EXPOSED GLASS ARTICLE WITH ENHANCED STIFFNESS FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE HOUSING

• US 20150248142A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qian, Amy, Franklin, Jeremy C., Pilliod, Michael K., Sunshine, Daniel D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,886,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/06 comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/067 of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/20 Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 21/00 Treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by diffusing ions or metals in the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified

Abstract

A transparent article, such as a transparent cover, for use as a cover glass for an electronic device, as well as methods for producing transparent articles, are disclosed. The transparent article can form a part of a housing of the portable electronic device and can provide an outer surface for a portion of the housing. The transparent article can be provided over a display of portable electronic device to provide a protective outer cover over the display. In one embodiment, the transparent article can be formed with a laminate structure. In another embodiment, the transparent article can be formed with a ribbed structure. In still another embodiment, a sapphire coating can be deposited on the transparent article to improve it strength. Advantageously, the transparent article is able to be not only thin and lightweight but also provide sufficient stiffness for use as a cover glass.

Claims

1. A cover glass for a portable consumer electronic product, comprising:

a top layer of glass having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm;

an intermediate binding layer; and

a bottom layer of substantially clear material having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm,

wherein a top surface of the bottom layer is adhered to a bottom surface of the top layer via the intermediate binding layer.

2. A cover glass as recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially clear material is glass.

3. A cover glass as recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially clear material comprises fiberglass.

4. A cover glass as recited in claim 1, wherein the top layer and the bottom layer are in substantial alignment and held in place by the intermediate binding layer, and wherein the intermediate binding layer comprises adhesive.

5. A portable consumer electronic product, comprising:

a glass user interfacing part, the glass user interfacing part including at least;

a top layer of glass having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm;

an intermediate layer of adhesive; and

a bottom layer of substantially clear material having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm,

wherein a top surface of the bottom layer is adhered to a bottom surface of the top layer via the intermediate layer of adhesive;

a display provided internal to the portable consumer electronic device and behind the glass user interfacing part; and

a processor operable to control information display on the display.

6. A portable consumer electronic product, comprising:

a glass user interfacing part, the glass user interfacing part including at least;

an outer layer of glass having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm, and

at least one inner rib that provides structural support for the outer layer, the at least one inner rib being substantially transparent and having a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm;

a display provided internal to the portable consumer electronic device and behind the glass user interfacing part; and

a processor operable to control information display on the display.

7. A portable consumer electronic product as recited in claim 6,

wherein the at least one inner rib is part of an inner layer, and

wherein the inner layer is formed of the at least one inner rib and a substantially transparent filler material that is filled in around the at least one inner rib.

8. A portable consumer electronic product as recited in claim 7, wherein the index of refraction of the substantially transparent filler material is substantially matched with the index of refraction of the at least one inner rib.

9. A portable consumer electronic product as recited in claim 8, wherein the substantially transparent filler material comprises substantially clear adhesive.

10. A portable consumer electronic product as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one inner rib comprises glass or fiberglass.

11. A method for forming a glass article for use as an outer surface of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining an outer glass layer for the glass article;

obtaining an inner glass layer for the glass article; and

forming the glass article by binding the outer layer and the inner layer using an intermediate binding layer interposed there between,

wherein a portion of the outer surface of the portable electronic device is provided by the outer glass layer of the glass article.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the relative density of the intermediate binding layer is significantly less than the relative density of the outer glass layer or the inner glass layer.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the intermediate binding layer comprises an optically clear adhesive.

14. A method for forming a glass article for use as an outer surface of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

forming the glass article for use as an outer surface of a portion of a housing for portable electronic device, wherein the forming includes at least providing at least one rib on an inner side of the glass article to provide increased stiffness; and

attaching the glass article to the housing with the inner side of the glass article facing an internal region of the housing for the portable electronic device.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the glass article being positioned over a display or touch screen assembly for the portable electronic device.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the method comprises:

filling the inner side of the glass article around the at least one rib with a filler material.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the filler material comprises an optically clear adhesive.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the filler material is substantially transparent.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the filler material has an index of refraction that substantially matches an index of refraction for the glass article.

20. A method for processing a glass article for used with or as an electronic device housing, the method comprising:

obtaining a glass article;

depositing a sapphire coating on a least a portion of a surface of the glass article; and

subsequently installing the glass article to or with the electronic device housing.

21. A method as recited in claim 20,

wherein the outer coating has a thickness less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and

wherein the glass article has a thickness less than or equal to 1.0 mm.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the applying of the outer coating comprises depositing the outer coating using physical vapor deposition.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

chemically strengthening the glass article prior to the depositing of the sapphire coating.