MOLD STRUCTURE FOR FORMING KEYPAD PANEL

Abstract

A mold structure for forming a keypad panel includes a mold base, a transparent mold core and a fixed board. The mold base has an opening, a connecting portion around the opening, a containing space extended from the connecting portion, a positioning portion and a groove on the surface of the mold base, and screw holes inside the containing space. The transparent mold cavity has a body, a connecting edge around the periphery of the body and attached to the connecting portion, and a mold of a keypad panel on the surface of transparent mold cavity and exposed from the opening of the mold base. The fixed board has an opening for projecting light onto the transparent mold cavity and through holes around the periphery of the opening for securing screws into the screw holes to assemble the fixed board into the containing space and press the transparent mold cavity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a mold, and more particularly to a mold for manufacturing a keypad panel.

2. Description of Prior Art

Keypad panels of mobile phones tend to be lightweight, super thin, backlight and modulated, and also emphasize on a diversified appearance and an integral design. Technically, the keypad panel tends to reduce the number of component modules and the gap between keys, and features a backlight, a metal appearance, a soft or silk texture, and a high integrity, and thus the design and technology of a keypad panel become important subjects for the research and development of mobile phones.

In the manufacture of a traditional keypad panel of a mobile phone, it is necessary to prepare a mold 100 (as shown in FIG. 1) composed of an opaque male mold 200 and a female mold 300. The male mold 200 includes a plurality of openings 201, and a lateral side of the opening 201 includes a screw hole 202, and the opening 201 is provided for fixing a transparent mold plate 203 with a light transmittance, and a surface of the transparent mold plate 203 includes a first model 204 having a protruded keypad panel, and a lateral side of the first model 204 includes a through hole 205 for passing through a screw 206 to secure the transparent mold plate 203 to the opening 201. The female mold 300 includes a plurality of second models 301 corresponding to the first models 204. In the manufacture of a keypad panel, a plastic material is injected between the male mold 200 and the female mold 300, and then the plastic material will fill up the space between the first and second models 204, 301 of the male mold 200 and the female mold 300. During a light projection, light passes through the transparent mold plate 203 to cure the plastic, so as to complete manufacturing the keypad panel.

Since the manufacture of the keypad panel requires securing the transparent mold plates 203 to the male mold 200 one by one, therefore the manufacturing process of the keypad panel takes more manufacturing time and procedures for assembling the male mold. If one of the second models 301 of the female mold 300 is damaged, it is necessary to replace the whole female mold 300, and thus causing a waste of female mold 300. Furthermore, when the light curing projection is performed, light can be projected from a lateral side of the male mold 200 only, but cannot be projected from a lateral side of the female mold 300, and thus the light projecting direction is limited, and the keypad panels of a particular model can be made one at a time only.

In addition, when the transparent mold plate 203 uses a through hole 205 at its diagonal to pass a screw 206 through the opening 201 of the male mold 200, a seam may be created when the opening 201 and the transparent mold plate 203 are engaged with each other at their lateral sides, since the opening 201 and the transparent mold plate 203 are not secured by any screw 206, and a plastic leak occurs easily, when the plastic is injected into the male and female molds 200, 300.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a simple and easy mold, so as to make the installation of the mold easier without a plastic leak, and allow manufacturers to perform a light curing from the top or the bottom of the mold. Manufacturers simply require changing a transparent mold core of the mold for the manufacture of different models of keypad panels.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a mold structure for forming a keypad panel, comprising a mold base, a transparent mold core and a fixed plate. The mold base has an opening, and an internal periphery of the opening has a joint portion for connecting the transparent mold core, and the opening is provided for exposing a surface of the transparent mold core. The joint portion has a containing space, and the fixed plate can be installed in the containing space for pressing the transparent mold core. Further, a surface of the mold base has a positioning portion and a groove, and the interior of the mold base disposed in the containing space has a plurality of screw holes for securing the screws. The transparent mold core has a main body, and the periphery of the main body has a joint edge, such that when the transparent mold core and the mold base are installed, the joint edge of the transparent mold core can be installed onto the joint portion. Further, a surface of the transparent mold core has a model in the shape of a keypad panel. The fixed plate has an opening thereon for passing and projecting light onto the transparent mold core. The periphery of the opening has a plurality of through holes for passing and securing the screws into the screw holes of the mold base respectively, so that the fixed plate can be installed into the containing space of the mold base to press the transparent mold core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mold used for manufacturing keypad panels in accordance with a prior art;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a mold of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a lateral section view of a mold of the present invention;

FIGS. 4 to 6 are schematic views of using a mold assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of projecting light in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of another mold of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a section view of another mold of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an application of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of another application of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The technical characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for reference and illustration only, but not intended for limiting the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 for an exploded view and a lateral section view of a mold in accordance with the present invention respectively, the mold structure is used for forming a keypad panel, and the mold 10 comprises a mold base 1, a transparent mold core 2 and a fixed plate 3.

