Laser-formed features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328527-B2
Application number	US-201414298499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 9, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to laser-based processes for forming features on the surface of a part. The feature may include a geometric element, a color element, and/or a surface finish element. In some cases, the laser-formed features are formed as a pattern of textured features that produce an aesthetic and/or tactile effect on the surface of the part. In some cases, the texture features may be sufficiently small that they may not be discerned by the unaided human eye. Also, in some cases, a multiple laser-based processes are combined to form a single feature or a finished part having a specific aesthetic and/or tactile effect.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic watch comprising:
a housing; and
an aluminum input dial that is rotatable, about a rotation axis, relative to the housing and defines:
an axial end surface on the aluminum input dial;
a peripheral surface on the aluminum input dial;
a three-dimensional curved surface extending between the axial end surface and the peripheral surface; and
a radial array of rectangular grooves along the three-dimensional curved surface, the radial array of rectangular grooves cooperating to define a tactile effect along the three-dimensional curved surface, wherein

each rectangular groove includes a layer of oxidized aluminum that is visually distinct from a surrounding region of the three-dimensional curved surface; and
at least one groove of the radial array of rectangular grooves defines a bottom surface extending along a curved path that corresponds to the three-dimensional curved surface.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1 , the bottom surface defines an oxidized surface having different color than the three-dimensional curved surface.

3. The electronic watch of claim 2 , wherein the oxidized surface is one of a black surface or a white surface.

4. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional curved surface extends from the axial end surface to the peripheral surface.

5. The electronic watch of claim 4 , wherein the three-dimensional curved surface defines a concave surface.

6. The electronic watch of claim 4 , wherein the curved path and the rotation axis are coplanar.

7. An electronic watch comprising:
a housing; and
a dial that is rotatable relative to the housing and defines an aluminum surface, the dial comprising:
a first pattern of recesses on a first curved surface of the aluminum surface of the dial and having a full geometric shape and cooperating to form a tactile effect on the first curved surface;
a second pattern of recesses on the aluminum surface of the dial adjacent to the first pattern of recesses and having a partial geometric shape that is distinct from and corresponds to a portion of the full geometric shape;
an oxidized color element comprising an oxidized aluminum surface formed into each recesses; and
a non-patterned portion;

wherein the oxidized aluminum surface is visually distinct from the non-patterned portion.

8. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the second pattern of recesses are formed over a region that surrounds the first pattern of recesses, and wherein the non-patterned portion of the dial surrounds the second pattern of recesses.

9. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the second pattern of recesses are formed in a transition region that is located adjacent to the first pattern of recesses and also to the non-patterned portion of the dial.

10. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the second pattern of recesses are formed over an edge region near a boundary between the first pattern of recesses and the non-patterned portion of the dial.

11. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the second pattern of recesses does not extend beyond a border of a pattern shape.

12. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the second pattern of recesses is formed over an edge region that is adjacent to the first pattern of recesses.

13. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the full geometric shape includes a diamond shape and the partial geometric shape includes a partial-diamond shape.

14. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein the full geometric shape includes a circle shape and the partial geometric shape includes a semi-circle shape.

15. An electronic watch comprising:
a housing; and
an aluminum input dial that is rotatable, about a rotation axis, relative to the housing and defines:
an axial end surface on the aluminum input dial and having a first non-patterned region;
a peripheral surface on the aluminum input dial and having a second non-patterned region;
a curved surface extending between the axial end surface and the peripheral surface; and
a radial array of grooves along the curved surface and cooperating to define a tactile effect along the curved surface, a groove of the radial array of grooves:
including a layer of oxidized aluminum that is visually distinct from a surrounding region of the curved surface;
defining a bottom surface extending along a curved path; and
extending from the first non-patterned region to the second non-patterned region.

16. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein the groove further defines two side surfaces extending perpendicularly from the bottom surface.

17. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein the curved surface is concave.

18. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein the curved path and the rotation axis are coplanar.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Russell-Clarke Peter N
• Nashner Michael S
• Farahani Houtan R

Classifications

• B44C1/005

  by altering locally the surface material (surface treatment to obtain special artistic surface effects or finishes B44D5/00) · CPC title

• B41M5/26

  Thermography (B41M5/20, B41M5/24 take precedence); {Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used (B23K takes precedence; thermographic or photothermographic systems using noble metal compounds G03C1/494)} · CPC title

• B44C1/228

  by laser radiation · CPC title

• Y10T428/24479

  including variation in thickness · CPC title

• B41M5/24

  Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording {(marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00)} · CPC title