Glass enclosure
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsChristopher 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.
Claims22
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 main body of glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough;
- a liquid crystal display touch screen assembly positioned within the main body but externally accessible;
- and
- an internal antenna disposed inside the enclosure,
- wherein the enclosure comprises at least an inner structural wall and an outer structural wall that are formed of glass.
A method for manufacturing a portable electronic device capable of wireless communications, the portable electronic device surrounding and protecting internal operation components, the method comprising:
- extruding a seamless enclosure having an elongated aperture in the center of the enclosure and an opening positioned at at least one end of the seamless enclosure, the seamless enclosure being formed from a glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough, the seamless enclosure having a front surface;
- and
- receiving a user interface subsystem at the front surface of the seamless enclosure,
- wherein at least a portion of the enclosure comprises at least an inner structural wall and an outer structural wall that are formed of glass.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- an integral and substantially seamless enclosure that surrounds and protects internal operational components of the portable electronic device, the enclosure having a user interface opening and including a main body of glass material that permits wireless communications therethrough;
- a user interface subassembly positioned within the main body and adjacent the user interface opening;
- and
- an internal antenna disposed inside the enclosure,
- wherein at least a portion of the main body comprises at least an inner structural wall and an outer structural wall that are formed of glass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.