PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12108547-B2
Application Number: US-202217701516-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with molded polymer structures

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. The display may have a display panel with an array of pixels on a flexible substrate. A display cover layer may overlap the display panel. The flexible substrate may have a protruding portion that forms a tail. When the display is mounted in the housing, the tail may be bent back on itself to create a bend. The bend may be embedded in molded polymer. The device may have structures that help prevent the display cover layer from being compressed inwardly towards the rear of the housing such as frame structures embedded in the molded polymer and/or housing sidewall structures. Optical components and optical waveguides may be embedded within the molded polymer. Mating chamfers on the display cover layer and housing may help seat the display cover layer in the housing.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display layer having a bent tail; 
 a housing wall with an inwardly facing surface, wherein the housing wall has a recessed portion on the inwardly facing surface that is configured to receive the bent tail; and 
 molded polymer in the recessed portion, wherein at least a portion of the bent tail is embedded in the molded polymer. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the recessed portion is formed from multiple recesses in the housing wall that are respectively separated by interposed protruding wall portions. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the bent tail comprises parallel fingers that are each received within a respective one of the recesses. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the molded polymer comprises a ring-shaped polymer structure running along a peripheral edge of the display layer. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  further comprising a frame that is at least partially embedded in the ring-shaped polymer structure. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  further comprising a threaded fastener, wherein the frame comprises at least one threaded opening configured to receive the threaded fastener. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the housing wall comprises an opening that receives the threaded fastener. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing wall has a locking lip that protrudes inwardly into the molded polymer. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising an optical light guide that passes through the molded polymer. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising an optical component at an end face of the optical light guide. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  further comprising a display cover layer that overlaps the display layer, wherein the end face of the optical light guide is adjacent to a surface of the display layer. 
     
     
       12. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display layer having an array of pixels; 
 a display cover layer having an inwardly facing display cover layer surface that overlaps the display layer; 
 a housing having an inwardly-facing housing surface; 
 molded polymer; and 
 a frame that is at least partly embedded in the molded polymer and that has a portion that extends between the inwardly-facing housing surface and the inwardly facing display cover layer surface. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the housing has a sidewall portion with an inwardly protruding locking lip that penetrates into the molded polymer. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the housing has a sidewall portion with a first chamfer that forms an angled housing sidewall surface and wherein the display cover layer has a second chamfer that forms a corresponding angled display cover layer surface that mates with the angled housing sidewall surface. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the frame has a plurality of tabs with openings. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the frame comprises a metal frame. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  further comprising a light guide embedded in the molded polymer. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the display layer has a bent tail that is at least partly embedded in the molded polymer. 
     
     
       19. An electronic device having a rectangular outline and opposing ends, comprising:
 a display cover layer; 
 a flexible display layer that is overlapped by the display cover layer and that has a bent tail at one of the ends; 
 molded polymer in which at least part of the bent tail is embedded; 
 a housing having a rear wall; and 
 a metal structure that extends through the molded polymer from the rear wall to the display cover layer. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 19  wherein the metal structure comprises part of a metal frame. 
     
     
       21. The electronic device defined in  claim 19  wherein the housing has a sidewall and wherein the metal structure comprises a portion of the sidewall. 
     
     
       22. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display cover layer; 
 a display panel that is overlapped by the display cover layer and that has a bent tail; 
 molded polymer in which at least part of the bent tail is embedded; 
 a housing having first and second metal housing portions separated at least partly by dielectric, wherein the first metal housing portion runs along a peripheral edge of the display cover layer; 
 wireless communications circuitry; and 
 a metal structure embedded in the molded polymer that forms at least part of a conductive path between the wireless communications circuitry and the first metal housing portion. 
 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 22  further comprising a spring that contacts the first metal housing portion. 
     
     
       24. The electronic device defined in  claim 23  wherein the spring comprises a wave spring located between the first metal housing portion and the metal structure. 
