公开(公告)号：US12164344B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US17859668

申请日：2022-07-07

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Scott J Krahn ,  Adam T Garelli ,  Bradley J Hamel ,  Dinesh C Mathew ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Keith J Hendren ,  Robert Y Cao ,  Terry C Lam ,  Kevin M Robinson ,  Houtan R Farahani ,  Tatsuya Sano

IPC: G06F1/16

Abstract: A foldable display device may have housing portions coupled by a hinge. The hinge may have a series of interconnected links. The links may be formed from interdigitated fingers in a friction clutch. The fingers or other portions of the links may be provided with crescent-shaped slots that receive pins. During folding of the device, the pins may slide along the crescent-shaped slots, thereby ensuring that adjacent links rotate relative to each other about a rotation axis that lies outside of the hinge and within a flexible display panel. Links may also be formed from link members with curved mating bearing surfaces that slide relative to each other as adjacent links are rotated relative to each other. A housing rotation synchronization mechanism may be formed using a set of gears that extends between the first and second housing portions.

公开(公告)号：US12087187B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US17580080

申请日：2022-01-20

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yasmin F. Afsar ,  Ben Hightower ,  Bhadrinarayana Lalgudi Visweswaran ,  Chang-Chia Huang ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Prashant Mandlik ,  Terry C. Lam ,  Wen-I Hsieh ,  Zhichun Shao

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  G09F9/33 ,  G02B5/30

CPC classification number: G09F9/33 ,  G02B5/3025 ,  G06F1/1652

Abstract: A flexible display in a foldable electronic device may have a display cover layer and display panel that bend around a bend axis. The display panel may have an array of pixels configured to display an image through the display cover layer. The pixels may be formed from thin-film display circuitry that is supported by a flexible display panel substrate. The flexible substrate may be supported by a display support plate that bends about the bend axis. The display may be configured to allow attachment of the display panel substrate to the display support plate while helping to prevent undesired localized deformation of the thin-film display circuitry.

公开(公告)号：US20230011092A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-12

申请号：US17809740

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Hoon Sik Kim ,  Chang-Chia Huang ,  Christopher D. Jones ,  Masato Kuwabara ,  Nikhil D. Kalyankar ,  Terry C. Shyu ,  Yasmin F. Afsar ,  Paul S. Drzaic

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  H04M1/02 ,  H05K5/03 ,  B32B17/06 ,  B32B7/12

Abstract: Protective cover layers for electronic devices are described. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display panel and a protective cover layer over the display panel. The protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate. The display panel may be a flexible display panel and the protective cover layer may flex with the flexible display panel.

公开(公告)号：US20220270522A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-25

申请号：US17580080

申请日：2022-01-20

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yasmin F. Afsar ,  Ben Hightower ,  Bhadrinarayana Lalgudi Visweswaran ,  Chang-Chia Huang ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Prashant Mandlik ,  Terry C. Lam ,  Wen-I Hsieh ,  Zhichun Shao

IPC: G09F9/30 ,  G09F9/33

Abstract: A flexible display in a foldable electronic device may have a display cover layer and display panel that bend around a bend axis. The display panel may have an array of pixels configured to display an image through the display cover layer. The pixels may be formed from thin-film display circuitry that is supported by a flexible display panel substrate. The flexible substrate may be supported by a display support plate that bends about the bend axis. The display may be configured to allow attachment of the display panel substrate to the display support plate while helping to prevent undesired localized deformation of the thin-film display circuitry.

公开(公告)号：US20210091007A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-25

申请号：US17118392

申请日：2020-12-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Yung-Yu Hsu

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  D03D1/00 ,  D03D11/02 ,  A41D27/20 ,  B81B7/00 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L33/62

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric such as woven fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive yarns may form signal paths. Electrical components can be embedded within pockets in the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The electrical device may be a light-emitting diode, a sensor, an actuator, or other electrical device. The electrical device may have contacts that are soldered to contacts on the interposer. The interposer may have additional contacts that are soldered to the signal paths. The fabric may have portions that form transparent windows overlapping the electrical components or that have other desired attributes.

公开(公告)号：US20200313111A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-01

申请号：US16774948

申请日：2020-01-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Hoon Sik Kim ,  Terry C. Lam ,  Chang-Chia Huang ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Yasmin F. Afsar ,  Young Cheol Yang ,  Leiming Wang

IPC: H01L51/52 ,  H01L51/00 ,  H01L51/56 ,  H05K5/00 ,  H05K7/20

Abstract: An electronic device may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis. A display may span the bend axis. To facilitate bending about the bend axis without damage, the display may include a display cover layer with a flexible portion. The flexible portion of the display cover layer may be interposed between first and second rigid portions of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may also include a layer with self-healing properties. The layer of self-healing material may be formed across the entire display cover layer or may be formed only in the flexible region of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may include a layer of elastomer in the flexible region of the display cover layer for increased flexibility. Self-healing may be initiated or expedited by externally applied heat, light, electric current, or other type of external stimulus.

