Shell manufacturing method, shell and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a manufacturing method of a shell, the shell and electronic equipment, the manufacturing method of the shell comprises the steps that an appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are provided, and the supporting layer comprises a basic supporting material soaked with a bonding material; and stacking the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer, and carrying out hot press molding under a preset condition, so that the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded through the bonding material to form the shell. According to the shell, the appearance layer and the supporting layer are bonded through the bonding material in the supporting layer, an adhesive material does not need to be additionally arranged between the appearance layer and the supporting layer, the manufacturing procedures can be reduced, the thickness of the formed shell is reduced, the production cost is reduced, and the light and thin performance of the shell is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of terminal equipment, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a shell, a shell, and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] With the users' demand for thin and light electronic devices, the materials of electronic device shells are becoming more and more abundant. Fiber composite materials are gradually being used due to their good thinness and high mechanical strength. Since users demand that electronic devices have good appearance, and fiber composite materials are difficult to process to obtain good appearance, double-sided tape is usually used to bond fiber composite materials to leather or decorative films to make the shell made of fiber composite materials have good appearance.

[0003] When manufacturing the shell, it is usually necessary to heat-press the fiber composite material, then apply double-sided tape to the surface of the leather or decorative film, and then adhere the formed fiber composite material to the leather or decorative film through the double-sided tape to form the shell. In the above manufacturing method, the manufacturing process is lengthy and requires high production costs. In addition, since the double-sided tape occupies a certain thickness, the shell is not very light and thin. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a shell, a shell and an electronic device.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a housing is provided, the method comprising:

[0006] providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with a bonding material;

[0007] Provides a facade layer;

[0008] The appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are stacked and heat-pressed under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded by the bonding material to form the shell.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, providing the appearance layer includes:

[0010] Providing an appearance layer substrate;

[0011] The appearance layer substrate is cut to obtain the appearance layer.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, after hot pressing under preset conditions, the method for manufacturing the housing further includes:

[0013] The outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing is cut to obtain the shell.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first figure formed by the exterior layer is the same as the second figure formed by the shell, and the area of ​​the first figure is larger than the area of ​​the second figure; or,

[0015] At least a portion of the shell is bent or curved, a first figure formed by the exterior layer is the same as a second figure formed by the shell being unfolded, and an area of ​​the first figure is greater than an area of ​​the second figure.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the geometric centers of the first figure and the second figure coincide with each other, the distance between the outer contour of the first figure and the outer contour of the second figure is 0.3 mm-1 mm.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the material of the exterior layer includes leather or artificial leather.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the cutting of the appearance layer substrate includes:

[0019] Cutting the appearance layer substrate into a first preset size to obtain an initial appearance layer; forming a pattern layer on the initial appearance layer, wherein the initial appearance layer and the pattern layer constitute the appearance layer; or,

[0020] The appearance layer substrate is cut into a second preset size to obtain an intermediate appearance layer; a pattern layer array is formed on the intermediate appearance layer, wherein the pattern layer array includes a plurality of pattern layers arrayed on the intermediate appearance layer; the intermediate appearance layer is cut into the appearance layers, wherein each appearance layer includes one pattern layer.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the pattern layer is formed by UV transfer, coating and / or silk screen printing.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the material of the appearance layer includes polyethylene terephthalate and / or polycarbonate.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the base support material comprises continuous fibers or fabrics; and / or,

[0024] The bonding material includes resin.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the preset conditions include: the hot pressing temperature of the hot pressing molding is 100° C.-150° C.; and / or,

[0026] The hot pressing time of the hot pressing molding is 2min-10min.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the support layer is provided with multiple layers, and when hot pressing forming is performed under the preset conditions, adjacent support layers are bonded together by the adhesive material.

[0028] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a housing, the housing comprising:

[0029] At least one supporting layer, the supporting layer comprising a base supporting material and an adhesive material covering the base supporting material;

[0030] The appearance layer is stacked with the at least one supporting layer, and the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded by the bonding material.

