METHOD FOR FINISHING EXTERIOR SURFACE OF INJECTION-MOLDED PRODUCT

• US 20120055902A1
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Jong-Bae, LEE, Pil-Woo, KIM, Jong-Hwa, KIM, Hak-Ju, CHO, Jung-Won
• Granted Patent: US 8,828,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/41
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1355 Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24736 Ornamental design or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/254 Polymeric or resinous material

Abstract

A method for finishing an exterior surface of an injection-molded product is provided, in which a metal layer is formed on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product, a photoresist layer is formed on the metal layer, a photomask is placed on the photoresist layer, light is projected onto the photomask, and remaining parts of the metal layer and the photoresist layer except for parts corresponding to a pattern formed on the photomask are removed by etching.

Claims

1. A method for finishing an exterior surface of an injection-molded product, the method comprising:

forming a metal layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product;

forming a photoresist layer on the metal layer;

placing a photomask on the photoresist layer and projecting light onto the photomask; and

etching to remove remaining parts of the metal layer and the photoresist layer except for parts corresponding to a pattern formed on the photomask.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal layer formation comprises forming the metal layer by depositing one of tin, silicon, aluminum and an alloy containing at least one of tin, silicon and aluminum on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a primer coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product before the metal layer is formed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a clear coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the etching.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a base coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the etching.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising forming a clear coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the base coating layer is formed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the etching comprises removing a light-exposed part or non-light-exposed of the photoresist layer.

8. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a housing comprised of a casing made of an injection-molding process, wherein an exterior surface of the casing is finished by;

forming a metal layer on the exterior surface;

forming a photoresist layer on the metal layer;

placing a photomask on the photoresist layer and projecting light onto the photomask; and

etching to remove remaining parts of the metal layer and the photoresist layer except for parts corresponding to a pattern formed on the photomask.

9. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the metal layer formation comprises forming the metal layer by depositing one of tin, silicon, aluminum and an alloy containing at least one of tin, silicon and aluminum on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product.

10. The terminal of claim 8, further comprising forming a primer coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product before the metal layer is formed.

11. The terminal of claim 8, further comprising forming a clear coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the etching.

12. The terminal of claim 8, further comprising forming a base coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the etching.

13. The terminal of claim 12, further comprising forming a clear coating layer on the exterior surface of the injection-molded product after the base coating layer is formed.

14. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the etching comprises removing a light-exposed part or non-light-exposed of the photoresist layer.