A glass fiber composite notebook computer keyboard cover plate and a preparation method thereof

Abstract

This invention provides a fiberglass composite keyboard cover for laptops and its preparation method, relating to the field of laptop shell technology. The keyboard cover includes a fiberglass composite substrate layer and multiple functional coatings sequentially stacked thereon: a black ink layer, a white ink layer, a decorative ink layer, a UV textured hardening layer, and an AF anti-fingerprint layer. A screen printing release layer is also provided on the lower surface of the substrate layer. The fiberglass composite layer is composed of glass fiber cloth and modified epoxy resin, and has excellent wave transmission and mechanical properties. The preparation method mainly includes sequentially screen printing and curing each functional coating on a flat substrate, followed by CNC rough machining, hot pressing, CNC fine machining, and AF coating. This invention solves the problems of signal shielding by metal materials and the cheap feel of plastic materials, achieving a comprehensive effect of no signal interference, high-end and customizable appearance, and good durability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laptop casing technology, and in particular to a glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, laptop keyboard covers (also known as C-pieces) are primarily made of magnesium-aluminum alloy or PC-ABS (a mixture of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer). While magnesium-aluminum alloys offer high strength, as a metal material, they severely shield and interfere with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antenna signals inside the laptop, affecting wireless communication quality. Furthermore, the metal surface feels cold to the touch, and the texture options are relatively limited. Although PC-ABS does not obstruct signals, its texture is poor, its surface hardness is low, making it prone to scratches, and its texture is limited, failing to meet the diverse aesthetic demands of high-end electronic products. It also lacks sufficient scratch resistance and impact resistance. With consumers increasingly demanding personalized appearances, premium textures, and superior wireless performance in electronic products, developing a new keyboard cover material and structure that combines excellent signal transmittance, superior mechanical properties, rich aesthetic textures, and high customizability has become a pressing issue for the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a customizable glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover and its preparation method. The cover has the advantages of unobstructed signal, excellent mechanical properties, high-end appearance and texture, and high degree of personalization.

[0004] This invention provides the following technical solution: A glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover includes a glass fiber composite layer as a substrate, and a multilayer functional coating sequentially stacked on the upper surface of the glass fiber composite layer. The multilayer functional coating, from bottom to top, includes: A black ink layer is screen-printed on the upper surface of the glass fiber composite material layer; A white ink layer is screen-printed on the upper surface of the black ink layer; A decorative ink layer with a target color and / or pattern is screen-printed on the upper surface of the white ink layer; A UV textured hardening layer is formed by curing the decorative ink layer through a mold with a target texture on its surface; An anti-fingerprint layer is formed on the surface of the UV textured hardened layer by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition process. A screen-printed release layer is also provided on the lower surface of the glass fiber composite material layer; Its technical advantages lie in systematically solving all the problems in the background technology: the fiberglass composite material layer is transparent to wireless communication frequency band signals and basically does not produce signal attenuation. Therefore, the fiberglass composite material layer ensures structural strength and signal transparency. In addition, the fiberglass composite material layer also has high tensile strength, high impact strength and chemical corrosion resistance. The structure of three layers of screen printing ink (black, white and custom color) realizes a high degree of color customization and vibrancy, avoiding the cheap feel of plastic. Among them, the white ink layer is used to improve the color saturation and color rendering of the decorative ink layer, while the black ink layer is used to fill the surface texture of the fiberglass composite material layer, so that the woven mesh generated during the material molding process can be effectively filled. The UV texture hardening layer can achieve different surface textures from smooth to matte by controlling the surface roughness (Ra value) and hardness of the UV texture hardening layer, enhancing wear resistance. The AF anti-fingerprint layer improves user experience and cleaning convenience. The screen printing release layer on the lower surface ensures the yield of subsequent hot pressing processes. This structure is the material basis for achieving the comprehensive goal of "customizability, high performance and high quality".

[0005] Preferably, the glass fiber composite material layer is made of glass fiber cloth impregnated with modified epoxy resin, which gives it good wear resistance and hardness properties, as well as a good tactile feel. Since the molds used for UV coating are highly selectable, the corresponding tactile feel is highly variable. This section clarifies the material source that enables the material to achieve its properties of high rigidity, excellent wave transmission, good heat resistance, and thermoforming capability, which is significantly different from ordinary plastic or metal substrates and is the key to supporting the core performance of the product.

