HOUSING FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES, ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING THE HOUSING AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE HOUSING

• US 20090009942A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Sutech Trading Limited
• Inventors: HSU, CHE-YUAN, HUANG, GANG, WANG, YAN-MIN, SU, CHENG-WEN, SALMIO, RISTO-PEKKA
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.90
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14811 Multilayered articles B29C45/14827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/561 Injection-compression moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/002 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/006 painted
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3061 Number plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves

Abstract

A housing (100) includes a decorative film (10) and a supporting frame (20). The decorative film has a surface being comprised of a decorative section (11) and a display section (12) capable of transmitting light. The decorative section has a decorative coating (110) coated thereon. The decorative coating defines the display section. The supporting frame is made of a transparent material and integrally molded onto the decorative film. An electronic device and method of making the housing are also provided.

Claims

1. A housing for an electronic device, comprising:

a decorative film having a surface comprising a decorative section and a display section capable of transmitting light, the decorative section having a decorative coating coated thereon; and

a supporting frame made of a transparent material and integrally molded onto the decorative film.

2. The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative film is made of clear polycarbonate film.

3. The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative coating is an ink coating, a paint coating or a metal coating.

4. The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting frame is made of a transparent plastic material, advantageously chosen from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, and any desired combination thereof.

5. The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting frame is made of silica gel.

6. The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting frame is attached to the decorative coating and the display section of the decorative film using injection molding, with the decorative coating being laid between the decorative film and the supporting frame.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a display unit electrically connected to the printed circuit board;

a housing for an electronic device, comprising;

a decorative film having a surface comprising a decorative section and a display section capable of transmitting light, the decorative section having a decorative coating coated thereon; and

a supporting frame made of a transparent material and integrally molded to the decorative film;

wherein the printed circuit board and the display unit are received in the housing, the display unit is configured to align with the display section, in manner of that light transmitted from the display unit is capable of transmitting through the display section.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the decorative film is made of clear polycarbonate thin film.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the decorative coating is an ink coating, a paint coating or a metal coating.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting frame is made of a transparent plastic material, advantageously chosen from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, and any desired combination thereof.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting frame is made of silica gel.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting frame is attached to the decorative coating and the display section of the decorative film using injection molding, with the decorative coating being laid between the decorative film and the supporting frame.

13. A method for making a housing, comprising steps of:

providing a decorative film comprising a decorative section and a display section capable of transmitting light, the decorative section having a decorative coating formed thereon, the decorative coating defining the display section;

proving a mold including a female mold and a male mold, the female mold defining a recessed portion, the male mold having a movable mold core;

attaching the decorative film into the recessed portion;

injection molding a supporting frame attached to the decorative film in the mold; and

moving the mold core toward the recessed portion to compress the supporting frame.

14. The method for making a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the decorative film is made of clear polycarbonate thin film.

15. The method for making a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the decorative coating is an ink coating, a paint coating or a metal coating.

16. The method for making a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the decorative film is attached into the recessed portion of the female mold, with the decorative coating facing the male mold.

17. The method for making a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the supporting frame is made of a transparent plastic material, chosen from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, and any desired combination thereof.

18. The method for making a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the supporting frame is made of silica gel.