Exposed glass article with enhanced stiffness for portable electronic device housing

• US 10,496,135 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qian, Amy, Sunshine, Daniel D., Franklin, Jeremy C., Pilliod, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mulvaney, Elizabeth E
• Application Number:
  US15/884,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20180150109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• 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. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure defining an exterior surface of the electronic device;

a touch sensor within the enclosure and configured to detect touch inputs applied to a user interface region of the exterior surface of the electronic device;

a glass member extending along the user interface region; and

a rib attached to the glass member and positioned within the user interface region.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the glass member defines at least a portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the rib is a part of an inner layer attached to the glass member; and

the inner layer comprises a substantially transparent filler material adjacent the rib.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein an index of refraction of the substantially transparent filler material is substantially equal to an index of refraction of the rib.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising a display positioned below the glass member within the user interface region.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the inner layer is positioned over the display.

7. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the rib comprises a fiberglass material.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a glass member defining an exterior surface of the electronic device and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface;

a touch sensing component defining a touch-sensitive user interface region on the exterior surface of the glass member; and

a rib attached to the glass member and extending across the touch-sensitive user interface region.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a substantially transparent material attached to the glass member adjacent the rib.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a display positioned below the touch sensing component in the touch-sensitive user interface region.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a housing structure forming at least a portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the glass member is coupled to the housing structure to at least partially define an inner volume of the electronic device; and

the display is positioned within the inner volume and attached to the touch sensing component.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the glass member has a thickness of less than or equal to 0.4 mm.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a glass member forming an exterior surface of the electronic device, defining;

a first rib extending from an interior surface opposite the exterior surface; and

a second rib extending from the interior surface and intersecting the first rib;

a touch sensor configured to detect touch inputs applied to a user interface region of the exterior surface of the electronic device; and

a display configured to display graphical output via the user interface region of the exterior surface of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the glass member further defines a third rib extending from the interior surface and intersecting the first rib.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the second rib and the third rib are substantially parallel.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first and second ribs at least partially define a periphery of the user interface region.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch sensor is configured to detect the touch inputs through the first rib.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the display is configured to display the graphical output through the first rib.

20. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising a transparent material attached to the glass member and defining a surface that is substantially coplanar with a terminal surface of the first rib.