ELECTRONIC DEVICES

BACKGROUND

[0001] Electronic devices, such as laptops and GPSes, have a display unit that may be encased within a housing, together with any associated electrical circuitry. The housing protects the display unit from becoming damaged and may be made from a lightweight material for portability.

[0002] Portable electronic devices are frequently subjected to mechanical deformation when they are placed in contact with other objects, such as a person’s hand, a table or the ground. The housings for such devices should be able to tolerate such mechanical deformation and withstand wear and tear from regular use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Figure 1 is a simplified cross section through a housing according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0004] Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a method for manufacturing a housing for a display unit of an electronic device according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0005] The figures depict several examples of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples depicted in the figures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] As used in the present disclosure, the term“about” is used to provide flexibility to an endpoint of a numerical range. The degree of flexibility of this term can be dictated by the particular variable and is determined based on the associated description herein.

[0007] Amounts and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not just the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited.

[0008] As used in the present disclosure, the term“single” when used to describe the quantity of a certain feature has a closed meaning, such that only one of that feature can be present.

[0009] As used in the present disclosure, the term“comprises” has an open meaning, which allows other, unspecified features to be present. This term embraces, but is not limited to, the semi-closed term“consisting essentially of and the closed term“consisting of. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the term“comprises” may be replaced with either“consisting essentially of or “consists of”.

[0010] It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms“a”,“an” and“the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0011] The present disclosure refers herein to a housing for a display unit of a electronic device, to a method of manufacturing a housing and to an electronic device.

[0012] The housing comprises a molded plastic body, a cavity for the display unit, and a reinforcing mesh embedded within the molded plastic body.

[0013] The electronic device comprises the housing and a display unit within the cavity of the housing.

[0014] The method for manufacturing a housing for a display unit of an electronic device comprises embedding a reinforcing mesh within the molded plastic body.

[0015] Any reference to a“mesh” as used in the present disclosure is

synonymous with the term“reinforcing mesh”.

[0016] It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the housings, electronic devices or methods disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in this disclosure is used for describing particular examples. The terms are not intended to be limiting because the scope of the present disclosure is intended to be limited by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Housing

[0017] The housing is for a display unit of an electronic device, such as a portable electronic device. The housing may be obtained from the method of manufacturing a housing in the present disclosure.

[0018] In the present disclosure, the housing comprises a molded plastic body. The moulded plastic body may comprise a polymer selected from a

polypropylene-based resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene-based resin, a polyamide-based resin, a polyester-based resin and an acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene resin in one example, the molded plastic body comprises a polymer, which is a polycarbonate resin. Any reference to a“polymer-based resin” as used herein means that the resin comprises > 50 % wt of the specified polymer, such as > 70 % wt of the specified polymer or > 90 % wt of the specified polymer.

[0019] The polymer may be a thermoplastic polymer or a thermosetting polymer.

[0020] The molded plastic body comprises a least 90 % by weight of the polymer, such as at least 95 % by weight of the polymer or at least 99 % by weight of the polymer. In one example, the plastic body consists of the polymer.

[0021] A curing agent for the polymer may be present in the molded plastic body. The curing agent from the curing reaction may remain trapped within the molded plastic body.

[0022] In one example, the molded plastic body comprises a fire retardant. The fire retardant may be selected from a phosphorus-containing compound, a nitrogen-containing compound and a silicone resin.

[0023] The phosphorus-containing compound may, for example, be a phosphate ester, a phosphaphenanthrene compound or red phosphorus. Examples of suitable phosphate esters include trimethylphosphate, triethylphosphate, tributylphosphate, tri(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, tributoxyethylphosphate,

triphenylphosphate, tricresylphosphate, trixylenylphosphate, tris-(isopropyl phenyl)phosphate, tris-(phenyl phenyl)phosphate, trinaphthylphosphate, cresyldiphenylphosphate, xylenyldiphenylphosphate, diphenyl(2- ethylhexyl)phosphate, di(isopropylphenyl)phenylphosphate,

monoisodecylphosphate, 2-acryloyloxyethylacid phosphate, 2- methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, diphenyl-2-acryloyloxyethylphosphate, diphenyl-2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphate, melaminephosphate,

dimeiaminephosphate, melaminepyrophosphate, triphenylphosphine oxide, tricresyl phosphine oxide, methanephosphonate acid diphenyl, phenylphosphonic acid diethyl, resorcinolpolyphenylphosphate, resorcinolpoly(di-2,6- xylyl)phosphate, bisphenol A polycresyl phosphate and hydroquinone poly(2,6- xylyl)phosphate.

