Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including aperture
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-25
2001-05-29
Watkins, III, William P. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including aperture
C428S140000, C428S137000, C428S194000, C428S352000, C200S345000, C200S341000, C200S302200, C200S520000, C200S512000, C200S521000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238771
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a composite molded product comprising a plurality of different materials, particularly to a composite molded product which can be used as a button of electric devices and a method of manufacturing the same.
A composite molded product in which a thermoplastic resin material and a thermoplastic elastic material are joined has been utilized for, for example, as a button of electric devices such as a portable telephone, a personal computer, etc. This composite molded product comprises a frame body comprising a thermoplastic resin material and a button portion comprising a thermoplastic elastic material, and a movable pressing portion and a flange portion joining to the frame body are provided at the button portion.
Such a composite molded product has been manufactured by fusion bonding the thermoplastic resin material and the thermoplastic elastic material in a mold using a two-color molding machine.
However, in the conventional composite molded product used for a button, the contacting surface of the thermoplastic resin material and that of the thermoplastic elastic material are all joined so that it may sometimes cause disadvantages. Such a problem is that deflection at the flange portion of the button portion is little whereby stroke at the pressing portion cannot be made large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a composite molded product suitable for the use of a button of electric devices and a method of manufacturing the same.
In order to accomplish the object, the composite molded product of the present invention has a constitution that a frame body and a button portion are joined. Also, the button portion has a pressing portion so provided in a through hole of the frame body as to freely movable and a flange portion which is to be fused to the frame body. A thin film layer is provided at adjacent to the opening of the through hole, and the frame body and the button portion are not joined to the region at which the thin film is formed. The frame body can be formed by a thermoplastic resin, the button portion a thermoplastic elastic material and the thin film layer a silicone resin.
Also, the method of manufacturing the above composite molded product comprises the steps of (a) molding a frame body comprising, for example, a thermoplastic resin, by a first mold; (b) forming a thin film comprising, for example, a silicone resin, on the surface of the frame body, and (c) fusion bonding a button portion comprising, for example, a thermoplastic elastic material, by a second mold, onto the surface of the above frame body at which the above thin film layer is formed and molding it to a predetermined shape.
The step of molding a thermoplastic resin by the first mold and the step of forming a thin layer film on the surface of said frame body of the thermoplastic resin molded product may be carried out simultaneously. Also, for formation of the silicone resin layer, it may be employed a method in which a thin layer film previously printed on a film is transferred onto the thermoplastic resin.
In the above composite molded product, at the contacting surface of the frame body comprising a thermoplastic resin material and the flange portion comprising a thermoplastic elastic material, the silicone film layer is partially provided as a thin layer which is subjected to fusion bonding to the thermoplastic resin but not fusion bonding to the thermoplastic elastic material. At the portion in which the silicone resin layer is formed, the frame body and the flange portion are not subjected to fusion binding so that the flange portion is markedly deflected whereby stroke at the pressing portion can be made large.
Also, by simultaneously carrying out molding of the thermoplastic resin and transfer of the silicone resin layer from the film to which the silicone resin layer is previously printed, the composite molded product can be manufactured with extreme effectiveness in bulk-production.
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NEC Corporation
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Watkins III William P.
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