Earphone connector and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The application provides an earphone connector and a preparation method thereof. The earphone connector comprises a first component and a second component which are combined with each other. The first component is made of a first plastic material of a plating grade. The second component is made of a second plastic material of a non-plating grade. A part of the first component exposed to the second component is covered with a metal plating layer. The inner side of the first component is provided with a barrier wall structure. The first component and the second component which are combined with each other are formed by means of double-shot injection molding. The inner side of the first component is provided with a barrier wall structure. A part of the first component exposed to the second component is covered with a metal plating layer. The overall structure is simple. The obtained product is of excellent quality. The molding is simple. The production efficiency is high. The production cost is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of headphone manufacturing technology, and relates to a headphone connector and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, people have placed higher demands on the portability and ease of use of electronic devices. Against this backdrop, true wireless Bluetooth earbuds have emerged to meet people's needs for compact size, portability, and ease of use. In related technologies, true wireless Bluetooth earbuds typically have an integrated structure and are equipped with a compatible charging case. The wireless earbuds are placed in the charging case and charged via the earbud connector.

[0003] CN211789653U discloses a wireless earphone charging connector, including a pair of charging electrodes, a first insulator and a second insulator that unite the pair of charging electrodes. Each charging electrode includes an arc-shaped contact portion and a conductive pin extending from the lower end of the arc-shaped contact portion. An isolation gap is formed between the pair of charging electrodes. After the first insulator is formed, the pair of charging electrodes are connected as one unit, and the second insulator closes the isolation gap. The manufacturing method of this wireless earphone charging connector is as follows: First, a pair of charging electrodes are stamped from a metal sheet. A bridge body is formed at the top opening of the charging electrodes to connect the pair of charging electrodes as one unit. Then, the first insulator is formed by a first injection molding process, and the bridge body is separated from the first insulator. Finally, the charging electrodes are placed in an injection mold to form the second insulator, which closes the unfilled hole and clearance space generated during the forming of the first insulator.

[0004] It is evident that the existing headphone chargers have a complex overall structure, a cumbersome molding process, and low production efficiency, which is not conducive to large-scale industrial production.

[0005] In summary, providing an earphone connector with simple structure, low cost, simple manufacturing process and high production efficiency, and its preparation method, is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide an earphone connector and its manufacturing method. The earphone connector has a simple overall structure, produces high-quality products, is easy to mold, has high production efficiency, and low production cost.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an earphone connector, comprising a first component and a second component joined together, the first component being made of an electroplating grade first plastic material, the second component being made of a non-electroplated grade second plastic material, the portion of the first component exposed to the second component being covered with a metal electroplating layer, and the inner side of the first component having a retaining wall structure.

[0009] The headphone connector provided by this invention consists of only a first component and a second component combined to form an integral structure. A metal electroplating layer is used to cover the part of the first component exposed on the second component, thereby enabling the direct formation of an electrical connection structure on the first component. This facilitates electrical connection with the headphone charging case to charge the headphones. The overall structure is simple and significantly improves production efficiency.

[0010] It is worth noting that the present invention provides a baffle structure on the inner side of the first component. The purpose is to control the flow behavior of the second plastic material during the molding of the earphone connector using a two-color injection molding machine, guiding the second plastic material to flow along a predetermined path. Without the baffle structure, the second plastic material would flow along an alternate path, partially mixing with the first plastic material to form a discolored component. This discolored component would appear on the outer surface of the second component and would attract metal plating material, resulting in plating overflow, thus affecting the electrical connection between the earphone connector and the earphone charging case. Due to the guiding effect of the baffle structure in this invention, the generation of discolored material is greatly reduced, and the location of discolored material is changed. A small amount of discolored material forms on the inner surface of the second component, and the discolored material is greatly reduced, eliminating its ability to attract metal plating material and thus preventing plating overflow. This ensures the electrical connection between the earphone connector and the earphone charging case.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the portion of the first component exposed on the second component has a first protrusion, a second protrusion and a third protrusion protruding from the surface of the second component. The first protrusion is a grounding pin and the second protrusion is a power supply pin. The third protrusion has a through hole penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the first component and is electrically connected to the first protrusion.

[0012] In this invention, during the molding of the first component, the first component with a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion is directly formed using a first injection mold, and a through hole is provided at the third protrusion, which serves as a grounding pin, a power pin, and a microphone hole, respectively. This eliminates the need for other components to form the above-mentioned functional structure, further simplifying and making the overall structure of the headphone connector of this invention easier to form, and further improving production efficiency.

