Techniques for making glass components for electronic devices are disclosed. The techniques disclosed can be used to shape a glass workpiece to form a three-dimensional glass component, such as a glass cover member. Glass components and enclosures and electronic devices including the glass components are also disclosed.

Techniques for making glass components for electronic devices are disclosed. The techniques disclosed herein can be used to modify a glass workpiece to form a three-dimensional glass component, such as a glass cover member. The techniques may involve reshaping the glass workpiece, fusing glass layers of the workpiece, or combinations of these. Glass components and electronic devices including these components are also disclosed.

A cover glass includes: a flat portion disposed on a display panel which is curved and displays an image; and curved portions respectively extending from opposing ends of the flat portion. A virtual straight line is defined perpendicular to the flat portion, end surfaces of the curved portions respectively form an angle of about 90 degrees to 180 degrees with respect to the virtual straight line, and the curved portions forming the angle of about 90 degrees to 180 degrees with respect to the virtual straight line include end portions of a preliminary cover glass which are bent by engagement of a lower mold with an upper mold having the preliminary cover glass disposed therebetween

Disclosed is a method of forming a glass article in which a glass sheet is bent over a forming surface of a chuck. The forming surface defines a first shape including a curvature having a radius of curvature of 1000 mm or less, and the glass sheet includes a first major surface in contact with the forming surface. A frame is adhered to a second major surface of the glass sheet. The frame includes a frame support surface defining a second shape including a second curvature having a second radius of curvature of 1000 mm or less. A total force is applied to the glass sheet so that the glass sheet forms a third shape including a third curvature having a third radius of curvature of 1000 mm or less. The third shape deviates from the second shape by 2 mm or less across the frame support surface.

The present disclosure relates to a curved glass thermal forming device and method. The curved glass thermal forming device includes a furnace body having a feed port and a discharge port, wherein the furnace body includes a heating segment, a forming segment and a cooling segment, a rotary table capable of rotating and used for circularly conveying glass to the heating segment, the forming segment and the cooling segment in sequence is arranged in the furnace body, a plurality of female dies for carrying glass are arranged on the rotary table so as to cooperate with a male die in the forming segment to perform press fit forming on the glass.

A glass sheet forming station for forming a glass sheet may include an upper mold, a lower outer mold arrangement and a lower inner mold arrangement disposed inwardly of the lower outer mold arrangement and movable relative to the lower outer mold arrangement. The lower outer mold arrangement may include first and second outer longitudinal support portions and first and second outer lateral support portions that are each configured to contact the glass sheet. The lower inner mold arrangement may include first and second inner longitudinal support portions and first and second inner lateral support portions that are each configured to contact the glass sheet. Furthermore, the lower outer mold arrangement and the lower inner mold arrangement may each be operable to press the glass sheet against the upper mold.

In some embodiments, a process comprises fixing a first portion of a flexible glass substrate into a first fixed shape with a first rigid support structure and attaching a first display to the first portion of the flexible glass substrate or to the first rigid support structure. After fixing the first portion and attaching the first display, and while maintaining the first fixed shape of the first portion of the flexible glass substrate and the attached first display, cold-forming a second portion of the flexible glass substrate to a second fixed shape and fixing the second portion of the flexible glass substrate into the second fixed shape with a second rigid support structure.

An opaque gahnite-spinel glass ceramic is provided. The glass ceramic includes a first crystal phase including (Mg.sub.xZn.sub.1-x)Al.sub.2O.sub.4 where x is less than 1 and a second crystal phase includes at least one of tetragonal ZrO.sub.2, MgTa.sub.2O.sub.6, mullite, and cordierite. The glass ceramic has a Young's modulus greater than or equal to 90 GPa, and has a hardness greater than or equal to 7.5 GPa. The glass ceramic may be ion exchanged. Methods for producing the glass ceramic are also provided.

A device for manufacturing curved glass, includes a bending station that has a solid concave bending upper mold and a complementary lower countermold, the upper mold being placed above the lower countermold, a conveyor to convey the glass to a final holder placed under the bending upper mold, the final holder being circumscribed, seen from above, by the lower countermold, the final holder forming a surface for receiving the glass, the glass being in an optimal bending position when on this surface, the lower countermold being of the frame type and being able to move vertically in order to pass below or above the surface for receiving the glass, the bending upper mold and the lower countermold being able to move with a relative vertical movement that allows them to be brought together, in order to clamp therebetween the periphery of the glass, and to move apart from each other.

In some embodiments, a process comprises fixing a first portion of a flexible glass substrate into a first fixed shape with a first rigid support structure and attaching a first display to the first portion of the flexible glass substrate or to the first rigid support structure. After fixing the first portion and attaching the first display, and while maintaining the first fixed shape of the first portion of the flexible glass substrate and the attached first display, cold-forming a second portion of the flexible glass substrate to a second fixed shape and fixing the second portion of the flexible glass substrate into the second fixed shape with a second rigid support structure.