be configured to change between as few as two different color options.

[0014] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the particular layer-by-layer makeup of decorative trim panels 20, 20a in accordance with two different embodiments of the invention. The makeup shown in each of FIGS. 2 and 3 can be used for any of the possible trim panels, or a variety of trim panels according to other embodiments not shown herein.

[0015] In each of the trim panels 20, 20a, a supporting layer or 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, and configured to be secured to surrounding component(s) of the interior. The base substrate 32 provides the structural rigidity for the trim panel 20, 20a. A multi-layer film laminate 36, 36a is bonded to an exterior or show surface (i.e., a surface facing the vehicle interior) of the base substrate 32 to enhance the finished appearance. The multi-layer film laminate 36, 36a includes a thin and flexible LED light guide film 40, an imaging layer 44, and a surface protection layer 48. In some embodiments, the light guide film 40 is of the type available for purchase from FLEx Lighting, LLC in Chicago, IL.

[0016] The light guide film 40 is extremely thin and may have a thickness in the range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.50 mm. The light guide film 40 includes a plurality of LEDs (not shown) at the edge of the film 40 for illuminating the entire light guide film 40, and therefore the adjacent imaging layer 44. The LEDs may selectively emit various colors of light to illuminate the light guide film 40 and to change the color of the imaging layer 44 from an observer's point of view in the vehicle interior. Also, the brightness of the light guide film 40 may be increased or decreased in order to present a range of brightness settings. The brightness setting of the light guide film 40 may be preset by the manufacturer of the trim panel 20 or a user of the vehicle may be able to selectively choose the brightness setting. The light guide film 40 is particularly useful at dawn, dusk, nighttime, or dim environments for illuminating the imaging layer 44 with a particular color and hue, while still being able to provide sufficient color changing capabilities during the daytime or in well-lit environments.

[0017] The imaging layer 44 is an at least partially translucent film having applied graphics to visually impose a pattern adjacent the light guide film 40. The graphics can be applied to the imaging layer 44 in any one of a variety of manners, including but not limited to printed, screened, transferred, and hydrographic methods. The graphics may fully or partially obscure portions of the otherwise transparent or translucent multi-layer film laminate 36 so that the pattern, illuminated and colored by the light guide film 40, is visible within the vehicle interior. 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. In the embodiment of the trim panel 20a shown in FIG. 3, the imaging layer 44 may be opaque rather than substantially translucent.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the multi-layer film laminate 36 of the trim panel 20 provides the light guide film 40 between the base substrate 32 and the imaging layer 44, with the light guide film 40 being adjacent the base substrate 32. Accordingly, the imaging layer 44 is located between the surface protection layer 48 and the light guide film 40. The trim panel 20a shown in FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIG. 2, with the exception that the imaging layer 44 is provided between the base substrate 32 and the light guide film 40, with the imaging layer 44 being adjacent the base substrate 32. Accordingly, the light guide film 40 is located between the surface protection layer 48 and the imaging layer 44. Although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the individual layers of the laminates 36, 36a being flat 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 or angled shapes. Further, the schematic representation of the trim panels 20, 20a in FIGS. 2 and 3 is not to scale, and the illustrated thickness of the individual layers of the laminate 36 or the base substrate 32 is not intended as an accurate reflection of their actual thicknesses.

[0019] In some embodiments, the multi-layer film laminates 36, 36a may additionally include a reflective color changeable layer (not shown). The color changeable layer 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 herein by reference. For example, the color changeable layer can include a film with photonic ink technology (i.e., photonic crystal structure combined with an electrically active polymer(s)). The color changeable layer can be a photonic ink or "P-Ink" layer available from Opalux Inc., Toronto, Ontario CA. Such a P-Ink layer may be electrically stimulated to change color, and thus, is sandwiched between two conductive layers. Not limited to electrical stimulation, the photonic crystal device of the color changeable layer can be stimulated mechanically, thermally, chemically, magnetically, electromagnetically, or ultrasonically. Furthermore, the color changeable layer can utilize other color changing technologies such as electrochromic, electrophoretic ink (E-Ink), or suspended particle device (SPD). The color changeable layer is reflective in nature, and performs the best during the daytime or in well-lit environments due to more ambient light being available. The combined use of both the light guide film 40 and the color changeable layer allows for maximum color control and/or variation of the trim panel 20.

[0020] Regardless of the layering construction, or the graphics type, the multi-layer film laminates 36, 36a may 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 laminates 36, 36a may be pre-formed and used as an in-mold laminate by inserting into a mold cavity used to form (e.g., by injection molding) the base substrate 32. Thus, the base substrate 32 may be formed from a moldable material (e.g., plastic) and simultaneously associated with or bonded (as the moldable material is cooled) with either of the multi-layer laminates 36, 36a in a single step. This promotes good adhesion, eliminates a process step of associating either of the multi-layer laminates 36, 36a with the base substrate 32, and avoids difficult handling in cases where the surface of the base substrate 32 that receives either of the multi-layer laminates 36, 36a is not flat.

[0021] Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.