This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial No. 106110188, filed on Mar. 27, 2017. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification.
The invention relates to a cover and, more particularly, to a cover of an electronic device.
Users are usually attracted by the outlook of electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers and tablet PCs. Therefore, the casings of the electronic devices with three-dimensional relief, hair pattern, and transferred patterns are become popular in recent years.
According to a first aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device, comprising: a cover, including: a first light transmitting substrate layer; and a first pattern layer, attached to a bottom of the first light transmitting substrate layer and including a plurality of first microstructure patterns; and an outer casing, mounted on the cover, the outer casing includes: a second light transmitting protection layer, including a first surface facing the cover; and a second pattern layer, configured at the first surface of the second light transmitting protection layer and including a plurality of second microstructure patterns, wherein the first pattern layer and the second pattern layer are superimposed to form a virtual pattern image.
According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a cover is disclosed. The cover, applied to an electronic device, comprising: a first light transmitting substrate layer; a first pattern layer, attached on the first light transmitting substrate layer and including a plurality of first microstructure patterns, wherein the first pattern layer has a first refractive index; a first light transmitting ink layer, configured above the first pattern layer; a second pattern layer, attached to a bottom of the first light transmitting substrate layer and including a plurality of second microstructure patterns, wherein the second pattern layer has a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is different from the second refractive index; and a plating layer, configured under the second pattern layer; a printing layer, configured under the plating layer and having a background color.
According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a cover is disclosed. The cover, applied to an electronic device, comprising: a first light transmitting substrate layer; a first pattern layer, attached on the first light transmitting substrate layer and including a plurality of first microstructure patterns; a first light transmitting ink layer, configured above the first light transmitting substrate layer and having a fifth refractive index; a second light transmitting ink layer, configured above the first light transmitting ink layer and having a sixth refractive index, wherein the fifth refractive index is different from the sixth refractive index; and a second pattern layer, configured above the second light transmitting ink layer and including a plurality of second microstructure patterns.
Please refer to
In
Practically, the first pattern layer U1 includes a plurality of first microstructure patterns, such as a lenticular type, a micro-lens type, a V-cut type or a Fresnel-lens type, which is not limited herein. Visual effects are changed by refraction, reflection, and diffusion of the light between the adjacent first microstructure patterns. In the embodiment, the distance between the adjacent first microstructure patterns is a first distance d1.
After the first pattern layer U1 is formed, the first pattern layer U1 is selectively plated to form the plating layer N1 to further protect the first pattern layer U1. Then, the damage and deformation of the first pattern layer U1 due to an external force would be avoided when. In an embodiment, the plating layer N1 is formed by a non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM) technique to improve the metallic feeling in visual. A printing layer N2 is provided under the plating layer N1. In an embodiment, the printing layer N2 is doped with a background color to make the cover 110 show various colors according to requirements. The printing layer N2 is opaque and therefore is configured at a side facing the inside of the electronic device 100.
The first light transmitting protection layer P1 provides further hardening and protection for the outer of the cover 110. Consequently, the cover 110 is not easily bent, worn or scratched. Since the first light transmitting protection layer P1, the adhesive layer G1 and the first light transmitting substrate layer S1 are light-transmitting material, the light can reach the first pattern layer U1 after passing through the first light transmitting protection layer P1, the adhesive layer G1 and the first light transmitting substrate layer S1. Then, the appearance of the product shows the texture patterns provided by the first pattern layer U1.
The outer casing 120 includes a second light transmitting protection layer P2 and a second pattern layer U2. The material of the second light transmitting protection layer P2 is similar to that of the first light transmitting protection layer P1, such as transparent plastic or glass. The second light transmitting protection layer P2 has a first surface facing the cover 110 (the lower surface of the second light transmitting protection layer P2 shown in the
In an embodiment, the second microstructure patterns of the second pattern layer U2 and the first microstructure patterns of the first pattern layer U1 are different microstructure pattern types. In another embodiment, the second pattern layer U2 has the same microstructure patterns as that of the first pattern layer U1 (such as the Micro-lens type).
