Abstract:
An electronic device display may include display layers mounted in a display chassis (48). The display chassis may have a plastic chassis structure (50) and a metal chassis structure (52). Backlight structures may include a rectangular light guide plate. Light-emitting diodes within the backlight structures may emit light that is coupled into the light guide plate. The display chassis may have four edges that surround a rectangular opening. The rectangular opening may be configured to receive display layers such as the light guide plate. The metal chassis (52) may have a C-shaped cross-section that forms a cavity in which the light-emitting diodes are mounted. The metal chassis structure may have engagement features such as holes and bent tabs. The plastic chassis structure may be overmolded on the metal chassis structure in engagement with the engagement features. Mounting structures (70) may be formed from protruding portions of the plastic chassis structure (50).
Abstract:
A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing. The single piece housing includes a plurality of steps. The plurality of mounting steps are formed by at least removing a preselected amount of housing material at predetermined locations on the interior surface. At least some of the mounting steps are used to mount at least some of the plurality of internal operating components to the housing.
Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate (60) with bent edges (58). The flexible substrate may have a planar active region (54) that includes an array of light - emitting elements such as organic light - emitting diodes with associated control lines. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may be formed from portions of the flexible substrate in the inactive regions. Traces (62) for distributing control signals to the control lines in the active region may be formed in the inactive regions. Corner openings may be formed at the corners of the flexible substrate to accommodate bending of the flexible substrate in the inactive regions. A jumper (76) or a portion of the flexible substrate that lies outside of a corner opening may be used to convey signals between traces on adjoining inactive regions.
Abstract:
Electronic devices may be provided that contain flexible displays and internal components. An internal component may be positioned under the flexible display. The internal component may be an output device such as a speaker that transmits sound through the flexible display or an actuator that deforms the display in a way that is sensed by a user. The internal component may also be a microphone or pressure sensor that receives sound or pressure information through the flexible display. Structural components may be used to permanently or temporarily deform the flexible display to provide tactile feedback to a user of the device. Electronic devices may be provided with concave displays or convex displays formed from one or more flexible layers including a flexible display layer. Portions of the flexible display may be used as speaker membranes for display-based speaker structures.
Abstract:
An electronic device (10) may have a display (14) mounted in a housing (12). The display (14) may have layers (38) such as polarizer layers (30, 36), a color filter layer (32), and a thin-film transistor layer (34). Display layers (38) such as color filter layers (32) and thin-film- transistor layers (34) may have glass substrates. Notches (48) or other openings may be formed in the layers (38) of a display (14). For example, a notch (48) with a curved (138) or chamfered (134) edge may be formed in a lower end of a thin-film-transistor layer (34). A component such as a button (16) may overlap the notch (48). Structures such as sensors, cameras, acoustic components, and other electronic components, buttons (16), communications path structures such as flexible printed circuit cables (70, 116) and wire bonding wires (110), and housing structures (128) may be received within a display layer notch (48).
Abstract:
Flexible electronic devices may be provided. A flexible electronic device may include a flexible display, a flexible housing and one or more flexible internal components configured to allow the flexible electronic device to be deformed. Flexible displays may include flexible display layers, flexible touch-sensitive layers, and flexible display cover layers. The flexible housing may be a multi-stable flexible housing having one or more stable positions. The flexible housing may include a configurable support structure that, when engaged, provides a rigid support structure for the flexible housing. The flexible internal components may include flexible batteries, flexible printed circuits or other flexible components. A flexible battery may include flexible and rigid portions or may include a lubricious separator layer that provides flexibility for the flexible battery. A flexible printed circuit may include flexible and rigid portions or openings that allow some rigid portions to flex with respect to other rigid portions.
Abstract:
Electronic devices may be provided with displays having polarizer structures (48). Polarizer structures (48) may incorporate flexible layers of glass (50). The flexible glass layers (50) may be laminated to other sheets of material (52-62) in the polarizer structures (48) using roll-to-roll lamination equipment. After the polarizer structures (48) are cut into panels, the panels may be laminated to liquid crystal display structures, organic light-emitting-diode display structures or other display structures using sheet-to-sheet lamination tools. Ultraviolet-light-blocking material (52) may be incorporated into a display to prevent damage to the polarizer layers (54) in the polarizer structures (48). Coatings (68) such as antireflection coatings, antistatic coating, and anti-smudge coatings may be provided on the polarizer structures (48). Displays may use the flexible glass layers (50) and additional protective layers to prevent a polarizer layer (54) from being exposed to excessive moisture. A birefringent layer (62) may be incorporated into a display and may serve as a protective layer for a polarizer (54).
Abstract:
Display layers in an electronic device may be used to generate images. The display layers may include liquid crystal display layers such as upper and lower polarizers and a layer of liquid crystal material. A display cover layer may be mounted in a housing using adhesive. A touch sensor layer may be mounted under the display cover layer. An air gap may separate the upper polarizer from the touch sensor layer and display cover layer. Antireflection coatings may be formed on the lower surface of the display cover layer or touch sensor layer and may be formed on the upper surface of the upper polarizer. The antireflection coatings may include coatings formed from a polymer hard coat covered with a polymer layer having a different index of refraction and may include broadband antireflection coating material formed from textured polymer or other structure exhibiting a continuously varying index of refraction.
Abstract:
A display device (10) has a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate ("layer" 14B). One or more holes (50A) in the TFT substrate act as ducts for conductive bridges (56) connecting display circuitry (53) on the TFT substrate to a printed cirucit (58) circuitry located underneath the substrate. The conductive bridges may be formed using wire bonding. The wire bonds may be encapsulated with potting material to improve their reliability and to increase the resiliency of the display. Display signal lines fed through the holes (50A) in the TFT substrate, run along the underside of the display (14) so that the amount of space required for display circuitry at the display edge is reduced. Alternatively, contact is achieved by depositing a conducting material in the hole, in conjunction with wire bonds and flexible circuits. Display types can include LCD, OLED, plasma, electronic ink, electrochromic, and electrowetting technologies.
Abstract:
Electronic devices may be provided that contain flexible displays and internal components. An internal component may be positioned under the flexible display. The internal component may be an output device such as a speaker that transmits sound through the flexible display or an actuator that deforms the display in a way that is sensed by a user. The internal component may also be a microphone or pressure sensor that receives sound or pressure information through the flexible display. Structural components may be used to permanently or temporarily deform the flexible display to provide tactile feedback to a user of the device. Electronic devices may be provided with concave displays or convex displays formed from one or more flexible layers including a flexible display layer. Portions of the flexible display may be used as speaker membranes for display-based speaker structures.