COVER GLASS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150190986A1
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bibl, David N., Baldwin, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US14/659,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20150190986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/202 LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/02 characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions non-uniform thickness B32B3/263
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/203 Uniting glass sheets C03B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0025 by a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/007 by thermal treatment
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/22 Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and visible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component

Abstract

A cover glass element can extend to the edges of an electronic device while maintaining the optical flatness and thickness needed for the cover glass. A first glass sheet with the desired thickness and flatness can be thermally bonded to a second glass sheet machined to include an opening to be received by the edges of the electronic device. The resulting three-dimensional cover element forms a uni-body frame that is significantly stiffer than a single sheet of glass, and the larger surface area of the edge provides for enhances pressure distribution, particularly after chemical strengthening, thus enhancing the durability of the electronic device. Further, the thermal bonding process uses lower temperatures than processes such as slumping or pressing, which could potentially affect the flatness and optical clarity of the original sheet glass.

Claims

1. A cover glass, comprising:

a first glass component formed from a first glass sheet, the first glass sheet of a specified thickness and a specified flatness; and

a second glass component formed from a second glass sheet, the second glass sheet including a plurality of through-holes, the second glass component including at least one through-hole of the plurality of through-holes, the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet being thermally bonded together,

wherein the cover glass has at least one planar region of the specified thickness and the specified flatness and at least one edge formed, at least in part, by the second glass component.