Co-finishing surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10207387-B2
Application number	US-201514714876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A method for co-finishing surfaces bonds a first structure formed of a first material and having a first surface in an aperture defined in a second structure formed of a second material and having a second surface such that there is an offset between the first surface and the second surface. The first surface and the second surface are co-lapped to reduce the offset. The first surface and second surface are co-polished to further reduce the offset. The first surface and second surfaces may then be flush. Edges of the first surface may be chamfered to mitigate damage during co-lapping and/or co-polishing. Fill material may be positioned in gaps between the first and second structures to mitigate damage during co-lapping and/or co-polishing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for co-finishing surfaces, comprising:
bonding a first structure formed of a first material and having a first surface in an aperture defined in a second structure formed of a second material and having a second surface such that there is an offset between the first surface and the second surface, the first structure having a chamfered edge;
co-lapping the first surface and the second surface to reduce the offset; and
co-polishing the first surface and the second surface such that the first surface and the second surface are flush; wherein:
at least one of the operation of co-lapping or the operation of co-polishing removes the chamfered edge.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising chamfering an edge of the first surface prior to the operation of co-lapping, thereby forming the chamfered edge.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the operation of co-lapping or the operation of co-polishing changes a shape of the first surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling a gap between the bonded first structure and a side of the aperture.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises zirconia and the first material comprises one of glass, chemically strengthened glass, zirconia, alumina, and sapphire.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of co-polishing polishes the first surface at a first polishing speed and the second surface at a second polishing speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising lapping the first surface prior to the operation of bonding.

8. A method for co-finishing surfaces, comprising:
adhesively bonding a sapphire window to a zirconia structure such that a combined surface formed by a first surface of the sapphire window and a second surface of the zirconia structure is uneven;
placing a fill material in a gap between the sapphire window and the zirconia structure; and
co-finishing the sapphire window and the zirconia structure, thereby:
removing a chamfered edge of the sapphire window;
making the combined surface even; and
conforming a first geometry of the first surface to a second geometry of the second surface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first geometry of the first surface is flat and the second geometry of the second surface is curved.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fill material absorbs side force during the operation of co-finishing.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sapphire window has an additional chamfered edge that is removed by the operation of co-finishing.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sapphire window is transparent after the operation of co-finishing.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the operation of co-finishing includes grinding the first surface and the second surface.

14. A method for co-finishing surfaces, comprising:
providing a first material having a first surface with an aperture defined therein;
attaching, to the first material and in the aperture, a second material having a second surface and a chamfered edge adjacent the second surface, the second material positioned relative to the first material such that the first and second surfaces are non-contiguous; and
co-finishing the first material and the second material to make the first and second surfaces contiguous and to remove the chamfered edge; wherein
at least one of the first and second surfaces is non-planar.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second material is attached to the first material such that the second surface is proud of the first surface prior to co-finishing.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second material is attached to the first material such that the first surface is proud of the second surface prior to co-finishing.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first material and the second material are brittle.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operation of attaching the second material to the first material includes bonding the second material to the first material using a heat activated film, a two part adhesive, or an adhesive.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first material is reflective after the operation of co-finishing and the second material is translucent after the operation of co-finishing.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising placing an epoxy fill between the second surface and the first surface perpendicular to a direction of the co-finishing.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Matsuyuki Naoto
• Yi Bin
• Qu Dezheng
• Manjunathaiah Jairam
• Nathanson Scott M
• Ness Trevor J
• Nazzaro David I
• Molina Raul A

Classifications

• B29C70/745

  Filling cavities in the preformed part (for joining B29C70/84) · CPC title

• B29C70/88

  characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced · CPC title

• B24B37/025

  designed for working spherical surfaces · CPC title

• B24B37/042 Primary

  operating processes therefor · CPC title

• B24B37/02

  designed for working surfaces of revolution · CPC title