Abstract: A water dispensing assembly is provided that is adapted to connect to a fire hydrant water outlet, the fire hydrant being connected to a water supply, for safely dispensing clean water for filling water bottles and the like. The water dispensing assembly is a self-contained unit that is relatively compact and low maintenance. The water dispensing assembly can be housed in an enclosed box-like housing structure that is tamper proof so that it cannot be accessed or modified by the public at large.

Abstract: Systems such as electronic device systems may be provided with components such as displays and cameras mounted in an interior region of a housing. A transparent layer may be mounted to the housing and may overlap the components. The transparent layer may have glass layers and polymer layers attached to the glass layers.

Abstract: A component for an electronic device including an internal compressive stress region is disclosed herein. The internal compressive stress region may be created in a glass portion of the component or in a glass ceramic portion of the component. Electronic devices comprising the components and method for making the components are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system may have a support structure and a glass layer that separate an exterior region surrounding the system from an interior region. Components may be mounted in the interior region. The components may include an optical component. The glass layer may have a first area that overlaps the optical component and that serves as an optical component window for the optical component. The glass layer may also have a second area that surrounds the first area and does not overlap the optical component. The first area may be selectively weakened relative to the second area to prevent excessive glass fracturing during a damage event from obscuring the optical component. Selective weakening may be provided with laser-induced-damage features, recesses from local thinning, and/or glass-weakening deposited thin films such as physical vapor deposition thin-film coatings of inorganic dielectric.

Abstract: A component for an electronic device including an internal compressive stress region is disclosed herein. The internal compressive stress region may be created in a glass portion of the component or in a glass ceramic portion of the component. Electronic devices comprising the components and method for making the components are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic device may have optical components that each have first and second transparent layers such as first and second glass layers. The glass layers may have outer surfaces that face away from each other and inner surfaces that face towards each other. A polymer layer is formed between the inner surfaces of the glass layers. Along the periphery of each optical component, a hermetic seal is formed to protect the polymer material of the polymer layer. The seal may have a moisture barrier layer that is attached to the first and second glass layers. The moisture barrier layer may be supported by an elastomeric buffer member. The moisture barrier layer may be formed from metal film or a polymer layer or other substrate that is coated with a moisture-impermeable coating. The moisture-impermeable coating may be formed from one or more thin-film metal layers and/or one more thin-film dielectric layers.

Abstract: Differentially strengthened cover members for electronic devices are disclosed. The differentially strengthened cover members include at least one chemically strengthened zone that improves the resistance of the cover member to cracking. One or more of the chemically strengthened zones may cover or at least partially surround a portion of the cover member to be protected from damage.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating a chemically strengthened housing component for an electronic device are disclosed. These methods may allow non-destructive determination of whether the chemical strengthening of the component meets specifications. Systems suitable for use with the methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic device including an optical component and an enclosure comprising a glass ceramic region is disclosed. The optical properties of the glass ceramic region and the positioning of the glass ceramic region with respect to the optical component can affect the performance of the optical component, the visual appearance of the optical component, or both.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a display and other optical components such as optical sensors. The display and other components may be overlapped by chemically strengthened glass coherent fiber bundles. The surfaces of a coherent fiber bundle may include ion-exchanged glass that places theses surfaces under compressive stress. In some configurations, the coherent fiber bundle is symmetrically stressed and has equal amounts of compressive stress on opposing surfaces. In other configurations, the coherent fiber bundle is asymmetrically stressed and has more compressive stress on one surface than the other. The coherent fiber bundle may have areas with curved cross-sectional profiles, planar areas, and/or areas with compound curvature. Sensor windows may be formed in the coherent fiber bundle that are surrounded by an opaque area. When overlapping a display, the coherent fiber bundle may serve as a display cover glass layer.

Abstract: A rear impact guard includes at least one vertical member, and a horizontal member connected to a distal end of the at least one vertical member, the horizontal member having a plurality of through passages allowing for air flow through the horizontal member.

Abstract: A system for loss prevention and loss recovery of portable electronic devices. The system includes a server administered by an administrator, a software application executable on a portable electronic device in communication with the server, a unique registration identifier associated with the portable electronic device, and a distance tracking device. The association between the portable electronic device and the unique registration identifier is stored on the server. The software application is configured to connect to the distance tracking device. The distance tracking device is configured to provide a notification when the distance tracking device is further than a predetermined boundary from the portable electronic device. When the unique registration identifier is entered at a website associated with the server, return delivery information is provided.

Abstract: Electronic device components that include a glass portion and a ceramic or a glass ceramic portion are disclosed. The ceramic or glass ceramic portions of the component may be located to provide desired performance characteristics to the component, which may be an enclosure component. In addition, regions of compressive stress may be formed within the glass portion, the glass ceramic portion, or both to further adjust the performance characteristics of the component. Electronic devices including the components and methods for making the components are also provided.

Abstract: An electronic device including an optical component and an enclosure comprising a glass ceramic region is disclosed. The optical properties of the glass ceramic region and the positioning of the glass ceramic region with respect to the optical component can affect the performance of the optical component, the visual appearance of the optical component, or both.

Abstract: A system for loss prevention and loss recovery of portable electronic devices. The system includes a server administered by an administrator, a software application executable on a portable electronic device in communication with the server, a unique registration identifier associated with the portable electronic device, and a distance tracking device. The association between the portable electronic device and the unique registration identifier is stored on the server. The software application is configured to connect to the distance tracking device. The distance tracking device is configured to provide a notification when the distance tracking device is further than a predetermined boundary from the portable electronic device. When the unique registration identifier is entered at a website associated with the server, return delivery information is provided.

Abstract: A component for an electronic device including an internal compressive stress region is disclosed herein. The internal compressive stress region may be created in a glass portion of the component or in a glass ceramic portion of the component. Electronic devices comprising the components and method for making the components are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating a chemically strengthened housing component for an electronic device are disclosed. These methods may allow non-destructive determination of whether the chemical strengthening of the component meets specifications.

Abstract: A system for loss prevention and loss recovery of portable electronic devices. The system includes a server administered by an administrator, a software application executable on a portable electronic device in communication with the server, a unique registration identifier associated with the portable electronic device, and a distance tracking device. The association between the portable electronic device and the unique registration identifier is stored on the server. The software application is configured to connect to the distance tracking device. The distance tracking device is configured to provide a notification when the distance tracking device is further than a predetermined boundary from the portable electronic device. When the unique registration identifier is entered at a website associated with the server, return delivery information is provided.

Abstract: A component for an electronic device including an internal compressive stress region is disclosed herein. The internal compressive stress region may be created in a glass portion of the component or in a glass ceramic portion of the component. Electronic devices comprising the components and method for making the components are also disclosed.

Abstract: Components of an electronic device, such as glass articles, are susceptible to breakage, especially in regions where machining a glass article has created flaws. Chemical strengthening can be performed to create deeper compression layers at regions of a glass article that have been machined, include and/or are adjacent to an edge feature, have greater surface roughness, and/or have more or deeper cracks.