Electronic Devices With Convex Displays

• US 20180152551A1
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,735,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• 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: 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 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with convex displays. A convex display may be used to maximize the internal volume of a device. Convex displays may be formed from one or more flexible layers. A flexible display layer may be mounted to a rigid support structure or a rigid cover layer. Flexible display layers that conform to the curved shape of a rigid structure may provide additional internal volume in which internal components of the device may be positioned.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a curved shape;

a display having a curved shape, wherein the display and the housing form a common smooth surface that wraps around an interior space; and

electronic components located in the interior space.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the curved shape of the housing matches the curved shape of the display.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has an opening.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises organic light-emitting diode pixels.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises liquid crystal pixels.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic components comprise a battery.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises a rigid cover layer.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the rigid cover layer comprises glass.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the rigid cover layer has a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the display comprises a flexible display layer that conforms to the concave inner surface.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the housing comprises glass.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the entirety of the common smooth surface that wraps around the interior space is curved.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises a touch-sensitive layer having an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises a flexible polymer substrate.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises metal.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a display that wraps around an interior space; and

electronic components located in the interior space, wherein the display has a first display region and a second display region and wherein the electronic components are interposed between the first display region and the second display region.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the first display region forms a front surface of the electronic device, wherein the second display region forms a rear surface of the electronic device, and wherein the display displays images continuously across the front and rear surfaces of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the display comprises a touch-sensitive layer having an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, wherein the touch-sensitive layer spans across the front and rear surfaces of the electronic device.

19. An electronic device having opposing front and rear surfaces, comprising:

a housing having first and second housing edges;

a display having first and second display edges, wherein the first display edge is flush with the first housing edge and the second display edge is flush with the second housing edge, wherein the display and the housing form a continuous surface that wraps around an interior space, wherein the continuous surface has a first portion that forms the front surface of the electronic device and a second portion that forms the rear surface of the electronic device, and wherein at least part of the continuous surface is curved; and

electronic components located within the interior space.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 wherein the display and the housing each have a convex shape.