The mold base 1 includes an opening 11, a stairway-like joint portion 12 disposed around an internal periphery of the opening 11 for connecting the transparent mold core 2, and the opening 11 is provided for exposing a surface 23 of the transparent mold core 2. A containing space 13 is extended from the joint portion 12 of the mold base 1 and interconnected with the opening 11, such that when the transparent mold core 2 is installed in the opening 11, the fixed plate 3 can be installed in the containing space 13 to press the transparent mold core 2, and thus the periphery of the transparent mold core 2 can be attached closely with the internal periphery of the opening 11. The mold base 1 includes a positioning portion 14 and a groove 15 disposed on a surface 17 of the mold base 1, and the positioning portion 14 is used for positioning a thin film (not shown in the figure), and the groove 15 is provided for a plastic overflow. The interior of the mold base 1 includes a plurality of screw holes 16 disposed in the containing space 13 for securing screws 4.

The transparent mold core 2 includes a main body 21 thereon, a stairway-like joint edge 22 disposed around a periphery of the main body 21, such that when the transparent mold core 2 and the mold base 1 are installed, the joint edge 22 of the transparent mold core 2 can be installed on the joint portion 12. The transparent mold core 2 further includes a model disposed on a surface 23 and having a shape of a keypad panel for forming a pattern or a shape of the keypad panel.

The fixed plate 3 includes an opening 31 for passing and projecting light onto the transparent mold core 2, and the diagonal of the opening 31 includes a plurality of through holes 32 for passing and securing screws 4 into the screw holes 16 of the mold base 1 respectively, so that the fixed plate 3 can be installed in the containing space 13 of the mold base 1.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6 for schematic views of a mold structure in accordance with a preferred embodiment, after the mold is assembled, an ultraviolet curing resin 5 is dispensed on a surface 17 of the mold base 1 or a surface 23 of the transparent mold core 2 of the mold, and then a positioning hole 61 on a thin film 6 is sheathed onto a positioning portion 14 of the mold base 1, so that the thin film presses on the ultraviolet curing resin 5.

A scraper or a roller 7 is used to scrape or roll on the surface of the thin film 6 to squeeze the air between the plastic thin film 6 and the ultraviolet curing resin 5 or between the ultraviolet curing resin 5 and the model 24 of the transparent mold core 2 to the outside in order to prevent remaining air from forming bubbles between the plastic thin film 6 and the ultraviolet curing resin 5 or between the ultraviolet curing resin 5 and the model 24. During the scraping or rolling process, the ultraviolet curing resin 5 will flow to the groove 15, if there is an overflow of ultraviolet curing resin 5.

Referring to FIG. 7 for a schematic view of projecting UV light in accordance with the present invention, an ultraviolet lamp 8 is situated at the bottom of the mold base 1 and corresponding to the transparent mold core 2, such that when the ultraviolet lamp 8 is lit, the produced ultraviolet light 81 passes through the opening 31 of the fixed plate 3, and then passes through the main body of the transparent mold core 2 to solidify the ultraviolet curing resin 5.

If the plastic thin film 6 is transparent, the ultraviolet lamp 8 can be installed at the top of the mold base 1 for projecting the ultraviolet light 81 onto the ultraviolet curing resin 5.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 for an exploded view and a section view of an assembly of another preferred embodiment of the invention respectively, a mold 9 of the invention comprises: a mold base 91, a transparent mold core 92 and a fixed plate 93, wherein the mold base 91 includes a plurality of openings 911, each having a stairway-like joint portion 912 disposed around the periphery of the opening 911 for installing the transparent mold core 92, and the opening 911 is provided for exposing a surface 923 of the transparent mold core 92. A containing space 913 is extended from a plurality of joint portions 912 of the mold base 91 and interconnected with the opening 911, such that when the transparent mold core 92 is installed in the opening 911, the fixed plate 93 can be installed in the containing space 913 to press the transparent mold core 92, and the periphery of the transparent mold core 92 can be attached to the internal periphery of the opening 911. Further, a surface 917 of the mold base 1 includes a positioning portion 914 and a groove 915, and the positioning portion 914 is used for positioning a thin film (not shown in the figures), and the groove 915 is provided for a plastic overflow. The interior of the mold base 91 includes a screw hole 916 in the containing space 913 for securing a screw 94.

