Coated chassis for liquid crystal display

• US 8,988,628 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Martisauskas, Steven J., Wurzel, Joshua G., Pakula, David A., Moolsintong, Pinida J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIEN, LUCY P
• Application Number:
  US13/167,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/65
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133334 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly

Abstract

A coated chassis is disclosed. The chassis can be made from a non-conductive material and can be operable to support a display. A conductive material can be applied to at least a portion of the chassis to form a continuous strip on the chassis frame. The conductive material can further form a closed-loop around the chassis frame. The chassis frame can be included within a device, such as a mobile phone, touchpad, portable computer, portable media player, and the like. The conductive material on the chassis can be coupled to the system ground of the device. Processes for making a coated chassis are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

an LCD pane;

a backlight unit; and

a chassis at least partially surrounding the LCD pane and backlight unit, wherein the chassis is at least partially coated with a conductive material, wherein the conductive material is coupled to a system ground in the portable electronic device, wherein an outer surface of the chassis is coated with the conductive material, the outer surface opposite the LCD pane and backlight unit, wherein an inner surface of the chassis is free of a conductive material coating, the inner surface opposite the outer surface.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an antenna, wherein the conductive material is operable to reduce noise in the antenna caused by the LCD pane.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the conductive material is adjusted according to at least one of an amount of noise generated by the LCD pane or noise sensitivity of the antenna.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a flexible printed circuit, wherein the conductive material is coupled to the system ground through the flexible printed circuit.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the chassis is a P-chassis formed from plastic.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is a handheld portable electronic device.

6. A chassis comprising:

a frame formed from a non-conductive material, the frame having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is configured to support a display; and

a conductive material coated on at least a portion of the frame, wherein the conductive material comprises a reflective material that reflects light towards the display.

7. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material comprises nickel, copper, silver, or a conductive ink or paint.

8. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is coated on at least a portion of the inner surface of the frame.

9. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is coated on at least a portion of the outer surface of the frame.

10. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material coated on the at least a portion of the frame has a thickness between 3 μ

m and 20 μ

m.

11. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material forms a continuous strip of conductive material.

12. The chassis of claim 11, wherein the conductive material further forms a closed-loop around the frame.

13. The chassis of claim 6, wherein the conductive material forms multiple strips of conductive material.

14. The chassis of claim 6 incorporated into at least one of a mobile phone, a digital media player, or a portable computer.

23. The chassis defined in claim 6 wherein the conductive material is configured to reflect light into a light-guide in the display.

27. The chassis of claim 6 wherein the reflective material is at least 98% reflective.

15. A method for coating a display chassis, the method comprising:

forming a continuous layer of conductive material on a surface of a display chassis frame, wherein the layer of conductive material forms a closed-loop surrounding the display chassis frame and wherein the display chassis frame is formed from a non-conductive material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the continuous layer of conductive material is performed by printing the conductive material onto the surface of the display chassis frame.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the continuous layer of conductive material is performed by physical or chemical deposition.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the continuous layer of conductive material is performed by electrolytic plating.

24. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the display chassis frame comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and wherein forming the continuous layer of conductive material comprises forming the continuous layer of conductive material on the inner surface of the display chassis frame, wherein the outer surface of the display chassis frame is free of the conductive material.

26. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the wherein the display chassis frame is formed exclusively from the non-conductive material.

19. A method for coating a chassis, the method comprising:

providing a frame formed from a non-conductive material, the frame having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is configured to support a display; and

coating at least a portion of the outer surface of the frame with a conductive material.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

adjusting a thickness of the conductive material so as to reduce impact of noise in the display.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

coating at least a portion of the inner surface of the frame with the conductive material.

25. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the frame comprises a lower surface that is perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces, the method further comprising:

coating at least a portion of the inner surface of the frame with the conductive material.