Abstract:
The present invention discloses a cover including a protecting layer, a decorative layer and a bottom layer. The decorative layer has a first surface, and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface. The protecting layer integrally is formed on the first surface of the decorative layer by injection molding. The bottom layer integrally is formed on the second surface of the decorative layer by injection molding. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a cover. The present cover can tend give a various appearances whilst also having good performance.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to a co-pending U.S. patent applications, entitled “COVER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME”, by Jeng-Chi Peng et al. with Attorney Docket No. 14963-56682. Such application has the same assignee as the present application and has been concurrently filed herewith. The disclosure of the above identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     1. TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to covers, and more particularly to a cover with multiple layers having an improved performance and appearance. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the cover. 
       2. BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Covers are widely used for the purpose of protecting gadgets, such as notebook computers, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, car instruments, and so on. To make these gadgets more physical appealing, the covers are decorated to have good appearances. Covers having exhibiting different appearances are prepared by one of coating, double injection molding, and in-mold labeling methods. 
         [0004]    Typically, a cover is manufactured by a method of coating a resin layer on a surface of a colored sheet or film. However, the resin layer of such cover is prone to be broken off from the colored sheet or film, thus the appearance of cover is influenced. The method of double injection molding is carried out by injecting two kinds of materials separately into a mold, thereby forming a cover having patterns thereon. However, the patterns of such cover are simple. The in-mold labeling method typically includes the following steps of: adhering a film having patterns on an inner wall of a mold, and a surface having patterns of the film being in contact with the inner wall of the mold; introducing a molten thermoplastic resin into the mold to form a resin layer on the film; cooling the resin layer to combine with the film to form a cover. However, the surface with patterns of such cover is exposed on the exterior, as a result, the patterns are prone to be scratched, thus appearance of cover is influenced in use. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is to provide a cover that can tend give various appearances whilst also having good performance, and a method for manufacturing the same. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A cover according to a preferred embodiment includes a decorative layer, a protecting layer and a bottom layer. The decorative layer has a first surface, and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface. The protecting layer integrally is formed on the first surface of the decorative layer by injection molding. The bottom layer integrally is formed on the second surface of the decorative layer by injection molding. 
         [0007]    A method for manufacturing a cover according to another preferred embodiment includes the following steps: providing a decorative base; trimming the decorative base thereby forming a decorative layer; forming a first layer on a surface of the decorative layer by injection molding; forming a second layer on another surface of the decorative layer by injection molding. 
         [0008]    Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Many aspects of the present cover and method for manufacturing the same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the cover and method for manufacturing the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a cover according to a preferred embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  a flow chart of a method for manufacturing the cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an apparatus in the period of forming a protecting layer on a first surface of a decorative layer for manufacturing the cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an apparatus in the period of forming a bottom layer on a second surface of the decorative layer for manufacturing the cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an apparatus in the period of forming a bottom layer before forming a protecting layer for manufacturing the cover of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an apparatus in the period of forming a protecting layer after forming a bottom layer for manufacturing the cover of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred embodiments of the present cover and method for manufacturing the same, in detail. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a cover  10  according to a preferred embodiment is shown. The cover  10  includes a protecting layer  11 , a decorative layer  12 , and a bottom layer  13 . The decorative layer  12  includes a decorative first surface  121  having predetermined patterns or colors, and a second surface  122  on the opposite side of the first surface. The protecting layer  11  and the bottom layer  13  are integrally formed on the first surface  121  and the second surface  122  respectively by injection molding. 
         [0018]    The decorative layer  12  is used for providing the predetermined patterns or colors on the first surface  121 . The decorative layer  12  is a sheet or a film. The sheet has better structure strength, and can be thicker than the film. For example, the sheet has a thickness in a range from about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.7 millimeters; the film has a thickness in a range from about 0.05 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters. A material of the decorative layer  12  is selected from a group consisting of plastic, leather, and fabric. Since the decorative layer  12  can be firstly produced independently from the protecting layer  11  and bottom layer  13 , the decorative layer  12  may be prepared to have predetermined colors or patterns; as such the cover can exhibit complex appearances easily. 
