U.S. patent application number 16/245451 was filed with the patent office on 2020-05-28 for housing, electronic device, and method for manufacturing same.
The applicant listed for this patent is SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED. Invention is credited to Kun-Hua Chen, Wei Deng, Ke-Long Wu.
Application Number | 20200170133 16/245451 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 70461637 |
Filed Date | 2020-05-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200170133 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Kun-Hua ; et
al. |
May 28, 2020 |
HOUSING, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME
Abstract
A housing of plastic strongly bonded to a metal frame is
integrally formed as the housing of an electronic device. The metal
frame includes at least one plastic grabbing recess to receive
portion of a plastic member, an opening of the plastic grabbing
recess carries convex teeth, the convex teeth narrow the opening of
the plastic grabbing recess, and the convex teeth lock portions of
the plastic member.
Inventors: |
Chen; Kun-Hua; (Kowloon,
HK) ; Deng; Wei; (Shenzhen, CN) ; Wu;
Ke-Long; (Shenzhen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED |
Shenzhen
Kowloon |
|
CN
HK |
|
|
Family ID: |
70461637 |
Appl. No.: |
16/245451 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 5/0243 20130101;
H04M 1/0283 20130101; H04M 1/0249 20130101; H04M 1/0254 20130101;
H05K 5/0017 20130101; G06F 1/16 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H05K 5/02 20060101
H05K005/02; H05K 5/00 20060101 H05K005/00; H04M 1/02 20060101
H04M001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 27, 2018 |
CN |
201811429342.X |
Claims
1. A housing comprising: a metal frame; and a plastic member;
wherein the metal frame and the plastic member are integrally
formed, the metal frame comprises a plastic grabbing recess to
receive a portion of the plastic member, an opening of the plastic
grabbing recess is formed with a first convex tooth, the first
convex tooth narrows the opening of the plastic grabbing recess,
and the first convex tooth locks the portion of the plastic member;
the metal frame defines space and is provided as periphery of the
space; the metal frame comprises a main surface, an upper surface,
and a bottom surface, the main surface faces the space, the upper
surface and the bottom surface are provided at opposite sides of
the main surface, and the plastic grabbing recess is provided in
the main surface.
2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the metal frame comprises a
plurality of metal strips and a middle frame, the middle frame is a
hollow structure, the plurality of metal strips are spaced apart
from each other, and the plurality of metal strips are disposed at
opposite sides of the middle frame.
3. The housing of claim 2, wherein a plurality of gaps are formed
between the plurality of metal strips, and between the end portion
of the plurality of metal strips and the end portions of the middle
frame, portion of the plastic member is filled in the plurality of
gaps.
4. The housing of claim 3, wherein the plastic grabbing recess is
defined on an inner surface of the metal frame.
5. The housing of claim 4, wherein each side of the middle frame is
provided with a first spaced metal strip and a second spaced metal
strip, and the plastic grabbing recess is provided in an inner
surface of one of the first spaced metal strip and the second
spaced metal strip.
6. The housing of claim 5, wherein the plastic grabbing recess is
concave and arc-shaped.
7. The housing of claim 6, wherein the plastic grabbing recess
comprises a lower end surface, an upper end surface opposite to the
lower end surface, and a side surface connecting the upper end
surface and the lower end surface, the plastic grabbling recess
further comprising a second convex tooth, the first convex tooth
and the second convex tooth are respectively formed at the lower
end surface and the upper end surface and extend in a direction
close to each other.
8. The housing of claim 7, wherein a cross-sectional view of the
plastic grabbing recess along a thickness direction of the first
spaced metal strip at the convex tooth is substantially "C"
shaped.
9. (canceled)
10. The housing of claim 1, wherein the metal frame is made of one
material selected from a group consisting of stainless steel,
aluminium, aluminium alloy, magnesium, magnesium alloy, titanium,
titanium alloy, copper, copper alloy or any combination
thereof.
11. The housing of claim 1, wherein the plastic member is made of a
thermoplastic or a thermosetting plastic.
