Methods and systems for integrally trapping a glass insert in a metal bezel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975174-B2
Application number	US-201514832278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 12, 2007
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for creating an overall assembly formed from a transparent member and a metal member are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes positioning a transparent member in a mold configured for insertion molding, and providing a liquid metal into the mold. The method also includes hardening the liquid metal in the mold. Hardening the liquid metal includes binding the metal to the transparent member to create the integral assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A housing for a phone comprising:
a transparent member having a softening temperature greater than or equal to 2000° F.; and
a bezel defining an opening and comprising an amorphous alloy,
the amorphous alloy being a liquid at a temperature below the softening temperature of the transparent member,
wherein the transparent member is positioned within the opening and the bezel holds the transparent member in the housing of the phone.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein a thermal expansion rate of the bezel is approximately equal to a thermal expansion rate of the transparent member.

3. The housing of claim 1 wherein the transparent member is synthetic sapphire.

4. The housing of claim 1 wherein the transparent member is a display or touch screen for the electronic device.

5. The housing of claim 4 wherein the phone is a cellular phone.

6. An integral assembly for a mobile telephone comprising:
a glass member, the glass member defining an edge portion; and
a metal housing member defining an opening and comprising
an amorphous alloy having a melting temperature less than a softening temperature of the glass member,
wherein the glass member is positioned within the opening so that the metal housing member and
the edge portion of the glass member operatively connect to each other to form the integral assembly.

7. The integral assembly of claim 6 wherein the integral assembly defines an exterior portion of the mobile telephone.

8. The integral assembly of claim 7 wherein the glass member is a display or touch screen for the mobile telephone.

9. The integral assembly of claim 7 wherein the mobile telephone is a cellular telephone.

10. The integral assembly of claim 7 further comprising a compliant material wherein the compliant material forms an interface between at least a portion of the glass member and at least a portion of the metal housing member.

11. A method comprising:
applying at least one layer of a compliant material to an edge of a substantially planar transparent member having a softening temperature greater than or equal to 2000° F.; and
binding the compliant material to an edge of a bezel,
wherein binding the compliant material to the edge of the bezel creates an overall assembly between the substantially planar transparent member and the bezel,
wherein:
the bezel defines an opening and comprises an amorphous alloy,
the amorphous alloy being a liquid at a temperature that does not cause significant softening of the substantially planar transparent member;
the substantially planar transparent member is positioned within the opening; and
the overall assembly is part of a housing of an electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the substantially planar transparent member includes a first channel and the bezel includes a second channel, the compliant material being positioned at least partially in the first channel and at least partially in the second channel.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the compliant material is a gasket.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yeates Kyle H

Classifications

• H05K7/02

  Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure · CPC title

• C03C27/02

  by fusing glass directly to metal · CPC title

• Y10T428/2457

  Parallel ribs and/or grooves · CPC title

• B22D19/04 Primary

  for joining parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title