Carbon Fiber Information Handling System Housing and Process for Manufacture

Abstract

A portable information handling system housing fabricated from carbon fiber composite material has a PET film applied protective outer surface integrated with an in mold roll process. Heat applied to prepreg material having a polycarbonate resin aids transfer of outer surface protective material and decorative ink from a PET film during a mold insertion operation.

Claims

1. A method of manufacture of a portable information handling system housing, the method comprising: forming a carbon fiber prepreg material to a mold shape; preheating the carbon fiber prepreg material; inserting the preheated prepreg material into a mold; disposing a film over the carbon fiber prepreg material; closing a core of the mold over a cavity of the mold to capture the prepreg material and film; and forming a housing in the mold, the film transferring and outer surface treatment during the forming to integrate with the prepreg material transition to a carbon fiber composite material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the carbon fiber prepreg material to a mold shape further comprises computer numerical control machining of the carbon fiber prepreg material to the mold shape.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein disposing the film further comprises in mold roll of a PET film between the cavity and core to cover an outer surface of the housing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein disposing the film further comprises: forming a PET film to the mold shape; trimming the PET film mold shape to fit in the cavity over the prepreg material; and inserting the PET film in the cavity over the prepreg material.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein forming the PET film to the mold shape further comprises thermoforming the PET film to the mold shape.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein forming the PET film to the mold shape further comprises trimming the formed PET film to fit in the mold cavity.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the prepreg material comprises a composite polycarbonate resin.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 7 further comprising treating the housing with ultraviolet light cure after the forming.

9. A portable information handling system comprising: processing components cooperating to process information; a display interfaced with the processing components and operable to present the information as visual images; and a housing shaped to contain the processing components, the housing fabricated by: forming a carbon fiber prepreg material to a mold shape; preheating the carbon fiber prepreg material in the mold; disposing a PET film over the carbon fiber prepreg material; closing a core of the mold over a cavity of the mold to capture the prepreg material and PET film; and forming a housing in the mold, the PET film transferring an outer surface material during the forming to integrate with the prepreg material transition to a carbon fiber composite material.

10. The portable information handling system of claim 9 wherein: the housing has a planar shape sized to accept the display in a tablet configuration; and the processing components are disposed in the housing and covered by the display.

11. The portable information handling system claim 9 wherein disposing the PET film further comprises in mold roll of the PET film between the cavity and core to cover an outer surface of the housing.

12. The portable information handling system of claim 9 wherein disposing the PET film further comprises: forming the PET film to the mold shape; trimming the PET film mold shape to fit in the cavity over the prepreg material; and inserting the PET film in the cavity over the prepreg material.

13. The portable information handling system of claim 9 wherein the carbon fiber comprises a unidirectional pattern.

14. The portable information handling system of claim 9 wherein the carbon fiber comprises a woven pattern.

15. A method for electronic enclosure fabrication, the method comprising: placing a carbon fiber prepreg material in a mold; preheating the carbon fiber prepreg material in the mold; applying a film to one side of the carbon fiber prepreg material, the film having an outer surface protective material; and closing the mold to transition the carbon fiber prepreg into a carbon fiber composite housing with heat treatment, the heat treatment transferring the outer surface protective material from the film to integrate with the carbon fiber composite housing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein applying the film further comprises in mold roll of the film between a cavity and a core of the mold to cover an outer surface of the prepreg material.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein applying the film further comprises: forming the film to the mold shape; trimming the film mold shape to fit in a cavity of the mold over the prepreg material; and inserting the film in the cavity over the prepreg material.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein forming the film to the mold shape further comprises thermoforming the film to the mold shape.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the prepreg material comprises a polycarbonate resin.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein film comprises a decorative ink design.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.

[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a blown up view of a portable information handling system having a carbon fiber composite housing treated with a PET film;

[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a manufacture process for in roll molding of the carbon fiber composite housing; and

[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a process for fabrication of a carbon fiber electronic enclosure housing having an outer surface treated with material transferred from a PET film.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Integration of an outer surface treatment from a PET film into a carbon fiber prepreg mold heat process efficiently treats an information handling system carbon fiber composite housing exterior. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.

