PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9851593-B2
Application Number: US-201313890914-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: LCD frame assembly

Abstract:
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for rear assembly of a display with a frame assembly having a frame joined to a liquid crystal layer (e.g., cell), initially forming a front of the display. The frame may be substantially continuous with the cell and formed without an adhesive layer, reducing a thickness of the display. The frame may be injection molded about the cell with a thermoplastic or thermoset material. Molding the frame about the cell may enable the frame to uniformly support the cell and/or support the cell with less material or structure. Various layers may be added to the frame assembly from a rear of the display. Rear assembly may further reduce the thickness of the display by removing one or more adhesive layers.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing an electronic display, comprising:
 forming a frame about a cell, wherein the cell comprises a thin-film transistor layer, a color filter layer, a front surface, and a rear surface, wherein the frame forms a substantially seamless interface with the front surface of the cell, wherein forming the frame about the cell comprises interfacing the frame and the cell without an adhesive layer between the frame and the front surface of the cell or between the frame and the rear surface of the cell; 
 layering a backlight assembly within the frame from a rear of the electronic display, wherein the backlight assembly comprises an optical sheet; and 
 interfacing the optical sheet of the backlight assembly with the rear surface of the cell without an airgap between the optical sheet and the thin-film transistor layer of the cell, wherein the optical sheet is layered adjacent to the rear surface of the cell. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising forming the cell, wherein forming the cell comprises layering a front polarizer, the color filter layer, the thin-film transistor layer, and a rear polarizer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a first half and a second half coupled about the cell. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backlight assembly comprises a plurality of optical sheets, and layering the backlight assembly within the frame comprises layering the plurality of optical sheets over the rear surface of the cell. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , comprising forming the backlight assembly, wherein forming the backlight assembly comprises layering the optical sheet, a light guide plate, and a reflector film, wherein layering the backlight assembly within the frame comprises layering the formed backlight assembly. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backlight assembly comprises a light guide plate with one or more locating features extending from an edge of the light guide plate, and the frame comprises one or more locating slots configured to accommodate the one or more locating features and a light source, wherein layering the backlight assembly comprises fitting the one or more locating features into the one or more locating slots to position the light guide plate in a desired position relative to the light source. 
     
     
       7. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising:
 coupling a liquid crystal layer to a front portion of a frame to form a frame assembly, wherein a cell width in a plan view of the liquid crystal layer is less than approximately 2 mm smaller than a frame width in the plan view of the frame assembly, and a cell length in the plan view of the liquid crystal layer is less than approximately 2 mm smaller than a frame length in the plan view of the frame assembly; and 
 coupling a backlight assembly to a rear portion of the frame, wherein the backlight assembly is coupled to the frame from a rear direction after coupling the liquid crystal layer to the frame. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein coupling the liquid crystal layer to the front portion comprises interfacing a substantial portion of a perimeter of the liquid crystal layer with the front portion. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the front portion comprises a lip, wherein coupling the liquid crystal layer to the front portion forms a substantially seamless interface between the lip and the liquid crystal layer. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , comprising inserting a light source within the rear portion of the frame. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein coupling the backlight assembly to the rear portion of the frame comprises disposing the backlight assembly adjacent to the liquid crystal layer. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the backlight assembly comprises one or more optical sheets and a light guide, wherein coupling the backlight assembly to the rear portion of the frame comprises layering the one or more optical sheets adjacent to the liquid crystal layer without an adhesive layer on the liquid crystal layer. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , comprising disposing a reflector film on a rear face of the frame after coupling the backlight assembly to the rear portion of the frame. 
     
     
       14. A rear assembly electronic display comprising:
 a cell comprising a thin-film transistor layer and a color filter layer, wherein the cell comprises a front surface, a rear surface, and edges between the front surface and the rear surface, wherein the front surface and the rear surface comprise a perimeter spaced apart from the edges of the cell, the front surface comprises a front polarizer, and the rear surface comprises a rear polarizer that interfaces with the thin-film transistor layer; 
 a frame comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion comprises a slot configured to substantially surround the edges of the cell, to interface with the perimeter on the front surface and the rear surface, and to retain the cell without an adhesive layer, and the rear portion is configured to receive a backlight assembly through a rear face; and 
 the backlight assembly disposed adjacent to the rear surface of the cell, wherein the backlight assembly comprises one or more optical sheets, and an optical sheet of the one or more optical sheets interfaces with the rear polarizer without an adhesive layer. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic display of  claim 14 , wherein the front portion comprises a lip, and the lip and the cell are configured to form a substantially seamless interface on a front of the electronic display. 
