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 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 optical coating includes multiple layers of different materials and thicknesses and is disposed proximate a transparent display cover for an electronic device display. The optical coating transmits most visible light, reflects most non-visible light and substantially absorbs blackbody radiation generated from within the electronic device. The optical coating can be readily removable from the electronic device display either alone or in combination with a removable transparent display cover. The multiple layers comprise two or more materials having alternating low and high indices of refraction. The arrangement and thicknesses of the layers are designed based upon the thickness and optical properties of the transparent display cover. in another embodiment, an internal optical coating. The internal optical coating can also be specially formulated to replace a typical internal anti-reflective coating proximate the visual display unit.
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:
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.
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.