UV Curable Marking on Electronic Device Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for marking handheld electronic devices lack the necessary accuracy and precision due to their small form factor, making it difficult to create legible markings on these devices.
Innovation Solution
The use of UV curable materials that can be selectively cured and removed, allowing for high-resolution textual and graphic markings on flat or curved surfaces, including the application of UV ink sensitive to multiple wavelengths for precise curing and ablation, and materials that change color under laser control for customizable markings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional ink printing or stamping is used, then the marking process is simple, but the accuracy and precision are insufficient for small form factor devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical ink printing and stamping processes with a laser-based marking system. The laser beam precisely cures UV-sensitive marking material on device housings, achieving high accuracy and precision markings without the mechanical contact and imprecision of traditional methods. This substitution enables legible markings on small form factor devices while maintaining process efficiency.
2Volume of moving object
If marking size is reduced for small devices, then the device form factor is maintained, but the legibility of markings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating UV curable marking material and laser energy precisely at the desired marking locations on device housings. The UV material is applied only where markings are needed, and the laser cures only those specific areas with high precision. This localized approach ensures that even very small markings on compact devices maintain high legibility and clarity, solving the contradiction between small device size and marking readability.
3Manufacturing precision
If UV curable material is selectively cured and removed, then high resolution markings are achieved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the uncured UV curable material after selective laser curing. By applying UV material to the entire housing surface, selectively curing only the marking areas with laser, and then removing the remaining uncured material, the process achieves high-resolution markings. This extraction approach simplifies the overall process compared to attempting to precisely deposit material only in marking areas, as the removal step is more efficient than precise deposition.
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
Enables precise and durable markings on electronic device housings with high resolution and multiple colors, suitable for various information and customization, improving the accuracy and precision of product labeling and advertising on complex surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a UV curable material can be placed on a product surface, and then selectively cured on the product surface in places where markings, namely text and/or graphics, are to be provided
Implementation Method 2
The one or more initiators in the marking material can serve as color activators. Laser energy can then be selectively applied to initiate colorization of the marking material
Implementation Method 3
a laser can apply radiation to ablate away undesired portions of the UV ink
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques or processes for providing markings on products are disclosed. The markings provided on products can be textual and/or graphic. The techniques or processes can provide high resolution markings on surfaces that are flat or curved. In one embodiment, the products have housings and the markings are to be provided on the housings. For example, the housing for a particular product can include an outer housing surface and the markings can be provided on the outer housing surface. The markings can be formed using a ultra-violet (UV) curable material that can be selectively cured on a surface (e.g., housing surface) in places where markings, namely text and/or graphics, are to be provided.