Laminate structure

Details Laminate structure Laminate structure

1999-03-04

2001-05-22

Lorin, Francis J. (Department: 1775)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

All metal or with adjacent metals

Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal...

C428S156000, C428S170000, C428S172000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06235408

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to Japanese patent application No. HEI 10(1998)-054726 filed on Mar. 6, 1998 whose priority is claimed under 35 USC §119, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laminate structure, and more particularly to an extremely thin, highly rigid, and light laminate structure for use as a resin molded article in a portable information terminal device, a portable electronic device, or the like. The laminate structure is composed of two or more different materials and is a structure formed, for example, by performing a metal material plating on a resin.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, a thinner and shorter resin molded article is demanded for use, for example, in a portable information terminal or an electronic device. However, as long as a conventional resin is used as it is, there is a fear that the flexural rigidity or the impact resistance decreases if the thickness of the resin molded article is reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to newly fabricate a resin molded article whose rigidity or impact resistance does not decrease even if the thickness of the resin molded article is reduced. For that purpose, it is necessary to select a material having a more excellent flexural modulus of elasticity than the conventional molded article material, as well as ensuring the rigidity of the conventional resin molded article. In view of this, various disclosures and proposals are known as methods for raising the rigidity of the molded article as well as reducing its thickness and weight.
(1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 07(1995)-60777 discloses use of a metal material or a reinforced resin material filled with a glass fiber or a carbon fiber as a molded article material.
(2) Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 62(1987)-62498 discloses an electromagnetic wave shielding material formed by laminating a thin steel plate through the intermediary of an adhesive applied on at least one surface of a dielectric sheet or an electrically conductive sheet as a molded article material.
(3) “Guidebook For Plating Technique” (published by Tokyo Plating Material Cooperative Association, 1987) discloses use of a metal plating for overcoming the problems inherent in a plastic when the plastic is used in a molded article.
However, the techniques disclosed in the above documents have the following problems.
In the case of (1) mentioned above, a reinforced resin material filled with a glass fiber or a carbon fiber is used as a molded article material. However, the reinforced resin material has a poor fluidity at the time of molding, so that it is difficult to mold it into a thin and complex shape. Also, the reinforced resin material has a lower breaking strain as compared with a base material resin used alone and has a fragile property, so that the impact resistance decreases. Further, the reinforced resin material has an increased weight due to the fiber introduced in the resin material, so that it is difficult to reduce the weight and the material costs are high.
In the case of (2) mentioned above, a thin steel plate can be laminated through the intermediary of an adhesive on a dielectric sheet of a simple shape. However, it is difficult to laminate a thin steel plate on a dielectric sheet of a complex shape, and the laminated thin steel plate is likely to be crinkled. Also, by simply laminating the thin steel plate thereon, the weight may increase, so that a suitable thickness must be defined.
In the case of (3) mentioned above, the applied metal plating is used for the following functional purposes:
(1) To give an aesthetic appearance to heighten its decorative value;
(2) To improve the corrosion resistance to prolong its life;
(3) To give abrasion resistance and lubricity to maintain a function as a component for a long period of time;
(4) To heighten the electric conductivity;
(5) To heighten the electric and magnetic properties;
(6) To give properties of reflecting and absorbing light;
(7) To give properties such as heat resistance, heat absorption, heat conduction, and heat reflection; and
(8) To utilize it as an auxiliary means in a machining process to contribute to resource saving and reduction of the number of processing steps.
The metal plating applied to a plastic for the above-mentioned purposes has a thickness as small as 10 &mgr;m (0.01 mm) or less and it merely modifies the resin surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances and the purpose thereof is to provide a thin and light laminate structure that can ensure the rigidity of materials by performing a metal material plating on a resin molded article made of an ordinary resin mold material without using a reinforced resin material filled with a glass fiber or a carbon fiber.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a laminate structure comprising a base material made of a resin and a laminate material made of a metal, the laminate material being laminated as one or more plating layers on one surface or on both surfaces of the base material, wherein the laminate material has a flexural modulus of elasticity larger than that of the base material and has a thickness such that a changing rate of rigidity relative to the thickness ratio of the laminate material in the total laminate structure is larger than a changing rate of weight.
In other words, the present invention makes it possible to effectively obtain a thin and light laminate structure having an excellent rigidity by setting the flexural modulus of elasticity of the laminate material to be larger than that of the base material and setting the thickness of the laminate material so that the changing rate of rigidity relative to the thickness ratio of the laminate material in the total laminate structure is larger than the changing rate of weight.


REFERENCES:
patent: 760777 (1995-03-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Laminate structure does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Laminate structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Laminate structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2546110