[0013] In this invention, by electrically connecting the microphone hole to the ground pin, the reference potential of the audio signal is ensured to be stable, enabling the microphone to correctly transmit the sound signal.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a beam structure is provided between the third protrusion and the second protrusion, and the retaining wall structure is located on one side of the beam structure and is connected to the beam structure.

[0015] It is worth noting that by forming the retaining wall structure on one side of the beam structure and connecting it to the beam structure, the second plastic material can flow along the direction guided by the retaining wall structure during the molding of the second component, instead of directly passing through the beam structure. This ensures that the second plastic material splits into two streams on the inner side of the bottom of the first component and merges on the inner surface of the second component, preventing the two streams from splitting at the top of the first component and merging on the outer surface of the second component, thus filling the cavity of the second injection mold. If the retaining wall structure is not provided and the material passes directly through the beam structure, the second plastic material will produce a different color from the first component when passing through the beam structure, and the second plastic material will be split into two streams by the beam structure, merging at the filling end of the second component, producing more discoloration, which forms on the outer surface of the second component, causing over-plating. The retaining wall structure and its positional relationship with the beam structure in this invention solve the problem of over-plating.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an earphone connector as described in the first aspect, the method comprising the following steps:

[0017] (1) One-shot injection molding: The first plastic material of electroplating grade is injected into the first injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine, and the first component is obtained after curing.

[0018] (2) Two-shot injection molding: At the forming position of the first component, a non-electroplated grade second plastic material is injected into the second injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine. The second plastic material is bonded to the first component along the outside of the retaining wall structure in a predetermined flow direction. After curing, the second component is obtained.

[0019] The preparation method provided by the present invention can use a conventional two-color injection molding machine in the prior art to prepare the first component and the second component. The first injection and the second injection share the same mold part, eliminating the need to remove the first injection product from the mold and insert it into the second injection mold, thus achieving high-precision and high-efficiency injection molding.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the melting temperature of the first plastic material is 250-280°C.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the melting temperature of the second plastic material is 295–315°C.

[0022] It is worth noting that, when using a standard two-shot injection molding process, the temperature of the second injection material needs to be controlled to be approximately 60°C lower than that of the first injection material. This prevents the second injection material from melting part of the surface of the first injection material as it flows through it during the second injection molding process. However, if this invention follows the standard two-shot injection molding process to manufacture the headphone connector, and if the second component is formed first using a second injection material with a higher melting temperature, and then the first component is formed using a first injection material with a lower melting temperature, the two components will break due to stress when joined, making it impossible for the first component to bond to the second component. To achieve the desired injection molding of the headphone connector, this invention uses a second plastic material with a higher melting temperature than the first plastic material as the second injection material, thus reversing the standard two-shot injection molding process. Furthermore, since a baffle structure is present on the inner side of the first component during molding, even if the temperature of the second plastic material is higher than that of the first plastic material, the baffle structure changes the flow direction of the second plastic material, preventing it from splitting into two streams and then merging on the outer surface of the second component. Even if some of the surface of the first component melts and mixes into the second plastic material due to the interaction of high and low temperatures, the baffle structure will greatly reduce discoloration and change the location of discoloration, thereby solving the problem of over-plating.

[0023] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in step (2), the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold is 90-110 mm / s.

[0024] It is worth noting that controlling the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold within 90-110 mm / s ensures that the second plastic material quickly passes along the outside of the retaining wall structure during the injection process. This helps reduce melting on the surface of the first component and further avoids color variations during the second injection molding process. If the injection speed is below 90 mm / s, color variations will increase; if the injection speed is above 110 mm / s, the second plastic material cannot completely fill the cavity of the second injection mold, affecting the molding effect of the second component.

[0025] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the preparation method further includes step (3): electroplating the part of the first component exposed to the second component.

[0026] In this invention, electrical connection pins are formed on the portion of the first component exposed on the second component by electroplating, which, combined with dual-shot injection molding, greatly simplifies the manufacturing process of the headphone connector.

[0027] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, before the electroplating process, the portion of the first component exposed to the second component is roughened.

[0028] In this invention, roughening treatment can increase the adhesion between the first component and the first metal layer, thereby ensuring the electroplating effect.

[0029] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the electroplating process includes: electroplating a first metal layer on the portion of the first component exposed to the second component, and electroplating a second metal layer on the first metal layer.

