ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING DISPLAY WITH BENT AREA

• US 20170149940A1
• Filed: 01/10/2017
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Min-Sung, BAEK, Sang-In, SON, Kwon-Ho, CHOI, Bong-Suk, KIM, Gyeong-Tae, CHU, Na-Young, KIM, Kyung-Pil, MOON, Hee-Cheul, SEO, Jae-Il
• Granted Patent: US 10,530,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• 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 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A portable electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a transparent front glass cover including a planar portion that forms a front surface of the electronic device, a planar rear glass cover that forms a rear surface of the electronic device, a metal bezel that surrounds a space formed by the front glass cover and the rear glass cover, and a flexible display device that is embedded in the space and exposed through the front glass cover. The front cover includes a left bent portion and a right bent portion on the left and right of the planar portion at the center of the front cover.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A portable communication device comprising:

a glass cover forming at least part of a front surface of the portable communication device, the glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a flexible display device including a touch screen disposed below the glass cover and a display area visible via the glass cover;

a metal cover forming at least part of a rear surface of the portable communication device; and

a metal bezel located between the glass cover and the metal cover, one side of the metal bezel connected to the glass cover and another side of the metal bezel connected to the metal cover, and the metal bezel including a first surface portion and a second surface portion facing each other in a first direction and having a first same height, and a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion facing each other in a second direction and having a second same height, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

23. The portable communication device of claim 22, wherein the metal cover comprises a third curved surface bent towards the first surface portion and a fourth curved surface bent towards the second surface portion.

24. The portable communication device of claim 22, wherein at least one surface portion of the first, second, third, or fourth surface portion is extended from the metal cover.

25. The portable communication device of claim 22, wherein a height of at least one ending portion of the first surface portion gradually changes from the first same height to the second same height.

26. The portable communication device of claim 22, wherein a height of at least one ending portion of the second surface portion gradually changes from the first same height to the second same height.

27. The portable communication device of claim 22, further comprising:

an infrared device disposed on the third surface portion.

28. A portable communication device comprising:

a front glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a flexible display device disposed below the front glass cover;

a rear cover including a third curved surface bent towards the first curved surface, and a fourth curved surface bent towards the second curved surface; and

a bezel including a first surface portion and a second surface portion composed of a conductive material and facing each other in a first direction, and a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion composed of the conductive material and facing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first surface portion having a first height and the third surface portion having a second height larger than the first height.

29. The portable communication device of claim 28, wherein the bezel comprises:

a first cut-off portion composed of a non-conductive material and formed between the first surface portion and the fourth surface portion, and

a second cut-off portion composed of the non-conductive material and formed between the second surface portion and the fourth surface portion.

30. The portable communication device of claim 29, wherein a first direction corresponding to a first length of the first cut-off portion is perpendicular to a second direction corresponding to a second length of the first surface portion.

31. The portable communication device of claim 29, wherein the bezel comprises:

a third cut-off portion composed of the non-conductive material and formed between the first surface portion and the third surface portion, and

a fourth cut-off portion composed of the non-conductive material and formed between the second surface portion and the third surface portion.

32. The portable communication device of claim 28, further comprising:

a connector opening or a speaker hole formed on the third surface portion or the fourth surface portion.

33. The portable communication device of claim 28, further comprising:

a nearfield communication antenna disposed below the rear cover.

34. The portable communication device of claim 28, further comprising:

a touch screen disposed below the first curved surface or the second curved surface.

35. A portable communication device comprising:

a front glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a touch screen disposed below the front glass cover;

a rear cover; and

a bezel including a first surface portion composed of a conductive material, a second surface portion composed of the conductive material, and a cut-off portion composed of a non-conductive material and disposed between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, the first and second portions and the cut-off portion together forming at least a portion of a side surface of the portable communication device.

36. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein the bezel comprises a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion composed of the conductive material, and another cut-off portion composed of the non-conductive material and disposed between the third surface portion and the fourth surface portion, the third and fourth surface portions and the other cut-off portion together forming at least another portion of the side surface of the portable communication device.

37. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein the rear cover comprises a third curved surface bent towards the first surface portion and a fourth curved surface bent towards the second surface portion.

38. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein the first surface portion has a first height and the third surface portion has a second height larger than the first height.

39. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein at least one surface portion of the first, second, third, or fourth surface portion is extended from the rear cover.

40. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein the touch screen comprises a flexible organic light emitting diode display extended below the planar surface, the first curved surface, and the second curved surface.

41. The portable communication device of claim 35, wherein the touch screen comprises:

a first display area corresponding to the planar surface to display a first screen, and

a second display area corresponding to the first curved surface or the second curved surface to display a second screen different from the first screen.

42. A portable communication device comprising:

a glass cover forming at least part of a front surface of the portable communication device, the glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a flexible display device including a touch screen disposed below the glass cover and a display area visible via the glass cover;

a metal cover forming at least part of a rear surface of the portable communication device, the metal cover including a planar portion formed in a central portion of the portable communication device, a third curved portion formed on a left side of the planar portion and bent towards a first outer edge of the rear surface of the portable communication device, and a fourth curved portion formed on a right side of the planar portion and bent towards a second outer edge of the rear surface of the portable communication device; and

a metal bezel, located as an integrated component of the metal cover, located between the glass cover and the metal cover, and the metal bezel including a first surface portion and a second surface portion facing each other in a first direction and having a first same height, and a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion facing each other in a second direction and having a second same height, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the third curved portion and the fourth curved portion are configured as side surfaces of the portable communication device together with the third surface portion and the fourth surface portion of the metal bezel.

43. A portable communication device comprising:

a front glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a flexible display device disposed below the front glass cover;

a rear cover including a third curved surface bent towards the first curved surface, and a fourth curved surface bent towards the second curved surface; and

a bezel, formed as an integrated component of the rear cover, located between the front glass cover and the rear cover, and the bezel including a first surface portion and a second surface portion composed of a conductive material and facing each other in a first direction, and a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion composed of the conductive material and facing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first surface portion having a first height and the third surface portion having a second height larger than the first height,

wherein the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface are configured as side surfaces of the portable communication device together with the third surface portion and the fourth surface portion of the bezel.

44. A portable communication device comprising:

a front glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a touch screen disposed below the front glass cover;

a rear cover including a third curved surface bent towards the first curved surface, and a fourth curved surface bent towards the second curved surface; and

a bezel, formed as an integrated component of the rear cover, located between the front glass cover and the rear cover, and the bezel including a first surface portion composed of a conductive material, a second surface portion composed of the conductive material, and a cut-off portion composed of a non-conductive material and disposed between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, the first and second portions and the cut-off portion together forming at least a portion of a side surface of the portable communication device,

wherein the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface are configured as side surfaces of the portable communication device together with the third surface portion and the fourth surface portion of the bezel.

45. A portable communication device comprising:

a glass cover forming at least part of a front surface of the portable communication device, the glass cover including a planar surface, a first curved surface extended from a first edge of the planar surface, and a second curved surface extended from a second edge of the planar surface opposite to the first edge;

a flexible display device including a touch screen disposed below the glass cover and a display area visible via the glass cover;

a metal cover forming at least part of a rear surface of the portable communication device; and

a metal bezel, located as an integrated component of the metal cover, located between the glass cover and the metal cover, and the metal bezel including a first surface portion and a second surface portion facing each other in a first direction and having a first same height, and a third surface portion and a fourth surface portion facing each other in a second direction and having a second same height, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.