Techniques for Marking Product Housings

• US 20100294426A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nashner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,884,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/273.3
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/32 using means for protecting parts of a surface not to be coated, e.g. using stencils, resists
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/06 to obtain multicolour or other optical effects B05D5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/061 Special surface effect
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/53 Base coat plus clear coat type
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes

Abstract

Techniques or processes for providing markings on products are disclosed. The markings provided on products can be textual and/or graphic. The techniques or processes can provide high resolution markings on surfaces that are flat or curved. In one embodiment, the products have housings and the markings are to be provided on the housings. For example, the housing for a particular product can include an outer housing surface and the markings can be provided on the outer housing surface. The markings can be formed using a ultra-violet (UV) curable material that can be selectively cured on a surface (e.g., housing surface) in places where markings, namely text and/or graphics, are to be provided.

Claims

1. A method for depositing material to selected regions of an electronic device housing, said method comprising:

depositing a layer of UV curable material onto a housing surface of the electronic device housing;

curing select portions of the layer of UV curable material that are desired to remain on the outer surface housing; and

removing remaining portions of the layer of UV curable material that have not been cured by said curing.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequently applying a translucent protective layer to the housing surface so as to cover at least the select portions of the layer of UV curable material that have been cured on the outer surface housing.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said curing of the select portions of the layer of material comprises directing UV light from a UV laser onto the select portions of the layer of UV curable material on the housing surface to thereby cure the select portions of the of the layer of UV curable material that are to remain on the outer surface housing.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the select portions of the layer of UV curable material retained on the housing surface include text and graphics.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the select portions of the layer of UV curable material retained on the housing surface include at least one graphic, the at least one graphic being a logo, a certification mark or an approval mark.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the layer of material is a layer of UV curable adhesive.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said depositing the layer of UV curable material onto the housing surface comprises spraying the layer of UV curable material onto the housing surface.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device housing is a handheld electronic device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing surface is an outer housing surface.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the color of the UV curable material can be controlled using a dye additive.

11. A method for depositing material to selected regions of an electronic device housing, said method comprising:

forming a mask layer having at least one predetermined opening;

adhering the mask layer to a housing surface of the electronic device housing;

depositing a layer of UV curable material onto the housing surface, the layer of UV curable material being provided on the housing surface at least within the predetermined opening of the mask layer;

removing the mask layer from the outer surface housing;

curing select portions of the layer of UV curable material that are desired to remain on the outer surface housing; and

removing remaining portions of the layer of UV curable material that have not been cured by said curing.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequently applying a translucent protective layer to the housing surface so as to cover at least the select portions of the layer of UV curable material that have been cured on the outer surface housing.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said curing of the select portions of the layer of material comprises directing UV light from a UV laser onto the select portions of the layer of UV curable material on the housing surface to thereby cure the select portions of the of the layer of UV curable material that are to remain on the outer surface housing.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the select portions of the layer of UV curable material retained on the housing surface include text and graphics.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the select portions of the layer of UV curable material retained on the housing surface include at least one graphic, the at least one graphic being a logo, a certification mark or an approval mark.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the predetermined opening is oversized as compared to an area for the select portions of the layer of UV curable materials that remain on the outer surface housing.

17. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer of material is a layer of adhesive that is UV curable.

18. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said depositing the layer of UV curable material onto the housing surface comprises spraying the layer of UV curable material onto the housing surface.

19. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic device housing is a portable electronic device.

20. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the housing surface is an outer housing surface.

21. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said forming of the mask comprises at least one of ink jet printing the mask onto the housing surface, pad printing the mask onto the housing surface, or silk screening the mask onto the housing surface.

22. A method for depositing material to selected regions of an electronic device housing, said method comprising:

depositing a layer of UV curable material onto a housing surface of the electronic device housing; and

directing UV light from a UV laser onto select portions of the layer of UV curable material on the housing surface to thereby cure the select portions of the of the layer of UV curable material that are to remain on the housing surface.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said method further comprises:

removing any portions of the layer of UV curable material that have not been cured; and

subsequently applying a translucent protective layer to the housing surface so as to cover at least the select portions of the layer of UV curable material that have been cured on the housing surface.

24. A method for labeling a product, said method comprising:

depositing a layer of UV curable material onto a surface of the product to be labeled;

curing select portions of the layer of UV curable material that are desired to remain on the surface of the product; and

removing from the surface of the product remaining portions of the layer of UV curable material that have not been cured by said curing.