[0030] In this invention, two metal layers are used as electroplated metal layers, thereby further improving the stability of electrical connections.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] (1) The headphone connector provided by the present invention has a baffle structure inside the first component. When the headphone connector is injection molded in two colors, the flow behavior of the second plastic material is controlled so as to guide the second plastic material to flow along a predetermined path, thereby avoiding the second plastic material from partially mixing with the first plastic material and forming a different color on the outer surface of the second component. This ensures that no overflow plating will occur on the surface of the two-shot molded plastic part during the electroplating process, and guarantees the electrical connection effect between the headphone connector and the headphone charging case.

[0033] (2) The headphone connector provided by the present invention, by setting a baffle structure formed on one side of the beam structure and connecting it with the beam structure, ensures that the second plastic material flows along the direction guided by the baffle structure when molding the second component, and does not directly pass through the beam structure. This allows the second plastic material to split into two strands on the inner side of the bottom of the first component and merge on the inner surface of the second component, and prevents the two strands of plastic material from splitting into two strands on the top of the first component and merging on the outer surface of the second component. This further reduces color difference and solves the problem of over-plating, thereby improving product performance and reliability.

[0034] (3) The headphone connector provided by the present invention is formed by combining the first component and the second component to form an integral structure, and the protruding part of the first component exposed on the second component is covered by a metal electroplating layer, so that an electrical connection structure can be directly formed on the first component, thereby realizing an electrical connection with the headphone charging case. There is no need to rely on other components to form the above-mentioned functional structure. The overall structure is simple and greatly improves production efficiency.

[0035] (4) The preparation method provided by the present invention is completely opposite to the selection of injection material temperature in the standard two-shot injection molding process. When the structure of the first component and the second component are combined, the two components will break due to stress, and the first component cannot be combined with the second component. Therefore, by adjusting the second plastic material with a melting temperature higher than that of the first plastic material as the two-shot material, high stress between the first component and the second component can be avoided, and the product can be successfully molded.

[0036] (5) The preparation method provided by the present invention uses a two-color injection molding machine to prepare the first component and the second component that are combined with each other. It is not necessary to take the first injection product out of the mold and insert it into the second injection mold. By controlling the injection speed of the second plastic material in the mold, high precision and high efficiency injection molding is achieved. The resulting product has excellent quality, is easy to mold and has high production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the headphone connector provided by the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first component and the second component in the headphone connector provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the flow direction of the second injection molding material when molding the second component without a retaining wall structure, as provided by the present invention.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the flow direction of the second injection molding material when molding the second component under the retaining wall structure provided by the present invention.

[0041] 1-Earphone connector, 2-First component, 3-Second component, 4-First protrusion, 5-Second protrusion, 6-Third protrusion, 7-Through hole, 8-Beam structure, 9-Retaining wall structure. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the first feature in relation to the second feature includes the first feature directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "under," and "below" the first feature in relation to the second feature includes the first feature directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0045] Headphone connector

[0046] This invention provides an earphone connector 1. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the headphone connector is shown below. Figure 1 As shown, it includes a first component 2 and a second component 3 that are connected to each other. The first component 2 is made of an electroplating grade first plastic material, and the second component 3 is made of a non-electroplation grade second plastic material. The portion of the first component 2 exposed to the second component 3 is covered with a metal electroplating layer, and the inner side of the first component 2 has a retaining wall structure.

[0047] In this application, the first component is made of an electroplating grade first plastic material, while the second component is made of a non-electroplation grade second plastic material, thereby enabling the metal electroplating layer to be directly covered on the portion of the first component exposed on the second component to form an electrical connection pin.

[0048] The headphone connector provided in this application consists of only a first component and a second component combined to form an integral structure. A metal electroplating layer is used to cover the part of the first component exposed on the second component, thereby enabling the direct formation of an electrical connection structure on the first component. This facilitates electrical connection with the headphone charging case to charge the headphones. The overall structure is simple and significantly improves production efficiency.

[0049] This application provides a baffle structure inside the first component, the purpose of which is to control the flow behavior of the second plastic material when molding the earphone connector using a two-color injection molding machine, so as to guide the second plastic material to flow along a predetermined path.

[0050] In this application, without the baffle structure, the second plastic material would flow along a different path, partially mixing with the first plastic material to form a discolored component. This discolored component would appear on the outer surface of the second component and would attract metal plating material, resulting in plating overflow, thus affecting the electrical connection between the headphone connector and the headphone charging case. Because of the guiding effect of the baffle structure in this application, the generation of discolored material is greatly reduced, and the location of discolored material is changed. A small amount of discolored material forms on the inner surface of the second component, and the discolored material is greatly reduced, eliminating its ability to attract metal plating material and thus preventing plating overflow. This ensures the electrical connection between the headphone connector and the headphone charging case.

