PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9894781-B2
Application Number: US-201213490287-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Notched display layers

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. The display may have layers such as polarizer layers, a color filter layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. Display layers such as color filter layers and thin-film-transistor layers may have glass substrates. Notches or other openings may be formed in the layers of a display. For example, a notch with a curved chamfered edge may be formed in a lower end of a thin-film-transistor layer. A component such as a button may overlap the notch. Structures such as sensors, cameras, acoustic components, and other electronic components, buttons, communications path structures such as flexible printed circuit cables and wire bonding wires, and housing structures may be received within a display layer notch.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display having a thin-film transistor layer and a color filter layer that form a rectangular active region of the display, wherein the rectangular active region has a pair of opposing long edges and a pair of opposing short edges; 
 a notch in an outer peripheral edge of the thin-film transistor layer, wherein the outer peripheral edge runs along one of the short edges of the rectangular active region, wherein the notch forms a recessed edge that is recessed with respect to the outer peripheral edge, wherein the notch does not extend into the color filter layer, and wherein the notch does not extend into the rectangular active region of the display; and 
 a button, wherein the recessed edge of the thin-film transistor layer only partially surrounds the button, and wherein the button extends laterally beyond the outer peripheral edge of the thin-film transistor layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the notch has a curved edge. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the color filter layer is recessed relative to the thin-film-transistor layer to form a thin-film-transistor layer ledge, and wherein the notch is formed from the ledge. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the thin-film-transistor layer has a glass substrate in which the notch is formed. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the color filter layer is recessed relative to the thin-film-transistor layer to form a thin-film-transistor layer ledge, and wherein the notch is formed from the ledge and has a chamfered edge. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  further comprising a flexible printed circuit having a first end attached to the thin-film-transistor layer ledge and having an opposing second end. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the second end of the flexible printed circuit is coupled to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a metal structure that is attached to the at least one of the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer with adhesive and that overlaps the notch. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a display cover layer having an opening configured to receive the button, wherein the display cover layer defines a plane, and wherein the button moves within the notch along an axis that is perpendicular to the plane. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising a metal chassis structure configured to support the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer, wherein the button is configured to contact the metal chassis in an over-travel condition. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a metal chassis that supports the at least one of the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer, wherein a portion of the metal chassis overlaps the notch and wherein the button is configured to contact the portion of the metal chassis that overlaps the notch when the button moves within the notch. 
 
     
     
       12. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display comprising display layers, wherein the display layers include a thin-film-transistor layer having a straight first edge; 
 a notch in the display formed from removal of a portion of the straight first edge of the thin-film-transistor layer, wherein the notch forms a second edge of the thin-film transistor layer that is recessed with respect to the straight first edge; and 
 a button having a first portion received in the notch and a second portion that extends laterally beyond the straight first edge of the thin-film-transistor layer. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the display comprises an active area and an inactive area, wherein the notch and internal components of the electronic device are in the inactive area. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13 , comprising a display cover layer that is mounted over the active and inactive areas of the display to protect the display layers during operation of the electronic device. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14 , comprising an opaque masking layer on a region of the display cover layer that covers the inactive area, wherein the opaque masking layer hides the notch and the internal components of the electronic device in the inactive area from view. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 13 , wherein the internal components in the inactive area of the display include a display driver integrated circuit, wherein the display driver integrated circuit is mounted on a ledge portion of the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 12 , comprising a chassis structure configured to support a light source, backlight structures, optical films, and the display layers of the display. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the chassis structure is formed from a layer of sheet metal that is bent such that a first portion of the chassis structure contacts a bottom surface of the backlight structures and a bottom surface of the light source and a second portion of the chassis structure contacts a portion of the thin-film-transistor layer. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the chassis structure is attached to a portion of the thin-film-transistor layer at a location adjacent to the notch. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the button comprises a button member connected to a switch mounted on a support structure, and wherein the notch is configured such that the notch enables movement of the button member past a height corresponding to a top surface of the thin-film-transistor layer. 
     
     
       21. The electronic device defined in  claim 20 , comprising an elastomeric gasket that surrounds the button member and that is interposed between the button member and the support structure. 
