ELECTRONIC COMPONENT EMBEDDED IN CERAMIC MATERIAL

• US 20150085432A1
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Memering, Dale N., de Jong, Erik G., Weiss, Samuel Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 9,678,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment

Abstract

A ceramic material having an electronic component embedded therein, and more particularly to a sapphire surface having an electrically energized component embedded within. In some embodiments, the sapphire surface may take the form of a portion of a housing for an electronic device. Since sapphire may be substantially transparent, it may form a cover glass for a display within or forming part of the electronic device, as one example. The cover glass may be bonded, affixed, or otherwise attached to a remainder of the housing, thereby forming an enclosure for the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a cover glass affixed to the housing;

an electronic component embedded within the cover glass;

an electronic circuit positioned below the cover glass; and

a sensor positioned below the electronic circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

a trench is defined within the cover glass;

the electronic component is located within the trench; and

a retention element occupies a remainder of the trench, thereby embedding the electronic component with the cover glass.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein:

the cover glass is formed from sapphire; and

the retention element is formed from one of sapphire or alumina.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the retention element is molecularly bonded to the cover glass.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the retention element is a frit that is fused together after deposition in the trench.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one via in electrical communication with the electronic circuit and the electronic component, the via defining an electrical connection between the electronic circuit and the electronic component.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the via extends through a portion of the cover glass.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the cover glass is formed from a first and second cover glass section, the first and second cover glass sections bonded together.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second cover glass section fits within the first cover glass section.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the first cover glass section overlies the second cover glass section; and

the first and second cover glass sections abut at a planar interface.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display stack operative to display at least one image through the cover glass.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a ceramic element affixed to the housing, the ceramic element defining a void;

an electronic component affixed within the void;

at least one electronic circuit within the housing and in electrical communication with the electronic component; and

at least one sensor positioned below the at least one electronic circuit.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the void is formed on an exterior surface of the ceramic element.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein a section of the electronic component is exposed to an exterior of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a coating extending over a segment of the ceramic element and a segment of the electronic component.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the ceramic element is transparent.

18. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising an ink adjacent to at least a portion of the ceramic element.

19. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein:

the ceramic element comprises a first ceramic segment and a second ceramic segment; and

an optically clear adhesive bonds the first and second ceramic segments to one another.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the ceramic element is formed from sapphire or alumina.

21. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the void is formed on a surface of the first ceramic segment that is otherwise bonded to the second ceramic segment.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein:

a trench is defined within the cover glass;

the electronic component is located within the trench; and

a retention element occupies a remainder of the trench, thereby embedding the electronic component with the cover glass.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

the cover glass is formed from sapphire; and

the retention element is formed from one of sapphire or alumina.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the retention element is molecularly bonded to the cover glass.

25. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the retention element is a frit that is fused together after deposition in the trench.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising:

at least one via in electrical communication with the electronic circuit and the electronic component, the via defining an electrical connection between the electronic circuit and the electronic component.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the via extends through a portion of the cover glass.

28. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the cover glass is formed from a first and second cover glass section, the first and second cover glass sections bonded together.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the second cover glass section fits within the first cover glass section.

21-1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a cover glass affixed to the housing;

an electronic component embedded within the cover glass;

an electronic circuit positioned below the cover glass; and

a sensor positioned below the electronic circuit.

wherein;

the electronic circuit includes a touch sensitive circuit, a display stack, and a wireless communication element.

30. An electronic device comprising:

a cover glass;

a trench formed within the cover glass; and

an antenna positioned within at least a portion of the trench, the antenna comprising;

a protrusion in electrical communication with an electronic circuit positioned below the cover glass.

31. The electronic device of claim 30 further comprising:

a retention element bonded to the trench formed in the cover glass, the retention element embedding the electronic component within the cover glass.

32. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the retention element further comprises a recess for receiving the protrusion of the antenna.

33. The electronic device of claim 30, further comprising at least one via contacting the protrusion of the antenna and the electronic circuit, the at least one via defining an electrical connection between the protrusion of the antenna and the electronic circuit.