         [0019]    In use, the protecting layer  11  is exposed on the exterior, thus the protecting layer  11  is configured to be translucent, semi-transparent or transparent for visualization of the patterns or colors of the decorative layer  12 . A material of the protecting layer is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, and polymethyl methacrylate. 
         [0020]    The bottom layer  13  mainly employs plastic. The plastic is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, and polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene, and any combination thereof. 
         [0021]    The protecting layer  11  and bottom layer  13  cooperatively protect the decorative layer  12 . Therefore, the cover  10  has a relatively long operational life because the decorative layer  12  is prevented from being distorted or scratched. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a flow chart of a method for manufacturing the cover  10  is shown. The method includes following steps of: 
         [0023]    step  100 : providing a decorative base; 
         [0024]    step  200 : trimming the decorative base into suitable parts to form a decorative layer  12 , the decorative layer  12  having a first surface  121  and a second surface  122  on the opposite side of the first surface  121 ; 
         [0025]    step  300 : forming a protecting layer  11  on the first surface  121  of the decorative layer  12  by injection molding; and 
         [0026]    step  400 : forming a bottom layer  13  on the second surface  122  of the decorative layer  12  by injection molding. 
         [0027]    In step  100 , the decorative base is a sheet or a film. For example, the sheet has a thickness in a range from about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.7 millimeters. The film has a thickness in a range from about 0.05 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters. The decorative base has patterns or colors thereon. The patterns or colors can be formed by plating or printing. 
         [0028]    Before trimming the decorative base into the suitable parts, the decorative base needs to be pressed by hot press molding into a predetermined shape. 
         [0029]    In step  300 , forming the protecting layer  11  on the first surface  121  includes following steps of: referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , providing a mold  20  that includes an upper molding portion  201  and a lower molding portion  202 , the lower molding portion  202  has a molding block  2021 , the upper molding portion  201  defines a molding cavity  2011  that substantially conforms to the molding block  2021 , and further defines a guiding channel  2012  in the upper molding portion  201  above the molding cavity  2011  communicating with the molding cavity  2011 ; setting the decorative layer  12  on the molding block  2021 ; fastening the upper molding portion  201  and the lower molding portion  202  together; introducing a resin from the guiding channel  2012  onto the first surface  121 , thereby forming the protecting layer  11 . The resin is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, and polymethyl methacrylate. 
         [0030]    In step  400 , forming the bottom layer  13  on the second surface  122  includes following steps of: providing a mold  30  that includes an upper molding portion  301  and a lower molding portion  302 , the lower molding portion  302  has a molding block  3021  and further defines a guiding channel  3022  in the molding block  3021 , the upper molding portion  301  defines a molding cavity  3011  that substantially conforms to the molding block  3021 ; setting the decorative layer  12  on the molding cavity  3011 ; fastening the upper molding portion  301  and the lower molding portion  302  together; introducing a second resin from the guiding channel  3022  onto the second surface  122 , thereby forming the bottom layer  13 . The second resin is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, and polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene, and any combination thereof. 
         [0031]    In use, because the protecting layer  11  and the bottom layer  13  are affixed to the decorative layer  11  with the injection molding method, adhesions between the protecting layer  11  and the decorative layer  12 , and between the bottom  13  and the decorative layer  12  are improved. 
         [0032]    Alternatively, referring to the  FIGS. 5 and 6 , according to an aspect of the embodiment, the order of step  300  and step  400  can be exchanged. Also, according to another aspect of the embodiment, using a different mold, the step  300  and step  400  can be carried out simultaneously. 
         [0033]    While the present invention has been described as having preferred or exemplary embodiments, the embodiments can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the embodiments using the general principles of the invention as claimed. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims or equivalents thereof.