The second distance d2 between the adjacent second microstructure patterns is the same or different from the first distance d1 between the adjacent first microstructure patterns to show various visual effects. In an embodiment, the first distance d1 is different from the second distance d2. Then, the optical characteristics of the first pattern layer U1 are different from these of the second pattern layer U2.
The first pattern layer U1 has a first refractive index, and the second pattern layer U2 has a second refractive index. Since the kind and amount of the additives added into the UV glues of the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2 are different, the first refractive index is different from the second refractive index. For example, an oligomer, such as a resin, an initiator, a stabilizer, or the like is added into the UV glue to form the first pattern layer U1 or the second pattern layer U2 with different refractive indices or different translucent degrees. In an embodiment, the optical characteristics of the first pattern layer U1 are different from the optical characteristics of the second pattern layer U2 due to the difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index.
When the outer casing 120 is mounted on the cover 110, the light is transmitted from the second light transmitting protection layer P2 of the outer casing 120 to the second pattern layer U2, and further transmitted to the first light transmitting protection layer P1, the adhesive layer G1, a first light transmitting substrate layer S1, a first pattern layer U1, a plating layer N1, and a printing layer N2 of the cover 110. Therefore, the image of the first pattern layer U1 and the image of the second pattern layer U2 are superimposed. Virtual pattern images for visual effect are presented via optical refraction, reflection, diffusion.
By varying the density (relating to the first distance d1 and the second distance d2), the degree of undulation (concavity and convexity), or the inclination angle (the angle between patterns and the flat surface of the cover 110 or the angle between patterns and the flat surface of the outer casing 120) of the microstructure patterns of the first pattern layer U1 and the microstructure patterns of the second pattern layer U2, various virtual images are presented. Thus, the various visual effects are showed by combining the covers 110 and outer casings 120 with microstructure patterns of different densities, undulation or inclination angles.
In an embodiment, the outer casing 120 is provided with a base layer.
In the manufacturing process, the first surface (the lower surface of the second light transmitting protection layer P2 shown in
The second light transmitting protection layer P2 is used to protect the second light transmitting substrate layer S2 and the second pattern layer U2. Similarly, a virtual pattern image on the surface of the electronic device 200 is formed when light passes through the second light transmitting substrate layer S2, and the virtual pattern image is configured by superimposing the patterns of the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2.
In an embodiment, the first light transmitting protection layer P1 of the cover 110 is made of a lightproof hard material. The cover 310 and the outer casing 120 of the electronic device 300 are described with reference to
Similar to the cover 110, the cover 310 includes the first light transmitting substrate layer S1, the first pattern layer U1, the plating layer N1 and the printing layer N2. However, the cover 310 does not include the first light transmitting protection layer P1, but includes a base layer M1. The base layer M1 is adhered to the printing layer N2 through the adhesive layer G3. Since the base layer M1 is configured at the bottom, it does not affect the appearance of the image of the first pattern layer U1 on the surface. Thus, the base layer M1 can be made of any transparent or opaque material such as glass, plastic, metal, or the like. The base layer M1 supports the printing layer N2, the plating layer N1, the first light transmitting substrate layer S1 and the first pattern layer U1 thereon. Therefore, similar to the protection of the first light transmitting protection layer P1, with the base layer M1, the cover 310 is stronger and not easily bent by an external force.
In an embodiment, the outer casing and the cover of the electronic device are integrally formed. For example, the outer casing of each electronic device in
In an embodiment, virtual pattern image is presented at the cover.
In manufacture, the UV glue is coated on both sides of the first light transmitting substrate layer S1 and processed to form a first pattern layer U1 and a second pattern layer U2 with microstructure patterns. In an embodiment, the first microstructure patterns of the first pattern layer U1 and the second microstructure patterns of the second pattern layer U2 have the same type, such as a lenticular type, a micro-lens type, a V-cut type or a Fresnel type. In manufacture, in an embodiment, the first light transmitting ink layer T1 is formed above the surface of the first pattern layer U1 via evaporation. Next, the plating layer N1 is selectively plated on the second pattern layer U2. Then, a printing layer N2 is formed on the surface of the plating layer N1. The printing layer N2 has a background color.