[0051] In any embodiment of this application, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first and second components in an earphone connector. The portion of the first component 2 exposed above the second component 3 has a first protrusion 4, a second protrusion 5, and a third protrusion 6 protruding from the surface of the second component 3. The first protrusion 4 is a ground pin, and the second protrusion 5 is a power pin. The third protrusion 6 has a through hole 7 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the first component 2, and the third protrusion 6 is electrically connected to the first protrusion 4.

[0052] In this application, no specific limitations are made on other internal structures of the headphone connector, while corresponding space is reserved for other structures within the headphone connector. The structure and position of other structures can be flexibly changed, and those skilled in the art can make reasonable settings according to actual needs.

[0053] Therefore, during the molding of the first component, the first component with the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the third protrusion are directly formed using the first injection mold, and a through hole is provided at the third protrusion, which serves as a ground pin, a power pin, and a microphone hole, respectively. This eliminates the need for other components to form the aforementioned functional structure, further simplifying the overall structure of the headphone connector and improving production efficiency. Furthermore, by electrically connecting the microphone hole to the ground pin, the reference potential of the audio signal is ensured to be stable, enabling the microphone to correctly transmit sound signals.

[0054] In any embodiment of this application, a beam structure 8 is provided between the third protrusion 6 and the second protrusion 5, and the retaining wall structure 9 is located on one side of the beam structure 8 and connected to the beam structure 8.

[0055] This application does not specifically limit the material, size, and specific structure of the retaining wall structure. The role of the retaining wall structure in this invention is to control the flow behavior of the second plastic material and prevent the plastic material from directly passing through the beam structure. Therefore, it is understood that the material, size, and specific structure of other retaining wall structures that can achieve this function can be used in this application, and those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments according to actual needs.

[0056] By forming the retaining wall structure on one side of the beam structure and connecting it to the beam structure, the second plastic material can flow along the direction guided by the retaining wall structure during the molding of the second component (flow diagram shown). Figure 4 As shown), instead of passing directly through the beam structure, the second plastic material splits into two strands on the inner side of the bottom of the first component and merges on the inner surface of the second component. There will be no situation where the two strands of plastic material split into two strands on the top of the first component and merge on the outer surface of the second component, and then fills the cavity of the second injection mold.

[0057] In this application, if no retaining wall structure is provided and the material passes directly through a beam structure, the second plastic material will produce a different color from the first component when passing through the beam structure, and the second plastic material will be divided into two streams by the beam structure. At the filling end of the second component, the two streams of plastic material will merge (flow diagram shown). Figure 3 As shown in the diagram, this results in significant discoloration, which forms on the outer surface of the second component, causing over-plating. Therefore, the retaining wall structure and its positional relationship with the beam structure in this application solve the problem of over-plating.

[0058] Preparation method

[0059] The second aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing an earphone connector, which can manufacture the earphone connector of the first aspect of this application.

[0060] The preparation method includes the following steps:

[0061] (1) One-shot injection molding: The first plastic material of electroplating grade is injected into the first injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine, and the first component is obtained after curing.

[0062] (2) Two-shot injection molding: At the forming position of the first component, a non-electroplated grade second plastic material is injected into the second injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine. The second plastic material is bonded to the first component along the outside of the retaining wall structure in a predetermined flow direction. After curing, the second component is obtained.

[0063] In this application, the two-color injection molding machine is used to form the first and second components. The overall operation process is no different from the standard two-shot injection molding process, and no specific limitations are made here. Those skilled in the art can make reasonable settings according to actual needs.

[0064] The preparation method provided by the present invention can use a conventional two-color injection molding machine in the prior art to prepare the first component and the second component. The first injection and the second injection share the same mold part, eliminating the need to remove the first injection product from the mold and insert it into the second injection mold, thus achieving high-precision and high-efficiency injection molding.

[0065] In this application, "standard two-shot injection molding process" refers to a process where the temperature of the second-shot material is about 60°C lower than that of the first-shot material. This facilitates the control of the injection molding process and ensures that the second-shot material does not melt part of the surface of the first-shot material when it flows through it during the two-shot molding process.