     
     
       16. The electronic display of  claim 15 , wherein the lip extends less than approximately 0.5 mm from the cell toward the front of the electronic display. 
     
     
       17. The electronic display of  claim 14 , comprising a light source disposed in the rear portion of the frame adjacent to the light guide plate or disposed in the backlight assembly. 
     
     
       18. The electronic display of  claim 14 , wherein the light guide plate comprises one or more locating features extending from a light guide plate edge, and the rear portion of the frame comprises one or more locator slots configured to receive the respective one or more locating features and to position the backlight assembly relative to the cell. 
     
     
       19. An electronic device, comprising:
 one or more input structures; 
 a storage structure encoding one or more executable routines; 
 a processor capable of receiving inputs from the one or more input structures and of executing the one or more executable routines when loaded in the storage structure; and 
 a rear assembly display device configured to display an output of the processor, wherein the rear assembly display device comprises:
 a cell comprising a thin-film transistor layer, a color filter layer, a front surface, and a rear surface; 
 a frame comprising a front portion, a rear portion, and a rear face, wherein the front portion is disposed about the cell and is configured to form a substantially seamless interface with the front surface of the cell; and 
 a backlight assembly comprising an optical sheet, a light guide plate, and a reflector film, wherein the optical sheet interfaces with the rear surface of the cell without an airgap between the optical sheet and the thin-film transistor layer of the cell; 
 wherein the cell does not interface with an adhesive layer between the frame and the cell or between the optical sheet and the cell. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the electronic device comprises a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a media player, a portable phone, a personal data organizer, or a handheld game platform, or any combination thereof.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/699,778, entitled “LCD Frame Assembly,” filed Sep. 11, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a liquid crystal display (LCD) frame assembly for an electronic display and, more particularly, to methods for securing a display cell to a frame. 
     This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. 
     Electronic displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), commonly appear in many different electronic devices, such as televisions, computers, and phones. LCDs portray images by modulating the amount of light that passes through a liquid crystal layer, or cell, within pixels of varying color. The cell may include a thin-film transistor layer and a color filter layer. A display driver for the LCD produces images on the display by adjusting the image signal supplied to each pixel across the display. The brightness of an LCD depends on the amount of light provided by a light source within a backlight assembly. As the backlight assembly provides more light, the brightness of the LCD increases. Optical layers (e.g., reflectors, polarizers) of the backlight assembly may affect qualities of the light through the cell. 
     A frame may support the cell and protect at least part of the cell and backlight assembly. In certain displays, a frame coupled to the backlight assembly and optical layers may be subsequently joined to the cell. Unfortunately, gaps between the frame and the cell due to the assembly method and manufacturing tolerances may increase the bulk of the display. Additionally, image data may not be displayed over gaps, reducing an active area of the display. 
     SUMMARY 
     A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, devices, and methods for rear assembly of a display with a frame assembly having a frame joined to a liquid crystal layer (e.g., cell). The frame may be assembled directly about the cell, initially forming the front of the display. The frame may be substantially continuous and seamless with the cell, reducing the occurrence of defects on the front of the display, and reducing gaps between the cell and the frame. The frame may be directly assembled about the cell without an adhesive layer, reducing the thickness of the display. In one example, the frame may be injection molded about the cell with a thermoplastic or thermoset material. Molding the frame about the cell may enable the frame to more uniformly support the cell and/or support the cell with less material or structure than conventional frames. Various layers may be added to the frame assembly from the rear of the display. For example, a backlight assembly may be assembled (e.g., layered) on the rear of the cell or inserted from the rear as an assembled backlight assembly. Some layers of the backlight assembly may distribute and guide light through the cell to illuminate images on the display. Rear assembly may further reduce the thickness of the display by removing one or more adhesive layers between the backlight assembly and the cell. 
     Various refinements of the features noted above may be made in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or in any combination. The brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device that incorporates a display within a frame assembly, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example of the electronic device of  FIG. 1  in the form of a notebook computer, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an example of the electronic device of  FIG. 1  in the form of a handheld electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded-view of the display of the electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the display of  FIG. 4 , taken along line  5 - 5 , illustrating the frame assembly and a backlight assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the electronic display in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an embodiment of a cell within a frame assembly mold, in accordance with an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the electronic display in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an example,” or the like, are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. 
