Vehicle door handle apparatus and two-shot injection molding process for producing components with a metallic surface finish

Abstract

A vehicle door handle apparatus is disclosed that generally includes a structural core and an outer layer. The structural core has an outer surface, a base portion, and a handle portion that extends from the base portion. The outer layer extends about and covers the outer surface of at least the handle portion of the structural core. The structural core is made of a first material that contains an engineering thermoplastic and glass fibers for reinforcement. The outer layer is made of a second material that contains the engineering thermoplastic and a milled material to give the outer layer a metallic surface finish. Non-limiting examples of the engineering thermoplastic are polyoxymethylene and polybutylene terephthalate. A method is also disclosed for producing an injection molded component having a metallic surface finish such as the disclosed vehicle door handle apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle door handle apparatus comprising:
 a structural core including a base portion with at least one mounting feature and a handle portion that extends from said base portion;   said structural core having an outer surface that extends along said base portion and said handle portion;   an outer layer extending about and covering said outer surface of at least said handle portion of said structural core;   said structural core being made of a first material that contains an engineering thermoplastic and glass fibers for reinforcement; and   said outer layer being made of a second material that contains said engineering thermoplastic and a milled material to give said outer layer a metallic surface finish.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first material is a glass reinforced polyoxymethylene and said second material is a pigmented polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first material is a glass reinforced polybutylene terephthalate and said second material is a pigmented polybutylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said second material does not contain glass fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said milled material is selected from a group consisting of: aluminum micro-flake and mica micro-flake. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said outer layer has a nominal thickness ranging from 0.5 millimeters to 3 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said outer layer is overmolded onto said structural core by a two-shot injection molding process. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said outer surface of said structural core has a dull surface finish. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle door handle apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said outer surface includes a front face and a rear face that is oppositely directed with respect to said front face and wherein said outer layer covers both said front face and said rear face of said outer surface at said handle portion.