     
     
       25. The electronic device defined in  claim 24  wherein the display panel has metal traces that, together with the first metal housing portion, form at least part of an antenna and wherein the metal structure and the spring electrically couple the metal traces to the first metal housing portion. 
     
     
       26. The electronic device defined in  claim 24  wherein the metal structure comprises a metal ring that is embedded at least partly in the molded polymer. 
     
     
       27. The electronic device defined in  claim 24  wherein the metal structure comprises a set of metal inserts that are embedded at least partly in the molded polymer.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/164,949, filed Mar. 23, 2021, and provisional patent application No. 63/229,259, filed Aug. 4, 2021, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices may have components such as displays. A housing for an electronic device with a display may have structures formed from materials such as glass and metal. In some configurations, displays may be mounted under display cover glass layers to protect display pixels from damage. The display cover glass may be attached to housing walls and other housing structures. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. The display may have a display panel with an array of pixels on a flexible substrate. A display cover layer may overlap the display panel. The flexible substrate may have a protruding portion that forms a tail. When the display is mounted in the housing, the tail may be bent back on itself to create a bend. The bend may be embedded in a molded polymer member. The molded polymer member may help protect and support the embedded display tail. 
     The housing may have an inwardly protruding lip that runs around the periphery of the device. The lip may protrude from the sidewall of the housing into the molded polymer to help lock the molded polymer in place. 
     The housing may have a rear wall with an inwardly facing surface that faces an opposing inwardly facing surface of the display cover layer. The device may have structures that help prevent the display cover layer from being compressed towards the rear housing wall. These structures may include, for example, frame structures that extend between the inwardly facing surface of the rear housing wall to the opposing inwardly facing surface of the display cover layer. Vertical support may also be provided by vertical ribs that run along the inner surface of the sidewalls. In some configurations, the tail of the display may have parallel fingers each of which is received within a sidewall recess formed between pair of the vertical ribs or other inwardly protruding support structures. 
     The frame structures and other support structures may be embedded in the molded polymer. If desired, electrical components and other structures may be embedded in the molded polymer. For example, optical components and associated optical waveguides may be embedded within molded polymer. Mating chamfers on the display cover layer and housing may help seat the display cover layer in the housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5    are top views of illustrative display and housing structures that may be stacked together in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a portion of an illustrative frame with a tab in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional side view of an end portion of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of an end portion of an illustrative electronic device with a frame configured to help support a display cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a segmented tail portion of an illustrative flexible display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a top view of an end portion of an illustrative electronic device in which a flexible display of the type shown in  FIG.  9    has been mounted. 
         FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional side view of the end portion of the illustrative electronic device of  FIG.  10    in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  12    is a cross-sectional side view of an end portion of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional side view of an end portion of an illustrative electronic device with an optical component and light guide embedded in a polymer structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device may have displays and other components. Layers of glass, metal, and/or other structures may be used in forming a housing for the device. The displays and other components may be mounted in the housing. Molded polymer may be used to support housing structures, displays, and other components. Portions of the housing structures, displays, and other components may be embedded in the polymer. 
     A perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with molded polymer structures is shown in  FIG.  1   . Device  10  of  FIG.  1    may be a portable device such as a wristwatch, may be a portable device without a wristband such as a cellular telephone or tablet computer, or may be other suitable electronic equipment (e.g., a desktop computer, a voice-control speaker with a display panel, a television or other non-portable display, a head-mounted device, an embedded system such as a system built into a vehicle or home, an electronic device accessory, and/or other electronic device). Illustrative configurations in which device  10  is a cellular telephone or tablet computer may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , device  10  includes a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, crystalline material such as sapphire, ceramic, fabric, fibers, fiber composite material, natural materials such as wood and cotton, other materials, and/or combinations of such materials. Housing  12  may be configured to form housing walls. The housing walls may enclose one or more interior regions in which internal device components  18  are mounted and may separate the interior region of device  10  from the exterior environment surrounding device  10 . In some configurations, an opening may be formed in housing  12  for a data port, a power port, to accommodate audio components, or to accommodate other devices. Clear housing regions may be used to form optical component windows. In the illustrative arrangement of  FIG.  1   , a transparent housing layer may cover the upper surface of device  10  and may serve as a protective display cover layer for display  14 . If desired dielectric housing structures may be used to form radio-transparent areas for antennas and wireless power components. Display  14  may be located on a front face of device  10  and may have a rectangular outline (e.g., a square or non-square rectangular shape with rounded corners or corners of other shapes, etc.), a circular outline, or other suitable shapes. 