     As mentioned above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a display having a frame joined to a liquid crystal layer (e.g., cell) into a frame assembly. In some embodiments, the cell includes a thin-film transistor layer, a color filter layer, and polarizing filters. The frame assembly may be subsequently joined with additional components of the display, such as a light guide plate, one or more light sources, optical sheets, and reflector films. A front portion of the frame may be joined to the cell, initially forming a front of the display. The cell and frame may be joined without an adhesive layer. In some embodiments, the frame may be integrally molded about the cell, such as by injection molding. The frame material may be a thermoset material that cures due to exposure to relatively high temperatures, exposure to another material, or radiation (e.g., ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation, X-ray radiation). In some embodiments, the frame may be assembled around the cell, reducing a border area of the frame relative to the cell. For example, the frame may be formed with primary tolerances based on the dimensions of the cell, the first joined component of the display, rather than with primary tolerances based on the dimensions of the backlight assembly. The additional components of the display may be inserted within the frame assembly through a rear portion of the frame. In some embodiments, one or more optical sheets of the backlight assembly may be positioned adjacent to the cell without an adhesive layer, thereby reducing the thickness of the display. 
     With the foregoing in mind, a general description of suitable electronic devices that may employ electronic displays with the frame assembly will be provided below. In particular,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram depicting various components that may be present in an electronic device suitable for use with such a display.  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate various examples of suitable electronic devices in the form of a notebook computer and a handheld electronic device, respectively. 
     Turning first to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  10  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include, among other things, one or more processor(s)  12 , memory  14 , nonvolatile storage  16 , a display  18  and a frame assembly  20 , input structures  22 , an input/output (I/O) interface  24 , network interfaces  26 , and a power source  28 . The various functional blocks shown in  FIG. 1  may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium) or a combination of both hardware and software elements. It should be noted that  FIG. 1  is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in electronic device  10 . 
     By way of example, the electronic device  10  may represent a block diagram of the notebook computer depicted in  FIG. 2 , the handheld device depicted in  FIG. 3 , or similar devices. It should be noted that the processor(s)  12  and/or other data processing circuitry may be generally referred to herein as “data processing circuitry.” Such data processing circuitry may be embodied wholly or in part as software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the data processing circuitry may be a single contained processing module or may be incorporated wholly or partially within any of the other elements within the electronic device  10 . 
     In the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1 , the processor(s)  12  and/or other data processing circuitry may be operably coupled with the memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  to execute instructions to carry out various functions of the electronic device  10 . Among other things, these functions may include generating image data to be displayed on the display  18 . The programs or instructions executed by the processor(s)  12  may be stored in any suitable article of manufacture that includes one or more tangible, computer-readable media at least collectively storing the instructions or routines, such as the memory  14  and/or the nonvolatile storage  16 . The memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  may represent, for example, random-access memory, read-only memory, rewritable flash memory, hard drives, and optical discs. Also, programs (e.g., an operating system) encoded on such a computer program product may also include instructions that may be executed by the processor(s)  12  to enable other functions of the electronic device  10 . 
     The display  18  may be a touch-screen liquid crystal display (LCD), for example, which may enable users to interact with a user interface of the electronic device  10 . By way of example, the display  18  may be a MultiTouch™ display that can detect multiple touches at once. The processor  12  may show image data on the display  18  by adjusting pixels of a cell. The display  18  may include many layers, including the cell and backlight assembly (e.g., optical sheets, light guide, reflector) to guide light through the cell at a front of the display. The frame assembly  20  may include a frame coupled to the cell to form the front of the display  18 . In some embodiments, light sources within the frame assembly  20  may illuminate the display  18  to increase the visibility of the image data shown by the display  18 . The frame assembly  20  may be assembled about the cell to support and protect the display  18 . Presently contemplated embodiments include methods of assembling the display  18  with the frame assembly  20  about the cell. 
     The input structures  22  of the electronic device  10  may enable a user to interact with the electronic device  10  (e.g., pressing a button to increase or decrease a volume level). The I/O interface  24  may enable electronic device  10  to interface with various other electronic devices, as may the network interfaces  26 . The network interfaces  26  may include, for example, interfaces for a personal area network (PAN), such as a Bluetooth network, for a local area network (LAN), such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi network, and/or for a wide area network (WAN), such as a 3G or 4G cellular network. The power source  28  of the electronic device  10  may be any suitable source of power, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and/or an alternating current (AC) power converter. 