The periphery of the main body 921 of the transparent mold core 92 has a stairway-like joint edge 922, such that when the transparent mold core 92 and the mold base 91 are installed, the joint edge 922 of the transparent mold core 92 can be installed on the joint portion 912. The surface 923 of the transparent mold core 92 further includes a model 924 in the shape of a keypad panel for providing the shape of the keypad panel.

The fixed plate 93 has an opening 931 thereon for passing and projecting light onto the transparent mold core 92, and the diagonal of the opening 931 has a plurality of through holes 932 for passing and securing screws 94 into screw holes 916 of the mold base 91 respectively, so that the fixed plate 93 can be installed in the containing space 913 of mold base 91. After a plurality of transparent mold cores 92 are installed sequentially in the opening 911 of the mold base 91, the fixed plate 93 is installed in the containing space 913 of the mold base 91 for pressing the plurality of transparent mold cores 92, and such design facilitates the installation or removal of a single transparent mold core 92. Further, different keypad panels can be manufactured by simply changing the transparent mold core 2, 92.

Referring to FIG. 10 for a schematic view of an application of the present invention, a mold of the inventions is applied for manufacturing a keypad panel 201 of a mobile phone 20. In the process of manufacturing the keypad panel 201 of the mobile phone 20, the transparent mold core of the mold is changed to a pattern of the keypad panel 30 of the mobile phone 20, and then the mold is used for manufacturing the keypad panel 201 for the mobile phone 20.

Referring to FIG. 11 for a schematic view of another application of the present invention, a mold of the invention is applied for manufacturing a keypad panel 301 of an automobile meter panel 30. In the process of manufacturing the keypad panel 301 of the automobile meter panel 30, the transparent mold core of the mold can be changed to manufacture the keypad panel 201 specifically used for the automobile meter panel 30.

While the invention is described in by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, the aim is to cover all modifications, alternatives and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mold structure for forming a keypad panel, comprising:

a mold base, having an opening thereon, a joint portion disposed on an internal periphery of the opening, and a containing space extended from the joint portion and interconnected with the opening;

a transparent mold core, having a main body installed in the opening, a joint edge disposed on a periphery of the main body and attached to the joint portion, such that a surface of the transparent mold core is exposed from the opening, and a model disposed on the surface; and

a fixed plate, installed in the containing space, and having an opening corresponding to the transparent mold core.

2. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the joint portion has a stairway-like shape.

3. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the mold base includes a positioning portion disposed on a surface of the mold base.

4. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the mold base includes a groove disposed on a surface of the mold base.

5. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the containing space includes a plurality of screw holes therein.

6. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the joint edge has a stairway-like shape.

7. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the fixed plate includes a plurality of through holes disposed around a periphery of the opening.

8. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, further comprising a screw passed through a through hole of the fixed plate and secured into a screw hole of the containing space.

9. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the model has a keypad panel pattern.

10. A mold structure for forming a keypad panel, comprising:

a mold base, having a plurality of openings thereon, a joint portion disposed on an internal periphery of the opening, and a containing space extended from the joint portion and interconnected with the plurality of openings;

a plurality of transparent mold cores, each having a main body installed in the opening, a joint edge disposed on a periphery of the main body and attached with the joint portion, such that a surface of the transparent mold core is exposed from the opening, and a model disposed on the surface; and

a fixed plate, installed in the containing space, and having a plurality of openings corresponding to the transparent mold cores.

11. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the joint portion has a stairway-like shape.

12. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the mold base includes a positioning portion disposed on a surface of the mold base.

13. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the mold base includes a groove disposed on a surface of the mold base.

14. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the containing space includes a plurality of screw holes therein.

15. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the joint edge has a stairway-like shape.

16. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the fixed plate includes a plurality of through holes disposed on a periphery of the opening.

17. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, further comprising a screw passed through a through hole of the fixed plate and secured into a screw hole of the containing space.

18. The mold structure for forming a keypad panel as recited in claim 10, wherein the model has a keypad panel pattern.