[0006] Preferably, the thickness of the glass fiber composite material layer is 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm; This range represents the preferred solution: if it is too thin, the strength will be insufficient; if it is too thick, the weight and cost will increase. This limitation ensures that the cover plate meets the mechanical requirements of the laptop's structural components (such as bending resistance and impact resistance) while remaining lightweight and thin. The flexural modulus of the glass fiber composite layer is 16 GPa to 22 GPa; High flexural modulus directly corresponds to the product's "high rigidity" and "non-deformation" characteristics, which is one of the key advantages compared to plastic materials such as PC-ABS, and can significantly improve the structural stability and durability of laptops.

[0007] Preferably, the thickness of the black ink layer is 30 micrometers to 65 micrometers, used to fill the surface texture of the glass fiber composite material layer.

[0008] Preferably, the surface hardness of the UV textured hardening layer is 2H to 4H; This hardness range (usually measured with a pencil hardness tester) ensures that the cover surface has excellent scratch resistance, resisting scratches from objects such as keys and fingernails during daily use, and maintaining a new appearance for a long time. Furthermore, the surface roughness Ra value of the UV textured hardened layer is 0.1 μm to 1.5 μm; This limitation is directly related to "tactile customization". The Ra value can precisely control the difference between an extremely smooth surface (such as a mirror) and a noticeably frosted surface, meeting different design needs from elegant gloss to non-slip matte finish. It is an important parameter for enhancing the "premium feel" and functionality of a product.

[0009] Preferably, the decorative ink layer contains a specific pattern or logo in a local area, and the UV texture hardening layer contains raised or recessed patterns in a local area.

[0010] Preferably, the water droplet angle of the AF anti-fingerprint layer is greater than or equal to 100°; A high water droplet angle means that the coating has strong hydrophobicity, which is the core quantitative indicator of the "anti-fingerprint" function. Water droplets form beads on the surface and are not easy to spread, so fingerprints and sweat stains are not easy to adhere and are easy to wipe.

[0011] Preferably, the AF anti-fingerprint layer does not contain perfluorinated and / or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

[0012] A method for preparing a laptop keyboard cover made of the aforementioned glass fiber composite material, characterized by comprising the following steps: S1: Provides a flat glass fiber composite substrate; S2: Screen printing release ink on the lower surface of the substrate and curing it to form a screen printing release layer; S3: Sequentially screen print black ink, white ink, and custom color ink on the upper surface of the substrate and cure them respectively to form a black ink layer, a white ink layer, and a decorative ink layer; S4: On the decorative ink layer, a UV coating is applied using a mold with a target texture and cured by ultraviolet light to form a UV texture hardened layer; S5: Perform CNC rough machining on the sheet material after completing step S4; S6: The rough-processed sheet material is hot-pressed to form a three-dimensional structure; S7: Perform CNC precision machining on the workpiece after hot pressing; S8: Forms an AF anti-fingerprint layer on the surface of the finished workpiece; This section defines a unique process path of "flat decoration first, followed by hot pressing molding". The technical effect is that the complex multi-layer printing, texture creation and other decorative processes are completed in a flat state, which is simple, precise and has a high yield. Then, hot pressing 3D molding is performed, which avoids the extremely high difficulty of precision printing and coating on complex curved surfaces. It achieves compatibility between high-end appearance and complex structure molding, and is suitable for large-scale automated production.

