Electronic equipment and case components

Abstract

To provide electronic devices and case components with a coating that is resistant to peeling and has a high aesthetic appeal. [Solution] The calculator 100 is an electronic device comprising a housing (case member) 1 having a coating layer on the surface of a base material (aluminum material), wherein the coating layer comprises a first coating layer 10C applied to the base material (aluminum material) and a second coating layer 10D formed by applying raw lacquer paint (vermilion lacquer) on top of the first coating layer 10C. The first coating layer 10C is formed as a layer to improve adhesion between the base material and the first coating layer 10C and between the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D, and the second coating layer 10D is formed with a thick film region with a thick coating film and a thin film region with a thin coating film, and is formed so that the coating color of the first coating layer 10C is visible through the second coating layer 10D in the thin film region.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and a case member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an electric product having its exterior painted for the purpose of providing decorativeness has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the electric product disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, if the adhesion between the housing surface and the coating film is weak, the coating film is likely to peel off, and the aesthetic appearance is also impaired.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic device and a case member in which the coating film is difficult to peel off and the aesthetic appearance is high.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an electronic device according to the present invention is an electronic device including a case member having a coating layer on the surface of a base material, wherein the coating layer has a first coating layer applied to the base material and a second coating layer formed by applying a raw lacquer paint over the first coating layer. The first coating layer is formed as a layer to enhance adhesion between the substrate and the first coating layer, and between the first coating layer and the second coating layer, and the second coating layer is formed in a thick-film region with a thick coating and a thin-film region with a thin coating, and is characterized in that the coating color of the first coating layer is visible through the second coating layer in the thin-film region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide electronic devices and case components that are resistant to peeling of the coating and have a high aesthetic appeal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an overview of a calculator as an example of an electronic device. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the manufacturing process for the enclosure. [Figure 3] This figure shows a method for adjusting the thin film region in the second coating layer. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. While a calculator will be used as an example of an electronic device to which the present invention is applied, the electronic device is not limited to a calculator; it can also be applied to electronic dictionaries, tablet devices, mobile phones, and the like.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the calculator 100 comprises a housing (case member) 1, an input key group 2 having various key groups, a display 3, and a solar panel 4. The housing 1 consists of a lower case (not shown) for fixing a circuit board (not shown) that drives and controls the calculator 100, and an upper case 10 that covers and closes the opening of the lower case. The upper case 10 is provided with openings 11 (see Figure 2) that expose each of the input key group 2. The upper case 10 is also provided with an opening 12 (see Figure 2) that exposes the display 3 and an opening 13 (see Figure 2) that exposes the solar panel 4. Furthermore, the housing 1 has a tame-nuri (described later) coating on its outer surface, so that the color (for example, vermilion) of the lower layer (first coating layer 10C; see Figure 2) is visible through the vermilion lacquer (transparent lacquer) applied to the surface layer (second coating layer 10D; see Figure 2). In the following, the appearance in which the color of the underlying layer is visible through the vermilion lacquer will be described as "color due to tamenuri (layered lacquer) finish."

[0011] The input key group 2 is a group of keys that receive input operations from the user for mathematical formula components such as numbers and calculation symbols, and for receiving instructions for various processes. It has multiple keys (such as a numeric keypad and cursor keys) each assigned a specific function. The display 3 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and is a display unit that displays various data such as characters, symbols, and other data corresponding to operations on the input key group 2 using multiple dots. The solar panel 4 has a power generation area that functions as a solar cell that generates electricity by receiving light, and the power generated by the solar panel 4 is stored in a secondary battery (not shown).