     
     
       22. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display comprising display layers, wherein the display layers include a thin-film-transistor layer having a straight first edge, and wherein the display further comprises a touch sensor layer that overlaps the display layers; 
 a notch in the display in the straight first edge of the thin-film-transistor layer, wherein the notch forms a straight second edge of the thin-film transistor layer that is recessed with respect to the straight first edge, and wherein the notch forms rounded edges of the thin-film transistor layer between the first and second straight edges; 
 a camera in the notch; 
 a proximity sensor in the notch; 
 an ambient light sensor in the notch; 
 a light-emitting diode in the notch; 
 a microphone in the notch; and 
 a speaker in the notch, wherein the notch at least partially surrounds the camera, the proximity sensor, the ambient light sensor, the light-emitting diode, the microphone, and the speaker. 
 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 22 , wherein a portion of the thin-film-transistor layer has been removed from the notch, and wherein the camera has a first portion received in the notch and a second portion that extends laterally beyond the straight first edge of the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       24. The electronic device defined in  claim 22 , wherein the display has an active area, and wherein the straight first edge of the thin-film-transistor layer extends along an edge of the active area. 
     
     
       25. The electronic device defined in  claim 22 , wherein the camera receives signals through the notch.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to displays for electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as computers and cellular telephones have displays. It may sometimes be desirable to mount a display in a compact device housing. When forming a compact device in this way, it can be challenging to provide sufficient space within a housing to accommodate both display components and other components such as buttons. If care is not taken, these components may interfere with each other or may consume more volume than desired within a device. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved configurations for forming displays and other components in an electronic device. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. The display may have display layers such as polarizer layers, a color filter layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. Display layers such as color filter layers and thin-film-transistor layers may have glass substrates. Notches or other openings may be formed in the layers of a display. For example, a notch with a curved shape may be machined along a lower edge of a thin-film-transistor layer. 
     An electronic device may have a component such as a button that overlaps at least partly with the notch, allowing the layout of the device to be optimized. The button may have a button member that reciprocates within an opening in a display cover layer. When subjected to an over-travel condition, the button member may contact a metal chassis portion of the display, rather than striking a thin-film transistor layer. 
     Notches and other openings may be formed in one or more of the display layers of the display. A notch may, for example, extend through multiple layers such as a color filter layer and a thin-film-transistor layer. Structures such as sensors, cameras, acoustic components, buttons, and other electronic components, communications path structures such as flexible printed circuit cables and wire bonding wires, and housing structures may be received within a display layer notch. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with display structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative electronic device display structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a display having a display layer such as a thin-film transistor layer with a notched shape in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a notched display layer such as a notched thin-film transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic device taken through a button structure and a notched portion of a thin-film transistor layer and other display layers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing how over-travel of a button of the type shown in  FIG. 5  may result in contact between the button and a display chassis without striking a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device having a notched display layer such as a notched thin-film transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device having a button and a notched display layer such as a notched thin-film transistor layer with a notch that receives part of the button in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a portion of a display in which wire bonding wires pass through a notch in a display layer such as a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a portion of a display layer having a notch through which a communications path such as a flexible printed circuit with signal lines may pass in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a display with a display layer and an associated printed circuit around which a flexible printed circuit has been wrapped in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a portion of a display showing how display layers may be provided with overlapping notch features in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of a machining tool being used to form chamfers within a notch on an edge of a display layer such as a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a machining tool being used to form a rounded edge within a notch on an edge of a display layer such as a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of a rounded edge within a notch of a display layer and an associated flexible printed circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of an illustrative display layer notch with a curved edge in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a top view of an illustrative display layer notch with straight edges in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a top view of an illustrative display with a circular hole in a layer such as a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a top view of an illustrative display layer notch with portions of different depths in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an illustrative display having a notch formed through multiple display layers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional side view of a display in which an electrical component that handles signals is received within a notch in a display layers such as a thin-film-transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices that contain displays may also contain buttons and other components. To accommodate buttons and other components in a compact device housing, display layers may be provided with openings. These openings may be formed from holes or may be formed from notches or other recessed portions. Openings may be formed in layers such as a thin-film transistor layer in a liquid crystal display or other display substrates. Illustrative configurations in which display layers such as thin-film transistor layers are provided with notches are sometimes described herein as an example. This is merely illustrative. Any suitable layers within a display may be provided with recessed portions or other openings to accommodate device structures such as buttons and other components. 