12. The housing of claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic is at least
one polymer selected from a group consisting of polybutylene
terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene terephthalate,
polyether ether ketone, polycarbonate, polyvinyl and chloride
polymer, the thermosetting plastic is selected from a group
consisting of polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, and polyurea
resin.
13. A method of manufacturing a housing, comprising: providing a
metal frame, the metal frame having an outline shape of an
electronic device; forming at least one plastic grabbing recess on
an inner surface of the metal frame, wherein an opening of the
plastic grabbing recess is formed with at least one convex teeth,
the convex tooth is able to narrow the opening of the plastic
grabbing recess; and forming a plastic member on an inner surface
of the metal frame by injection molding, wherein the plastic member
filled in the at least one plastic grabbing recess, and the at
least one convex teeth locks the portion of the plastic member.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plastic grabbing recess
comprises a lower end surface, an upper end surface opposite to the
lower end surface, and a side surface connecting the upper end
surface and the lower end surface, the at least one convex teeth
comprises a pair of convex teeth, and the pair of convex teeth are
formed at the lower end surface and the upper end surface and
extend in a direction close to each other.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein a cross-sectional view of the
plastic grabbing recess along a thickness direction of the metal
strip at the convex teeth is substantially a "C" shaped.
16. An electronic device, comprising: a display screen; and a
housing, the display screen being detachably mounted in the
housing; wherein the housing comprises: a metal frame; and a
plastic member; wherein the metal frame and the plastic member are
integrally formed, the metal frame comprises a plastic grabbing
recess to receive a portion of the plastic member, an opening of
the plastic grabbing recess is formed with a first convex tooth,
the first convex tooth narrows the opening of the plastic grabbing
recess, and the first convex tooth locks the portion of the plastic
member; the metal frame defines space and is provided as periphery
of the space; the metal frame comprises a main surface, an upper
surface and a bottom surface, the main surface faces the space, the
upper surface and the bottom surface are provided at opposite sides
of the main surface, and the plastic grabbing recess is provided in
the main surface.
17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the plastic grabbing
recess comprises a lower end surface, an upper end surface opposite
to the lower end surface, and a side surface connecting the upper
end surface and the lower end surface, the plastic grabbling recess
further comprising a second convex tooth, the first convex tooth
and the second convex tooth are respectively formed at the lower
end surface and the upper end surface and extend in a direction
close to each other.
18. (canceled)
19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the metal frame
comprises a plurality of metal strips and a middle frame, the
middle frame is a hollow structure, and the metal strips are
disposed at opposite sides of the middle frame, each side of the
middle frame is provided with a first spaced metal strip and a
second spaced metal strips, and the plastic grabbing recess is
provided on an inner surface of one of the first spaced metal strip
and the second spaced metal strip.
20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein a cross-sectional
view of the plastic grabbing recess along a thickness direction of
the first spaced metal strip at the convex tooth is substantially
"C" shaped.
21. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein a plurality of gaps
are formed between the first spaced metal strip and the second
spaced metal strip, and between the end portion of the first spaced
metal strips, the second spaced metal strip and the end portions of
the middle frame, a portion of the plastic member is filled in the
gaps.
22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the plastic grabbing
recess is arc-shaped in a horizontal direction and in a vertical
direction.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The subject matter herein generally relates to electronic
device housings.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Electronic devices are becoming lighter and thinner, and
appearance of the electronic devices is also important. Therefore,
a housing containing the electronic device should have good
appearance, good mechanical strength, good heat dissipation, and
other features.
[0003] Plastic material for a housing is usually insert molded with
a metal frame. Plastic material can improve appearance of the
housing. However, due to large difference between the plastic
material and metal material, a bond between the plastic material
and the metal frame is weak, and the plastic material is easily
peeled from the metal frame.
[0004] Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Implementations of the present technology will now be
described, by way of embodiments, with reference to the attached
figures.
[0006] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a housing for electronic
device in accordance with one embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the housing with a metal
frame.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the housing in FIG. 2.
