Laser welding of transparent and opaque materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9787345-B2
Application number	US-201414230324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2014
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Welding of transparent material in electronic devices. An electronic device may include an enclosure having at least one aperture formed through a portion of the enclosure. The electronic device may also include a component positioned within the aperture formed through the portion of the enclosure. The component may be laser welded to the aperture formed through the enclosure. Additionally, the component may include transparent material. A method for securing a component within an electronic device may include providing an electronic device enclosure including at least one aperture, and positioning a component within the aperture formed through the enclosure. The component positioned within the aperture may include a transparent material. The method may also include welding the component to the electronic device enclosure.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an enclosure having a first melting temperature, comprising:
an exterior surface;
an interior surface opposite the exterior surface; and
a sidewall extending between the exterior and interior surfaces and defining an aperture;

a transparent component positioned within the aperture and having a second melting temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface connected by a side surface defining an edge having at least one surface defect, wherein the at least one surface defect is the result of a forming process of the transparent component comprising a crack or depression; and
a laser weld formed between the sidewall of the enclosure and the edge of the transparent component and encircling the transparent component within the aperture, the laser weld generated by passing a laser beam onto the sidewall to heat the sidewall to a temperature that is greater than first melting temperature and less than the second melting temperature, wherein
the laser weld includes a portion of the enclosure filling the at least one surface defect of the transparent component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises at least one of:
sapphire;
metal;
glass; or
plastic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transparent component comprises at least one of:
sapphire;
glass; or
plastic.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a size of the aperture at the interior surface of the enclosure is greater than a size of the aperture at the exterior surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall includes a bezel portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall is angled and the edge is beveled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second surfaces of the transparent component is/are treated.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is substantially circular.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transparent component includes at least one of:
a button
a transparent layer for a display; or
a window for a camera system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transparent component forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of an electronic device.

11. A method for forming an apparatus comprising:
providing an enclosure having a first melting temperature, the enclosure comprising:
an exterior surface;
an interior surface opposite the exterior surface; and
a sidewall extending between the exterior and interior surfaces and defining an aperture;

positioning a transparent component having a second melting temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature within the aperture, the transparent component having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface connected by a side surface defining an edge having at least one surface defect, wherein the at least one surface defect is the result of a forming process of the transparent component comprising a crack or depression; and
forming a laser weld between the sidewall of the enclosure and the edge of the transparent component that encircles the transparent component within the aperture, the laser weld is generated by a laser beam heating the sidewall to a temperature that is greater than first melting temperature and less than the second melting temperature, wherein
the laser weld includes a portion of the aperture filling the at least one surface defect of the transparent component.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
surface treating a first surface of the transparent component; and
surface treating a second surface of the transparent component opposite the first surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the positioning comprises aligning the treated first surface of the transparent component and the exterior surface of the enclosure.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to the positioning of the component within the aperture, applying an adhesive to at least one of:
the aperture; or
the window.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein
the forming process comprises at least one of:
cutting; or
shaping.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the laser weld is generated by passing a laser beam through the transparent component onto the sidewall.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
an enclosure having a first melting temperature, comprising:
an exterior surface;
an interior surface; and
a sidewall formed on interior surface defining an aperture;

a transparent component positioned within the aperture and having a second melting temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface connected by a side surface defining an edge having at least one surface defect, wherein the at least one surface defect is the result of a forming process of the transparent component comprising a crack or depression; and
a laser weld formed between the sidewall of the enclosure and the edge of the transparent component and encircling the transparent component within the aperture, the laser weld is generated by a laser beam heating the sidewall to a temperature that is greater than first melting temperature and less than the second melting temperature, wherein
the laser weld includes a portion of the enclosure filling the at least one surface defect of the transparent component.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ames Logan M
• Li Michael M

Classifications

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• B32B7/045

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K2203/52

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C66/70

  characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material (chemical aspects C08J5/12, C09J) · CPC title

• B29C66/1142

  Single butt to butt joints · CPC title