     The electronic device  10  may take the form of a computer or other type of electronic device. Such computers may include computers that are generally portable (such as laptop, notebook, and tablet computers) as well as computers that are generally used in one place (such as conventional desktop computers, workstations and/or servers). In certain embodiments, the electronic device  10  in the form of a computer may be a model of a MacBook®, MacBook® Pro, MacBook Air®, iMac®, Mac® mini, or Mac Pro® available from Apple Inc. By way of example, the electronic device  10 , taking the form of a notebook computer  30 , is illustrated in  FIG. 2  in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The depicted computer  30  may include a housing  32 , a display  18 , input structures  22 , and ports of an I/O interface  24 . In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may include at least a portion of the housing about the display  18 . The input structures  22 , such as a keyboard and/or touchpad, may be used to interact with the computer  30 . Via the input structures  22 , a user may start, control, or operate a GUI or applications running on computer  30 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a front view of a handheld device  34 , which represents one embodiment of the electronic device  10 . The handheld device  34  may represent, for example, a portable phone, a media player, a personal data organizer, a handheld game platform, or any combination of such devices. By way of example, the handheld device  34  may be a model of an iPod® or iPhone® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. In other embodiments, the handheld device  34  may be a tablet-sized embodiment of the electronic device  10 , which may be, for example, a model of an iPad® available from Apple Inc. 
     The handheld device  34  may include an enclosure  36  to protect interior components from physical damage and to shield them from electromagnetic interference. The enclosure  36  may surround the display  18 , which may display indicator icons  38 . In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may include all or part of the enclosure  36 . The indicator icons  38  may indicate, among other things, a cellular signal strength, Bluetooth connection, and/or battery life. The I/O interfaces  24  may open through the enclosure  36  and may include, for example, a proprietary I/O port from Apple Inc. to connect to external devices. 
     User input structures  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and  46 , in combination with the display  18 , may allow a user to control the handheld device  34 . For example, the input structure  40  may activate or deactivate the handheld device  34 , the input structure  42  may turn the display  18  on or off, the input structure  42  may navigate a user interface to a home screen, a user-configurable application screen, and/or activate a voice-recognition feature of the handheld device  34 , the input structures  44  may provide volume control, and the input structure  46  may toggle between vibrate and ring modes. A microphone  48  may obtain a user&#39;s voice for various voice-related features, and a speaker  50  may enable audio playback and/or certain phone capabilities. A headphone input  52  may provide a connection to external speakers and/or headphones. 
     The display  18  and frame assembly  20  of an electronic device  10  are shown in the exploded-view of  FIG. 4 . When the display  18  is assembled, a frame  60  at least partially surrounds a cell  62  and a backlight assembly  64 . For ease of explanation, the display  18  may be described in relation to a coordinate system along a Y-axis  66 , an X-axis  68 , and a Z-axis  70 . Points lower along the Y-axis  66  toward a front  72  of the display  18  may be referred to as “beneath,” “lower,” “below,” “in front of,” and so forth. Points higher along the Y-axis  66  toward a rear  74  of the display  18  may be referred to as “above,” “higher,” “on top of,” “behind,” and so forth.  FIG. 4  illustrates the frame  60  as a right half  60   a  and a left half  60   b  that may be joined together about the cell  62  along the X-axis  68 . In some embodiments, the frame  60  may be a single component. Alternatively, the frame  60  may be assembled from more than two sections (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more). 
     Presently contemplated embodiments of the cell  62  may include a first glass plate  76  (e.g., color filter layer) in front of, or below, a second glass plate  78  (e.g., thin-film transistor layer). The cell  62  may include a front polarizer  80  and a rear polarizer  82  on opposing faces of the cell  62 . The backlight assembly  64  may include optical sheets  84 , a light guide plate  86 , and a reflector film  88  (e.g., specular reflector or diffuse reflector). The optical sheets  84  may include a diffuser layer  90  and optical films  92 ,  94 . The order of the optical sheets  84  along the Y-axis  66  may vary between embodiments. In some embodiments, the light guide plate  86  may be coupled with one or more light sources  96 . Additionally or alternatively, one or more light sources  98  may be integrated with the frame  60 . The one or more light sources  96 ,  98  may include a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), or any other suitable source of light. Light from the one or more light sources  96 ,  98  may pass through the light guide plate  86  from a first edge  100  to an opposing second edge  102 . In one example, the light guide plate  86  may be formed from polymethyl-methacrylate, an acrylic glass commonly referred to as “PMMA.” In some embodiments, the diffuser layer  90  may be formed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The reflector film  88  and light guide plate  86  may direct light through the backlight assembly  64  from the rear  74  towards the cell  62  at the front  72  of the display  18 . The light guide plate  86  and diffuser layer  90  may scatter light over a very broad range of distribution through the cell  62 . 
