Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display. The device and display may bend about a bend axis. The display may have layers such as an organic light-emitting diode layer or other layer with pixels, a touch sensor layer, a protective layer with a polarizer, and a support layer. Lubrication layers formed from textured surfaces, slippery coatings, and lubricants such as oil may be interposed between the layers of the display so that the display layers slip past each other during bending of the device and display and minimize display stress. A device housing may have a recess or other structures that retain the display within the housing while allowing the display layers to shift relative to each other during bending. Elastomeric gaskets and elastomeric lubricant retention structures may be used to mount the display layers in the housing and to retain liquid lubricant within the layers of the display.
Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a display cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. For example, a display cover layer may have transparent sidewall portions with curved surface profiles. The transparent sidewall portions of the display cover layer may include rounded comers having areas of compound curvature. A flexible display panel may be pressed over a mold to impart desired curvature (such as compound curvature) to the flexible display panel. To mitigate wrinkling in a flexible display panel molded to have compound curvature, a backfilm may be included that absorbs compressive strains in the display panel. The backfilm may have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is higher than that of the display panel. Instead or in addition, the backfilm may have portions with different Young's modulus magnitudes or different thickness magnitudes.
Abstract:
A display may have an array of pixels. The array of pixels may have a shape such as a circular shape or other shape with a curved edge. Display driver circuitry may supply data signals to the pixels using folded vertical data lines and bisected horizontal gate lines. Each folded vertical lines may have a first segment in a left half of the array and a second segment in a right half of the display. Curved coupling segments in an inactive area of the display may be used in joining the first and second segments. Display driver circuits may be provided in top and bottom portions of the inactive area to supply data to respective top and bottom portions of the array. Gate driver output buffers may have different strengths in different rows of the array.
Abstract:
A flexible substrate may have one or more bends. A bend in a flexible substrate may be made along a bend axis. Conductive traces in the flexible substrate may have elongated shapes. Each conductive trace may extend along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the bend axis. Metal or other conductive materials may form the conductive traces. The traces may be formed from a chain of linked segments. Each segment may have patterned trace portions that surround one, two, or more than two openings. Traces may also be formed that have multiple layers of metal or other conductive material interconnected using vias. A polymer layer may cover the traces to align a neutral stress plane with the traces and to serve as a moisture barrier layer.
Abstract:
A flexible substrate may be provided with an array of holes and conductive traces that extend along the flexible substrate between the holes. The flexible substrate may form part of a display or other component in an electronic device. The conductive traces may be metal traces that have meandering path shapes to resist damage upon bending. A polymer coating may be applied over the metal traces to align a neutral stress plane with the metal traces and to serve as a moisture barrier. The holes may allow the flexible substrate to twist and form a three-dimensional shape as the flexible substrate is bent. A rigid or flexible protective coating may be formed by depositing a liquid polymer precursor on the flexible substrate and curing the liquid polymer precursor.
Abstract:
A display may have an array of organic light-emitting diodes that form an active area (14A) on a flexible substrate (30). Metal traces (74) may extend between the active area (14A) and an inactive area (14C) of the flexible substrate. Display driver circuitry such as a display driver integrated circuit may be coupled to the inactive area. The metal traces may extend across a bend region (14B) in the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate may be bent in the bend region. The flexible substrate may be made of a thin flexible material to reduce metal trace bending stress. A coating layer (84) in the bend region may be provided with an enhanced elasticity to allow its thickness to be reduced. The flexible substrate may be bent on itself and secured within an electronic device without using a mandrel.