Abstract:
Various embodiments may relate to an apparatus including a first molded part including a first portion extending along a first axis, and a second portion extending along a second axis having a different orientation to the first axis; and a second molded part, molded to the first molded part, and including a third portion positioned adjacent the first portion and defining a gap there between.

Description:
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatus and methods of forming molded parts. In particular, they relate to apparatus in hand portable electronic devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Apparatus, such as portable electronic communication devices, usually comprise a housing that houses the electronic components of the apparatus. The housing may include a plurality of cover parts that are joined together via an adhesive such as glue. However, the process of forming the housing may be relatively complex and costly due to the use of jigs for adhering the cover parts together. 
         [0003]    It would therefore be desirable to provide an alternative apparatus. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising: a first molded part including a first portion extending along a first axis, and a second portion extending along a second axis having a different orientation to the first axis; and a second molded part, molded to the first molded part, and including a third portion positioned adjacent the first portion and defining a gap there between. 
         [0005]    The first portion and the second portion may define a recess. The third portion may extend across the recess. 
         [0006]    The recess may be elongated and may extend along an axis having an orientation different to the first axis. 
         [0007]    The third portion may at least partially obstruct the recess. 
         [0008]    The first molded part may include one or more guide portions configured to enable the first molded part to be positioned in an injection molding apparatus at a predetermined position and receive the second molded part. 
         [0009]    The one or more guide portions may comprise guide apertures for enabling the first molded part to be positioned in the injection molding apparatus at the predetermined position. 
         [0010]    The first molded part and the second molded part may comprise different materials. 
         [0011]    The first molded part may be configured to define an exterior surface of an electronic device, and the second molded part may be configured to define an interior surface of the electronic device. 
         [0012]    The third portion may be configured to receive a fastener or may be a reinforcement member. 
         [0013]    According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an electronic device comprising an apparatus as described in any of the preceding paragraphs. 
         [0014]    According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a method comprising: molding a first molded part including a first portion extending along a first axis, and a second portion extending along a second axis having a different orientation to the first axis; and molding a second molded part to the first molded part, the second molded part including a third portion positioned adjacent the first portion and defining a gap there between. 
         [0015]    The first portion and the second portion may define a recess. The third portion may extend across the recess. 
         [0016]    The recess may be elongated and may extend along an axis having an orientation different to the first axis. 
         [0017]    The third portion may at least partially obstruct the recess. 
         [0018]    The first molded part may include one or more guide portions configured to enable the first molded part to be positioned in an injection molding apparatus at a predetermined position and receive the second molded part. 
         [0019]    The one or more guide portions may comprise guide apertures for enabling the first molded part to be positioned in the injection molding apparatus at the predetermined position. 
         [0020]    The first molded part and the second molded part may comprise different materials. 
         [0021]    The first molded part may be configured to define an exterior surface of an electronic device, and the second molded part may be configured to define an interior surface of the electronic device. 
         [0022]    The third portion may be configured to receive a fastener or may be a reinforcement member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
         [0023]    For a better understanding of various examples of embodiments of the present invention reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a schematic diagram of a first molded part of an apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a schematic diagram of the first molded part illustrated in  FIG. 2A  and a second molded part according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flow diagram of a method of forming an apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a perspective view of a first molded part of another apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a perspective view of the first molded part illustrated in  FIG. 4A  and a second molded part according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    In the following description, the wording ‘connect’ and ‘couple’ and their derivatives mean operationally connected or coupled. It should be appreciated that any number or combination of intervening components can exist (including no intervening components). 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  illustrates an electronic device  10  which may be any apparatus such as a portable electronic device (for example, a mobile cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant or a hand held computer), a non-portable electronic device (for example, a personal computer or a base station for a cellular network), a portable multimedia device (for example, a music player, a video player, a game console and so on) or a module for such devices. As used here, ‘module’ refers to a unit or apparatus that excludes certain parts or components that would be added by an end manufacturer or a user. 
         [0032]    The electronic device  10  may comprise one or more processors  12 , one or more memories  14 , a display  16 , a user input device  18  (such as a keypad), an audio output device  20  (such as a loudspeaker), radio frequency circuitry  22  (such as a transmitter, a receiver and/or a transceiver), an antenna arrangement  24  and a housing  26 . It should be appreciated that different electronic devices may have different electronic components and that some of the above mentioned components may not be included in some devices. For example, a personal computer may not include the radio frequency circuitry  22  and the antenna arrangement  24  in some embodiments. 
