Invisible, light-transmissive display system

• US 8,729,457 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Andre, Bartley K., Coster, Daniel J., Howarth, Richard P., de luliis, Daniele, Ive, Jonathan P., Kerr, Duncan Robert, Nishibori, Shin, Rohrbach, Matthew Dean, Satzger, Douglas B., Seid, Calvin Q., Stringer, Christopher J., Whang, Eugene Antony, Zorkendorfer, Rico, Morgenstern, David, Chow, Paul C. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn, Seung C
• Application Number:
  US12/973,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.26, 345/173, 428/690, 405/80
• US Class Current: 250/227.26
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/10 for personal use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/06 using individual cut-out symbols or cut-out silhouettes, e.g. perforated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/08 using both translucent and non-translucent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

An invisible, light-transmissive display system with a light resistant material is provided. Substantially invisible, tapered, light-transmissive holes are penetrated in a light-transmissive pattern through at least a portion of the light resistant material using a laser beam having a focal width less than the smallest diameter of the tapered holes.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a light-transmissive system, comprising:

providing a material with a first surface and a second surface; and

forming a pattern of a plurality of holes through the material between the first surface and the second surface, wherein at least a first hole of the plurality of holes is invisible at the first surface and tapered, and wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface is opaque.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises using a laser beam having a focal width less than the smallest diameter of the first hole.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises trepanning a laser beam through the material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises orbiting a laser beam around the edge of the first hole.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises:

orbiting a laser beam on the second surface to define the initial and largest diameter of the first hole; and

as the first hole extends into the material towards the first surface, tightening the orbit of the laser beam to reduce the diameter of the first hole.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises:

orbiting a laser beam on the second surface to define the initial and largest diameter of the first hole; and

as the first hole extends into the material towards the first surface, tightening the orbit of the laser beam to reduce the diameter of the first hole, wherein the first hole is tapered from a smallest diameter at the first surface to a largest diameter at the second surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises an aspect ratio of about 0.33.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted outwardly with respect to the pattern at the first surface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted inwardly with respect to the pattern at the first surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises a principal axis that is angled away from an axis perpendicular to the pattern at the first surface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises a principal axis that is angled toward an axis perpendicular to the pattern at the first surface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises melting at least a portion of the material defining the inner surface of the first hole.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first hole comprises melting at least a portion of the material defining the inner surface of the first hole with a laser beam.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface is textured.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is at least as large as the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface is about 30 micrometers; and

the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is at least as large as the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface is about 30 micrometers; and

the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is in the range of about 30 micrometers to about 40 micrometers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a surface roughness of about 1.8 RA.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hole is tapered from a smallest diameter at the first surface to a largest diameter at the second surface.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler from the first surface, wherein the first hole is tapered from a smallest diameter at the first surface to a largest diameter at the second surface.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising over-filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising over-filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler through an opening of the first hole at the first surface to form a dome of the filler at an opening of the first hole at the second surface.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising over-filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler through an opening of the first hole at the first surface to form a dome of the filler at an opening of the first hole at the second surface, wherein the dome extends convexly from the second surface.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

over-filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler through an opening of the first hole at the first surface to form a dome of the filler at an opening of the first hole at the second surface; and

positioning a light source adjacent the second surface, wherein the dome gathers light transmitted from the light source.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

over-filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler through an opening of the first hole at the first surface to form a dome of the filler at an opening of the first hole at the second surface, wherein the dome acts as a prism when light is transmitted towards the second surface.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler;

curing the filler;

removing the uncured remainder of the filler; and

finishing the cured filler at the first surface of the material.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filling the first hole with a light-conductive filler;

curing the filler with one of ultraviolet light and heat;

removing the uncured remainder of the filler; and

finishing the cured filler at the first surface of the material.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling with a microprocessor the transmission of light through at least the first hole of the plurality of holes.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of light sources adjacent the pattern, wherein each hole is aligned with a respective light source.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of light sources adjacent the pattern, wherein each hole is aligned with a respective light source; and

selectively controlling at least one light source of the plurality of light sources independently from at least one other light source of the plurality of light sources.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning each hole with a respective pixel of a selectively transmissive matrix.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning each hole with a respective pixel of a selectively transmissive matrix of pixels, wherein the matrix comprises one of a liquid crystal display and a thin film transistor display.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing light transmitted through the first hole.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing ambient light transmitted through the first hole.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing infrared light transmitted through the first hole.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a light detector adjacent the second surface for sensing light transmitted through the first hole toward the light detector.

39. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an ambient light sensor adjacent the second surface for sensing ambient light transmitted through the first hole toward the light detector.

40. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a motion sensor adjacent the second surface for detecting movement proximal to the first surface through the first hole.