[0031] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided, and the electronic device includes the housing provided by the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0032] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: by utilizing the adhesive material contained in the support layer to bond the appearance layer to the support layer, there is no need to set additional adhesive material between the appearance layer and the support layer, which can reduce the production process, reduce the thickness of the formed shell, reduce production costs, and improve the lightness of the shell.

[0033] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0035] Figure 1 The figure is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a shell according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0036] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a support layer according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0037] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a housing according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a housing according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0039] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing that the geometric centers of the figures formed by the shell and the appearance layer coincide with each other according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0040] Figure 6It is a schematic diagram showing that the geometric centers of the figures formed by the shell and the appearance layer coincide with each other according to another exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0042] With the users' demand for thin and light electronic devices, the materials of electronic device shells are becoming more and more abundant. Fiber composite materials are gradually being used due to their good thinness and high mechanical strength. Since users demand that electronic devices have good appearance, and fiber composite materials are difficult to process to obtain good appearance, double-sided tape is usually used to bond fiber composite materials to leather or decorative films to make the shell made of fiber composite materials have good appearance.

[0043] When making a shell, it is usually necessary to hot-press the fiber composite material into a shape, then apply double-sided tape to the surface of the leather or decorative film, and then bond the formed fiber composite material to the leather or decorative film through the double-sided tape to form a shell. In the above-mentioned manufacturing method, the manufacturing process is lengthy and requires high production costs. In addition, the fiber composite material and the leather after bonding are easily misaligned during the molding process, resulting in a storage gap between the leather and the fiber composite material in the edge area of ​​the formed shell. In addition, since the double-sided tape occupies a certain thickness, the shell is not very light and thin.

[0044] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a shell, comprising: providing an appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, wherein the supporting layer comprises a base supporting material impregnated with an adhesive material; stacking the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded by the adhesive material to form a shell. The present disclosure uses the adhesive material in the supporting layer to bond the appearance layer to the supporting layer, and does not need to additionally set an adhesive material between the appearance layer and the supporting layer, which can reduce the manufacturing process, reduce the thickness of the formed shell, reduce the production cost, and improve the lightness and thinness of the shell.

[0045] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a housing, referring to Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a housing according to an exemplary embodiment. The method for manufacturing a housing includes the following steps:

[0046] Step S101, providing at least one support layer, wherein the support layer comprises a base support material impregnated with an adhesive material;

[0047] Step S102, providing an appearance layer;

[0048] Step S103: stacking the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are bonded by an adhesive material to form a shell.

[0049] In step S101, the support layer is the main structure of the shell, which provides support for the shell so that the shell can maintain a specific shape. One or more support layers can be set in the shell. When there is only one support layer, the shell formed is light and thin; when multiple support layers are set in the shell, the multiple support layers are stacked to improve the mechanical strength of the shell. Exemplarily, the shape of the support layer is the same or similar to the shape of the shell to be formed, and the size of the support layer can be set to be slightly larger than the size of the shell to be formed to avoid economic losses caused by the mismatch between the formed shell and the electronic device.

[0050] When forming the support layer, refer to Figure 2 As shown, the base support material 11 can be immersed in the adhesive material 12, so that the adhesive material 12 has an infiltration effect on the base support material 11 and covers the base support material 11. The adhesive material 12 is cured under certain conditions to obtain a support layer 10 with a specific shape, and the support layer 10 can be in the form of a sheet or a plate. The base support material 11 can be one or more of continuous fibers such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, and boron fiber. The base support material can also be a fabric such as one or more of carbon fiber fabric, glass fiber fabric, aramid fiber fabric, and mixed fiber fabric. The fiber fabric can be a fiber cloth formed by weaving fibers, or it can be a fabric obtained by stitching. The adhesive material 12 can include a resin, and the resin can include a thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin, wherein the thermoplastic resin includes but is not limited to one or more of polyurethane, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, and polyimide, and the thermosetting resin includes but is not limited to one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, cyanate resin, bismaleimide resin, and polyimide resin. In some examples, the base support material 11 is glass fiber cloth, and the adhesive material 12 is epoxy resin.

