Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[joshuaeyu]

This is the holy grail patent that was licensed ONLY to Apple (NOT TO CIP) somehow back in 2015.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10131022B2/en

Application US14/396,265 events
2012-04-23
Application filed by Apple Inc
2012-04-23
Priority to PCT/US2012/034680
2015-01-14
Assigned to APPLE INC.
2015-05-07
Publication of US20150121677A1
2018-11-20
Application granted
2018-11-20
Publication of US10131022B2
2019-10-01
Application status is Active
2035-01-09
Adjusted expiration

With that being said, it is "referenced" back to a LQMT patent back in 2004.

Forming an amorphous alloy frame for electronic hardware and flat panel displays is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,490, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The frame is formed and then the remaining components of the electronic device are attached thereto. Specifically, the overall assembly that includes the metal frame and optionally a glass or transparent component (and other electronic components) inserted therein are held together by a press fit, using adhesive materials, and/or using mechanical structures such as screws. If the tolerance matches between the metal frame and the other components are not strictly maintained, the integrity of the overall assembly may be compromised. For relatively small assemblies, maintaining critical tolerances between metal frames and glass components such that tolerance mismatches are unlikely to occur may be difficult.

https://patents.justia.com/patent/6771490

A metal frame for electronic hardware and a method of manufacturing such a frame wherein at least a portion of the frame is made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys or bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy-composites is provided. The metal frames of the invention are preferably made of bulk-forming amorphous alloys or bulk-forming amorphous alloy-composites having an elastic limit for the metal frame of at least about 1.5%, and preferably greater than about 2.0%, a &Dgr;Tsc of more than 30° C., and at least one of the following properties: a hardness value of about 4 GPA or more, and preferably 5.5 GPA or more; a yield strength of about 2 GPa or more; a fracture toughness of about 10 ksi-sqrt(in) (sqrt:squre root) or more, and preferably 20 ksi sqrt(in) or more; and a density of at least 4.5 g/cc or more.