[0013] Preferably, in step S2, the release ink is a high gen value ink with a screen printing thickness of 4 to 15 micrometers, the purpose of which is to "ensure that the product can be well released from the mold surface after hot pressing"; In step S3, after screen printing the black ink layer, white ink layer and decorative ink layer, they are all baked and cured in sections, and the black ink layer is formed through multiple screen printing processes; This process can better control the evaporation of ink solvents and the curing process of resin, avoiding problems such as bubbles, pinholes or poor adhesion caused by direct high-temperature curing. It is an important step to ensure the bonding strength between multi-layer ink coatings and the final appearance quality. In step S6, the temperature of the hot pressing is 150℃-200℃, and the holding time is 60-180 seconds; This process window is crucial to ensuring the glass fiber composite material softens and molds fully, and to preventing yellowing, blistering, or peeling of the coatings (especially the ink layer). Optimized parameters guarantee accurate 3D shape, sufficient strength, and a perfect appearance in the final product. In step S8, the AF anti-fingerprint layer is formed by magnetron sputtering. This clarifies the specific and mature industrial technology path for achieving high-performance, high-adhesion, environmentally friendly (PFAS-free) hydrophobic coatings, enhancing the feasibility and advancement of the method.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. This invention uses glass fiber composite material as the main structure, which has excellent dielectric properties and almost no attenuation of electromagnetic waves, thus solving the problem of shielding laptop antenna signals by metal cover plates. 2. Fiberglass composite materials have the characteristics of high rigidity, high strength and high toughness, and the flexural modulus can reach 16-22GPa, which makes the cover plate strong in bending and impact resistance, and its durability far exceeds that of ordinary plastic cover plates. 3. By combining decorative ink layers and UV texture hardening layers, almost unlimited customization of colors, patterns, and surface textures (roughness, gloss) can be achieved to meet the differentiated and high-end needs of different brands and products; The AF anti-fingerprint layer on the surface provides hydrophobic, stain-resistant, and easy-to-clean properties, and enhances the tactile feel. This coating meets environmental protection requirements and achieves PFAS FREE. 5. The present invention adopts the process route of "first flat decoration, then hot pressing molding", which completes the complex surface treatment process on a flat plate and then shapes it through an efficient hot pressing process, which is conducive to realizing automated and large-scale production and ensuring product consistency and yield. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the actual product of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the layer distribution of a glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the layer thickness of a glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the material properties of the glass fiber composite material layer in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cycle process of hot pressing the roughly processed sheet material into shape. Markings in the diagram: 1. Screen printing release layer; 2. Fiberglass composite material layer; 3. Black ink layer; 4. White ink layer; 5. Decorative ink layer; 6. UV texture hardening layer; 7. AF anti-fingerprint layer. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Example 1 like Figure 1As shown, a glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover, in this embodiment, includes a main material of glass fiber composite material, namely GFC (Glass Fiber Composite, hereinafter referred to as GFC). The main structure from bottom to top is as follows: the first layer is a screen-printed release layer, which is a release black or release gray layer; the second layer is a glass fiber composite material layer (this layer is a glass fiber material with a thickness of 0.1-1.5mm); the third layer is a screen-printed black ink layer (this layer is printed 4 times, providing a flat, dense and uniform base layer for subsequent coatings, and the dense black base layer provides a dark, opaque base, which can effectively highlight and enhance the color saturation and color rendering effect of the white and colored layers above, and prevent the colors from turning gray or being swallowed up); the fourth layer is a white ink layer; the fifth layer is a screen-printed decorative ink layer (such as: extra black, silver gray, red, etc.); the sixth layer is a UV texture hardening layer (to increase surface hardness and customize the touch); and the seventh layer is an AF anti-fingerprint coating. This GFC material is composed of glass fiber cloth impregnated with modified epoxy resin. It possesses high strength, high toughness, resistance to various extreme environments, rapid hot pressing molding, and high rigidity. Combined with the screen-printed coating and UV-cured layer, it exhibits excellent wear resistance and hardness characteristics, and a superior tactile feel. Due to the high selectivity of molds used for the UV coating, the tactile feel is highly variable, and the distribution of each layer can be referenced. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Indication.

[0017] The first layer of screen-printed release black or release gray ink can be made of high-temperature resistant ink. The ink used in the first layer of screen-printed release black or release gray ink is Goulburn black ink. The purpose is to ensure that the product can be well separated from the surface of the hot-pressing steel mold or graphite mold after hot pressing, so as not to burn the surface of the product. The coating thickness is 4-15um, preferably 5-10um.