[0051] In step S102, the appearance layer is used to provide an appearance effect for the shell, and the appearance layer can be leather, artificial leather or plastic film with a certain color and pattern. The size and shape of the appearance layer can be close to or the same as the size and shape of the support layer, so that the appearance layer can be attached to the surface of the support layer.

[0052] In step S103, when only one support layer and the appearance layer are stacked, refer to Figure 3 As shown, the appearance layer 20 is disposed on one side surface of the support layer 10. When two or more support layers and the appearance layer are stacked, refer to Figure 4 As shown, multiple supporting layers 10 are stacked on each other to form a supporting structure, and the appearance layer 20 is arranged on one side surface of the supporting structure, so that the appearance layer 20 can serve as the appearance surface of the finally formed shell 100.

[0053] During the hot press forming process, the stacked appearance layer 20 and at least one supporting layer 10 are clamped on the frame of the forming machine, the sheet or plate is heated and softened at a suitable temperature, and a vacuum is formed between the mold cavity and the sheet or a certain air pressure is applied to the back of the sheet so that the sheet is close to the mold surface to obtain a shape similar to the mold surface. The stacked appearance layer 20 and at least one supporting layer 10 are hot pressed under preset conditions. The mold surface used for hot press forming can be the shape of the desired shell designed in advance, for example, it can be a 3D curved surface structure or a 2D plane structure. During the hot press forming process, the adhesive material 12 in the supporting layer 10 is softened by heat to become a gel. Since the gel-like adhesive material 12 has adhesive force, the appearance layer 20 can be bonded to the stacked supporting layer 10 through the adhesive material 12 to obtain a shell with a specific structure.

[0054] Exemplarily, the preset conditions may be process parameters in the hot pressing process set based on the type of adhesive material 12 in the support layer 10, such as hot pressing temperature, hot pressing time, hot pressing pressure, etc. The hot pressing pressure may be adjusted based on the pressure application method in the hot pressing process. When vacuum forming is adopted, the vacuum pressure between the sheet and the mold cavity may be between 13psi-15psi; when air pressure forming is adopted, the air pressure applied to the back of the sheet may be between 50psi-100psi. In some examples, the preset conditions may include controlling the hot pressing temperature of hot pressing forming, which may be any value between 100℃-150℃, so that the adhesive material 12 can be fully softened to ensure the bonding effect of the adhesive material 12. In some examples, the preset conditions may include controlling the hot pressing time of hot pressing forming, which may be any value between 2min-10min, so that the appearance layer 20 can be fully in contact with the adhesive material 12 to form a firm bond. In one example, the preset conditions may include simultaneous control of the hot pressing temperature and hot pressing time of hot pressing molding, the hot pressing temperature can be any value between 100°C-150°C, and the hot pressing time can be any value between 2min-10min, so as to ensure that the support layer 10 and the appearance layer 20 have a good bonding effect and ensure the reliability of the formed shell.

[0055] In one example, when the support layer 10 is provided with multiple layers, reference Figure 4 As shown, when the stacked multi-layer support layer 10 and the appearance layer 20 are hot-pressed under preset conditions, the adhesive material 12 in the support layer 10 softens into a gel state due to heat. Since the gel-like adhesive material 12 has adhesive force, the appearance layer 20 can be bonded to the stacked support layer 10 through the adhesive material 12, and adjacent support layers 10 can be bonded to each other through the adhesive material 12, so as to obtain a shell with good lightness and thinness.

[0056] In the manufacturing method of the shell provided by the present disclosure, since the shell is obtained by hot pressing and forming at least one layer of stacked support layer and appearance layer, the temperature in the hot pressing and forming process is used to make the adhesive material in the support layer bond the support layer and the appearance layer. There is no need to set additional adhesive material between the appearance layer and the support layer. Compared with the prior art, the manufacturing process can be reduced, the equipment cost of setting the adhesive material, the material cost, and the manufacturing time cost can be saved, which is conducive to industrial mass production. In addition, there is no thickness space occupied by the adhesive material in the formed shell, which can improve the lightness and thinness of the shell.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a housing includes the following steps:

[0058] Step S201, providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with an adhesive material;

[0059] Step S202, providing an appearance layer substrate;

[0060] Step S203, cutting the appearance layer substrate to obtain the appearance layer;

[0061] Step S204: stacking the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are bonded by an adhesive material to form a shell.

