Fused opaque and clear glass for camera or display window

• US 10,551,722 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pilliod, Michael K., Russell-Clarke, Peter N., Weber, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Minh Q
• Application Number:
  US16/141,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20190025673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/20 Uniting glass pieces by fusing without substantial reshaping
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for windows integration with cover glass and for processing cover glass to provide windows for electronic devices are disclosed. Transparent windows such as a transparent camera window, a transparent illuminator window and/or a transparent display window can be integrated into the cover glass. The apparatus, systems and methods are especially suitable for cover glasses, or displays (e.g., LCD displays), assembled in small form factor electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, media players, personal digital assistants, remote controls, etc.). The apparatus, systems and methods can also be used for cover glasses or displays for other relatively larger form factor electronic devices (e.g., portable computers, tablet computers, displays, monitors, televisions, etc.).

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display positioned at least partially within the housing;

a camera positioned at least partially within the housing;

a glass cover attached to the housing and having a dark glass region that extends from an outer cover surface of the glass cover glass to an inner cover surface of the glass cover glass, the glass cover defining an aperture that extends through the dark glass region; and

a transparent window positioned in the aperture and bonded to the dark glass region, the transparent window defining an outer window surface and an inner window surface opposite to the outer window surface, the inner cover surface being coplanar with the inner window surface.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture defines an inner wall; and

the transparent window is fusion bonded to the inner wall of the aperture.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the inner cover surface and the inner window surface define a smooth continuous interior surface.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the outer cover surface and the outer window surface are coplanar and define a smooth continuous exterior surface of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the glass cover defines a transparent glass region; and

the transparent glass region is positioned over the display.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture is a camera aperture;

the glass cover further comprises an illuminator aperture that extends through the glass cover;

an illuminator window is positioned within the illuminator aperture; and

the electronic device further comprises an illuminator component positioned below the illuminator window.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein both the glass cover and the transparent window are chemically strengthened.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display positioned at least partially within the housing;

a cover positioned over the display and defining a transparent glass region and a dark glass region that extends from an outer cover surface to an inner cover surface, the display viewable through the transparent glass region, the dark glass region defining a sensor aperture that extends through the dark glass region;

a glass window positioned within the sensor aperture and bonded to the dark glass region, the glass window defining an inner window surface that is aligned with the inner cover surface; and

an optical sensor positioned within the housing and below the glass window.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the sensor aperture defines an inner wall surface; and

the glass window is directly bonded to the inner wall surface of the sensor aperture.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the glass window is fusion bonded to the inner wall surface of the sensor aperture.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the cover further defines an illuminator aperture that extends through the cover;

an illuminator window is positioned within the illuminator aperture; and

the electronic device further comprises an illuminator positioned below the illuminator window.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the dark glass region reduces light produced from the illuminator from being transmitted through the cover to the optical sensor.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the optical sensor is a camera; and

the illuminator is an optical flash.

14. A method of forming a glass cover for an electronic device, the method comprising:

forming a camera aperture through a dark glass portion of a glass sheet;

forming an illuminator aperture through the glass sheet;

positioning a camera window in the camera aperture;

bonding the camera window to a first inner glass wall that defines the camera aperture;

positioning an illuminator window in the illuminator aperture;

bonding the illuminator window to a second inner glass wall that defines the illuminator aperture to define the glass cover; and

after the camera window is bonded, a lower side of the glass sheet and a lower side of the camera window are lapped to create a lower planar surface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the camera window is fusion bonded to the first inner glass wall of the camera aperture; and

the illuminator window is fusion bonded to the second inner glass wall of the illuminator aperture.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

bonding the camera window to the first inner glass wall comprises;

heating the camera window to a temperature of 600 degrees Celsius or greater; and

pressing the camera window into the camera aperture.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the camera window is bonded to the first inner glass wall by fusion bonding;

the lower planar surface is a first smooth surface;

after the camera window is bounded, an upper side of the glass sheet and an upper side of the camera window are lapped to create a second smooth surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein after the upper and lower sides of the glass sheet are lapped, the glass sheet and the camera window are chemically strengthened in an ion exchange process.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

chemically strengthening the glass sheet, the camera window, and the illuminator window; and

bonding an inner surface of the glass sheet to a housing to define an exposed exterior surface of the electronic device.