Color-matched polymer materials and method for forming the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9438710-B2
Application number	US-201414497857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

Polymer materials that are color-matched with non-polymer materials are disclosed. Methods involve incorporating the same type of dyes used to colorize the non-polymer materials within the polymer materials. In some embodiments, a solvent casting process is used, which involves dissolving a polymer material and a dye with a solvent or a combination of solvents forming a dye-polymer mixture. In some embodiments, the dye-polymer mixture is dispensed onto a carrier and the solvent is removed forming a dyed polymer layer that can be applied onto a part as a color veneer. In some embodiments, the dye-polymer mixture is dispensed into mold and the solvent is removed forming a dyed polymer structure that can be used as a stand-alone structure or as part of a larger structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An enclosure for an electronic device, the enclosure comprising:
an anodized metal portion with an anodic dye infused therein; and
a non-electrically capacitive portion having an appearance similar to the anodized metal portion, the non-electrically capacitive portion including a laminated stack-up, the laminated stack-up comprising:
an optically reflective layer,
a first protective cover,
a dyed polymer layer having the anodic dye infused therein such that the dyed polymer layer color-matches the anodized metal portion, and
a second protective cover having an outer surface corresponding to a viewing surface of the laminated stack-up, wherein the dyed polymer layer is positioned between the first protective cover and the second protective cover, and wherein the first protective cover is positioned between the optically reflective layer and the dyed polymer layer,
wherein the first protective cover, the dyed polymer layer, and the second protective cover are sufficiently optically translucent such that the optically reflective layer is observable from the viewing surface.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the dyed polymer layer has a thickness of about 2 micrometers to about 150 micrometers.

3. The enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the first protective cover and the second protective cover each have a thickness of less than about one millimeter.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective layer is composed of an encapsulated metal flake ink having metal flakes encapsulated within a non-conductive material.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the viewing surface has a blasted or a chemically etched texture.

6. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically capacitive portion corresponds to a touch input portion of the enclosure configured to accept touch input from a user of the electronic device.

7. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the touch input portion is configured to be positioned over a touch pad or touch screen within the enclosure of the electronic device.

8. An enclosure for an electronic device, the enclosure comprising:
an anodized metal portion having an anodic film with an anodic dye infused therein; and
a non-electrically capacitive portion having an appearance similar to the anodized metal portion, the non-electrically capacitive portion including a laminated stack-up, the laminated stack-up comprising:
an optically reflective layer,
a first protective cover comprised of a first material,
a dyed polymer layer having the anodic dye infused therein such that the dyed polymer layer color-matches the anodized metal portion, and
a second protective cover comprised of a second material, the second protective cover having an outer surface corresponding to a viewing surface of the laminated stack up, wherein the dyed polymer layer is positioned between the first protective cover and the second protective cover, and wherein the first protective cover is positioned between the optically reflective layer and the dyed polymer layer,
wherein the first protective cover, the dyed polymer layer, and the second protective cover are sufficiently optically translucent such that the optically reflective layer is observable from the viewing surface.

9. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the first protective cover and the second protective cover each have a thickness of less than about one millimeter.

10. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein a first adhesive bonds the optically reflective layer to the first protective cover and a second adhesive bonds the dyed polymer layer to the second protective cover.

11. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the optically reflective layer is composed of an encapsulated metal flake ink having metal flakes encapsulated within a non-conductive material.

12. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the first material is substantially the same as the second material.

13. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of at least one of a glass and plastic.

14. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the first material is different than the second material.

15. An enclosure for an electronic device, the enclosure comprising:
an anodized metal portion having an anodic film with an anodic dye infused therein; and
a non-electrically capacitive touch input portion configured to accept touch input from a user of the electronic device, the non-electrically capacitive touch input portion having an appearance similar to the anodized metal portion, the non-electrically capacitive touch input portion including a laminated stack-up comprising:
an optically reflective layer,
a first protective layer,
a dyed polymer layer having the anodic dye infused therein such that the dyed polymer layer color-matches the anodized metal portion, and
a second protective layer having an outer surface corresponding to a viewing surface of the laminated stack-up, wherein the dyed polymer layer is positioned between the first protective layer and the second protective layer, and wherein the first protective layer is positioned between the optically reflective layer and the dyed polymer layer,
wherein the first protective layer, the dyed polymer layer, and the second protective layer are sufficiently optically translucent such that the optically reflective layer is observable from the viewing surface.

16. The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the dyed polymer layer has a thickness of about 2 micrometers to about 150 micrometers.

17. The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the first protective layer and the second protective layer each have a thickness of less than about one millimeter.

18. The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the optically reflective layer is composed of an encapsulated metal flake ink having metal flakes encapsulated within a non-conductive material.

19. The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the viewing surface has a blasted or a chemically etched texture.

20. The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the first protective layer is composed of a different material than the second protective layer.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Demers Brian P
• Augenbergs Peteris K
• Farmer Brandon Scott
• Poe Garrett David
• Kay Joni Leighan

Classifications

• G06F1/16

  Constructional details or arrangements · CPC title

• H05K5/30

  Side-by-side or stacked arrangements · CPC title

• Y10T428/269

  including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component · CPC title

• H05K5/0243

  for decorative purposes · CPC title

• G06F1/1613

  for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202) · CPC title