Electronic devices with structural glass members

• US 10,712,774 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• 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:
  US16/138,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20190025881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 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. A mobile phone comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior volume and comprising;

a glass member formed from a single piece of glass and defining;

a front wall of the mobile phone;

at least a portion of a first sidewall of the mobile phone and at least a portion of a second sidewall of the mobile phone, the portion of the second sidewall parallel with the portion of the first sidewall; and

at least a portion of a third sidewall of the mobile phone and at least a portion of a fourth sidewall of the mobile phone, the portion of the fourth sidewall parallel with the portion of the third sidewall; and

a display positioned within the interior volume of the enclosure and defining, along a contiguous surface;

a first portion configured to produce a first graphical output visible through the front wall;

a second portion configured to produce a second graphical output visible through the first sidewall; and

a third portion configured to produce a third graphical output visible through the second sidewall.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the glass member further defines a back wall of the mobile phone.

3. The mobile phone of claim 2, further comprising an opaque mask layer positioned along a portion of at least one of the first sidewall or the back wall.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the glass member defines a tubular shape.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein:

the at least the portion of the first sidewall is a first portion of the first sidewall;

the at least the portion of the second sidewall is a first portion of the second sidewall; and

the enclosure further comprises an additional glass member defining;

a back wall of the mobile phone;

a second portion of the first sidewall; and

a second portion of the second sidewall.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5, wherein the enclosure further comprises a peripheral member between the glass member and the additional glass member and defining:

a third portion of the first sidewall; and

a third portion of the second sidewall.

7. The mobile phone of claim 6, wherein the peripheral member comprises a metal.

8. A mobile phone comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior volume and comprising;

a glass member defining;

a front wall of the mobile phone;

a back wall of the mobile phone;

a first sidewall of the mobile phone;

a second sidewall of the mobile phone; and

an opening in the front wall defining a speaker port;

a speaker positioned below the speaker port; and

a display positioned within the interior volume and defining;

a first portion configured to produce a first graphical output visible through the front wall;

a second portion configured to produce a second graphical output visible through the first sidewall; and

a third portion configured to produce a third graphical output visible through the second sidewall.

9. The mobile phone of claim 8, wherein the display comprises an organic light emitting diode array.

10. The mobile phone of claim 8, wherein:

the front wall, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall define a u-shaped interior surface of the glass member; and

the display conforms to the u-shaped interior surface.

11. The mobile phone of claim 10, wherein the display is adhered to the u-shaped interior surface.

12. The mobile phone of claim 8, wherein:

the first portion of the display is adhered to the front wall;

the second portion of the display is adhered to the first sidewall; and

the third portion of the display is adhered to the second sidewall.

13. The mobile phone of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of each of the front wall, the back wall, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall is transparent.

14. The mobile phone of claim 8, further comprising:

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

a printed circuit board positioned within the interior volume.

15. A mobile phone comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior volume and comprising;

a glass member defining;

a front wall defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the enclosure;

four sidewalls, each respective sidewall of the four sidewalls defining at least a portion of a respective side exterior surface of the enclosure; and

a u-shaped interior surface defining a portion of an internal volume of the enclosure, the u-shaped interior surface defined by the front wall and two of the four sidewalls; and

a flexible display positioned within the internal volume and conforming to the u-shaped interior surface of the glass member.

16. The mobile phone of claim 15, wherein the flexible display is adhered to the u-shaped interior surface of the glass member.

17. The mobile phone of claim 16, wherein the flexible display comprises an organic light emitting diode pixel array.

18. The mobile phone of claim 15, wherein:

the glass member is a first glass member;

the four sidewalls define a first set of sidewalls; and

the enclosure further comprises a second glass member defining a second set of sidewalls, each respective sidewall of the second set of sidewalls defining an additional portion of a respective side exterior surface of the enclosure.

19. The mobile phone of claim 18, wherein:

the enclosure further comprises a peripheral member;

the glass member is attached to the peripheral member; and

the second glass member is attached to the peripheral member, thereby coupling the second glass member to the glass member.

20. The mobile phone of claim 19, wherein the peripheral member comprises a metal and defines a middle portion of each of two side exterior surfaces of the enclosure.