SHELL, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING THE SAME

• US 20110186347A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Luo, Wenhai, Ye, Yong, Lu, Jinguo, He, Xiaojia, Wang, Guoying, Zhang, Jiaxin
• Application Number:
  US13/119,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20110186347A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/546
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/023 having a plurality of grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14237 the inserts being deformed or preformed outside the mould or mould cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14221 by tools, e.g. cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14811 Multilayered articles B29C45/14827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3061 Number plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3431 Telephones, Earphones
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A shell for an electronic device is provided. The shell includes a shell body and a pattern layer disposed on an outer surface of the shell body and formed by a curable material. The shell also includes a transparent protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the pattern layer.

Claims

1. A shell for an electronic device, comprising:

a shell body;

a pattern layer disposed on an outer surface of the shell body and formed by a curable material; and

a transparent protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the pattern layer.

2. The shell according to claim 1, wherein at least one colored material is added to the curable material.

3. The shell according to claim 1, wherein the curable material is a light-curable material or a thermosetting material.

4. The shell according to claim 1, wherein the pattern layer has a thickness of about 0.01-10 mm.

5. The shell according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the shell body is engaged with an inner surface of the pattern layer.

6. The shell according to claim 1, wherein the transparent protective layer is formed by a material selected from a group comprising polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, and any combination thereof, and the transparent protective layer has a transmittance of about 80-98% and a thickness of about 0.05-3 μ

m.

7. The shell according to claim 1, wherein the shell further comprises a colored layer disposed between the pattern layer and the transparent protective layer.

8. The shell according to claim 7, wherein the colored layer is of metallic color and has a thickness of about 20-50 nm.

9. The shell according to claim 7, wherein the shell further comprises a binding layer attached to an inner surface of the colored layer and having a thickness of about 5-20 μ

m.

10. The shell according to claim 9, wherein the binding layer comprises at least one gloss oil layer.

15. An electronic device, comprising a body, and a shell which is adapted to the body and set forth in claim 1.

16. The shell according to claim 2, wherein the curable material is a light-curable material or a thermosetting material.

11. A manufacturing method of a shell for an electronic device, comprising steps of:

a) providing a mold with a working plane, in which a plurality of cavities are formed in the working surface and used to form a pattern layer on an outer surface of a shell body of the shell;

b) coating a curable material onto the working plane, and covering a transparent protective layer on the curable material;

c) curing the curable material to form the pattern layer, wherein the pattern layer and the transparent protective layer are bonded together;

d) taking the bonded pattern layer and transparent protective layer out of the mold and forming the bonded pattern layer and transparent protective layer into a shape which matches the outer surface of the shell body of the shell;

e) bonding the shaped and bonded pattern layer and transparent protective layer with the shell body of the shell.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the working plane has a roughness level of about SPIB I-SPIA2.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the bonded pattern layer and transparent protective layer are bonded with the shell body by means of injection molding.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the outer surface of the shell body is engaged with the inner surface of the pattern layer.

17. A shell for an electronic device, comprising:

a shell body;

a pattern layer disposed on an outer surface of the shell body and formed by a curable material; and

a transparent protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the pattern layer,

wherein the outer surface of the shell body is engaged with an inner surface of the pattern layer, and

wherein the shell further comprises a colored layer disposed between the pattern layer and the transparent protective layer.

18. The shell according to claim 17, wherein the shell further comprises a binding layer attached to an inner surface of the colored layer and having a thickness of about 5-20 μ

m.

19. The shell according to claim 17, wherein the colored layer is of metallic color and has a thickness of about 20-50 nm.

20. The shell according to claim 17, wherein the pattern layer has a thickness of about 0.01-10 mm.