METHOD FOR PRODUCING PLASTIC SHELL

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to methods for producing plastic shells, and more particularly to a method for producing a textured plastic shell.

2. Description of Related Art

With the mass variety of electronic devices on the market, consumers focus more and more on the appearance of an electronic device.

To decorate plastic shells of electronic devices, different textures may be formed on the plastic shells by one of the following methods:

1. In-Mold Decoration (IMD) Molding: a sheet material printed with a decoration is placed in a plastic injection mold, and a resin is injected into a backside of the molded sheet material, such that the resin and the sheet material are combined and formed integrally.

2. In-Mold-Label (IML) Molding: This method is substantially the same as the IMD, except that a film is pulled out like a stamped tape after the plastic injection molding process takes place, and a printed pattern is transferred onto a plastic article.

However, the aforementioned IMD/IML methods can be complicated and slow. Further, the printed pattern layer may be worn or faded easily, and such methods do not always result in an acceptable appearance of the product, and have a high defective rate.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for producing plastic shell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a detailed flow chart of step S200 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed flow chart of step S300 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. In the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a method for producing a plastic shell may include:

S100: An injection mold including a male mold and a female mold is provided to produce the plastic shell.

S200: A first texture is formed in an interior surface of the female mold.

S300: A second texture is formed at the interior surface of the female mold.

S400: the male mold and the female mold are used to produce a plastic shell having multiple (different) textures.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first texture may be a pattern of curved lines, and the second texture may be a grid.

Referring to FIG. 2, the above described step S200 may include the:

S201: the interior surface of the female mold is washed.

S202: chemical solution is sprayed on the interior surface of the female mold; the chemical solution is light-sensitive and etch-resistant and comprised of a solvent and a solute dissolved in the solvent.

S203: the chemical solution sprayed on the interior surface of the female mold is examined to make sure that the interior surface of the female mold is completely covered by the chemical solution.

S204: the female mold is placed in a dryer to dry up the solvent thereon; after the female mold is dried, the solute is retained at the interior surface of the female mold which forms a light-sensitive and etch-resistant layer on the female mold.

S205: a film with an image of the first texture printed thereon is prepared in advance; a thickness of the film is a range of 0.01˜0.03 millimeters.

S206: the film is cut the same size as the interior surface of the female mold.

S207: the film is affixed to the interior surface of the female mold.

S208: a location of the film and contact between the film and the female mold is inspected.

S209: the film is exposed in light and the texture of the film is developed on the interior surface of the female mold; in this step, chemical actions occur at the interior surface of the female mold and the texture lines on the female mold are no longer etch-resistant, other portions of the female mold without the texture lines remain etch-resistant.

S210: the interior surface of the female mold is dipped in an etching solution; the texture lines of the female mold are etched, and convexities mating with the texture are formed in the surface of the female mold; in this step, the etching solution may be hydrochloric acid, the female mold is etched at an ambient temperature in a range of 45° C.˜50° C..

Referring to FIG. 3, the step S300 as described above further includes:

S301: a surface treating apparatus is provided.

S302: the female mold is placed on the surface treating apparatus.

S303: an arrangement of the lines of the second texture is pre-selected.

S304: the surface treating apparatus forms the second texture on the surface of the female mold by chemical etching, electroform, or other similar method.

While the present disclosure has been illustrated by the description of preferred embodiments thereof, and while the preferred embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described.

It is also to be understood that the above description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.