41. A light-transmissive system, comprising:

a material having a first surface and a second surface; and

a pattern of a plurality of holes formed through the material between the first surface and the second surface, wherein at least a first hole of the plurality of holes is invisible at the first surface and tapered, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first hole increases as the hole extends from the first surface to the second surface.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the diameter of an opening of the first hole at the first surface is greater than the focal width of a laser beam used to form the first hole.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is trepanned by a laser beam through the material.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first hole continuously increases as the hole extends from the first surface to the second surface.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises an aspect ratio of about 0.33.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the first hole comprises a first opening at the first surface;

the first hole comprises a second opening at the second surface; and

the ratio of the cross-sectional size of the first opening to the cross-sectional size of the second opening is about 0.33.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the first hole comprises a first opening at the first surface;

the first hole comprises a second opening at the second surface;

the diameter of the first opening is about 30 micrometers; and

the diameter of the second opening is about 90 micrometers.

49. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted outwardly with respect to the pattern at the first surface.

50. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted inwardly with respect to the pattern at the first surface.

51. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises a principal axis that is angled away from an axis perpendicular to the pattern at the first surface.

52. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises a principal axis that is angled toward an axis perpendicular to the pattern at the first surface.

53. The system of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of the material defining the inner surface of the first hole is melted.

54. The system of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of the material defining the inner surface of the first hole is melted by a laser beam.

55. The system of claim 41, wherein the first surface is textured.

56. The system of claim 41, wherein the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is at least as large as the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface.

57. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface is about 30 micrometers; and

the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is at least as large as the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface.

58. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the size of the diameter of the opening of the first hole at the first surface is about 30 micrometers; and

the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is in the range of about 30 micrometers to about 40 micrometers.

59. The system of claim 41, wherein the first surface comprises a surface roughness of about 1.8 RA.

60. The system of claim 41, wherein the first hole is tapered from a smallest diameter at the first surface to a largest diameter at the second surface.

61. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole.

62. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole, wherein a portion of the fill comprises a dome at an opening of the first hole at the second surface.

63. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole, wherein a portion of the fill comprises a dome at an opening of the first hole at the second surface, and wherein the dome extends convexly from the second surface.

64. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole, wherein a portion of the fill comprises a dome at an opening of the first hole at the second surface, and wherein the dome gathers light.

65. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole, wherein a portion of the fill comprises a dome at an opening of the first hole at the second surface, and wherein the dome acts as a prism when light is transmitted towards the second surface.

66. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light-conductive and cured filler, wherein the filler is finished at the first surface of the material.

67. The system of claim 41, further comprising a microprocessor that controls the transmission of light through at least the first hole of the plurality of holes.

68. The system of claim 41, further comprising a plurality of light sources adjacent the pattern, wherein each hole is aligned with a respective light source.

69. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a plurality of light sources adjacent the pattern, wherein each hole is aligned with a respective light source; and

a microprocessor that controls at least one light source of the plurality of light sources independently from at least one other light source of the plurality of light sources.

70. The system of claim 41, further comprising a transmissive matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of pixels, and wherein each hole of the plurality of holes is aligned with a respective pixel of the plurality of pixels.

71. The system of claim 41, further comprising a transmissive matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of pixels, and wherein each hole of a subset of the plurality of holes is aligned with a respective pixel of a subset of the plurality of pixels.

72. The system of claim 41, further comprising a transmissive matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein each hole of a subset of the plurality of holes is aligned with a respective pixel of a subset of the plurality of pixels, and wherein the matrix comprises one of a liquid crystal display and a thin film transistor display.

73. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first surface the second surface is opaque.

74. The system of claim 41, further comprising a light detector adjacent the second surface for sensing light transmitted through the first hole toward the light detector.

75. The system of claim 41, further comprising an ambient light sensor adjacent the second surface for sensing ambient light transmitted through the first hole toward the light detector.

76. The system of claim 41, further comprising a motion sensor adjacent the second surface for detecting movement proximal to the first surface through the first hole.

77. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first surface and a second surface; and

a button emulation comprising;

at least a first hole formed through the housing between a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface, wherein the first hole is invisible at the first surface; and

a light sensitive receptor positioned adjacent the second surface at the second opening of the first hole, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first hole increases as the hole extends from the first surface to the second surface.

78. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first surface is opaque.

79. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first hole is tapered.

80. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first hole is conical.

81. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first hole is conical and comprises an aspect ratio of about 0.33.

82. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional size of the first opening to the cross-sectional size of the second opening is about 0.33.

83. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein:

the diameter of the first opening is about 30 micrometers; and

the diameter of the second opening is about 90 micrometers.

84. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted outwardly with respect to the first surface.

85. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first hole is conical and is tilted inwardly with respect to the first surface.

86. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein at least a portion of the material defining the inner surface of the first hole is melted.

87. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first surface comprises a texture with a peaks and valleys range that is at least as large as the size of the diameter of the first opening.

88. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first surface comprises a surface roughness of about 1.8 RA.

89. The electronic device of claim 77, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole.

90. The electronic device of claim 77, further comprising a light-conductive filler in the first hole, wherein a portion of the fill comprises a dome at the second opening.

91. The electronic device of claim 77, further comprising a microprocessor coupled to the receptor for generating a first signal when the presence of a finger is detected at the first opening by the receptor.

92. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the first signal alters a function of the electronic device.

93. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the receptor senses light transmitted through the first hole toward the receptor.

94. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the receptor senses ambient light transmitted through the first hole toward the receptor.

95. The electronic device of claim 77, wherein the receptor senses infrared light transmitted through the first hole toward the receptor.