[0024] The nitrogen-containing compound may, for example, be melamine cyanurate, melamine sulfate or guanidine sulfamate.

[0025] When the molded plastic body comprises a fire retardant, then the fire retardant may be present in an amount of up to 10 % wt of the molded plastic body, such as up to 5 % wt of the molded plastic body.

[0026] The molded plastic body may comprise an elastomer; a defoaming agent; or inorganic particles, such as powder silica.

[0027] Housings for electronic devices, such as portable electronic devices, may be made of a light weight plastic material to ensure that the weight of the overall device is not too heavy for the end user to carry.

[0028] The housing has a cavity for a display unit. The molded plastic unit may comprise the cavity.

[0029] The display screen of the display unit may be viewed through the cavity. The housing may have an area surrounding the cavity. This area provides a frame or a border around the display screen of the electronic device in some electronic devices, this frame or border is referred to as a bezel.

[0030] When an electronic device is dropped or knocked against a hard object, then the light weight plastic housing may become damaged. The area of the housing that contains the display screen is particularly vulnerable to becoming damaged. The housing of the display unit can become cracked and, depending on the extent of the damage, it can affect the performance of the display unit. A damaged housing is also cosmetically unattractive. [0031] The housing comprises a mesh, which is a reinforcing mesh. The mesh is embedded within the molded plastic body. When the molded plastic body includes a mesh, the resulting housing can withstand the mechanical stresses when tested, for example, using compression, torsion and twist tests. The presence of the mesh may increase the compressive strength of the housing.

The housing may be able to withstand the shockwave generated when it is dropped or knocked against a hard object, and it can avoid becoming damaged or deformed. The housing is strong enough to survive a drop test, such that the electronic device and its internal, electronic components remain intact. This can be achieved without the inclusion of additional rubber or a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[0032] In one example, the mesh is surrounded by or enveloped within the molded plastic body. Thus, the mesh is completely embedded within the molded plastic body. Such an arrangement may be obtained when the mesh is introduced as an insert into the plastic that is used to form the body during the molding process.

[0033] In another example, the mesh is partially embedded within a surface of the molded plastic body. In such an arrangement, the mesh is partially surrounded by the molded plastic body. This arrangement can, for example, be obtained by melting the molded plastic body and then placing the mesh on a melted surface of the molded plastic body.

[0034] The inclusion of a mesh within the molded plastic body will improve the durability and the mechanical strength of the resulting housing. Even though an improvement in these properties can be obtained, the extent of the improvement may depend on the properties of the mesh, which will also affect the weight of the resulting housing.

[0035] The mesh comprises strands of a material, which are arranged to form a network with apertures therebetween. The network may be a grid, a lattice or a web.

[0036] The mesh may comprise a woven material, a knitted material, a welded material, an expanded material, a photo-chemically etched material or an electroformed material in one example, the mesh comprises a woven material, a knitted material or a welded material.

[0037] In one example, the mesh is a wire mesh.

[0038] Generally, the apertures between the strands of material may have a regular shape, such as, for example, square shaped, rectangular shaped, diamond shaped, triangular shaped, hexagonal shaped, circular shaped or ellipsis shaped. In one example, the apertures are circular shaped.

[0039] The mesh may be a mesh sheet.

[0040] The mesh may comprise a metallic material or a polymeric material.

Thus, the strands of material that form the mesh may be metallic or polymeric.

[0041] When the mesh comprises a metallic material, then the mesh may be a stainless steel mesh, an aluminum mesh, a plain steel mesh, a galvanised steel mesh, a copper mesh, a phosphor bronze mesh or a brass mesh. In one example, the mesh is a stainless steel mesh or a galvanized steel mesh. The galvanized steel mesh may be a hot-dipped galvanized steel mesh sheet.

[0042] The mesh may have a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 0.3 mm

[0043] The weight of the mesh may be from about 550 g/m ² to about 1650 g/m ² .

[0044] The mesh may have an aperture width of from about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm, such as from about 0.7 mm to about 1.5 mm or from about 0.9 mm to about 1.0 mm.

[0045] The mesh may have a pitch of about 1.0 mm to about 2.5 mm, such as from about 1.5 mm to about 2.0 mm or from about 1.6 mm to about 1.7 mm. The pitch is the distance between the midpoints of two adjacent strands of material, such as wires. It represents the sum of the aperture width and the diameter of a strand of material.

[0046] The purpose of the apertures within the mesh is to allow them to be filled with plastic that forms the molded plastic body thereby reinforcing the overall structure of the housing.