         [0033]    The housing  26  is configured to house at least some of the electronic components of the device  10  and may therefore provide an exterior surface of the electronic device  10 . The housing  26  includes two or more cover parts which may be fastened to one another to conceal the electronic components of the device  10 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a schematic diagram of a first molded part  30  of an apparatus  28  according to various embodiments of the present invention. The apparatus  28  may be any molded part of the electronic device  10  and may be part of the housing  26  or a structure internal to the device  10 . 
         [0035]    The first molded part  30  includes a first portion  32  and a second portion  34  that define a recess  40 . The first portion  32  extends along a first axis  36  and the second portion  34  extends from a bottom end of the first portion  32  along a second axis  38  that is oriented in a different direction to the first axis  34 . 
         [0036]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the first molded part  30  is formed in a first shot (block  42 ) of a two shot injection molding process. At block  42 , the method includes molding the first molded part  30  including the first portion  32  and the second portion  34 . In more detail, the first molded part  30  is formed in a first mold tool cavity between a core and a cavity which are moveable in the vertical direction and at least one slider which is moveable in the horizontal direction. 
         [0037]    It should be appreciated that the first portion  32  and the second portion  34  are molded in the same shot and are therefore integral with one another and do not have a joining interface (the dotted line in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  being provided for visualization purposes only). 
         [0038]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a schematic diagram of the first molded part  30  illustrated in  FIG. 2A  and a second molded part  44  according to various embodiments of the invention. 
         [0039]    The second molded part  44  is molded to a top end of the first molded part  30  and includes a third portion  46  which is positioned adjacent the first portion  32 . The first portion  32  and the third portion  46  are separated from one another and a gap  48  is defined between them. The third portion  46  extends across the recess  40  defined between the first portion  32  and the second portion  34  and thereby at least partially obstructs the recess  40 . In this embodiment, the third portion  46  extends from the top end of the first portion  32  into the recess  40  and in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the second axis  38 . 
         [0040]    The first molded part  30  and the second molded part  44  may comprise different materials in various embodiments or may comprise the same materials in other embodiments. For example, the first molded part  30  may comprise a polycarbonate (PC) and glass, and the second molded part  44  may comprise a polycarbonate (PC) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
         [0041]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the second molded part  44  is formed in a second shot (block  50 ) of the two shot injection molding process. At block  50 , the method includes molding the second molded part  44  to the first molded part  30 . In more detail, the first molded part  30  is removed from the first mold tool cavity and then placed in a second mold tool cavity (which is different to the first mold tool cavity). The second molded part  44  is then molded locally at the top end of the first portion  32  between a core and a cavity which are moveable in the vertical direction. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a perspective view of a first molded part  54  of another apparatus  52  according to various embodiments of the present invention. The apparatus  52  is similar to the apparatus  28  illustrated in  FIGS. 2A &amp; 2B  and where the features are similar, the same reference numerals are used. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that block  42  of the method illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be performed to mold the first molded part  54 . 
         [0043]    The apparatus  52  is a front cover of a portable electronic device such as a mobile cellular telephone. That is, the apparatus  52  forms the cover that usually faces the user when the user is operating the portable electronic device. The first molded part  54  is substantially rectangular in shape and includes four side walls  56   1 ,  56   2 ,  56   3  and  56   4  that define the perimeter of the front cover and a front wall  58  that provides at least part of the front surface of the device. 
         [0044]    The side walls  56  have a cross sectional shape that is similar to the shape of the first molded part illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  and the first portion  32  provides the side wall and the second portion  34  provides an undercut of the side wall. The outer surfaces of the side walls  56  (for example, surface  60  on the side wall  56   2 ) provide exterior surfaces of the front cover and hence exterior surfaces of the electronic device  10 . The inner surfaces of the side walls  56  (for example, surface  62  on the side wall  56   3 ) provide interior surfaces of the front cover and are not visible to a user when operating the electronic device  10 . 
         [0045]    In this embodiment, the first portions  32  and second portions  34  of the side walls  56  define recesses  40  that are elongated and extend along axes which are perpendicular to the first axis of the first portion  32 . 
         [0046]    The front wall  58  extends inwards perpendicularly from the side walls  56  and defines an aperture  64 . In some embodiments, the front wall  58  may extend inwards by a pre-defined angle, other than a perpendicular angle, from the side walls  56 . The front face  58  has a first surface (not illustrated in this figure) that provides an exterior surface of the front cover and a second surface  66  that provides an interior surface of the front cover. 
