Method and apparatus for processing housing
A method for processing a housing for devices such as electronic devices. A hairline is formed on an inner surface of an inmold mold. In addition, a hairline is formed on an inmold film. The inmold film is positioned inside the inmold mold and a housing representing the hairline of the inmold mold and the hairline of the inmold film together is formed using inmold injection molding.
1. A method for manufacturing a housing, comprising:
positioning an in-mold film including a first hairline inside a mold, wherein the mold includes a second hairline, and the first hairline is aligned and overlapping with the second hairline when the in-mold film is positioned into the mold; and
injecting resin into the mold to form the housing.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second hairline is formed on an inner surface of a core retainer plate of the mold.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second hairline is formed on the mold by using one of a brush, a sandpaper, a laser, and etching.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hairline is formed on the in-mold film by applying a coating layer onto a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film layer.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the PET film layer is separated from the coating layer by a release layer, and the coating layer serves as an exposed surface of the housing.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hairline is formed in a print layer of the in-mold film.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-mold film includes a base layer coupled to a coating layer via a release layer, the method further comprising separating the base layer from the coating layer after the housing is formed.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first hairline has a first surface profile and the second hairline has a second surface profile, and
the housing includes a third hairline having a third surface profile that is derived from the first surface profile and the second surface profile.
9. A housing having a housing hairline, comprising:
a base: and
a coating layer formed on the base,
wherein the housing is formed by positioning an in-mold film including the coating layer into a mold and injecting resin into the mold to produce the base, and
wherein a first hairline of the in-mold film is aligned and overlapping with a second hairline of the mold when the in-mold film is inserted into the mold.
10. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the second hairline is formed on an inner surface of a core retainer plate of the mold.
11. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the second hairline is formed on the mold by using one of a brush, a sandpaper, a laser, or etching.
12. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the first hairline is formed on the in-mold film by applying the coating layer onto a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film layer having.
13. The housing of claim 12 , wherein the PET film layer is separated from the coating layer after the coating layer is cured.
14. The housing of claim 9 , wherein a print layer including the first hairline is arranged on the in-mold film.
15. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the in-mold film includes a base layer coupled to the coating layer via a release layer, and the base layer is separated from the coating layer after the housing is formed.
16. The housing of claim 9 , wherein:
the first hairline has a first surface profile and the second hairline has a second surface profile, and
the housing includes a third hairline having a third surface profile that is derived from the first surface profile and the second surface profile.
17. A portable terminal comprising:
a plurality of electronic parts including a wireless communication unit, a controller, a memory, and a touchscreen display; and
a housing having a hollowed space for receiving the electronic parts, said housing forming an exterior appearance of at least a portion of the portable terminal,
wherein the housing is formed by positioning an in-mold film into a mold and injecting resin into the mold, and
wherein a first hairline of the in-mold film is aligned and overlapping with a second hairline of the mold when the in-mold film is positioned into the mold.
18. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein the second hairline is formed on the mold by using one or more of a brush, a sandpaper, a laser, or etching.
19. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein the first hairline is formed by applying a coating layer onto a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film layer.
20. The portable terminal of claim 19 , wherein the PET film layer is separated from the coating layer by a release layer, and wherein the coating layer serves as an exposed surface of the housing.
21. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein a print layer comprising the first hairline is arranged on the in-mold film.
22. The portable terminal of claim 21 , wherein the in-mold film includes a base layer coupled to a coating layer via a release layer, and the base layer is separated from the coating layer after the housing is formed.
23. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein the housing includes a separable battery cover.
24. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein the housing comprises at least one of:
a front housing;
a rear housing that detachably couples to the front housing to form the space for receiving the electronic parts; and
a separable rear cover that detachably couples to the rear housing to form a space for receiving a battery.
25. The portable terminal of claim 17 , wherein:
the first hairline has a first surface profile and the second hairline has a second surface profile, and
the housing includes a third hairline having a third surface profile that is derived from the first surface profile and the second surface profile.