JP2007176109A - Insert molding method of cabinet of electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform even the insert molding of a cabinet having a curved surface so as not to form wrinkles to synthetic leather while holding the soft touch. <P>SOLUTION: A plastic sheet 21 is bonded to the back of a synthetic leather main body 30 and a foamed urethane sheet (protective means) for absorbing the pressure applied to the surface of the synthetic leather main body 30 is bonded to the surface of the synthetic leather main body 30 to mold a synthetic leather cover 9. This synthetic leather cover 9 is attached to a mold 31 so that the foamed urethane sheet comes into contact with the molding surface 32a of the mold 31 and a molten resin is cast in the mold 31 to be subjected to insert molding. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of insert molding a cabinet of an electronic device such as a portable communication device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, mobile communication devices, particularly mobile phones, have been widely spread not only for younger age groups but also for older age groups. And each manufacturer is not only equipped with various new functions, but also has a new idea on the appearance of the product. Appearance colors start from gray, white, and silver, and bright colors such as red, orange, blue, and yellow have emerged. And now, products with leather or synthetic leather attached are being born. Products with leather or synthetic leather attached are generally formed by insert molding when the cabinet is molded. In this case, leather or synthetic leather is attached to a mold in advance at the time of cabinet molding, and a molten resin is allowed to flow at the same time.

  Patent Document 1 inserts a print sheet on which a state display unit that displays an operation state of a panel on an operation panel of an electric device and a function display unit that represents an operation function is printed with resin, and uses an opening of the print sheet Thus, the positional accuracy of the coating printing of the matte ink layer and the solid ink layer is improved, and the positional deviation from the display window is prevented.

Moreover, in patent document 2, in the insert molding method of a decorative sheet and a synthetic resin, a recessed part, a convex part, or a protruding item | line is formed in the part corresponding to the part which is a corner part of the decorative sheet of a metal mold | die, and is squeezed. Are disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-268812 JP-A-9-131755

  However, as in Patent Document 1, in order to insert-mold a flat printed sheet, it is necessary to pay attention to the printing misalignment. However, when leather or synthetic leather is insert-molded into a cabinet having a curved surface, a flat shape is required. When the leather or synthetic leather is affixed to the curved surface portion, excess meat of the leather or synthetic leather protrudes, and there is a problem that wrinkles occur after molding and the appearance is poor.

  In order to improve this, even if a curved surface is formed on the leather or synthetic leather in advance by a press mold, the leather or synthetic leather cannot completely retain the curved surface and returns to a certain extent. Even if insert molding is performed in this state, wrinkles are generated on the curved surface of the corner.

  On the other hand, the above-described wrinkle can be prevented to some extent by the insert molding method of Patent Document 2, but if a decorative sheet with a textured leather wrinkle pattern is used in order to give a leather tactile feel, insert molding There is a problem that the leather wrinkles of the decorative sheet are crushed by the molding pressure, and the touch feel becomes hard.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to insert-mold synthetic leather while keeping a soft tactile sensation so that the leather is not easily wrinkled.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a synthetic leather cover in which protective means for absorbing molding pressure at the time of insert molding is attached to the surface of synthetic leather to which a plastic sheet is bonded is insert molded. .

  Specifically, the first invention presupposes a method for insert molding a cabinet of an electronic device.

And glue the plastic sheet on the back of the synthetic leather,
A synthetic leather cover is formed by attaching a protective means for absorbing pressure applied to the surface of the synthetic leather during insert molding,
A synthetic leather cover is attached to the mold so that the protective means comes into contact with the molding surface of the mold, and molten resin is poured into the mold, and insert molding is performed.
After the mold is opened, the protection means is removed.

  In other words, even if a curved surface is formed on a synthetic leather in advance with a press die and then attached to the mold, the synthetic leather cannot completely retain the curved surface and returns to a certain extent. Even if insert molding is performed in this state, wrinkles are generated on the curved surface of the corner. However, according to the above configuration, since the synthetic leather and the plastic sheet are bonded in advance, if the curved surface is molded by pressing with heat, the plastic sheet is cured and the curved surface shape is maintained with the wrinkles stretched. Is done. For this reason, even a cabinet having a curved surface portion is insert-molded so as not to cause wrinkles. In addition, since protective means are affixed between the molding surface of the mold and the synthetic leather, the surface of the synthetic leather is less likely to be crushed by the molding pressure during insert molding. The soft touch of the cover is maintained.