[0009] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the metal frame in FIG.
2.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a portion isometric view of a plastic member of
the housing in FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a manufacturing method for a metal frame.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line VII-VII in FIG.
3.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method for the
housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been
repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set
forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by
those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described
herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been
described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant
feature being described. Also, the description is not to be
considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described
herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and the
proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to illustrate
details and features of the present disclosure better. The
disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of
limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which
like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that
references to "an" or "one" embodiment in this disclosure are not
necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean "at
least one."
[0015] Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure
will now be presented.
[0016] The term "substantially" is defined to be essentially
conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature
that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact.
For example, "substantially cylindrical" means that the object
resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a
true cylinder. The term "comprising," when utilized, means
"including, but not necessarily limited to"; it specifically
indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described
combination, group, series, and the like. The references "a
plurality of" and "a number of" mean "at least two."
[0017] FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a housing 100 according to one
embodiment. The housing 100 is applied to an electronic device 200.
The electronic device 200 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer,
a digital camera, and so on. The electronic device 200 includes,
but is not limited to, the housing 100 and a display 201, and the
display 201 is mounted in the housing 100. The display 201 also
enables interaction with a user. The electronic device 200 may
further include, but is not limited to, other mechanical
structures, electronic components, modules, and software that
implement its functions.
[0018] The housing 100 includes a metal frame 10 and a plastic
member 20. In the present embodiment, the housing 100 is a frame of
the electronic device 200. The housing 100 may further include, but
is not limited to, other mechanical structures, electronic
components, modules, circuits, or the like. In this embodiment, the
metal frame 10 is made of a material selected from the group
consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, an aluminum alloy,
magnesium metal, a magnesium alloy, titanium metal, a titanium
alloy, copper metal, a copper alloy, or any combination thereof.
The metal frame 10 and the plastic member 20 are integrally formed
in a mold. The metal frame 10 may be prepared by a common technique
such as a casting, stamping, or machining by computer numerical
control (CNC) machine.
[0019] The plastic member 20 can be made of a thermoplastic or a
thermosetting plastic. The thermoplastic may be polybutylene
terephthalate (PBT), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polycarbonate
(PC), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and the like. The thermosetting
plastic may be an epoxy resin, a polyfluorocarbon resin, or a UV
gel, and the like. The UV glue may be an acrylic resin or a
polyurethane.
[0020] The metal frame 10 is substantially a rectangle. Preferably,
the metal frame 10 comprises a plurality of metal strips 13 and a
middle frame 14. The metal strips 13 are spaced apart from each
other. The middle frame 14 is a hollow rectangular structure. The
metal strips 13 are disposed at opposite sides of the middle frame
14. In this embodiment, two spaced metal strips 13 are on each side
of the middle frame 14. Gaps 101 are formed between the metal
strips 13, and between the end portions of each of the metal strips
13 and the end portions of the middle frame 14.
[0021] The plastic member 20 is formed on the inner surface 15 of
the metal frame 10 and fills in the gaps 101. The metal strips 13
and the middle frame 14 are connected to each other by the plastic
member 20 and altogether form the housing 100.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, an inner surface 15 of one of
the two spaced metal strips 13 on one side of the middle frame 14
defines at least one plastic grabbing recess 11. The plastic member
20 is partially embedded in the plastic grabbing recess 11. The
plastic grabbing recess 11 is formed by means of CNC technique.
From the front, the plastic grabbing recess 11 resembles a dog bone
in structure and includes a lower end surface 111, an upper end
surface 113 opposite to the lower end surface 111, and a side
surface 115 connecting the upper end surface 113 and the lower end
surface 111. The plastic grabbing recess 11 is arc-shaped and
generally concave. The plastic grabbing recess 11 is recessed from
both ends to the middle longitudinally, that is, a distance between
the side surface 115 and the inner surface 15 gradually increases
from the edge to the middle of the plastic grabbing recess 11. The
opening 110 of the plastic grabbing recess 11 carries a pair of
convex teeth 117, the convex teeth 117 make the opening 110 of the
plastic grabbing recess 11 narrower.