     Electrical components  18  in the interior of device  10  may include integrated circuits, discrete components, light-emitting components, sensors, and/or other circuits and may, if desired, be interconnected using signal paths in one or more printed circuits. Electrical components  18  may include control circuitry. The control circuitry may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in the control circuitry may be used to control the operation of device  10 . For example, the processing circuitry may use sensors and other input-output circuitry to gather input and to provide output and/or to transmit signals to external equipment. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. The control circuitry may include wired and/or wireless communications circuitry (e.g., antennas and associated radio-frequency transceiver circuitry such as cellular telephone communications circuitry, wireless local area network communications circuitry, etc.). The communications circuitry of the control circuitry may allow device  10  to communicate with other electronic devices. For example, the control circuitry (e.g., communications circuitry in the control circuitry) may be used to allow wired and/or wireless control commands and other communications to be conveyed between devices such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, head-mounted devices, handheld controllers, wristwatch devices, other wearable devices, keyboards, computer mice, remote controls, speakers, accessory displays, accessory cameras, and/or other electronic devices. Wireless communications circuitry may, for example, wirelessly transmit control signals and other information to external equipment in response to receiving user input or other input from sensors or other devices in components  18 . 
     Input-output circuitry in components  18  of device  10  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. The input-output circuitry may include input devices that gather user input and other input and may include output devices that supply visual output, audible output, or other output. 
     Output may be provided using light-emitting diodes (e.g., crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes for status indicators and/or displays, organic light-emitting diodes in displays and other components), lasers, and other light-emitting devices, audio output devices (e.g., tone generators and/or speakers), haptic output devices (e.g., vibrators, electromagnetic actuators, piezoelectric actuators, and/or other equipment that supplies a user with haptic output), and other output devices. 
     The input-output circuitry of device  10  (e.g., the input-output circuitry of components  18 ) may include sensors. Sensors for device  10  may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive force sensors, etc.), audio sensors such as microphones, touch and/or proximity sensors such as capacitive sensors (e.g., a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor integrated into a display, a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor and/or a two-dimensional force sensor overlapping a display, and/or a touch sensor or force sensor that forms a button, trackpad, or other input device not associated with a display), and other sensors. Touch sensors for a display or for other touch components may be based on an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, acoustic touch sensor structures, resistive touch components, force-based touch sensor structures, a light-based touch sensor, or other suitable touch sensor arrangements. If desired, a display may have a force sensor for gathering force input (e.g., a two-dimensional force sensor may be used in gathering force input on a display). 
     If desired, the sensors may include optical sensors such as optical sensors that emit and detect light, optical touch sensors, optical proximity sensors, and/or other touch sensors and/or proximity sensors, monochromatic and color ambient light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, ultrasonic sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional non-contact gestures (“air gestures”), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, and/or inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these sensors), health sensors, radio-frequency sensors (e.g., sensors that gather position information, three-dimensional radio-frequency images, and/or other information using radar principals or other radio-frequency sensing), depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and/or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices), optical sensors such as self-mixing sensors and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors that gather time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors, gaze tracking sensors, three-dimensional sensors (e.g., time-of-flight image sensors, pairs of two-dimensional image sensors that gather three-dimensional images using binocular vision, three-dimensional structured light sensors that emit an array of infrared light beams or other structured light using arrays of lasers or other light emitters and associated optical components and that capture images of the spots created as the beams illuminate target objects, and/or other three-dimensional image sensors), facial recognition sensors based on three-dimensional image sensors, and/or other sensors. 
