Etching for bonding polymer material to anodized metal
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJames A. CURRAN, Todd S. MINTZ, Isabel YANG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This application relates to a multi-piece enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal part including a metal substrate and a metal oxide layer overlaying the metal substrate, the metal oxide layer having an external surface that includes openings that lead into undercut regions. The openings are characterized as having a first width, and the undercut regions are characterized as having a second width that is greater than the first width. The enclosure further includes a non-metallic bulk layer including protruding portions that extend into the undercut regions such that the non-metallic bulk layer is interlocked with the metal part.
Claims20
A multi-piece enclosure for a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a metal part including a metal substrate and a metal oxide layer overlaying the metal substrate, the metal oxide layer having an external surface that includes openings that lead into undercut regions, wherein the openings are characterized as having a first width, and the undercut regions are characterized as having a second width that is greater than the first width;
- and
- a non-metallic bulk layer including protruding portions that extend into the undercut regions such that the non-metallic bulk layer is interlocked with the metal part.
A composite enclosure for a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a part including a metal substrate overlaid by a metal oxide layer, the part including recessed interlocking structures having openings that extend from an external surface of the part and terminate near the metal substrate, wherein the recessed interlocking structures are (i) characterized as having an undercut geometry, and (ii) overlaid by the metal oxide layer;
- and
- a non-metal part having a bulk portion that includes protruding features that extend into and are interlocked with the recessed interlocking structures.
A method for forming a multi-piece enclosure, the multi-piece enclosure including a metal substrate overlaid by a metal oxide layer, the method comprising:
- forming undercut regions within the metal substrate by exposing the metal substrate to an electrochemical etching process;
- forming a metal oxide layer that overlays regions of the metal substrate that define the undercut regions, wherein the metal oxide layer includes an external surface having openings that lead into the undercut regions;
- and
- bonding a non-metallic layer to the metal oxide layer by filling the undercut regions with protruding portions of the non-metallic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.