Apple Patent Describes Future Sapphire Glass Uses

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week published a patent application from Apple, reports AppleInsider. Entitled "Attachment Techniques". The application gives us insight into how the company may use Sapphire glass in the future, describes how sapphire may be securely fastened to an electronic device, and also gives insight as to how the material could be used to dissipate heat generated by a device.

Sapphire could be used as a heat spreader

The patent points out how difficult it is to attach sapphire to existing materials, and also notes the current implementation of sapphire as a cover for the rear camera on the iPhone. Apple suggests effective methods for using sapphire as a cover glass would involve creating an aperture within a sapphire substrate, then a heated second material with a lower melting point – metal or plastic – poured into the aperture. The next step would be to use the hardened and cooled material’s metallic portion as an attachment point to which other materials could be coupled.

The aperture formed in the substrate may have one or more securing features to help hold the second material within the aperture. For example, the aperture may have one or more tapered sidewalls. Alternatively, or additionally, the aperture may have a notch or step in one or more sidewalls. In still other embodiments, an interior surface of the aperture may be threaded or include a lip or protrusion that serves as a securing feature. It should be appreciated that other securing features may be implemented and, further, that multiple securing features may be used in conjunction.

Currently, Apple uses small pieces of sapphire glass to protect the iPhone’s cameras and the home button of the iPhone 5s, which features a fingerprint sensor.