     In some configurations, components  18  may include mechanical devices for gathering input (e.g., buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, key pads with movable keys, keyboards with movable keys, and other devices for gathering user input). During operation, device  10  may use sensors and/or other input-output devices in components  18  to gather user input (e.g., buttons may be used to gather button press input, touch and/or force sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering user touch screen input and/or force input, touch pads and/or force sensors may be used in gathering touch and/or force input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input, etc.). The control circuitry of device  10  can then take action based on this gathered information (e.g., by transmitting the information over a wired or wireless path to external equipment, by supplying a user with output using a haptic output device, visual output device, an audio component, or other input-output device in housing  12 , etc.). 
     If desired, electronic device  10  (e.g., components  18 ) may include a battery or other energy storage device, connector ports for supporting wired communications with ancillary equipment and for receiving wired power, and other circuitry. In some configurations, device  10  may serve as an accessory and/or may include a wired and/or wireless accessory (e.g., a keyboard, computer mouse, remote control, trackpad, etc.). 
     Device  10  may include one or more displays such as display  14  (e.g., a display that includes a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor and/or other touch sensor or a display that is insensitive to touch). The displays may, for example, include an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, a display having an array of pixels formed from respective light-emitting diodes (e.g., a pixel array having pixels with light-emitting diodes formed from respective crystalline light-emitting diode dies such as micro-light-emitting diode dies), and/or other displays. The displays may include rigid display structures and flexible display structures. For example, a light-emitting diode display may have a polymer substrate that is sufficiently flexible to be bent. Display  14  may have a rectangular pixel array or a pixel array of another shape for displaying images for a user and may therefore sometimes be referred to as a pixel array. Display  14  and/or portions of display  14  may also sometimes be referred to as a display panel, display layer, or pixel layer. Each pixel array in device  10  may be mounted under a transparent housing structure (sometimes referred to as a transparent display cover layer, protective cover layer structures, etc.). 
       FIGS.  2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5    show top views of illustrative structures that may be assembled together (e.g., by stacking, etc.) within device  10 . Illustrative display assembly  30  of  FIG.  2    has a display panel portion  32  (e.g., a display cover layer, an array of pixels for displaying images, etc.) and has notch portion  34  (e.g., an inactive area that is free of pixels and that has one or more transparent portions to pass light associated with optical components such as cameras, ambient light sensors, three-dimensional sensors, proximity sensors, etc.). One or more layers of adhesive such as illustrative pressure-sensitive adhesive  36  of  FIG.  3    may be used in mounting structures to display assembly  30  and/or to housing structures (e.g., a rear housing wall member, etc.). In the example of  FIG.  3   , adhesive  36  includes an outer ring such as ring  38  that is configured to run along the periphery of device  10  and includes notch portion  40  with openings  42  to accommodate components. 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram of an illustrative frame (sometimes referred to as a frame member, support structure, or internal housing structure) for device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , frame  44  may include ring-shaped portion  50  with protruding tabs  52 . Tabs  52 , which may extend out of the page in the orientation of  FIG.  4   , may have openings and/or other engagement structures that allow tabs  52  to be used to help attach frame  44  to other portions of device  10 . Frame  44  may be formed from stainless steel and/or other metal(s), may be formed from polymer, and/or may be formed from other suitable materials. Portion  46  of frame  44  may have openings  48  into which respective components are mounted (e.g., optical components such as cameras, ambient light sensors, three-dimensional sensors, proximity sensors, etc.). These components may receive light that passes through transparent regions in notch portion  34  of  FIG.  2    and openings  42  of  FIG.  3   . Frame  44  may, in an illustrative configuration, be attached to housing structures in device  10  or structures such as display assembly  30  of  FIG.  2    using adhesive  36  of  FIG.  3   . 
