Glass enclosure
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsChristopher D. Prest, Emery A. Sanford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handheld computing device that includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a glass material that can be radio-transparent. The enclosure can be formed from a hollow glass tube or two glass members bonded together. A laser frit bonding process may be used to hermetically seal the two glass members together to create a water resistant electronic device.
Claims24
A portable computing device, the portable computing device comprising:
- an integral and substantially seamless enclosure that surrounds and protects internal operational components of the portable computing device,
- the enclosure including a tube like main body that is extruded with glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough, the enclosure having an inner glass layer and an outer glass layer,
- wherein the outer glass layer has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the inner glass layer.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- a substantially seamless enclosure that surrounds and protects internal operational components of the portable electronic device,
- the enclosure including at least one outer structural wall and at least one inner wall positioned within the outer structural wall, the at least one outer structural wall and the at least one inner wall formed from an extruded glass material,
- wherein the at least one outer structural wall has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the at least one inner wall.
A method for manufacturing a portable electronic device capable of wireless communications, the portable computing device surrounding and protecting internal operation components, the method comprising:
- co-extruding a first seamless enclosure and a second seamless structure, the first seamless enclosure having an elongated aperture in the center of the enclosure and an opening positioned at least one end of the enclosure, the elongated aperture defining an internal lumen,
- wherein the first seamless enclosure being formed from a glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough;
- wherein the second seamless structure is positioned substantially within the first seamless enclosure, and
- wherein the first seamless enclosure has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the second seamless structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.