[0012] Next, the manufacturing process of the housing 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 shows the upper case 10 that constitutes the housing 1 as a representative example, but the lower case (not shown) is manufactured through the same manufacturing process as the upper case 10. Here, the base material of the housing 1 is assumed to be aluminum. As shown in Figure 2, first, in the first step, the upper case 10 (housing 1) is formed by cutting. Next, in the second step, an aluminum oxide film 10B is formed on the surface of the upper case 10 by applying an anodizing treatment, specifically a colored anodizing treatment (color anodizing treatment). At this time, the aluminum oxide film 10B becomes black by using a black dye. This makes it possible to improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the upper case 10. Furthermore, when applying urethane-based paint in the third step, which will be described later, the adhesion of the urethane-based paint can be improved when anodizing treatment is applied compared to when no anodizing treatment is applied. Furthermore, by forming an aluminum oxide film 10B on the surface of the upper case 10 and using the above-mentioned black dye, the surface becomes black, thus preventing it from picking up the color (silver-white) of the aluminum substrate 10A. As a result, it becomes possible to further accentuate the color achieved by the layered coating in the third (primer) and fourth (topcoat) steps described later.

[0013] Returning to the explanation of the manufacturing process for the upper case 10 (housing 1), in the third step, a urethane-based paint (vermilion) is applied (primer) to the surface of the upper case 10 on which the aluminum oxide film 10B has been formed, forming a first coating layer 10C made of the urethane-based paint (vermilion). Then, the first coating layer 10C is dried. In the third step, by applying (primer) the urethane-based paint (vermilion), it is possible to increase the adhesion strength between the aluminum oxide film 10B and the first coating layer 10C, and between the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D, which will be described later. Next, in the fourth step, a vermilion lacquer (raw lacquer paint) is applied (topcoat) to form a second coating layer 10D made of the vermilion lacquer. Then, this second coating layer 10D is dried until it hardens. This completes the upper case 10 (housing 1).

[0014] In the fourth step, the vermilion lacquer (raw lacquer paint) is applied so that the top surface (flat surface) of the upper case 10 faces upward, that is, so that the back surface of the upper case 10 faces downward (in the direction of gravity). After application, it is dried in the same direction until the vermilion lacquer hardens. In this case, due to the surface tension of the vermilion lacquer, the vermilion lacquer film of the second coating layer 10D gradually thins from the point where the upper case 10 begins to bend on the top surface of the upper case 10 (for example, where the R shape of the outer edge of the upper case 10 begins). As a result, the vermilion lacquer film thins at the outer edge of the upper case 10 and at the edges of the openings 11, 12, and 13, respectively, so that the color (vermilion) of the urethane-based paint of the lower layer, the first coating layer 10C, can be seen through the second coating layer 10D, making the color of the layered coating stand out.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, by changing the size of the R shape of the curved portion on the outer edge of the upper case 10 (and the edges of each of the openings 11, 12, and 13), it is possible to adjust the area (thin film area) in which the color (vermilion) of the urethane-based paint of the first coating layer 10C is visible. Here, Figure 3(A) is a cross-sectional view AA of the second coating layer 10D in Figure 2. Figure 3(B) is an example in the same cross-sectional view where the size of the R shape is reduced. Figures 3(C) and (D) are views of the area corresponding to Figures 3(A) and (B), respectively, seen from above the top surface of the upper case 10. As shown in Figure 3(A), when the size of the R shape is increased, the vermilion lacquer coating gradually thins from the point where the upper case 10 begins to curve, but because the degree to which the coating thins changes gradually, the proportion occupied by the thick-film area (the area in which the urethane-based paint of the first coating layer 10C cannot be seen through the second coating layer 10D) of the vermilion lacquer coating increases. Therefore, when the size of the R shape is increased, as shown in Figure 3(C), when the upper case 10 is viewed from above the top surface of the upper case 10, the proportion of the thin film area in the second coating layer 10D becomes smaller compared to when the size of the R shape is reduced (see Figure 3(D)). As a result, the area (line width) of the urethane-based paint of the first coating layer 10C that can be seen through the second coating layer 10D becomes smaller. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3(B), when the size of the R shape is reduced, the degree to which the vermilion lacquer coating film thins changes abruptly at the point where the upper case 10 begins to bend, so the proportion of the thick film area becomes smaller compared to when the size of the R shape is increased. Therefore, if the size of the R shape is reduced, as shown in Figure 3(D), when the upper case 10 is viewed from above the top surface of the upper case 10, the proportion of the thin film area in the second coating layer 10D increases compared to when the size of the R shape is increased. As a result, the area (line width) of the urethane-based paint color of the first coating layer 10C that can be seen through the second coating layer 10D becomes larger. Here, for example, the outer edge of the upper case 10 is formed in an R shape, while the edge of the opening 11 into which the input key group 2 is inserted is designed to be approximately vertical, that is, the size of the R shape is smaller than that of the outer edge of the upper case 10.In this case, the area (line width) of the urethane-based paint of the first coating layer 10C that can be seen through the second coating layer 10D at the edge of the opening 11 becomes larger, making the color due to the layered coating more prominent even when the input key group 2 is inserted. Although not shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), an aluminum oxide film 10B is formed on the aluminum substrate 10A.