[0066] In any embodiment of this application, the melting temperature of the first plastic material is 250 to 280°C, for example, it can be 252°C, 255°C, 256°C, 258°C, 260°C, 262°C, 265°C, 266°C, 268°C, 270°C, 272°C, 275°C, 276°C or 278°C, but it is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values ​​within this range are also applicable.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first plastic material may be a mixture of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC). Furthermore, most commercially available PC materials are non-electroplating grade, possessing high mechanical strength; commercially available ABS materials are electroplating grade, exhibiting good electroplating performance and strong corrosion resistance, but with lower strength. Therefore, by combining ABS and PC, the mechanical strength of the material is enhanced while ensuring electroplating and corrosion resistance.

[0068] In this application, the selection of the first plastic material is not specifically limited and can be obtained commercially, as long as the selected material has a melting temperature range of 250 to 280°C. Therefore, the first plastic material can be a single material or a mixture of materials.

[0069] In any embodiment of this application, the melting temperature of the second plastic material is 295 to 315°C, for example, it can be 297°C, 299°C, 300°C, 302°C, 305°C, 306°C, 308°C, 310°C, 312°C or 314°C, but it is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values ​​within this range are also applicable.

[0070] In some embodiments, the second plastic material may be a polycarbonate material.

[0071] In this application, the selection of the second plastic material is not specifically limited and can be obtained commercially, as long as the selected material has a melting temperature range of 295 to 315°C. Therefore, the second plastic material can be a single material or a mixture of materials.

[0072] In this application, if the headphone connector is manufactured using a standard two-shot injection molding process, and if a second component is first formed using a second injection material with a high melting temperature, and then a first component with a low melting temperature is used to form the first component and the second component together, then when the first component and the second component are combined based on their structures, the two components will break due to stress, making it impossible to combine the first component with the second component.

[0073] Based on the purpose of injection molding earphone connectors, this application uses a second plastic material with a melting temperature higher than that of the first plastic material as the second-injection material, which is the opposite of the standard two-injection molding process. Furthermore, because a baffle structure is present on the inner side of the first component during molding, even if the temperature of the second plastic material is higher than that of the first plastic material, the baffle structure alters the flow direction of the second plastic material, preventing it from splitting into two streams and then merging on the outer surface of the second component. Even if some of the surface of the first component melts and mixes into the second plastic material due to the interaction of high and low temperatures, the baffle structure greatly reduces discoloration and changes the location of discoloration, thereby solving the problem of over-plating.

[0074] In any embodiment of this application, in step (2), the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold is 90-110 mm / s, for example, it can be 92 mm / s, 95 mm / s, 96 mm / s, 98 mm / s, 100 mm / s, 102 mm / s, 105 mm / s, 106 mm / s, or 108 mm / s, etc., but is not limited to the listed values, and other unlisted values ​​within this range are also applicable. By controlling the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold within 90-110 mm / s, it is ensured that the second plastic material quickly passes along the outside of the retaining wall structure during the injection process, which helps to reduce the melting of the surface of the first component and further avoid the problem of discoloration during two-shot molding.

[0075] In this application, if the injection speed of the second shot is less than 90 mm / s, the number of discolored parts will increase; if the injection speed of the second shot is greater than 110 mm / s, the second plastic material cannot fill the cavity of the second shot mold, affecting the molding effect of the second component.

[0076] In addition to controlling the melting temperature of the first plastic material, the melting temperature of the second plastic material, and the second injection speed of the second plastic material, the values ​​of other parameters can be set as long as they are within a reasonable range, and the first component and the second component can be formed. Those skilled in the art can set them reasonably according to actual needs.

[0077] In any embodiment of this application, the preparation method further includes step (3): electroplating the portion of the first component exposed on the second component. By forming electrical connection pins on the protrusion of the portion of the first component exposed on the second component through electroplating, combined with dual-shot injection molding, the manufacturing process of the headphone connector is greatly simplified.

[0078] In this application, the relevant parameters of the electroplating treatment are not specifically limited. The role of the electroplating treatment in this invention is to provide good electrical conductivity for use as an electrode, and to enhance corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Therefore, those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments to the relevant parameters of the electroplating treatment according to the actual situation.

[0079] In any embodiment of this application, prior to the electroplating process, the portion of the first component exposed on the second component is roughened. This roughening process increases the adhesion between the first component and the first metal layer, thereby ensuring the electroplating effect.

[0080] In this application, the specific steps and related parameters of the roughening treatment are not specifically limited. The role of the roughening treatment in this invention is to increase the adhesion between the first plastic material and the first metal layer. Therefore, those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments to the specific steps and related parameters of the roughening treatment according to the actual situation.