公开(公告)号：US20200097044A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-26

申请号：US16528271

申请日：2019-07-31

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Hoon Sik Kim ,  Chang-Chia Huang ,  Christopher D. Jones ,  Masato Kuwabara ,  Nikhil D. Kalyankar ,  Terry C. Shyu ,  Yasmin F. Afsar ,  Paul S. Drzaic

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  H04M1/02 ,  H05K5/03 ,  B32B7/12 ,  B32B17/06

Abstract: Protective cover layers for electronic devices are described. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display panel and a protective cover layer over the display panel. The protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate. The display panel may be a flexible display panel and the protective cover layer may flex with the flexible display panel.

公开(公告)号：US20180061743A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-01

申请号：US15415496

申请日：2017-01-25

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yung-Yu Hsu ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Christopher A. Schultz ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Sinan Alousi ,  Terry C. Shyu

IPC: H01L23/498 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L25/075

CPC classification number: H01L23/4985 ,  G06F3/041 ,  H01L23/49838 ,  H01L25/0753 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H05K1/0283 ,  H05K1/189 ,  H05K2201/09063 ,  H05K2201/09263 ,  H05K2201/10106

Abstract: An item may have a flexible support structure and may include a flexible component. The flexible component may have electrical components mounted on component mounting regions in a flexible circuit substrate. The component mounting regions may be interconnected by serpentine interconnect paths or other flexible interconnect paths. The flexible circuit substrate and component mounting regions may extend along a longitudinal axis of the flexible component or may form a two-dimensional array. Two-dimensional mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be used in forming displays. The mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be auxetic substrates that widen when stretched (e.g., structures with a negative Poisson's ratio that become thicker perpendicular to applied force when stretched) and that therefore reduce image distortion. Temporary tethers may help hold flexible circuit substrates together until intentionally broken following assembly of a flexible component into the flexible support structure.

公开(公告)号：US09841548B2

公开(公告)日：2017-12-12

申请号：US15068372

申请日：2016-03-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Hoon Sik Kim ,  Yung-Yu Hsu ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Luisa Petti

IPC: H05K1/00 ,  H01L51/00 ,  H01L33/00 ,  F21V8/00 ,  G06F1/16

CPC classification number: G02B6/0041 ,  G02B6/00 ,  G02B6/0021 ,  G02B6/0036 ,  G02B6/006 ,  G02B6/0065 ,  G02B6/0068 ,  G02B6/0073 ,  G06F1/1643 ,  G06F1/1652 ,  G06F2203/04102 ,  G06F2203/04106 ,  G06F2203/04109 ,  H01L23/5387 ,  H01L51/0097 ,  H01L2224/16225 ,  H01L2924/15192 ,  H01L2924/15311 ,  H05K1/0274 ,  H05K1/0283 ,  H05K1/0287 ,  H05K1/141 ,  H05K2201/0133 ,  H05K2201/0314 ,  H05K2201/09263 ,  H05K2201/10106 ,  H05K2201/10151 ,  H05K2201/10378

Abstract: An electronic device may have control circuitry coupled to input-output devices such as a display. A flexible input-output device may be formed from an elastomeric substrate layer. The substrate layer may have signal paths to which components are mounted. Openings may be formed in the elastomeric substrate layer between the signal paths to create a stretchable mesh-shaped substrate. The electrical components may each include an interposer having solder pads soldered to the elastomeric substrate. Electrical devices such as micro-light-emitting diodes may be soldered to the interposers. The electrical components may also include electrical devices such as sensors and actuators. A stretchable lighting unit may have a stretchable light guide illuminated by a stretchable light source.

公开(公告)号：US11967561B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US18330276

申请日：2023-06-06

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Yung-Yu Hsu

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  D02G3/44 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/31 ,  H01L25/075 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/03 ,  H05K1/18 ,  A41D1/00 ,  F21Y115/10 ,  H01L21/48 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H05K1/02 ,  H05K3/28

CPC classification number: H01L23/5387 ,  D02G3/441 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/3121 ,  H01L23/5386 ,  H01L25/0753 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/038 ,  H05K1/189 ,  A41D1/005 ,  F21Y2115/10 ,  H01L21/4853 ,  H01L24/16 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L2224/16225 ,  H01L2224/16227 ,  H01L2924/15174 ,  H01L2933/0091 ,  H05K1/0283 ,  H05K3/284 ,  H05K2201/10106 ,  H05K2201/2009

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.