Electronic devices with flexible displays having fastened bent edges

• US 8,724,304 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Raff, John, Myers, Scott A., Stringer, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US13/452,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 348/794, 348/330.07, 348/375, 361/749, 361/679.01, 361/679.04, 361/679.3, 361/679.06, 361/679.27, 361/679.29, 361/679.05, 345/168, 345/33, 345/211, 345/173, 345/55, 345/690, 345/156, 345/1, 345/3, 345/8, 345/204, 345/905, 257/247, 257/43, 257/88, 257/91, 455/566, 455/566.2, 455/566.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.4
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• 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: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a rigid carrier structure;

a flexible display having a planar central portion and a bent portion; and

a support structure having a protruding portion, wherein the planar central portion of the flexible display is attached to the rigid carrier structure and a first surface of the protruding portion and wherein the bent portion of the flexible display is bent around an edge of the protruding portion of the support structure and is attached to a second surface of the protruding portion of the support structure.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising a housing sidewall member.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the bent portion of the flexible display is fastened between the housing sidewall member and the support structure.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3, wherein the second surface of the protruding portion of the support structure is perpendicular to the first surface of the extended portion.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of fastening members configured to attach the housing sidewall member to the support structure.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the housing sidewall member includes openings, wherein the support structure includes openings, and wherein the fastening members are engaged in the openings in the support structure through the openings in the housing sidewall member.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the housing sidewall member includes additional openings and wherein the support structure includes extended portions with openings, the electronic device further comprising:

additional fastening members that are configured to pass through the openings in the extended portions of the support structure and engage in the additional openings in the housing sidewall member.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a transparent cover layer attached to the housing sidewall member, wherein the transparent cover layer includes a notch configured to receive a portion of the housing sidewall member; and

adhesive interposed between the notch and the portion of the housing sidewall member.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the transparent cover layer includes a lensing portion configured to correct distortions in images displayed using the bent portion the flexible display.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 3 further comprising a rear housing member attached to the housing sidewall member.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 3, further comprising at least one internal electronic component, wherein the support structure includes a recess and wherein the internal electronic component is mounted in the recess.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a flexible display;

a support structure having a planar front surface and at least one rounded edge, wherein the flexible display includes a first portion that is attached to the planar front portion and a second portion that is wrapped around the rounded edge of the support structure; and

a clamp attached to the support structure, wherein the second portion of the flexible display is fastened between the clamp and the support structure.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the support structure comprises openings having engagement structures and wherein the clamp is attached to the support structure using fastening members that engage the engagement structures in the openings.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the support structure includes a recess configured to receive electronic components.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 further comprising a housing that includes a rear housing member, wherein the electronic components are mounted within the recess between a portion of the support structure and the rear housing member.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 further comprising a transparent cover layer attached to the rear housing member.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the transparent cover layer includes a planar portion and curved edge portions, wherein the first portion of the flexible display is covered by the planar portion of the transparent cover layer and wherein at least part of the second portion of the flexible display is covered by the curved edge portions of the transparent cover layer.

18. A method of assembling a display assembly for an electronic device, the method comprising:

attaching a central portion of a flexible display to a first surface of a rigid support structure;

partially wrapping edge portions of the flexible display around an edge of the rigid support structure by pressing the flexible display and the rigid support structure against a fixed mounting member;

pressing the edge portions of the flexible display against a second surface of the rigid support structure by pressing a clamping member against the edge portions of the flexible display; and

fastening the edge portions of the flexible display between the clamping structure and the rigid support structure by attaching the clamping member to the rigid support structure.

19. The method defined in claim 18 further comprising:

before pressing the edge portions of the flexible display against the second surface of the rigid support structure, further wrapping the edge portions of the flexible display by pressing movable pushing members against the partially wrapped edge portions of the flexible display.

20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein pressing movable pushing members against the partially wrapped edge portions of the flexible display comprises turning actuating members that are coupled to the movable pushing members.

21. The method defined in claim 18 wherein attaching the central portion of a flexible display to the first surface of the rigid support structure comprises:

aligning the central portion of the flexible display with the first surface of the rigid support structure using alignment marks on the flexible display and corresponding alignment marks on the rigid support structure; and

attaching the aligned central portion of the flexible display to the first surface of the rigid support structure using adhesive.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing member;

a flexible display; and

first and second internal support members that are separate from the housing member and that have respective first and second surfaces, wherein the flexible display has first and second portions separated by a bend, wherein the first portion is attached to the first surface and the second portion is attached to the second surface, and wherein the second portion of the flexible display is interposed between the housing member and the second surface of the second internal support member.

23. The electronic device defined in claim 22 wherein the first and second internal support members are configured to form a curved surface and wherein the flexible display conforms to the curved surface at the bend.

24. The electronic device defined in claim 23 wherein the housing member is configured to secure the second portion of the flexible display between the housing member and the second surface of the second internal support member.

25. The electronic device defined in claim 24 further comprising at least one structure that biases the housing member towards the second internal support member to secure the second portion of the flexible display.

26. The electronic device defined in claim 25 wherein the structure comprises a screw that attaches the housing member to the second internal support member.

27. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the first internal support member comprises a planar internal support member, wherein the second internal support member comprises a curved portion, and wherein the curved surface includes the curved portion.

28. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the first internal support member comprises a curved portion and wherein the curved surface includes the curved portion.

29. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the first and second internal support members each comprise a curved portion and wherein the curved surface includes the curved portions of the first and second internal support members.