Electronic Devices With Convex Displays

• US 20120243151A1
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• 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: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with convex displays. A convex display may be used to maximize the internal volume of a device. Convex displays may be formed from one or more flexible layers. A flexible display layer may be mounted to a rigid support structure or a rigid cover layer. Flexible display layers that conform to the curved shape of a rigid structure may provide additional internal volume in which internal components of the device may be positioned.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing; and

a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display has a flexible display layer that conforms to a convex outer surface of a rigid support structure.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display further comprises an adhesive layer, and wherein the adhesive layer attaches the flexible display layer to the convex outer surface of the rigid support structure.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display further comprises a touch-sensitive layer.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the display further comprises first and second adhesive layers, wherein the first adhesive layer attaches the flexible display layer to the touch-sensitive layer, and wherein the second adhesive layer attaches the flexible display layer to the convex outer surface of the rigid support structure.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the flexible display layer comprises image pixels formed from organic light-emitting diodes.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 4, wherein the housing has at least one opening, wherein the opening is associated with a connector port, the electronic device further comprising a connector structure mounted in the connector port.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing; and

a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display includes a rigid cover layer having at least one convex outer surface and having at least one associated concave inner surface and includes a flexible display layer that conforms to the concave inner surface.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the display further comprises an adhesive layer, and wherein the adhesive layer bonds the flexible display layer to the concave inner surface of the rigid cover layer.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the rigid cover layer comprises glass.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible display layer comprises image pixels formed from organic light-emitting diodes.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the flexible display layer comprises image pixels formed from organic light-emitting diodes.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the display further comprises a touch sensor layer that conforms to the concave inner surface.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the concave display further comprises first and second adhesive layers, wherein the first adhesive layer attaches the flexible display layer to the touch sensor layer, and wherein the second adhesive layer attaches the touch sensor layer to the concave inner surface of the display.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein touch sensor layer comprises indium-tin-oxide electrodes.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising an internal component, wherein the concave inner surface of the display provides an additional internal volume for the electronic device, and wherein the internal component is mounted at least partially in the additional internal volume.

16. An electronic device having at least a front surface and a rear surface, comprising:

electronic components interposed between the front and rear surfaces; and

a display that substantially covers at least the front and rear surfaces and that surrounds the electronic components, wherein the display comprises a rigid cover layer having at least one inner surface and a flexible display layer that is bent to conform to the inner surface.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the display further comprises a touch-sensitive layer attached to at least a portion of the flexible display layer.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the inner surface comprises a concave inner surface, the electronic device further comprising a connector structure and a housing having an opening, wherein the connector structure is mounted in the opening to form a connector port.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the electronic device has at least two sidewall surfaces, and wherein the display substantially covers the two sidewall surfaces.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 wherein the display has at least two edges, and wherein the edges of the display are joined by a joining member.