[0018] The second layer is a glass fiber composite material made of ultra-fine glass fiber cloth with an almost invisible weave. Commonly used glass fiber cloth models include 1067, 2116, and 1078. Layers are stacked according to the desired surface finish and thickness. This glass fiber composite material is composed of glass fiber cloth impregnated with modified epoxy resin. It features high strength, rapid thermoplastic molding, high mechanical strength, high rigidity, excellent wave transmission, and excellent chemical and heat resistance. It also offers the advantage of secondary molding processing. Furthermore, its flexural modulus can reach 16-22 GPa, and it possesses good tensile strength, impact strength, and acid and alkali resistance. The glass fiber material thickness is 0.2-1.2 mm, preferably 0.3-0.8 mm. Material properties are as follows... Figure 4 As shown.

[0019] The third layer of screen-printed black ink is a black, high-temperature resistant, high-filling ink with a screen-printing thickness of 30-65µm, preferably 45-55µm, so as to effectively fill the woven mesh that appears during the material molding process and form a good filling effect.

[0020] The fourth layer of white screen printing ink is also a high-temperature resistant ink. This white screen printing ink layer serves as a base for the subsequent screen printing layers. If the subsequent screen printing layers are bright colors, such as red, yellow, or off-white, without a white ink base layer, the colors of the subsequent inks will not be vibrant and will be absorbed by the black ink if screen printed directly on top of it. The screen printing thickness is 2-8µm, preferably 3-4µm.

[0021] The fifth layer is a screen printing decorative ink layer. This decorative ink layer is designed to meet customers' choices for surface effects, such as silver-gray, dark black, and partial red logos. It can produce various patterns and color effects to meet the needs of different customers for different products. The screen printing thickness is 2-8um, preferably 3-4um.

[0022] The sixth layer, the UV textured hardening layer, is a textured layer. The texture mold is custom-made according to customer requirements, and the Ra value can be adjusted between 0.1-1.5um, with a gloss level between 3-100. It can also be used to create logos in specific locations to meet customer brand logo preferences. Furthermore, the customized surface effect enhances the tactile feel, surface hardness, and scratch resistance, achieving a surface hardness of 2H-4H.

[0023] The seventh layer is the AF anti-fingerprint layer, which is a hydrophobic coating achieved through PVD+CVD coating. It further enhances the tactile feel on the basis of the UV texture hardening layer, with a water droplet angle ≥100°. It is PFAS FREE, making it more environmentally friendly, healthier, and safer.

[0024] Example 2 A method for preparing a fiberglass composite laptop keyboard cover, in this embodiment, the desired fiberglass composite laptop keyboard cover structure comprises, from bottom to top: a screen printing release layer 1 formed of high-temperature resistant black ink with a thickness of approximately 8 μm; a fiberglass composite layer 2 with a thickness of 0.5 mm, which is made of 2116 type fiberglass cloth and modified epoxy resin; a black ink layer 3 formed of black high-temperature resistant ink with a thickness of 50 μm; a white ink layer 4 formed of white high-temperature resistant ink with a thickness of 4 μm; a decorative ink layer 5 formed of silver-gray ink with a thickness of 4 μm; a UV textured hardening layer 6, which is made using a mold with an Ra value of approximately 0.8 μm, a surface hardness of 3H, and a gloss of 15 GU; and an AF anti-fingerprint layer 7, which has a water droplet angle of 105° and does not contain PFAS substances; Its preparation methods include: A flat glass fiber composite substrate with a thickness of 0.5 mm is provided.

[0025] Black release ink is screen-printed on the lower surface of the substrate and cured at 150°C to form release layer 1.

[0026] Black ink, white ink, and silver-gray ink are sequentially screen-printed on the upper surface of the substrate. Each layer is baked and cured in sections at a specific temperature after screen printing, forming black ink layer 3, white ink layer 4, and decorative ink layer 5, respectively.

[0027] On the surface of the decorative ink layer 5, a UV coating is applied by a mold roller with a fine frosted texture and cured with an ultraviolet lamp to form a UV textured hardened layer 6 with a frosted touch and matte effect.

[0028] The prepared sheet metal is then CNC milled to roughly cut out the outline of the cover plate.

[0029] The roughly cut sheet material is placed in a hot press mold preheated to 180°C, pressure is applied and held for 105 seconds, shaping it into a 3D structure with a keyboard frame and touchpad area. A schematic diagram of this process is shown below. Figure 5 As shown.

[0030] The workpiece is precision-machined using CNC machining to accurately cut out the final boundaries, screw holes, interface openings, etc.