     The optical films  92 ,  94  may function to focus this very broad light towards the cell  62 , thereby increasing the apparent brightness of the display  18 . For instance, optical films  92 ,  94  may include brightness enhancement films that generally increase “on-axis” brightness (e.g., the brightness along the Y-axis  66 ). Brightness enhancement films may include prisms, lenses, or other features formed on a front surface of such films and directed toward or away from the light guide plate  86 . The optical films  92 ,  94  may increase on-axis brightness by permitting certain received light to be emitted through the cell  62  within a desired viewing range about Y-axis  66 , while the other received light may be recycled by reflecting towards the reflector film  88 . 
     As may be appreciated, the rear polarizer  82  may polarize the light from the backlight assembly  64  in a first direction (e.g., along the X-axis  68 ). The front polarizer  80  may polarize the light from the first and second glass plates  76 ,  78  in a second perpendicular direction (e.g., along the Z-axis  70 ). The cell  62  may include numerous pixels that selectively modulate the amount and color of light passing from the backlight assembly  64  through the cell  62  by changing the polarization of the light. The cell  62  may employ any suitable liquid crystal display architecture, such as twisted nematic (TN), in-plane switching (IPS), fringe-field switching (FFS), and/or vertical alignment (e.g., multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) or patterned vertical alignment (PVA)) 
     A front portion  104  of the frame  60  may accommodate the cell  62 , and a rear portion  106  of the frame may accommodate the backlight assembly  64 . In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may be assembled by joining frame components (e.g., right half  60   a , left half  60   b ) about the cell  62  along the X-axis  68  and/or Z-axis  70 . For example the cell  62  may be positioned within a slot  108  adjacent to the front portion  104  of the frame  60  to form the frame assembly  20 . The slot  108  may substantially surround a perimeter  110  of the cell  62 . The assembled cell  62  may have a thickness  112  less than or approximately equal to the slot height  114 . The cell  62  may be coupled with the frame  60  by an interference fit and/or an adhesive. The slot  108  may accommodate the cell  62  such that a slot face  116  is substantially in contact with an edge  115  of the cell  62  about the perimeter  110 . The interface between the slot face  116  and the edges  115  of the cell  62  reduce or substantially eliminate gaps between the cell  62  and the frame  60 . This interface of the frame  60  formed to fit the cell  62  first, then the backlight assembly  64  enables a smaller frame width  118  and smaller frame length  120  than a conventional frame that is formed to fit the backlight assembly first, then the cell. In some embodiments, a gasket or other seal within the slot  108  may interface with the cell  62  and secure the cell  62  within the slot  108 . Directly assembling the frame  60  about the cell  62  before inserting the backlight assembly  64  may interface the cell  62  with the slot  108  and slot face  116  around substantially the whole perimeter  110  and edges  115 . Direct assembly of the frame  60  about the cell  62  with the frame tolerances based on the dimensions of the cell  62  may enable the frame width  118  to be slightly larger than the cell width  122 , and enable the frame length  120  to be slightly larger than the cell length  124 . For example, the frame width  118  and frame length  120  may be less than approximately 0.3, 0.5, 1, or 2 mm larger than the respective cell width  122  and cell length  124 . The dimensions of the frame  60  formed directly about the cell  62  may reduce a border area around the cell  62  and/or reduce gaps between the frame  60  and the cell  62 , enabling image data to be displayed closer to the edge of the display  18 . 
     In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may be assembled by inserting the cell  62  into an assembled frame  60 . For example, the right half  60   a  and left half  60   b  may be joined together along the X-axis  68 . Then the cell  62  may be inserted along the Y-axis  66  from the front  72  or rear  74  of the display  18  into the front portion  104 . Alternatively, as discussed below with  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the frame  60  may be integrally formed (e.g., molded) about the cell  62 . The integrally formed frame  60  may be substantially continuous with the cell  62 , such that the interface between the frame  60  and the cell  62  is seamless. 