[0062] In this embodiment, step S201 is the same as or similar to step S101 in the above embodiment, and step S204 is the same as or similar to step S103 in the above embodiment, which are not described in detail herein.

[0063] The appearance layer substrate is the basic material for making the appearance layer, which can be a sheet or a coil. Its material is the same as that of the appearance layer, except that the size of the appearance layer substrate can be larger or much larger than the size of the appearance layer 20, and the shape of the appearance layer substrate is different from the shape of the appearance layer 20, that is, the appearance layer substrate is a raw material of the appearance layer that has not been designed in shape and size. The appearance layer substrate is cut based on the size and shape requirements of the appearance layer 20. For example, the appearance layer substrate can be conveyed to an automatic punching machine, which cuts it based on the set size and shape to obtain an appearance layer of a suitable shape and size.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a housing includes the following steps:

[0065] Step S301, providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with an adhesive material;

[0066] Step S302, providing an appearance layer substrate;

[0067] Step S303, cutting the appearance layer substrate to obtain the appearance layer;

[0068] Step S304, stacking the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are bonded by an adhesive material;

[0069] Step S305 , cutting the outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing to obtain a shell.

[0070] In this embodiment, steps S301 to S303 are the same as or similar to steps S201 to S203 in the above embodiment, and step S304 is similar to step S204 in the above embodiment. The only difference is that a laminated structure is obtained through step S304 instead of the final shell, which is not elaborated here.

[0071] In step S305, in order to avoid the size of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing being smaller than the size required by the electronic device and to avoid economic losses caused by the mismatch between the shell and the electronic device, the size of the support layer and the appearance layer is usually set to be slightly larger than the size of the shell to be formed, so as to ensure the yield of the shell. At the same time, such a setting will make it easy for the outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing to have excess skirts, and the laminated structure cannot be directly used as a final product. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the skirts on the outer edges of the laminated structure. Exemplarily, the outer edges of the laminated structure can be cut. During the cutting process, the laminated structure is placed on a profiling jig, with the appearance layer of the laminated structure facing the cutting die of the punching machine. The cutting die is aligned and acts on the junction of the outer edge of the laminated structure and the skirt to remove the skirts at the outer edge of the laminated structure and obtain a shell of the appropriate size.

[0072] In one example, in order to ensure that the cutting dies do not touch each other during the cutting process, a certain distance is usually set between the cutting dies for cutting the laminated structure in the horizontal direction and the numerical direction, so that the corners of the cut shell are prone to remain with sharp corners formed by the uncut skirt. After cutting the laminated structure, the corners of the cut shell can be polished so that the final shell has a suitable size and a good appearance.

[0073] In some examples, a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine can also be used to repair the skirt on the outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing. Since the laminated structure formed by hot pressing is usually a 2D plane structure in a rectangular shape, or a 3D curved surface structure in a rectangular shape with a certain curvature on the outer edge, its geometric shape is relatively simple. When a CNC machine is used for processing, a three-axis CNC machine can be used for processing, which can improve the processing efficiency, and a ball cutter can be used to grind the outer edge and corners of the laminated structure so that the final shell has a suitable size and a good appearance.

[0074] In some possible embodiments, the sizes of the support layer and the appearance layer need to be designed according to the shape of the shell that is ultimately formed, so that the sizes of the support layer and the appearance layer are slightly larger than the size of the shell to be formed, while ensuring the shell yield, avoiding waste of materials due to setting the support layer and the appearance layer too large.

