ALTERNATIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR ALUMINUM ENCLOSURES

摘要

Methods for forming aluminum enclosures for consumer products are described. Included are methods for forming features, such as brackets or supports for supporting one or more internal components of the consumer product. In some embodiments, methods involve shaping integral features into the aluminum enclosures. In some embodiments, methods involve molding resinous or plastic features onto the aluminum enclosures. Some methods involve one or more of an extrusion, rolling, stamping, bending, forging and other shaping techniques. Some methods involve a metal softening technique such as an annealing process. Some methods involve post-shaping treatments including one or more of an impurity removal process, hardening process and surface finishing process. Some embodiments involve forming nano-pores in aluminum enclosures and inserts to enhance bonding of plastic features to the aluminum enclosures and inserts.

主权项

1. A method for forming an aluminum enclosure for an electronic device, the method comprising:
(a) performing a shaping operation on the aluminum enclosure; (b) comparing a current shape of the aluminum enclosure to a final shape of the aluminum enclosure; (c) performing a conditioning operation on the aluminum enclosure if, based on the comparison, the current shape is not the final shape; (d) repeating (a), (b) and (c) until the current shape is the final shape; and (e) performing a post-shaping operation on the aluminum enclosure.