In modern life, computers have become an essential tool for our daily work, and the mouse, as an important input device, plays an indispensable role. In addition to the basic functional requirements, consumers' demand for the comfort and personalized appearance of the mouse is also increasing. The design and manufacturing of mouse moldings have thus become key to meeting these demands.
The mouse shell typically consists of two parts: the top shell and the bottom shell. When creating the mouse molding, special attention must be paid to the precision requirements of the mold. Although the design of the mouse molding may appear simple, the precision requirements are actually very high, especially regarding dimensional accuracy and geometric accuracy. Any lack of precision will directly affect the mouse's performance, such as force, feel, and so on. Therefore, when designing the mouse molding, it is essential to ensure that the precision meets strict standards.
The bottom shell mold of the mouse typically uses a 1-cavity design. The rear layout is designed on the outer side of the mold to facilitate the core pulling operation of the slide core. For the mold base design, simplifying the gate mold base can better improve the mold's precision and avoid defects such as flashing or incomplete injection molding.
The external surface of the mouse shell cannot have a gate, so a hidden gate must be used. This gate design is cleverly concealed inside the plastic part, using a 4mm pin for injection molding. After molding, the gate is cut. This design prevents defects on the external surface while ensuring the mouse molding has a beautiful appearance.
Furthermore, the gate sleeve needs to be fixed on the A plate of the mold. The molten plastic flows from the gate sleeve's main channel into the mold's parting line and then along an S-shaped runner and the hidden gate into the mold cavity. This design not only ensures the efficiency of mold production but also improves the consistency and stability of the product.
One highlight of the mouse molding design is the design of the front mold slide. To improve the guiding precision of the mold, a circular shovel machine is designed, and pillar modifications are used, with external guide sleeves. This design enhances the machining precision, making the mold more stable during use. The spring design between the panel and the A plate increases the mold opening force, ensuring smoother mold opening and closing.
Additionally, the slanted ejector design uses a T-slot sliding structure, and the slanted ejector guide block is designed on the B plate's backside. These precision designs significantly improve the stability of the mouse molding, thereby extending the mold's lifespan.
Mouse molding not only affects the appearance and feel of the shell but is also closely related to the internal structure of the mouse. Taking the optical mouse as an example, it uses light emitted by a light-emitting diode (LED) to illuminate the surface of the mouse's bottom, and an optical lens transmits the reflected light to a light sensor. The optical mouse's movement path is processed by an image analysis chip, achieving precise cursor positioning.
This structure requires the mouse molding to pay attention not only to the appearance but also to the precise installation of internal components during design. Only with precision design and high-quality molding can the internal components of the mouse be perfectly coordinated, allowing the mouse to perform at its best.
With the increasing amount of time people spend using computers, occupational illnesses such as "mouse hand" have also become more common. Therefore, the design of the mouse shell must also meet ergonomic requirements. For example, the length of the mouse can be appropriately increased or its thickness reduced to improve comfort during use. Additionally, some brands, like Apple, have introduced touch mice, further optimizing the way the mouse operates and reducing fatigue during long periods of use.
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