     The backlight assembly  64  may be inserted into the frame assembly  20  from the rear  74  of the display  18  due to the position of the cell  62  in the front portion  104 . The rear portion  106  of the frame  60  may accommodate the backlight assembly  64  behind the cell  62 . The backlight width  126  may be greater than or equal to the cell width  122 , and the backlight length  128  may be greater than or equal to the cell length  124 . In some embodiments, the optical sheets  84  may be positioned adjacent to the cell  62  (e.g., rear polarizer  82 ) and/or the front portion  104  of the frame  60 . In some embodiments, an airgap may be present between the optical sheets  84  and the cell  62 . In some embodiments, at least one of the optical sheets  84  may be arranged within the frame assembly  20  without an adhesive. One or more layers of the backlight assembly  64  may interface with the inner face  130  of the rear portion  106 . For example, locating features  132  of the light guide plate  86  may interface with locating slots  134  of the frame  60  to control the assembled position of the light guide plate  86 . The locating features  132  and mating locating slots  134  may be of any suitable geometry that enables the light guide plate  86  to be positioned at a desired position relative to the one or more light sources  96 ,  98  and the cell  62 . The light guide plate  86  may be positioned within the frame assembly  20  to enable the light guide plate  86  at the desired position to direct sufficient and uniform light toward the cell  62  to produce illuminated images on the front  72  of the display  18 . One or more locating features  132  may be arranged about the light guide plate  86 , such as along the first edge  100 , second edge  102 , or a third edge  136 . 
     The cross-sectional view of  FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of the display  18  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . The frame  60  is shown joined with the cell  62 , forming the frame assembly  20 . The perimeter  110  of the cell  62  is substantially surrounded by the front portion  104  of the frame  60 . The rear portion  106  of the frame  60  may accommodate the insertion of the backlight assembly  64  along the Y-axis  66  from the rear  74  of the display  18 . The backlight assembly  64  may be inserted as a single backlight assembly unit, or inserted as multiple layers. For example, the optical sheets  84  may be layered first, the light guide plate  86  may be layered second, and the reflector film  88  may be layered third. The opposing inner faces  130  of the rear portion  106  may be spaced apart a distance greater than or approximately equal to the backlight length  128 . In some embodiments, the reflector film  88  has a reflector length  138  greater than the backlight length  128 . The reflector film  88  may be positioned behind the rear face  140  of the frame  60 . 
     The frame  60  may extend over at least a portion (e.g., perimeter  110 ) of the cell  62 . The frame  60  may protect the perimeter  110  of the cell from environmental conditions (e.g., dust, moisture, EMI, etc.) and from mechanical forces that may otherwise chip, crack, or damage the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the frame  60  is assembled about the cell  62  to be substantially seamless due to the dimensions of the frame  60  relative to the dimensions of the cell  62 . The dimensions of the frame may reduce gaps between the frame  60  and the cell  62  to substantially block particulates from entering the frame assembly  20 . Particulates that may otherwise pass into the display of a conventional frame assembly may cause observable defects on the screen, such as to interfere with light transmission and/or reflection. Lips  142  at the front  72  of the frame  60  may at least partially support the cell  62  along the Y-axis  66 . In some embodiments, an active area of the cell  62  between the lips  142  may have an active length  144  that is less than the cell length  124 . Similarly, the active area between the lips  142  may have an active width along the Z-axis  70  that is less than the cell width  122 . In some embodiments, the active length  144  may be approximately 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, or 2 mm shorter than the cell length  124 . This may reduce a border area about the cell  62 , thereby decreasing a ratio between the area of the electronic device  10  (e.g., frame width  118  by frame length  120 ) and an active area of the cell  62  (e.g., active width by active length  144 ). The lips  142  may extend a lip distance  146  along the Y-axis  66  toward the front  72  of the display  18 . In some embodiments, the lip distance  146  may be less than approximately 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mm. The lips  142  may at least partially protect the front of the display  18 . The lips  142  may enable a substantially continuous interface between the cell  62  and the frame  60  that reduces the appearance of observable defects on the front  72  of the display  18 . The continuous interface may be without gaps (e.g., seamless) to prevent particulates from entering the display  18 . For example, a frame  60  may be integrally molded about the cell  62  to form a substantially seamless interface. The lips  142  may at least partially enclose the cell  62  to reduce any gaps between the cell  62  and the frame  60 . 
     The optical sheets  84  may be positioned (e.g., layered) through the rear  74  of the display  18  to be adjacent to the cell  62  of the frame assembly  20 . Adhesive layers may be used to maintain the position of some of the layers of the backlight assembly  64  within the frame assembly  20 . Each adhesive layer may be between approximately 0.05 to 0.2 mm. However, in some embodiments, at least one optical sheet  84  may be positioned without an adhesive layer, enabling a thinner display. For example, the optical film  94  may be positioned adjacent to the cell  62  without an adhesive layer. A normal force from the backlight assembly  64  may maintain the position of the optical film  94  without the adhesive layer. In some embodiments, the optical sheets  84  may be positioned in front of the light source  98  disposed within the frame  60 . 