     An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with a notched display layer is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic device  10  may be a computer such as a computer that is integrated into a display, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a somewhat smaller portable device such as a wrist-watch device, pendant device, or other wearable or miniature device, a cellular telephone, a media player, a tablet computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, a computer monitor, a television, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may include a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may be a touch screen that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Display  14  may include an array of display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic display pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. Configurations in which display  14  includes liquid crystal display (LCD) components may sometimes be described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Display  14  may include display pixels formed using any suitable type of display technology. 
     Display  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass or clear plastic. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . An opening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate ports such as speaker port  18 . 
     Display  14  may be characterized by an active region such as rectangular active region AA and an inactive region such as peripheral inactive region IA. Rectangular active region AA may be bounded by rectangular border  19 . Inactive region IA may have the shape of a rectangular ring that surrounds the periphery of active region AA. If desired, some of the edges of display  14  may be borderless (i.e., the width of the inactive region on one or more edges may be zero or may be negligibly small). The illustrative configuration of  FIG. 1  in which display  14  is surrounded by an inactive border region is merely illustrative. 
     Device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. 
     Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). The periphery of housing  12  may have a peripheral conductive member such as a metal housing sidewall member that runs around some or all of the periphery of device  10  or a display bezel that surrounds display  14 . Structures such as these may also be formed from dielectric materials. The rear of housing  12  may be formed from a planar metal member or a dielectric structure. Sidewalls may be formed as integral portions of the rear housing surface or may be formed using separate structures (e.g., a separate metal housing band or display bezel). One or more openings may be formed in housing  12  to accommodate connector ports, buttons, and other components. 
     A cross-sectional side view of electronic device structures associated with display  14  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , display  14  may include display backlight structures  20 , display structures  38 , and optional touch sensor layer  40 . Touch sensor layer  40  may be formed from an array of transparent conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes such as indium tin oxide electrodes. A display cover layer such as a layer of glass or plastic may be used to cover the surface of display  14  (e.g., the front face of device  10  of  FIG. 1 ). The conductive structures of touch sensor layer  40  may be formed on the cover layer, may be formed on a touch sensor substrate such as a layer of glass or plastic, or may be formed on other layers of display  14 . If desired, display  14  may be insensitive to touch (i.e., touch sensor layer  40  may be omitted) or display  14  may include a touch sensor array based on other touch technologies (e.g., acoustic touch technology, optical touch technology, force-sensor-based touch technology, resistive touch technology, etc.). 
     Display backlight structures  20  may include a light guide plate, a reflector, and optical films. The light guide plate may be formed from a rectangular planar layer of plastic. Light  24  that is emitted from light-emitting diode array  22  may be coupled into the light guide plate through the edge of the light guide plate. Light  24  may be distributed laterally throughout display  14  due to the principal of total internal reflection. Light such as light  26  that scatters vertically upwards through backlight structures  20  may pass through display layers  38  (and touch sensor array layer  40 ) and may serve as backlight that helps a user such as user  380  to view images on display  14 . The reflector in backlight structures  20  may be located below the light guide plate and may be used to direct light that has escaped from the light guide plate in the downwards direction back up in upwards direction  26 , thereby enhancing backlight efficiency. Optical films such as brightness enhancing films, diffusing films, and other films may be included in backlight structures  20  (e.g., above the light guide plate), if desired. 
     Display structures  38  may include liquid crystal display structures or structures associated with other suitable types of display. In an illustrative liquid crystal display configuration, a layer of liquid crystal material may be sandwiched between color filter layer  32  and thin-film transistor layer  34 . Layer  32  may contain an array of color filter elements for providing display  14  with the ability to display color images for viewer  38 . Layer  34  may contain an array of display pixels electrodes. The display pixel electrodes may be used to impose electric fields on portions of the liquid crystal layer, thereby creating an image on display  14 . Thin-film transistor circuitry on layer  34  may be used to route control signals from a display driver circuit (e.g., a display driver integrated circuit) to display pixel thin-film transistors and electrodes on layer  34 . 
