Electronic Device Housing With Conductive Polymer Composite Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in creating thinner electronic devices that are both rigid and durable, as they often become less rigid with slimming, and current methods of using heterogeneous materials in housing structures lengthen production time and increase costs due to complex adhesive processing between conductive and polymer components.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a housing structure with a side frame and support comprising conductive material, where a polymer member is coupled to the support or side frame, featuring a flat and curved surface area for adhesive attachment, allowing for efficient assembly and reduced processing needs, thereby shortening production time and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the electronic device is made thinner, then the device becomes more compact and aesthetically appealing, but the rigidity and durability of the housing decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is constructed using composite materials comprising both conductive material (metal) and polymer material. The side frame includes a conductive material portion and a polymer material portion that are coupled together, forming a composite structure that combines the high strength and rigidity of metal with the lightweight and damping properties of polymer, thereby maintaining structural integrity while reducing overall device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer material portion is formed through injection molding directly onto the conductive material portion of the side frame, creating a nested structure where one material is integrated into the other. This nested construction allows the polymer to reinforce the metal structure internally, enhancing rigidity without adding external bulk that would increase device thickness.
2Strength
If heterogeneous materials are used in the housing structure to improve rigidity, then the strength and durability are enhanced, but the production time increases and manufacturing costs rise due to complex adhesive processing
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive material portion and polymer material portion are directly coupled together through injection molding in an integrated manufacturing process. This merging of materials and processes eliminates the need for separate adhesive application steps and intermediate drying or curing times, thereby significantly reducing production time while maintaining the strength benefits of heterogeneous material construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer material is injected and coupled to the conductive material portion during the same manufacturing process cycle, performing the bonding action preliminarily rather than requiring subsequent adhesive application. This preliminary integration of materials during formation eliminates post-assembly processing steps, reducing overall manufacturing time and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electronic device comprising a front cover; a rear cover facing in a direction opposite to that of the front cover; and a side frame enclosing a space between the front cover and the rear cover, a side frame at least partially forming an external shape of the electronic device, the side frame comprising conductive material; a support at least partially extended from the side frame to the space, the support comprising conductive material; and a polymer member coupled to at least a portion of the support or the side frame, wherein the polymer member comprises a first area in which an adhesive member for attachment of the front cover or the rear cover is disposed and a second area extended from the first area and contacting the side frame.