  In a second aspect of the invention, a flat synthetic leather cover is formed by press molding in advance while heating the flat synthetic leather to which the protection means and the plastic sheet are attached.

  According to the above configuration, the synthetic leather cover and plastic sheet are pre-bonded to form a synthetic leather cover, so when the curved surface is formed by applying heat and pressing, the plastic sheet Cured to maintain the curved shape. For this reason, even when insert molding is performed on a cabinet having a curved surface portion, the occurrence of wrinkles on the curved surface portion is small, and the product can be provided with high quality because it is small.

  In the third invention, the protective means is a foamed urethane sheet.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain a protection means that is inexpensive and has good pressure absorption.

  In 4th invention, it is set as the structure which is provided with the printing means on the back surface of the said protection means, and transfers the pattern of this printing means to the surface of a synthetic leather.

  According to said structure, when insert-molding in the state which affixed the protection means on synthetic leather, the pattern of a printing means is transcribe | transferred to synthetic leather, while a protection means absorbs forming pressure. Therefore, the decoration of the synthetic leather can be easily performed without increasing the printing process. Further, unlike the simple print sheet, the printing means is provided on the back surface of the protection means, so that the surface of the synthetic leather is not easily crushed by the molding pressure during insert molding, and the soft touch of the synthetic leather cover is maintained.

  In 5th invention, the said synthetic leather is comprised by the urethane layer by which the leather wrinkle of the surface side was given, and the nonwoven fabric layer by the back side.

  According to said structure, a soft tactile sensation is implement | achieved by the nonwoven fabric layer, and the leather wrinkle imitating the surface of leather can be shape | molded by processing a urethane layer. Further, the protective means prevents the leather wrinkles from being crushed by the molding pressure during insert molding, and the soft tactile feel of the synthetic leather cover is maintained. Furthermore, urethane is easier to care for and can achieve various colors because it is more resistant to water, moisture and dirt than leather.

  In a sixth aspect of the invention, the electronic device is a mobile communication device.

  According to the above configuration, the synthetic leather cover allows the mobile communication device to look good and feel better, so that portability, merchantability, and the like are excellent.

  In the seventh invention, the mobile communication device is a mobile phone.

  According to said structure, the external appearance and touch feeling of a mobile telephone improve.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when synthetic leather is insert-molded into a cabinet having a curved surface, the plastic sheet can reduce the generation of wrinkles or reduce the number of wrinkles in the corner portion. As a result, the appearance can be improved and a soft touch can be easily maintained by the protective means.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a closed state of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an open state of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment includes a first housing 2 and a second housing 3, and these first housing 2 and second housing 3. 3 is rotatably coupled by a hinge portion 4. On the inner side (front side) of the first housing 2, a receiver 5 and a display 6 are provided. On the outer side (back side) of the first housing 2, a sub display unit 7 and a speaker sound emitting unit 8 for displaying a clock display and the name of the other party during communication are provided. The cabinet that covers the first housing 2 is divided into front and back sides, and the back cabinet 2a that covers the back side is formed of a resin base 20 and an outer surface of the base 20 as shown in FIG. A synthetic leather cover 9 is provided.

  Inside the second housing 3, a function button 11 for switching and determining various functions, an input button 12 for inputting information, a transmitter 13 and the like are provided. The function buttons 11 and the input buttons 12 constitute the operation unit 50. A camera unit (not shown) is provided outside the second housing 3, and a charging terminal unit (not shown), a volume button 15, an earphone microphone terminal cover 16, a card insertion unit (not shown) are provided on the side surface side. No) is installed.

  The base material 20 is made of, for example, ABS, AS, PC (polycarbonate), or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the synthetic leather body 30 constituting the synthetic leather cover 9 is formed, for example, by pressing the surface-side planar urethane layer 41 and the back-side planar nonwoven fabric layer 42 with a roller. The leather wrinkle irregularities formed on the roller on the urethane layer 41 side give a touch similar to leather. Urethane is easy to care for because it is more resistant to water, moisture and dirt than leather, and can achieve various colors. A soft tactile sensation is realized by the nonwoven fabric layer 42.

