Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[Gamesc]

Published through USPTO today by Apple. Dealing with watch assembly.


http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=%22Amorphous+metal%22&OS=%22Amorphous+metal%22&RS=%22Amorphous+metal%22

[0045] The body 118 defines a recess 221 in which the cover member 120 is at least partially disposed. The body 118 (or portions thereof) may be formed from a metal material (e.g., steel, titanium, gold, silver, tungsten, aluminum, amorphous metal alloy, nickel, metal alloys, and the like), ceramic, polymer, or any other appropriate material. In FIG. 2, the body 118 is a single, monolithic component. In other embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 4A, 6, and 7A, the body 118 includes multiple components that are coupled together.

[0046] The cover member 120 is positioned at least partially in the recess 221, and is at least partially surrounded by a frame 210. The frame 210 defines a perimeter of the recess 221 and may be a portion of the body 118. For example, the frame 210 may be integrally formed with the body 118.

"[0047] The cover member 120 comprises an outer surface 202 (e.g., a first surface) that faces away from the device 102 and defines at least a portion of an exterior surface of the input assembly 110. The cover member 120 also comprises an inner surface 204 (e.g., a second surface) that is opposite the outer surface 202 and that faces towards the input assembly 110 and/or the device 102. The cover member 120 may be formed from zirconia or from other appropriate materials, such as sapphire, glass, ceramic, polymer, a metal material (e.g., steel, titanium, gold, silver, tungsten, aluminum, amorphous metal alloy, or nickel), or the like. Where a cover member is formed from ceramic, it may be referred to as a ceramic member. Similarly, where a cover member is formed from zirconia, it may be referred to as a zirconia member. The cover member 120 may be any appropriate thickness, such as less than or equal to about 500 microns. In some cases, the cover member 120 is about 100 microns thick.
[0051] As another example, a mounting arm 208 may be inserted into a hole 212 and heated until the mounting arm 208 and the cover member 120 fuse together (e.g., a sintering process). Where the mounting arm 208 and the cover member 120 are sintered, the materials of these components may be selected for their ability to fuse to one another at a temperature that is not detrimental to either material. For example, in some cases, the mounting arm 208 is formed from tungsten, and the cover member 120 is formed from zirconia. Tungsten may be selected because it fuses to zirconia during sintering, and because tungsten can be welded to the body 118, as described below. However, the mounting arm 208 may be formed from any material that can be suitably coupled with both the cover member 120 and the body 118, such as metal materials (e.g., steel, titanium, aluminum, amorphous metal alloys, metal alloys), ceramics, or polymers. "