     Display layers  38  may be formed from clear substrates such as layers of clear glass, layers of clear plastic, etc. For example, color filter layer  32  may be formed from a transparent glass substrate layer that has been provided with an array of colored polymer color filter elements. Thin-film transistor layer  34  may be formed from a transparent glass substrate layer that has been covered with circuitry such as polysilicon thin-film transistor circuitry and/or amorphous silicon transistor circuitry that forms display circuitry such as gate line driver circuitry, pixel electrodes, etc. Layers  32  and  34  (e.g., layers formed from glass substrates) may be sandwiched between upper polarizer layer  30  and lower polarizer layer  36 . If desired, layers  32  and  34  may be formed from clear polymer substrates (e.g., sheets of polyimide or other transparent polymers). Polarizer layers  30  and  36  may be formed from polymer substrates or other suitable substrates. Configurations in which layers  32  and  34  are formed from glass substrates are sometimes described herein as an example). 
     One or more chassis structures such as chassis structures  42  may be used in forming display  14 . Chassis structures  42  may include a plastic chassis structure (sometimes referred to as a p-chassis) and/or a metal chassis structure (sometimes referred to as an m-chassis). These chassis structures may be used in supporting the structures of display  14  such as backlight light source  22 , backlight structures  20 , and other display layers such as display layers  38 . In the diagram of  FIG. 2 , chassis structures  42  are shown as having an L-shaped cross-sectional shape. This is merely illustrative. In general, structures  42  may have an L-shaped cross-sectional shape, a C-shaped cross-sectional shape, or other cross-sectional shapes. As an example, a metal chassis portion of structures  42  may have a C-shaped cross-sectional shape that wraps around one of the ends of display layers  38  (e.g., a lower end). 
     Display layers  38  may have rectangular outlines or outlines of other suitable shapes (e.g., outlines with straight edges, outlines with curved edges, outlines with combinations of straight and curved edges, etc.). The use of rectangular shapes such as elongated rectangular shapes may allow display layers  38  to be used in forming a rectangular active area (i.e., active area AA) for display  14 . 
     It may sometimes be desirable to use rectangular layers  38  for display  14  that have different sizes. For example, it may be desirable to use a color filter layer that is smaller than an associated thin-film transistor layer. The use of the smaller color filter layer may create a recessed area at the end of display  14  that exposes an end portion of the thin-film transistor layer. Components such as display driver integrated circuits (display driver circuitry) may be mounted on the exposed end portion of the thin-film transistor layer, so this portion of the thin-film transistor layer may sometimes be referred to as a thin-film transistor ledge. There may be one, two, three, four, or more display driver integrated circuits mounted on the thin-film-transistor ledge. 
     Conductive traces on the thin-film-transistor layer may be used to distribute display signals to circuitry on the thin-film transistor layer (e.g., display pixel circuits) from the display driver circuitry. A flexible printed circuit cable (e.g., a cable formed from conductive traces on a layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymer) may be coupled to the conductive traces on the thin-film-transistor layer. For example, a flexible printed circuit in the form of a cable may be used to route display signals from a printed circuit board to conductive traces on the thin-film transistor ledge. 
     Space is often at a premium in electronic devices. To ensure that devices can be implemented using compact structures, it may be desirable to form openings in one or more layers of a display. As an example, a recessed portion or a hole may be formed in one or more of display layers  38  to accommodate a device structure such as wires, a flex circuit cable, a screw or other fastener, internal housing structures, a camera or other electrical component, a connector housing, a button, or other device structures. The recessed portion in a display layer may, for example, form a notch in the ledge portion of a thin-film transistor layer. 
     A button or structures associated with a button may be received within a display layer notch. As an example, a button member, a support structure that is used in supporting a button switch, a button gasket, or other structures associated with a button or other component may be received within at least a portion of the notch in a thin-film transistor layer. Accommodating button structures or other structures within a thin-film-transistor layer notch in this way may allow a device to have an enhanced configuration. For example, use of a thin-film-transistor layer notch or other display layer opening may allow an electronic device to be implemented in a more compact configuration than would otherwise be possible. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of an illustrative configuration that may be used for display structures in display  14  of device  10  of  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  may include layers  38  such as color filter layer  32  and thin-film transistor layer  34 . An upper polarizer layer such as layer  20  of  FIG. 2  may be attached to the exposed (outer) surface of color filter layer  34 . Color filter layer  32  and thin-film transistor layer  34  may have elongated rectangular shapes extending along longitudinal axis  54 . Color filter layer  32  may overlap portion  58  of thin-film-transistor layer  34 , leaving thin-film-transistor driver ledge  56  exposed and uncovered by color filter layer  32 . If desired, components  46  such as one or more integrated circuits may be mounted on thin-film-transistor driver ledge  56 . Components  46  may be, for example, display driver integrated circuits. 
