# US 10,310,642 B2 · Sapphire cover with increased survivability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,642 B2 - Document ID: US10310642B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/192,725 - Filed: 2016-06-24 - Published: 2016-12-29 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-26 - Assignees: Corning Incorporated - Applicants: Corning Incorporated - Inventors: Kevin Barry Reiman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310642B2 ## CPC - 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)} - G06F 3/0393: {Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 2200/1634: Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A sapphire article having improved survivability when subjected to impact or a drop event. The article includes a continuous planar array of sapphire segments, which reduces the bending stress experienced by each individual segment. The sapphire article may serve as a cover material for displays in mobile electronic devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sapphire article comprising a plurality of sapphire segments, each of the sapphire segments being transparent and having an aspect ratio of at least about 15, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments abut each other to form a continuous array having a planar surface, the plurality of sapphire segments each have a largest surface dimension that is less than a largest surface dimension of the sapphire article, and the planar surface is a major surface of the sapphire article. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sapphire article of claim 1, wherein adjacent sapphire segments are bonded to each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sapphire article of claim 2, further including a bonding agent disposed between the adjacent sapphire segments, wherein the bonding agent has a refractive index that is within 5% of a refractive index of the plurality of sapphire segments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sapphire article of claim 3, wherein the bonding agent is an epoxy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sapphire article of claim 1, further comprising a transparent substrate having a refractive index that is within 5% of a refractive index of the plurality of sapphire segments, wherein the array is disposed on the transparent substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sapphire article of claim 5, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments are joined to the transparent substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sapphire article of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments are joined to the substrate by an adhesive layer disposed between the transparent substrate and the plurality of sapphire segments, the adhesive layer having a refractive index that is within 5% of a refractive index of the plurality of sapphire segments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The sapphire article of claim 5, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a conductive layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sapphire article of claim 8, wherein the sapphire article and the transparent substrate form a portion of a touch sensor or a capacitive touch module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sapphire article of claim 1, wherein the sapphire article is a cover plate for an electronic display. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sapphire article of claim 1, wherein the sapphire article has an 80% probability of survival when subjected to a drop test from a height of 100 cm. ### Claim 12 A transparent cover plate, the transparent cover plate comprising: a. a transparent substrate; and b. a plurality of sapphire segments disposed on the substrate, each of the sapphire segments being transparent and having an aspect ratio of at least about 15, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments abut each other to form a continuous array having a planar surface, the plurality of sapphire segments each have a largest surface dimension that is less than a largest surface dimension of the transparent cover plate, and the planar surface is a major surface of the transparent cover plate, and wherein the transparent substrate has a refractive index that is within 5% of a refractive index of the plurality of sapphire segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The transparent cover plate of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments is joined to the transparent substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The transparent cover plate of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sapphire segments is joined to the substrate by an adhesive layer disposed between the transparent substrate and the plurality of sapphire segments, the adhesive layer having a refractive index that is within 5% of a refractive index of the plurality of sapphire segments. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The transparent cover plate of claim 12, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a conductive layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transparent cover plate of claim 15, wherein the sapphire article and the transparent substrate form a portion of a touch sensor or a capacitive touch module. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A method of making the sapphire article of claim 1, comprising a planar array of sapphire segments, the planar array having a predetermined thickness and each of the sapphire segments having a continuous planar face, the method comprising: a. forming a mother block, the mother block comprising a plurality of sapphire dowels bonded lengthwise to each other, the mother block having a continuous planar face; and b. separating a portion of the mother block from the mother block in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the sapphire dowels to form the planar array, wherein the planar array has a length-to-thickness aspect ratio of at least about 15, and wherein the portion of the mother block has a thickness that is up to 10% greater than the predetermined thickness. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising joining a substrate to the planar array. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the substrate has a refractive index that is within 5% of the refractive index of the sapphire segments in the planar array. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein joining the substrate to the planar array comprises providing an adhesive between the substrate and the planar array. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein each of the substrate and the adhesive has a refractive index that is within 5% of the refractive index of the sapphire segments in the planar array. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising depositing a conductive material on a surface of the substrate.