Electronic devices with cover layers mounted to displays

• US 10,088,863 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rappoport, Benjamin M., Franklin, Jeremy C., Lynch, Stephen Brian, Myers, Scott A., Raff, John, Howarth, Richard P., Chen, Wei, Stringer, Christopher J., Hoenig, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US14/812,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with a display cover layer mounted to the device using an adhesive bond with a display. The display may be a flexible display. The flexible display may include Organic Light Emitting Diode display technology. The display may be mounted to a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure may be mounted to a device housing member. Mounting the display cover layer to the display may eliminate the need to mount the display cover layer to the device housing and may allow active display pixels to be visible under the display cover layer closer to the device housing than in conventional devices. Providing the electronic device with active display pixels closer to the device housing may reduce the need for an inactive border around the display and may improve the aesthetic appeal of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a support structure mounted in the housing;

at least one display layer attached to the support structure using a first layer of adhesive, wherein the display layer has first and second portions and wherein the second portion bends behind the first portion; and

a display cover layer having opposing inner and outer surfaces, wherein the inner surface is attached to the at least one display layer with a second layer of adhesive and wherein the outer surface is completely uncovered by the housing.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one display layer comprises a flexible display layer having an array of pixels.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the pixels comprise organic light-emitting diode pixels.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the display cover layer has first and second opposing edges, wherein the outer surface extends from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the array of pixels are located in an active area that extends under the display cover layer from the first edge to the second edge.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises an electronic component.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises metal.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the support structure has at least one bent portion.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the bent portion is perpendicular to the outer surface of the display cover layer.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising a mounting member that attaches the bent portion of the support structure to the housing.

10. An electronic device having a housing, comprising:

a housing having first and second opposing inner edges;

an internal support member mounted to the housing;

at least one display layer attached to the internal support member and having an array of pixels; and

a transparent cover layer laminated to the at least one display layer, wherein the transparent cover layer has first and second opposing edges, wherein the first edge abuts the first inner edge of the housing and the second edge abuts the second inner edge of the housing, and wherein the array of pixels extends under the transparent cover layer from the first edge to the second edge.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the internal support member comprises a metal member that is mounted to the housing using a fastener.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the pixels comprise organic light-emitting diode pixels.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the internal support member has a bent portion that bends away from the transparent cover layer.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one display layer comprises a flexible display layer having a bent portion that bends away from the transparent cover layer.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one display layer having an active area with an array of pixels;

a cover layer laminated to the at least one display layer, wherein the cover layer has first and second opposing edges and wherein the active area extends under the cover layer from the first edge to the second edge;

a housing in which the at least one display layer is mounted, wherein the housing has an inner sidewall surface that surrounds the at least one display layer and that abuts the first and second edges of the cover layer; and

an internal metal support member to which the at least one display layer is mounted, wherein the internal metal support member is attached to the inner sidewall surface of the housing.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the cover layer is uncovered by the housing.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the display layer comprises a flexible display layer.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the flexible display layer has a bent portion that wraps around a portion of the internal metal support member.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 further comprising a layer of adhesive that attaches the flexible display layer to the internal metal support member.