Most samples of this product fail in the same place: the eyelet. A character shell can look perfect in a 3D render and still tear at the carry point after eight weeks, because a hole in a flexible wall concentrates stress, and silicone has no yield point to absorb it. We mould this earphone charging case as a two-part silicone shell with the eyelet, the hinge line and the port opening formed in the same tool. The artwork is what the buyer sees; the eyelet root, the split line and the shell grip are what keep the product in use. Each one has a different failure mode. All four have to be resolved on the drawing, not in the moulding shop. The wall around the hole has to carry the pull of a case plus earbuds swinging from a bag. Thickening the whole shell is the wrong answer: it stiffens the part and changes how it grips the device. Typical failure: crack starting at the inner edge of the hole, running into the side wall. Fix is a filleted boss around the eyelet, local wall build-up and a gate position that keeps the weld line away from the root. The lid line is the second wear point. It has to stay closed in a bag, open with one thumb, and not pinch the charging case seam when the shell flexes. Typical failure: lid lifting, or the split line drifting across the artwork. Fix is split-line placement on a natural edge of the design plus a controlled land at the mating face. Silicone ring, split ring, webbing strap and snap hook all pull differently. The eyelet inner diameter has to match the hardware you specify, not the hardware we happen to stock. Typical failure: metal ring sawing through a soft eyelet, or a strap that will not pass the hole at all. Fix is matching hardness and eyelet section to the hardware before sampling. The shell must hold the charging case without stretching it out of shape. Grip comes from the return at the open edge, not from making the whole part undersized. Typical failure: shell slips off in a pocket, or the lid pops open on impact. Fix is a moulded return lip with a relief channel so air escapes when the case goes in. These are the variables that change the mould, so they are agreed in writing before a sample is cut. Not quoted as stock: every run is tooled to your artwork and your device. We do not sell ready-made character cases from a catalogue. Eyelet position, ring type and colour split are fixed per project. What follows is the same construction across three different programmes. It depends on three things: the wall section at the root, the fillet radius, and which hardware passes through it. We size all three against the load you expect, then test the first samples by hanging the loaded case from the ring. If the root is thin, we change the tool rather than the material. Yes, when the openings are drawn from the device model rather than copied from a similar case. Port cutouts are formed in the tool, so their position is fixed at sampling. Send the device model and we will mark the clearance you need for the plug body, not only the socket. Both routes work. We can mould the silicone ring in the same colour as the shell, or leave the eyelet sized for hardware you supply. Mixed programmes are common: moulded ring for retail, metal split ring for promotional runs. Moulded or set as separate moulded colour pieces that sit in the tool and bond during cure. We do not glue decoration onto a finished shell for this product type, because the bond line is the first thing to fail in a bag. You get a DFM note on the eyelet, split line and port layout, plus a quote that separates tooling from piece price. If the shell needs a design change to survive daily carry, you hear it before tooling starts. Related reading: what separates a good earphone cover from a disposable one.
Moulded earphone case · integrated carry point
The hook is not a hole. It is a load path.
Four load paths we design before we cut steel
Eyelet root
Hinge split line
Ring and hook interface
Shell retention
What you set before tooling
Parameter What you specify Why it changes the tool Device model Charging case model, or a physical sample Defines cavity, port position and lid arc Shell build Two-part shell with hinge line, one-piece sleeve Two-part needs a split face and lid land Carry point Side eyelet, top eyelet, both, or none Eyelet position drives gate and ejector layout Hardware Silicone ring, split ring, cord, snap hook, or supplied by you Sets eyelet inner size and wall section Hardness Shore A 30–80, chosen against wall thickness Soft grips better; firm holds the eyelet shape Colour route Tinted compound, separate moulded colour pieces, print, or a mix Decides cavity count and assembly steps Marking Moulded-in logo, screen print, laser etch Print and etch are post-cure operations Tolerance ISO 3302-1 M2 unless your drawing states otherwise Sets inspection and sample approval
How the programme runs
Carry points in production
Questions we get from accessory buyers
Will the eyelet tear under normal carrying load?
Can the charging port and LED still be used with the shell on?
Do you supply the ring, or do we source it?
Is the character moulded, printed, or glued on?
Send the device model and the artwork