[0023] The pair of convex teeth 117 are aligned to each other.
Specifically, in the present embodiment, middle of the edge of the
lower end surface 111 and middle of the edge of the upper end
surface 113 extend towards each other to form the convex teeth 117.
The cross-sectional view of the plastic grabbing recess 11 in FIG.
7 shows that, along a thickness direction of the metal strips 13 at
the convex teeth 117, the recess 11 is substantially "C" shaped. A
convex tooth 117 is configured to lock the plastic member 20 in the
plastic grabbing recesses 11 with a significantly greater bond, to
prevent the plastic member 20 separating from the metal frame
10.
[0024] In other embodiments, a pair of convex teeth (not shown) can
also be formed on the left side and on the right side of the
plastic grabbing recess 11.
[0025] In the present embodiment, the plastic grabbing recess 11 is
provided on the inner surface 15 of the metal strip 13 of the metal
frame 10. In other embodiments, the plastic grabbing recesses 11
may also be provided on the middle frame 14 of the metal frame 10.
The plurality of plastic grabbing recesses 11 are arranged at
intervals. The plastic grabbing recess 11 receives the plastic
member 20 and the plastic member 20 formed on the inner surface of
the metal frame 10, that is, a strength of the metal frame 10 is
enhanced by the plastic member 20, so that a thickness of the metal
frame 10 can decreased. In the embodiment, a thickness of the metal
frame 10 is less than or equal to 1.5 mm, reducing forging
difficulty and CNC machining time. The housing 100 of the
electronic device 200 is thereby thinned.
[0026] In the present embodiment, a portion of the plastic member
20 fills in the gaps 101 to connect the metal strip 13 and the
middle frame 14. A portion of the plastic member 20 infills the
plastic grabbing recesses 11 of the metal frame 10. The plastic
member 20 infilling each plastic grabbing recess 11 forms a
protruding portion 21. The protruding portion 21 is arc-shaped, an
arcing shape increases a joint area with the metal frame 10, and
thereby the binding force between the metal frame 10 and the
plastic member 20 is increased.
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates a method for manufacturing a housing 100
according to one embodiment of the present application. The method
300 is provided by way of example as there are a variety of ways to
carry out the method. The method 300 can begin at block 301.
[0028] Block 301: a metal frame 10 is provided. The metal frame 10
has an outline shape of an electronic device 200. The metal frame
10 can be made of a material selected from a group consisting of
stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloy, magnesium, magnesium
alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, copper, and copper alloy or any
combination thereof. The metal frame 10 can be made by casting,
punching, or CNC technology.
[0029] The metal frame 10 is substantially a rectangle. Preferably,
the metal frame 10 comprises a plurality of metal strips 13 and a
middle frame 14. The middle frame 14 is a hollow rectangular
structure. The metal strips 13 are disposed at two opposite ends of
the middle frame 14, the metal strips 13 at each end are spaced
apart from each other and spaced apart from the middle frame 14. In
this embodiment, two spaced metal strips 13 are on each side of the
middle frame 14. Gaps 101 are formed between the metal strips 13,
and formed between end portions of the metal strips 13 and the
middle frame 14.
[0030] Block 302: at least one plastic grabbing recess 11 is formed
on the inner surface 15 of the metal frame 10 by CNC processing
method. In the present embodiment, the at least one plastic
grabbing recess 11 is formed in at least one of the plurality of
metal strip 13.
[0031] In the present embodiment, the metal frame 10 is processed
using CNC processing as shown in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the
plastic grabbing recesses 11 can be formed on the metal frame 10 by
one milling molding with a machine tool 12. The machine tool 12
includes a shaft 121 and a machining end 122 connected at one end
of the shaft 121. The machining end 122 is a cylindrical structure,
the machining end 122 forms a roughly annular groove near one end
of the shaft 121, and the machining end 122 forms a roughly ring
groove away from the end of the shaft 121.
