Laser Engraved Mold Texture for Textile Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating textured surfaces on mold cavities for injection molding, such as chemical etching and reversing molds, are inefficient and prone to errors, particularly in forming fine structures and three-dimensional shapes, leading to imprecise textile fabric structures on housing surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method involving laser engraving to create a texture structure on the inner surface of the mold with projections and grooves, allowing for precise formation of recesses and spaces on the housing surface, which can mimic a textile effect when viewed or touched, using a combination of materials and coatings to enhance the visual and tactile experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If chemical etching method is used to form texture structures on mold cavity, then the process is simple, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to smooth grooves instead of vertical side walls and sharp corners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical etching with laser engraving technology. The laser beam directly engraves the mold cavity surface to form precise texture structures including vertical side walls and sharp corners, eliminating the isotropic chemical dissolution problem while maintaining process efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental mechanism from chemical reaction-based etching to laser-based physical engraving. By controlling laser parameters (power, speed, pattern), precise texture structures can be formed with vertical walls and sharp corners that cannot be achieved by chemical methods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If reversing mould method is used to manufacture mold with textile fabric structure, then the process can create complex textures, but the productivity deteriorates due to lower efficiency and risk of fabric separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical reversing mold process with laser engraving. The laser directly creates the desired texture on the mold cavity without requiring fabric coating, separation, or handboard operations, dramatically improving efficiency while eliminating separation risks.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical fabric as a mold (reversing mold method), the patent uses laser to directly copy or create the desired texture pattern on the mold cavity surface, eliminating the intermediate fabric step entirely.
3Ease of manufacture
If chemical etching is used for closely adjacent grooves, then the process is simple, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates as work surfaces are perforated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses laser engraving to replace chemical etching for creating closely adjacent grooves. The laser can precisely control the engraving path and depth, creating vertical side walls and sharp corners without perforating the work surfaces, even for tightly spaced features.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing mold manufacturing methods are used, then the process is conventional, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates making it impossible to obtain precise textile fabric structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces laser engraving technology to replace conventional chemical etching and reversing mold methods. This enables precise reproduction of textile fabric structures on the housing surface by directly engraving the mold cavity with high resolution and accuracy.
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
This method enables the creation of housing surfaces with a novel appearance and tactile properties, improving user experience by achieving precise and detailed texture structures that resemble textiles, overcoming the limitations of previous techniques.
Implementation Method 1
an inner surface of the mold is etched by a laser engraving method to form a first texture structure on the inner surface of the mold, and the first texture structure comprises a plurality of projections arranged in a first arrangement, and a groove recessed inwardly is formed between any two adjacent projections, and the groove is formed by etching and removing a part of the moving die and/or the fixed die by the laser engraving method
Implementation Method 2
heating a raw material to be into a melting state, and injecting the raw material in the melting state into the mold cavity of the mold
Implementation Method 3
cooling the mold to solidify the raw material in the melting state and shape it into a housing shape
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing a housing and an electronic device. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a mold according to a predetermined shape of the housing, wherein the mold comprises at least one moving die and at least one fixed die, a first texture structure is formed on the inner surface of the mold, and the first texture structure comprises a plurality of projections arranged in a first arrangement, and a groove recesses inwardly is formed between any two adjacent projections, and the groove is formed by etching and removing a part of the moving die and/or the fixed die by the laser engraving method; closing the moving die and the fixed die, and heating the mold to a predetermined mold temperature; and injecting a raw material in a melting state into the mold cavity of the mold; retaining a pressure of the raw material in the mold cavity of the mold; cooling the mold; opening the mold to complete the housing. The housing made of the first material exhibits a second material effect in visual and/or tactile senses.