     Display  14  may have a display cover layer such as a layer of glass or plastic. The display cover layer for display  14  and surrounding housing structures in device  10  may have an outline such as outline  52  of  FIG. 3 . To accommodate components such as button  16  of  FIG. 3  and structures associated with button  16  (e.g., a button gasket, etc.), display driver ledge  56  may be provided with a recess such as notch  48 . Notch  48  may have a curved edge, straight edges, combinations of curved and straight edges, or other suitable shapes. The edges of notch  48  may smoothly transition into the edge of thin-film-transistor layer  34  or may form right angles or other angles with respect to the edge of thin-film-transistor layer  34 . Notch  48  may have a size suitable for receiving part of a button (and/or part of a set of associated button structures) as shown in  FIG. 3  or may have an area that is large enough to accommodate an entire component (e.g., all of a button such as button  16 ). 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of display  14  taken along line  60  of  FIG. 3  and viewed in direction  62 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , display  14  may have an active area such as active area AA and an inactive area such as inactive area IA. A display cover layer (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) may be mounted over active area AA and inactive area IA to protect display layers  38  during operation in device  10 . The underside of the display cover layer in inactive area IA may be provided with an opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink to help hide internal component in device  10  such as the components of display  14  in inactive area IA from view by a user of device  10 . 
     Display driver integrated circuit  46  may be mounted on driver ledge  56  of thin-film-transistor layer  34 . A communications path such as flexible printed circuit cable  70  may have one end that is attached to conductive traces on ledge  56  and may have an opposing end that is attached to a substrate such as printed circuit board  66 . Attachment structures such as anisotropic conductive film structures, solder bonds, welds, connectors, or other mechanisms may be used in attaching cable  70  to thin-film-transistor layer  34  and printed circuit board  66 . One or more integrated circuits or other components such as display timing chips, connectors, etc. (shown as components  68  in  FIG. 4 ) may be mounted on printed circuit board  66 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , display structures such as light source  22 , backlight structures  20 , optical films  44 , and display layers  38  may be supported using a chassis structure such as chassis structure  42 M. Chassis structure  42 M may be attached to thin-film-transistor layer  34  using optional adhesive layer  72 . Structure  42 M may be, for example, a metal chassis structure formed from a layer of sheet metal that is bent to form a C-shaped cross-sectional shape. Plastic chassis structures (e.g., injection molded plastic chassis structures) may also be used in forming support structures for display  14 , if desired. 
     When notch  48  is formed in a thin-film-transistor layer  34 , there is a potential for localized weakening of thin-film-transistor layer  34 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , metal chassis structure  42 M may be attached to thin-film-transistor layer  34  in a location that overlaps notch  48 , thereby strengthening thin-film-transistor layer  34  in the vicinity of notch  48 . Metal chassis  42 M may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel, a copper alloy, or other metals. If desired, a support structure such as chassis  42 M may be formed from plastic, glass, ceramic, carbon-fiber composites or other fiber-based materials, metal, other suitable materials, or combinations of these materials. The use of metal chassis structure  42 M to provide structural support for thin-film-transistor layer  32  in the vicinity of notch  48  is merely illustrative. 
     Due to the presence of notch  48  in thin-film-transistor layer  34 , button  16  may be moved further inboard (away from the periphery of device  10 ) without interfering with display  14  than would otherwise be possible. A cross-sectional side view of device  10  in the vicinity of button  16  (i.e., a cross-sectional side view of device  10  of  FIG. 2  taken along line  60  and viewed in direction  62 ) is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , button  16  may have an associated button member such as button member  74 . Button member  74  may have a circular shape or other suitable shape and may be configured to move up in direction  94  and down in direction  86 . Display cover layer  82  may be formed from a clear plastic or glass layer and may be used in covering the exposed surface of display layers  38 . Adhesive  88  may be used in attaching display cover layer  82  to device housing  12 . 
