Molded parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643364-B2
Application number	US-201414245834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2014
Priority date	Feb 17, 2012
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for injection molding plastic parts is described. In one embodiment, at least two materials are simultaneously injected into a mold. The resulting molded part can include at least two different regions. Each region can have distinct physical properties. Positions of the regions within the molded part can be at least partially controlled by controlling flow fronts of the at least two materials within the mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure for an electronic device comprising a plurality of corners separated by side walls, the structure comprising:
a low impact region corresponding to at least the side walls of the structure, the low impact region comprised of a low ductility resinous material that includes a stiffening agent; and
a plurality of high impact regions corresponding to the plurality of corners of the structure, each of the high impact regions contiguous with and separated from each other by the low impact region, each of the high impact regions comprising a high ductility resinous material that includes substantially no stiffening agent,
wherein the high impact regions are characterized as each having a greater ductility than the low impact region, wherein the low impact region is characterized as having a greater stiffness than each of the high impact regions,
wherein during an injection molding process for forming the structure, the low and high ductility resinous materials are simultaneously injected into a mold such that interface regions between the low and high ductility resinous materials are uniform and continuous across the interface regions with no visible delineation between the low and high ductility resinous materials.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening agent comprises at least one of glass, wood, calcium carbonate and aluminum powder.

3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the high impact regions are characterized as having ductility sufficient to withstand impact at the corners without breakage.

4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure is supportive frame of the electronic device.

5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the low ductility resinous material includes a first resin and the high ductility resinous material includes a second resin, wherein the first resin is substantially the same as the second resin.

6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the low ductility resinous material includes a first resin and the high ductility resinous material includes a second resin different than the first resin.

7. The structure of claim 1 , wherein a stiffness of the low impact region is related to an amount of stiffening agent within the low ductility resinous material.

8. A structure as part of an electronic device, the structure comprising:
a bulk region including a first material characterized as having a first stiffness and a first ductility, wherein the first material includes a stiffening agent; and
a plurality of corner regions separated by and continuous with the bulk region, each of the plurality of corner regions including a second material characterized as having a second stiffness and a second ductility, the second material including substantially no stiffening agent,
wherein the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness and the second ductility is greater than the first ductility,
wherein during an injection molding process for forming the structure, the first and second materials are simultaneously injected into a mold such that interface regions between the bulk region and each of the plurality of corner regions are uniform and continuous across the interface regions with no visible delineation between the first and second materials.

9. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the first material includes a first resin and the second material include a second resin.

10. The structure of claim 9 , wherein the first resin is the same as the second resin.

11. The structure of claim 9 , wherein the first resin is different than the second resin.

12. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the stiffening agent comprises a glass filler.

13. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the stiffening agent includes at least one of glass filler, wood flour, calcium carbonate and aluminum powder.

14. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the first material is characterized as having a hardness greater than a hardness of the second material.

15. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the second material is characterized as having a tensile strength greater than a tensile strength of the first material.

16. The structure of claim 8 , wherein the second material is characterized as having a flexural strength greater than the first material.

17. A structure as part of an electronic device, the structure comprising a plurality of corners separated by side walls, the structure comprising:
a low impact region corresponding to at least the side walls of the structure, the low impact region comprised of a low flexural strength material that includes a glass filler; and
a plurality of high impact regions corresponding to the plurality of corners of the structure, each of the high impact regions contiguous with and separated from each other by the low impact region, each of the high impact regions comprising a high flexural strength material that includes substantially no glass filler,
wherein the high impact regions are characterized as each having a greater flexural strength than the low impact region, wherein the low impact region is characterized as having a greater stiffness than each of the high impact regions,
wherein during an injection molding process for forming the structure, the low and high flexural strength materials are simultaneously injected into a mold such that interface regions between the low and high impact regions are uniform and continuous across the interface regions with no visible delineation between the low and high flexural strength materials.

18. The structure of claim 17 , wherein the low flexural strength material further includes at least one of wood flour, calcium carbonate or aluminum powder.

19. The structure of claim 17 , wherein the low flexural strength material includes a first resin and the high flexural strength material includes a second resin, the first resin substantially the same as the second resin.

20. The structure of claim 17 , wherein the low flexural strength material includes a first resin and the high flexural strength material includes a second resin, the first resin different than the second resin.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kiple Bryan P
• Wittenberg Michael B
• Shah Dhaval N
• Jarvis Daniel W

Classifications

• Y10T428/24909

  Free metal or mineral containing · CPC title

• B29K2105/16

  Fillers · CPC title

• B29C45/0013

  using fillers dispersed in the moulding material, e.g. metal particles · CPC title

• B29C45/164 Primary

  The moulding materials being injected simultaneously · CPC title

• Y10T428/24802

  Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] · CPC title