Forming and bonding of glass components for portable electronic devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAndrew J. Meschke, Thomas Johannessen, William A. Counts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for making glass components for electronic devices are disclosed. The techniques disclosed herein can be used to modify a glass workpiece to form a three-dimensional glass component, such as a glass cover member. The techniques may involve reshaping the glass workpiece, fusing glass layers of the workpiece, or combinations of these. Glass components and electronic devices including these components are also disclosed.
Claims20
A method for making a glass component for an electronic device, the method comprising:
- installing a glass workpiece to an open frame, the glass workpiece retained in the open frame by a peripheral portion of the glass workpiece and having an exposed first surface and an exposed second surface opposite to the exposed first surface;
- heating the glass workpiece to a temperature greater than or equal to a softening point and less than or equal to a working point of the glass workpiece;
- thermoforming a first portion of the glass workpiece between a cavity mold contacting the exposed first surface and a core mold contacting the exposed second surface to produce a molded glass workpiece, each of the cavity mold and the core mold heated to a temperature less than the temperature of the glass workpiece;
- cooling the molded glass workpiece to a temperature less than a glass transition temperature of the glass workpiece;
- removing the molded glass workpiece from the open frame;
- and
- removing a second portion of the molded glass workpiece to form the glass component, the second portion including at least some of the peripheral portion.
A method for making a glass component for an electronic device, the method comprising:
- placing a workpiece in an open frame, the workpiece comprising an assembly of glass layers;
- heating at least a portion of the workpiece to a temperature greater than or equal to an annealing point and less than or equal to a softening point of the glass layers of the assembly;
- fusing the assembly of the glass layers to form the glass component by pressing the workpiece between a first tool-piece and a second tool-piece, each of the first tool-piece and the second tool-piece heated to a temperature less than the temperature of the workpiece;
- cooling the glass component to a temperature less than or equal to a glass transition temperature of the glass component;
- and
- removing the glass component from the open frame.
An electronic device comprising:
- an enclosure comprising:
- a rear glass cover member comprising:
- a first glass layer defining a base region of an exterior surface of the rear glass cover member;
- and
- a second glass layer fused to the first glass layer and defining at least a portion of a protruding feature, the at least the portion defining a plateau region of the protruding feature;
- and
- a sensor assembly coupled to an interior surface of the rear glass cover member and comprising a sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.