[0075] In one example, reference Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 It is a top view when the geometric centers of the shell 100 and the appearance layer 20 coincide. When the shell 100 is in a flat plate shape, that is, in a 2D plane structure, since the shell 100 does not have a curved part, the top view of the shell 100 is the second figure. Therefore, the first figure A formed by the appearance layer 20 and the second figure B formed by the shell 100 have the same shape, and the area of ​​the first figure A is larger than the area of ​​the second figure B. The first figure A and the second figure B can be rectangular, rounded rectangular, circular, etc. Figure 5 FIG. 1 shows a first figure A and a second figure B whose geometric centers coincide and whose shapes are both rectangular. Figure 5 When the geometric centers of the first figure A formed by the appearance layer 20 and the second figure B formed by the shell 100 coincide, the first spacing between the outer contour of the first figure A and the outer contour of the second figure B can be 0.3mm-1mm, so as to ensure the yield of the shell and avoid waste of materials caused by setting the appearance layer 20 too large. For example, the first spacing between the outer contour of the first figure A and the outer contour of the second figure B can be 0.5mm.

[0076] In one example, at least a portion of the housing 100 is bent or curved, that is, the housing 100 has a 3D curved surface structure. Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 It is a top view when the geometric centers of the unfolded shell 100 and the appearance layer 20 coincide. When a part of the shell 100 is bent or curved, for example, the edge area of ​​the shell 100 is bent or curved. The bending shape means that the edge area is bent toward the penetration. Figure 6 The housing 100 is bent at a certain angle in the direction of the housing 100, and the curved shape is based on the curved shape, and the bent portion has a certain curvature. When the entire area of ​​the housing 100 is bent or curved, the housing 100 is bent or curved as a whole to adapt to electronic devices with a bent or curved appearance.

[0077] Figure 6 exemplarily shows that when the shape of the housing 100 is rectangular, the long side edges and the short side edges of the housing 100 are bent, and the bent area 101 and the flat area together form the second figure B of the housing 100. The first figure A formed by the appearance layer 20 is the same as the second figure B, and the area of ​​the first figure A is larger than the area of ​​the second figure B, so as to ensure the yield of the housing 100 formed by the appearance layer 20. Figure 5 When the geometric centers of the first figure A formed by the appearance layer 20 and the second figure B formed by the shell 100 coincide, the second spacing between the outer contour of the first figure A and the outer contour of the second figure B can be 0.3mm-1mm, so as to ensure the yield of the shell and avoid waste of materials caused by setting the appearance layer 20 too large. For example, the first spacing between the outer contour of the first figure A and the outer contour of the second figure B can be 0.5mm.

[0078] It is understandable that, since the appearance layer 20 and the support layer 10 are stacked, the shape of the appearance layer 20 can be set to be the same as the shape and size of the support layer 10, so as to avoid waste of materials caused by setting the size of the support layer 10 too large. Since the shell 100 of the present disclosure is formed by hot pressing, compared with the existing shell formed by setting an adhesive material to bond the appearance layer 20 and the support layer 10 in the prior art, the situation that the appearance layer and the support layer are displaced during the molding process of the existing shell, resulting in a gap between the two, can be avoided, thereby improving the reliability and yield of the shell.

[0079] Exemplarily, the material of the exterior layer 20 may include leather or artificial leather. Leather is made from animal skin through physical (mechanical) processing and chemical treatment processes, and may include but is not limited to pig leather, cow leather, sheep leather, horse leather, donkey leather, kangaroo leather, fish leather, reptile leather, amphibian leather, ostrich leather, etc. The pore distribution, pore density and pore size on different types of leather are different, resulting in different patterns on the surface of different types of leather, and the color and texture of leather obtained by different processing processes are also different, so that the shell made of the exterior layer formed by leather has a good appearance effect.

[0080] In some examples, the material of the exterior layer 20 may be artificial leather, which is formed by coating PVC (Polyvinylchloride) and / or PU (poly urethane) and other additives on a textile or non-woven fabric base, or by calendering the fabric base. Artificial leather has the advantages of a wide variety of patterns and colors, good waterproof performance, neat edges, and high utilization rate. The shell formed by the exterior layer 20 formed by it has a good appearance effect, and the price is lower than that of leather.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a housing includes the following steps:

[0082] Step S401, providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with an adhesive material;

[0083] Step S402, providing an appearance layer substrate;

[0084] Step S403, cutting the appearance layer substrate into a first preset size to obtain an initial appearance layer;

[0085] Step S404, forming a pattern layer on the initial appearance layer, the initial appearance layer and the pattern layer constitute the appearance layer;

[0086] Step S405, stacking the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are bonded by an adhesive material;

[0087] Step S406: cutting the outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing to obtain a shell.