[0032] The inner surface 15 of the metal strip 13 is firstly milled
through the machining end 122 of the machining tool 12 to form the
upper end surface 113 and the lower end face 111 of the plastic
grabbing recess 11. The machining end 122 is then moved up and down
to milling the inner surface 15 to form the side surface 115 of the
plastic grabbing recess 11. The plastic grabbing recess 11 is
arc-shaped and generally concave. Both middle of the edge of the
lower end surface 111 and middle of the edge of the upper end
surface 113 extend in a direction close to each other to form the
convex teeth 117.
[0033] The plastic grabbing recess 11 is recessed from both ends to
the middle longitudinally, that is, a distance between the side
surface 115 and the inner surface 15 of the plastic grabbing recess
11 gradually increases from the edge to the middle of the plastic
grabbing recess 11. The opening 110 of the plastic grabbing recess
11 is formed with the convex teeth 117 and the convex teeth 117 are
able to narrow the opening 110 of the plastic grabbing recess 11,
thereby, plastic member 20 received in the plastic grabbing recess
11 is difficult peel off from the metal frame 10.
[0034] It is understood that in other embodiments, a general
outline of the plastic grabbing recess 11 can be milled with a
milling tool, and then the plastic grabbing recess 11 is machined
by end milling such that each of the plastic grabbing recesses 11
is approximately a dog bone structure. To increase the bonding
force between the metal frame 10 and the plastic member 20.
[0035] In the present embodiment, the metal frame 10 may be
preheated by electric heating, plasma arc heating or laser heating
before the plastic grabbing recess 11 is processed, so that the
cutting part can be heated and softened. Hardness and shear
strength can be properly reduced by plastic deformation, and the
cutting performance is improved, the cutting force and power
consumption is reduced, the vibration generated during the cutting
process is reduced, and a size, shape and position tolerances of
the plastic grabbing recess 11 is ensured. At the same time, a
cutting speed can be improved on the basis of ensuring the surface
roughness, and thus prolonging the service life of the machine
tool.
[0036] In this embodiment, the special shape of the plastic
grabbing recesses 11 can lock the plastic member 20, the metal
frame 10 thus can be thinned, and the thickness of the metal frame
10 is can be controlled within about 1.5 mm, the forging difficulty
of metal frame 10 and the processing time of CNC can be reduced,
and the housing 100 of the electronic device 200 can be
thinned.
[0037] Block 303: a plastic member 20 is formed with the metal
frame 10 by injection molding. In particular, the metal frame 10 is
placed in an injection molding mold cavity, and a molten plastic is
injected into the injection molding mold cavity to form a plastic
member 20. The plastic member 20 and the metal frame 10 together
form the housing 100. The plastic member 20 is formed to connect
the metal strips 13 and the middle frame 14 of the metal frame 10.
Understandably, the plastic member 20 may be further covered in
other areas of the metal frame 10 to increase an adhesion between
the metal frame 10 and the plastic member 20.
[0038] In particular, the injection molding process may include
embedding the metal frame 10 into a molding die (not shown) to
adjust the ejection temperature and the ejection pressure. The
molten plastic is also filled in the plastic grabbing recesses 11
of the metal frame 10. After the molten plastic is cooled, the
plastic member 20 is combined with the metal frame 10. The plastic
member 20 is configured to enhance a strength of the metal frame
10, thereby, a thickness of the metal frame 10 is thinned, and the
plastic member 20 received in the plastic grabbing recesses 11 of
the metal frame 10 is configured to enhance a bonding force between
the plastic member 20 and the metal frame 10. Understandably, the
plastic member 20 may be formed by general injection molding, or by
NMT (Nano Mold Technology) processing.
[0039] The embodiments shown and described above are only examples.
Therefore, many commonly-known features and details are neither
shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and
advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the
foregoing description, together with details of the structure and
function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative
only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters
of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles
of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent
established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the
claims. It will, therefore, be appreciated that the embodiments
described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.
* * * * *