DE202007014956U1 - Switch panel made of glass - Google Patents

Abstract

control panel made of glass, being on the back of a basic body made of glass a mirror layer of chromium or the like applied is, and the mirror layer on the side facing away from the base body with coated with at least one stovable ceramic paint, which connects by a baking process with the main body.

Description

The The present invention relates to a switch panel made of glass.

Of the Use of switch covers is in a wide variety of fields known for a long time. So can corresponding switch covers e.g. as a switch panel for conventional Light switches are used, as well as front panels for household appliances, e.g. Stove, washing machine, dishwasher and the same. As a rule, there are corresponding switch covers plastic or a dielectric material, e.g. Glass, which usually provided on the surface facing away from the user with color layers is. Corresponding color layers may e.g. made of burnable Color, e.g. Enamel or Ceramic paint, which is burned into the base body.

A front panel for a household appliance is eg from the DE 8409406 U1 known, wherein the front panel consists of a transparent plate made of glass or glass-like material, and on the back of the plate at least partially a color coating of lesser transparency is applied.

From the DE 20119700 U1 Furthermore, a sensor device is known, comprising a screen made of transparent material, on which decorative or color layers can be printed by screen printing. In addition, a sensor element can also be printed directly by screen printing on the color layers, wherein a kind of enamel of glass particles and silver particles can be used as the material, for example. After applying the individual layers of the paint is baked.

It the object of the present invention is a cost-effective switch panel to provide, which by a simplified production characterized and versatile.

These Task is solved by a switch panel made of glass, that on the back of the the body made of glass a mirror layer of chromium or the like applied is, the mirror layer on the side facing away from the base body with coated with a stovable ceramic paint that is connects to the base body by a baking process.

Of the Use of glass as a panel has the great advantage of having glass a stable one Material is which can be easily cleaned. simultaneously the glass can be printed by any known method, so that printing is cost-effective carried out without additional costs can be. The application of a mirror layer on the back of the glass represents a possibility to provide a visually pleasing surface that is characterized by particularly low care costs. This is a corresponding mirror layer usually by evaporation applied to the glass plate. Problematic with the use of a However, glass with mirror layer is the one corresponding mirror layer usually very much against external influences is sensitive, causing discoloration or damage to the mirror surface can come, especially when installing the switch panel, as well when used in areas with varying humidity. Appropriate damage the mirror surface can before all occur when the switch panel is used in a household appliance shall be. By the inventive use of a burnable ceramic paint on the mirror layer, it is possible a Scratch-resistant delamination-resistant surface on the back of the basic body provide so that a switch panel provided is at which respect the storage, transport and during installation no special precautions have to be taken which has a positive effect on the installation costs. At the same time it is possible the mechanical strength of the switch panel to increase significantly. A corresponding switch panel can therefore also easily in the outdoor area be used.

advantageously, it can be provided that the main body has a cutout. By the provision of a basic body with clipping, the main body can also be used as a switch panel, so here additional applications as aperture for Light switches, etc. are created.

According to one another preferred embodiment In addition, a stovable conductive paste can be applied to the stovable paint layer be upset. this makes possible to use the switch panel as a control panel at the same time, thus reducing the cost of producing a corresponding control panel as well as the installation costs can be significantly reduced.

Advantageously, the mirror layer can be subsequently structured. The present invention makes it possible to structure the mirror layer after completion of the switch panel, whereby it is possible to realize a basic structure of the switch panel, which is versatile and can be structured only at a later date according to the customer's wishes, whereby, inter alia, individual and high-quality designs, logos, control surfaces for the switches etc. can be formed in the switch panel. Here, only the mirror layer is struktu riert, without the baked ceramic color is attacked by this structuring. The structuring takes place through the uncoated surface of the base body, for example by means of a laser. An appropriate laser processing affects only the mirror layer, so that neither the color layer nor the front surface of the body is damaged. A structuring performed in this way is characterized by a particular durability of the structuring, since the structuring is accessible from any outside, so that it can come to any wear in daily use.

According to one another preferred embodiment The burnable ceramic paint can be a glass enamel color. Corresponding colors are UV, temperature and scratch resistant, and protect therefore the mirror layer is particularly good.

According to one preferred embodiment, the machined cut edges of the body be. This protects the edges and at the same time injuries of the user excluded by sharp edges.

in the The following will be an embodiment of the invention explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show it:

1 a three-dimensional view of a switch panel according to the invention, for use as a switch panel frame; and

2 a cross section through the in 1 shown switch panel.

In 1 is a switch panel 1 with a flat body 2 shown. The main body has a rectangular shape and is centered with a cutout 5 educated. The cutout also has a rectangular shape and can thus be arranged in the base body that surrounds the cutout 5 each have the same width around extending portions of the body. Equally, however, it is also possible different outer shapes and cutout shapes, such as round, square, oval, arbitrarily combine with each other or offset the cutout to arrange within the body. After the desired design of the shape of the body, the edges are preferably post-processed before further processing, for example ground or polished.

