Device housing and manufacturing method

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to housing manufacturing, particularly to a device housing with a glass panel and a method for manufacturing the housing.

2. Description of Related Art

Currently, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are in widespread use and incorporate plastic housings. However, electronic elements of the portable electronic devices received in such housings may be easily damaged if the devices are dropped.

Many portable electronic devices include a plastic housing and display parts made of glass. However, because the density and specific gravity of the display parts is so much greater than plastic, the plastic housing may deform over time, particular around the glass parts, which may degrade the connection between the glass and the plastic.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Many aspects of the housing and the method for manufacturing the housing can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the housing and the method for manufacturing the housing. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic, exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a housing.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a metal frame of the housing shown in a circular area II of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a plastic housing body shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the assembled housing in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the assembly housing shown in FIG. 4 taken along line IV-IV.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in an exemplary embodiment, a housing 100 of a portable electronic device includes a glass panel 10 , a metal frame 20 , and a housing body 30 .

The panel 10 is configured for being received in the metal frame 20 . The panel 10 includes a first surface 11 , a second surface 13 opposite to the first surface 11 , and a number of side surfaces 15 connected to the first surface 11 and the second surface 13 . In order to stably connect the panel 10 to the housing body 30 , the side surfaces 15 are sloped. Referring to FIG. 5 , one end of each side surface 15 is connected to the first surface 11 at an acute angle, and the other end of each side surface 15 is connected to the second surface 13 at an obtuse angle. A closed groove 151 is defined in all the side surfaces 15 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the metal frame 20 is a closed frame, and includes a main section 21 and a bent edge 23 integrally formed together. The main section 21 is substantially straight relative to the bent edge 22 . The main section 21 defines a number of long and narrow spaced through holes 211 . The bent edge 23 extends from one side of the main section 21 , and is slanted toward the inside of the metal frame 20 . When the panel 10 is received in the metal frame 20 , the bent edge 23 is tightly latched in the closed groove 151 to effectively prevent the panel 10 falling out of the metal frame 20 . The metal frame 20 is made of stainless steel, and may be formed by stamping or punched from a metal sheet.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 , the housing body 30 is made of plastic material, and includes a base 31 and a closed reinforcement portion 33 integrally formed together by injection molding. The base 31 is molded to surround the metal frame 20 and the panel 10 . The closed reinforcement portion 33 protrudes from an inner peripheral wall of the base 31 to form an annular shape. The closed reinforcement portion 33 extends through the through holes 211 of the metal frame 20 during molding, and bonds the second surface 13 of the panel 10 .

Therefore, the panel 10 is latched to the metal frame 20 , and is surrounded by the housing body 30 . Additionally, the closed reinforcement portion 33 supports the edges of the panel 10 . This design can keep the panel 10 secure and stably positioned on the housing body 30 for a long period of time.

A method for manufacturing the housing 100 is described as follows.

Firstly, the panel 10 is received in the metal frame 20 , and the bent edge 23 is tightly latched in the closed groove 151 . An injection mold is provided. The assembled metal frame 20 with the panel 10 is positioned in a die chamber of the injection mold. During molding, the molten plastic flows through the through holes 211 of the metal frame 20 and joins together inside the metal frame 20 to form the annular closed reinforcement portion 33 . After the injection molding process, the panel 10 is tightly bonded with the metal frame 20 and the housing body 20 to form the housing 100 .

The panel 10 , a metal frame 20 and the housing 30 are integrally formed together by the above method. The method for manufacturing the housing 100 by the injection mold increases processing efficiency and reduces production timeframe. Additionally, one side of the panel 10 is latched by the metal frame 20 and the housing body 30 , and the other side is supported by the closed reinforcement portion 33 . This secure the panel 10 is stably positioned on the housing body 30 .

It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.