Ceramic-Covered Housing Assembly for Uniform Metal-Plastic Finish
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a housing assembly for electronic devices that combines the mechanical strength and appearance consistency of metallic materials with the plastic nano injection molding, while avoiding the color and glossiness inconsistencies between these materials.
Innovation Solution
A housing assembly is designed with a substrate having a display surface and a penetrating accommodation hole, where a plastic member is fixedly connected and covered by a ceramic material layer. This layer is formed using a deposition process and ceramic spraying, with a spacing unit between the display surface and the covering layer to shield the opening and enhance adhesion, comprising an isolation layer with higher density and a spacing layer with lower density to improve mechanical strength and appearance consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic material is used for housing, then manufacturing cost is low and fabrication is simple, but mechanical properties are poor and susceptibility to damages is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining plastic substrate with metallic or ceramic coating layers. The housing consists of a plastic base material that provides ease of manufacturing, overlaid with metallic or ceramic layers that enhance mechanical strength, hardness, and damage resistance. This composite structure allows the housing to benefit from both the manufacturing advantages of plastic and the mechanical properties of stronger materials.
2Strength
If metallic materials are added to improve mechanical properties, then strength is improved, but appearance consistency deteriorates due to color and glossiness differences with plastic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses appearance consistency by carefully controlling the color, glossiness, and surface properties of the metallic or ceramic coating layers to match or harmonize with the plastic substrate. The coating process and material selection are optimized to achieve uniform appearance across different materials, eliminating visible color and glossiness differences that would otherwise破坏 appearance consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure allows integration of metallic or ceramic layers with plastic substrate while maintaining appearance consistency through controlled material properties and surface treatment of the coating layers.
3Strength
If ceramic material layer is applied, then appearance consistency and mechanical strength are improved, but heat dissipation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using ceramic or metallic coatings specifically in regions where enhanced mechanical strength and appearance are required, while maintaining the plastic substrate's inherent heat dissipation properties in other areas. The coating is applied selectively to achieve local reinforcement without compromising overall thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the thickness and composition parameters of the ceramic or metallic coating layers to balance mechanical strength enhancement with heat dissipation requirements. By controlling coating thickness and material properties, the housing achieves improved strength while minimizing thermal insulation effects that would hinder heat dissipation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves higher appearance consistency, enhanced mechanical strength, and improved heat dissipation, allowing for various ceramic colors and maintaining signal integrity by eliminating the appearance differences between plastic and metallic components, while protecting the substrate and plastic member from heat and deformation.
Implementation Method 1
forming an isolation layer on the display surface by adopting a physical vapor deposition process
Implementation Method 2
forming a spacing layer on the isolation layer by adopting a chemical vapor deposition process
Implementation Method 3
spraying a ceramic material on the spacing unit to form the covering layer
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A housing assembly (100) includes a substrate (110), a plastic member (120), and a covering layer (130). The substrate (110) has a display surface. A penetrating accommodation hole (112) is defined in the substrate (110), and an opening of the accommodation hole (112) is located on the display surface. The plastic member (120) is disposed in the accommodation hole (112) and fixedly connected to the substrate (110). The covering layer (130) covers an entirety of the display surface and shields the opening of the accommodation hole (112) located on the display surface.