[0088] In this embodiment, steps S401 to S402 are the same as or similar to steps S301 to S302 in the above embodiment, and steps S405 to S406 are the same as or similar to steps S304 to S305 in the above embodiment, and are not described in detail here.

[0089] In step S403, the first preset size may be the size of the initial appearance layer obtained by cutting, that is, the size of the appearance layer finally formed, that is, the first preset size may be the size of the first pattern formed by the appearance layer.

[0090] In step S404, based on the appearance effect requirements of the shell, a pattern layer can be formed on the initial appearance layer, and the pattern layer can be provided with patterns of various colors or textures that can refract light, so that the appearance layer composed of the initial appearance layer and the pattern layer has a good appearance effect. When forming the pattern layer, the pattern layer can be formed by methods including but not limited to offset printing, transfer printing, electroplating, printing, spray coating, spray coating, etc., so that the pattern layer has a specific texture and color, thereby achieving a good appearance effect of the shell.

[0091] It should be noted that when the appearance layer includes a pattern layer and an initial appearance layer, and at least one supporting layer is stacked with the appearance layer, the pattern layer can be arranged close to the supporting layer to avoid the pattern on the pattern layer from being worn or falling off during the subsequent use of the shell, thereby ensuring that the shell has a good appearance effect.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a housing includes the following steps:

[0093] Step S501, providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with an adhesive material;

[0094] Step S502, providing an appearance layer substrate;

[0095] Step S503, cutting the appearance layer substrate into a second preset size to obtain an intermediate appearance layer;

[0096] Step S504, forming a pattern layer array on the intermediate appearance layer, wherein the pattern layer array includes a plurality of pattern layers arrayed on the intermediate appearance layer;

[0097] Step S505, cutting the intermediate appearance layer to obtain appearance layers, each appearance layer including a pattern layer;

[0098] Step S506, stacking the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer, and performing hot pressing molding under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and at least one supporting layer are bonded by an adhesive material;

[0099] Step S507 , cutting the outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing to obtain a shell.

[0100] In this embodiment, steps S501 to S502 are the same as or similar to steps S301 to S302 in the above embodiment, and steps S506 to S507 are the same as or similar to steps S304 to S305 in the above embodiment, and are not described in detail here.

[0101] In step S503, in order to improve the production efficiency of forming the pattern layer, a larger second preset size can be set first when cutting the appearance layer substrate to obtain the appearance layer, so that the intermediate appearance layer cut with the second preset size can include multiple appearance layers, and the second preset size can be N times the size of the first pattern formed by the appearance layer. Multiple appearance layers can be arranged in an array on the intermediate appearance layer to form a pattern layer on the intermediate appearance layer. In one example, in order to facilitate equipment production, the intermediate appearance layer of the second preset size can include 2 rows * 3 columns of appearance layers, so that when the pattern layer is formed later, the pattern layer can be formed on 6 appearance layers at the same time.

[0102] In step S504, a plurality of pattern layers arrayed on the intermediate appearance layer constitute a pattern layer array, the pattern layer is formed on the surface of the intermediate appearance layer, and the pattern layers in the pattern layer array correspond to the appearance layers in the intermediate appearance layer one by one. By forming the pattern layer array on the intermediate appearance layer at one time, the production power consumption can be reduced and the production efficiency can be improved. Each pattern layer in the pattern layer array can be provided with patterns of various colors or textures that can refract light, and the patterns, textures, and colors on each pattern layer in the pattern layer array are the same. When forming the pattern layer array, the pattern layer array can be formed by methods including but not limited to offset printing, transfer printing, electroplating, printing, coating, spraying, etc., so that each pattern layer in the pattern layer array has a specific texture and color, thereby achieving a good appearance effect of the shell. In one example, when the intermediate appearance layer includes an appearance layer arranged in 2 rows and 3 columns, the pattern layers in the pattern layer array are also arranged in an array of 2 rows and 3 columns.