  A thin plastic sheet 21 made of, for example, ABS, AS, PC, or the like is bonded to the nonwoven fabric layer 42 side of the synthetic leather body 30 by glue printing 22. The plastic sheet 21 and the base material 20 are bonded by paste printing 22 at the time of insert molding.

  The speaker sound emitting unit 8 may be formed integrally with the back cabinet 2a at the time of molding. However, in order to reliably provide a sound emitting hole, the speaker sound emitting unit 8 is constituted by a separate member made of resin or metal, and the back cabinet 2a. It is desirable to fit from the back side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the boundary of the outer shape of the synthetic leather cover 9 is covered by a decorative ring 10, and the boundary line between the synthetic leather cover 9 and the base material 20 is hidden by the decorative ring 10. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the surface of the sub display unit 7 is covered with a transparent cover 26.

−Cabinet insert molding method−
Next, an insert molding method for the back cabinet 2a of the mobile phone 1 will be described.

  FIGS. 3 to 6 are views showing the order of manufacturing the synthetic leather cover 9 that covers the external appearance of the first housing 2.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, paste printing 22 is performed on a flat synthetic leather main body 30 to bond a flat plastic sheet 21. The glue print 22 is also bonded to the side of the plastic sheet 21 opposite to the synthetic leather body 30. This paste printing 22 on the back surface is used for adhesion to the substrate 20 during insert molding. The surface of the paste printing 22 on the back surface is covered with a separator (not shown). Moreover, the foamed urethane sheet 45 as a protection means is affixed on the surface (surface) on the opposite side of the plastic sheet 21 in the synthetic leather main body 30. In this way, the flat synthetic leather cover 9 is formed in advance.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flat synthetic leather cover 9 of FIG. 3 is provided with irregularities so as to have the curved shape of the first housing 2 by a press molding machine (not shown). . Since the surface of the glue print 22 is covered with a separator, the synthetic leather cover 9 is not attached to the press mold. At this time, the sub display portion recess 18 is recessed at a position corresponding to the sub display portion 7, and the speaker portion recess 19 is recessed at a position corresponding to the speaker sound emitting portion 8 (see a cross-sectional view taken along line XX). Also, the corner portion 23 is formed at the same time. In the molding of the corner portion 23, when only the synthetic leather main body 30 is press-molded, it is almost restored to the plane after being removed from the press-molding machine, and the effect of press molding is reduced. By pressing the plastic sheet 21 together, it is held in the form of a press mold. At this time, the wrinkles grow and become inconspicuous from the appearance.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the curved synthetic leather cover 9 of FIG. 5 is cut into the outer shape of the shape of the first housing 2 and necessary holes are punched out. Here, in making holes in the speaker sound emitting unit 8 and the sub display unit 7, holes are made along the recesses on the inner side of the recess side surfaces of the sub display unit recesses 18 and the speaker unit recesses 19. For this reason, the sub display portion hole 24 and the speaker portion hole 25 are formed so that the cut surface is bent so as to bend downward (see a cross-sectional view taken along the line YY). Thus, the cut surface around the hole is covered with the synthetic leather main body 30, so that it looks good.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the separator of the synthetic leather cover 9 of FIG. 5 is peeled off, and the urethane foam sheet 45 is brought into contact with the molding surface 32 a of the lower mold 32 of the injection mold 31. Attach to. The synthetic leather cover 9 is attached to the lower mold 32 through the sub display portion hole 24 and the speaker portion hole 25. Then, the upper mold 33 is closed to form the cavity 34. A molten resin is poured into the cavity 34 and insert molding is performed by injection molding.

  Thereafter, the upper mold 33 is opened, the synthetic leather cover 9 is taken out, and then the urethane foam sheet 45 is removed.

  Since the urethane foam sheet 45 is attached between the molding surface 32a and the synthetic leather main body 30 in this way, the surface of the synthetic leather main body 30 is not easily crushed by molding pressure during insert molding, and the soft tactile feel of the synthetic leather cover 9 is achieved. Is maintained.

  Thereby, the back side cabinet 2a of the 1st housing | casing 2 shown in FIG. 7 is completed (refer ZZ sectional drawing).