     During injection molding operations, polymer such as molded polymer  54  of  FIG.  5    may be molded over structures in device  10  (e.g., some or all of frame  44 , etc.). Ring-shaped portion  56  of polymer  54  may surround notch portion  34  of  FIG.  2   . Portions of frame  44  such as tabs  52  may be left uncovered and/or may be partially covered with molded polymer. For example, tabs such as illustrative tab  52  of  FIG.  6    may be uncovered or only partially covered so that tab openings  52 T remain open and uncovered with polymer. This allows tab openings  52 T and/or other tab structures in frame  44  to be used to engage with mating housing members when device  10  is assembled (e.g., openings  52 T may receive protruding housing sidewall structures, etc.). 
     Display  14  may have a tail portion. The tail of display  14  (e.g., the tail of a flexible display panel substrate on which the pixel array of display  14  is formed) may be used to carry data signals, clock signals and other control signals, power signals, and/or other display signals from components  18  (e.g., display driver integrated circuits, etc.) to the pixel array of the display that is used in displaying images. The tail of display  14  may be formed from a protruding elongated strip of flexible polymer (e.g., polyimide) or other display substrate material (e.g., an integral portion of the pixel array substrate). To fit the tail within housing  12 , the tail may be bent. For example, the tail of the display may be bent back on itself (e.g., by 180°). This helps ensure that any border structures surrounding display  14  may be relatively narrow. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , display  14  may have a display panel such as display panel  14 P with an array of pixels P forming active area AA. During operation of device  10 , images may be displayed in active area AA. Display  14  may have an associated protective cover layer such as transparent display cover layer  60 . Display cover layer  60  may be formed from one or more layers of glass, clear polymer, crystalline material such as sapphire or other crystalline material, and/or other transparent structures(s). The presence of layer  60  may help protect the outer surface of display panel  14 P from scratches. 
     Display panel  14 P may include a protruding tail portion such as tail  14 T (e.g., a flexible tail that protrudes from the left edge of rectangular active area AA towards the left in the example of  FIG.  7   ). When display  14  is mounted in housing  12 , tail  14 T may be bent back on itself as shown in  FIG.  7   . This may help minimize the size of any inactive display border that is visible by a user such as viewer  22  who is viewing display  14  in direction  24 . Display control circuitry (e.g., display driver and timing control circuitry) may be formed from thin-film circuitry and/or integrated circuits mounted on and/or electrically coupled to portion  14 TP of tail  14 T (as an example). 
     Housing  12  and display cover layer  60  serve to enclose interior region  62  and separate interior region  62  from exterior region  64  surrounding device  10 . Components  18  ( FIG.  1   ) may be mounted within interior region  62 . As shown in  FIG.  7   , molded polymer  54  may be used in supporting tail  14 T and other structures in device  10 . Molded polymer  54  may, as shown in  FIG.  7   , be molded over frame  44 . Frame  44  may have portions (e.g., screw holes) that are threaded and/or otherwise configured to receive threaded fasteners such as screw  66 . Screws such a screw  66  may pass through openings in housing  12  and may screw into the threaded portions of frame  44  to help mechanically attach housing  12  to frame  44 . Adhesive such as pressure sensitive adhesive  68  may be used in attaching frame  44  to housing  12 , if desired. Adhesive such as optically clear adhesive  70  may be used in attaching display panel  14 P to the inwardly facing surface of display cover layer  60 . 
     With an arrangement of the type shown in  FIG.  7   , frame  44  may help provide internal structural support for device  10  and may use tabs and/or other engagement structures to help attach frame  44  to housing walls and other portions of housing  12 . Frame  44  may have one or more portions embedded in molded polymer  54 . This may help secure frame  44  to polymer  54 . The strength added by frame  44  may help device  10  avoid deformation and damage (e.g., during a drop event that might, as an example, impose inward force on display cover layer  60  in direction  72 . 
     If desired, one or more portions of housing  12  may be configured to help engage molded polymer  54 . As shown in  FIG.  7   , for example, housing  12  may have a lip-shaped portion such as lip  12 L. Lip  12 L may be a ring-shaped lip running around some or all of the periphery of device  10 . Lip  12 L, which may protrude laterally inwardly towards interior  62  from the inner side of a sidewall of housing  12 , may help to engage and thereby lock polymer  54  in place (e.g., lip  12 L may serve as a locking lip that locks polymer  54  to housing  12 ). 
       FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of device  10  showing how device  10  may include support structures that help support display cover layer  60 . In the example of  FIG.  8   , frame  44  has a vertically-extending portion that extends between inwardly facing surface  80  of rear housing wall  12 R of housing  12  and opposing inwardly facing surface  82  of display cover layer  60 . The presence of the vertical supporting structures of frame  44  between surfaces  80  and  82  serves to maintain a desired minimum separation between surfaces  80  and  82  and helps prevent over-compression of polymer  54  when force is applied on display cover layer in direction  72  due to an undesired drop event or other impact. 
     To help minimize the width of inactive display borders, it may be desirable for tail  14 T to extend within recessed portions at the edge of housing  12 . This allows the size of active area AA to be enlarged without narrowing the width of the sidewall structures along the entire end of housing  12 . To mount display  14  in this type of housing, tail  14 T may, if desired, be segmented across its width so that tail  14 T of display panel  14 P has multiple parallel bent fingers such as fingers  14 TF of  FIG.  9   . 
     As shown in the top view of housing  12  of  FIG.  10   , housing  12  (e.g., the wall of housing  12  adjacent to tail  14 T) may be provided with recesses  12 R that are each configured to receive a laterally protruding portion of a respective one of fingers  14 TF. In the example of  FIG.  10   , each finger  14 TF is bent back on itself within a respective recess  12 R. Non-recessed portions  12 N of the wall of housing  12 , which are formed from vertically extending ribs that run parallel to the Z axis along the inner surface of the sidewall of housing  12 , protrude laterally inwardly (e.g., in the Y direction of  FIG.  10   ) from the sidewall of housing  12  and are each located between a respective pair of fingers  14 TF. In the absence of the vertical supports formed from protruding portions  12 N of housing  12 , the wall of housing  12  would be uniformly thinner to accommodate tail  14 T. This thinner size for the wall of housing  12 , could reduce the strength of housing  12 . In arrangements in which protruding portions  12 N are present, however, these protruding portions serve as vertical supports extending between the rear wall of housing  12  and inner surface  82  of display cover layer  60 . This is shown in  FIG.  11   , which is a cross-sectional side view of device  10  of  FIG.  10   . As this example demonstrates, providing a housing sidewall with one or more recesses to receive one or more corresponding fingers  14 TF of tail  12 T allows the inactive border width of display  14  to be reduced while maintaining desired vertical support (resistance to excessive forces in direction  72  due to portions  12 N which form ridges that run vertically parallel to the Z axis along the inner surface of the sidewall of housing  12 ). 
     If desired, inner surface  82  of display cover layer  60  may be provided with an angled surface that mates with a corresponding angled surface of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , for example, housing  12  may have a sidewall such as sidewall  12 W. Sidewall  12 W may run along the rectangular periphery of device  10 . Sidewall  12 W may have a chamfer that forms angled surface  90 C at the top of inwardly-facing side surface  90  of sidewall  12 W. The chamfered portion of sidewall  12 W may be matched by a corresponding chamfered portion of display cover layer  60 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , for example, inner surface  82  of display cover layer  60  may have a chamfer along its peripheral edge that forms angled (chamfered) surface  82 C. 
     Surface normal n 1  of surface  82 C and surface normal n 2  of surface  90 C may be parallel to each other and oriented at non-zero angles (e.g., an angle with a value of at least 10°, at least 30°, less than 90°, less than 70°, or other suitable value) with respect to vertical axis Z (which is parallel to the surface normal n 3  of the outer surface of display cover layer  60 ). The angled orientations of surfaces  82 C and  90 C may help prevent display cover layer  60  from being pushed inwardly to compress (and potentially damage) polymer  54  when subjected to external force in direction  72  (e.g., force due to an undesired drop event). At the same time, the arrangement of  FIG.  12    helps seat display cover layer  60  within the housing perimeter formed by sidewall  12 W so that layer  60  does not slip laterally across the top of sidewall  12 W. 