Except for by adjusting parameters (distances described above, concavity and convexity and so on) of the microstructure patterns of the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2, the virtual image also can be changed by changing the refractive index of the material of layers.
For example, in the embodiment of
Since the cover 410 has the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2, the images of the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2 are superimposed to form virtual pattern images.
In an embodiment, more pattern layers are formed at the cover to form a virtual image with multi-layered effect. Compared to the cover 410, the cover 510 in
In an embodiment, the third pattern layer U3 also has the same type of microstructure patterns and has a third refractive index. The fourth pattern layer U4 also has the same type of microstructure patterns and has a fourth refractive index. The third refractive index and the fourth refractive index are various depending on the material of the third pattern layer U3 and the fourth pattern layer U4. The third pattern layer U3 and the fourth pattern layer U4 are attached to two sides of the second light transmitting substrate layer S2, respectively. Similarly, the bottom of the fourth pattern layer U4 has a plating treatment to form the plating layer N1. A printing layer N2 is formed on the surface of the plating layer N1. The second light transmitting ink layer T2 is used to combine the second pattern layer U2 and the third pattern layer U3. As a result, a quadruple virtual image is presented at the cover 510 via the first pattern layer U1, the second pattern layer U2, the third pattern layer U3, and the fourth pattern layer U4.
In an embodiment, more pattern layers are added to the cover 510 to form more complex optical effects. The number of pattern layers can be changed according to requirements, which is not limited herein.
In the embodiment of
Besides that the refractive index of the UV glue can be changed via adding dopant, the refractive index of the light-permeable ink layer can also be changed by adding dopants, as such as the implementation shown in
The first light transmitting ink layer T1 and the second light transmitting ink layer T2 have the same or different refractive indices. A virtual pattern image is presented after light passes through the second pattern layer U2, the second light transmitting ink layer T2, the first light transmitting ink layer T1, and the first pattern layer U1.
In an embodiment, when the first light transmitting ink layer T1 and the second light transmitting ink layer T2 have different refractive indices, the first pattern layer U1 and the second pattern layer U2 in
In an embodiment, the cover 610 has more layers structure, as shown in
The third pattern layer U3 and the fourth pattern layer U4 have microstructure patterns. In this embodiment, the second pattern layer U2 and the third pattern layer U3 are attached to the two sides of the second light transmitting substrate layer S2, respectively. The fourth pattern layer U4 is attached to the bottom of the third light transmitting substrate layer S3. The third light transmitting ink layer T3 and the fourth light transmitting ink layer T4 are configured between the third pattern layer U3 and the fourth pattern layer U4 to combine the third pattern layer U3 and the fourth pattern layer U4. The third light transmitting ink layer T3 has a seventh refractive index, and the fourth light transmitting ink layer T4 has an eighth refractive index. The seventh refractive index and the eighth refractive index are different from the fifth refraction index of the first light transmitting ink layer T1 and the sixth refractive index of the second light transmitting ink layer T2. That is, the first light transmitting ink layer T1, the second light transmitting ink layer T2, the third light transmitting ink layer T3, and the fourth light transmitting ink layer T4 have different refractive indices.
Referring to
With the above arrangement, multiple virtual pattern images are presented after light passes through the fourth pattern layer U4, the fourth light transmitting ink layer T4, the third light transmitting ink layer T3, the third pattern layer U3, the second pattern layer U2, the second light transmitting ink layer T2, the first light transmitting ink layer T1 and the first pattern layer U1.
In other embodiments, layers are rearranged, and the number of layers also can be changed to present various virtual pattern images.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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106110188 | Mar 2017 | TW | national |