[0016] As described above, the calculator 100 of this embodiment is a calculator (electronic device) 100 equipped with a housing (case member) 1 having a coating layer on the surface of a base material (aluminum material), wherein the coating layer comprises a first coating layer 10C applied to the base material (aluminum material) and a second coating layer 10D formed by applying raw lacquer paint (vermilion lacquer) on top of the first coating layer 10C. The first coating layer 10C is formed as a layer to improve adhesion between the base material and the first coating layer 10C and between the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D, and the second coating layer 10D is formed with a thick film region with a thick coating film and a thin film region with a thin coating film, and is formed so that the coating color of the first coating layer 10C is visible through the second coating layer 10D in the thin film region. Therefore, according to the casing 1 of the calculator 100, by providing the first coating layer 10C, the adhesion between the substrate and the first coating layer 10C and between the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D can be improved, making it difficult for the coating films of the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D to peel off. Furthermore, according to the casing 1 of the calculator 100, a thick-film region and a thin-film region are formed in the second coating layer 10D, so that the color of the coating of the first coating layer 10C shows through the second coating layer 10D in the thin-film region, thereby highlighting the color due to the layered coating, and thus improving the aesthetic appearance.

[0017] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the calculator 100 is formed such that the paint color of the first paint layer 10C does not show through the second paint layer 10D in the thick-film region. Therefore, the housing 1 of the calculator 100 allows for contrast between the thick-film region and the thin-film region, making the color achieved by the layered paint finish even more prominent.

[0018] In addition, for the calculator 100 of the present embodiment, the base material of the housing 1 is made of an aluminum material subjected to anodizing treatment. Therefore, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, since the base material (aluminum base 10A) is subjected to anodizing treatment, it is possible to improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the housing 1. Also, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, since the base material (aluminum base 10A) is subjected to anodizing treatment, it is possible to improve the adhesion with the first coating layer 10C. Further, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, the base material (aluminum base 10A) is subjected to anodizing treatment, and by using a black dye to make the surface subjected to the anodizing treatment black, the color (silver-white) of the base material (aluminum base 10A) can be prevented from being picked up. As a result, it is possible to further enhance the color tone by the puddle coating formed by the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D.

[0019] In addition, for the calculator 100 of the present embodiment, the first coating layer 10C of the housing 1 is made of a urethane-based paint. Therefore, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, since the first coating layer 10C is formed by a urethane-based paint, the adhesion between the base material and the first coating layer 10C and between the first coating layer 10C and the second coating layer 10D can be further enhanced.

[0020] In addition, the calculator 100 of the present embodiment uses akaguchi lacquer as a raw lacquer paint. Therefore, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, when the second coating layer 10D is initially formed, it has low transparency and looks black, but as time passes, a color change can be realized such that the color (vermilion) of the urethane-based paint in the lower layer (first coating layer 10C) gradually becomes visible.