[0015] Referring now to FIG. 1, a blown up view depicts a portable information handling system 10 having a carbon fiber composite housing 12 treated with an outer surface material using a PET film. Information handling system 10 processes information with processing components disposed on a motherboard 18. For example, a central processing unit (CPU) 20 executes instructions stored in random access memory (RAM) 22 to generate information for presentation to an end user, such as by running an application and operating system from a persistent memory, such as a solid state drive (SSD) 26. A chipset 24 coordinates the interaction of processing components and includes graphics processing resources that generate pixel data for presenting the information has visual images at a display 30. In the example embodiment, display 30 couples over motherboard 18 to enclose the processing components at the inner surface 16 of housing 12 in a tablet configuration. An outer surface 14 of housing 12 protects the contents within inner surface 16. For example, housing 12 has a carbon fiber composite construction with a decorative and protective outer surface 14 that improves housing material durability and aesthetics. For example, the outer surface transfers from PET film to apply a UV hard coat or soft touch coating layer that includes decorative ink. In alternative embodiments, information handling system 10 may be manufactured from multiple housing components having carbon fiber material with outer surface treatment as described herein. For example, information handling system 10 may have a clamshell or convertible configuration with rotationally coupled main and lid housing portions each made of carbon fiber composite material. In other alternative embodiments, alternative types of electronic devices may use one or more of the housings 12 as described herein for an electronic enclosure.

[0016] Referring now to FIG. 2, a manufacture process is depicted for in roll molding of the carbon fiber composite housing. A mold 32 has a mold core 34 and mold cavity 36 that close together to shape and harden prepreg material 38 into a desired housing shape of carbon fiber composite material. Prepreg material 38 is a carbon fiber material mixed with a polycarbonate or similar thermoplastic resin that together provides a consistency that maintains a shape, such as shape formed to match the mold cavity and core. For example, computer numerical control (CNC) machining is performed on the prepreg material to establish the mold shape and then the prepreg material 38 has heat applied before insertion into a mold. Preheating of the prepreg material before insertion in the mold reduces cycle time. At insertion into mold 32, heat 40 is applied by the mold in an operation that transitions prepreg material 38 to a hardened carbon fiber housing.

[0017] Once prepreg material 38 is preheated and inserted into the mold, a PET (or similar) film 42 is applied to the outer surface of prepreg material 38 and mold 32 is closed to form a housing. In the example embodiment, an in mold roll of PET film 42 is performed by feeding PET film 42 roll to roll in between cavity 36 and core 34 of mold 32. PET film 42 is coated with an adhesive, ink and protective outer surface material that is compatible with the resin of the prepreg material. PET film 42 transfers the coating to the prepreg material for integration with the carbon fiber composite as the carbon fiber resin hardens. Heat 40 applied to transition prepreg 38 into carbon fiber composite is also used as the catalyst to get the ink/hardcoat to transfer off the roll foil and onto the housing part. The PET film material is compatible with the prepreg polycarbonate or similar resin so that the ink and outer coating material integrate with the carbon fiber composite in the hardening process to provide a protective and decorative outer surface. In the example embodiment, one side of the housing has the protective outer surface material covering. In alternative embodiments, both sides may have the protective outer surface material coating film applied. The carbon fiber composite may have a woven or unidirectional pattern and may include additional materials, such as glass fiber or aramids. In alternative embodiments, a glass fiber or aramid prepreg may be used in the place of a carbon fiber prepreg.

[0018] In some instances, housings have more complex geometries that make smooth application of a film difficult. As an alternative to in mold roll application of PET film 42, an in mold forming process is used to adapt the PET application to more complex geometries. PET film 42 is thermoformed to the mold shape, trimmed to match the mold shape, and then inserted into the mold, which is heated and closed to perform the PET outer surface film material transfer. Preforming the PET film to the mold shape provides smoothed application of the PET film to achieve deep draw and complicated geometries. In some embodiments, an ultraviolet cure is provided to the outer surface material after transfer of the material from the PET film to aid in hardening.

[0019] Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of a process for fabrication of a carbon fiber electronic enclosure housing having an outer surface treated with material transferred from a PET film. The process starts at step 44 with prepreg fabrication, such as the mixing of a polycarbonate resin with a carbon fiber material. At step 46, CNC of the prepreg is performed to establish the mold shape. At step 48, the pregreg material is preheated to reduce mold cycle time. At step 50, a coating, form and injection mold is applied to the prepreg material in the mold, the mold is closed and heat is applied to transition the prepreg to carbon fiber composite and to integrate the PET film outer surface material and decorative ink of the film into the housing. Once the mold opens, the housing part is released without need for secondary operations.

[0020] Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.