[0031] Finally, an AF anti-fingerprint layer 7 is deposited on the surface of the finished workpiece using a magnetron sputtering (PVD) process to obtain the finished product.

[0032] Tests have shown that the cover plate does not attenuate the strength of 2.4GHz / 5GHz WiFi signals, has a surface pencil hardness of 3H, an adhesion of 5B in the cross-cut adhesion test, and is resistant to corrosion from common reagents such as sweat and cosmetics, fully meeting the appearance, feel, and reliability requirements of high-end laptops.

[0033] This process defines "flat decoration first, then hot pressing molding". Its technical advantages are: the complex multi-layer printing, texture making and other decorative processes are completed in a flat state, which is simple, precise and has a high yield. Then hot pressing 3D molding is performed, which avoids the extremely high difficulty of precision printing and coating on complex curved surfaces, and achieves compatibility between high-end appearance and complex structure molding, and is suitable for large-scale automated production.

[0034] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fiberglass composite notebook computer keyboard cover, characterized by, It includes a glass fiber composite material layer as a substrate, and a multilayer functional coating layer sequentially stacked on the upper surface of the glass fiber composite material layer; The multilayer functional coating, from bottom to top, includes: A black ink layer is screen-printed on the upper surface of the glass fiber composite material layer; A white ink layer is screen-printed on the upper surface of the black ink layer; A decorative ink layer with a target color and / or pattern is screen-printed on the upper surface of the white ink layer; A UV textured hardening layer is formed by curing the decorative ink layer with a mold having a target texture on its surface; An anti-fingerprint layer is formed on the surface of the UV textured hardened layer by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition process. A screen-printed release layer is also provided on the lower surface of the glass fiber composite material layer.

2. The fiberglass composite notebook computer keyboard cover of claim 1, wherein, The fiberglass composite layer is composed of fiberglass cloth impregnated with modified epoxy resin.

3. The glass fiber composite keyboard cover for a laptop computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the glass fiber composite material layer is 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm; The flexural modulus of the glass fiber composite layer is between 16 GPa and 22 GPa.

4. The glass fiber composite keyboard cover for a laptop computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the black ink layer is 30 to 65 micrometers, and it is used to fill the surface texture of the glass fiber composite material layer.

5. The glass fiber composite keyboard cover for a laptop computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface hardness of the UV textured hardening layer is 2H to 4H; and the surface roughness Ra value of the UV textured hardening layer is 0.1μm to 1.5μm.

6. The fiberglass composite keyboard cover for a laptop computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The decorative ink layer contains specific patterns or logos in local areas, and the UV texture hardening layer contains raised or recessed patterns in local areas.

7. A glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water droplet angle of the AF anti-fingerprint layer is greater than or equal to 100°.

8. A glass fiber composite laptop keyboard cover according to claim 7, characterized in that, The AF anti-fingerprint layer does not contain perfluorinated and / or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

9. A method for preparing a glass fiber composite notebook computer keyboard cover as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Provides a flat glass fiber composite substrate; S2: Screen printing release ink on the lower surface of the substrate and curing it to form a screen printing release layer; S3: Sequentially screen print black ink, white ink, and custom color ink on the upper surface of the substrate and cure them respectively to form a black ink layer, a white ink layer, and a decorative ink layer; S4: On the decorative ink layer, a UV coating is applied using a mold with a target texture and cured by ultraviolet light to form a UV texture hardened layer; S5: Perform CNC rough machining on the sheet material after completing step S4; S6: The rough-processed sheet material is hot-pressed to form a three-dimensional structure; S7: Perform CNC precision machining on the workpiece after hot pressing; S8: An AF anti-fingerprint layer is formed on the surface of the finished workpiece.

10. The method for preparing a glass fiber composite keyboard cover for a laptop computer according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step S2, the release ink is a high-performance ink with a screen printing thickness of 4 to 15 micrometers; In step S3, after screen printing the black ink layer, white ink layer and decorative ink layer, they are all baked and cured in sections, and the black ink layer is formed through multiple screen printing processes; In step S6, the temperature of the hot pressing is 150℃-200℃, and the holding time is 60-180 seconds; In step S8, the AF anti-fingerprint layer is formed by magnetron sputtering.

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