         [0047]    The front wall  58  includes a plurality of sections  68  that are thinner than the remainder of the front wall  58  and are configured to increase the strength of the interconnection between the first molded part and a second molded part which is molded to the first molded part along the sections  68 . 
         [0048]    The front wall  58  also includes guide portions  70  that are configured to enable the first molded part  54  to be positioned in an injection molding apparatus at a predetermined position for receiving a second molded part. The one or more guide portions  70  comprise guide apertures  72  for receiving protrusions of a second mold tool cavity that enable the first molded part  54  to be positioned in the second mold tool cavity at the predetermined position. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a perspective view of the first molded part  54  illustrated in  FIG. 4A  and a second molded part  74  according to various embodiments of the present invention. Once again, it should be appreciated that block  50  of the method illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be performed to mold the second molded part  74  to the first molded part  54 . 
         [0050]    The second molded part  74  is molded to the first portions  32  of the side walls  56  and to the front wall  58  and forms an interior surface of the front cover  52 . The second molded part  74  includes four third portions  46  that are positioned at the corners defined by the side walls  56  of the first molded part  54 . In this embodiment, the third portions  46  are configured to receive fasteners (for example, they may be screw bosses) for securing another component of the device  10  to the front cover  52 . In other embodiments, the third portions  46  may alternatively or additionally include reinforcement members (such as a reinforcement rib) for physically strengthening the device  10 , hooks, guides, walls and/or guide pins and so on. As illustrated in  FIG. 4B , the third protrusions extend across the recesses  40  and obstruct the recesses  40 . 
         [0051]    Embodiments of the present invention provide several advantages. Firstly, the apparatus  28  and  52  are complex objects that may not be made by known 2-shot molding techniques. One current way that these complex objects can be made is by molding each sub-part separately using standard mold tools (not 2-shot) and then adhering the two sub-parts together to form a unitary part or object. This is a time consuming and costly process. It should be appreciated that the first, second and third portions  32 ,  34 ,  46  of the apparatus  28 ,  52  may not be made by known 2-shot molding techniques because their arrangement obstructs the movement of the molding tool components. For example, the second portion  34  may be considered as an undercut that requires a slider in order to be molded. However, the positioning of the third portion  46  would obstruct the sideways movement of that slider. Furthermore, it is not possible to move the slider downwards since this direction is obstructed by the second portion  34 . 
         [0052]    The molding technique illustrated in  FIG. 3  (which may be referred to as ‘undermolding’) provides an advantage in that the second molded part is molded in a separate mold tool cavity to the first molded part and is molded around a portion of the first molded part. This technique allows the molding tool components to be removed from the apparatus  28 ,  52  after the second molded part has been molded. 
         [0053]    Secondly, the first molded part  30 ,  54  and the second molded part  44 ,  74  are molded together in a two shot molding process and advantageously, no adhesive (such as glue) is required for coupling the first molded part  30 ,  54  and the second molded part  44 ,  74  together. Since the first and second molded parts are not joined via an adhesive, the apparatus  28 ,  52  may be stronger and coupled together more accurately than an apparatus coupled by adhesive. Furthermore, the molding process illustrated in  FIG. 3  does not require a jig for gluing the first and second molded parts together and may therefore be less costly than a process that requires a jig. 
         [0054]    Thirdly, the guide portions  70  may advantageously enable the second molded part to be accurately molded to the first molded part and this may increase the consistency of apparatus molded in accordance with the method illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0055]    Fourthly, the exterior surface of the first molded part  30 ,  54  may be of relatively high quality since the second molded part  44 ,  74  may be molded to a localized area of the interior surface of the first molded part  30 ,  54 . This is achieved by only providing the interior surface of the first molded part  30 ,  54  to be accessible by the mold cavity for the second shot. Therefore the exterior surface is not subjected to being placed inside a mold tool cavity during molding of the second shot. Furthermore, since structural features may be molded in the second molded part  44 ,  74 , the first molded part  30 ,  54  may be molded with a substantially uniform thickness and this may reduce or eliminate sink marks in the first molded part  30 ,  54 . 
         [0056]    The blocks illustrated in the  FIG. 3  may represent steps in a method and/or sections of code in a computer program. One or more processors of a manufacturing apparatus may read the computer program and control machinery to perform the blocks in  FIG. 3 . The illustration of a particular order to the blocks does not necessarily imply that there is a required or preferred order for the blocks and the order and arrangement of the block may be varied. Furthermore, it may be possible for some blocks to be omitted. 
         [0057]    Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. 
         [0058]    Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described. 
         [0059]    Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not. 
         [0060]    Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not. 
         [0061]    Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.