Glass device housings

• US 10,512,176 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Russell-Clarke, Peter N., Ive, Jonathan P., Pilliod, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony M
• Application Number:
  US16/138,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20190029127A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 36167921-6793, 36167955, 36167956
• 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. A portable electronic device comprising:

a glass housing structure comprising;

a first housing structure defining;

a front portion formed from a glass material; and

a first portion of a sidewall having a first height and formed from the glass material; and

a second housing structure defining;

a rear portion formed from the glass material; and

a second portion of the sidewall having a second height that is different than the first height, the second portion of the sidewall attached to the first portion of the sidewall to define an all glass sidewall extending from the front portion to the rear portion; and

a display positioned within an interior volume defined by the first and second housing structures and viewable through the front portion of the first housing structure.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first housing structure includes a speaker port that includes an opening defined within the front portion of the first housing structure;

the speaker port includes a raised rib that at least partially surrounds the opening; and

the portable electronic device further comprises a speaker positioned below the speaker port.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the second housing structure includes a raised rib that extends into the interior volume; and

the raised rib is formed from the glass material.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first housing structure includes a peripheral region that at least partially surrounds the display;

the front portion has a thickness; and

the peripheral region has a width that is greater than the thickness of the front portion.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein:

the first housing structure includes a glass sheet member that defines the front portion; and

the peripheral region is defined at least in part by a glass housing member that is fused to the glass sheet member.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

the glass sheet member and the glass housing member define a curved contour; and

the glass sheet member and the glass housing member are chemically strengthened along the curved contour.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a unitary glass housing structure defining at least four exterior sides of the electronic device, the unitary glass housing structure having a width dimension and a length dimension greater than the width dimension and defining an opening extending along the length dimension;

a glass sidewall structure bonded to the unitary glass housing structure along the length dimension of the unitary glass housing structure to cover the opening; and

a display positioned within the electronic device and visible through at least one of the at least four exterior sides.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the unitary glass housing structure defines a curved interior surface; and

the display is a flexible display and conforms to the curved interior surface.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the flexible display is viewable through two or more of the at least four exterior sides of the unitary glass housing structure.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the unitary glass housing structure is formed from a glass material;

the glass sidewall structure is formed from the glass material; and

the glass sidewall structure defines at least one port for receiving an electrical connection.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the glass sidewall structure is a first glass sidewall structure; and

the electronic device further comprises a second glass sidewall structure attached to the unitary glass housing structure along a side that is opposite to the first glass sidewall structure.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the glass sidewall structure is fused to the unitary glass housing structure.

13. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the unitary glass housing structure comprises:

a first glass sheet defining a front exterior side of the electronic device;

a second glass sheet defining a rear exterior side of the electronic device; and

a glass member positioned between the first and second glass sheets and defining at least one additional exterior side surface.

14. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the unitary glass housing structure and the glass sidewall structure cooperate to define a curved surface; and

the unitary glass housing structure and the glass sidewall structure are chemically strengthened along the curved surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the unitary glass housing structure defines an audio port along a front exterior side of the at least four exterior sides; and

the electronic device further comprises an audio component positioned within the electronic device and aligned with the audio port.

16. A portable electronic device comprising:

a glass housing structure comprising;

a front glass sheet defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device;

a rear glass sheet defining a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device; and

a glass sidewall structure positioned between the front and rear glass sheets and defining at least a portion of a side exterior surface of the portable electronic device, the front glass sheet, the rear glass sheet and the glass sidewall structure defining an all glass side exterior surface having a curved profile; and

a display positioned within the glass housing structure.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the glass housing structure defines a curved interior surface; and

the display conforms to the curved interior surface of the glass housing structure.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the front glass sheet, the rear glass sheet, and the glass sidewall structure are chemically strengthened along the curved profile.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the front glass sheet has a first thickness; and

the glass sidewall structure has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the glass sidewall structure defines one or more electrical ports for receiving an electrical connector.