Case, method of manufacturing case, and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699926-B2
Application number	US-201414210191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A case for an electronic device includes an injection preform having a recess on at least one portion of a surface thereof, a deposition layer deposited on a surface of the injection preform, and a paint layer formed on the deposition layer. The deposition layer may directly contact a surface of the injection preform. A method of manufacturing a case includes injection-molding an injection preform having a recess on a surface thereof, forming a deposition layer directly contacting a surface of the injection preform, and forming a paint layer on the deposition layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an outer housing forming an external appearance of the electronic device,
wherein a portion of the outer housing comprises:
an injection preform having a surface with a pattern, the pattern formed by a plurality of recesses formed on the surface, wherein the surface of the injection preform is processed to be roughened through a plasma process;
a deposition layer deposited on the plasma-processed surface of the injection preform, and having a first surface directly contacting on the surface of the injection preform, and a second surface facing an opposite direction of the first surface, wherein the second surface of the deposition layer comprises a plurality of recesses; and
a paint layer formed on the second surface of the deposition layer and having a flat surface, and

wherein the plurality of recesses of the second surface of the deposition layer have substantially identical shapes to the plurality of recesses of the injection preform,
wherein the injection preform includes a first injection-molded portion and a second injection-molded portion, the first injection-molded portion corresponds to a side of the electronic device, and the second injection-molded portion extends from the first injection-molded portion to an inside of the electronic device and includes a coupling member to couple to the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the deposition layer is formed of a metallic material.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the paint layer is formed of a transparent or translucent material.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the injection preform for injection and the surfaces of the plurality of recesses have recesses having a diameter or size of one micrometer or less and formed at random.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first surface of the deposition layer has a part to which at least one portion of the surfaces of the recesses is attached.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a portable terminal.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the electronic device is a display,
wherein the outer housing comprises:
a front surface facing in a same direction as the display does;
a back surface facing in an opposite direction of the front surface;
a side surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, and
wherein the portion forms at least one portion of the side surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the electronic device comprises a display,
wherein the outer housing comprises:
a front surface facing in the same direction as the display does;
a back surface facing an opposite direction of the front surface; and
a side surface connecting the first surface and the back surface, and
wherein the portion forms at least one portion of one or more of the front surface and the back surface.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the recesses form hairlines formed in a substantially same direction.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the injection preform has a uniform thickness.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a rib is provided on an inner surface of the injection preform, and the rib is formed to be 50% or less of a thickness of the injection preform.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the deposition layer is formed of a non-conductive material.

13. A case for an electronic device, comprising:
an injection preform having a uniform thickness, partially having a rib on an inner surface thereof, and having a plurality of recesses on an outer surface thereof, wherein the outer surface of the injection preform is processed to be roughened through a plasma process;
a deposition Layer formed of a non-conductive metallic material deposited on the plasma-processed surface of the injection preform wherein a surface of the deposition layer comprises a plurality of recesses; and
a paint layer formed on the deposition layer and having a flat surface,
wherein a thickness of the rib is set to 50% or less of a thickness of the injection preform, and the deposition layer is provided to directly contact on the surface of the injection preform to express a texture pattern, wherein the plurality of recesses of the surface of the deposition layer have substantially identical shapes to the plurality of recesses of the of the injection preform,
wherein the injection preform includes a first injection-molded portion and a second injection-molded portion, the first injection-molded portion corresponds to a side of the electronic device, and the second injection-molded portion extends from the first injection-molded portion to an inside of the electronic device and includes a coupling member to couple to the electronic device.

14. A case for an electronic device, comprising:
a front surface case; and
at least one case coupled to a rear surface of the front surface case,
wherein at least one of the front surface case and the case comprises:
an injection preform forming a plurality of recesses on a surface thereof, wherein the surface of the injection preform is processed to be roughened through a plasma process;
a deposition layer deposited on the plasma-processed surface of the injection preform; and
a paint layer formed on the deposition layer and having a flat surface, and

wherein the plurality of recesses of the surface of the deposition layer have substantially identical shapes to the plurality of recesses of the surface of the injection preform,
wherein the injection preform includes a first injection-molded portion and a second injection-molded portion, the first injection-molded portion corresponds to a side of the electronic device and the second injection-molded portion extends from the first injection-molded portion to an inside of the electronic device and includes a coupling member to couple to the electronic device.

15. The case of claim 14 , wherein the at least one case comprises a side surface case coupled to the rear surface of the front surface case, and a battery cover covering a rear surface of the side surface case, and the side surface case is exposed to a side surface of the electronic device.

16. The case of claim 15 , wherein the injection preform of the side surface case comprises:
the first injection-molded portion located between the front surface case and the battery cover of the electronic device, and exposed to the outside to form a side surface of the electronic device; and
the second injection-molded portion extending from the first injection-molded portion, and coupled to the rear surface of the front surface case, and
wherein the recess is formed on a surface of the first injection-molded portion, and the deposition layer is provided on a surface of the first injection-molded portion.

17. The case of claim 16 , wherein the first injection-molded portion is formed through seamless injection-molding.

18. The case of claim 17 , further comprising:
a rib protruding from an inner surface of the first injection-molded portion,
wherein the first injection-molded portion has a uniform thickness, and a thickness of the rib is 50% or less of the thickness of the first injection-molded portion.

19. The case of claim 15 , wherein the injection preform comprises:
a third injection-molded portion provided at a periphery of a display of the electronic device and provided at a portion exposed to the outside; and
a fourth injection-molded portion e

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Chang-Youn
• Kim Won-Tae
• Kim Hak-Ju
• Choi Jong-Chul

Classifications

• B29C2045/0079

  applying a coating or covering · CPC title

• B05D5/067

  Metallic effect · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• B05D3/144

  of polymeric substrates · CPC title

• B29C45/0053 Primary

  combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping (injection-compression moulding B29C45/561) · CPC title