Beta-Spodumene Glass-Ceramic Enclosure for Lightweight Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of enclosures for portable computing devices faces challenges in balancing lightness and strength, with lighter enclosures being flexible and prone to damage, while stronger enclosures are heavier and less user-friendly.
Innovation Solution
Development of white, opaque β-spodumene glass-ceramics with specific crystalline phases and compositions that provide a balance of lightness, strength, and aesthetic appeal, suitable for use in electronic device housings, which can be formulated to have low softening points and coefficients of thermal expansion for complex shape manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lighter enclosure structures are used, then weight is reduced, but strength and rigidity deteriorate causing buckling and bowing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs glass-ceramic composite material that combines glass matrix with crystalline phases (beta-quartz solid solution and/or beta-spodumene solid solution) to achieve both light weight and high strength properties, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance
2Strength
If stronger enclosure structures are used, then strength and rigidity are improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The glass-ceramic composite material provides high strength-to-weight ratio by integrating crystalline phases within glass matrix, achieving superior strength without proportionally increasing weight
3Length of moving object
If thinner enclosure structures are used, then device thickness is reduced, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The composite glass-ceramic structure enables thinner enclosure designs while maintaining structural integrity through the synergistic combination of glass matrix and crystalline phases that provide both thinness capability and strength
4Strength
If more fasteners are used, then structural rigidity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high strength properties of glass-ceramic material allow reduction in fastener quantity while maintaining structural rigidity, thereby simplifying the overall enclosure design and reducing device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The β-spodumene glass-ceramics offer improved whiteness and opacity levels, enhanced strength, and flexibility, addressing the design challenges of creating lightweight yet robust enclosures for portable computing devices while maintaining user satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
Glass-ceramics are typically made by crystallizing crystallizable glasses at specified temperatures for specified periods of time to nucleate and grow crystalline phases in a glass matrix
Implementation Method 2
IXable, white, opaque, β-spodumene glass-ceramics
Data Source
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AI summary
Crystallizable glasses, glass-ceramics, IXable glass-ceramics, and IΧ glass-ceramics are disclosed. The glass-ceramics exhibit β-spodumene ss as the predominant crystalline phase. These glasses and glass-ceramics, in mole%, include: 62-75 SiO2; 10.5-18 A12O3; 5-14 Li20; 2-12 B2O3; and 0.4-2 Fe203. Additionally, these glasses and glass-ceramics can exhibit the following criteria: a ratio: Li2O+Na20+K20+MgO+Zn0 [A12O3] between 0.8 to 1.5. The glass-ceramics also exhibit colors at an observer angle of 10° and a CIE illuminant F02 determined with specular reflectance of a* between -0.5 and 0.5, b* between -2.5 and +2, and L* between 90 and 93.