Thin Electronic Device Frame With Plastic Flow Blocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

The sealing effect is poor in electronic devices due to the excessive thinness of alloy components, leading to plastic overflow and poor bonding between alloy and plastic parts, which affects the structural integrity and manufacturing quality.

Innovation Solution

A frame design with a flow blocking part that redirects plastic flow during injection molding, ensuring proper sealing by distributing pressure and preventing overflow, while accommodating electronic components and enhancing structural stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the alloy is made excessively thin to meet lighter and thinner design requirements, then the weight and thickness are reduced, but the sealing effect deteriorates due to poor sealing capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of frameVSAvoidsealing reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flow blocking part is designed in advance on the second body to preemptively control the plastic flow direction before injection occurs. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that even with thin alloy, the plastic will be guided away from the sealing surface, preventing overflow and maintaining sealing reliability without needing thicker material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The flow blocking part acts as an intermediary element between the injected plastic and the sealing surface. It intercepts the plastic flow and redirects it through a channel to a safe discharge position, preventing direct contact between the plastic and the thin alloy sealing surface, thus enabling reliable sealing with thin materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of stationary object

If sealing is performed on thin alloy, then the frame can be made thinner, but the sealing effect deteriorates due to plastic overflow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of frameVSAvoidsealing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The flow blocking part is strategically positioned at specific locations on the second body where plastic flow needs to be controlled. This localized structural feature creates different flow control zones: areas with flow blocking parts prevent overflow, while other areas maintain normal sealing, allowing thin alloy to achieve precise sealing at critical locations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the flow blocking part is extended to two sides of the sealing surface, then the flow blocking effect is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow blocking reliabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flow blocking part extends in the second direction (lateral dimension) rather than increasing thickness (third direction). This dimensional approach achieves broader flow control coverage by spanning across two sides of the sealing surface, improving reliability without significantly increasing overall structural complexity or thickness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Improves sealing reliability, increases manufacturing yield, and meets the requirements for lighter and thinner designs by ensuring secure bonding and reducing plastic overflow, thus enhancing the structural integrity of electronic devices.

Implementation Method 1

flowing plastic is blocked by a mold placed at a position of the flow blocking part, flows along a channel at a bottom end of the mold to the first body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

generate a pressure in the first direction X on the first body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure:

Data Source

PatentEP4401391B1Frame, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4401391B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4401391B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4401391B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

This application relates to a frame and an electronic device. The frame includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a sealing surface, and the second body includes a flow-blocking part sunken toward one side. An extension surface of the sealing surface intersects the flow blocking part in a first direction. Because the flow blocking part is designed, in a plastic injection process, a pressure of injected plastic on the first body is reduced, to ensure that, after sealing processing is performed on the sealing surface of the first body, the plastic does not continuously flow in the first direction. This ensures sealing reliability of the sealing surface, improves sealing effect of the first body, enables the first body and the second body to be bound well, and ensures smooth manufacturing of the frame. In addition, the sealing reliability of the sealing surface of the first body can still be ensured when the first body is thin, to meet a design requirement for an ultra-thin frame.