     If desired, components (e.g., components  18  of  FIG.  1   ) may be embedded within polymer  54 . Consider, as an example, the illustrative arrangement shown in the cross-sectional side view of device  10  of  FIG.  13   . As shown in  FIG.  13   , components may be mounted in interior region  62  of device  10 . These components may include components such as components  94  and  96  (e.g., components  18  of  FIG.  1    such as integrated circuits, sensors, input-output devices, etc.). Printed circuits such as printed circuit  92  and/or other signal paths may be used to electrically interconnect components  94  and  96 . 
     Display  14  may have a display panel  14 P that is attached to the underside (surface  82 ) of display cover layer  60  with adhesive  70 . Molded polymer  54  may surround portions of bent tail  14 T of display panel  14 P. Component  94  may, if desired, be an optical component such as a component that emits light and/or a component that senses light. Light may be emitted and/or detected by component  94  at any suitable wavelength (e.g., infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet). To help guide light to a desired location, device  10  may have optical waveguide structures. As shown in  FIG.  13   , for example, light guide  98  may be fully or partially embedded in polymer  54 . Light guide  98  may be formed from a transparent elongated light guide structure (e.g., a transparent elongated cylinder or other light guide formed from polymer and/or glass that guides light along its length). In an illustrative configuration, light guide  98  includes a core surrounded by a cladding with a lower refractive index than the core. If desired, polymer  54  may serve as a cladding layer. These types of arrangements and/or other light guide arrangements may be used to support light guiding through light guide  98  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. 
     During operation, optical component  94  may produce light that is received at light guide end face  100  of light guide  98  and that is emitted out of light guide  98  at opposing end face  102  (e.g., so that the emitted light may pass through layer  60 ) and/or light may be received at end face  102  (e.g., after passing through layer  60 ) and guided to end face  100  through light guide  98  for sensing by component  94 . If desired, light guide  98  may have one or more bends along its length. Component  94 , which may form one of the sensors for device  10  and/or which may serve as an output component or other input-output device for device  10  may contain one or more light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes and/or lasers and one or more light detectors such as photodiodes, image sensors, etc. 
     Polymer  54  may be any suitable polymer material such as a thermoset polymer (e.g., light-cured polymer, thermally cured polymer, etc.) or thermoplastic polymer (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer that has been softened and reduced in viscosity by heating during molding). Molding operations for polymer  54  may be performed using applied pressure from mating pieces in a mold die to shape the polymer and/or using injection molding (e.g., under vacuum conditions, using applied high or low pressure to the polymer material being molded, etc.). 
     If desired, electrical connections may be formed through molded polymer structures in device  10 . Consider, as an example, the arrangement of  FIG.  14   . As shown in  FIG.  14   , housing  12  of device  10  may have conductive portions such as metal housing portion  12 A and metal housing portion  12 C that are at least partly separated by a dielectric portion such as dielectric portion  12 B. Portion  12 B may be formed from polymer or other insulator and may have a full or partial ring shape such as an O-shape, C-shape, or other shape that runs along at least part of the periphery of device  10  (e.g., along at least three sides of a rectangular periphery for device  10  that surrounds a rectangular display). 
     It may be desirable to use conductive structures in device  10  such as metal housing portions  12 A and/or  12 C to form antenna structures. As an example, radio-frequency antenna signals for wireless communications, satellite navigation system signals, and/or other wireless communications signals may be transmitted and/or received by device  10  using one or more antennas formed from housing portions  12 A and  12 C, display  14 P (e.g., metal traces  134  on a printed circuit substrate portion of display panel  14 P) and/or other conductive structures in device  10 . 