The main body 2 consists of glass, particularly preferably mirror glass. As in 2 is shown is on the main body 2 on the side facing away from the user in use, ie the back, a mirror layer 3 made of chrome or the like. A corresponding mirror layer can be applied by known methods, for example by vapor deposition on the base body.

Further, on the body of the body 2 opposite side of the mirror layer 3 at least one color layer 4 applied from a stovable ceramic paint. The mirror layer 3 is thus arranged between the base body and the color layer.

After all layers of paint 4 are applied, these are baked in a subsequent step. The baking temperature is in the range of 600-700 ° C.

simultaneously with the baking takes place also the tempering of the body, so that the end body has a high mechanical strength, and in addition by a scratch-resistant delamination-resistant surface is characterized.

Provided necessary, after the application of the color layers, an intermediate drying step be provided.

Equally is it in addition possible, after applying the color layers to the conductor structure layers. Corresponding conductor pattern layers can work in the same way like the color layers, e.g. by screen printing, applied. Is an extra Ladder structure layer provided, the burning of this takes place Layer simultaneously with the stoving of the color layer.

Following the stoving of the color layer, or the color layer and the conductor structure layer, ie after completion of the switch panel frame, it is possible to structure the arranged between the base body and the ink layer mirror layer yet. This allows predetermined designs 6 For example, logos, control surfaces for switches, etc., such as a pattern by means of a laser treatment in the mirror layer are formed, the laser from the front, that is incident from the uncoated side of the body to the mirror layer. By this method step, the mirror layer is removed in the predetermined areas, and thus released the view directly on the underlying ink layer.

Either the mirror layer as well as the color layer has a thickness of a few μm on.

• – Bereitstellen eines Grundkörpers aus Glas, auf dessen Rückseite eine Spiegelschicht aus Chrom oder dergleichen aufgebracht ist;
• – ggf. Schneiden des Grundkörpers in die gewünschte Form;
• – Aufbringen mindestens einer einbrennbaren keramischen Farbschicht auf die von dem Grundkörper abgewandte Seite der Spiegelschicht; und
• – Einbrennen der mindestens einen Farbschicht und gleichzeitiges Vergüten des Glases.

Below, the individual process steps are listed again:

• - Providing a base body made of glass, on the back of a mirror layer of chromium or the like is applied;
• - If necessary, cutting the body into the desired shape;
• - Applying at least one einbrennbaren ceramic color layer on the side remote from the base body side of the mirror layer; and
• - Burning the at least one color layer and simultaneously annealing the glass.

The Consequently, the process is characterized by a minimum of necessary Working steps. By baking the applied paint layer is a firm connection of the color layer with the main body of Switch panel achieved, and thus achieves a scratch-resistant surface. At the same time, this is called the basic body used glass during the Burning process tempered to tempered safety glass, so that achieves a particularly high mechanical strength of the body becomes.

The Burning the paint layer and the simultaneous tempering of the Glass takes place at temperatures of 600-700 ° C. An appropriate temperature is sufficient to make a firm connection between the main body and here to achieve the color layer, and at the same time corresponds to the temperature at which glass anneals can be.

Subsequently, will structured the mirror layer of the switch panel after baking and tempering. Here, the structuring of the uncoated side of the basic body made, in particular by means of a laser. In practice has the use of a laser proved to be particularly advantageous to achieve finest structuring with high accuracy.

To the application of the at least one stovable ceramic color layer can additionally a burnable conductive paste is applied, which together is baked with the color layer. In this way it is possible, at the same time to provide a conductor pattern layer on the switch panel, so that the switch panel is also used as a control panel can be. As a result, with the exception of the additional printing operations no further procedural step is necessary, it is possible the To reduce manufacturing steps to a minimum and thus one corresponding element cost manufacture.

Of the Step of cutting the basic shape may be cutting the outer shape and / or cutting out a cutout. The cutting out the cut can be made, for example, by a water jet method respectively. A corresponding method allows a precise separation certain areas of the switch panel, without the body is damaged.

Subsequently, the cut edges of the base body are processed, e.g. sanded, polished etc., so the edges to protect and at the same time to prevent injury to the user due to sharp edges.

The Applying the colors and possibly the conductor structures can by a the following known methods are used: screen printing, painting, paint curtain Powder coating, rollercoating.

Claims (9)

Switch panel made of glass, being on the back of a basic body made of glass a mirror layer of chromium or the like applied is, and the mirror layer on the side facing away from the base body with coated with at least one stovable ceramic paint, which connects by a baking process with the main body. Switch panel according to claim 1, characterized that the main body is formed with a cutout as a frame element. Switch panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that on the at least one stovable ink layer additionally a einbrennbare conductive paste is applied. Switch panel according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mirror layer subsequently structurable is. Switch panel according to claim 4, characterized that the structuring on the uncoated side of the glass, is applied in particular by means of a laser. Switch panel according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the einbrennbare ceramic color a glass enamel color is. Switch panel according to at least one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the glass by the baking process hardened and tempered. Switch panel according to claim 7, characterized that the simultaneous baking of the color layer and tempering of the Glass at temperatures of 600-700 ° C takes place. Switch panel according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the cut edges of the base body edited are.