     Button  16  may have a support structure (stiffener) such as support structure  80 . Switch  90  may be mounted on support structure  80 . When a user presses downwards on button member  74  in direction  86 , switch  90  may change its state (e.g., to close). There is a potential for portions of button member  74  to contact internal device structures such as display layers  38 . In a configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 5 , however, in which thin-film-transistor layer  34  includes notch  48 , some of the material of thin-film-transistor layer  34  has been removed and will therefore not interfere with the travel of button member  74 , even when portion  92  of button member  74  moves downwards in direction  86  in response to user downwards pressure on the surface of button member  74 . The presence of notch  48  allows button member  74  (and therefore button  16 ) to be moved more in direction  96  than would otherwise be possible, thereby minimizing the size of device  10  along longitudinal dimension  54  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     As shown in more detail in the cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 6 , button member  74  may nominally travel no farther into device  10  than is represented by button outline  98 . In some situations, however, there is a possibility that button member  74  may travel farther (e.g., to the location represented by outline  100 ). In over-travel conditions such as these, lower surface  92  of button member  74  has the potential to contact internal device structures such as chassis member  42 M or other display structures. Chassis member  42 M may be formed from a durable material such as metal and may be configured to withstand damage in the event of occasional impacts from button member  74  of button  16 . The location of notch  48  is preferably configured such that no portion of thin-film-transistor layer  34  will be struck by lower portion  92  of button member  74 , even if button member  74  experiences over-travel. 
     A perspective view of the structures that make up display  14  in the vicinity of notch  48  in thin-film-transistor layer  34  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , flexible printed circuit cable  70  may wrap around thin-film-transistor layer  34  and metal display chassis structure  42 M. Display chassis  42 M or other support structures may overlap the area consumed by notch  48  and may therefore provide support to thin-film-transistor layer  34  in the vicinity of notch  48  to help prevent thin-film-transistor layer  34  from cracking during use of device  10 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of button  16 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , button member  74  may be surrounded by an elastomeric gasket such as silicone gasket  102 . Button stiffener structure  80  may surround button member  74  and gasket  102  and may have portions that support button switch  90  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5 ). Screws  106  may be used to attach connector structure  108  to housing structure  12 . The surfaces of structure  80  and housing  12  may be planar and may lie in a common plane. Display cover layer  82  may be attached to the surfaces of structure  80  and housing  12  using a layer of adhesive or other suitable fastening mechanisms. 
     If desired, openings in thin-film transistor layer  34  may be used to accommodate housing structures, communications paths with conductive lines (e.g., digital buses and/or paths for analog signals), electrical components, and other structures in device  10 .  FIG. 9  is a perspective view of display  14  in a configuration in which thin-film-transistor layer  34  has a notch that is used to accommodate a signal path. As shown in  FIG. 9 , thin-film-transistor layer  34  may include notch  48 . Notch  48  may overlap underlying structures such as printed circuit board  66 . Printed circuit board  66  may be a rigid printed circuit board or a flexible printed circuit. One or more components such as component  68  may be mounted on printed circuit  66 . If desired, components such as component  68  of  FIG. 9  may be mounted on other substrates. For example, the component mounting functions of printed circuit  66  may be performed using a dielectric carrier such as an injection molded plastic carrier or other dielectric substrate. 
     Components such as component  68  may include one or more integrated circuits such as display timing circuits, display driver integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits, or other electronic components and may be mounted on the exposed lower surface of printed circuit board  66  facing downwards (in the orientation of  FIG. 9 ). The opposing upper surface of printed circuit  66  (i.e., the exposed upper surface of printed circuit  66  in the orientation of  FIG. 9 ) may be provided with bond pads  108 . One or more bond wires such as wire bonding wires  110  may be bonded between bond pads  108  and conductive traces  112  on thin-film transistor layer  34 . 
