Fused glass device housings

• US 8,773,848 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Russell-Clarke, Peter, Pilliod, Michael K., Ive, Jonathan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US13/358,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 348/374, 348/739, 348/E5.129, 348/46, 348/135, 348/837, 348/455, 348/458, 65/332, 65/28, 65/31, 345/173, 345/87, 345/211, 345/179, 345/174, 345/419, 345/106, 345/634, 345/60, 345/156, 349/112, 349/65, 349/15, 349/76, 349/137, 349/58, 349/192, 349/1, 349/54, 349/110, 349/158, 361/679.24, 361/679.25, 361/679.26, 361/679.27, 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.34, 361/679.56, 361/679.21, 361/679.29, 428/131, 428/137, 428/134, 428/410, 428/34
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/241 Methods
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/242 for plate glass
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/245 Hollow glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0004 comprising several parts forming a closed casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0234 Feet; Stands; Pedestals, e.g. wheels for moving casing on floor

Abstract

An electronic device may have a glass housing structures. The glass housing structures may be used to cover a display and other internal electronic device components. The glass housing structure may have multiple glass pieces that are joined using a glass fusing process. A peripheral glass member may be fused along the edge of a planar glass member to enhance the thickness of the edge. A rounded edge feature may be formed by machining the thickened edge. Raised fused glass features may surround openings in the planar glass member. Multiple planar glass members may be fused together to form a five-sided box in which electronic components may be mounted. Raised support structure ribs may be formed by fusing glass structures to a planar glass member. Opaque masking material and colored glass may be used to create portions of the glass housing structures that hide internal device components from view.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display; and

a housing in which the display is mounted, wherein the housing includes glass structures that have a recess that receives at least part of the display, wherein the glass housing structures include a planar glass member fused with a peripheral glass member that extends around at least some peripheral edge portions of the planar glass member to form the recess,

wherein the glass structures have a curved interior surface, wherein the display comprises a flexible display, and wherein the flexible display is attached to the curved interior surface.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the peripheral glass member comprises non-clear glass.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the planar glass member is characterized by a surface normal and wherein the peripheral glass member has an inner edge that is angled at a non-zero angle with respect to the surface normal.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the peripheral glass member has an inner edge with a curved surface.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the peripheral glass member has an inner edge, the electronic device further comprising an opaque masking material that coats at least some of the inner edge.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the planar glass member and peripheral glass member have curved portions that form a rounded edge for the housing.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a housing structure to which the glass structures are mounted, the electronic device further comprising internal electrical components mounted between the housing structure and the glass structures.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the housing structure comprises a metal structure.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein housing structure comprises glass.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the planar glass member has a thickness of T1 and the glass structures have a thickness of T2, wherein the thickness of T1 is less than the thickness of T2.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device housing formed from fused glass members including at least first and second opposing planar glass members that are separated by a gap formed substantially in the center for the first and second opposing planar glass members; and

display structures inserted into the gap.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the electronic device housing includes a clear portion through which the display structures are visible.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 further comprising opposing third and fourth planar glass members that are separated by the gap.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 11 further comprising fused glass rib support structures on the first planar glass member.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

glass housing structures having at least one glass housing member with an opening and having raised glass structures that surround the opening and that are fused to the glass housing member.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the opening comprises a speaker port opening.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the opening comprises a button opening.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 15 further comprising a light source configured to illuminate the raised glass structures.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 15 further comprising a display mounted under the glass housing member.

20. A method of forming an electronic device, comprising:

polishing a planar glass member;

fusing a peripheral glass member to at least part of an edge portion of the planar glass member to thicken the planar glass member at the edge portion; and

attaching the planar glass member and fused peripheral glass member to a housing structure.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein the housing structure comprises a housing structure selected from the group consisting of:

a glass housing structure, a plastic housing structure, and a metal housing structure and wherein attaching the planar glass member and fused peripheral glass member to the housing structure comprises forming a housing with an interior that contains electronic components for the electronic device.

22. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising:

chemically strengthening the planar glass member and the fused peripheral glass member.

23. The method defined in claim 22 further comprising forming a rounded edge surface on the planar glass member before chemically strengthening the planar glass member and the fused peripheral glass member.