Insert molded splits in housings

• US 9,643,349 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Montevirgen, Anthony S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miggins, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US14/040,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20150093527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C45/1671 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14467 Joining articles or parts of a single article B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]

Abstract

A housing includes first and second housing elements coupled by an insert molded split. The insert molded split includes an injection guide that extends between a first aperture of the first housing element and a second aperture of the second housing element and material injection molded around the injection guide. A method for producing an insert molded split in a housing includes selecting an injection guide, inserting the injection guide into a first aperture of the first housing and the second aperture of the second housing, and injection molded material into and/or at least partially around the injection guide to form the insert molded split.

Claims

1. A phone, comprising:

a housing comprising;

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion; and

a split coupling the first and second housing portions, the split comprising;

a guide extending from the first and second housing portions; and

fiber filled plastic injection molded around the guide;

wherein the housing is positioned around a perimeter of a touch screen.

2. The phone of claim 1, wherein the guide is more rigid than the fiber filled plastic.

3. The phone of claim 1, wherein the fiber filled plastic includes fibers arranged in multiple orientations.

4. The phone of claim 1, wherein the guide includes an injection inlet port and an injection outlet port.

5. The phone of claim 1, further comprising a strength point in the fiber filled plastic and a weaker point in the fiber filled plastic wherein the weaker point is more proximate to the guide than the strength point.

6. The phone of claim 1, wherein the guide is filled by the fiber filled plastic.

7. The phone of claim 1, wherein the guide has a least one of a tube shape, an X-beam shape, a cross-beam shape, or an I-beam shape.

8. The phone of claim 1, wherein the fiber comprises at least one of glass fibers, plastic fibers, carbon fibers, or metallic fibers.

9. The phone of claim 1, wherein the fiber is oriented lengthwise between the first and second housing portions.

10. The phone of claim 1, wherein the fiber comprises a mesh.

11. The phone of claim 1, wherein a shape of the guide is associated with a strength point in the plastic and a known stress of the split.

12. The phone of claim 11, wherein the strength point in the plastic corresponds to the fiber.

13. The phone of claim 11, the fiber is straighter in orientation at the strength point than at a weaker point in the plastic associated with the shape of the guide.

14. The phone of claim 11, wherein the strength point is disposed closer to the guide than a weaker point in the plastic associated with the shape of the guide.

15. A phone, comprising:

a touch screen having a perimeter;

a housing positioned around the perimeter of the touch screen, the housing comprising;

a first element;

a second element; and

an insert molded split, coupling the first and second elements, comprising;

an injection guide extending between the first and second elements; and

plastic injection molded around the injection guide, the plastic filled with fibers.

16. The phone of claim 15, wherein the housing forms an external surface of the phone.

17. The phone of claim 15, wherein the first and second elements form an external corner of the phone.

18. A phone, comprising:

a housing positioned around a perimeter of a touch screen, the housing comprising;

a first housing element having a first aperture;

a second housing element having a second aperture; and

an insert molded split comprising;

an injection guide extending between the first and second apertures; and

fiber filled plastic injection molded around the injection-guide.

19. The phone of claim 18, wherein the fiber is a rigid fiber.

20. The phone of claim 18, wherein the injection guide includes an injection inlet port and an injection outlet port.