Fused glass device housings

Abstract

An electronic device may have glass housing structures. The glass housing structures may be used to cover a display and other internal electronic device components. The glass housing structure may have multiple glass pieces that are joined using a glass fusing process. A peripheral glass member may be fused along the edge of a planar glass member to enhance the thickness of the edge. A rounded edge feature may be formed by machining the thickened edge. Raised fused glass features may surround openings in the planar glass member. Multiple planar glass members may be fused together to form a five-sided box in which electronic components may be mounted. Raised support structure ribs may be formed by fusing glass structures to a planar glass member. Opaque masking material and colored glass may be used to create portions of the glass housing structures that hide internal device components from view.

Description

Background technique [0001] The present invention relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to glass structures for electronic devices. [0002] Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, handheld computers, and portable music players often include housings with glass members. For example, a device with a display may have a glass cover that acts as a protective layer. In some devices, the rear housing surface may be formed from a glass layer. [0003] To ensure satisfactory robustness, it is often desirable to form device housing structures, such as the cover glass layer and housing surfaces, with sufficiently strong structures to avoid damage during accidental impact events. For example, it is often advantageous to form a portable device susceptible to a drop event with a structure capable of withstanding the forces involved in a typical drop event without causing undue damage. [0004] Glass strength and device aesthetics can sometimes be enhanced by using...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

If care is not taken, modifications made to ensure that the device has a sufficiently strong glass structure will result in a device with excessive weight and bulk

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