Electronic device display structures

• US 9,990,001 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mathew, Dinesh C., Posner, Bryan W., Hendren, Keith J., Garelli, Adam T., Giddings, Joss Nathan, Wilson, Jr., Thomas W., Yin, Victor H., Qi, Jun, Jiao, Meizi, Wang, Paul Xiaopeng
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/754,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 362632-634, 349 58- 60
• 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 1/1616 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details

Abstract

An electronic device may have a housing in which a display is mounted. A gasket may be mounted in a groove between the display and housing. The gasket may contain an embedded stiffener. Corner brackets may be installed in the corners of the housing. The housing may have inner and outer concentric ribs. Recesses in the housing may be configured to receive the corner brackets. The recesses may be formed between the inner and outer concentric ribs. Gap filling structures such as a foam layer may be interposed between a rear housing wall and a display backlight unit. Display color variations may be corrected by using a backlight unit having an array of light-emitting diodes of different colors. An electrostatic discharge protection layer may be grounded to a housing using conductive tape. Black edge coatings and adhesive-based structures may block stray light. Camera window regions may be supported using adhesive.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a sheet metal corner bracket having opposing upper and lower surfaces surrounded by a peripheral edge;

a housing having a corner with a recess that receives the sheet metal corner bracket such that the housing surrounds the peripheral edge of the sheet metal corner bracket, wherein the housing has inner and outer ribs and wherein the recess is formed between at least part of the inner and outer ribs; and

a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display overlaps the inner and outer ribs, and wherein the display is fixed relative to the inner rib and free to move relative to the outer rib.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising adhesive that is interposed between the display and the inner rib to attach the display to the housing.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the outer rib is free of adhesive and wherein the adhesive comprises part of an adhesive-based attachment structure that includes an upper adhesive layer, a lower adhesive layer, and a layer of foam interposed between the upper and lower adhesive layers.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has a planar wall structure, the electronic device further comprising:

a display mounted in the housing;

a backlight unit mounted between the housing and the display, wherein the backlight unit is separated from the planar wall structure by a gap; and

a gap filling structure interposed between the planar wall structure and the backlight unit.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the gap filling structure comprises a plastic structure.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the gap filling structure comprises a layer of foam.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing is formed from metal that is weaker than the sheet metal corner bracket.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has a lid portion in which a planar wall structure is formed and has a base portion and wherein the lid portion is attached to the base portion so that the lid portion rotates relative to the base portion.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having corners and having an inner raised edge portion and an outer raised edge portion;

a metal member located at one of the corners between the inner raised edge portion and the outer raised edge portion, wherein the inner raised edge portion and the outer raised edge portion are formed from a continuous loop of material that extends around an entire periphery of the metal member, and wherein a shape of the continuous loop of material matches a shape of the metal member;

a display mounted in the housing; and

an attachment structure that attaches a portion of the display to the inner raised portion, wherein the display is allowed to move freely relative to the outer raised edge portion.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the metal member comprises a corner bracket.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the attachment structure comprises adhesive.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the attachment structure comprises an opaque layer.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the display covers the inner raised edge portion and the outer raised edge portion of the housing.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having first and second raised portions that together define a recess;

a corner bracket in the recess;

a display mounted in the housing over the first and second raised portions, wherein the display covers the recess; and

an adhesive-based attachment structure that attaches the display to the first raised portion, wherein the display is allowed to move freely relative to the second raised portion.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the adhesive-based attachment structure comprises a rectangular ring of adhesive-based material.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the second raised portion of the housing is free of adhesive.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the corner bracket comprises sheet metal.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the housing comprises first and second housing structures, wherein the first housing structure rotates with respect to the second housing structure, and wherein the display is mounted in the first housing structure.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 14 further comprising a conductive layer in the display and a conductive tape electrically coupled to the conductive layer.