Method for producing a chassis member usable in a chassis of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10285294-B2
Application number	US-201715435061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2017
Priority date	Feb 16, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A chassis member for a chassis of an electronic device is disclosed. The chassis member includes an aluminum alloy layer and an alumite layer serving as an outermost layer of the chassis member and disposed on a surface of the aluminum alloy layer. A grain size of an aluminum alloy in the aluminum alloy layer is between 40 μm and 50 μm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
etching a surface of an aluminum alloy substrate, wherein said aluminum alloy substrate includes an aluminum alloy having a grain size between 40 μm and 50 μm inclusive;
performing an alumite treatment on said surface of said aluminum alloy substrate to form an alumite layer on said surface of said aluminum alloy substrate;
polishing said alumite layer; and
utilizing said aluminum alloy substrate with said polished alumite layer as an outermost layer of a chassis member of an electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , said method further includes performing press work on said aluminum alloy substrate before said etching, so that said aluminum alloy substrate conforms to a shape of said chassis member.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polishing is performed after said alumite treatment without a clear coating treatment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said etching is performed without sand blasting.

5. A method, comprising:
conforming an aluminum alloy substrate to the shape of a chassis member, wherein said aluminum alloy substrate includes an aluminum alloy having a grain size between 40 μm and 50 μm inclusive;
washing a surface of said aluminum alloy substrate;
etching said aluminum alloy substrate;
providing a satin finishing on said aluminum alloy substrate;
forming an alumite layer on said surface of said aluminum alloy substrate; and
utilizing said aluminum alloy substrate with said polished alumite layer as an outermost layer of a chassis member of an electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said conforming further includes conforming said aluminum alloy substrate to the shape of a chassis member via press work.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said washing further includes washing said aluminum alloy substrate with an alkalescent degreasing agent.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein said etching further includes
etching said aluminum alloy substrate using an alkaline solution; and
subsequently immersing said aluminum alloy substrate in an acid solution to neutralize said alkaline solution.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein said providing further includes immersing said aluminum alloy substrate in a make-up solution supplemented with an additive for said satin finishing.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein said method further includes polishing said alumite layer.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Yanagisawa Tsunenori

Classifications

• H05K5/00

  Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus · CPC title

• C25D11/16

  Pretreatment {, e.g. desmutting} · CPC title

• C25D11/04

  of aluminium or alloys based thereon · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• C25D11/02

  Anodisation · CPC title