-Effect of the embodiment-
Therefore, according to the method of insert-molding the cabinet of the electronic device according to the present embodiment, when the synthetic leather main body 30 is insert-molded in the back-side cabinet 2a having a curved surface, the occurrence of wrinkles is reduced in the corner portion 23 by the plastic sheet 21. And the number of wrinkles can be reduced, so that the appearance is improved and the urethane foam sheet 45 can easily maintain a soft tactile sensation.

-Modification of the embodiment-
You may provide a printing means (not shown) in the back surface side of the urethane foam sheet 45 of the said embodiment. This printing means is made of, for example, a decorative seal, and when the foamed urethane sheet 45 is attached to the synthetic leather main body 30 and is press-molded or insert-molded, the pattern of the printing means Can be transferred to the surface of the synthetic leather body 30.

  This makes it possible to easily decorate the synthetic leather main body 30 without increasing the number of printing steps.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention may be configured as follows with respect to the above embodiment.

  That is, in the said embodiment, portable communication apparatuses, such as PHS and PDA, may be sufficient as a foldable mobile phone. Moreover, not only a folding type but a straight type portable communication device may be used.

  In the said embodiment, although the back side cabinet 2a was shape | molded by injection molding, you may shape | mold the back side cabinet 2a by compression molding. In that case, silicon can be used as the base material.

  In addition, the above embodiment is an essentially preferable illustration, Comprising: It does not intend restrict | limiting the range of this invention, its application thing, or a use.

  As described above, the present invention is useful for a method for forming a cabinet covered with a synthetic leather cover of an electronic device such as a mobile phone.

It is a perspective view which shows the closed state of the mobile telephone which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the open state of the mobile telephone which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (B) is a top view which shows the state which bonded the foaming urethane sheet and the plastic sheet to the synthetic leather main body in the manufacture order of a synthetic leather cover, (a) is the XX sectional drawing. (B) is a top view which shows the state shape | molded with the press molding machine in the manufacture order of a synthetic leather cover, (a) is the figure which shows the sectional drawing. It is a perspective view which shows the synthetic leather cover shape | molded with the press molding machine. (B) is a top view which shows the state which carried out the external shape cut in the manufacturing order of the synthetic leather cover, and the punching, (a) is the YY sectional view taken on the line. (B) is a top view which shows the state which insert-molded the synthetic leather cover in the manufacture order of a synthetic leather cover, (a) is the ZZ sectional drawing. It is sectional drawing which shows a mode that molten resin is poured with an injection mold and a back side cabinet is shape | molded. It is the A section expanded sectional view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Mobile phone (electronic equipment, mobile communication equipment)
2a Backside cabinet (cabinet)
9 Synthetic leather cover (
21 Plastic sheet 30 Synthetic leather body 31 Mold 32a Molding surface 41 Urethane layer 42 Non-woven fabric layer 45 Foamed urethane sheet

Claims (7)

In a method of insert molding an electronic equipment cabinet,
Glue the plastic sheet to the back of the synthetic leather,
A synthetic leather cover is formed by attaching a protective means for absorbing pressure applied to the surface of the synthetic leather during insert molding,
A synthetic leather cover is attached to the mold so that the protective means comes into contact with the molding surface of the mold, and molten resin is poured into the mold, and insert molding is performed.
An insert molding method for a cabinet of an electronic device, wherein the protection means is removed after the mold is opened. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device according to claim 1,
An insert molding method for a cabinet of an electronic device, characterized in that a curved synthetic leather cover is formed by press molding in advance while heating the flat synthetic leather to which the protective means and the plastic sheet are attached. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device according to claim 1 or 2,
The said protection means is a foaming urethane sheet, The insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device characterized by the above-mentioned. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3,
An insert molding method for a cabinet of an electronic device, characterized in that printing means is provided on the back surface of the protection means, and a pattern of the printing means is transferred to the surface of the synthetic leather. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4,
The said synthetic leather is comprised by the urethane layer by which the leather wrinkles of the surface side were given, and the nonwoven fabric layer of the back side, The insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device characterized by the above-mentioned. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The electronic device is a portable communication device, and is an insert molding method for a cabinet of an electronic device. In the insert molding method of the cabinet of the electronic device according to claim 6,
The portable communication device is a mobile phone, and is an insert molding method for a cabinet of an electronic device.

Images