     Printed circuit  66  may include internal traces (e.g., interconnects and vias) that interconnect the circuitry of components  68  to bond pads  108 . Wires  110  and conductive traces  112  may be electrically coupled between bond pads  108  and display driver circuitry  46  (e.g., one or more display driver integrated circuits) and may be used in routing signals between components  68  and display driver circuitry  46 . Traces  114  may be used to couple display driver integrated circuits such as integrated circuit  46  to gate driver circuitry and other display control circuitry for controlling an array of display pixels in display  14 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 9 , the signal path that passes through notch  48  is shown as including two wire bond wires  110 . This is merely illustrative. One wire bond, two wire bonds, three wire bonds, or four or more wire bonds may be formed in notch  48  if desired. The signals that are carried on the conductive lines passing through notch  48  may include analog signals, digital signals, display data signals, control signals, clock signals, or any other suitable signals. Wires, cables, or other suitable conductive lines may be used in conveying information through notch  48 . As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 10 , for example, a flex circuit cable such as flexible printed circuit  116  may pass through notch  48 . Flexible printed circuit cable  116  may include one or more, two or more, three or more, or ten or more conductive lines (e.g., for forming a display bus or other signal bus). 
     A signal path such as the signal path of  FIG. 10  that has been formed from conductive traces on a flexible printed circuit substrate may be used to couple circuitry on a printed circuit board (e.g., circuitry on a main logic board or other printed circuit) to display driver circuitry such as display driver integrated circuit  46  of  FIG. 9 . If desired, signals can be conveyed through notch  48  using one or more discrete wires (e.g., dielectric coated metal wires), coaxial cables, flexible printed circuit transmission lines, or other conductive paths. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the structures of  FIG. 10  taken along line  120  and viewed in direction  122 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , flexible printed circuit cable  116  may extend through notch  48  from the upper surface of thin-film-transistor layer  34  to printed circuit  66  or other structures mounted under layer  34 . Flexible printed circuit cable  116  may have one end such as end  124  that has conductive lines coupled to traces  112  on the surface of thin-film-transistor layer  34  (e.g., using anisotropic conductive film or other suitable attachment mechanisms). Flexible printed circuit cable  116  may also have an opposing end such as end  126  that is electrically coupled to traces  128  in printed circuit  66 . Traces  128  in printed circuit  66  may be used to electrically couple flexible printed circuit cable  116  to integrated circuit  68 . 
     If desired, cables such as flexible printed circuit cable  116  may be coupled to a logic board that is not mounted on thin-film-transistor layer  34  or other display layers. For example, cables or other signal paths that at least partly pass through a notch such as notch  48  of  FIG. 11  or other openings in a display layer may be used in coupling thin-film-transistor circuitry on thin-film-transistor layer  34  (e.g., display driver circuitry in an integrated circuit, display driver circuitry formed as a thin-film-transistor circuit on layer  34 , etc.) to other circuitry in device  10  such as circuitry  68  on printed circuit  66  of  FIG. 11 , circuitry on a motherboard, circuitry on a daughter board, circuitry on one or more other printed circuits, circuitry on support structures formed from injection-molded plastic or other dielectrics, structures formed from flexible printed circuits, etc. 
     Notches such as notch  48  may, if desired, pass through multiple display layers in display  14 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , for example, notch  48  may be formed from a recess in color filter layer  32  and an aligned recess in thin-film-transistor layer  34 . The sizes and the shapes of the notches in layers  32  and  34  may be identical or may overlap to create a notch having an area defined by the overlap region between layers  32  and  34 . In configurations in which a cable, button, other component, or other device structure is passing through the notch, the sizes and shapes of the notch regions in layers  32  and  34  may overlap sufficiently to create a common notch region. As shown in the configuration of  FIG. 12 , the size and shape of notch  48  may be common to both layers  32  and  34 . If desired, display layers such as polarizer layers  30  and  36  may be provided with notches that match the notches in layers  32  and  34 . Notches or other openings that overlap with notch regions in layers  32  and  34  may also be provided in layers such as display cover layer  82  and touch sensor layer  40 . 
     Notches in display  14  (e.g., in display layers  38 ) may be configured to receive any suitable structures such as structures  128  in  FIG. 12 . Structures  128  may include housing structures such as screws, frame members, housing walls, screw bosses, internal housing structures, and other structural members. The presence of one or more openings in display layers  38  such as layers  32  and/or  34  that are configured to receive housing structures such as these may allow device  10  to be implemented more compactly than would otherwise be possible. Notches such as notch  48  may also be configured to receive electrical components (i.e., structure  128  may include one or more components). As an example, electrical components  128  such as image sensors, cameras (e.g., camera modules that include image sensors and lenses), light-based proximity sensors or other proximity sensors, ambient light sensors, connectors, switches, buttons, speakers, microphones, and other audio components, audio jacks, removable media structures, buttons, audio components, integrated circuits, printed circuits, cables or other communications paths, or other structures may be mounted in device  10  so that at least some of the structures are received within notch  48 . 