     Conductive paths may be formed between wireless communications circuitry  132  and the antenna structures of device  10 . Circuitry  132  may include, for example, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, low-noise-amplifier circuitry, power amplifier circuitry, baseband processor circuitry, filter circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, tuning circuitry, etc. As shown in  FIG.  14   , circuitry  132  may be electrically coupled to metal traces  134  in display panel  14 P using signal paths such as path  130  (and may, if desired, be electrically coupled to conductive structures such as housing portion  12 C, printed circuit board ground planes, and/or other conductive structures in device  10  using additional signal paths). These signal paths may be formed using metal traces on printed circuits, laser-direct-structuring metal traces on polymer members, conductive polymer shots in molded polymer structures, metal members, wires, and/or m other conductive path structures. 
     In an illustrative configuration, metal housing portion  12 A may be electrically coupled to metal traces  134  in display panel  14 P and these metal structures may operate together to form at least part of an antenna. Traces  134  may be electrically connected to metal housing portion  12 A using a conductive path formed from metal structure  126  and spring  120 . Spring  120  may be a wave spring with a ring shape that runs around some or all of the periphery of display  14 . Periodically, the wave spring undulates outwardly and, in the position shown by spring  120  of  FIG.  14   , presses against metal housing member  12 A to form electrical connection  122 . Periodically, the wave spring undulates inwardly and, in position  120 ′, presses against the outer surface of metal structure  126  to form electrical connection  124 . In this way, metal housing portion  12 A is shorted to metal structure  126 . There may be any suitable number of connections such as connections  122  and  124  in device  10 . As an example, there may be between 3 and 10 discrete connection points between spring  120  and housing  12 A and between 3 and 10 discrete connection points between spring  120  and structure  126  around the periphery of device  10 . 
     Metal structure  126  may be formed from a single metal ring that runs around some or all of the periphery of display  14 . This single metal ring may be at least partly embedded in molded polymer (see, e.g., molded polymer  54 A and molded polymer  54 B, which may be formed as integral portions of a common molded part or may be formed separately). If desired, a set of discrete metal inserts may be used in place of the single metal ring. Metal structure  126  may, as an example, be formed from 3-8 separate metal inserts that are spaced at regular intervals around the periphery of display  14 . The metal inserts may also be at least partly embedded in molded polymer  54 A and/or  54 B. As described in connection with  FIG.  7   , tail portion  14 T of display panel  14 P may be embedded in the molded polymer (e.g., in molded polymer  54 B). 
     Metal traces  134  may form one or more connections with metal structure  126  and/or a separate structure such as copper tape or other conductive material (see, e.g., path  128 ) may be used in connect traces  134  and metal structure  126 . In general, electrical connections between conductive structures in device  10  may be formed using direct contact, conductive adhesive, solder, welds, metal fasteners, and/or other suitable electrical connection structures. 
     By using connections of the type shown in  FIG.  14   , metal housing portion  12 A (e.g., a ring-shaped metal housing structure that runs along the periphery of display  14 ) may, in combination with metal traces  134  associated with the display panel  14 P, form at least part of an antenna for device  10 . Use of metal housing portion  12 A and display panel  14 P to form an antenna may help avoid use of overly bulky antenna structures in device  10  and may therefore help maintain a desired compact size for device  10 . 
     The arrangements shown in  FIGS.  1 - 14    may be used independently and/or any suitable number of these arrangements (e.g., one or more) may be used in combination with each other. 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of information such as sensor information. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, data may be gathered that includes personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, username, password, biometric information, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to deliver targeted content that is of greater interest to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables users to calculated control of the delivered content. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the United States, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide certain types of user data. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time user-specific data is maintained. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an application (“app”) that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of information that may include personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20220322
Publication Date: 20241001
Grant Date: 20241001
Priority Date: 20210323
Inventors: BASS, DAKOTA A
De Jong, Erik G
PANDYA, SAMEER
TSUEI, SHANG L
Canales, Trent J
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K5/0017", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/4253", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0277", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0277", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1641", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1626", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0008", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0217", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0006", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0017", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/4253", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0217", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 83365319