Electronic devices with structural glass members

• US 10,691,165 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Franklin, Jeremy C., Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Ternus, John P., Gibbs, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Charles S
• Application Number:
  US15/840,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20180101196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 349 58- 60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided having internal components mounted to a structural glass support member. The structural glass support member may have a planar front surface that forms a front surface of the device. The structural glass support member may have bent portions that form sidewall surfaces of the device. Portions of the structural glass support member may form a transparent display cover layer. A rigid or flexible display may be mounted to the structural glass support member. Additional internal device components may be mounted to the display. A thin enclosure for enclosing the internal components in the device may be mounted to the structural glass support member. The thin enclosure may be mounted to the structural glass support member using a peripheral member. The thin enclosure may be free from attachments to internal components or may be adhesively bonded to one or more internal components.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior volume of the electronic device and comprising;

a lower glass member defining;

a lower exterior surface of the electronic device; and

a set of lower sidewalls that surrounds the lower exterior surface and defines a first portion of a side exterior surface of the electronic device; and

an upper glass member defining;

an upper exterior surface of the electronic device; and

a set of upper sidewalls that surrounds the upper exterior surface and is coupled to the set of lower sidewalls and defines a second portion of the side exterior surface of the electronic device;

a display within the interior volume and visible through at least a portion of the upper glass member; and

electronic components positioned within the interior volume.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic components comprise:

a battery positioned within the interior volume of the enclosure; and

a printed circuit board positioned within the interior volume.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the set of lower sidewalls and the set of upper sidewalls cooperate to form a set of four sidewalls that extend around a perimeter of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

a mounting member is attached to each of the lower glass member and the upper glass member; and

the mounting member couples the upper glass member to the lower glass member.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the upper exterior surface of the electronic device defines an upper planar portion; and

the lower exterior surface of the electronic device defines a lower planar portion.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

a first lower sidewall of the set of lower sidewalls is angled with respect to the lower planar portion; and

a first upper sidewall of the set of upper sidewalls is angled with respect to the upper planar portion.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the lower exterior surface of the electronic device and the upper exterior surface of the electronic device are each curved.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising;

a lower glass member defining a lower surface of the electronic device and a set of lower sidewalls; and

an upper glass member defining an upper surface of the electronic device and a set of upper sidewalls coupled to the set of lower sidewalls, the lower glass member and the upper glass member at least partially defining an interior cavity of the housing; and

a flexible display positioned within the interior cavity and having bent portions that conform to an inner surface of the set of upper sidewalls.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the flexible display is coupled to the upper glass member.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising an internal component coupled to the flexible display.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the upper glass member defines a curve; and

the bent portions of the flexible display further conform to an inner surface of the curve.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a protective member covering at least a portion of an edge of the lower glass member and at least a portion of an edge of the upper glass member.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

a first portion of the protective member extends into a lower recess in a first lower sidewall of the set of lower sidewalls;

a second portion of the protective member extends into an upper recess in a first upper sidewall of the set of upper sidewalls; and

the protective member couples the first lower sidewall to the first upper sidewall.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the protective member is formed of plastic or rubber.

15. An electronic device comprising:

an enclosure comprising;

an upper glass member defining;

a first portion defining an upper exterior surface of the electronic device;

a set of upper sidewalls at a periphery of the upper glass member;

a curved portion joining the set of upper sidewalls to the first portion; and

an upper mounting feature defined within the set of upper sidewalls;

a lower glass member defining;

a lower exterior surface of the electronic device; and

a set of lower sidewalls at a periphery of the lower glass member; and

a peripheral member engaged with the upper mounting feature and joining the upper glass member to the lower glass member, thereby defining at least a portion of an interior volume of the enclosure;

a display within the interior volume and configured to display visual information through at least a portion of the upper exterior surface; and

electronic components positioned within the interior volume.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the upper mounting feature is a protrusion positioned along a peripheral edge of the upper glass member; and

the lower glass member further comprises a lower mounting feature positioned along a peripheral edge of the lower glass member.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the upper mounting feature is a protrusion positioned along an interior surface of a first upper sidewall of the set of upper sidewalls; and

the lower glass member further comprises a lower mounting feature positioned along an interior surface of a first lower sidewall of the set of lower sidewalls.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the upper mounting feature defines a flange.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the upper mounting feature defines an upper recess positioned along an interior surface of a first upper sidewall of the set of upper sidewalls; and

the lower glass member further comprises a lower mounting feature that defines a lower recess positioned along an interior surface of a first lower sidewall of the set of lower sidewalls.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the upper glass member further defines additional upper mounting features; and

the upper mounting feature and the additional upper mounting features define an upper undulating profile along a peripheral edge of the upper glass member.