     The light guide plate  86  may be positioned above along the Y-axis  66 , or on top of the optical sheets  84 . In some embodiments, the light guide plate  86  may be coupled with a light source  96 , such that the light source  96  may be inserted from the rear  74  of the display  18  into the frame assembly  20  with the light guide plate  86 . The light source  96  may be a part of a locating feature  132  used to position the light guide plate  86  relative to the cell  62  of the frame assembly  60 . In some embodiments, the light guide plate  86  may be positioned adjacent to the light source  98  disposed within the frame  60 . The light guide plate  86  may receive light primarily along the X-axis  68  from the light source  96 ,  98 , and direct the light along the Y-axis  66  towards the front  72  of the display  18 . The reflector film  88  may be a diffuse reflector or a specular reflector that may increase the light directed through the cell  62 . Some examples of specular reflectors include a silver reflector film or an enhanced spectral reflector (ESR) film, including a model of Vikuiti® ESR film, available from 3M Company. In some embodiments, the thickness of the backlight assembly  64  is less than a frame depth  148  of the rear portion  106 . Alternatively, the thickness of the backlight assembly  64  may be greater than the frame depth  148 . The reflector film  88  may be disposed within the frame  60  or on the rear face  140 . 
     The electronic display  18  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  may be manufactured according to a flowchart  150  of  FIG. 6 . The flowchart  150  illustrates a rear assembly method of assembling a display  18 . Specifically, the cell  62  may be formed (block  152 ) by combining the first glass plate  76  (e.g., color filter) with the second glass plate  78  (e.g., thin-film transistor). The formed cell  62  may include a front polarizer  80  and a rear polarizer  82  on opposing faces of the cell  62  as described above. The cell  62  may be joined (block  154 ) to the frame  60 . The frame  60  may be formed from one or more components or sections that are assembled about the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the cell  62  may be inserted through the front  72  or the rear  74  of the display  18 . The cell  62  may be joined (block  154 ) with the frame  60  without adhesives, such as by an interference fit or geometrical constraint (e.g., the cell  62  arranged within the slot  108  adjacent to the slot face  116 ). Moreover, as described below with  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the frame  60  may be molded about the cell  62 , such as by injection molding. Initially, the frame  60  may be joined (block  154 ) to the cell  62  to reduce gaps and/or to form a substantially seamless interface between the frame  60  and the cell  62 . 
     Optical sheets  84  of the backlight assembly  64  may be layered (block  156 ) into the frame assembly  20  from the rear  74  after the cell  62  has been joined (block  154 ) to the frame  60 . As discussed above, the optical sheets  84  may include a diffuser layer  90  and optical films  92 ,  94 . One or more of the optical sheets  84  may be layered (block  156 ) into the frame assembly  20  without an adhesive layer. Upon positioning of the optical sheets  84 , the light guide plate  86  may be coupled (block  158 ) to the frame assembly  20  from the rear  74  of the display  18 . In some embodiments, the light guide plate  86  may be coupled to the frame assembly  20  with a light source  96 . Alternatively, a light source  98  may be disposed within the frame  60 , and the light guide plate  86  may be coupled (block  158 ) adjacent to the light source  98  to direct light towards the cell  62  at the front  72  of the display  18 . In some embodiments, locating features  132  of the light guide plate  86  may interface with locating slots  134  of the frame  60  to arrange the light guide plate  86  in a desired position. A reflector film  88  may be layered (block  160 ) on top of the light guide plate  86  to reflect light from the light source  96 ,  98  towards the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the reflector film  88  and/or light guide plate  86  may substantially seal the rear  74  of the display  18 . The frame assembly  20  may be joined (block  162 ) with the electronic device  10 . In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may form at least a portion of the housing  32  or enclosure  36  about the display  18  of the electronic device  10 . 
