Housing of an electronic device formed by doubleshot injection molding

Abstract

A method for forming an enclosure for enclosing internal electronic components of an electronic device is provided, which comprises: performing a first injection molding process, the first injection molding process forming at least a first wall of the enclosure; allowing the at least a first wall of the enclosure to solidify; thereafter performing a second injection molding process, the second injection molding process forming at least a second wall of the enclosure, the at least a second wall of the enclosure fusing with the at least a first wall of the enclosure during the second injection molding process, the at least second wall of the enclosure forming at least one different side of the enclosure than the at least first wall of the enclosure; and allowing the at least a second wall of the enclosure to solidify, the at least a second wall of the enclosure being integrally formed with the at least a first wall of the enclosure to thereby form a single-piece multi-walled enclosure.

1 . A single integral enclosure for enclosing internal electronic components of an electronic device, the enclosure being formed by a process comprising:
 performing a first injection molding process, the first injection molding process forming at least a first wall of the enclosure;   allowing the at least a first wall of the enclosure to solidify;   thereafter performing a second injection molding process, the second injection molding process forming remaining walls of the enclosure, the remaining walls of the enclosure fusing with the at least a first wall of the enclosure during the second injection molding process, wherein each of the remaining walls of the enclosure is in a plane different from a plane of the at least a first wall of the enclosure; and   allowing the remaining walls of the enclosure to solidify, the remaining walls of the enclosure being integrally formed with the at least a first wall of the enclosure to thereby form the single integral enclosure, wherein at least one internal feature is formed on an inside surface of at least one of the walls during one of the injection molding processes.   
     
     
         2 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the internal feature is a protrusion, recess, undercut, or embossment. 
     
     
         3 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the walls are all substantially planar and substantially orthogonal to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the walls have a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least a first wall and at least one of the remaining walls have a taper angle of 0.25 degree or less. 
     
     
         6 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure has a length, a width, and a depth, and the length of the enclosure is substantially greater than the depth of the enclosure. 
     
     
         7 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the length of the enclosure is at least approximately eight times the depth of the enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein during the first and second injection molding processes, enclosure walls defined by the length and the width of the enclosure are formed horizontally, and enclosure walls defined by the length and the depth of the enclosure and enclosure walls defined by the width and the depth of the enclosure are formed vertically. 
     
     
         9 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the horizontally formed enclosure walls have a taper angle of approximately 0 degree, and the vertically formed enclosure walls have a taper angle of less than approximately 0.25 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein there is no visible seam on surfaces of the enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . An integrally molded single-piece multi-walled enclosure that defines an open space for placement of internal components of an electronic device, the enclosure being formed by a double shot injection molding process comprising:
 forming at least one wall of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure with a first shot; and   forming remaining walls of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure with a second shot, wherein each of the remaining walls is in a plane different from a plane of the at least one wall, and wherein the at least one wall formed with the first shot fusing with the walls formed with the second shot during the second shot so as to form the integrally molded single-piece multi-walled enclosure, wherein each wall is substantially parallel or substantially orthogonal to another wall and wherein at least two walls have a taper angle of 0.25 degree or less.   
     
     
         12 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein all of the walls have a taper angle of 0.25 degree or less. 
     
     
         13 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the single-piece multi-walled enclosure is a five wall enclosure with an open end. 
     
     
         14 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the single-piece multi-walled enclosure has a length that extends from a top to a bottom end of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure, wherein the length is at least approximately eight times a depth of the enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one wall of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure formed with the first shot includes a front wall, a right side wall, a left side wall, and a top wall, and wherein the remaining walls of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure formed with the second shot includes a back wall. 
     
     
         16 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein inside surfaces of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure have limited or no taper, and wherein a thickness of the walls of single-piece multi-walled enclosure is substantially uniform from a top to a bottom end of the single-piece multi-walled enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first shot comprises:
 forming a first void;   injecting plastic into the first void to form a first part of the enclosure;   allowing the first part to solidify; and   inserting a wedge into the first part; and wherein the second shot comprises:   forming a second void;   injecting plastic into the second void to form a second part of the enclosure, the second part fusing with the first part during the injection thereby forming a single-piece enclosure with integral first and second parts;   allowing the second part to solidify.   
     
     
         18 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising removing a wedge from the enclosure, the enclosure having five walls and an open end. 
     
     
         19 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the walls includes internal features that are formed during the first or second shot and without using mechanical actions. 
     
     
         20 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the walls each have a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         21 . A substantially seamless molded integral enclosure for enclosing internal electronic components of an electronic device, the enclosure being formed by a process comprising:
 performing a first injection molding process, the first injection molding process forming at least an entire first wall of the enclosure;   allowing the at least an entire first wall of the enclosure to solidify;   thereafter performing a second injection molding process, the second injection molding process forming remaining entire walls of the enclosure, the remaining entire walls of the enclosure fusing with the at least an entire first wall of the enclosure during the second injection molding process, wherein each of the remaining entire walls of the enclosure is in a plane different from a plane of the at least an entire first wall of the enclosure, and wherein the at least an entire first wall and at least one of the remaining entire walls have a taper angle of 0.25 degree or less; and   allowing the remaining entire walls of the enclosure to solidify, the remaining walls of the enclosure being integrally formed with the at least an entire first wall of the enclosure to thereby form the single integral enclosure, wherein at least one internal feature is formed on an inside surface of at least one of the walls during one of the injection molding processes.   
     
     
         22 . The enclosure as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the internal feature is a protrusion, recess, undercut, or embossment. 
     
     
         23 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the walls are all substantially planar and substantially orthogonal to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the walls have a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         25 . The single integral enclosure as recited in  claim 21 , wherein a length of the enclosure is between about 40 to about 70 times a thickness of the walls.