[0103] In step S505, when cutting the intermediate appearance layer formed with the pattern layer array, the punching position of the knife die is aligned with the gap position between adjacent pattern layers in the pattern layer array, or the fitting position of adjacent pattern layers, so that each appearance layer obtained by cutting has its specific size, and a pattern layer with a complete pattern is formed on each appearance layer, so that the shell formed by the appearance layer has a good appearance effect.

[0104] It should be noted that when the appearance layer includes a pattern layer and at least one supporting layer is stacked with the appearance layer, the pattern layer can be arranged close to the supporting layer to avoid the pattern on the pattern layer from being worn or falling off during the subsequent use of the shell, thereby ensuring that the shell has a good appearance.

[0105] In an exemplary embodiment, the pattern layer in steps S401 to S406 in the above embodiment and the pattern layer in steps S501 to S507 in the above embodiment are formed by UV transfer, coating and / or silk screen printing. In one example, when UV (Ultraviolet) transfer is used to form the pattern layer, a UV printer can be used to print UV photosensitive ink on the surface of the initial appearance layer or the intermediate appearance layer according to a set pattern, and then an ultraviolet light source is used to irradiate the UV photosensitive ink, so that the photosensitive curing agent in the UV photosensitive ink reacts, and the pigment molecules in the UV photosensitive ink are cured on the surface of the initial appearance layer or the intermediate appearance layer to form the pattern layer.

[0106] In one example, coating is to form a pattern layer on the surface of the initial appearance layer or the intermediate appearance layer by resistive evaporation plating, magnetron sputtering plating or electron gun evaporation plating. Coating uses different coating materials, so that the formed pattern layer can present different colors to meet the color requirements of the shell appearance. In another example, silk screen printing is to use a silk screen screen and ink to print on the surface of the initial appearance layer or the intermediate appearance layer. By controlling the thickness of the silk screen screen, the thickness of the ink can be controlled. The accumulation of the pattern layer has a good three-dimensional sense. The pattern layer formed by the silk screen printing process has good adhesion and strong light resistance, and does not require additional coating protection. In another example, any two or more of UV transfer, coating, and silk screen printing can be used to form a pattern layer to meet the color requirements or texture requirements of the shell appearance.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the appearance layer used in steps S401 to S406 in the above embodiment, and the material of the appearance layer used in steps S501 to S507 in the above embodiment may include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and / or polycarbonate (PC). PC has good light transmittance, heat resistance and impact resistance, and PET has good light transmittance, impact resistance, high and low temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, and water / gas / oil barrier performance. When the appearance layer is formed of PET and / or PC materials, while ensuring that the final shell has good mechanical strength, when light is transmitted from the appearance layer, the pattern layer can present a certain pattern and color, so that the shell has a certain appearance effect.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a housing, referring to Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the housing 100 includes an appearance layer 20 and at least one support layer 10. The support layer 10 is the main structure of the housing 100, providing support for the housing 100 so that the housing 100 can maintain a specific shape. One or more support layers 10 may be provided in the housing 100. Figure 3 As shown, when there is only one supporting layer 10, the formed housing 100 is light and thin. Figure 4 As shown, when multiple supporting layers 10 are arranged in the housing 100 , the multiple supporting layers 10 are stacked and arranged, and the mechanical strength of the housing 100 is good.

[0109] In each support layer 10, the support layer 10 includes a base support material 11 and an adhesive material 12 covering the base support material 11. The adhesive material 12 can produce an infiltration effect on the base support material 11 and cover the base support material 11. The cured adhesive material 12 makes the support layer 10 have a specific shape, for example, it can be a sheet or a plate. The base support material 11 can be one or more of continuous fibers such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, and boron fiber. The base support material can also be a fabric such as one or more of carbon fiber fabric, glass fiber fabric, aramid fiber fabric, and mixed fiber fabric. The fiber fabric can be a fiber cloth formed by weaving fibers, or it can be a fabric obtained by stitching. The adhesive material 12 can include a resin, and the resin can include a thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin, wherein the thermoplastic resin includes but is not limited to one or more of polyurethane, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, and polyimide, and the thermosetting resin includes but is not limited to one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, cyanate resin, bismaleimide resin, and polyimide resin. In some examples, the base support material 11 is glass fiber cloth, and the adhesive material 12 is epoxy resin.