[0047] The mesh may not be connected to a channel or a vent for air flow, such as an air inlet or outlet in the housing of the electronic device. The apertures in the mesh may not be used to allow air to pass through the housing to, for example, provide cooling. [0048] The display unit may not be in electrical contact with the mesh.

[0049] The mesh is not electrically connected to an electrical circuit. The mesh does not, for example, provide an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves.

[0050] In one example, the housing may comprise a core side and a cavity side.

[0051] The cavity side is the side of the housing that comprises the cavity for the display unit.

[0052] The core side may comprise an outer cover of the electronic device, such as an outer surface, for example, of a lid of a laptop.

[0053] The mesh may be located within the core side of the housing, such as under the outer surface of the lid of a laptop.

[0054] The housing may include a support structure for the display unit.

[0055] The housing may provide an exterior part of the electronic device, such as the cover of the device. The housing may provide substantially all of the cover of the electronic device. The term“substantially all” in this context refers to at least 90 %, such as at least 95 % or at least 99 %, of the total weight of the cover. The housing may provide an entire cover for the electronic device, such as the lid of a laptop.

[0056] The housing may comprise a coating layer. The coating may be disposed on or incorporated within the molded plastic body. The molded plastic body may be coated to improve its appearance.

[0057] When the housing comprises a coating layer, then the coating layer may comprise a paint.

[0058] The molded plastic body in the present disclosure may be in the shape of the housing, such as a cover, or a part of the housing for the display unit.

[0059] In one example, the housing comprises a single molded plastic body. Thus, the molded plastic body may comprise the cavity for the display unit.

[0060] In another example, the housing comprises a first part and a second part. The first part may comprise the molded plastic body and the mesh as described above. The first part may provide the main support structure of the housing. [0061] The first part may be a cover, such as an outer cover of the electronic device. The first part may provide the outer surface of a lid, for example, of a laptop.

[0062] The second part may comprise the cavity for the display unit. The second part may comprise a frame surrounding the cavity for the display unit.

The second part may be connected to the first part, such that the display unit is retained within the housing. The frame may form a border around the display screen of the electronic device.

[0063] The housing may have a thickness of about 2.5 mm to about 20 mm, such as about 4 mm to about 15 mm or about 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0064] As a result of the reinforcing mesh, it may be possible to reduce the weight of the housing by avoiding the use of components that are intended to impart mechanical stability. For example, housings, such as a lid, for example, of a laptop, may include a hinge or a bracket for a hinge that runs the width of the lid. Such components may be redundant, given the mechanical stability.

[0065] In one example, the housing does not comprise a hinge or a bracket for a hinge having a length that is at least 90 % of the width of the lid. The width of the lid is the shorter of the dimensions of the length and width of the lid. The width is not the thickness of the lid.

[0066] An example of a housing of the present disclosure is shown in Figure 1. This figure shows a partial cross-section through a housing, which may provide a plastic LCD cover for a laptop. The housing has a mesh 10 that is partially embedded within a molded plastic body 20. The mesh 10 is located at a core side 15 of the housing, which may provide a lid for a laptop. The housing has a cavity side 25, which has a cavity for the display screen.

Method

[0067] The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a housing for a display unit of an electronic device. The manufacturing method is a simple, cost effective method that can be used to prepare a housing having improved durability. [0068] The method comprises embedding a mesh within a molded plastic body. The mesh may be incorporated within a molded plastic body by an insert molding process or a thermal bonding process.

[0069] The method may involve disposing a mesh within a liquid in a mold for forming the molded plastic body. This is an example of an insert molding process.

[0070] The mold may be shaped to form the molded plastic body of the housing, such as the first part of the housing.

[0071] In one example, the mold may comprise the liquid. The mesh may be placed into the liquid within the mold. The liquid may be applied to the mesh by immersing the mesh in the liquid within the mold.

[0072] In another example, the mesh may be placed into the mold. The liquid may be introduced into the mold and onto the mesh. The liquid may be poured onto the mesh within the mold.

[0073] The liquid may comprise a polypropylene-based resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene-based resin, a polyamide-based resin, a polyester-based resin, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin or a resin precursor therefor. The liquid is used to form the plastic for the molded plastic body.

[0074] The liquid may also comprise at least one of a curing agent, a fire retardant, inorganic particles, an elastomer, and a defoaming agent, such as described above.

[0075] The curing agent may be a thermally activated curing agent to ensure stability during preparation at room temperature. A thermally activated curing agent does not have substantial activity at room temperature and has activity when heated to a temperature above room temperature.

[0076] The mesh disposed within the liquid in the mold can then be molded into a molded plastic body.

