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US 11,447,416 B2Granted
Strengthened covers for electronic devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Davis, Christopher D. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for chemically strengthening a cover for an electronic are disclosed. The methods include removing material from a mounting surface of the cover to counteract warping of the mounting surface due to ion exchange. The chemically strengthened covers have a high bend strength and allow a strong seal to be formed between the cover and an enclosure component.
Claims18
An electronic device, comprising:
- an enclosure component defining a first mounting surface;
- a display;
- and
- a glass cover positioned over the display and comprising:
- a central portion;
- a flange at least partially surrounding the central portion, and defining:
- a first segment extending along a first side of the central portion and defining a first region of a second mounting surface;
- a second segment extending along a second side of the central portion and defining a second region of the second mounting surface;
- and
- a corner segment extending from the first segment to the second segment and defining a third region of the second mounting surface;
- and
- a compressive stress layer having:
- a first depth at the first region;
- a second depth, greater than the first depth, at the second region;
- and
- a third depth, greater than the first depth, at the third region.
13 more elements
An electronic device, comprising:
- a strengthened glass cover comprising:
- a central portion;
- a mounting surface at least partially surrounding the central portion and comprising:
- a first region extending along a first side of the strengthened glass cover;
- a second region extending along a second side of the strengthened glass cover;
- and
- a third region extending from the first region and the second region and along a corner of the strengthened glass cover;
- and
- a compressive stress layer having:
- a first depth at a first location in the first region of the mounting surface;
- a second depth, greater than the first depth, at a second location in the second region of the mounting surface;
- and
- a third depth, greater than the first depth, at a third location in the third region of the mounting surface;
- and
- a display positioned below the strengthened glass cover.
12 more elements
A method comprising:
- placing a glass cover in a first ion-exchange bath to form a first ion-exchanged layer, the glass cover defining:
- a central portion;
- and
- a mounting surface at least partially surrounding the central portion, the mounting surface comprising:
- a first region extending along a first side of the glass cover;
- a second region extending along a second side of the glass cover;
- and
- a third region extending from the first region and the second region and along a corner of the glass cover;
- removing the glass cover from the first ion-exchange bath;
- removing material from the first region of the mounting surface, thereby locally reducing a depth of the first ion-exchanged layer along the first region of the mounting surface;
- placing the glass cover in a second ion-exchange bath to form a second ion-exchanged layer within the first ion-exchanged layer, the operations of placing the glass cover in the first ion-exchange bath and in the second ion-exchange bath producing a compressive stress layer along the mounting surface, the compressive stress layer having:
- a first depth along the first region of the mounting surface;
- a second depth, greater than the first depth, along the second region of the mounting surface;
- and
- a third depth, greater than the first depth, along the third region of the glass cover;
- and
- removing the glass cover from the second ion-exchange bath.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.