[0110] The appearance layer 20 can be leather, artificial leather or plastic film with certain colors and patterns. The appearance layer 20 is stacked with at least one supporting layer 10 so that the appearance layer 20 can serve as the appearance surface of the final shell 100, so that the shell 100 has a certain appearance effect. Since the appearance layer 20 and at least one supporting layer 10 are bonded by the adhesive material 12, compared with the prior art, there is no need to set an additional adhesive material between the appearance layer 20 and the supporting layer 10, so that there is no thickness space occupied by the adhesive material in the shell 100, and while ensuring that the shell 100 has a certain appearance effect and good mechanical strength, it also has good lightness and thinness.

[0111] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure further provides an electronic device, which may include, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a watch, etc. The electronic device includes the housing provided in the above embodiment, and the housing may be used as a rear housing of the electronic device, close to the battery of the electronic device. Since the housing has a certain appearance effect, good mechanical strength and lightness, the electronic device not only meets the aesthetic needs of the user, but also has good anti-fall strength, toughness and lightness, which reduces the burden on the user to use the electronic device and improves the user's satisfaction.

[0112] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present invention after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the present invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in this disclosure. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present invention are indicated by the following claims.

[0113] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact construction that has been described above and shown in the drawings and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a housing, characterized in that: The method for manufacturing the shell includes: providing at least one support layer, the support layer comprising a base support material impregnated with a bonding material; Provides a facade layer; The appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are stacked and heat-pressed under preset conditions, so that the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded by the bonding material to form the shell.

2. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 1, characterized in that: Providing the appearance layer comprises: Providing an appearance layer substrate; The appearance layer substrate is cut to obtain the appearance layer.

3. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 2, characterized in that: After hot pressing under preset conditions, the method for manufacturing the shell further includes: The outer edge of the laminated structure obtained by hot pressing is cut to obtain the shell.

4. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first pattern formed by the exterior layer is the same as the second pattern formed by the shell, and the area of ​​the first pattern is larger than the area of ​​the second pattern; or, At least a portion of the shell is bent or curved, a first figure formed by the exterior layer is the same as a second figure formed by the shell being unfolded, and an area of ​​the first figure is greater than an area of ​​the second figure.

5. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the geometric centers of the first figure and the second figure coincide with each other, the distance between the outer contour of the first figure and the outer contour of the second figure is 0.3 mm-1 mm.

6. The method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The material of the exterior layer includes leather or artificial leather.

7. The method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The step of cutting the appearance layer substrate comprises: Cutting the appearance layer substrate into a first preset size to obtain an initial appearance layer; forming a pattern layer on the initial appearance layer, wherein the initial appearance layer and the pattern layer constitute the appearance layer; or, The appearance layer substrate is cut into a second preset size to obtain an intermediate appearance layer; a pattern layer array is formed on the intermediate appearance layer, wherein the pattern layer array includes a plurality of pattern layers arrayed on the intermediate appearance layer; the intermediate appearance layer is cut into the appearance layers, wherein each appearance layer includes one pattern layer.

8. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pattern layer is formed by UV transfer, coating and / or silk screen printing.

9. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 7, characterized in that: The material of the appearance layer includes polyethylene terephthalate and / or polycarbonate.

10. The method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The base support material comprises continuous fibers or fabrics; and / or, The bonding material includes resin.

11. The method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The preset conditions include: the hot pressing temperature of the hot pressing molding is 100° C.-150° C.; and / or, The hot pressing time of the hot pressing molding is 2min-10min.

12. The method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The support layer is provided with multiple layers, and when hot pressing forming is performed under the preset conditions, adjacent support layers are bonded together by the bonding material.

13. A housing, characterized in that: The housing comprises: At least one supporting layer, the supporting layer comprising a base supporting material and an adhesive material covering the base supporting material; The appearance layer is stacked with the at least one supporting layer, and the appearance layer and the at least one supporting layer are bonded by the bonding material.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises the housing according to claim 13.

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