Apple Awarded Patent for `Fused Glass Device Housing’

Recently Apple was granted a U.S. patent for a method on building a device with all glass outer casing by puttingpieces together for a complete seamless final look. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded Apple U.S. Patent for `Fused glass device housing’, which is a procedure that enables the efficient fabrication of seamless all-glass electronics device casings.

This all glass casing device would be used to hold the internal circuitry of an iOS device as well as larger electronics such as a TV or a monitor. Its structures are designed to enable maximum durability. Apple’s all glass structures are heavy especially if the material is used to protect against scratches, accidental damage or drops and the company has proposed a new creation method which ensures a light weight design that is durable with eye pleasing aesthetics.

Apple’s suggestion is to join the glass pieces together through a fusing process instead of using a completely glass on glass build and according to the patent, the planar edges and the peripheral glass members can be fused together forming a sufficiently thick brand of material which could be machined down to the desired shape.

Complete Glass Encased Device

The patent would permit Apple to build a complete glass encased device unlike the iPhone 4, which features a back and front glass panels which will enable a complete different aesthetic when compared to other device makers’ designs. All glass Retina Cinema Display would draw much attention with regards to monitor and an all glass iPhone would draw even more attention than usual.

To enhance the integrity of the casing’s structure, raised glass features could be fused to the planar member at weak points in the build like including addition glass structures along the holes or opening in the glass member and internal support ribs which are placed for reducing flexing and breakage.

To serve as holes for buttons, cut outs in the glass surface can be done together with other physical device controls. Glass members are fused together in some embodiments, to develop a five sided box where circuitry, displays and other internal components could be inserted, or pushed into placed. This could be crucial for larger electronics like monitors or televisions which are mounted on stands.

Glass Strengthening Techniques

The backside which is on the opposite side of the display could be tinted to a translucent shade or opaque in order to hid the batteries, flex cables and chips but Apple provides an option to keep the sides transparent and part of planar glass members could be roughened in order to help scatter as well as diffuse light around the display edges.

When all the internals are intact and well placed, an end cap is inserted over the opening to seal off the structure from dirt and dust. At the final stage, the patent focuses on details like polishing and glass strengthening techniques with alternative embodiments which may involve extruded hollow glass rods with fused end caps.

Attention is given to glass fusing methods which may reduce frit to leave seamless joints. The company’s seamless fused glass housing patent was filed first in the year 2013 and credits as its inventors, go to Peter Russel-Clarke, Michael K. Pilliod and SVP of Design Jony Ive.