     Notch  48  may be formed by water-jet cutting, scribing and breaking, machining using cutting tools, or other suitable techniques. As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , for example, a rotating cutter such as cutter  130  may be moved towards layer  34  in direction  136  to machine or otherwise create a desired surface shape on the exposed edge of one or more layers in display  14  (e.g., layer  34  or other display layers). In the example of  FIG. 13 , cutter  130  has a shape for cutting a flat edge such as planar surface  132  and upper and lower beveled surfaces such as chamfers  134 , resulting in a chamfered edge on thin-film-transistor layer  34  or other display layers. The shape of cutter  130  may help prevent layer  34  from vibrating up and down during the cutting process. If desired, other shapes for forming flat edges such as edge  132  on display layers such as thin-film-transistor layer  34  may be used. For example, cutter  130  may be formed from a rotating cylindrical member that forms a flat vertical leading edge on layer  34 .  FIG. 14  shows how cutter  130  may be configured to form rounded edge  138  on a display layer such as thin-film-transistor layer  34 . Rounded edge  138  may be characterized by a radius of curvature R. 
     As shown in the cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 15 , the magnitude of radius of curvature R may be configured to create a desired bend radius for flexible printed circuit layer  116 . Layer  116  may be, for example, a strip of flexible printed circuit material that includes parallel traces for forming a signal bus that couples electrical circuitry such as circuitry in or associated with components  140  and  46 . 
       FIGS. 16, 17, 18, and 19  are top views of illustrative shapes that may be used in forming display layers openings. Notch  48  may have a curved edge shape, as shown in the top view of layer  34  in  FIG. 16 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , notch  48  may have straight sidewalls. If desired, an opening may be formed in display layers such as opening  48  in layer  34  of  FIG. 18 .  FIG. 19  shows how notch  48  may have shallow portions and deeper portion. 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , an opening in display layers  38  such as notch  48  may pass through polarizer layers  30  and  36 , color filter layer  32 , and thin-film-transistor layer  34 . In general, notch  48  may pass through one or more of these layers, two or more of these layers, three or more of these layers, or four or more of these layers. Configurations in which notch  48  passes through thin-film-transistor layer  34  are sometimes described herein as an example. In general, however, notch  48  may pass through any suitable number of layers in display  14  (e.g., one or more display layers, a touch sensor layer, a display cover layer, etc.). 
     As shown in the cross-sectional side view of layer  34  of  FIG. 21 , a component such as component  142  may transmit and/or receive signals such as signals  144  through the opening formed by notch  48  in a display layer such as thin-film-transistor layer  34  and/or other display layers  38 . Signals  144  may be, for example, visible, infrared, or ultraviolet transmitted light and/or received light, transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic signals or other transmitted electromagnetic signals, received radio-frequency electromagnetic signals or other received electromagnetic signals, acoustic signals (ultrasonic or audible sound), or other signals. Opening  48  may be a circular hole, a recessed opening such as a notch, or other opening in a display layer in display  14 . Component  142  may be an image sensor, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a status indicator light, a touch sensor, a light-emitting diode, a speaker, a microphone, other audio circuitry, an integrated circuit, a button, a connector, a housing structure, an integrated circuit, a printed circuit, a cable, wires, other structures in device  10 , combinations of these structures, or portions of these structures. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120606
Publication Date: 20180213
Grant Date: 20180213
Priority Date: 20120606
Inventors: FRANKLIN JEREMY C.
RAPPOPORT BENJAMIN M.
TERNUS JOHN P.
CORBIN SEAN
MCCLURE STEPHEN R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02F1/13452", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13452", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/23", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13454", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/028", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13454", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1633", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0017", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/23", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1633", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/23", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2001/133322", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1633", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L29/786", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/028", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0017", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13452", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13454", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10D30/67", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133322", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133322", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48614137