Covers for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022137680-A1
Application number	US-201917297146-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2019
Priority date	Jul 25, 2019
Publication date	May 5, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is drawn to covers for electronic devices. In one example, a cover for an electronic device can include a substrate having an opening therethrough, or an outer edge, or both. A thermoplastic insert molding can include a metal oxide dopant, the thermoplastic insert molding positioned on the substrate. A paint coating can be included on the thermoplastic insert molding. A chamfered edge can be present on the substrate at a location that defines the opening, the outer edge, or both, wherein the chamfered edge cuts through the paint coating and partially through the thermoplastic insert molding to expose a portion of the metal oxide dopant at the chamfered edge. A metal layer can be formed using laser direct structuring masking a portion of the metal oxide dopant exposed at the chamfered edge. A second metal layer can be formed over the metal layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cover for an electronic device comprising:
a substrate having an opening therethrough, an outer edge, or both; a thermoplastic insert molding including metal oxide dopant, the thermoplastic insert molding positioned on the substrate; a paint coating on the thermoplastic insert molding; a chamfered edge on the substrate at a location that defines the opening, the outer edge or both, wherein the chamfered edge cuts through the paint coating and partially through the thermoplastic insert molding to expose a portion of the metal oxide dopant at the chamfered edge; a metal layer formed using laser direct structuring masking a portion of the metal oxide dopant exposed at the chamfered edge; and a second metal layer formed over the metal layer.

2 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a metal, a carbon fiber, a plastic, a ceramic, an alloy thereof, or a composite thereof.

3 . The cover of claim 2 , wherein the substrate includes a magnesium alloy and further comprises a protective coating between the thermoplastic insert molding and the paint coating, wherein the protective coating is a micro-arc oxidation layer or a passivation layer.

4 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer is a plated metal, a plated metal alloy, or includes multiple plated metal or metal alloy layers.

5 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer includes chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, gold, silver, palladium, tin, or alloys thereof.

6 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer includes copper-containing an electroless deposition layer and a nickel-containing electroplated layer.

7 . The cover of claim 1 , further comprising an electrophoretic deposition layer on the second metal layer.

8 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the chamfered edge is formed using a computer numerical control (CNC) mill or laser engraving.

9 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic insert molding includes a polyphthalamide, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a polycarbonate, or a copolymer thereof.

10 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide dopant is an oxide of boron, copper, nickel, zinc, aluminum, zirconium, silicon, tin, bismuth, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, magnesium, manganese, cerium, titanium, barium, or a combination thereof.

11 . An electronic device comprising:
an electronic component; and a cover enclosing the electronic component, the cover comprising:
a substrate having an opening therethrough, an outer edge, or both;
a thermoplastic insert molding including metal oxide dopant, the thermoplastic insert molding positioned on the substrate;
a paint coating on the thermoplastic insert molding;
a chamfered edge on the substrate at a location that defines the opening, the outer edge, or both, wherein the chamfered edge cuts through the paint coating and partially through the thermoplastic insert molding to expose a portion of the metal oxide dopant at the chamfered edge;
a metal layer formed using laser direct structuring masking a portion of the metal oxide dopant exposed at the chamfered edge; and
a second metal layer formed over the metal layer.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the electronic device is a laptop, a desktop computer, a keyboard, a mouse, a smartphone, a tablet, monitor, a television screen, a speaker, a game console, a video player, an audio player, or a combination thereof.

13 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the opening through the substrate defined by the chamfered edge is present and provides access or visibility through the substrate to a touchpad, a fingerprint scanner, a button, a joystick, a control knob, a dial, a touch screen, a video screen, or a logo.

14 . A method of making a cover for an electronic device comprising:
applying a thermoplastic insert molding that includes a metal oxide dopant over a substrate, the substrate including an opening therethrough, an outer edge, or both; applying a paint coating over the thermoplastic insert molding; chamfering an edge along the opening, the outer edge, or both to form a chamfered edge, wherein the chamfered edge cuts through the paint coating and partially through the thermoplastic insert molding to expose a portion of the metal oxide dopant at the chamfered edge; forming a metal layer on the chamfered edge using laser direct structuring to reduce the metal oxide material that is exposed at the chamfered edge; and forming a second metal layer over the metal layer.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the metal substrate is a magnesium alloy, and wherein the second metal layer includes both an electroless metal deposition layer and an electroplated metal layer.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Lin Chien-Ting
• Wu Kuan-Ting
• Chang Chi Hao

Classifications

• B32B27/365

  comprising polycarbonates · CPC title

• B29C63/02

  using sheet or web-like material (B29C63/26 {and B29C63/38} take precedence) · CPC title

• C23C18/1637

  metallic substrate · CPC title

• B32B2264/102

  Oxide or hydroxide · CPC title

• C23C18/1848

  by electrochemical pretreatment · CPC title