[0021] In addition, for the calculator 100 of the present embodiment, in the second coating layer 10D of the housing 1, the outer edge portion of the housing 1 is formed as a thin film region due to the surface tension of the raw lacquer paint (akaguchi lacquer), and the region excluding the outer edge portion is formed as a thick film region. Therefore, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, by causing the color tone of the first coating layer 10C to appear at the outer edge portion of the housing 1 and enhancing the color tone by puddle coating, the aesthetic property can be further enhanced.

[0022] In addition, for the calculator 100 of the present embodiment, the housing (case member) 1 includes a plurality of openings 11, 12, 13 (see FIG. 2). Further, in the second coating layer 10D, the edges of each of the plurality of openings 11, 12, 13 are formed as thin film regions, and the boundary portions between the openings 11, 12, 13 are formed as thick film regions. Therefore, according to the housing 1 of the calculator 100, the color tone of the first coating layer 10C can be made to appear at the edges of the openings 11, 12, 13, and the color tone due to the pooling coating can be further enhanced, so that the aesthetic property can be further improved.

[0023] As described above, the present invention has been specifically described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which the housing 1 is provided with a plurality of openings 11, 12, 13 has been shown. However, the number of openings provided in the housing 1 may be one, or the housing 1 may not be provided with an opening.

[0024] Also, in the above embodiment, an aluminum material subjected to anodizing treatment is used as the base material of the housing 1, but other metal materials may be used as the base material. When other metal materials are used as the base material, the anodizing treatment becomes unnecessary. Also, it is possible to use wood as the base material of the housing 1. When wood is used as the base material, for example, ring island coating may be applied instead of the above-described pooling coating (the third and fourth steps).

[0025] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in the third step (see Figure 2), a urethane-based paint (vermilion) is applied (primer) to the surface of the upper case 10 on which the aluminum oxide film 10B is formed. However, the paint used for priming is not limited to urethane-based paint. Any paint that can ensure adhesion is acceptable. Also, in the above embodiment, in the third step (see Figure 2), a vermilion urethane-based paint was used as the primer, but the color of the urethane-based paint is not particularly limited. The color of the urethane-based paint may be blue, yellow, green, etc. The color of the dye used for anodizing (colored anodizing) may also be a color other than black, in accordance with the color of the urethane-based paint. Furthermore, an anodizing process without coloring is also possible.

[0026] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the detailed configuration of each component of the calculator 100 in the above embodiment can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 100 Calculator (electronic device), 1 Housing (case component), 10 Upper case, 10C First coating layer, 10D Second coating layer

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a case member having a painted layer on the surface of a substrate, The coating layer comprises a first coating layer applied to the substrate and a second coating layer formed by applying raw lacquer paint over the first coating layer. The first coating layer is formed as a layer that enhances the adhesion between the substrate and the first coating layer, and between the first coating layer and the second coating layer. The electronic device is characterized in that the second coating layer has a thick film region and a thin film region, and is formed such that the coating color of the first coating layer is visible through the second coating layer in the thin film region.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the paint color of the first coating layer is not visible through the second coating layer in the thick film region.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base material is an aluminum material that has been anodized.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first coating layer is formed by applying a urethane-based paint.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the raw lacquer paint is vermilion lacquer.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second coating layer is formed such that the outer edge of the case member is formed as the thin film region due to the surface tension of the raw lacquer paint, and the region excluding the outer edge is formed as the thick film region.

7. The case member has an opening, The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second coating layer has the edge of the opening formed as the thin film region by the surface tension of the raw lacquer paint.

8. The case member has a plurality of openings, The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second coating layer has edges of each of the plurality of openings formed as thin film regions due to the surface tension of the raw lacquer paint, and the boundaries between the openings are formed as thick film regions.

9. A case member having a painted layer on the surface of a base material, The coating layer comprises a first coating layer applied to the substrate and a second coating layer formed by applying raw lacquer paint over the first coating layer. The first coating layer is formed as a layer that enhances the adhesion between the substrate and the first coating layer, and between the first coating layer and the second coating layer. The case member is characterized in that the second coating layer has a thick coating region and a thin coating region, and is formed so that the coating color of the first coating layer is visible through the second coating layer in the thin coating region.

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