Work piece having electrical current pathways

Abstract

A method for plating a work piece. An electroless layer of material is applied to the work piece using an electroless plating process. The method includes creating a barrier in electrical conductivity in the work piece to divide the work piece into a first segment and a second segment which are substantially electrically insulated from one another, prior to electroplating the work piece. A plurality of methods are disclosed for dividing the work piece into the first and second segments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A decorative work piece, comprising:
 a plastic substrate having a front surface and a back surface;   a first barrier to electrical conductivity located on at least the front surface to divide the front surface into a first segment and a second segment;   a first decorative layer being disposed on the first segment;   a second decorative layer being disposed on the second segment;   wherein the first decorative layer is different than the second decorative layer such that the first segment has a different appearance than the second segment.   
     
     
         2 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein the first decorative layer is selected from at least one of the following: copper, nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         3 . The work piece of  claim 2 , wherein the second decorative layer is selected from at least one of the following: copper, nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         4 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first decorative layer or the second decorative layer is formed of an electrophoretic coating. 
     
     
         5 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic substrate is formed of a conductive material. 
     
     
         6 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein the first barrier consists of a non-plateable material disposed on front surface. 
     
     
         7 . The work piece of  claim 6 , wherein the non-plateable material is an integral aspect of said outer surface that is formed by one of the following: a multi-shot injection molding process, a transfer molding process, or an over-molding process. 
     
     
         8 . The work piece of  claim 6 , wherein the first barrier consists of a plating resist coating applied to the front surface. 
     
     
         9 . The work piece of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second barrier formed in a back surface of the plastic substrate.   
     
     
         10 . The work piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier reside in substantially the same plane. 
     
     
         11 . The work piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier are formed by different processes. 
     
     
         12 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a colored material to provide a different visual effect. 
     
     
         13 . The work piece of  claim 1 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a translucent or transparent material to allow for the passage of light therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The work piece of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an intermediate layer disposed beneath at least one of the first decorative layer or the second decorative layer.   
     
     
         15 . The work piece of  claim 14 , wherein the intermediate layer is formed of an acid copper material. 
     
     
         16 . The work piece of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of barriers formed in the front surface to form multiple segments.   
     
     
         17 . A decorative work piece, comprising:
 a plastic substrate having a front surface and a back surface;   a barrier to electrical conductivity located on the front surface, which divides the front surface into a first segment and a second segment;   a base metal layer disposed on the first segment and the second segment, the barrier being substantially free of the base metal layer;   a first decorative surface being disposed on the first portion;   a second decorative surface being disposed on the second portion;   wherein the first decorative surface is different than the second decorative surface.   
     
     
         18 . The work piece of  claim 17 , wherein the first decorative layer is selected from at least one of the following: nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         19 . The work piece of  claim 18 , wherein the second decorative surface is selected from at least one of the following: nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         20 . The work piece of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first decorative layer or the second decorative layer is formed of an electrophoretic coating. 
     
     
         21 . The work piece of  claim 17 , wherein the first barrier consists of a non-plateable material disposed on front surface. 
     
     
         22 . The work piece of  claim 21 , wherein the non-plateable material is an integral aspect of said outer surface that is formed by one of the following: a multi-shot injection molding process, a transfer molding process, or an over-molding process. 
     
     
         23 . The work piece of  claim 21 , wherein the first barrier consists of a plating resist coating applied to the front surface. 
     
     
         24 . The work piece of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a second barrier formed in a back surface of the plastic substrate.   
     
     
         25 . The work piece of  claim 24 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier reside in substantially the same plane. 
     
     
         26 . The work piece of  claim 24 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier are formed by different processes. 
     
     
         27 . The work piece of  claim 17 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a colored material to provide a different visual effect. 
     
     
         28 . The work piece of  claim 17 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a translucent or transparent material to allow for the passage of light therethrough. 
     
     
         29 . The work piece of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 an intermediate layer disposed beneath at least one of the first decorative layer or the second decorative layer.   
     
     
         30 . The work piece of  claim 29 , wherein the intermediate layer is formed of an acid copper material. 
     
     
         31 . The work piece of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a plurality of barriers formed in the front surface to form multiple segments.   
     
     
         32 . An article, comprising:
 a plastic substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;   a first barrier to electrical conductivity disposed on the front surface of the plastic substrate to segregate the front surface into a first front surface segment and a second front surface segment, the first barrier being formed by a first process;   a first decorative layer being disposed on the first front surface segment;   a second decorative layer being disposed on the second front surface segment;   a second barrier to electrical conductivity disposed on the rear surface of the plastic substrate to segregate the rear surface into a first rear surface segment and a second rear surface segment;   wherein the first decorative layer and the second decorative layer are different.   
     
     
         33 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein the first decorative layer is selected from at least one of the following: copper, nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         34 . The article of  claim 33 , wherein the second decorative layer is selected from at least one of the following: copper, nickel, zinc, palladium, gold, cobalt, or chromium. 
     
     
         35 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein one of the first decorative layer or the second decorative layer is formed of an electrophoretic coating. 
     
     
         36 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein the plastic substrate is formed of a conductive material. 
     
     
         37 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier consists of one of the following:
 a non-plateable material disposed on front surface, a plating resist coating applied to the front surface or a break in an underlying metal layer disposed on the plastic substrate.   
     
     
         38 . The article of  claim 37 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier are not the same. 
     
     
         39 . The article of  claim 32 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a colored material to provide a different visual effect. 
     
     
         40 . The work piece of  claim 32 , wherein at least the first barrier is formed of a translucent or transparent material to allow for the passage of light therethrough. 
     
     
         41 . The work piece of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 a plurality of barriers formed in the front surface to form multiple segments.