[0077] Once the mesh has been disposed within the liquid in the mold, the liquid may be cured. Curing may be performed by compacting and/or heating the liquid within the mold.

[0078] In one example, the compacting and heating can be started and performed at the same time. [0079] In another example, the compacting and heating are started sequentially. The compacting may be started before the heating. The compacting and heating may then be performed together.

[0080] The liquid may be compacted using a mold core. The mold core may be shaped to form the cavity for the display unit, the frame for surrounding the cavity display screen or a cavity side of the housing.

[0081] In one example, the liquid may be compacted using pressurized gas. Pressurized gas may be passed through the mold core onto the surface of the resin-containing cloth.

[0082] The liquid may be heated to a temperature from about 150 °C to about 350 °C, such as from about 175 °C to about 300 °C. In one example, the liquid is heated to a temperature of from about 200 °C to about 300 °C.

[0083] In method of the present disclosure, the molding of the liquid by compacting and heating may be performed for a total time of from about 30 min to about 60 min. Shorter molding times may be used when the liquid comprises a curing agent.

[0084] When compacting the liquid, a pressure of from about 0.1 to about 1 MPa may be applied to the liquid within the mold.

[0085] In another example of the method, the method may involve forming melted plastic by melting a plastic body, and placing a mesh in the melted plastic to embed the mesh within the melted plastic. The plastic is melted by heating to above room temperature (e.g. 20 °C). The temperature required to melt the plastic will depend on its composition. This is an example of a thermal bonding process.

[0086] The plastic that is melted may already be shaped to provide the molded plastic body. Thus, the plastic may be a molded plastic body without the mesh.

[0087] A surface of the plastic, such as the molded plastic body without the mesh, may be melted.

[0088] The mesh may be placed within the melted plastic, so that it is not completely covered by the plastic. When the plastic solidifies, the mesh will become partially embedded within the molded plastic body. [0089] Alternatively, the mesh may be placed within the melted plastic, so that it is surrounded or enveloped by the plastic. When the plastic solidifies, the mesh will become completely embedded within the molded plastic body.

[0090] The plastic may be a thermoplastic polymer. Thus, the molded plastic body may comprise a thermoplastic polymer.

[0091] After the mesh is placed within the melted plastic, the method involves a solidifying the plastic containing the mesh. Solidification of the plastic may be by cooling the plastic to a temperature below its melting point, by allowing the plastic to cool at a temperature below the melting point of the plastic, or applying pressure to the plastic, for example, in a mold.

[0092] An example of the method of the present disclosure is shown

schematically in Figure 2. A mesh 10 is incorporated within a molded plastic body 20 to form a housing 30.

Electronic Device

[0093] The electronic device may, for example, be a laptop, a GPS, a cell phone, a networking device or a gaming device. The electronic device may be portable. In some countries, cell phones are referred to as mobile phones and portable GPSs are referred to as portable Sat Navs.

[0094] The electronic device comprises a display unit within the cavity of the housing. The display unit is retained within the housing.

[0095] In general, the display unit comprises a display screen, such as an LCD screen or an LED screen.

[0096] In one example, the display screen is a touch screen.

EXAMPLES

[0097] The present disclosure will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. Example 1

[0098] A mesh made of stainless steel (SUS301 ) having circular shaped apertures, a thickness of 0.1 mm, a diameter of 0.9 mm, a pitch of 1.6 mm and a weight of 550 g/m ² was placed in a mold comprising a liquid containing the precursors for forming a polycarbonate resin. The mold had a cavity that was shaped to form a lid for a laptop.

[0099] The liquid and mesh were compressed using a mold core and then heated to a temperature of 230 to 300 °C to cure the polymeric component of the liquid.

[0100] After curing, the mold was allowed to coo! to room temperature and then the mold core was lifted out of the mold cavity. A molded plastic body having a mesh completely embedded therein was obtained.

[0101] The molded plastic body was used to as part of a lid containing a display screen for a laptop. A laptop containing the lid was subjected to a drop test. It was found the lid did not crack upon dropping.

Example 2

[0102] The same method used in Example 1 was used, except that the mesh was made of a hot-dipped galvanized steel sheet (KU400) having circular shaped apertures, a thickness of 0.3 mm, a diameter of 1.0 mm, a pitch of 1.7 mm and a weight of 1650 g/m ² was used.

[0103] The resulting molded plastic body had a mesh completely embedded therein. The molded plastic body was used to as part of a lid containing a display screen for a laptop. A laptop containing the lid was subjected to a drop test. It was found the lid did not crack upon dropping.