Electronic devices with flexible displays having fastened bent edges

• US 9,256,250 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• 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:
  US14/247,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 362/613, 362/249.04, 362/602, 362/612, 313/512, 313/498, 313/504, 345/697, 345/173, 345/12, 345/212, 345/690, 345/87, 345/100, 345/207, 455/556.1, 455/553.1, 455/575.8, 455/412, 455/566, 455/545, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/412.1, 455/67.7, 455/573, 455/557, 361/679.01, 361/679.21, 361/679.22, 361/679.23, 361/679.24, 361/679.27, 361/679.3, 361/679.55, 361/679.56, 361/679.41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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:

an organic light-emitting diode display having an array of display pixels formed on a display substrate; and

a mandrel having an edge, wherein a portion of the display substrate is wrapped around the edge of the mandrel.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display substrate includes an active area in which the array of display pixels is formed and wherein the display substrate is curved in the active area.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the display substrate has a convex surface and wherein the array of display pixels is formed on the convex surface.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the portion of the display substrate that is wrapped around the edge of the mandrel extends behind the active area of the display substrate.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein a portion of the mandrel is interposed between the active area of the display substrate and the portion of the display substrate that extends behind the active area of the display substrate.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 2 further comprising a glass cover layer having a curved surface.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the edge of the mandrel has a curved surface and wherein the display substrate bends around the curved surface.

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

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a display having a flexible substrate and an array of display pixels formed on a first portion of the flexible substrate;

a support structure having a rounded edge, wherein a second portion of the flexible substrate curves around the rounded edge; and

a housing in which the display and the support structure are mounted.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the support structure comprises opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein the rounded edge joins the upper and lower surfaces, wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate is adjacent to the upper surface and wherein the second portion of the flexible substrate is adjacent to the lower surface.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the array of display pixels comprises an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate on which the array of display pixels is formed is curved.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the support structure comprises metal.

12. The electronic device 9 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a flexible sheet of polymer.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a flexible display having a bent edge portion;

a curved transparent cover layer through which the flexible display emits light; and

a mandrel having opposing upper and lower surfaces joined by a rounded edge, wherein the bent edge portion of the flexible display bends around the rounded edge from the upper surface to the lower surface of the mandrel.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the flexible display comprises a flexible organic light-emitting diode display having an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the bent edge portion comprises conductive routing lines for routing display signals to the array of organic light-emitting diode pixels.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the array of organic light-emitting diode pixels is formed on a non-planar portion of the flexible display.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 15 further comprising an adhesive interposed between the flexible display and the mandrel.