     In some embodiments, the frame  60  may be assembled about the cell  62  with components (e.g., right half  60   a , left half  60   b ) as shown in  FIG. 4  above. In some embodiments, the frame  60  may be integrally formed (e.g., injection molded) about the cell  62 .  FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-section of the cell  62  disposed within a mold  170  (e.g., front mold  172  and rear mold  174 ) that may be used to form the frame about the cell  62 . The front mold  172  and the rear mold  174  may form a void  176  to receive the cell  62  and a mold material  177 . In some embodiments, the mold  170  may be steel or other suitable material. The mold material  177  may be inserted into the void  176  and interface directly with the cell  62  to form the frame  60 . In some embodiments, the mold material  177  may substantially encapsulate the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the mold material  177  may form a substantially seamless interface with the perimeter  110  of the cell  62  and surround the edges  115 . The mold material  177  may be one or more natural or synthetic materials, including but not limited to thermoplastics, thermoset plastics, rubbers, epoxies, or other materials. Examples of molding processes to form the frame  60  may include injection molding, compression molding, or transfer molding. The mold material  177  within the void  176  may form the front portion  104  about the cell  62  and the rear portion  106  to accommodate the backlight assembly  64 . In some embodiments, the void  176  may be substantially the inverse shape of the frame  60  illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     In some embodiments, the mold material  177  may enter the void  176  in a substantially fluid state. The mold material  177  may cure to a substantially solid state upon cooling, duration of time, and/or exposure to radiation. For example, a thermoplastic mold material  177  may cure to a substantially solid frame  60  upon cooling to approximately room temperature or operating temperature of the electronic device. A thermoset mold material  177  may cure to a substantially solid state upon cooling and/or exposure to radiation (e.g., ultraviolet, ionizing, X-ray). In some embodiments, the mold material  177  is an epoxy that cures to a substantially solid state upon mixing of the two or more epoxy materials. 
     The cell  62  may be spaced a distance  178  from the mold wall  180  about the edge  115  of the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the distance  178  may be less than approximately 0.3, 0.5, 1, or 2 mm. A front face  184  of the front mold  172  may be spaced a front distance  186  from the cell  62  along the Y-axis  66 . In some embodiments, the front distance  186  may be less than approximately 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mm. The void  176  of the front mold  172  may form the lips  142  described above with  FIG. 5 . The rear portion  106  of the frame  60  may be formed within the rear mold  174  proximate to the perimeter  110  of the cell  62 . The rear mold  174  may be spaced a rear distance  188  from the cell  62  along the Y-axis  66 . The rear distance  188  may be less than approximately 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 mm. The backlight assembly  64  may be joined as a single unit or layered separately through the rear  74  of the display  18  after the frame assembly  20  has been formed. 
     The electronic display  18  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  may be manufactured according to a flowchart  200  of  FIG. 8 . The flowchart  200  illustrates a rear assembly method of assembling a display  18  by molding the frame  60  about the cell  62 . Specifically, the cell  62  may be formed (block  152 ) by combining the first glass plate  76  (e.g., color filter) with the second glass plate  78  (e.g., thin-film transistor). The formed cell  62  may include a front polarizer  80  and a rear polarizer  82  on opposing sides of the cell  62  as described above. The cell  62  may be inserted (block  202 ) into the mold  170 . Voids within the mold  170  may accommodate the cell  62  and form substantially the inverse shape of the frame  60 . The frame  60  may be molded (block  204 ) about the cell  62  by inserting the mold material  177  into the mold  170  via a suitable molding process. As discussed above, the molding process may include injection molding, compression molding, or transfer molding. 
     The molded frame  60  may be integrally formed about the cell  62 . For example, the frame  60  may interface directly with the cell  62  about the perimeter  110 . The integrally formed frame  60  may protect the edges  115  of the cell  62 . Molding (block  204 ) the frame  60  about the cell  62  may substantially reduce or eliminate gaps between the cell  62  and the frame  60  so that the frame  60  is substantially seamless with the cell  62 . The frame  60  may provide the cell  62  with substantially uniform support along the Y-axis  66  across the cell  62 . Molding (block  204 ) the frame  60  may enable the frame  60  to be joined with the cell  62  without an adhesive layer, thereby reducing the thickness of the display  18  along the Y-axis  66 . 
     The molded frame assembly  20  may be removed (block  206 ) form the mold  170 . In some embodiments, flash (e.g., excess mold material  177 ) may be removed from the frame assembly  20 . Portions of the mold material  177  may be machined from the frame assembly  20  to accommodate further assembly. The molded frame assembly  20  may be cured (block  208 ) by cooling, exposure to radiation, and/or intermixing of the mold material  177  to substantially solidify the frame  60  about the cell  62 . In some embodiments, the molded frame assembly  20  may be cured prior to removal (block  206 ) from the mold  170 . The backlight assembly  64  may be joined (block  210 ) to the frame assembly  20  from the rear  74  of the display  18  similar to blocks  156 ,  158 , and  160  described above in flowchart  150  of  FIG. 6 . The frame assembly  20  may be joined (block  162 ) with the electronic device  10 . In some embodiments, the frame assembly  20  may form at least a portion of the housing  32  or enclosure  36  about the display  18  of the electronic device  10 . 
     The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20130509
Publication Date: 20171226
Grant Date: 20171226
Priority Date: 20120911
Inventors: SCARDATO STEVEN M.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02B6/0088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/1303", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/1303", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 50232957