[0081] In any embodiment of this application, the electroplating process includes: electroplating a first metal layer on the portion of the first component exposed to the second component, and electroplating a second metal layer on the first metal layer. Using two metal layers as the electroplated metal layers further enhances the stability of the electrical connection.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first metal layer may be made of copper, and the second metal layer may be made of palladium, gold, rhodium, or ruthenium, etc.

[0083] In this application, the materials of the first metal layer and the second metal layer are not specifically limited, and those skilled in the art can select the appropriate metal layer material according to actual needs.

[0084] Example

[0085] The following embodiments describe the disclosure of this application in more detail. These embodiments are merely illustrative, as various modifications and variations within the scope of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Unless otherwise stated, all materials and instruments used in the embodiments are commercially available.

[0086] Example 1

[0087] This embodiment provides an earphone connector and its manufacturing method. The earphone connector includes a first component and a second component that are joined together. The first component is made of an electroplating grade first plastic material, and the second component is made of a non-electroplated grade second plastic material. The portion of the first component exposed to the second component is covered with a metal electroplating layer, and the inner side of the first component has a retaining wall structure.

[0088] The portion of the first component exposed on the second component has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion protruding from the surface of the second component. The first protrusion is a grounding pin, and the second protrusion is a power supply pin. The third protrusion has a through hole penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the first component, and the third protrusion is electrically connected to the first protrusion. A beam structure is provided between the third protrusion and the second protrusion, and the retaining wall structure is located on one side of the beam structure and connected to the beam structure.

[0089] The preparation method includes the following steps:

[0090] (1) One-shot injection molding: The first plastic material of electroplating grade is injected into the first injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine, and the first component is obtained after curing.

[0091] The first plastic material is a mixture of PC with a melting temperature of 260℃ and electroplating grade ABS.

[0092] (2) Two-shot injection molding: At the molding position of the first component, a non-electroplated grade second plastic material is injected into the second injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine. The second plastic material is bonded to the first component along the outside of the retaining wall structure in a predetermined flow direction. After curing, the second component is obtained.

[0093] The second plastic material has a melting temperature of 300℃ and is a non-electroplated grade PC; the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold is 100mm / s.

[0094] (3) Electroplating treatment: The portion of the first component exposed to the second component is subjected to roughening treatment and electroplating treatment in sequence to obtain the headphone connector;

[0095] The electroplating process includes: electroplating a copper layer on the portion of the first component exposed to the second component, and then electroplating a gold layer on the surface of the copper layer.

[0096] The headphone connector produced in this embodiment does not have the problem of overplating and can be electrically connected to the headphone charging case to charge the headphone; the overall structure is simple, easy to form and has high production efficiency.

[0097] The applicant declares that the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention fall within the protection and disclosure scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An earphone connector, characterized in that, It includes a first component and a second component that are joined together. The first component is made of an electroplating grade first plastic material, and the second component is made of a non-electroplation grade second plastic material. The portion of the first component exposed to the second component is covered with a metal electroplating layer, and the inner side of the first component has a retaining wall structure.

2. The headphone connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The portion of the first component exposed on the second component has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion protruding from the surface of the second component. The first protrusion is a grounding pin, and the second protrusion is a power supply pin. The third protrusion has a through hole penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the first component, and the third protrusion is electrically connected to the first protrusion.

3. The headphone connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, A beam structure exists between the third protrusion and the second protrusion, and the retaining wall structure is located on one side of the beam structure and connected to the beam structure.

4. A method for manufacturing an earphone connector as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: (1) One-shot injection molding: The first plastic material of electroplating grade is injected into the first injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine, and the first component is obtained after curing. (2) Two-shot injection molding: At the forming position of the first component, a non-electroplated grade second plastic material is injected into the second injection mold of the two-color injection molding machine. The second plastic material is bonded to the first component along the outside of the retaining wall structure in a predetermined flow direction. After curing, the second component is obtained.

5. The headphone connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The melting temperature of the first plastic material is 250–280°C.

6. The headphone connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The melting temperature of the second plastic material is 295–315°C.

7. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step (2), the injection speed of the second plastic material in the second injection mold is 90-110 mm / s.

8. The preparation method according to any one of claims 4-7, characterized in that, The preparation method further includes step (3): electroplating the portion of the first component exposed to the second component.

9. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Prior to the electroplating process, the portion of the first component exposed to the second component is roughened.

10. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The electroplating process includes: electroplating a first metal layer on the portion of the first component exposed to the second component, and electroplating a second metal layer on the first metal layer.

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