Glass enclosure

• US 8,824,140 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Prest, Christopher D., Sanford, Emery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinclair, David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, ROBERT D
• Application Number:
  US13/233,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.65, 361752-759, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• 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 1/1643 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: 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: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0091 Housing specially adapted for small components for resistors H01C; for capacitors H01G; for integrated circuits H01L23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A handheld computing device that includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a glass material that can be radio-transparent. The enclosure can be formed from a hollow glass tube or two glass members bonded together. A laser frit bonding process may be used to hermetically seal the two glass members together to create a water resistant electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable computing device, the portable computing device comprising:

an integral and substantially seamless enclosure that surrounds and protects internal operational components of the portable computing device,

the enclosure including a tube like main body that is extruded with glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough, the enclosure having an inner glass layer and an outer glass layer,

wherein the outer glass layer has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the inner glass layer.

2. The portable computing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a liquid crystal display touch screen assembly positioned underneath the tube like main body.

3. The portable computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is a handheld computing device.

4. The portable computing device as recited in claim 3, wherein the handheld computing device is a mobile phone.

5. The portable computing device as recited in claim 3, wherein the handheld computing device is a media player.

6. The portable computing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an internal antenna disposed inside the enclosure.

7. The portable computing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an end cap positioned on an open end of the enclosure.

8. The portable computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein operational components are enclosed by the enclosure and end cap.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a substantially seamless enclosure that surrounds and protects internal operational components of the portable electronic device,

the enclosure including at least one outer structural wall and at least one inner wall positioned within the outer structural wall, the at least one outer structural wall and the at least one inner wall formed from an extruded glass material,

wherein the at least one outer structural wall has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the at least one inner wall.

10. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein a significant portion of the entire enclosure is formed from the glass material.

11. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the enclosure includes an extruded tube of the glass material, and at least one end cap that closes an end of the extruded tube of glass material.

12. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the substantially seamless tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, the substantially seamless enclosure defining an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for insertion of operational components of the portable electronic device.

13. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the lumen includes internal rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen.

14. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the substantially seamless enclosure has a substantially planar front surface, the planar front surface being configured to present a user interface subsystem of the handheld computing device, the open ends being configured to receive the user interface sub system therethrough during assembly of the handheld computing device.

15. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the lumen includes internal rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen, and wherein the internal rails being configured to locate the user interface sub system in its desired position relative to the planar front surface of the enclosure during assembly of the handheld device.

16. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the user interface sub system includes a display and a touch pad.

17. A method for manufacturing a portable electronic device capable of wireless communications, the portable computing device surrounding and protecting internal operation components, the method comprising:

co-extruding a first seamless enclosure and a second seamless structure, the first seamless enclosure having an elongated aperture in the center of the enclosure and an opening positioned at least one end of the enclosure, the elongated aperture defining an internal lumen,

wherein the first seamless enclosure being formed from a glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough;

wherein the second seamless structure is positioned substantially within the first seamless enclosure, and

wherein the first seamless enclosure has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the second seamless structure.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein securing comprises engaging a locking feature of the operational component with the lumen.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the enclosure has a substantially uniform cross-section along the longitudinal axis.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the enclosure has a wall that is thicker in at least one portion.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein providing the enclosure comprises extruding a tube like main body in its entirety with the glass material.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising placing an end cap on an open end of the tube like main body.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the lumen includes internal rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen.

24. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the substantially seamless enclosure has a substantially planar front surface, the front surface being configured to present a user interface sub system of the handheld computing device, and the method further comprises sliding the user interface sub system through an open end and into the lumen.